Nomad & Nest

DAVID BOWIE 65 - HAPPY BIRTHDAY

2012-01-08T12:32:00.001Z

Just listening to BBC radio 6 Music loving "Bowie at the Beeb"! And with a copy of THE FACE magazine (May 1983) on the desk and surrounded by photos and pics of the Thin White Duke himself I'm well and truly in the birthday spirit! So here's wishing my absolute music hero Mr David Bowie a happy birthday. Is it any wonder that some of our products are named with subtle references to certain characters woven into his music!

HAPPY NEW YEAR

2012-01-01T00:00:00.000Z

Have a great 2012 and another big ta/diolch to all our lovely customers and followers. Looking forward to launching a whole batch of new stuff this year - some exciting new designs and additions on the drawing board, in development and being tweaked ready for hatching! We'll keep you posted folks.

ANGE, WARREN & HIS CAMERA'S, 3 LOCATIONS & ONEBAG

2011-06-14T11:16:00.013+01:00

Now I've been putting off having an up to date batch of press shots taken of me for a bit too long and no longer can I ignore the fact that the most up to date one's of me are with bleached white hair!

So, here I am on location with one of the best photographers that I love to work with, Warren Orchard, who knows exactly what to do to get the best out of his subject - in this case Me, the Cardiff Bay Barrage, Chapter Arts Centre, at home & studio, a couple alternative shirts and ties, pinstripes, evening light, morning light, a few smiles, a few moody looks and a sneaky 'last' appearance from our very own Onebag 925 satchel in anthracite..... 'last' because we sold it the following day! Great work Warren, ta/diolch for a working your camera magic, loved the shoots, loved the retro Fuji X100 too! Read Warren's Blog for more about the camera's and the shoot.

The Dutch Table area, Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff

Home & Studio

FISHING NOT FASHION

2011-05-30T18:14:00.000+01:00

Out on out boat at sea. Our catch of the day

1 x 5.5lb beast of a Bass (56cm in length)
1 x delicious Dab (he's the flatty)
7 x Mackerel (for the bbq and for the smoker)
3 x gorgeous Gurnard (our favourite eaters!)

Girls done good!

MARC REES - CULTURAL OLYMPIAD

2011-03-03T12:22:00.001Z

Da iawn Marc ! We're mightily proud that Marc's creative bid won and your Adain Avion project will be representing Wales as part of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad.

Look forward to boarding the DC-9 fuselage as it 'nests' around Wales encapsulating your creative, artistic ideas and the spirit of each community it nests in. Nice one bach!

A few gold medals for Britain would be good too!!

REAL VALUE IN POP BOTTLES

2010-09-16T13:45:00.005+01:00

Today they call it 'cash back' but when we were young back in the 60's and 70's taking the Corona pop bottles and Ribena squash bottles back to the shopkeeper for money back was simply the norm. We scoured fields, parks, rubbish bins (afraid so!) and building sites (well you were allowed on them in those days before health & safety regs as we know them today!) and we collected them from anyone who was happy for us to keep the money back. A great recycling venture, a great little earner! So today the BBC News announced that the group Campaign to Protect Rural England have proposed to the Government that the scheme is revived and seems to have initial support (check out guardian.co.uk). Great, bring back the cash refund that was so popular back some 30 years +. It worked then so why not now. Well without wanting to condemn this revival from the off but there is one real obstacle - 'Consumer / User Attitude'.... & guess what, my secondary response (secondary as my primary was "great, about time we tapped into those old fashioned values for the sake of the environment") was confirmed when I caught the BBC news with youngsters being interviewed about the idea - they didn't get it, rate it and thought that it was simply easier to chuck the bottles rather than head for a shop to get the proposed 15p back. The thing is in the younger generations eyes 15p has no value and they treat it as such and that's why when Fi is in school teaching, her and her colleagues are constantly picking up 5p's to 20p's off the playground floor. The kids throw them away, Why? Because they are valueless, small change doesn't afford them what they want and, get this, the coins weigh too much in their pocket..... aaarrrggghhh! Have they not learned that simple maths lesson.... pennies add up to pounds! That's where pop bottle collecting and money back was brilliant - I certainly saved the pennies to buy my sketch pads or my records or a cinema ticket or a Bazooka Joe bubblegum or a sherbet dip at the very least!

