Catching Wonderland

report it...

2011-01-04T15:32:00.005Z

All artwork © Hyperakt

Who said annual reports are boring? This is just brilliant. The White House Project Annual Report designed by Hyperakt, shows just what you can do if a client is brave enough to move away from the standard annual report format.

Those info graphics, those colours, that format. One day I will do something like this.

All artwork © Hyperakt

use the force...

2010-12-20T10:17:00.008Z

All artwork © Olly Moss

How amazing are these limited edition screen prints? I love the films. I love these illustrations more.

These fantastic illustrations are the work of Olly Moss, a designer and illustrator from the UK. There's a hint of Saul Bass to his work, graphic and clever and very inspiring. Check out more of his work here.

If you fancy one of these Star Wars prints, click here.

quote, unquote...

2010-11-19T14:19:00.005Z

All artwork © Wayne Dorrington

This awesome piece of infographics is just up my street. Big bold blocks of colour, quirky typography and it's actually illustrating some pretty interesting facts. The 50 highest grossing films of all time are illustrated in quotes. The larger the quote, the bigger the amount of cash it racked in. To see a larger version, click here. You'll need to zoom in to read the key at the bottom.

Check out more of digital designer Wayne Dorrington's work here.

stars of the silk screen...

2010-11-17T14:44:00.009Z

All artwork © Brainstorm Print & Design

Check out these gorgeous five colour silkscreen prints by Brainstorm Print & Design collaborators Jason Snyder and Briana Feola. Such a simple idea executed in such a brilliant way. I love the blocks of bold colour, and the fact that I wish I had thought of this idea myself. Check out the rest of their portfolio here.

a little birdy told me...

2010-08-23T10:27:00.007+01:00

All Illustrations © Kate Wilson

I spotted the work of Kate Wilson on a kooky little card I bought from Paperchase. I loved the style, and here she is. Her bird work is so sweet but her fashion work which incorporates some great use of watercolour is also very striking.

Kate Wilson has worked for clients including The New York Times, Marc Jacobs, Links of London, ASOS, Liberty of London, Topman, The Guardian, Matches and Marie Claire Prints and she also has loads of original artwork.

For more of her beautiful work click here.

Birdy Work

Fashion Illustration

death metal

2010-08-02T10:17:00.000+01:00

Silver earrings £350 Like_Atmosphere

Silver £370 Like_Atmosphere

Is it wrong to covet jewelry shaped like skulls and spinal columns? Meh, I don't care. For me, these are the right side of weird and would add a decent amount of kook to any outfit.

The jewelry is designed by Like_Atmosphere , more of their stuff can be found here. I recommend you take a look round the whole site, there is some really great and unusual stuff to be found.

block party

2010-08-01T16:00:00.001+01:00

Imagery © Siggi Eggertsson

Siggi Eggertsson is an Icelandic born graphic designer. He has worked in London and Iceland but currently calls Berlin home. From his portfolio it is obvious he clearly loves to experiment with typography and illustration, see for yourself here.

One of my favourite pieces is this set for a pitch to the V&A museum in London. I remember playing with similar blocks as a kid, and I love how he has decided to use them to create typography. Its bold, its fun and it perfectly captures the sense of fun and creativity of a 'free art fair'. Love it.

All imagery © Siggi Eggertsson

put it in black and white

2010-07-31T11:06:00.001+01:00

Illustration © Johanna Basford

There is something beautiful about black and white design. If something can work in black and white without all the trimmings and frivolousness of colour, then it really works. Colour sometimes disguises bad design. With black and white its real, raw, the foundations of design as it were. From the Art Nouveau style of Aubrey Beardsley, through to more recent iconic album design, black and white as a theme, has always fascinated me.

I recently came across the work of Johanna Basford. Her black and white magical illustrations are so ethereal and delicate. Almost like lace or something equally fine and beautifully crafted. Check out her portfolio here. She also has a set of ceramics screen printed with her designs, but its sold out! Shame, I will have to do some searching and see if I can find it somewhere else.

Long live black and white.

Black & White Art Nouveau

Imagery © Aubrey Beardsley

Black & White Album Artwork

Clockwise from top left: The Eraser by Thom York designed by Stanley Downward; Unknown Pleasures by Joy Division designed by Peter Saville; Revolver by The Beatles designed by Klaus Voormans, Glasvegas by Glasvegas designed by Village Green.

