Pastel Pop Homeware from Matalan

No, this isn't a sponsored post - I just really enjoy homeware lately (that does make me sound quite old!). I spied these bargains a couple of days ago, and I love the bright colour scheme. I think all of these pieces would be perfect for refreshing your home and making it more summery. The best part is they are all very affordable! 

1. 4 Tier Drawers, £30. 

2. Woven Laundry Basket, £25. 

3. Decorative Stripe Candle, £3.

4. Geometric Cushion, £6 or 2 for £8.

5. Bath Mat, £10.  

I adore everything, especially the geometric cushions. I could also really do with a new laundry basket, and I like the subtle pastel detailing on this one. Let me know what you think of these pieces!

C xxx

Penguin Small

Even though it's summer now, I decided to draw some penguins! I named this illustration after a childrens story book I used to enjoy when I was little and you can read more about that here. I decided to add some bright pops of colour to the penguins outlines just to make them stand out a little more against the white background. I think the sleeping penguin is my favourite! That's probably what I would be doing in arctic temperatures too. 

C xxx

It must be love: Romance Was Born S/S 2013.

I'm fairly terrible at keeping up with designers/brands and only just stumbled upon Australian label 'Romance Was Born' yesterday. I can't get over how awesome this collection is! I love everything about it, from the crazy colour scheme, to the little antenna. They do kind of look like aliens from Star Trek, but again, I think thats a good thing.

#

I'm definitely thinking of making a set of illustrations based on this collection, what do you guys think? You can also view the rest of the collection here!

C xxx

The Botanical Gardens

I decided to start this illustration a couple of days ago after seeing the work of Brian Cook Batsford who was famous for illustrating the book sleeves of the Batsford books from the 1930's to the 1950's. A lot of the books focused on the English countryside and various places of beauty from around the UK. I really wanted to show some of the interesting places we have to visit here in Sheffield, and one of the places that sprang to mind is the Botanical Gardens. The gardens are set just one mile from the city centre, so they are easily within walking distance! There are plenty of amazing events going on there throughout the year including 'Art in the Gardens' which I suppose is a festival for local artists. 

Following on from my previous illustration of Sheffield, I wanted to continue the theme of Sheffield as a colourful place and the colour scheme has turned out to be fairly psychadelic which I like! Let me know if there's any beautiful places near you which you would like me to illustrate. 

C xxx

Uniqlo x Ladurée

I stumbled upon this collection earlier today and knew I had to share it with you! I've been aware of the cute t-shirt collections Uniqlo collaborates on with various brands for awhile, but I think this one is extra special. These shirts combine everything that is special about Ladurée - macarons, dainty colours, and french elegance. I love all of the illustrative detailing and think these tops would be perfect for summer. 

1/2/3

4

The best part about these t-shirts is that they cost just £12.90 each, making them very affordable! If you feel like treating yourself you can shop the rest of the collection right here. Let me know if you decide to get one.

C xxx

Blogger Illustration: Gingerbread Buttons!

I have a brand new blogger illustration for you today! I stumbled across Libby's blog 'Gingerbread Buttons' a little while ago, and I absolutely love it. Libby is absolutely hilarious and her posts are always a delight to read. She also has a big, cuddly rabbit which reminds me of one I used to have when I was little. My illustration is based on the photo below, I love how cute Libby's hair looks in buns. 

This is how the illustration turned out! I just knew I had to include some bunnies in there. 

Let me know what you think and be sure to check out Libby's blog here!

C xxx

p.s. Don't forget there's free worldwide shipping on my Society6 shop until Sunday. 

New 'Tales of Creativity' Illustration.

This is the latest illustration in Karla's 'Tales of Creativity' charity series. The inspiration behind this one was, of course, '30% Makeup Artist, 70% Business Person' which I think is very relevant to most people in the creative industries! One thing that's just occurred to me though, is that I've completely overlooked including any male MUA's in the project so far which seems silly! I think I will have to rectify this in the next illustration I do. I can't believe I've actually produced so many and not even given it a second thought until now - I actually feel a little bad about it aha! 

C xxx