Friday, 15 November 2013

Etsy shop find... a chat with Flora Waycott!


You may remember my chat recently with Jo Chambers of Studio Legohead...
Well, I've got my next etsy shop owner lined up for you.
This time its the turn of Flora Waycott

So, grab a cuppa and have a read while we get to know her...


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

I am from the UK but went to school in Japan as my mother is Japanese. 
During this time I would spend so much of my time drawing, collecting stickers, making things and went to art classes every Wednesday. 
I always loved to be creative but these years really cemented that and when we returned to the U.K. all I wanted to do was draw and make. 
I would make little things like bags and pin cushions with my Mum and English Granny who are so extremely skilled with sewing and would spend Saturdays tie dyeing T-shirts with my Dad! 
I studied textiles at sixth form college and then went on to do a Textile Design degree at Winchester School of Art. 
I also went back to Japan to study at Kawashima Textile School in Kyoto for a summer term which was endlessly inspiring. 
After graduating I worked freelance and then eventually in-house in a design studio in London designing embroideries, prints and graphics, mainly for childrenswear before moving to New Zealand in 2008. 
Here I work freelance, designing surface patterns and illustrations, mostly for baby/children's apparel, and have a little range of tea towels, cards and prints which I sell in my Etsy shop. 
My range started off quite casually, making things for Christmas markets here and there until I decided to sell my products on Etsy last year. 
I am doing more and more illustrations and I love that I get to work on my own designs too instead of just working for clients and it's a great creative outlet. 
I am also a part time tutor in the Textile Design department at Massey University in Wellington.



2. Who are your design heroes and what inspires you?

Marimekko has been a favourite of mine for a long long time. 
I love the simplicity of their graphics which are always so captivating and I am really inspired by Scandinavian design. 

I have been a fan of Shinzi Katoh for years - his work is so playful and cute. 

A couple of illustrators I am loving at the moment are Masako Kubo and Teagan White, they both have so much personality in their work. 
I am inspired by nature, colour palettes, shapes, a trip to Japan once a year and any other travel, sweet little patterns, paper products, 
packaging and simply what is around me day to day.


3. Tell us about a typical day for you...

My days are quite varied which I love. 
Typically the first thing I do is check my emails whilst having a cuppa - I need my tea before anything important happens! 
Some days I need to screen print my products depending on if I have orders or not, so I may pop in to my studio (garage!) and spend a bit of time there. 
If I'm not printing, I will spend a bit of time researching for my freelance work, choosing colour palettes, drawing and then designing. 
I try to draw everyday, even if it's a doodle. 
If I am not too busy with work, I like to play around with my drawings on the computer, seeing if a design will emerge; I find I do my best work when I am free to play. 
I may also spend part of the day putting orders together, going for a walk by the sea and playing with our cat Shima! 
I try to stop working around 6pm so that I can spend time with Nick. 
I am a bit of a night owl so I sometimes stay up really late, working on whatever I may not have got done during the day. 
I love that everyone is asleep and it's quiet; I feel like I can concentrate and make plans; I am usually most productive at night.



4. How would you describe your work/style?

Hand drawn, whimsical and charming…
I like to layer up lots of fine line drawings, solid colours, cute patterns and texture. 
I admire people who can do clean graphics but I never seem to be able to create anything 'perfect' - I like the more organic look of hand drawn icons. 
I love the odd cat and cute flower and all of my work has a quite a young feel to it. 


5. What are your top 3 blogs?

Hello Sandwich - I love these doses of Tokyo life and creative projects from Ebony Bizys.

Holly Berry Weave Blog - I studied weave at university and love reading about Holly Berry's projects. Her colour palettes are fab and all of her products look so luxurious.

Design Love Fest - The styling and photography of this blog is wonderful and there is constant inspiration. I particularly like the DIY posts!



6. What art do you have on your walls?

I have lots of art on my wall but my favourites are a print of a girl walking through the rain by Blanca Gomez which I purchased a few years ago from Etsy and a print by my very good friend Louise Boulter Illustration, of some incredible hand drawn animals which are quirky and bizarre and really shows Louise's imagination.  
I also have lots of postcards dotted around my workspace, many of which are old paintings of Japanese ladies by an amazing artist called Takehisa Yumeji. 
One of my favourite pieces of art on my wall is a Japanese calligraphy done by my Mum for me a few years ago which reads "Welcome". 
It will always come with me everywhere.


