Top Christmas ads

Just a few of my favourite ads this festive season...

Moocoo by Ben Braithwaite

Ben Braithwaite is an artist based near Stirling in Scotland, influenced by the highland cows surrounding his house he originally starting by painting highland coo paintings. Since setting up 'Moocoo' in 2011 he has developed to do an assortment of animals as well as unique commissions. 

He is exhibiting at the Scottish Antique and Arts Centre (if your in the area it kicks off tonight) in Abernyte until the 29th January. Check out the Moocoo website here as well as Saatchi online. 

Noma Bar - cutting the conflict

Noma Bar's latest exhibition looks at cutting the conflict between warring nations. It combines material from two countries at war in a single, unified image. Materials have been cut into shapes symbolising war and peace, such as a dove, a gun and a crouching sniper to represent the US and Syria, Ethiopia and Eritrea, Israel and Palestine and Greece and Turkey. 
Check out London’s Rook & Raven gallery for the full display of work. 

Discarded books

Artists and illustrators Kyra Clegg, Oliver Flude, Kristine Steele, Stephen Livingstone, Freya Pocklington and Clare Whistler have taken discarded books from the old Birmingham central library and given them a new life. Transforming them into works of art, they are now on display at the new Library of Birmingham. 

Ted

Love the concept behind Mark Nixon's new book Much Loved where the subject is Teddy bears, owners and their stories. Everyone had a teddy at some stage in their life (or still do) and they often have a heartfelt story behind them. 

I gave my best friend one when she was 10(ish) which she affectionately called 'Charlie', she still has it to this day and it warms my heart.... 

I wish I was a kid again

I wish I was a kid again just so I could wear these clothes. Very cool brand from LBB founder Matt Cooper 

Check out the website and feature in Creative Review for more info.

What a beauty

Guinness

Remember the old Guinness ad? Well AMV BBDO have recreated this iconic ad and from this little taster below, it looks like its going to be a good'un. The new ad is not released until October but simply enjoy the beautiful imagery instead....

Stages of Decay

Julia Solis, Stages of Decay sent from my sister/explorer, Hannah. Places to discover and lose yourself.

Quarter - life crisis

Recently everyone has been talking about the Quarter-life crisis, I thought it was just a bit of a joke until I did some looking into it.  So here is what the internet had to say about the quarter-life crisis:

• It occurs shortly after a young person enters the real world (tick, I have been working for 3 years now).
• A person begins to feel doubtful about their own lives, brought on by the stress of becoming an adult (tick, constant doubts about life path).
• Common symptoms of a quarter life crisis are often feelings of being "lost, scared, lonely or confused".
• Unemployment and choosing a career path is a major cause for young persons to undergo stress or anxiety (tick, been considering life selling coconuts on the beach in Indonesia)
• Learning to cope without parental help (tick, although "cope without" is a loose term) 

I'm going to combat this quarter-life crisis (although I'm 1 year shy of it) by dip dying my hair (or contemplating it). 

Gustavo Piqueira

Love these prints from Brazilian designer Gustavo Piqueira's new book. He uses early 20th century printers' 'clichés' to address stereotypical views of his country and its history. But I am less interested in the guff behind them...I just love the prints and the colours. 

Cayman Wedding

I keep forgetting to take pictures of the work I do before it disappears off to its new home on someone's wall. Back in April I attended Tory and Pete's wedding in the Cayman Islands and as a wedding present sewed them a pair of cayman parrots, here is a not so good shot of the unfinished piece.

Let's escape

My parents recently escaped to Iceland for a couple of days. I literally got an email from them the day before with a brief "we are off to Iceland tomorrow, so may be out of contact" (as you do!) Their last trip was to Costa Rica where much to my sisters and mine amusement they spent the time trekking through the jungle, hanging out with sloths and zip wiring. Several reasons why I need to become a travel writer. 

So every couple of months I dream of escaping. My whole live I have travelled around the world and find it hard to see myself settling in one place. So while funds are limited, I can but dream of the places I want to escape to......

Chile, Bora Bora, China, Svalbard, America.....Scotland.