Black & White Illustration

Illustrations and imagery © Johanna Basford

Forever is Today

2010-07-30T10:29:00.014+01:00

All photography © Hilda Grahnat

I have been following the blog of Hilda Grahnat, 23 from Sweden for a while now, ever since I saw photos of her beautifully styled apartment on Design Sponge. Grahnat is studying Graphic Design but its her photography I love. The sweeping Swedish countryside, the colours she manages to capture, the small quaint details of a seeming idyllic lifestyle. It makes me want to leave the grime and bustle of London and get on the first plane to Sweden. Check out her blog Forever is Today for more beautiful and inspiring photography.

put your neck out...

2010-04-16T16:48:00.012+01:00

Brilliant, beautiful necklace - £360 - Kabiri

This is quite possibly the most beautiful necklace I have ever seen. Part tough girl bullet-ness, part sparkly princess, all knockout brilliance. Wear it with anything, anytime and definitely don't save it for 'best'. I want, I want, I want...

the last show...

2010-03-10T14:55:00.005Z

All images © catwalking.com

I came across these pictures of Alexander McQueen's last collection. His team have put the final touches to his final collection. I think it's just beautiful. So regal, so detailed and exquisite. Such a shame that McQueen wont be able to create anything like this again, his untimely death is surely a loss to the fashion world. But what a testament to his craft he leaves behind him.

lovely bit of stuff...

2010-02-25T09:18:00.006Z

One last bit of illustration, I have just been finding some really interesting artists recently - I promise to move onto other things for a while now! " )

Rodrigo Francisco is graphic designer from Brazil. He is only 19 but has already worked with a whole host of great companies.

I have picked four examples of his work here, in my opinion the best from his portfoli o. Love the colours and the way they have a dreamy watercolour feel to them. A very talented designer, I'm looking forward to seeing what he works on next, definitely one to watch I think.

All images © Rodrigo Francisco

behind closed doors...

2010-02-23T12:01:00.006Z

All images from Design Sponge

Today a peek inside the home of Sibella Court - care of Design Sponge, a great site for snooping around other people's lovingly styled homes. Sibella has a shop in Sydney which is a cross between a haberdashery and a hardware store. She specialises in textiles, homeware and furniture, check out the online store, here. These shots are from her home which is above the store. If these images are anything to go by I would love to have a roam around her shop and see what fantastical things I could find.

The kitchen shot is my favourite, all those utensils stacked up in one place. It has a happy sense of chaos to it. So eclectic and 'real'. Not styled or contrived, just the evolvement of somebody's life and the things they accumulate as they journey through it.

many hands make great work...

2010-02-22T13:13:00.009Z

All images © Orgut Cayli

I love clever and witty illustration, and the ones shown here are a great example. I found this guy Orgut Cayli's design and illustration work on Flickr. Cayli is an art director at Publicis Yorum, a design agency in Istanbul.

The pieces shown here are from a nifty little notebook he has designed. Aren't the illustrations fantastic? I admire how has taken an animal to represent each of the human characteristics and then woven in different shaped hands to make up the outline of the animal, inspired.

For more of Orgut Cayli's design and illustration portfolio click here.

boxfresh...

2010-02-21T17:46:00.004Z

All images © Fold 7

A spot of packaging/marketing here from Fold 7 for your Sunday afternoon viewing. Fold 7 are a communications agency, founded in 1995, they focus on bringing brands and products to life.

The great project featured here is for the launch of Nike’s new skateboarding trainer, the Zoom Tre. Fold 7 designed the packaging for promotional pairs sent to a select number of skateboarders as a gift. The tag line ‘Don’t Handle With Care’ led the look and feel for the packaging. A clever take on the ‘Handle With Care’ packaging we are so used to seeing. Loving the grungy styling and bashed up feel.

If you like this and want to see more of Fold 7's portfolio click here.

down at heel...

2010-02-19T15:05:00.006Z

Beautiful ruffle shoed loveliness - £85 - Dune

Glory me, I am loving all these lower heeled shoes at the moment. I love a heel, unfortunately I look like a new born foal when I try and walk in them. It aint pretty. So I am squealing with glee that demi heeled shoes seemed to be de rigour at the moment.

