Design Crumbs Magazine | Edition 2 | October 2015 by Design Crumbs UK

design crumbs magazine

Special Feature: homeware designer katie alice

features:

EDITION 2 OCTOBER 2015

Interviews:

Shabby Chic Moodboard Avoca Design Spotlight Pantone Colour Picks

Anna Hamilton of Tilly Mintâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Emporium Mixed Media Artist Emily Notman

Articles:

Showcases:

The Book of Brave What is a Logo? Maximising Your Potential...

design crumbs magazine

Yellowstone Art Boutique Betsy Blair Home Nedj Photography

DESIGN CRUMBS MAGAZINE: BROUGHT TO YOU BY WHITE SPACE CREATIVE DESIGN

contents

features 3-4

katie alice

5-6

moodboard - shabby chic theme

design spotlight - avoca

pantone colour picks - autumn 2015

articles 1-2

white space creative design news

the book of brave by laura jane williams

social media series - learn more about...pinterest

11-12

what is a logo? by charlotte bevan of white space creative design

15-16

photo illustration by ruth allen of blue eggs & tea

19-20

maximising your potential...on twitter by anna hamilton of tilly mint’s emporium

a beginner’s guide to...crochet by becky dutton

showcases 9

nedj

betsy blair home

yellowstone art boutique

interviews 6

anna hamilton of tilly mint’s emporium

emily notman - mixed media artist

review 21

design museum london

design crumbs magazine

EDITOR OF DESIGN CRUMBS MAGAZINE Charlotte Bevan Owner of white space creative design In 2011, I set up my graphic and web design business in order to help make my clients’ ideas come to life. And, with the aid of my lovely assistant, one rascal Miniature Schnauzer named Rosie {above!}, I feel I am really making a difference. It’s such an amazing feeling to be able to be a small part of helping a business start up or to increase their brand awareness and/or online presence. I also design digital illustrations which feature on greeting card, stationery and gift collections - available from my Etsy shop: lovewhitespace.etsy.com. With both of these aspects of my business progessing well, I thought it was about time I did something to help other designers, makers and small-business owners... Hence the creation of Design Crumbs Magazine! The purpose of the magazine is to provide a platform to raise awareness of others in the design industry. So, from graphics to homeware, baking to mixed media, interiors to embroidery, you’ll be sure to find something of interest to you! Please feel free to email if you’d like to feature - or if you have any feedback, suggestions or comments.

regular contributors

ISABEL BEVAN LOVER OF COLOUR & INTERIOR STYLING

ANNA HAMILTON OWNER OF TILLY MINT’S EMPORIUM

For many years, I have had a love of colour, interior styling and design and ceramics. I love living by the coast, holidays in the USA and in this country. My hobbies include family history research, crafting and scrapbooking. I’m so looking forward to my regular interior design slots in Design Crumbs and hope you will enjoy reading them!

Classically trained, as a 2011 graduate from the Manchester School of Art and with a strong passion for Embroidery, I am hugely passionate about conserving traditional techniques passed down from generations, combined with conceptual, contemporary themes to progress techniques for future generations.

guest contributors

LAURA JANE WILLIAMS WRITER AND BLOGGER AT SUPERLATIVELY RUDE

RUTH ALLEN ARTIST, ILLUSTRATOR AND OWNER OF BLUE EGGS AND TEA

BECKY DUTTON CROCHET AND KNITTING EXTRAORDINAIRE

“Nobody knows us better than we know ourselves, and none of us is messing up like we think we are.” This is my message to you. And the best way for us to keep up with each other is for you to fill in your email address here so that you get my Monday morning email. It’s how you’ll know there’s a new Superlatively Rude post up on my blog.

I am a self-taught artist and created my illustration brand Blue Eggs and Tea in 2013 - it has been growing and diversifying ever since. My trademark birds, along with plenty of new work is available on my website and since going full-time self-employed, I have also started taking commissions and publishing my work.

My Mum and Nan taught me everything I know about knitting. It was something I loved to do but one day I just put my knitting needles down and didn’t pick them up again for a good 10 years! A few of my friends have had babies recently and I got inspired to start making crochet cuddly toys. After a bit (*lot*) of frustration, one day it all clicked into place!

design crumbs magazine

news

white space creative design news by charlotte bevan {editor of design crumbs and owner of white space creative design}

website launch

illustration

I created a piece of artwork for my own bedroom in August which featured an arrow, lots and lots of feathers and a dreamcatcher.

I loved it so much, I decided to create a collection of greeting cards!

August saw the launch of Inglenook Financial Services’ website. This was a great project to work on; with the brief being to build a dynamic and engaging site, whilst maintaining a professional image.

