HelloWilson

I'm a player (or at least a Rookie)

2012-01-20T08:49:00.000-08:00

I'm very excited to have been drafted as a player on Dribbble. A very cool design site which (not knowing much about the sport) I think borrows its terminology from basketball. Anyway you can't just join you have to be drafted by an existing member so I'm pleased to be included.

Here's my page. And my first 'shot'.

It's well worth a snoop around on, there's some great work on there.

Feeling sketchy

2012-01-20T08:39:00.000-08:00

One of my new years resolutions was to do more sketching and so I have been... Here are a few ideas I'm working on.

Redesign

2012-01-19T01:40:00.000-08:00

I decided it was time to give my blog a little spruce up. I hope you like it! I've had quite a lot of fun over the past few days tinkering behind the scenes and designing new headers and backgrounds. I'm probably not completely done fiddling with the design - I still need to design some nice new icons for the side bar - but for now I'm quite happy. Hopefully the overhaul won't just stop at aesthetics either. As part of my resolutions for 2012 I have vowed to be a better blogger and try to post content that is really useful and interesting. I'm working on a few longer, more detailed posts as we speak. Wish me luck!

JaM rebrand

2012-01-06T08:27:00.001-08:00

Before Christmas I completed a rebrand project for a contemporary craft gallery in Eton. JaM Eton has been selling beautifully crafted jewellery, ceramics and glass for the past 17 years and wanted a fresh look to help them attract new customers. The logo had to work in a variety of contexts, both in print and online.

The new look website will launch later in the year, and I'll let you know when it does.

If you have a business in need of branding or rebranding why not take a look at my portfolio and what previous clients have said about my work.

A handwritten letter

2012-01-06T02:44:00.000-08:00

A few months ago I signed up to be included in a great project started by Mary Kate McDevitt called Hand Written Letters.

Mary Kate is drawing one hand written letter a day for the next year. I had almost forgotten I'd signed up when mine arrived. It was a lovely surprise. Here is my letter and the beautifully printed card that came with it:

January Sale

2012-01-03T04:44:00.001-08:00

Just a quick post to tell you that I'm having a January sale in my Etsy shop, including money off my Octotote bag and half price Christmas cards. Hop over there for some new year bargains!

New Year's Resolutions

2012-01-02T03:23:00.000-08:00

Happy New year! I hope you had a lovely holiday and a fun new year, whatever you got up to.

I'm back to work and full of plans for 2012. My Etsy and Folksy shops are now back up and running after the holidays and I'm hoping to be filling them with some lovely new things in the near future.

It's been great to have some time off, away from work and, as is traditional, I've been thinking about my HelloWilson resolutions for this year (I won't bore you with my personal ones to eat 5 a day etc etc.) Here they are:

1. Experiment with new illustrations
It can feel like a very fine line between having an illustration style and just being stuck in a creative rut. Look out for some experimentation with subject, materials, scale and style this year.

2. Do more hands on making
I completely love working for myself but I still feel a little jealous of those people who get to spend all day everyday making. I spend far too much time on my computer and nowhere near enough time getting my hands dirty. This year I will expland the range of products that I sell with a particular emphasis on things I have made myself.

3. Keep a better record of my ideas
Although I'm a habitual list writer and jotter down of ideas I think that a lot of my brainwaves would be better recorded and tested out as sketches. So this year I'm going to be sketching more.

4. Improve my photography skills
I think this one may have popped up last year too and although I have improved my product shots over the year I still feel I have a long way to go. I think it will take a mixture of learning to use my camera more effectively and potentially investing in some extra equipment to give my photos the edge.

5. Be a better blogger
I had a great response to the more indepth blog post I wrote about my experiences as a newbie on Folksy and so I'm aiming to write more posts which might be useful to other people (I've got one about marketing in the pipeline). I'd also like to experiment with guest blogging, more competitions and reviews - rather than just my news.

What do you think of these resolutions? Any tips for achieving them? What are your new year's resolutions for 2012?

Free Sausages with your order

2011-12-14T05:02:00.000-08:00

Don't worry it's strictly a vegetarian offer!

Buy anything from my Folksy shop between now and 19th December (last posting day for the UK before Christmas) and I'll include a free Cecil the Sausage Dog Christmas card for you to send to your favourite relative, like your dog obsessed Auntie Maud.

Merry Christmas! xxx

A Folksy Newbie

2011-12-12T07:56:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago I set up a shop on Folksy. I had been a bit put off it in the past feeling that it didn't come off well in a comparison with Etsy. It didn't look as nice and didn't seem to offer the flexibility that my Etsy shop offered. However, I had also been thinking that a Folksy shop would help me reach more UK buyers, something I felt I would like to do. I had also been feeling that it has become increasingly difficult to get noticed on Etsy - it's so huge and its search functions have become very complex. By coincidence a few days later I noticed Folksy announce a makeover (I love a makeover, my favourite film is Clueless). My decision was made. I set up a shop and haven't looked back.

My shop with the Folksy redesign

Some things I like about Folksy:

• It's smaller than Etsy, I feel like it's easier for a seller to be found and as a customer (I've been doing some Christmas shopping there too) it's easier to find items you are looking for.

This means...

