Nosideup

23.9.08 0

Circa

It's been a lovely, busy and exciting weekend. I've been at the designersblock exhibition and party (that is extremely unusual in me, I get sleepy very easily); and what's more... I'VE HAD MY FIRTS SALES IN ETSY!!!! I'm extremely thrilled and happy and thankful.

But let me show you more about this design week:

Circa is an event running together with Tent. It is considered the biggest exhibition of mod furniture. It was thoroughly enjoyable, but it's not where you go to get you bargains (that's Oxford, remember?). I almost bought a teak bowl (scandinavian looking). So simple and smooth! But at 30 pounds (60 dollars) it wasn't an absolute bargain (although Liberty of London sells wooden bowls for 260 pounds right now). So here are a few pics for you to get the vibe.

The enamel bowls are krenit bowls. They can fetch interesting prices in galleries (300 dollars the smallest), but you can find them much more affordable on ebay. They were my first vintage love.

I do have something about display bells. And I loved the artist wooden hand in this one.

PS: Isn't that red chair adorable beyond belief? I never found out who was it by or how much was it... Anyone knows it?

CORRECTION: designed by Jeremy Harvey in 1978

19.9.08 2

Roam textiles

After all the coco de mer excitement, I return with the promised posts on the London design week.

At designersblock (you still have time to come see for yourselves until sunday) Roam textiles have proved a bright, cheerful and dari

ng corner. They are a couple of Scottish designer who have been collaborating with fashion houses and are now launching their own line of blankets and soft furnishings. And

the sofa where all of it is laid looks fabulous too.

Their motifs go from the ubiquitous Russian dolls, to the very fashinable nautical knots, to the downright cute illustrations. They customize baby blankets too.

How do you like it?

Coco de mer

Guess what? Mr M. and I found a Coco de Mer in Oxford!

No, not the kinky shop, although we know about those too, but the real legendary coconut!

Now, if you've never heard about a coco de mer before you might just think I'm a bit odd and a bit too excited about some kind of coconut.

I first heard about them when I studied in Swaziland. A coco de mer is a rare coconut that only growns in two of the Seychelles islands. The story goes that when those were not inhabited, the coconuts would fall off the trees and then some of them would be dragged into the sea naturally. Of those, some would reach mainland Africa.

So imagine what would you think of these weird, rather big objects that the sea would magically deliver to your coast randomly? Of course they were considered "gifts, practically. They became a very, very valued form of misterious currency. And their obvious shape was also highly regarded. (hence the name of the kinky shops, see?) When Europeans started going to Africa, they became fascinated by them as well, and it became a very sought after Victorian souvenir.

So you get the idea of their rarity and value. They still fetch high prices in art auctions and ebay nowadays (yesterday we found a seller that had some for just about less than 500 dollars). And we just got one of 5 pounds (10 dollars). The lady was very nice and she asked us what was it after she sold it to us. I explained her the whole story and she said "Oh, I thought that was a coconut, but no-one believed me". I explained the real value of them to her, much to Mr. M's despite (he thought it was just rude to pay 5 pounds and tell her they were acutally much more than that).

Our coco de mer is not as round an even as the best ones out there, but it is very tactile, very smooth and shiny, and looks like an sculpture. Am I gonna like Oxford...

17.9.08 1

Lorna Robertson: S-h-o-p-p-i-n-g

This young and witty lady went around supermarkets performing a ritual of consumption. From baking muffings and paying for them in a supermarket, to writing dirty jokes behing beer labels. A wonder.
More about her here and here.

ladies and gentlemen... it's on!

Today was the "Press day" at Designersblock in Covent Garden.

And there was such a friendly mood all over the place! I'm really going to try and serve the information in bite-sized articles about different designers. So keep posted 'cause there are already a lot of them.

16.9.08 2

Zara home is where the heart is...

These Magnolia teacups are so shamelessly barroque they deserve my attention. Absolutely so much over the top they're actually gorgerous! They have this golden finish inside and outside, and the print is everywhere.

And then in the kid's section these have been my favourite find: I wouldn't buy the whole lot, but the starry plates must be the best breakfast plates ever. imagine how beautiful toasts with red jam would look on them!

