Going East

Ventured East to pick up my business cards from the Moo Shop this afternoon. The first time I have used Moo and I have to say they are blinkin good at what they do with a very quick turnaround! 

An opportunity arises this weekend to present my product to some local boutiques in Burnham Market so I have had to quickly throw together some business cards to attract these potential customers. Prospectives need to visually keep you in mind and as not all independent stores have the same customer profile, I chose these 3 different images:

modern

modern classic

classic

I selected Luxe Green with a matt finish, though maybe should have gone for gloss in hindsight but overall, as I cant miss out on possible business this Easter in 'Chelsea-on-Sea', I'm pleased with my initial print run. 

Cecilia and I made a day of it as Going East with a small child has to be counted as a day trip! So by fulfilling Cecilia's desire to 'go somewhere exciting mummy!' we braved the freezing weather and initially hung out at Spitalfields City Farm. 

so much fun! 

I lived East for a year and loved it for its balls-out, anything goes, vibrancy literally on its streets!

 

and we passed a really interesting looking shop down Commercial Street that has always been an intrigue but I have never felt the need to go in.....until now! 

Gardners' is Spitalfields' oldest family run business since 1870. A paper bag shop stuffed to the hilt with.........paper bags and it's proprietor is Paul Gardner. I'm almost sure if you met him you'd agree with Spitalfields Life 

"With his wavy grey locks, gentle face, sociable manner and innate decency,  Paul could have stepped from another age and it is a joy to meet someone who has successfully resisted the relentless imperative to haste and efficiency at any cost, that tyrannises our age and threatens to enslave us all. When you enter the shop, you enter Paul’s world and you discover it is a better place than the one outside."

So, we got chatting, of course we did..........and I concluded that he has to be the guy to work with on the branded cotton bags needed for the cuvcuv home storage range. Bespoke and made in England! Love it! 

So I bid him farewell by handing him a business card (ahem! haha!) and toddled off very happily to get warm in Spitalfields Market and to appease the little 'un with scrummy coffee and cake. 

SS2014

I'm off for a jaunt to Belgium and so will be getting inspired at a great friend of mine's 40th birthday shindig! And believe me, Liege is certainly a hive of activity! I love it!

So whilst I'm supping a Faro, quaffing a Mort Subide, and sliding off my chair with a Judas, I thought I'd show you what I have in mind for SS2014. 

I'm thinking animal print (still a big trend!)

and geometrics - very commercial. Working in some metallic thread.

And I'm liking landscapes and scenes! Inspiration from the intriguing Timorous Beasties , Linwood Fabrics and Wallpapers and the talented mother & daughter duo MissPrint

Not an easy project to interpret in a print on a box but I like the representation of nature - trees and mountains and I think it would work well.

Off kilter spots, crosses, letters and numbers too!

motifs shmotifs!!! but I think these add something a little more masculine!

So I bid farewell as I tie up loose ends before total relaxation into party mode! First stop Brussels' Cafe Arcadi famed for its flans and tarts! The Anchovy Butter option being a great fave! Cant wait!

Bon Voyage mes amis!!! 

to market to market to find me a stall

I finally checked out the Herne Hill Farmers' Market  last Sunday and having used to frequent the Oval Farmers' Market at St Marks church on a Saturday ran by the same people, I knew I was going to be in for a treat.
I was really impressed with the size of it and thus satisfied that this will hopefully be the market cuvcuv can be attached to. I'm looking at a Farmers' Market as they have the right rudiments for selling a handmade product with an eco message.
Customers can get to know the brand, talk to me about the products and more importantly, it will be somewhere local, a location I can get to fairly easily.......on a bike with a trailer is the plan, yikes!

I could get there really early and have a snooze or even better, turn up the night before!!

It was so buzzy and bustling with people. Its not pretentious nor overly expensive. Theres some interesting foody bits....for me mainly cheese! I bought an extra mature cheddar from Greens of Glastonbury that tastes more like a comte, quite strong and stinky but yummy! 

And I splashed out and bought 2 different types from the Bath Soft Cheese Company A square shaped soft and squidgy White Cheese and a stinky Blue - exquisite!  Their packaging is rather cool and slightly unusual with a quirky font. All made from very very old recipes. I thoroughly recommend! Check out their website and find out where they will be this weekend to have a try!

Bumped into Mare of Natty Peeps - talented knitter and arty jeweller. I love her decoupage necklaces and hand knitted table mats and coasters. She had the most gorgeous cashmere mix summer dress in a blush pink that Cecilia would look the cutest in! 

There were quite a few craft, gift and homewares stalls that cuvcuv would sit happily next to. Wish it was sooner but will have to wait til August!

Date for your diary

Something to look forward to (as well as the cuvcuv launch in August 2013!) is The Fashion World Of Jean Paul Gaultier at the Barbican April 2014.
'Dubbed fashion's enfant terrible by the press from the time of his first runway shows in the 1970s, Jean Paul Gaultier is indisputably one of the most important fashion designers of recent decades' It has already been shown at the MMA  Montreal Museum of Arts .

and as a big fan of Bjork, I'm particularly excited by these little gems! 

There will be a plethora of iconic pieces to look forward to.

London's streets are paved with inspiration

I saw this fallen bark on the pavement as Cecilia and I walked up our road. I felt the need to keep the chewing gum in the image to illustrate urbanity juxtaposed with nature's decay. I love the contrasting combination of the mossy yellow sat on top of sludge grey/green hues. For me, its a colour inspiration that can be developed into a blanket using the sharpness of the yellow as an accent colour of embroidery or simple top stitching...

Kenzo AW13

KENZO AW2013  Check out the video of that show!wow!

One of my favourite houses - such beautiful shapes, texture of fabric and pattern! 

I am loving the layering of patterns, metallic still being prominent and that outrageous electric blue - love it!