A paper cup & saucer, but make it ceramic

We must say, we quite like Calling’s penchant for taking ordinary liquid containers of different materials and reimagining them in ceramics!

The shamrock green lettering and logo on the tumbler—which comes in a set with a complementary and equally deceptive ‘paper’ plate, complete with pleats and creases—add to its clever disguise as a humble paper cup from your local chai tapri, and while each piece might differ slightly in size and shape, or arrive with speckles or pinholes from the old-timey glazing process, we think that's just part of the charm of products hand-crafted in small batches!

Calling is committed to sourcing quality materials that will have less impact on the environment. Aside from handcrafted ceramic items, they also offers hemp clothing—a more sustainable alternative to water-guzzling fast fashion, made from biodegradable fibre derived from the cannabis plant (Yes, cannabis!)—with a mission to spark a conversation around the benefits of hemp.

A card game, but make it an ice-breaker session

This one’s for those who are done with small talk at house parties.

We’re no longer asking people what they do, where they come from, or how the traffic, weather, their mutual fund portfolio etc. is. This game has you laying all your cards on the table. Learn where someone gets their music taste from, watch a friend of a friend of a friend defend replacing world leaders with bots, and then witness everything fall apart with one wild card.

The game set includes 75 cards divided into three sets—green for Open (answer deep-dive questions about yourself), purple for Knock (argue for or against insane premises and made-up scenarios), and red for Wild (anything goes here, from a rapid-fire round to re-naming all the players 'Freddie' for the rest of the game). Pick a card based on the color you roll on the tastefully chunky wooden die, and just follow the instructions in the rule book. Also adding to the drama are a pair of 1-minute and 30-second sand timers, if you’re game for it.

Abstract art, but make it a hand-knit throw

If fashion is “greater than art, because you live your life in it” (The Devil Wears Prada, 2006), then so is this throw—because you can definitely wrap yourself in it. We love the hand-knitted abstract floral pattern and the forest green base colour of this particular design, and think it'd be a cheery way to liven up a couch or room.

All of Loving Slowly’s offerings are crafted by women artisans, and made sustainably, often upcycling material and utilising deadstock from yarn manufacturers. Aside from this throw, their signature floral series also includes sculpted, hand-knitted cushions which they describe as ‘three-dimensional art.’ We do not disagree.