Home.

'Home' by Gabrielle Aplin is my theme song at the moment - have a listen while you read. 

Well, the Summer is over - the kids are back in school, the ice bucket challenge has been completed

and we're all counting down the days to pretty much every weekend ahead. 

We did do a Summer List (see earlier years here and here) and got about half of the things done. 

The summer was strange as we spent it in a rented house while we were getting major work done on our own. The most anticipated 'tick' on the Summer List was the 'Move Home' box. 

This made us all very happy!

It's been nice to re-imagine our old house and put in design details or practical elements that weren't there before. If you follow me on pinterest, you might know that I have a board where I hoard all of my chalkboard ideas. People are so clever with their spaces! 

I knew I wanted to put in a chalkboard wall - a place where the whole family could add the things of their heart - and I plan to change the theme with the seasons. 

This season, unsurprisingly, the theme is HOME.

It's not as 'designy' as the pinterest chalkboards because, let's face it, most of them are done in studios by artsy people and no kids. Ours is.. well, used. We love it. 

What about you? How was your summer?

x

Eileen and Patrick's Wedding Invitations

Bride Eileen has impeccable taste. 

When designing her invitations with financé Patrick, 

they choose a summery palette of cool mint and sunshine yellow. 

Her love of anemones, hydrangea and roses were the inspiration for my latest enjoyable commission. 

(Did I ever mention that I love my job?) 

I wish I washi

I love washi tape and I use it quite a bit at home, 

I love the feeling of it and the patterned joy it brings! 

I've used it several different ways this last year - 

I've covered clothes pegs, used it as a wall frame, it's on the keys of my laptop,

I've covered boring picture frames with it. 

It's also spilled into some of my illustrations! 

My favourite etsy shop stocking washi tape, Loollipop 

has a 15% off coupon which ends today - I just bought myself a new supply:)

Here are a few washi ideas from clever people on the web. 

Image from design*sponge

A cute little upcycled globe here

 Little miss Lolly dollies here

Pretty bunting for packaging here

 I might actually do this

One for the boys! here 

 Washi tape clothes pin - link here

 I really like this Rosa House. Find it here.

Friday Happy Quote

Well. I found this lovely quote from the master of thoughtfulness, A.A. Milne. 

And I had a balloon. So I thought I'd test this theory. 

  I tried it with Isak. 

And then with Ruby.

Yep. Apparently it is true! 

Summer List 2013

It's Summer List time again! 

This piece of paper got me out of several brain freezes last year (see last years Summer List here.)

Are you doing one?

:)

A little colour study

Compiling a list of colour combinations 

- thought I would share My Water Baby Sketch!

Homegrown Beauties Part 3

Have you come across Rosie's Rags Craft Kits?

Sarah designs handmade embroidery kits and crafts 

that would be great fun to do and pleasing to look at afterwards. 

 Freebird is my favourite.

I love you Kit - simple and lovely :)

 Retro Typewriter: Seize the day Embroidery Kit

Homegrown Beauties Part 2

This is the Green Goose Gallery. 

(It had me at Green Goose) 

Magaret's work is ethereal and delicate, with splashes of intense colour. 

She adds slight textures to her work to give the print an extra dimension. 

 Venice Print

Seagrass Print

 Howth Harbour, Dublin Print

For €25, wouldn't they make a lovely gift for someone away from home? 

Homegrown Beauties

So, our most Irish of Irish Days is approaching. 

This week on the run up to St Patrick's Day, I thought I'd have a little look through Etsy Ireland
so we could all ooh and ahh over the creative bunch that live on this beautiful tiny Island. 

I absolutely LOVE my oilcloth lunch bag from Sweetman Designs. 

I LOVE LOVE LOVE it. I truly use it everyday I'm in the studio. 

And they are only €12.50! 

We really can't have too many cute bags, can we?

Catherine Sweetman is an extremely talented seamstress 

who makes everyday practical items so pretty. 

How cute is this Ipad 2 Cover?

Happy Mother's Day, Girls!

Thank you all for your support and encouragement! 

Enjoy this free printable from me to you. 

Right click and 'save as' to save it to your computer. 

Mandi x

Happy Love Day

Maiden Voyage

Today's quick sketch is looking at light and perspective - and the joy of setting sail for the first time. x

Something to do

Happy Friday everyone! Mx

Let's do this thing.

Sketch from your life experiences' they said - 'it will inspire and lift the spirit' they said. 

Well, ok then.

Over the next while I plan to work on my drawing skills, 

and put down the results here! 

I'm not promising anything astounding but just some sketches from the heart. 

Slings and arrows of outrageous loveliness

1. Bows and Arrows Fabric by Katherine Codega

2. Follow the Arrow Wrapping Paper by ToodlesNoodles 

3. Hello Arrow Two Rubber Stamp by Think and Ink studio

4. Set of 4 Arrow Paper Cut Note Cards by Ashley Pahl

5. Ombre Arrows Necklace by cartonBois

Make it patterned and colourful. And please, don't cry if it breaks!

I decided a long time ago that there were far too many pretty kitchenware patterns for me to devote myself to just one. And with some beautiful new bowls as birthday presents,

I thought I'd take out some of my favourites to show you.

Some are vintage. Some are from Avoca, Anthropologie, Fishs Eddy,

Emma Bridgewater and Ikea.

Some are from travels abroad, but most of them given to me as gifts.

And I love them!

And I use them. Which sometimes is stressful because they get broken.

The cherry glass in this image is the last remaining glass

from a set belonging to my lovely grandparents.

(ok, so I don't let ANYBODY use that one!)

And in a dramatic Everyone-help-clearing-the-table accident,

I now only have 10 days of Christmas. oh well.

The bottom bowl here was one of the 4 bowls I got for my birthday.

It came with a note attached:

'From us 3, because we love you, and because sometimes we break things.'

Perfect.

Tomorrow - a mini chance to start again

Although, even as a child, I found this quote to be just a little bit untrue - I still like it. 

I love that there is newness in every morning - 

and that fresh love, grace and mercy are mine everyday! 

Happy today, and happy tomorrow everyone ;)

Seeing red - Pretty Things

Some sweet red picks!

1. Expand your View Poster by Handz 
2. Avoca Raindrops on Roses Soap 
3. Red and White Polka Dot Japenese Washi Tape by WaitingOnMarthaCraft 
4.  River Luna Art - Watercolor Feather Painting - Archival Art Print - 8x10  
5. Charlotte Bag Apples Design 
6. Paula McGurdy Red Human Heart Brooch

Thank you!

Last week I reached 600 sales on Etsy.

I wanted to make a little freebie to say thanks for all the purchases, 

as each and every sale makes me enjoy what I do just a little bit more. 

So, I thought I'd share these free printable bookplates with you.

I love bookplates and think they add a little personality to a book.

There's a bird one

a cloud one (I'm still a bit into clouds at the moment!)

a little girl

and a super boy! 

Just right click on the above file and save and print and share as you wish.

Love Mandi x

Doing a Boden

I love the clothes at Boden, particularly for kids. 

Their designs are bright and colourful, a little quirky and cheeky and slightly retro. 

Every time I look, I ooh and ahh over their cute little designs and fabrics.

Boy's Top here 

 Girl's top here.

Ruby (5) and I were looking at the website the other day 

and we decided we'd *try* making a version of our own. 

Within 30 mins we were laboriously snipping and matching fabrics.

This is what we made!

It probably won't last a wash in the washing machine. 

We had fun and she wore it to school the next day, 

waggling her tummy so that the bird's legs swished. 

That's what was important, after all!