PHEW!

So a clerical error is responsible for the week being completely slack on posts (er, forgetting about a double header of a bank holiday called EASTER morelike!!!). It's been a hella hectic week with competing and collecting horses and lots and lots of printing, I honestly feel like I live a double life at times!

The weekend's dressage was fairly good with 2 wins and a PB score on my current ride, Yaya! But the main distraction this week has been these li'l guys:

The cute deer faces in caps are part of my design for a limited edition of tees for music makers Dan Le sac v's Scroobius Pip, of which I have hand printed 200 for guys and girls which will be available on their upcoming tour of the UK. I'm really proud to be involved with these guys. I have to be honest and say I hadn't heard of either artist's work before I received this commission but I have since become a big fan. I just love the electro beats and intelligent, thoughtful and funny lyrics!! You can find out more about the band and the tour RIGHT HERE! Have a good listen and I think you'll be as hooked as I am!

Well I'm back on track now and over the weekend will be starting the new feature on the Bonbi Forest designers starting with an interview with Kieron Watts of Chapter 77 all about the music and cultures that inform him as a designer. I'm going to be featuring one of the Bonbi designers every couple of weeks and I think it will be an exciting view into the influences and inspirations of the artists whose work we stock in the Emporium, so stay tuned for that!!

Oh yes: I always said I would post a picture of me competing so here it is!! This is me on Pia last December. She is still very young (only just 6) but we are very excited about her future!

xXx

Even more eclectic

Here are a few of the new Eclectic Eccentricity items that we have in the store! I always love the use of charms and interesting titles to hint at a story in these pieces. So clever and creative!

Pictured below are Fly Away Home Earrings (£10.75), Memento Necklace (16.99) and Spring Valentine Necklace (12.99)...

You can see and shop these pieces and more by clicking HERE!!!

They have started selling out already so get your skates on if you like what you see!

I am away tomorrow and Saturday competing my mum's horse Pia in 2 dressage competitions which is quite exciting, so as I won't be at my computer for a couple of days I just wanted to mention that over the entire Easter weekend we are offering FREE SHIPPING on all orders over £15!!! Nice eh? All you have to do is enter code EASTEREGG08 at checkout to redeem the offer which is valid from 21st - 24th March....HAPPY EASTER!!

Super Fluff!!

Ahh the sun has been shining today and I just took 10 minutes out to stand in the lovely warmth away from the bitter East wind and it was wonderful...I am definitely a spring/ summer person methinks!!

Today we have had another massive update of the brilliant Fluffstuffs accessories in the Bonbi Forest Indie Emporium. Super sweet and cute n kitsch there is an array of brooches, earrings, rings and hair slides all featuring a magical feast of kawaii creatures: bunnies with parasols, cheeky penguins, toadstools, tiny birds, chocolate cupcakes, sleepy owls and much more...

You can see and shop all of the brand new Fluffstuffs items RIGHT HERE!!

We have been getting parcels of new items for the store every few days at the moment and it is always so exciting to open them and see what amazing delights we have been sent. There is such a wealth of indie talent out there! This week we will have vests and tees from The Emporiums 2 newest designers and a selection of new gorgeous pieces from Eclectic Eccentricity too...Watch this space!

Pretty pollutant...

On Saturday we headed up to the north coast of my beloved Cornwall to spend the afternoon in a beach-side pub celebrating the birthday of our friend Alex. It was a fun afternoon in the bar with much beer and cake and we also took a walk on the beach while Alex went for a surf (the nutter, does he not realise it is still MARCH??).

It was near sunset when we went for our walk and most of the beach was very beautiful. One side of it however was full of plastic rubbish that had been washed ashore and had probably come off fishing boats and trawlers and it made me very sad to see. It has been a long time since I saw a beach strewn with such horrible plastic bottles, cannisters and nets!! I did notice though that some of the plastic must have been washing around for a long time and was so broken down into such tiny pieces the vast array of bright colours actually looked quite pretty mingling on the sand with stones and seaweed.

I'm certainly no fan of polluting rubbish, but the tiny colours caught my eye so I just had to take some pictures!!

