Greeting Cards Now In Urban Outfitters

Yay! A selection of our "Don't Be Blue, Scratch and Smile" are now available in Urban Outfitters, both online and in stores. 

Here's a glimpse of the selection of greeting cards, find them by click through the link in photos:

I AM A X Shop At The Museum at Le Bon Marché

Bonjour Paris! Together with Shop At The Museum we have created 3 brilliant set of pencils for their Paris pop up at Le Bon Marché.

The pencils are all in French including our favourite things about France - pâtisserie, joie de vivre and the Paris Métro.

1. Joie De Vivre Pencil Set

The joie de vivre pencil set have many of the french daily life we love. This includes:

• Bruncher

• Bouquiner

• Paresser

• Danser

• Chiner

• Embrasser

2. Pâtisserie Pencil Set

The pâtisserie pencil set have all our favourite French pastries. This includes:

• Tarte aux fraises

• Paris-Brest

• Mont-Blanc

• Madeleine

• Macaron

• Eclair

In the process of designing these pencils and shooting the below photo, we gobbled many macarons from our all time favourite Pierre Hermé. They always have the most innovative and cool flavours of macarons - jasmine tea, mandarin and olive oil, chocolate and earl grey tea are divine.

3. Paris Métro Pencil Set

Our favourite Métro stations in Paris. The thing about Paris Métro stations, every Métro station has a different decor or different theme. We love cruising along the Métro lines, as some stations are just like visiting a museum, a piece of art in its own right.

Like our London Underground Pencil Set, the Paris Métro pencils the colour of the lines and their interchange foiled onto HB pencils.

• Odeon

• Saint-germain des Près 

• Opera

• Bastille

• Invalides

• Louvre-Rivoli

These are all Limited Edition designs, and could only be purchased directly from Shop At The Museum at Le Bon Marche between now and Christmas. A great souvenir and gift from Paris!

As the famous saying goes from the movie Sabrina by Audrey Hepburn - Paris is always a good idea!

Meet : The Clever Badger

Becca + Lewis : The truly Awesome duo behind The Clever Badger

It's our honor to have the cutest catch up with our stockist and collaborator : The Clever Badger an online gifts and greeting cards company supporting independent designers. You will never run out of fun, goof, laughter and warmness with this adorable couple : Becca and Lewis , the duo behind the brand and the brains behind the pencils which we collaborated with for The Clever Badger Boxes including "I NEED COFFEE", "FUDGE OFF" and "I HATE MONDAYS". 

Beyond the giggles, we explored a long admirable trait that we loved about The Clever Badger - running a business together as a couple. And then of course ... fun ... carpool karaoke ... sarnies ... upcoming trends... so read on.

I AM A : THIS MAY BE A CHICKEN AN EGG QUESTION - DID THE BUSINESS NAME "THE CLEVER BADGER" COME FIRST OR THE CONCEPT OF THE BUSINESS ?

Becca : We had the concept of a design gift shop first and the name came second. We spent many afternoons trying to concoct the perfect name, I remembered Lewis thinking of a really  good suggestion ( for the life of me, I can't remember what this was ) and so I rubbed his chin and called him a clever badger ! Cringey pet names are a big thing in this household I'm afraid. 

I AM A : WHAT ARE THE TOP 3 TIPS YOU CAN SHARE WITH US ON RUNNING A BUSINESS AS A COUPLE ?

Becca : Our top 3 tips are :

1. Remember to have some down time. We normally go for a walk in the woods near our house if we're getting a bit stir crazy !
2. Always listen to each other and spend time checking in with each other. Our TCB ( The Clever Badger ) mostly meeting always features a slice of cake .
3. Always remember to have fun together. We do tend to have a weekly nerf gun battle !

I AM A : WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SANDWICH AT ALL TIMES ?

Becca : Fish finger sandwiches with mayo have to be my favourite!

Lewis : Roast beef & onion baguette!

