Mothering Sunday Saviours

So here are a few things which have been catching my eye this week, and which I think are just great. Lets not forget that Mothering Sunday is fast approaching in the UK, so I thought a few suggestions of last minute gifts would be useful to a few of us! 

First up is a lovely bit of surface design by screen printer and designer Hannah Madden. This is just one of my choice picks from a range of cool shades that she does, but they are all great really. All this one needs is a lovely turned wood Danish lamp stand and voila! Pure chic!
Check out Hannah's website here to see the vast range of good things she makes.

Olive Leaf Shade by Hannah Madden 

Next up is lovely new monogram stationary by the ever-wonderful paper goods brand Rifle Paper Co. I defy anyone to dislike anything that Anna Bond creates - it is impossible! Something like a small set such as this is super thoughtful for your old mum, but is achievable for those on a modest budget. Check out the entire range and prepare to be stuck for choice.

New Monogram Stationary by Rifle Paper Co

Anyone who knows me even a little bit will know that I am rather obsessed with the work of Artist Angie Lewin. She hits on that mid century craftsman approach so very well and is some kind of modern day Edward Bawden as she turns her hand to all sorts of decorative arts - prints, fabrics, papers- and all with consistent success. Her newest fabric Stellar is just another example of a great new fabric design, and is available off the roll and in ready made cushion covers in several colourways.
I am also rather in love with the new scarf which she produced in conjunction with her exhibition at Yorkshire Sculpture, and this item is a limited edition, so its super special. Purchase it via the YPS website here before they all sell out!

Angie Lewin - Stellar Cushion Cover

Angie Lewin with YSP - Limited Edition Scarf

Finally, and this is if you really want to push the boat out, take a look at this milk and sugar ceramic set by Scholten & Baijings at Smug in Islington London - always a trusty benchmark when on a quest for cool stuff. This set is so unusual and the colours undeniably cheerful. This is my favourite but really the whole range is worth a look. They are by no means cheap, BUT they are unusual, original, unexpected, useful, dishwasher safe, cool - do I need to keep going?

Ridiculously delicious ceramics from Smug

....And if all that fails to suit your Mothering Sunday gift needs, then culinary delights are always a winner too - so why not choose my absolute favourite edibles of all - Fiendish and Goode dainties. 

It is true that I am just the tiniest bit biased as I was the original taster for this business back when it was just cake inspirations at midnight during our art school days, but hand on heart, these are incredible, and if you haven't already tried them then you must - and then report back on which are your favourites! (Mine is the lemon drizzle and pistachio!). These are sure to please even the most stern of Mothers, and are bound to place you firmly in the Good Books. They do a great gift box set that will do the trick. Check out their Facebook page here to find out market dates, and place your orders. 

I leave you with an image to drool over.

Fiendish and Goode - Goode just about covers it!

Goodness This Week - Tiles

Since returning to London I felt that everything I saw was getting filed away in my head, dilapidated Deco architecture, train stations, commuter style (running trainers with sharp tailored work suits!) subway tiles - my head was rather filling up! Enter - Instagram! Obvious to the masses, but not so to me, as I was contemplating carrying around my large SLR camera in an unlikely effort to quickly capture things I was seeing. Follow me on Instagram and keep up to date here

Something that has been catching my attention is the beautiful Victorian tiles that - once you begin to look for them - you see everywhere. Sadly there doesn't appear to be a wealth of knowledge readily available about where this fashion really originated from, however we all know the Victorian's penchant for over-decoration. Shades used for ceramics were largely dictated to by which raw materials were readily available to create pigments, which then direct the colour palette.  I leave you with a selection of tiles walked on during my recent travels.....

Marylebone

Islington - new posing as old

Cheltenham - The old court house

Soho

Wigmore Street

St Giles Street - seemingly old but what a colour palette and design!

Girl About Town : Chelsea Art School Fashion Show

If you say that you are paying a visit to a college but are not a student this may give a rather dull impression of an outing. Not so with an art school, and certainly not so with Chelsea art school. This week I had the pleasure of having an elusive invitation to the First Year Textile student's first fashion show at Chelsea School of Art, very exciting. You dont have to twist my arm to visit Chelsea as the grounds are just lovely, and there is that un mistakable vibe of excitement and creativity to be found in all good art schools - I just love it - so many young people crammed together, just gasping to be given the tools to do something amazing (can you tell I miss it?). Anywho, I was front row, and managed to grab some great, if albeit fuzzy, photos of the show - you get the idea.

There was so much good work in this show - really interesting uses of materials, making unlikely sucessful unions. A few that have really stuck in my head were a recovered lampshade as headwear, and white wadding foam (the kind found inside oven gloves) worked with some kind of hard plastic in to a tailored garment. Other students had gone for a traditional process but had really pushed it further - most memorably were the coral skirt which was pleated in such a way that it appeared to take on the form of a huge tulip and the pleasts waved at you as the model walked by, and of course the knitted horn headwear  piece - strange and wonderful!

The great thing about first and second year is that this is the time when students are able and encouraged to take risks, you are still finding out your own creative identity so you end up moving in new directions and testing the waters. It is in the final year that you have to hone things in, tone it down, and start putting your work in an marketable 'box', so it is just great seeing shows at this level - it really is what you would call raw talent.

I leave you with said fuzzy photos - I defy you not to be inspired. Enjoy!