I hope these free-spirited designs will feature on a range of other items such as notebooks, tote bags and perhaps even clothing... To purchase a greeting card, please visit my Etsy shop: lovewhitespace.etsy.com.

I selected a one-page scroll WordPress theme which showcases a snapshot of the organisation on the Home page; featuring a full-width animated slider, ‘Service’ icons with excerpts, ‘About’ accordian and website terms and conditions. A comprehensive footer containing ‘Services’, ‘Testimonials’, ‘Latest News’ and ‘Contact’ finishes off the clean and fresh look. Working with Inglenook’s compliance regulators, this project took longer than any of us expected but we are all pleased to announce that the website is now live! Check it out here: inglenookfs.co.uk.

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news graphicS projects

I love to help charities with their graphic and web design projects. This year and last, I’ve been heavily involved with the Catholic Children’s Society.

I’ve been lucky enough to work with The Priory Partnership on numerous occasions over the last couple of years.

Whilst not a Catholic myself, I love that the charity works with children and families to build stronger, supportive communities regardless of faith - across Wirral and the wider area.

Most notably, I worked on a logo, presentation folder and pen for a joint sponsored networking event with the lovely Pam from The Priory {which I loved!}. Please visit here for more information about this: whitespacecreativedesign.co.uk/quaybusiness-forum-graphic-design-wirral-andliverpool.

Having built the website and created name badges, website artwork and three job adverts, I was asked to design a pop up banner in August.

The most recent project was to redesign some ‘welcome’ and ‘new client starter’ packs, along with a presentation folder. The artwork is displayed below.

Here it is!

Catholic Children’s Society Shrewsbury Diocese

Working with children and families...building stronger communities

four interior pages of the client welcome pack

Community Family Diversity Dignity

Our services include:

Business Development Accountancy and Audit Tax Planning Business Start Ups Payroll, Bookkeeping and HR Advice Auto Enrolment Sage Accounts and Sage Payroll Training Same Day Company Formation Company Secretarial Services Strategic Planning R&D Tax Credit Claims Capital Allowance Claims Independent Financial Planning Corporate and Personal Finance Free Networking Events

Birkenhead Office: 1 Abbots Quay, Monks Ferry, Birkenhead, Wirral CH41 5LH Chester Office: 4 Hunters Walk, Canal Street, Chester CH1 4EB Telephone: 0151 649 3900 | 01244 342191 Fax: 0151 647 7717 Email: mail@the-priory.co.uk Website: www.the-priory.co.uk

cathchildsoc.org.uk

@PrioryAccounts

Group: Priory News

presentation folder | front

Find out more: cathchildsoc.org.uk.

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presentation folder | reverse

To see if The Priory Accoutants can help you, please visit their website: the-priory.co.uk.

special feature

katie alice

vintage style, love for the English garden and travel...

The Katie Alice story began back in 2010 when tableware company Creative Tops asked local girl Katie if she would like to collaborate on a new collection with them. At the time, Katie was living and working in a small village in Northamptonshire, running the restaurant at a quirky local pub. She was exploring various different outputs for her creative mind, so was thrilled to be asked to work with Creative Tops.

Katie launched her own online shop this year and has also been attending shows such as the Country Living Fairs, where she can sell directly to her customers. Products can also be bought from lots of different shops all over the UK – please contact Creative Tops for your nearest stockists. The new collection, launched in September, is called ‘Pretty Retro’. This collection reflects a move on from the traditional Katie Alice style, towards a 1950s feel with a vintage hand-painted design that Katie has re-worked and coloured into a retro colour palette featuring her favourite aqua-marine colour. Katie quite happily admits that this collection was designed almost entirely to fit into her own kitchen!

Together, Katie and the team worked on the first range, ‘Cottage Flower’, which launched the brand in 2011. Since then, Katie has added almost 10 more collections to the range. A keen interest in vintage style, love for the English garden and travel are Katie’s main inspirations.

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special feature

The stylised floral is given a slightly contemporary twist with ditsy hand drawn geos in complementary colours. Inspiration has come both from retro items found at vintage fairs, as well as some Scandinavian influence from visits to Stockholm: “I love going to Stockholm and I’ve always had a soft spot for Scandinavian folk art, I think this style sits so well with a retro collection”. To accompany the new design, Katie has added some new products into the range. A set of four espresso cups, as well as classics including mugs, jugs and a teapot all feature the new retro style square handle, with dinnerware and baking items all in a lovely cream stoneware, making it a perfect everyday range. “The real hero pieces are the large ceramic storage jars in a retro shape with wooden lids, I can’t wait to start using this collection at home myself!” To make an online purchase, please visit: katie-alice.co.uk/shop-by-collection.

