@NookandCrannyL1

Apparently a blog and Facebook isn't enough these days. So we're on Twitter now too. #newtothegame

A Magpie and a Dove

These wonderful hand crocheted items are aimed to be used as dish cloths (but also make sweet placemats!). Durable and washing machine safe, they can be used and re-used making them the most econimical way to scrub your dishes! 

(Unlike us - we make John like the dishes clean. He's only too happy to oblige)

Joanne has made them for us in a variety of colours and are an absolute bargain at only £6 - especially when you consider 'cost per use'! 

Joanne says,



"These cloths are extremely hard wearing, can be washed, boiled, bleached and cared for in the right way should last for a long long time. This making them a cheaper in the long run, more environmentally friendly (and better looking!) alternative to the usual mass produced ones."

These crochet dish cloths make a wonderful gift when paired up to one of our many tea towels - with a choice of colours customers have matched the items together making them a sweet gift for a kitchen loving friend.

 

Clare Owen

Did you know we have these wonderful new record cards from the equally delightful Clare Owen? Available as an engagment card or wedding card.

Did you also know that Clare Owen recently made the illustrations for McDonalds latest 'coffee time' Facebook App?



Workshop just in time for Mothers Day!

Hannah Bitowski

The lovely Hannah has just called in with prints of her tattoed lady! The image above is of the work in progress - the print now features a choice of gold or black frame, fewer tats and alot more texture. A really wonderful screen print with 4 colours and available as A3 size - she's beautiful!

Also, check out Hannahs blog and see what other work she gets up to in her spare time.

www.hannahbitowski.blogspot.com

 

Lost Properties

This kicks off tomorrow and we're getting excited! The posters have been beautiful so we have high hopes for some unusual art, new concepts and tasty tea. Calling 63 Renshaw street home (in the middle of the famous second hand shop 62a and hippy dwelling The Olive Tree), I've noticed they've spray painted the outside already adding 'Lost Properties' in a stencil font above the door.

We shall report back on this next week!

More information can be found here.

How to read handwriting.

Did you know that your hand written letter could say so much more about you than you realised? Letters, type and hand writing are examined by police, therapists and your old English teacher and apparently we give ourselves away without even knowing.

Write your name.

Look at the slant of the letters -
forward slanting: you have a emotionally responsive personality,
                             you are a positive person
no slant/straight up and down lettering: you are more reserved emotionally.
backwards slant/left slant: you are emotionally withdrawn
                             you are a negative person

Written words on unlined paper -
sentences and lines slanting upwards: indicate optimisim and happiness
sentences running in a downward slant: can indicate depression
straight writing: indicates a balanced frame of mind

Shape of the letters -
cicular and rounded handwriting: open, easy-going and often etraverted personality
angluar handwriting with sharp points: may indicate an aggressive and direct personality
squared handwriting: scientific, practical and logic based personality
squiggles and irregular: artistic and creative personality

Crossed 't's -
crossed 't' towards the bottom of letter: low self esteem
crossed 't' towards top of letter: high expectations and high self esteem
a capital 't' with the cross above the letter line: unrealistically high self esteem

Dotted 'i's -
dotted directly above the letter: mind is in the present
dotted in front of letter: writer is thinking about the future
dotted behind the letter: writer dwells in the past

Letter spacing -
words close together could indicate an introverted and intense personality
words largely spaced may indicate an extroverted personality

Heavy writing -
this may indicate stress and/or emotional intensity

Size of the letters and words -
this can be classed as directly proportionate to the perceived self importance of the writer, for example a large signature may indicate the writer believing themselves to be of high importance, while a smaller signature may reveal a weak personality.


What do you think? Revealing too much with your large 'o's and crossed 't's? We consider these ideas when creating our own type and font for greetings cards and posters - imagine a very angular and sharp 'happy birthday' message? That could be read as too aggressive for a positive message.
Who knew hand writing could be so hard?
This information can be referenced back to here.

Street 'Art' : Nikita Nomerz

Everyone has a divided opinion on whether street graffiti can be classed as art, whether the spray can is an artistic means of painting and if you can be called an artist if you break the law and tag a wall.
Street art has developed and grown since the days of the simple gang tag, with Banksy bringing forward the argument of 'what is art?' by displaying a true talent for spray painting and involving political opinions and arguments. Now through commercialism we can buy a bit of Banksy on a card or postcard, and whether you like the graffiti art or not, can pass it on to another.
Russian Artist Nikita Nomerz has exhibited within specially adapted galleries and buildings to provide an insight into his talent. Nomerz new project, 'The Living Wall' is worth a mention here on Nook & Cranny's blog as illustrative graffiti would be perfect commercialised and transfered to cards, prints, zines and posters!

