chocolate creative open house on 7-8 May

Thursday 28 April 2011

I am getting very excited about the Artist's open house event next week. As part of the Dulwich festival, myself, Kate, and Louise will be selling our work from my home/studio in South London. The sign is already outside my house, and I will start doing the garden tomorrow, prepare the house and stock for the event, so if you live in London, this Festival is a great opportunity to buy directly from the many artists/designers that will take part, as many of us offer very good discounts and only sell our work personally at this events. Here is the pdf with all the locations, events and people taken part, and visit this link for direction to chocolate creative headquarters. We will welcome you with tea and cakes and many beautiful things for your home and yourself, come to say hello and share a sweet treat with us!

designersmakers NEW market in London

It makes me very happy to see NEW venues for designers/makers popping up, specially if they are as well thought, marketed and curated as this one is. This new market is called designermakers, and it is not just a market, it is a venue for networking, and spreading the word about the good design practice. It has always been a dream of mine to create something similar back home in Gran Canaria, as there is a luck of projects such as this to support the current designers/makers in the island. I know this will be one of my jobs when I go back, whenever that may be...I encourage to visit their site and market, interesting workshops coming up and plenty of beautiful things, mine favorites are as follow...



MAY, save your date for the next events

Sun is out and we are heading into a busy May, full of events all over the city. I wish I could attend most of them, but being realistic I know that time will only allow for a few, so I will make my priorities and make my way to my 'must' go list!!

7-8 May I have got my invite for the Cavaliero Finn Spring Show, held in a beautiful elegant house in Herne Hill. The show is part of the Dulwich Festival, and will have on displayed work from different artists and designers, so I will join Debra and Julianna in their opening night to enjoy this year's well curated selection of work!!

7-8 May Same time happening the Dulwich festival, (more information in a separate post).

11 -14 may Spirit of Summer fair, organised by House & Garden.

19-22 May Made in Clerkenwell at Craft central, not to be missed if you are looking for unique well designed and crafted products, chocolate creative will be there.

26 May ‘Swish for Victory’, a clothes swap event in support of Women’s Aid. Tickets are being sold to raise funds and there will also be a raffle, (I will be donating a product for the occasion) on the night to raise further money for the charity. Swish for Victory is being held at The ACE Centre, Nelson, Lancashire.

Great Britain Railway Travel Posters

Tuesday 26 April 2011

I have been in love for quite sometimes with these vintage posters that the British railway company used to promote the traveling by train in the country. Needless to say that my favorite is the deer in the Scottish highlands. I spent a week traveling around this landmarks and find them one of the most amazing places I have been so far, plus I have a fascination with deers that is often present in my designs, so I will get this one for my living room, ideally I would like to get an original, but I guess they are very rare and expensive, so here is the link to an online shop that sells reproductions.

I love this last ones, they look like they belong to a sunny mediterranean or caribbean destination, and the slogans on the posters. I would like to travel back in time and see these places as they were...

A relaxed and gorgeous weekend...

Monday 11 April 2011

Back from a peaceful, relaxed and gorgeous weekend, I have spent the last two days in the remote and quiet town of La Aldea de San Nicolas, a small town far far from the rest of the world. Ate fresh fruit collected straight from the land, fresh fish by the beach, did a lot of walking, went to a hidden beach, etc...I wish I could bring some of this with me back to London, the feeling of total calm, and peace that I feel when I am here, the tranquility and simplicity of its people and landscape, which is every dry and moon like, with its endemic plants, birds, lizards, etc...I totally love London, but I appreciate this so different part of my life/culture that I get to live when back home in Gran Canaria.
Do you have a favorite place where to scape and recharge batteries??

Daises outside my hubby's house, (my name, margarita, means daisy in English), I got a very nice surprise when I saw them in his front garden, not that he planted them, apparently they grew from nowhere, which is even more surprising...

The perfect balance – Montes+Mujica shop

Friday 8 April 2011

These photos from interiors shop Montes+Mujica in el Pais Vasco, represent the perfect balance I like to achieve when it comes to decorating. I was browsing an old copy of Nuevo Estilo magazine and found myself again and again hooked on this images, more in the online version of the magazine. The right mix of industrial lighting, old pieces, art, white big sofas, more contemporary pieces and plenty of light. Perfect!!

(photos from Nuevo Estilo)

Amazing sunny renovation!

Thursday 7 April 2011

I am in Gran Canaria, got here yesterday after having missed my flight from London on Monday, due to a huge accident on the motor-way that leads to the airport. Had to buy a new ticket and wait till yesterday to hug my mum and kiss my boyfriend...but learned an important lesson, that sometimes things happen, that are out of your control, and you better relax, find a solution and hope for the best, they say money does not provide you with happiness, but I tell you, it does helps and makes your life easier and more comfortable...

...I dream with one day, buying an old property in the island and renovate it to my taste, that is what my friend Jorge has done with this tiny apartment by the beach. He took a huge risk in taken down the whole old internal structure and almost starting from zero, but his brave decision has paid off, as he now has created and amazing space, full of luxuries and clever solutions, such as the corridor kitchen to save space, and open up the living space to the exterior, by placing huge front and back windows . Here are some before and after pictures, and if you are planning a visit to my sunny Gran Canaria, the apartment is for rent here.

Amazing views and five minutes from the San Agustin beach.

Are these textiles?

I have always been a fan of Solenne Morigeaud's work, she would be exhibiting at the Salone del Mobile 2011, so if you happen to be in Milan from the 12-17 April, don't miss her work, it will leave you inspired and wanted to see more and more...