Biscuits For Breakfast

Whilst browsing my favourite blogs over breakfast I came across these curiosities by Debra Broz. Aren't they peculiar, but intriguing. I really do quite like them! ♥

Miaow Miaow

Rob Ryan has a new exhibition in town! After showcasing my work alongside his earlier this year at YSP and meeting the man himself (Wow - What a guy!) I promise visitors to the Shire Hall Gallery, Stafford that they are in for a treat. Large scale paper cuts painstakingly cut by hand, wistful and whimsical prints and a specially developed new range of ceramics perfectly compliment and reflect his trademark style.

The must see exhibition which opened to the public on Saturday 13 November 2010 runs until Sunday 9 January 2011. ♥

Poodle Breath

I am so jealous of Poodle Breath right now! ♥

Blind Faith

Next Friday is fast approaching. I am finally going to face my fear of public speaking. I may consider myself an eternal optimist but right now I’m riding on blind faith that somehow I will pull this lecture off! I have visions that I will spend the entire twenty minutes (right now that seems a life time) of pure torture mumbling into my notes. I keep telling myself to panic not, practice makes perfect! ♥

Image by Klala Jugem.

Happy Days

I love weekends, especially 6pm on a Saturday evening when I return home from work knowing I have a full two days ahead of me to fill as I please!

However, at the moment I'm writing a lecture to present to a group of students based on my studies and I'm beginning to feel a little nervous... Perfectly petrified in fact. Public speaking scares the living daylights out of me! I would rather throw myself out of a plane (attached to a parachute of course) or catch a huge hairy spider or even do my whole degree (from beginning to end) all over again... Well maybe that's a slight exaggeration but you get the idea that this is something that is really going to challenge me!

So it has been decided, I'm going to face my fears head on and hopefully overcome this little daemon! I will keep you posted on how it goes. Wish me luck. ♥

Image by Klala Jugem.

Making The Ordinary, Extraordinary

The way in which ordinary people build, adapt and craft intimate and highly personalised spaces fascinates me. I have forever been intrigued by domestic interiors and the contents with which we fill them. Therefore, taking a look around textile designer Karen Nicol's Surrey home was my absolute dream!

The summer before last I spent some time working with Karen in her studio and these are a small selection of the many photographs I took in preparation for my Dissertation study, Pieces of Me: Aspiration and Identity Behind Closed Doors. I especially love how Karen takes simple, everyday objects and totally transforms them into visually exciting scenes. More pictures to follow! ♥

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! ♥

Bunny Love

It was really by accident that I fell head over heels in love with bunny rabbits. A friend introduced me to her lifelong companion Mr Bunny, a ragged and much loved teddy bear from childhood and that was me completely smitten!

I especially heart these glazed porcelain bunny necklaces in snowy white, designed and handcrafted by Jade Gallup over at me me me. So simple yet stylish, they are the perfect winter accessory. ♥