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Katie will next be exhibiting at the Country Living Christmas Fair in Business Design Centre, Islington between 11 - 15 November 2015. countrylivingfair.com/xmas For more information visit: katie-alice.co.uk.

f facebook.com/Katie-Alice-293421700709550

twitter.com/what_alice_did instagram.com/alice_foxglove katie@katie-alice.co.uk

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the book of brave by laura jane williams

Nobody knows us better than we know ourselves, and none of us is messing up like we think we are. When people ask me what I write about, that is what I say. Oh, so like, self help? they reply. Oh HELLA no! I say. I just tell my story, so that other people might feel a bit better about sharing theirs. Because we all have a story – and we all want to know that it matters. That’s basically what humanness is, I reckon. It’s asking, do you hear me? Do you see me? Do I count at all? I do not only like myself when I am “good” or “successful” or “popular”. Those are external definitions, really, that I have no control over. Because my self-love isn’t contingent on my behaving a certain way, or being received a certain way, I’m never going to break up with myself. If I mess up, I’ve still got a forever friend. And that’s magical. The only rule or regulation myself places on myself is that I give a shit. That my intentions are true and authentic and real. It makes me one of the happiest people I know, even on the days that I am sad. But, when we share our stories about our hopes and dreams and tripping points and loves – when we talk, openly and without judgment, about our humanness –

somehow, the beauty is belligerent enough to shine through. To remind us we’re okay. That we’re all in this together. I’ve written a book. An eBook. It is called The Book of Brave and it isn’t advice. I do not have any answers, and I will never pretend to. But I can tell you, over and over again, that you count. Are important. Deserve your voice. That you aren’t messing up like you think you are. This eBook is part of my story. The story of slicing open the scaredest parts of myself so that I might not be afraid of them any longer, and how that has made me superwoman. Listen to me: you matter. You count. You are writing the story of your life every minute of every hour of every day and you’re doing it bloody brilliantly. You’re doing it in a way nobody else can. You’re not “right” and you’re not “wrong”, you just are and so is everybody else. And that is enough. You are enough. But, if you need a wee reminder of any of those things, I’ve got you covered. You can buy the story of the ways I found out I was enough here. You’re a goddamn rockstar. And you should know it.

What I hope they say about me, in the future, when maybe I’m not around anymore, is that yes, I had enviably long eyelashes. But also, I want them to say, "Hell. She went balls-to-the-mother-lovin'-wall on life, huh?" “That Laura Jane Williams!” I hope they smile. “Never has somebody been so terrified and so willing to go for it, all in, anyway!” Ballsy.

To read more of Laura’s work, please visit: superlativelyrude.com. To purchase The Book of Brave, please click here.

design crumbs magazine

interview

anna hamilton tilly mint’s emporium

Anna works predominantly within the field of textiles. A graduate from the Manchester School of Art, Anna is classically trained with a strong passion for hand embroidery – with themes of incorporating traditional embroidery methods with contemporary, sustaining the art of embroidery for future generations.

WHICH THREE WORDS WOULD YOU USE TO DESCRIBE YOUR ORGANISATION?

Unique, personalised and handmade.

why did you go into business - what do you love about what you do?

I’ve always been creative, from a young age; always drawing and painting! I have so many lovely memories delving through my Grandma’s trusty button tin, organising bobbins filled with luscious threads. I formed Tilly Mint’s Emporium after inheriting my Grandmother’s sewing box filled with vintage sewing contraptions, a sewing basket that, for me, is filled with happy memories and inspiration to always remain creative! Taking my Grandma’s affectionate name Tilly Mint, I want to continue creating and making. I believe that traditions of sewing and embroidery are being lost with an everevolving technology-encrusted world. Recently I paid a visit to a charity shop, where I found a designer shirt, it was missing just one button – this made me question if we live in a society where we consider it easier to throw away, than to mend? With Tilly Mint’s Emporium, I am striving to ignite the creative flare that everybody has, I want to develop the understanding that sewing

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and embroidery isn’t a pastime enjoyed by grannies, it’s innovative, fun and playful!

WHAT IS YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS?

I tend to rescue my vintage linens from charity shops or antique emporiums and fairs. I love working with linens such as table mats and doilies; they are the perfect ready-made frame, encompassing skillful and exquisite embroideries. After choosing a relevant quote or wordings, I select a fabric that I handcut from. I then create colour schemes, collecting beads and threads. I like to work with embroidery threads that contrast with my fabric letters. The threads I generally tend to work with are hand dyed or normally Pearle. These, I feel, create a better effect than that of counted threads, the play on light and texture of the stitches are more pronounced.

DO YOU HAVE ANY HINTS OR TIPS ON HOW TO ENTER YOUR DESIGN FIELD?

