yarn and glue.

I forgot to mention...

2011-12-15T21:21:00.002Z

....that my limited edition screen print is now available to buy from the wonderful Polar Project! It has been for some time, sorry about that guys.

Simple

2011-11-17T18:43:00.008Z

adornment - Anna Dress (Forest) by Wiksten, Cardigan (blush) by YMC, Bear Pin by Minä Perhonen, Rufus Clog - Carmelo by Rachel Comey, T-shirt with pocket by Cos

Sanctuary

2011-11-17T14:13:00.004Z

I don't know if it's the freezing cold setting in or the feeling of wanting to tuck myself up into a little corner and be quiet, but at this time of year I like hiding. Whether it's under my duvet, inside my big sheepskin coat or in a cafe with a big cup of coffee and lemon meringue pie.

Emily Speed. 'Make Shift' for Yorkshire Sculpture Park.

2011-11-07T16:48:00.001Z

Boat to Row - Grassmarket E.P

2011-09-15T22:01:00.004+01:00

Some up and coming work for my good friends at Polar Project! Keep a watch of this blog and the Polar website for more news.

2011-08-30T12:23:00.003+01:00

Only a few days until End of the Road festival! This super animation created by Joseph Brett pretty much sums up the general feeling of the festival - just lovely!

End of the Road Festival Taster from End of the Road Films on Vimeo.

2011-08-12T10:56:00.003+01:00

I recently resurrected a 1950's Kodak Colour Snap 35mm camera from the garage and took it with me when I moved. There are a few issues with winding on and the focus is really sensitive so I'll need much more practice before I start to produce anything that I'm happy with. I want to start looking at manmade pattern, repetition and organisation through everyday objects.

x

new home

2011-08-03T18:59:00.002+01:00

2011-07-19T19:16:00.001+01:00

mr. wallis.

sorry...

2011-06-20T14:41:00.012+01:00

Sorry that it has been a while, blog. I promise not to neglect you for this long ever again, but I have been really busy, see? After doing an internship at the wonderful Selvedge magazine, I gallivanted off to Goteborg, to take part in a workshop with one of my favourite illustrators Camilla Engman. I was wracked with nerves on my way there, but all that seemed to immediately disappear as soon as I met everyone else. Words can not describe how much fun I had, how inspired I feel and all the lovely people I met that I hope to keep in touch with. I learned so much and Camilla was a wonderful teacher. She was generous enough to share with us many of her techniques and her way of imaginative thinking that I know I will use in one way or another in new projects.

photo credit: Camilla Engman

photo credit: Camilla Engman

I also bought lots of lovely new things to decorate my new house that I will be moving into with de papel! I am sure that in future blogs to come, Goteborg happenings and inspirations will crop up. There is far too much to tell now.

xx

2011-04-28T17:47:00.003+01:00

Sushi in one of her favourite spots.

2011-04-26T15:55:00.004+01:00

A personal project for later on in the year - to illustrate my family tree. I'm inspired by C.S Neal

2011-04-26T14:42:00.005+01:00

Boat to Row badges

xx

2011-04-26T13:24:00.007+01:00

This would have been perfect for my dissertation, but even after a year or so of completing it, it is still a subject that really interests me. After studying and examining archival photographs and footage of female activists, namely images from Greenham Commons Women's Peace Camp, artist Ellen Lesperance has painstakingly recreated and two-dimensionalised the sweaters worn my such women in protest and demonstration by painting the patterns of the knitwear onto gridded paper with gouache. Every detail is carefully considered, and some creatively imagined, such as colour or other areas of the garment that can only be partially seen within the original image. They are also reminiscent of old Samplers and would have given me lots of inspiration for my final year design project. Some other of Lesperance's works also commemorates individuals such as Italian artist and activist Pippa Bacca, who was raped and killed on a symbolic peace protest on her way to Jerusalem. Needlework has always been political, most notably in the form of the original suffragette banners. Joanne Turney in 'The Culture of Knitting' said "The collaboration between handwork and political intent can be assessed as a form of literally 'making' change, symbolically harnessing the power of the individual to make a difference." I think this is why knitwear can be so powerful, as at the same time, it is also synonymous with both femininity and individuality.