• Better potential for great work to stand out

• Better community feel - I like the featured sellers and products on the homepage

• It looks lovely - the redesign is modern and really shows work off to its best potential and makes your store easier to promote (see the cute blog badge below)

• It's great for targeting local/ UK buyers. My products seem to be selling well to UK shoppers: maybe they get my work or perhaps in the postal chaos of Christmas it's reassuring to shop closer to home

My Sausage Dog christmas card, a best seller on Folksy

• Frankly Magazine (Folksy's online magazine) is also well designed and full of interesting content which supports sellers by both featuring their work and offering inspiration

• I like seller offers, such as the free listings all day that was offered a week last Friday

A product shot from my store

**For some other great Folksy shops have a look at this recent blog post about triangles!**

Room for improvement

• It's a bit slow at times, but I guess this is down to increased traffic and the redesign

• It's not so great on the stats as Etsy. You can set up google analytics but there aren't any internal shop stats

• It feels a little pricier than Etsy where a listing fee is $0.20, compared to 20p on Folksy

A few little quibbles but in general...

It would be great to hear some other opinions about Folksy. Have you got a shop? Are you thinking about getting one? Have you been on for ages? How did the new design affect sales for you? Post a comment!

Hector in glorious technicolour

2011-12-12T06:46:00.001-08:00

Or at least a brand new colourway. I'm very pleased that new into stock is my Hector Goldfish print in a new colourway of teal and gold. The print is a signed, numbered, limited edition of 30 and you can find him in both my Etsy and Folksy shops.

Try triangles

2011-12-09T08:41:00.001-08:00

Continuing my run of posts about lovely products spotted, here is a selection of items from some great Folksy shops. All with a triangular angle (sorry).

Enamel triangles brooch by FinestImaginery

Triangle necklace by Little Peche

Organic clutch purse by Peris and Corr

Blue geometric cushion cover by Thirtyfive Flowers

Make a date...

2011-12-08T09:58:00.000-08:00

Continuing a little series of lovely finds from both Etsy and Folksy. I've picked out some great calendar designs to brighten up your new year.

Snug.Calendar by Snug Studio (Etsy)

2012 Calendar with detachable postcards by Alice Potter (Folksy)

2012 Calendar by Anke Weckmann (Etsy)

2012 Illustrated Owl calendar by Gingiber (Etsy)

I'm also planning a little blog post about my experience so far on Folksy having started my shop about 3 weeks ago.

All wrapped up for Christmas

2011-12-05T10:37:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since I've done a round up of my favourite finds on Etsy, but as Christmas is coming, I thought now would be good time to have a hunt around. Plus, now that I also have a Folksy shop I've included some lovely things from Etsy's UK cousin.

Knitted Candy Stripe Cowl by Amanda Sainsbury (Folksy)

Knit Beanie in Scandinavian Fair Isle Star Pattern by KittyKatPurls (Etsy)

The Chichester by RoyalWindsorKnits (Etsy)

Snood knitting pattern by Atelier TPK (Etsy)

The Lazy Bobble Hat by Dolly Knits (Folksy)

Bound Press

2011-12-01T07:28:00.000-08:00

Here's another wee identity project that I've been working on recently. I was asked to create a brand for a new letterpress project that reflects the simple, strong, bookish style of Bound Press, a new letterpress project. The logo had to be easy to recreate effectively on a press.
If you'd like to see some of my other identity projects you can view them all in one place on my website.

Let it Reign

2011-11-28T10:37:00.000-08:00

I'm really excited to have recently completed a branding project for a new home, gift and lifestyle website called Let it Reign. The site, which launches in the new year, will feature a curated collection of designs from British designers and brands. The focus of the brief was to create an identity which was modern with a sense of both fun and pride in its Britishness.

I'll be sure to update you with a full post about Let it Reign when it launches in the Spring.

If you are planning on branding or rebranding a business why not take a look at my previous work or get in touch for an informal chat about your project. I'd be delighted to hear from you.

Last orders please...

2011-11-28T07:35:00.000-08:00

Nope, I haven't found a second job as a barmaid. It's just a little info on last order dates before Christmas from my Etsy and Folksy shops.

Christmas is creeping up fast and so that you aren’t caught out and get everything you order in time here are the last order dates for your part of the world.

Rest of world*:
Sunday 4th December

Eastern Europe, USA, and Canada:
Wednesday 8th December

Western Europe:
Sunday 11th December

UK:
Monday 19th December

If you do miss these days but would still like to place an order please do contact me. It might still be possible to arrange delivery in time. I’ll do my best.

* Rest of world includes: South & Central America, Caribbean, Africa, Middle East, Asia, Far East (including Japan), Australia and New Zealand

Merry Christmas shopping!

Robins and bobbins

2011-11-22T08:15:00.000-08:00

Just a quick update on a new illustration just posted on Society6. In the spirit of the season I've made a little robin illustration.

I think he looks pretty cute on the iphone and laptop skins. The perfect things to make work a little more festive! If you're not that technologically advanced you can also find him on prints and canvases too.

If you're looking for something cute and festive but birds just aren't your thing have a look at Cecil.

Folksy

2011-11-18T07:42:00.000-08:00

I'm really excited to be opening my brand new Folksy shop. I've just spent the last few hours adding products to it and will be adding more over the next few days. I've timed opening my shop with the launch of a brand new look for Folksy. It looks lovely doesn't it?

Bicycle made for two

2011-11-15T09:05:00.001-08:00

Rachel and Dan asked me to design an invitation for their wedding. Dan proposed after a Lands End to John O'Groats charity bike ride and so the design features two little bicycles. I'll also be doing seating cards, order of service etc soon.

For more images you can have a look at my website.

All wrapped up

2011-11-14T09:10:00.001-08:00

A little while ago I wrote a post about packaging, looking at some great examples of ways people package their products for shipping out to customers. I was also giving some thought to the way that I presented my own products. Well, I thought it was high time I posted an update with some images of what I've been doing to spruce up my presentation.

