Mischief, Flapjacks, Pantone and Me

Jute and jam jars....A Cornish Wedding

noreply@blogger.com (Anna @ Mischief, Flapjacks, Pantone & Me) — Wed, 08 May 2013 19:02:00 +0000

Hello! Hello! Did you think I'd disappeared off the face of the blog planet? Well I had (almost!), but I'm back. The last few months have been somewhat testing as you know. Not only have I deserted my blog but I've had very little interaction with anybody out there in the creative world. I've not been on Pinterest for weeks! UGH! What is going on? Anyway, you'll be pleased to know that I am finally coming out the other side...slowly. My creative juices are flowing once more.

How gorgeous and summery was the bank holiday weekend? I was lucky enough to be down in Cornwall for the wedding on my friend Jo. The setting in Trevose Head/Booby's Bay was spectacular. Everything about the wedding was so beautiful but it was Jo's attention to the (hand-made) details which really stood out for me. Think, jam jars, hay bails, white wash wood, country flowers and lots of jute! They even built the bar themselves! I managed to capture some of it on camera and thought I'd share it with you here.

www.charliescribble.com

The professional photography was done by one of my favourite photographers, Marianne Taylor. I can't wait to see them, I'm sure they will be fabulous!

Photography For Bloggers with Emily Quinton

noreply@blogger.com (Anna @ Mischief, Flapjacks, Pantone & Me) — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 15:38:00 +0000

I've always been a keen photographer taking pictures whenever the opportunity arises and as a designer always trying to be creative with angles (often a little too much!), effects and a little bit obsessed with the macro setting! Despite having a good eye for things I've never really been 100% happy with the pictures I take and always wanted to learn how to take better photos, especially beautiful ones to use on my blog. Then I came across the delightful photographer and blogger Emily Quinton (of The Start Up Wife) via Holly Becker's Blogging Your Way Course and when she announced she was going to be teaching a photography workshop for bloggers, I think I was one of the first to sign up!

So, a week last Saturday, my friend Mel and I, some of my fellow London Bloggers (Geraldine, Kate, Jane & Kirsty) and a bunch of other lovely creative ladies took to the back streets of trendy Shoreditch for a full on session with Emily and our cameras. As you can imagine with Emily's crafty and blogging background we were all greeted with gorgeous little goodie bags filled with stickers, pencils and Moleskin notebooks.

We learnt all about composition (the 'rule of thirds'), how to get the best lighting, including taking pictures in 'the golden hour', which type of lenses to use and some very good tips on how to achieve great quality photos, even on an iPhone and which apps to do it with! Then to finish off the day we had a lesson on how to save, edit and use our photos to their best potential on our blogs and with other social media.

Below are some of the best images I took during the day. Let me now what you think! Which is your favourite?

All in all was a day packed full of great advice, hands on practise and lots of fun. Emily is teaching the workshop again in September (see the link above) and I highly recommend it if you are a blogger and looking to improve your photography skills or if you want to take photos of products for a website. Even if you aren't a blogger it is still a great day and you will come away having learnt so many key skills to put to use in your photography. It's not a course to teach you how to use your camera mind you and it can be taken with any camera or camera phone. I was lucky enough to borrow a friends digital SLR camera for the day which has now very kindly been donated to me so I can get in some much needed practise and have fun taking lots of beautiful photos. Thank you! And thank you to Emily for being such a star and a great teacher.

If you'd like to check out some of the other girls posts you can do here. Me Plus Molly, Papermash, For Bella and Will

Ask Mum...Follow your dreams

noreply@blogger.com (Anna @ Mischief, Flapjacks, Pantone & Me) — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 08:30:00 +0000

January is always a difficult month for me as it marks the anniversary of losing my lovely Mum (who this blog is dedicated to), however, this year it has been a particularly challenging month in a number of ways. Towards the end of January I found myself rather lost and not knowing which way to turn. I kept thinking to myself, if only I could sit down with a cuppa and have a good chat with Mum, what advice would she have given me? This created an idea for a new column 'Ask Mum' where I will share little pearls of wisdom I find which might just help me (and you) along the way. I LOVE this one and it's certainly great advice for me right now...

Image from Freya Art

Mischief Meets : Jess Williams

noreply@blogger.com (Anna @ Mischief, Flapjacks, Pantone & Me) — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 20:50:00 +0000

I was meant to post this interview at the end of last year but time just ran out, and then due to various events in my personal life during January, updating my blog got a little waylaid... however, here I am and I'm so glad I waited because just reading this interview again has given me such an motivation boost and if any of you are still feeling ever so slightly sluggish and still in hibernation mode (like I have been), this Mischief 'meeting' will kick you right back into touch and raring to get going.

Jess is a super talented print designer and illustrator with a love for fashion, pattern and colour. She has worked with some big names in the retail/fashion industry and is now branching out into stationery and homeware as well. I'm really happy to introduce you to her and hope you enjoy her interview...

• Who are you? What is the essence of your business? What do you do?

I have to admit I have my fingers in a lot of pies at the moment! I am a Print Designer and Illustrator and work across Fashion, Interiors and Stationery. I also lecture part time at Birmingham City Uni on the BA Textiles course.

• What is your background? Have you always been creative? How & why did you start doing what you do?

I've always loved to paint and draw ever since I can remember. I think I knew I wanted to be a designer before I even knew the job I wanted to do was called a 'Designer'!

My Art Foundation course in Nottingham completely opened my eyes to a new world, we were taught a new way of looking at things, observing our surroundings and finding inspiration in everyday things.

I went on to study Embroidery at University and after graduating worked as a print designer for a fashion supplier. I loved fashion but knew I wanted to expand and work in other areas too, in 2009 I handed my notice in, went freelance and haven't looked back (yet!). This year has been exciting for me as I've just launched some of my own products! It feels like a new chapter is just beginning.....

• Where do you work? Describe your studio.

I work from a bright pink studio in Birmingham which I share with the ever-inspiring Tamsin from Studio Seed. It's in the middle of the countryside so we enjoy beautiful views, it's very idyllic, squirrels and pheasants stroll past our windows!

• What is a typical day for you?

At the moment there is no 'typical' day for me. My clients will book me by the day, sometimes months in advance, sometimes the week before. I also book days out as 'studio days' where I will catch up with all my emails, catch up on any admin, email new potential clients, write blog posts, plan my weeks ahead and do my accounts. Recently I've started releasing work under my own name so I'll book studio days out for this too.

I visit clients once or twice a week and work from their offices, days like these usually start with a LONG commute; London, Leicester, Bradford, Bristol, all over the country! If I'm not driving I'll use my travel time to catch up with all the latest fashion magazines to see if any of my designs have been featured. I enjoy working 'in house', meeting the design teams, talking through new ideas, looking at any samples that have come in and sampling the various on-site catering facilities!

If I'm working for a client from my studio I will email a few days in advance so I'm ready to go with lots of new ideas as soon as I get to work. My working day starts at 9 a.m but I get to my studio around 8.30 so I can have a cup of tea and deal with any urgent emails before my client work begins. I'll email my clients with progress throughout the day and respond to feedback.

If I've finished all my tasks I leave work between 5.30 and 6, I keep to whatever hours my clients keep to though, so if they're working 'til late in to the evening then so am I.

A teaching day for me is non-stop! I teach Print students on a BA Textiles course so a typical day would be working with the students in the screen room, supervising workshops, holding group tutorials and presenting lectures.

•What do you find most satisfying about the work you do? What are your biggest challenges as a creative?

The most satisfying aspect of my job is that I get paid to be creative everyday! I love the freedom of running my own business and the feeling that I am carving my own path. I feel proud that I've created a 'job' that is perfect for me, the variation keeps me excited and inspired and I think that really shows in my work. I'm an Aries so I really thrive on adventure and my career has definitely been an adventure so far!

• How do you get out of a creative rut?

