If you were watching the new comedy show 'Fresh Meat' on TV the other night, you might have recognised fab handmade retro-print lampshades we stock, hanging in the main characters' shared house - we were insanely excited to see them in pride of place in lots of the shots!

We've just sold out of the massively-popular royal wedding tea towels by Susan Taylor, so they've been withdrawn from the 'Buy now' section - sorry!

Click on 'Buy now' in the top menu to view and buy one of the last royal wedding commemorative tea towels by typographical artist Susan Taylor.  Here's what she said about this sell-out limited edition of 300:

Hurry if you want one of our massively popular artist-made collector's edition Royal Wedding tea towels - we only have a very few left, and with only a few days to the big event, they're selling fast, despite Mr W's gritted teeth (no Royalist, he).  Susan (the artist who made them) only produced 300, so they're sure to be collector's items of the future.  Funky and cool, and a little bit retro, they're printed in red white and blue (of course), and the perfect gift to mark this historic event.

Beetles are having a bit of a moment in fashion right now - witness Paul Smith's safari bag with gold beetle that's wowing fashionistas.  Clearly, we have our fingers on the pulse at Cuckoo Cuckoo - pop in and check out our new jewellery, including an amazing heavyweight silver stag beetle pendant (a great investment piece) and some unusual ceramic and silver neckpieces decorated with a black and white image of insects or flowers.  And if you're not into creepy crawlies, we even have another sort of beetle... a fab print of a Matchbox toy Beetle car, with a genuine vintage car in the frame!

Fans of Cuckoo Cuckoo will know we're usually closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays (and Thursdays in January), to give us time to carry on our search for the most exciting established and emerging artists, do boring stuff like the accounts (grim!), and have a little break.  This morning, however, Mr W saw the sunshine, and decided to open the gallery instead of having his day off - there's dedication to the arts for you!

We're already gearing up for Valentine's Day in the gallery, and are very excited about a new collection of beautiful and reasonably-priced Valentine's jewellery, coming soon.

With an organic, handmade vibe, and made from environmentally-friendlier recycled silver, this new collection of jewellery for men and women starts at just £18 for a pair of silver earstuds, or £24 for a delicate skinny ring.  Pricier pieces include tiny little genuine ruby gemstone beads, or ever-popular garnets. 

We're expecing delivery of this collection at the start of February, and hope to have selected items available to buy online, too.

A new year feels a bit like starting a fresh design sketchbook - all that empty space stretching out ahead, and no clue yet as to what will fill it.  We make marks in our lives (by the choices we make every day), just as an artist makes marks on canvas or paper.  And just like with creating an artwork, sometimes the overall impact of those marks isn't immediately obvious.

Perhaps that's why resolutions are traditionally made on New Year's Day - everything seems possible, when we contemplate the fresh new page of a new year.

So here are my resolutions:  to nurture my creative development through experimentation without fear of failures along the way (bronze, enamelled and steel jewellery, here I come), to speak my truth whilst taking responsibility for what I say and mean, and to continue to seek out, take risks with, and celebrate, talented emerging UK artists and makers.

If your resolutions include choosing UK handmade (rather than imported or factory-made), there's a treasury of quirky, quality delights awaiting you at Cuckoo Cuckoo - and we're open all day today!

Happy New Year!

Sarah Jane x

If you've had your eye on a gorgeous piece of jewellery, or other handmade item in the Cuckoo Cuckoo gallery, now might be your chance to snap it up at 20% off the retail price!  Starting tomorrow (Tuesday 28 December 2010), selected items are reduced in price, so pop into the gallery - check the 'Opening hours' page for up-to-date information about our current opening hours.

With only one more shopping day to go until Christmas, it's a relief to know that Cuckoo Cuckoo will be open until 5pm (or even later, if it's busy) tomorrow - Christmas Eve.  With fantastic artist-made gifts from under a tenner (to over £500 if you're feeling flush), now's the chance to give your loved ones something really unique and meaningful.