To go alongside the business cards and postcards I use as promotional tools I made some mini cards which feature little snippets of some of my favourite illustrations. These can be added into smaller packages as well as used as hang tags.

I also made a little stamp of my logo so that I can brand all the envelopes I send out.

I think the next stage might be some sort of little freebie to include in my parcels. What do you think? Do the presentation, packaging and extras of an etsy purchase make you more likely to shop with that designer/ maker again? I think they do for me.

Sausages for Christmas

2011-11-14T08:45:00.000-08:00

I've been feeling more than a little bit Christmassy today after finally photographing and putting live my Christmas card design for this year. This cute little fellow is in honour of my sister who is obsessed with sausage dogs. When she finally gets one his name will be Cecil. This design is really an illustration of her perfect Christmas present.

Anyway I think he's pretty cute in his cosy winter woolly and if you do too you can find him here, either as single cards or packs of eight.

Hope you're enjoying the run up to Christmas, or if not, just the calm before the storm!

All grown up

2011-11-08T08:33:00.000-08:00

Over the last year or so I have spent increasing amounts of time wailing, 'when did we all get so grown up?' at my friends. Everyone seems to be doing very important stuff, getting promoted, buying houses and especially getting married and having babies.

If this sounds like a familar story then you are definitely going to need the new pack of cards in my etsy shop.

It's a mini collection of HelloWilson cards specially for those 'all grown up' moments. Two 'perfect pair' wedding/ engagement cards and two 'yeah' seahorse new baby cards.

Stay tuned my Christmas card will be appearing on the blog and in my shop soon too.

Desks appeal

2011-10-26T09:53:00.001-07:00

I'm moving into a new flat soon and along with a new flat comes a new work space to set up. It's a good opportunity to rethink my desk space and how it helps me to work. I've been thinking about how I'd like this to be set up and have been looking at some examples of lovely desks and studios to get me inspired. A girl can dream!

I'd love it if my desk was not only practical but lovely looking too. I really like the mid century look, with angle poise lamps, dark wood, olive and teal colours and uber cool desk chairs.

Below are a few of my favourite examples, not all of them look very practical but they are beautiful!

I love the colour of this chair. It looks like it would be comfortable too.

I doubt I'll be getting a typewriter any time soon (or even have the space for one) but I love this mid century feeling still life.

Image credits from the top. Via Items by designbird. Via Olive and Joy. Via Mahattan Nest. Via ffffound. Via Design Sponge. From an interview with Jessica Hische via Methodandcraft.com

Totes Amazing

2011-10-25T03:43:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I sent off some of my Octotote tote bags to The Maisonette, home to Made in the Shade. They put out a call recently for tote bag submissions for a pop up exhibition they are doing at the end of the month and I knew I had to enter Octotote.

If you're in the area of the Glue Factory in Glasgow on the 30th October, pop in and have a look. Not only can you see some tote-tastic bags but you can buy them too!

If you aren't going to be in Glasgow, don't despair! You can buy a HelloWilson Octotote from my Etsy shop and you can find out more about the awesome stuff that Made in the Shade do and sell on their website. Hurrah!

Ghosts of Gone Birds

2011-10-14T04:08:00.000-07:00

Just a very quick post about the Ghosts of Gone Birds competition I've entered over on All Tropical. All Tropical has teamed up with Ghosts of Gone Birds to put together an exhibition in which two t shirt designs by independent designers and illustrators will be sold to raise money to stop more vulnerable birds becoming extinct. Everyone can vote for their favourite design on the site and the ten entries with most votes will be judged by Guy Garvey and Jimi Goodwin!

To be in with a chance of my design winning I need you to vote! Hop over to my design and give it some love. Thank you!

And here is the design in question and a bit more about its subject, the Bush Wren.

The bush wren or Xenicus Longipes liked to hop on the ground rather than fly, it liked to nest there too. This was a fine way to live until the introduction of a predator in the form of the rat to their native islands. They were hunted to extinction.

Pumpkin pies and spooky eyes..

2011-10-10T08:45:00.000-07:00

I'm super excited as this month I have a stall on the brilliant Blog&Buy sale. It's such a good idea, every month a new, curated selection of 20 designers and makers get to show their wares in a virtual market. At the end of the month a guest judge (this month it's the lovely Gemma Correll and her trusty pug sidekick Norman Pickles) chooses best in show. You can also head over there and vote for your favourite stall (winner gets a rosette!).

Check out the HelloWilson stall here.

I'm in good company too, some of my favourite stalls include the super cool and brightly coloured prints and cards of Yoke (my other half recently gave me their 'Hip Hip Hooray' card for my birthday) and beautiful geometric necklaces by Rachel Loves Bob.

Image by Yoke

Image by Rachel Loves Bob

The best things...

2011-09-26T04:03:00.000-07:00

...come in small packages. I've been doing some thinking about the way I package my products and marketing materials and have been having fun researching examples of quirky packaging on Pinterest (my favourite way to pull together sources of inspiration and create virtual mood boards).

I really like the idea of sending out little packages with interesting added extras when someone buys from me.

I like this as a way to fasten a brown paper bag.

I really like the way these boxes have a hidden surprise.

From the beginning: Soap packaging by Sweet Petula via The Dieline, shop packaging by Oh, hello friend, packaging by Paloma's Nest, via EverythingEtsy.com, fabric wrapping by Workroom Social, box design by Leslie David for Comme des Garçons, via designworklife

So, I've ordered myself a stamp, taken advantage of the Moo.com sale and ordered mini cards and am going to be experimenting with my supplies of butchers string, brown paper and other exciting bits and bobs. I'll post some pictures of the results.