7. What makes you laugh?

So many things! I never fail to laugh when I am with my sister. 
I think it is something about sharing memories from forever with someone who has always known you and grew up with you. 
And watching re-runs of 'Who's Line is it Anyway' - hilarious!!


8. My happy place is...

On my way to the airport about to go on an adventure, hanging out with Nick, cooking, and when my parents, sister and I get together. 
We all live apart in different countries (my parents in the U.K, my sister in Japan and me in N.Z) and we havn't all been in the same room as each other for 4 years now. 
When we do get together it is always wonderful, lots of food, wine and talk of adventures we had years ago. 
It is one of my happy places for sure. 
Oh and drawing of course! x x 



Thanks so much to Flora for shating a little bit of her world with us!
You can find and follow Flora in various places detailed below...




(all of the above images are taken from Floras website or etsy shop
and all copyright belongs to Flora Waycott)

x x x

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Wednesday, 13 November 2013

Three lovely things...

Three things I'm loving at the moment...

2 | Using leaves to decorate on these fabulous autumn cinnamon brownies
3 | Photography by Eye Poetry...just beautiful



x x x

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Monday, 11 November 2013

Fruit and nut granola...

What better way to start off a new week...
I've got a new granola recipe to share with you today, packed with energy boosting fruit and nuts.
If you read my last post on another recipe recently you'll know how I'm not too keen on shop bought granola, as many of them have that naughty old sugar pretty high on the list of ingredients. 
So I like to make a batch of my own that then lasts a while if stored in an air tight container.
There are so many variations to have a go at it and this one's
packed full of dried fruit, oats and nuts, mmmm

With a good helping of fresh fruit, 
a dollop or two (or three) of natural yoghurt
and a sprinkling of this granola...
good start to any day in my book...

I found this recipe on the bbc good food website, so head on over there for ingredients and directions.

Here are a few pics...

 

(photos taken by me for use on loveprintstudio blog)

x x x
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Friday, 8 November 2013

Instagram snaps...

My my, it's the weekend again!
These weeks are really flying by...

I thought I'd share a few of my instagram snaps with you today, from October...
My month was fuelled with lots of baking, bit of strolling with the boys, and a bit more baking!
If you'd like to, you can follow me here


x x x

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Wednesday, 6 November 2013

Colour crush...

Ooh..a lovely colour crush for you today...
Loving the moody blue tones with the pinks, yum!


2 | Shapes 
4 | Typewriter 
5 | Birds 
6 | Cups (unknown)

x x x

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Tuesday, 5 November 2013

Remember, remember...

Well, no sooner have we got Halloween done and dusted, next up...Bonfire Night!
I'm not particularly a big lover of bonfires or fireworks to be honest (gasp! I here you cry)
never have been, and probably never will be.
The argument to like fireworks isn't really helped by having a very shaky, 
totally petrified furry creature cowering under our legs every year, poor Alfie...

So, here are a few things I do like about this particular night of the year.
And whatever you're up to, have a good night, and be safe x


1 | A leafy forest walk 
2 | Chilli for chilly evenings courtesy of Jamie Oliver
4 | More sparklers (just because)

x x x

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Friday, 1 November 2013

Pumpkin related pinterest picks...

Heres a little pumpkin related post...
Whether you to choose to eat it, or make it all fancy!
Have a lovely weekend x




And here's a couple of instagram pics of our pumpkin fun!
I can only take credit for the little owl face one...
The other two are the talents of my boy.
How good is his owl, wow! :-)


Follow me on instagram here

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

x x x
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Thursday, 31 October 2013

Happy Halloween...

Have a good night everyone....


(image above copyright of louise/loveprintstudio)

x x x



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Wednesday, 30 October 2013

Nutella stuffed double chocolate chip cookies...

Get ready...
No, seriously, prepare yourself...
These are glorious chocolate cookies from Top with Cinnamon 
(amazing food blog by the way, as mentioned here)
They're sooo naughty, but oh my, are they sooo good!
Hop on over to see Izy at Top with Cinnamon for the recipe and directions and even a fabulous little video 'how to'.

