And here we are at last.......

Hurrah for the Coriandr Express! It's been a fabulous journey, we've been privileged to meet some very talented craftspeople and see some beautiful pieces they've created... and now here we are with the final VIP, the most stupendously wonderful Tomato Tea!

Throughout the journey she has been working her own little hand knitted socks off busily promoting every one of us fortunate enough to have the golden ticket, now it's her turn to be shown the love!

My personal favourite just has to be the Furry Hood Crochet Pattern, now all I have to do is figure out how to crochet! At only £2 it's a real incentive to get learning...

I also love this Teal Crochet Coin Purse, this has already been crocheted by hand so is a far more sensible option for me!

You can also follow Tomato Tea on twitter and read her blog, but I recommend you pop on over to her coriandr shop - you can even find gorgeous yarn which has been handspun on a traditional spinning wheel! As a Coriandr Express special offer all yarn has been reduced by 10% until the end of July.

Heart and Soil

As the Coriandr Express draws ever nearer the end of its journey, our current VIP is the wonderful Hen of Heart and Soil Baskets. She crafts baskets and small hurdles from Somerset willow and materials foraged from the hedgerows of the Cotswolds - how idyllic does that sound? Every basket is made uniquely and to order, the sizes are approximate and can be adjusted to suit. My favourite is this Fruit & Veg Basket, a beautiful example of Hen's wonderful skill.

I just love the fact that such an ancient craft is being kept alive today by a genuinely skilled artisan, whose whole lifestyle reflects her passion for sustainable management of our countryside and a pure love and awe of nature. Have a closer look at Hen's work on Coriandr.

You can also find Hen on twitter and on her blog, www.heartandsoil.blogspot.com

Sweet Treats on the Coriandr Express!

We're nearing the end of the Coriandr Express journey now, just a few more stops to go, but the coal elves are busily stoking the engine and we simply refuse to lose momentum! Currently being served first class goodies in the VIP seat is Debbie of Sweet Treat. In her own words... 'I use what spare time I have to chill out with my vintage and new beads to create...my "me" time. I'm an old-fashioned girl really and love vintage jewellery. I have a very girly daughter who keeps me up to date so I still keep a modern twist on my work!'

You'll have to move fast if you like these Victoria Earrings - Debbie has created them using the last two of some vintage ceramic beads with a lovely rose design, so they are a unique pair!

You can also catch up with Debbie on twitter or her blog.

Tiny Pretty Things

Tiny Pretty Things is the shop lovingly stocked with goodies by Molly McCausland.

A fine art student by day, illustrator and cartoonist by night, she uses both digital and traditional means to create strange but cute characters. Tiny Pretty Things also contains Mini Art, the eco friendly tiny drawings on recycled and reclaimed packing card, so that you can boost your eco ego as well as indulging in something beautiful.

One thing you won't find in her shop though is The Inspiration Ninja, pictured below. That's because I bought it on Friday... sorry folks, it had to be done. It's mine! Mine I tell you! Mwahh haa haa haah haaaa... (ok I'll stop now!)

You can catch up with Molly on twitter or facebook, and you can also have an arty read on her blog.

Love, Light & Peas!

Love, Light & Peas: I just love the name of this shop, you can tell immediately that it's the brainchild of somebody with a great quirky sense of humour! Proprietor Lottie is the current VIP on the Coriandr Express, and her green credentials are quite impressive to say the least...
Her paper goods are made from upcycled paper; as she says, 'It's better than ordinary recycled paper because it's not processed between lives; I take it straight from its waste incarnation and transform it into something useful. It's interesting and beautiful because you can see what it used to be.'
Her stitched items are sewn on a hand-powered antique sewing machine.
Her house is powered by renewable energy.
And all of her packaging is reused or recycled!

If you want to find out more about Lottie and her eco-friendly crafting adventures you can follow her on twitter or read her blog!

Lej jewellery

Ok the sun is shining gloriously and everybody's making the most of it (but at the same time complaining about being too hot). The Coriandr Express is still powering along, albeit with the windows open, and the little trolley vendors have completely run out of anything remotely cold or refreshing, but we still have lots of gorgeous things to show you! Heatstroke or not the show must go on...

Next up is Joanne of lej jewellery. Her shop is full of simple, classic jewellery and she has recently started fusing glass so watch this space! I particularly like 'sea shore', featuring a beautiful blue lampwork pendant enhanced by toning Swarovski crystals.

If you see anything in her shop which you would like in a different size or colour, Jo is more than happy to provide a bespoke service - all you have to do is ask!

Shiny stuff

It's that time again, the Coriandr Express is in town and our current VIP is the rather splendid CeeGee Jewellery. Here you'll find sterling silver jewellery, handcrafted in Cheshire using only the highest quality beads and findings. My personal favourite would have to be this Polka Flower Charm Bracelet, a simple design with a touch of glorious green!

Why not pay a visit to Coriandr and have a look around, there's so many talented people on there you're bound to find something wonderful!

You can also follow CeeGee Jewellery on twitter or read the blog.