Designer Brunch - Giddy Kipper

Morning! I hope you are all well and having a fabulous weekend. Life got a little crazy here the past couple of weeks but hopefully now I will have a bit of time to get back to blogging.  There are times when I have to admit that I cannot keep all my juggling balls in the air and I needed to drop a couple for a little while, but with my essay almost complete I now have a little more time.  As today is Sunday it is time to welcome another fabulous British designer maker for a chat over Designer Brunch.  This weeks guest is a dear friend and one half of super design duo Giddy Kipper.

Personalised Pirate Door Sign

Heidi is reguarly found with a paintbrush in her hand creating fun and beautiful wooden signs, decorations and more.  Starting Giddy Kipper several years ago with her partner Steve, they have worked hard creating fab products for their Not On The High Street store, trade customers and in the past attending Country Living fairs.  Working from their workshop in an old maltings building in the Lincolnshire countryside, the Giddy Kipper team have grown and added lots of products to their portfolio.  Alongside their handpainted wooden homewares and decorations, Giddy Kipper also have a fantastic weddings collection.  This has won them the prestigious Special Touches Award at the Wedding Ideas Awards, not once but twice, beating big brands and proving small businesses can compete with the big fish in the wedding industry.

Sailboat Bookends

I am delighted that Heidi popped down here paintbrush to answer my questions for this weeks Designer Brunch.  So please give a very warm welcome as we share her favourite way to spend a Sunday.

Best drink to start the day? 

Has to be coffee to start the day for me...I'm useless without my caffeine hit! Not very healthy I guess but it gives a kick as I'm not a morning person!!

Croissants or full English?

 That's a tough one! I love my food. if I had to choose it would definitely be croissants (or even better pain au chocolat) but then I'd be the size of a small planet so it's a bowl of cereal or porridge for me! I do have a Full English occasionally...especially on holiday.

Sunday papers or favourite magazines?

I am addicted to magazines! I buy so many and would sit reading them all day if I could!! Faves include Coast, The Simple Things, Vintage Life, Country Living, Junior, and every home and wedding magazine going!

Tiny Beach Hut Decoration

Favourite blogs to read at the weekend?

 I love Lisa Jarmin's blog How To Be A Domestic Disgrace - it's very funny and has me laughing out loud. I also love Happy Loves Rosie - full of colourful vintage finds, fabulous photos of her kitsch homewares and general quirkiness. I'm a big fan of wedding and photography blogs... I've always loved Emma Case's work, she's a fabulous photographer who captures such lovely details. I've also recently discovered Candy Pop - a mix of fashion, photography and 'interiors with a vintage twist' and Hello Naomi - full of cute ideas and cake! 

Sunday morning playlist - 3 songs for Sunday brunch?

 I have quite eclectic taste when it comes to music....a like a bit of everything but on a Sunday it has to be something relaxing. I love the soundtrack to the film Chocolat and have listened to the album hundreds of times and never get tired of hearing it, so I'd listen to that album but if I had to choose 3 tracks it would be Teardrop by Massive Attack (still a favourite from way back) and then I'd choose a track by Imelda May and At The River by Groove Armada

Favourite local shop or market for weekend shopping?

Sadly I don't get to go out often on a Sunday as it's usually the one day I have to catch up with all the boring chores round the house! If I do get some time off, we tend take the boys to the seaside as it's somewhere we all love to spend the day. I do love having a good rummage around jumble sales and car boot sales when I get chance though and I try to have a sneaky peek in any charity shops or vintage shops when we're out and about. Not easy when you have 2 lively little boys in tow!

To view more of Giddy Kipper's products please visit
Not On The High Street - www.notonthehighstreet.com/giddykipper

Thank you so much Heidi for joining us for brunch and I hope you are having a lovely Sunday morning.  I am also a magazine addict with your choices being in my top ten too!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend everyone,
Zoe
xx

Designer Brunch - Moobaacluck

Morning! I hope you are all having a wonderful bank holiday weekend and that you all have had time to enjoy some of this gorgeous sunshine.  I spent most of yesterday having a big clean and tidy in the house but hope to get outside today, a pot of tea in the garden whilst spending an hour reading magazines is definitely on my list of priorities this afternoon.  Today I am thrilled to welcome my guest for this weeks Designer Brunch as she is a very dear friend of mine.  So please give a very warm welcome to Gabs of Moobaacluck and Gabriella Buckingham.