From top left clockwise: Metallic courts - £70 - Bertie; Purple Mary-Janes - £20(!) - Office; Black die-cut - £125 - All Saints; Brown zipped - £60 - Faith; Black courts - £40 - Topshop; Red retro - £58 - Office.

Check out these little beauties! My fav's are the Dune ruffle shoes, devine. Finally, I can walk tall without the fear of breaking my neck.

sunny California...

2010-02-17T12:47:00.014Z

Ah, I have been away for ages, so busy with work! Here's some more pictures from our wonderful California road trip.

Los Angeles

First stop was LA. Meh, not so impressed as I thought I would be. The weather wasn't great, perhaps that was it, I was expecting sizzling sunshine like they always seem to have when LA is on the TV. But no such luck. We saw the main sights, another main disappointment was that you couldn't get closer than this to the Hollywood sign! I felt robbed! If you squint really hard you just might be able to make it out.

Palm Springs

Next stop was Palm Springs. A beautiful little town in the middle of the desert to the east of LA. As I understand it, it's where LA folks go for a weekend trip away from the city. The Coachella music festival is held around here. And its hot, hot, hot!! Check out these beautiful desert flowers we found blooming along the roadside.

The Pepper Tree Inn, Palm Springs

This is the beautiful little boutique hotel we stayed in during our stay in Palm Springs. Its called the Pepper Tree Inn, and wow, just the nicest place we stayed the whole trip. We ate in a fantastic resturant called The Falls, amazing steak and fish dinners.

Grand Canyon, South Rim

The Grand Canyon, on of the most awesome sights I have ever seen. It took us seven hours to drive there! But is was definitely worth it.

Vegas baby!

And of course Las Vegas, every bit as cheesy, plastic and fake as I had hoped. You need to suspend your disbelief and just enjoy the tackiness of it. We had a fantastic time in Las Vegas, I even did a spot of gambling and won the awesome amount of $15! Woop!

There are a few more pictures to come, I will post them up soon.

Has anyone else ever done a road trip anywhere?

doctor, doctor...

2010-02-10T16:00:00.013Z

From left to right: Cleansing Cream - £14.28 - 50ml; Clarifying Toner - £22.46 - 100ml; Normalizing Day Oil - £21.44 - 30ml; all Dr Hauschka

I don't know if you've ever heard of Dr Hauschka? I hadn't until about a year ago, a German friend mentioned the range to me and I checked it out. Best move I ever made. Dr Hauschka products are completely organic, maybe a bit more expensive than your usual products but they last for ages and the results speak for themselves.

I have some seriously moody skin. Well I did before the Dr H. I am a poster girl for greasy, problem skin, I might not get as many wrinkled in later life, but right now all I want to do is stop my make up sliding off my face before midday. Believe me, I had tried all sorts of make up primers and long lasting foundations - nothing worked.

I tried the Dr Hauschka Normalising Oil. I was a little concerned, putting oil on my already slicken skin? Yikes! But Dr Hauschka works on a homeopathic principle that 'like cures like'. As I was putting oil on my skin, my skin now longer had a need to over produce it. The results were and continue to be fantastic.

I use the rest of the oily range, pictured here. My only gripe is the cleanser should be bigger, I get through one a month at the moment, which is a little harsh on the purse, but I think it's testament to it's benefits I keep buying it and wouldn't dare go back to harsh cleansers.

All the products come in trial sizes so you can test them out before you invest in a larger size and there is a handy little kit if you want to try more products together.

See other ranges from Dr Hauschka here.

Daily Face Care Kit for Oily Skin - £15.31 for 6 items

graphically speaking...

2010-02-09T16:28:00.007Z

Graphic is a cool little bar in Soho. Every six months it collaborates with a new graphic artist and Graphic use the bar to showcase the artist's signature style. The bar wins - it looks great. The public wins - they get to see great creative work they may not have been exposed to other wise. The artist wins - they have a six month showcase in an alternative venue to the traditional gallery space. Everyone's happy!

Graphic is currently showcasing the work of graphic artist Ben Allen. He is based in Brighton and works with a mixture of different media and materials. His influences include comic book art, surfing, skateboard culture, Japanese graphics, typography, nature and the human condition.

I have picked my favourite pieces, but for Ben's full portfolio click here. Aren't they great?