FOREST FOOD IN LONDON

2010-09-16T09:13:00.005+01:00

Opening today! A design collaboration between the Finnish Institute in London and Finnish designers sees the creation and opening of an inspired temporary restaurant in during the London Design Festival. Inspired by forest thinnings, foraging and recycling HEL YES has been installed in the Londonewcastle Depot 1-3 Wenlock Road, London and is open until the 3.10.10. An inspired and atmospheric concept and foodie experience

TOKYOBIKE CYCLE LONDON DESIGN

2010-09-12T09:31:00.002+01:00

Now we love bikes and mighty pleased to see London's Tokyobike urban bike brand offering tours of key design destinations around London during the Design Festival next week. Led by Max Frazer, author of the London Design Guide, the tours are only £20.00 so once I know what the weathers doing next Thursday and Friday I may well book myself a saddle and some wheels! Great way to trial the bike too.

WONDERCULTURE DESIGNERS MARKET 9.10.10 & 10.10.10

2010-08-16T09:58:00.002+01:00

We've booked our stall at the WonderCulture Designers Market taking place next month during the Cardiff Design Festival so be great to see you there - we'll have a few new bits 'n' bobs for you to rummage through and purchase! Plus of course you can indulge yourself in Chapters cafe and bar and meet other designers doing great stuff here in Wales.

CARDIFF DESIGN FESTIVAL SUBMISSIONS

2010-08-16T09:45:00.000+01:00

Cardiff Design Festival 2010 is calling for submissions for the design awards so if you've designed or launched a great piece of design in the past year make sure you enter. We're working on a new collection and will definitely be entering in 2011 - watch this space! In the meantime keep an eye on the submissions, no doubt there will be Welsh design that inspires and this year there's a public vote so get voting! New fresh website designed by our design mates Hoffi and great illustration by graphic designer and illustrator Matt Joyce

ON SHOW - TOKUJIN YOSHIOKA

2010-07-21T08:30:00.000+01:00

Japanese designer works his magic in glass and more. The designer has made a movie of the work he has produced for an exhibition in Seoul including this striking 9m window made up of 500 glass prisms, the installation called Spectrum, is stunning - no need to say more.... watch the movie!

[via]

FUTURE OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT

2010-07-15T22:50:00.005+01:00

Having been up & down to London these past weeks traveling on First Great Western trains and barely enjoying the experience this is one of the most inspired alternatives I have seen being proposed for the British rail network.... & even more inspired is that this design really does look at feel iconically "British"!

London design studio Priestmangoode has just unveiled their concept for the future of high-speed rail travel in the U.K. The Mercury is an ambitiously beautiful 'double-decker' solution with a proposed high-speed of 225mph, exciting interior and responsible manufacturing and environmental credentials that has been pitched to the U.K Government as a realistic and urgently needed form of low-carbon and sustainable transport.

Paul Priestman, renowned for his design of the Virgin Pendolino train is passionate about British design and showcasing the best of British design in the way that iconic brands such as Concorde & Rolls Royce have done so globally.

BAD FOR PANDA'S

2010-07-13T23:43:00.000+01:00

From the Spraygraphic Community the clever and kind of endearing work of Toronto based illustrator Tammy Yiu caught my eye again. check out some of the illustrations in the collection "A Pandemic Fit".

One of my faves is "Bad Charlotte" with the note "Bad music makes panda sad". I love these illustrations and the campaign poster style complete with fashions own 'model is wearing' approach.

7,000 STILLS & A MICROSCOPE

2010-07-11T23:22:00.001+01:00

Amazing video using stop animation by JJ Gross for the Broken Social Scene song "All to All". The video is made up of over 7,000 high resolution still images "using a microscope, some paper & a bad printer" says Gross.

All to All from JJ Gross on Vimeo.

WALLPAPER CHAIR

2010-07-02T09:02:00.002+01:00

Graphic designer Stephan Sagmeister has created a chair out of 200 digitally printed sheets of wallpaper - all individual patterns in retro styles for dutch conceptual design brand Droog. The piece was shown at Design Miami in Basel recently.

SPILLERS RECORDS & THE LAST CUSTOMER

2010-06-27T11:10:00.004+01:00

...& IT WAS ME!

It was so going to be one of those moments when you know you're going to get a little choked..... & I unashamedly did! The legendary 'oldest record shop in the world' owned by the legendary Nick Todd closed it's door at 36, The Hayes, Cardiff and I was the last customer to be served! My purchase... 'David Live', David Bowie At The Tower Philadelphia, was swooped out of my hands by Nick who rightly said "I suppose it should be me who serves our last customer".... & then the photo-opportunity and a chance to give Nick a big cwtch!

