This afternoon

Do you think the England team will come out looking like a pack of smacked rats again?

Loser!

So England are playing again tonight. I am sick with fear.

EDIT (Saturday morning): I should be a prophet. So we didn't lose, but we are all wearing expressions like that this morning. Godawful.

busy busy

a fragment, without giving too much away, of what I was working on yesterday for Umbro. I like football so drawing footballers can't be a bad thing, right? Only it was an evening job for clients in New York so I missed out on watching last night's match. Sigh. I can't win...

my sketchbook today

Some of you may already know that I am an unashamed football nut. And most of you will have been unable to avoid the knowledge that the World Cup starts today. I have been a fan of England since I was nine years old, watching that wonderful, passionate Italia '90 tournament (and the godawful song that spawned the IN-GER-LUND chant). I am beside myself with excitement today. Pity me and my sad ways - set up for disappointment!

The Old Cinema

Bleurgh. I have been empty-headed all week, sleeping poorly (I have been itching and thrashing at night - what's that all about?) and at a bit of a loss creatively. I haven't got much to say for myself, I'm sorry.

The husband and I went to a local pub last night to watch my darling Tottenham beat Manchester City 1-0 to gain a Champions League spot for next season. It was the sweetest victory we have had all season, but I was quaking in my seat for pretty much the whole match. Sorry if you haven't got a clue what I'm talking about, or if you couldn't give a s***, but I just had to write this down, I was so happy :-)

So, have I got anything good to tell you (other than my football news which, to me, is good!)? I just came across this shop in London called The Old Cinema which labels itself as London's only department store dedicated to selling antique, vintage, retro and upcycled furniture. The pictures on their website certainly make the showroom (in Chiswick) look worth visiting, with art exhibitions on the walls and a huge amount of stock to drool over.

There are pieces from a wide range of eras, mostly 20th century, but some of it a bit too, uh, retro for my taste. However, here's a small selection of the things that I liked. What did I choose? The usual suspects for me - industrial steel furniture (there's LOADS of it!), lockers, desks and haberdasher's cabinets. Am I getting boring?




(top image left) French soccer lockers, £625; (top image right) steel and brass lockers, £480; (above) Danish rosewood desk, £1050; 1950s draughtsman's desk, £1200; oak haberdasher's cabinet, sold.

I also liked some of the lighting, especially the anglepoise desk lamps. Ah, if only I had loadsa money, eh?

I've just received a commission with a very tight deadline so I'm off to work for the rest of the day. I will post a new drawing if I have time!