There are great magazines out there that you can collect from your local supermarket, or subscribe to wonderful online magazines such as Design Crumbs (obviously)! A particular favourite of mine is Pretty Nostalgic Magazine, not only filled with wonderful craft folk sustaining traditionally skills but a society too. This means that I can meet up and get in touch with inspirational artists and craftspeople – fantastic for networking! Visit: tillymintsemporium.com.

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moodboard - shabby chic by isabel bevan

Moodboards are an essential tool for any interior designer or stylist’s toolkit. Over the coming months’ editions, we will feature design style themes and identify what’s on trend. Colours, of course, play a vital part - look out for the colour palettes at the end of the piece!

cat-arzyna.blogspot.co.uk

jensawesomeworld.tumblr.com

A shabby chic style interior can be created in various ways: by purchasing new items, by collecting upcycled furniture or antique shopping for vintage pre-loved items.

warrengrovegarden.blogspot.ca

Potterybarnkids.com

Vintage finds from antique shops, charity stores or country brocantes are an invaluable addition. Other accessories such as chicken wire baskets, wicker baskets and illustrated boxes all personalise your style.

In this piece, we will look at all three methods of creating this style. In all cases the look is romantic, pretty, feminine and nostalgic. Arrangements of pretty flowers, especially romantic roses or peonies are key - fresh blooms or faux - preferably arranged in jugs or bottles.

save-on-crafts.com

lovely--delight.tumblr.com

Modern shabby chic ceramic designers who are currently trending are:

decoracion.facilisimo.com

shabbyfrenchforme.blogspot.com

Enamel jugs are particularly trending at the moment. Collections of bowls, jugs, tea cups, candles in cups or votives, angel wings, mercurised silver ornaments, nostalgic tins and decorative frames all contribute to the look and enhance the style.

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Jane Hogben | janehogbenterracotta.co.uk Emma Bridgewater | emmabridgewater.co.uk Cath Kidston | cathkidston.co.uk Susie Watson | susiewatsondesigns.co.uk And do take a look at the Danish company: Greengate | greengate.dk. For more unusual and unique finds, why not visit Etsy - then you’ll also be supporting independent businesses too! etsy.com.

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Pretty floral fabric and lace soften window dressings, bedding and cushions. Floral lampshades and wallpapers are an essential element to carry through the style which can be used in any room of your home.

angela-lace.blogspot.com

lestroischouettes.tumblr.com

Plain coloured throws can be used to cover existing sofas if the upholstery is not suitable for this style. Old-fashioned handembroidered cushions and tablecloths are very much part of shabby chic decor, together with pretty linens and bunting. Crafters are using linen and cotton fabric by Lecien, Tilda and Robert Kaufman to make cushions, lampshades and hearts filled with lavender.

Pastel colours are the basis of the look, although plain white can also be used. Colours such as blush pink, pale mint, cream, duck egg, peach and baby blue are ideal. A colour palette of no more than three shades using a choice of pastels should be used - and lots of white!

New furniture or upcycled items can be painted in chalk paint. Manufacturers such as Annie Sloan provide a vast array of colours: anniesloan.com. Shelves full of collectibles look pretty painted in chalk paint.

Cabbages and Roses is a quintessentially British company which provides everything you would need to complete a shabby chic home. Please check out their website for ideas or purchases: cabbagesandroses.com.

catherine rose | cabbagesandroses.com The queen of shabby chic is Rachel Ashwell and she has published many books on the subject: shabbychic.com.

anniesloan.com My personal preference is modern shabby chic to create a home which is comfortable and filled with new items replicated from vintage and antique pieces.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;paint a room white and you have a blank canvas for everythingâ&#x20AC;?, rachel ashwell, designer and shabby chic expert design crumbs magazine

showcase

nedj photography details, colour and harmony

Here are some pictures showing “My Autumn” from the south of France.

She loves nature and decoration, cooking, writing, sewing, crochet, books and tea...

Living in Basque Country, Nedj especially likes the ‘macro’ photography technique - as well as loving little bits - details, color and harmony.

On her blog, Nedj combines her love for crochet with photography, creating pretty colour-inspired vignettes.

Nedj feels she collects moments...

She says her ten fingers rarely stop!

