Amanda Mercer Ceramics

I love items which have a nostalgic feel and the beautiful work of ceramic artist maker, Amanda Mercer is lovingly handcrafted and inspired by memories and nostalgia.

Amanda’s range is a collection of delicate porcelain buttons, jewellery, pretty home wear and decoration all individually handcrafted and created in Carlisle, Cumbria.

Based on a love for vintage memorabilia such as vintage buttons found in her Grandma's button box, scraps of lace, black and white photographs, stamps and letters, Amanda, translates this feeling through her work.  She explores both the surface decoration and form. Many different techniques are used to achieve her pieces. Such as imprinting, screen printing and the use of decal transfers which are produced through drawings and collages of postage markings and letters.

Each piece is individual and bespoke and they make the most beautiful presents for yourself and others.

Since graduating in 2009 with a first class B.A HONS in Contemporary Applied Arts, Amanda started selling her collection of items through shops and galleries throughout the UK and has also taken part in many exhibitions and events.

Please view www.amandamercer.com for the full range and more details.

Sara x

Fashion Drawn...

Garance Doré is a French photographer, illustrator and author, best known for her fashion blog and stunning fluid drawings…

Any self-proclaimed lovers of fashion will know all about this multi-skilled and stylish woman, who is simply too talented for words. Garance originally lived and worked in Paris but is now based in New York. The street style snapper emerged on the fashion scene in 2006, in the early days of the blogger boom and remains to be a major player. Along with her photographer boyfriend, Scott Schuman, they are the reigning King and Queen of street style photography. Doré has lent her creative touch to numerous creative projects. Working as both a photographer and illustrator has allowed her to collaborate with a long list of clients: such as Chloe, Louis Vuitton, Moschino, Max Mara, MAC Cosmetics and Dior.

She’s been featured in The New York Times, Vogue and ELLE Magazine and on featured on Harper’s Bazaars Women of Fashion, GQ’s 25 Most Glamorous Women of Fashion, and Vogue’s 40 Women of the Decade and Elle France’s 30 Most Powerful Women in Fashion.

I love her work  and hope you do too…

www.garancedore.fr/en/ for more information

Bye for now

Sara x

Bohemian Pattern For Interiors

Surfacephilia

This is one of my favourite surface design brands. I love the sketchiness and uniqueness, this brand is instantly recognizable with a strong signature style. I feel that many surface decoration and design brands have become very similar.  It is really exciting to see a home grown brand becoming an international success in such a short space of time.



Surfacephilia is a UK based surface design brand that creates luxurious bohemian patterns for the interiors and homeware market. It was launched at the London Design Festival in 2011 by owner and designer Helen Stevens. After graduating in 2002 in Textiles and Surface Design, Helen went on to work in industry as a print designer for Red or Dead and as a college lecturer and is also involved in the Designer Marketplace.

Helen's hand rendered approach towards surface pattern and her bold and experimental designs are built up using layering of intricate and often repetitive drawings, paintings and textures that have been lifted directly from precious sketchbook pages.

Described in The Telegraph Magazine as 'One to watch' and as one of Glass Magazine's 'Top 5 designers to have in your home'. Surfacephilia’s debut collection Navajo, spans across a range of digitally printed wallpapers, luxury feather filled cushions, bone china and greeting cards and is all consciously manufactured in the UK.  Surfacephilia is sold in Liberty and through their website which is listed below.  Sara xx

www.surfacephilia.co.uk

Bespoke work by Helen Stevens

Room Sets And Drawings

Back To The Drawing Board

 In the modern age speed is of the essence, particularly in the design world. Computer programmes are essential in the design world. However, I just love to see original drawings and water colours of room sets. These are so beautiful and are actually works of art in their own right as well as serving a function in the design process.  So how about going back tothe drawing board and starting to draw and paint?

Food for thought….

Sara x

Wonderful drawings taken from The Perfectly Imperfect Home by Deborah Needman.

Wonderful Design Studios

KRISTJANA S WILLIAMS Studio ​

I love detailed drawings and illustrations and one of my favourites is Kristjana S Williams. The colours and images are stunning and unique.

Kristjana S Williams creates magical landscapes, filled with impossible, exotic creatures by interweaving fragments of Victorian engravings with contemporary illustration and colouring. Icelandic born and a graduate of Central St Martin’s, Williams’ illustration work spans the worlds of fashion, homeware and prints and has gained widespread critical acclaim.

​Kristjana’s recent work includes large scale mural displays at the V&A for the London Design Festival, a solo exhibition “Dyragardurin” at Outline Editions’ temporary gallery in Soho, a collaboration with heritage furniture maker George Smith and wallpaper designer Cole & Son, and commissions for the Chanel Group and Paul Smith amongst others. She is a regular exhibitor at Outline Editions who showcase and sell her work through exhibitions. Outline Editions launched an exclusive collection of prints by for her solo show “Anachroquarianism” at Shapero Rare Books in 2012.

http://www.kristjanaswilliams.com

 

George Smith Furniture

I have posted some of her wonderful images and also have a selection of images in http://pintereset.com/sarabrowndesign/botanical-drawings-and-prints

 Sara X

                                         Available at Paul Smith