Anna Nemoy Daisybutter Joe Earley Lyly Lao
Issue One ÂŁ4
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CREDITS Editor & Designer Si Pui Tuong Sub-Editor Patricia Francis Contributing Photographers Thomas Wightwick Anna Nemoy Contributing Writers Danny Demuth Contributing Illustrators Nancy O’Connor
Cover Model: Amelie Rose Creative Director: Si Pui Tuong Photographer: Thomas Wightwick Stylist: Chloe Cooling Hair and Make Up: Gia Ha Shirt, H&M. Dress, Urban Outfitters. Necklace, H&M. Hat, River Island. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be copied or reproduced without permission from both the publisher and contributor.
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Cuppa celebrates the beauty and serenity of tea; sharing the curiosity of fashion, photography and London with all of you. So grab a cuppa and get comfortable!
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CONTENTS 4. Wish List 6. Snailmail 8. Alturna-Tea 12. Brightening London 26. Meet Lyly Lao 30. Insta-Pets 32. London Tea Houses 38. Nancy O’Connor 40. Ditsy Prints 50. Creative Workspaces 60. Freshly Fruity 68. Sunday Morning 70. Beau-Tea 76. Homemade 78. Catch up with Daisybutter 80. Stockists
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DEAR TEADRINKERS Cuppa has grown in the past couple of years but one thing that will never change is our love for a good cup of tea. It started as a 36-page fanzine, bound by two staples and now, it’s perfectly bound, it’s bigger and even has its own app for the content we couldn’t fit in! Simply use the Cuppa Magazine app to scan the image on the page, when you see our bright thunder icon, to see extra content. You’ll find video tutorials, exclusive behind the scenes and even be taken to the store websites if you like the bag you see on the page. Cuppa isn’t just about tea; it’s about sharing ideas, curiosity and inspiring one another. The key isn’t in the cuppa but the people sitting around the table. I’ve been lucky enough to have met some creative individuals this issue: from Olivia Purvis, Tilana Thomas and Joe Earley showing us their creative workspaces on page 50, Lyly Lao introduces us to her mini doodle a day project on page 26 and even the teams behind the shoots on page 12 and 40. We’ve also got some beautiful images from our kind contributors - Nancy O’Connor on page 38 and Anna Nemoy on page 60. As cliché as it sounds, Cuppa wouldn’t be here without you. Of course, we still talk about tea on page 8 as we introduce you to white tea, show you our favourite London Tea Houses this issue on page 32, and even find some pets in teacups on page 30. There’s a lot going on but hopefully we’ve inspired you somehow! Thank you for your input, your sharing and your love for tea that keeps this celebration carrying on. So from one tea drinker to another, lets put the kettle on.
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WISH
Biscuit Mug Urban Outfitters £12.00
Silicone Teabag Lakeland £3.99
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Submarine Tea Infuser Luckies.co.uk £8.95
Stag Tea Tidy Tea Palace £5.50
Images sourced from websites
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Round Rich Tea Biscuit Tray Liberty London £9.95
Robot Tea Infuser Tesco £7.53
Tea Tool Lakeland £4.69
Mini Elephant Milk Jug RedBerryApple.co.uk £5.95
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Photography, Si Pui Tuong
Cuppa Got Mail With all the emailing, texting, and even Instagraming, it’s easy to forget about good oldfashioned letter writing. There’s just something about opening a packed envelope and reading a handwritten note or even when you compile the letter yourself. So when Cuppa received its first snailmail, we just had to show you! We absolutely adore Miranda’s handmade envelopes, tags and thaumatropes. Forget buying boring stationary, we’ll (try) and make our own! See more of Miranda’s creativity on her Instagram at @lionsfoxeswolves
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Alturna-Tea Whilst nothing can beat a builder’s brew, I do enjoy discovering and tasting other blends of tea. This issue, I found white tea.
Photography, Thomas Wightwick. Creative Director, Si Pui Tuong.
Words, Si Pui Tuong
I’d say that I’m an avid tea drinker; starting every morning with a cup of English breakfast with a slice of wholemeal toast. I fill my cupboard with a variety of tea, stretching from the classic green and pu-erh to gentle chamomile and fruity peach. I tend to get a bit excited in the tea aisle, at my local supermarket, especially when I discover a tea I haven’t heard of before. (You could probably imagine the shocked/ surprised look on my face.)
but in a delicate and light tasting sort-of-way. I also imagined it to be floral and fragrant.
My new discovery was white tea and it was the colour - white - that intrigued me. Like any other tea drinker, I look at the colour of my tea; it’s how I tell if it’s strong or I’ve accidently added too much milk. So when I thought of white tea, I immediately thought it would be weak, not in terms of strength,
Rumour has it that some white teas can be green tea in disguise. There will be similarities between a white tea and a green tea as, like all the other teas, they come from the Camellia Sinensis tea bush. However white tea is the baby of the bunch; traditionally from the Fujian Province in China, the
I took a box home, put the kettle on and was quite confused. I expected the cuppa to be pale in colour, almost white, but instead it had a dark earthy tone and looked very similar to a cup of green tea. The slight difference was in the taste; the white tea was light and fragrant and didn’t have the bitter tinge, a green tea usually has.