Sneaky, sneaky...

Shhh...
Don't tell anybody I've taken this pic.
This is how one of the most important design shows in london looks less than 24 hrs away from the press release!
If you are in London this weekend, do come by!
Designersblock is in Covent Garden's piazza, n.1.
And if you do pass by, say hi (Kith Kin area)!

Camilla Sundwall

Camilla has been a colleague of mine in Central St. martins and she's got out of there as a star. This piece is hard work and she's finally got the video demonstrating how it works in her brand new website.

15.9.08 1

Bloody lino!

Rememer I said we should all try lino printing? Well, as amazing as it is, it bloody hurts!

I have this new design I'm gonna try to have printed from lino for the shop, and my hands look like I have a wild life. Is the lino too hard to cut? No, the lino si fine. I just keep getting cuts from rubbing my knuckles against the design and maybe some cutting tool flies against a finger or two too. But I'll resist, and I'll finish it and I'll get to print it some time, and I'll show you. And we'll all laugh about it.

And well, the more I suffer for my art the more I want one of the increasingly expensive gocco sets...

So if you have one you no longer want and plan to get rid of it very, very cheaply, convo me or find me or e-mail me.

14.9.08 0

The perfect cup?

Everybody is a bit peculiar about cups: too tall, too small, to straight, you name it. I spend hours of my life judging the cups and mugs that cross my way: may it be the one? But there's always something to tweak about them. I like them with a curvy bottom, a non-infantile pattern, I rarely use their handles, and I like them to be able to hold quite a lot of rooibos. And I saw Anthracite, a cup by Hans Christian Gjadde for Royal Copenhagen. Is this the perfect cup?

We all have a past...

... and I've met Almodovar's. The now internationally acclaimed director is tightly related to the Spanish Movida, the 80's social and cultural revolution that took place mostly in Madrid. And Pepi, Luci, Bom y otras chicas del monton reflects the ambience of it. And it's actually a very bizarre film. I still haven't decided if I like it or not. I have a certain dettachment from a John Waters movie which allows me to enjoy it; with Almodovar it might hit home too close. Still deciding myself, but give it a go yourselves and see what you think.

13.9.08 0

Dapper den's galore!

Free your inner marine!

Dapper is a new Etsian with a classic style with an edge.

I specially like her clutch bags:

12.9.08 0

The School of Life

This is why I love London. Some brave, original and smart people have opened the School of Life, an "apothecary for the mind". What an outstanding idea! You can walk in and say something like: "At home I have no peace, and i have a 2 hr commute every day. I want a heart warming reading list". And they provide! They run courses and can do some awesome things such as introducing to to a type of specialist you want to meet (for a price): tea with a ballerina, anyone?

On tome of all this wonderfulness... the shop design is totally intriguing and beautiful: they've got tree trunks "growing" inside the shop. And they sell philosophy inspired art. Top marks in my book.

Diane is a star!

Diane from Inspiration by Design has run the most thorough review of my design work ever, on earth. Not even my mum knows so much about what I've been up to creative-wise. You can find it here.

So this is a massive thank you to her and an encouragement to all of you to see her blog...

Thanks a million!

11.9.08 0

I'm gonna try this!

Lemon light's tutorial on lino printing for beginners makes you feel like having a go at it.

I've done it before and the results are raw and powerful. I'm thinking of making my shop's horizons wider and start printing and experimenting a bit more... Have fun!

Orla Kiely, ladies and gentlemen

Irish Designer Orla Kiely needs no introduction. Now the ever so talented lady has her own furniture and home complements collection.

Heals in London is currently exhibiting most of it in its windows, and has this super cute flags alternating with their own!

As exciting as it is all together, i have to say it's slightly overwhelming. The piece that took my heart was the retro sofa in bright orange. Discreet but colorful and with character.

She also has purely white bed sheets with her typical leaves motif in relief, very much desirable too.

10.9.08 1

I shall correct something...