"I like the idea that, for example, through the recreation of a Greenham sweater, a new 'wearer' might be beckoned." - Ellen Lesperance.

Also, after looking at her C.V, I discovered she lives on one 'Rosa Parks Way'. That's awesome. ^_^

2011-04-18T15:27:00.006+01:00

A 1945 Penguin edition of Popular Art in Britain, received for my birthday. The book includes 32 beautiful plate illustrations of peasant/folk art, artifacts and craft. It will also sit nicely next to my vintage ladybird book collection.

2011-04-14T18:38:00.001+01:00

Clementine in mono-print

2011-03-29T18:14:00.001+01:00

Amelia.

2011-03-19T10:31:00.008Z

I've just completed the cover for the new Boat to Row single, due out on the 2nd of May, it will be both a digital release and a physical release on 7" vinyl. Have you noticed that I used my lino? The man in the picture is my Great Granddad Claude in his Merchant Navy uniform.

You can watch the video for the single here, created by Pete Banks. It's wonderful. There is also another video, here.

xx

2011-03-08T16:06:00.002Z

I'm getting back into lino printing again.

Inspired by one of my favourites, Edward Bawden.

2011-03-06T11:05:00.008Z

I love the feature in this weeks Guardian Weekend magazine, in which comedians have had their childhood photographs recreated right down to their poses and clothing. It's lovely how they recall themselves with so much affection. I think everyone does when they look at photos of their younger selves in some way or another. The inspiration for these have most definitely come from Argentinian photographer Irina Werning . Everything about the old version has been carefully considered, from facial expressions, composition, colour and lighting, and the process of the photograph.

Michael had the idea of recreating this one! I wish that someone could make another version of this dress for me.

2011-03-01T22:12:00.004Z

print by keep calm gallery, owl door knob from anthropologie, letterpress block from urbanoutfitters, zig zag throw by jonathan adler, cushion by fine little day, ostheimer wooden bears from shelf, rain cloud cushion by donna wilson, corner store print by lauren nassef.

want

2011-02-21T19:33:00.005Z

orla kiely have made some dreamy dresses for the new ss11 collection, shown off in some very dreamy photos - with a whimsical '70s feel. just lovely.

xx

2011-02-16T14:48:00.004Z

At the end of may I'll be going to Gothenburg for a week where I'll be attending a painting and drawing workshop with one of my favourite illustrators, Camilla Engman. I love Stockholm but have always wanted to visit Goteborg. I hear there is a bit more of a creative buzz going on down there too. I'm super excited. It will be nice to get some new ideas for projects, I know we will be going to some lovely places, like Marstrand which is in the Western Archipelago and looks just like a little toy town. I'm going to take a ton of cameras and sketchbooks with me - I'm already inspired.

xx

2011-02-16T14:33:00.002Z

At the end of may I'll be going to Gothenburg for a week where I'll be attending a painting and drawing workshop with one of my favourite illustrators, Camilla Engman. I'm super excited. It will be nice to get some new ideas for projects too, I know we will be going to some lovely places, like Marstrand

2011-02-12T21:55:00.005Z

my submission for wrap magazine. old designs reworked.

xx

little dress

2011-02-07T20:01:00.001Z

looking forward to spring

2011-02-06T21:05:00.008Z

looking forward to spring by rosiemoss bike - abici granturismo donna, necklace by lazyjane, cardigan by orla kiely, cambridge leather satchel, brogues by folk, dress from modcloth, swedish note by o-check, outfit soundtrack - boys by taken by trees