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young tealeaves are hand picked before the buds are fully opened. This harvesting only happens at a specific time of year, at the crack of dawn, for a short period of time. This careful labour explains why white tea is considered rare and one of the most expensive teas made. Once harvested, white tea is simply steamed then dried. White tea and green tea both contain the same types of antioxidants, but as the baby leaves are treated with care and aren’t overly processed, a cup of white tea will have more antioxidants compared to a cup of green, in terms of quantity. There are two popular types of white tea: White Peony and Silver Needle. White Peony is made from the first and second tips of a tea stem, while Silver Needle, is made from one single tip of the 12
tea stem and is considered the crème de la crème of white teas. So with new knowledge, I visited the supermarket again in search for another white tea. Twinings have a white tea blend with pomegranate, which was quite tempting, but I decided to go for Teapigs’ “Silver Tips White Tea” as the name linked to the best of the best of all white teas - Silver Needles - I thought it would be the best choice. If you looked at my cup of Teapigs compared to my first cup of white tea, you wouldn’t believe that both cups were white teas. The Teapigs was a lot lighter in colour, which mirrored the smooth, gentle and almost sweet taste of the tea. I’m a big fan of green tea and I don’t mind the slight bitter taste but
after drinking cups and cups of white tea, I’m think I’ll be going over to the dark light side. Plus, white tea has more antioxidants and everyone knows that the more antioxidants, the better for your health. Antioxidants are important for your health because it protects the body from free radicals- as antioxidants neutralize free radicals- they support our immune systems, reduce risks of chronic disease such as cancer, and more. As I continued reading about the benefits of white tea, it seems that this delicate tea can really put up a fight. White tea is stronger than green tea in fighting bacterial viruses as it has strong anti-bacterial and anti-viral qualities. It can also be considered good for your teeth as it kills the bacteria that cause
plaque, tooth decay and bad breath. Finally, a tea that doesn’t simply just stain your teeth, hooray! In addition to teeth, white tea can be good for bones too as it can improve the density and strength. Another benefit of white tea is that it fights the effects of aging on the skin. There are a few factors that can affect our skin as we age; the sun, pollution and even our diets, but white tea help us rewind time. The antioxidants in the tea and its anti-aging properties can help protect the skin and help build resistance to stress. I’m assuming that this means that I could probably use white tea directly on my skin in a DIY facial wash of some kind. Youtube beauty guru, Bubzbeauty, mixed honey with green tealeaves from a cooled
teabag to create her own facial scrub. So why not try a white tea bag instead? White tea also supports the heart as it protects your vital organ and the entire circulatory system. It can reduce cholesterol, thin the blood, improve artery and blood vessel function and even lower your blood pressure. There isn’t a lot of caffeine in white tea, especially compared to energy drinks and coffees, but it can still provide you with the benefits of caffeine in terms of alertness and energy. Plus you won’t be left with the side effects that can come with high caffeine intake such as dizziness and headaches, bonus!
the benefits of green tea but as white tea holds more antioxidants – in theory – white tea may win the battle between these two soothing teas. However, there are also the cons to white tea, such as the price, and that you’ll never know if it’s just green tea in a mask until you brew it. This discovery has meant that white tea has gained a new fan, but as green tea is cheaper and more accessible I’m quite torn between the two. Which one would you choose? If you’d like to find out more, or have a read of the research I found, visit theteatalk.com, thechineseteashop.com and bodyandsoul.com.au.
These benefits are very similar to 13
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Jumpsuit, River Island. Hat, Topshop.
BRIGHTENING L O N D O N
Creative Director: Si Pui Tuong Photographer: Thomas Wightwick Stylist: Chloe Cooling Model: Ciera Robertson Hair and Make Up: Pascale Maestri
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Jacket, Topshop. Blouse, New Look. Shorts, Topshop. Shoes, Dorothy Perkins. Sunglasses, Forever 21. Necklace, Primark. Lomography Camera, Stylist’s Own.
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Blouse, Urban Outfitters. Trousers, Zara. Shoes, New Look. Bag, Topshop. Hat, Topshop.
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Blouse, Miss Selfridge. Dress, Dorothy Perkins. Shoes, Dorothy Perkins. Sunglasses, Forever 21.
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Coat, Stylist’s Own. Jumpsuit, River Island, Shoes, New Look. Hat, Topshop.
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Top, Topshop. Skirt, Zara. Socks, Primark. Shoes, New Look. Bag, Topshop. Sunglasses, Forever 21. Necklace, Primark.
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Crop top, Miss Selfridge. Skirt, Topshop. Socks, Primark. Shoes, New Look. Bag, Dorothy Perkins. Necklace, New Look. Hat, Topshop.
Day 93 - May 2014 be the beginning of many wonderful things to come.
Day 87 - “To many more movies I can fall asleep to while sitting next to you. Happy Anniversary!” For Pounork, from Lyjing.
Day 64 - “Woman is like a tea bag; you never know how strong it is until it’s in hot water.” - Eleanor Roosevelt
Day 45 - A mini doodle a day? How about a mini burger a day!
