florals – Ella's Place

Posted on August 22, 2016August 21, 2016 by ellajohnston12

Monday Moodboard: Arts and Crafts

The first artist I ever got into was William Morris, so it’s been real fun putting my Arts and Crafts Monday Moodboard together.

William Morris is the father of the Arts and Crafts movement and a true hero of mine. The following three quotes are really important to me and match my personal philosophy…

“Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.”

“The true secret of happiness lies in taking a genuine interest in all the details of daily life.”

“I do not want art for a few any more than education for a few, or freedom for a few.”

Wonderfully the 2017 trend reports predict the designs of the Art and Crafts movement to be a key influence in new designs. I can’t wait to see this and see if the look will affect my own work. I must admit the flowing, ornate lines, delicate florals, gorgeous leaf motifs and pattern repeats have been gently guiding me throughout my illustration journey.

Posted on August 1, 2016 by ellajohnston12

Monday Moodboard Rio 2016

The Rio 2016 Olympics kick off this Friday so I thought it would be a fitting subject for my Monday moodboard.

It is such an amazing source of inspiration. I’ve already created a series of work looking at Brazilian birds and florals. I’m also fascinated by Rio’s fabulous tiled beach fronts and decorative, colourful buildings as well as its dramatic landscapes and glorious carnivals. I’m really looking forward to learning more about this wonderful place over the coming weeks.

Posted on May 25, 2016June 6, 2016 by ellajohnston12

DIY: Liberty Print Clocks

As an obsessive of iconic, classic design and illustration I regard a Liberty print with admiration and awe. But as I don’t live in a particularly girlie gaff, I’m sometimes at a loss as to where to put them in my home. In fact it would be fair to say that Ella’s place is quite gender neutral so, while I like a floral print (I mean, I draw enough flowers and like to display a bloom in practically every room), I restrict more ornate, flowery designs to accents rather than a full on floral fest, which is why I made these handmade clocks.

Creating a bespoke time piece is super simple. As clock fittings are so easy to come across these days (seriously, google it and you’ll be faced with a wealth of cost-effective options) you can make clocks in any shape or size with the minimum of effort all you need is the fitting and a suitable surface to attach it to.

I took a cheat’s choice and used a needcraft clock kit for ease, as everything was pre-cut and measured. All I needed to do was add fabric – a total timesaver. But you can always cover an area of mdf or stiff card with material or paper with a hole made for the clock piece. It really is that simple – easy crafting if there ever was.

I got the Liberty fabric from Sewbox who has an extensive collection of designs by the brand – Sue from Sewbox is lovely too, I worked with her a lot on Homemaker and she was super helpful.
I selected Liberty Betsy Ann in Rossmore Cord for a lighter, classically floral time-piece and Liberty Cranston in Colourway A from its Lifestyle Stile Collection for a deco-style feel (it looks ever so nice with Henry and Matilda my retro cat ceramics). I’ve got the latter hanging in my hallway and the former is looking rather splendid on the white sideboard in the dining room.