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SHOP COLLECTIONS
SHOP BY MAKER

SHOP COLLECTIONS
SHOP BY MAKER

CHRISTMAS

CHRISTMAS

The Shop Floor Project turns twenty this year, and to celebrate we wanted to create an extra special Christmas story. So, we headed down to Swarthmoor Hall, our favourite 16th century house on the southern tip of Cumbria, and brought a troupe of players along with us.

For our revelries, we took inspiration from the Tudor traditions of Twelfth Night and the ancient belief that, from mid-winter, the sun stood still for twelve days.

FEASTING

FEASTING

During this time all manner of festivities took place, with the grand finale known as Twelfth Night. On this eve, bonfires were lit and pageants, plays and feasts were held whilst a Lord of Misrule was appointed to play tricks on the King or Queen.

On the tree and around the table, our new tin decorations sparkle, including the rather wonderful three-dimensional Lobster, Winged Moon and bronze Glove, inspired by an Elizabethan example.

MERRIMENT

MERRIMENT

As well as dancers, musicians and a jester, we invited a very special trio of travelling singers to the Hall, who regaled us, over a grand feast, with the hauntingly beautiful songs of Georgia. These ancient folk songs, heard across villages and the wintry Caucasus mountains, tell tales of peace, joy and healing.

THE NORTH STAR CROWN

THE NORTH STAR CROWN

This sparkling Pop Out Crown by The Shop Floor Project is taken from an original hand-painted design by Denise Allan. The star-shaped crown is painted to resemble thousands of shimmering diamonds encrusted within an intricately cut framework of golden filigree, with the North Star shining above.

Inspired by the William Blake poem, To the Evening Star, along with his paintings of celestial figures and star-crowned angels.

To The Evening Star

To The Evening Star

Thou fair-haired angel of the evening,
Now, whilst the sun rests on the mountains, light
Thy bright torch of love; thy radiant crown
Put on, and smile upon our evening bed!
Smile on our loves, and while thou drawest the
Blue curtains of the sky, scatter thy silver dew

(excerpt from To The Evening Star by William Blake)

THE DRESSING UP BOX

THE DRESSING UP BOX

Open the dressing up box and choose your favourite Pop Out Crowns to wear.

GOLDEN OAK LEAF CROWN

GOLDEN OAK LEAF CROWN

The Golden Oak Leaf crown is inspired by early English carved oak leaves and the Renaissance paintings of foliage crowns.

Beautifully painted by artist and co-founder of The Shop Floor Project, Denise Allan, the series of interlocking oak sprigs shine out to create the appearance of a fully gilded three-dimensional crown.

THE HALO

THE HALO

An angelic crown, The Halo crown glows with the appearance of ancient gold. It was inspired by the 15th century artist Fra Angelico and his paintings of angels, kings and queens with their golden halos.

THE SAILING SHIP CROWN

THE SAILING SHIP CROWN

Inspired by the elaborate ‘ship hair’ or ‘pouf à la Belle Poule’ of 18th century Paris. It was popularised by Marie Antoinette, who wore a hand-crafted miniature ship atop her head to commemorate the French ship Belle Poule’s victory in 1778.

We formed the ship with three main parts to create an impressive 3-dimensional design. As with all of the crowns, they are originally hand-painted by Denise Allan. For the Sailing Ship she has strung the crown with tiny painted pearls and ribbons blowing in the wind whilst the ship rides through a curl of waves.

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TIN DECORATIONS

Made in the same tin workshops that date back to 16th century Mexico. We collaborate with skilled artisans to translate our designs into these beautiful decorations.

Designed in-house, our handmade tin decorations begin life as pencil drawings inspired by characters seen on frescoes and in medieval manuscripts and church carvings.

These sketches are then developed with skilled artisans in Mexico, who have a long tradition of 'tin work' dating back to the 16th century.

STARGAZEY PIE

STARGAZEY PIE

The Stargazy Pie can be traced back to the fishing village of Mousehole in Cornwall. Legend has it that the dish originated during a particularly harsh winter when a heroic fisherman named Tom Bawcock braved the stormy seas to catch a bounty of fish. To celebrate his courageous feat, the villagers created a pie featuring whole fish poking through the pastry crust, their heads raised towards the heavens—a whimsical nod to the starry night that accompanied Tom Bawcock's daring adventure.

Described in the 1700's as ‘poor man’s silver’, it is perfect for decorations; light to hang and all the embossed detailing catches the light beautifully.

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THE GIFT GUIDE

Treasures for under the Tree > >

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GIFT GUIDE

Treasures for under the Tree > >

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GIFT GUIDE

Introduce customers to your shop with lifestyle imagery and product photography.

