Happy weekend!

Sorry, I've lost my drawing mojo at the moment. We have a bank holiday here on Monday so I'll be back on Tuesday with stories from the weekend. Have a good one!

Staircases

This morning I would kill small mammals for the staircase in this house. It's the lack of a bannister that gets me excited. Not great for children/older folk/drunks, but I am none of those right now (although occasionally childish/drunk), so it works for me :-)


Or if you want a bannister, how about this one (above)?

But maybe those are a bit sterile, so how about something a little less white-on-white, like this or this below?

One Hundred Days no.97

crawling towards the finish line...

what I've been up to

I've been doing a little illustration job for another educational book, this time on ways to trick your body into doing or imagining weird things. Here is a snippet from it. If you do what these people are doing in the picture and stroke both noses at the same time (you being the person in the blindfold), eventually the other person's nose will start to feel like yours and you will think that your nose is as long as Pinocchio's. I haven't tested it yet!

As you can see it wasn't in my usual drawing style, but it was a good challenge! I'll be back later today with something else, work permitting.

ABK Custom Leather Craft

No time to blog today - busy busy on a tight deadline. So I thought I'd post up a link to some gorgeous leather bags and shoes. Those shoes! The shop is ABK Custom Leather Craft in Brooklyn. See you tomorrow! (sorry about the lack of drawing recently)



Seen via The Snail and the Cyclops

Homespun Vintage Design

Came across another shop this morning that sells an interesting selection of mid century pieces. It's called Homespun Vintage Design and it aims to showcase and sell pieces made by the last century's more overlooked designers - in their words: 'going beyond the usual celebrated design icons to shine the spotlight across a wider arc'.

the weekend

Wasn't it a glorious weekend here? We were blessed with some amazing weather, perfect for prandling about the North Wales countryside in search of the perfect house. We went to some of the loveliest countryside in the UK, and the only photo I took was the one above. Someone shoot me. It was in the attic of that beautiful townhouse in Ruthin I was going on about the other week. My goodness, was the house in a state! Whilst it was a wonderful building and had heaps of potential, I reckon it would take between 50 and 100 thousand pounds to do it up, what with a leaking roof, cracked walls and a pervasive smell of damp on the ground floor... I'm afraid that if we bought the place we would have bitten off MUCH more than we could chew, so sadly I think it's not for us :-). We simply do not have the building contacts, know-how and friends that would be necessary to complete a job like this without bankrupting ourselves!

We also saw a wonderful farmhouse with a detached artist's studio and paddock, but somehow I didn't like the house at all. Then we saw an immense 16th century merchant's house in one of the sweetest villages in the area, but which didn't have a big enough garden for its price. Oh, and lastly we went to possibly the most depressing cottage I've ever set foot in. I wanted to die as soon as we stepped out of the car. I can't even describe why.

So, no house-buying was achieved, but I did get this lovely vintage mirror for £3 at an attic sale in Ruthin market :-)

playtime

So I've spent a whole week procrastinating and pretending that I'm doing something useful. I wish my work were more of a constant, rather than ebbing and flowing as it does - sometimes I feel swamped and then it all goes away very suddenly, leaving me floundering in my own inability to self-direct. I am at a loose end this week, so I've been thinking about the things I could be busying myself with if only I had the get-up-and-go that I am so severely lacking on days like these. I saw this post over on illustrator Dani Jones's site the other day (via another blog I can't remember). It lists 101 things to do if you are an illustrator with a bit of time on your hands between projects. I thought it was a good list but UTTERLY terrifying. I am so bad at self motivation that all these great ideas just scare me.

So maybe I should have a go at some of those things, or find some of my own. I've long wanted to get back into proper painting: doing something a bit more 'arty' than just drawing silly characters and scenes. And maybe I'll have a go at papier mâché - creepy masks and cool animal puppets with fabric clothing could be fun to make. I only ever made a very bad papier mâché hot air balloon when I was very young. Time to play, I think. Now I just need to find a place where I can make a sticky mess!

Today I've been playing with my blank matryoshka dolls and have finally started to colour a second set. See the original set here.



This weekend the husband and I are off to North Wales again to nose around yet more houses, and we will be dragging my Mum with us because she's all lonesome at home with my Dad and sister away. I can't wait! Have a good one, whatever you're doing.

One Hundred Days no.96

My friend the garlic lover again.

Etsy

I've been awful with this Etsy lark. Haven't updated in ages, so I've just re-activated a few items. I shall think of something new to make and sell soon, I hope! Click here to go to the shop or use the sidebar on the left.

LSA recycled glassware

When I was in London the other day I popped into Heal's on Tottenham Court Road and spotted a few things I liked. In particular I could barely get over my desire for these stubby recycled glass tumblers (the short ones) made by LSA. They look very ordinary, I know, but trust me, they are much more elegant in the flesh, as it were, with subtle faceting, tiny bubble inclusions and a lovely colour. They are really simple but well made, and they suit my rustic/eco taste. Get them slightly cheaper (although I couldn't be arsed to read about delivery costs etc.) here. Wine glasses and dessert bowls are also available.

One Hundred Days no.95

Ever drooled on your favourite toy in your sleep?

London

Oh dear. I really shouldn't be let loose in London. Not only did I buy a lovely grey coat for the husband but my hand, uh, slipped in Urban Outfitters and I ended up with these trousers in navy. Oops! They are just the thing I've been looking for, though, that's what I'm telling myself.


I also had a close encounter with these shoes at the Faith sale (Faith are in administration so everything is 20% off right now) but I walked away at the last minute. Seriously, I could have done a lot of damage to our bank balance yesterday if I'd let myself. Thankfully I only got the trousers, although I could have bought up half of Urban Outfitters, including these super-impractical suede booties. Dangerous.


OK, enough with the clothes! I'll be back with some drawing later this afternoon.

peg leg trousers and a blouse

I am away in London today running a few errands and seeing old colleagues for lunch. I might even go and draw somewhere interesting in the afternoon. Alternatively I could go on the hunt for that elusive spring/summer jacket that I've been looking for ever since I consigned the last one, faded and ragged, to the bin. Or I could go to Gap and get the husband the coat that he has been eyeing up but which he hasn't found in the right size yet. He, like me, is a pretty average-sized person so whenever something is popular, it always runs out in our sizes first. Annoying!

I thought I'd bite the bullet and show you a couple of things I've mentioned before, namely the sewing project from last week and those pesky peg leg trousers that I keep prattling about but never photograph. Well, here they both are in all their combined peculiar/androgynous glory. Sorry about the rubbish photos - I am not brave enough yet to get the husband to take pictures of me whilst I prat around in silly clothing so I'm doing it on a timer or in the rather dusty bedroom mirror.


The blouse is the sewing project from last week, and was inspired by the one from Jackson, Johnston and Roe that I blogged here. I haven't decided yet if I will sew tiny opaque white buttons to the placket or leave it as is. Amateurishly, I made the pattern up myself, so the fit around the shoulders isn't perfect (it's a bit funnel-necky on someone as square as me) and it's a b***** to take off! Oop! Maybe I'll get better with practice :-) But it was fun to make. I have never made a garment with sleeves before so at least I've learned something!



In order NOT to look like a bloke, perhaps some heels might be in order, but I'm in socks here. Never mind if I look like some random from the 1920s or 30s - I love these pictures of girls in menswear and workwear, from Wikipedia and The Selvedge Yard.