I AM A : WE ARE JUST OVER 3 MONTHS AWAY FROM CHRISTMAS . WHAT DO YOU THINK WILL BE THE KEY CHRISTMAS GIFT TRENDS THIS YEAR ONLINE ?

Becca + Lewis : We do believe the pin and patch trend will carry on going. It really seems as if it's here to stay for 2017. Another big trend is the hygge way of living, any accessories or lifestyle gifts the encompass the relaxing nature of the Danish living style will be key for Christmas. 

I AM A : For carpool karaoke, which song / songs will you be singing ?

Lewis : Dolly Parton (any song) or Majestic by Wax Fang

Becca : Anything Abba related or KISS! I think we might have the weirdest taste in music ever…

I AM A : Which is your favourite : Rainbow / Unicorn / Fries ?

Becca : Rainbows! I’m a colour magpie

Lewis : Fries !

I AM A : Favourite Quote of the Day ?

Lewis : I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul

Becca : Not today Satan! (You can tell who the intellectual is) haha ...

Thank you to Becca and Lewis , for all your time for the interview. It's been such a pleasure and nothing but fun. Thank you for the pictures too. We love them !

#Dontmissout on all the curated colorful goodness from this adorable duo by following their store and social media updates : 

• Website :  http://www.thecleverbadger.com
• Instagram : @thecleverbadger
• Twitter : @thecleverbadger
• Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/thecleverbadger
• Pinterest : https://uk.pinterest.com/thecleverbadger/

Best piece of wisdom : "Always remember to have fun together" + have Cake ! 

How to Make A Pimm's Cocktail

The last few days we have been very lucky in London with the temperature soaring - it may seem that F-I-N-A-L-L-Y, we have the first signs of some warmer weather. After an April month of cold rain drizzles, think it's about time the sun makes an appearance: Hello Sunshine! 👋☀️

With the blazing heat, and temperatures up to 26 degrees (apparently today being the hottest day in the UK to date for the year) , apart from ice creams to cool us down, think it's also time for the great British Pimm's cocktail. A refreshing summer cocktail perfect for any parties. 

Here's how to make a Pimm's cocktail. Our recipe is as follows:

Ingredients: (per single serving)

• 1 Part Pimm's Summer Cup
• Mint Leaves
• Few slices of Peeled Cucumber
• 3 Parts of Lemonade
• Few segments Orange
• Few slices of Strawberries

Method : 

• Cut a cucumber in half. Using a peeler, peel the cucumber into long lengthy stripes. (Alternatively, you may slice the cucumber into little rounds, depending on how you would like to decorate your cocktail glasses).
• Crush the mint in the cocktail glass.
• Add some ice. 
• Add 1 part of Pimm's.
• Add the orange segments, strawberries and cucumber slices.
• Top the drink with 3 parts of Lemonade, give it a good stir. Add a straw of your choice. We find the straws from Tiger , yup that stripey gold straw in the pictures is pretty cool. 👌

Cheers! Enjoy and Sip happily. 🍹 

Other Variations : 

• For a non alcoholic cocktail, you may swap out the Pimm's with a cold brew iced tea.
• For a lovely ice cold dessert, the above recipe can be turned into alcohol / non alcohol pops. Simply freezing the above in ice lollipop trays to make frozen ice lollies. Strain the fruit if you'd prefer a smooth ice lolly. 😋

If like us, you are a fan of this British cocktail, we have created some pencils which we have foiled both sides; one side with the Pimm's cocktail ingredients, and the other side to make the cocktail. Recipe by your hand at all times. The pencils are available at Anthropologie or in our online store (by clicking the link below).

Meet : Shop At The Museum

Shop at the Museum Christmas Pop Up at La Gaîté Lyrique, Paris - Photo courtesy of Yannick Debain.

It's our pleasure to introduce our latest stockist in Paris : Shop At The Museum www.shopatthemuseum.fr . What's best - we caught up with the founder Virginie Martin-Robin, to learn more about being a founder, museums, gifting, christmas and cakes in Paris and most important of all, to know about their latest Christmas Pop Up collaboration at La Gaîté Lyrique, Paris.

