Keep Calm and... Whatever

It's Friday, and I can't be bothered. No, more than that, I both can't be bothered and I'm really very irritated. Honestly, everything is an effort, the smallest job becomes the most onerous task and pretty much everythiong is prompts vast eye rolling and huffiness. I need a big sign to stick behind my desk, something that will inform anyone who approaches exactly the mix of lack-lustre/hair-trigger I'm feeling today so they can modulate their tone appropriately.

This poster is adorable, I love the colour and vintage typography as much as the message, £16.66 with delivery from Bear & Robot

I know the Keep Calm and... poster format has been done to death in recent months, but the above is just a little different and I appreciate the sentiment. On a day like this, I think a huge blast of fuschia may just make things a little bit better, though if that's a little too happy for your sad days, it's available in a range of other colours. Only £8.18 from tallistreasures

There's nothing like an insult couched in beautiful print to make you feel better about your bad mood. This Douglas Adams quote print by Chatty Nora is only £8 including free delivery!
But i think the winner of the prints has to be Oh, Dear Molly with the following wonderful bits of wisdom

The Lion King "Dress In Drag & Do The Hula" A3 Poster for £10.62

Tarzan "Okay It's All Fun And Games Til Someone Loses An Eye" A3 Poster also £10.62

Nintendo Mario Kart "Choose Your Weapon" A3 Poster for $14.40

There's a rumour going round the office about free ice cream. I must go and investigate immediately!

A Moment of Calm

Work has been so incredably hectic for the last few days that in my lunch break I find myself searching for anything that can provide a moment of calm. It can be a beautiful print that you're drawn right into, a heartfealt blog that can carry you into a minute of excapism, or an object that whisks you away from your desk.

Today, and in fact also a few days ago when I first came across it, it was an object. These amazing lambs by Calabarte are true works of art, fashioned from hand grown gourds.

When unlit they look like amazing wooden sculptures:

But look what happens when you add light!

They're carved out to precisely the right depth to either block the light or allow it to translucentlyly glow through. They're then further carved and pierced to allow some light to escape, the intricate placement of this piercework throwing the most amazing fractal-esque light patterns on the walls and ceiling.

They're all individually handmade to order so not cheap (price on enquiry, I enquired and had the most lovely email back from the artist himself) but compared to the amount of love and labour that go in to each unique them they're cheap at half the price.

So now I'm imagining myself in my perfect library in my perfect house, washed all over by light patterns from one of these lamps. Throw a gin and tonic into this fantasy and now I'm very calm indeed.