Here are a few photos of how they turned out...
(I didn't use the salt in mine, as seen in her ingredients list, but other than that, I followed Izy's directions and ingredients to the letter)




(photos taken by me for use on loveprintstudio blog)

x x x
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Monday, 28 October 2013

Take Four { food blogs }

As you know, if you're followers of this here, my little piece of blog land, 
I do love a bit of food related photography and styling. 

Photography, generally...
Food, generally...
but together, 
my oh my...happy days indeed!

And four bloomin' marvellous stops for you on that quest, should you share the need for it,
are some of my faves...
These four are amazing at what they do and and I so admire their photography, recipes and general style.

Enjoy perusing...

Top with Cinnamon - 17 year old London based Izy, with a passion for baking and cooking, and if thats not enough, a little fabulous behind the camera too!

Local Milk - Tennessee based Beth armed with a cast iron skillet and a camera

Honey & Jam - Hannah Queen..baker and photographer, just beautiful...

What Katie Ate - Sydney based Katie Quinn Davies..photographer, stylist and food author



(All images above from their respective blogs and all copyright is owned by them, links above)

x x x
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Friday, 25 October 2013

That Friday feeling...

Well, I don't know about you lovely people, but I'm sure glad it's the weekend again...
And I'm planning on doing absolutely nothing with mine.
(Ooh, apart from trying to see what all the fuss is about Game of Thrones...ooooo, bring on the box set)

For a little gathering of recent pins, I thought I'd reflect on that kind of Friday feeling and share these lovely numbers with you...
I particularly had a good old giggle when I stumbled across 'Eat. Sleep. Create. Repeat.'
on Oh No Rachio blog recently.
Brilliant!
And pretty much where I'm at, at the moment.

Still wouldn't change it for the world though :-)



x x x
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Wednesday, 23 October 2013

Chocolate fudge brownies...

I've got a lovely chocolate brownie recipe for you today...
I posted another brownie recipe a while back, 
but these are a little fluffier and lighter in texture, and not sooo rich. 
Which basically means you can eat more of them! 
(can't be a bad thing can it? yum)

Here are a few photos of the little chocolate squares...





(photos taken by me for use on loveprintstudio blog)


Ingredients for the brownies

85g butter
200g low fat cream cheese (I used light philadelphia)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
225g caster sugar
2 eggs
3 tbsp cocoa powder
100g self raising flour
50g chopped pecan nuts

(Fudge frosting)
55g butter
1 tbsp milk
75g icing sugar
2 tbsp cocoa powder

pecan nuts, to decorate

Directions for one tray of chocolate fudge brownies (cuts into 16 small squares)

* Preheat oven to gas mark 4

* Lightly grease a 20cm square baking tin and line base

* Beat together the cream cheese, vanilla extract and 5 teaspoons of caster sugar until smooth, set aside.

* Beat the eggs and remaining caster sugar together until light and fluffy

* Place the butter and cocoa powder in a small pan and heat gently, stirring until the butter melts and the mixture combines, then stir it into the egg mixture

* Fold in the flour and nuts

* Pour half of the mixture into the tin and smooth the top

* Carefully spread the cheese mixture over it and then cover with the remaining chocolate mixture

* Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes

* Cool in baking tin

* For the frosting, melt the butter and the milk in a small saucepan

* Stir in the icing sugar and cocoa powder

* Spread the frosting over the brownies and decorate with pecan nuts

* Let the frosting set then cut into squares to serve

* Enjoy!

(recipe taken from 'The Big Book of One Pot')

x x x
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Monday, 21 October 2013

Colour crush...

I've got a super nice colour post for you today, I love this combination!
Hope you like it too!



2 | Squares
6 | Hare

x x x
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Friday, 18 October 2013

Three lovely things... { Autumn }

Three 'autumny' things I'm loving at the moment... 
What's not to love about teeny tiny white pumpkins, chunky cookies and a fishtail braid? 



1 | Mini white pumpkins...adorable!

2 | Fishtail braid via A Beautiful Mess...oh to be able to do this


x x x


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Thursday, 17 October 2013

Pinterest picks... { This & That }

A couple of beautiful little pins today... 
Loving the delicate simplicity of these two images, soooo nice.



x x x




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Monday, 14 October 2013

An abundance of apples...

