Stamp it out!

I recently rediscovered my old tins of carved rubber stamps that I made over 10 years ago ( yikes that long!) It was nice to find them again and I had forgotten just how many I had made! They were great fun to do and it was always quite a challenge to come up with a design that would work in such a small space: 3cm x 4.5cm. I even made myself a special tool for the job, basically a needle in a wooden handle so I could get all the fine details in. 

Here's a selection of some of my favourites all with a slightly surreal feel.
I spent ages searching for the perfect rubber to carve and I've still got a little stash of them waiting to be cut. I used to sell little groups of framed prints at my exhibitions and the prints do make nice cards too, perhaps I should find the time to make some new ones for my shop...

Bloomin' Spring!

I took a few photos around the house this week to join in with Lou's Nature in the Home feature on her blog. We have had some lovely Spring sunshine this week but it's still so cold!
These are my Mother's Day flowers, and a very good choice too, thanks Jimmy! Gerberas are my favourite flowers and I love the zingy colours which fit in very well with our colour scheme. I'm fond of chrysanthemums too which always remind me of my dear Grandma who always had dried ones in her house when I was little.

I was excited to see that one of my many cacti also decided to flower on Mother's Day.  I have loved cacti and succulents since I was a teenager, I find them strangely beautiful and a bit creepy, especially when they flower.

This is a photo from last year, this cactus always put on an amazing display, but so fleeting as each bloom only lasts a day!

Warm Wishes!

Merry Christmas to all my fellow bloggers!  Hope you all have a fabulous festive time! See you in 2013...

Here's a couple of snaps of our Christmas tree.  It's a little one, high up on the sideboard out of Jimmy's reach but he is really captivated by it for the first time this year.  I absolutely love these fuzzy pipe cleaner santas, some of them came from my Grandma and Grandad and I remember being really fascinated by them when I was little.  I was really pleased to find a box of them in a charity shop a few years ago so now we have a complete set.  So simple, yet so charming!

Love Cats!

Happy Valentines Day!  Here's a cute cat couple - Clarence and Clara, bud vases made by Wade in the 1950's. They sit on my mantelpiece and make me smile:) I have a lot of vintage ceramics on my shelves and how that will mix with a boisterous boy in the house only time will tell...!  Have a great day everyone:)

Illustration Friday - Journey

Here's a little spot illustration just published in the April issue of Cincinnati Magazine.  I thought it would be quite appropriate for this week's topic, as it's about the journey from green coffee bean to cup!

I have a little obsession with drawing faces on mugs and cups, probably inspired by my love of the Bourn-vita advertising campaign from the 1950's.  The bakelite sleepy faced mug was produced as a promotional item at the time and I had wanted one for ages, I finally found one without its hat and then a few years ago my brother in law bought me a complete one as a gift and I love it!

Mother's Day!

I couldn't resist posting this cute pair of piggy banks as it's Mother's Day today!
Funnily enough I bought the big one from a charity shop recently and then just the other day in a different charity shop in another town I found the little one, seems like it was waiting to be reunited with its mum don't you think?

I really like this type of cute and kitschy vintage pottery and these are now happily at home on my studio shelf!

On the Record

Two posts in one day, whatever next! Anyhow I found these old 45 rpm records in a charity shop yesterday and was drawn to them for their groovy graphics, probably from the 1940's.
I do have an old 1960's portable record player so I will have to dig it out to have a listen... I particularly like the abstract design on the green cover and may just pop it into a frame...

A stitch (back) in time!

Here's a new illustrated proverb from my hand lettering series in progress... I'm not much good at sewing but I've always loved sewing ephemera and have a collection of old knitting patterns, mending cards, buttons and needle books etc.  I love the graphics on these and I've framed them in my studio for inspiration.

Vintage Children's Books

I recently spent a lovely few days visiting my parents and while I was there I found these 2 fab books which I had collected years ago and forgotten about.  It was great to rediscover them and bring them back to the studio to join all the rest of my books.

I particularly love the bold illustrations in this one, and I've just found a flickr group dedicated to the work of Bernice Myers. Take a peek for some fantastic vintage illustration...

Matchbox Labels No 5

It's such a beautiful sunny day here today, not a cloud in the bright blue sky!  Summer is here:)
I thought I'd share this little set of Czech matchbox labels from my collection.  These have such a great summery feel and I love the bold graphic style.

Matchbox Labels No 4

Here's a few more matchbox labels for your delectation!  These are food/drink themed and from Germany.  I love the fisherman with the pot belly, I think he may have eaten too many herrings!  Cute little cat too!  Hey, my illustrator husband has just started his new blog, take a peak here...

Shelf Life No 1

I thought I'd share a little photo of a few of the cute characters who sit on a shelf above my desk.  The one on the left is a Carlton Ware pepper pot and the middle character is a strange mouse, rabbit hybrid, wearing blue eyeshadow!  I spotted it in a charity shop many years ago and had to bring it home with me.  They certainly make me smile on a daily basis!

Matchbox Labels No 3

The sun is shining and the birds are singing so I thought I'd share another set of my vintage matchbox labels, this time with a bird theme.  I wasn't sure of the language on these but with the help of google found out it's Lithuanian. I just love the orange backgrounds and simple graphic shapes.

Woman Magazine 1956

I was browsing in a local junk shop this week when I found an issue of Woman magazine, strangely enough dating from this very week, but in 1956!  I had to add it to my collection and it makes fascinating reading.   I like this advert for Calpreta cotton and I thought the palette was quite similar to my wedding illustration in my previous post.  I can't quite make out the signature but I'd be interested to find out who the illustrator was....

Matchbox Labels No 2

Yesterday was World Book Day, so in honour of that I thought I'd share some Czech labels with a book theme.  I particularly like the swallow carrying a book in its beak!

Matchbox Labels No 1

I've loved vintage matchbox labels ever since I discovered my Dad's album which he collected growing up in the 50's.  I caught the collecting bug and have a small and growing collection of my own which I thought I'd share.
Here's a German set which I recently bought, great colours and such fun designs.  I think the sailor is my favourite!

Studio Collections No 1

I've been a collector for as long as I can remember and recently found the perfect letterpress type tray to display my tiniest treasures in my new home studio.  I love looking at it and thought I'd share some of the photos.

Some of the handmade wooden characters are relics from the days when I used to make 3d illustrations.

I had fun juxtaposing objects together and particularly like the way the woman on the playing card is covering her modesty in front of the sailor on the cigarette box!

I've had some of these objects since I was a child, in fact the tiny toby jug was bought from a village fete when I was about 10 years old for all of 3 pence!