Day 89 - If it is true that elephants never forget, then it must be the saddest animal in the world.
Day 4 - The tiny tiny avocado; one of my most favourite food in the world.
Day 42 - It doesn’t matter that it rains, as long as you have someone holding up an umbrella for you. Happy Anniversary to my Mum & Dad, who have been each other’s umbrella all through 29 years of rain and shine.
Day 46 - “Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colours. And the people there see you dfferently, too. Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving.”-Terry Prachett.
Day 81 - “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”- Plato (Children recognise kindness in the shape of a tasty treat, hence the lollipop.)
Day 29 - My little brother’s nickname for me was Jellyfish when he was younger.
Day 108 - Is it an interesting fact or a sad truth that honey will literally last for an eternity (it is the only food that will never spoil), but the worker bees that make it have an average lifespan of only 4-5 weeks?
Day 26 - The giant artichoke; too pretty to be a vegetable, too delicious to be a flower. #Identitycrisis
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Interview with Lyly Lao Lyly is currently painting a doodle every day for a whole year. We found her tiny intricate illustrations on Instagram and we just wanted to find out more about her and her charming doodles.
Hi Lyly, first thing’s first, how is the project going? The project is going well; it’s now on its 176th day, though I’ve been a little busy and a little behind with uploading the pictures onto Instagram. They will be uploaded retrospectively as I try to catch up! So, what made you start the A Mini Doodle A Day project? Was there a specific reason for starting on the 1st October? Nothing special, really. It actually started out as a fun painting exercise. It was just about a month after I graduated, and suddenly found that I had a lot of time on my hands to do things, like painting, which I’ve always loved, but when you’re in school and up to your nose with projects, you never seem to have time to do things that you enjoy. I picked up painting again, and started doing a few random things.
The project then garnered momentum, and I began to paint things that I found more meaningful to me, and together with the caption that comes with the painting, it becomes my daily dose of self-expression. There was no particular reason to start on 1st October, it was just near the end of September when I thought about doing this, and the beginning of the month seemed like the perfect time. They create such a lovely visual diary. What do you use to create these paintings? The paintings are done in ink and watercolour on aquarelle watercolour paper. What I usually have in front of me while I paint are: my iPhone (for reference pictures, and to take photos when I finished), pencil, erasers, my Winsor & Newton Cotman watercolour palette, tiny paintbrushes, waterproof ink pen,
and a jar of water. And how long would each painting take? It varies, the first one literally took me 3 minutes. It was a really quick sketch and paint, because it all started out as ‘a doodle a day’, but quickly turned into a full on painting session. Later on, I’d usually spend, on average, about an hour on each painting, although some of the more complicated ones, for example, the Transformer, artichoke and the Earth did take a little longer. Can you give us a sense of where you sit and paint? I do my paintings at my desk, actually two desks pushed together into a corner of my living room, and made into a comfortable studio space for myself to work from home. In terms of music, it really 29
depends on my mood. Sometimes I’ll sit at my desk for hours on end, just quietly, painting away, lost in my own little world. Sometimes I’d turn on some soft music, other times, I’d put on my favourite tv show or movies. My favourite time to paint is very early in the morning, or late into the night, when everything else is quiet. So, is painting something you did a lot of whilst at university? No, I studied Graphics and Textile Design at university. While I did do something as part of the illustration for my textile patterns/ prints, painting was neither taught nor required as part of the course. Like I’ve mentioned before, it’s just something I love doing, I find painting therapeutic, and never seem to find the time to do it. Do you have one favourite painting? I don’t have one particular favourite, although there are a few that are quite personal to me: The Jellyfish - when my little brother first started learning english, his nickname for me was Jellyfish. My family speaks a chinese dialect called Teochew. In Teochew, “Je” means older sister, and my name is Lyly (pronounced as Lily) and people just call me Ly. So my younger siblings addressed me as Je-ly which sounds exactly like “jelly”, so he often called me “Jellyfish” then laughed because he found it funny. There’s also the one of the umbrella that I did for my parent’s 29th Anniversary. The moon on January 9th is another. I have spent most of 30
my life away from home, and the meaning of the poem just resonates with me. The poem is a Chinese poem by a Song Dynasty poet Su Shi. This is my badly translated version: The poetry compares human’s relationship to the moon- there are times of joy, sorrow, times spent together, or apart, while the moon is sometimes full, crescent, bright or dim. They are things that we have no control over. We can only hope that the people we care about are safe, so that even if we are a great distance apart, we can see the same moon. How do you go about starting a painting? Most paintings start with an idea, a thought, a statement I want to make, or something I wish to express. For example, a quote I find meaningful, a poem that I love (The Raven by Egar Allen Poe, the chinese poetry about a mother’s benevolence’s love), some random fact that I find interesting, an important event (January 7th and the day Nelson Mandela passed away), or something that is perhaps quite personal to me. I then go on to find a symbol/ object that relates to what I want to express. Some paintings started with a particular thing that I want to paint for example, the tiny hamburger; there was no reason, I just wanted to paint a burger that day. So far, there is only one painting that was done as a request; Dec 26th, the transformer. It was requested by my little sister, as a gift for her 3rd year anniversary with her boyfriend. Transformer was the movie they watched together, which she fell asleep in, and she
said he never let her forget about it. The message that came with the painting was “To many more movies I can fall asleep in while sitting next to you.” I thought it was rather sweet. And is there a particular reason why you’ve chosen to display your illustrations on Instagram over a website? The project started out as something personal; I was just painting things and sharing them and Instagram just happened to be the easiest and quickest media to share photos. Back when I started, I had about 200 followers, all of them my friends and family; I don’t think my profile was even set to public. (@Lylylao now has 2,246 followers!) Finally, I know you’re only almost-half way through but what are your plans for when the project is completed? I am currently planning to seek out gallery space for an exhibition of all 365 paintings upon its completion. If it does happen, it’ll probably be in Sydney. The originals will be up for sale then. 20% of the paintings have already been reserved, some by people who have followed my work and contacted me through Instagram, but most are by friends and family showing their supports. They have all been very understanding of that the painting can only be collected after the completion of everything. Some of the more popular paintings have also been selected for greeting cards and art prints, which will soon be available through my (soon-to-be-opened) Etsy store. See Lyly’s illustrations daily on Instagram @Lylylao.