I had a week off last week, and so, I also gave myself a week off from blogging too,
I've missed you!
My week was filled with this and that; bit of time in the kitchen, shopping, getting things done at home, a day out at Witley Court (pics to come), and finished off with a little cheeky 'Time for Tease' at Cheltenham Literature festival, fab!

Mostly, it was generally just nice to spend some time with my boys
(the husband, and the other of the fluffy variety).

So...for the first post after my little break... a food related one!
Mmmmm

 And, as the title suggests, I've recently had an abundance of apples...
I mean literally surrounded by the things! 
So, what better to do than to knock out a few crumbles and try a new apple pie recipe, yeah!
This recipe is from the very first British Bake Off book and is for an Apple Pie with Cheddar Crust.
Now...what's your first thought? 
Cheese? 
Really? 
In an apple pie?
But, yes, it really does work! 
I'm not suggesting that this would be my new 'go to' recipe for a basic apple pie. 
I'd probably always plumb for plain old shortcrust or maybe add a bit of cinnamon to the mix, but it's always nice to try different things every now and then, right?

Here are a few photos below of how my little decorative pie turned out...







(photos taken by me for use on loveprintstudio blog)


Directions for one Apple Pie with Cheddar Crust - serves 6

*Put the flour, salt and grated cheese into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until combined.

*Add the diced butter and pulse until mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs.

*With the machine running, add the water, and stop when the dough comes together into a ball.

* Flatten the dough into a disc, wrap in clingfilm and chill for 30 minutes.

* Heat oven to gas mark 6 and put a baking tray in to heat.

* Peel the apples, quarter and core, then cut each quarter into 3 thick slices and put them into a bowl.

* Add the caster sugar and melted butter to the bowl and toss gently until thoroughly combined.

* Roll out half of the pastry on a floured surface to a circle slightly larger than your pie plate 
(ideal pie dish 26cm)

*Drape pastry over pie dish, flour your fingers and press the pastry on to the base and up the sloping sides and rim.

* Pile the apple mixture into the dish and brush the pastry rim with cold water.

* Roll out the rest of the pastry to a large circle and place it over the pie, gently pressing the pastry onto the damp rim with your thumbs to seal the two layers.

* With a sharp knife, trim off any pastry overhanging the rim of the plate and cut a couple of steam holes in the top with the tip of a sharp knife.

* Decorate as you wish and sprinkle with a little sugar and bake on the hot tray for 15minutes.

* Reduce the heat to gas mark 4 and bake for a further 20-25 minutes until the pastry is golden and crisp.

*Serve with warm custard, cream or ice-cream.

* Enjoy!

x x x

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Friday, 4 October 2013

Pizza night...

Last weekend saw my first attempt at making pizza dough...
and I have to admit, there reaches a point when dough is literally all over the kitchen worktop,
stuck to hands, spatulas and pretty much everything else in the vicinity,
when I did start to question whether the boy and I would be eating that night or whether we'd be calling for pizza instead... 
However, with a bit of perseverance and patience (definitely required)
the dough finally became remotely workable... was kneaded,
left to rise, (and very nicely indeed it did too), and sure enough, a little decoration of tomato sauce, mozzarella, mint, basil and cherry tomatoes and 20 minutes later,
we had homemade Margherita pizza fresh from the oven! (yay me!)

Right, here's the best bit...
THEY
WERE
AMAZING!

I seriously urge you to try this recipe and to go through the turmoil with the dough because it is sooooo worth it...the best pizza ever!
I know essentially its just plain old tomato and cheese but oh so good!

Heres a link to the original recipe found on Chatelaine for modern Margherita pizza
I literally followed the recipe to the letter apart from using mozzarella instead of goats cheese and I also found I needed a lot more flour than the recipe stated,
both when being mixed, and also when rolling out, but see how you go...

Here's a photo of our very rustic looking pizzas...



(photo taken by me for use on loveprintstudio blog)

x x x
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Wednesday, 2 October 2013

Nica bag from Bagable...

