A very Jazzy Christmas

It has now been quite a while since I moved into my lovely flat, however I am only just getting around to writing a blog about the most fantastic house-warming gift that I received...a Yosemite print by the artist Jazzberry Blue.

Yosemite by Jazzberry Blue

Yosemite has long been one of my favourite places in the world, and I had been having a look at his stuff for a while as I thought that the colourful, geometric prints he is renowned for would fit perfectly with the look of my flat.

Paris print by Jazzberry Blue

Little did I know, that as well as the amazing map prints which I had long loved, the Toronto-based artist, had developed a range of National Parks prints, of which the Yosemite piece is just one!

The gift in question, was provided by a certain boy, not long after we had started seeing each other, making it even more thoughtful. It really has set the tone for my flat and makes me smile each time I see it.

My beloved new print now sits, pride of place in my (now rather festive-looking) living room and I hope you will agree, it really ties everything together.

Jeff makes the perfect festive accesory

In other news...It is very nearly Christmas!

Jeff and Tallulah were given a couple of presents, but they didn't stay wrapped for very long - turns out Jeff earned his title of Chief Sniffing Officer.

I can't wait for my family Christmas this year. I have so much to be thankful for, not least of all, getting to spend the season with everyone I love.

So, without further ado... I wish you all a very happy Christmas and a wonderful 2015!

Graphic art prints that make your walls smile

In the process of decorating my new place, I have been really keen to discover new prints and artists. As my new home is all about bright colours and typography, I was thrilled to discover the lovely new website: www.mleko.co.uk. 

In fact, this week, I have been lucky enough to have an exclusive interview with Mleko's owner and founder Ania Newland, who has been telling me all about the birth of this exciting new brand...

The wonderfully talented Ania Newland

1. When did you start Mleko?
The company is very new, we launched in May 2014 so only a few months ago!

2. What is your background? 

My background is quite varied: I studied English philology at a University in Poland hoping to become a translator for the EU but then I moved to England and took up a variety of different roles from management consulting to Insurance. I never liked the corporate world and had to find a way out of there so I started to think about doing something that I really love... 
I have always enjoyed art, drawing and anything crafty and one day I stumbled upon a vector programming software and thought – ‘OK, let's see how this works’. I loved it so much that graphic design quickly turned into my true, insatiable passion. I started off teaching myself digital arts, after which I enrolled onto a graphic design course at St. Martins which was so inspiring and motivated me to open Mleko.

3. What is your company ethos?

We strive to be different, colourful, fun, playful, modern, personal and at the same time offer only premium quality, well-made items that people can enjoy for years to come.  

4. Where did the name Mleko come from?

The name was actually suggested by my British husband and my business partner Mark. He thought that I should give the venture a polish name but I really struggled to come up with a short, pronounceable name in polish. One day, my husband got home from work and said; ‘why not Mleko?'. 
Mleko actually means milk in polish but the spelling of the name was easy so I said ‘yes’-:) Interestingly, after we decided on Mleko, someone from India told us that ‘milk’ as a business name should bring us luck as cows are sacred over there – it sealed the deal for us.

5. How do you get your inspiration for each piece?

I get inspired by a variety of things from day to day stuff or beautiful colours to nature, as well as my 2 cute cats!  
I am also definitely inspired by Scandinavian design, colourful polish folklore art, beautiful African and tribal patterns and the Bauhaus movement. 
Ideas for new pieces pop into my head all the time and I draw them up as quickly as I can, In fact, I have dozens of workbooks full of sketches and new ideas – most of those will probably never turn into a design but I like to draw them up or write them down anyway, just in case I come across a creative block one day.

6. Which designers/illustrators inspire your work?

I am a huge, huge fan of Paul Rand… I can safely say he is my very favourite graphic designer of all times– I love his approach to colour – his sense of playfulness, the simplicity of his work. I also love the way he writes about design, some of his client proposals are like poetry. To me, he is a genius. 
There are loads of other, younger designers that I really like – Anna Sannuka, Kate Moross and I adore the work of the guy behind the Partizan brand – Alec Doherty. Oh I also love the work of tattoo artist Angelique Houtkamp and one of her beautiful girl prints graces my bedroom wall.

7. What is your most popular design?

This is a hard one as I have quite a few designs in my store and people tend to buy a wide range. At the moment: ‘so fruity’ is being very popular with bloggers and fellow designers. We receive a lot of orders for the ‘Yummy Tea’ ‘Noah’s Ark’ & ‘Mr Stork’ prints at the moment.

