Etsy shop find...a chat with Steph Says Hello!

I've got the next little chat with an etsy shop owner for you today..and this time its the turn of Steph Baxter aka Steph Says Hello, who owns the shop 'The Happy Pencil Shoppe'.

Beautiful, colourful and happy prints, cards and accessories.

So, as I usually say, grab yourself a cuppa and get to know Steph...

1. Can you tell us a bit about you and your background... 

I've always loved being creative, but never really knew quite what I wanted to do. 

I went to art school but my degree is in graphic design rather than illustration. 

If I'm honest graphic design never felt quite right for me, illustration did. 

So that's how I got here! 

What I love about creative careers is your don't have to specialise in one area. 

It's a path that you move along if that makes sense. 

My work is moving more towards hand lettering now - it's so interesting to see where your own work goes as time passes (and how it's changed)

2. What books/ magazines are currently on your coffee table?

This is really bad but really not very many! 

I regularly buy Mollie Makes Magazine which is pretty much the perfect crafty magazine. I tend to read blogs more than magazines now. 

3. Who is your design hero and what inspires you?

I am in awe of everything Tad Carpenter does, his style is spot on and works across so many platforms. I love the work of Alyssa Nassner too, her work is a lovely mix of hand lettering and design.

4. Tell us about a typical day for you…

I get up around 7, spend an age eating breakfast, getting dressed and reading blogs and start work around 9. 

The morning is usually spent packing any orders from my shop, answering emails and drinking a lot of tea. My afternoons are usually spent working on briefs and personal projects. 

I always try to get out for a walk and get some fresh air even if it's just to the post office!

5. Can you give us an insight into your creative process?

I can't work in a sketchbook (I get panicked that I'll ruin the sketchbook, its so ridiculous I know!) so all my work and ideas start on loose pieces of paper. 

Everything I do starts with a pen and paper, I think that's really important. 

Then I'll scan the work in and digitally colour it up. 

6. What album is currently in your Stereo/iPod, and what do you listen to while you work?

Literally everything by The Shins & Rilo Kiley. 

I'm either listening to them at the moment or watching something fun on Netflix while I work. 

I can't stand silence when I'm working!

7. What makes you laugh?

I've fallen in love with Portlandia on Netflix recently, it's my go to programme if I need cheering up, that and Modern Family. 

Failing that, funny cats and kittens. All the kittens ever!

8. What are your top three blogs?

Oh wow, that's a tough one! Apart from Love Print of course I'm currently loving:

The Tea Drinking English Rose (theteadrinkingenglishrose.com) 

Design Love Fest (www.designlovefest.com)

What Katie Does (www.whatkatiedoes.net)

9. Why do you like being an illustrator/designer? (in 10 words or less)

The fact my favourite hobby is now my job!

x

Thank you to Steph for taking the time to share a bit of her world with us and if you want to know more, you can follow Steph on twitter, pinterest, and click here for her blog.

(all above images are copyright of Steph Baxter)

x x x

Three lovely things...

As I write this, it is pouring with rain outside, grey, miserable and generally horrible, but in spite of that, I'm really in Spring mode when it comes to colour at the moment..loving coral shades with lovely mints and aquas..nails, lips, blushes, fashion, accessories..anything.

Probably a little premature but I suppose it is nearly March, and the sun will most definitely be on its way out soon, pleeeaaase!

My big love at the moment is with statement necklaces, and I'm on a  mission to find one. 

(any recommendations welcome)

This one (2) is bloomin' gorgeous, so I think I might be having a closer look.

1 | Gorgeous nails in gorgeous colours, and not to mention...glitter!

2 | Love everything about this...the outfit, the hair, and THE necklace (!)

3 | Beautifully simple top in Anthropologie, yum!

x x x

Maple banana pecan bread...

I've been meaning to post this recipe for a few weeks now...

For those of you who follow my instagram feed, 

you've probably seen a little cheeky pic I took on my iphone of this gloriously yummy banana bread, so, as promised, here's the post, including of course, the recipe!

In my opinion it doesn't get much better than this in terms of flavour combinations...

you seriously cant beat maple syrup (check), banana (check) and pecans (check)

Ooh and lets not forget..lovely drizzly icing, mmmmmm

Try it, believe me, you'll love it!

