“I Was A Teenage Stamp Collector”*

28Mar12

Yesterday I was lightly, (and rightly), chastised for blaming the weather for the shortly to be imposed water restrictions – it seems that Anglia Water have helped the situation a little by losing around 230 million litres of water per day last year, just under 20 per cent of its total. Still at least they […]

Filed under: Art, Design   |  Leave a Comment
Tags: Anglia Water, DC Thomson, Royal Mail, Stamps, The Dandy, Water

The Proposal

26Mar12

As part of the redevelopment of the Park Hill flats in Sheffield, Urban Splash, (responsible for work on The Midland Hotel in Morecambe), have preserved a piece of graffiti that has appeared on one of the walkways for many years. Unfortunately the story of the message isn’t without its sadness. ['I Love You Bridge' - a documentary by Penny Woolcock.]

Filed under: Architecture, Radio   |  Leave a Comment
Tags: I Love You, Morecambe, Park Hill, Park Hill flats, Sheffield, The Midland Hotel, Urban Splash, Will U Marry Me

Especially For You

18Mar12

As an occasional collector of books I’m always bemused that those inscribed with a message of one kind or another usually fail to maintain the price of those that appear more freshly laundered. I’m even more bemused that people are, presumably, happy to give up these trophies of varied success and significance – I mean don’t the […]

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Tags: 3rd Saltford Brownie Pack, Books, Brownies, Inscriptions, John Craven, Saltford, The Book Inscriptions Project

Living In Colour

08Mar12

I do love a bit of letterpress, so I was delighted when this arrived this morning. It’s a promotional pack of letterpressed cards produced by printers Glasgow Press, and designed by Kerr Vernon – and they’re just lovely. Contained within a wax-sealed band (which is a great little detail) are five gorgeous letterpressed cards featuring […]

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Tags: Belle & Sebastian, Camera Osbcura, Frightened Rabbit, Glasgow, Glasgow Press, Kerv Vernon, Letterpress, The Blue Nile, The Pastels

Defend It With All Your Might

06Mar12

Yes yes I know already but this new and entirely lovely film goes someway to begin to restore the balance.

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Tags: Bart Books, Keep Calm & Carry On

“You Wait Four Years For A Bus And It’s Late”

03Mar12

A few weeks ago I wrote about my love of radio. Then whilst slowly dragging through the rush hour traffic in Newcastle recently we switched on BBC Radio 4 to hear Mr Geoffrey Harris. Mr Harris had responded to the PM programme’s suggestion that the 29th February could be a day on which to do […]

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Tags: BBC, BBC Radio 4, Eddie Mair, Geoffrey Harris, PM, Radio

Look And Learn

03Mar12

One of the many purchases I made at Barter Books whilst in the North East the week before last was this, The Things We See – No 5 – Public Transport published by Penguin Books. As you’ll know, if you’ve been paying attention, I’m an occasional collector of Penguins, Pelicans and Puffins however this excellent, (albeit […]

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Tags: Barter Books, Christian Barman, OBE, Pelican, Penguin, Penguin Books, Public Transport, Puffin, Royal Designer for Industry, Society for Industrial Artists