Spillers Records - It was where I grew up, it was the place I used to head for every Saturday morning with earnings from my 3 paper-rounds waiting for Spillers to open so that I could purchase the latest album or 45rpm or even better.... limited edition vinyls which if any one could get hold of Nick would! I was 12 when I first patronised Spillers, there was no place like it and no place since. My hard-earned pocket money was going to be well invested in my passion for music and the vinyl experience and collection that I still love and cherish. Spillers took me on an eclectic journey of music through the 70's, 80's, 90's onwards and introducing me to so many genres from established to experimental along the way. Spillers and in 70's led the way and started me on an inspiring journey - my parents bought my first album from Spillers in '72, of course it was Pink Floyds 'Dark Side of the Moon'. I was soon heading over that infamous Spillers threshold to make my very own first purchase - David Bowie 'Ziggy Stardust & the Spiders from Mars'.... after that Bowie became my hero so it seemed only right that my last purchase as the last customer at 36, The Hayes should be a Bowie number.

Chatting with Nick yesterday afternoon made me realise what an amazing place, brand and community he had created. I talked about queuing outside waiting for the shop to open to purchase limited edition Punk releases on limited edition vinyl with sometimes limited edition covers! At this point Nick did confess, "if it wasn't for 'Punk' I would've closed Spillers back then"!

So, anyone that has ever considered Punk to be a waste of vinyl and airtime, think again.... just imagine if there had never been punk.... just imagine a world of records without Spillers Records!!!

& Now the 'flip-side' - excuse the pun but it's kind of worth it..... Spillers Records lives on and will be opening a spit away, literally just around the corner at 31, Morgan Arcade and although Nick is handing the reins over to his daughter Ashli it will no doubt continue to be one hell of an amazing music place, one hell of a community and I for one am pretty relieved to know that Nicks vision & Spillers Records lives on. Here's wishing Ashli, the team and Spillers Records a long prosperous future.

& on that note (eeewwwe... another limp pun!) ...... Spillers will always be "the oldest record shop in the world"! Always!

CHAPTER LIGHTBOX #2

2010-06-17T21:54:00.000+01:00

Chapter Art Centre has commissioned Cardiff artist Holly Davey to create a piece of site specific work for the lightbox at the front of the Chapter building.

The commission called "I told you so" explores the way Davey interacts with the camera, the audience and the architecture using Chapters hidden spaces such as the inaccessible rooftop. The work is presented as a series of photographic images of which the rooftop image fills the lightbox blending remarkably with the actual fabric of the real Chapter building. It's presence is both a blend and bold statement amazingly giving the new Chapter signage on the roof a kind of dynamic lift.

PROPOSALS FOR CARDIFF

2010-06-16T22:22:00.000+01:00

Artist Peter Liversidge has produced a piece of work called "Proposals For Cardiff" presenting a wide range of possible and impossible ideas for performance, artworks and interventions, all typed on his old manual typewriter at his breakfast table.

Each proposal is addressed to Hannah Firth, Art Curator at Chapter, each proposal being as unique as the next - from a proposal which has the Chapter caffi bar serving Lincolnshire Plum Bread to hanging pure white bunting hung throughout the caffi bar to making and installing a forest of black walnut trees to building a bespoke cinema in the gallery space screening daily a batch of films selected by friends and family. Exhibition runs until 11.7.10 at Chapter, Cardiff

CREATIVE-THINKING WORKSHOPS

2010-05-26T21:27:00.000+01:00

The Seed Factory is another home-grown creative venture I launched recently - crazy perhaps, especially with a pretty heavy workload as it is but, The Seed Factory love's crazy ideas! The Seed Factory designs and delivers creative-thinking workshops for business, public sector, education and individual personal development. Essentially it's "a place where we squeeze the best commercial ideas out of the crazy one's".

Just before the participants arrive Carwyn checks the spots for the "Been there Done it" activity during the workshop programme designed for the Welsh Assembly and Enterprise Coordinators from colleges and Uni's.

FILLET 'O' FISH

2010-05-15T20:55:00.001+01:00

I got Fi an amazing fish filleting knife for her birthday. First go and the Dover sole was filleted beautifully..... nice one Fi.

