Mirror Mirror on the Wall...

I have some new work to show you...well I would do if I could think of a way to photograph it without seeing my own image reflected in it!

I made these mirrors as part of the Cornwall Design Fair curated exhibition in August, I LOVED doing them and will be exploring this route more thoroughly in the future. They were made as a response to Trerife House where the design fair is held. The Le Grice family who own the house have a huge love of horses (as do I you may have noticed) so it seemed natural to theme the work that way. I was also given what is known as 'the pink room' in the house to display my work in (yep, I could use horses AND pink, it doesn't really get any better for me. Really.) which is a beautiful Georgian pink and full pretty antiques and an amazing ornate mirrored wardrobe, see pics on their website if you like --> www.trereifepark.co.uk

Anyway, so now I am trying to photograph them and it isn't easy! If anyone has any suggestions I would be happy to hear them...Here's a peek for now. Stay tuned for better pictures sometime soon. I hope...

Underway with Autumn...

How did it get to be so far into Autumn before I posted again?! This summer has been crazy busy, so much going on and lots to show and tell. I won't try to cram it all into one bumper post but I will be posting more often with things I am making, doing, seeing and finding inspiration in. I WILL!

I thought I would start with a picture post, a round up and a quick catch up of various things from the summer. Soon I will share with you more artwork, Bonbi goodies and news of a completely different kind, but for now here's summer in a mash up of instagrams...

A statement from the garden...

I have long been a fan of cute and dainty jewellery, the kind that swings from a delicate chain and is peppered with small details, little sparkles and the odd tiny hint of bright colour. But since I have been trying to incorporate my drawings into the jewellery more I am finding that I am needing to be bolder with the jewels, otherwise you just can't see the pictures and really, what's the point in that?

Cue my first ever illustrated cuffs! They are quite possibly the biggest jewels I have ever made, a statement piece in my eyes!

I am so pleased with how they have come out. They are available in two colours, blue hues and shades of purple grape and topped with little vintage resin blooms. Find them in the Bonbi Forest shop HERE! I hope you like them...

Printing and love...

I think this cool and rainy weather has brought out the scarf wearers in you guys, they are flying out! It was these Equus yesterday and today I have an afternoon of Big Cats printing planned...

I am bringing out some new colours of these for Autumn, any suggestions of favorite hues before I finalise plans?

Love cards have been popular lately too and it's not even Valentines...I can only think it's the season of wedding anniversaries and summer lovin'. Cute!

In the Night Time...

I made this little painting a while ago but have yet to share it...I haven't done much painting for a while (it goes like that sometimes, fits and spurts!) but have been splashing some gouache around in my sketchbook lately in the hope to find my hand again and get back to some proper paintings.

More soon I hope!

Go Slow...

It's a grey Sunday and I am somewhere near Dartmoor working on a few bits and pieces while I await news from Mark. He is cycling 100 miles in a sportive event across and around the moor for fun. I know, crazy, right?!

I have been L O V I N G the sound of Haim this last couple of weeks. They only have one EP out with just three tracks on it, but their folk rock meets the 80s meets RnB sound is really floating my boat right now...have a listen to them on Soundcloud HERE! This one below is a favorite -> Go Slow:

Dreaming of summer...

Cheeky Lou Lou shouting at the clouds...

Instagram friends will have already seen this picture (I always feel the need to apologise for that!?!) but on this grey afternoon I wanted to share it again...I took it a week or so ago when the sun was actually out and giving us a taste of the summer we could be having. If only the jet stream would do it's job and take all of these horrible low pressure rains and storms away with it!

I am packing orders and dreaming up new things for the shop. I also have the urge to do some painting. Time to make time I think...

Day in the Life: Saturday 2nd June...

