Hello Monday and everybody. Good weekend? I hope so, mine was easy and restful. I needed it some quiet time after spending 6 days setting up and exhibiting at TENT London. This shows are a killer and take a lot from us, exhibitors, I always end up not knowing what day of the week is it, or where exactly I am, so now that the show is over I am happy being back at my home/studio. 

I wanted to share with you the latest mention of chocolate creative in the press. This time, it is a long feature showing my home, work space and a bit about my personal life and work, including Missi, the cat and a big picture of me. Oh dear I don't feel very confortable with it, but hey you never know how the final photos are going to be used, and I must admit I almost fell off my chair when I saw it. I love it, but I wish I would have worn something more flattering...  

This pages are from the second special issue of the Mollie Makes magazine, about creative spaces and designers. I am very grateful to Caroline from 91magazine who approached me about taken part in the tea and chat section of the magazine.

It is a delightful publication, filled with gorgeous interiors, work spaces and very inspirational stories from different designers/makers. I hope I don't come across as the lonely woman, who lives with her cat in South London haha...as Missi gets mentioned quite a lot and is fast becoming famous in instagram.
You can see and read more over at caroline's blog, or get a copy from WHSmith, (in waterloo and some other big ones), Tesco, or order online.

Thank you so much Caroline for having me over, it has been a pleasure working with you on this feature, and a super big THANKS to Piero, who always take the photos for chocolate creative. You have both done and amazing job.

BLOESEM NEW WARE RANGE AND HOME

Well, it is Friday again, and I don't have a clue where my week has gone...oh yes, working, and working and painting the house, I started with the bathroom and I am now doing the corridor and rest of the house, making it pretty as my sister is coming from Germany to spend the weekend with my mum and me. I am super happy as we don't get the chance of being together very often, so YES delighted to have them with me. 

I leave you with Irene's new wear line and photos of her current house. I am sure you recognise her work. Irene runs the gorgeous Bloesem blogs and has recently launched her online shop, selling this beautiful pieces, I have highlighted my fav designs, love the simplicity and delicate colours.

I spotted her house over at the sfgirlbybay blog, where she was guest blogging and I couldn't resist to show some snaps of her space in here, beautiful eh? it has inspired me to paint the house back to white.
Nice weekend, it will be very sunny in London, off I am to continue painting and cleaning...

Photos by Marjon Hoogervorst 

A GORGEOUS HOUSE AND HAPPY PAINTINGS BY HADOS

Hola from sunny Gran Canaria, where I currently staying, working and enjoying the sunshine, family,  friends and landscape. I haven't been on the beach yet, hopefully after lunch I will have some time to go for a long walk and get a bit of tan... While back here, I try to visit and see as many people as I can. Yesterday I spent the day at the capital, Las Palmas, with Lucia, and later on went off to Elena and Alvaro's (from Hados), gorgeous house up in one of the most beautiful parts of the island, Tafira. We were talking about our businesses, future plans, creative work, and life in general. I totally fall in love with their house, surroundings and art. They both are artists on their own right, and as a duo work under the Hado's brand, (see more of their work in this previous post).

 

Some snaps of their home and paintings by Elena. I love her work, and style, the house is filled with colour and simple pieces that makes the space feels cosy and welcoming.

Above, a painting by Alvaro, and some more snaps of the exterior of the house and garden area. Great mix of old wood doors, combined with some neon/fluro touches. Thanks Elena and Alvaro for having me, and giving me the opportunity to visit the area and see the paintings.

LISA LEVIS (NEE LISA STICKLEY) HOME AND NEW BRAND ADA ROSA

A couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity to visit some artists/designers houses, as part of the Dulwhich Festival, and since Lisa Levis recently moved to the area, I thought it would be great to meet her and see her new range of work and home. I have always admired her work and career progression. I remember meeting her at her RCA final year show, and since them have seen her former business grow to become a very recognisable English lifestyle brand. 

I knew her house was going to be a reflection of her work and aesthetics, and it didn't disappointed me. I Love her sense of style, a good mix of different vintage pieces and periods, nothing fancy, but simple, affordable and easy to live with. Her house is a clear example of how to create a cosy, personal and gorgeous home without spending a fortune on super expensive over priced mid century pieces (I wish I could afford them anyway), and how having an eye helps to see the potential in pieces that other people will discard straight away. That wallpaper is incredible!

