Trust Toast

Ah, Toast. You never fail to make me feel better that it's the end of summer. If only I could afford your clothes. Even so, bring on autumn!

On the other hand, this article in the Telegraph about 'catalogue lifestyle anxiety' made me laugh.

All images from Toast.

the weekend

We tried to relax this weekend and get away from thinking about all the things that have been bothering me these last few days. So we went picnicking at the seaside, this time at Frinton-on-Sea where they have the most amazing Modernist and Art Deco seafront houses. I mean, jaw-dropping white beauties like this one and this one, and there are loads of them. Whilst I am all for Georgian farmhouses for my own home, I can't help but wonder what it would be like to own something as stunning as those. I can just imagine the kind of decor I would like to use inside!

We also went to play on the helter skelter at cheesy Clacton-on-Sea, and to explore the site of special scientific interest at The Naze. The latter borders Hamford Water and the creeks and saltmarshes where Arthur Ransome set his Swallow and Amazons book, 'Secret Water'. Being the geek (here and here) that I am, I was pleased to at least have seen a part of it from a distance. We never quite made it to Hamford Water itself, but the sailboats that now navigate those waters were clearly visible from our walk on the sea wall.

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 weekend

was a bit mad. We had a wonderful time at Go Ape - it really is worth having a go, even if you aren't all that confident with stuff like heights or swinging between trees and climbing rope ladders. I love that kind of thing so it was perfect fun for me. We went with a bunch of my school friends and their partners and spent the rest of the weekend eating, playing Cluedo badly (ever tried it drunk?) and drinking too much. I am exhausted and a bit fluffy today as a consequence.


This week I'm doing another Dorling Kindersley book spread, this time on famous alien abductions. I am really enjoying drawing UFOs!

Hope you all had a good weekend. I need another one right now...

Happy weekend!

I'm afraid I'm too busy with work today to write or draw anything here. Please forgive me. Tonight we are welcoming weekend guests to our house who will be going with us tomorrow to swing amongst some trees in Thetford Forest. I am looking forward to climbing trees and behaving like a boy with some of my very best friends. Then we will have a big party in our tiny house, cook dinner and make a mess. We are calling it a 'house-cooling' party: a last hurrah before we move on.

Hope you have a good weekend.

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!

I'm so sad

I am at a loss. I am bored to tears with work right now (animating tiny figures warming up for a game of cricket is soul destroying). But at the same time I appear to have vacated all interesting thoughts from my head. Perhaps I shouted a bit too hard last night and my brain fell out or something. Anyhoo, with nothing particular to tell you, I thought I'd have a play on Polyvore and collate a few bits of clothing you might wear on the hallowed terraces of White Hart Lane if, unlike me, you don't want to look like a fledgling thug in your Spurs scarf and shirt, wax jacket and lace-up black boots. OK, maybe a skirt is a bit soft for football - after all, I think you should go dressed like you want to karate kick someone in the chest. Your choice!

I had to, however, include an obligatory piece of chav bling (the SINGLE earring - I mean, really? Is that for a man to wear?), just to lower the tone to the right level. After all, part of the experience is eating dodgy fish and chips whilst watching the ticket touts and apprentice hooligans pass by. It wouldn't do to be too well turned-out. And of course the whole thing needs a pop of canary yellow to reinforce the message. My god, I'm sad (and bored).


I even gave it the title Come on you Spurs just to make things worse.

Items in this set (as usual with no regard for whether or not one can buy them): Stripe Jersey Dress by Rare**, $90, Handbe-T Navy Vest, 40 GBP, Gemma button-down cotton skirt, $170, Striped cotton skirt, $165, Shoes - Forever21.com, $20.

Now I'm going to bury my head in the garden for shame.

One Hundred Days - no. 71

(click image for larger version) Some of the characters at the football last night, including the husband (I declined to draw myself in my wax jacket and thug boots... we looked like a pair of yokels come to town to pick a fight). COME ON YOU SPURS!!!!!! (sorry, I can't help myself)

One Hundred Days - no. 70

A quick one from yesterday. I am busy animating people throwing balls today... then I'm off to the football again. Since we will be moving north before September, I am cramming in as much White Hart Lane action as I can (sob!) while we live relatively close by. Pity me and my sad, boyish ways.

Swallows and Amazons - camping

This post is dangerously close to sounding like just another take on 'glamping' so I need to be a bit careful here. This is NOT about staying in a bed with a duvet in a yurt, or being able to have sweet-smelling hot showers, electricity and a Persian rug on the floor. I want to talk about old fashioned camping - canvas tents, stony ground, cooking over campfires, eating tinned food and sleeping under thick blankets. If I were to do this I would want to travel and live as simply as possible; I'm not a glamorous girl who wants her life to be all pretty and pillowy with hairdryers and towelling robes galore. Don't get me wrong - I like my creature comforts a lot - but there is something very attractive to me about the frugality of camping. No rain, though, please, not too much rain and mud.

In the spirit of yesterday's post, I've put together some things I might want to have around if I were setting up camp on a little lake island for the summer holidays. True to the Swallows, one must have a little vintage milk can, must one not? I've probably lost all of you there if you haven't read the books, so apologies for being such a nerd about it.


