Fresh at Spring Fair

This year Velvet Olive will be exhibiting in the new design-led area at Spring Fair, the organisers have created this area to focus attention on some of the best British companies have to offer, so we are honoured to be included!

House in Barbados!

My (as good as) father in law and wife Maggie are seeing their dreams become reality as their house is being built in the beautiful island of Barbados. Maggie is an original bajan and has owned the land for years.
A mere 100 metres from the stunning Beachy Head beach and close to the beautiful Crane beach, the villa also benefits from large, private gardens, a gallery area and a private swimming pool.
The villa has 3 double bedrooms, each located on the ground floor, with an ensuite bathroom to the master bedroom.

This house is under construction at the moment and is due for completion in December, so check back here for a link to the website as it will be available to rent out during some months of year, most of the time though I think Pete and Maggie will be living there, well it couldn't get sweeter than that could it!

Rupert Blanchard

Rupert creates the most amazing furniture out of abandoned and discarded bits of old furniture, I love it all and want it all!

The piece in the picture above is my favourite, so would someone please buy it for my birthday!!!!

check out his blog for more details: http://stylingandsalvage.blogspot.com/

Images by Chris Brooks.

Era's of Style

I found this shop 'Era's of Style' a while ago on a visit to my hometown of Hastings with my sister Natalie. We were on one our usual trips to scout out any new finds in the Hastings antique and junk shops, it stocks the most unusual finds and even though I have not yet bought anything, I fully intend to as soon as I can find space in my furniture filled house!
I love the industrial pieces and old shop fittings, I just wish I had house big enough to put it all in!
If you go to Hastings this place is well worth a visit! http://www.erasofstyle.com/

My Dad and New York City

A long time ago now my Dad gave me his old Canon (traditional film) camera, I took it to New York recently and thought it would be the excellent opportunity to brush up on my photographic skills, anyway a few months later and excitement got the better of me and finally got it developed, and what a delight to find these pictures, I confess, I was expecting lots of my feet and lots of blurred cars!
I think my Dad would be delighted with these; I am definitely my father’s daughter!
(my Dad at the top)

Top Drawer 13-15th September

Exhibiting lots of new designs including 5 new cards for hugely successful 'The Classics' range!

New designs available in the TRADE section

This is a little selection of the new cards available for our trade customers, in a little while they will also be for sale in our shop to our public customers too, there are 3 new ranges including a mixture of occasions from Wedding Day to Happy Birthday.
Enjoy!

Advert

This is the new advert which will be appearing in Progressive Greeting this month, its a bit of change to the normal style, but we think its fun and quirky!

Harrogate

If you are a trade customer, don’t forget to visit us at Harrogate Home & Gift 2009 stand F27, it's the most civilised show of the year with Pimm's being served usually accompanied by a bit of live Jazz in the grounds of the Majestic hotel, and the weather is nearly always good, plus the added benefit is that Harrogate is a spa town and therefore is full of beautiful buildings and some excellent shops and services like the Turkish baths, which are amazing and definitely worth a visit.

Love & Valentines

A sneak preview of next years Valentines designs but also suitable for sale throughout the year, they feature quotes about love from children, and are so adorable! RRP £2.95-3.00.

Tim's Boat

I have just come across this photo from a few weeks back, this is one of my dear friends Tia, a group of us had been for a sail and drink down the river, in this particular shot I think we are practising the Blue Steel look! (I have the blue cardie on) The boat has been painstaking restored by its owners Tia & Tim and no doubt as the summer goes on we will venture out again, good times! x

Wordy

This is a new range I have been working on, its fun, colourful and has a vintage feel with a modern twist!
It will retail at about 1.95 so keep your eyes on the brochure as it will be launched in the next month or so.

The Serif Fairy

I have recently just got this book, it so lovely and I urge all of you who love typography to go out and buy it now! It really shows how creative you can be with type, I am so inspired I am off to design right now.....

New York Stationery Show

Well, I have just got back from the NY Stationery show, it was great fun catching up with all our fellow british publishers like Laura Darrington Design, Pango Productions and Paper Salad, who also do some very nice cards!

For anyone who has yet to visit New York, you simply must go, it is the most amazing city, but pack comfy shoes to walk in, my poor feet are wrecked!

And if you get the chance go to the Luca Lounge in the East Village and see Vito, he owns the bar and we all had so much fun there with him as our host, thanks Vito!

Harrogate Home & Gift

As usual we are exhibiting at Harrogate this year, put it in your diaries and come along, its the best show of the year as its set in the beautiful town of Harrogate in the height of summer!

Pimm's o'clock!

Alphabet Soup

We will soon be launching this new range called Alphabet Soup, we love its cute characters and typographic style, parts of the design will be highlighted with a pearl white foil and finished with a candy stripe bow, aimed to retail £2.95-£3.45.

Up & Running

Hurrah!

The website is finally done, those of you who have been pestering us to get this sorted out will be very much relieved! The very talented tech guys have made such a wonderful site, it has certainly been worth the wait, and all of us here at Velvet Olive thank them so very much.
In these post we hope to share with you what Velvet Olive is all about, sneak previews of new products and the things in life that excite and inspire us.
We hope you enjoy the site, Kathryn x