we've moved.

I've moved my blog over here come join in.

Dub

I was laughing at the shots we took with Dub and couldn't resist making a wee animation.
How cute is he!
As well as Dub's splendid and invaluable help I should also thank Keny; photographer, glass artist and owner of one tiny Jack Russell, for taking the photos.
Also, I'm going to move this blog here so it will feel more like part of my website. I hope you'll adjust your feeds using the link below Dand come and say hi over on the new address.
http://www.showpony.co.uk/blogs/news.atom

New Products Photo Shoot

 Jenny and Dub both being very helpful yesterday at the photo shoot.

We had a photo shoot in the studio yesterday for our new bags and cushions, and I'm so happy with the results. They will be available to pre-order on the website from the end of this week

Some new cushions

I've been working on this new collection for what seems like ages, I guess I might have to re-adjust my expectations of what I can get done now I have a little person to look after.
I will hopefully get them on the website next week after I've taken more (slightly better) photos of the full range, which includes some fantastic bags that I'm so excited about. But for now I just wanted to share a peek at these cushions which are this close to being ready to go.
The images are taken from the Native Species glass coasters I designed with Keny Drew last year, but this time they have been blown up, and printed on some gorgeous organic fabrics. The purple pompoms on the edge really give the cushion a bit of pop!
It was a funny old day yesterday, lots of paperwork to prepare for the accountant and the most ridiculous rain. I thought it looked quite dry so set off to walk the dogs with Bruno in the back pack, only to have to spend half an hour hiding under a bridge watching the rain coming down in sheets! In the end there were about five other people all hiding under there, all bitching about the weather, all woefully under dressed. Idiots! Today its head to toe waterproofs I don't care what I see when I look out the window in the morning.

computer generated origami

I can't believe these amazing structures are all made from one sheet of paper! Jun Mitani is a computer engineer, and origami master, combining these two slightly unlikely passions he has developed a computer programme which creates these fantastic origmai pieces. The programme works out where the creases need to be, these are then scored onto a sheet of paper using a cutting plotter, all Jun then has to do is fold them up! Simple? It dosen't look like it, this video amazing!


you can see more images on his flickr page

a bit about me

I've finally done something I've been putting off for ages... the cringe inducing task of re-writing my about page. It was so overdue for a spruce up it was getting beyond a joke. An about page is usually one of the first places I visit on a new website but the thought of mine was giving me the shivers. I really wanted it to reflect what I love, my inspirations and the story of showpony so I bit the bullet and finally got started, and you know what, once I did it was much easier to write than I thought it was going to be.
Showpony is about fun happy products, I love bright colours and eye catching graphics. I'm also obsessed with products with personality, I'm not talking cute faces or googly eyes. I mean something that you can play with, that will hopefully mean just a little bit more to you than a regular variation, My Yes/No cushions or Hidden Pattern purses are great examples of this.

To me a house becomes a home when its filled with things that you love, for whatever reason. I'm not hugely sentimental but there are still some things in my home that I just can't get rid of, a tatty picture I found at the side of the road, loads of mismatched but beautiful crockery and old blankets I made when I was at school. These all sit alongside some beautiful new pieces that I adore.
I uploaded the new page on Friday and on Saturday I settled down to read the August issue of Elle Decoration UK inside is an interview with Australian interiors stylist Heather Nette King as well as images of her fabulous home. Her philosophy was almost exactly what I'd just been writing about, with quotes such as 'if it makes you heart sing, do it.' Her house is absolutely gorgeous, with beautiful details and a fantastically lived in feel, so bright and happy. So I'm now a bit obsessed, her blog is a really good read and such great eye candy. She's my new favourite person.
Images of her home from an interview with the design files:

Green City Exhibition Part 2

I promised more photos of our exhibition and here they are:

The top two images are of the circular book we put together featuring swatches of our work. More information about everyone involved can be found on our joint website 

You might manage to catch a glimpse of some new cushions in the pictures of my work above, a huge bee and lobster. I hope to have these and my new bags (which I'm really excited about) on the website very soon. I can't wait to show some proper pictures of them. 

I hope you had a good weekend. We had a fairly quiet one, just the three of us. It was Bruno's 6 month anniversary so we celebrated with shopping trips (he's grown out of almost everything), kicking about in the swimming pool, eating nice lunches and going on our first run all together, Michael pushed the buggy which slowed him down a little while I clung onto the dogs lead to try and speed me up a bit. We didn't go far at all but its made me determined to start running again.

GreenCity Exhibition

Some pictures from our exhibition last night. I was so busy munching on delicious food made by our landlords GreenCity Wholefoods that I forgot to take more pictures. I'll pop back today and get some more before it all gets dismantled. But it was a really good night and so nice to to hang out with my studio mates, chat and get to know a bit more about what they all do. I feel so lucky to have such a great studio space.

Glasgow School of Art Degree Shows

 I took a wee trip down to have a look around the degree shows on Friday, Bruno wasn't particularly impresses so I didn't manage to see everything but here are a few colourful snaps. Sorry no names attached, blame the grumpy baby.

Exhibition

We are having an exhibition in our lovely studios (well they will be lovely after the clearing out and painting due to take place this weekend)
There will be stuff for sale, stuff to look at and food and drink courtesy of our landlords Green City Wholefoods, at least that's what I heard I could have been mistaken, I've not spent a whole lot of time at the studios lately because of the tiny tot.
Anyway, check out our shiny new website and do come along if you can.