WHITE WATER CENTRE

2010-04-25T21:12:00.001+01:00

The new Cardiff Interntional White Water Centre has just opened in Cardiff Bay. Some great activities and if you are a competent kayaker then for a tiny little £10 you can white water kayak all day long using your own kayak and kit..... Bargain! Now we're looking into joining a woman's kayak club so we can white water too.

Brilliant conveyor belt taking kayakers up to the white water course

Rafting for groups

DIESEL...ALL LIT UP

2010-04-25T09:28:00.000+01:00

Spotted this light just launched by Diesel at the Superstudio Piu in Milan this month. It's pretty much what you would expect the Diesel Creative Team under the creative direction of Wilbert Das to deliver. I used to be a huge fan of Diesel founder Renzo Rosso's design ethos and approach but I've veered away in recent years. However, I'm kind of liking what they are doing with their Successful Living home collection..... could it be subtly yanking me back towards the brand. I particularly like some of the lighting especially 'Perf' produced under license by Foscarini.

Perf is perforated metal, almost un-deciphered code pattern and a visor-like shape light inspired by traditional perforated lamps from North Africa

{via}

PUMA - 1 BAG & NO BOX

2010-04-24T10:02:00.002+01:00

Puma seem to be committed to ditching the shoe box as announced recently. Now this is a clever idea..... from out of the Fuseproject design studio who created "One laptop per child" comes the "Clever little bag" for Puma. Simple bag and die cut cardboard component for structure. less weight, less materials, no more retail carrier bags.... another "less is more" solution.

Malcolm McLaren RIP

2010-04-13T13:57:00.004+01:00

Our Godfather of British punk, Malcolm McLaren's said in an interview with Andrew Denton for 'Enough Rope' that his grandmother Rose Corre Isaacs always said to him - 'To be bad is good... to be good is simply boring". McLaren was definitely a bad boy, definitely not boring but was most definitely damn good at what he created, what he did. A true music innovator, a master of raw talent and an icon in fashion firsts. Here's a great music-mix tribute to MM on mixcloud .... listen, enjoy and remember!

DIVE TRIAL

2010-04-11T20:42:00.001+01:00

Another birthday experience for Fi ...... next year open-water training for the PADI certificate! I may even join her!!

70'S THROWBACK

2010-04-09T20:17:00.000+01:00

Ok, it had to be a retro trifle 70's stylie for Fi's 40th birthday dessert. Made with my own fair hands whilst slightly under the influence of a bottle of champagne! Dodgy attempt at 'chefy' sugar work needs practice!

NATURES POUCH

2010-04-08T20:04:00.001+01:00

A trip to Manor House zoo, near Tenby was on the agenda on Fi's birthday & by request! Perfect timing - the wallaby's were carrying their young in natures pouch! There's one albino male and he'd obviously been a busy boy! They're always incredibly tame and quite happy with a little human contact.... guess who was in her element!

FI IS 40....

2010-04-08T10:44:00.002+01:00

Penblywdd Hapus Happy Birthday Fi
Time to party!!

4 DECADES

2010-03-29T10:16:00.000+01:00

Now as much as Fi would like her birthday to quiet..... it's so not going to be! April will be a month packed with mini parties, gatherings, trips and experiences & yep.... celebrations have started early!!

At party no.1 this weekend I got everyone to scribble on a little card I designed their ideas for "1 more thing to do before you are 50"...... some fab ideas & so many ideas but 10 years to do them in..... plenty of time then!

& here's a snapshot of some of the "things to do..."
Trip to Australia & New Zealand
Catch a 5lb Sea Bass from your kayak using your birthday presents
Cycle to Glen Coe
Do a Triathlon
Knit a cardigan
Safari
Snowboarding
Horse back riding (Western Style!)
Design & Build your own home
Get an allotment
Go work with animals
Go get a soft top vintage car
Go to the 2012 Olympics
Become a drag queen for a night
Take stock!

CHAPTER - BACK TO THE 70'S

2010-03-17T15:47:00.010Z

Great stuff - This months copy of Architects Journal presents Cardiff's Chapter Arts Centre on the front cover with a great photo of the handsome 1970's interior treatment in the 'Cwtch' bar which was of the cafe bar spaces lovingly designed and created by myself & Marc Rees under the Gidden+Rees collaboration.

