Prints have become more and more popular in recent years and even more so during lockdown, I think. Prints and decorations for our walls will continue to be popular as we spend more time at home, they are such a wonderful way of adding interest, personality and a touch of colour to any wall. Perfect for any budget and style.
In this gift guide, I feature nine small businesses to gift from this Christmas, a print is such a lovely gift as the recipient will think of you whenever they see it up on their wall.
Tag me over on Instagram, @small_business_collaborative, if you decide to pick up anything from any of these wonderful small businesses.
In Rainbows
Becci makes and designs all of her products in her home studio in Barry in South Wales right near the beach where she lives with her cute golden retriever Dusty and husband Booker.
In rainbows started 6 years ago because Becci thinks it’s super important to be surrounded by colour, pattern and things with smiley faces. She wants to bring bright colours and happiness into her customer's homes; whether it is a vibrant print for your wall, a cute car buddy for your car or a quirky Christmas tree topper....In Rainbows got you covered!
Handmade in the UK by Becci.
What I love: Fun and bright things, the wall hanging safari heads look amazing.
Fun fact: I love pastels, 80s prints, charity shop bargains, baking cakes, walking in my wellies, travelling the world and looking after my 60 plus house plants (whoopsie!). All my plants are now up high because of Dusty. Ha!
Price range: £8-60
Shop: www.inrainbows.co.uk
Follow: @inrainbowsbecco
Printed Ink Design
Handmade screen printed fabric wall banners and prints for your home.
Everything is handmade by us, in the most sustainable way we can, in the Cotswolds. We love printing over vintage fabrics and papers, giving them a contemporary new lease of life and saving them from landfill.
What I love: I love that so many small businesses are "saving vintage fabric from landfill by repurposing them into something new and beautiful. Katy's wall hangings would brighten any wall.
Fun fact: We only started a few months ago - this is our first Christmas in business!
Price range: £10-49
Follow: @printedinkdesign
Designs by Ellie May & Real Queens Eat Pizza
Designs by EllieMay create gift wrap and cards with cute animals and characters that are made in the UK.
Real Queens Eat Pizza is Helena's intersectional feminist brand, she currently has some personalised illustrations that make for great gifts, some LGBTQIA+ wall art and other prints.
Some of the items are custom illustrated to your personal life - no one will have this artwork, because it's unique to you!
What I love: I love that Helena doesn't shy away from talking about what she believes in and her Coppafeel print is brilliant! Go and have a look now!
Fun fact: There are two prints available on my Etsy which, once all units are sold, a % of the profit will be donated to 2 charities - Cancer research and Coppafeel Charity. My aim is to give back to become an eco-conscious, collaborative brand that donates charities I'm passionate about whenever and wherever I can.
Price range: From £2.50
Follow: @designsbyelliemay @realqueenseatpizza
Printer Johnson
Printer Johnson is a paper goods brand and trading name of illustrator and printmaker Vicki Johnson. Inspired by nature, folklore and pattern Vicki designs colourful illustrations with a nostalgic feel from her home studio in Norwich.
Vicki's background is in printmaking and many of the prints are Risographs or screen prints. These are produced by printing one colour layer at a time using stencils and most prints use between 3-4 colour layers. Registration between colour layers and coverage will vary between prints, these slight imperfections are all part of these wonderful printing process and make each one unique!
What I love: I love folklore-inspired prints and Vicki's use of colour is spot on. Prints are vibrant and fun and with a lot of details. I recently started doing jigsaws so popping her rooster on my wish list.
Fun fact: Printer Johnson is a two-woman show, managed by Vicki with support from Meredith Adams. Two local ladies with a passion for the visual arts and part of the ever-growing creative community here in Norwich.
Price range: £2.95-95
Follow: @printerjohnson
Kate Phipps Writes
Kate creates one-off bespoke poems, poetry prints, cards and products inspired by life in all its up and down glory.
All words are written by Kate from her studio in East Sussex. Their bespoke poems are written using the information supplied by you, via a client questionnaire. They are completely unique, one-off pieces written to inspire, celebrate or empower connection.
What I love: This is such a unique and beautiful gift for someone and something to be treasured for a long time. Perfect for those of us who struggle to find words for what we want to say and as a gift for the person in your life that doesn't need more stuff.
Fun fact: Kate is a qualified person-centred counsellor so lots of our words have mental health themes within them and are about empowering communication.
Price range: £14-200
Follow: @katephippswrites
Doodle Moo
Doodlemoo is a lifestyle brand offering Art, Home, Stationery, Jewellery & Gifts for the playful souls.