More information and images can be found here. What do you think? I've written essays on 'What is art' and studied Fine Art - it would be great to hear opinions from the commercialism/graphic and design side of life!

Aardvark On Sea

New print from Aardvark On Sea from the Manifesto series - 'The Harmony Manifesto'.

My favourite so far, with the colours, text, small new use of images and the message it provides suiting the 'putty' grey walls of Nook & Cranny perfectly and cheering me up in the process. Can't wait to see what may be next in the Manifesto series.

Hole In My Pocket

A scottish duo known as 'Hole In My Pocket' have recently provided us with some brilliantly funny new work. Their diverse interests in art present themselves as paintings, conceptual art, writings, videos and performance art, with great prints, cards, zines and badges now available at Nook & Cranny!

Check out their website www.holeinmypocket.com to find out about their adventures, journies through the art world and up and coming exhibition work. Such a creative pair, we're so pleased to have them on board!

Shop Visit

We had a very special guest round this week. The mastermind behind The Joy of Ex was in the shop.

































Sally Beerworth came all the way from her lair in London to Liverpool for the day and popped in to see us. She brought us a little present too, a box of chocolates, she had us at hello :)

New Workshop - Stitch & Bitch

Happy Valentines Day

Stuff for all those love sick fools out there....

 Paper heart, Sam Osborne, Steph Says Hello, Doodlelove, Clare Owen x

In the post today..

The postman delivered a much anticipated package today. Im a bit of a sucker for screen prints in general but these are a special favourite of mine so imagine my delight as I peeled back the brown paper and string.

From the colours to the characterization, im smitten with the work of new Nook & Cranny designer Nicholas John Frith. Cannot wait to get them up on the walls in and displayed in their full glory.

The Joy of Ex on Valentines day.

Was there ever a more appropriate time to treat yourself to a Joy of Ex postcard or mail one to a friend? So what if you don't have a date planned, or you're only Valentines card is the one off your mum (one year this was true for me even though I did have a boyfriend). Sally from The Joy of Ex is here to remind you it's ok to drown your sorrows in vodka, ice cream and cake mix. It's ok to dance in your kitchen. It's ok if you spoon your favourite tatty book at night. Just embrace it.

And it's even more ok to get yourself a poster to remind you.

Born Restless

Hayley Wright is the incredible talent behind Born Restless, hand embroidered works of art that are delicately finished with vintage frames. Unusual subjects take centre stage, skeleton hands waving hello, ouija boards and bats, sombre text and praying hands cause a juxtaposition in this feminine past time of embroidery and add dark meaning to a generally neutral craft.

For beautiful one-off, hand made works of art, with each being framed in a specially sourced vintage (and so again, one-off and unique) frame, these beauties are only £16. An absolute bargain for a completly original item. 

Nook & Cranny are delighted to stock the fish skeleton, moth (a personal favourite) and ship. The moth, although in black cotton, seems romantic and now staged within the Valentines display, makes for a charming gift to a loved one or new couple - with a love as unique and delicate as the moth and work of art itself some might say!

Nook & Cranny are finalising a workshop plan for a 'stitch & bitch' session, with Hayley in mind and being a local artist we hope to feature her work to show budding embroiders where the craft can take you - it's not all alphabet samples and embroidered hankies!

Beci Callow

Pastel colours? Check. Animals? Check. Handmade and delightful? Check!

Beci Callow is a design student based in Brighton who has just stocked us up with bear, armadillo and deer mini cushions, magpie lavender cushions and a wonderfully illustrated zine full of her family's baking reciepes!

Each cushion comes in a handfull of colours and with the hand printed nature of the work, each have their own unique quality. The zine uses pen and ink illustrations with beautiful hand drawn lettering.

The cushions range from £4.50 - £12 and the zine is only £2.50. We don't expect these to last long!



VALENTINES?

Not feeling the love this year? Think of those less fortunate with this 'happy singles awareness' day card. Hand printed onto a snazzy romantic pink from the hands of our very own Leigh Jennings.

Nook & Cranny have an alternative for everything! 

VALENTINES

With so many wonderful cards and a wide choice in saying 'I love you', 'I miss you', 'let's get it on', we've set up a sweet display to showcase the variety with a few gift ideas snuggled in. Even if you're single, why not buy one of Nicola Rowlands pug pillows or Beci Callows pink printed animal cushions to have something to snuggle up to?