Grandma Sylvia

2011-02-04T11:46:00.001Z

life drawing

2011-01-29T18:08:00.012Z

It's nice to get back into disciplined drawing, quite often you realise you can do things that you never thought you could.

xx

2011-01-29T17:59:00.004Z

I don't think I have posted many images of my degree work on this blog, sometimes I need to remind myself of all the hard work that went into it, and that I should never forget them. Looking back can sometimes help you to move forward. This is one of my favourites.

photo by Rob James

xx

2011-01-07T14:22:00.002Z

Marco Suarez via design*sponge.

xx

2011-01-06T21:46:00.005Z

I am in awe of this image. Designed by acclaimed Russian artist Boris Bilinksy upon Metropolis' release in 1927. It was created especially for French cinema goers in a Four-sheet size poster. I can imagine it would have been breathtaking as a huge billboard, towering over cities much like the sky scrapers in the film. It now adorns the cover of the new edition of the film, reconstructed to include the recently found, extra 25 minutes of film that had been lost for over 80 years. I'm not usually a fan of sci-fi, but I'll definitely be purchasing this.

xx

lingonberry and cardamom muffins

2011-01-03T18:48:00.009Z

My posts have been a bit lazy lately as my mind has been cloudy with flu, so to compensate I've decided to start this year with something a bit different - a recipe.
For Christmas I was given a Moomin cookbook! It has lots of Finnish recipes in (none have Moomin as an ingredient as my brother thought) and all are easy to follow. I was inspired by Moominmamma's lingonberry and cardamom cake. When I visited Sweden, we had lingonberries with everything - sweet and savoury! They are quite similar to cranberries so when put together with the spices, it makes for the perfect wintery treat. The recipe in the book is almost like a cheese cake, but I decided to adapt it to make muffins instead. Rather than using fresh or pureed lingonberries, which I imagined would be near impossible to find here in the UK, I used lingonberry jam which I bought in the Ikea food market.

You will need:

225g unsalted butter
200g light brown sugar
2tsp ground ginger
2tsp cloves
2tsp ground cinnamon
2tsp cardamom
100g lingonberry jam
3 free range eggs
225g self-raising flour

Preheat the oven to 190C / 375F / gas 5 and line a muffin tin with cases, the recipe makes 12 muffins.

Cream the butter and the sugar together in a bowl until light and fluffy. With a pestle and mortar, grind all the spices together until very fine and add to the mixture. Stir in the lingonberry jam. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs together and measure out the flour ready. Alternate between adding a bit of egg and sifting in a spoonful of flour - folding gently into the mixture as you go. Once all the ingredients have been added to the batter and well stirred, you should have a creamy and thick consistency. If the mixture seems too runny, add a little extra flour.

Spoon the mixture evenly into the cases and bake for about 20 minutes in the middle of the oven. A good way to check whether the cakes are ready, is to stick a knife into the centre of one of them and take it out after five seconds. If it comes out clean, then they are cooked!

Place on a wire rack to cool. I've left mine undecorated because I like them as they are, but they would also be lovely with a cream cheese frosting.

What's even lovelier about this book is that each recipe is accompanied by illustrations and text from the Moomin stories.

He locked the cellar door and ran into the kitchen.
"Well, would they like some milk?" asked
Moominmamma.
"They were speaking Foreign," said Sniff. "Nobody
could understand what they were saying!"
"What does it sound like?" asked Moomintroll, who
was sitting with the Hemulen grinding cardamom pods.
"Youti areti a ratti," said Sniff.
Moominmamma gave a sigh. "Strange, strange," she
said. "How shall I know what they would like for dessert
on their birthday or how many pillows they need?"

xx

2011-01-02T23:47:00.003Z

via fine little day

xx

2010-12-28T23:34:00.009Z

Time for an end of year, yarn and glue playlist. Thank you for reading my blog in 2010 xx

Having fun

2010-12-28T17:48:00.006Z

on polyvore

Bag by Orla Kiely, boots by Clarks Originals, hat by Anthropologie, coat by A.P.C and Necklace from Modcloth.

xx

2010-12-28T15:57:00.002Z

One of my Christmas presents was having all of my pictures and prints framed. Some of them have been lying around gathering dust for over a year. It's a big relief to finally have them hanging on the wall, although there isn't room for all of them. Now all I need is a new house so they can all be fully appreciated.

xx

Lets start painting again!

