Union Jack Beds

Our gorgeous Creature Clothes Union Flag Dog Dozas - piled high and about to be shipped out!

www.creatureclothes.com

Burrill in Brazil

Excellent talk tonight at Kemistry Gallery by 

Anthony Burill on his Mesa & Cadera workshop in Brazil: 

Burill in Brazil. 

MY NEW RULES OF LIFE / WORK:

Collaborative table working is The Future

Belong To Where You Are

Do you like it enough to put it on your wall?

Look for Miracles

Always engage a Cheese-o-meter

Less Is More

It's all in the editing

Keep taking crazy photos of signs & pavements (you're not the only one doing it)

If in doubt, go for a walk with a good friend in the rain & get soaked

Anthony Burrill - http://anthonyburrill.com/

Kemistry Gallery - http://kemistrygallery.co.uk/

Mesa & Cadera - http://www.mesaecadeira.org/en

The soggy good friend: www.tamarafogle.com

More Johnny Swing

Goose and I couldn't resist having a souvenir of our great day at Chatsworth House...

for more pics, see Nicks website:

www.picnick.co.uk

Johnny Swing & Chatsworth House

Johnny's butterfly chairs look so perfect in this setting

Earlier this year the artist and sculptor Johnny Swing asked my husband Nick to photograph and record his two pieces at the very beautiful Chatsworth House.

Johnny is an old friend and stayed with us 2 years ago when he came over from the States to meet with the Duke & Duchess of Devonshire in regard to the commission, so the chance to go and see what had been created following that meeting was a very special opportunity.  

I have assisted Nick on shoots since the beginning of his career - I really love working with him.  It is very important to me to break the routine of daily life and do something different, work with other artists and designers and expand my creative scope.  It is also HUGE fun working with Nick.

Team Swing - Smile!

Johnny's work is like no other.  It is the literal manifestation of monetary impact on art... it is art made out of money.  Johnny is a welder, but a welder like no other.  His mad creativity bursts out of him constantly.  While he was staying with us we made a skirt out of hula hoops, a coffee pulley and endless other things - more of this in a future blog I think!  His work is spectacular.  He is primarily known for his chairs and couches made from individually welded coins.  They seem almost wavelike on the surface, a gently undulating form, but look underneath and the architectural metalwork is awesome.

Our day at Chatsworth was very special.  We instantly fell in love with it.  Me being me, I was really impressed that they have implemented a sustainable water policy too.  I can't wait to go back with our children and spend a day exploring the gardens and taking in the sheer beauty of the estate.  I will never forget the mist floating over the grounds in the distance, eerily magical but so so beautiful.  I kept expecting a dapper Mark Darcy type to come galloping out of the mist (too much Bridget Jones methinks...).

Nick and Goose investigate the gardens for shot potential

The weather was perfect, if anything the sun was a bit too bright for Nick to shoot, but he's good at what he does and balanced it out perfectly.

Johnny's two butterfly chairs live outdoors by the greenhouses.  Their huge metal bodies perfectly complementing the beautifully kept gardens and topiary of the trees.  Even the pebbles in the mosaics on the paving somehow mirrored the coins.  I loved encountering the steady flow of people coming past the chairs, their imaginations instantly ignited as they first stroked the chairs... then held onto them and gave them a tug... then sat on them... each one amazed by the fact they were sitting in a chair made of coins and that it was so comfortable on top of being so cool.

The chairs look spectacular against the architectural greenhouse

Johnny had specifically asked us to try and get a shot of the chairs against the huge greenhouse - the spikes of the structure perfectly complementing the partially hidden framework of the chairs.  My favourite shot is with the silver birch to one side of the shot - the juxtaposition of the slender fragility of the silver birch, it's quiet beauty, in contrast to bold structures of both the chairs and the greenhouse - what a shot.

Goose our dog came along with us for the day too and had a fantastic time - he snuck in to some of the shots too, looking terribly dapper in his Creature Clothes white leather heart studded collar, otherwise known as our Elvis Collar.  It was also a great opportunity to pop into the shop at Chatsworth as I used to supply them with my collars and have never had a chance to see the shop - what a fantastic shop it is.  We came away laden with a Chatsworth Rose and lots of other goodies for our mothers for Mothers Day.  Perfect!

x

To see a selection of Nicks shots from the day, have a look at his website.

To see Johnny at work:  http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20120610/ARTS04/306100006?fb_ref=artsharetop&fb_source=timeline

Johnny Swing: www.johnnyswing.com

Chatsworth House: www.chatsworth.org

Nick Stevens Photography: www.picnick.co.uk

Johnny Swing's signature - the tag can be found welded underneath his pieces

Is that Mr Darcy galloping over the horizon?  Or just Goose...

The Butterfly chairs are the stars of the show

Even the ground was beautiful

The beautiful Silver Birch - nature overshadowing spectacular engineering

RIP Inca

I was so sad to hear that Inca Fogle has died.

She was a truly awesome dog and I feel honoured to have known her.

We have loved making collars for her and will truly miss her.

Our thoughts and love are with Ben & Marina and all of the Fogle clan.

RIP Inca.

I Like To Make Stuff... Kids chairs our of boxes

I had a speedy trip back to the Creature Clothes workshop over the weekend, kids in tow.  My little girls have a desk in our office that was mine when I was little.  But there was only one of me and there are two of them - we had a chair emergency.

So... it was time to make one!

We thought the result was pretty awesome - basic, but awesome.

Here's how to make your very own Cardboard Box Kiddie Armchair

1. Take one empty cardboard box, sealed at one end, open at the other.
A nice sturdy one is best

Being very careful, cut halfway down 2 sides, on each side,
as in the diagram below

Always be careful of your fingers when using a
cutting knife - this part should not be done by children

This is where to cut into your box

Push the first flap in - the inner turn over of the box should pop down to support the seat

Push the top flap in to create the back of the seat

And there we have it!  A pretty cool little mini armchair!

Just add one small person!

The Canine Games

Watch out!!  

Here comes the most awesome and outrageous festival - For The Love Of Dog - ever seen.... it's THE CANINE GAMES!

Olympics?  Nah... this is the one to watch.  Being held in East London, this Saturday July 7th, The Canine Games will be gathering the craziest of East London cats (well... dogs) in the beautiful Haggerston Park.

Described by Giles Deacon as "Barking up the right tree!"

you will find THE BEST dog class competitions, including:

Best Eastender (a Pearly king or queen?), 

Hottest Haute Dog (for all fabulous fashionistas), 

Stars in their Eyes (best canine celeb lookilikey), 

Best Doglympian (sportiest dog in town), 

Best Friends Forever (Best under 16 dog handler)

Fastest Wag per Minute & Fastest Frisbee Fetch 

While driving home the message of responsible dog ownership, you will have a fabulous day out.  Amongst the fabulous canines coming to the show you will find the likes of 

Mugly - recently crowned Worlds Ugliest Dog

Jonny Woo as Dorothy Gale.  

Free microchipping courtesy of Dogs Trust, 

The Chapel of Love where lovestruck pooches can get hitched, 

the Lady & the Tramp stage hosted by Bethnal Green Working Mens Club, 

and some pawesomely great prizes including dinner at Shoreditch House.

The whole day is in aid of Dog Loving charities, including the Dogs Trust, Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, the PDSA, Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, Blue Cross, Guide Dogs For The Blind and the Retired Greyhound Trust among many others.

To register your dog & reserve entry go to: 

http://www.tickettailor.com/checkout/view-event/id/4721/chk/85ba

For up to date info on the event see The Canine Games facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/TheCanineGames

And follow The Games on Twitter: @TheCanineGames