new tea towels

I have just put these Daisybird tea towels in teal and turquoise into my etsy and online shops. They are made in the UK from really thick absorbent cotton and hand printed by me!

marmalade time

Apparently it's the season to make marmalade. So, inspired by Lou at little green shed I tracked down some Seville oranges and set about making some this weekend and what a sticky process it turned out to be. Horrified by the amount of sugar needed I reduced the quantity which was probably not a good idea as the result is a bit tangy! Being me, I had to pot it up in a selection of vintage jars so at least it looks nice! For some instant Spanish sunshine to cheer us up in these winter months I have reduced the price of my Sardana prints. Available now for just $45 my etsy and £28 in my online shop while stocks last.

lubna chowdhary

Way back before Christmas I went to a samples sale at Lubna Chowdhary's lovely garden studio. Choosing between her stock of beautiful, intensely coloured graphic tiles was really difficult. I had good intentions of just buying a couple but came home with this set. I have just got round to putting them in a frame and can't stop looking at them.

weekend bears

I was foraging around in my bookshelves and found this, I love the furniture! And who doesn't love a bear, my favourite at the moment is Kerry' s bear of few words, I can feel a print swap coming on! Porridge for breakfast tomorrow I think and then a nice walk in the woods...

numbers and rain

This sums (!) up my week so far. However, my accounts are nearly ready and the sun has appeared today so looking forward to getting out. This counting book with its fabulously bold illustrations was published by Hamish Hamilton in the 70's. Nearly as nice as my Brian Wildsmith counting book.

not getting on with my accounts

I should be doing my accounts for my tax return due at the end of january, instead i'm fiddling around with the design of my blog, this is not good!

stress buster

Taking my lovely daughter to Kings Cross station on the bus with two giant suitcases, mislaying my Oyster card, leaving £50 in the cash machine, some mornings are just very, very stressful. So I went for a walk up to Islington and found myself in Penhaligan's where the deliciously old fashioned smell of their Elizabethan Rose eau de toilette had a magical calming effect. It would make a truly delightful mother's day/valentine/anniversary/whatever present (yes, that is a hint!)

monoprix update

I didn't have a moment over the holidays to report back on the Monoprix story.  I had a fairly quick response from the Director of Homewares. They recognised the 'similarities' in the design, and told me that the product was purchased from one of their suppliers in India and they were going to question them about its origin. In the meantime they promised to withdraw the product from their shelves, which I hope they did. A later email informed me that they had had no explanation from their supplier, I wonder how hard they tried?
I don't think there is much more I can do, although I did point out to them that it is the retailers responsibility to make sure that the designs they purchase are originals and their suppliers are honest. Also, why not commission original designs from real designers? A quick look on the internet shows an overwhelming amount of creative talent out there. But of course that's exactly what the unscrupulous producers in India and elsewhere are doing - we must all beware.

Now - here are some originals! I have just put these daisybird screen prints into my etsy shop on sale at $30. The little ceramic bird belongs to my sister - I wish it was mine!

flower power

I like Christmas decorations but I really like taking them down and replacing them with flowers! One of my new years resolutions is to have more flowers so I am looking forward to sunday trips to Columbia Road flower market. My other resolution is not to buy so much from boot sales and charity shops but that is going to be a bit harder to keep, maybe an equal balance between donating and purchasing would solve my storage problem!

happy new year!

Happy 2011!