Bespoke Letterpress Boutique - The Movie

I just had to post about this because I think it’s fantastic! Brisbane-based letterpress studio Bespoke Letterpress Boutique recently created their very own short film, which offers a sneak peek into their studio and features their star presses (named Herbie and Charlie!) in action. Bespoke Letterpress Boutique (run by Alischa, Hayden and their dog Ruby) design and print couture letterpress wedding invitations, stationery and prints, and work with a variety of clients both nationally and internationally. Their film offers a unique insight into how the presses work, and I especially loved watching the ink being applied to the press – so fascinating to see! You can view the film here and here.

The other day I posted about my appreciation for ampersands, and in an incredibly timely manner, Bespoke Letterpress Boutique have also just added an ampersand print to their online shop. It’s printed on white 300gsm stock in ivory and black inks, and each is numbered from an edition of just 50 prints. Lovely!

In celebration of the film and new ampersand print, Bespoke Letterpress Boutique currently have 30% off all of their limited-edition prints, which is kind of bad news for me as I’m trying not to spend money before I start my new job. But it is very hard to resist the ampersand and tea-themed prints in the Bespoke Letterpress shop — The Sugar In Your Tea, In My Camomile Dreams and A Motley Brew (great pun) prints are just lovely and would look great in my kitchen. What a conundrum!

Bespoke Letterpress Boutique will be holding a stall at the Finders Keepers market in my home city of Brisbane this weekend, so if you’re in the area this would be a fantastic way to entertain yourself (and spend plenty of your hard-earned cash, I’m sure!).

New from Pancake & Franks

Boutique San Francisco-based letterpress studio Pancake & Franks has recently added some lovely limited-edition prints and stationery box sets to its growing collection. There are two series of prints to choose from – the Reservations series is inspired by food and eating, and the Tool Box series features all 158 of Pancake & Frank’s designs from their greeting card collection, which have been morphed together to create new shapes and dimensions. Such a unique idea!

The box sets contain 30 greeting card designs. Currently available are the Everyday and Gourmet boxes, with plans to release a Holiday box later in the year.

Both lines are available for purchase at Pancake & Frank’s website, and their greeting card range is also available through a range of international online stockists.

Alter Identity for Loom

I really like the website and identity that Melbourne-based design studio Alter have created for handcrafted rug and textile retailer Loom. It’s simple, effective and unique, and perfectly executes the Loom brand.

Check Alter's online portfolio for more lovely work (another favourite of mine is the Sparks installation they created as part of the Melbourne Design Festival), and Loom's beautiful range of rugs can also be viewed here.

Blanca Gómez

OK, I'll admit it. I am totally in love with the work of Spanish graphic designer and illustrator Blanca Gómez. You know the feeling when you see someone’s work and in your opinion it’s totally spot on? To me (and many others), Blanca’s clean and charming illustrations are a real treat, featuring plenty of lovely colours with excellent attention paid to the small details. Under the moniker Cosas Mínimas ('tiny things' in Spanish), Blanca has done work for many clients including Moo.com, Uppercase Magazine, Chronicle Books and Red Cap Cards.

This series of illustrated cities for The Art Group, is especially sweet.

As is this, created as part of Poster Cabaret’s 2010 Bicycle Print Set.

Blanca’s work can be purchased via her Etsy shop and at Poster Cabaret, and her Flickr page and blog are full of extra images. Oh, and if you also want to have a snoop around Blanca’s Madrid apartment (and who doesn’t love a good snoop?), head over to Design*Sponge. Happy weekend - let's hope we won't be spending too much of it like the gentleman below.

Lazy Oaf Stationery

British creative label Lazy Oaf was launched in 2001 by Gemma Shiel, and began as a screenprinted T-shirt stall at an East London market. Since then, Lazy Oaf has expanded and its product line, which now also includes jewellery, accessories, cards and posters, is available through 150+ stockists worldwide, and there is also a Lazy Oaf storefront in Soho, London. Talk about growing from humble beginnings!