It's time I showed you my latest Day in the Life day as I am a little over due...This time around the date in question was chosen by Nikki McWilliams (she who makes amazing biscuit cushions, check them out!) and was Saturday 2nd of June...It's not as detailed as my usual day in the Life days because to be frank, I had a bit of a lazy day! But anyway, here's what I got up to:

Well, it's not every day you wake up in a four star hotel, but on this morning I did! Mark and I celebrated our 2nd wedding anniversary last week and as we have decided is to become tradition, we treated ourselves to a night at one of Cornwall's spa hotels. On the Friday we splashed around in the swimming pool, had lovely massages and a very tasty dinner. The breakfast was no less delicious, my glazed banana granola was an amazing culinary start to the day...

After checking out at 11 which is very civilised I thought, I hate it when hotels chuck you out too early, we set off back to our neck of the woods. On the way we stopped off at my folks place where I helped to rescue a butterfly, as you do, before heading home. Mark's new and very 'grandad' slippers had arrived (Hurrah! The old Campers have had it and are a health hazard at best...) and the afternoon was spent with good intentions of working in mind but in reality it was spent wishing it wasn't raining and watching the racing on the TV. I never do that, but I became engrossed!

In the evening we were due to be out at dinner with friends in Falmouth, so I spent a little time choosing what to wear (again, something I hardly ever do, I usually just grab what is clean and goes together in the 10 minutes before I leave the house...) In the end I went for the American Apparel dress at the front with a blouse that isn't pictured here over the top. A tried and trusted ensemble.

We stopped at our friend's house on the way out where I noted that their very sweet daughter, Charlotte, had made an Olympic Torch. The evening out was lovely, we went to Dolly's tapas restaurant in the centre of Falmouth which I recommend should you ever find yourself in need of eats in the town. It has lovely decor, all vintage bits and pieces, including this fire guard with what appears to be a carpeted dog sandwiched behind glass on the front. Amazing.

So after dinner, we all headed over to another Falmouth favorite, The Hand Bar, where we had a few beverages, cooed at the little dog that hangs out there (who I am told is called Foxy, she does actually look like a lil fox!!) and chatted silly things at each other before heading home in the early hours...

A very relaxing and lovely day indeed!

A little bit of lately...

Isn't it lovely out there? I hope the sun is shining just as gloriously wherever you are...

You may or may not have noticed that I have been having a tee sale in the shop. It's because I am in the midst of making new Bonbi Forest goodies and wanted to have a bit of a clear out of some of my older designs. I don't love them any less, but it's just high time that newer and fresher things took their place. So, until they are gone for good you can now nab yourself some summer tees in old favourite designs such as Alphabet Owl and Spots and Dots at up to 50% off! Have a peek at the sale HERE!

Here are a few of the happenings from the studio including lots of little kites off to new homes, a bag of 200 antlers (expect some antler shaped awesomeness very soon!), and a pile of tees from the sale waiting to be packed off to pastures new... (Apologies if you have already seen these via the medium of Twitter and Instagram...!)

I have also been printing lots and lots of tea towels. I love the colours piled together, they inspire whole new ideas!

Time for a treat...

Today we are basking in sunshine here in Cornwall after an unsettled week, it's glorious and this morning I took the opportunity to get back in the saddle after a post championship hiatus. I was quite excited, and as you can see, Pia not so much...Poor Pia.
As well as that, it's been a busy old time here too as my brother got married at the weekend to his lovely lady, Morwenna, who wore the most beautiful lace Claire Pettibone gown with a long vintage look veil and sparkling headband, so gorgeous. Congratulations you two, It was a wonderful day!
(Original wedding image courtesy of my friend Ashley Hampson --> www.ashleyhampson.co.uk)

In other news, as well as giving the jewels section of the shop a makeover (much prettier, dontcha think?) I have been making some new jewellery pieces for you as well. At last I hear you cry! Say hello to these super cute stud earrings: Against the Wind Kite Earrings. They feature little hand etched kite faces with vintage glass tails. So very sweet for summertime parties and pic-nics. Have a look see HERE!

...and finally, I thought it was high time there was a little offer here at Bonbi Forest, so for this week only you can get FREE SHIPPING on any order...just enter the code HELLOFREESHIP at checkout!

Enjoy!