I received a lovely package in the post recently... a beautiful little Nica cross body bag from Bagable.
It's sooo nice and just the right size for your phone, purse and some essential make up. 
The bag is called 'Verona' and its the cross body, plum version but its also available in other styles and colours; black, tan, burnt orange.
I really love this plum/aubergine colour at the moment and seem to be buying a lot of bits and bobs
in varying shades of it for my little winter wardrobe!

The bag came from the website www.bagable.co.uk who stock quite a few different brands, including Fossil, Fiorelli, Paul Frank and many more.
I've owned several Nica bags in the past and really love their brand so jumped at the chance to review one of the bags from the new collection.

So, here are some photos I took of the lovely bag, it's sooooo nice!
I really love the shape of this bag and the little perforated 'pin hole' like detail used to create pattern and interest on the front.
Stud detail features down the sides of the bag with an adjustable strap, making it easy to wear across body or as a shoulder bag, and finished off with a sweet little bow to the front.

Inside the bag there's a beautiful floral print lining in coral and white with a zipped compartment and an additional place for your phone too.
Perfect for when you just need your essential bits and pieces!

Below are a few photos I took of the bag...





(photos above taken by me for use on loveprintstudio and all opinions in this post are my own)


(image above from www.bagable.co.uk)


*Disclaimer*
I was provided with free products by the company for the purpose of reviewing.
I only recommend products and companies that I use and genuinely love.
All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and not influenced by the company in any way.

x x x



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Tuesday, 1 October 2013

Hello October...

Ok, I know I keep saying how this year is flying by, but seriously...


(photo taken by me for use on loveprintstudio)

Where DID it go??
If anyone finds it, let me know... I'd like it back.


x x x
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Monday, 30 September 2013

Take four...

Ooh it's Monday again... Where do the weekends go?

I've got a lovely cheery and crafty Take Four post for you today!
How nice are these??
Yum!

(A couple of the images come from a fab blog called studiodiy... gorgeous stuff!
Definitely worth a visit)


1 | DIY confetti dipped balloons from Studio DIY
2 | Homemade paper lantern DIY from Oh Happy Day 

x x x

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Friday, 27 September 2013

Pinterest picks... { This & That }

A couple of lovely pins to share with you today...


1 | Enjoy the little things art print by Hello Little Fox 
2 | Amazing butik glass snake bead necklace from Souchi

x x x

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Wednesday, 25 September 2013

Etsy shop find...a chat with Studio Legohead!

As I'm sure many of you lovely readers will know, I do a regular post,
(well, regular-ish, lets call it reoccurring posts, if you will...)
on super nice etsy shops I come across on my travels around the internet and blog land,
and whilst I'm going to carry on doing just that, I thought it would be nice to get to know some of those shop owners a little better...

So, first up, is Jo Chambers who owns the shop Studio Legohead,
producing greeting cards, art prints, postcards and many other lovely items, featuring beautiful floral felt tip doodles and plenty of our beloved four legged friends in her pet portraits.
I came across Jo's work some time ago and have admired it ever since, so here she is answering a few questions for loveprintstudio and all you lovely reader folk.

Enjoy getting to know her, and why not pop on over to her shop once you've sat a while with a cuppa...




1. Can you tell us a little bit about you and your background...
I’ve always as far back as I can remember loved drawing, painting and creating. Apparently as a child I was always sketching something. 
This led to me going to college, where I had fantastic tutors, real artists that taught us how to draw, be observant, and interested. 
I feel very grateful to have had this grounding straight after school.

I then went on to study a Creative Arts degree in Art and Textiles at Bath Spa University. The course enabled me to work in two areas that I really couldn’t choose between, and I’m so pleased to have had the combined disciplines, as I never felt restricted.
A few years later whilst studying my MA there I was asked to teach embroidery to first year BA students, which although was daunting at the time, as I had no real teaching experience, I snapped it up and loved it. 
7 years later and I’m still a visiting lecturer there. 
It’s such a pleasure to work with the students and see them develop over the course of their degree.
After my MA I went into a bit of a creative block, after years of drawing/stitching florals I wanted a change. 
I saw a dog in a bowtie online, loved the character it conveyed and began to draw. Before I knew it I had sketchbooks full. 
During my MA studies I was introduced to the Irish Singer sewing machine, a free hand embroidery machine, which is like drawing with stitch, my new drawings and this machine combined led to a series of embroidered dog portraits, which then led to an exhibition.
I produced some greeting cards for my show that sold really well. 
So after I opened an Etsy shop and began e-mailing blogs and websites to try and get more press. 3 and a half years later, the dogs are still with me, as well as the florals, and I’ve had the best time ever.


