Monday 30 September 2013

Take four...

Ooh it's Monday again... Where do the weekends go?

I've got a lovely cheery and crafty Take Four post for you today!
How nice are these??
Yum!

(A couple of the images come from a fab blog called studiodiy... gorgeous stuff!
Definitely worth a visit)


1 | DIY confetti dipped balloons from Studio DIY
2 | Homemade paper lantern DIY from Oh Happy Day 

x x x

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Friday 27 September 2013

Pinterest picks... { This & That }

A couple of lovely pins to share with you today...


1 | Enjoy the little things art print by Hello Little Fox 
2 | Amazing butik glass snake bead necklace from Souchi

x x x

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Wednesday 25 September 2013

Etsy shop find...a chat with Studio Legohead!

As I'm sure many of you lovely readers will know, I do a regular post,
(well, regular-ish, lets call it reoccurring posts, if you will...)
on super nice etsy shops I come across on my travels around the internet and blog land,
and whilst I'm going to carry on doing just that, I thought it would be nice to get to know some of those shop owners a little better...

So, first up, is Jo Chambers who owns the shop Studio Legohead,
producing greeting cards, art prints, postcards and many other lovely items, featuring beautiful floral felt tip doodles and plenty of our beloved four legged friends in her pet portraits.
I came across Jo's work some time ago and have admired it ever since, so here she is answering a few questions for loveprintstudio and all you lovely reader folk.

Enjoy getting to know her, and why not pop on over to her shop once you've sat a while with a cuppa...




1. Can you tell us a little bit about you and your background...
I’ve always as far back as I can remember loved drawing, painting and creating. Apparently as a child I was always sketching something. 
This led to me going to college, where I had fantastic tutors, real artists that taught us how to draw, be observant, and interested. 
I feel very grateful to have had this grounding straight after school.

I then went on to study a Creative Arts degree in Art and Textiles at Bath Spa University. The course enabled me to work in two areas that I really couldn’t choose between, and I’m so pleased to have had the combined disciplines, as I never felt restricted.
A few years later whilst studying my MA there I was asked to teach embroidery to first year BA students, which although was daunting at the time, as I had no real teaching experience, I snapped it up and loved it. 
7 years later and I’m still a visiting lecturer there. 
It’s such a pleasure to work with the students and see them develop over the course of their degree.
After my MA I went into a bit of a creative block, after years of drawing/stitching florals I wanted a change. 
I saw a dog in a bowtie online, loved the character it conveyed and began to draw. Before I knew it I had sketchbooks full. 
During my MA studies I was introduced to the Irish Singer sewing machine, a free hand embroidery machine, which is like drawing with stitch, my new drawings and this machine combined led to a series of embroidered dog portraits, which then led to an exhibition.
I produced some greeting cards for my show that sold really well. 
So after I opened an Etsy shop and began e-mailing blogs and websites to try and get more press. 3 and a half years later, the dogs are still with me, as well as the florals, and I’ve had the best time ever.


2. What books/ magazines are currently on your coffee table?
I’ve got to admit, I’m pretty terrible on this front. I’ve never been much of a reader! 
But the items currently on my coffee table are – Maria Kalman ‘Various Illuminations (of a crazy world)’ the Guardian weekend guide and Focus, Science and Technology magazine! I so admire the work of Maria Kalman, 
but I think what I find more intriguing is the creator herself, open, honest and immensely talented. 
The Guardian guide speaks for itself, 
and Focus is my partners but it had a great article on Sleep!
I’ve also a fascination with psychology and human behavior and much prefer to read about the working of the human mind and real life than fiction.


3. Tell us about a typical day for you...
My typical day, starts at 6am. 
I get up and do a workout, at least 4 out of 5 working days. 
After that, breakfast and if I’m working from home, a walk around the block/to the shops before I settle at my desk. 
I find it really important to get back home and feel like I’ve arrived at work, 
it’s something I’ve always done.
Then it’s normally admin and e-mails for a bit before I get cracking on commissions, orders that need posting and occasionally the odd interview questionnaire to answer!



