I Would Rather Be...

I go into Hobby Craft a lot at the moment, which isn't a good idea, but everything couple of months when we replace the window dressing at work, I end up back the giant store, full of craft and art supplies...it probably isn't wise.

But I promised myself last time I was in that I would treat myself to one of these mugs because every time I saw them I couldn't agree with them more. Can you guess which I bought?

I'd Rather Be... Mugs £4.99 from Hobbycraft
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Listening: This Modern Love - Bloc Party

Sweet Dreams Interupted With Random Thoughts

Don't you hate it when you either can't sleep because there are ideas whirring around your head like an obnoxiously hyperactive toddler, or you wake up and need to write down something before you forget it. I used to keep a pad and a pen with a light in it by the bed, until the light died, now I just keep a big pad with a marker. But you can probably imagine the state of some of my notes since half the time I don't put on the light.

Post My Pillow by Veinticuatrodents takes the appearance and function of a post-it note and keeps itself convientiently close by for those night time notations. Add a light to the pen and you'd have a winner, otherwise prepare to put on the light and wake up enough to note things down. That, and don't just reach out for your cushion and start writing, God only knows what pieces of your bedding you'd be ruining!

The ink, fortunately is water soluble for repeat uses, simple rinse it off using cold water (no soap) and there you go, more space for more night time notes.

link - Veinticuatrodents

via - Lost At E Minor

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Listening: Yoav & Emily Browning - Where Is My Mind?

Doodle Duvet

This Stitch Design Works duvet set takes me back to being a kid, when my little sister doodled all over my alphabet duvet cover. She also doodled over my copy of Emily's Paintbox & the hymn book my great-grandmother gave me for our Christening. No love - you will never be fully forgiven for that one.

However, this Doodle Duvet, which was awarded Best New Product at UK trade fair Top Drawer, comes with 8 coloured wash-out pens and is printed up like lined notepaper. Perfect for scribbling down those late night ideas and designs or leaving messages...though, if you're anything like me, finding the right pen would be the big issue and without a doubt I'd pick up a permanent marker. Doh!

Make sure to use wash out pens! And if you don't like lined paper buy a pack of their pens and a set of plain white sheets. These would be absolutely perfect for kids, although, it could give them ideas. Maybe not such a good plan!

via - Sarah

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Listening: David Bowie - Jean Genie

Love is Blind

Love is blind...or at least let's hope so.

Beautiful ceramic vase designed by Jessica Marie Lertvilai, who collects love letters and transcribes them into Braille. "The Love is Blind project is both coded and an abstract pixilated painting. The attempt to show the crossing of boundaries that exists between language, art and design."

I have a soft spot for Braille, I used to be able to read it - I learnt in college for a design module, however I was embossing it into metal so was reading it backwards most of the time. So my love would have to be blind & illiterate. However, I really like the idea of an incredibly precious and private love letter being turned into a generally illegible relief pattern, which few people could read without a cheat sheet to transcribe back. The Braille protects the sentiment and encodes it. I think that's lovely.

via

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Listening: Florence & The Machine - You Got the Love

Downed Tools

I've noticed something. Something I've neglected. Or avoided. Jewellery. Maybe because I'm avoiding it in my personal life at the moment - which for a jeweller is probably. No. Definitely a bad thing, but I also seem to be avoiding talking about it in the blogosphere.

I'm still in the zero-confidence-about-my-work stage and the worst thing I can do is actually not be making. But the idea of sitting in the shed, either making substandard pieces or nothing at all, procrastinating by reorganising my tools again makes me feel even more depressed about it.

On my birthday, I sat writing myself briefs so I could try and design again. I was very happy doing that. I had gone through all my jewellery books looking at all the techniques, materials and styles I like to create an 'ingredients' list. So now I have 4 or 5 briefs, which for the last week I've been refusing to look at. Amazing how much time you can procrastinate away making paper mache beehives for work. I'm just a bit blah at the moment.

Anyway, I have a backlog of things to blog about and I'll try and get all of them out by weeks end and then I'm going to try a week of jewellery posts, since this is supposed to be a blog about jewellery and other designs. It's about time I actually focus on something I know about.

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Listening: The Streets - It was Supposed To Be So Easy

Biro vase

Hand blown from the classic BiC biro, collaborative team Giffin' TerMeer (Jess Giffen & Jim TerMeer) turn the staple of every stationary box into a single flowers vase.

I want a go, I've got loads of useless biros!

Via

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Listening: Laura Veirs - Magnetized