I had a post a few days ago, "I´m becoming middle aged" where I mentioned how i wanted the Lila bowls in habitat and some plates from Ikea. Well, I take it all back.
The Lila collection is made out of fine bone china which is actually made out of bones. So, as pretty as it is, I do not covet it any more. It is unnecessary cruelty.
And the Ikea name I gave you was not the right one, and probably the picture wasn´t the right one either. My favourite Ikea plates are Epistel, although the Plocka ones actually could get to match them.
Shame about the bone china thing...

You, get me out of here!

Finally! The scanner has found a place in our provisional home and this trapped portrait has been uploaded to the shop!

This is pretty freaky but fun. The poor thing needs to get away from her daily posing routine, but can't get through the paper!

Get her out of here!

9.9.08 0

Etsy treasuries

Les Ulldes (My sis., mum and me) have been featured on the front page trasury!

Yeah!

And now I've just created my first ever treasury!

Hooo!

Ahh... Donna

Donna, Donna, Donna (Wilson)

She's the one that made us love eerie and wacky knitted creatures. And now she is designing furniture and sexy blankets and cushions...

I heart Rob

Dearest Rob has featured me on his Etsy Spotlight On!

This is why I've got the cute button on this side ->.

I just want to say THANK YOU SUPER ROB very, very loudly.

8.9.08 0

I owe.

I owe this blog a bunch of pics of terrific parcs of "where London ends" (really, amazing it ends somewhere). These pics will be ready when whatever cable that connects my camera phone and the pc comes up (still moving, so who knows were the evil little thing lies).

I owe my etsy an upload of my last drawing. (you guessed alright: scanner still to be moved).

I owe Rob a million thanks for featuring me tomorrow (9/9) in his blog.

I owe Kith Kin being featured in the great Notcot.

Should I be worried?

Has anybody else heard of the Large Hadron Collider? It's in Geneva and it's meant to be turned on on Wednesday. It may create a huge (or exponentially expanding) black hole that will swallow us all. Or the it may not. Read today's G2 article here for more info.

I need emotional support

I have just found out about this Camilla Engman drawing (thought it could be a print for economy's sake). I RAN accross the world wide web, and it had already gone. I want to cry. A lot. I possibly couldn't afford it anyway, but I'm madly in love with it. I am honestly distressed, broken inside. What am i to do?

7.9.08 2

Passive aggressive

I still can't get over I won't be seeing my old housemates anymore. The happines is overwhelming. I've stumbled over this website, and it has helped me rejoice even more (picture from the site). I would have a large collection of passive aggressive notes by myself by now, but they nicely explained that in THEIR country, the UK, note-writers are looked down upon and they would not tolerate them. I had to tolerate their stealing and messing, though. Well, no more moaning! It's over! If you feel like more passive-agression, or just feel like remembering your sharing times, I lick my cheese might put a smile on your face too.

6.9.08 2

Chemical Party

Found this rather hilarious video on Paper & Yarn:

The power of Paah!

The conceptual designers of Kith-Kin are exhibiting in London for the design week and, what a joy!, they've picked a few of my colleagues and even myself to join them in such show! According to them, "We are a creative cooperative; Young artists and designers working together for the creative freedom and greater good of the group. Driven by the desire for an honest creative voice, with a genuine passion for inspiring people and celebrating creativity".

So very excitedly I present a few of the works to be seen:

Josue Gamonal's Grime Fighter:

Shiu Yuk Yuen's Eco Brolly:

And my own Lucky Candles:

I'll let you know more once the show's on. Ho ho!

Celia Birtwell for Elle

Elle UK is giving rather fab, strong and durable Celia Birtwell totes. The promo is meant to be in association with Morrisons supermarkets, so watch out. They are available in three models, two floral based and this one (my choice).

5.9.08 1

I'm becoming middle-aged...

... I want to buy plates. I've spent all my childhood amused at my mum's and grandma's obseesion for plates, table-cloths, glasses. Since I've been living with Mr. M in London (sharing with a bunch of ... people); this urge has taken me over too. And now that we are moving ALONE (hold on, let me just say that again, just to make it clear, ALONE) the need for plates is overwhelming. And it doesn't stop with the plates, no. I want cushions, cups, throws, rugs, even place mats! So this blog is going to suffer from "I don't have my house yet, and have no money, but if I did, I'd buy this" symptom.

