My fave holiday shop...

I just adore The Deco Shop in Machynthleth, near Aberdyfy. It's just full of everything gorgeous you could ever possibly want to buy. It's such a visual treat. I just love the juxtaposition of gorgeous homewares, pattern, colour and texture - take a peek for yourself and make sure you go there if you're ever in that neck of the woods.

I'm totally stealing the painted pink cabinet idea for my new studio!

Spring Greens..

I found a whole cluster of gorgeous spring green prints from various artists on folksy. I love these nordic hares by Dee Beale, visit her blog it's lovely.



I also like these 2 prints from Sparklehen, another busy mum who used to be a graphic designer but now sells on line. check out her folksy shop for lots of goodies.

Autumn is upon us...

Now I remember why I painted my garden gate hot pink all those years ago! Every October I have an autumn treat with these beautiful leaves.

I've just invested in a giant and very gorgeous red Le Creuset casserole pot so i can cook up some autumn flavours. Just right for hot casseroles to warm your cockles on dark autumn evenings. The added bonus is the house is full of cosy cooking smells whilst I work. If any of you have some good slow cooking recipes - let me have them, I can't wait to get cooking!

The height of bloggy laziness...

I'd love to say I've been busy on a Mauritian Beach guzzling cocktails, but alas no...I've been working my little butsky off the last 2 weeks on things that are too tedious to talk about. So apologies for my absence this week.

Down to the nice stuff - here's my Little Vintage Dresser of Joy - after all those plans I had of painting and papering it, I put it in place and it was just perfect as it was, and too good to paint.

So embracing full granny chic I adorned it with all my little nik-naks (ornaments not crisps) and I just love it! It's so nice to see all my Other- half's childhood books on display. I wanted to show you the gorgeous illustrations.

Storage should be good on the eye and not always about capacity and a place to shove stuff.

A little gift to you all...

Hmm, I've had such a nice day I'm feeling in a generous mood! Here's a little book label for you to print and keep, if you print them 8 up they'll fit snugly on a sheet of A4. Either print them on to a sticky label sheet or just plain paper and stick them on with good old pritt stick.

Now you can get busy with a cute book labeling project and pretend you're back at school.

Enjoy, but remember people: this is for personal use only....and have a good weekend. Yay!

China Town colour blast!

We went for the legendary Thai buffet in Pacific (go starving - there's a lot to fit in). After wards I had a mooch over to the mental craft shop in China town, it certainly blows out the cobwebs with the bright colours and mega kitsch merchandise! These are my colour inspiration pics from the Chinese Craft market.

I had to buy a lantern for the garden. I bought tons one year and hung them along the washing line for a bbq, only trouble was it was windy so I popped in to the kitchen to get some bbq fodder, when I returned the whole lot was on fire! A bit of a fire hazard with candles inside but they do look pretty.

Studio Blitz!

It's time.... to clear The Room Of Doom as it's become known. I'm taking a break from a massive studio blitz. I can't stop sneezing from all the dust - I hope nobody knocks on the door, I look like I've got swine flu. This isn't actually my studio but I like looking at it as it makes me feel much better to know that there are people with worse work spaces than mine out there.


Isn't this cute? I found it at the bottom of my samples box (one of many!) It's a 60's floral. Maybe it's the sun but I'm really into acid yellows as an accent colour with muted shades of lilac or bone at the moment.

Annoying interruptions of my Studio Blitz:

1. Jehovah's witnesses (sorry but it's really annoying) Thanks for sharing the word but no thanks. Plus I've sussed you now - I can spot the long black silhouette and briefcase through the glass door

2. Sales calls. After spending 10 rings searching through my crap for the phone only to find it's a chirpy recorded message from 'Susan' telling me I need more credit cards. I don't.

3. Hunger. All that sorting and chucking means I have to keep stopping to refuel.

4.Calls from lovely family members who have no idea of the massive task I've just taken on and that I could die under a landslide of my own rubbish if I stop to chat, however tempting.

5. Finally a nice distraction: Blogging. We'll a girl's got to take a rest and survey her explosion in a paper factory of a studio!

Oh Wow! I just looked back at my studio and it's no longer The Room Of Doom! Yay, I'm nearly there and won't it be lovely to know where everything is??? Is every creative person messy or is it just lack of time/space etc? Let me know!

My heart beats faster...

...when I see a gorgeous colour combo like this. Where's my sketchbook - I feel a design coming on.