TOBYBOO

I was visited in the shop today by an interesting designer-maker called Tina Crawford. Under the name TOBYBOO she produces embroidered drawings, mostly architectural in nature. Here is The Sun pub - see how the charmingly free stitchery brings out the fine features of this familiar building allowing us to appreciate it anew.

Have a look at her website http://tobybooillustrated.weebly.com/

Here are some cushions Tina has made which have the nursery rhyme "Oranges and Lemons stitched upon them and the relevant London churches accurately described with lovely wobbly sewing-machined lines.

These bonkers Wizard of Oz characters are my favourite though ....

Look at the dear little faces!

Joan Osbaldeston

Foxes

Last night I heard the foxes call my name.

Twisting in my sheets,

I heard it clearly as if it were you out there,

calling up to me from the garden.

I jumped out of bed, hurried to the window.

The night sky, though punctured with stars, obscured everything.

That tree where we saw the pair of jays

was just a blur

and the roses were charcoal drawings

not the riotous shrubs that filled the room with scent all Summer.

Two dark shadows slipped under the fence, out of sight.

You weren’t there of course,

but the thought of your voice

stayed with me all night.

This poem by Joan Osbaldeston was the inspiration for this drawing of nocturnal fox activity.

Those of us who have been kept awake by the eerie wailings of our vulpine neighbours will identify. Our response would be less literary and might include a bucket of cold water and some sweary shouting.

(Not really - we love you foxes and will do some fancy drawings instead)

Time for Tea

Bathing beauties. In a teacup. On a tea towel.

Or perhaps on this simple clock. Made of screen printed birch ply and useful for letting you know when its time for tea, a bath, or a combination of the two.

Its our way of saying

JUST DO IT

However, if you agree that those dear little ladies are just begging to be sat upon you'll have to wait for us to create the cushions in order to fulfil this fantasy.

Unless of course you are resourceful enough to sew your own from two of the tea towels....

These were made by Laura Picarelli and featured on her blog http://mycaptainkirk.blogspot.com.

Clever gal.

Lushest East Dulwich

Never let it be said that we at Lush only have each other.

No, for we have friends, REAL friends. The kinda gals who you need to have around when a shop needs a lick of (industrial grey) paint.

This is the work of knit specialist Row Pinto, whose exquisitely soft scarves in coloured stripes make your heart go PING.

She, like us has a studio at Cockpit Arts and now you will find her work alongside ours at Grace and Favour on Northcross Road in East Dulwich.

http://rowpinto.com/shop/

Not only is she the nimble-knitter of woollen wonders, but she's thoroughly nice person and (as is oft said of crusty old variety artistes such as Bruce Forsythe and Madonna) one of the hardest working people in this business.
Here's Row vacuuming before painting the floor. Who's got the cutest face, her or Henry? You decide.

Half -done.

Ah the smell of fresh paint. Almost, but not quite as good as the smell of the top of a baby's head.

Here's dear Amanda Ross putting one of her botanical prints on the wall.

She's fellow Cockpit Arts resident and in common with most designer-makers is erotically obsessed with Leonine Rock-Legend, Robert Plant. Now she's got her work in Grace and Favour perhaps we should have Improbable Bob's bleatings playing on a loop to soothe the customers and create a sophisticated ambience.

We were lucky enough to have a camera handy when this stylish customer (below) came into the shop. We thought she looked particularly elegant in front of a display of Amanda's delicate flower prints. http://www.amandaross.co.uk/home.html.

...and what was the choice of this person-of-good-taste? Why, she chose a Thames-inspired shade for her (doubtless impeccable) home. Thank you for your custom Madam, and thanks for looking so chic in the shop.

A teetering Lush Designs shade display as would tempt any homeowner.

Come and see the real thing at 35 North Cross Road, London SE22 9ET, as well as 8 College Approach, SE10 9HY.

www.lushlampshades.co.uk

(trade) Show Business

Two or three times a year we at Lush Designs load a donkey cart with gubbins, trundle up West and show our wares at a Trade Show. Top Drawer at Earl's Court was where we were a few days ago. See how we created a magical environment within the confines of a 2x2.5m stand. This is where trade buyers and the press find themselves powerless to resist as we suck them into our evil vortex.

This excellent example of a nicely turned out young person is perusing our new range of prints. How sensible of her to be sporting (this season's must-have) yellow satchel and shoes - all the better to complement our purple wall.

Lush Designs, I repeat, Lush Designs.

You know how you've always wanted a duvet cover with the words "Adventure On" and a picture of a woodcutters axe on it? Well your dream will soon come true for we at Lush Designs have at long last created a repeat print on wide fabric and of this will be made bedlinen.

For those of you who are indifferent to tools and inspiring mottos there's some rabbits for the ladies and some architecture for the men.

As usual we've thought of everything.

Cat bores

Yes. Thats what we've become.

Since we found the (thrice) faecal evidence of their presence in our garden this morning we think we're entitled to exploit our neighbours cats and depict them on a bone china mug soon-to-be-available-from-Lush-Designs.

Having resisted drawing them in the act of befouling our lawn we have brought out some of their more charming characteristics.