Products Archives | Page 3 of 9

Clare Haxby : British Contemporary Artist

Today’s Spotlight is on British artist, Clare Haxby. Her bright, vivid work caught my eye on Instagram Each piece is eye catching and spectacular and would be a striking addition to any home that needs a lift.

Clare is a British Artist, painter and printmaker who has just returned to London after spending 8 years living in Singapore. She moved there in 2007 with her husband and 2 children, Scarlett & Teddy, and set up a professional studio. (She has subsequently had a 3rd – Alfie!).

In Singapore, Clare held regular open days inviting people to her home and studio on the edge of the jungle in one of Singapore’s Black and White old colonial homes and she attracted a strong International following. She got a breakthrough when the manager of The Fullerton Hotel “loved my art inspired by Singapore and offered to host my solo show which eventually became a springboard for my success there. I had spent 3 years painting the collection of large canvases!”

The Expats in Singapore loved Clare’s vibrant and contemporary paintings and many of them were bought as a treasured memory of their time in Singapore to take home with them when they left!

Clare has produced a large collection of Singapore Landmark Paintings such as the colonial building of Raffles Hotel and the contemporary landmark Marina Bay Sands alongside other much loved collections of botanical’s, an equestrian collection and a motherhood collection.

Clare’s paintings are in private collections all over the world and her clients include The French Embassy of Singapore, The Swedish High Commissioner of Singapore and corporates such as BNP Paribas.

Since returning to England during the summer of 2015 Clare has set up a new studio in the Surrey Hills, exhibited in Venice, London, Rome, Columbia and New York and one of her new gingerlily paintings has been featured in British Vogue!

“I love being back as despite the weather and no helper… Oh how I miss my amazing helper from Singapore! London is such a dynamic city and there is always so many exhibitions to see. My clients in Singapore all asked me when I was starting my London Landmarks, I have just started – I am painting the ‘Liberty London’ building at the moment!”

Clare produces art on 2 price points. Firstly, one off original paintings on canvas either from her own collection or a commission as a bespoke painting, the second is her affordable art prints (from £249) which are often bought online as gifts as she ships them worldwide in a lovely gift tube. (She has a special offer for free international delivery on all prints!)

Studio Visits are very welcome if you fancy a jaunt to the Surrey Hills to discuss any requirements. Please email Clare at clare@clarehaxby.com

Clare’s Favourites

Website : English Folly Brie is a fellow Singapore expat and like me back also now back in England. we met in Singapore and bonded over juggling being an entrepreneur & mother, I have bought lots of her gorgeous personalised textiles.

Shop : Graham & Green for colourful and unusual interior finds

Holiday destination : Ubud in Bali for Yoga retreats, Aix en Provence in France for Art and culture & Bhutan a tiny landlocked country between India & China for the ultimate step back in time ‘global nomad’ experience. The next on my wanderlust wish list is Peru…

Restaurant : Terminus Nord The Bouillabaisse is amazing and the little butter pats are wrapped in beautiful paper.

Hotel : Raffles Hotel Singapore – colonial elegance and afternoon tea in the Tiffin Room.

Parenting tip :

“It’s just a phase – give yourself a pat on the back and a glass of wine”

clarehaxby.com

0 Comments

Big Fashion Products

Maternity Dressing With Topshop

Gone are the days when the only maternity clothes are a choice of either excrutiatingly expensive or buying a size (or 2) up from your normal. Topshop* have some gems this season to help you avoid wanting to hide away under a rock until little Timmy has been born and beyond. Here are some top picks that will see you through dressing your expanding bump and the obligatory wobbly tummy for a few months after!

Stripe Mesh T Shirt £20

No summer wardrobe is complete without a bit of Breton stripe. Avoid the mumsy look with this cool mesh/pom pom detail on the shoulder.

Peplum Ladder T £34

If it’s your first baby and you aren’t chasing around a muddy toddler, wear white. It may be your last chance! Love this top with slightly fluted (flattering) arms and loose over the tummy.

Stripe Pocket Shirt £30

On trend with this seasons contrasting pocket, it screams ‘I will stay cool’ both proverbially and literally. Perfect for nursing too with a cami underneat.

Denim Shirt Dress £40

Perfect in the unpredicable weather. Leggins are acceptable when you are pregnant, so if it’s a bit breezy whack some on underneath.

Grey & Black Leggings £22

A staple that will also see you into winter.

Over the bump Leigh Jeans £40

The traditional Leigh jeans are a good idea even when you aren’t pregnant so they are defintely the go to jean when you are. I personally always liked over the bump maternity jeans so you could tuck everything in and there is no chance of flashing anyone your behind when you bend (actually a good idea all the time?!) Love the way they just graze your ankle.