The newest addition to the Lazy Oaf range is a unique collection of stationery, which includes diaries, planners, notebooks, tape, exercise books and stickers. The Lazy Oaf label is based on bright pop graphics, and this has been applied across the range in a cute and humorous way that would brighten up any desk or workspace. Sausage roll tape, ha! You can purchase Lazy Oaf items via their website (they do ship to Australia), and some of their range is also available from the Ruck Rover General Store in WA.

Angus & Celeste Ceramics

Another Sister’s Market find was jewellery and homewares label Angus & Celeste. Keir Angus MacDonald and Asha Celeste Cato met in 1997 while studying fine art at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, and it was here that their interest in handmade objects developed. In 2003 they decided to combine their talents (and middle names) to form Angus & Celeste, creating unique fine bone china and porcelain objects. Their ceramic collection (which includes wall tiles, bottles, vases, flying wall birds, bracelets, rings, brooches and earrings) are decorated with an assortment of motifs inspired by the past, including a range of porcelain bottles and vases that feature a selection of florals from their own garden in the Dandenong Ranges. I especially love their collection of wall birds, with its contemporary and stylish take on retro flying ducks. Angus & Celeste products can be purchased online here.

Able & Game Stationery

On Saturday a friend and I popped into the Sisters Market in Brunswick, and it was so nice to see lots of lovely handmade goods all in one place. One stall I particularly liked was run by Melbourne-based stationery label Able & Game. Launched in early 2009, Able & Game (run by Anna Blandford and Gareth Meney) offer a unique range of offbeat greeting cards featuring Anna’s hand-drawn illustrations. All of the cards are printed in Melbourne on linen card stock and come with a 100% recycled envelope and cello bag. I really like the humorous sentiments and cute illustrations, and think Able & Game are bang on in their intention to give the cards an innocent quality. You can purchase Able & Game cards here and via a range of stockists. Oh, and also check the Able & Game blog for extra illustrations and updates.

For the Love of Ampersand

I’m no typography expert, but as far as glyphs go I’m a big fan of the ampersand. It’s got substance. It manages to stand proud, in all of its refined glory. And it’s just plain nice to look at. That’s why, when the ampersand is done badly, many people take it to heart. Shit& is an amusing blog dedicated to showcasing badly-designed ampersands. There’s nothing like a bit of nerdy graphic design humour to round off your week, and I for one have been sitting here laughing to myself at the scathing commentary. Check it out if you're after a chuckle. In praise of good ampersand design, it looks like the masterminds behind the blog have also recently set up Good&, where they plan to showcase successful ampersand design. If you’re after more ampersand goodness, Three-Hundred and Sixty Five is a daily calendar-style blog celebrating the beauty of the ampersand, and The Ampersand is full of ampersand-related content, with photographs of street signs and other found ampersand examples.

I myself am after a wooden ampersand for my lounge room. I spotted some nice black and red ones at Empire Vintage, but it got me thinking about what other lovely ampersands might be out there. You know, if you're into that sort of thing... Enjoy your long weekend celebrating/berating the birth of the Queen - I plan to spend mine drinking good coffee and doing some Melbourne exploring.

[From left to right: Acrylic Ampersand Brooch by Another Empire, Ampersand Love screenprinted poster by FiFi du Vie, White Wood Ampersand by Hindsvik, Ampersand Moleskin Notebook by Crook & Villian, Ampersand Necklance by Silver Lining, Ampersand Magazine, Ampersand Pillow by B. Poetic, Ampersand ID Chart by Douglas Wilson, Ampersand Tote by Aunty Cookie]

Aunty Cookie's Knit Fabric

I used to work with two lovely ladies who were obsessed with knitting and drinking tea, so when I saw this limited-edition ‘KnitOne’ screenprinted fabric from Melbourne's Aunty Cookie it made me smile. It’s knitting AND tea AND awesome all rolled into one. Wouldn’t it be great to make a yarn storage bag or knitting needle roll out of this fabric? If only my sewing maching weren't on a ship in the middle of the ocean right now! The print is currently available in black and cherry on a natural linen/cotton blend from Aunty Cookie's Etsy shop.