Our customers appreciate that every piece in the gallery has been individually handmade by a UK-based artist - no soul-less sweatshops here - making a gift bought at Cuckoo Cuckoo ethical as well as beautiful.  The image here shows domed rings (available in a silver, bright gold or moongold finish) by talented emerging designer Laura Bennett - gorgeous!  (Please, Santa...)

Much of our stock is changing in the New Year, as we take delivery of some stunning pieces for our new Spring show, so if you've seen something you like in the gallery, now's the time to snap it up, or it might be gone forever!

Today's my birthday, and the very lovely Paul bought me several gifts from the gallery - a wise move on his part, since I helped choose everything we stock, and love every single item!

Amongst the gorgeous gallery gifts he chose for me (a pair of vibrant anodised aluminium flower earrings, a stylish red candy striped felted scarf and a fabulous cow parsley lamp) was a Cuckoo Cuckoo gift card from a London-based friend - clever and kind lady! 

She simply phoned up the gallery yesterday and bought the card over the phone, saved herself the hassle of posting me a present - and now I get to choose an extra something special from the gallery.  Bliss!

I've had my eye on a sweet and oddball hand-decorated robot mug and teapot, a funky bookmark, a framed 'Lucky 7' cowboy print, plus some simple and beautiful ceramic Christmas decorations.  We also have a new range of absolutely stunning contemporary jewellery arriving any day in the gallery - so I'll be completely spoilt for choice.  Even just anticipating my shopping trip to redeem that gift card is heaven!

So if you find it hard to find good presents for friends and family this Christmas, but know they'd appreciate something beautiful or useful that's been carefully artist-handmade right here in the UK (rather than made in some far-flung sweatshop), why not give the gallery a call on 01424 428999 (every day except Tues & Weds;  open til 8pm on Thursdays until Christmas), and treat your loved ones to a beautiful Cuckoo Cuckoo gift card so they can choose exactly the gift they'd like?

Happy Christmas shopping!

Designing the Christmas shop window display for the Cuckoo Cuckoo gallery was always going to be a challenge:  don't tell anyone, but Paul really dislikes Christmas frippery, and I always have a battle at home just to get a few baubles past him and into the house.  Don't get me wrong, he's a generous chap and excellent at Christmas (and birthday) gift-buying, but he doesn't go a bundle on nativity scenes, Christmas trees or tinsel,  viewing these things as just so much clutter.  Sigh.

So I went for a traditional Christmas with a twist.  Even Paul couldn't take issue with baubles that express his views so perfectly, printed with the words 'Bah humbug' and 'I hate sprouts'!

There's a distinct nip in the air, which means only one thing - Christmas is just round the corner, and to help you get your Christmas list ticked off, local independent traders in Hastings' Old Town will be staying open until late (around 8pm) every Thursday from this week until Christmas.   And you can pick up your 'Win Christmas for a Fiver' raffle tickets at the same time, too, to be in with a chance of winning around £3000-worth of Christmas gifts and treats.

Now, it's possible that I'm just a bit shallow and unevolved, but when I unwrap yet another scented candle on Christmas Day, my heart sinks just a little bit.

So here are some unique, handmade gift ideas available for around £15 (some under £10) at the Cuckoo Cuckoo contemporary crafts gallery: 

• Contemporary wooden bookmark in oak, walnut or ash, with spiral top thread detail and coloured felt backing by Jane Bleese
• Hand-thrown off-white 'Wonky' ceramic vessel by Rebecca Krebs 
• Set of two beautiful handmade flower hair pins with seed beeds by Atelier Edyta Loukia
• Robot mug by Julia Davies
  
• Hand-screenprinted moleskine cahier (notebooks) by Deborah Champion
• Vibrant anodised spiral ring by Lorraine Gibby
• Set of four artist mini-prints (great for framing) by Olivia Jeffries
• Cuckoo Cuckoo gift card (so they can choose their own present) from £10
• Gorgeous creamy ceramic eggcup by Caroline Green (these have handles, so have also been bought as quirky little espresso cups)
  
• Bubble earrings with gemstones or vintage glass beads by, erm, yours truly (notice I listed mine last)
  

Very excitingly, we now have the raffle tickets available to buy in the gallery, so pop in to see us (we're open every day except Tues & Weds, from 10am-5pm, and sometimes later) to be in with a chance of winning prizes worth over £3000, and help to keep the tradition of Hastings Old Town Christmas lights going, at the same time.  Just ONE person scoops all the prizes - can you imagine what it would be like to win - one lucky person's going to have the Christmas of their life this year!  More info on Facebook with this link.

