It's the End of The Road

We have just had a wonderful weekend at End Of The Road Festival in Dorset. There were loads of great bands (Sigur Ross under a clear starry sky was a highlight) but it was its magical setting that made it really special for me.

It was in Larmer Tree Gardens in Dorset with resident peacocks strolling around (or finding peace in the treetops..we were surprised to find that they could fly). 

The surrounding woods became an enchanting playground full of surprises.

Like colourful fruits in trees,

a woodland library lit with lanterns with people sitting around reading books to each other,

pretty things to discover,

the most enchanting tunnel of twinkly fairy lights,

and a piano that made the lights come on.

There was a piano you could play if you fancied, comedy in the woods, cinema,

Scrabble,

nice things to eat and drink,

and at night...

can you imagine discovering a dance floor under the oak trees?

complete with mirror ball,

 Dj's in a boat

and a flashing dancefloor?

 The perfect setting for a boogie!

We needed a little help keeping warm at night. You could feel the Autumnal chill creeping in.

Look at these two. It was fab hanging out with them both for the weekend

and it was the perfect way to mark the end of the Summer.

Searching for wallpaper stockists

My wallpaper is going to print on the 9th September. How utterly exciting! I am currently searching for stockists. Do you know of any ideal wallpaper/interior shops or websites that might be interested in showing it? If you do please give me a shout. I'd be most grateful.

Can't wait to get this show on the road :)

A day of colour

I come over all funny when I see this picture. This is my gravure cylinder at the factory, beautifully engraved and ready to print my wallpaper. Oh my...I find it exquisite.

And these are the shoes of James who was one of my colourists for the day. He and Shane mixed up colours to order for us all day long...

A blob here, a blob there...well that's what it looked like but it was much more technical and super organised than that!

Notes were taken every step along the way.

With each colour change the cylinders had to be cleaned down and hoisted on and off the machines.

The big ones like mine weigh around 100 kg!

They worked so hard for us mixing and printing and carrying the samples down the corridor to our sampling room to await their next instruction. 

We pinned everything up to have a look at and with the help of the Anstey staff we made decisions about where to go next every step of the way. 

'Brighter, warmer, a step up, a step down, cleaner, dirty it up a bit, less minty, more sage, up ten percent, down twenty'...by the middle of the day we were learning the lingo...

You can't see it but this one has 'mica' in it which is like a metallic powder that creates a gentle sheen. It's very pretty indeed.

By the end of the day we had created over thirty colourways.

 I only really went to find my 'kraft paper' colour and I came away with A LOT of decisions to make!

It was an amazing day. I learned that colour is an elusive thing. It doesn't stay still and you can't pin it down. When you think you have it the next time you turn around it seems to be not quite what you thought it was. And then there's the fact that what you see one way, someone else sees another. Hmmmm tricky.

All I know now is that I want to take lots of colours to print :)

Are you with me?

The Fenwick Gallery

 It was a nice surprise to find that the closest shop to our holiday cottage in Northumberland sold my lamps!

This is The Fenwick Gallery in Warkworth.

It is run by mother and daughter Dorien and Nicole Fenwick, both artists themselves and their gallery has been open for 22 years! What a lovely pair they are. We had such a warm welcome and we had lots to chat about.

It was nice to discover that my lamps were in good company nestled in among lots of lovely work that I recognised like Samantha Bryans fairies.

They have a wonderful display of designer/maker jewellery.

The bird is by Becky Crow who is a favourite of mine.

Here are some pieces by Lynn Muir and Abbot and Elwood.

And some of Sarah Jane Browns driftwood sculptures and wire knitting.

Sarah McDade..she's from Hebden Bridge too.

and here are some dogs by our friend Olivia Brown.

I was rather taken by Nicoles pretty cards.

It's always so nice to see where my lamps are being sold. It made me feel at home in Warkworth. If you're ever visit you must pop in and say hello to these lovely people. And say hi from me. x

Unwinding

A beach in Northumberland.

Collecting treasures.

Playing.

Peaceful.

Therapeutic.

Satisfying.

Pretty.

Fun.

Cute!

Just what we needed.