Snippetty, snip-snip

Julie's been busy with her scissors again. Just look at the detail on this New York City paper cut map. Available soon in night blue or plum from Famille Summerbelle's shop. Lovely!

Give me five

Vintage gas station sign from 26 Olive Street

For those of you who've been waiting to see Famille Summerbelle's new London and Paris maps in London bus red and sage green, look no further:

Aren't they gorgeous? These fabulous paper-cut map prints are available as of today, and I'm pleased as punch to have won London in red in their July colour competition. Merci mille fois Julie !

Roddy & Ginger have just added a new colourway to their hugely-popular little owls range. This signed hand screen-printed gem now comes in chocolate/olive, chocolate/blue and chocolate/spruce (soft blue grey) and is available here and here.


If you're looking for fun, high-quality wallpaper with an edge for your boys' bedrooms UK company Paperboy Wallpaper have just launched a fantastic dya-think-e-saurus range in three colourways.



The first part of their boy-centric collection can be bought exclusively from notonthehighstreet (a definite must-visit site if you've never been!) and the full collection will be available soon on their website. One to watch out for, me thinks!

I have recently discovered Ruth Green's work and I'm smitten! Based in Birmingham in the UK, Ruth trained in textile design and boasts an impressive portfolio of screenprints, linocuts, etchings and oil on paper works. Beautiful, simple and timeless pieces.


Last but by no means least, South Africa-based Jesse Breytenbach, or Jezze, sells gorgeous blockprinted fabrics and cotton tape in her etsy shop Jezze Prints. Check out here ceramic and embroidered brooches at this address too.

London Town

I've been reminiscing about my student days in London a lot lately. Of course, I'm just back from a holiday in the UK but we didn't manage to go down and see the bright lights this time, unfortunately. I've promised Dylan a weekend away in the autumn, if he gets his brain back in gear and concentrates at school - those difficult teenage years - so until then I'll have to make do with my city-in-a-bag from Muji's and dreams of buying just one teeny, weeny roll of Lizzie Allen's fabulous hand-screenprinted wallpaper for the kids' bedroom (if you're seriously interested Pedlars has a great sale on). The good news, however, is that Famille Summerbelle's next London print will be in Ladybird red - hurray! I know what my family will be getting for Christmas!
I'm not going to start getting patriotic (Union Jack's seem to everywhere although I do like these paper chains from Creative Flourish) but once you start delving you realise just how much fantastic artwork London has inspired. Take M. Sasek, for example, his fabulous books are enjoying a revival and he even has his own new website.
Binth's colourful London city cards and prints would look great in a nursery or child's bedroom.



Papergrain, one of my favourite UK addresses for stationery, also has some beautiful writing sets, notebooks and greetings cards, my favourite being the Greenwich Observatory having lived in Blackheath and Greenwich for three years.





The London Transport Museum's online shop has an amazing range of London-themed products, including clothes, homeware, books, maps, toys and posters. I could write several posts on their poster collection alone. UK linocut printmaker Paul Catherall's Four Seasons are among my favourites, and elsewhere work by Gail Brodholt.








My very special London find comes from Verandah, a collective of designers and craftmakers based in Norwich in the UK. These soldier concertina cards are just perfect!


* London Calling print by Inkspotts

A few special things

I love mobiles, garlands, bunting, paper chains and other hangings. Sophie Cuvelier's gorgeous creations are an obvious favourite along with those by the very talented Famille Summerbelle. However, one of my really special finds comes from Scotland's Papa Stour (a great online shop, definitely worth a visit). I love the simplicity of this hanging made from beech nuts, limpet shells and hemp.

Paper is a wonderful material, so immensely versatile. Every day I discover new ways of transforming it into something completely new. Kate Greiner and Royal Buffet make some of the most beautiful mobiles, garlands and hangings I have ever seen. I love Kate's raindrops, available in several colourways, and Royal Buffet's wordy butterflies, waving colour garland and lady and gentleman mobile. Sheer poetry!