Website: lesdeliresdenedj.canalblog.com

instagram.com/lesdeliresdenedj

Etsy shop: nedjetsesdelires.etsy.com

pinterest.com/nedjjj

design crumbs magazine

social media series

learn more about... pinterest by charlotte bevan {editor of design crumbs and owner of white space creative design} As with all social media, Pinterest can not only be a pleasurable leisure interest but can also promote your business - for free! Pinterest is a form of digital scrapbooking. You can create and build your boards by pinning other people’s pins (photographs), to collect ideas for your home, lifestyle, holiday and travel, fashion and beauty, sports and so on. The possibilities are endless! As well as repinning other pinners’ images, you can also post images of your own business’ products, stock or shop in the hope that others will repin your pins! The benefits of opening a business account is that you can obtain analytics on pins from your website, enabling you to monitor repins, engagement, clicks and reach, as well as identify pinners to connect with.

hints and tips Use keywords Ensure you add keywords in your pin desciptions, enabling your pins to be picked up on searches. Utilise the business centre Access business.pinterest.com to find resources including follow buttons, case studies and tools. Prepare your website or blog Install tools from the Business Centre such as the ‘Pin It’ button or the ‘Follow Me’ button for websites to make it easy for other pinners to pin your images. Check the source The website you pin/repin from must be a legitmate source!

hot pinners to follow

torie jaynE @toriejayne Designer, crafter, baker and interior stylist. Author of Craft, Show & Sell & Torie Jayne’s Stylish Home Sewing.

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cath kidston sally’s baking addiction @CATHKIDSTON_LTD @sallysbakeblog

design seeds @designseeds

Author of Sally’s The ‘Home of For all who love Baking Addiction Modern Vintage’ colour - celebrating and Sally’s Candy since 1993. colors found Brightening up your Addiction cookbooks. in nature and Loves adventures day in 200 stores, 16 the aesthetic of and sprinkles. countries and online. purposeful living.

fraser & parsley @fraserandparsley Believing grace is the details...and that the tiniest touches add immeasurable meaning and result in gracious living.

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what is a logo?

by charlotte bevan {editor of design crumbs and owner of white space creative design} In this short series of articles, I will explain what the difference between logo, identity and brand is. This piece will focus on logos. There is so much confusion regarding the varying meanings of logo, identity and brand – and how they connect. Many designers, authors and bloggers have had their say about what’s what…so I thought I’d have mine!

branding identity LOGO I have heard that some designers baffle clients with jargon. Hopefully by reading this article, these integral aspects of graphic design will be explained and you’ll be in the know too! Don’t feel confused any longer! A logo is… …an identifying mark, which signals a business entity. A logo forms part of your business’ identity, which is the visual mark, to help customers identify who you are. A logo is a projection of a relationship between an audience and

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an organisation. It can include a symbol, icon, badge, sign, organisation name, tagline {a slogan, which clearly describes an organisation and product} – or a combination of these graphic and text elements, combining with colour and shape.

Symbol Text Icon Colour Badge Shape Although, to create something visually appealing, these elements cannot be thrown together in a haphazard fashion! Many business owners {particularly start-ups who do not have the capital to invest in a memorable, recognisable, aestheticallypleasing logo} have the opinion they can create a logo themselves using clip art from Microsoft Publisher or worse {is that possible?!}, use Comic Sans to type out their business name. ‘Hey presto’, they seem to think, ‘my logo’!

comic sans a graphic designer’s worst nightmare!

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It, most certainly, does not work that way! Designers study, research, experience. We read, contemplate and reflect. We know our stuff! This is what makes us extremely willing and able to undertake this hugely important task of devising a logo to represent your organisation, your people and staff, your thoughts and ideas, your mission and value and ethics. We want to create something for you to be proud of. By delving into a graphic design brief completed by you {the business owner}, researching your competitors and industry - finding similarities and niches - and understanding your products and services, graphic designers are able to create a visual mirror of your organisation.

We will create a representative identifier of your organisation to promote you to the world, your stakeholders and your customers, which sets you apart from the thousands of other companies doing exactly the same thing as you. Most likely, your logo will be text-based, comprising of your business name, perhaps with a tagline and a symbol or icon. Sometimes, successful brands are even recognised by the symbol alone, for example McDonalds’ ‘golden arches’ or Nike’s ‘swoosh’. This would take years of brand-building... Perhaps something to aspire to!

GRAPHIC DESIGN BRIEF Briefly describe your organisation/project?

Simply put, a logo is the foundation of your identity – the most visual element – which triggers feelings of customers. Ideally, the logo will become associated with your brand.

What is the exact wording for your logo?

Do you have a tagline?

Who is your target audience? (For example age group, gender, economic group, social group, location, interests)

facebook.com/whitespacecreativedesign

twitter.com/lovewhitespace instagram.com/lovewhitespace

white space creative design

graphic and web design Services

whitespacecreativedesign.co.uk

white space

uk.linkedin.com/in/charlottebevan

If you would like white space creative design to help you with your logo or rebrand, please don’t hesitate to contact Charlotte by email: hello@whitespacecreativedesign.co.uk or for more information about the services offered, please visit: whitespacecreativedesign.co.uk.