Yummy Tea print from Mleko

8. Where do people tend to hear about you? Have you been featured anywhere else online or in print?

We try and introduce people to our brand via  social media. We also proud to partner with on Not On The High Street which has been amazing for us so far. We have  been featured on the Apartment Therapy, Design Sheppard, Print & Pattern blogs and many, many others, perhaps less known ones too. The interest in our brand is definitely on the up and we hope to appear on many more blogs in near future.

9. Which prints do you have in your own home?

We have 3 framed prints – LOL, Tour de France/Bicycle and the Egg print gracing our kitchen (I actually use it as a reference when cooking eggs!)

10. Where do you hope to take the company in the next five years?

We hope to grow the brand to incorporate many other design-led home-ware. Currently, we are working on expanding our personalised/special occasion range for NOTHS & are planning to introduce greeting cards very shortly too. 

I have my head full of ideas so time is my only limit at the moment, I can’t wait to grow Mleko and make it a recognised brand for unique, quirky and colourful home ware and gifts. 

Ania's passion for design is intoxicating and her work really enchanting. In fact, I even have her Love Birds print up in my own flat - and it certainly makes my walls smile! 
Her determination to follow her dreams and invest in her own creativity is really inspiring and I wish her all the success in the world with Mleko. Some of those prints would make lovely Christmas presents...

Love Birds print from Mleko

I'm in! And so are my kitties...

It has been rather a mad dash, but I am finally in my new flat in Chorlton.

I am still have lots to do throughout the flat and will share photos of each when I am done. However, in the mean time, I thought I would share a bit more info about my cats, now that are now back living with me once more! Yay!

The move was stressful for them - probably even more so because they are house cats so had never left my old house. But they have only been here a few days and are already settling in nicely.

So without further ado, may I introduce to you...my kitties!

Tallulah-Belle
A.K.A Tea bag, Lulah, Tulisa, T-Bone, Mrs Lulah.
Age: 2 and a half
Breed: Ragdoll
Looks: Like a model! Beautiful pointed Ragdoll with bright blue eyes.
Reason for purchase: To keep Jeff company
Hates: Being stroked on the head, or generally being touched. Particularly despises being dressed up in clothes.
Loves: Playing, sitting near you (but not near enough that you can touch her), dreamies, exploring, running away from people. Bags and boxes.
Will permit under sufferance: Being cradled on her back and having her tummy rubbed.
Personality traits: Aloof and dozey but patient and sweet-natured. Not much between the ears.

Jefferson Keith
A.K.A Jeff, big dog, lad, mate, the fat knacker.
Age: 3 and a half
Breed: Ragdoll
Looks: Like a massive fluffy white polar bear. Blue eyes that sometimes get a bit gammy.
Reason for purchase: Always wanted a Ragdoll.
Hates: Anything or anyone new or unfamiliar, Tallulah when she gets too big for her boots. All men. Loves: eating, sleeping next to me/on me, following me around like a dog, washing my hair when I am in the bath, waking me up by nuzzling my face from 4am onwards, being cuddled (on his own terms), dreamies, being groomed.
Will permit under sufferance: Nothing
Personality traits: Thinks he is a human and the leader of the pack/free world. You have to earn his respect, but when you do, you will not lose it. Massive love muffin.

Sloping ceilings and mezzanines

So the weeks march on and I still don’t have the keys to my new flat. As much as I understand that there is a lot of paperwork and procedure to go through, I am starting to lose my patience with it all. Everything just seems to take days and days and there are so many stages to it.

Anyway, in the mean time, I am trying to plan as best I can for my new space.

Part of the reason I fell in love with the flat is because it is so far removed from some of the boring modern boxes I had seen. However, the character of the flat does make it harder to furnish!

Dad has been a lifesaver - going in and measuring up for me. We did some space-planning this weekend; planning furniture around every low beam, sloping wall and low ceiling. I have been watching George Clarke’s amazing spaces for inspiration. I figure, if they can create such awesome living spaces in caravans and narrow boats, my two bed flat should be a breeze.

I think storage is the main thing that will be a problem in the flat, and with relatively little space, I need to make sure I make the most of every nook and cranny. This has meant sacrificing some of my initial favourite pieces of furniture for alternatives that work better in the space.

