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?) 

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?

:)

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

Father's Day 2012

I set to work on a little project with the kids last week for Father's day. 

I had planned to do something like this from How About Orange, 

but there wasn't really enough sticky gluing for my two. 

So we cut out and sticky glued our words and then I just made a rough photo collage in Photoshop, threw in a brightness and contast layer as the weather has been soo dull, and well, we were done. 

 This one is for Phil...

And this one for my Dad! 

Ruby took my photos - not bad for a 4 year old!

And guys, as a foot note, sorry for the extra present of a tummy bug. 

That bit was an accident. 

x

What to do at Easter when you're stuck inside

Russian Doll Art!

 Well, little stickers on slices of wood - no talent required here!

The effect is great and there was no mess to clear up. 

And the kids thought they did a craft!

Win win all round, I say!

Moustaches and... eyebrows

A very good friend of ours

and extremely talented artist Fergus Ryan retired recently.

We had a huge party for him!

We set up photobooths to capture all his friends and famly.

And, as Fergus has sported moustaches for most of his adult life,

I made lots of different taches to be used in the photos.

It was lots of fun - and people really got into the spirit it!

Bouquet of Moustaches

If you want to do your own Moustache Photobooth -

Right click on the below image and save onto your desktop and then, print them out!

After a few days recovery, I met a writer friend

at IMMA to see the spectacular Kahlo and Rivera Exhibition.

If you love art, you'll probably love this!

Kahlo's art is piercingly honest and exquisitely beautiful...

Rivera's... i didn't love as much (sorry Diego, wherever you are!).

I couldn't help but wonder whether he meant the world to see some of his paintings..

The exhibition is on until 26th June 2011 and it's free on fridays :)