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showcase

BETSY BLAIR home country style, shabby chic shop

Betsy Blair Home is run by, Pauline...mum of two and wife of one! Her online store, 'Betsy Blair Home' (a cobbling together of her middle and maiden names) is the result of her recently attained Interior Design qualifications, coupled with a lifelong passion for home decor and design.

Her interest/passion/ obsession with home interiors has brought about what is showcased in her online shop - a collection of country style, shabby chic, modern vintage handmade accessories including {amongst other things!} cushions, bunting, lampshades and tealight jars. Please visit: betsyblairhome.co.uk.

Hand painted furniture is also a love of hers and she has, for many years, been transforming pre-loved pieces of furniture, using a palette of colours ranging from delicate pastels to muted shades of grey, cream and white. A gallery of some of her work is available to view here.

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f facebook.com/betsyblairhome

twitter.com/betsyblairhome instagram.com/betsyblairhome

interview

emily notman

delicate and tactile mixed media

Emily creates bespoke textile instillations, mixing media and building up tactile delicate surfaces. She works her pieces with paint, dyes, bleach and ink, burning and layering, finishing with hand and machine stitching, sometimes embellishing with beads and buttons.

WHICH THREE WORDS WOULD YOU USE TO DESCRIBE YOUR ORGANISATION? Delicate, tactile and subtle.

why did you go into business - what do you love about what you do?

I knew from as early as fourteen I wanted to be a full time artist maker even though I didn’t choose my specialty area until university. There is nothing else in the world I’d rather do, I have developed my dream career. I think it is important to follow your dream if you can - I started my business with no money and now have managed to build it up to being my full time job. I never wanted to feel any regret.

WHAT OR WHO INSPIRES YOU?

My Aunty Yvonne inspired me to sew; she was a dressmaker all her life. I now use her machine to make my work. My mum was also a self-employed florist and my granddad worked in the pottery industry, I am from a family of very inspiring crafters.

WHAT IS YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS?

I work and rework my pieces with paint, dyes, bleach and ink, burning and layering until finishing it with hand stitching.

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I find beauty in flaky walls, overgrown buildings and encrusted surfaces; this is something I recreate in my work. My pieces evolve and grow with time, incorporate history with layering and sometimes the tiniest mark made or stitch changes a piece dramatically - it’s this detail that excites me.

WHAT DO YOU FEEL MOST SMUG ABOUT?!

I was recently featured in Contemporary Crafts Beijing - it was such a lovely feeling as I do sell a lot of work in China. Also being featured in a book last year was a great feeling, having only been graduated three years. I do feel very proud every time a piece sells; it means that somewhere someone would like to own something I have trained so hard to create.

DO YOU HAVE ANY HINTS OR TIPS ON HOW TO ENTER YOUR DESIGN FIELD?

I think having some training at college or university is key - it gives you a chance to explore the right pathway for you. Keep at it, it takes a long time to set up a business and it could take you a few years to see the benefits. Set up social media pages no matter what stage your business is at – public engagement is invaluable. Please visit: emilynotman.co.uk.

f facebook.com/emilynotmanmixedmedia

twitter.com/emilymixedmedia instagram.com/emilynotman

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photo illustration by ruth allen, owner of blue eggs and tea

Ruth Allen is a self-taught artist and created her illustration brand Blue Eggs and Tea in 2013 and has been growing and diversifying ever since. Her trademark birds, along with plenty of new work is available on Big Cartel and since going full-time, she has started taking commissions and publishing her work. She is a mountain goat at heart and has recently started a new venture (The Slow Mountain Company) encouraging people to take a considered and mindful approach to the outdoors.

Custodians

Greenfriends

The inspiration for my Little Folk photo illustrations came about when I was looking through some of my photos and I realised how often I seek a landscape with no one in it and yet to someone stood just metres behind me I would be very much in the landscape through their eyes. There is an inescapable connection between ourselves and the landscape we seek to capture and I wanted to explore that creatively.

started to emerge (and is still emerging), is a storyboard that part reflects my own adventures but also develops the story from a fantasy world, where animals and plants are out of place and often oversized. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m very much drawn to miniature worlds and the inner landscape of our minds; how places make us feel.