The interior treatment plays homage to the 70's when Chapter was first established and reflects the fantastic Edwardian buildings roots as an old school. We salvaged, we recycled, we refurbished, we introduced 1970's vintage wallpaper graphically punctuating the main cafe bar space and represented the past with old school desks & chairs, satchels & some classic vintage furniture and accessories.
AJ have featured the project and work by Ash Sakula architects. I [Angela] met with Robert Sakula and AJ's journalist Rory Olcayto to chat about the new Chapter space in every dimension and the relaxed collaborative style of working with Robert & Canny of Ash Sakula. Good to see that Rory has also highlighted Chapter's culture, it's purpose, it's roots and it's importance as an key arts and community destination. He's also 'ready to go back'!

IGNITE CARDIFF #4

2010-03-04T15:59:00.002Z

Ok so I volunteered some months ago to talk at tonight's Ignite Cardiff #4 in the Wales Millenium Centre. Cardiff was the first U.K city to sign up thanks to Claire Scantlebury & Neil Cocker and tonight Cardiff will be one of a number of cities taking part today in the Global Ignite Week.

A great line-up of speakers..... pretty random but about as random as my talk - 'A Creative Industry Without Cats'! 20 slides, 15 secs per slide, 5 mins total.... it may well all be a jumble of words and facts! Hope to see you there.

LISTENING THE RETRO WAY

2010-01-12T17:13:00.001Z

We're liking this kind of homage to an old style of listening & headphones. Inspired by the early Walkman headphones, this new cool product called Tracks Headphones Series made of interchangeable parts has come out of the collaboration between Danish design studios AIAIAI & Kilo Design Certainly check out AIAIAI's website for more info... hey & they work with iPhones & BlackBerry's.

Interchangeable parts create colour options..... some work better than others but then that's often just a matter of personal taste! So firstly these are my 2 faves.

& here's Marc's.Liking the graphic retro packaging too. I know we don't like packaging here but if its designed in a collectable/keepsake graphically interesting way then that's ok.

A LOAD OF DREAMBALLS

2010-01-09T16:14:00.002Z

Inspired! Us lot here at Nomad & Nest have a real detest of packaging. Now we know we can't completely ignore the fact that we too need to use it, after all we have to protect your purchases when we send them to you. But, there are so many opportunities to design and create 'practical & responsible' packaging....... Like this!

Seoul design studio Unplug Design have created this aid packaging which once its day is over as a container for the safe delivery of aid to third world countries, children can follow the printed pattern to create their own biodegradable yet sturdy footballs. The designers note that the children in the struggling Third World countries can not afford to buy a football and make do with filled carrier bags or made from palm leaves.

Owning a football would simply be a dream for most of these children....... but now there's Dreamball

{Via Dezeen}

WELL I'M BLOWED... IT'S HERMES!

2010-01-08T12:45:00.000Z

If you happen to be heading to Tokyo this month you really should go see Hermes window display designed by Tokujin Yoshioka. The installation will be in place until 19.1.10. It's so beautiful, so simple so I'm not going to say another word........ so just watch!

HAPPY NEW YEAR

2010-01-02T11:22:00.008Z

Hope your 2010 rocks folks! A huge thanks to all our customers and dedicated followers & disciples of Nomad & Nest. We're looking forward to creating some new stuff for you this year.

New years eve was pretty inspiring - a feast in our caravan in West Wales followed by a stroll on the beach at midnight with a bottle of bubbles! The beach was amazing spot-lit by the full moon, clear sky & a mass of stars, the lowest tide we've ever seen on the beach and in the far corner of the beach the hot embers of an abandoned fire... which we hogged of course! Perfect start to 2010! Very 'Nomad', very 'Nest'!

ELVIS IS IN THE BUILDING...Honest!

2009-12-03T17:02:00.007Z

We've set up our stall at the WonderCulture Designers Kiosk in Chapter, Cardiff and just grabbed the first opportunity to snap some pics.... without the lovely customers surrounding our stall!

And yes, Elvis is in the building! We dug out one of our 2 favourite lengths of fabric printed with 2 scales of Elvis. We've got a bit of 'Rawhide' going on with our stuff, gun-slinging Elvis and some sheep & cowhides. A slightly themed 'pop-up' look today!

Fellow Design Merchants in the Designers kiosk today:
Mode Design
Devils Laundry
Ed & Flo
Recycled with love
&
ThinkArk

THE CLEVER HAMPSTERS DEBUT

2009-12-02T15:03:00.006Z

Brilliant! This the sort of stuff to make you smile. Drench, the bottled water brand are about to launch their new ad this week starring jazz musicians, The Clever Hamsters. Again, brilliant!
It's coming out on tv this weekend. Love the record sleeve design too - retro, the way we like it!