2. What books/ magazines are currently on your coffee table?
I’ve got to admit, I’m pretty terrible on this front. I’ve never been much of a reader! 
But the items currently on my coffee table are – Maria Kalman ‘Various Illuminations (of a crazy world)’ the Guardian weekend guide and Focus, Science and Technology magazine! I so admire the work of Maria Kalman, 
but I think what I find more intriguing is the creator herself, open, honest and immensely talented. 
The Guardian guide speaks for itself, 
and Focus is my partners but it had a great article on Sleep!
I’ve also a fascination with psychology and human behavior and much prefer to read about the working of the human mind and real life than fiction.


3. Tell us about a typical day for you...
My typical day, starts at 6am. 
I get up and do a workout, at least 4 out of 5 working days. 
After that, breakfast and if I’m working from home, a walk around the block/to the shops before I settle at my desk. 
I find it really important to get back home and feel like I’ve arrived at work, 
it’s something I’ve always done.
Then it’s normally admin and e-mails for a bit before I get cracking on commissions, orders that need posting and occasionally the odd interview questionnaire to answer!



4. Can you give us an insight into your creative process?
If I’m working on a portrait commission then I always ask for a biog of the canine or feline in question. 
I like to hear as much about the character that I am trying to capture, 
as I want the final image to be as personal to my client as possible.
I began drawing dogs because I liked to imagine them as human characters and what there quirks would be. 
Working on a commission is always random, 
I never know what breed of dog I will be working on, 
what there human friend might want them adorned in and this is what always keeps it fresh and I can honestly say I never tire of.
When creating pieces for myself I’m always drawn to vintage ornaments and memorabilia. I adore colour and pattern, but I also love white spaces, hence my Mantelpiece Meet-Up series and the prints I produce from original sketches. 
I draw, collage and colour in. 
A little cleaning up on the computer and I’m usely done. 
I prefer to do as much as I can by hand.



5. What inspires you?
I’m inspired by lots of things, but I guess the main inspiration for me was my Nan. 
She is sadly no longer with us, but she left me with a curiosity for the kitsch, tatty and slightly odd things I now love. 
Her home was filled with objects. 
Looking back they certainly weren’t glamorous or expensive, but as a child visiting her home I was always transfixed by the amount of colour, the mixture of pattern and textures and selection of collected/hoarder objects. 
She was a wonderful lady who was never shy of clashing colours!
Inspiration also comes from my friends and partner, who I must say are a creative and talented bunch, and all varied in their interests and disciplines that they work in. 
I love hearing what they are up to and what their next project has in store.
And more recently inspiration came from my trip to the Picasso Museum in Barcelona. I’ve always been a fan, but seeing the work he created from the age of 9 years old till when he died was a dream. 
Mindblowing!


6. In three words, describe your work.....
Colourful, cheery, characterful

7. What's your guilty pleasure?
Dark chocolate with sea salt, madjool dates and Eastenders *hangs head in shame*. 
I would love to own Dot Cottons wardrobe!



8. What are your top three blogs?
Angela Dalinger is an illustrator who runs a Tumblr feed.  
I love the mixture of work, but also a lot of it has humour, which I’m a fan of in art.
What Angela says about it – “I thought it’s kind of a nice idea to make this a blog for all illustrators, which stay analoge in their art. Hand drawings, with crayons and marker, no graphic tablet or how ever it’s called.”

Cush and Nooks  
Because I’m a bit nosey and love having a peek into other peoples homes.
Also there is always a great array of interior products and art


It's Nice That
A real mixture of illustration, graphic design, photography, branding, the list goes on. Always current and I can get lost there going from feature to feature.



Thanks so much to Jo for sharing a little bit of her world with us!
You can find and follow Jo in various places detailed below...




(all of the above images are taken from the Studio Legohead etsy shop 
and all copyright belongs to Jo Chambers)



x x x
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