Archive for December, 2009
*MERRY CHRISTMAS*
Friday, December 25th, 2009
Just When I Thought All The Christmas Shopping Was All Done…
Thursday, December 24th, 2009
Spotted this deer little thing in a dusty old antique shop along the North Wales coast, peeping out at me under layers of glassware, comics and 80s gold encrusted brooches…
So pleased to bring her home with me, cleaned up using an old soft toothbrush and now she hangs sparkerling looking over me in my hallway mirror.
My Christmas deer.
Time for Green Tea!
Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009
Here at Ollie&Agnes, we are pondering a question … can we be members of The Tea Appreciation Society if we do not drink tea?
When I say we don’t drink tea, that isn’t actually accurate. We have a BIG love affair with the java in the morning ; however of an afternoon we do like to get the cup and saucer and pot out for a spot of Green Tea and RTG loves Red Bush (Rooibus) . But does that count or is it just a love of black teas such as Darjeeling, Ceylon, Assam that make you eligible?
We think the people that created The Tea Appreciation Society are very cool and we want to be ‘in their gang’, but is it like the nerds and jocks at school – can they ever really mix? O&A are drawn to TTAS’ cool site, lovely photos and products (absolutely love The Tea Appreciation Society t-shirt and the Make Tea Not War) BUT would we be considered second-class tea drinkers, or welcomed to the fold?
The Society define the essential elements of ‘poetry’ as’ loose leaf tea, boiled water, a tea pot, a china cup and a biscuit’. We do have our own ‘poetry’, using organic green tea , cups and saucers and tea pots (with an Ollie&Agnes woollen surf hat on the pot to ensure the contents stay warm!) but are all teas considered equal?
The Tea Appreciation Society was originally set up in 2007 by a small group of designers, and since then, according to their site it has grown into a wonderful worldwide collective of tea lovers. The Society say: ‘The Tea Appreciation Society celebrates, not only the love we should manifest through our everyday lives, but also the kind of approach we should be taking in terms of sustainability, in ALL realms and walks of life with regard to ethically sourced and environmentally sound materials and principles.
‘Tea offers us an opportunity for quiet contemplation and shared moments of intimacy with friends, enabling us to reflect, be inspired and create.’
They sound like a very nice bunch, so we are pretty sure they do not discriminate and would welcome the green tea, and Red Bush tea drinkers. With that in mind, and as green and red bush both offer a time for quiet contemplation and shared moments, we think we can sign up and wear The Tea Appreciation Society t-shirt with pride!
Heather of Extinct already a fully signed up member slurping from her mug!
Make-It Scraps
Friday, December 18th, 2009
This is the scraps ball from the recent Make-it Friday. I will be posting a pic of the scrap balls as I think often the make pretty little snapshot blends of the colours used…
Whaddya think?
Make-it Friday!
Friday, December 18th, 2009In honour of the 2 Fridays left of this year (one of them being Christmas Yay!) I’ve decided to start my routine for 2010 early… or is it perhaps a very late start to my 2009 regime?!
Each and every Friday I shall be posting my “Make-its” Feel free to comment, add suggestions or post links to your projects!
These items are just for fun but some just might make the cut for the shop… lets see what happens.
We had lots of fun, but looking full of concentration here on the task in hand…
The full project & how to to follow for my Cabbage Christmas Wreath & Gold n Green Bow Twist Wreath!
The Party is On!
Tuesday, December 15th, 2009
Evil Xmas…
Tuesday, December 15th, 2009
The Evil Xmas Fayre, presented by Arts Co & Pure Evil, early in December at The East Room in Soho (London EC2) sounded brilliant and here, at Ollie&Agnes, we were gutted we missed it. Pitched as ‘a twisted take on a traditional European Christmas fair’, the Evil Xmas Fayre was an exhibition of original art. There was also Xmas hell, where the walls were wheat-pasted by an army of Santa’s dark helpers (a mystery line up of London’s best street artists) and there was a chance to make your own snow-globe in the ‘Magical Snow-globe Lounge’ which, despite lacking practical creative ability, we would have loved to have had a bash at.
We really like the idea of home-made creations and designs at Christmas; and as the gorgeous and talented O&A graphic designer ‘RTG’ says: ‘Christmas is lovely when it isn’t commercial and there should definitely be no carols in October.’
design by RTG
design by RTG
Hooray to that. O&A Graphic Designer ‘RTG’ (who is brilliant at everything arts and craftsy and can not only decipher very bad sketches from Ollie&Agnes, but also bring them to life) has again made her own stunning Christmas cards this year. They are all swirls of pattern and geometrics. The card was originally 2 hand-cut positives, which were put onto a screen and hand screen-printed using poster inks on card. RTG then scanned the print into the comp and put 4 together, played with colours and printed them out onto cards. Last year, her Christmas cards were like exquisite little works of art, with a handmade sea of glitter in a variety of colours but best of all, in the Christmas spirit stakes, are the kids’ cards with odd little shaped angels and a clump of feathers. Great!
