ssh! don't tell anyone!

I've got a brand new website and a brand new blog! Come on over, have look around and say hi!

ryo takemasa

I spotted the lovely work of japanese illustrator Ryo Takemasa this morning. 

It remind's me a lot of Charley Harper's work. 

Ryo has a brand new shop where you can purchase his work.

And there's a lot more to see over on his website.

jet set

These prints (spotted on Grain Edit yesterday) from uber-talented designer/illustrator Neil Stevens had me swooning. They are all based on vintage airline baggage tags. I love information graphics as art. They are available to buy here!

the skinny la minx story

I love Heather Moore and everything about her gorgeous print business Skinny la Minx.
But I'd never seen this little promo film she'd made before. It's delightful. Sit back and watch!

say hello to a new bird

Have you noticed any changes around here of late? I've spent an awful long time pondering over what to do about my 'brand'. Having just come out of a year long hiatus (last year involved a lot of moving around) I felt the need for a fresh look and fresh work (coming soon-ish). I have to admit that One Little Bird is not a name I particularly like. I chose it on a whim in about five seconds flat as I knew that if I spent a long time thinking about it, it would never get done. And there's far too many birds on things, aren't there? I've been toying with the idea of just using my own name, but I've finally made up my mind (thank the heavens) to stick with One Little Bird as it's a name I've come to be associated with and I've already spent this long building things up. But something needed to change. I felt the old bird was a bit 'lifeless' (am I the only one who feels like that on a daily basis). I needed something with a little more personality. So here he is. My new yellow birdy.

 He's based upon the old logo, with a few tweaks here and there...

...and I discovered (didn't take a genius) that if I rotate his body on his legs by 45 degrees he looks either ahead or down. His eye can turn in any direction too - watch the header at the top of the blog for a few seconds for the whole shebang. Just these tiny little movements bring him to life and I now feel I have a logo that can be applied to many different things in a myriad of ways (I've already got a germ of any idea for a children's book featuring him). He's starting to appear around the web on my various social media sites and shops.

Anyway, I do hope you like him. I'd love to hear what you think of him and the rest of the changes I've made to the place (another change I've made is that I've shortened my blog name to olbstudio - it's a bit snappier and less stuff to type in). I've got some plans in the pipeline for a new website, but that's turning out to be more of a challenge than I first thought, so not for a while just yet. In the meantime, if you'd like to put a bird on your desktop with a handy reminder of the new blog URL, I've made a desktop wallpaper for you all. Just follow the links for your size and download.

2560x1440 // 1680x1050 // 1440x900 // 1280x800 // iPad // iPhone

make a map

links

Not like I haven't got enough to do already or anything, but I couldn't resist signing up for this course called Map Design: Learn to Communicate Places Beautifully from Anne Ditmeyer on Skillshare. Anne is a graphic designer, consultant, published writer and a longtime contributing editor for Design*Sponge. I've always loved maps; I remember the pleasure I used to take in colouring maps for geography class in school. Although I've made plenty of maps within the course of my design career I was attracted to the course for the challenge of creating a personal hand-drawn map (I don't do enough drawing) within a short space of time whilst at the same time making new contacts around the net. I believe there is always something to be gained from these quick, fun challenges, seasoned designer or not (especially if, like me, you work alone and need a bit of creative social interaction and feedback). There's still time to sign up before the course starts on Tuesday. It's very much aimed at busy people who want to work at their own pace and at just $20 you can't lose!

a little bit of toast

I always love what toast do... have you seen their latest spring lookbook for house and home?

Full of gorgeous imagery... I suspect this shoot took place somewhere like Essaouira in Morocco.

Find more of toast's spring lookbook here.

geometric stitches

A very dear family member is sick and I'm having a slightly strange few days where I'm finding I can't concentrate too much on anything. However, I stumbled across the incredible work of Maria Aparicio Puentes this morning and felt I simply had to share with you. She stitches onto found photographs. I find her work truly inspiring.

You can read about Maria's creative process here.

