HEADSPACE + HEARTSPACE Page 12 of 17

This used to be my studio…

Posted on 2012-03-13 at 1:59 pm.

100 boxes and bags in storage, empty rooms, suitcases ready, and a huge to-do list still staring at me, but slowly, slowly, it is starting to feel like we are actually going on this big adventure…

It’s like I don’t have time to get emotional about moving but I am sure it will hit me when I eventually slow down in a couple of weeks’ time and stop to sip green tea under a cherry tree somewhere, gentle blossoms falling all around me… ahh can’t wait (although I actually can as I have far too much to do in the coming days…)

Please forgive me if the blog feels a little empty, like my studio, over the next couple of weeks. I promise it will be worth the wait once I have found a new temporary home somewhere in the Far East and I can get back into sharing photos and telling stories of far-away adventures!

Paris details

Posted on 2012-03-03 at 9:00 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

Inspiration and beauty everywhere in this magical city…

More Paris posts here: Parisian markets / Paris story / Les papeteries / Parisian cafes / Window shopping in Paris

I was in Paris researching The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design – join us if you want to get inspired with your own pattern designs!

Parisian cafes (love, love, love)

Posted on 2012-03-02 at 2:00 pm.

Written by Beth Kempton

Let’s just say I spent a LOT of time in Parisian cafes. Heaven.

I think this might just have been the best raspberry tartine in the world, ever.

More Paris posts here: Parisian markets / Paris story / Les papeteries / Paris details / Window shopping in Paris

I was in Paris researching The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design – join us for the next course starting in April!

Parisian markets

Posted on 2012-02-29 at 8:12 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

A feast for the eyes and stomach…

More Paris posts here: Parisian markets / Paris story / Les papeteries / Parisian cafes / Paris details / Window shopping in Paris

I was in Paris researching The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design – join us for the next course starting in April!

A commitment to myself

Posted on 2012-02-08 at 9:43 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

I’ll admit it, I am a little bit exhausted these days. Believe me I am not complaining – I chose this path and I am so grateful that I am truly doing what I love. I am just making a note to myself that I need to take it a little easier in the coming months, and plan some slow time, not always be running at this crazy pace.

Just as I was in the middle of everything, trying to answer the phone, deal with a technical issue, get on top of my emails and arrange for some new doors for our house before we move in a few weeks, there was a knock at the door. I opened it to find a huge bunch of beautiful white flowers, with a note from my family encouraging me to keep going with it all. Ah my precious family. They could not have timed it better. It was the little lift I needed to bring my energy back up but also to remind me to stop for a moment and literally smell the flowers. Thanks Mum!

I have always been someone who commits 100% and works at 100 miles an hour – which means I have also always been someone who has always found it really hard to take my foot off the pedal and practice gentle self care. So now I have committed to myself that I am going to slow down this year.

Once we have moved to Japan at the end of March I am going to take it easy. For months now it has felt like I have been standing at the door telling the whole queue of ideas waiting outside that they can’t come in yet. I’m not ready. So come the Spring I am going to be ready. I may need to continue at this same crazy pace for a few more weeks but I have cleared my diary from April and I am going to focus on soaking up the sweetness of life in Japan and let new ideas emerge and develop.

I cannot wait.

Weekend book club: Textiles

Posted on 2011-11-26 at 1:36 pm.

Written by Beth Kempton

As a complete book addict and hoarder, I thought it was about time I shared some of my favourites with you! In each ‘Weekend Book Club’ I post about a set of lovely books, with a different theme each week. This week’s theme is TEXTILES. These are the kind of books that make your mouth water, with photos so beautiful you can almost feel the textures…

Living with Textiles by Elaine Louie

This book features my dream lounge (second image below) and explores how textiles can change the character and feeling of spaces in the home.

Fabric by Suzanne Trocme

I have to admit I bought this after falling in love with the cover. The image below doesn’t do it justice – it is a dreamy shade of green, almost metallic. Inside there are more examples of beautiful fabrics.

Textile Designers at the Cutting Edge by Bradley Quinn

This gorgeous book features interviews with emerging designers and showcases textile designs from all over the world – so inspiring!

Textiles and Fashion by Jenny Udale

A brilliant introduction to the importance of textiles in fashion, and how each influences the other.

Rinen to kurasu (Living with linen) by Kunie Dayasue

Elegant book showcasing various uses of linen in the Japanese home – the beautiful neutral palette makes you really notice the fabric textures and quality

Transparency in Textiles by Dawn Thorne

This lovely book is filled with techniques for manipulating textiles to get a variety of beautiful transparent effects

Experimental Textiles by Kim Thittichai

Stunning examples of the art you can create when you experiment bravely with textiles.

Do you have any recommendations?

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Inspired? See other Weekend Book Club posts here (on paper, pattern and sketching & illustration)

Giving thanks

Posted on 2011-11-24 at 7:06 pm.

Written by Beth Kempton

I’m not American and I don’t celebrate Thanksgiving, but I love the idea of a special day where you thank everyone you love for being in your life.

Recently I seem to have been quite hidden away from the world, busy working on some exciting but full-on projects. While this has meant I have got to do some really fulfilling, thought-provoking work, it has also led me to the point where I feel I have no idea what is going on in the life of some of my very good friends. And even blog friends – I haven’t done the rounds for weeks, months even (and more and more people seem to have blogs that are hard to comment on for techie reasons, so I haven’t even left comments on those I have visited).

