Shop in the Spotlight: Theo

It's my birthday! WHEE! 

Actually, I'm writing this the day before my birthday, so sadly I can't tell you all about the wonderful presents I will have no doubt received by the time you read this. However. I may have opened a few already. (SHUSH NOW. It was totally sanctioned.) Among them is this Pipework Candelabra from Howkapow (You know about Go Postal, right? There's still time to WIN one of our secret gift subscriptions! Hurry! It'll be like your birthday every month!) and a glorious Gwen Delicious letterpress initial necklace. I love birthdays.

I'm not all take-take-take, though. Oh no. Today, my 33rd birthday - my day, readers, MY DAY - I reveal to you my top gift-buying destination. Accept this information as a sort of jealousy present, if you will.

I wrote about Theo a couple of weeks ago because it sells Dominic Wilcox's ace Honesty Stamps. But I've had a proper look around now, and there's SO much more to tell you about. Who wouldn't want this wind-up cable car by Kovap, for instance? It comes with 5 metres of string, and you can use it to deliver notes across rooms and offices. YES PLEASE. It's £31, and did I mention that I accept belated birthday presents? 

There are gifts to suit every budget at Theo. I love this HemDing Vintage platter by Andreas Fabian, but at £129 it's more than I can justify spending on what is ostensibly an old spade handle stuck to a plate. YMMV, of course. And it would look grand serving up scones at a garden party, wouldn't it? I am SUCH a facilitator. Go on, buy it. It's an investment. 

Much more affordable but no less lovely is this set of three Chimley candlesticks by Gemma Gourlay, £10. Little terracotta chimney pots for your candles! But where can I get my hands on that vaguely sinister 'I am not a pot' Thing Of Intrigue that's in this photo? WANT.  

This Spoons tray by Michael Angove is £25.95, and also comes in white or pale blue. The red is my favourite though, for the simple reason that it matches the jumper I'm wearing today. 

I can't resist a bit of Donna Wilson. I already own her fox cushion (a birthday present last year, in fact) and now I want these Squirrel, Wolfie and Owl beakers. They're £13.95 each, and I'm particularly fond of that smug squirrel. 

We've already expressed our love here at Domestic Sluttery for the Word Map of the British Isles by Angus McArthur and Alison Hardcastle. Their latest offering is this Word Map of London, £25. 

It comes in red or dark grey. There's Del Boy, look. And Georgian gin distilleries. Oh, and Bubonic Plague. Super.

You can search on Theo by British Made, Something Cheap, Basics, and a host of other categories that make finding gifts easy-peasy. Also very handy is that fact that you can see how much stock is left - meaning that if you're dithering about whether or not to buy that freakishly gigantic Playmobil XL fireman figure (hint: don't), you can see that there are only 4 left in stock and act accordingly (see hint).

Theo is the perfect place to buy designy presents for people like me. You probably know a person like me. Maybe you actually know me. In which case, you know where to go. Shoo! Skedaddle! It's my birthday!