Yearning for Spring

Today is only the first day of the second month of this year, but I seriously cannot wait for Spring this year. Usually, I visit my family in South Africa with my husband around Christmas, New Years and early January, but we didn't this year. Going in April when hubby's competing in Ironman South Africa - Yay!

We spent Christmas and NY in frosty London, bundled up inside watching the 1st and 2nd series of Homeland and drinking red wine in front of the fireplace to keep warm. Not an entirely bad way to spend a holiday, but I miss sunshine and flowers!

These beautiful blooms on My Pinterest Board made me anticipate Spring even more. I think I might even make it to the Chelsea Flower Show this year. I've never been. Is it worth it?

Valentine's Day 2013 at Mengsel

Looking for a non-cheesy Valentine's Day gift for your special someone that will look great in his/her home for years and years? Then look no further than the brand new LOVE print.

A great gift especially for graphic design an typography fans. This print is simple, bold and bright. Designed by Luzelle van der Westhuizen and printed in London on fine art quality papers. The quality of this print is really high and the colours are amazing.

Four different colour options: 
- duck egg blue
- rose blush
- lemon
- red

Two size options: 
A3 - £25
A2 - £35

Last order date for Valentine's Day delivery is Monday 11 February for the United Kingdom and Thursday 7 February 2013 for Everywhere Else (and by Everywhere Else, I mean worldwide!)

Buy the LOVE print HERE at the Mengsel Shop.

(p.s. would make a great wedding pressie for a friend too!)

Giclée prints at Mengsel

I've just introduced a new giclée print range to the Mengsel Shop featuring a selection of my best selling limited edition silkscreen prints:

- Bigger Boat in turquoise
- Whale in chartreuse and grey
- Whale in delft blue and black
- Mountain Cabin

All sized A3 (42cm H x 29cm W) and a steal at only £25. You can even buy a couple as a collection.

All of these prints would make fantastic Valentine's Day gifts and the quality of the prints are really great. Printed in London with archival quality inks on 220gsm fine art paper.

The prints will not have my original signature, date or number on it (like the limited editions), but will have the Mengsel logo in the bottom righthand corner.

You can find them all HERE at the Mengsel Shop.

I have so many ideas for this year, so lots of new work coming soon!

Bigger Boat giclee print - £25 

Whale giclee print in chartreuse - £25

Whale print in delft blue and black - £25

Mountain Cabin print - £25

my new food obsession

Yes, it is brussels sprouts. The best way to eat them is to roast them in the pan with bacon and avocado with lots of garlic and chilli! Delicious. Found the recipe here on Pinterest and decided to give it a go.

You can also follow Mengsel on Pinterest to find out more about my favourite things.

exciting new things: collaboration with Magpie

So excited about great things happening for Mengsel in 2013. I've been working on a range for London based homewares and gifts studio, Magpie. All of their ranges are seriously beautiful and include coffee mugs, dinner plates, espresso sets, cushion covers, aprons, tea towels, egg cups, cake tins and more.

Previous collaborators include Mini Moderns, Tom Frost and Nicholas John Frith. I look up to all of these artists and designers and it is an honour to have my collection alongside them.

The Mengsel range for Magpie will be launched later this year, so stay tuned for updates. The excitement can literally not be contained!

"Mountain Cabin" limited edition silkscreen print by Mengsel

snowy snowy january

our snowy street

20cm layer on our outside table in the garden

off to the gym then - like my bright pink running shoes?

lucky to have a fireplace to stay warm inside - marshmallows anyone?

FLASH SALE item of the day for 17 Dec

From today, 17 Dec until Christmas Day, I will add one item to the FLASH SALE section of the Mengsel Shop. That specific item will be available for 50% of the original price for that day only. Christmas Cheer all around!

The first item available at less than 50% is the A2 sized Moka Express silkscreen print in neon pink. Printed by hand in my studio! Usually £65, but until tomorrow morning at 12pm, only £32! Wow!

You can buy it HERE in the Mengsel shop.

Keep your eyes open for the next couple of days, where a new item will be available for less than half the original price for one day only. But be aware: every day's offer will only be available for that specific day.

MERRY CHRISTMAS folks and thank you for all of your great support in 2012. Really looking forward to 2013 and all the new things that I'm working on...

Mengsel made the Stylist cut!

Our Moka Express tea towel made Stylist magazine's Christmas gift guide! It really is a great stocking filler or a Secret Santa gift. At only £9, what's not to like?

