Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend

I have been noticing how many bloggers have highlighted Ferm Living's new collection, with some items even appearing in Elle Decoration last month. They really do have some lovely stuff.

(c) Ferm Living

I really love this pattern, found on cushions, shower curtains and even tea trays.

(c) Ferm Living

I particularly like this tray.

(c) Ferm Living

But where had I seen that pattern before? Lo and behold I looked around my studio and found this painting I painted two years ago.

Sometimes I'm behind the times, but sometimes I'm a little ahead!

See all products at Ferm Living.

See more of my art on my Flickr page.

new prints from normal

Here at normal designs we have been working on some limited edition prints of our first design there is no such thing as normal, which can be seen on our eco friendly bags around Brighton.

Here it is framed. We have also been working on some new designs, currently at the testing stage. This one is inspired by listening to a lot of Radiohead:

Here is an old favourite, which we have yet to print.

We are thinking of producing limited edition screenprints, and also an unlimited run of giclee prints for £10 each. What do you think? We are also looking at card printing. Here is a design for Valentine's day:

all designs are (c) normal designs.

Please tell us what you think in the comments section below, we always appreciate feedback! Thanks for looking.

arty shelves

Here is a very quick How To...make room for more art in your life. Here's the before:

Some of our art collection, including work by Tori Brown, Paula Day, Dominic from Luton, Paul Griffiths and Janette Staton, as well as some drawings by my son. One trip to Ikea later, with a voucher which we got for Christmas and, among other things, we purchased four long picture shelves.
First, fill and sand any holes. Touch them up with paint, then measure the walls and find the mid-point.

Using a spirit level, mark through the holes in the shelf with a pencil and make some guiding holes in your wall. Our walls are stud partitions, so I glued the back of the shelves with No More Nails and just used wood screws.

The first two shelves are up. More measuring and you're ready for the next two. And here's the finished result.

Now there's room for 100% more art, including some small sculptural objects and letters. And happily, the sun came out too!

First Ikea Hack

Happy new year to you all. Here at normal designs' HQ we have taken down the decorations and our sustainable bamboo tree. We didn't want to throw it away, so we are going to keep it in the garden and grow some sweetpeas up it. We have begun to spring clean, which has also involved doing those little projects that I have been promising to do all last year!

I found these Lack shelves from Ikea in the bin room, but as I couldn't fix them to our stud partition walls, I have been keeping them ever since until I found a use for them. Hence this, my first Ikea Hack. I measured about a foot from either end of one shelf and cut off either end. This was extremely quick and easy, as they are hollow inside.

 

Then I sanded down the rough edges and simply glued them to either end of one shelf. I glued the other shelf to the top and voila! One shoe rack, which fits perfectly under the coat rack in our hall.

I may yet paint the whole thing white, but for the moment, here it is.