Say hello to Hello Polly

G'day my Australian friends! I have a new stockist in Melbourne, Australia. Hello Polly just opened its online shop and was set up by Sarah Kelk (formerly of The Red Door Gallery in Edinburgh - another stockist of mine). Sarah has a fantastic eye for spotting smile inducing designs from some of the most talented designers, including Elsie Dodds, Lisa Jones and Snug.

A selection of Mengsel prints can be purchased at Hello Polly, including "Fish&Chips", "Moka Express", "Retro Roosters", tea towels and cushion range.

Here's a few of my favourite picks from the site. Visit Hello Polly at the following link: http://www.hellopolly.com.au/

Olaf cushion, Lisa Jones

Blue Flowers Wrap, nineteenseventythree

Things to Do Notepad set, The Small Object

A print, Elsie Dodds

...c'mon, I HAD to pick on of my own designs! Bigger Boat cushion cover, Mengsel

photographer hilda grahnat

Just discovered Swedish photographer and graphic designer Hilda Grahnat's wonderful work via Darling Clementine's Tumblr.  So beautiful. A few of my favourite photographs on her site:

accessories for my dream office/studio

London based Present&Correct is a constantly evolving store, obsessed with stationary. A selection of P&C products mixed up with handmade goods, vintage items and work by designers from all over the world. In a perfect world, I would have a perfectly organised desk and office space with everything in its place. These cool items make it seem less impossible. I want everything from this store!

arrow stencil 

1960s typewriter

desk rubber stamps

french airmail set

to/from arrow labels

letterpress action clips

Mengsel prints now available at Heal's!

I am very pleased to let you know that Mengsel's limited edition silkscreen prints are now available at Heal's! I've been so excited about this for a while now and so so happy about it. Mengsel prints are available to purchase at the Tottenham Court Road flagship store and online at www.heals.co.uk. Heal's have chosen a small selection of framed limited edition prints for their flagship store: Moka Express, Tiny Towers and Toucans.

A little piece of history about Heal's:  

"Starting out as a bed-making firm in 1810, we've been designing and making quality furniture ever since. We love it and we're good at it. 

When Sir Ambrose Heal joined the firm in 1893, he had the vision to work with the most skilled designers and craftspeople of the day to create furniture that is comfortable, beautiful and affordable, reflecting the ideals of the Arts and Crafts Movement. Influential designers like Mies van de Rohe, Marcel Breuer and Robin and Lucienne Day have all been drawn to Heal's distinctive character and reputation for innovation.

This tradition lives on. Heal's continues to work with the designers of the future and offer home furnishings that represent the best in contemporary design."

You can read more about the history of this great British company here at the Heal's website.

It is just an absolute thrill for me to have my prints in a store that stocks most of my design heroes. Happy 2011!

shed working

Somehow I got the idea that having a shed for an office/workspace/studio in the back of a garden is a fabulous idea. I don't really want studio space somewhere else where I have to pay a high rent and have to commute. Now I just need an actual garden! I've found some really cool shed offices online for inspiration.

Author Amy Bloom's writing haven. Credit: William Wright from "Stylish Sheds and Elegant Hideaways"

Vivid Green designs and constructs low-energy offices, studios and workshops. Photo from The Telegraph

Shed workshop at Real Living. Everything in its place. A huge dream of mine.

Modern, green and affordable shed from Studio Sheds. Flat packed and constructed within 6 hours! From jetsongreen.com 

Garden office by Decorated Shed

Summerwood garden shed decorated by Urban Mode. Image via Interior Design Show

Garden and Home interview in December 2010 edition

Garden and Home South Africa interviewed me a while ago and now the article about Mengsel, called "Adding To The Mix" is on the "Pat on the Back" section in the December 2010 issue. I can't tell you how amazing it feels to be recognised by such a prestigious South African publication like Garden and Home. You can click on the image of the interview below to enlarge the image and read the article or if you are in sunny South Africa, you can pick up a copy at your local news stand. A wonderful end to a very exciting year for me!

