NEW DESIGNS – WORK IN PROGRES

Friday 26 April 2013

Time to make decisions, I have finally got the fabrics printed, and I am very pleased with most of the colours. Trying to get the exact tonnes you want and see on the screen is almost impossible, specially when printing digitally. So I have to do a lot of testing and sampling until I am happy with the designs. This is a very expensive and slow process, but I am hoping to have them ready in about a month. I will be making cushions and tea towels out of these geometric houses design, to go with the English Romantic collection and colour wooden hooks, I think the B&W fabric goes perfectly with the new neon colours, which are in stock in my shop
I like the mix of the geometric, with the old fashion flower stitch and the landscapes. Below some colours I have to decide on, your help and feedback is always super welcome, so please help me to decide on colours!! 

I am making purses, pouches and bags out of the fabrics too, not being very successull so far. I am more of a designer than a seamstress, but I will get there. I am trying different sizes, models and fabrics, I wish  my mother was here to help me on this new prototypes, she is the one with the knowledge, I offered her a ticket to fly to London, but she doesn't seem to be willing to come over here just yet...haha, can't wait until June when I will be going home and will bring her back with me. 

Photos and designs copyright chocolate creative

CRATE EXPECTATIONS – NEW STOCKISTS

Thursday 25 April 2013

I love to see how my customers use chocolate creative's products they stock in their shops. Crate Expectations is a gorgeous store, full of colourful and beautiful products in Melbourne, Australia, run by Gerogie Bird. Her shop is filled with Australian brands and designers from all over the world. I really like how she has used the wooden hooks to decorate the walls and hang the various accessories through out the space. If you are a local, make sure to stop by, she is very nice and I am sure you will find beautiful things to take home with you. Read more about Crate Expectations and Georgie over at the Design Files blog.

CASA DELPIN – CLEVER LIGHTING SOLUTIONS

Wednesday 24 April 2013

I am speechless after seeing Casa Delpin, in Puerto Rico in the pages of the Dwell magazine. The renovations of the original house built in the 1940s, were by Fuster architects. They have used the natural light in a very clever way, a true balance between light and shadows. The impressive old features, the floor tiles and the cement structure were kept to create an spectacular open space where outdoor and indoor life come together. I think I have found my ideal space, light, tropical vegetation, open plan, floor tiles, cement, the perfect background for my vintage pieces.
Photos by Raimund Koch

POUR PORTER

Tuesday 23 April 2013

Wife and husband team are behind Pour Porter, and online boutique that stocks independent and innovative designer's creations. I have already selected my favourites pieces. I am so grateful to keep finding so many talented and creative people out there. The cruel reality is that we, independent designers, work super hard at creating new products and coming up with fresh ideas, to later on have the big brands copying our designs, or paying a good salary to their designer's team to based their collections on what is already out there rather than thinking and coming up with their own concepts. 

I can only work at a certain peace, and launch new products and designs, when money and time allow for taking them into production. I know it is impossible to compete with the big guys, and that our prices are much more higher than the high street ones. From here, I would like to encourage, when possible, a more responsible and conscious buying.

Check Pour Porter to at least dream with one of their pieces, or start saving or if budget allows get them...I have started saving to get the sandals.

THE MODERN BABY ONLINE SHOP

Monday 22 April 2013

Hello Monday, I hope you all had a good weekend. Weather was kind of nice in London, so I couldn't wait to wear my espadrilles, (Spanish shoes), whitout socks of course, and as a result I ended up catching a chill, as if I didn't know by now, that I am not English but Spanish and that I should wait until we get a decent warm weather to wear Summer clothes or shoes...so back to socks and coat. 
I wanted to introduce you to The Modern Baby, a super cute online shop, run by Suzanne. She is very nice and a very good client of mine, she stocks my wooden hooks and knobs in her shop, alongside a very well curated selection of products for children's room and nurseries. I think she is doing a great job, by making her shop to stands out from the crowded Internet shopping experience. She recently revamped the shop with the help of stylish Kate, creating all these photos and much more to give a sense of uniqueness to her online shop, the photos are great, don't you think, they certainly have inspired me for my next children photo-shoot, whenever that may happen...

BLOGGER'S WORKSHOP AT MADE.COM

Friday 19 April 2013

Do you know about made.com? A hub for well made designed products at a very competitive price due to their clever way of manufacturing. I am sure you have seen their advertising banners in the tube, magazines, the internet, etc...I knew about it but has never been at their showroom in Notting Hill, up until this Monday, when I was invited to come along to a blogger's workshop organised by made.com. 