Watch the clip here but make sure you go to Staydrenched for the auditions too - just click on a hamster profile....cute as!

5 ECO-CRIMES

2009-12-02T09:18:00.006Z

Illustration 'Coffee cup (empty)' by Frogg. We like Frogg's illustrations and photography

An article covering 5 eco-crimes committed each dayin yesterday's New Scientist was pinged through to us from our fellow Welshies, Do Lectures. Yes we are coffee drinkers - one a day, we do use loo roll and preferably soft!, we do have cars but drive efficiently, we do wash clothes but never tumble dry and finally yes we do create fashion accessories but responsibly with long lasting quality in mind and with waste materials at the core. Nothing faddy, nothing 'fast' about our approach to fashion.

Ok we're not perfect but we're giving it a damn good try and so we're not quite eco-criminals either!

Via New Scientist

INSIDE THE BOOK...

2009-11-30T16:51:00.004Z

Serious paper animation. Quite spectacular. Take a peek at this film with animation created by Andersen M Studio and produced by Colenso BBDO for the New Zealand Book Council.

& THE WINNER IS...

2009-11-27T16:50:00.003Z

Announcing the winners of my birthday card design.

Congrats to the Hoffi guys for taking part in the birthday card competition. We know you dropped that big important project to work on the even more important cards! Lynsey says I'm the lone judge and she's remaining impartial, so in no particular order....

The winner is......

Julian for getting the spelling of my name right and being so cheery
Carwyn for creating an Original piece of graphics
Andrew for showing me something clever

You are all winners.... how cheesy is that!

we only have two little cakes & Andrew said he'll pass so.... come and get them!

& THE CARDS ARE IN

2009-11-27T15:56:00.009Z

And I thought my looming birthday tomorrow had gone under the radar in the cluster of Studios here in Cardiff Bay.... but no! Earlier, Lynsey secretly initiated a competition for the Hoffi boys to win two little birthday cakes. Cheers guys...The best card design wins.... here are the entries -
Andrews entry - He's an honest guy and has admitted that he didn't create this himself but has credited the originator, Christopher Johnson. Check out more of his ASCII artwork. (ask'-ee) stands for "American Standard Code for Information Interchange"..... so there we are then!

Carwyns entry. He says - he made it himself between learning the piano... beause he' multi-talented! hhhmm of course he is!

Julian's entry - No he didn't design and make this one either.... & that's not me being ungrateful! But look what the guys have done at Gap.... specially for me, with a little bit of input from Julian - he supplied my name! Want one? Go to the Cheerfactory.com. Very Gap, very American, very cheery!

Yep, very cheery! AND they've spelled my name right!

WONDERCULTURE DESIGNERS KIOSK

2009-11-26T17:01:00.002Z

Phew! Just in time for Christmas! We've booked our stall at next weeks WonderCulture Designers Kiosk in Chapter, Cardiff. We'll be selling some great stuff for those of you looking for a unique Christmas prezzie..... even if it's to yourself!

So get yourself down to Chapter Thurs 3rd Dec 12pm til 10pm. Ideal for some late night shopping.

WonderCulture Designers Kiosk will be nesting in the main concourse and cafe bar..... go on make a night of it too!

TARNY'S GOTTA BRAND NEW BAG

2009-11-17T22:04:00.007Z

There's more than one use for our brown paper bags. Our gorgeous cat got her paws on one weeks ago. After plenty of mad cat play we decided it was time for a new one... with her very own name on it! Another unique individually designed bag from Nomad & Nest, another satisfied customer!

New bag

Old bag

A MELIN TREGWYNT SPECIAL

2009-11-13T15:09:00.004Z

We love collaborating with other brands and here's one of our furniture projects. We've tucked those signature raw edges of ours away and created a smart tailored version of our Caerdydd Raw Armchair exclusive to established Welsh brand Melin Tregwynt.

Martha - sultry slouching

We're so used to seeing our armchair hand-made in our cherished character-rich leather. Great to see it modeling some of Melin Tregwynts latest woven wool upholstery fabrics. Loving the velvety pooch accessory!