So I decided to create alter egos, if you like, and layer them onto my own photographs. So, they went from there and what

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I start by choosing one of my own photos and work up the colour accordingly. This sets me thinking and then, by hand, I draw the Little Folk and any extra elements I want to include. This starts as a pen drawing, which I spend a lot of time getting right and, when Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m happy it gets uploaded

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Touch the Chaos

I like my Little Folk to be timeless, so they wear clothes that are classic and loose fitting. I think they like linen and monochrome, as well as plenty of khaki and denim ;-) I never really know what I might dream up but the last job for any of the illustrations is to match the words, and these just flow out naturally. I love words and this is the most pleasurable part of the process. I see this body of work as a long term project that I will add to over time â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it is not something I want to hurry to its end. Much of my work is wrapped up in a series of collections and then I start another, but there is something more ethereal about this work that I enjoy returning to. In the long run, I would love to make a short book collection of the Little Folk. I think they would serve that format well, as there is certainly a narrative thread that runs through all of them that is about discovery and personal growth. In the real world growth is slow and so too then should this project be. As I progress, I make selected prints available for purchase - but I will print

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any of them on request if people feel a connection with one that I havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t listed. I love the fact that different people feel a connection with different themes and some they wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t relate to. I hope I will keep doing them for as long as there is a story to tell. blueeggsandtea.bigcartel.com

to my computer, where I integrate it to my photograph and finish the image, adding shadows and changing the colours to make it all look believable, in that unbelievable way.

She would be one of them

twitter.com/blueeggsandtea instagram.com/blueeggsandtea instagram.com/theslowmountaincompany blueeggsandtea@gmail.com

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design spotlight: avoca by isabel bevan

Avoca was founded in 1723 in County Wicklow. The village of Avoca was a copper mining community and the company was originally set up to grind corn and manufacture rugs and shawls for the miners. It is Irelandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s oldest weaving mill, which was run by the three Wynne sisters in the 1920s and they were responsible for the introduction of colour. Colour became the trademark of Avoca. The company is currently owned by Donald and Mary Pratt and developed and run by four of their five children. The design studio has expanded and they now sell their products all over the world. Throws and rugs are still produced, using interesting fabrics and trims, as well as clothing, ceramics and bags - and candles, perfume and soap. Their empire now includes cafes and food halls and they have over 700 employees at 11 locations across Ireland.

hot picks

pantone colour picks: fall 2015 by isabel bevan

Pantone issue their Fashion Colour Report each spring and fall. Here are our colour picks from their earthy-neutral-with-pops-of-bold-colour fall palette!

cashmere rose design crumbs magazine

amythest orchid

stormy weather

desert sage

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showcase

yellowstone art boutique contemporary and accessible gift and homeware store

Yellowstone Art Boutique was opened in March 2011 by Hannah Stoney, a Staffordshire-based designer with a love for watercolour, type and cute little sayings.

Yellowstone is part of the Trentham Estate’s Shopping Village. They have a wooden cabin near the lake - it’s idyllic!

Hannah founded Yellowstone Art Boutique to be a space for new British artists and makers to sell their work and the space has evolved a crazy amount since its opening. Proud to stock over 45 different artists’ work (along with her own), Yellowstone has gained a reputation for being a contemporary and accessible gift and homeware store. Yellowstone is also host to different workshops including mixed media, floral arrangements and social media, click here for more information.

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Trentham Shopping Village, Trentham, Stoke-On-Trent, ST4 8JG

f facebook.com/yellowstoneartboutique

twitter.com/yellowstoneab instagram.com/yellowstoneab

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maximising your potential.. by anna hamilton, owner of tilly mint’s emporium

...on twitter

How to build your Twitter audience... Find your target audience Twitter is one of the biggest and most popular social media platforms of all time, with a whopping 284 million active tweeters in our midst, that’s a huge community to dive into. Make sure that you connect with tweeters who are relevant to your business; sending tweets about your very latest double glazed window range to a One Direction fan unfortunately won’t cut the mustard! The more people you follow and engage with, the more awareness your account will receive. Have patience!

Marketing has reached a new age - the digital era. Businesses across the globe are embracing the innovative trend of social media in order to raise brand awareness, engage with customers and drive sales. Using social media pages such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram is a great way of broadcasting your business and amplifying your brand, you can do it all on a limited budget or with absolutely no budget at all! Over the next few editions of Design Crumbs, I will be bringing you the golden rules of social media management, so you can maximise your pages and ultimately get the full potential that your business deserves!

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Building your audience won’t happen overnight but if you tweet every day, you can watch your audience grow. Avoid those rather tempting tools that promise to bring you more followers, they are often spam (inactive tweeters who won’t engage with you). It may look good having 13.1k followers but if you have no active followers, your page will look a little dull and drab! Engage with your Twitter audience Don’t just stop at following a potential client or customer, engage with them, start up a conversation, favourite or retweet a photo. Be as personable and approachable as your business should be - your Twitter feed needn’t be filled with corporate jargon, it’s an informal yet innovative platform.