It was a very interesting talk about affiliate marketing, and how to monetise your blog, given by Daniel Nelson from Heart Home Magazine, and Vivien Man from Affiliate Window. Me personally I am not sure this is a path I would like to take on right now, as this blog is very much about my work and things I really love or inspire me. I don't make money out of it, spend hours working on its content but I do it purely out of passion and of course as a marketing tool for my own brand. Nevertheless, I will consider some form of affiliate marketing in the future. I get approach by quite a few companies about having guess posts or sponsors, but I have never been interested, as this blog is a personal space, edit by me, and only for the things I LOVE. 

I left made.com impressive showroom feeling inspired and very jealous of their huge space, views, and pieces on displayed. I could have easily taken with me, a couple of sofas, armchairs, lamps and tables. Their prices are very reasonable for well made designed pieces and they have some gorgeous pieces on my favourite colours, yellow, grey, blue and black. These are some example of their latest collections. If I had room in my current crowded house, I will get the yellow armchair, together with all the pieces above, they match my cushions and colour wooden knobs and hooks, please I need a bigger house...
Daniel, Vivien, James and a few of us, listening to the talk, I found it very interesting, as I don't have much knowledge on the subject. It was great as usual to meet and see familiar UK based bloggers faces and meet new ones, chat about design, blogging, life, etc...
Thanks made.com for having me, and given me the opportunity of visiting the showroom together with enjoying such a nice evening. Went home feeling full (I ate far too much as I was super hungry), happy and inspired. 

photos made.com

FABRIKA – A CREATIVE SPACE

Thursday 18 April 2013

I love fabrika, a creative space/gallery/shop in Athens. They stock my hooks and knobs alongside other  handmade products. I really like how Evrydiki display the items and her use of reclaimed materials, such as this old door. Who said you need lots of money to create a beautiful shop? This is by far one of my favorites...
Photos via fabrika

B&W PRINT into PRODUCTION

Tuesday 16 April 2013

This B&W mono print was done quite a few years back, together with a series of etchings in medium/big format. I used to do printmaking in a big studio, so I was able to produce this work and many other pieces, which I have sold over the years. You may probably have see it, as it has appeared in many of the photos I take around the house, in the photoshoot for the products, and in different blogs around the world: thanks Remodelista, (one of my fav sites), for sharing my work. A lot of people keep asking me about it, if I sell it in my shop, or where could they get it from, well nowhere right now, but I will be making a limited edition series of it and some other motives very soon, but this time they will be printed using the Giclee technique. These are some of the pencil studies/sketches I did when working on this series, I spent a lot of time on this work, and I loved the process, from drawing to the actual printing, preparing and inking the plates, the press machines, seeing the final result, etc...maybe I will get into printmaking again...but need to find the studio and the time first...

TEA PARTY TO CELEBRATE MY 42

Monday 15 April 2013


Good morning from sunny London, at last!! I managed to have breakfast this morning in my garden wearing sunglasses. I had a slow start, to recover from the Tea Party we had yesterday, to celebrate my glorious 42. Uff…I feel the age in every inch of my body, not to mention my foggy brain. I had an amazing time with all my friends, (some couldn't make it, shame as I don't know when budget and time will allow for a party like this again). It was a proper tea party, thanks to my friend Carmen, who was in charged of the food and cakes, and rest of friends who helped to decorate, do washing up, serve, etc...she will be soon opening her own tea room in Santander, Spain and did an amazing job. There is not way I could have done this by myself, first of all I don't know how to bake, each time I have tried, my cakes did not raise and stay to floor level...Clean and tide up the house, shopping, make myself presentable, etc…so from here I want to thank all my people who helped me and who were here with me to celebrate another year in London
I had a quiet morning to think of my 42 years of life. There are a lot of things that are not ideal in my life, most difficult one, is not having my family an boyfriend with me, we are all spreaded in 4 different countries, and that is very hard at times. I don't get to see my nieces growing, kiss my man, hug my mum, spend time with my brother and sister, etc…but I am still very happy in London, plus I have a big reason to stay here, my business, my friends, and the city itself. One day, I will return home, but will hope to keep a base in London. Life is difficult and a roller coaster, and happiness is just a feeling that we experience in certain moments in time, but I am learning how to manage the low/bad times and compensate it with the one ones.
LIFE is worth living, fighting for, and being grateful for all the people we have with us, and the small things that bring us happiness and joy. I am saying this as a respond to a post Victoria from the sfgirl blog did last week, where she reflects on the subject of "the so perfect life we tend to see out there on the Internet".  Just to say that my life is far from being perfect, and that is ok, I would say, it is an interesting, exciting and ever changing experience…
I forgot to say how much fun it was to put together the decorations, the paper party cups and pom-poms  are from papermash. And my ever growing collection of tea cups, sources, tea post, jars, you name it...looked great!