I take time away. When I worked in commercial fashion we were paid to travel the world on 'inspiration trips' and this is something I have continued since setting up on my own. I find that travel helps clear my head and inspires new work, I love Paris for the flea markets and independent boutiques. New York for amazing thrift shops and department stores, Berlin for....well, everything and Stockholm for inspiring street fashion. Obviously budget doesn't always allow a glamorous location so I will often set off to explore somewhere closer to home. The next mini-trip I'm planning is an afternoon in Ledbury, I want to check out my friend Abigail Borg's work in Hus&Hem, explore the local area and sit in a teashop with my sketchbook.

• Which 3 things couldn't you live without?

My external hard dive (I like to be portable!), Muji fine liners and Google. I really would be lost without Google; my email account is my connection to my clients, my Google calendar allows me to instantly see my work schedule from my phone or computer and I've recently started using Google Drive to upload client work. It's completely free and I can send huge files easily. *I should probably add that I promise I'm not sponsored by Google here!

• What is next on the agenda?

I'm really happy with the current clients I am working with so I will definitely do everything I can to make sure they are getting what they need from me. I have only just started working on my 'Jess Williams' range so hopefully I will expand next year and add some more home products. I would love to see my prints on home furnishings and wallpaper. I'm also planning a vintagey, up-cycling kind of adventure with my best friend so hopefully we'll be working on that next year too.

• Where do you find your inspiration? Do you have any favourite books, magazines etc?

I live and die for Pinterest! I also love magazines and will literally devour anything from Frankie magazine to Hello! I read a lot and have recently fallen in love with 'my heart wanders' by Pia Jane Bijkerk. Pia is a wonderful stylist and her book is so beautifully written and presented. I love Selina Lake too, her books are in every room of my flat...mostly just to show my boyfriend it's not just us who have a flat full of vintage treasures and a million patterned cushions on our settee!

• Which designers/artists do you admire?

Selina Lake for styling, I love her aesthetic! I stumbled across Aprile Elcich recently and find her work so different and fresh. I am a huge Celia Birtwell fan too, I love her fantastic prints and the thought of her as the darling of the 60's and 70's jet-setting with Ozzie Clark and David Hockney, dressing Pattie Boyd and Jane Berkin and hanging out with the Beetles and the Rolling Stones. Oh the glamour!

• Blogs are taking over the world, which are your favourites?

Garance Dore

DesignLoveFest

Oh Joy!

Miss Moss

I'm also quite nosey so blogs like Bleubird and RockstarDiaries are a guilty pleasure, I love learning about other peoples' daily lives!

•What advice would you give to someone wanting to start their own creative business?

I would say the first thing would be to look at it from a practical point of view, it is near impossible to be creative when you have serious money pressures so perhaps it's sensible to start part-time to keep a steady flow of income in those early stages. Ask for help and really make the most of all the resources that are available to you. Know your field inside out, do eCourses or extra training. Websites like Creative Boom are amazing for business info too.

It's important to be brave and bold and to push yourself out of your comfort zone. For me positivity is key, it's so important to be able to take the rough with the smooth. I try not to dwell too much on any setbacks I have and when good things happen I celebrate big-time! Champagne all round!

Jess, you are a great inspiration and proof that working for yourself can be really exciting and diverse. Sounds to me like you have the perfect job and I'm rather envious of your's and Tamsin's pink studio! You are one busy and successful lady, thanks so much for finding the time to fit us in.

You can find out more about Jess and see further work on her website here and read her blog here.

All images are courtesy of Jess Williams. Scalloped badge by Pugly Pixel

Belated Christmas & Happy New Year!

noreply@blogger.com (Anna @ Mischief, Flapjacks, Pantone & Me) — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 16:25:00 +0000

No I haven't fallen asleep and missed Christmas but I wanted to share my 2012 Christmas Card design and I couldn't show it before Christmas or I'd have ruined the surprise for all my expectant recipients.

Each year my friends tell me they they don't think my next year's card can top the last which is great because it gives me the challenge of coming up with something even better! 2012's card was 100% handmade by me and I have to say I was rather proud of it...

It involved a stamp of a loving gingerbread man I designed myself and had made at The English Stamp Co. I stamped him on to A7 recycled cotton rag using Dew Drop Pearlescent Rust pigment ink to give him a bit of sparkle. Inside I folded a piece of brown kraft paper and printed one side with my Christmas message and the other with the all important 'How to Make a Gingerbread Man' recipe. I attached this as an insert with some luxury red & white bakers twine and voila!

The card was greatly received and one friend even gave me a tin of gingerbread biscuits she'd baked from the recipe in my card... so lovely and very yummy! So friends, did I top last years card?....ideas for next year on a postcard please!

Hope you all had a fun filled Christmas my dear readers and I wish you all a very happy new year and best wishes for 2013. I've been a little under the weather for the last week or so but once I am back on my feet and raring to go, I have some lovely things to share with you. Back soon.......xxx

Oh so cute gift from Anthropologie

noreply@blogger.com (Anna @ Mischief, Flapjacks, Pantone & Me) — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 11:53:00 +0000

I was so excited when I received this lovely little surprise gift from Anthropologie in the post yesterday that I had to share it with you. It's so cute, especially the tiny piece of paper. Thank you so much Anthropologie!

Close knit Christmas in Streatham!

noreply@blogger.com (Anna @ Mischief, Flapjacks, Pantone & Me) — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 17:13:00 +0000

The Ninja Knitters have been busy round our neighbourhood this weekend. Streatham Common never looked so pretty! The local businesses on our road have been suffering lately due to the long term closure of the road and the Ninja Knitters decided to knit the community back together....

Mischief Meets: BerinMade

noreply@blogger.com (Anna @ Mischief, Flapjacks, Pantone & Me) — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 19:00:00 +0000

I can't believe how fast this week has flown by, I've been so busy I've not had chance to write any posts but I am at least leaving you for the weekend with this great interview with the quirky and very talented illustrator and calligrapher Erin, founder of Berin Made : Illustrated Paper Goods. I first came across Erin's work when one of my friend's used one of her beautiful DIY wedding stamp designs at their wedding last year and I have been a fan ever since. I don't need to give her much of an introduction, once you begin to read Erin's interview you will be completely taken in by her magic.

• Who are you? What is the essence of your business? What do you do?

I'm Erin, the illustrator and founder of BerinMade Illustrated Paper Goods. BerinMade is founded upon a love of whimsical illustrations and finely-crafted lettering. I have a collection of greeting cards, social stationery and prints for the home.

I also have a wedding collection which was launched in May this year. It celebrates fun-loving creativity and a feminine aesthetic for the spirited bridal couple, offering a full-range service from Save the Dates to On-the-day accessories such as menus, escort cards, and everything in between.

We also love DIY here so I do a lot of DIY tutorials (and write regularly for Green Wedding Shoes in the US and Love My Dress here in the UK), as well as DIY wedding stamps for my clients who love a personal touch on their stationery!

• What is your background? Have you always been creative? How & why did you start doing what you do?

I've always been creatively inclined. I think that means that I've always been an "ideas" kind of person, and loved to make things. As with many creative people though, I drifted from hobby to hobby (I danced and played the piano when I was younger) then drifted across disciplines in art college-- I was classically trained in Fine Art at Byam Shaw which was a part of Central Saint Martins- where I made sculptures, played around with photography, then finally settled down into painting huge canvases.

After I graduated from my degree, I somehow took a small detour in working in Contemporary Art in an auction house. Although it was art-relate, I felt dry and uninspired- and also a bit like a glorified sales person. During that time, in the evenings and the weekends, I started doodling and sketching again, and became obsessively interested in lettering, and I realised that I must put it to use because I couldn't stop thinking about it. My Etsy shop started picking up attention also, and when I came to cross roads at my day job, I made a quick exit, dived straight into here and never looked back!

• Where do you work? Describe your studio

I work from home in my studio in Central London. I have three worktops- one packing station, one digital desk (where my computer resides) and a painting/sketching island which faces the window with lovely sunlight. Sometimes, when it's so busy it looks like my studio has had a tornado ripped through it, I think about going out there and renting a space, with filing cabinets (and also hiring an assistant who will diarise for me) but then I realise that I love working in my fluffy slippers and randomly bursting into song a little too much and may possibly never give that up, so I've stayed put in the privacy of my own home!

