I’ve just got my copy of the new Wiggly Wigglers Catalogue–well, my paper copy is still lost in the post somewhere between here and there,¹ so I got hold of a digital copy. . .it helps to have contributed to it!–From cover to cover, this is huge! Not only is the catalogue their biggest ever, packed with new items and stand-by favorites, but it contains more than just a boring compilation of items for sale. Anything but boring. This publication raises the bar on what a catalogue should be. From the pig tail on the cover to the quotes and contributor profiles inside, the thoughtful–and thought provoking–items for sale and gorgeous photography, Heather Gorringe and the entire Wiggly Team have redefined what a mail-order catalogue should be like.

I’m not just saying this because I am proud to have been a part of selecting items to appear in this new catalogue (nor because I’m mentioned and quoted over 8 times!!!), but because I really believe Heather’s idea of creating a catalogue using Social Media has led to something truly unique and creative. Using contributions and quotes from bloggers like Anne at Downshifting Path to Simplicity, Muppet at Fluffius Muppetus and The Alternative Kitchen Garden Podcast, Anna Farmery at The Engaging Brand, Jane Perrone at Horticultural, Simon Sherlock, Mark Eccleston at The Green Fingered Photographer, and Melanie at Bean Sprouts (just to name a few, and all bloggers whom I regularly read) makes for a lively and unique read–something you will want to flip through and read many times before it is worn enough to consign to the worm bin.

I haven’t had time to fully digest everything in the catalogue yet. Reading it on the screen isn’t nearly as nice as flipping actual pages in my opinion. This page, however, on clay pots leapt out at me. I love clay pots. I have a small, treasured collection of my own I use whenever I get a chance, and I especially like using them for seed starting. To me they are aesthetically and ethically pleasing: they just look fantastic, and they are infinitely sustainable. From the jobs they provide, to their recyclability–once broken they can be used in other pots, as garden decorations, as a crushed pathway–to the fact that if you’re using clay pots you’re not using cheap, plastic, break as soon as you look at them, chemically saturated garbagy pots.

One other set of pages I love are the Opinel Knives. They aren’t the easiest knives to find, nor is such a useful collection usually found in one place. I love my Opinel knives. I have many which I use almost daily, with my favorite one in my pocket all the time. They are functional and durable. From cutting bailing twine to trimming fingernails, grafting trees, paring an apple for lunch, harvesting vegetables, or scraping moss off a rock, having a good knife is essential. These knives have style and you cannot beat the simplicity and strength of the locking mechanism. As each of my children has turned twelve they have received an Opinel No.8 and encouragement to use them wisely as they help on the farm.

To find out more about the newest items in the Wiggly Catalogue, check out the Online Store or request a catalogue of your own.

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1. The paper catalogue is fantastic, almost like a magazine. Well worth the wait! [↩]