Ingredients and directions for one loaf

2 cups of flour

3/4 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup of sugar

5 tablespoons of butter

3 mashed bananas

2 eggs

3 tablespoons of maple syrup ( 2 for the loaf and 1 for the icing)

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1/2 cup of pecans (plus extra to scatter on top)

1/3 cup of vanilla greek yoghurt

1/2 cup of icing sugar

1 teaspoon of milk

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

* Preheat the oven to gas mark 4

* Grease and line your loaf tin with baking paper and set aside

* Combine flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt in a bowl and mix together

* In a separate bowl, cream together the sugar and butter

* Add in the bananas and stir to combine

* Mix in the eggs, 2 tablespoons of the maple syrup, vanilla and yoghurt

* Stir in the pecans

* Pour batter into the loaf tin and bake for 40/50 mins or until a knife inserted comes out clean

* Allow to cool

* Mix together the icing sugar, milk and the other tablespoon of maple syrup and drizzle over the loaf

* Scatter extra pecans on top if desired

*Enjoy!

(Adapted from this recipe)

(all above images taken by me for use on loveprintstudio blog)

x x x

Loveprintstudio on Facebook...

Finally...

I've now got around to creating a facebook page for this ickle blog.

Follow me here... 

I'll keep it up to date with blog posts and goings on as and when.

Sooo many options now with all this social media lark...

pinterest, twitter, bloglovin', instagram, and now facebook, pheweeee!

Follow me wherever you choose :-)

x x x

Paperchase favourites...

I had a little pop out to the shops over the weekend and spotted quite a few lovely bits and bobs in good old Paperchase, so I thought I'd share a few of my current favourites...

As you probably know from seeing past posts regarding stationery, I am a bit of a hoarder when it comes to notebooks and tend to buy them just because of how beautiful they are, 

never to actually use them... don't be ridiculous! 

(for display purpouses only, ha ha!)

So, having a nosey around Paperchase for me is like being a kid in a sweet shop!

And they bring gorgeous new ranges out all the time.

Three of their new collections at the moment are 'Marine Team'...

'Anchors Ahoy'

and 'Taking Tea'

And here are a few other bits...

(all copyright belongs to Paperchase and images are from www.paperchase.co.uk)

x x x

Paper & Cloth at Indigo...

Indigo starts tomorrow in Paris, 

and Paper & Cloth will be there showing their wares for Spring/ Summer 2015!

Heres a little sneaky peaky at the eflyer/leaflet for the show...

(image above copyright of Paper & Cloth Ltd)

x x x

Happy Valentines Day...

The boy and I don't really 'do' Valentines Day as such, aside from getting cards for each other.

But I couldn't resist getting in the kitchen the other night to make some homemade versions of his favourite 'shop bought' biscuits, 

(yeah, I know, jammie dodgers...big kid right?)

I found this recipe in the very lovely Cakes: River Cottage Handbook No.8

If you don't have the book, I'd thoroughly recommend it!

Here are a few pics...

Hope you all have a lovely Valentines Day and weekend!

(all photos above taken by me for use on loveprintstudio blog)

x x x

Valentine picks...

Well I'm sure you've all seen lots of valentine related images recently whilst perusing t'interweb, 

I certainly have! And there have been some beauties.

So, I thought I'd share a few of my favourites with you all...

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |

x x x

Three lovely things...of the pink variety!

It's the week of all that lovey dovey mushy stuff 

and I've got a few posts lined up this week with that in mind, 

so first up is a little gathering of three lovely things, 

all with a very nice pink related theme...

1 | Loving the beautiful artwork of 'My Lovely Thing'

2 | Dark chocolate cake donuts with blood orange glaze..

not much else to say really, mmmmmmm...

3 | How nice is her hair colour?? 

Beaaauutiful

Such a lovely soft shade of pink

If only I thought I could suit this...

x x x

Colour crush...

Well, I've had enough of the rain and stormy weather here in the midlands so I'm going head on into spring with this colour crush post today...

Hope it brightens your day if its dismal and grey where you are too.

Seriously, enough already!

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |

(clockwise from top left)

x x x

Inspired by...Eye Poetry

I discovered the amazing work of Irene Suchocki a while ago, and more recently thought, 

'Why have I not blogged about this yet?' 

Shocking...

So, anyway, here I am now doing just that.

Irene is the fine art photographer behind Eye Poetry, and I have to say she is able to create the most beautiful dreamlike quality images I have ever seen, just gorgeous!

They've got such a magically nostalgic feel to them...

She has many different collections for sale in her shop including photographs of Paris, New York, Italy and Amsterdam and also nature and landscape images, of which her White Wild Horses is one of my favourites...

You can click here to go straight to the Eye Poetry etsy shop and here for the website.

(All of the above image are from the Eye Poetry etsy shop and all copyright belongs to Irene Suchocki)

x x x

Hello February...

Well here we are already...February!
Can you believe it?

January has flown by and I'm pretty sure it hasn't actually stopped raining all month.
So please, now we're in a new month, stop raining and bring us some sunshiny days!

Thanks!

(image above copyright of louise/loveprintstudio blog)

x x x