They create a world of playfulness through Design and Typography. Colourful, bold and happy designs for the modern home. Everything is designed and made in the UK using FSCC certified papers.
What I love: Emily's designs are so much fun and stylish. They can add a pop of colour to any wall and I love that she will help you pick your prints if you have a wall that needs some TLC. Emily has also been a guest on my podcast Let's Talk Shop.
Fun fact: We take great care in designing unique products.
Price range: £10-80
Shop: https://doodlemoo.com/
Follow: @doodle_moo
Charlotte Hogg
Charlotte Hogg Studio is an art brand specialising in Botanical fine art prints, cards and personalised paintings.
Charlotte's work is beautifully colourful with great attention to detail for people of all ages who like me, are passionate about flora and fauna and want to bring nature into their homes and to be surrounded by an uplifting force of the great outdoors.
All prints are printed to order in the UK and everything is eco friendly and recyclable, FSF approved paper and compostable materials.
What I love: Charlotte's style is traditional and bold at the same time with lovely detailed drawings and paintings. My favourite is her viola card, I love how each flower is different even if they are the same kind.
Fun fact: I started my business when my second son was born. He was diagnosed with an abnormality to his feet called talipes. It meant we spent many many months not sleeping and going through his treatment. This time was hard and my job in fashion as a knitwear designer for a high street company was just not conducive to my new role with motherhood.
So I made a bold decision, I quit my job in fashion, and started painting to help me through the hard time. It was not my intention at first for it to be anything but escapism and therapy- something I could do whilst looking after Joseph. Now he's 3 and his feet are perfect! And my paintings and ideas have grown alongside him, flourishing into the exciting small creative brand it is today.
As above, Prior to starting Charlotte Hogg Studio, I worked as a Senior knitwear designer for 18 years, travelling the world and working for some of the biggest international retail brands.
I have just moved with my family from North London, having lived in London for almost 2 decades, to very rural Somerset where I grew up!
Price range: £3-140
Follow: @charlottehoggstudio
Accidential Vix
Hi, I'm Vix, an illustrator and interior designer based in my creative corner of Ilkley, Yorkshire.
I have been sketching architecture for nearly two decades, starting as an Interior Architecture & Design student at Nottingham Trent University, but Accidental Vix, started after graduating and shattering my hip. There were many bedridden months, and years recovering from various surgeries, with only my sketchbook, pen and same four walls for company.
My journey, from the rolling hills of Haworth, through university in Nottingham, and beyond my work in the capital and Manchester, made me realise how much emphasis is placed on London and its amazing landmarks. I chose to focus my attention on the North of England.
Every sketch takes me through a journey from concept to completion, deciding which details to include and exclude, and which characters to add. It involves 3 stages - draft composition sketch(s), final detailed sketch, colour
Do you ever walk down a street, or enter a building that reminds you of a snapshot of your life, and a moment frozen in time; where you had a first date, where you received an all-important phone call, or simply the place you call home? I often stand somewhere and imagine a time-lapse of people standing, walking, running, falling in love, last goodbyes, happy or sad in that same spot over the course of days, months and years. It is my characters, and their interaction with the scenes I draw that are just as important as the surroundings themselves.
What I love: The time and detail Vicky put into creating her still time-lapses and how it means that something as rigid as a building can come to life on a piece of paper.
Fun fact: You will find me and my family in every sketch, something that captivates my kids in the search for themselves! There are other characters that have started to make a regular appearance too, including past me on my crutches when I was told I would never walk again. My aim is that you can see yourself somewhere in my drawings.
Price range: £3-35
Follow: @accidentalvixprints
Portland Paper Company
Portland Paper Co aims to share the magic of illustration and the hand-drawn through paper goods and stationery.
It is a home for cards, prints, notelets, wraps and more, designed at home in London but very much inspired by the wide world around us. I love to travel and I love nature, so those two things come together to influence my designs. My aim is to inspire a sense of wonder and capture the imagination through the charm of illustration and the hand-painted.
All products are made in the UK using FSC certified paper, and everything is reusable or recyclable (including all packaging)
What I love: Polly's animals and characters are adorable and I love that she took a less traditional route for her Christmas wrap creating a stary night sky. This way, the paper can be used even after Christmas so there will be less waste.
Fun fact: Every product is drawn by hand and created from original illustrations or paintings - very much in celebration of the analogue!
Price range: £2.50-45
Follow: @portlandpaper.co
I would love to hear if you enjoyed having a look through this guide and what small businesses you will support this Christmas. Tag me over on Instagram, @small_business_collaborative, if you decide to pick up anything from any of these wonderful small businesses.