2010-12-01T19:37:00.005Z

Alfred Wallis

Clare Owen

Vanessa Bowman

xx

2010-11-27T21:32:00.008Z

There couldn't be a more appropriate song for today. I hope it snows tomorrow on my day off, so I can stay right where I am too.

Julie Doiron with Herman Dune- "Snow Falls In November" from the great pumpkin on Vimeo.

Come to this!

2010-11-22T14:07:00.003Z

Philippa and I will also be holding a stall selling some goodies.

xx

Good news!

2010-11-17T17:18:00.003Z

Hello everyone, I have been selected as a finalist for the Design*Sponge alphabet contest that I entered not too long ago. Over 400 people entered so I'm absolutely thrilled that they thought my font was nice enough!

Voting starts at 6pm today UK time (1pm EST) and lasts exactly 24 hours. If you like my alphabet too, please follow this link to vote!

Click Here!

xx

2010-11-17T17:07:00.004Z

My submission for next month's Oh Comely magazine. I miss screen printing so much that I try to replicate it in Ai.

xx

2010-11-09T23:34:00.003Z

I have taken part in the design*sponge type contest! Since my final degree project I have been hooked on text in design. I actually can't believe that I didn't pay much attention to type before, it's everywhere yet I never really appreciated it. Since I have been redecorating my blog, I have decided to use my letters to create a new banner!

xx

autumn

2010-11-06T16:36:00.003Z

If I could grow a beard...

2010-11-06T12:14:00.010Z

...it would be all green and fuzzy and mossy.

How can something so simple, fill me with so much joy?
via fine little day

I am dreaming of Sweden. Jag älskar Sverige.
New blog - I've decided simpler is much much better.

xx

Badlands 1973 - Terrence Malick

2010-11-01T23:57:00.002Z

Curioser and Curioser

2010-10-28T23:18:00.001+01:00

You must visit The Museum of Everything before the end of the year! It is temporarily open in the lovely Primrose Hill and is currently housing its third exhibition. It is difficult to pin a particular theme on this treasure trove of curiosities, which is why it is so extraordinary. Exhibition #3 is co-curated by Sir Peter Blake and sees some of his own collection of weird and wonderful objects, and his original artworks which sit so perfectly next to each other. One of the delights of the collection includes Victorian Taxidermist Walter Potter's stuffed animals, many of which are dressed in human clothing and arranged into humorous tableaux. They reminded me a little of Surrealist film-maker Jan Svankmajer's 'Alice' - although not quite as terrifying!

xx

Natalia Goncharova

2010-10-27T21:35:00.001+01:00

Today I visited Londres with my two favourite people. I had been excited to visit the V&A to see the Diaghilev: Ballet Russes exhibtion. It was fantastic! Diaglhilev's productions were revolutionary and were hugely responsible for shaping 20th Century art and design and performance art. There is still evidence of its imapct in the most contemporary design today. Some incredible people worked with him including Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Coco Chanel and most notibly, Leon Bakst. But some of my favourite designs were produced by Natalia Goncharova. She was involved in the later ballet productions, many of which took inspiration from and referenced traditional Russian folk tales. I love her naive illustrations and her costume and set designs.

Costume design for a Russian Peasant for the ballet 'Le Coq d'or'.

Backcloth design for 'The Firebird' via V&A images.

xx

Textiles rock don't y'know.

