Betsy ♥

My friend just had a baby and I'm about to take over a few little handmade goodies for her. I can't wait to meet the new addition! ♥

Be Mine, Valentine

Happy Saint Valentine's Day!

With love from Drömma-Lotta and me, Little Red. ♥

About Time Too

Tomorrow I take my driving test and I'm feeling ever so nervous! At 24 it's about time I hear you say! Be sure to have your fingers and toes crossed for me. ♥

Happy Holidays

Wishing you all the most wonderful Christmas! ♥

Image via ATLITW.

Celebrating The Everyday

I will always remember aged twelve years old bringing home the most adorable six week old puppy. Twelve years later she has left the biggest doggy shaped hole in all our hearts. Life just won't be the same without her. My shadow, my happy girl and best friend. ♥

Image by Le Train Fantome.

One Step Ahead

Can you believe it? For the first time in my life I'm one step ahead and a whole month early. In preparation for my travels (as I need all the pennies I can get) this year I have vowed to make all of my own Christmas cards and here is a sneak preview of my designs. ♥

Birthday Wishes

Handmade with love... And lots of it. A special friend's birthday is fast approaching and this collection of illustrations form the present I plan to give her. ♥

Essimar Papel

Wow. Essimar Papel by Esther Ramirez is my new favourite. I love everything about her work. ♥

The Heart Of Papercuts

New work from The Heart Of Papercuts. ♥

Fable Foundations

An interior architect, decorator and collector of objects ni[D] prides herself in the simple eccentricity of her ever expanding collection of cushions. Each design evokes a dark and mysterious setting, where eclectic scenes drawn by hand contain surreal and superstitious foundations. Lucid emulsions and acid tints invite you to pay closer attention to the individual pieces, whilst elements of crochet however big or small yearn to be touched by the viewer. ♥

Rosy Cheeks

Having studied Textile Design in Falmouth, Juliette Van Rhyn is now living and working in London.

Influences for her work come in all shapes and forms: Rajasthani miniature paintings and Japanese wood block prints, contemporary illustration, literature, folk stories, painted wooden toys from Varanasi, Paris and children’s books.

This collection of ethereal brooches is an extension of Juliette’s graduate portfolio, which I had the pleasure of viewing at New Designers 2009. Inspired by the children’s folk stories in A.B. Mitford’s Tales of Old Japan, she has explored playful narratives using mixed media textiles, with a focus on illustration, detail and a sense of the unexpected.

Since graduating, Juliette has started an internship at John Lewis’ Home Design Studio and is planning to open her own business. She aspires for this to be a place where beautiful, unusual things are designed and made for fashion, textiles and hand-crafted accessories. ♥

Comme Du Coton

I just had a microwave disaster! Cutting corners to try and save time is not the best way forward when it comes to housework... Cooking in particular. I have now learnt the hard and ever so messy way, that it's best to always (not every so often) place cling film over the bowl of soup in case it explodes rather magnificently!

I would love to fly away from the mundane tasks of domestic life on these dotty angel wings from Comme Du Coton. They are adorable! ♥

White Rabbits, White Rabbits, White Rabbits

For a one way ticket to happyland visit Marta's online shop over at Etsy, where each and every limited edition piece is handmade with love and nostalgia.

Spring is now only a hop, skip and jump away. Hurray! Wishing you guys and girls a wonderful March, I hope it's your best yet. ♥

Teeny Tiny People

Filled with a variety of splendid things, Variation's online shop over at Etsy is worth taking a peek. I find it hard to believe that a collection of retro beads and a handful of patience combined can create such whimsical, vintage pretties! They are just delightful. ♥

Misako Mimoko

Cheerful creations handmade by Misako Mimoko. I hope you have fun browsing her blog. ♥

Good Morning Sunshine

I love waking up to the sun shining through my bedroom window, it's the best way to start the day. Hurry up Spring! ♥

Ps. Aside from owning my very own interior gift shop and designing children's wear - When I eventually decide to grow up I also want to travel. I'm currently saving up to run away (it seems to be taking forever.) These are a few snaps I took of a bag I bought in Thailand three years ago. I think it may have originally been handmade in Tibet. I can't wait to return to Asia and explore some more.

Tangible Anticipation

I have spent some time over the last week or two thinking about different designers who inspired me over the course of my degree and who have continued to do so since I graduated. The work of Jessie Chorley was a huge source of inspiration. She really encouraged me to consider different approaches to mixed media textile design, in particular forms of book making.

The structure and layout of Jessie’s designs vary; many only have a small selection of densely worked areas, allowing other aspects to really breathe. Within existing books she inserts her own pages and three dimensional elements such as photographic imagery attached to wire, which move out from the page into open air space effectively creating tangible anticipation.

Within my own interpretations of book art Jessie continues to inspire. I especially want to focus on fragments of key narrative and snippets of text within my new collection. My mind is currently working over time, I can't wait to start designing again! ♥

So Far So Good

So far there has been so much I've had to share with you that I havn't had chance to tell you about Lena Corwin and her beautiful blog, which contains observations and inspirations relating to print, pattern and all things design related. Lena's work is optimistic and fun. Her simple use of lines and shapes are produced in an assortment of happy hues for fashion and interior fabrics.

Lena also seems to know lots of wonderful jewellery designers including Anna Gonick whose ethnic inspired creations are an ongoing experiment. Her combination of trinkets and charms, leather and vintage ribbon is a feast for the eyes, I promise you! ♥

Porcelain Pooches

Puglets, Boston Terriers and much more recently the French Bulldog are three breeds of pooch I simply adore. Their little faces are just so squished and ugly I find them too cute to resist.

I especially like Katie Parker's collection of ceramic dogs, each produced from porcelain, china paint and a plaster base. My favourite is the first covered in a glossy red coat. This vivid hue totally transforms the piece. I also love the polka dots, creepy crawlies and floral elements.

There is something very attractive about the surreal elements within Katie's work. Curious pieces indeed! ♥

Chasing The Dream

Hailing from the Netherlands Lenneke Wispelwey recently showed her work at Dutch Design Week. She is the creator of these dreamy ceramic goods and she's also a stylist. Her unique collection of kitchenware includes beautiful cakestands, kooky ceramic buttons, geometric milk jugs and vases. Through my rose tinted specs they are exactly how I imagine 1950's tupperware, displayed in a pristine home (by a lovely little housewife) to look.

Lenneke lists shooting stars, pastel colours, receiving mail the old fashioned way, foreign postcards, cuckoo clocks and clouds that look like bunnies amongst the things she loves most.

Things that don’t take her fancy include spam, stupid rules, I told you so and standing still on a dance floor.

I think Lenneke and I would make great friends! ♥