Would you like to win all your Christmas presents?  Come along to Cuckoo Cuckoo in November, buy a raffle ticket, and you might win a whole host of brilliant and valuable gifts from local traders.  Yup, that's right - one lucky person will win all the prizes, worth hundreds of pounds - imagine that!  Tickets will be on sale at the gallery very soon (watch this space), and cost £5 each.  Money raised by all the participating Old Town traders who'll be selling the raffle tickers will be used to save the traditional lights in George Street this Christmas.

You asked... and we listened!  We're now open on Thursdays, meaning you can shop for unique and stylish handmade gifts every day of the week except Tuesday and Wednesday.

Along with a whole heap of other enterprising and funky small businesses in the boho Old Town in Hastings, we'll be staying open until 8pm on Thursdays from 18 November right up until Christmas, so pop in and see us.

We have some brilliant and unusual gift ideas...

• For the control freak in your life, choose a hand-screenprinted 'Plans for Global Domination' moleskin cahier (notebook) for under a tenner.
• For boys that haven't grown up, got for a hand-decorated Robot mug (£16), or a Mini box-framed screenprint containing an actual original Matchbox car (£95).
• Aspiring rock gods will love a personalised solid silver guitar plectrum (from £30).
  
• For sophisticated female friends and relatives, choose one of our vibrant new handmade felt and silk scarves (coming soon)
• For a fashionista, utterly beautiful gold or silver leather printed bags and purses (from £45), or handmade silver and gemstone Bubble hoop earrings (from under £17)
• New mums and dads will love handmade personalised fingerprint jewellery, cufflinks and keyrings imprinted with their little ones' actual fingerprint.
  

Vivid hues, gorgeous nature-inspired patterns, and bold designs make our new range of jewellery a sure-fire winner!  Made from hand-printed anodised aluminium with sterling silver fittings and the occasional gemstone, the range of rings, cuffs, earrings and corsages are a great way to cheer up autumn and winter outfits.  I've already snapped up a violet and turquoise ring, and have my eye on a pair of really unusual earrings!  I'll upload some pics to the gallery, so you can see what I mean.

Our last delivery of Julia Davey's quirky robot tableware sold out in a record 32 minutes, so get to the gallery fast if the man in your life needs a smile put on his face, because a few new pieces from this range will be available for sale from tomorrow.  Not just for the boys, though, the robot range is cheery and very unusual - and reasonably priced, too!

The Hastings Food & Drink Festival continues today, with all sorts of fun around the Old Town, and some yummy food, too (watch out for pirates).  But even if you're watching your waistline, you can come and feast your eyes on the skillfully made arts and crafts are Cuckoo Cuckoo, at the foot of the Westhill ascension lift.  We'll be open from 10am-5pm today (or a little later, if busy).

On the theme of seaside life, our newest range of ceramic tableware by Julia Davey - arriving today - features vibrant turquoise waves with hand-applied gold or silver lustre, and intricately-drawn bobbing-about-boats, lighthouses, seagulls and marine life.

Helen Noakes's designer jewellery also has a seaside theme, with bathing beauty cufflinks and pendants inviting you to "come on in, the water's lovely"!

It's the Brighton Art Fair this weekend at the Corn Exchange, just along the coast from us.  If you're local, in exchange for £6 entry fee, you'll be able to see some brilliant work from a wide range of artists.