Homage: Wolf & Moon

OK so you know that I love, love to share what and who I know about designers, makers, artists - creative people doing cool stuff - right? The thing is since I discovered this absolutely gorgeous jewellery brand I have found myself jealously guarding it as a treasured secret. Two reasons; one, I should not alert my loved ones to this brand so that I can spend the rest of the year buying all my gifts for them from Wolf & Moon, and two...because I want it all to myself! (I do realise that point one and point two dont really correlate, I really do). Wolf and Moon is the brilliant work of Hannah Davis, and is based in Hackney, London. What might be at present a modest size company, is I am sure destined for world domination.

Kaleidoscope Necklace

Crystallized Earrings

I cant quite  remember how I stumbled across this brand, and I immediately purchased a necklace and a pair of earrings. And this wont be the last purchase, of this I am sure. 

I actually find it really hard to find jewellery that I like which is also less than my years salary, and these pieces are affordable and yet so well made and presented. I am hoping I can persuade them to accept a commission for a brooch or two....

I leave you with a couple more lush images from their site, prepare to fall in love.....

Sun Burst Bangle

Crystal Collar Necklace 

Homage: Sanguinello

To say that Sanguinello is 'upcycled vintage jewellery' would be a careless oversight. Look a little closer and you will see that the head wear and accessory line of Sanguinello, the blossoming brand by designer-maker Gemma Sangwine, and is going from strength to strength as Gemma carves her place within the field.
Gemma uses antique lace, beadwork, feathers, costume jewellery and recycled materials to create new accessories with a vintage twist. Each piece is unique and assembled with care, and although it's no secret that I love a bit of 'vintage' these pieces really are something a bit special.

Gemma offers a bridal service and is available for bespoke commissions for clients and I just love the idea of getting something so decorative and cool, that is also unique - always a winner for me.
My favorite pieces from her current range are inspired by the carefree and decadent era of the 1920s  and features flapper-style head bands using reconstructed vintage necklaces - pure genius in my opinion - which are finished with diamante and lace. I think they look just fantastic! Other current favorites are the block colour alice bands in understated glittery shades- very cool.
 Find a stockist of Sanguinello near you

All images by permission of Sanguinello 

Man About Town

In the past I used to think that men had a bad rap for having a far more limited wardrobe than women. But that was when I was a young and ignorant tadpole and hadn't yet set eyes on real tooled shoes and 1940s knitwear (I'll have you know that I am learning to knit, but it took me several months just to knit a humble beanie, so it'll be a while yet before I can dream of conjuring up some real beauties like these).

Have men always looked so good? Perhaps not quite, but since the humble brogue has been working its way through mainstream culture things are certainly looking sharper around Bond Street. Take a look at the shoes that are stomping all over London right now - many are the same kind of shoes which were being worn a hundred years ago, and made by the same companies, like Grenson and Churches, who are now even making womens ranges and seeing their clientel broaden. This is not to mention the millions of designs that are currently on the highstreet, endeavouring to emulate these show-stoppers.

Not toally related but nevertheless go exceedingly well with a good shoe; a good sweater. A treat for the eyes, this gorgeous menswear ad from tailored brand Brioni is so masculine but also romantic and reminiscent of a 1950s christmas flick. I cant remember how I discovered this company, but Im sure that life has been a little better ever since, you know. Sign up to their mailing list and let their gorgeous monthly newsletters wash over you. Thats what I do. With a flat white.

So I decided that if Im going to be in town I might as well have the correct footwear, and I took the plunge on a pair of Grenson Rose brogues in navy. I must say - so comfortable. Now Ive got my brogues, my sweater - what better way to finish off your new taps with some super sharp accessories? Your first stop for these should be Mavericks, an Australian laces brand who seem to have cottoned on to the void in the life of a shoe-obsessed, tooled-footed individual - they realised that I needed smart as hell laces before I did! I particularly love their styling- who can resist these blue on blue pumps with a cheerly lacey-pop? No, I thought not. The next thing to hope that it comes back in a big way: hats. But more on those another day.

Sources for images used, with thanks :

Brioni sweater // Dapper chappy // Rose brogues // Blue pumps

A Mother Curtain Mission

Hello! I have several half-finished projects that have been hanging around the old abode that I want to finally take on, make some bold decisions about, and be able to ENJOY!
First up - Curtains. I have taken on the challenge of reworking a huge pair of very lovely but rather dull brown and yellow velvet curtains in to something far more exciting. I have spent too long puzzling over how to tackle this problem, until I asked myself 'Are you a textile artist or not?!' and decided to come at the milking cow from a different angle. Armed with a colour palette that will work within the pad, and aspiring to create something a little bit unexpected, I think I am ready to begin cutting. I will also be working with areas of the fabric which are already worn away and discoloured to enhance and make a feature out of them.



Im thinking triangles. After a breif bit of hunting on Pinterest I came up with these four beauties to use as a visual aid. Now, I know that usually when we think of patchwork we think of bedspreads and cushions galore, but what about patchwork curtains? But not flowery, cute cottage stuff - what about a mid-century / contemporary feel with block colours and mixed textures?

Im going to experiment with mixing the short pile brown and yellow velvet with a hot pink and a tangy yellow, with black and some natural linen to add a nice contrast of textures and shades.
These ideas often take me so long to actually realise because I deliberate about whether it will all be "too much" - but then I have to ask myself "well, what's wrong with that?!"

Sources of images used - all via Pinterest :

 Chair // Cushion // Triangle print // Patchwork bedspread