Desirables

My creative itch was awoken recently by an article on London based stylist/ shop owner Emily Chalmers, in the Australian magazine Frankie. Showcasing her home, a converted industrial space, and her store Caravan where her eclectic, vintage inspired sensibilities have found a place to flourish.

Which leads me on to introduce some more creatives/ crafts practitioners whose work I admire.

Claire Coles I fell for the patchy lustre work and textured surface design when I first saw these vases at a Cockpit Arts Christmas open studios a years back, but settled for a brooch from her odds box

I discovered the work of MMU grad Eve Bennett at the 2008 Islington New Designers. I enjoyed the humour in her narrative style, and the way she chose to exploit faded colours eluding to the poignance of remembrance and the delicate passing of time. The way her loose sketches shine through in her hand-building and mark making especially appealed to me, as I too enjoy disturbing a drawn line by wetting felt tips or ink pens, giving the image a lightness of touch.

gifts and precious hand-me-downs

Growing up in a creative household I've always collected and cluttered, sometimes things get pretty busy because of it. It's taken a focused few years to learn to be a bit more selective in what I choose to hang on to.

99p shop - Brighton - this place matt used to be tucked inside my room if ever i left it out

in communal areas of my old student house, it's kitsch-ness offended people

Peacock candle a friend bought back from a trip to India on a antique Coalport saucer bought in Lyme Regis

Underglaze pencil doodles two slipcast cups with yellow stain

I'm not the kind of girl to swoon over flowers, but when a friend had dug up this plastic daffodil and pearlescent vase to pot it in for me I was over the moon, here it sits with a Mac Donald's Happy Meal Barbie, and an old test tile of cocktail swords

I get rather sentimental over certain material possessions. I'd like to say it's because of the people or places I acquired them from, and that does become part of their story, but really it comes down to an impulsive towards their colour or texture that satisfies me. Old and worn, shiny and new, mass produced 99p shop finds are as dear as a one-off handmade present.

If it's not distinct enough to display in its own right, it'll be sorted by colour, boxed up, and kept safe for later.