All images © Ben Allen

Graphic interior with Ben Allen graphics

my very own wonderland...

2010-02-05T13:53:00.009Z

I was lucky enough to embark on an amazing Californian road trip for my honeymoon last year. While we were out there we spent some time in Yosemite National Park. Hands down the most beautiful place I have ever been so lucky to visit. Miles from anywhere, stunning scenery, peace, tranquility and calm. Here are some pictures from the time we spent there. If you ever get the chance to go, grab it with both hands. I'd go back like a shot.

More pics of the road trip coming soon...

And this was the view from our hotel room. We stayed at the Yosemite View Lodge, just a short car journey from the park entrance. Check out the river view!

a house full of harmony...

2010-02-05T11:03:00.006Z

Lavender bags - £2.50

I'm all for a bit of vintage loveliness about the place and Caroline Taylor's sweet online boutique Patchwork Harmony is a treasure trove of just such loveliness. The site showcases beautiful homeware and gifts all handpicked by Caroline herself. She believes a home should be like a patch work quilt, a collection of individual items that you bring together to make a home.

Here are some of my favourite picks from her site.

Clockwise from top left: pin tins - £2.75; double hook - £6.50; metal holders - from £6.95; set of 5 side plates - £7.95

Egg cup - £7.25

Candles - £15

Tea towel - £5.25

For more of the same click here.

nu look...

2010-02-04T17:01:00.005Z

I love seeing what other people wear, I think it gives you a good idea of what makes them tick and how they want the world to see them. I came across the Lookbook.nu site the other day and think you should take a look. It seems to be a great big collection of what people are wearing all across the world. Set up a profile, upload a picture of yourself wearing your best threads and wait for someone to 'hype' you, or comment on your snazzy get up. Such a simple idea, I love it.

Here are some of my favourites from todays 'most hyped'. What do you think?

Nadia; 17; Poland

Louise; 21; Paris

Jeff; 25; United States

Golestaneh; 25, Germany

Christine; 25; Los Angeles

make the right choice...

2010-02-03T19:45:00.007Z

Fancy some utterly bonkers but brilliant shoes to cheer you up this February? Feast your eyes on some picks from the new collection at Irregular Choice. I don't know where the designers get their ideas for these shoes, they are so totally different from most of the generic stuff you see on the high street.

These shoes really make a statement don't they?

from left: boots - £85; boots - £145

from left: shoeboots - £89.50; shoes - £62.25

from left: shoes - £69; shoes - £75

See the whole range here.

my dead pony...

2010-02-02T17:18:00.007Z

All images © My Dead Pony

Not as morbid as it sounds. My Dead Pony is the name of Raphaël's illustration showcase. His fantastic watercolour / mixed media illustrations are kind of surreal and dreamy.

I think my favourite is the one below, I like the contrast of the almost gothic theme with the pretty and delicate style of illustration.

For more of the same click here.

black, white and red...

2010-01-29T15:18:00.009Z

Vertical Limit is a race up the 42 floors of the Tower 42 building in London. Sounds like my kind of nightmare. But then it is in aid of a good cause; all proceeds go to housing charity Shelter. Here's some pics from the 2009 race.

But it was the design of the poster itself that caught my eye, I couldn't miss it really – the strong use of white, black and red, vertical lines, perspective, diagonal type. All of it reminded me of some of the early Constructivist and Bauhaus designs (shown below) I studied at university. Great to see that these graphic methods are being put to use to create some great modern visual graphics.

Clockwise from top left: Lissitzky, 1920; Zwart, 1924; Kassak, 1924; Schuitema, 1926; Schmidt 1923

bag lady...

2010-01-29T10:32:00.009Z

Right, I know there’s this thing for holding your big old designer tote in the crook of your elbow. Firstly, that’s going to make you ache like hell at some point surely? Secondly, wouldn’t you get in a mighty flap when trying to fish out your tube pass, muscle your way through a crowd, carry a million other things and maybe an umbrella at the same time??

No thanks, I’d rather go hands free. The cross shoulder bag, my new favourite thing. Ram as much stuff in it as you like, throw it over your neck and your sorted. Total freedom of movement. “ )

Here are my favourite lovely shoulder bags at the moment. And if it’s leather, even better, more battered equals better looking in my opinion. Shop on folks.