Photos by Sian and myself

INSPIRATION - WORK IN PROGRESS

Friday 12 April 2013

Images 1|2|3|4/5

Images 1|2|3|4/

Posting from my new imac 27", it can't get any better than this, worth the 2 days of data transfer from my old mac, hours on the phone with apple to set up the email account and software, etc...The new mac is a beast and a beauty. If I was already a bit of a workalcoholic, I sense I am now going to become a serious work person, if you want to see me, you may have to come home and pull me off my new friend. I wonder how I managed all this years working as a designer from a laptop? Oh well that was past, long life to my new computer!

Not all I do is at the computer, I draw, print, cut fabrics, sew, organise the studio, count stock, pack parcels, run to the post office, and a long etc...I leave you with some new drawing in B&W, geometric patterns and ideas, Nice weekend to all.

FRASKILANDIA AND HER CREATIONS

I came to know about Fraskilandia when I was in Las Palmas, a friend told me about Odil and her little creations, and I instantly thought what a great idea, and how cute her work was. So it makes me happy to show you her studio space, in Las Palmas, and some of her work. Love her ethos, and what Fraskilandia is about, in her own words: "Fraskilandia’s vision is to take part in the development of creativity, positive values and an awareness of the world around us. Three key elements, in my opinion, so that the world may work...Dolls can be made from anything you may think of, an illustration, a child’s drawing, a logo. You can also choose the Fraskilito which you like the best and add it specific items such as a mobile phone, a kimono, a tattoo...

I hope to meet Odil (check her blog for some more inspiration), next time I am back home, to chat about her work and living a creative life in general. I have an important network of designers/friends in London, and I value them very much, so I hope to keep growing my group of new friends back in Gran Canaria too.  As a designer/maker, who is  most of the time working by herself in her little studio at home, I find super important to meet with people who are in a similar boat, to talk and share business ideas, issues, progress, etc...and simply enjoy a cup of tea and a yummy cake!

MODERN TIMES VINTAGE

Wednesday 10 April 2013

I met Thomas a few year ago, at his Camden Passage, Islington shop, in one of my lazy Sundays around London. I wasn't looking to buy anything, but couldn't help to pop into his shop, attracted by the so many gorgeous things he had on display. Needless to say that I ended up buying a few things, and as bonus made a friend. 
Thomas is quite a caracter, super friendly and helpful, he has a great passion for what he does and it shows in his ever growing collections of vintage pieces and 20th Century homewares, including beautiful delicate glasses, white German porcelain tea cups and vases, vintage globes, small cabinets, etc...His shop is always changing according to his latest finds. 
I am delighted to finally see his online shop up and running. I think it is very important for a brick and mortar shop to have an online presence too. He couldn't have done it better, the site looks sleek and it is the perfect neutral background to show the gorgeous pieces he sells. 
If you are in London I strongly recommend a visit to either of his two shops, the established Camden Passage, or the new one at Rosebery Avenue. He is always in the hunt for unique pieces, and can help you put together a Wedding list or simply search for the right piece for your home. Well done Thomas, I love the new site, see you soon!

HYDRAULIC TILES

Tuesday 9 April 2013

This flat in Barcelona was renovated by Laura Bonell
I am obsessed with having a flat in Las Palmas, the capital of Gran Canaria, and lately it has become quite a painful feeling, as I really want it. So in my spare time, that is not much this days, I search on Internet for the ideal one. You see, the ones I really like cost around £300.000/£500.000 or over, and we are talking about a run down building, but in the right location and with the right features. NO I don't have the money to buy it yet, and if I ever manage it will be something on the region of £150.000/£200.000, but this doesn't stop me to keep visualising and dreaming about it, isn't? that is the beginning of things...
This old house was renovated and is now a gorgeous Bed & breakfast in Vegueta, Gran Canaria
Long time ago I started to plan in my head, how this potential flat will look like, and one thing that keeps coming back to me, is the gorgeous hydraulic floors that I have seen in so many gorgeous flats, back there, in Barcelona and in some of the Victorian/Edwardian houses in London, specially in their entrances. 
These ornamented encaustic tiles have been around since the Medieval times, so nothing new, but what is refreshing, is to see how people value the importance of keeping such a legacy and how to live with them in a contemporary space. These photos show stunning houses, some examples of fine old tiles and some new designs based on the traditional ones. 
What do you think, would you incorporate them in your interiors?


This amazing flat in Barcelona, belongs to my friend, Pilar, simply stunning



Casa Decor last year building 


Monochrome via Pinterest

Sorry, I don't know the source of this image

Tiles by Fired Earth