inspiring book

I have bought a new computer and I am just about getting to grips with the new system and software, discovering just how much things have moved on in the five years since I last upgraded.
Life was simpler when it was just books - 'How to wrap five eggs' is a favourite from my childhood. This classic book about traditional Japanese packaging fascinated me. Everything about this now rather dog-eared original hardback edition, the content, design, photography even down to the print quality and the matt paper inspired me to want to design even before I knew what a designer was. I don't think an app would do that!

textures 2

  

Another place to look for textures, one of my favourite books The Big River by Elizabeth and Gerald Rose. It tells the story of a river from its start in the mountains, so the story line is a bit predictable! but beautifully illustrated by Gerald Rose.

textures

I am still experimenting with wallpaper patterns, it's all looking a bit flat at the moment so I want to introduce some texture. Feeling uninspired I have been looking around the house, starting with some studio pottery and Penguin poets.

a tiny dose of orange

Work has taken priority over the last couple of weeks, and I have been stuck indoors trying to reduce the length of my to-do list. So apologies for blog posts being rather introspective. Sitting in front of a screen day after day, my one little escape is to wander round favourite blogs every now and then. I was inspired by kerry from the seventy tree's ode to red to hunt out my pop-up colour and I think it has to be orange, a tiny dose of orange has a wonderful cheery effect. 

log pile envy

Who can't resist a good log pile! This beauty belongs to our neighbour in Spain, carefully stacked in the summer ready for the cold winter winds that sweep down off the mountains. It was the inspiration for a new design that I have just got around to printing. If I can only decide on colours I should have some loggy cushions ready for Christmas shopping. It makes its first appearance on the reverse of a super sized roddy stocking (small people told me that my bird stockings were just not big enough!) Plenty of room in this one for the longer wish-list. Available in my etsy store and online shop . All orders will come complete with a hand printed gift card!

pomegranate tree

We have a little pomegranate tree in our garden in Spain which produces a tiny harvest of these waxy pink flowers and strange and beautiful fruits. I spent a fair amount of time under this tree in the summer and the result is a new design appropriately called Pomegranate Tree. Here's a sneak preview, I am just sampling some colours here and hope to have cushions in my shops this week.

good intentions

I have been trying to get on with some new designs here but with the arrival of my brother and his family play has stopped work. However, with the purchase of a set of paints from the euro shop I have made a start and here's the proof.

elegant dish

This is the lovely Poole pottery dish that arrived in the post yesterday. Poole is another English seaside town along with Rye that is famous for its pottery. Producing tableware and studio pieces in the 50s and 60s in elegant modern shapes and colours. I now have two casserole dishes - not really a collection!  I can't decide if these are marrows or melons but it makes me want to go out and draw some vegetables!

aren't flowers brilliant?

I have a temporary problem with my camera so no pictures of open studios yet. But here are some I took earlier! Spring in my garden - new buds on my quince tree all curled up ready to burst, raindrops (lots of these at the moment) and amazing velvety tulips. 

elizabeth and gerald rose

I have a small collection of children's books written in the 60's by Elizabeth Rose with brilliant illustrations by Gerald Rose - what a team! These pages are from the Gingerbread Man, they are so full of life, they always make me smile! I found these in a second hand bookshop a few years ago, they were selling the discontinued contents of a children's library for 30p each! It's almost impossible to find books like these in charity and second hand shops these days - where have they all gone? probably all to abebooks!

spring chickens

I have been sorting out my bookshelves, this is one of my favourites. Wake Up Farm first published in 1966 with fantastic illustrations by Roger Duvoisin creator of Petunia the Silly Goose. Lots of Easter chickens and lambs and one poor old bunny in a cage.