We haven't booked a stand at the Art Fair - we've been, ahem, a little bit too busy, what with getting all our Autumn show items into place, but if the Art Fair whets your appetite for art, you're always welcome to see the art at Cuckoo Cuckoo for free - we love to meet and chat with fellow arts and crafts addicts, and you'll never get pressured to part with your cash.  We're happy to be relaxed about selling our artists' work - we know how hard it is to leave the gallery without falling in love with at least one beautiful piece!

Even more new work from talented artists and makers has arrived - we're particularly excited about a funky new collection of silkscreen prints, new greetings cards, and some amazing handmade lamps that you can see in the gallery right now!

'Robot' tableware, decorated by hand, is coming in the next few days, together with gorgeous locally-made silver and enamel jewellery, plus some groovy wooden brooches and bookmarks.

Prices are as low as they can possibly be, and represent incredible value, when you think of the hours that artists put into creating their beautiful work - these are pieces to treasure, not get bored of and throw away.  So take your stand against unethical mass-produced consumerism, and come along to the gallery to see authentic, UK handmade gifts, jewellery, homewares and treats.

Yet more fabulous handmade lovelinesses to go on your Christmas wish-list - our new handmade, hand screen-printed purses and clutches in supple leathers are now in the gallery, attracting plenty of ooohs and aaaahs.  Painstakingly made, the stunning accessories are beautiful and stylish way to add glamour to the simplest of outfit.  This is quality and individuality that you won't find on the high street!

Our new cushions have just arrived, and oooh, they're gorgeous!  Featuring Urbane Fish (cool city-living fish), there's nothing twee about these lovely cushions.  Five different designs, but we could only get one of each design, so you'll have to be quick!

I'm incredibly excited about our new stock arriving this week - pop into the gallery to see some gloriously wacky and beautifully made cushions, luxurious supple leather screen printed bags and purses, sophisticated silk accessories and some great prints and new cards.  I want it all!

Very excitingly, the first show of wonderful art and crafts from local and UK makers is now on sale at Cuckoo Cuckoo in Hastings - after an exhausting but fun few days, we've turned a dark and dusty shop into a light, bright and very contemporary space, selling the best in handmade artworks, jewellery, ceramics and more, from £1.75 to £265.

Our new opening hours are 10am-5pm, and we're open every day until winter opening hours start in the autumn (check the opening hours page before travelling), so why not have a day out in the boho Old Town in Hastings-by-sea?  If you pop along and see the stylish work, you'll get a very warm welcome, and you might just find that ideal birthday present (or maybe a little treat for yourself)!

After a phenomenal amount of hard work and organisation, we're nearly ready to open our doors to the public.  The gallery's been freshly painted (several times - it was violent fuschia before), a new floor has been installed, and the electrician's fitted the lights.  The signs for the outside should be finished and fitted today, and if the rain stops in time, the outside will be painted, too.

Then the fun bit starts - unpacking, labelling and displaying all the wonderful handmade artworks:  we have dishy ladies, kiss vases, hungry bears, heart-breakingly touching sculptures, ceramics, linoprints with a vintage vibe, wall art made entirely from stitching, drawings, prints, mini-prints, greetings cards, postcards and handmade silver jewellery.

With prices from £1.60 to around £200, there's going to be something for everyone - my only worry is how I'm going to stop myself buying it all myself - my birthday (9th December, if you're asking, hint, hint) wish-list is growing daily!

Mr W and I have a rule that we both have to like an artist's work if we're going to show it in the gallery.  As we sometimes have quite different tastes, and he's more of a purist, whereas I have a more commercial eye, this can lead to some heated debates when shortlisting artists to invite into the gallery.

Tonight's discussion about a limited edition print by Laurie Hastings got, ahem, spirited, when I insisted that I wanted to invite this artist, and Mr W stood firm that he disliked the print.  The print in question shows vast depths of swirling sea, with a shoal of fish whirling through it.  So far, so good.  But the fish are all going in the same direction (as is the way of shoals, as I pointed out), and this leaves Mr W - a non-conformist through and through - cold, whereas I enjoy the sense of community of purpose I get from seeing them all swim together.

