The Handpicked Collection specialises in selling handpicked gifts, including plenty of ideas for your home and garden. Many of the products they stock are just a little bit more unusual than the norm…not the bizarre, but items you wouldn’t see in most shops, but can’t help but want. As part of our Shop Showcase series, we’ve picked out our top 10 favourites from The Handpicked Collection.
1. Pencil sharpener desk tidy
Maybe it is because so many pencil sharpeners nowadays seem such poor quality, but this pencil sharpener desk tidy has a quirky and unique appeal. The wooden desk tidy pen pot is modelled on the standard sharpener most of us will remember from our primary school days and has plenty of room to store all your pens, pencils, scissors and other essential desk accessories. It’s a fun piece to add to your study desk, or give as a gift, and costs just £14.95.
2. Natural slate cheese board with chalk
Moving into the kitchen, we have this natural slate cheese board with chalk. The slate board, which costs £14.95, keeps the cheese at the correct temperature and the chalk can be used to write the names of the various cheeses beside them. Genius!
3. Takeaway menu organiser
This is quite an innovative idea – a take-away menu organiser. It has ten tabbed sections for storing take-away menus and a section at the start for noting frequently used numbers. The hard covered folder costs £8.97.
4. Herb scissors
Whether you grow your own fresh herbs, or buy them ready grown in pots from the supermarket, The Handpicked Collection sell these five-bladed herb cutting scissors, which are perfect for snipping herbs without crushing them. They’re a snip at just £9.95, and come with a useful small cleaning comb.
5. Huge granite pestle and mortar
There is nothing better than crushing garlic or peppercorns in a traditional pestle and mortar. This huge granite pestle and mortar has a 19cm diameter and costs £34.95.
6. Gravy boat with fat separator
This white gravy boat looks like a normal gravy boat, but it is cleverly designed so that it separates the fat, skimming it off. The porcelain gravy boat with fat separator costs £9.95.
7. Nibble coaster
If you have ever tried to hold a glass of wine and a plate of nibbles while circulating at a party you will appreciate this nibble coaster. For £9.07 you get a coaster which will hold a glass of any sort and a side section for nibbles.
8. Tottering by Gently round tray
Dicky and Daffy feature on this handy round tray, costing £4.87. The green tray features a design involving each character mowing the lawn.
9. Egg spiral
This egg spiral could have been designed for people who have their own hens. The eggs can be placed in order so that you can have the oldest first. But for the many people who don’t have chickens it is still a great way of storing eggs with the next egg rolling forward when you lift one. Cost is £19.96.
10. Chrome bath caddy with bookholder
Sometimes when you are in the bath you could really do with somewhere to put your book, your glass of wine, and a candle for atmosphere. This chrome bath caddy with candleholder has all of these, with an extra wine glass should you have company. The bath caddy is priced at £44.95.