Personalised New Baby Girl Star 

Armed with a paintbrush, listening to the radio, Gabs works happily from her garden studio in North Norfolk.  After working as a freelance children's book and greetings card illustrator for several years whilst living in London, she moved to North Norfolk with her young family.  Whilst being a full time mummy Gabs started turning her thoughts back to painting and soon found a local supplier to cut the various wooden shapes she wanted for her designs.  So Moobaacluck was launched and soon her candy coloured designs became very popular with buyers visiting Not On The High Street.  Aswell as hand painted wooden signs, Gabs also designs greeting cards and party invites for her Moobaacluck website and over the past few months has added other greeting card and giftwrap designs to her Etsy store, under her own name.  Alongside these in her Gabriella Buckingham store she also sells beautiful artwork, which is often how her designs begin.

Boat Art Card

Whilst time eludes us to meet up for lunch and a good ol' catch up, I am very happy that Gabs has joined me here today for this post and I shall now let her share her Sunday morning with you all.

Best drink to start the day? 

Definitely a huge cup of green tea. And then another.

Croissants or full English? 

Love croissants  and full English - can I have both? I rarely have either! We always have croissants in our family when one of us has a birthday. Usually it's some sort of oat based cereal for me and maybe some buttered toast with chunky marmalade.

Sunday papers or favourite magazines?

Sunday papers but these days don't often have time to spend reading it. Like a lot of people I suspect. I used to be a real magazine reader and now I treat myself to one or two occasionally my current favourite being Country Homes and Interiors. It's wonderful to see fellow designers homes featured there, especially when I know them personally. If I get to grips with this house and garden I hope one day that will be me! Another good source of magazines that I actually want to read is my library. If I am lucky I will find Country Living there, Vogue, and Norfolk Magazine.

Personalised Door Hanger 

Favourite blogs to read at the weekend?

This is a tough one as I don't have regular reads, I'm sporadic due to lack of time. I really like dipping into friends blogs, like http://www.dotsandspotsdesign.blogspot.co.uk/ and http://mrsbobobun.blogspot.co.uk/ written by Lisa Smith Clare who is a crafter and teacher and also organises a makers fair in Holt that I've taken part in. I really enjoy artists blogs too for example Celia Hart's http://purplepoddedpeas.blogspot.co.uk/. I love blogs that are supportive and educational for self employed designers too such as UK based http://noisetteacademy.com/blog/ by Isa Maria Seminega and US based http://Smartcreativewomen.com by Moncia Lee. Both great and very different from each other.

Sunday morning playlist - 3 songs for Sunday brunch?

I am incredibly lazy where music is concerned, I just put the radio on and tune into whatever I like the sound of and leave it on! I never just sit and listen to music. Or my husband will blast out something eccentric, if we haven't gone out. Later I love to listen to the food programme on Radio 4 with Sheila Dillon or Mornington Crescent - whatever happens to be on while I am cooking lunch.

Favourite local shop or market for weekend shopping?

Norwich generally is very good for shopping, there's a gorgeous artist collective called Veranda full of arty stationery, beautiful knitwear and ceramics on Upper St. Giles Street. The sad thing is that a few of the lovely shops there have closed recently; it's a little off the beaten track. I hope very much they manage to survive. Local to where I live in North Norfolk there seem to be an abundance of charity shops, although I have found some great things in them. One being my large old 1950s style suitcase that I've just filled with Autumn/Winter clothes that I am determined not to wear anymore as we should be experiencing Spring!! 

To view more the designs available from Moobaacluck and Gabriella Buckingham please visit -

Not On The High Street - www.notonthehighstreet.com/moobaacluck

Etsy - www.etsy.com/shop/gabriellabuckingham

Website - www.gabriellabuckingham.co.uk

Thank you so much Gabs for sharing your Sunday with us and I hope you are getting to enjoy the gorgeous sunshine today,  There are some fab blog choices there and Country Homes and Interiors is in my top five magazine list.

I hope you all enjoy the rest of the bank holiday weekend,

Zoe

x

Designer Brunch - Dots & Spots

Morning! I hope you are all having a lovely weekend and getting to enjoy some sunshine.  After a long winter I really do believe Spring has finally arrived and the promise of warmer, sunny days is very uplifiting.  Perhaps you are planning a family brunch or lunch in the garden today or a lovely walk on the beach or across the fields. Today I am very pleased to share this weeks Designer Brunch post with you all and thrilled to welcome Becky of Dots & Spots as my guest.

Dots and Spots Studio

Becky is a very talented greetings card and giftware designer whose designs are always colourful and cheery.   As her business name, Dots and Spots suggests, she uses these in all of her designs.  Creating collages with spotty papers Becky then uses her designs for cards, notebooks, magnets, giftwrap, mugs, decorative tape and more.  Having launched her business as a part time venture whilst still working as a primary teacher she has allowed her business to grow steadily.  After working from home initially Becky had to move to dedicated premises as trade orders flooded in aswell as orders from retail customers, via her website and Not On The High Street storefront.  Before long Becky left her teaching job and now focuses full time on Dots and Spots. This year has seen Becky expand into the party business with spotty party bags, invitations, spotty balloons, and party bag packs.  I always love to read her blog and hear about her new designs aswell as her life in the pretty county of Somerset.

