Into The Wilds

 

 

I got this amazing book from Andrew for my birthday and I found myself referring to it everyday. I love Nigel Peake's drawing style. The way he captures birds is quite special. I feel a real relation to his work as I work in a very similar medium and I love repeat pattern. I find it soothing to draw. He captures pattern in a a very different way. Pattern in nature, for example fields, houses and the structure of a feather.
He has an amazing bike travel journal that we sell in Snowhome. It's so beautiful. I wish I cycled all the time so I could buy it.

Badges for the GSA

One of my older products were badge sets. I discontinued them as they were taking a lot of time to make. They sold really well at the Glasgow School of Art shop and they asked me to do a range exclusively for them. I am really pleased with how they turned out and I am sure they will go down very well at Christmas. If they get more popular I may have to find a manufacturer. I might do a few pocket mirrors too. This will have to go on my very long to do list.

Calke Abbey

With a new National Trust membership under our belts Andrew and I decided to take a trip down to the Cotswalds and enjoy the last few days of October sunshine.
On the trip down we stopped of at Calke Abbey in Derby. I had to share a few of the photos as this house was truly beautiful and an amazing experience.
With wallpaper peeling off the walls and overgrown courtyards you can't help but feel a certain presence of what once was. The rooms tell a story of a lost manor house stripped away to an almost abandoned, yet treasure ridden estate. I have never seen so many curious cabinets filled with every kind of bird and hare! I loved the room with hundreds of oil lamps grouped on shelves.  My camera was not enough as I wanted to capture everything through drawing. I certainly came away itching to get my sketchbook out. Owned by a eccentric family you are aware of a ghostly presence. The shutters are covering the windows so you get a feeling of what it must have been like to discover this house full of memories and collections. Maybe in 100 years someone might find a house with a few Dear Prudence cards and prints that are a bit worn and faded. That would be nice.

 

Autumn listening

Just wanted to share with you the album that is proving to be my October delight! With the trees changing colour and evenings drawing in, this little tune 'Iris' compliments the changing season and puts a spring in my step. She reminds me of Suzanne Vega and has truly original songs on her album.
Autumn is my favourite season and whether it's a smell, taste, book or song I always seem to have very strong memories attached to it. When I am an old lady drawing and painting the hours away I think 'Emmy the great' will take me back to October 2011.

What a Journey

When I come to London I always stay with my dear sister Sara and her boyfriend Michael. Every time I come down he gives up his bed and sleeps on a blow up mattress! Trust me, I feel bad. So this was again one of the many trips to meet with the Urban Outfitters team on a new, exciting range of mugs. I met Lucy and the girls at many a trade show they showed a keen interest on Dear Prudence and her style. So after a call to come to head office for an initial meeting things took off pretty fast and suddenly I was looking at samples of my drawings on mugs!
On this occasion I was meeting with the web team to discuss press and launching the range.
Sara had no auditions (Actor) so we decided to make a day of it in London town. We went for breakfast to Ginger and White in Hampstead, spied for antiques and while I went mad in a local art shop Sara carried my overnight bag like a slave!
Before my meeting we thought we would pop into Urban to see if there were any new goods to buy. To our shock and surprise there were the Dear Prudence mugs and frames sitting very beautifully for all to buy! I was not expecting this as I thought they would hit the shops in November. I was trying to keep it all quiet but looks like Urban Outfitters got there before me. So hooray!! The secret is out and the mugs are available nationwide and on the website so hurry before they all go. I must say I am very happy with them and they are a great winter warmer for huge cups of tea and your lunch time soup. Or you can do what I have done and have them as a pen holder on your desk.
What a journey! From initial ideas to final outcome it all went pretty smoothly! No manufacturing nightmares at all. It was a real joy to design these mugs for UO. I enjoyed every moment.
This is not the end folks. Dear Prudence will be working very closely with Urban Outfitters in the future. Look out for some great Spring/Summer pieces designed exclusively for UO.
So I am now back in my little corner work space beside my kitchen thinking about new designs, new products for Dear prudence stationery line. I really should get more space for Prudence, she is taking over my home.
So girls and boys.............It's time for tea!!!

Refreshed

Hello!!
After nearly the whole of September away from Dear Prudence I feel like I have abandoned her! However in reflection I realize how much I needed a break. Now I feel refreshed and ready to take on new projects and design some exciting new paper goods!
I have got so much to blog and feel very inspired by what I have seen and done in the past month. So expected constant blogs for the next month or two! But firstly I want to tell you how loved I feel right now. My HUSBAND, friends and family have given me lots of cards through September due to many a special occasions. They always say how it is so difficult to find a card designer a decent greetings card. I must admit I am fussy and getting badly designed cards does make me cringe!
Well folks, you have really outdone yourselves! So much so that I have blogged my favourites!!

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