Available HERE at the Mengsel shop

Available HERE at the Mengsel shop

Personalised "Robots in Love" print now available

So excited to share something really special for my shop. I'm now offering personalised prints, starting with the first design, the classic "Robots in Love".

Available in a number of colour options, including apple green, pitch black, duck egg blue, postbox red, macaroon pink, delft blue and duck egg blue.

Just let us know which colour you would prefer and add the two names that you would like at checkout. Easypeasy! Yay!

The personalised Robots in Love is printed in the UK on 210gsm archival matte paper. This is just such a personal and quirky gift and perfect for weddings or just a sweet surprise for your other half.

Available in the Mengsel shop HERE

House and Leisure South Africa November 2012

It is always so nice when my family in South Africa let me know when Mengsel products make it into the pages of one of the country's best interior magazines, House & Leisure. Luckily I can read it here in London on my iPad!

Mengsel's Retro Roosters tea towel in delft blue popped up on the trend pages alongside some pretty cool tea towels for your kitchen.

All of the beautiful houses in my home country makes me quite envious of the great outdoors lifestyle and boundless creativity over there.

I literally only have a handful of them left, so you better be quick if you want to get your hands on one.

Nigella Lawson loves Moka Express

Last night, I got back from the gym, switched the TV on and Nigella Lawson's new Italian style BBC cooking show Nigellissima was on. Just got to see the last 5 minutes of the show as Nigella whipped up another fantastic feast in her beautiful kitchen.

As Nigella stepped back into her kitchen after feeding her hungry and appreciative guests, I couldn't help notice something very familiar hanging beside her oven - it was Mengsel's Moka Express tea towel in black! I couldn't believe it and had to pause the channel just to make sure. What a random surprise. This shall go down in history as my claim to fame. Hahaha!

Here's a snap on BBC's website with Nigella and black Moka Express tea towel in the background. Love you Nigella!

You can buy the Moka Express tea towel in the Mengsel Shop and it is also available in cherry red and as limited edition hand pulled silkscreen prints in various colour options.

Afterwards, I did some research and found this very interesting link to the BBC website where they showed how the Nigelllissima set was created. On the show, it really looks like her own home, but was created in a warehouse studio. Quite amazing. Check it out here. 

The Black Cabs of London Town

A while ago, I was a approached by Fawn Arts Consultancy to provide one of my prints for the halls of the prestigious King's College London. Turns out that my "Black Cabs" print was exactly what they were after to spice up the interiors of the college! It looks really great up on the wall and they did a really nice job with the framing. 

Read more HERE about the very interesting history of the King's College and its famous pupils (including people as diverse as Florence Nightingale, Desmond Tutu and John Keats). Founded in 1829 by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington (then Prime Minister).

Get a slice of London in your home with the "Black Cabs" limited edition silkscreen prints from the Mengsel Shop. 

(Image provided by Fawn Arts Consultancy)

 (Image provided by Fawn Arts Consultancy)

"Black Cabs" - available at Mengsel Shop

"Black Cabs" - available at Mengsel shop

Mengsel at Not On the High Street

So happy to announce that Mengsel has joined amazing UK based site NOT ON THE HIGH STREET. So excited about this. Even got my first sale after being live on the site for only an hour!

I will be adding loads of new prints to the site (as well as my own site, www.mengsel.com) in the next couple of weeks and towards Christmas.

You can also find out more about the inspirational success story of the company founded by Holly Tucker and Sophie Cornish HERE.

and the winner of the cushion giveaway is...

CathyB!

Congratulations Cathy! You will receive two toucans cushions according to your choice. Hope they find a comfy little spot on your sofa.

I will host another giveaway soon, I promise.

Mengsel in the press: Real Homes September 2012

Some more great press for Mengsel prints! The limited edition "Leafy Heart" silkscreen print in shimmery gold is part of "The New Neutrals" in the September 2012 issue of Real Homes UK.

You can buy the "Leafy Heart" print in shimmery gold in the Mengsel shop and it is also available in wedgewood blue. Limited edition, hand drawn and printed by hand.

Mengsel in the Press: Making magazine Aug 2012

Mengsel's "Swan" cushion in coral reef made it into the very creative pages of Making magazine for the August 2012 issue. Love this magazine. Lots of fun projects for makers.

The "Swan" cushion is available in the Mengsel shop in coral reef en black. Only a few of these left, so be quick if you want one!