PS: If you don’t know Pure Evil’s work check it out at www.pureevilclothing.com. Some of it is dark (as the name suggests) but he’s been working with Kangol, designing hats, which suggests he can work within the mainstream. ‘Pure Evil’ works include Heath Ledger RIP (CMYK screen print) pureevilland (stencil spray paint and synthetic polymer paint on canvas in antique frame) and bunny tag on glass. Visit the Pure Evil Gallery, 108 Leonard Street, London EC2A 4RH, an artist run space exhibiting British artists and putting on shows from Sao Paulo, Amsterdam, Berlin and Beijing.
Karl Largerfelt and other Etsy Fun!
Sunday, December 13th, 2009I seem to while away these cold December evenings browsing many creative blogs, shops and crafting networks… through a stream of loveliness there are some seriously cool bits, here’s the flotsam and jetsam that just seemed to stick with me – love it!
(click on the pics for more info!)
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1.Karl Largerfelt Finger Puppet
2,3 &4 Jennifer Loiselle Amazing Headbands
5. Adorable Creatures by Lou Lou & Oscar
6. Janice Jong – Illustrations
The Shape of Things to Come?
Friday, December 11th, 2009It seems to me that all forms of creativity influence each other whether its from a popular haircut, to a bold colour or certain pattern, but none more so than SHAPE.
Shapes seem to imprint our minds more on a subconscious level somehow…
Matryoshka or Russian/Nesting/Babushka Dolls… yeah you know the ones, and Owls seem very much to be the shape for now…
I think with the influence from the re-surge of 50s Vintage fashions, their curvy womanly shapes of the swimming cossies from that era and the rock’n'roll dresses it would seem a natural progression for things to adorn your house to take on a similar shape.
Here are some of my favourite Matryoshkas and Owls picked from the net!
Supercute patterns from One Red Robin
From a selection at Fabrics at Gaga Fabrics
Paper Sculptures & Collages By Helen Mussel White I love the colours she has chosen, they remind me too of lovely old book sketches.
From a selection of Owls at Manic Muffin
Rupert the Owl – amigurimi crochet by Reeneegurmi
To celebrate the 10th year of Russian Vogue just last year - a hand picked selection of fashion designers (inc YSL, Martin Margiela, Dolce & Gabbana, Prada, Versace and Ralph Lauren) were asked to design a Matryoshka doll and to fabulous effect! See if you can spot which designers doll is which!
With all this “Matryoska, Bubuska” going round in my head can’t get Kate Bush’s Babooshka out of my head! It is fabulous though… for your delight…
Notice that she is playing (or not so much playing but draping herself over) the curvy bass!
Soul & Spirit Magazine Dec 09
Friday, December 11th, 2009
Beyond Travel Magazine Winter 09
Friday, December 11th, 2009
W.I and I… The Second Scoop!
Wednesday, December 9th, 2009
It’s Christmastime at the W.I…
Ok I arrive late with my tuna based offering, meet up with our Lady Chair who comments “Well I don’t like that sort of thing, but put it down someone will eat it” I’d say we’re off to a flying start!
They make room for me on the table, there are lots of hellos to be said, they fill up my plastic glass with some “red” I quickly notice there are 2 types of bottles making the rounds… red and white (that’s sparkling berry mineral water and elderflower sparkling water) everyone seems to be referring to them as wine…
We commented on our lovely spread as we ate, pulled crackers (I think I might of accidentally pulled the wrong cracker which sent me into a bizarre world of cracker etiquette and more than a few glances from the bottom end of the table) smirked at the jokes… ya know the usual Christmas fare. There were some “visitors” from a neighbouring institute who sat at our table and were lovely. We talked about Banksy and art and the rain. We had a 15 question Christmas themed quiz (we won) and then on with the important business the raffle!
I’ve always been a bit curious about numbers… and a bit more curious about possibility and probability in maths.. Why is it each and every raffle I enter I win something? Should I not question this? Just remain blissfully content and smug in my raffle track record score…. Law of Attraction? I think so. Now this particular night being so tardy I wasn’t there to buy a raffle ticket… but still on the winners table. Lady Chair (still my fave) must have practiced this special skill – she did not have her ticket with her and when someone told her the number – that ticket came up! Whoops and hollars were to be heard from our table (god we were having such a fun time!) but what I find even more curious, it wasn’t actually her number – someone had told her the wrong one – but when she had believed it was and had been concentrating on that number so I came to pass… be careful what you think of – wish for and THINK OUTCOME rather than the details!
Met someone new tonight, she talked of different pastries (oh how I knew this would be!)
We also sang some Christmas Carols which for me was a pure delight, I felt anonymous yet tied together in song with these other ladies – a really releasing experience. I don’t think I’ve stood and sung my heart out since standing in assembly wishing myself elsewhere…
Looking forward so much to 2010 and all that it holds…
What about you?