Illustrations and photography, Lyly Lao
Cuppa MEETS LYLY LAO
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@Bilbohamster
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@Cuppamagazine
INSTA-PETS Instagram is always fun, especially when we find pets in these situations. Hope they brought a smile to your faces as they did ours! Cue the ‘awws’
@Madiiroseava
@Pixiethepix
@Rachelfaithn
@Sashavonfluffybubble
@Scotttgoldschmidt
@Shopecx
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LONDON
TEA HOUSES I searched and tasted a few tea houses this issue, to find the ones where you can sit and daydream or catch up with some friends over a bit of cake.
Photography, Thomas Wightwick
Words, Si Pui Tuong
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FOXCROFT AND GINGER
Ignore the sign on the front that says “coffee and wine bar” because this little, dark café is cosy for a pot of tea. I visited the lively Foxcroft and Ginger just as Berwick market was packing away and ordered an English breakfast. Sitting at the uneven wooden table I enjoyed the sounds of laughter, the coffee machine and the occasional shouting from the market outside. I was served with a mix match floral china tea set and what was great about the pot of tea, is that 36
the tealeaves can be removed once the tea is brewed to your taste, so there wasn’t a chance for it to be stewed. If the dainty tea set wasn’t enough, the toasted banana and walnut bread arrived on a wooden board with butter in a soupspoon. Presentation isn’t everything in this case, but it was such a homely and warm feel that fitted the gooey and squidgy banana bread seamlessly. It was a delicious companion to my tea. With vintage crockery, old gym furniture, exposed brickwork and
uneven wooden tables, this quaint little spot is a great place to sit and wander or people watch. I found the mix of everything odd gave Foxcroft and Ginger a natural quirky feel; like nothing had to be perfect, just a place to escape the hustle and bustle of London and have a cup of tea. 3 Berwick Street W1F 0DR www.foxcroftandginger.co.uk
Cuppa TEA HOUSES
TO A TEA
As I walked into To A Tea on a Tuesday afternoon, the first thing I noticed were the suits. Located in the City of London, I was a bit surprised at the meetings conducted in this teahouse, but I soon realised why. To A Tea had a classic yet modern twist to tea from the furniture to the menu. Think the Madhatter’s tea party but without the madness. It was very spacious, a little bit rustic mixed with a hint of luxury. And whilst the sounds of conversations and meetings fill the space, it was easy to sink back into one
of the tall, grand armchairs and sip my perfectly brewed English breakfast. Grab a hot scone served with cream and a tiny pot of jam and pull out your favourite magazine. No need to worry about a stewed pot of tea because you won’t find any tealeaves or teabags in your pot. To A Tea will brew it perfectly with exact timings and correct water temperatures - no matter which tea you choose from the tea menu - and give you a tea with great body. The careful brewing
shows the care and knowledge To A Tea has for your cuppa and I felt like they were taking care of me. Whether it’s lunch or just some me time with a slab of cake, this is a place to unwind or socialise, which explains why To A Tea is such a popular location for lunch and meetings. 14 Farringdon Street EC4A 4AB www.toatea.com
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FLEET RIVER BAKERY
Tucked behind a busy High Holborn, I stopped for lunch at Fleet River Bakery. With fresh food made everyday, the rustic café had a constant queue out of the door. The sounds of conversations and the smell of cheese toasties fills the room with a refreshing atmosphere. I went for the courgette and chorizo frittata with a side salad, a scone with jam and cream spilling out the sides and, of course, a builder’s tea. For their coffee it’s Monmouth Coffee, for their 38
herbal teas they use Emery but for their builder’s tea, it’s simply PG Tips. No fuss, just plain and simple.
get some creative work done. You know that blog post you’ve been putting off? Grab a builder’s brew at Fleet River and get writing!
I’d recommend to sit at the back of the café so you’re not constantly surrounded by the hungry queue. If not, go downstairs for a dimly lit, comfortable dining area.