Decorative Tape

I met Becky via twitter and have since met her in real life.  She really is a lovely lady and I am delighted that she has joined me for todays post.  So I shall now let Becky share her perfect Sunday morning with you.  

Best drink to start the day?

Black coffee every time!

Croissants or full English?

Warm Croissants with rhubarb jam

Sunday papers or favourite magazines?

Favourite magazines Country Homes and Interiors, Country Living, Homemaker

Party Invitation

Favourite blogs to read at the weekend?

I follow 100's and 100's - so catch up daily with Google reader. I'm too visual and scan images rather than read great chunks of text.

Sunday morning playlist - 3 songs for Sunday brunch?

The Corinne Bailey Rae CD on repeat for a chilled out Sunday brunch

Favourite local shop or market for weekend shopping?

Wells Market, Somerset although the Wednesday Market is best for food - fab breads, fresh meat and fish, artisan bakers, home grown fruit and veg, delicious jams and chutneys and sweet treat yummy fudge.

Find out more about Becky and Dots and Spots and to see more products visit -

Website - www.dotsandspots.co.uk

Not On The High Street : www.notonthehighstreet.com/dotsandspots

Thank you Becky, I hope you are enjoying a late breakfast in the garden. Corrine Bailey Rae is a favourite choice for Sunday mornings in my house too, well when I get to the docking station first!

Wishing you all a wonderful Sunday,

Zoe

x

Designer Brunch - Snapdragon

Morning! Another lazy Sunday has arrived and sadly the last one of the Easter hols. At least we have some bank holiday weekends to look forward to next month and I'm sure the summer holidays will arrive quicker than we think.  Today I am excited to share another new blog series, Designer Brunch.  This new series has been one of those ideas that I have spent sometime pondering and have finally got it started! Designer Brunch is a short interview with fabulous British designer makers, getting them to share their perfect Sunday morning with you.  So let's get started and meet our first designer for brunch. A very warm welcome to Jane from Snapdragon.

Personalised Typewriter Tote Bag

Jane is a very inspiring lady, working in the beautiful Scottish location of Loch Lomond, designing and making a fantastic selection of gifts and homewares.  Having retrained in Horticulture and selling the flowers she grew on her land, but as a savvy business lady realised the seasons limited her business, so added machine embroidery to her skills. Her business, Snapdragon, soon grew and she now employs a team of talented ladies and her business has grown so much that this month saw the start of building work to extend the Snapdragon workshop.  This is definitely an exciting year for Snapdragon as Jane has also recently launched her new website, where you can register to gain access to the members area.  This special part of the website has tutorials and printables, the latest being a fab paper doll, which my daughters love.  Jane also keeps her blog up to date and her weekly newsletters are always a treat to find in my inbox.  

Personalised Camper Van Mug

I met Jane via twitter and am pleased to say I have since met her in real life.  She is a lovely lady and I am thrilled that she agreed to be part of Designer Brunch today. So let's now find out about Janes perfect Sunday morning.

Best drink to start the day?

A large pot of coffee - strong and black

Croissants or full English? ( or Scottish of course!)

I love to start every day with porridge - salty with cream- it really sets me up for the day. But on Sundays, if they are laying, I might have a couple of boiled eggs from our hens instead.

Sunday papers or favourite magazines?

Sunday mornings with the paper are very special- in fact the weekend papers tend to last all week.

Embroidered Floral Cushion

Favourite blogs to read at the weekend?

I love blogs which show off people's obsessions and journeys - at the moment I am enjoying http://www.gonewiththewynns.com the tale of a mega campervan trip and Donnie Mackay's beautiful photo blog of Skye http://hebphoto.blogspot.co.uk/ somewhere we intend to visit this year.

Sunday morning playlist - 3 songs for Sunday brunch?

(At the moment) Edie Brickell Long Lost Friend for dancing round the kitchen

Mary Chapin Carpenter Why Walk when you can Fly as its kind of the family anthem

Victoria Vox &Pat Macdonald Out on the Rails - a recent discovery & love

Favourite local shop or market for weekend shopping?

When I get the chance I love to go into the West End of Glasgow and buy cheese at Ian Mellis cheese shop. 

Find out more about Jane and Snapdragon and to see more products visit -

Website : www.snapdragononline.co.uk

Not On The High Street : www.notonthehighstreet/snapdragon

Thank you Jane, I hope you are enjoying your Sunday morning today.  The Sunday papers last all week in our house too and I love that my older children now sit and read them too.  

Wishing you all a wonderful Sunday,

Zoe

x