Market this weekend

 























It's that time again. Boscombe Vintage Market. That's on saturday! In the meanwhile we're off to see one of our favourite bands play! Pray for dry weather, please.
  Have an awesome weekend and if you live local, or even semi-local, do pop by my market stall....oh there's rumoured a ukulele band to accompany the sound of fervent shoppers too!


 Talking of music..... here's something to help kick start your weekend early! 
A piece of ol' good time fun!

THIS LITTLE PLACE I KNOW (no.2)

ROSENDALS TRADGARD CAFE
Djurgården, Stockholm, Sweden

On the island of Djurgården, in central Stockholm is this lovely place, Rosendals Cafe. When I visited with my friend, a native Swede, it was the most wonderful kind of shelter from the summer rain. A field of courgettes pointed the way, before the apple orchard and the dahlias. 

Rosendals Trädgård is a organically cultivated open garden, with a cafe/bakery and shop.

My photographs perhaps do not do it justice. But if you're ever in Stockholm, it's a lovely place to spend a lazy afternoon, whatever the weather. 

Have some lunch and a bottle of Nils Oscar beer!

MIDSUMMER GREETINGS

Happy Midsummer! Glad Midsommar!
This time last year it was toasty warm and me and my better half celebrated midsummer with a bbq on an empty beach. This year is not bbq-ing beach weather.
I am unsure when and why i adopted the celebrating of the Summer Solstice in my own small way, it's not something us English whole heartedly do as a rule of thumb, though i know some regions do, and good on you!.
As you may see from my goat playing the lute, titled 'Glad Midsommar', the inspiration i take is derived from the Swedish festivities. I think the seed was planted in my mind the year i spent midsummer in Sweden, nine years past....
 Anyway, go, be merry, spend time with nature, loved ones; dress with wildflowers, and eat pickled herrings......

(Ps. More animals playing musical instruments... i know, i know... it's beginning to become an obsession.)

THIS LITTLE PLACE I KNOW (no.1)

This blog was begun and, in general, is a show-and-tell for my illustration work. 

However, i thought that from time to time i may sprinkle it with other inspirations, interests and passions. The first being this. ‘THIS LITTLE PLACE I KNOW’. 

The title is self explanatory, and obvious.... and on the most part cringe-worthy and conceited when said aloud... but hey, let’s roll with it! 

So, there's this little place i know.....

THE SPRIG & FERN

Milton St., Nelson, New Zealand

  Where do i start? The Sprig & Fern Tavern shall forever be etched on my memory. 

A place where they serve craft beer (and great local wines) from somewhere that looks like someone’s house on a residential street. Where you can order food platters to go with your Pale Ale or Tasman Lager, or if you fancy fush ‘n’ chups you can pop next door to the fish and chip shop, place your order, head back to the pub and they’ll deliver your food to you!!!!

   It’s a place you can and will end up talking to anyone. In one evening alone I spoke to some folks from the local newspaper, the ex-coach of the Tasman Makos (rugby) and was invited to play in a 'soccer' match the following morning. (Never quite made that one!)

There was a meat raffle, and i’d never felt so welcome in a room full of strangers.

  It was nearly 3 years ago that i visited, becoming a regular for a week in late Autumn, and i do hope it is still the same there. Since then they have expanded to 5 taverns in the local area, serving the local communities!

The one i’m talking about is located on Milton St., Nelson.

Did i mention they do takeaway beer too?!

So if you’re ever in the area......

Badgers and other NEWS!

This little fellow keeps popping up but, although a dead cert for Valentine's, he's intent on spreading the love throughout the weeks and seasons of the year! (Here in the form of an oversized hand screenprinted greetings card!)

Now, that Badgers are good lovers and even better banjo players should not come as news to anyone... but the fact that I'm currently designing a logo for a little store on the southeast coast of this sometimes fair isle should!
The store sounds like it will be amazing, and the proprietor has some wonderful stock and people lined up... alas I cannot share too much at present, suffice to say that it involves a lion with a penchant for the sea.
More soon.
Plus i've decided to (attempt to) begin a few regular features to keep you lovely people interested! The first one will be posted in the next day or two!
Cheers

VINTAGE & CRAFT MARKET, TAKE TWO!

Here are some photographs of last weekend's Boscombe Vintage Market, and my wares on sale!
Again met some lovely folk.... especially a very fine bearded fellow in a Magnolia Electric Co. t-shirt and his lady friend, who came to buy a bear with a ukulele... unable to find the real thing they headed home with a screen print of said animal and instrument instead!
Though it was quieter than the month before, the market was fun and I shall be back next month.
The next one is on Saturday July 2nd! Come along if you can!

As I've mentioned before I'm being a little lame on opening an online store, however if you see anything on here that you may like to purchase or enquire about then please contact me on the email address listed on the adjacent panel!