For example, I really wanted the large Hemnes 3 door Ikea wardrobe to go with my day bed in my second room. The problem was the room layout, as I also needed to fit the day bed, a desk and a chest of drawers in there, and with a low sloping ceiling, this was a tough task. However, by choosing a smaller wardrobe with sliding doors, I am using the alcove space, allowing for a bigger chest of drawers and more storage elsewhere in the room.

In the master bedroom, I have gone for a bed in which the whole mattress pops up to reveal storage underneath. I think this will be ideal for bags, mops, brushes and even and ironing board – all chunky bits and pieces that have no home without a store cupboard.

Finally, the mezzanine was also perplexing me. It is such a lovely space, and I think it is the thing that really gives the flat that “wow” factor. However, it is obviously awkward to furnish as it is in the slope of the roof. It was also tough to decide what to use this space for. There is no protective rail at the edge of the space to stop people from rolling off, so not ideal for sleeping.

My solution is to use Kallax shelves from Ikea. They should sit perfectly along the back wall of the mezzanine and can then be filled with books – creating a stylish shelving system and allowing easy access to my many books and DVDs! If I can put a rug up there too and maybe even a beanbag or low chair, it will be perfect as a little reading/music den. I am also considering hanging my guitar on the wall up there, so it becomes a great little creative space.

Anyway, I will stop rambling on now. Needless to say, I am really rather excited about getting my keys, and have all my plans in place to transform my lovely little Chorlton flat! Now I just need those keys...

Animal inspiration

On my many online travels to various interiors shops, I have noticed a somewhat startling pattern emerging...one with animals on it.

I think it is a good job I have noticed this early so that I don't end up with a flat that resembles a zoo.

Never the less, I have already settled on a few animal gems for my flat, including table mats in these very sweet designs. I got these from a very cute shop in Devon but have seen them online in a few places since then.

In my bedroom, I also really fancy one wall of wallpaper.  I think this is the only place I will have wallpaper in the flat as I am hoping it will give it more of a homely feel. Anyway, needless to say it has animals on it - birds in fact. This is from liveliketheboy.co.uk.

I am still trying to settle on a colour scheme for my own bedroom and this is actually proving quite tough. I was working towards a grass green and deep purple mix, but I am not sure how well it will come together in reality. Anyway, there is still plenty of time to sort that out!

In the meantime, I also found this gem of a cushion which is the height of hilarity and sophistication from ohdeer.com. I am in love :)

My addiction

My name is Sarah and I am addicted to Pinterest.

Since my last blog I have been whiling away hours creating moods and themes for each of the rooms in my new flat. It is hugely moreish, but also really helpful as my plans for each room are starting to take shape.

The lounge in particular, I have been agonising over for a while but I think I have cracked it with these beautiful Ritchie sofas from Made.com (A.K.A Mecca!) and an amazing coloured "bubble rug" courtesy of my parents.

I am planning on using the multi-coloured rug to create a fun and funky feel and then use the sofas to define the two key tones in the room - grey and pink. I absolutely love this suite - the coloured buttons add a real element of fun and the fabric looks pretty hard-wearing which will be good with the cats.

I had a little bit more interiors-porn today too, in the form of ReStore - a beautiful little shop in Dartington, Totnes that specialises in upcycling donated pieces. I found myself looking for a  real life Pin It button for these little beauties...

Needless to say, I will certainly be coming back when I have done the space planning for my flat.

So far, I am trying to fight the temptation to buy anything for my new place. I am scared to jinx it and so keep telling myself to wait until I have exchanged. However, I have started a rather sad spreadsheet which has links and costs for all the items I would like, so that I can budget and digitally stash the bits and pieces I am after. Organisational winning! :)

I did invest in one little gem today as it is not strictly speaking for my new flat. I bought a wonderful little book called Sew La Tea Do by Pip Lincolne. I have had my eye on it for a while as I have read great reviews. It includes a collection of patterns for some ace projects, including a tunic dress, cushions and bean bag and a wrap skirt. Really excited to get started on them!

Chorlton Arts Festival - Part One

Last night I visited the World Peace Cafe to attend an event entitled "The Art of Meditation" as part of the Chorlton Arts Festival.

As a complete novice to meditation, it is safe to say I was a little apprehensive about going along. But I was absolutely blown away.

I must admit the offer of a free drink and slice of cake as well as a talk and mediation session, left my Western mind looking for the catch...

However, it didn't take long to see that I had stumbled across something really special!