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Your Twitter account should work on engaging with your audience, so make sure that every tweet isn’t just a hard sell, people don’t like that! Be responsive Remember that you are representing your business in a very public forum, so make sure questions are answered and your audience is as happy as can be! Providing phone numbers and emails is a great way of giving extra customer service pizzazz and ultimately getting new business in!

planning your tweets around the most effective times of the day. It means that you can make your presence known in Twitter hours too! These are really great so you can get on with important tasks, or putting your feet up in the evening – you are allowed a rest, you know! Make sure you stay tuned for the next issue of Design Crumbs, I will run through the top tips of growing your Facebook page! In the meantime, I’ll see you on Twitter!

The power of the hashtag With a limit of 140 characters, it can be a tricky task to fit your exciting updates and products in just one tweet. So how do you do it? The hashtag, of course! It’s a great way to propel your tweets into communities which use the same hashtags as you; it’s perfect for finding common ground with a total stranger. Research what works best for you; it really is trial and error, what works well for one company might not work for the next. Take a look at other tweeters and how they manage their page, it’s a great way to get inspired! The finishing touches… Now that you have composed the perfect, tweet don’t fall at the last hurdle - adding links will direct interested customers into your site. There are plenty of websites that create shortened links, to save your precious character limit! Adding an image into your tweets is an effective way to draw your audience in because you are limited to what you can say in a tweet, adding a photo creates a very visual story!

Please visit: tillymintsemporium.com

f facebook.com/tillymintsemporium

twitter.com/hellotillymint instagram.com/annarosehamilton hello@tillymintsemporium.com

Using scheduling apps is a great way of

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review

design museum london

by charlotte bevan {editor of design crumbs and owner of white space creative design}

London’s museum of international contemporary design.

Innovative, interesting and forward-looking design in many areas, from all around the world were showcased through images, books, items, along with descriptions about the project and designer. My favourite piece is below...

designmuseum.org Designs of the Year Exhibition 25 March 2015 - 31 March 2016 At the end of July, I visited Design Museum in London {Shad Thames}. The exhibition of ‘Life on Foot’ by Camper was showcasing on the first floor. However, it was Designs of the Year, which I was most excited about! With categories including Architecture, Digital, Fashion, Graphics, Product and Transport, it was a designer’s dream!

“Now in its eighth year, Designs of the Year celebrates design that promotes or delivers change, enables access, extends design practice or captures the spirit of the year. Someday the other museums will be showing this stuff.” {designmuseum.org} design crumbs magazine

Norges Bank ran a competition for designers to submit a series of designs for new banknotes. On the front of the notes will be Metric Design’s illustrations inspired by Norway’s connection with the sea. Each note displays a different aspect of this relationship. The theme is carried through onto the reverse of the notes, with a pixelated view of the coast by Snøhetta Design. The banknotes will be issued from 2017. With adult tickets costing just £13, it’s definitely worth a visit if you are in London in the coming months! For more information, please visit: designmuseum.org.

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a beginner’s guide to...crochet by becky dutton

My Mum and Nan taught me everything I know about knitting. It was something I loved to do but one day I just put my knitting needles down and didn’t pick them up again for 10 years! A few of my friends have had babies recently and I got inspired to make cuddly toys. When searching for patterns, I found some incredibly cute ones but they were all crochet - something I’d never tried before. After a few weeks of looking, longing to be able to make them myself, I decided to buy myself a set of crochet hooks and endeavoured to teach myself the art of crochet! After a bit (*lot*) of frustration, one day it all clicked into place and the rest is history! I love to crochet animals {also known as ‘amigurumi’ - the term used for crocheting and knitting stuffed animals, people or even inanimate objects} so I am writing this article from that perspective. Here are some tips... Starter kits | If you are interested learning how to crochet, the first thing you’ll need to purchase is a starter kit. Most likely, this will consist of a range of different needle hooks, varying in size. You will also require a tapestry needle and sharp scissors. You can pick these up from online auction websites

hippo

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{such as ebay.co.uk} at a low cost. Pattern | Whatever you’d like to crochet, you will require a pattern, which can be bought from online marketplaces {like etsy. com}, social media sites {such as pinterest. com} or ecommerce websites {for example ravelry.com}. Yarn | Don’t get overwhelmed when you start to look for yarn. Take a look at your pattern and that will guide you. Stitch counter | Whichever pattern you select, you will be asked to count stitches - you can either buy a stitch counter for a couple of pounds or, as a hack, you can simply use a paper clip! Stuffing | In order to fill your animal, you will need some stuffing. A little tip would be to ask your local habadashery staff for ‘weighted’ stuffing - this could save you a fortune! YouTube is your friend! | Coupled with your pattern - which will assist you - YouTube is a great way to learn the basics. I found tutorials on the ‘Crochet Ever After’ channel especially helpful.

game of thrones dragon

giraffe 22

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