Moka Express silkscreen print featured in Danish interiors magazine BoligLIV

So happy that Mengsel's Moka Express silkscreen print has been featured in the October issue of beautiful Danish interiors magazine BoligLIV. As you all know, I'm a big admirer of Scandinavian style and design and I'm just honoured to be mentioned. BoligLIV is not available in the UK, so thank you Kristina for sending me a copy from Copenhagen.

Every sillkscreen print from Mengsel is unique, as it is printed by hand by myself in the studio. Available in a variety of colours in The Mengsel Shop and my Etsy shop.

Joelle Jolivet illustrations

Completely fell in love with the work of French illustrator Joelle Jolivet (even her name is beautiful). The website is designed so cleverly and it just makes you want to click on every item and look inside every window to see what's hiding behind it. Jolivet studied graphic art and advertising at the School of Applied Arts in Paris, followed by a stint in the lithography workshop at the Beaux Arts. Lino-cutting is her main mode of expression.Gorgeous!

Joelle Jolivet web home page

Panorama - a foldout book

Tales from Shakespeare. Book cover illustration by Joelle Jolivet

Les marins perdus by Jean-Claude Izzo. Book cover illustration by Joelle Jolivet.

Moby Dick by Joelle Jolivet

Percolater pendant light Part Deux

Oh my goodness! I've just been informed by a kind reader of the Mengsel blog that the Percolater pendant light that I raved about previously in my post on Thatcher's Coffee is actually available to purchase at none other than ETSY. Designed by Jennifer Jako for Fix Studio. This porcelain beauty is definitly going on my Christmas wish list...

Percolater Pendant light by Fixstudio at Etsy

Percolater Pendant light by Fixstudio at Etsy

Percolater Pendant light by Fixstudio at Etsy

Interior: Thatcher's Coffee, Vancouver

Just freaked out about this photo from the interior of Thatcher's Coffee in Vancouver. Amazing Moka Express pendant lights! I want them... Don't you think Mengsel's Moka Express tea towels will look right at home in this beautiful coffee shop?

Thatcher's Coffee, Vancouver

Moka Express tea towels, Mengsel

New Mengsel Stockist: Elsa + Sam (Portland, Oregon)

 
I am pleased to announce that Mengsel's tea towel range will now be stocked at the wonderful dishware boutique, Elsa + Sam. Located in the city of Portland, Oregon,  Elsa + Sam offers only the highest quality decorative and functional dishware direct from independent designers in North America and Europe.

I've known about this beautiful store for quite some time now and was very delighted when Elsa contacted me. Do have a look at the Elsa + Sam website. My favourite picks:

large kidney plate, white with magnolia

Large bicycle pitcher

Nokka vinegar bottles

Newton cream and sugar set

Lust Teapot

Look what I have!

Back in September last year, I blogged about this amazing London papercut print from Paris based Familie Summerbelle in this post. I've always been a big admirer of Julie's work and couldn't believe my luck when Familie Summerbelle's stand was right opposite our Curate 40 stand at Pulse 2010. Admiring "my print" from across the aisle, while talking to future customers, I decided then and there that it must officially become mine. After the show, Simon suggested that we trade prints, so I traded one of my red "Manor Garden" prints for a "London Map". How fabulous! It is now framed in my bedroom next to a few of my favourite books. Thank you Simon and Julie. More info about Familie Sumerbelle here.

"London map" by Famillie Summerbelle

London map framed in my bedroom

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Traded for my "Manor Garden" silkscreen print. Yay!!!

TwistTogether

The TwistTogether Company from Brooklyn, NY, sells their amazingly quirky TwistTogether lamps on Supermarket HQ. The lamps work on a connection system and comes in a complete line of TwistTogether accessories to utilize the different shapes. Now if you were a child obsessed with LEGO like I was, you will love this grown up version. Endless possiblities to play around with.

"TwistTogether" shelf

"TwistTogether" shelf

"TwistTogether" Lamp in chocolate

Large installation @ the Invisible Dog Building, Brooklyn, NY