• What is a typical day for you?

Everyday is a little bit different, but starts quite similarly. I'm not really a morning person, and prefer to work at night, so I don't really start working until 9:30. It always starts with coffee, emails, sometimes more coffee when the emails are crazy! Then I get through my list of admin to-dos for clients such as drawing up quotes, doing timelines, sending out proofs, speaking to my printer, ordering supplies, and try to finish that before lunch.

In the afternoon, sometimes I do product shoots, DIY tutorials, other times I make more new products, and sometimes personal projects. It all depends on my calendar, but it's my peak hours and creative time!

Then my late afternoon is spent battling the post office queue before it closes! I then spend some more time working on whatever project I have on, stop for dinner with my amazing husband, and start again later on in the evenings I wrap up whatever email threads I had going on during the day.

• What do you find most satisfying about the work you do? What are your biggest challenges as a creative?

I love that this is mine and I get to call the shots and make the big decisions. It means that I can carve the path the company takes, and I can push it along in a direction and pace for me. I do have big dreams for this little business, so reaching those small milestones along the way definitely feels like a much bigger accomplishment than anything I'd ever done in my day job.

• Which 3 things couldn't you live without?

Coffee, gold glitter, and good design.

• What is next on the agenda?

A rebrand in the new year, expanding my greeting cards collection, and possibly taking on a person or two to help out.

• Where do you find your inspiration? Do you have any favourite books, magazines etc?

I love print: books, stationery, posters, etc, but really try to stay away when I'm looking for inspiration. My sense of colour is actually derived from my background in Fine Art-- it's just what makes my heart beat faster. Some great colourist I love are Peter Doig, Patrick Heron, Turner, Francis Bacon, but mostly I'd say, inspiration is an unexpected thing, and happens when you're living life. I guess life is design. I'm sometimes hovering over old shop windows checking out their weathered painted sign, or the pattern from an old sofa. It's mostly a feeling rather than a conscious decision.

• Blogs are taking over the world, which are your favourites?

Are they? Yes, probably! This is terrible to admit but I read just about enough to get by and to know what's going on out there. I think some bloggers have great voices but if you're not careful, you end up being kind of drowned in them and lose yourself in all the things other people are doing...

I love Shini's fashion and lifestyle blog Park and Cube, she makes me laugh out loud and her photography is amazing. I've known her since our university days and I've always been blown away by her talent.

Will Taylor's blog Bright.Bazaar is my daily hit of colour, and he is mostly responsible for my list of beautiful household items that I want but can't afford! Will's a lovely person as well, and just so kind and supportive of the blogging community.

The one blog that I read obsessively before getting married was Green Wedding Shoes. It's great because now I work with the editor Jen sometimes for DIY tutorials, and she is the sweetest. But yes, her blog pretty much encapsulated everything I love about weddings in its creativity and quirkiness.

Of course, since I started working in the industry, I have loved working with Annabel from Love My Dress- she is amazingly resourceful, not to mention kind and authentic. I think that at the end of the day, there are a ton of blogs with glorious images to look at (and Love My Dress has archives and archives full of them), but it's the voice and person behind the blog that makes people want to keep coming back. Annabel does that so right.

• What advice would you give to someone wanting to start their own creative business?

Prepare to work your butt off! It's great, you're going to love it.

Erin has designed a range of very special personalised Christmas cards with your own name and message written in calligraphy. 50% of the proceeds from these Christmas cards are given to Via Design (a UK-based charitable company) to help towards their work with vulnerable women in India, rebuilding their lives by equipping them with craft skills as a sustainable means of living. Hurry to order yours now as time is running out! If you are interested in learning more about the work of Via Design, you can read her interview with CEO Jane Rogers on the blog.

You can find out more about Erin and her work here and visit her shop here. She also writes a lovely blog where she shares her inspirations and some of the weddings and projects she is involved in.

Hope you enjoy and have a lovely weekend!

All images are courtesy of Berin Made.

Taking a little break

noreply@blogger.com (Anna @ Mischief, Flapjacks, Pantone & Me) — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 21:49:00 +0000

You may have noticed I've been a bit quiet on here this week, that's because I'm taking a little break away from it all. My boyfriend's parents have a beautiful Georgian cottage in a remote little village in the North York Moors which we have borrowed for the week. We are spending our time relaxing by the wood burner, catching up on movies and checking out the local Christmas Markets (Castle Howard's was cancelled due to bad weather much to my disappointment). After a bitterly cold walk around Whitby today though I don't feel too guilty for hiding away in doors....

See you all next week x

An Evening with Holly Becker

noreply@blogger.com (Anna @ Mischief, Flapjacks, Pantone & Me) — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 13:38:00 +0000

Well I'm a little late in the day with this post but better late than never hey? I'm sure you have all heard by now that Holly Becker launched her new book 'Decorate Workshop' a couple of weeks ago. The launch was hosted by Anthropologie on Regents Street (London) and I my friend Trinske (from Nordic Rose) and I were lucky enough to attend. Holly invited her BYW students to join her for a tea party (or rather a fizz and cake party) before the event. It was a great opportunity to finally meet Holly and other bloggers who I've grown to know so well 'virtually' over the last year. You can't beat meeting someone in person and they are all so friendly. I have to admit meeting Holly I felt a little bit star struck...well she is a star isn't she?!

It was such a fun and inspiring evening. Who'd have thought a bunch of bloggers could make so much noise! After the initial chit chats and plenty of cake (and boy were those cake slices big!) we sat down to an evening being entertained by Holly and her special guests Will Taylor from Bright Bazaar who interviewed Holly about her book and also American stylist James Leyland Day who spoke about his tips on styling your home. We learnt how Holly took a very personal approach to the book and used her friendly and down-to-earth teaching skills which she does so very well to get her readers to get to know themselves and style from the heart.

Holly ended the night by signing copies of her wonderful book for us all. It really is lovely. The french fold jacket opens up into a fantastic poster of all Holly's favourite things which, as you can see below is now in pride of place above my desk.

I will do a full review on the book a bit later, I can't wait until I have half an hour to sit down and read it properly. In the meantime you can view an exclusive extract of the book here.

I also wanted to say it was a real honour to meet theses lovely ladies, Tiffany from The Curiosity Project, Anna from Betty and Frank, Charlotte from Anknel and Burblets, Yvonne from The Yvestown Blog, Kirsty from Me Plus Molly, Louise from 30's Magazine, Sinead from Crafty Fox Market, Gabs from Ink Paint Paper and Caroline from Trend Daily. There were lot so of others too but I'd be here all day if I listed them all. I hope to meet everyone again very soon. I am amazed how friendly and welcoming the blogging network is and really glad to be a part of it.

All in all a fabulous evening. Thank you Holly for inviting me and also all your inspiration and for teaching me just about everything I needed to know to get to where I am now with my blog! I will cherish your book and hopefully one day soon I will have a new home which will need some Holly TLC.

Bookmarked Blog : The Fresh Exchange

noreply@blogger.com (Anna @ Mischief, Flapjacks, Pantone & Me) — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 14:00:00 +0000

One of my favourite blogs lately is The Fresh Exchange written by Megan of Hitch Design Studio. If asked which bloggers I aspire to be like, Megan would most definitely be one of them. Not only does she seem like a really loveable girl I'd like to meet (and a big dog lover too!) but she is an extremely talented graphic designer with a unique and elegant style which is portrayed throughout her blog.

She says in her bio how she 'believes in simplicity' and it's this simplicity I love about her blog. It is a prime example of how very simple use of graphics can really inject personality onto your posts. Her photography is so dreamy and she brings each image to life with a little piece of handwritten typography . The power of a few little words! How beautiful is her hand lettering?

The blog shares her inspirations as a designer, stylist and blogger, she advises and gives tips to other bloggers while sharing her own thoughts and ideas. Her latest posts have been following her travels and documenting her recent trip to Europe. How fun are these images? (You can see an image from each day of her trip here.)

All her posts are completely original and unique to her, she features in most of them herself and even using her own handwriting in a lot of them. Her whimsical style collages are so cute and I love her weekend suggestions simply overlaid on a great photograph.