71 Lincoln Inn Fields WC2A 3JF www.fleetriverbakery.com
Whilst Fleet River Bakery is a great spot for lunch and a homely brew, I’d say it’s a chance to leave the city. Dip into that book you’ve always wanted to read or even
Cuppa TEA HOUSES
MOUSE & DE LOTZ
If you need some quiet time to think or work, Mouse & de Lotz would be the best place to go; sit and daydream whilst gazing out the big open windows or relax on the big cosy sofas at the back. Whatever it may be, this East End rustic tea house, with vintagelooking furniture, will make anyone feel right at home with a cup of rosey lee. I thoroughly enjoyed the relaxing atmosphere at Mouse & de Lotz. The bone china on the old wooden furniture was such a
calming corner to enjoy a warm and toasty teacake with a hot pot of classic Yorkshire tea. I’d highly recommend the homemade teacake. With the butter melting on the warm toasty surface, it was a crispy bite with a soft centre. Yum! As I look around, the teahouse is full of – what looks like – family. Everyone seemed so comfortable here, whether it be a business meeting or taping away at a laptop, there was such a chill out atmosphere I almost forgot where
I was. The inviting teahouse also offers free wifi, making it really easy to spend hours and hours sitting at the big wooden table, working away whilst sipping a cup of tea. Mouse & de Lotz just seemed effortless; a quiet place with home-brewed tea with the smell of warm cakes. Work or play, I’d definitely visit this tea house again. 103 Shacklewell Lane E8 2EB www.mousedelotz.com 39
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Illustrations, Nancy O’Connor
DITSY PRINTS
Creative Director: Si Pui Tuong Photographer: Thomas Wightwick Stylist: Chloe Cooling Model: Amelie Rose Hair and Make Up: Gia Ha 42
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Blouse, Topshop
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Lace Top, Zara. Jumpsuit, Miss Selfridge. Shoes, New Look. Hair Accessory, New Look.
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Shirt, H&M. Dress, Urban Outfitters. Socks, Primark. Shoes, New Look. Necklace, H&M. Hat, River Island.
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Bralet, Topshop. Skirt, Dorothy Perkins. Shoes, New Look. Necklace, New Look.
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Shirt, Miss Selfridge. Dungaree shorts, Little White Lies. Socks, Primark. Shoes, New Look.
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Someone’s messy w creative individuals
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REATIVE
ORKSPACES
Photography, Joe Earley
workspace might just be the inspiration you need. I caught up with three to find out more about their creative workspaces and their way of working.
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Photography, Olivia Purvis
Cuppa WORKSPACES
OLIVIA PURVIS Blogger at What Olivia Did and social media freelance consultant.
So Olivia, where is the space where you feel that you do the best writing for your blog? At the moment it’s either propped up in bed (the lazy I mean, productive life of a freelancer) or at our breakfast bar surrounded by my diary, books and snackssometimes getting up is good! What else would you do in your workspace, other than write? Sleep! I like to relax and wind down by reading, watching Netflix and catching up on different films and TV series’. How do you overcome writers block? Step away from what I’m doing! I don’t think you can force creativity (without sounding too arty farty) but sometimes leaving whatever you’re doing alone and coming back to it can be more inspiring than anything else. What do you love most about your workspace?
It’s at home! I’m hugely lucky to be able to work from home, and sometimes it’s hard to break up the day if you spend all day in one place- so working from my bed, and then getting dressed and heading downstairs is pretty obligatory- and stops me being too much of a couch, or bed potato! What do you think is an important feature in any workspace? Natural light, fresh air and a bit of background music. What would be a typical working day? Get up- grab a bowl of cereal and cuppa, and sit down to tackle emails! Every day from then on is different, so it could be anything from heading into town for a meeting or two, shooting some outfits with Joe, discovering and reviewing new places to share on my blog or even doing a bit of travelling- it’s always pretty packed though!
What is the best way for you to get into work mode? Try and switch off from distractions and actually get going and into something- I’m a very good procrastinator when I want to be, so once I finally get started on something I’m usually in it for the home run. Lastly, do you find that you bring ideas, for your blog, to your workspace or will an idea come from sitting in your workspace? Ideas can pretty much come whenever! I could be working with This Morning on in the background, and a cool recipe pops up on TV which will inspire me to get in the kitchen- but obviously it’s lovely to actually go out and enjoy the world and get inspired- so it totally depends! See and read what Olivia does at www.whatoliviadid.com
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Cuppa WORKSPACES
TILANA THOMAS Freelance Illustrator and Artist
First thing’s first, where is your workspace? My work ‘space’ is mainly in my head. I tend to block out backgrounds and get lost in my work almost anywhere. Depending on the kind of commissions, I sometimes get asked to illustrate on site, be it tiny studios or in theatres etc. But to me, nothing beats my wooden desk next to the window. The temperature crisp, and a supply of water, tea and coffee close by. What else would you do at your wooden desk, apart from illustrations? I check my emails, write letters and edit photographs at my desk. No matter where I work from, I try to leave the workspace for lunch or a break. I think such distinction is necessary.