Clockwise from top left; leather bag – Rokit - £60; bag - Urban Outfitters - £38; leather bag - Topshop - £28

The Mulberry Alexa - £795. What my dreams are made of.

they way I want to live...

2010-01-28T16:42:00.021Z

All images styled by Molly Frey

I want to live in a house that is white, but not sterile, I'm thinking soft, gentle and peaceful. Loads of different textures but all tones of white and cream, with a bit of bleached wood thrown in for good measure. Colour would be used as an accent throughout but everything would be held together by this gorgeous white canvas.

All images styled by Molly Frey

Now I know this isn't everyone's cup of tea, and some would think that a white house would be cold and unwelcoming. But I came across Molly Frey's interiors and she has caught my mood exactly. Where are these houses she is styling, where are they?!? I want to gatecrash.

All images styled by Molly Frey

To me a white home is calm, peace, gentleness and would make a real haven to cocoon yourself in after a hard day. It would be a complete contrast to the chaotic London I live and work in. Perhaps this is why I crave it.

gold rush...

2010-01-28T13:41:00.012Z

From top: brass necklace £55; brass necklace £30; brass earrings £30; brass choker £40; brass bracelet £55. All MADE.

Fancy some delicious jewellery that's ethically sound?
Check out what MADE has to offer. MADE has awesome looking jewels, and the added bonus is that all the materials are ethically sourced and the pieces are all fair trade.

MADE boasts a great standard collection, a boutique range and various guest designer ranges - Alexa Chung and Peaches Geldof have both designed capsule collections, amongst others.

All the jewellery is quirky and original and best of all it won't break the bank. A fantastic place to get some individual pieces, I particularly like these brass necklaces, bracelets and earrings, above, which all look really strong and contemporary. I want the brass bracelet, surely it would help release my inner warrior princess!

it might be time for tea...

2010-01-27T14:03:00.002Z

All cups and teapots designed by Jonathan Plant for Moorland Pottery

A friend treated me to one of these great mugs from Moorland Pottery and I have been in love with it ever since. How cute are they?! Here I am fully indulging in my Black Country roots by showing some designs from the Brummie Ware range. However, there are also specific designs for Stokies, Scousers, Geordies and Yorkies. There is also a great set of more general designs.

All the cups in the range are designed by Jonathan Plant and I think they make great gifts. Or just treat yourself to one!

In regards to the first mug shown here, something I didn't realise before, Midlanders call their mothers 'mom' while the rest of the country say 'mum'. Hmmm, how strange...

gorgeous Gucci ad campaign...

2010-01-26T13:54:00.000Z

Take a look out of your window and you will no doubt be sick of the sight of grey, cold January and the never ending dark nights. How much would you give to swap all that for Palm Beach, Florida, the location for this great Gucci campaign??

These shots for the Gucci Spring Summer 2010 campaign are just fantastic. Look at the weather, at the scenery, the endless horizons… ah… Loving the art direction on these shots, the line and composition are fantastic. These stills have been shot in such an artistically considered way. I want to be there, like, right now.

The campaign was shot by Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott and I think it’s just so evocative of the decadence and sumptuous nature of the Gucci brand. The model is Natasha Poly who has previously modeled for Vuitton, Lanvin and D&G amongst others.

The last dress reminds me of a HR Giger painting, kind of skeletal and gothic. What do you think?

Extract from ZDF Bild, HR Giger

vintage style packaging...

2010-01-25T12:33:00.000Z

from left to right; bath foam £6.29; body lotion £5.49; cuticle oil £3.89; cleansing milk £3.89; all Boots Original

I might be a bit behind the times with these as I think this Boots Original range has been out for a while, but I thought it was worth mentioning them. I love the packaging on these products, really harking back to a bygone era. I'd like to imagine that ladies in the 20s and 30s had products that looked like this on their dressing tables. They make a lovely change to all the stripped back and minimalist designs that most cosmetics brands use these days. These products are unashamedly girly, I want them all. If anyone knows of any other great beauty packaging let me know.

some great typography...

2010-01-23T11:24:00.000Z

All images © www.extraverage.net

Looking for some inspiring type design? Check out these great pieces, some of the most wonderful shapes and colours in type I have seen in a while. Karoly Kiralyfalvi under the name Extraverage has put together some awesome type design for the Keystone Design Union. The series is called Trust the KDU. The actual letterforms may not be immediately identifiable straight away, but I don't think that matters too much, I personally don't mind spending the time trying to figure these words out, they look so good.