STYLE BIBLE FOR MEN

2009-11-12T12:36:00.004Z

Another day another Blog-Share. We're keeping an eye on Style Salvage blog. Two friends Steve & EJ chat about how men could and should dress, up and coming designers, individuality in fashion, tailoring and some self-styled DIY fashion projects. We love the unusual finds and Steve and EJ's attention to detail..... just the way we like it here!

Steve even finds well tailored style in Wes Andersons film Mr Fox. Via Style Salvage

CELEBRATING SESAME STREET

2009-11-11T17:59:00.003Z

With cakes of course! Cool little fella's and made us smile and all nostalgic and kid-like! Now go bake some cakes!

SESAME STREET IS 40

2009-11-11T17:31:00.004Z

So who didn't grow up with Sesame Street? It was cool when I was a kid and it's surprisingly still cool today. The difference is I didn't realise how innovative and ground-breaking it was at the time. I didn't even notice how many celeb's they'd managed to get on the show either. Not keen on James Blunt but he's just gone up in my estimation... This version of his hit 'Beautiful' is way better!

FIRST BLOG-SHARE

2009-11-10T15:27:00.004Z

Searching for damn good cool and interesting blogs is a bit mind-blowing. Then following blogs is a route to overload of information and then writing them could be dangerously close to being a full-time occupation... and thank god it is for some because some are well worth sharing.
So to kick off our Blog-Share here's one of our favourites.

thesatorialist.com
Scott Schuman is the guy behind the blog which, since 2005 has become a bit of a global phenomenon. So here is a guy called Scott, a street photographer from New York who travels the globe taking photos of interesting and stylishly dressed individuals as he walks the streets. He now shoots DKNY advertising campaigns. Lets hope thesatorialist keeps walking the streets capturing and promoting individuality, cool attitude and a few eccentricities. Oh and thesatorialist.com is selected as one of Times Magazine's top 100 design influencers!

RE-INVENTING THE WHEEL

2009-11-09T12:30:00.011Z

An urban utility/sports bike.
Took the latest Dahon Cadenza Solo 2009 folding bike out for a road test this weekend. Couldn't resist temptation of a spin on the frost white Cadenza Solo designed by designer and mountain bike legend Joe Murray. Dahon say that once you've ridden this bike you wont want to get on your nobbly tired mountain bike again.... AND THEY'RE RIGHT! What a bike - mighty light in aluminium at 11.3kg (trust me that's light esp compared to my mountain bike), so agile and fast even as a single gear ratio bike, easy fold in 30 secs with Dahon's patented LockJaw hinge. Love the look particularly in frost white - it's a spin-off of a mountain bike but with road bike appeal and Dahon have created this folding bike based on pure simplicity of use and ride experience.... as we say in the studio KISS - Keep It Simple Stupid!
So about Dahon, in case you were wondering! Well back in 1975 there was a bit of an oil and fuel crisis and this guy Dr David Hon became pretty concerned about the magnitude of the worlds dependency on and consumption of the non-renewable resource - oil. In 1982, after years of research and development, Dahon was founded and the world's first folding bicycle - Hon's solution to transforming the functionality of the bicycle - was launched to international acclaim winning design award after design award. Dahon's philosophy and purpose from the start was to convince people to use more sustainable and environmental transport. The folding bike gave the traveler and commuter more flexibility, more scope for distance travel.

In the world of design we can be resistant to the idea of re-inventing the wheel unless the design process and solution yields improvements. Dahon completely embrace the philosophy of 're-inventing the wheel' - As innovators of successful products we cant argue with that!

COOL STAMPS ROCK!

2009-11-06T14:38:00.008Z

Brought up on a diet of prog, glam and punk rock I'm loving these stamps designed by Studio Dempsey, London. They're due to be released 7th Jan 2010.... for all the die-hard stamp collectors or the nostalgic rock fans.....that be me then! (the latter of course). The Royal Mail trawled existing polls on Great Album Covers with a team of art, design & music experts selecting the significant top 10 album sleeve artworks used on albums by British artists.

Obviously my fave - David Bowie, Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars 1972. Album cover by Main Artery and photo of chameleon Bowie as his Ziggy persona by Brian Ward.
Rolling Stones, Let it Bleed 1969

Pink Floyd, The Division Bell 1994 & Coldplay, A Rush of Blood to the Head 2002

Led Zeppelin, IV, 1971 & Primal Screams, Screamadelica, 1991

Blur, Parklife & New Order, Power Corruption and Lies

The Clash, London Calling 1979 & Mike Oldfield, Tubular Bells 1973

Via Creative Review

PLASTIC SHOCKER

2009-11-05T17:37:00.005Z

We always come across stuff that shocks and appals and we seriously couldn't ignore this one - it's far too shocking. Sorry guys this one's quite something. We know the sea's a dumping ground but no sea bird should be clearing up our mess! Sickening! Tens of thousands of Albatross chicks die every year like this! An incredibly worrying issue is that the Albatross parents are gathering food in the form our plastic waste and feeding it all to their chicks. This is nature with a frightening twist to nurture.