If that wasn't enough to engage you, she also makes the cutest little videos of snippets of her life with her family and friends. She certainly seems to have the perfect life!

What really amazes me is how Megan finds time to create such a beautiful blog and do all the things she does. She also runs Hitch Design Studio, check out some of her fab design work, and she is the co-founder of the wonderful Blog Brunch an online collaboration by bloggers for bloggers which holds a monthly chat and question time on Twitter.

So, hurry over and check out The Fresh Exchange, I'm sure you will love it as much as me and it will give you heaps of inspiration.

Mischief Meets : Snowdon Design & Craft

noreply@blogger.com (Anna @ Mischief, Flapjacks, Pantone & Me) — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 08:30:00 +0000

I was recently working on a new branding job for a client when she sent me an image she loved and asked me if I could add it to our mood board. The print was of cute little sausage dog on a tote bag saying 'Bow Wow'. I could see why she loved it so much. When I did some research into the background behind the image I discovered it was they work of Alexandra Snowdon. I'd seen a lot of her pieces before but I hadn't realised she lived so close to me or what an interesting background she has, also that she loves so many of the same things I do.

Alex designs, illustrates and produces her own eco-friendly cards, bags and prints. She is inspired by folk art and has travelled all over the world to find her inspiration. I hope you enjoy learning about her and her work in this interview.

• Who are you? What is the essence of your business? What do you do?

I'm Alex Snowdon and I run Snowdon Design & Craft from a tiny room in my home in Cheshire. I design and sell my own hand screen printed cards, bags and prints online and in retail outlets around the UK and beyond! I also do freelance illustration and hand lettering work.

• What is your background? Have you always been creative? How & why did you start doing what you do?

I have always loved to draw and make things. My grandpa was a big inspiration to me when I was growing up, he was a commercial artist and did a lot of hand lettering commissions, I spent hours sitting in his shed watching him work, it was fascinating.

It seemed a natural progression for me to go to art college after school and I've spent most of my career working as a graphic designer. I've always loved illustration and hand lettering though, so 6 years ago I decided to go back to uni and do a part time degree specialising in illustration. It changed my life, I realised that was where my strengths lay and that I was a much better illustrator than a graphic designer!

I started designing and hand printing my own things in my spare time and selling them on Etsy, and in the next couple of years things just went from strength to strength. Earlier this year I decided that I couldn't carry on being a full time graphic designer and running my own business at the same time, so I left my job to run Snowdon Design & Craft full time and to be honest, I've never been happier!

• Where do you work? Describe your studio

I've converted the tiny box room in our house into my studio. It's amazing how much equipment I've managed to squeeze in there. My husband Charlie is a graphic designer and works upstairs in the loft. It's great to have someone to bounce ideas off and who will give you a honest opinion on things, although I have to say that sometimes his opinions are a little TOO honest!

• What is a typical day for you?

Because Charlie and I both work from home it's usually a very relaxed start to the day. Before I became self employed it was a mad rush to get out the door in the morning and catch the train to the office. I now spend the time I would have spent commuting checking my emails, and seeing what's new on Pinterest and my favourite blogs, I always start the day feeling inspired!

My main priority in the morning is printing and packing up orders. I usually get more in as the day goes on but at least it means I'm on top of things if I get most of it done first thing.

I try to get to the gym at lunchtime a few times a week, even though it's often hard to tear myself away from work I always feel so much better afterwards and it gives me a bit of valuable 'head space.' It's surprising how solutions to seemingly insurmountable problems can suddenly pop into your head while you're slogging away on the treadmill!

I usually work till about 6pm then break for tea. I'll often be back on the laptop in the evenings though doing research, ordering supplies and catching up on my favourite blogs.

• What do you find most satisfying about the work you do? What are your biggest challenges as a creative?

I think the most satisfying thing is knowing that I'm doing the thing that I'm best at, and the more I do it, the better I seem to get at it! It's wonderful to be doing this every day, it doesn't feel like 'work' most of the time (apart from when I have to do the paperwork...).

There are also plenty of challenges too of course…I have lots of ideas about what to do next and how to develop the business, but I have real trouble deciding which of those ideas to prioritise. Since I started doing this full time I'm a bit like a kid in a sweetshop, it's amazing to have the freedom to do my own work and develop my own ideas but sometimes I have so many I don't know where to start!

I'm also really not very good at marketing myself, which I think is a common problem among creatives. I just don't like to push myself and my work onto other people! I've done the 'Top Drawer' trade show in London a couple of times and the first time was a real trauma! I found it completely toe curling to be talking about my work and telling people why they should buy my products, so when I was preparing for the next show I read 'Life's a Pitch' by Stephen Bayley and Roger Mavity. It gave me a bit of extra confidence, and that seemed to make all the difference.

• How do you get out of a creative rut?

The one thing that never fails to get me out of a creative rut is going somewhere new. I absolutely love to travel and always come back from a trip feeling creative!

When we were in our mid thirties Charlie and I took a year out to travel the world. I know people say you 'find yourself' while travelling, well I really did. Before we left the UK I was completely jaded with my job as a graphic designer and was seriously thinking of leaving the creative industry all together. While we were away though, we were exposed to so many incredible sights and experiences that it totally rekindled my creative 'flame.' It wasn't long after we returned that I decided to pursue illustration and signed up for my part time degree, the rest is history!

It's not always possible to physically leave the country of course when you're in need of some inspiration! So when I need a source closer to home I head into Manchester where I visit my favourite creative bookstore Magma and flick through their books and magazines, wander round the art gallery and then mull things over while people watching from the window of a coffee shop, that usually does the trick. I think basically just taking yourself out of your everyday surroundings is great for stimulating new ideas.

• Which 3 things couldn't you live without?

It may sound silly but one of the things I couldn't live without is my propelling pencil! Whenever I think I might have lost it I come out in a cold sweat. It was given to me on the first day of my very first job as a graphic designer over 20 years ago. Apple Macs hadn't become the mainstream design tool at that time so everything was still done by hand, it seems almost prehistoric now. Anyway, I love that pencil, it went with me to all my subsequent design jobs even though I used it less as time went by. I use it every day now of course because I'm drawing again, I feel so comfortable with it that it's almost become like a sixth finger!

I also seriously couldn't live without the internet, working from home I feel like it's my portal into the outside world. It still amazes me that so much information and inspiration is readily available right at my finger tips.

The third is my husband Charlie, people always ask if we get under each others feet living and working together under the same roof, but seriously we have a great time, he's my best friend and unfailingly upbeat and optimistic whenever things go wrong, which they inevitably do from time to time.

• What is next on the agenda?

That's a good question, I have so many things on the agenda at the moment that I can't wait to get started on, it's hard to know where to begin!

I definitely want to further develop the hand lettering side of things, I've always loved typography and of course illustration, the two disciplines seem to go so well together. I'm also thinking of using a couple of my existing designs to create some pattern repeats to apply on items like cards, bags and wrapping paper.

One of my main goals for 2013 however, is to find an illustration agency to represent me. I really enjoy designing and printing my own products but I also love it when a freelance job comes in. Sometimes it's nice to be able to just concentrate on the design side of things and not have to worry about the cost and logistics of production.

• Where do you find your inspiration? Do you have any favourite books, magazines etc?

I love 'Uppercase' Magazine, it's printed on beautiful, thick paper and is full of lovely ideas. It's quite expensive though, so it's an occasional treat to buy it. Luckily the local Paperchase now stock it so I pop in there and have a good flick through it when the sales assistants are looking the other way!

I absolutely love Pinterest and browsing through my favourite design blogs too. I think it's possible to find plenty of inspiration from creative disciplines that are different to your own. I sometimes find looking at beautiful ceramics or textile designs can trigger new ideas.

When I was teaching myself to print from home a friend recommended Lotta Jansdotters' book 'Lotta Prints' and Lena Corwins' 'Printing by Hand.' I loved those books so much I never wanted them to end!

• Which designers/artists do you admire?

