All Tomorrow's Parties

Hello all, been a bit quiet on the internet front as I've been busy indulging another of my loves - live music. I just got back from the Matt Groening curated ATP at Butlins in Minehead. It was amazing, I had the best time! I've been to ATP a couple of times before, years ago, at Camber Sands, but this was the best one I've been to. We lucked out on our accommodation, which was really nice and near to all the action. I went with some great friends and we basically had a blast. I saw Iggy and the Stooges on the first night, with Mike Watt on bass (I love him so much!) and The xx twice, just awesome. I think the highlight for me was seeing Boredoms, a band that, on paper, I thought I would hate! (Japan's iconoclastic experimental music "unit" anyone?) but they blew my mind with a 9 drummer performance - I've never seen a drummer be carried in on a platform drumming through the crowd before, put it that way.



If you get the chance, go see them! They will change your life, I promise! Anyone got any musical recommendations?

I ♥ Bicycles

Handprinted poster, available on etsy and folksy.

The past couple of nights have been very much bike-based for me. The annual I Bike MCR festival is on over the next month, with lots of activities, films, get togethers, bike maintenance classes and of course cycling! I was aware of it, but learnt more on Tuesday, when me and my housemate went on the Full Moon bike ride. The weather was absolutely awful and I was wearing inappropriately skinny jeans, which hindered me in getting on and off the trusty Pioneer somewhat. In fact, it turned on that my poor old Raleigh Classic, bought for £5.46 from ebay around 2 years ago, has seen better days, as I got a puncture 30 seconds after leaving the pub and whilst fixing it in the pouring rain realised that the rear derailer had come loose. Argh! Not cool in front of a group of cycling afficionados I didn't know! Luckily they are very nice and I feel we all have a bond after patching up the old girl in adverse conditions. We rode to Jackson's Boat by Chorlton Ees and had a thoroughly nice time, yay for new friends!
Last night I went to the Lass O'Gowrie pub for a screening of Beauty and the Bike, a film exploring why so few teenagers in Britain cycle. It was a lovely film, and I got a little sentimental as half of it was based in my home town of Darlington!
The upshot of all this 2 wheeled fun is that I have decided to buy a new bike, does anyone have any recommendations? I've been checking out Globe bikes, drool drool! I'm considering the Haul or Live models. Yum!



I need to get sorted asap, so I can enjoy the rest of the festival! Hopefully see some of you out and about, come rain or shine! xx

Small Town Heroes

This weekend I took a trip back over to the North East to see family and friends. It's always nice to go home and to look back fondly at times gone past. But I'm also really, really happy to live in a city, where art, culture and energy are plentiful and appreciated!
Unfortunately I'm full of cold, so stayed in on Saturday night with a good book and some yummy ratatouille that my dad left in the fridge for me. On Sunday we drove over to Barnard Castle to visit Bowes Museum, which I hadn't been to in years. It has a new fashion and textile gallery which is almost complete and looks to be pretty impressive. They were letting visitors in for a sneak preview and they have an amazing collection. The silver swan which I remember from childhood visits is still in full effect!
There was a large collection of classic cars parked outside so I took some snaps - I have a new toy, the Hipstamatic app for iphone! I feel myself cringe as I type, but no matter, I like the colour and lighting effects so I'll post a couple of my little pics.

Work related news - the Bowery in Leeds have asked for some more baby tee shirts and I only delivered them the other week, so I'm really pleased! Better get on with some printing then eh?

Which do you prefer? Town or country? City or village? xx

p.s Spring! My gosh yes! xx

From Russia With Love

I have to admit to being a little obsessed with Russia at the moment, I keep looking at pictures of St Petersburg and dreaming of that magical train ride. One day my friends! One day! In celebration of my new muse, here is my brand new Matryoshka doll print. It's printed as always with love in my little Manchester-based studio with solvent-free inks on gorgeous subtly speckled ivory 'Bier Lager' 250gsm A4 card, manufactured using a combination of leftovers from the brewing industry: 40% to 60% beer labels, 5% to 20% malt/yeast/hops fibres, and between 30% and 50% totally chlorine-free (TCF) virgin paper pulp. It's awesome and I love printing on it! It's for sale on my etsy and Folksy sites. Spasiba! xx

Ich bin ein Berliner!

Arf arf. I went to Berlin for a few days with my gentleman friend the other week and my oh my did I love it. A lot of my arty friends in Manchester have been and raved about the place, so I was very excited to see it for myself. I did a lot of sightseeing and walking, with many a pit stop for wurst and beer, an ideal holiday really!
One of my favourite places was a tiny museum I'd read about online, called the Büchstaben Museum, which was hyped as a typography museum, but was actually more like a sign graveyard. Either way, I loved it!







I'm now pondering my next trip and have been looking at the Russian Red Arrow train from Moscow to St Petersburg, can't beat a good train journey in my view. This old beauty even has its own theme music! What's your dream holiday?

Two Ducks Disco

Ahoy there, here is a wee post that I've been planning for an age - since last September actually, when I took my self off to Leeds town to see the brillax to the max Magnolia Electric Co.
I'm a big fan of gig posters and am usually first in line to snap 'em up. I was a little too slow this time though, and the groovy limited edition posters had sold out by the time a crazy man in shorts had stopped dancing. Aiee! However, all was not lost as I put my name on a mailing list...and ordered a poster from that nice Two Ducks Disco

For a mere £10 I received my poster smartly through the post along with a few other goodies, not least an awesome poster for the European Poster Expo 2007, that was held at our very own Urbis, Manchester. I cannot recommend highly enough! Go! Read blog! Buy posters! xx

Feel the love...

In my last post I promised pictures of my Valentine's designs. They're quite simple and not too sickly, I've used the papercuts in screenprints and cards which are available in the studio now! (plug plug plug).

The last exhibition at the Craft Centre is being taken down as I type, the next one is 'Spun', Lighting by Jenny Bland and opens on February the 13th, so if you need to pick up a little Valentine's gift for your beloved, that would be a good day to do it!
I've got some work in NoiseLab, a pop up gallery/shop situated in what was Shelley's on Market Street. Go take a peek if you get a chance, there are doodles from influential artists Pete Fowler and Jon Burgerman featured in the shop, I'm pretty excited to have my work alongside theirs, whoop!