Treasures for under the Tree > >

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GIFT GUIDE

Treasures for under the Tree > >

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GIFT GUIDE

Treasures for under the Tree > >

A MID-WINTER FEAST

A MID-WINTER FEAST

Candlelight

Feasting

Singing

Dancing

A TRICK OF THE EYE

A TRICK OF THE EYE

Much like during the Tudor feasts, we love a surprise on the festive table. Whether that's a tray of sardines or mussel shells made of tin, or a bowl of almond cakes made to look like apricots, anything that tricks the eye in low candlelight is a delight!

Cooks in grand houses often moulded marzipan into faux fruit, created cakes inside real eggshells or created asparagus spears in tiny ice cream moulds.

We'll be sharing recipe ideas on the newsletter soon, in case you fancy a go!

EXPLORE CHRISTMAS >

THE SUPRA

THE SUPRA

During the feast the three singers regaled us with the folk songs of Georgia and led a sequence of toasts in a beautiful, ancient tradition known as a Supra. We'll be sharing more about this tradition soon.

EXPLORE CHRISTMAS >

LET'S GO SHOPPING

LET'S GO SHOPPING

The storybook quality of Marion Elliot’s paper-cut collages transports us to a time of handmade crafts, a thriving high street and traditional workshops. The wind blows past the yarn dyers of the Hebrides, the doors of a doll’s house open to reveal the scene inside, the butcher and florist display their wares, the farrier hammers horse shoes in his workshop. This collection is a love letter to the vernacular crafts and architecture of this island.

THE HIGH STREET

THE HIGH STREET

The subjects for this collection are reminiscent of the beautiful book The High Street by Eric Ravilious which celebrated early 20th century shops and signs. Marion takes us from the high street with incredible depictions of butcher’s shops, florists, milliners and into traditional rural and coastal craft workshops of basket makers, farriers, sailmakers and dyers.

Marion’s work is deeply rooted in her love of folk art; shop fronts, fairgrounds, hand-painted signage, advertising imagery and typography, tattoos, workers’ guild banners, mottos, and commemorative mugs are all cited as ongoing inspiration.

FOLKTALE TILES

FOLKTALE TILES

Come on a journey with British artist and ceramicist Edith Morris as she takes us, back through the mists of time, to folktales from Celtic Britain, ancient eastern Europe, Scandinavia and Iceland.

STORIES, MYTHS & LEGENDS

STORIES, MYTHS & LEGENDS

Inspired by the ancient craft of pargetting, a type of lime plaster decoration applied to the outside of houses in medieval England. The decoration often depicted local folklore such as the legendary figures of Tom Hickathrift and the Wisbech Giant.

Looking over the whole collection, it’s as though we have stumbled across an ancient inn in the forest which is tiled in these stories of local legends, mythical beasts and strange woodland plants.

ANIMAL KINGDOM

ANIMAL KINGDOM

Japanese artist Kosuke Aijro is celebrated for his fascinating work of strange realms that appear to come from the margins of medieval manuscripts.

To look into one of Ajiro's paintings is to get lost within another world, one full of mysterious animals, mandrakes, winged-cardinals, puppets, flowers, mysterious writings, kings, queens and knights, forest creatures and tree roots.

ROAR

ROAR

Like jars from an eccentric 18th century apothecary, this Lion Jar by Karen Thompson reference early Staffordshire ceramic animals from the 1700's.

SLIPWARE

SLIPWARE

Miki Oka's incredible slipware platters featuring a menagerie of animals.

"My work is inspired by everyday life, nature, animals, and the small moments and encounters that stay in my mind. I have always been drawn to animals and the feeling that each one has its own personality and story. I often imagine them as if they have their own character, emotions, and lives.”

APOTHECARY TILES

APOTHECARY TILES

Fiona Biddington's new Apothecary Tiles are inspired by ancient remedies and the wild and wonderful beliefs about the natural world.

They are taken from entries in Pliny the Elder's Naturalis Historia (AD 77), which extensively documented plants and animals, focusing on their medicinal, prophetic and dangerous properties.

For this new collection of hand-made tiles, Fiona has been influenced by ancient herbals and illuminated manuscripts which document plants, animals and insects and their medicinal, culinary, or magical properties.

These rich and layered tiles are perfect for a fireside hearth, kitchen and light-filled windowsills. We’ve known for many years that objects, made by artists and skilled craftsmakers, cultivate a sense of wellbeing in the homes they inhabit. These Apothecary Tiles, inspired by healing recipes and spells, further explore this idea of nourishment and magic.

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