Susannah Tucker Photography

As part of my Melbourne education, I've been trying to familiarise myself with local designers, photographers, crafters and other all-round creative people, and Susannah Tucker is one lady whose work quickly caught my eye. Susannah is a Melbourne-based self-taught photographer and full-time mother. Inspired by clouds, the beach, vintage items and Italy (among other things), her photographs are dreamy and filled with lovely pastel colours. I especially love her vintage camera images – even more things to add to my wants list! Susannah’s images are available as fine art prints and photo blocks via her Etsy and Made It shops. It’s really lovely to see someone who is self-taught turning their hobby or interest into a success!

Rain, Rain, Go Away

I’ve almost been fooled into thinking I’m back in England, what with all of this wintery Melbourne rain we've been having. But check out these lovely umbrellas from the talented Mr Rob Ryan – now that’s tackling the weather with style!

The umbrellas, made as part of the Rainy Day collection in collaboration with Japanese homewares company Afternoon Tea, were only available for sale in Japan, but a limited number have made their way onto the Rob Ryan Etsy shop. Due to Mr Ryan's popularity, I doubt they’ll last very long.

I've got to admit, I’m usually a cheap black umbrella kinda girl. Not because I particularly like cheap black umbrellas, but because living on the windy Sussex coast usually meant that my umbrella would be blown inside out within two minutes of leaving the house. But the Rainy Day umbrellas made me think that there must be other stylish options available if I ever want to opt for a dash of colour on a rainy day. And there are. Take that grey skies.

[From left to right: Cath Kidsston Mini Stanley Umbrella, Marimekko Mini Unikko Umbrella, V&A Bird Pattern Umbrella, Marimekko Unikko Beige Umbrella, Cath Kidston Cherry Print Umbrella, Marimekko Omena White Umbrella, Pare It Is Raining Umbrella, Bella B& W Pinwheel Pagoda, Paperchase Day Tripper Umbrella]

Pirdy Ceramics

How cute are these ceramic birds and owls?! Pirdy is the creation of Melbourne-based Juliet Carr, who makes each of her items by hand using ceramic plaster and enamel paint in a variety of colours. These lovely creatures would make a perfect addition to any room; I think a little white bird or owl is definitely what I need to pretty up my fireplace mantel! Pirdy ceramics are available via Juliet's online shop and a range of stockists.

Yosigo Photography

I stumbled across the site Spanish photographer Yosigo last year and was immediately captivated. Yosigo (Jose Javier Serrano Etxeberria) is based in the Basque country, and his distinctive, minimalist photographs are stunning. Whenever I'm after a bit of escapism I take a look through his portfolio; his beach photographs in particular have the ability to take me away someplace else. I don't think I could ever get bored of looking at the first image below.

Yosigo’s most recent work has taken in him in a slightly different, somewhat darker, direction. His images of the Bardenas de Navarra, a natural semi-desert, show Spain like I’ve never seen it before.

And this series of photographs of an abandoned amusement park is eerie, to say the least.

There is also a 35mm photo diary on Yosigo’s website (and plenty to look at on his Flickr page), full of images that make me want to pick up my camera and start shooting. Pure inspiration.

New Posters from The Small Stakes

Jason Munn over at The Small Stakes has recently added some new posters to his online shop. The Flight of the Conchords posters look particularly lovely!

And if you weren’t already aware, The Small Stakes book was recently published by Chronicle. The book features a collection of over 150 posters printed in full colour and metallic silver and gold inks, making it a lovely, tactile package. If you order through The Small Stakes website you will receive a signed copy of the book plus a 6 x 9 inch letterpress print (while stocks last), and if you go to the Chronicle site you can also download desktop wallpapers of some of the posters featured in the book (shown below). This book is definitely on my wants list!