At first, Mr W couldn't explain why he'd taken against the print so strongly.  Five minutes later, analysis clearly assisted by the spot of washing-up he'd just done, he popped his head round the door and explained that if the artist had included just one fish going in the opposite direction to the shoal, he'd have been happy to give the print gallery space.

I'm chuckling even as I type this, utterly delighted by this perfect metaphor for ex-punk rocker Mr W's tendency to swim against the tide in life.  So:  sorry we won't be inviting you to show with us, Laurie (unless you fancy doing an exclusive version of the print with the one rogue fish Mr W insists on), but my thanks for sparking such an entertaining debate.

With only a few days left until the new Cuckoo Cuckoo Contemporary Crafts Gallery opens it's doors, Mr W is predictably calm, while I'm scurrying about with lists - and lists of lists.  The artwork has been selected (it's brilliant, and very desirable, Mr W is worried I'll buy it all, and leave nothing left for opening day), the artist profile cards are being prepared, the sign shop promises the signs will be ready in time, but there's still ahem, a lot that needs to be done to the shop itself, from electrics and lighting, to flooring and painting.  But it's going to be fabulous, and I'm really looking forward to introducing our talented range of artists and makers to you all!

It always feels odd to be thinking about a Christmas show while the weather's scorching outside, but here at the Cuckoo Desk, we're working away to bring you the very best and varied line-up of talented artists and makers for the winter show. 

So far, we have confirmed the lovely Lisa Green and Sarah Jones, both fine artists producing stunning (and very distinctive) limited edition giclee prints and original artworks.  I snapped up one of Lisa's works earlier in the year - a gorgeous triptych in pinks, blues and all sorts of other colours called 'Winter Brights' - for me, it's so evocative of the Downs.

I'm also talking to a couple of ceramicists - so far, it looks likely that we'll be showing a small range of Caroline Green's ceramics, and perhaps a 'wild card' artist working with ceramics - more later!

Cuckoo Cuckoo shows have always been about the makers, as well as the artists, and we're conscious that lots of you come to the shows in search of quirky, unusual and reasonably priced Christmas gifts - with that in mind, I'm planning to find an artist or two producing beautifully-crafted gift items - watch this space.

All the comments from people who gave us permission to quote them are now viewable online, so you can find out the lowdown on our current show here!

Several artists hosting other open houses visited the show on Saturday, telling us that a man had rushed into their show, in a tearing hurry, and frantically searching for a man's wedding ring.  Was he the best man who'd forgotten the groom's ring, maybe?  We wondered if he'd show up at Cuckoo Cuckoo - after all, we have handmade men's and women's jewellery, so he could have bought a gorgeous patterned men's adjustable wide-band ring (which fits most men).  It's the mystery of the show, but I guess we'll never know what happened!

The images from tonight's private view of the Cuckoo Cuckoo artists' open studio exhibition are now online - click the Current exhibition photos tab to view!

Just a week to go until the Cuckoo Cuckoo artists' open studios exhibition opens, and there's still so much to do:  collections to finish, items to get to the Assay office for hallmarking (anything over 7.78g can't legally be sold as silver unless it's hallmarked), signs to make and put up, and delicious cakes to bake.  The week before a show is always really frantic, no matter how well organised the lead up to it has been (and I definitely am organised!).  So much gets done in the last day or two, but at this point, it's only experience that's telling me we will be open in time!

A month to go until the second Cuckoo Cuckoo artists' open studios exhibition opens, this time in a new home at the Sussex Jewellery School near Eastbourne train station (details on the 'Eastbourne exhibition' page), and I'm starting to get excited and nervous.  Life's been so busy recently that I haven't yet had time to finish all the new designs I'd planned for the new Spring collections - I have too many ideas and not enough days in the week.  I'm also thinking I should rehearse baking some of the cakes I plan to sell to raise money for charity at the exhibition...yum!