Hopefully the local council will put some money into getting that particular beach cleared up for the locals, tourists, surfers and wildlife alike to give the beach back it's natural beauty...

Hoot Hoot!!

It's a bit of an owl fest today!! I have been printing printing printing lots of tees to go out to stores next week and I have also been printing some loose fitting vests for the ladies with the same print that I have on my Bonbi Forest Owl scarves (I am printing more of them too). They will be great for spring, at least they will be once the weather warms up a bit anyway! I am also working on some new tee designs too as well as some new shoppers and jewellery... all pretty exciting!!

So as well as all that I have added yet more new items to the store today in the form of these amazing glass animal pin badges from Happy Owl Glass...

I just love the earthy colours and the sweet variety of animals. You could collect them all and build up a whole zoo of animals on your lapel, hehe!

See and shop all of the Happy Owl Glass badges right HERE!!

It's a silver thing!

If you are a fan of fine silver jewellery with a kooky twist then The Bonbi Forest Indie Emporium's newest designer is going to be right up your street! We welcome Cherry Creek Designs to the store...
We have some fabulous fine silver stud earrings stamped with all manner of things from tiny snails and crowns to howling wind, olive branches and stars. The earrings are all hand crafted and have tiny irregularities which makes them unique and special. Perfect for everyday!

As well as the studs we have a selection of cute silver necklaces too! Little pendants with Scottie dogs and chirruping birds and my favorite: An enameled silver cupcake with multi-coloured sprinkles which looks good enough to eat!! (better not though, you might break your teeth...hehe!) All the pendants swing from delicate sterling silver ball chains and the earrings all have sterling silver posts and backs.

Shop all Cherry Creek jewellery JUST HERE!!

Modish Handmade Space!

The Bonbi HQ has been featured as a Modish Handmade Space!! Click the pic on the left to read...

Thanks Jena!!

Magnificent Port Eliot

Last Sunday was a rare day as the whole of my immediate family were together for the day (this only usually happens at Christmas time), and we decided to go and visit Port Eliot.

Port Eliot is a big estate down in South East Cornwall with a beautiful big old house and vast gardens. The grounds to the house are open to the public every year for the Port Eliot Lit Fest
but the house itself was only opened to the public for the first time last weekend.

What I loved about it was that it is still lived in and used as a proper home. Amongst all of the priceless antiques and paintings were modern day trinkets and things from a life lived in the here and now: a Mac computer on an ancient desk, plastic martian heads amongst centuries old books, modern cards and ornaments on a mantle piece below a portrait by Van Dyke...there was also a very old, valuable and rare cabinet of museum quality stuffed full of the families vinyl record collection! I just loved the clash of very old and very new.

Unfortunately I was unable to take any images of the inside of the house, but there is a round room with a 360º mural by the artist Robert Lenkiewicz. A crazy and colourful symbolic masterpiece with amazing detail which was painted by the artist over the period of 30 years and spans 40 feet in diameter. One half depicts death, destruction, insanity, unrequited love, and the apocalyptic end of the world, whilst the other reflects love and affection, friendships, harmony and proportion.

We had a walk around the gardens on what was possibly the stillest day of the year so far, again a real treat with all the flowers coming out and we even saw a bumble bee buzzing along which is rare at this time of year!!

The house is open from 2pm until 6pm daily until the 10th of June (except 12th and 13th April) and really is well worth a visit...Go to HERE! for more info and directions etc

On the way home we stopped for lunch at a carvery near Looe, and there was a big ole Peacock in the garden and we were lucky enough to see him in all his glory when he attempted to scare other tiny birds away from his dinner of crushed up Nacho chips!!

Amazing Menagerie!

Today I added the exciting creations of The Bonbi Forest Indie Emporium's newest designer: Victoria Lindo!!

We have a colourful selection of her bird brooches, baby cats and two cute poochers, Edith and Ivoe. They are all sewn and stuffed by hand and decorated with pretty beads and buttons, pom-poms and tassles.