I love Mary Kate McDevitts' work, her hand lettering is so beautiful and whimsical. I was lucky enough to pop into her screen printing shop in Portland, Oregon this summer, unfortunately she wasn't around at the time but her lovely boyfriend Fred showed us round their workshop, very inspiring!

I've been a big fan of Jonny Hannah since I discovered his work while doing my dissertation at uni. I love the freedom and quirkiness of his prints, he always uses great colour combinations too.

More recently I discovered the work of Dana Tanamachi, her chalkboard lettering designs are simply amazing.

• Blogs are taking over the world, which are your favourites?

Well I'm definitely a fan of Creative Mischief now I have come across your blog Anna! I'm also a regular visitor to Paper Crave, Creature Comforts and Design*Sponge.

• What advice would you give to someone wanting to start their own creative business?

Well first of all I would say choose an area/discipline that you absolutely love, something that you would still do even if you weren't being paid for it. I think in general people tend to be the most successful at the things they enjoy doing most.

If you already have a full time job then I would say do it gradually. You can use some of the income from your job to buy supplies while you test the market. Once you are doing your business full time you'll have to rely on cash flow to buy new stock, which can be tricky at the start.

If you can afford it, take a stand at a trade show. They are expensive but they are also a great way to get invaluable feedback. You can admit to the more friendly buyers that you are new to the business and ask for their opinion on the size and variety of your range and your prices etc. Doing a trade show also forces you to seriously consider your work as a business, you'll need to think about your trade prices, retail prices, shipping costs, terms and conditions all quite dry stuff but essential if you're going to make it work.

Before you invest money in booking a stand though, I'd say it's best if you can attend the show as a visitor first to see if it's right for you and your products. The main ones in the UK seem to be Top Drawer in London, Spring Fair in Birmingham and the British Craft Trade Fair in Harrogate.

That you Alex for giving us such an inspiring and detailed interview. You share some really great advice, especially for people who might want to start trading their designs (like me!)

You can buy her designs here and read more about her on her website here.

I am so in awe of Alex's work that I have asked her to do some hand lettering for my blog header, very exciting, so watch this space!

All images courtesy of Snowdon Design & Craft.

Oh! So Pretty... Paper Rose Bouquet by The Story House

noreply@blogger.com (Anna @ Mischief, Flapjacks, Pantone & Me) — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 17:30:00 +0000

Just had to share this with you, hope she doesn't mind, but while I was being nosey and looking at the websites of fellow 'Paper Girls' (students of The Paper Girls workshops) I came across this absolutely beautiful music paper rose bouquet designed by illustrator Lucy McDonald of The Story House.

If you'd like to see more of her amazing work have a look on her website here where you can order them as bouquets, buttonholes, brooches and fascinators and corsages. I can't stop looking at it. Oh! Its so pretty.

The most inspiring week...

noreply@blogger.com (Anna @ Mischief, Flapjacks, Pantone & Me) — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 17:50:00 +0000

Gosh, I've had a really busy week this week, so busy I've not had time to write any of the posts I'd had planned. The week has been jam packed with very exciting and inspiring things though, at least I am attempting to reach my 2013 goals...

Firstly, last weekend I went to yet another sewing class at Sew Over It where I learned to do freehand machine embroidery, on Tuesday I was very lucky to attend the launch party for Holly Becker's new book 'Decorate Workshop' at Anthropologie on Regents Street with special guests Will from Bright.Bazaar blog and stylist James Leyland Day , then yesterday I headed up to Manchester to attend The Paper Girls stationery business workshop with Abby Warner and Lucy Ledger where I learnt whole wealth of very useful information regarding setting up and running my new stationery business. I've also just taken on 3 new logo jobs for 3 lovely clients which I am very excited about.

So....I have a lot to talk about. I look forward to sharing everything on the blog next week and I also have a super interview with the lovely Alex from Snowdon Design to post. Hope you all have a great weekend, seems like winter is really here now so I will be snuggling up by the fire and doing some much needed chillaxing (after I've been to Country Living Christmas Fair at the London Design Centre!) xxx

Mischief Meets : Lucy Loves This

noreply@blogger.com (Anna @ Mischief, Flapjacks, Pantone & Me) — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 12:30:00 +0000

This week I am bringing you an insight into the working life of book jacket designer and spectacular typographer Lucy Stephens of Lucy Loves This. I first came across Lucy's work on Not On The High Street and was wow'd by her iconic 'Best of London' letters. When I discovered she was a fellow South West London girl I knew I had to interview her.

Lucy is obsessed with typography, not surprising after working in book publishing for a few years. Her designs are inspired by things she loves; London, food travel etc. The London Letters series includes neighbourhoods within the capital and their well known landmarks.

• What is the essence of your business? What do you do?

I design book covers, and my own range of prints, tea towels and cards.

• How did you start doing what you do? Have you always been creative? What made you decide to start up on your own?

I’ve always wanted to do something creative, every since I was really little. So I studied graphic design at university, although I almost did a straight illustration course - but I’m actually glad as I learnt a lot of practical skills and I think it made me more employable initially. I worked for a design agency for a while, and then moved into publishing, where I spent 4 years working for Random House, designing book covers. It’s just gone two years since I left to go freelance, I felt it was time for a new challenge, and some diversity, I also wanted to be my own boss! I have now built up quite a stable client base, and work for most of the main British publishing houses as well as quite a few independents. About a year into being freelance I thought it would be good to start designing things for myself again, as apposed to for a client with a brief - which is where LucyLovesThis comes in.

• Where do you work? Describe your studio space.

I have a nice sunny studio in an old factory building in Brixton, it’s a bit rough around the edges but I love it.

• Do you have a team or do you work alone?

I have a couple of people who do odd bits and pieces for me, as well as Tessa who is with me a couple of days a week and takes care of all my orders. I couldn’t live without her now!

• What is a typical day for you?

I go through my emails first thing, and then head to the studio for about 8.30-9am. It’s only five minutes from my flat so not much of a commute! It then very much depends on what jobs I have on. But it will involve a bit of researching ideas for new book covers, new cover designs, artworking, working on new prints, talking to suppliers etc... I try to be good and leave at a respectable hour, but its quite ofter 7pm before I get away.

• What do you find most satisfying about the work you do? What are your biggest challenges as a creative?

I think the most satisfying thing has to be that I’ve done it all by myself, I’ve not really had any help, apart from emotional support from my husband and friends! But it can be quite lonely, as at the end of the day its my company, and all responsibility falls to me - nobody else is going to deal with any difficulties.

• Which materials couldn’t you live without?

Does my imac count? Also my drawing pens.

• What is your design process?

I’m not sure I really have one! I actually find my best ideas come along when I’m not trying to work, like in the bath - or when I’m about the fall asleep!

• Anything exciting in the pipeline?

I'm continuing to work on my London Letters series, working my way around London! I've just completed five new designs and have several others on the way. I've also just designed a set of tea towels for Christmas 2012.

• Are there any designers/artists you particularly admire?

God tonnes! As a book cover designer though, the person I look up to the most is Jonathan Gray, everything that guy touches turns to gold - I’ve never seen one of his jackets that I haven’t loved.

• Which are your favourite blogs/websites?

Oh joy!

...I could go on and on...

• What advice would you give to someone wanting to start their own creative business?

You really can’t under value networking - I know it can be a pain, but it is invaluable what

you can learn from other people, and you never know what opportunities might come your

way. Also always trust your instincts, and don’t be swayed by the way other people are doing

things, just because you do something differently doesn’t mean its wrong.

Thanks Lucy for taking part. We look forward to the tea towels and what comes next. Tell Lucy which letters you'd like to see here. You can purchase her designs here and here.

All images are courtesy of LucyLovesThis.

What is a Weekend? Inspired by Downton

noreply@blogger.com (Anna @ Mischief, Flapjacks, Pantone & Me) — Sat, 03 Nov 2012 10:45:00 +0000

...this is a weekend, the sky is blue and the sun is shining, no plans but to relax, go for a walk through the autumn leaves in the fresh albeit a little cold air, catch up on sleep, read a book, watch a film or two and of course finish off with an hour of Downton Abbey on Sunday night. Sadly though it's also the final episode tomorrow night...sob sob! I can't believe it's the end, have there really been 7 episodes already?! Those cosy Sunday evenings with my blanket and Downton have been the highlight of my week and certainly distracted from those Sunday night blues. Humph (sad face).