Let me then share a few things with you...

PS: Ikea UK is having a competition: guess how much all the new products are and win (win what? They don't say).

(blue patterned Lila plate by Habitat, Illustrated pillows by Nate Williams for Urban Outfitters (they now ship to the UK!), Oval/rectangular Plocka plate by Ikea, Bunny in disguise cup by Elloh, conjoined couple in a pillow by shellyklein)

So, back in london

So I am in London. It's raining but we found a place in a lovely house in the North. I already had some braised tofu (waited all summer for that) and I just need to get serious with the whole "finding a job" thing.

PS: Do NOT attempt to carry more than half your weight in suitcases from Victoria to Anywhere else. London is NOT ready for those daily millions of us who need to use public transport with luggage.

3.9.08 1

My love does cost a thing

J. Lo's didn't, but mine does. My love is a coat from Hoss Intropia. They cost almost 400 euros,

but boy do i want one (not that I can afford it). If you don't know Hoss, their website is not the best place to check out the magnificent patterns, details, textures. Go to a shop if you can (in big Spanish cities, London and somewhere in France). They are pieces to drool over.

London and Central St. martins have done something very wrong to me: I go past 95% of H&M thinking "cheap pattern", or "cheap material"; ans so on. So by now I've got the taste and eye for quality of an upper-town londoner, and the money of a girl from a little boring Spanish village.

Damn!

2.9.08 1

Ukiyo-e

People of the blogosphere, I've just returned from a day trip to Barcelona and I've been to see an exhibition about Ukiyo-e (pictures of the floating world), Japanese woodblock prints that depict their contemporary culture (17th to 19th-ish centuries). It was divided into different sections: theatre still-lives; sumo ones; female beauty; erotic and lanscape.

It has been so beautiful, inspiring and awe-provoking. Absolutely outstanding. We've also been lucky enough to catch a free guide around the show with the most expert young lady. She made us understand how connected the circumstances of the artists were with the political power regenting Japan at the times. (on a funny note, the very explicit erotic prints were forbidden -altought they still circulated- not because of what was shown but because of the couples depicted being from different social casts).

The delicacy and peculiar aesthetics (for an occidental art composition mind set) were totally bewildering.

It's made me confirm I might want to study Art History next.

Hey!

Is this what's happened to London whilst I was in Spain?

About time!

(via swiss-miss)

1.9.08 2

Wall-e

Been out to see Wall-e...

I had been told by all my reliable acquitenances that it was the best movie ever. I was expecting an 11 out of 10.

I've loved certain details (the Windows sound Wall-e makes, the collection of objects, the credits at the end, the silence); but the second half might have a too evident message. Disney always shows through. So a 9,5 out of 10. Because as far as animation is concerned, it's impecable. The music is unexpected and works brillantly.

And I've seen the trailer for Bolt. Beware people, because the hamster (Rhino) is gonna take the world by storm!

Wonder Wire Lily

Corinne from Wire Lily is being awsome twice:

She's giving free advertisement space in her blog, and she's also giving this fab neckalce made by herself away (you've got a chance until the 8th os Sept., just leave her a comment under the correspondent post).

Thanks Corinne!

Weird sleeping patterns

This has been happening for a while. It might have to do with the excitement of my new toys (this blog, etsy, my sister's wii fit, ...)
I've got this hour to hour and a half sleep-less period at about 5 or 6am.
By now I have just accepted it: I read, think, or learn how to massage (I do adore being massaged. i would be massaged 24 hours a day).
I also feel terribly hungry, but don't want my metabolism to go "cookie time!" at these ungodly hours.
I read somewhere some time ago (or maybe I dreamt it, but not at 6 am) that native Americans used to consider this pattern normal and included it into their rutine. Probably the article said what they used it for, but my selective memory just took the "you are not the only one" message rather than the "how very interesting and informative" one.
I leave you with one of my favourite massage videos...

« Previous Next »

About Me

Links

Archives

When I grow old I want my blog to be...

Nosideup @ Etsy

Thanks for featuring!

Followers