NEW print: "Katjies"

Brand new print in the Mengsel shop called "Katjies" (kittens in Afrikaans). Giclee print available in A3 size. The colours are really soft and this print would look so sweet in a child's room or nursery.

Go have a look at "Katjies" in the Mengsel shop...

Mengsel at the V&A

Mengsel's sweet little "Whale" and "Bigger Boat" cushions and "Fish & Chips" silkscreen print made it all the way to the Victoria and Albert Museum's Shop! So excited about this, because the V&A has always been my favourite place to go with my sketchbook with an abundance of inspiration and beautiful things on display.

The cushions and prints join a collection of seaside inspired goods to form a British Seaside collection at the V&A.

Might have to make a little trip down to South Kensington this week to go spot them in the shop. Absolutely thrilled!

You can also buy these seaside inspired items directly from the Mengsel Shop. Here's to a fabulously sunny and colourful British Summer!

love where I live

One of the great things of living in Raynes Park: It's a stone's throw from beautiful Richmond Park and Wimbledon Common. Last Sunday, the sun was shining, everybody was out and about and for the first time in months, it felt like Spring is not such a silly idea. Boy was I wrong! A week later and temperatures have plummeted below zero again with icy flurries in the air.

Well, when the sun was out a week ago, I captured my beloved Wimbledon Common and Village with a few instagram shots.

Happy Birthday to Me!

Just for fun, I've assembled a whole load of "fantasy" birthday cakes for moi for today - it's my birthday! Thanks for following my blog and hope 2013 will be a wonderful year for Mengsel.

I'll just imagine tucking into these beauties. Yum!

Chocolate fudge cake with raspberries and amaretto cream

-receipe from What Katie Ate

Whisky and Dark Chocolate "Beautiful and the Damned" Cake

- recipe from Poires au Chocolat

Mascarpone Meringue Cake

-recipe from Sweetapolita

Darkest Choclate Crepe Cake

- recipe from Martha Stewart

The best cherry & chocolate cheesecake

-recipe from Jamie Oliver

Are you picking up on the chocolate trend? Hehe

marie antoinette colours

Over here at Mengsel, I'm always inspired by colour trends. With Spring coming up, I've been looking at some sugary hues. One of my favourite films (stylistically), is Marie Antoinette by Sofia Coppola. The decadence of the era with a bit of an edge is so beautiful.

A colour palette...

Featured in The Simple Things

Mengsel's colourful "Toucans"cushion made an appearance in The Simple Things Issue 03. I just love this magazine! Beautiful photography, yummy recipes and pretty things for the home.

Shop the "Toucans" cushion HERE

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...