I AM A : What was the idea behind setting up Shop At the Museum ?

Virginie : During my travels all around the world, I love visiting all the museums' gift shops. I always thought how great it will be if we can find all of them in one place! Et voilà!

I AM A : Which museum is your favourite ?

Virginie : Le Musée de la vie Romantique ... so parisian :)

I AM A : Which museum gift store is your favourite ?

Virginie : Shop At The Museum www.shopatthemuseum.fr , because I can see and shop all the products from all my favourite museum shops!

I AM A : Soon it will be Christmas. What's the most important Christmas tradition for you ?

Virginie : Eating gingerbread and Christmas star biscuits!

I AM A : For picking gifts, what are important things you think about / features in gifts that you look for ?

Virginie : The designers, the illustrators. If the person who created the product have a good soul... it will be a good gift for sure.

I AM A : being a founder of Shop at the Museum, is that very different to what you want to be compared to your childhood dreams ?

Virginie : I am reaching step by step to my childhood dreams.

I AM A : If someone want to startup a business what will be your key advice to them ?

Virginie : Start! You will change your ideas many times during working, meeting people, and working with them. Trust your own skills, and find people who have different skills to yourself - that is the best way to improve yourself and the business.

I AM A : We love paris. Which is your favourite bistro and the best place to meet up with you?

Virginie : My canteen is Rose Bakery at Le Bon Marché. ( I am waiting for our lunch, Charmaine ). For work meetings, I like to be on the second floor at Le Café de Flore.

I AM A : Tell us more about your latest pop up project ?

Virginie : From 2nd of December 2015 until 3rd January 2016, Shop at the Museum has a Christmas Pop Up in Paris, at the shop at La Gaîté Lyrique.

The address is 3 bis rue Papin, 75003 Paris.

Shop at the Museum Christmas Pop Up Products Display at La Gaîté Lyrique, Paris - Photo courtesy of Yannick Debain. In this display, products include : Keith Haring Dominoes, Ich et Kar trays, I AM A Morse Code Pencils, Le Chocolat Des Francais chocolate and many many more very colourful and fun items. Shop Now at Shop at the Museum, and don't miss out to visit the store at La Gaîté Lyrique!

#Dontmissout on this special Christmas Pop Up in Paris and Follow Shop at the Museum :

• Website :  http://www.shopatthemuseum.fr
• Instagram : @shopatthemuseum
• Twitter : @shopatthemuseum
• Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/shopatthemuseum
• Pinterest : https://www.pinterest.com/shopatthemuseum/

Carsten Höller : Decision

There's always plenty to do in London, but often requires some planning ahead, especially when a large number of activities require advanced booking.

Decisions! Decisions! Carsten Höller's exhibition titled "Decision" is definitely the best decision to plan ahead as an activity to do this summer. (We tried on a June Saturday to see if we can get last minute tickets - no luck). There's a silver lining : soaking up the open air market atmosphere, along with a Pimm's and a stroll along the banks! 

Photo courtesy of Hayward Gallery, Southbank Centre for "Carsten Höller : Decision"

The exhibition is never short of FUN and WIT. Ever so engaging that my 12 year old self decided to repossess me again, chuckling with curiosity, wanting to touch everything. As soon as we are allowed to touch something - green lights would definitely flash in my head and hands, gushing "wow" every step I took and of course: pure exhilaration. 

This is truly an immersive exhibition, you can fully engage with the exhibits (or did we transform ourselves as part of the exhibits too)? 

Rarely do we fear of missing out "FOMO", if anything, this will be one of them. So, book your tickets now and don't miss out on the exhibition. It's on from now till 6th September, 2015 at Hayward Gallery, Southbank centre.  

Check out the gift store, that's part of the exhibition is full of very colorful and fun goodies perfectly curated for the exhibition. (There's even chocolate too! Yay!)

