Tea or Gin? That is the question. Either one is a good celebratory beverage!

Ali, Alicante!

After 9 months of being inside, never further than 10 metres away from my Macbook, I decided it was time to pack a bag and seek some sun. The destination: Alicante. The company: some long lost friends. The weather: fantastic! Here are some lovely things I encountered between sunbathing and sleeping...


I loved the exterior to this beauty spa. It stood out so much down the old twisting streets. The idea of having perfectly painted white walls with a distressed stripe running round it anchors the idea of someone going in rough and tired but leaving fresh and clean.

A building site of former flats. I found it amazing that you could see the shell of what were once peoples homes; the tiles they had in their kitchen and the colour they painted their bedroom walls. The doors all lined up reminded me of the opening title sequence to Monsters Inc.

Nespresso window display.

Yomy; a contemporary twist on the old streets of Alicante. After living in America for 3 months I became a huge fan of soft serve frozen yoghurt and miss it so much, so to encounter this little gem was a real treat. The interior was amazing. Everything was white, connotating the yoghurt, and the colour came from the mood changing lights hung from the ceiling. So cool. Shame about the actual yoghurt; It will never compare to the delight that was Moolala of Long Island. Best frozen yoghurt EVER!!!

The flight home. Sob sob. The End.

The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me

Possibly the best story ever! The ladder-less window cleaners.

Ted Baker Eye Infection

Not the best photograph, but the opticians in Kirby Lonsdale was shut and I couldn't walk past without capturing this advert. Initially I thought it was something for the NHS promoting the importance of having your eyes tested to avoid conjunctivitis or losing your eye. Yet on closer inspection it's purpose is to advertise cool, trendy, british Ted Baker eyewear. Not sure it answers the brief which is a shame as the tag line 'glasses on the blink?' is quite witty. Not sure the gamy eye is the best way of illustrating it.

The pitter patter of tiny feet...

This is one of my Dad's favourite gifts to give newly weds! I'm sure Will & Kate would have just loved them... I came across the 'little nipper' mousetraps today in 'Pellymounters' of Ulverston, a traditional ironmongers, which sold all things miscellaneous. It was ridiculously busy inside many just walking straight to the counter requesting, traps, weedkiller and egg cups to name a few. The lady behind the counter knew where everything was and efficiently sold the strangest of things to the local people! 

I want...

My housemate, Miss Hayley Lomax, 3rd Year Fashion student has created this A-mazing outfit for her collection! The fashion students organise a photo shoot to model there garments professionally and boy does this look professional. I think theres something amazing about creating clothes, it's all quite risky and daunting as you stitch away but seeing the final piece like this must be very rewarding!

*Hayley, if you get rich... remember those who lent you hats =) 

An English Country Garden

Oh how I've been waiting for this day! And it didn't fail to disappoint. The Sarah Burton dress was so beautiful. However, what I found more amazing was the flower display within Westminster Abbey. Rich leafy greens with ditsy cream flowers and a small avenue of trees lining the longest aisle in Britain brought a natural, romantic look to the ceremony. An English Country Garden within a stunning old building. Like a fairytale. Television coverage from inside Westminster Abbey juxtaposed with the imagery from the infamous tree lined Mall was fantastic. It was as though there were two aisle on the day, one of which the bride walked down and the other which the public lined. All the flowers were taken from Royal estates and will be replanted, so totally homegrown, as it should be on such an iconically British day. Click here to watch the florist responsible for creating such beautiful arrangements.

Brit Design Awards 2011

What a difference a day makes.

I'd like to be in the top floor of the Hilton as the sun is setting over Manchester, but I'm much more intrigued as to what it would be like looking out into, well, nothing but cloud and fog!

Going around in circles...

Have a butchers...

An old YMCA basketball court in the US has been converted into some swish apartments! This interior pretty much sums up how I'd want the shop fit for the contemporary butchers shop I've been creating. Plush grass walls, glossy white counters and bright pink details. Delicious! 

Look familiar?

Tim Head, Cow mutation 1987. 

Uwe Loesch, Radioactive cow 1986.

Coincidence...?

Dance here.

Counteracting the idea that galleries are static spaces, the Tate Liverpool had a exhibition evoking the discotheque. The included disco balls, light up dance floor and wireless headphones full of toe tapping tunes! The space was used to celebrate the changing visual of the human form, from neo-classical to modern day. I found Liverpool Tate, as a whole, more exciting and cheerful than the average gallery. Walls were painted bight colours as opposed to white and it just felt like a better place to view art. 

Anish Kapoor

I visited the Manchester Art Gallery and was a little unsure about what to expect from Anish Kapoor's work. Sometimes I find I can go to exhibitions and aimlessly wander around, never really inspired or wowed. I was expecting the same from this exhibition, however I was pleasantly surprised. The sculptural work made from pigment, wood and fibreglass was pretty memorising to the point where you didn't want to walk away. My favourite piece was called 'When I am pregnant' which can be seen above (the photographs don't really do the piece much justice!) A huge bump is coming out of the wall and can be seen from all over the room. But when you stand directly in front of the sculpture the bump blends in with the wall with just a small shadow to be seen. It really plays with your eyes and almost makes you feel a bit sick, yet you cant hep but look at it. Don't' believe me...? Go and see it.