For more of the same check out Extraverage's Flickr page.

stripey happy people...

2010-01-22T13:36:00.000Z

I love stripey clothes. I'm not sure why, but they make me feel happy and the task of getting dressed in the morning is much more enjoyable when there's stripes involved. Here's a pick of the stripes available on the high street at the moment. There seems to be a real Parisienne vibe going on at the moment with Topshop devoting an entire collection to it. I am swooning over the Eiffel Tower knitted sweater, but it is sans stripe so I couldn't include it in the pictures below. I think my favourite is the All Saints dress, effortless. Yet that Sonia Rykiel stripey tee is a winner too, even in grey and miserable January you would feel pretty zingy with that on! Enjoy.

from left to right; waistcoat - Warehouse - £35; dress - Oasis - £60; skirt - Reiss - £110; sweater - River Island - £29.99

from left to right; tee - Sonia Rykiel - £158.73; dress - River Island - £19.99; tee - Topshop - £30; tee - Warehouse - £18

from left to right; vest - New Look - £8; coat - French Connection - £124; dress - All Saints - £90; tee - Dorothy Perkins - £18

stairway to heaven...

2010-01-22T10:54:00.000Z

One evening just before Christmas I was walking down Aldwych on the way to Charing Cross when I saw the strangest thing. It looked like a neon staircase leading into the pavement, the staircase just disappeared into the ground. Intrigued but not really understanding what I was seeing (it may have been the cocktails) I kind of forgot all about it. Then I stumbled on this article in Time Out and so I am relieved to find that I am not completely bonkers after all and the neon staircase does actually exist! Turns out the stairs lead to a rather cool underground bar called Cellar Door, which believe it or not is a converted men’s public convenience. Nice. I think it must be pretty cosy down there as it only holds about 60 people, but I’m intrigued by this place. It’s open untill 1am nightly and has live acts playing from 9pm. So if anyone fancies joining me for some drinks in a fabulously seedy sounding bar that used to be a public toilet let me know.

Cellar Door
Zero Aldwych
London, WC2E 7DN
020 7240 8848

some great illustration work...

2010-01-21T09:27:00.008Z

Album artwork for Under the Iron Sea by Keane, Sanna Annukka

Archipelago, Sanna Annukka

I first noticed Sanna Annukka's work when I saw a huge poster for Keane's 2008 album Under the Iron Sea. What a beautiful illustration. I love the blocks of bold colour and simplified shapes that Annukka uses. Check out her new website for some more examples of her work, I particularly like the Screenprints, especially Archipelago, how cool would that be on your lounge wall! It also looks like she is branching out into home furnishings as well. To view more of her work visit her site. Delicious.

I found Sarah Howell’s work at an exhibition held by Debut Art, an organisation promoting the world’s best illustrators, at the Coningsby gallery in Soho. She uses a great mixture of mediums, namely photography and illustration to create fantastic dreamlike compositions. All very detailed and precise with loads of layers. You could catch something different every time you look at one of her pieces, a real distinct montage style. Check out the rest of her stuff if you can.

Summer Exhibition 2006 poster, Si Scott

Love Will Tear Us Apart illustration, Si Scott

Si Scott, the British illustrator is pushing the boundaries of hand drawn typography. Isn’t is just brilliant? All the typography is hand drawn using fine liners. Such intricate work must take so long to accomplish yet what a result. The Love Will Tear Us Apart piece was also in the Coningsby Gallery and I stood in front of that piece for a long time just drinking it all in. Loving the fact that hand drawn styles are breaking up the monotony of computer dependant design.

what I am listening to right now...

2010-01-20T20:14:00.001Z

Vampire Weekend, Contra

Loving this album at the moment. Vampire Weekend's self-titled first album was released in 2008 I thought it was pretty awesome. The New York 4 piece mix their indie rock with some great African and Caribbean influences. You know when you get that rare album you can listen to all the way through without skipping any tracks, well Vampire Weekend's first album was just that. This second album Contra is wonderful too. The first single on the album Horchata really bridges the gap between the last album and this one. The rest of the album sees Vampire Weekend stretching their sound and it makes for a really fresh and interesting listen. Go get.