Oh, and the eagle-eyed amongst you may have noticed that my blog header has changed. I will tell you more about that in the coming days...

fiore magazine

I was very happy to find the second issue of Fiore magazine in my inbox this morning. Flipping through its pretty pages I was inspired at every turn and thinking I really must blog about this. What a surprise and delight then to find my work featured in its Pretty Etsy Shops section! Fiore is brought to you by Rachel Follett of Lovely Clusters fame who has a superb eye for all things beautiful. Make you Monday and prettier place and have a look.

keeping up with inflation

Well, the sales are all finished and I've had a good clear out of the shop. The shelves are looking a little bare, with just twelve prints left after a major purge of my digital collages, but it had to be done. Out with the old and in with the new (coming soon I hope). Regrettably I've had to increase my prices to keep in line with printing and postage costs, but as I haven't increased my prices for nigh on three years now I hope you will forgive me. I do hope you will find a small £1.50 increase to £20.00 still reasonable for a 12x16 high-quality giclee print (around about A3 size). If not, please do tell me... I can only rely on your feedback. I'm also feeling the need to re-brand and re-design my whole look, so stay tuned!

ladies who print

Mary Kate McDevitt

Snowdon

Bunny Pumpkin

I'm taking a short break this week. A few days at my folks house in sunny Lincolnshire while George is away on a last minute business trip in Abu Dhabi. Gives me plenty of time to trawl through reams of inspiration on the internet. Here is a selection of work from three talented lasses who have recently impressed me. Enjoy!

paper wings

As a huge fan of Beck, Jessica Hische and the art of paper cutting I can't think of a nicer thing to share with you. Jessica has recently designed the packaging for Beck's new project Song Reader. One very talented Beck fan in Japan has transformed it into a three dimensional work of paper art.

do the dishes

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6

Lord knows housework is boring enough, especially that most boring of boring chores - drying the dishes! So I'm sure one of these pretties will help matters. And if you simply don't do housework, then hang one on your wall!

lost type

Are you a lover of type like me - appreciate a really good typeface, but frustrated by how much it costs to buy a decent font? Then you will like Lost Type, a pay-what-you-want type foundry, the first of its kind. Founded by Riley Cran and Tyler Galpin, Lost Type distributes fonts from designers all over the world. Users have the opportunity to pay whatever they like for a font, you can even type in '$0' for a free download! Designers are young, up and coming talent, so why not show your support and view the whole range of fonts over on Lost Type.

muncie // pompdour // alexis // cubano // ranger // nelma // mission script

colour for a reason

Spring is just around the corner! No, really it is. But if you don't believe me and you need something to remind you, these gorgeous colour-filled shots from the new spring catalogue by Marimekko should do it!

paula mills home tour

Welcome to another week! Are you snowed in? I hope wherever you are you are warm and safe. Here's something to make us feel warm and cosy. Recently spied on sfgirlbybay, the amazing home of artist Paula Mills. You can see the whole tour here. Be sure to also check out Paula's beautiful work.

fifty five hi's

 

 

I am always in awe and ever so slightly jealous of really super-talented so and so's who manage to master the balance between humour (just read this guy's FAQs) and superbly executed design work. One such so and so is Mr Ross Moody of Fifty Five Hi's. I absolutely adore his gorgeous retro radio print available as an 8x10 letterpress, and retro camera print available as an 18x24 screenprint. There are a ton of other wonderful retro-inspired illustrated and typographic prints in the store. And some really cute Valentine's cards too!

retro ceramics

top: canisters // left: square butterbox // right: jam pot

 I can promise you that I never ever tire of mid-century and retro design! It will be an enduring life-long love for me. I love the simple, fun and colourful designs. Last year I bagged myself a lovely set of Hornsea Heirloom canisters from Good North on Etsy (who was kind enough to throw in a little milk jug too). I've recently been busy designing some patterns (all will be revealed later) heavily influenced by said items and in my research stumbled across this lovely Hornsea design called Springtime. Seems I will have to get my collecting hat on!

intricate

clockwise from top left: love warriors // paper cut invite // doillies shot by Jose Villa // carved eggshells

I'm trying to get back into blogging on a more regular basis (honest). My only real regular activity online in the past year has been via Pinterest which is addictive for me. I've recently pinned some beautiful intricate things and I love this return to really labour intensive handy work. Isn't everything here amazing!

the big january sale

First off I'd like to wish everyone a very happy new year! Welcome 2013!! Goodness, how time flies. Anyone made any resolutions? I can't believe nearly a year has gone by since I was anywhere near what you could describe as active around here. I've kept my shop ticking over, but I haven't had much time to concentrate on it. So I've had a good sort through and think it's high time I dusted off the shelves and had a grand clear out. From the end of January I will no longer be selling my digital collages. They've served me well and been some of my best sellers, but I no longer feel they really relate to what I'm doing anymore, so it's time to say a fond farewell. All my digital collages are now 30% off in the shop, with everything else at 20% off. I'm hoping to start concentrating on producing some new work soon! Oh, and I've also got some potentially exciting projects in the pipeline, but more of that next time.