When Vicky emailed me about stocking her wares I immediately fell in love with her colourful style and her sense of humour. I am really pleased to be stocking her self published hardback book too. It is fully illustrated and about the rare ridgeback monkey Gee Manuel and his friends. the book is that bit different in that it has such treats as a large pull out map, a love letter and a selection of cards all stuffed in brightly coloured envelopes throughout the book...A must for fans of illustrated artist's books.


See and shop all of these wonderful creatures by clicking JUST HERE!!

It's Spring!

It's officially Spring and my favorite season of the year when everything comes into bloom and it starts to warm up. All the pretty Magnolia's and blossoms have started to come out down here in Cornwall and we have a golden carpet of Daffodils all about...so pretty!

We have had an awful internet connection for the last 10 days and the BT man came this morning and discovered that the line had been damaged by lightning of all things...scary stuff! It's all mended now though and I have added a massive update of fresh spring wares to the store.

First up we welcome a new designer to the store--> Victrola Studio! We have 2 new tees for the ladies with pretty illustrated prints by the artist behind Victrola Studio, Victoria Corbett which feature blooms galore and cute kissing birds. Victoria is an illustrator who was born and brought up here in the UK but who now resides in the eclectic city of Austin, Texas in the USA.

The tees are going to be a sure fire hit for the summer with their sweet prints and candy bright colours!!

We also received a big parcel from the wonderful Circular Accessories last week and I was pleased to find in it a selection of their great dresses and tees for men printed with the Circular Accessories trademark big prints with imagery from science and nature. Woot!

AND! If that wasn't enough of an update I have made some Bonbi Forest stud earrings which are now available in the store--> Sweet vintage mottled glass florals and vintage Lucite sea blue swirls! I used to have some of the sea blue swirls in the old version of the Bonbi Forest store before it morphed into the Emporium of today. They were very popular and I am pleased to have got my hands on some more for the store!

Plus I received another big box of loveliness over the weekend and will be adding the items from this very exciting new designer over the next couple of days...Phew!! It's a lot of newness!!

Tin Shed

Well things didn't quite go to plan at the weekend! Myself and the g-g Lauder started off well and then encountered a few problems during our test, so victory was not to be...Never mind, I was just pleased to be there and riding in such good company!! It was a fun weekend however with a delicious Thai meal and some erratic darts playing in the centre of Dorchester on Saturday night!!
I had some nice pictures taken and when they get posted to me I will put one on here for all to see!

So since then I have been making some new Owl scarves and a Beach party themed collection of jewellery which along with some tees for guys and girls, are going to Cumbria to be in a contemporary craft show called Tin Shed: Contemporary crafts from New York to Cumbria. The show is being run by The Shop Floor Project and takes place from March 21st to 24th. See the poster for venue details and times etc... I shall re-post about this as a reminder nearer the time anyway!

A friend alerted me to this very strange Rubiks cube video by one of my favorite directors Michel Gondry...! Er, enjoy!?!

Off for the weekend...

I am away this weekend for the South West Regional dressage championships! I will be competing in the Advanced Medium Open on Sunday, which is a hell of a daunting class as I will be competing against Olympian riders past and present!

So I have been polishing my saddle and bridle and tomorrow will be sprucing Lauder, my horse. He needs a trim of hair and a wash of tail. So wish me luck! I will be pleased not to come last me thinks....tee hee! It'll be a fun weekend whatever. I will post pics on Monday...

xXx

I've been monoprinting...

I noticed the first moth at the bathroom window last night, it must mean that spring is on the way! We have a massive high up bathroom window with a big point at the top and in the summer at night it attracts all the moths from miles around when the light is on...I quite like it as you get to look really closely at them from the safety of indoors. The big hairy ones are my favorites, they're crazy all tapping at the window...

I have added lots of my new monoprints to The Bonbi Forest Indie Emporium. They are all framed with elegant especially made frames that are a charcoal colour with the woodgrain showing and measure approx 21 x 21cm.You can see and shop all of them if you fancy it by clicking JUST HERE!!

I had a dig through some boxes in the studio yesterday and found lots of t-shirts and dresses I ordered AGES ago and had totally forgotten to do anything about so I'll be conjouring some new print designs for those in the coming weeks...yay!

