desk for success : )

Ok not much to say about this post I'll let the photo's do the talking but I've gone and done it, I'm now the proud owner of this 1940 desk. I set out to buy another second hand 1960 mad men style desk, but as soon as I saw this baby it was love at first sight. He's a fixer upper. I'm not quite sure what I'm going to do with him yet maybe have him sprayed white or just sand him back. The top needs recovering I'm thinking tan leather and I'm going to change the handles for those lovely silver cup cabinet ones as that would be in keeping with the 40's feel. It was the small set of rack drawers that really did it for me, perfect for keeping my prints in. It also only cost $40 that's about £18. I don't know how I'm going to get him back to England with me but there is no way I'm leaving him behind. I also bought this 1970 office chair, it smells of smokers and damp but I'm getting it recovered, which should hopefully fix that problem. I've shocked myself by choosing this pink Designer Guild fabric called central park. I never choose pink.

super (market)

NewZealands very own Moore Wilsons is just the best supermarket I've ever been to and I've just traveled around the States and Canada - In Vancouver they have sprikalars that spray the fresh fruit and veg with water every minute to keep it fresh and shiny. Moore Wilsons looks more like a New York art gallery than a food store and just look at the beautiful hand written signage inside. Their prices are a bit high for me to be able to shop there but I like just walking around day dreaming of all the perfect meals I could make if I had the time, cash or energy. They also have the most amazing home ware and toy sections.

front page news...

...at long last I saw my work on the front page of etsy. I've been featured on the front page twice before but only found out after the event. It's such a good feeling seeing your work in one of those little boxes:) More really good news today but I better not talk about it yet x.

oh dear...

...I’m so behind with my blog, I don’t even really have time to talk about all the exciting things going on. I’ve started work at Scooter and boy are they busy. Could it be that ‘busy’ is a virus going around Wellington this year, if it is I’ve caught it bad. Here are a few ‘sorrys- I know I’m a rubbish daughter, friend, person’. Dad I’m sorry I still owe you a poster (I’m timetabling in a hour to do it on Friday). All my friends and family in the UK, US and Canada, I’m so so behind with correspondence (all my really good friends will know how unhappy this makes me). Sweet Fletcher thank you for the email, Gilly and I are going to join forces and send you something nice in the post ASAP. Fiona I’m rubbish I didn’t manage to get a birthday card in the post, thank goodness I had already sorted a gift through polkadotmoon (necklace above). I hope you sort the perfect new outfit to wear it with. Congratulations on the new job as well, I’m proud of you girl – how would you feel about a trip to Paris once I make in back to our side of the world, it’s been to long.

I also wanted to share these cool cabinets with you, they are by a Wellington based furniture maker called Duncan Sargent. I spent a great many hours yesterday trying to amend his photos (I’m good with Photoshop but not that good). Thankfully he’s a lot better with wood than he is with a camera. I love all of his work but I have to have one of these guys.

What a difference a week makes

Well there’s been a lot happening in the past seven days. Let’s get the big news out of the way first the twits have new shoes… look at them pretty and spotty and red… the shoes not the girls that is. Birdie hated them for two days and wouldn’t put them on but by the third day seemed to forget about it and is now happily wearing them. Fingers crossed. This blog entry is going to have to be on the short side as the adrenalin, which has gotten me through this week has suddenly and dramatically gone and all I want to do is curl up and sleep. Last week I hit a major streak of good luck. It all started on Tuesday when I got featured in a etsy unfound treasures article, to reference a popular movie I was smiling like a Cheshire cat… I really didn’t think things could get any better then I got picked up by Design Sponge, THE Design Sponge, the blog I look at every single day – Wow, over the moon, cat that got the cream, smug, beside myself, all good fraises to sum up how I felt. It turns out DS makes a big difference to one person working alone, the side affects include, selling a lot more work than you ever dream possible, being massively sleep deprived and becoming on first name terms with the people in the post office. Tomorrow I register as a business, this seems very scary and grown up but it has to be done before I get in trouble for tax aviation. The photo above shows dear colleen HQ in Gillys hall, thank god they have a large house.
I’m sorry to say I have yet more good news, how sickening am I. I have a job at long last and it’s in Wellington. I’ve chosen a part time post down here over a fancy pants career job in Auckland. I know it sounds mad the Auckland job was everything I thought I wanted but things have changed in the last month. Plus Chris and Sandy who I’ll now be working for are the lovely people. Chris is a graphic and furniture designer and he’s built me my own desk to work at, how wonderful is that. I'm looking forward to starting on Wednesday that’s how nice these guys are. I owe a hug thank you to Diane for setting this up (I bought her the flowers above as a thank you, I can’t believe how cheep flowers are over here). While I’m thanking people I would like to mention the lovely people at the local post office who have been endlessly helpful and have kept me smiling. Paul at You Send It, what a guy I would never have managed to package all the orders without his help, all the lovely lovely people who have left me sweet messages and have stopped by my shop and once again Gilly and Unge for putting up with me and my mess. Ok not such a short blog after all. I’ll be back soon with pictures of the beautiful 60s desk I found and my plans to restore it, I'm so excited.

Here are a few other nice blogs that have mentioned me:
decor8
creaturecomforts
elefantitasalegres
thebeautifulsoup
givegoodgift
apothecaryfox

this little town

I'm very glad to discover this week that I'm still in Wellington it was looking like Auckland was calling for a minute there but at the very last moment I found a job down here and am able to stay. Here are a few pictures from out and about. Sorry it's hard to get good photos as the light is so strong it just bleaches the image.

picture perfect

Finally got to see one of my original letterpress posters framed and up. It couldn’t be in a more beautiful home. Karen’s house looks like it's straight out of Elle decor, these photos don’t even begging to do it justice, really it’s stunning. I’m filled with a smug glow seeing that the people who buy my work have such exceptional taste.

craft 2.0

I went to a craft fair on Saturday and it wasn’t at all like the ones I remembered form my childhood, no potpourri in sight. It was my first visit to Wellingtons New Dowse Gallery and I’m hoping it won’t be my last as it’s a really good contemporary space.


Craft 2.0 is a very modern affair, you win your place by making modern, witty and stylish work, only the best get a place. I though I would share some of my favourite finds.

The little grey guy hiding behind his pews is by minu, who also had some gorgeous illustrated prints. The cake stands are by Susan Wilson who sadly has no web address (yet) but I have her email if anyone is keen to find out more. She’ll make custom stands from plates of your own choosing. The sweet little fabric doll and bunny are by stitchpixie, I know two little girls who would love a rag doll each and finally the wooden key necklace is Super Very a label I’ve seen a lot of since I’ve been in Wellington and I've just read that Sue Tyler of Super Very set Craft 2.0 up. I'm impressed.