What do you think is an important feature in any workspace? Good light and a space that eliminates distractions. Can you describe one of your typical working days? I try to keep it structured and try to get up at 7am, have breakfast (my favourite being a flat white and avocado on toast with salt and pepper). I then check emails and reply to messages, and come up with a tiny priority list, sometimes consisting of one, two or ten tasks for the day. I start with the tasks that require most concentration and control, like working with permanent ink or working on proposals. I’m a morning person and I’m really terrible the hour after lunch, which is why I keep boring admin things for that part of the day and drink tea. I also find it useful to use that hour as the ‘play time’ for the creative process, like sourcing images from my photo library or starting rough
pre-sketches. At 6pm I usually switch over to my personal projects like my Instagram character library @tintenpalast that I’m building and the stop frame animation I’m currently working on which is a bit of a night time project, as I need the light to stay constant. I also go to ballet class in Covent Garden once a week, to get back into dancing and to help me focus in life. Dancing makes me really happy. Where do you find inspiration? I draw inspiration from nature and go for about two walks a week. I like to visit Kew Gardens in London, which was where I decided to do a small range of Botanical illustrations. I also like visiting galleries to see my favourite paintings. I’ve been to the National Gallery so many times to revisit Renoir’s “La Première Sortie”. It reminds me of my first time in London and that first night at the theatre. I always try to remind myself to keep my curiosity alive. I like photography and editing and I have an enormous amount
Photography, Tilana Thomas
What do you love most about your workspace? I love my wooden table. Wood always seems to add warmth to any space. I also have an ‘inspiration board’ with my current favourite postcards, schedules and quotes. At the moment it’s a favourite by
Beethoven: “The best thing of all is a combination of the surprising and the beautiful.” Very ‘office/ mood board’, but I need structure.
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of images in my library that I use for inspiration or detail reference. (I travelled the world for two years when I worked as an Air Hostess and I have a diverse range of photos that I can now use.) People’s stories also inspires me. I like learning about people’s journeys and how they work. I admire artists like Monet, Fashion Designers like Valentino, Film makers like Wes Anderson and David Fincher, Portrait Photographers, Writers, Mathematicians, Architects, Engineers, Scientists, Mothers, Fathers, Musicians, people. Last year I attended a talk by the illustrator Oliver Jeffers, and his dedication and creativity is an inspiration. And most of all, I am
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inspired by my friends and family. If an illustration isn’t going the way you imagined, how do you get over feeling annoyed/ angry/ frustrated? Working with permanent ink directly on the paper, I have to start over if I made a terrible mistake. I try to avoid mistakes by keeping my calm, breathing well and dancing often. When I do make mistakes with a deadline around the corner, I abandon the work, take a shower or a bath and return with a new sense of purpose. Immersing myself in water helps me think clearly. I am quite critical on my own work and can’t work to try and achieve perfection. I aim to get
things done rather, even if I make mistakes. “The whole is more than the sum of its parts.” Wise words by Aristotle. I also believe in Julia Cameron’s ‘Morning pages’ from her book ‘The Artist’s Way’. Your illustrations stretch from Fashion to Children’s illustration- is there one genre you particularly enjoy? Ever since I decided to invest more time into my illustration, a whole new world of possibilities opened up for me. I have so many interests and subjects I’d like to illustrate, but my main themes are the following: Children’s Book illustrations, because I love developing characters and stories for them to live in. Fashion
Cuppa WORKSPACES
Illustration, because I was Vogue obsessed since I was 12 years old and find the fantasy element of Fashion Photography delightful. (I also like clothes and dressing up and the amazing styles of illustration in this field.) I love Botany for its honest simplicity, and Maps for their aesthetic power beyond its obvious use. The shape of the world map is one of my favourite asymmetrical forms. I am still developing my style, but have learnt to adapt and to practise. One step at a time. Your #characterlibrary on Instagram is adorable. How would a character come about? Some people see pictures in clouds,
others see objects in ink blot tests, and some see futures in tealeaves. I started the #characterlibrary because I saw characters in randomly ink stains. I would create a book full of ink markings and stains and then literally trace the character I so clearly see. I would then redraw the chosen character on watercolour paper, using my Rotring Isograph pen, and after the permanent ink dries, colour it in with watercolour. I thought why not try doing this after hours - daily for two months and then use some of the illustrations to develop characters and stories in the third month? So I started this year and am now developing a little animation of one of the characters. Just a
short one minute story or scene as it is my first ever stop frame animation. The collection of characters in this library serves as another portfolio platform and it demonstrates my love for Creative Development and imaginative story telling. Next, I’d like to either try a daily Fashion illustration for two months, and then do a project for the third month. In this way I get to try out several genres and get to practice. See Tilana’s #characterlibrary and other projects on Instagram @tintenpalast or her personal account @tilanaelf. www.tilanathomas.co.uk
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Photography, Joe Earley
Cuppa WORKSPACES
JOE EARLEY Contemporary Photography Student
Hi Joe, first, can you tell us where your workspace is? My work space is at the centre of my house, leading out onto a terrace - rad to have the door open in the summer and warm evenings and drift outside to enjoy the surroundings. What else would you do in your workspace? Well I’ve always been interested in making things. I currently make hand made journals and sell them via my Instagram and I like to make hand made portfolios for my own work in order to display them in a different way. What do you love most about your workspace? My table actually, I found it about 2 streets away from my house, it’s solid oak and suits the space so well. I also collect Industrial storage, aswell as a bit of everything else, so my workspace is quite literally full of everything I have ever brought, found and collected from past trips!