If you are one of them, you know who you are. Please know that when I’m not sending you emails or letters or gifts in the post, it doesn’t mean I’m not thinking of you. Know that when I don’t come to dinner or make it to your party, it’s not because I don’t want to. It’s because right now there are a few things I need to get done. But through every moment of that, know that I am thankful for you. So very thankful.

Weekend book club: Sketching and illustration

Posted on 2011-11-13 at 5:40 pm.

Written by Beth Kempton

I have always been a bit scared of drawing formally (still lifes etc) but I hugely admire people who can whip out a fantastic sketch in seconds and would love to be able to do that one day. I do love peeking into other people’s sketchbooks though, and have many books which either display incredible talent or try to help me draw better myself. Here are a few of them…

(PS With ‘Weekend Book Club’ I share a different theme each weekend and archive them on the sparkly new Weekend Book Club page here.)

Beauty in Bloom by Natalie Bloom

Written and stunningly illustrated by the founder of Bloom Cosmetics, this is actually a beauty book but never fails to inspire me.

Tokyo Sanpo (walks around Tokyo) by Florent Chavouet

Having lived in Tokyo for three years I love the memories this book recalls for me. There is incredible detail in the hand-drawn observations, and it makes me want to put a pack of coloured pencils in my handbag and go out right now.

Street Scene by John Lee

This brilliant book shows you how to draw people graffiti-style

Manolo Blahnik Drawings by Anna Wintour

I love fashion illustration and no-one does it quite like shoe-designer extraordinaire Manolo Blahnik, edited by Anna Wintour of US Vogue

‘Fashion Illustration School’ by Carol A Nunnelly

And if you want to learn how to do it yourself, this is a fantastic guide to fashion illustration

‘Zakka sagashi no tabi nouto (notes from my shopping trips)’ by Yuki Fukui

This is a delightful book of handdrawn sketches done by a Japanese girl while out and about shopping

The Creative License by Danny Gregory

A great book for building your sketching confidence

A painter’s guide to the Catskills of Rip van Winkle by Judith Orseck Katz

A beautifully illustrated guide to the Catskill Mountains of New York State, which I picked up on a recent trip there.

‘Drawing on the right side of the brain’ by Betty Edwards

The classic book on how to draw – and it really works.

Previous ‘Weekend Book Club’ posts here: Paper / Pattern. More inspiring books over here!

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The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design Module 1 starts tomorrow! Still time to register if you are quick!

Weekend Book Club: Paper

Posted on 2011-10-29 at 5:16 pm.

Written by Beth Kempton

For a while I have been meaning to share some of my favourite books with you. I literally have hundreds, kept in every room in the house. I have decided to split them into themes, and share a different theme each weekend, to share some of the delicious papery works of genius and inspiration I have discovered. I will archive there on the sparkly new Weekend Book Club page here.

To begin with for this week, one of my favourite topics: PAPER…

Perfect Paper by Adeline Loh

Features stunning art works crafted from paper. Love the tactile cover…

Washi no aru kurashi (Living with Japanese paper)

A beautiful collection of unique papery objects for the home, along with features on the makers.

Masukingu teepu de collage (Creating adorable collages with washi tape)

Inspired ideas for crafting with delicious washi tape

Paper Yarn by Uta Donath & co

Lots of fun ideas for crafting with paper yarn.

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Only a couple of weeks to go before The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design kicks off!
Have you secured your place yet? Register here.

Flying the nest… we’re moving to Japan!

Posted on 2011-09-09 at 10:43 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

I am a wanderer at heart, but I am also Taurean through and through – which means I like to surround myself with beautiful things, and create a secure home. This internal contradiction often pulls me in different directions, and right now has manifested itself as a very exciting decision… we are moving to Japan from next March for 8-9 months!

Image: Cover of ‘Kodansha Bilingual Encyclopedia of Japan’

Last Summer we bought our lovely house, and have been so happy here, but in the past few months my man and I have started to get itchy feet. I have long had a deep love of Japan, having lived in Kyoto for a year as a 19-year old student, and then in the snowy north, and in Tokyo for four more years in my twenties. My man spent several years of his childhood in Hong Kong, but has never been to Japan, so we decided that now is as good a time as any!

To me Japan is a magical place, a breathtakingly beautiful place, and a place where anything seems possible. It has also been home to some of my craziest, funniest adventures, and most deeply thought-provoking experiences. I have found myself dreaming of Kyoto quite often recently, and have long harboured a secret wish to spend several months just wandering – taking photos, writing, exploring, catching up with old friends, doing a class or two in indigo dyeing, papermaking or pottery perhaps… And my man wants to learn the language which has captivated me. So he is taking a sabbatical, and will study in the mornings, then spend the rest of the time exploring. And as for me – I have no plan whatsoever!

I have a feeling this is going to be a very precious time, and I want to soak in every inch of it. And I cannot wait to share it all with you!

PS. For this reason I have decided not to run a Do What You Love retreat in England next year. The next one will be in 2013 – I hope you can wait that long! (And maybe, just maybe, I’ll organise one in Japan, if anyone would be interested??)

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Did you hear the news? The Art and Business of Surface Pattern featuring Rachael Taylor launched yesterday! You will LOVE it – take a look over here!