Let’s get together…
Tuesday, December 8th, 2009
‘Charleston – a Bloomsbury House and Garden’ by Quentin Bell, Vanessa Bell’s son, and his daughter Virginia Nicholson A facinating history of the house and the collective of artists who lived and worked there. Published by Frances Lincoln. ISBN: 071122370X
There seems to be a lot of talk about ‘collectives’ at the moment and we think these groups of people working together, to the same goal often in the same place; fits with the whole community spirit of make-and-mend. For us, there is definitely a romantic notion about a bohemian group of people, holed up together, creating wonderful works of art, inspiring each other while sharing a collective-consciousness.
We first started to notice collectives gaining in popularity last year but groups of artists working together, towards a similar goal in the same place; is nothing new and have occurred throughout history. The Bloomsbury Group which could be thought of as a collective of artists, painters, writers and ‘thinkers’, came together in the Bloomsbury area of London in the early 1900’s. Members of this fascinating and boundary-pushing group lead by artist, and sister of Virginia Woolf, Vanessa Bell moved to Charleston Farmhouse in East Sussex to live and work as a group of like-minded people. Among them were painter Roger Fry, writer Clive Bell and artist and critic Duncan Graham.
Artist Niko, who modelled the black woollen surf hat for us, is part of a collective called Ornamental Conifer based in East London. We met him on the South Bank. He was already wearing a hat, so we asked him if he’d wear an Ollie&Agnes hat, and have a photo taken, and he did! He and an interesting group of artists work at the London studio offering hands on approach to print design and sign writing. Check it out!
‘Made in the Shade’ are a new Glasgow-based collective, which was set up by an ex-university lecturer, Carrie Maclennan, and includes designers and graphic artists. They were brought together by their love of The Fifties and offer bespoke design. These guys have taken the collective a step further by opening a shop, come gallery called The Maisonette which sounds really interesting and will also serve as a workshop and place to hold craft events.
Carrie Maclennan (in the Daily Telegraph magazine) says: ‘I am working with my friends in a space that feels like my living room’ …and what could be better than that!
Quick, let’s form a collective, it sounds brilliant.
Jeff & John
Saturday, December 5th, 2009
Jeff Koons
Rabbit, 1986
Stainless steel
41 x 19 x 12 in (104.1 x 48.3 x 30.5 cm)
© Jeff Koons
Excited to be taking in a day of Art on Monday – the first Extinct Christmas outing!
Will be taking in the delights of Pop Life at Tate Modern, Kienholz: The Hoerengracht at the National and if there will be time checking out all that’s on offer at the Hayward!
My own creations during my time as an art student at UCE were heavily influenced by Pop Art, being a lover of that entire age – the fashion, the design and the art work – the whole energy of that time still influences me today!
Looking forward to a day submerged in visual pleasure.
Have to say I’m thoroughly enjoying all the art programes on BBC at the moment too! Check out School of Saatchi on iplayer!
Headscarves the new headbands?
Tuesday, December 1st, 2009
© Pure Blue Trading LLP
Here at Ollie&Agnes we have a keen eye on what people are wearing and recently, we have noticed a phenomenon for head-scarves at the gym and we love it, and forthwith, have thrown a scarf in with running shoes and lycra.
It is so hard to make ‘active wear’ (Group shudder!) edgy or fashionable and this look is so cool for working out. The two girls, who were wearing them at the local gym, looked effortlessly cool… we, of course, could look like old Croatian women.
Ollie&Agnes admired their fearless and proud ‘wearing of the scarf’ and carefree attitude to it being on their heads; while others ogled. When asked about the scarf, one of the girls just said ‘it keeps the hair out of my eyes’; but we knew it was more than that, it was a statement; and we loved it and we loved her for it. A headscarf for the gym, is functional (perfect for mopping up sweat), looks good and is a welcome addition to the dull sportswear and we could be on to a winner.
Possibly it will be a craze that sweeps gyms and dance studios up and down the country! At present, Ollie&Agnes make knitted items, including beautiful handmade chokers, kid’s hats and berets, and we do realise a knitted head scarf for the gym is a definite ‘no goer’; but a fabric head-scarf might be something for the future for Ollie&Agnes!
PS: Award for the feat of bravery this week goes to the woman on a central line tube, in the rush hour on Friday morning, who amid the elbows, back packs and while leaning on the rail of a lurching vehicle and holding a mirror, applied mascara…RESPECT as the potential for injury was ENORMOUS!
Tis the season to be giving…fa la la la la etc
Tuesday, December 1st, 2009
As it is the first of December and all – Extinct Design is getting in the Christmas spirit with a GIVEAWAY!
We are giving away one print from Wilko’s new collection of works to adorn your home! Measuring 210mm x 300mm printed on high quality sustainable silk paper stock.
To enter just let us know, in the comments box below which of the All Creatures Great and Small… you are most drawn too (no pun intended – honest) and let us know why… for me, it’s gotta be no3 with Mr Crocs – I think because of that permanent smile, they are mysterious and are as old as the dinosaurs – oh and its PINK!
Plucked at random on the 12th day of December.