(clockwise from top left) Ridge tent from £465, Albion Canvas; first aid tin with contents, £22, H is for Home; wooden first aid box, £28, H is for Home; milk can, £25, H is for Home; English willow fishing creel, £285, Great English Outdoors; Welsh blankets, from £85, Baileys; sandwich tin, £8, H is for Home.


(clockwise from top left) Woodsman tent, from £605, Albion Canvas; narrow loom Welsh blanket, £185, Great English Outdoors; billy can, £14, Baileys; candles, Labour and Wait.


(clockwise from top left) Enamel teapot, £12, Labour and Wait (or google 'falcon enamelware' for cheaper prices); red saucepan, £40, Labour and Wait; vintage Chalwyn hurricane lamp, £15, eBay; steel kettle, £38, Labour and Wait; 4m bell tent, £279, belltent.co.uk.

I have made a few concessions to space by choosing pretty large tents, but they are good to look at aren't they, and surely a girl needs a little more space once she's grown up? If you want an even more vintage look, try the period ridge tents from £255, Albion Canvas.

Swallows and Amazons

When I was a child I was an avid fan of the Swallows and Amazons books by Arthur Ransome. I wanted to run wild around the countryside making maps, sleeping in tents, eating tinned beef and calling it pemmican, prancing around in my swimwear whilst daubed in mud; I wanted to swim in lakes, sail boats, and plan expeditions all whilst hanging around in shorts and thick fisherman's jumpers and leather brogues with socks. It all sounded like such fun, a fantasy with few adults but lots of fire and knives. OK, that didn't come out quite right, but you know what I mean.

These days I'm a bit more self-conscious in swimwear, but all of the other things I would still definitely do. And what would I wear? Well, I was pratting about on Polyvore yesterday and came up with this slightly monochromatic and unintentionally expensive selection.



Alcina Sweater, $395
Shirred Boyfriend Shirt, $275
Corsham Duffle, 180 GBP
Old Navy Womens Perfect Khaki Shorts (3), $20
Brown Leather Brogue Shoe, 40 GBP


The anchor brooch is actually a monstrous 15cm thing from Topshop US, the beige cashmere socks (I know this is all a bit expensive!) are sold out, and the bag is a military surplus bag from Hungary. The belt is £40 from All Saints - happily I have an almost identical one from years ago that I bought for £5 in a Topshop sale :-) Maybe a proper raincoat and an old fashioned sou'wester would also be essential in our rainy summers. I would add a red beret or woolly hat - indeed I already own one(!) - but I think that would probably take things a bit too far.

Tomorrow I will find some good things for a vintage, Swallows and Amazons style camping trip. See you then!

indulge me

for just a little while. I need to tell you about this. I like classic cars, all sorts, from the delightfully weird, backwards-looking Fiat Multipla (pictures above from previous link and Flickr), through various Austins and Fords to the sweet 1990s retro Nissan Figaro. Call me a tomboy if you will, I like cars (don't much like driving them, though - I'm a hazard). But being a typical girl, silly, blobby, impractical-looking ones are my favourites :-)


Image from here.

If I had to choose, though, I would have to own a Bedford CA, preferably of the camper-van type, or perhaps the ice-cream van or fire truck version. They are just too cute, with their snub noses and gorgeous colouring. I would turn mine into a travelling drawing booth, where people can come inside and I'll draw a portrait of them as an animal or something ridiculous like that. Sound like a plan?


Image from here.


Image from here.


Image from here.

this picture rocks

My sister looks like a little Liam Gallagher type here in her khaki parka. Look at the furtive expression on her face! Priceless.

geek love

I got an early birthday present from my husband at the auction on Saturday (yes, I was well enough to go!) - this incredible old Roneotype printing machine. We didn't have a clue what it was or whether it worked, but with two huge and beautiful boxes of metal type, a little printer's stand and a 1930s style chest of drawers full of random printing goodies in it, it was too good to miss. Turns out there is scant information anywhere about such machines, so I will just have to muddle along with it using my prior knowledge of other printing presses as well as a whole pile of assumptions.

It's now in the greenhouse (of all places!) where yesterday I spent a good couple of hours behaving like the geek tomboy that I am and taking the thing apart. Filthy business it was - there was a disintegrating sponge somewhere in there and about fifty years of brown oily gunge to clear. I'm still working out the mechanism for inking up and printing, but I think I understand all the bits now. It was joyful pottering, gratifying geekery to be out there with the wind battering the panels of the greenhouse and getting covered in oil. Only problem is, one of the cogs has worn right away and needs replacing or it won't work at all! Luckily the husband has lots of friendly technicians at work who might be able to help me out.

Here she is, in pieces:




It came with three barrel-shaped drums on which you set your type, and a handful of composition forks upon which you create each line of text before sliding it onto the barrel. Some of the type and blocks that came with the machine were for an old shoemaking company in Norwich, so I have inherited the little shoes, boots and logos which would probably have been on their letterheads and correspondence.



What else did we get? a few beautifully etched soda syphons not unlike these in clear glass (only we're struggling to open them!), some random old tins, some even more random bottles of horse medicine (!), a flour sack full of weird rabbit traps and a crate full of lovely vintage terracotta pots for me.

And to top it all off, my football club won 9-1 yesterday. Whoop!