hoard or collect - christmas baubles

Some of these are from my childhood, others we've picked up here and there. I don't recall a year passing when we haven't added another bauble or decoration to the collection. I photographed these as I packed away after Christmas 2013, so this isn't quite everything that we have to adorn our tree this year. I'm not sure yet when we'll get the tree up, we're usually quite last minute in this house. But if you're keen to see how it'll look, I imagine it won't be too different from how it was here, just a little more on it!

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art in aarhus

How time flies, we've been back home over a month and I'm only just sharing this! So unless you follow me on Instagram you won't know that we spent a couple of weeks of September visiting Denmark and Sweden. We hung out in Aarhus [Denmark's second largest city] a pretty nice place to hang about, we immediately felt at home there but that might have been more to do with staying in a really nice neighbourhood in a great apartment we found on airbnb. That and the huge modern art gallery that's ARoS [where all these images were taken] and the great shops full of oodles of beautifully designed things that I wanted to fill my case with and bring home, plus some really good coffee along the way.  

Art by Ebbe Stub Wittrup, Wes Lang, Ron Mueck and others.

garden moodboard - september 2014

September has been a busy month for us, first a much needed holiday [which I'll post about soon] and then a friends wedding. We've not spent as much time outside in our garden as in other months, though when we have I've enjoyed the colours so much, the vibrant dahlias, chrysanthemums and pelargoniums are just so prolific and zingy.

[Each month I join Karin and Åsa in this series of monthly moodboards].

lately

• tiles in an old cambridge bank
• delicious brunch from here
• more of those tiles
• looking up, the shower scene
• weekend breakfast at home, part 1 and 2

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lately

• so many quince
• nice spot for a friday drink
• looking up in that same place
• honesty box bouquets from D
• wild flowers dance in the breeze

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lately

This past week or two there has been a change in the light, have you noticed that too. Autumn days are upon us.

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garden moodboard - august 2014

We didn't seem to see much of our garden this August, a combination of being busy and crap weather at weekends. I've heard others say what a wonderful summer this was, but I certainly didn't seem to notice! Still the garden has enjoyed the rain and we haven't had to spend our evenings watering like we did in July. I love the peachy pinks, and fiery oranges out there especially in the dahlias and pelargoniums.

[Each month I join Karin and Åsa in this series of monthly moodboards].

the creatives - vittoria drago

I'm really pleased to be able to introduce you to another wonderfully talented person as part of my series 'the creatives'. Please meet, Vittoria Drago a super talent young lady from Italy. I love the marks she makes, her bold use of colour and the sense of nature and movement within her work.

Please tell us a little about yourself and what you do?  

Hey :) my name is Vittoria but everyone calls me Vicky. I grew up in a lovely town in northern Italy called Bergamo, and it is there that, after spending some amazing years in Valencia, Spain, I currently live and work. I have to confess that my love for Spain is so strong that I wouldn't mind moving there for good at some point ;) 
It is impossible for me to limit my creativity to a unique medium. My very eclectic approach seems to be constantly mixing up certain recurring elements like textures, materials, repetition, light and colour. Art is for me a means for inner contemplation and analysis that won't stop until it has left its "mark", hatched, scratched, dented and repeated, as if it were a ritual. Wood is for sure my favourite medium.

What's the first thing you remember creating and how old were you? 

When I was little I used to spend my summer holidays on the mountains, in a stunning place by a lake and I remember taking long walks in the woods. When I was about 12 I started to actually get my hands on little logs of wood, carving simple geometric shapes on them with my tiny red pocket knife. As I grew and became more confident with my special tool, I started to carve my friend's names on them. Their reaction in receiving those simple presents was priceless, and it was probably the very reason why I developed such love for the "hand made".

What are you working on at the moment?

Right now I am creating a personal fanzine that's all about my one and only muse: Nature! The title is "NATURE is an ARTIST". In there you'll find original prints, sketches, pictures of my land art pieces, thoughts and inspiring quotes written using part of my collection of dry transfer lettering. The fanzine will come with a precious hand printed super tote bag! What a treat! ahah

Where do you look for inspiration? 

Natural landscapes are my favourite open air galleries. In there I can find an infinite variety of shapes, textures and colours. It's an inexhaustible source of inspiration, nature never fails to amaze me. I'm very fascinated by the subjective tensions that arise between inner and outer landscapes. I collect all my favourite views here and here.

What are your favourite magazines, and blogs? 

Oh I'll try to minimise the list. I love Mousse magazine, Cura, Apartamento, Uppercase journal. Lately I have been appreciating cooking magazines too, I love Bon Appétit and especially Fricote Magazine. I often buy old magazines and books at car boot sales too, it's in there that the best surprises hide ;) 
My favourite blogs at the moment are: nice kind of blue, intelligent clashing, fine little day and uppercase magazine.

If you could collaborate with anyone (living or dead who would that be)?

I appreciate and value the work of so many artists... I really can't pick one! Generally I love spending time with sensitive and all round creative people. I surely would cherish time spent in printing workshops or with old artisans to observe their wise hands. I would also love to collaborate with land artists or landscape architects, anything that allows me to be in nature, really!

Do you sell your work? If so where?

I have a little online shop on tictail.it where I sell prints and original artworks, but I'd much rather have a direct contact with the people that appreciate my work, and for that reason you can often find me at local 'hand made', art or illustration markets. I do my best to always come up with new things! Oh btw, if anyone is around the Bergamo area on August 31st and fancies a groovy afternoon, I suggest you come and see mine and the others' exciting stalls at FACTORY MARKET. It's going to be gooooood.

Where can we find you, do you have a blog or website?

• website
• Facebook
• Instagram
• email vittoriadrago@gmail.com

Thank you Vicky, for taking part in this series of interviews, it's been a pleasure getting to know a little more about you! 

Be sure to take a look at Vicky's website, where there is much more to see than I'm able to show here and check out her favourite views, they really are stunning - enjoy!

lately

• we ate well at DF Mexico last sunday
• we crossed the bridge [and remembered how it used to wobble]
• my shoes matched the flecks in the tarmac
• we visited Tate Modern
• if you haven't and you can, go see Matisse's cut outs
• H E L L O !

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lately

• our courgettes are out of control
• found a little cone
• contrast, in the station car park 
• tropical Embankment gardens
• a single swan on the river
• fish and chip suppers, an end of the week thing

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lately

• eyes on Redchurch Street, London
• Lucy Sparrow's corner shop
• mail from France
• cycling selfie 
• succulents from Judith of the wonderful blog JOELIX
• apple season is upon us

Do you know the artist behind the eyes? I'd love to credit them.

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lately

• love the way nature takes hold
• eye-eye! from H&M
• gas holder love
• cycling selfie
• posh coffee at nude espresso
• friday fish and chips spot with my love

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lately

• a wall in London, somewhere
• sweet peas from the garden
• summer evenings
• walking last weekend with D and his mum
• sunshine over the Thames

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garden moodboard - july 2014

July looks a riot of colour here, but in reality the blooms are few and far between. Much like last year, July seems to be a little lacking in the actual garden, perhaps that's to do with the baking heat we're had compared to other months.... or do you find there just isn't so much in bloom come July? Let's hope things pick up in time for August. 

[Each month I join Karin and Åsa in this series of monthly moodboards].

lately

• looking down in Wapping
• an evening cycle
• pretty door in East London
• the ducks enjoying hanging out by the veg patch
• we celebrated summer
• strawberries from the garden

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