Archive for July, 2009

Maybe I’m spending too much time in the studio, but I’m craving the big outdoors. I love these paintings by David Morris, a Harrogate based artist who paints the Yorkshire moors and coastline. Oh to be in Robin Hoods Bay eating fish & chips and gulping in the sea air…

It is a big day. After three months of late nights, early mornings and inky aprons, the new collection is ready. We’d love to hear from you if you have any comments, maybe ’sheer slate’ should be called ‘blue slate’, perhaps that big flower should be a bit smaller or maybe you don’t care. Either way, we hope you like the new designs, here goes…

Here is one of our latest cover designs, hot off the press – Mozipedia: The Encyclopaedia of Morrissey and the Smiths. The design has received some great feedback and I think David is particularly pleased with the end result. And bless the author Simon Goddard who sent us a lovely e-mail to say ‘having now held in my hands a finished copy of my book Mozipedia I just wanted to say congratulations on such a great design’. Hurray, what a lovely man.

I like the rain, but maybe not carrying shopping bags in the rain, more things like running, cycling, swimming. There is something refreshing about getting soaked to the skin, deliberately going through puddles and it not mattering. We’re lucky to have an outdoor pool in Hitchin and it was blissful swimming this morning, watching the steam rise while the rain drops plopped into the pool.

It reminded me of these photographs taken by our friend Christine Donnier Valentin. Not only is she a brilliant photographer but she is very funny too. I’ll add some more of her images when I get a minute.

Who needs expensive signage… came across this beautiful hand drawn sign at a Painter’s studio in Honfleur.

This is for my pal Alison and anyone else who has a small area of mud that they’d like to fill with some lovely plants. I’m not a garden designer, but I know about colour and a bit about plants and this (in my eyes at least) is a great combination.

Good luck with it Ali. I might sound like a Gardener’s World Geek (another guilty pleasure) but you might also want some things that stay green all year round too, a Euphorbia is a trusty perennial with bold lime green flower heads and maybe a fragrant evergreen climber, perhaps a star jasmine or honeysuckle. Oh and bulbs, sorry this is turning into a big shopping spree, maybe some ‘purple sensation’ alliums and some ’spring green’ tulips.

This lovely little lady was born yesterday – congratulations Soren, Kathy and Alexander on your new addition. I had a wee cuddle and took some snaps – she is a delight.

I saw this empty billboard the other night whilst waiting for a train, made me smile.

Everyone is going forwards, but there is some great stuff back there.

Take this old promotional poster for Whitby, so simple, so classic. Who would think to make the sea pink… looks great though.

I can see the attraction Eric