gNappies Gentle Giants gPants

As a soon-to-be Mummy, I’ve loved preparing for the arrival of my little one. My thrifty eco-conscious nature has been looking at ways to make sure my baby not only has the best, most natural start but that money is saved. Making less impact on the environment and saving money long-term by using reusable/washable nappies are two huge positives for me. It’s been nice to discover the brand gNappies, Co-Founded by Kim Graham-Nye, not only offering these positives, but also proactively doing social good collaborating with Every Mother Counts charity Founder Christy Turlington Burns to launch Gentle Giants gPants.

“Every Mother Counts was born out of a need to improve maternal health and reduce preventable maternal deaths. We know we can’t do this work on our own, so we welcome partners like gNappies with visionaries like Kim and Jason who are committed, as we are to making pregnancy and childbirth safe for every mother,” said Christy Turlington Burns

gNappies pairs both patterned and coloured soft cotton covers with disposable inserts that are compostable (wet ones only). They are Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Silver — a mark trusted around the world for ecologically intelligent design, and also certified B Corporation which uses the power of business to solve social and environmental problems.

The gNappies Gentle Giants gPants features a sweet bold unisex print of mama and baby elephants, inspired by the beauty of Tanzania and the mothers and babies there.

“Both teams share a love of Africa, and elephants are close to my heart, so the design direction took shape immediately,” said Kim-Graham-Nye. “We then layered in the Every Mother Counts colour palette and worked on keeping it both gender neutral and appropriate for newborns through toddlers,” she said.

Gentle Giants gPants are sold through websites and retailers worldwide at £17.95, and with every Gentle Giants gPants sold, gNappies will donate 50% of profits to Every Mother Counts’ portfolio of programs, which address three critical barriers to maternal health care around the world: lack of education, transportation and supplies. It won’t be long before my little one will be wearing the Gentle Giants GPants – completely oblivious to the benefits!

Print featured in photo by Ben Javens.

 

Bilston’s Happy Housing Exhibition

Just before it closed this weekend, I caught this exhibition at Bilston Craft Gallery – ‘Bilston’s Happy Housing: Otto Neurath’s vision for post-war modern living’. As a fan of all things mid-century and home related, this was good for both these reasons, but also, with thoughts of the upcoming election, encouraging to learn of one man’s passion to improve the lives and happiness of a community. I wonder what the party leaders would make of this idealism?

‘In the mid-1940s eminent Viennese sociologist and urban planner Otto Neurath set out an ambitious plan for creating happiness in Bilston. His vision was to create modern homes based on state-of-the-art social housing of 1920s Red Vienna. The end result was Stowlawn estate. This exhibition presents Neurath’s ideas, examples of his famous Isotypes (forerunners of today’s infographics), and memories of people who have lived on Stowlawn Estate over the past 60 years. There will also be furniture, textiles, ceramics and domestic items reflecting the ‘new look’ style of the mid-century era.’

*Cushions, wallpapers and lampshades fabrics by St Jude’s and Mini Moderns

Giving Tuesday Quotes

UK charity Stewardship asked me to design a series of social media typographic images for global day of generosity, #givingtuesday. I wanted the images to be simple, yet colourful and visually engaging so that people may be inspired by not only the words, but the design. Find the other generosity quotes on Stewardship’s Instagram page.

The Good Life Experience

Thanks to Pedlars, I won tickets to go to a unique new festival over the weekend, created by Cerys Matthews and Charlie and Caroline Gladstone called ‘The Good Life Experience‘. It was one day of culture, music, good food and the great outdoors held on the Gladstone estate in Hawarden in Flintshire. On the Friday evening, we were on the guest list at The Glynne Arms to be sung to and have poetry read to us by Cerys, then for a deliciously fresh last-of-the-summer sharing meal put together by Aussie chef Bill Granger. Cerys’ Welsh songs made me very emotional, as it reminded me of my grandma and I was inspired by the Granny Smith apple incorporated into the crushed chive potatoes! After camping overnight, in the morning I did some archery and yoga, met Charlie Gladstone, discovered nice products by Best Made Co. and drank craft beer for lunch with Beer Bods. In the afternoon, we had a coffee brewing masterclass by London coffee roasters AllPress, bread making with Tom Herbert from The Fabulous Baker Bros and shared in the joy of baking vegetable cakes with Harry Eastwood. Around the site were craft tents for learning how to tie knots, stitch tote bags, screen print and even a vintage fairground. The atmosphere in the music tent was lively and this echoed across the festival with lots of families and dogs wandering around, with kids especially enjoying camp fires and activities. Sorry my photos aren’t fantastic but hopefully they show a little taste of the good life.