2010-10-26T16:35:00.001+01:00

The legendary house of art farbric that is Liberty showcased their new range of prints at Premier Vision this year, an entire collection inspired by British music. The most interesting of the collection are those designed by musicians and illustrators for the music industry, most of whom come from art school backgrounds, including Graham Coxon and Florence Welch. Read more here.

I can't wait to get my hands on the Edwyn Collins print! It features Edwyn's beautiful bird drawings that you may recognise from his 'Losing Sleep' album. After suffering a brain haemorrhage, he was encouraged to keep a sketchbook and draw a bird a day for 6 months to help with his recovery process. As an wannabe twitcher, I love this even more.

xx

'I do not want art for a few any more than I want education for a few, or freedom for a few' - William Morris

2010-10-19T23:17:00.004+01:00

- textile printer, socialist and brummy.

Save the Arts!

xx

eeee!

2010-09-29T17:29:00.001+01:00

Can't wait until I get my hands on this beaut!

xx

2010-09-29T12:48:00.001+01:00

I've been busy completing the artwork for the new Boat to Row single. Which is out today and is free to download! Follow the link and you won't be disappointed, I promise.

boattorow.bandcamp.com

xx

2010-09-14T19:39:00.002+01:00

Tallest Man on Earth - The Gardener - A Take Away Show from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.

A selection of photographs from this summer

2010-09-14T19:10:00.002+01:00

Staying on the road

2010-09-06T23:12:00.000+01:00

After New Designers and exhibiting alongside 100's of textile graduates not dissimilar to myself, I must admit that I felt a bit disheartened and I began to question everything. With so much competition, it's not going to be easy trying to go at it alone and to set myself apart from others. It will take a long time, but it's what I want.

I spent a day with Rob Ryan in his studio and I'm hoping to go back soon for a little longer. I will have a studio like his, even if it is just in a shed at the bottom of my garden.

From his book 'You can still do a lot with a small brain.'

xx

Autumn is

2010-09-06T23:02:00.000+01:00

Photo taken at Moseley Folk Festival 2010

Autumn is my favourite, it's about starting afresh and with so much on my to-do list, it calls for a soundtrack. This is mine, featuring a few people I am looking forward to seeing at this year's End of the Road Festival.
yarn and glue

xx

Things that have been and things that are to come.

2010-09-06T22:38:00.000+01:00

To be brief, my summer has been filled with tiny adventures, festivals, trips to new cities, exhibitions and catching up with my closest friends, I couldn't possibly start filling in the missing posts. But what is important is that I have had a break and now it is time to start again. This is my blackboard and written on it is one of my first projects.

I'm hoping that my new collection will evolve organically from my degree project and will be better, I've had a lot of time to think about it.

xx

La Fin.

2010-06-04T11:59:00.001+01:00

Or perhaps it is only the beginning. After much hard work (as you can tell by lack of posts recently) my degree is now over and my degree show opened last night! Congratulations to all my fellow, talented textilers for helping to create a such an exciting and diverse exhibition.

>>Watch this space<<

xx

2010-03-10T14:04:00.000Z

Exhibition.

2010-02-19T22:03:00.001Z

Clare Rojas at the Ikon gallery, Birmingham.

Heather suggested that I go to this exhibition by American painter and illustrator Clare Rojas at the Ikon. I'm so glad I went, and I'm also glad that someone else had their finger on the pulse as i've been a little wrapped in my work lately. Rojas' work is very much rooted in folk influences, through the use of narrative and through a contemporary take on traditional folk pattern and motifs. She is also a fantastic colourist. Very charming yet slightly sinister, her work reminds me a little of Darger's, and like Darger many of her illustrations are an accompaniment to her own folk stories.

Whilst in brum I met up with Michael and we went to the exhibition together, he was pleased to find out that Clare Rojas is also a performance atrist; her alter-ego is musician Peggy Honeywell. Her images and music coincide together so beautifully, don't you think?

xx

This project is...

