Thanks for visiting me at my stand at 100% Design

Wednesday 28 September 2011

Did you visited 100% Design or any other events during the London Design Week? It has been amazing. I never knew that the fair was so international, there were stands from different countries as far as Chile and Argentine, or as near as my dear Spain. I got to meet people from all over the world, Europe, Middle East, Japan, China, Canada, the States etc...as I was exhibiting I did not have the chance to do my usual round to the other shows and pop up events, only took a brief look at Tent when designers were still setting up stands. So will pop around blogs to get a better inside of what was going on. As for me, I am glad show is over, 100% Design ended on Sunday and I have not stopped since them. It has been a very good show, more than I could have ever expected or predicted, but tiring, 4 days is enough!! I want to thank everybody who came to say hello, from my lovely friends, to people I knew, and general public and trade visitors that took interest in the brand and its products. You all have made me feel very welcome and happy to be at the fair. Here are some photos of the stand, Vini and I set it up last week, I could have not done it without him, for ever grateful my dear friend.


Below some photos of my neighbor stand the nice and talented couple from pottinger and co, and some other that caught my eye, there were many more wonderful and talented designers, but I hardly moved away from my stand, so no chances of taken photos or so ever.


See you at 100% Design

Wednesday 21 September 2011

Stand is up and finished, looking gorgeous, and ready to welcome people tomorrow at the opening day of 100% Design Fair in London. It took us all day yesterday, but I am glad we managed to finish it on time, as I wanted to have today to rest a bit and focus on other things. If you are visiting the fair, I am at stand G29, near the entrance on the right hand side, come and say hello. I leave you with some photos that Vini and I took last week, my poor living room, suffers continuos changes, furniture, cushions and objects normally move around, depending on my mood, or if there is something new I just made or purchase.
See you next week after the show, and if you are exhibiting at any shows in London, within the London Design Week, good luck and all the best for your stand!

(photos Vinicius)

New design studio in Madrid

Wednesday 14 September 2011

A while ago some of my prints and mugs went to Spain, to Mireia's new design studio, called aquamarina, in Madrid. She recently sent me some nice photos of the space, where they offer advice on decorating, styling, and undertake residential as well as commercial projects. The studio is ready to welcome their first clients and I am glad to see that all the hard work they have put into it has finally resulted in such a pretty and relax space. I like her choice of grey for the wall (my favorite color at the moment), combine with white furniture, (old and contemporary) and blue touches, the typography on the walls and the nice selection of ceramics. Well done Mireia, and good luck with your new project, looking very nice.

Felicidades y suerte con vuestro studio, les ha quedado muy bonito, elegante y sereno, saludos desde Londres


Coming soon NEW hooks and knobs

Monday 12 September 2011

It is being over a year that I started to think of how I could make knobs, what material, shape, design, etc...I love painting and restoring old pieces of furniture, and I guess the knobs were an obvious choice when thinking of what new products I could add the the collections of textiles and ceramics. I have spent the past few months together with Gassy, developing these new hooks and knobs (they will be soon available from my shop) to launch in time for 100% Design. They are made of plywood, we tried different kind of wood and colors, but I found plywood to be the most contemporary. I like the contracts of it with the flat colors and vintage images. I will talk about the process more in detail in another post, but for the time being I leave you with some photos, that Vini took today. I just wish I had more time to think more about how to style the photos, as sometimes I act on impulse and rush things, oh well, maybe next time I will be more organised and prepared!






(photos Vinicius Salles)

Going back in time

I found this unique Portuguese shop, A Vida Portuguesa browsing this blog, and instantly fall in love with it and its products. I can not resist, traditional old packaging, products, paper goods and toys. So looking at their online version of the shop I found myself wanted to go back in time, so I could pop in to this old shops and get a full basket of goodies.




I want one of this...

Sunday 11 September 2011

I have been saving for one of this string pocket shelving for a while, just need another £100 to go haha...I might have to wait another year...umm, I better hurry up as I would love to use it to decorate my next stand. Don't know if to get a vintage one in 3 colors, red, yellow and blue, (which I recently saw in a big Victorian warehouse full of amazing furniture and all sort of objects, in Crystal palace), or a new one, the yellow is my favorite so far.
(photos string)

Preparing for 100% Design fair in London

Thursday 8 September 2011

As many of you know, in a couple of weeks, I will be launching chocolate creative at 100% Design fair. What I mean by launching, I mean having a presence in a major show for the first time since I started the company back in 2008. Up to now, chocolate creative have been selling, mainly online, in small independent shops in the UK and Europe and at some craft fairs/markets and small design shows. So being at one of the most important and relevant design fairs in the country as part of the London Design Festival, makes me very happy but, I would lie if I say that I am not terrified at the same time. I admire British people in a way for always being so correct/diplomatic and keeping their fears, self doubts and negative comments for themselves. I try very hard to copy some of that, but me being Spanish from head to toe can not help but express what is really happening in my heart and mind right now. I sometimes being advised of not saying the true/complain when it comes to having bad experiences at certain shows, where I have spent 4 days of my life to make £50, or freeze to death in a Xmas market where people won't even look at the products. But hey I am way to honest not to mention it in here, we all have up and downs, good and bad experiences, and that is what makes this life worth living and fight for our dreams and goals.

So with a few weeks to go before the show start, with my house/studio being a total mess, and my work in process, can not help but feel overwhelmed with doubts and fear, but lucky and appreciative of the opportunity I have created for myself to work on something I am totally passionate about and have the supportive network of amazing friends who are going through similar experiences and family who is always there for me, and now boyfriend who not only makes me very happy but has helped to develop the new product, the wooden hooks/knobs. So I leave you with some photos of my messy desk and house, it makes laugh to show these photos, (clean laundry on top of the recent painted piece, tools spread all over, paper work to deal with, etc...) as I always make sure that my house appears clean, tidy and very styled haha...here you have the true and honest picture of chocolate creative headquarter!!


By the way if you are in London this weekend do not miss the craft tail as part of the Thames festival, along Southbank, my friends from the crafty pint would be there among other amazing designers/makers.

Wedding favors from chocolate creative

Monday 5 September 2011

Wedding season is still on, or at least it seems in the UK, some of my friends are getting married very soon, and I need to start thinking of what to wear, dress, shoes, etc...loose some kilos to fit in the dress haha...I cried in the last wedding I attended, my friends' Emily and Tom got married a few months ago, in a beautiful and cheerful event, my first Jewish wedding and I hope not the last. The rabbi was very friendly and kept making jokes all the way through the ceremony, and we danced to past midnight. Events to remember and photos to share, makes me very happy to see my friends getting hitched and be able to be there to share that moment with them, Claire if you are reading this, I hope to make it to your wedding in Thailand too!! So seeing my deer lavender sachet in the pages on Cosmopolitan bridal latest issue, has put a smile on my face. The sachet is already on its way to a wedding in Scotland, I hope they send me photos so I can see how it looked in the event. When time allow, I will develop the wedding favors, decor range and bespoke service, thanks cosmo bride for having us in your last issue!