‘Tumbling Bowls’ Tea Towel

Received delivery of a new tea towel design yesterday. Inspired by mid-century pattern, ‘Tumbling Bowls’ is an 100% cotton screen printed tea towel, now available in the shop.  10% of profits go to help cancer support and research charities.

Super Green Tea Pigs Giveaway

Tea is an amazing drink. Calming, restoring, thirst-quenching and balancing, I find a lot of happiness in putting the kettle on. There’s extra happiness to be found in the various green teas from Tea Pigs. Their handy cartons of Matcha Super Power Green Tea drinks in Elderflower, Grapefruit and Apple are a completely new (and convenient) way of drinking the health-boosting matcha green tea. Blended with juice and spring water, the drinks are really fresh and full of the natural flavonoid energy that matcha green tea contains.

I like to make a ‘Matcha Green Tea & Manuka Latte’ using the matcha green tea powder….

You only need a small amount of the powder in your glass or mug, then use a little warm water to make a smooth paste before adding hot milk and some manuka honey before whisking up using a battery powered whisk. Who needs to go to Starbucks when you can make these?

The whole leaf Mao Feng Green Tea is lovely and clean tasting infused in it’s ‘tea temple’ for no longer than 3 minutes. I like to then add a slice of lemon for a bit of zing!

I have a super green selection to giveaway to one person which includes, 3 Matcha Super Power Green Tea drinks in Grapefruit, Elderflower and Apple, a box of Mao Feng Green Tea, a box of Super Power Green Organic Matcha Powder with a glass, measuring spoon, an AeroLatte whisk and mini badge.

To be in with a chance of winning all of this, please do all of the following if possible…

LIKE Tea Pigs and Fika Print Design on Facebook and SHARE the giveaway link from Fika Print Design’s page.

TWEET “I’m seeing green with the @teapigs giveaway on @onesugarplease’s blog” on Twitter.

UK entrants only please. A winner will be selected at random on 29th August 2014. For all my readers and subscribers, there’s a unique 10% off discount code valid now to use on http://www.teapigs.co.uk until the end of August (excludes matcha kits, cheeky deals and pick & mix) Enter ‘fika’ at checkout.

 

The Affordable Art and Design Fair

For the last few months, myself and other ladies from the Made By collective have been planning and organising an art and design fair to be held in an old light aircraft top hangar. Selecting artists from applications, arranging a pop-up tea shop, and styling the big wide space was a huge task but the day was fantastic. Around 500 people walked through the large open metal hangar doors, cakes sold out by 2pm, dogs pottered around with their owners, and the feedback we had from the sellers and visitors was amazing. Above are some of my favourite photos from the day but more can be seen here.

Earth Oven Baking

I spent last Friday helping to spruce up an old light aircraft top hangar into a creative venue for artisan craft workshops, music, and for the Made By Affordable Art & Design Fair I’ve been organising for the last few months. At the end of a few hours hanging banners, sweeping and painting, the reward of sampling the very first warm, freshly baked bread from the newly built earth oven on site was wonderful. The wood burning earth oven was made by artist/chef Lizzy Bean using cob – a mixture of earth, clay and straw – on top of a cut down tree trunk. Lizzy made some quick but tasty chilli, rosemary and sea salt flat breads and the oven will be used to cook fresh pizzas during events at the Top Hangar this week and on Saturday for the fair. The beautiful willow baskets and servers were made that same day on site by Lodge Wood Basket Makers.

Printing at The Works

Stopped by a local printer’s garage printing studio this morning to help print large fabric banners for the art and design fair I’m helping to organise with the Made By collective in June.

Peter came up with the brilliant airplane style typographic design inspired by the fair’s venue of an old airport top hangar. Already looking forward to going back to ‘The Works’ to print some business stationery and vintage woodblock typographic prints of my own.

The Book Barge

Spotted bobbing side to side at Barton Marina in Staffordshire yesterday was The Book Barge – an independent bookshop operating from a 60′ cruiser stern narrowboat. It has been amazingly converted into a bright, vintage inspired and creatively designed space. As well as books, it even had space for a vintage sofa, kitchenette and two MDF beds! To find out more and even buy the book about how it all came about, visit here.

I’ve been asked if I would deliver a hand-cut paper art workshop on board at some point… watch this space!