Testing, Testing

I recently got together with photographer Sarah Hogan to style a few test shoots. It's always fun to team up with someone and just play around, experiment, with no agenda and no clients to please. It always ends up getting those creative juices flowing which really helps when I do have clients to please.

I wanted to shoot some overhead still-lifes so we gathered some props, Sarah worked her magic with the lighting and we just piddled around using folded white paper, wrapping paper, and wood as backgrounds.

It's probably from my Anthropologie merchandising days, but I love a bit of colour-grouped styling. Pick a few colours, pull props that fit, and style away.

What do you think?

Modern Rustic: The Book!

I'm not sure why I've been sitting on this announcement for a few days. Nerves maybe. But I'm finally ready to share it. You can now to go Amazon US and UK (and probably others) and pre-order my book, Modern Rustic. It comes out on October 10th and I've got lots planned for the launch - events, giveaways etc. But for now, here it is, in all its modern rustic glory.

The book focuses on a specific style of interior that I had noticed more and more and I coined Modern Rustic. I break it down into four distinct looks - Bohemian Rustic (like the cover photo), Retro Rustic, Pop Rustic, and Pure Rustic. Cath Gratwicke and I had a blast shooting it and Joanna Simmons wrote some beautiful copy for it. (She also wrote Selina Lake's books Bazaar Style, Homespun Style, Pretty Pastel). All in all, an incredible collaboration.

Order here in the UK, on Amazon's hot new releases page. Woohoo!

And here in the US.

If you pre-order it now, you'll get it in early October. I do this all the time and completely forget. It's a nice little surprise present to myself. Or at least add it to your wishlist.

Leave me a comment if you'd like to be added to the list for book launch events in London.

Thanks for reading!

Colour-Blocked Shelves Shame

Time to eat my words.
Right here I talked about my disdain for colour-blocked book shelves.
And here I am, six months later, doing just that. (And watching Barton Fink.)

My excuse: the shelves aren't strong enough to cram in loads of books in the haphazard way I prefer, so it just looked a bit weak and sadly messy. I had to do something. Seemed like the best choice for now.

I'm not too proud to admit I'm going back on my words! (I still feel a bit silly for doing it, between you and me).

You'll have to wait for the summer edition of Heart Home Magazine to see the results. They're shooting my house this week. Time to buckle down and make magic happen here. The house has definitely been tidier. Including that hideous mess of tangled wires behind the telly. How do I tame it?

Playing With Wire

A few weeks ago on a rainy Sunday I had a little fiddle with some wire and made this for over my bed.

It's my favourite quote from Dr Wayne W. Dyer's book Wishes Fulfilled. (Yes I read self-help, I'm not ashamed to admit). Now I see it every night before I go to bed, great for those days when I'm feeling a bit blue and need to be reminded to dream big.

All you need is some wire that's bendy enough to manipulate but not so bendy that it won't hold it's shape. Wire cutters or sharp scissors to cut it and then the patience to play around and try to make legible letters. Mine are a bit wonky, but I like it that way. I'd hate it if it was perfect.

Easy Art Loves Life Unstyled

It's always fun to stumble upon something from my portfolio in web-land (as long as it's properly credited of course - I'm talking to you, image stealers!)

Easy Art used my favourite image from our old house in LA as an example of using bright art to add a fun factor to a room. The "art" in question was by my son, at the time aged about 5. Easy Art showed some similar, by Gerry Baptist. Not sure Mr Baptist would like his art to be compared to a child's but hey.

Of course now that I'm all Photo-shopped up, all I think when I see this written-on image is "Hey I know how to do that now!"

Blogshop London Changed My Life!

So that's a bit dramatic I admit. But taking Blogshop, the weekend long Photoshop for bloggers class, has really changed things for me. As a Photoshop virgin, being forced to spend two full days learning the basics - within the confines of blogging - has helped me get over a big barrier.

Look what I can do now! Don't laugh, you PS pros out there, I've always wanted to know how to draw/type on my photos! Now I just need one of those fancy electronic pen thingies. Handwriting with a mouse ain't pretty. ( It's not lost on me that it looks like a child took a black marker to this photo. Baby steps people! Practice will eventually make perfect).

The class is taught by Bri Emery, graphic designer and blogger at Design Love Fest and Angela Kohler, photographer and commercial director - both based in LA and travelling the globe to teach Blogshop.

You might recognise the space? Curtain Road Studios in Shoreditch, where I styled this and this.

As I get ready for my book release and anticipate a lot more traffic to the blog, I feel like I've got the tools to take it to the next level. Now if I just had a bit more time....

Notes from The Netherlands

Yes it's one of those late night Friday blog posts. This week was just too bloody busy.

Earlier in the week I spent a couple of days in Holland with photographer Catherine Gratwicke, shooting the last two houses for my book. The photography is officially over and while it's definitely sad, it's also really exciting. A year ago I had an idea, scribbled on a piece of paper. Today it's almost a reality and I still can't believe it. One of the best parts of this journey has been the travel. LA, Scotland, Norway, and now Holland. Here are some highlights from the beautiful Netherlands.

Awesome ceramic shade in one of the bathrooms we shot.

The Dutch don't mess around when it comes to tulips.

Amazing illustrated kids' books.

Homeowners who match their dogs to their decor.

 Miles of flat land and real live windmills.

And of course, clogs. I came very close to buying some at the airport and then realised blocks of wood probably wouldn't feel great on my feetsies.