I love London, for the countless places and shops where you can find cheap and still amazing pieces, a very difficult task back in Gran Canaria, where your options are Ikea, a big store, super expensive shops or super tacky horrible ones, there is not this sense or desire to look back for inspiration, most of the people's  houses I know are filled with new soulless furniture and luck that sense of uniqueness that comes when you stamp your own style.

I loved to see her new fashion range Ada Rose on displayed, and meeting her and her business colleague. Lisa is lovely and super friendly, we got chatting in her kitchen about her former business and experiences, and how the new brands came to life.

Below are a selection of my favourite bag, purse and scarf, all very grown up, pretty and sophisticated. Top quality materials and designs, check her online shop and blog, to find out more about the products, the story behind them and about Lisa, a super top designer that will keep inspiring all for a long time, a pleasure to meet you Lisa.

Photos by me and a selection from her shop, blog and sketches

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!

Photos

HADOS – LIVING IN CREATIVE HARMONY

I mentioned Hados before, when I was talking about the designers I met back in my island. I have the fortune of meeting Elena among the other creative's in one of our networking events. I instantly clicked with her, she is a very nice, talented and spiritual person, someone who I can relate in terms of work and personality. She invited me over to her beautiful home/studio, but time didn't allow at the time, after seeing this photos of their space and her with Alvaro, (the other half of Hados), I will make sure to come along next time. I LOVE it, this is what I need back home, a big airy and bright room where to work and keep meeting interesting people, who are working very hard towards achieving a good balance life, doing what they love and remaining true to their values.

Elena and Alvaro, were both artists before they met, (you can check their artwork in their respective blogs), and slowly started to work together on Hados, a joint project, where their art and skills come together. Hados is about integrity and beauty, all the pieces are handmade, with the best quality materials, and equality gorgeous. 

The hair clips (Bombom de seda) are made of silks and titanium, more styles at the shop.

My favorite pieces are the rings, I am going to save some cash to treat myself with one. This pieces remind me of the volcano and mountain landscapes we have in the islands. 

Photos by onphotos.es

INSPIRING AND BEAUTIFUL WORK

Good morning Monday, nice weekend? Mine was relaxing and cosy, spent at home, doing some work and cooking some new recipes. It is till very cold in London, and wishing the Spring was around the corner, but it seems our English Winter is here to stay… I have been discovering new blogs and the creative’s work and people behind them. I am taken by NY based floral designer and stylist Amy Merrick’s work, it is seriously gorgeous and full of talent. Her flower arrangements have got that old botanic feel to it, organic and wild, that I so much like, and her studio, hello what a dream space!! Her blog has become one of my new must ones.

(photos from amymerrick site and blog)

Decorating with green

Slowly but surely I am falling for the colour green. For some reason I have been ignoring it for quite sometime, only a few cushions designs are printed in this colour so far, but I have started to incorporate more green into my designs, in fact the knobs/hooks would be available in this colour soon. Gassy's house is painted in a light green that I did not like at all when I first saw it, and suggested to paint the whole house back to white, but it is growing in me, and I a finding ways to decorate the interiors around this colour. 

This is the bedroom, again very simple, Ikea's bed and lamp, and of course some of my cushions haha...and a few of my old drawings, which were painted back at Uni, in fact they were done for my final year's project. I have started rescuing some of my old work, and I am very pleased to finally see them up and shining. When time allows I will go back to printmaking and my art.

Living a simple life under the blue sky

A wish? to wake up every day of the rest of my life under the blue sky...I am back in Gran Canaria, for a few weeks, having a break from the big city, working only the necessary, and spending time with my mum and boyfriend. Another wish? to be able to spend more time with him in his beautiful and quite town, and work on his house. They say 'be careful what you wish for. You might get it'...

This island is full of wonders and history, and the fact that I have spent so many years abroad make me appreciate it more and more. Because he leaves so far away form me and the rest of the towns in the island, we have to drive around it to get to his town, (the road is a pain), but I get to see the coast, the fishing villages, the mountains, etc...it has hardly rain, so the landscape looks very dry and brown, but I like it, it feels almost like the moon. 

This is his house, I call it 'la casita azul', which he has built himself, it is not finish yet, so much to be done and add to this very simple and rustic house, but I can see its potential, and I am sure with some money, plenty of love and attention it will look gorgeous.

Talking about inspiring spaces...

Browsing the inspiring portfolio of photographer, Ditte Isager, found this interesting studio space and home of Architects and designers, Roman & William, a good example of what I was saying in my early post, I can spend hours looking and studding these photos, do you happen to have the same fascination about people's work spaces and homes??

(photos by Ditte Isager)