Great Plaisir

2011-09-05T05:02:00.000-07:00

I'm really pleased to tell you about a design project I've just completed for an ace fashion, design and homeware store in Biggar, Scotland called Plaisir. To celebrate the 2nd birthday of their business, owners Clare and Anthony decided that their logo needed a refresh and I was delighted that they asked me to help. Here's what we came up with:

Plaisir stocks some really lovely things; Robin and Mould cushions (I own the teal dog below); Dee Beale prints and Amari and Yumi women's wear. The shop design looks so bright and colourful. It's the kind of place you could happily spend hours in, noticing all the little creative touches. I love the roll top bath that sits in the shop which has been filled with all kinds of goodies in the past, from Tunnocks Tea Cakes to brussell sprouts.

The other thing I absolutely love about Plaisir are their witty and super creative, typographic window displays.

If you'd like to find out more about Plaisir and browse some of their lovely products you can visit their newly updated and totally gorgeous website. You can also visit Plaisir's blog for such delights as Cake of the week, interviews with some of the creative folk whose work they stock and a few fun facts about Clare and Anthony themselves (did you know they once built a pyramid from nothing but citrus fruit and cocktail sticks?).

All photographs copyright Clare and Anthony at Plaisir.

Greetings!

2011-09-05T04:28:00.000-07:00

Just a quick post to tell you about four new greetings card designs brand new in stock. They include two birthday designs, one featuring a little blue frog and the other featuring a slightly grumpy goldfish - perfect for that special someone who is less than enthusiastic about gaining another year.

The second two cards are a family of seahorses ideal for celebrating a new baby (whether a girl or a boy) and a 'perfect pair' of budgies great for weddings, wedding anniversaries and even Valentines day.

You can already find the first two cards in my Etsy shop with the other two shortly to follow. To celebrate the lovely new products appearing in my Etsy shop treat yourself to a 15% discount in my etsy shop using the code: HURRAYFORAUTUMN

Wedding Belles

2011-08-26T04:20:00.000-07:00

Today I've been to lunch with a good friend of mine to talk about designs for her wedding. I'm really excited to be asked to design her invites etc and have been doing some research into existing wedding stationery.

I thought I'd put together a post showcasing some of my favourites. Pinterest is a brilliant resource for this sort of thing and you can find more examples on my 'Goin' to the chapel' Pinterest board.

I first saw this design a little while ago and think it's amazing! This is a paper record player wedding invite - it actually plays music using a little flexidisk and needle! So incredibly creative. It's by Kelli Anderson. Found via DesignWorkLife.

Another very cool music themed invite. By Ellothere.

I love the unusual colour and shape of this save the date by Nick Brue. Found via DesignWorkLife.
Anything to do with maps always grabs my attention! This idea is from Martha Stewart Weddings.

And finally a couple of things from the ever amazing Rifle Paper Co. Their use of colour is just stunning.

Hopefully before long (and once the invites have been sent!) I'll be able to show you the designs I've come up with for my friend. Scroll down to see the stuff I designed for my own wedding in June.

Funny little (blue) Frog

2011-08-25T05:00:00.000-07:00

Just a quick one about the latest HelloWilson print on the blog. He's a little blue frog available now in my etsy shop where you can find out more information about the little fella.

Stay tuned for news about brand new HelloWilson greetings cards. If you want to be the first to hear all about them follow me on twitter or sign up for my email updates.

Going to the chapel...part two.

2011-07-25T09:28:00.001-07:00

So finally I got round to making a copy of our save the date and wedding invite for Ben and I to keep. Hope you like them.

Save the Date

As with the rest of our print materials our save the date and invites were designed to be low key but a little bit quirky as well as relatively easy and economical to make. The save the date was a single postcard tucked inside a card which we stamped.

Invitation

The invite consisted of two postcards, printed front and back and held together with a kraft paper belly band that featured the name of the guest. As we had a vintage bus to take the guests from the ceremony to the reception venue we found vintage bus tickets online and sent all our guests one. The pig illustration is by my talented husband.

As before, wedding photos by Mark at Image Innovation.

Going to the chapel...part one.

2011-07-21T10:22:00.000-07:00

A little while ago I got married and I thought I might share the printed materials I made for the wedding with my lovely (and patient) other half Ben. As we were planning on a budget (like 90% of people planning a wedding!) we decided to design, print and make all our own stuff from the save the date cards to the drinks menus. Like most people when we were making the invites and save the dates we forgot to make any to keep ourselves. I'm going to make some but haven't got round to it yet. When I do I'll post about them too. For now here's all the printed stuff that appeared at the reception.

I've also included some images from the day, with many thanks to Mark at Image Innovation for his gorgeous photography.

We hired a vintage double decker bus to take everyone from the chapel to the reception venue. A bit of an extravagance but so worth it!

The Favours

We doubled up favours with place cards so that everyone's bag of homemade coconut ice had a personalised label.

Menus

We decided we wanted the design to reflect both of us so we didn't go down the route of using my illustrations. Instead we went for a typographic look which was quite classic and echoed the invites etc we'd already designed (and on a practical note was very easy to produce!)

Party bags

We made little packages of spaceships and lovehearts for everyone to take home. We collected some small blackboards and I wrote some signs in liquid chalk pen. In the next post I'll include some images of out invites, save the dates and order of service.

Everything changes but you...

2011-06-16T09:24:00.000-07:00

Constantine the Chameleon is the lastest addition to my Etsy shop and is part of my Small Pets with BIG Names series. He's available as a high quality giclee print. I think he's pretty cute!

Bows and Sparrows giveaway

2011-06-03T02:20:00.000-07:00

Hello!