The Kadampa meditation centre offers sessions throughout the week and the teachers and volunteers were all extremely helpful and welcoming.

The World Peace Cafe operates out of the same centre and has a similar ethos of calm and kindness. It's a vegetarian cafe that uses only organic, fairtrade and locally sourced ingredients with all profits dedicated to building world peace. I cannot tell you how wonderful it was to visit a cafe with a conscience!

The session itself was fantastic and mindfulness meditation is something I am so excited to learn more about. The meditation room was simply beautiful (a former artist studio) and the taster session was a real breath of fresh air.

I left the session feeling so much calmer and at peace with myself. As our teacher said, people have been practising meditation for over 2000 years, so there must be something to it!

I feel very privileged that I will soon have this place on my doorstep and will look forward to going back.

All things bright and beautiful

So the birthday fairy also bought me a few other little gems...literally!

Eclectic Eccentricity has to be my absolute favourite place to buy jewellery. It is a great brand that draws inspiration from weird and wacky places and creates some truly beautiful pieces.

Each items tells a little story and I love the personality and scarcity value of the jewellery. Safe to say, I would buy almost all of their treasures if money allowed. So, when I got given some birthday money, I treated myself to not one, not two, but THREE new necklaces, all of which I am utterly smitten with...oops.

As you can see, until I exchange contracts and can start buying accessories for my flat,  I am just buying them for myself!

The other little wonder that appeared on my doorstep this week is Bright Bazaar - a book I have been hankering after for a long time.

I love the Bright Bazaar blog and this beautiful coffee table hardback did not disappoint.

The book gives basic tips on using bright colours (as the name would suggest) and then goes on to suggest come great combinations, as well as the secrets of choosing a palette for each room in the home.

Author Will Taylor, a self-confessed "gentleman hooked on hue",  gives a great little guided tour through bold and bright interior decor and his "colour cocktails" make amazing mood boards as they are.

Definitely worth a read and a give his blog a follow too!

Out and about on Beech Road

Today I had a wonderful visit from my best friend James and took him to see Chorlton Village - I think it is safe to say he was a fan!

We had a lovely brunch at The Laundrette and then wandered down the street exploring the shops and cafes that Beech Road has to offer.

My favourites so far are the stylish clothes and accessories at Nood, the stylish interiors shop Loop and the gorgeous Creative Recycling Gallery. This lovely little place is a not-for-profit organisation and they run a series of craft activities including paper quilting, glass recycling and even glass fusing. No doubt I will be getting involved with some of these courses ASAP!

They also offer a range of beautiful prints, including this one, which I have my eye on already for the new flat...

After experiencing the sites and sounds of Beech road, we had a fresh fruit milkshake at On The Corner - the perfect end to a Chorlton day.

We also picked up some information about the Chorlton Arts Festival which is taking place next weekend. Should be a great way of finding out more about the place...I will keep you posted.

Cheers for now :)

Sew sew

For my birthday this year, my parents bought me a gorgeous purple sewing machine from John Lewis.

It is a pretty little thing and hope it will be just what I need to get me started.

Now whilst I am embarking on my crafty mission, I should issue a disclaimer: I have never sewn before. So I really am starting at the very beginning...

Anyhoo, I got some fabric from Busy Bee Arts and Craft centre in Kingsbridge last time we were down in Devon, and a little starter kit from Hobbycraft and I was away.

My first project was a tote bag and I followed a simple YouTube tutorial from Stitched Up and just about managed to keep up.

The hardest thing was working out how to thread the needle and the bobbins. I also got a little confused with which way round my stitching should go to give the outside of the bag a neat finish.

The finished product looks like a bag but it is certainly not perfectly formed. It all adds to it's character though :)

So here it is, my first sewing creation...

I have a flat...

...Or an offer accepted on one anyway.

It is a gorgeous split-level top-floor flat in the heart of Chorlton Village and I could not be more excited about moving in.

I am planning on designing and fitting out the interior myself, being as creative and crafty as I can along the way.

As such, I thought now would be a great time to start writing a blog about my adventures.

So, here's to an exciting new start!

Introductions

Hi, I’m Sarah.

Writer, singer, feminist and cat lover. This is my personal blog about my new adventure living in Chorlton.

I will be sharing all things interiors, crafty and music related and sharing lots of photos along the way.

WARNING: I will probably also share way too many pictures of my cats...

BOO