2010-02-16T22:54:00.000Z

...going somewhere really unexpected, I guess that's not a bad thing?

I must purchase an a3 scanner for next year. Tiny scanner beds are useless.

xx

Back to work

2010-02-02T16:21:00.001Z

I am a very messy person.

Xx

The British Musuem

2010-01-31T14:52:00.000Z

I can't wait to go back

2010-01-27T19:45:00.000Z

to end of the road festival

p.s new blog coming soon; a more professional looking one with my own work on it, instead of lots of irrelevant things like there is on here.

xx

2010-01-27T15:51:00.000Z

Follwing my drawing of Michael's knitted jumper, I'm really feeling this - using tapestry, embroidery, knit thing in illustration and print. I absolutely love this tour poster for Iron and Wine by Silent Giant.

xx

New book.

2010-01-27T15:43:00.000Z

Upon yet another visit to the new Nottingham Contemporary Gallery, I bought this beautiful book from the shop there.

xx

Catching up.

2010-01-27T14:47:00.000Z

Dissertation is finally finished and handed in. Phew. Which means I can now catch up on a few blog entries that I have been behind on. I've had lots of ideas swimming around in my head for the next textile project, but I've had to push them aside while I have been concentrating on dissertation stuff. It's been a little frustrating. I'm really eager to get the ball rolling and so far my ideas are a bit up in the air but I don't necessarily think that it's a bad thing. After having a really good tutorial with one of my lecturers I discovered that perhaps I am a bit too controlling when it comes to my work, and that sometimes I do have ideas about what my final outcome will look like - even though it never turns out that way, it must be a bit restricting for me. So, now until the end of the year I'm going to let my work take me on a journey, work with a concept rather than a theme. And this is my concept; creating profiles of people close to me through story telling and ornament and through collections of objects that say something about each individual person. At the moment I feel I'm being especially influenced by folk art and the idea that all kinds of folk art from all around the world tell stroies through precious objects.

I'm also really loving this blog at the moment... http://folkobject.tumblr.com

xx

woweeeee

2010-01-17T14:38:00.000Z

Architecture in Helsinki - Like It Or Not from helsinkids on Vimeo.

I came across this while doing some extra dis research. An embroidered video! AIH always remind me of fun times too.

xx

Dissertation...

2010-01-14T20:50:00.000Z

...is coming together quite nicely... well it's o.k. I can't wait until it is finished!

xx

Achoo

2010-01-07T12:15:00.001Z

Sushi's paw prints in the snow!

I have been pretty poorly this week so I haven't been able to enjoy the snow as much as sushi has but I have been enjoying my new iphone and right now my blogger app! I've been getting on with a bit of work too which has a particular wintery feel!

xx

Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Camilla Engman

2010-01-04T23:11:00.000Z

camillaengman.com

xx

The first steps...

2010-01-03T19:54:00.000Z

... towards my final major project. I wonder where my journey will take me?

xx

A good start

2010-01-03T19:44:00.000Z

Its now 2010 and with a little help from my mum to sew it together; I think that this blanket has officially taken me a year to complete. Oh my! I will definitely not take on a project like this one before my degree finishes!

xx

Christmas Presents :)

2009-12-27T20:25:00.000Z

My lovely Rob Ryan tile from the bf :)

The bestest book I have ever owned.

xx

project one has finished :)

2009-12-12T16:38:00.000Z

some work

2009-11-28T12:27:00.001Z

Hand Screen prints onto plywood with pyrography

xx

'Reflecting'

2009-11-28T11:50:00.000Z

It's been a while since I've made a post but everytime I think about it I feel guilty and that I should be working instead. But today I am i'll and I'm giving myself a well deserved break and some time to reflect. This is another 'when I grow up' post but little things like this keep me going, especially when uni is throwing the most ridiculous predicaments in my way. So far it's been a series of extreme ups and downs. One minute I feel excited and the next I feel as if I can't cope. Right now I think I feel excited.