Anyway, thought I'd leave you these. I've been collating a board on Pinterest of my Downton finds and thought I'd share some of them here. The first one is my favourite, its absolutely beautiful but unfortunately I can't find the source for it.

I also found this wonderful post (and photos) by Danni of 'Oh Hello Friend' on her visit to Downton Abbey (aka Highclere Castle, Edinburgh).

Hope you enjoy them. So, what is a weekend to you? I'd love to know what your idea of a perfect weekend is. Oh, and let me know your thoughts on the final episode!

Images 1 / 2 (unknown) / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7-10

Bookmarked Blog : Call Me Cupcake

noreply@blogger.com (Anna @ Mischief, Flapjacks, Pantone & Me) — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Gosh I can't believe a week has gone since my last featured blog post. Hope you enjoyed discovering Breanna's blog. This week on 'Bookmarked Blog' (I have changed the name for this column as you can see!) I am sharing the absolutely beautiful blog of Swedish photographer and baker, Linda Lomelino...Call Me Cupcake.

You may already know of Linda, she's quite popular with the bloggers out there. I think I am totally head over heels in love with her style. Her photographs literally have me drooling. Can you get any more stunning than this? They are so pretty and so seductive. Did a picture of a cake every win you over so badly?!! Make sure you have plenty of time when you venture over to have a look as I guarantee when you click on the recipe index you'll be there for hours! She's not just a brilliant photographer but a pretty fabulous baker as well with some creative ideas. Guinness Chocolate cake anyone?

Linda also adds fun touches of type to some of her images which create another dimension to her posts and makes them even more engaging. The fonts are very carefully considered and sit perfectly with the style and theme of the particular shot.

The design of Call Me Cupcake is the work of talented blog designer Tabitha Emma. (another one of my designer heroes). The soft water colour back wash with the handwritten pencil type and simple line drawings are equally as beautiful and create a really cosy, home-baked feel.

Linda recently brought out a new book filled with all her delicious recipes and featuring her own stunning photographs. Sadly it's only available in Swedish but a tempting purchase just for the pictures!

As you can imagine from her blog, Linda is a really sweet lady too, I wrote her an email last year when I first discovered her blog complimenting her on it and she sent a lovely email straight back.

Enjoy and don't drool too much :-)

All images courtesy of Call Me Cupcake.

Getting The Hump and Thirteen Creative Goals for 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Anna @ Mischief, Flapjacks, Pantone & Me) — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 20:22:00 +0000

Seems a little early to be making new years resolutions doesn't it, but I'm feeling like I need to make some changes. I have big creative plans for 2013 and my homework from bootcamp was to write a list of goals, I thought no time like the present to start planning ahead. Maybe if I make a start on some things now I'll have half a chance of achieving them by the time I get to the end 2013!

I've found over the last few months that I've not really been enjoying what I do, I've felt really overloaded and bogged down with my job, working into the small hours for my clients to the point where I'm just churning out work with little consideration just to try and get everything done. I feel like Miss Creativity has gone, her duvet days have become more regular which doesn't help me when I have deadlines to meet. As much as I love my job, when I returned from my holiday a few weeks ago, it was the first time EVER I've dreaded coming back to work. This really concerns, it's not like me at all. I was born to be creative. I've realised it's time to take a check on what is going on and why I'm feeling the way I do.

So what have I concluded? That I take on too much, I find it hard to say no, always tricky as a freelancer when you have bills to pay and you don't like letting people down. I'm too flexible on my rates, even if work at a reduced rate, I don't work reduced hours! This results in me feeling undervalued and unmotivated. I mostly work from home so it's easy to sit at my desk for 12 hours a day without even venturing into the outside world and only speaking to people via email, all a little bit soul destroying really. I need to change my strategy and fast, start doing what makes me happy and stop doing what's not!

So, here are the new goals I want to achieve in the hope they will bring Miss Creativity back! Some I have started as I couldn't wait until 2013...

1. Be more selective with the clients I work with, choosing only projects and clients I feel inspired and excited by and who appreciate what I am worth, taking on less but producing more quality work I feel proud of.

2. Put together a rate sheet and stick to it!

3. Re-do my CV/credentials and update my design portfolio...it's not been updated in 3 years! The purpose of my blog was to share what I am working on and so far I haven't really shared anything. Being able to see what I have done over the last few years will be a great sense of achievement.

4. Launch my stationery business. This has always been my dream and now more than ever I want to embark on that journey. First I need to come up with a name (#5 on the list!) and write a business plan. I'm making a start by attending The Paper Girls workshop in Manchester next week (led by Abigail Warner and Lucy Ledger) which covers all you need to know to start and run a stationery business.

5. Brainstorm a business name....any suggestions? Write a business plan.

6. BLOG, BLOG, BLOG! I've always loved creative writing and really enjoy posting on my blog....make more time to do it, plan and use it constructively to grow my business... and myself. (Hoping Holly's Bootcamp will give me a head start on this) Anything you'd like me to cover on my blog?

7. Start collecting ideas for and launch my e-mag. I've wanted to do this every since Jeanette Lund's wonderful lessons in BYW2 in June. I think I'd get so much out of producing this.

8. Get organised and PLAN it in to my schedule each day to take time out and find new inspiration rather than grabbing 5 minutes here and there and getting totally overwhelmed. Take a day out each week to wander around and visit new places or sit in a cafe and read a magazine, and as a result....

9. Fill the beautiful scrapbook my Sister gave me for Christmas last year!

10. Collaborate and meet up with like minded people and share creative thoughts and inspirations. I've made a start by becoming an admin on the London Bloggers Facebook group and taken on the organising of the monthly meet ups. Really looking forward to meeting everyone at Holly Becker's book launch next week.

11. Start using my sewing machine. I've had it for 8 months and used it twice! I 'd love to combine my design skills with sewing extending my creativity into other formats. Already attending sewing classes at Sew Over It and have another this Friday 'Free Machine Embroidery'. Time to put them to good use.

12. Switch off at the end of the day. Go to bed earlier and read a book......can't beat a good story to escape from it all! Any recommendations?

13. Free my mind and start doing what makes me happy and stop doing what doesn't. Believe in myself and stop trying to be someone else's perfect (I pinched that bit from the poster below but it's a great piece of advice).

I could go on but these will do for now. I feel excited by my list and will report back on my progress as it happens. Watch this space!

I finish by sharing this great motivating poster with you.

Images 1 | 2 | 3

Mischief Meets : Silkie Lloyd : Rosehip Cards

noreply@blogger.com (Anna @ Mischief, Flapjacks, Pantone & Me) — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 14:04:00 +0000

This week's Mischief Meets interview is with Silkie Lloyd of boutique stationery and homeware company Rosehip. I've been a fan of Silkie's work for a long time and have a number of her notebooks in my extensive collection. I love the simplicity but boldness of her designs and the bright colour combinations.

Silkie is also a fellow classmate on Holly Becker's BYW Bootcamp and from the conversations we have had over email she is a truly lovely and inspiring lady. Here is what she has to say...

• What is the essence of your business? What do you do?

We are a small independant stationery and greeting cards publisher's. I am the principle designer (In fact the only designer,although we are looking to publish other artists and print makers during 2013)

• How did you start doing what you do? Have you always been creative? What made you decide to start up on your own?

I decided to start up on my own when I had my first child Oscar and realised that to be self employed would be the only way I could be with him all the time while he was small, allowing me to be able to choose when and how much I worked. Little did I know that would mean long hours working during the evening after bedtime! Which carried on when my second boy Felix came along. They are both at school now so there's tons more time. I studied Graphic Design/Illustration at Bath Spa University college but majored in photography so everything I do now I have taught myself since starting the business.

• Where do you work? Describe your studio space.