I hope you are enjoying the sunshine! I thought I would say hello now as I don't expect I'll be blogging much in the next few weeks. I get married this month! Eek! I have a feeling that preparations will be keeping me pretty busy.

Anyway, I thought I'd let you know about an interview with me plus a little giveaway over at the beautiful design and fashion blog Bows and Sparrows. Go and have a look. I've borrowed a couple of Erin's lovely photographs of my work to give you a tempting sneak peak.

You can enter the giveaway and win one of my Hector Goldfish prints!

New on Etsy...

2011-05-24T08:08:00.001-07:00

Just a very quick update from me. After the popularity of my first original drawings I have just added a new original octopus to the HelloWilson Etsy shop and will be adding a second tomorrow. Each is hand drawn (not a print) and unique!

Sorry for the quick post. I have some longer posts planned. Just need to find the time to write them! x

And the winner is...

2011-05-17T10:16:00.000-07:00

...JaneEatsEdinburgh!! Well done! You win your choice of print: Seahorse! Or to give him the full name you suggested Wilberforce the Terrific Seahorse (this might stick). I am somewhat annoyed that Jane won as she did say in her comment that if she didn't win her print of choice she would buy one. My honesty has done me out of a sale but at least I know he's going to a good home up in Edinburgh! Well done again, I hope you love him!

New work...

2011-05-05T04:41:00.001-07:00

Hello! Just time for a quick work update. Some more goldfish pieces which are part of my pet inspired series. I'm hoping to develop them further over the coming weeks. You can find my Goldfishes print on Society6 and the original Hector postcard is available in my etsy shop.

Seahorse vs Goldfish.

2011-05-04T02:33:00.000-07:00

Strangely my 1000th tweet and my 100th blog post have coincided so, to celebrate, I'm doing a little give away!

**Win! The brand new Hector the goldfish print below or best seller Seahorse.**

What do you need to do I hear you say? Easy...

...just follow me on twitter before Tuesday 17th May and tweet to spread the message to your friends. If you're already a follower, bobs your auntie, you're still in with a shot just tweet about it!

Once you've done that leave me a comment below and let me know which print you'd rather win (Seahorse or Hector the goldfish). I'll pick a winner at random from the comments and messages so don't forget to do that bit! If you have won I'll let you know after 5pm (GMT) on Tuesday 17th May.

The competition is open to anyone worldwide and the prize can be posted to any destination.

Good luck! x

Brighton Rocks

2011-05-04T02:28:00.000-07:00

On Friday I was taken on a surprise trip to Brighton for my hen weekend. We had an amazing time not least because we stayed in the most beautiful house 'The Old Sweet Shop' where each of the rooms were loosely decorated with a sweetie theme.

On Saturday night we had a 'Clashing Brights' dress code. This is me and my sister, Laura rocking out our brights.

It's got me thinking about colour...Here are some of my favourite colourful images:

Stairs via House of Turquoise, Skirt by Jayson Brunsdon, notebooks from Kate's Paperie, dress via Musings on Femininity.

Hand lettering

2011-04-27T01:03:00.000-07:00

I've seen some really lovely examples of hand drawn typography and have been thinking for a while that it's something I would like to experiment more with. So, armed with some grid paper I'm going to have a go - results will be going up here as and when I have something worth posting!

For now and for inspiration here are some of my favourite examples.

From the top: Anya Hindmarch Invitation by Liam Stevens, Happy Birthday cards by Anna Bond at Rifle Paper Co. Submarine poster by Lizzy Stewart, Poster by Hiller Goodspeed, Threadless t-shirt design by Mike McQuade, Invitation by Mary Kate McDevitt.

Calmer Chameleon

2011-04-25T08:11:00.000-07:00

Meet Constantine. He's a Chameleon. The latest in my series of small pets with big names. You can find him on my Society6 page.

I've also put an original hand drawn version on an A6 postcard for sale on Etsy.

Tentacled treats

2011-04-05T02:17:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of new illustrations for you. I decided to try a few more tentacular illustrations last week and these were the results. Both available on Society6.

Octopus in a teacup

Octopus in a bottle

Get inspired

2011-03-29T09:52:00.000-07:00

Some days inspiration strikes. Other times you can work and work at finding a good idea that never appears, only to have it hit you while you’re buying a bottle of milk. I’m constantly envious of people who seem to have more good ideas than they can ever use and I’m always looking for new ways to get inspired. Whenever I'm asked to answer questions by students they always ask which artists and designers inspire me and while I admire the work of countless people sometimes that’s not always the same as being inspired. Sometimes looking at other people’s work has the opposite effect, it freaks me out!

I thought I’d put together a short post listing some of the ways I do get inspired or things that I'm resolving to try! Some are probably really obvious but hopefully at least one will be useful to you! They best thing? They’re pretty much all free! I’d love it if you had any suggestions of your own to add in the comments.

Pintrest - virtual pin boards where you can not only catalogue interesting images that you find on the web but you can view thousands of other people’s too.

Blogs - don’t just read blogs that apply to your discipline, read about all sorts of stuff.
Learning a new skill or technique - nothing helps you think about your work differently than thinking of new ways to create things. Maybe an old idea suddenly seems perfect for a new technique. Admittedly if you want to take an evening class this is going to cost you money but you can do it for free at home from a book or YouTube video.
Behance - has a function similar to Pintrest which allows you add to work to collections that you create yourself.
The library - I don’t think there’s anything more inspiring than all those books and films. Every time I make it my local library I wonder why I don't make the effort more often.
Twitter - ask twitter a question and you’re bound to get an interesting response (providing you’re being followed by more people than your mum and your cat.)
Working to a brief or solving a problem - if you're creating personal work or work that isn’t for a specific client it can be good to give yourself a set of parameters. It can force you to think creatively to solve a problem and get you out of your comfort zone. Have a look at Society6 and Don't Panic for interesting briefs and collaborations.