I hope that one day I will own my own shop and it will be a bit like Shelf.

xx

sigh

2009-11-05T14:22:00.001Z

When I grow up I will be dressed head to toe in Orla Kiely.

xx

2009-10-21T21:58:00.000+01:00

searching for colour inspiration

2009-10-21T13:00:00.000+01:00

working hard

2009-10-20T15:59:00.000+01:00

rarrr!

2009-10-16T21:26:00.000+01:00

Today I took the bus to Wollaton Hall just outside the centre of Nottingham. It is set in huge grounds made up of gardens, fields, lakes, woods and wild meadows, it is very easy to get lost - in a lovely sort of way. And the best part is that there are wild deer just roaming around as they please! I'm angry with myself that I am now in my third year of study in Nottingham and I have never been before. It is hard to believe that it is just a 10 minute bus ride from the busy city centre. I spent most of the day there, taking photographs and collecting bits and bobs to draw from for my new textile project and I can't wait to get the ball rolling now - it was such a useful day. The Hall is now used as a natural history museum, this is where I retreated when it started to get a bit chilly. I spent a good couple of hours in there too and found a good spot to sit and draw.

Today is also Fehm's birthday, and this evening we have been watching Amelie in our pyjamas with ben and jerry's and a bottle of red wine-perfect.

xx

the london post

2009-10-11T20:43:00.000+01:00

At the weekend I took the coach down to London, in particular to go to The London Craft Fair- Origin, held by the Crafts Council at Somerset House, and what a beautiful setting it was. As for what was on display there, the exhibition was very varied- textiles, furniture, ceramics and jewellery. I had a few favourites, including Thornback and Peel's beautiful printed textiles. I also fell in love with Grainne Morton's accessories - something of her's may go on my Christmas wishlist perhaps (it may be but a wish!) And not to mention Teresa Green - one of my lecturers Teresa Cole who was also exhibiting her homewares collection.

I always make time to go to the V&A when I'm in London, I could spend a whole day there if I could just looking at all the permanent collections - but this time I went to see the exhibition about fear and fantasy in contemporary design, entitled 'Telling Tales'. The set-up was amazing, I really did feel as if i was in an enchanted forest or a grand castle in a Grimm fairytale and all the featured exhibits were very fitting. At times I even felt a little scared and uneasy. I really loved Tord Boontje's Fig Leaf Wardrobe. Very different from all of his previous works but equally breathtakingly beautiful.

I know it's really bad, but I get just as excited about going to the V&A shop as I do the exhibitions! I wanted to show off this super book that I bought and had had my eye on for some time. It is full of lots of beautiful modernist inspired patterns and some lovely illustrated tour posters.

xx
First day of 3rd year tomorrow, eep!

enjoying home before I have to start living in the print room again..

2009-10-08T15:48:00.000+01:00

nutty chocolate ginger cookies..

2009-10-05T13:51:00.000+01:00

..fresh for when michael comes over this evening.

xx

Geekery

2009-10-03T12:57:00.000+01:00

I want an iphone just so I can have this app..

xx

2009-10-03T12:21:00.000+01:00

I've just come back home to Nottingham from doing a work placement with Paper and Cloth. They are a surface pattern design studio based in Northampton, so Miss Tatt was able to kindly put me up for the week. They had me working on patterns for kidswear for a/w '10 and it was so nice to be on an actual design placement and feel apart of the team. It made me realise that the jump from university to industry is huge and the pace in which you have to be producing designs is also a little scary. Even though I felt a bit overwhelmed at times, I also think it has boosted my confidence- they have even kept one of my designs to put in the portfolio, which is much more than I expected. I am looking forward to getting back to uni now and to concentrate on what I love and really put everything into it! I really liked some of the work i produced on my placement however, so perhaps this year I wont be so precious about my sketchbook, to not spend hours on every page and to just go for it and see what flows. Because sometimes I can really surprise myself!

