Tuesday 20 November 2012

I'm loving......



1. Hofdi cushion - Donna Wilson,   2. Large Owl Storage Jar - Our Workshop,   3. Owl Coasters - Alice Melvin,   4. Acorn Plate - Donna Wilson,   Tree Tray - Our Workshop,  Large Animal Tray - Our Workshop,  Logpile Tray - Roddy & Ginger


These are just some of the lovely things I've been coveting lately. It's inevitable that I always have a huge long list of beautifully designed things which I would love to be mine one day. Something which is lovingly designed and executed is so much better than a product which is not at all considered and just 'does the job' (nb sometimes just doing the job is fine - I'm not a design snob.) If I had endless pots of money I would love to fill my home with carefully chosen colourful and creative bits and pieces which I know would make me smile and really enjoy them every time I saw them. In the meantime I have to wish......
By the way - I'm having a bit of a 'tray thing' at the moment. Not sure why - I just think that a nicely designed tray is a beautiful thing. It can sit there looking pretty and is useful when required - and it's generally associated with tea and cake or breakfast in bed (not that the latter is something I ever partake in but I like the idea of it and I imagine a pretty tray would make it all the more enjoyable!)

Monday 19 November 2012

Inspiring colours













Helped by the fact that my internet was on the blink this afternoon (= no distraction!) I spent a lovely afternoon immersing myself in beautiful new colour combinations and brain-storming new ideas, colour pallets and designs for 2013. The colours around us at the moment are spectacular and just the drive to pre-school is full of earthy greens, autumnal oranges and woody browns so I'm surrounded by a rich pallet of colours. Armed with lots of photos I've been taking while out and about walking lately I set about picking those colours on the pantone chart and making some lovely combinations.

The wonderful new 6th edition of Wrap magazine arrived on Friday and with a title of 'Nordic Lights' for this edition I snapped it up without hesitation. I've been poring over it at the weekend and it features an inspiring selection of Nordic illustrators and creatives alongside articles on Marimekko and an interview with design duo Darling Clementine. The whole issue has the most beautifully Nordic wintry cosy feel to it and the colours and photography are simply stunning - with midnight blues, pale snowy greyey-turquoises, sage greens, deep purples and  the odd flash of orange or pale pink thrown in it all matches the 'Nordic Lights' feel perfectly.

Have a good week!

Monday 12 November 2012

New Festive cards












Here are my new Christmas card designs for 2012 added to my Christmas range. I've spent the last two months boxing them up and sending them out all over the country to my stockists. Now I've finally managed to find the time to add them to my own shop so they're now available to buy from my shop and also from my Not On The High Street shop. They're available in singles and I've done few packs again so you've got plenty of choice when sending out cards to loved ones. For a bit of pre-festive cheer all orders placed in November will be sent out with a free card from my everyday range.
Have a great week!

Monday 5 November 2012

A breath of fresh air










I couldn't help but smile to myself as the train pulled into one of my favourite cities on Saturday morning. I've been long-overdue a trip up to Edinburgh for some time and it felt like going back to an old friend (quite literally as I spent the weekend with two very good friends from my Edinburgh College of Art days). A change is most certainly as good as a rest. We crammed lots into a short time - walking through the woods and along the coast near South Queensferry and Cramond Island, leisurely lunches, a fantastic meal out at Timberyard, a visit to the Portrait Gallery and many cups of tea and coffee and catching up. I feel refreshed, reinvigorated and inspired. Different experiences and seeing new things are so important for the creative process and I must make sure I remember this more often. It's certainly made me feel a lot more pro-active.

I have to mention Timberyard again - a restaurant which recently opened on Lady Lawson Street near Edinburgh College of Art. We remembered and reminisced about many trips here when it was a hardware and timber shop (handy for art student supplies). It's now a fantastic large and airy simple space with log burners, mis-matching crockery, bone handled cutlery and the best food I've had in a while. They've successfully created a relaxing informal dining experience but with all-important attention to detail in both interior and food. I thoroughly recommend it.

Thank you Jill and Angela for a lovely weekend.