What do you think is an important feature in any workspace? It’s got to have character, I love seeing people’s workspaces and just seeing their imagination scream through everything that sits and hangs in there workspaces. I’m not a fan of tidy spaces, I like it to look worked in! How do you find inspiration? I always like to browse through blogs by other photographers/ creatives and even Instagram is nice to see people documenting their personal lives. What is a typical day? Wake up, lay in bed for way too long, browsing Instagram and Tumblr, force myself up after about an hour.... and then put the kettle on and make a nice cuppa of course! Is this a routine? Not so much a routine, but I try to block everything out as I can get distracted very quickly! My brain
is pretty over active... So how would you get into work mode? Usually music or a film, depending on my mood, I usually listen to m83, tea is to the left otherwise I’ll knock it over - always happens! And then tea on the tap! I have a nice angle poise lamp I picked up in the Lille flea markets a little while back and I love the lighting from that. Finally, do you find that your ideas are from elsewhere or will an idea will come from sitting in your workspace? Not exactly, I feel more inspired when I walk around unknown places. I like to come back to my workspace and then work with everything that’s inspired me from my travels. My workspace is for finalising. Find Joe’s work on Instagram @Joeearleyjournal. www.joeearley.tumblr.com
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FRESHLY F R U I T Y
Photography, Anna Nemoy
A set of beautiful serene still lifes by Anna Nemoy.
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SUNDAY MORNING Words, Danny Demuth
So here it is again then; that grossly unwanted and relatively unappreciated twenty-four consecutive hour period that goes by the name of Sunday. The ‘Day of Rest’ if you will. A day that is by right, defined through its crippling hangovers, miserable weather conditions and inconceivably poor television programs. True enough, you’d be forgiven for holding this popular prejudice against the final day of the week. However, writing off a perfectly good half of your weekend at the hands of some ill-advised cynicism seems wasteful at best. Allow me to offer the perfect tonic to your lethargic Sunday state, cast aside your woes of another working-week close at hand and awaken yourself to the virtues of an adventurous afternoon’s stroll. London’s cyclical hustle of the nine-to-five faithful is now off duty, thus paving the way 70
for the inquisitive, the youthful, the cultured, the stylish and the darn right strange to pursue their extra curricular uptown activities. Cyclists claim their curb side territory, powering past the traffic seemingly unaware of Sunday’s relaxed and downbeat etiquette.
an awe inspiring atmosphere. The smell of fresh salt and vinegar that have been doused onto red-hot chips being eaten from newspaper packets, along with the aroma of Brick Lane’s notorious Salt Beef Beigel tradition serve as a formidable hangover busting duo.
As I scour my surroundings my attention is occupied by Pub and Bar owners, busily engrossed in rescuing their respective residences from the following evenings events- it would appear that a minor carnage had ensued and a heavy night was had by all. On turning another street corner, I enter the crux of Spitalfields Market, whereby an exuberant following of entrepreneurs line the columns in a bid to flog various labours of love. Custom made items of clothing hang in their droves, amid bakery stalls, between tobacconists, amongst musiciansall of which collectively provide
Next, I follow the swarms of people who have managed to prise themselves from their bed this morning and I am lead down a roadside depicting countless shops owning vintage clothing displays and retro window setups. This makes for a unique experience, encountering the likes of people who seem to have come from another age. Rockabilly types brush their leather clad shoulders with sharply dressed, cravat sporting Mod-like characters, each figure as interestingly turned out as the other. Cramped and intimate record stores selling tens of thousands of vinyl
Photography, Lizzie Darby
records from years gone by add to a somewhat Bohemian authenticity, already so typical of my morning’s experience. On taking a few paces more, I am transfixed by a dishevelled looking shoe shop that is overpopulated with zealous customers, all of whom are clutching at box-fresh brogues, boots, loafers- you name it. As I grow closer to the frenzied hotspot, I catch sight of a series of handmade signage, with which the words: ‘The Devil Wears Prada, But The People Wear Plimsolls’ is lovingly inscribed in what resembles some form of blotched shoe polish. This use of wit and cost effective inventiveness are ingenious, as business is clearly booming. In need of a short recess in my mid-morning explorations, I take shelter in a nearby greasy spoon café; safe in the knowledge that my window seat view affords me
the option to resume my people watching exploits from indoors. I order myself the highly orthodox, age old favourite of tea and toast which quite crucially needed to be slightly buttered, no sugar with a dash of milk. The terms with which my tea maker needed to adhere to were non negotiable. Make no mistake, I was under no illusions that this average London Café would possess any airs and/ or graces whatsoever but it was for this very reason that I felt so welcomed and familiar within these surroundings. In a matter of moments I was united with my piping hot cuppa in all of its glory sat opposite me, with an odd unruly trickle of spillage escaping down the side of its mug. As I sat there contemplating the timescale needed to ensure I didn’t inflict third degree burns upon myself whilst drinking, I pondered once more over the subject of my immediate surroundings.