Ditch your brief! On the other hand if you always work for a client, do something personal and remove every single rule that normally applies.
Pencil and paper - there’s nothing less inspiring than a blank computer screen. Put something on paper, anything. The scrappier the paper the more likely you are to put something on it!
Collaborate - two heads are better than one and working on a project with someone else can't fail get you working in a new way and producing interesting results.
Exhibitions and museums - like blogs, don’t just visit collections that seem most relevant to your area. Go and look at the shrunken heads in the Pitt Rivers, Oxford or Trains in the National Railway Museum, York.
Spider diagrams - I’m obsessed with them! Most of my best ideas come from dumping everything in my head down in a spider diagram. Once you’re on a role something good is bound to sneak out when you least expect it. Some end up being works of art in themselves.

Kitchen Sink Drama

2011-03-03T01:16:00.001-08:00

Just when you thought it was safe to do the washing up...

I've just submitted my very first ever Threadless design. I'd be very happy if you had a spare 5 minute and went over there and voted for it to get printed. The design is called Kitchen Sink Drama and illustrates the perils of doing the washing up.

If you'd like to lend extra support to the design (because you are a very nice and kind person) you can go here and there are lots of things you can tweet or add to your blog etc.

Thank you! x

Meet Walter

2011-03-01T02:23:00.001-08:00

Walter is a budgie and he's the latest addition to my Society6 studio.

Better later than never

2011-02-24T04:00:00.000-08:00

The final design in my set of 4 greetings cards, 'Happy Birthday Cupcake' arrived the other day and is now available in my online shop and on Etsy (for those of you who shop in dollars). Perfect for wishing any cupcake queen (or king) a happy birthday!

Say Hello to Hector

2011-02-22T10:28:00.001-08:00

He's the newest addition to my Society6 collection and I think Hector is rather fetching!

Etsy update

2011-02-21T01:30:00.000-08:00

Hello!
Just a quick post to say that the three new greetings card designs are now up on Etsy. Whoop! I hope you like them.

Greetings!

2011-02-17T00:59:00.000-08:00

Finally! I have some new greetings cards designs finished and available in the HelloWilson shop. Here are the first three:

The fourth design 'Hello Cupcake' should be for sale within a week or two.

Prefer to pay in dollars? These cards will be appearing in my Etsy shop before the end of the week. I'll post again when they're up there.

xx

Adventures under the Sea

2011-02-04T03:04:00.000-08:00

This little seahorse has been popular on society6 for a while and so I've decided to produce an A4 giclee print which is now available in my Etsy shop.

Favourite Etsy finds #5

2011-02-04T02:50:00.000-08:00

In honour of Valentines Day I've made this a heart themed Etsy finds post. Sorry!

Cross my heart yo-yo by Somethingshidinginhere

Rilkean Heart by Chelsea3349

Red Heart Stickers by Knot and Bow

Tiny Puffy Heart Necklace by Michelle Chang Jewelry

Whale of a time

2011-01-26T01:49:00.000-08:00

A new illustration I've been working on. You can find it to buy in my Society6 shop.

Little sparrow

2011-01-13T01:10:00.000-08:00

A new illustration for the new year. The first of a series of bird drawings I've been thinking about.

You can find it for sale on Society6.

Favourite finds #4

2010-12-13T09:41:00.001-08:00

This week: geometric jewels!

Here are three amazing pieces of geometric jewellery for you.

1. Circus tent by nomilktoday

2. 1950's necklace in Peacock by Bake.

3. Stack of cubes by spinthread

Considering hibernation?

2010-12-06T10:01:00.000-08:00

If you're considering hibernation in this cold snap why not not do it style with my new penguin cushion? You can find it on my envelop.eu page.

Not long now!

2010-12-06T04:55:00.000-08:00

Christmas is a coming and today is the last day for certain customers to order from the HelloWilson shop and etsy store.

Last posting days are: 21st Dec for UK orders, 13th Dec for Western Europe, 10th Dec for Eastern Europe, USA and Canada and 6th Dec for Rest of World.

As tomorrow is December 1st...

2010-11-30T10:20:00.000-08:00

It's time for the HelloWilson Christmas card. It's available to buy on my etsy page.

Favourite finds #3

2010-11-24T04:45:00.000-08:00

This week it's just one store that has caught my eye. It's Cosas Minimas (which means tiny things in Spanish). I think these prints are beautiful.

Pppp-pick up a...

2010-11-23T03:31:00.000-08:00

A new illustration for the wintery months. It'll be available to buy via my Society6 store soon.

Favourite finds #2

2010-11-15T09:30:00.000-08:00

Time for another Etsy Favourite Finds. This week I've found my eye drawn to rings...funny that! Here's three of the best...

The first this week is this tiny skull ring, I think he's incredibly cute! He's by Michelle Chang .

Second is this really unusual Rose Cut Diamond ring by Kyle Anne Metals.

Last is this gorgeous Kissing Birds ring by Odette New York.

Favourite finds #1

2010-11-09T09:29:00.000-08:00

I've been spending more time on Etsy recently, getting my own small shop up and running but also having a look around at what else is on offer. I've used etsy in the past but with Christmas and various birthdays coming up, plus a wedding to organise I think I'll be doing more of my shopping on there. I'll also start posting a few sneaky glimpses into my favourites list. Sometimes just one shop full of ace things or perhaps different items based around a theme.

