sunny skies

The sun is out today and the end of January is in sight. Looking at these pictures taken last year makes me want to escape the January blues to Spain. On the plus side I am designing packaging for a range of tasty puddings so I am eating my way through pots of chocolate souffle, toffee pudding and apple crumble, all in the name of research.

Valentines offer - until February 14th there is 20% off Lovespoons print in my online shop when you use this code at the checkout: LOVINSPOONFUL

dragon tales

Happy Chinese new year! it's the year of the dragon. This one is not very Chinese but one of my favourites. St George and the Fiery Dragon by Elizabeth and Gerald Rose published in the sixties. Fabulous exuberant illustrations and a happy ending, the remorseful dragon promised to stop eating beautiful maidens so they gave him a large parcel of pancakes and sent him on his way.

owl pie.....

...not really! Tinkering with my blog header is a very good distraction from real work. I am retiring my owls, they are ever so popular but have been around for nearly five years, time for a change I think. For now they are in their hole while I decide what to do next.

rocking horse baby

I hope this is not the start of another obsession!

day job

January has found me in front of my computer screen, a years worth of accounts have been put in order and I now have to put on my day job hat as I have two packaging projects to do.  I will be up to my ears in yoghurt and apple crumble for the next couple of weeks. After that I may get out and see what 2012 looks like!

Over the years I have done my fair share of own brand packaging for Sainsbury's and Marks and Spencer, so this book was a must for my Christmas stocking, Own Label compiled by Jonny Trunk, a nostalgic look at the basic but beautiful, graphic output of Sainsbury's design studio from the 60's and 70's. Those happy days before barcodes, nutrition panels, GDA's, recycling guidelines, five a day, freefrom, EU, organic logos, use by, sell by, best before........

say it with a spoon

Perfect for an un-pink Valentine's day gift, Lovespoons screenprint is now in my Etsy and online shop. Hand printed in black onto 285g Italian paper, it is a generous size at 50x70cm (a perfect fit for the Ikea ribba frame).

Share the love - until February 14th there is 20% off this print in my online shop when you use this code at the checkout: LOVINSPOONFUL

light work

Another good use for my charity shop glass pear, festive lights for new years eve.