Megan Price Designs

Happy Chinese New Year

Mr.PS Happy Lantern

For part of the Chinese New Year 2012 celebrations at Manchester's Chinese Art Centre, we have made two Mr.PS Happy Lanterns which are now hanging on their Wishing Tree Installation.

"Manchester based artists Olivia Glasser and Lu Di will be creating a large-scale sculptural installation inspired by the traditional Chinese wishing tree. Visitors to the ancient Lam Tsuen Wishing Trees, near the Tin Hau Temple in Hong Kong, would write their wish on a piece of paper, tie it to an orange and throw it up into the branches. It was believed that the wish would come true if the orange did not fall. Olivia and Lu Di’s take on this ancient tradition will see our sculptural tree continuously grow with a colourful array of wishes from the people of Manchester."

The exhibition runs until the 28 January, find out more here.

Keen-eyed followers will recognise the Happy Face illustration pattern which decorates Mr.PS Happy Hankies. The Happy Lanterns are made using this design screen-printed onto paper.

Have a Happy Chinese New Year!

Shelf Sunday Ten

What's on the shelf this weeK?

Moomins!

I have always had a place in my heart for Moomins, the loveable creatures created by Finnish writer and illustrator Tove Jansson.

The first encounter I had with them as a child was my mother's Moomin book, which she herself had won as a child, a prize in a colouring competition. No surprises then that this well-read dog-eared hardback book itself had been "enhanced" with extra colouring in.

Fast forward a few decades and thanks to Arabia Finland, these enchanting characters now grace mugs, jugs, plates, in endless delightful combinations. 

Tove Jansson is probably known most for the world of the Moomins, but as well as working as an editorial illustrator for Finnish newspapers, she also illustrated JR Tolkein's The Hobbit, and Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland.

Some of these works formed part of the exhibition, Magical Moomin Valley, held at the Bury Art Gallery in winter 2010/11, celebrating 65 years of Moomins. It was genuinely exciting for me to see some of Jansson's original artwork. I was really struck by the intricacy of the images, such fine line work, and how with just some delicate cross-hatching, an erie moonlit wood could be magically created on the page. The original illustrations were much smaller than I expected too.

Lewis Carroll's The Hunting of the Snark, republished by Tate (2011).

Having recently read Jansson's novel, The Summer Book, I am now pouring over her illustrations for Carroll's The Hunting of the Snark.

 And of course, drinking out of Moomin cups!

I Heart U hankies!

Everyone loved our Happy Hankies at Christmas, so here's a new handkerchief for al your nose-blowing friends, just in time for Valentine's Day.

I Heart U hankie in red

I Heart U hankie in sky blue

The design is a version of the I Heart U screenprint on paper, an alphabet of letters and punctuation with the sentimental message spelled out down the centre.

Screenprinted by hand, by my own hands indeed, on 100% cotton. It's available right now over in the shop in red, sky blue, and just for fun, neon pink.

 

Shelf Sunday Nine

For this week's Shelf Sunday, we are moving to the sofa: Sofa Sunday!

Where else is better to be on a cold drizzly January weekend then snuggled up with your favourite cosy cushion?

We picked up this Welsh woven wool cushion direct from a mill in Anglesey.

The traditional pattern still has a contemporary edge, pleasingly pixelated, yet still with a folky feel.

If you're looking for a cleaner take on the Welsh blanket effect, take a look at Snowdonia-based textile design company Peris & Corr who take these traditional patterns to print. See their lovely cushions and fabrics here.

Staying with a slightly celtic feel, here's another contemporary twist on a classic.

This is a Neon Fair Isle cushion by Angharad Mclaren. "Woven in soft Shetland lambswool, this design is inspired by tradition, with a contemporary twist!" 

Well you know I'm a sucker for neon, so how could I resist. Other items in the range include beautiful scarves and hot water bottle covers. Ooh lovely.

And to finish, here's an obligatory cat shot - for who else knows how to do sofa snuggling so effectively.

Shelf Sunday Eight

Three vinegar bottles

Our Sunday walk this afternoon took us round past the treasure trove that is "Yassers," a small Jewish-run shop which is stuffed to the edges with cookware, handy kitchen implements, crockery and all manner of things you never knew you might need. 

Outside on the street there's always a table of clearance bargains. Most of our plant pot saucers come from here, 10p Poole plates and other pretty pieces of ware which have been separated from the rest of the dinner set.

Today's offering was a basket full of vinegar bottles. So of course we had to get one of each colour, the set.

Pretty nice, huh?

Happy New Year

Happy New Year, it's time for the Mr.PS winter sale!

The Mr.PS sale is now on, there's mega-discounts on selected screenprints and tea towels. Ooh!

Discounts up to 40% with free shipping too, as well as a few special clearance samples.

Check it out here.