This week is mainly just ideas for Christmas shopping (although it's a bit colour themed too, you might notice I'm a bit obsessed with all things turquoise).

First up Joanna Rutter's super cute Very Tiny Love Birds:

Next, these amazing hand screen printed Sleepy Dog cushions by Robin & Mould:

And finally for today gorgeous Knit Honeycomb Fingerless Mittens by Shmugusta:

And...amazing christmas card of the week is Pets Love Christmas by Gemma Correll, it had to be really:

Pancake Viral

2010-11-05T02:15:00.000-07:00

Here's a little trailer for the new Soul Pancake book. Can you spot my illustration, not once but twice, in there?

You can find out more about the book here.

xxx

You got mail?

2010-11-02T08:18:00.001-07:00

I've been meaning to set up a mailing list for a while and have finally got round to it. There's just time for you to sign up before I send out the mailing. It couldn't be easier. Click here.

And to entice you... There'll be news of how you can get your hands on a little freebie!

Pancake day...

2010-10-26T06:33:00.000-07:00

Here's my illustration in the new Soul Pancake book:

The book aims to tackle some of life's biggest questions and is packed to to gunnels with work from ace illustrators, including Anthony Zinonos (who very kindly took the above photo as my copy is currently residing in East Yorkshire).

The Soul Pancake is out today to buy.

New arrival!

2010-10-22T10:11:00.000-07:00

Fresh into the HelloWilson shop, it's an Oc-tote-pus! Does that work? Not sure. Anyway, they're in my etsy and hellowilson shop now. Have a look.

Etsy shop launched!

2010-10-21T07:06:00.001-07:00

Hello! Just a quick post to mention that the HelloWilson etsy shop has launched! Finally! And this is just the beginning. Expect to see loads more HelloWilson goodies appearing over the coming weeks.

Ready Saltaire-d...

2010-10-20T07:47:00.000-07:00

I've just added a lovely new project to my website. I was asked to redesign the visitors guide for the amazing Salts Mill in Saltaire, West Yorkshire. If you've never been you really should. Not only is it filled with beautiful art books, homeware and gifts but it also features a gorgeous diner and a huge collection of David Hockney work.

I also redesigned the menu for their Espresso Bar:

HelloWilson shop now open!

2010-10-15T05:44:00.000-07:00

I'm very pleased to announce that the HelloWilson shop is now open for business! Hurray! In there you'll find some lovely signed giclee prints and the rather beautiful Storm in a Teacup tea towel which I exclusively designed for ToDryFor.com.

And all in time for Christmas!

There'll be more stuff arriving over the next few weeks.

Comma

2010-10-11T07:04:00.001-07:00

Oxford has been crying out for an interesting gift and homeware shop and now it's got one. Comma open its doors just over a week ago and it's crammed with bright and beautiful gifts, books and prints. Not only have I been busy designing the branding for the shop:

But I also have a thing or two for sale in there:

To read some lovely reviews of the shop and see some better pictures go here and here.

Website update!

2010-10-11T06:50:00.000-07:00

Finally! My website has been updated with lots of the work I've been busy with over the last few months. There's more to come over the next few weeks including work for the amazing Salts Mill in Yorkshire and the opening of HelloWilson's online shop.

Why not go and have a look?

New school year

2010-09-28T06:59:00.000-07:00

Phew it's been a while since I last posted on my blog. A few weeks ago I was seeking air conditioning in shorts and a t-shirt. Now I'm huddled near my laptop in slippers and a woolly jumper. That's right I've returned to Oxford after a year in Rome! But just because I no longer have access to the world's best ice cream doesn't mean the fun is about to stop. Oh no. In a couple of weeks time it's all about to happen. My etsy and Big Cartel shops will finally be fully functioning (after a year of avoiding the Italian post office). To celebrate this I'll have some lovely new items for sale and no doubt a giveaway or two.

I'm also in the process or updating hellowilson.co.uk with all the new work I've been doing over the summer and some sharp new branding.

Keep an eye on the blog and on my twitter feed for more news about everything that's happening over the next month or so. Right better get back to it or I'll never be ready.

Rachel x

Anchor deux

2010-07-13T01:07:00.001-07:00

On more quick piece of work. Available to view and promote (!) on Society6.

New on Society6 - t-shirts

2010-07-12T08:28:00.000-07:00

I've just got round to adding some t-shirts to my store on Society6. Here are the first three. With the new reduced shipping prices on S6 you can get a t-shirt for £20 including shipping. Hurrah!

Anchors away

2010-07-09T06:49:00.001-07:00

One more new bit of work for today...

Antlers away

2010-07-09T02:54:00.000-07:00

A finished illustration is now available on Society6. I might get round to doing something for envelop.eu in the near future too. More new illustrations heading you way soon.

Cheers xx

Antlers and anchors

2010-07-02T01:07:00.000-07:00

A couple of pieces of new work in progress from this week.

Discarded heart

2010-06-30T06:49:00.001-07:00

I've been going through a few old illustrations and found this half finished heart drawing. I think I'll make a stab at finishing it this week. I'll let you know how I get on and show you the results later.

Tangled up in...red

2010-06-21T06:48:00.000-07:00

I've just noticed that the limited edition print of my illustration of the collective noun A tangle of octopuses is available to buy through the Owl and Lion Gallery website. Have a look and check out the 14 other ace illustrations while you're at it. I love A stereoscopy of cyclops by Emily Chappell and Jez Burrow's A hush of librarians.

