This weekend seemed to be open studio and workshop weekend, with lots of designer-makers flinging open their doors to the public to allow them to peruse beautiful delights, just in time for the festive gift giving season...
I attended the Christmas Open Studios at Cockpit Arts, Holborn. Whilst there, I stumbled across these stunning screen-prints by Fanny Shorter. With her keen interest in biology, drawing particularly on the systems and patterns that exist within anatomy and botany, Fanny has created a series of prints based around the World's Smallest Birds. All the prints in the series are to scale, measuring approximately 10cm x 10cm. The intricate detailing and fine pattern that go into each little colourful feather make it really tricky to choose a favourite!
All prints are available to be purchased at boxbird... or here
Katia Wengraf is a milliner based in South London, she has just showcased her second collection. The Bold and the Beautiful displays Katia's ever-expanding expertise in the craft of hat making. Her first collection was created within a year of enrolling on her first millinery course... It's clear that this 'learning experience', as she puts it, has put her in good stead for her vibrant and ever-so-chic sophomore exhibition. Being an avid hat wearer herself, she relishes the fact that with every finished piece, she can don it and flounce around in front of the mirror. Surely the most exciting part of any handmade process is that final realisation, and eureka moment, when the hard graft comes to fruition. Katia states that her motivation comes from the skills that a milliner must undertake,
'...it's processes and language, it's quite a brutal sport in a way and very physical.'
With her 10 year plan all mapped out (inspired by reading a blog post by the singer Josh Ritter) Katia is well on the way to achieving her goals. Oh yes, it's safe to say, this is one hatter that will definitely be scoring a hat trick...
A friend was telling me the other day, that when she was little, her mum would always tell her off for dancing around on her chair whilst at the dinner table... 'Only greedy people dance when they're eating,' she would say. Well, I am obviously a big ol' greedy guts, as I quite often have a little boogie whilst enjoying some tasty grub... I can't help it, if something is yum, I'm going to have to express it with a spontaneous shimmy!
This got me a-thinking about a delicious lunch my sister and I had a while back, it was to celebrate her graduation, and so was laden with sumptuous treats. We had cava with fresh glistening pink raspberries, smoked salmon sandwiches with rocket, cream cheese, a generous grind of black pepper and a douse of lemon juice. We also visited the University Cafe, where our eyes nearly popped out of our heads, and our inner five-year olds jumped around with excitement... Nutella ICECREAM, holy moly! This was special, it also had the option to come with a Tunnock's Snowball. Umm. With a smile stretching from left to right ear lobe, I whispered in a faint whimper. 'Ach aye!' I didn't, but we were in Scotland, so this could have been my response. With my two scoops, topped with a chocolate covered marshmallow dream ordered at the icecream bar, we settled down in our red leather clad booth.
I would've liked to have seen my friend's mum trying to stop us from wiggling around with sheer pleasure and delight whilst eating that bowlful of joy... Not dance when you're eating?! I don't think so, enjoy the culinary experience and bust out a few moves if the moment takes you. Just be careful not to get indigestion...
A fitting beat for food based enjoyment... Just don't think about Sammy the salmon whilst devouring the sandwiches.
I can't really remember how it all started, but for quite a while now, my boyfriend and I have been sending each other daily photos of birds that we see during our day... I think it all began when we were at my parents' house, and my dad was trying to identity a bird in the garden, or something..? I'm not expecting myself to be organised enough to do a daily bird update, and also, however pretty the cycle along the canal from Hackney to Tottenham may be, there is only a certain number of swans and moorhens one can take... Instead, I am going to try and find a new and interesting bird inspired painting, photograph or knick-knack every so often.
On Saturday, I started an experimental jewellery course at Central St. Martins at their new King's Cross campus. I've been compiling some pictures for inspiration and to get them creative juices a-flowing...
Photos taken from the Anthropologie winter 2011 catalogue