Bon Iver

I am currently swooning over the rather fabulous debut album of Bon Iver (Pronounced bohn eevair - French for 'Good winter' and a deliberate misspelling)...

It is called 'For Emma, Forever ago' and is a haunting and magical album. Bon Iver is justin Vernon, who during a time of loss and heartache holed himself up in his father's remote cabin deep in the woods of Northwestern wisconsin where he lived alone for 3 months and began writing the songs that were to become For Emma, Forever Ago.

The album is sung mostly in Vernon's beautiful, swirling falsetto, and mainly with just a guitar for accompaniment. He recorded most of the album on his own up in that log cabin, with only a few additions made to the initial sessions...The album came out as a self release last year, but has been re-released through JagJaguwar this week.

I highly recommend it...my new favorite!!

Even more new stuff...

What a beautiful sunrise this morning!! The sun was a big orange orb sitting in a grey/purple sky just above the hedgerow on the horizon...A very nice thing to wake up to.

Anyway, over the weekend I added all the new Gallery A jewellery to the store and as always it is a witty and delicate array of pretty vintage charms including owls, blooms, butterflies, hearts and buttons. Each piece is a real treat! You'll find flamboyant Marie Antoinette earrings, a pretty flowers and bird bracelet, a sweet Kiss Necklace and many more gorgeous pieces by clicking JUST HERE!!!

I have also added to the store more fabulous vintage inspired items from Eclectic Eccentricity as well. The popular Letter to my Love necklaces are back in stock and there are lots of new pieces too see them all by clicking JUST HERE!!

Right now I'm off to make some pressies for my friend Ian's 30th birthday, yaya!!

XX

Additives? Yuk no way!

Recently the Mark beau was sent a big box and it was full of the best dried fruit I have ever had ever! He is working with a company called Urban Fresh Fruit, who have been revamping their packaging and they sent him some samples to try, it's just delicious and they don't add anything at all to it so you know that all you are eating is the dried fruit itself and thats it. No additives or anything.

Anyway, I didn't want to go on about the virtues of additive free snacks as the reason I am posting is because of the new packaging! it has been designed by an illustrator called Hennie Haworth and I think it is brilliant. Hennie's witty use of line and lettering makes the concept of healthy eating just that bit more interesting and I think Urban Fresh Fruit are on to a winner with their fun approach to it all...I love the fruit shaped windows too!

They sent us several different fruits to try and the pineapple, mango, banana and strawberry ones have been my favorite so far...YUM!!

A Valentines surprise!

Well my interview on the radio went ok and I actually quite enjoyed it, although I forgot to mention my 2 most important projects to date: Bat For Lashes and Urban Outfitters!! I had it written in front of me as well, what an idiot! Never mind, I talked about lots of handmade things and art and stuff so at least I didn't forget everything!!

I had a lovely Valentines surprise today which came sealed in a box along with a load of new Gallery A jewellery for the store. The lovely Ako of Gallery A had put together a little takeaway tub for me filled with sweetness delight!

I opened it up and there was a pretty dried rose and a bright bright pink saxophone whistle (I'll make a musician yet goddamit!!) and a parcel tied with string...

Inside the parcel was one of Ako's beautiful bracelets for me and I love it! It has some pretty flowers and a bright yellow button and some dainty glass beads...so sweet and such a lovely touch. Thank you Ako!! I shall be wearing it to dinner this evening with my beau...we are going for a Mexican feast YUM!

the new Gallery A jewellery will be on the site over this weekend along with new items from Eclectic Eccentricity and some original artwork from myself. It certainly is a busy time here and we have some very exciting new designers in the pipeline too!!

Lady on the moon...

I found this picture on my old computer when I was making sure I had everything backed up after it started to break...

I think it's just lovely!

Me on the Radio...

I have been nominated by my lovely friend Natalie Ellner as tomorrows interesting person for BBC Radio Solent's connections feature and will be chatting about Bonbi Forest live on Jon Cuthill's show at about 11.45 tomorrow morning... It's all rather random and fun!!!

If you fancy it you can tune in online by clicking JUST HERE!!! at 11.45ish tomorrow...

xXx