light

the vintage lampshade over our dining table was squashed on a shoot (one of the hazards of using our house as a location). And ever since, I have been looking for a replacement. I think I have found it, this beautiful paper origami shade from Snowpuppe in the Netherlands. I will be going for the extra large size available in their etsy shop.

christmas past

I am feeling reflective today (must be the sherry) so I have sought out some images from Christmas past.  A vintage Christmas card, a mitten tree from an old knitting pattern book, and my favourite Christmas poem from Peacock Pie, wonderful atmospheric poetry by Walter de la Mare with illustrations by Edward Ardizzone.

Have a wonderful Christmas, look after each other x

christmas on a plate

I am feeling a bit sentimental today, it must be Christmas, or the thought of cooking Christmas dinner for 17, or the sherry. What is the one object that means Christmas to you? For me, it's this huge willow pattern meat platter. It belonged to my grandfather, Grampie Greenham, and over its long life must have carried hundreds of festive roasts to the table in the west country and now here in London. I will be using it when my family arrives for dinner on Christmas day.

lights

No time to decorate yet but Christmas orders are now packed and sent and we have lights.

climb every mountain

Apologies for lack of festive blog posting, it's been more than a bit challenging here lately not made any easier by dropping my phone this week and hearing the splash of doom as it disappeared down a drain. Imagine my language and double, no triple it.

Here's a goat to cheer things up, my Capricorn illustration for Red Magazines January issue. In the words of Julie Andrews 'climb every mountain'.

So, happy birthday to any Capricorns out there. That includes my sister, author and all round creative person Clare Youngs who has finally got herself online, take a look around her website and blog for hand made inspiration.

clever offcuts

I have started my Christmas shopping at last. First stop was Unto This Last, a furniture showroom and workshop at the top end of Brick Lane where they turn out furniture and lighting on site using plywood and coloured laminates slotting together like giant dolls house furniture. Nothing is wasted, scraps and offcuts are fashioned into small accessories including mats, coasters, candle holders and animals, everything under a tenner.

Mini Christmas sale in my shops - up until 19th of December there will be 10% off purchases in both my online and etsy shops with this code SIMPLE10

It's the last day for Airmail to Western Europe on 12th December and for UK first class mail 20th December.

celebrate! and shop!

Congratulations to Lucy, she starts her new PR job in London on Monday. Although she loved her job in Brighton the commute was just a bit too much (4 hours travelling a day) and she's a London girl after all. Here she is showing cousins and friends how to celebrate! Grungy background courtesy of Brixton Village.

I was on The Simple Things magazine blog over the weekend, they asked me to do a little Q&A. Read all about it here. And more celebrations! I am having a mini Christmas sale up until 19th of December there will be 10% off purchases in both my online and etsy shops with this code SIMPLE10

Just to remind you, it's the last day for Airmail to the USA, Canada and Eastern Europe today (10th December) Western Europe on 12th December and for UK first class mail 20th December.

simple things

I found this 1965 Waddington's game in the charity shop (sometimes I feel like the little man in the top hat on the front cover, always running!) I think its Ludo with boats so I can't see it taking over from the Xbox this christmas, looks nice though. 

And on the subject of simple pleasures, I am on The Simple Things magazine blog today, they asked me to do a little Q&A, hope it has turned out ok! Read all about it here and find out details of a festive discount in my shops.  

new sketchbooks

New in the shop! A4 sketchbooks with hardback greyboard covers and bright coloured cloth bindings. Screen printed with our windmill or city windows designs. The pages inside are 140gsm cartridge, thick enough for sketches, water colour, notes and cuttings. An ideal stocking filler if ever I saw one!

Available here, and in my Etsy shop now.

Modern day out

It was a frosty day, flocks of geese were grazing on the playing fields and Hogwarts style lights hovered over the impressive array of Mid-Century furniture in the fabulous '60s setting of the Christensen Hall at Dulwich College. I was hoping that my corner at the Mid-Century Modern show on Sunday would look cool, minimal and edited. As usual, it ended up as a bit of a market stall. I can't resist piling on products old and new. 

Lucy stepped in as my lovely assistant and we had a busy day, made all the better by friendly neighbours Mark from mini-moderns (all on his own while Keith manned their Christmas pop-up shoppe in Columbia Road) and Julia from Winter's Moon, it was great to catch up. What amazed me was that at an event full of cool hunting mid-century types our best seller was the roddy the owl print, it seems everyone still loves an owl.