We have a lovely studio/office very close to Bristol Historic dockside, I try to cycle to & from work everyday along the river. This is really important for me as it's a perfect time for thinking up new designs and ranges and is fantastic for clearing my head after a long day sat in front of the computer. The studio is always in various states of flux...the mess ebbs and flows depending on my workload!

• Do you have a team or do you work alone?

I work alone in terms of design but I have had wonderful office manager's whom I couldn't do without. I realized at a certain point that I couldn't do it all myself and that my design process was suffering because of the day to day managing of the business. Employing someone to help with this side of the business is the best decision I've made and has enabled me to have a much clearer vision for the company.

• What is a typical day for you?

I drop the kids to school, cycle to work and have a cup of tea. I then procrastinate and move piles of paper around, pretend to write lists, mess about on the internet for a while and then finally I get around to starting work...firstly answering emails and then later drawing or working on designs on the computer. It's a mission of mine to work more effectively and not waste time...but I find it so easy to spend hours ambling around the internet admiring all the fantastic design and illustration talent out there!

My day ends either at 3pm when I go to pick the kids up or sometimes I get a good long day at the studio...I have discovered that late afternoon is when I am most creative.

• What do you find most satisfying about the work you do? What are your biggest challenges as a creative?

I love that I have built this business pretty much on my own (with lots of support and practical help from my partner) and that I am in complete control of the design process. I absolutely love color and am always really pleased when I find a new perfect combination of color to work with. I have struggled a lot with the day to day impact that running a small business can have,how this impacts on my ability to create good design and at times my home life.

• Which 3 items couldn’t you live without?

Black Ink, paper and adobe illustrator/photoshop

• What is your design process?

I start by a single piece of inspiration, be it a color combination, style or a piece of vintage imagery and I will then spend a good while researching and creating moodboards, either actual or virtual. I will then start drawing in pencil and then ink. These sketches are then brought into photoshop or illustrator and I will work on them from there. I quite often don't have a clear idea of the end result and am happy to let the designs to take shape as I go along.

• Where do you find your inspiration? Do you have any favourite books,

magazines etc?

I love old fabric (of which I have loads of pieces!) vintage children's books and toys. I love to read Selvedge and all the interior magazines which I find a constant source of inspiration. And of course there is Pinterest, which is fabulous but a teribble time consumer for me. I have had to be very strict with myself on this otherwise I could lose hours of my working day! I do look at a lot of blogs too, I find them really useful for keeping in touch with whats going on out there,especially as I work alone.

• Are there any designers/artists you particularly admire?

The list is endless but here goes:

• Which are your favourite blogs/websites?

I find myself visiting a lot of interior design blogs but my old favorite is of course Print and Pattern. I regularly visit Design Sponge, Decor8, Bright Bazaar, Meet me at Mikes, Oh Joy and Bloesem..and many others too!

• Anything exciting in the pipeline?

I'd love to start publishing some new designers. There's so many fantastically talented people out there I think it would be fab to be able to showcase up and coming designers...if you are out there please do get in touch!

• What advice would you give to someone wanting to start their own

creative business?

- Have a business plan

- Be well prepared and organised!

- Speak nicely to your bank!

- If you are designing and making products make sure you have done your sums and are actually going to make some money from what you've made.

- Understand cash flow and margins.

- Don't be afraid to ask for help and advise from people in the industry.

- When you get big enough make sure you delegate jobs.

- Share knowledge and inspiration and be open.., I'm a firm believer in sharing and connecting with our creative communities...connect with social networking...it's fun and enlightening!

- Remember you are only as good as your last design! Keep making new work all the time and be true to yourself.

Silkie I have to say I think you have my ideal job! Despite your busy lifestyle you still seem very organised and focused. Thanks for sharing with us. I look forward to seeing your business grow.

You can find Silkie's designs in leading department stores and some independent shops or on her website here.

Images are courtesy of Rosehip

A Taste of Creative Mischief

noreply@blogger.com (Anna @ Mischief, Flapjacks, Pantone & Me) — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 09:45:00 +0000

Well leading on very nicely from my last post and much to my joy, Holly has given us the task of creating a mood board for our blog. I set this blog up 12 months ago and did it very quickly, tinkering along the way making changes as I learnt new things, however, I never sat down and actually thought about what personality I wanted my blog to have so this exercise has been great for me.

The result, something of elegant sophistication with a touch of fun and mischief, a bit like one of my favourite style icons Audrey Hepburn. So classic and stylish but I love her cheeky mischievous side. The colours would be crisp black and white with muted greys and dusky pinks and pops of bright colours. I want it to look edible and sweet with bit of glitter and sparkle. It needs to have a modern editorial style but also be natural and friendly with a handmade touch. I will cover contemporary design styles alongside emotive photography and hand crafts such as stationery and paper goods. Typography, particularly hand lettering is a big passion of mine at the moment so that will feature heavily.

I've taken inspiration from some of my favourite blogs; Besotted Brand, Breanna Rose, Blog Milk, Lobster and Swan, Elephantine, Sania Pell and of course......Pinterest!

I'm really quite chuffed with the feel of this board and can't wait until I have the time to start implementing it in my blog. What do you think? Anything you'd like to add?

Featured blog and a love for moodboards!

noreply@blogger.com (Anna @ Mischief, Flapjacks, Pantone & Me) — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 22:29:00 +0000

You may have noticed before I went off on my little break that I added a 'featured blog of the week' banner to my side bar. As a graphic designer I read so many blogs every day as I search for inspiration, trends and ideas and the ones I find particularly exciting I make a note of and refer back to regularly. As I find so much inspiration in these blogs, instead of keeping them to myself, I decided I'd like to share some of my favourites with you and rather than just add them to a blog roll (where if you are like me you just click on the names you like!) I thought I'd make a series of regular spotlight posts about them.

Little did I know when I started this that my BYW Bootcamp task this week was going to be writing about 1...what inspires me and 2...my favourite blog so the timing couldn't be more perfect. So, here goes with the first one...

I am beginning with one of my favourite graphic design blogs, that of freelance graphic & web designer Breanna Rose.

Breanna's blog is everything I aspire for mine to be. Clean, fresh and simple and totally engaging. All her posts are so interesting and she approaches them in a unique and personalised style with colourful imagery, beautiful photography and subtle but fun typography and labelling.

One of the things I like about the blog is the clear series structure she uses. She designs downloadable wallpapers and writes a column about her life and processes as a freelancer 'Be Free, Lance'. Here she offers great advice and tips for other freelancers which I have found really helpful and encouraging. She also uses a number of lovely guest posters to write regularly giving HTML and DIY lessons. She has a good diverse mix of features which make a really interesting read whether you are a designer or not.

Photo from DIY guest post by Andrea Fairservice

However, the main reason Breanna's blog stayed with me and remains a firm favourite is that she shares my love of mood boards. Her mood boards are so beautiful! I've shared a few examples, but you can see lots more on her website here.

Along the same theme of mood boards, Breanna has a bi-monthly collaboration with Cassie Pyle of The Veda House (another beautiful blog!) in their column ' Branding Backwards'. The girls ingeniously dissect their favourite brands creating mood boards showing the brand's key structure and aesthetics. They are so clever and send me into a complete mood board melt down! Breanna's moodboards can be found on Cassie's blog and Cassie's on Breanna's. Take a look here and here.

A 'Branding Backwards' board by Cassie on Breanna's Blog

A 'Branding Backwards' board by Breanna on The Vida House.

If you enjoyed the blog you might like to take a look at her equally brilliant design work on her website.

Hope you've enjoyed my first featured blog. Thanks to Bre for letting me share it.
I'd love to hear your thoughts. I'm also looking for names suggestions for this column, at the moment I'm thinking 'Bookmark It Blog' but I'm open to some other suggestions....

All images belong to Breanna Rose.

The Fabulous Fab UK

noreply@blogger.com (Anna @ Mischief, Flapjacks, Pantone & Me) — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 10:33:00 +0000

I have to say I am really loving Fab UK at the moment, they are introducing some cool things (and emptying my bank balance!). How clever are these book hangers from Old and Cold? I love books and have a desire to display every book I've read/own much to my boyfriends horror (he hates clutter!). I wonder what he'd think if I started hanging these around the house?!