4. Can you give us an insight into your creative process?
If I’m working on a portrait commission then I always ask for a biog of the canine or feline in question. 
I like to hear as much about the character that I am trying to capture, 
as I want the final image to be as personal to my client as possible.
I began drawing dogs because I liked to imagine them as human characters and what there quirks would be. 
Working on a commission is always random, 
I never know what breed of dog I will be working on, 
what there human friend might want them adorned in and this is what always keeps it fresh and I can honestly say I never tire of.
When creating pieces for myself I’m always drawn to vintage ornaments and memorabilia. I adore colour and pattern, but I also love white spaces, hence my Mantelpiece Meet-Up series and the prints I produce from original sketches. 
I draw, collage and colour in. 
A little cleaning up on the computer and I’m usely done. 
I prefer to do as much as I can by hand.



5. What inspires you?
I’m inspired by lots of things, but I guess the main inspiration for me was my Nan. 
She is sadly no longer with us, but she left me with a curiosity for the kitsch, tatty and slightly odd things I now love. 
Her home was filled with objects. 
Looking back they certainly weren’t glamorous or expensive, but as a child visiting her home I was always transfixed by the amount of colour, the mixture of pattern and textures and selection of collected/hoarder objects. 
She was a wonderful lady who was never shy of clashing colours!
Inspiration also comes from my friends and partner, who I must say are a creative and talented bunch, and all varied in their interests and disciplines that they work in. 
I love hearing what they are up to and what their next project has in store.
And more recently inspiration came from my trip to the Picasso Museum in Barcelona. I’ve always been a fan, but seeing the work he created from the age of 9 years old till when he died was a dream. 
Mindblowing!


6. In three words, describe your work.....
Colourful, cheery, characterful

7. What's your guilty pleasure?
Dark chocolate with sea salt, madjool dates and Eastenders *hangs head in shame*. 
I would love to own Dot Cottons wardrobe!



8. What are your top three blogs?
Angela Dalinger is an illustrator who runs a Tumblr feed.  
I love the mixture of work, but also a lot of it has humour, which I’m a fan of in art.
What Angela says about it – “I thought it’s kind of a nice idea to make this a blog for all illustrators, which stay analoge in their art. Hand drawings, with crayons and marker, no graphic tablet or how ever it’s called.”

Cush and Nooks  
Because I’m a bit nosey and love having a peek into other peoples homes.
Also there is always a great array of interior products and art


It's Nice That
A real mixture of illustration, graphic design, photography, branding, the list goes on. Always current and I can get lost there going from feature to feature.



Thanks so much to Jo for sharing a little bit of her world with us!
You can find and follow Jo in various places detailed below...




(all of the above images are taken from the Studio Legohead etsy shop 
and all copyright belongs to Jo Chambers)



x x x
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Monday 23 September 2013

Buttermilk blueberry breakfast cake...

I'm popping in with a yummy (but a little bit naughty) breakfast recipe for you today...
I found this recipe for buttermilk blueberry breakfast cake over on www.alexandracooks.com and it's sooo good!
There's also a good little tip over there on how to make homemade buttermilk, definitely handy if you're all out, and don't want to do a shop run.
I've included the ingredients needed for the cake on one of the photos, but pop on over to Alexandra's blog for original post and directions to make (link above).

So, below are a few photos of how mine turned out...
Hope you give it a go..and if you do, leave a little comment and tell me how yours turned out, and while you're at it, I'm sure you'll agree just how tasty it is!







(photos taken by me for use on loveprintstudio blog)

x x x
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Saturday 14 September 2013

Paper & Cloth at Indigo, Paris...

Well..it's that time again...Indigo in Paris (part of Premier Vision) has soon rolled around again, pheweeee, time flies!
So, I'll be absent from blog land next week as I'll be at the show with the lovely Jen,
(pop on over and say hi if youre visiting)
but I'll be back the week after with new posts.
Got some lovely ones lined up...