We are ever so grateful to Southbank Centre once again. It has been a wonderful collaboration to work together to produce a set of customised pencils sets for such an amazing exhibition! These pencils, namely "Choice Words" are only available at Southbank Centre for limited quantities. Rainbow shades, and meaningful words when making a decision in matte silver foiling. 

If you are unable to make it to the exhibition (which will be a huge shame), you will also be able to pick up these pencils online at the Southbank Centre shop via this link.

Tickety Boo!

P.S. We love every single detail in the exhibition. Don't forget to check out the "Hayward Gallery" building sign on the exterior of the building. Even that has something "changed" to suit the occasion! Delightfully apt.

The Secret Life of The Pencil

Photo courtesy of PaulSmith.co.uk for "The Secret Life of The Pencil" by Alex Hammond . Mike Tinney

This is an open secret that must be shared. From May 20th to June 3rd, the Paul Smith store at 9 Albermarle Street, Mayfair, London, will be hosting an exhibition called "The Secret Life of the Pencil".

"The Secret Life of The Pencil" is a photography exhibition putting a spotlight on the continued use of the humble pencil in an increasingly digital world. 

Stunning (exceedingly detailed photographs) shot by photographer Mike Tinney and creative director Alex Hammond on pencils owned by leading writers, artists, designers such as Sir Paul Smith, Tom Dixon, Stephen Fry will be on display.

Here are snapshots of some of our favourites (photo courtesy of "The Secret Life of the Pencil" http://secretpencils.co.uk). 

Posy Simmonds' Faber Castell Pencil

Sir Paul Smith's mechanical pencil was a gift from Apple Design Chief Sir Jonathan Ive

Tom Dixon's Rexel Blackedge Pencil

During the running of the exhibition, there will be an online auction of some of the photographic prints and some of the pencils in aid of the charity "Children in Crisis".

We absolutely can't wait for the exhibition to open and to see the pictures of different types of pencils in detail, as well as to learn more about the background of the owners of the pencils. 

Details of the exhibition to be penciled in your calendar are as follows :

• "The Secret Life of The Pencil" 
• Date: 20 May - 3 June
• Address: Paul Smith, No. 9 Albermarle Street, Mayfair, London, W1S 4HH

P.S. A selection of our pencils will be stocked at the exhibition in Paul Smith. Yay! 

Pick Me Up London @ Somerset House

Pick Me Up - a yearly Graphics Arts Festival that is hosted in Somerset House is one of our most favoured yearly exhibition in London. 

It is not only an event that showcases a lot of wonderful graphics artists - where the artists create work through a number of different mediums, from Photographs, Watercolour, Print, Sculptures etc. The 12 day Graphics Art Festival at the Embankment Galleries at Somerset House also hosts a number of interactive workshops. This year, for example there are book binding workshop from Hato Press, Screen printing from Peckham Print Studio, Cats and Pugs Bunting Making with Gemma Correll with Ohh Deer.

Apart from interactive workshops, there is also a number of very interesting talks given from publishers and agencies that represents artists and illustrators. The link attached will allow you to download this year's Pick Me Up Schedule. 

We are very lucky (and super duper over the moon) to have our work both stocked at Rizzoli Bookshop at Somerset House, as well as this year's Pick Me Up Festival. We can't thank the team at Rizzoli Bookshop any much more especially to see our work nestled seamlessly amongst other artists.

Our English Biscuit Pencils, Cockney Rhyming Slang Pencils along with Wrap Magazine's wrapping paper and notebooks

Our English Biscuit Pencils and Happy Thoughts Notebooks along with Magma Books and The School of Life.

Our Have a Lucky One Badge Message Card along with Leather notebooks from Undercover, The Psychology of Colour Colouring Pencils Set and Aphorisms Cards from The School of Life

Pick Me Up 2015 Event Details :

Date : 23 April 2015 - 4 May 2015

Time : 10am - 6pm (Wednesday and Thursdays Late until 10pm)

Location : Somerset House, Embankment Galleries, South Wing

P.S. We suggest getting a Festival Pass for Pick Me Up so you can drop in any time during the 12 day event.