Ruffled Cold Shoulder Blouse £34

Fun colour that suits blondes, brunettes and red heads alike and perfect for those that are arm shy whilst also wanting to keep it summery. The flash of shoulder is also very SS16.

Wrap Dress £46

This wrap dress also comes in green and pale blue. Although not categorised under maternity, the wrap style would make you pregnant self feel super stylish. The bonus is that it would also look great when you are back to normal (whilst also being forgiving over the any wobble!)

One Piece Halterneck £32

Hitting the beach this summer. Play it safe with a classic black halterneck one piece.

Stripe Pajama Set £28

If you are having restless nights, atleast if you wear these you know won’t be kicked out of bed for what you look like. So pretty and feminine when you need to feel it most!

Copenhagen Star Trainers £26

Apologies for harping on about them again (see previous ‘Trainer’ post, but these have been my buy of the summer (!) Comfortable and cool, they are a fab investment.

If you want to be appear less heffer and more Hefner bunny, buy a few outsize pieces to give the illusion you look smaller. (Rule of thumb though, only outsize when accessory per outfit!)

Oversize Beach Bag £45

Perfect to shove your hospital notes in, a bottle of water and can even double up as an ‘everything’ bag when the baby arrives.

Chunky Cat Eye Sunglasses £16

These will be sure to draw attention to your face rather than your body. It’s all about cats eye sunglasses this summer. Apparently.

I hope this post has given you some ideas. I know most women find pregnancy a lead, but try to enjoy it and do buy something especially for this season of your life – it really does make you feel better!!

Topshop Maternity

*sponsored post with affiliate links

0 Comments

Products Services Spotlight

Rebecca Gordon : Rise Art

Rise Art is an online gallery here to help connect great, talented contemporary artists with their network of collectors who range from private customers, trade clients, Interior Designers and corporate clients. They want to make great quality artwork accessible to everyone regardless of their knowledge, taste or budget without the fear of being intimidated, ripped off or stuck with something they don’t like!

Rebecca is the Curator at Rise Art. She is responsible for recruiting talented emerging artists to the site and manages Rise Art’s board of Insiders. She also advises corporate companies and private individuals on their art collections.

Having taken a career break from the Art World (she previously worked for a Modern British/Contemporary private art dealer) of almost 3 years due to some pretty tricky babies (horrendous reflux – no need to explain further!) she was beginning to get itchy feet when fate intervened and a friend of hers in the art world told her about a start-up called Rise Art, who were looking for a curator.

“Rise Art was a complete change for me, instead of dealing with art based around the £500,000 – £1 million mark, I was suddenly surrounded by really affordable, yet brilliant artworks. As a result, my relationship with art changed and I became excited again because for once, I could actually afford to own some of the work that I was selling! It was new, exciting and rewarding dealing with these emerging artists as well as the more established ones.”

Rebecca with her two children.

With Rise Art, you can buy or rent from thousands of works by some of the most exciting up-and-coming and established contemporary artists practising today – every one of them hand-picked by their expert team of art insiders. That’s a lot of choice, of course, which is why they’ve made sure you can quickly search for exactly the sort of thing you’re looking for, whether you’re décor-matching, starting a collection or just trying to stick to a budget.

You can even create your own tailor-made shortlist of recommendations by taking their art quiz. As you explore Rise Art, and start to follow their artists and favourite the pieces that you like, they’ll update your list with recommendations that match your tastes. (And if you don’t trust the computer to do it, they have real-life human advisors just a phone call or email away.)

One of my friends Harriet Hoult is one of Rise Art’s artists. I love her abstract colourful designs.

Along The River, by Harriet Hoult

When you find an artwork you like, you can buy it – and frame it – quickly and easily in their online store (or, if you want to try it out first and see it first hand, why not rent it?). And if it turns up and you hate it? No worries; just send it back, for free.

I have asked her to select a few pieces for a family living room and a kids bedroom. (All descriptions her own).

Art For Family Living Room

Simon Smith

His work combines intricate elements of collage with finely painted details to create a unique visual language.

Tommy Clarke

This work may at first look like a painting, but it is actually an aerial photograph taken from a very low flying helicopter over Utah salt flats.

Laura Jordan

She is a brilliant draughtsman, with an international reputation, who works in pencil, pen, watercolour and mixed media to produce wonderfully, delicate cityscapes which capture Metropolitan existence to the full.

Claire Halifax

Her intricately drawn cityscapes immediately capture our attention through her distinctive use of design, pattern and colour.

Astrid Harrisson

Astrid is an international equine photographer. She captures the very essence and proud spirit of the horse. Her works printed on aluminium are especially impressive and create a striking effect.

Art for Kids Bedroom

Samsofy

A French photographer whose works are witty and playful. He cleverly uses elements from our everyday environment – pavements, flowers, mobile phones and turns them on their head in an unexpected, funny and often touching ways.