And since I've only revealed a sneak peak so far, here's the original design for A tangle of octopuses (although for the purposes of the exhibition the shade of red was changed so all the prints were made in the same colour):

Storm debuts at Pulse

2010-06-16T04:48:00.000-07:00

Here's few pictures of Storm in a Teacup in its debut appearance at Pulse trade show. The ToDryFor stand looked totally amazing. You can read more about the making of this vision in washing up sponge over at their blog.

Owl & Lion and Octopuses

2010-06-08T02:17:00.000-07:00

Recently I illustrated the collective noun 'a tangle of octopuses' as part of an experiment organised by all sorts to find new collective nouns. I'm excited to announce that the print is going to be featured in an exhibition of collective noun illustrations being held at Owl & Lion Gallery in Edinburgh from 15th to the 27th June. The design is going to be screen printed in 3 colours and a very limited edition of A4 prints will be for sale at the exhibition. The print will also be featured in a hand screen printed artists book.

Here's a sneak preview of a part of the design...

Win win win!

2010-05-27T07:10:00.000-07:00

No, it's no Storm in a Teacup! You really can win a fantastic prize. All you have to do is become a fan of HelloWilson on facebook before Monday and you could be in the running to win your very own Storm in a Teacup tea towel courtesy of the ever amazing ToDryFor.

Stormy weather...

2010-05-26T03:17:00.000-07:00

It's finally here! I'm incredibly excited to announce that my tea towel design Storm in a Teacup is now available to buy exclusively at ToDryFor. ToDryFor are just the most fantastic purveyors of all things tea towel and I'm so happy to be collaborating with them and joining the list of ace designers and illustrators they have already worked with (Rob Ryan, Gemma Correll and Julia Pott to name but a few).

So, hoist the main sail, batten down the hatches and set sail for washing up joy over at ToDryFor!

New work update

2010-05-21T03:20:00.000-07:00

Phew! It's been a busy week. Just a quick post to say that I've posted a new piece of work on Society 6 and Behance. Why not have a look if you get 5 minutes?

Sicilia!

2010-05-12T01:08:00.000-07:00

I had a fab time in Sicily, it's the most spectacularly dramatic island bursting at the seams with wildlife and, in the east, smoldered over by active volcano Etna. We visited all kinds of towns, cities and archeological sites and we even managed to survive hiring a car!

I'm currently working on a small personal project inspired by the fish market in Catania, the most amazing that I have ever seen. In the meantime here's a sneak peek at some of the photos I took:

Illustrating Bosnia and Herzegovina?

2010-05-12T00:06:00.000-07:00

I've become a contributor to the ace illustration project Illustration Rally which describes itself as "a massive international rolling collaboration which takes a theme and runs with it!". Having already brought together designers and illustrators from all over the shop to illustrate the alphabet they are now attempting to illustrate the world, starting with Europe. In a lottery style draw I got Bosnia and Herzegovina - not the easiest I'm sure you'll agree - but I can't wait to get going researching and designing.

If you are particularly knowledgeable about Bosnia and Herzegovina please don't hesitate to give me a shout!

Octoprint...

2010-05-11T03:41:00.000-07:00

I've just added a new design to Society6. It's available to buy as a print in 3 different sizes.

Laptops and iphones

2010-05-10T00:12:00.001-07:00

Hiya!

Back from my holidays now. Just a quick message to say that my seahorse design is now available as a laptop and iphone skin on Society 6.

New design on Urban Outfitters

2010-04-29T00:39:00.000-07:00

Just a quick one to mention that my Seahorse design has been selected for the Urban Outfitters print shop.

I'm off on my holidays in Sicily tomorrow but expect some exciting photos when I get back!

New post on Society6

2010-04-26T01:27:00.001-07:00

My seahorse design is now available on Society6.

Envelop gets crabby

2010-04-21T23:48:00.000-07:00

My popular crab design is now available as placemats from envelop.eu too. I think they're sold in sets of 2. Why not scuttle over and have a look?

p.s if you have a vision for applying one of my designs to an envelop item leave me a comment and I'll look into it!
x

Keep calm in the kitchen...

2010-04-21T01:46:00.000-07:00

...with my new seahorse apron available from envelop.eu now!

Another new drawing

2010-04-21T00:59:00.000-07:00

A new drawing I've been working on. Maybe a bit wonky now I'm looking at it but I think a few more moth images are on the cards...

Scoot cushion finds a home

2010-04-19T00:39:00.000-07:00

A quick snap of my Scoot cushion design (available from envelop.eu) in its new home.

New drawings

2010-04-16T05:39:00.001-07:00

A few new drawings of seahorses that I'm planning to work on over the next few days.

Notcotness

2010-04-15T06:24:00.000-07:00

Today my work for Urban Outfitters was featured on Notcot. Really exciting!

Paris!

2010-04-11T06:23:00.000-07:00

Mon dieu! How fantastic are the new Paris tea towels designed by Darling Clementine for ToDryFor?

I've been busy designing some packaging and a promotional postcard for the range. It's up on my website now. Why not go and have a look?

Urban Outfitters print now live!

2010-04-01T08:34:00.000-07:00

The brand new prints site on Urban Outfitters has gone live. Here's my original design for them.

They are also featuring 3 other of my designs:

Toot
Scoot
Science Illustrated

Brown paper blog

2010-03-29T06:50:00.000-07:00

Ace design blog brown paper bag have been kind enough to write a lovely piece about my work. You can read it here.

Urban Oufitters/Society6 collaboration

2010-03-29T02:23:00.001-07:00

I've been pretty busy over the last few weeks after I was asked to take part in a collaboration with Urban Outfitters and Society6. I have been creating a design that will be for sale through Urban Outfitters. The theme was 'secret places' and my work is now up on Society6 and on my website.