I just received my first package of MT Washi tape from them, think their packaging is really striking and loved the thank you card. For now I think I'd better stop looking or I'll be broke by Christmas!

The Simple Things & Blogging Your Way Bootcamp

noreply@blogger.com (Anna @ Mischief, Flapjacks, Pantone & Me) — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 15:43:00 +0000

Lovely sunny tea towel by To Dry For, seen in this month's The Simple Things

I don't think life could be better today. Firstly, I'm taking a well earned break and am off on my holidays tonight, woo hoo! Finally might get some warm sunshine and I can switch off from the world, lose myself in a good book and do nothing for a week...ahhhhhh.

Secondly issue 2 of the new 'The Simple Things' just came through my door just in time for me to take away, perfect timing or what? It's such an interesting and beautifully designed magazine and really glad I'll get time to read it properly this month instead of just look at the pretty pictures!

Thirdly, Holly Becker's 'Blogging Your Way Bootcamp' has started. You might remember I first took BYW back in June, well it was so much fun, I made loads of friends and I learnt how to grow my blog from the heart, so I am back for another round with the bootcamp and I can't wait to get stuck in! My pencils are sharpened and brand new notebook at the ready.....(I even noticed one of the things on the list of simple things on this month's magazine is ''writing with a brand new pencil'!), I'm all set.

I'm also really excited that I will be attending Holly's book launch (Decor8 Workshop) at Anthropology London in November.

So, although I will be away from my blog for a while, I will be back in a weeks time with plenty of exciting things to report. I've got two more great creative interviews to share with you in Mischief Meets including the lovely Silkie of Rosehip Cards who I am very excited to see is a fellow classmate at BYW bootcamp.

Have a great week all and be back with you soon Xx

Graphic Love : Fairytale Posters

noreply@blogger.com (Anna @ Mischief, Flapjacks, Pantone & Me) — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 08:55:00 +0000

Just discovered theses fab posters by Christian Jackson on Fab UK. Love them! So simple but so powerful and in great moody colours. Which is your favourite?

You can see more of them here.

All images by Christian Jackson.

Mischief Meets : Studio Seed

noreply@blogger.com (Anna @ Mischief, Flapjacks, Pantone & Me) — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 09:59:00 +0000

This week on Mischief Meets I have a delightful treat for you with my interview with Tamsin of Studio Seed. As an aspiring stationery designer myself, Tamsin is a huge inspiration. I love that she doesn't class her work as a 'proper job' but as something she is made to do, that's exactly how I feel about my job as well and probably how most of us creatives work. You can clearly see from her beautiful designs that she is absolutely right, although I'd say you may not have a 'proper job' Tamsin but you certainly have a DREAM job! Readers, prepare to fall in love....

• What is the essence of your business? What do you do?

Studio Seed is a luxury stationery and design studio. I specialise in wedding stationery, design-led greetings cards and limited edition prints but I also take on freelance design projects and commissions varying from beautiful branding, to surface pattern designs for stationery and children's wear to packaging design!

• How did you start doing what you do? Have you always been creative? What made you decide to start up on your own?

I grew up in quite a creative/musical family and have enjoyed getting 'stuck in' creatively since I can remember. My first design project was to create the programme cover for my Primary School production of 'Cinderella' when I was about 10 years old! Thankfully I've come along a bit since then... I worked for about 5 years as a designer for the wonderful Tigerprint and then a year designing beauty packaging for Next. I was always taking on little commissions for friends and family during this time so it felt natural to progress to starting up on my own, and it's genuinely the best thing I have ever done.

• Where do you work? Home, studio, rent space etc. Describe your studio space.

I work from a studio near Birmingham which I share with the lovely Jess Williams who is a freelance print and stationery designer. It's a small studio with a lot of window space which looks out on what we lovingly refer to as 'centreparcs'! Lots of trees, grass and baby squirrels/birds/bunnies so it's quite inspiring. It's great to have company and to be able to discuss ideas/new projects/problem clients. The first thing we did when we moved in was to paint the wall cerise pink, we find it makes for a better working environment!

• Do you do everything yourself or do you have a team?

I currently do everything myself (design-wise) but rely heavily on my fantastic printers (CS Greetings) and other suppliers. I have a few trusty friends who are on call to help tie ribbons/pack orders/stick crystals on when I'm having a particularly busy time, and I will be looking to employ a part-time assistant in the near future which is very exciting!

• What is a typical day for you?

I usually get to the studio before 8.30am and first things first, get a cup of tea made! Then I go through emails and write my day's to-do list. The nature of my job and my varied clients means I rarely do the same thing every day (which I love!). Things I will do in a day could include designing wedding stationery, liaising with clients, designing new ranges, packing trade orders, sending wedding stationery parcels out, researching trends/new products and spending far too much time on Pinterest! I try to leave the studio about 5.30pm although in busy periods I sometimes continue working when back at home.

• What do you love about what you do?

Everything! I love the freedom and flexibility and the fact that I and I alone can decide the direction that my business takes. I enjoy the variety of work I take on - working with different clients (especially wedding clients) is so rewarding. I love the fact that I can spend all day being creative and it's my job! It's very tough and challenging at times and it's often hard to 'switch off' and relax, but I never get the urge to get a 'proper' job, this is without a doubt what I am made to do.

• Which materials couldn’t you live without?

My Mac. It's invaluable and if it breaks down I will absolutely have a nervous breakdown. Also my pens and pencils, my GF Smith swatch books, my calculator (I'm terrible at maths) and my vast collection of crystals, embellishments and ribbons.

• What is your design process?

Hard to be specific due to the varying nature of my work. In general, a thorough brainstorm of the design brief and then collecting visuals/colour palettes for inspiration. I find it hard to begin a project without a colour palette in mind. Sometimes a brief will involve some hand drawing so I do that and then scan it into the Mac. I usually try a few options for the design I'm working on and often send these initial ideas to people I know will give me an honest opinion/point out things I might not have noticed! Then when I'm happy, I will ask for feedback/approval from the client and take things from there.

• Where do you find your inspiration? Do you have any favourite books, magazines etc?

Could not live without Pinterest! I get lots of inspiration from Bridal, Fashion and Lifestyle magazines. I often go out to do a 'comp shop' and feel that it's really important for me to keep up to date with what products, especially stationery, are currently on sale. I regularly visit exhibitions, trade shows and bridal fairs to keep in the loop. My favourite books include Print & Pattern - Bowie Style, I Heart Stationery - Charlotte Rivers (I also own this wonderful book and will do a review of it on the blog shortly!) and anything by Chronicle Books.

• Are there any designers/artists you particularly admire?

I have always been a big fan of Lisa Stickley and what she did with her business. She has now sold the Lisa Stickley brand and set up a new company so I'm excited to see what that brings. Other people who inspire and I admire include Rob Ryan, Sara Fanelli and Johanna Basford for illustration, Something For the Girls and Elena Deshmuck for cards and Louise Richardson and Abigail Warner for wedding stationery.

• Which are your favourite blogs?

Print & Pattern

Oh So Beautiful paper

• What advice would you give to someone wanting to start their own creative business.

I hate the word 'passionate' but really, you have to be truly, genuinely 'passionate' about what you're doing! Be prepared for a hard slog, rejection and lots of 'no's' before you get a 'yes'. Talk, talk and TALK to your friends, family and anyone who'll listen about your ideas to see if they are viable and to get valuable feedback and advice. Creative Boom is a fantastic resource for small creative businesses/freelancers. Sounds obvious, but, work really hard. Share, help and be kind to other creatives because it will come back to you. Networking and collaborating is invaluable and will help develop you, teach you new things and also raise your profile. And learn to switch off and relax at times.

Tamsin has recently launched a couple of new card ranges 'Fly Away' and 'Under the Mistletoe'. You can see these and more of her lovely designs on her website here and read what she is up to on her blog here.

Thanks Tamsin for taking part! x

All images used belong to Studio Seed.