xx

Miranda July

2009-09-27T16:24:00.000+01:00

The new lula magazine is out, it is always a good reason for me to get excited at the beginning of every autumn and spring! They also have a feature on Miranda July's new sculptures at the Venice Biennale. I love everything she does. On the lula website they have a great vid of her giving a tour around the garden in which her sculptures are set. Also, I've never looked at Miranda's own website before, but it's great fun.

xx

little cut-out and make birds make me happy

2009-09-21T15:31:00.000+01:00

fox in the snow

2009-09-21T12:30:00.000+01:00

end of the road festival

2009-09-16T17:42:00.000+01:00

Aside from the fact that eotr featured some beautiful music from just about everyone who is pretty ace at the moment, it was also set in the beautiful larmer tree gardens. It was so nice to not just be in a massive field for the whole weekend, there were lots of little compartments to explore and some original victorian architecture dotted about. Hidden in every corner were little surpises including a library amoungst the trees, papier mache woodland animal heads and a tea shop that was actually a red london double decker bus that you could sit in and play records. There were also peacocks running around and parrots that flew over the top of your head. It was truely magical, i'm definately going again next year!

xx

sorry sorry sorry

2009-09-16T17:08:00.000+01:00

But I have been on hols, see.....

st ives
xx

boat to row illustration

2009-09-01T22:17:00.000+01:00

my new favouritest thing

2009-09-01T16:59:00.000+01:00

I love ohbijou, yes I do.

xx

2009-08-31T23:27:00.000+01:00

I was going to post an entry about New Designers this year and feature a few of my favourite textile design graduates from the show. I picked up a lot of business cards on the day which I've been keeping in my desk draw and I'd remembered that the work of Samantha Beeston particularly stood out for me. Upon typing her name into the search engine to find images of her work to show you, I was both shocked and saddened at what I had found. This might be old news to some people and I'm surprised that I hadn't come across it myself sooner - an example of terrible plagiarism, in which Samantha had directly traced the work of Lauren Nassef and the less noted, Lizzy Stewart. The scale of the shock it has caused is huge and the extent of the plagiarism is best illustrated by the blog, Book By Its Cover. It is sometimes hard to find the line between being inspired by something and copying something, and it is a serious problem in art and design. But what she has done is inexcusable and is blatant theft. It only hammers home the importance of crediting people appropriately and of original work.

xx

2009-08-31T20:07:00.000+01:00

2009-08-31T12:37:00.000+01:00

The Crap Bastards in Fehm and Rosie's crappy cellar!

greatest hits
boat to row
james moss
shoes and socks off
xx

bust summer craftacular!

2009-08-23T10:28:00.000+01:00

Fehm and I took a trip over to Bethnal Green yesterday to attend Bust Magazine's Summer Craftacular. Even though I was feeling a little worse for wear that day (due to the house warming the night before) it was well worth the trip, I had been excited about it since I missed the Christmas one.

We both bought some lovely things and even found time to go over to the V&A Museum of Childhood which was just across the road. We misjudged the time we had a little as we were so excited by the permanent collection of every kind of toy you can imagine to clothes, right from the victorian era to the present day, that we only had about ten minutes to look around the Roald Dahl and Quentin Blake exhibit, full of lots of Blake's original illustrations, each evoked so many memories, as if it were only yesterday I was reading the books and examining the pictures - beautiful :)

xx

home

2009-08-21T14:10:00.001+01:00

Sketchbook!

2009-08-20T14:34:00.000+01:00

I've been a bit rubbish of late and have not been blogging, but I have been very busy moving into my new house with fehm and making it look beautiful (pictures to come!) We finally had our internet installed yesterday so I am making sure that yarn and glue is my first port-of-call. I've been using my lovely new notebook to start off my new project ideas for 3rd year and here are the beginnings of my sketchbook.

xx