When I got together with a friend of mine and started Fine Scottish Gifts at the beginning of this year, our intentions were (and still are) to promote the fact the Scotland has some of the finest designers and makers in the world.

Admittedly it hasn't been easy, but starting businesses, especially creative ones, never is. I was advised by a Marketing Consultant many years ago when I was first considering self-employment, to always appeal to the lowest common denominator if I wanted to make money. But my awkward Ayrshire streak just won't allow me to do this.

I mean, you can have too many tartan teddy bears, haggis hunting whistles and miscellaneous sugary Victoriana. And too many is not a large number in this case.

It does have its place though, but I would rather we pushed the higher end of our craftsmanship a bit more. It doesn't have to be expensive, it doesn't have to be unwearable and it can still represent a culture without being so obvious.

Take the work of Alicia MacInnes for example. With just the use of simple materials, elegant forms and a concise palette, Alicia produces a series of pendants, necklaces and other jewellery which make bold but elegant statements.

And all at a reasonable price (guv'nor).

Scottish food has already been pushed to the forefront of a luxury market, and the estate legacies of whisky, hunting and landscape have long been a staple of our tourist industry.

And I know for a fact that there are some genuine creative wonders out there who deserve to be seen as well.

Lotte Glob is a fine example. Although originally Danish, she has been living in the northern tip of the Scottish mainland for nearly 30 years, with a workshop close to Durness. Here she produces ethereal works which are technically mystifying as well as visually intriguing. And she has become a world renowned authority on ceramics.

And that's just the tip of the creative iceberg.