...Ngggghhhh....still here...just about....

Phew, busy busy busy at the moment, crowbarring work into every spare moment, staying up far too late and waking up far too early. But we've got visitors here this weekend, so we're taking the afternoon off to have a nosy around other people's workshops because it's Bridport Open Studios this weekend. I've taken part a couple of times, but not for the last 2 years since Isla was born. Hopefully next year I'll be joining in again.

Programme cover by the sublime Paul Blow.

Finnish things...

I have often been told I look Finnish (and sometimes even Eskimo). Which I've always been very pleased about. Because in my mind, Finland is this fantasy land of magical woods, icy lakes, fabulous folklore, ethereal music and a wealth of creative talent. We're having a serious Moomins moment round my place right now (I didn't really get it as a child, but loving it as an adult).

Then just the other day I came across a designer whose work I've now got such a crush on. In fact, I think it might be love.... Sanna Annukka is a Brighton based designer and illustrator who has recently worked for Marimekko on a range of cups, plates and tea-towels. Oddly enough, I've had one of her cards on my noticeboard for about 5 years that a friend sent to me, which I've become so accustomed to seeing that it hadn't really occurred to me to look and see who it was by.

When I saw an article on her in Coast magazine this month, I went to have a nosy at her website and was surprised to see the card there!

Here's a few more juicy bits of her stuff....

Work/Play

Things have suddenly gone kinda crazy on the work front in the last couple of weeks...I've been...

...measuring up here....




I re-leaded 48 windows from the conservatory of this incredible property in Weymouth 2 years ago (actually, whilst heavily pregnant with Isla...no, I don't know how I did it either...) Now there are 6 more new ones to be made (and some repairs to the original ones which were rather "heavily" handled by the builders!)

...repairing these...

not pretty...but they look lovely now - will get pictures once they're fitted..

And designing windows for a 7-paned Victorian front door at a former doctor's surgery (pics to follow soon).

But there's been plenty of fun too....
Swimming here...

Watching this...

Licking these...

Petting these...

Getting lost in here...

Sleeping here...

Mucking about here...

And eating these...


Hooray for Summer!

Cheer Up

I don't want to bore on about how lame the weather in the UK is being this Summer, so instead, here's some cheerful retro eyecandy for you.


I went to visit my mum the other weekend. She's downsizing her life and having a major clear out. I was so pleased I rescued this lovely set of Memory Game cards. Fond memories of playing this with my mum and sister, and us two naughty girls laughing at poor mum's inability to remember where anything was and turning over that egg card every time. They were brought back from France by her in the early eighties, but they look much older don't they. The French have always had a wonderfully eccentric illustrative style I think. Also, I couldn't help but think of Heidi Kenney's work when I saw these again.


And here's a lovely little book from about 1979. Like the trees, love the whales.