Kristjana Williams

She is an award winning artist whose vibrant illustrations have gained widespread critical acclaim and won her commissions from Liberty, Fortnum & Mason and the Connaught Hotel to name but a few.

Ellie Vandoorne

She is actually my neighbour and I recently bought this work as couldn’t resist it and so affordable Flower Girl but her animals and pixies are more kid friendly.

Antonia Barclay

Fantastic portrait artist but she has done these fun, quirky animal drawings.

Carl Moore

Colourful and very kid friendly.

Barry Goodman

Fun London based prints.

Rebecca’s Favourites

Website : ASOS (White Collection)

Shop : Katie & Jo, Parsons Green, London

Restaurant : Medlar, Kings Road, London

Hotel : Coco Point Lodge, Barbuda, Carribean

Holiday destination : Tangier, Morocco

Parenting Tip : “Hair Spray is a miracle for getting felt tip, biro, crayons etc off any wall, cabinet, woodwork, leather furniture. Simply spray on and wipe off with Kitchen paper! Saved me on numerous occasions.”

riseart.com

0 Comments

Family Life Food Products

Food, Glorious Food…

If you have been reading The London Mummy for a while (thank you by the way!) you will notice that it is NOT a place to get health, food and fitness ideas. However, over the last couple of months my eyes have been opened to some fantastic new business’s that are related to – dare I even use these two words together – healthy eating. I would be a mug not to give these a mention as they are original & delicious and I think you would be better off knowing about them…

Early Bird Snacks

A subscription based snack box that gets delivered to your desk or door. Insanely good & really well thought out snack ideas. My favourite was ‘Nuts About Ella’ which consisted of ombar dairy-free milk buttons are bursts of creamy goodness, sweetened only with coconut and vanilla. Paired with blanched hazelnuts to give a satisfying crunch and mulberries to add a naturally sweet honey-like taste. The only problem was all 4 compartments in the snack box went down a storm and I had to tussle with the toddler for my share!

Cuckoo – The Modern Muesli

Bircher Muesli from Cuckoo consists of oats, yoghurt and fruit. The Apple & Cinamin Spice with Plum & Juicy Raisons is insane as are all their flavours. The kids will love them too. You could even try making your own or buy at Waitrose, Tesco & the Co-Op. (Add them to your next order. Add lots, they are that good!)

Piccolo Plates

Healthy, fresh children’s dishes straight to your door. How genius is that? You order, Els & Bels (yes really) make the food that day and then deliver it to your door, throughout London, for FREE.

Such a good idea for a mother who has just had another baby and needs to feed her existing sprogs, if you need to feed children at a party or quite simply, if you are over cooking for the children. I hope I don’t come across as mean, but 3 meals a day x 3 children x 7 days = 63 plates of food and they can’t all be fish fingers!! So over it! Check out the different dishes and order NOW. Too much sunbathing to be had to prep kids meals…

Vita Coco – Mocha Coconut Water

It doesn’t sound like it should all go together, but it does and it is delicious. I have a pile in my fridge and when I need a natural boost of caffeine & chocolate, I drink this guilt free knowing that it is largely coconut water – and keeps the mid afternoon slump at bay. There are loads of tempting flavours – perfect for the balmy weather.

Cooking Them Healthy

At pick up after school, the playground is like a food festival. Since when did children need so much food between lunch and & supper?! I usually just flick out a packet of quavers or something equally as empty. However recently the sight of homemade wraps and the like have made me realised that perhaps it is a fantastic opportunity to get some top tucker into them whilst they are starving.

I asked the lovely Georgie over at Cooking Them Healthy, the holy grail of kids recipe’s and inspo, to share some quick & easy recipes for ‘the after school snack’ (Click on the title for the recipe)

Healthy Rice Squares

Peanut Butter Balls

Banana Bread

For lots more snack ideas, click here

They have started doing demonstrations too, so sign up to their newsletter to be kept in the loop.

Happy munching! xx

0 Comments

Big Fashion Products

The Perfect Spring Shoe

The sun is shining, school has commenced and then I put my unpedicured foot into my Silver Superga trainers and bingo – they finally packed up as two holes finally appeared at the top of the shoe.

(To be fair they have served me well as they were my default trainers for the majority of the year so it is no slight on Superga) but it is a wonderful excuse for a peruse as you can’t buy the same pair twice, can you! I actually wrote a post about my Superga purchase on exactly the same day last year – the first day of the summer term. You can’t say I am not routine…

Superga Silvers £55

If you are going down the pale or white ‘bottom half’ route here on in and rush around like a mum on the run, a pair of metallic trainers are practical and pretty. The good news is there are a lot of gems around at the moment…

Esprit GWEN Trainers £55

Like the black heel – would look awesome with black skinnies.