But for now, here's a little sneaky peek at the Paper & Cloth e flyer for the show in Paris, cute eh?!
Visit the Paper and Cloth blog to see the post...



(Image copyright of Paper & Cloth Design Studio)

x x x
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Friday 13 September 2013

Etsy shop find ... Brittany Bass

I've got a great etsy shop find for you today...
Britt Bass sells her large scale abstract paintings and cute little iphone cases in super lovely colours.
Nip on over and have a little looksie.
Here are a few examples of what to expect...








(all images from Britt Bass etsy shop)

x x x

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Wednesday 11 September 2013

Pinterest picks ... { This & That }

Something for me, and something for the fluffy one in today's post...
I love these handmade collars and leads in geometric prints, by Hiro & Wolf,
found through not on the high street.
They come in three different colours but I particularly like the emerald green ones. 

And while Alfie's sporting one of those, I thought I could atleast be matching while we toddle to the park... with these lovely geo inspired nails...
(and I love the colour of that jumper too)

Just got to find the time and patience to even attempt them! But soooo nice, right?


x x x

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Monday 9 September 2013

Inspired by...Elena Deshmukh

Elena Deshmukh produces the most beautiful handmade cards 
using luxurious papers and custom envelopes. 
Each card is individually printed and hand embellished with accents of fine embroidery, 
and include jewelled birds, lace, decorative florals and decoupage butterflies, 
all in gorgeous vintage colours.
Her designs are so much more than cards, they are gorgeous as framed artwork in their own right. 
I've actually got several of them around our house.
I love her sophisticated and delicate illustrations, alongside the subtle areas of embroidery, that add a real handcrafted feel to the cards.

Here are a few images from Elena Deshmukhs website, please click here for more information.

(I've also previously posted on Elena, click here to see that post)











(all images copyright of Elena Deshmukh)


x x x


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Friday 6 September 2013

Autumn days...

I never thought I'd hear myself say this (well, write it) but I'm actually looking forward to autumn.
There..I said it!
I'm usually more of a summer gal,
definitely,
but yes, 
I'm awaiting those nights getting darker earlier, cozy evenings and frosty, foggy mornings...
Believe me, I'll probably be saying the exact opposite come April, and we've seen snow and ice and freezing weather..
I'll be desperate for some sun!

It always feels a little strange with the seasons coming around again so quickly...
working so far ahead within the design industry, and having been designing for AW14 for quite some time now, time just flies! 
I literally can't believe just how fast at times.

So, seeing as I'm feeling all 'autumny', here's a little gathering of some beautiful autumnal imagery and some reasons I'm looking forward to the change in seasons...
(ooh lets see...apple pie, wrapping up in chunky knitwear, wellies, snuggly boots and thick socks, scarves, cozy nights in front of the TV, hot chocolate with marshmallows, frosty walks with the pup...plenty me thinks)
What are you looking forward to?

I really love these images, and together thought they gave a lovely mood of the new season on its way.
Happy (autumn) days!


apple picking... unknown
cozy jackets, stripes and floral scarves... sunday crossbow blog
apple and cinnamon muffins... by donal skehan
a lovely cup of tea... unknown
maple apple upside down cake from chantelle gradys blog
autumn days... from the crumpled envelope
green coat and stripes... unknown


x x x
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Wednesday 4 September 2013

Three lovely things... {a mixed bag}

Popping in today with a mixed bag of three lovely things...


love... the illustration by Bill Sokol for The Fable of Profitt Fox
wear... this gorgeous outfit by jcrew
buy... a cosmic speckle pillow cover from pom by pomegranate on etsy

x x x

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Monday 2 September 2013

Colour crush...

Well, can you believe it...September!
My oh my, I cant quite get over how quickly this year is going...

So, in the spirit of transitioning into autumn mode (eek!), I thought I'd do a little colour crush post for you.




x x x

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