Archive for “News”

This felt very strange – seeing one of our prints framed and on someone’s wall on the other side of the world, on the design sponge blog no less. It shouldn’t have taken me by surprise because we send prints all over the place, half our sales are outside the UK… but when you actually see them nestled into their new homes it still sets your heart aflutter.

Design Sponge is one of the top US design blogs, you could loose a few hours there easily without noticing – it is like a secret garden. They have all sorts of creative titbits, plus a section where readers upload ‘before and after’ pics from their homes. And that is where we come in, Michelle Smith giftware designer and founder of Rock & Shop Market was displaying the results of her labour.

So thanks Ms Smith, there has been a flurry of transatlantic activity ever since. Love your dining chairs too Michelle, not unlike my treasured g-plan ones that came from my super stylish Nana Munn!

We’ve got a lot of time for Wayne and not just because he selected our prints as one of only a handful of his favourite eco homewares. Wow-wee! Oh yes, the wonderful Observer newspaper dedicated a whole magazine to all things lovely and green, including Daryl Hannah (actress, turned eco warrior), David Attenburgh, Ben Okri da di da… and there were we, on page 54, rubbing shoulders with the great and the good (albeit accidently). What a lovely Sunday morning surprise!

In Lewes (near where I grew up) was a shop selling the 70s ‘must have’ fashions. ‘Clothkits’ was pretty unique, selling kits so you could cut and sew your outfits in the comfort of your own home. So while I was dreaming of Olivia Newton John style black spandex leggings, my Mum was eying up the floral print corduroy dress. Hey-ho.

Anyhow, now that I’m a Mum (and black spandex is no longer an option) I can appreciate just how wonderful their designs are. After a period of hibernation, Clothkits is back and they’re selling cutting edge designs for us to make at home. So in the true spirit of Make Do & Mend, here are some of the top picks from their current collection. 

Wilf, you’re standing tall. A big thanks to Junior Magazine for picking out our ‘Grow’ height chart as a ‘colourful and classic piece for the home’.

The lovely ladies at Bodie and Fou are stocking our prints, which we’re delighted about. They have some beautiful objects for sale, if I wasn’t creating artworks all day I’d love to be producing things like this…

We did a little Q&A interview for Bodie & Fou too if you’re interested:

…and I’ve let the blogging slip a bit.

We’ve had some great feedback from the press over the last month or two, so I’d like to share the news, from Elle Decoration May 09, The Sunday Times 12 April, Telegraph Style magazine 28 March. Yee-Haa!

Yippee, our work is currently in the Living Etc April issue. They were after a fun, typographic artwork and asked if they could have one of our ‘Count’ prints for their ‘clowning around’ feature. We’re delighted, the styling looks fab. 

The chance to exhibit in his native north east was unmissable. As a Jarrow lad, David was delighted when we were asked to take part in ‘Roses are Red’ an exhibition at the ‘Mushroom Works’ in Tyneside dedicated to the theme of love (www.mushroomworks.com). The exhibition runs until 21st March and is open Wednesday – Saturday. If you’re up that way, it is free entry and there are all kinds of artwork on show.

These cheeky fabric designs by Graziela are brilliant – they were originally launched in the 1970s and still look fabulous today. Nina Nägel, co-founded www.byGraziela.com and has breathed new life into her mother’s iconic designs. The ‘1,2,3’ and the ‘A,B,C’ patterns were a top hit in Germany and that is the design that Nina has chosen to relaunch with, but there are others in the pipeline too. Vote for your favorite pattern in the monthly draw to win a single duvet set. I’m torn between the ‘hearts’ and ‘lullaby’ designs…. mmm… I think the PJs are so fun too.

A big thanks to Kids Modern, we had a fun and fruitful day at the design show at Dulwich College yesterday.

Us at Kids Modern

Punch'n'cuddle doll

Billy rocker