Maison Margiela – Replica Suede Trainers £470

Not strictly metallic but the ‘greige’ is a great neutral colour.

Stella McCartney Glittered Trainers £340

Maybe not super practical but you could wear a bin bag with these and still look cool.

Saint Laurent Metallic Leather Sneakers £395

These are actually men’s trainers but no man in my life would be allowed to (or want to!) wear these, which frees them up for moi!

Hush Virgo Trainers £115

Hush always comes up trumps and these goldies are lush.

Geox Shahira £100

These would take you from the school run to the pilates class no problemo.

Adidas Copenhagen £26

I think these might be the ones I will go for as I can’t resist a star and at that price I could get a spare pair for that price…

Adidas Superstar Sneakers £73

Old Skool is the best school and with the addition of the metallic stripes – they are pretty perfect!

Penelope Chilvers Metallic Sneaker £259

If trainer boots are your thing, these are the ones. (That description makes them sound ghastly, but can’t think of another way to describe them. Luckily a picture says a thousand words.)

Golden Goose Deluxe Brand £270

No trainer blog post is complete without a nod to Golden Goose. The trainers of the moment. For good reason – these are mega… Stars and a classic shape. LOVE.

I could go on but I have a to do list as long as my arm… Happy shopping and have a great day! x

PS. If metallic is not your thing, you may like this post on ‘School Run Trainers‘

0 Comments

Fashion Products

In The Running For A New Handbag?

If there is one thing that exudes laid back chic, it’s a neutral handbag. Fling everything in it from nappies to homework and no one would know that you weren’t running a multi million pound hedge fund whilst crating a duck salad from scratch from your little bambinos. They are just smart. Simple. If you want to step it up a gear and shave years off your age, make it a cross body bag. It screams ‘I might be pushing a buggy with a screaming baby, but at a moments notice, I could be hanging out a Coachella Festival in California’.

Here are some of my inspo pics all credit to the home of eye candy, Pinterest.

FullSizeRender(231)

FullSizeRender(230)

FullSizeRender(229)

Here is where you can get a slice of the pie…

The Ultimate – Chloe Jodie £priceless (I couldn’t actually see the price!)

FullSizeRender(222)

Aldo Fiscus £45

A fraction of the cost of the above, but the same effect (from afar…)

FullSizeRender(223)

Savannah Miller – Tori £27.30

FullSizeRender(232)

Now for the Tote’s…

Jerome Dreyfus – Carlos Chevre Moutarde 660E

I found it so difficult to choose from Jerome’s (ok, so we aren’t actually on first name terms, as much as I would like to be) website. The bags are just so amazing…

FullSizeRender(227)

Lautrechose – Split Leather Bag, Hazelnut £300

Very ‘boho chic’ (Please note I avoided Boho Ra which is what I used 15 years ago)

FullSizeRender(226)

Forzieri Taupe Leather Tote £631

This is my pick. Although this budget is 6 times the amount I am looking to splurge this Spring on a new handbag)

FullSizeRender(221)

Zara Leather Tote £39.99

Safe & to the point. Well done Zara, you always get it right!

4650104105_1_1_1

Happy (window) Shopping!

0 Comments

Fashion Little Products

Olivier Baby & Kids : SS16 Collection

When I was sent the link for Olivier Baby & Child new SS16 collection, my fingers went in overdrive navigating their pretty and easy website. Known originally for their beautiful cashmere clothes, Olivier Baby & Child have branched out and have totally nailed it. (Even if you aren’t in the market for new threads for your bambinos, it is worth a look how beautifully the shoot was styled.)

Not only do they cater for both girls and boys up to the age of 10 (all round win in my case), each piece is wearable and effortlessly stylish.

AND They have very kindly offered TLM readers 15% off so enter TLM15 at checkout. Take a look…

Chambray Linen Baby Dress With Pants £42

FullSizeRender(218)

Margot Liberty Romper, Karter Pink £29

FullSizeRender(220)

Liberty All In One, Theo Peach £39

FullSizeRender(219)

Posy Liberty Pants £16

FullSizeRender(216)

Liberty Cap Sleeve Dress, Bobo Blue £42

FullSizeRender(212)

Sophie Liberty Playsuit, Meadowsweet £42

FullSizeRender(214)

Jemima Skirt with Removable Braces £32

FullSizeRender(213)

olivierbaby.com

Don’t forget to enter TLM15 at checkout! x

0 Comments

Big Fashion Products

Statement Earrings

After my post on statement necklaces a fortnight ago, I felt compelled to give the humble earrings some time in the spotlight.

My current earring collection consists of a beautiful pair my husband gave me on our wedding day and a few random pairs still lurking from my university days, mostly consisting of a feather or beading. I don’t really have anything in between – so it was high time I went looking. Earrings. Here my top picks.

Brox Rocks Gold Clover Earrings £23