Sir John Soane Museum Project

I feel like a lucky bunny this recently, last year I got commissioned by the Museum of London to work on merchandise for their major exhibition and this year I'm cuffed to bits to say that I've been asked to create embroidery designs for the Sir John Soane Museum. So that's 2 out of my 3 wishes used up... one more to go.

To anyone that went to art college, the museum is a treasure trove of inspiration and pretty much in the top 3 places in London, to me it was my favourite museum (well maybe a joint first with Leighton House but still...) Central St Martins was (then) round the corner from it and (as it is still now) free so we did get to visit it at least once a week. There's so so much to take in that you need at least 5 visits to take most of it in. 

 The trouble is with so much in an amazing space is when do you stop? Once of the most intriguing part of the house is the Monk's Parlour; filled with gargoyles and darkness it is beautiful. Sir John's life story itself is a period drama waiting to happen. 

 The front of house - an incredible sight when you walk into Lincoln's Inn Fields. 

If you live near or in London and haven't been then I think you need your wrists slapped. 

I think anyone that has a creative job needs to have a computer ban and stop flicking through pinterest and Google images for inspiration and get back out to beautiful amazing places like this one. 

I shall update more on my embroideries for the museum shop, soon in the meantime go visit. 

Tea for Tina

I was treated this weekend by two lovely school friends who took me out to tea. We went to Betty Blythe in Brook Green. I had no idea what to expect ... well apart from cake and the whole experience was just s'marvellous. Who knew the first thing we'd get to do was rummage in the dressing up box? Hats, gloves and heaps of other period accessories made for a really fun afternoon.

 and yes, the tea itself was devine. 

Sandwiches, other small thingies, teeny cakes, cup cakes the most amazing coconut and orange cake, pots of darjeeling, and friends just want you want on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

 no penny sweets to take home, we were too full

Lots of fun behind what looks like a small corner tea shop.

It's Only Words

Pulse is looming and I had to pull out this year because it looked like I'd be in a bed eating grapes luckily things are pushed back for a bit but it means that I get to miss out on a tip top show.

Am pleased and excited to see Susan Taylor there who's work has not only flown off the shelves but she's had some great commissions too. Susans been a friend for a very long time so she will be hiding under the table that I've written anything nice about her but hey ho. Susan manages to come up with really commercial images but always puts something that makes them 'hers' - the Cities range could have been so predictable but I think the style and colours have made them timeless. My favourite work of hers has been the vintage style posters that I can't find but the French pieces aren't that far behind....Good luck Susan x

There's a lot of wordy prints and products out there and here be a couple that stand out from the crowd me thinks....

I love the work of Sideshow Designs, I first saw prints in the V&A and I was opposite at Spring Fair earlier this year, I thought his prints really stood out and made people smile which is a task at that show!

Helen from Wetpaint illustrations has gone from strength to strength and her illustrations adorn a heap of products for the likes of John Lewis. Her humour comes flooding through in her work she is as nuts as she is tall and she is tall.

Curiouser and curiouser....

Moons ago I was bought these postcards from the Bramber Museum, Sussex of which I knew nothing about, by the time I looked into it the collection of Walter Potters tablos and oddities had been moved to Jamaica Inn in Cornwall, by the time I got to thinking I'd make the trip to go to see it - the collection was being auctioned off. Twenty years of wanting to see a kitten wedding and I never got the chance!

Was there something in the surname 'Potter' that had the licence to put animals in human situations... Beatrix managed it stunningly too.

 Whilst going through the box of old bits and pieces I also came across an essay I wrote on Simon Costin. Before I did my jewellery degree I stumbled upon a taxidermy artist/jeweller called Simon Costin, his fish head brooch (below) was on display at the V&A. His work was amazing and controversial and I loved it. I was lucky enough to interview him in 1992 and got a tour through his work and his head. His work was inspired by stories - the necklace (bottom) was based on the stories of the incubus and succubus - each vile was filled with sperm... not something you'd want to break.

I loved revisiting pictures and work that I kept in the box, it was like finding treasure again.... here's hoping the next design is the pot of gold eh....

Pop Up Shop

Day 1 & 2 of Tobyboo at The Cornershop have so far gone rather smoothly and lovely. From builders coming in asking "what's it all 'bout then?" to customers who have bought my work from other outlets I can't wait to open the door tomorrow morning. Toby has been has been a star throughout and didn't want to leave before 7pm today, and he was right not to because i had some great customers that popped in at the last minute. As Toby said "there's 5 days left of the pop up shop" tis true, so if you can  do pop in and say howdy. 

Craft Central - the Corner Shop

21 Clerkenwell Green

London

EC1R

OPENING HOURS FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK

THURSDAY 10.30am - 6pm

FRIDAY 11am - 8pm

SATURDAY 11am - 6.30pm

SUNDAY 12-4pm

 yep, degree show jewellery from a shocking (almost) 20 years ago....

Tobyboo Plays Pop (up)

Opens next Monday, 8th April from 12pm and will be open late then and on Thursday. Let me know if you're coming and not sure if I'll be open I can put on my shopkeepers outfit whenever.

Open (not quite) all hours

Monday 12-9pm

Tuesday 11am-6pm

Wednesday 11am-4pm

Thursday 11am-8pm

Friday 11am-6pm

Saturday 11am-6pm

Sunday 12-3pm

Tobyboo pops up

I've got a week till Bagpuss wakes up and I pretend to be Emily and open up at Craft Central's Corner Shop in Clerkenwell. Translated this means that from the 8th April I'll be hosting a Tobyboo pop up shop full of delights including sample bargains and new stock. Open Monday to Saturday from 11am. 

School for Start Ups showcase

I am rubbish and was so busy running around for the Somerset House extravaganza that - no - I didn't take my camera and took very few on my phone so didn't get to show you those that you should click on... I will however be getting images from them later and shoving them up! but this was last week....

Poor Toby got rushed after school on Wednesday to help me take stock up.

We Make London's book - a fantastic directory of London designer makers

Toby models for Lunamano

We went for a walk to see the Wool exhibition and look what we found

the very popular high end fashion of Lili and Ida