Meat & Bread

I love this identity for a sandwich shop in Vancouver. Glasfurd & Walker created this strong clean branding for the "man made" style store. My favourite part are the small animal icons on the business cards, they are so simple and beautiful. My current project, rebranding the local butcher, is proving quite difficult as people don't want to see the actual meat or notion of the animal. However, I feel it's important that people should see the animal the meat came from and these little logos evoke that idea, but in an anonymous way; the animals don't have eyes of a mouth and are all black in colour... they lack personality (which is ideal as people are then less attached to the idea of it being a cute pig etc) The branding really does have a masculine no nonsense feel to it! Thumbs up from me.

D&AD Good!

D&AD fundraiser club night actually was DEAD GOOD! It was lovely to see people off our course outside the studio environment. I think the promotional poster was very attractive and the use of the ampersand as an 'E', very smart!

The perks of being a wallflower

So if the narrative wasn’t good enough I just love the design of this book. It was a suggestion from an American friend who claimed it was a ‘coming of age classic’. The book was published by MTV which I thought was very unusual but I guess using big names associated with a younger audience would entice more to read it. I found a second hand copy in Harvard Book Store, Boston. There was an old bookmark inside which had the Florida zip code in… I love the idea that the book has been read and enjoyed by someone, somewhere else in the world; I am less obliged to give up the book and send it on its travels once more.

The book is a epistolary novel; narrated by a teenager who goes by the alias of "Charlie"; he describes various scenes in his life by writing a series of letters to an anonymous person, whom he does not know personally.

The lime green cover (my go to colour!) has a small-cropped sepia photograph in the top right hand corner of a boys legs donned in smart trousers and shoes. The image is so old and intriguing in comparison to the contemporary colour and minimal typeface on the cover.

I feel the cover reflects the anonymous, captivating storyline the book has to offer

Black Swan

How could I not watch this film when all I’ve heard are fantastic reviews.

This beautifully, eerie film was art directed perfectly. Shades of innocent pink and white connotating ageless, feminine ballet along with strong black tones emphasizing the dark side Natalie Portman has to find within herself; and she definitely does that. The pure, flawless dancer Nina Sayers gets the role as Queen Swan; displaying control and skill means the White Swan isn’t an issue but she struggles to find the dark, seductive passion within to evoke the character of the Black Swan.

Some crazy, squeamish things happen throughout; drugs, smashed glass, nail files to name a few. My favourite bits were where Nina is subtly turning into a swan what with her toes sticking together like a webbed foot, little black feathers coming out of a graze like an un plucked chicken, and her neck growing tall as she is being strangled by her alter ego. All of these effects are far fetched, and I have to admit got a bit of a laugh by some members of the audience, which I don’t think was intended, but this almost ‘Alice in Wonderland’ visual to the film did it for me.

French Connection - Bucket Stylist

The latest French Connection Campaigns are full of bizzare humour surrounding the theme of 'The Man' and 'The Woman'. The adverts were originally created last year by design agency Fallon, and are proving just as successful this spring. It's a nice twist to fashion advertising which can often be so polished. My favourite advert is 'The Man' giving himself an old school bowl cut, only with a bucket to retain the length of his luscious locks! Click here to view the advert in question.

The John Hour for Selfridges

Tired, achey and hungry after a long day in London Town this window display gave me a sense of life again! Aiming to challenge the rules of modern society, The John Hour has created four installations featuring paralleled objects, which represent a clash of lowbrow and highbrow culture. The cinema has been replaced by DVD's. Dinner parties have been replaced by the convenience of takeaways, the orchestra by the ipod. The overall concept is executed amazingly, my favourite display being the hundreds of old tennis rackets challenging a Nintendo Wii. 

YCN

Zoe Barratt from YCN came into speak to us about the Student Awards they have held for the past ten years. Major brands such as Ted Baker, Boost and Warp Records set briefs each year giving design students the opportunity to create something fresh and eye catching.

YCN really do seem to be all about the students. The award ceremony is super extravagant, the competition winners get to see their ideas through to production and get paid to do so.

I recall the 2009/2010 YCN annual being very boring and unattractive; a quick flick through and I threw it on my bookshelf. This years annual is much more appealing, a publication you want to keep. It’ the first year the inhouse designers at YCN created an annual and it’s certainly proved a success! It’s much more student friendly and has various quotes and advice from top graphic designers.

The studio is based in East London and the studio has a little shop and a library where you can borrow design books. Too cute. May pop by next time I’m in the smog!

Propaganda design agency based in Leeds spoke after YCN about the branding they do for the energy drink Boost. I personally didn't like the work they did. I find it hard to judge campaigns aimed at a young/student consumer groups because I feel it's all a bit stereotypical looking. 

And the dish ran away with the spoon

Cupcakes available from Topshop. The pop up stall is up for two days selling beautiful little cupcakes all in the spirit of Valentines day! I love the logo for the company who are based in Didsbury. The website is nearly as nice as the cupcakes, click here to go to the site!

The all new 2012 Passat - Volkswagen

Saw this last night for the first time, so good. The Star Wars reference combined with a cute small child, in a happy family home is bound to mean success. Screened during Superbowl games must count for something too! Click here to view.

Handbag Heroine

This pensioner should definitely join the police force. Now known as the handbag heroine, this little old lady scared off six robbers armed with sledgehammers by swinging for them with her handbag. Amazing! To see the footage click here!

Down with the Supermarket

Former Design & Art Direction Students, now known as Teacake design, turned the old supermarket carrier bag into something with more meaning. Tesco is the fourth largest retailer in the world, you can't get away from the brand; on retail parks, town centres and city streets. Taking business from small independent retailers, it's no wonder people hate the supermarket. I love the screen-print quality adding that retro feel to the dated design. 

Don't have a cow...

It took me a while to see German designer, Uwe Loesch's radioactive cow. Pretty cool once I had though.