Surface Design by Kitty as a Picture

I am thinking about selling some of my experiments in fabric design and surface pattern. Most of the design I do is commissioned, but I do occasionally work on fabric designs just-for-fun. I'll show some of these on Kitty as a Picture, but it would be interesting to try Spoonflower. I welcome any comments from Spoonflower designers and customers, as I think it is a brilliant concept and would love to know what your experience of it is.

Designed by Kitty as a Picture for Cheeky Monkey

Designed by Kitty as a Picture

A Mammoth in the Fridge

Written by Michaël Escoffier and illustrated by Matthieu Maudet

As a mother I've done my fair share of reading for kids. I'm guilty, often, of merely reading the words and not taking them in, being on reading auto-pilot. Perhaps it is because I have a lot to do in a day and my mind is busy planning my next job or where I have to have my kids by what time. Or perhaps it is because a good deal of kids' books are just not very engaging in terms of wondering what will happen next? That is precisely why I enjoyed A Mammoth in the Fridge; I simply had to know where the story would go.

Double page spread from A Mammoth in the Fridge  

Double page spread from A Mammoth in the Fridge

The illustrations are charming using a hand-drawn pencil look, and limited colours, reminiscient of children's books from the '50s and '60s.

Double page spread from A Mammoth in the Fridge

Double page spread from A Mammoth in the Fridge

The story relies on the illustrations; there are no superfluous words, so parents may need to explain a little to very small children, but I love the fast pace it gives the story, and I love it that the child needs to think about what is happening and who is doing the talking. A Mammoth in the Fridge is perfect for a child who is just starting to read. It's cute; I like it!

The Author  

Michaël Escoffier was born in France in 1970. He now lives in Lyon with his wife and two children. 

The Illustrator

Matthieu Maudet lives in Rennes, France, where he devotes himself entirely to comics and illustration childrens books.

Ages 3+

Origin: France

36 pages 230 x 213mm

Paperback IBSN 978-1-877579-15-8

Hardback  IBSN 978-1-877579-14-1

Published by Gecko Press

Many thanks to Gecko Press for allowing Kitty as a Picture Illustration and Surface Design Blog to publish the images.

Masutti & Masutti - Reusing and Redesigning Vintage Furniture and Textiles

I was helping a friend with some work the other day and we inevitably became distracted with talk of all kinds of things including our wish-list for home furnishings. Karen introduced me to Masutti & Masutti, and I fell in love with this '60s brocade lamp:

Eduordo lamp - Gloss gold lacquered vintage standardlamp base

with a drum shade in a 1960's jade green brocade. Lined with pink velvet,

it has a brass lampholder and bayonet switch at the neck.

Bottom image: Close-up of the 60s brocade also used on a stool. 

Masutti and Masutti reuse and redesign vintage furniture and textiles to create original one-off furnishings. The embroideries used are folk art, sourced largely from the Silk Road, and are steeped in tribal meaning. Masutti and Massuti recycle these textiles combining them with other vintage fabrics and contemporary velvets to create extroardinary pieces with both a vintage and a modern feel.

Yellow Rose Chaise - A midcentury chaise upholstered in a rare yellow Central Asian nuptial embroidery,

combined with a mix of rose pink french cotton velvets and edged with an antique-gold trim.

The back is in a vintage golden yellow 60's brocade.

Lydia - Midcentury stool with a fuschia pink velvet seat bordered

by vintage 60's emerald and bronze brocade.

Midcentury stool bordered by hand-embroidery on black velvet,

fuschia pink velvet and emerald and bronze seat finished with a Lakai woven strap.. 

It doesn't all appeal to me, but there are some fascinating pieces. Visit the Masutti and Masutti website to see the complete collection.  

Flower Dreams by Skinny laMinx

Terrible terrible me. I have been drooling over this new collection by Skinny laMinx since I received the newsletter in mid-April, but I have only just gotten around to posting it. Here it is in all its deliciousness just in case you haven't discovered it yet...

Flower Fields by Skinny laMinx; part of the Flower Dreams collection

Orla (solid) by Skinny laMinx; part of the Flower Dreams collection

Wild Flowers by Skinny laMinx; part of the Flower Dreams collection

Pincushion by Skinny laMinx; part of the Flower Dreams collection

I'm quietly imagining my house decorated with Orla (solid) curtains, and a stack of Flower Fields cushions...drool! I love the colour palette Heather chose for this collection - it's just so practical for interiors but delicious too. I think Skinny laMinx just gets better and better with each collection.

Skinny laMinx is the creation of illustrator/designer Heather Moore. She is based in Cape Town, South Africa. Visit her store in Cape Town, her online shop, or her Etsy store to see all of the wonderful Skinny la Minx goodies. 

Mini Empire Owls Wallpaper

Just when I thought I had overdosed completely on owls, I discover Mini Empire. And what do I love about them? The owls wallpaper of course!

Owls Wallpaper by Mini Empire; distributed by Photowall.se

Mini Empire is a swedish company founded by Jenny von Döbeln in 2010. Mini Empire comprises a variety of products - such as teatowels, posters, trays, cutting boards and more - featuring Jenny's illustrations.

Amongst my favourites is the print on this cushion below:

Forest Spice Cushion Cover by Mini Empire

Visit the Mini Empire website to see the entire range.

Via Ebabee Likes.

Liberty London Silk

Exquisite silk from Liberty London; these designs are part of their new Spring/Summer 2012 collection.

Dr Tulloch A Mayfair, Liberty Art Fabrics

Text by Liberty London: This digital print was created from a watercolour painting of a chaotic bookcase in the writing room tucked away in the gardens of Glencot House in Somerset. The books were thrown together as if in a textured pile creating an abstract pattern. View on the Liberty London website.

Kirstie's Paisley B, Liberty Art Fabrics 

Text by Liberty London: Kirstie's Paisley is a copy of the archival Sandalwood design, it has been rescaled for silk fabrics. Sandalwood is loosley based on a 19th century archival paisley.  View on the Liberty London website.

Hibou Home Children's Wallpaper

Have you discovered Hibou Home wallpaper yet? Unlike some wallpaper it is not too over-the-top.

Enchanted Wood Wallpaper by Hibou Home

Cactus Cowboys Wallpaper by Hibou Home

Gymkhana Wallpaper by Hibou Home

Pirate Seas Wallpaper by Hibou Home

Enchanted Wood Wallpaper by Hibou Home

This is one of the lovliest and most practical collections I have seen in a while. Often, while I love the design of a particular wallpaper, I wouldn't dream of putting it in my home for fear of it overwhelming a room; this collection, however, I am loving. I would have any of these.

Big Ben Wall Sticker Clocks

Browsing through brand-new online shop Babatude, I spotted these groovy Big Ben wall stickers. More than just an eye-catching decoration, they feature a real working clock!

The clock face is metal, and the entire sticker is up to two metres in height, so won't go unnoticed!

Check out Babatude for more wall stickers including some from my all-time favourite designers Pop and Lolli.