And therein lays the beauty of this Sunday Morning, market attending subculture; the endeavour to enrich their weekends with a strong sense of traditionalism, and their hunger for the most traditionally simplistic of things. A leisurely wander to and from The Marketplace, grabbing a cuppa as you go, ingesting all of the city’s culture on your way and fully appreciating the beauty within it. It would seem that on the odd occasion, a cup of tea and a slice of toast is all that is truly needed to achieve a sense of peace and tranquillity. But please, remain mindful on the significance of ‘slightly buttered, no sugar’- as the common phrase rightly dictates, it’s the small things that matter.
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B E A U -T E A
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Photography, Si Pui Tuong
Cuppa BEAU-TEA
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Photography, Thomas Wightwick
Cuppa BEAU-TEA
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Two braids you can do while you wait for that kettle to boil. 4 minutes? Ready set go.
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Photography, Thomas Wightwick. Model, Georgia Hull.
Cuppa BEAU-TEA
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HOMEMADE
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Photography, Thomas Wightwick
Cuppa HOMEMADE
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Photography, Louise Chai
5 MINUTES WITH MICHELLE CHAI We caught up with Michelle Chai as she introduces us to her blog - Daisybutter.
Hey Michelle, let’s start at the beginning, how did you go about writing your first ever blog post? I started my blog in October 2009 but only began writing on it in January 2010. My first ever post was about the Burberry SS11 show: I wrote it at my tiny desk in my halls at Uni. Think the classic student accomodation smell of burnt toast, blaring music from all four walls and seagulls squawking (I lived on the top floor by the docks!). And where did the name “Daisybutter” come from? I honestly can’t remember! I half think it’s from the pretend charm in Harry Potter & The Philosopher’s Stone, but I also remember running a website, preblog, called Butter-Daisy, so it’s more likely that I decided to flip things around and go from there. How do you overcome writers’ block? I rarely get writers’ block but I tend to schedule in 15 minutes of Pinterest and tea time to give myself time to refresh inspiration and gather my thoughts. I always find visiting my favourite websites or peeking through the novel I’m currently reading helps me to take my mind away from my own words for long enough to reinspire myself. What do you feel are the pros
and cons of a highly followed blog? Pros: definitely that there’s always someone to chat away to on other forms of social media. I’ve made plenty of friends through blogging who I couldn’t imagine not knowing now! I love that I have my own space to write and share about what I want and it’s a bonus that so many people are so like-minded. Cons? It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by numbers. Everyone says that numbers don’t matter, and for the most part they don’t to me, but they’re there and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the thought of your opinions and ‘life’ being seen by so many. The pros certainly outweight any cons though! If you don’t mind me asking, why have you decided not to post press releases on your blog? I just see Daisybutter as a different place to traditional magazines and websites. I never want my blog to be press dictated. My blog is a place where I can write what I want. What advice would you give to someone who is feeling unmotivated? Switch the laptop off, take a camera over your shoulder and go outside. Fresh air does wonders for such a cooped-up hobby (at the heart of things). There’s so much to see, do and think in everyday
realities. As you’ve been there before, how did you feel when you merged from student to graduate? It’s a really strange feeling. You’re in a complete in-between stage of your life. I remember feeling elated, anxious, excited and nervous all at the same time! But mostly I was excited to be starting an internship which lead to my first job and just excited for a new challenge. What advice would you give to new graduates? Take on as much experience as you can. Shadow your Mum at work for a week, take on voluntary work, help your favourite charity, work in a coffee shop... The key to graduate life and finding that elusive first job is to be super well-rounded, so a huge repetoire of experience alongside your sparkling degree is key. Finally, if you went back in time, what would you tell yourself at the age of 16? There’s more to life than having that ugly bowling bag that all the popular girls are carrying instead of a ‘proper schoolbag’. Read more at www.Daisybutter. com or Michelle’s Instagram @winyeemichelle
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STOCKISTS Dorothy Perkins www.dorothyperkins.com
Luckies.co.uk www.luckies.co.uk
Tesco www.tesco.com/direct
Fleet River Bakery www.fleetriverbakery.com
Miss Selfridge www.missselfridge.com
To A Tea www.toatea.com
Forever 21 www.forever21.com
Mouse & de Lotz www.mousedelotz.com
Topshop www.topshop.com
Foxcroft & Ginger foxcroftandginger.co.uk
New Look www.newlook.com
Urban Outfitters www.urbanoutfitters.com
H&M www.hm.com
Primark www.primark.com
Zara www.zara.com
Lakeland www.lakeland.co.uk
RedBerryApple.co.uk www.redberryapple.co.uk
Liberty London www.liberty.co.uk
Tea Palace www.teapalace.co.uk
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Tweet us @Cuppamagazine Instagram @Cuppamagazine www.cuppamagazine.co.uk 83
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