Computer Arts magazine Summer 2011

Yay! I am one happy designer today. My "Bigger Boat" cushion and "Moka Express" tea towel in cherry red are in Computer Arts magazine this month! Computer Arts is the best selling magazine for digital creatives. It showcases the best illustration, graphic design, typography and web design along with advice from agencies and digital artists.

You can buy the "Bigger Boat" cushion cover and other throw pillows here and the Moka Express tea towels here. The Moka Express tea towel is also available in black and in mixed sets of 2. Visit the Mengsel Shop to find out more.

Bigger Boat cushion

Bigger Boat cushion 

Moka Express tea towel in cherry red

Retro Roosters in Home/Tuis magazine

Mengsel's "Retro Roosters" silkscreen print in buttercup yellow is featured in a beautiful grey and yellow inspired interior shoot in the special edition DIY issue of Home Magazine South Africa (the Afrikaans version is called Tuis). These colours just compliment each other beautifully and I LOVE the Skinny Laminx upholstered chair. Gorgeous!

The Retro Roosters silkscreen print is available here from the Mengsel Shop. Available in A3 and A2 sizes as well as different colour options (buttercup yellow, apple green and bright red). Also printed on tea towels...

memory card memories

As a child, my sister and I had this Memory Game. I've always loved the images on the cards and couldn't believe my luck when I tracked down this image on Flickr! Apparently it is a vintage German memory game from the late fifties or early sixties, but I distinctly remember the cover of the box as being very 80s. Bizarre. I asked my Mom in Cape Town if the cards are still lurking around somewhere at the back of the garage (of the house that I grew up in from birth and my parents stil live in) and she said yes, it is still there. The box cover is in Afrikaans (Geheue Spel = Memory Game) and it is registered to a company called Waddington House of Games in London.

I think this card game is probably one of the big reasons for my love of simple, colourful illustrations with a mid century modern feel. Thanks Mom! Brings back a lot of memories...

image from veloopity's Flickr photostream

obsessed with: ray eames

As a jewellery design student in Cape Town (a long time ago), my favourite book in the very cool Technikon library was a very big and heavy one about the work and lives of Charles and Ray Eames. Quite an old book, well thumbed and read by many. I can't even tell you how many times I borrowed the book from the library, only to go back to renew it for another week or two. Think I must have booked it out for a couple of months at least.

I fell in love with the designs of this formidable duo and I was particularly fascinated by the quirky, tiny, pinafore-wearing Mrs Eames. She was such an odd little thing in a time when women either stayed at home with babies or worked as secretaries.

Charles & Ray Eames (image from vitra.com)

Ray holding Dot Pattern Fabric Design, circa 1947 (image from eamesoffice.com)

Ray's Desk, 1976 (image from eamesoffice.com)

Ray with model of the Eames House. Photograph by Peter Stackpole for LIFE magazine, 1950. (image from Ordinary Finds) 

fancy some fish & chips by the seaside?

Say hello to my brand new silkscreen print showing Britain's favourite dish: Fish & Chips! 


Although, mine is a much more graphic representation of the classic dish with bright red ketchup, buttercup yellow chips, cobalt blue fish and emerald green (very dotty) mushy peas in true Mengsel style. This print has a touch of Mid Century Modern and Scandinavian style to it and would be absolutely lovely in your kitchen.


This A3 sized limited edition original illustration is hand printed onto 220gsm paper and consists of 50 signed prints. Available here in the Mengsel Shop. 

"Fish & Chips" silkscreen print

"Fish & Chips" silkscreen print

Bigger Boat silkscreen print in ELLE Decoration UK

Oh my goodness, I don't quite know how this happened - I haven't blogged in WEEKS! A bit out of touch after spending more time on my new designs and products and I've kind of been in this weird groove. Time to snap out of it!

Something that made me snap out of it: spotting my "Bigger Boat" silkscreen print in sunny yellow in the August issue of ELLE Decoration. It is only a tiny little picture in the magazine (hope you can spot it!), but it means the world to me.  I just absolutely love having a subscription to my favourite interiors magazine and when I hear that magazine going through my front door post box, I literally run down the stairs and devour every single page.

Author Josie Curran lives on a gorgeous houseboat in Surrey and bought the print from me last year and it now resides in the main bedroom. I really love seeing my prints in my customers' homes and how it becomes part of their own unique style.

More about Josie Curran, her work and home at her website. The "Bigger Boat" silkscreen print in yellow costs £40.00 plus p&p and is available here from the Mengsel Shop.

P.S. Mengsel customers out there - I would LOVE it if you send in pictures of my prints displayed in your home to mengseldesign@gmail.com

"Bigger Boat" silkscreen print in yellow.