Conversation Pieces

So at the weekend the OH biked and hiked 55 miles (between Fort William and Inverness) and I was his support team.

This meant I spent the weekend driving around the Highlands – where there are almost no straight roads – and hanging about at the waiting points.

(Obviously I looked just as glam as the woman in the pic above!)

Anyway, it was all for a good cause – so far the OH has raised £400 for Maggies.

This is also my explanation as to why I still haven’t sorted out my San Fran and Vegas pics!

I did however come across the work of Chloe Fleury, a French illustrator/designer who lives in SF… so I thought I’d share some of her work instead.

I absolutely adore the map, mini paper houses and Golden Gate bridge. Makes me want to go back now!

Hope you’re all having a lovely bank holiday weekend – even if you are in work like me!

First pic via tompalumbo.com

A few weeks ago I was looking for wallpaper for our hall (we’re on the final push of finishing our flat).

As hard as I tried, I couldn’t find anything that I really liked.

Then in the last week I’ve come across all these gorgeous wallpapers by Studio Ditte and Studio Nommo.

Which is typical because we’ve decided to paint the hall instead.

Wallpaper gods, why do you torment me so?

My only consolation is now I don’t have to try and choose between vintage plate wallpaper (so pretty) and the foxes sitting in trees (who knows why they’re sitting in trees?)!

UPDATE: Now this really is the law of sod. Write a blog post on wallpaper saying you’ve already decided you’re painting the walls… then immediately after posting, start discussing wallpaper with OH and decide you do want wallpaper after all!

1 -4 via patchwork harmony (originally via paper n stitch) 5-6 via home shopping spy

I think this might be an easy one today but here goes…

Would you rather dance or not dance?

Personally I love dancing (even if I’m not particularly good at it) but the ‘no dancing’ sign does tickle me in a grumpy Black Books kind of way!

1. rockett st george 2. pedlars

Ok so I’m a bit past needing a ‘first alphabet’ but how could this gorgeous print by Marcus Walters not put a smile on your face?

I saw this at the weekend in Analogue Books, while on the hunt for an outfit to wear to a cowboy-themed party, and I’ve been thinking about it since.

However I’m trying my best to resist here… for a few reasons.

1. I know my alphabet already (I really should considering I work as a writer!)

2. I have three prints sitting the hall that are still to be framed and god knows where they’re going to go once they are

3. I need to start saving for our San Fran and Vegas trip

But then I look at the little sun, whale and xylophone…

And I’m smitten all over again.

It seems like the perfect day to share this print by my happy accidents. And you can’t beat a pretty yellow frame to brighten up your day either.

Hope you all had good weekends x

I came across these gorgeous delicate prints by Ros Shiers and now I’m wondering would you hang ‘hate’ on your wall?

What a week… and not for the reasons I thought it was going to be. Instead of going festival-crazy, it’s just been a crazy few days of too much working and stressing about my lovely friend who’s spent most of this week in hospital (she’s out now thank goodness). So I’m glad to finally make it to Friday – which is also my last working day for two whole weeks. So in celebration of the start of the weekend, the start of my holiday and most importantly my friend being home, here’s a few random things to make you smile…

1. This Much by Clementine Press
Have you ever seen the Guess How Much I Love You book with the bunnies? It really is the sweetest thing. And this makes me think of that – which makes me smile – so that’s why this makes the top of the list.

2. You Were In My Head by Rob Ryan
Any excuse to show a bit of Rob Ryan’s work… I think this might be my favourite work of his. Which might be because it was the first thing I ever saw of his – I was so enthralled by it that I bought two cards with this papercut design just in case I damaged one! (As you can tell I’m either not rational enough or too rational when I fall in love with something!)

3. Nom by Argyle Whale
Do you speak lolcats? If you don’t this might be lost on you. Elise from Argyle Whale carefully gocco prints these and then she lets her bunnies nibble them. Yes seriously!

4. Without You I’d Be Lost by Freya Art
I love Fréya’s prints – and this one feels particularly appropriate at the moment.

5. Magical Thinking by For Me For You
Because sometimes you just have to…

6. Seahorse tails via The snail and the cyclops via A Cup of Jo
How pretty is this girl’s hair? I adore it. Which is vaguely unfortunate as I got mine cut last weekend – it’s now back to being short and dark (the blonde bits are gone). Might be something to get my little sis to try when she’s back up from London (for her Festival show) if she has time and she’s not had her’s chopped too!

7. Stop Sign via This Isnt Happiness
At work on a Friday afternoon we have a tradition of blasting out some cheesy tunes… it means the weekend has really begun. Let’s sing it now… Stop in the name of love… Oh yeah!

Hope you all have a great weekend… take care xx

Opening pic by Irene Suchocki

This isn’t my actual to-do list obviously – but I think it should be. My actual list involves things like finish painting bathroom, tidy bedroom, de-dust kitchen etc etc so this is far more fun – though it does remind me why I probably need the ‘never give up’ print!

Limited edition letterpress prints by Bark – available from Soma.