Photographs are by internationally acclaimed photographic artist Chris Jordan who focuses his work on American consumerism and the darker side of mass culture.

Via The Guardians Environment page and Creative Reviews blog

NEW IDEAS & SOME SOUP

2009-11-03T13:33:00.002Z

After a much needed 9 day break in our trailer (ok it's a static caravan!) we are back from the mighty windy wild West Wales and itching to start developing the ideas we've got for a new Nomad & Nest collection. Too many ideas, so little time! The real design time starts after we've polished off Lynsey's pumpkin soup!

WONDERCULTURE DESIGNERS MARKET

2009-10-09T15:17:00.005+01:00

It's the WonderCulture Designers Market .... THIS WEEKEND!
We'll be setting up at 7.30am tomorrow ready for doors opening to all you design inspired shoppers at 10am.
We'll have some Fresh Stuff just in and we'll be featuring Rummage.... so plenty of great stuff not online yet at real affordable prices - get there early because once they're gone they're gone!
It's in Chapter...... we'll be in the new concourse and cafe bar so if you fancy a sneaky peek before the official opening later this month then head to the WonderCulture Designers Market.
Saturday 10th Oct 10am til 5pm
Sunday 11th Oct 10am til 4pm.
& there's more
You can pick up your copy of Design Up Your Street - it's free!!
& more
The Best of Welsh Design Showcase will be exhibited at the Designers Market so come and check out more innovative Welsh design

Design Up Your Street - HOT OFF THE PRESS

2009-10-09T15:12:00.002+01:00

Hot off the press & Out today! A free design publication created by the attic 2 Studio and some willing mates... including Nomad & Nest! Copies from the WonderCulture Designers Market at Chapter, Cardiff this weekend and various social venues around the City.

Design Up Your Street... where we talk design in Wales, design beyond Wales, design in your Community & Design Up Your Street.

The 48hr challenge was fast furious focused & FUN!

Hope you think its a good read. If so we'll all do it again..... in 48hrs... or less!!

NOMAD & NEST ON SHOW

2009-10-02T15:10:00.002+01:00

We're off to the launch of the Cardiff Design Festival 09 in the Senedd, home of the National Assembly for Wales here in the slightly chilly and grey Cardiff Bay! But who cares as it'll be all bright and buzzing with Welsh designers and creatives en mass. And the bonus - we get to see Nomad & Nest in the Festival Showcase as one of the companies shortlisted for a Cardiff Design Festival Award... but we have to wait until Monday 5th Oct for the awards announcement and celebrations! Everything crossed for a few more days then.

WE'VE BEEN SHORTLISTED

2009-09-15T15:54:00.005+01:00

The shortlist for the Cardiff Design Festival 09 Awards has just been announced and Nomad & Nest is on the list! Damned marvelous! Cheers Judges. Glad you like our website... lets hope it wins! Now we're all looking forward to the awards night on the 5th October - fingers and legs crossed please!

DISCO..VERED!

2009-09-09T15:42:00.014+01:00

WonderCulture Schooltrip Task Tags and badges

Just love this large impressive timepiece by H Samuel under their brand name Everite. It's above the arched entrance to Cardiff Central Market which opened on the 8th May 1891 by the Marchioness of Bute.

Discovered a disco in Crockherbtown Lane (which I also dicovered!). Disco lights flashing at 4pm? I was intrigued but didn't go in. Leaves me wondering - Was anyone really on the dancefloor?

10Feet Tall..... just another favourite 'nest'!

We've been busy busy but not too busy to upload our photos from last Thursday's WonderCulture Schooltrip on Flickr. It was a terrific creative activity - pure free-flow, individually inventive and great to meet new people presenting different perspectives of the city centre. Everyone established their own documentary approach from the off. Lynsey went all random on us walking in the opposite direction to where she would normally go and opposite to the rest of us when she spotted us! My approach was way more controlled - walking a familiar route, identifying a street name, looking up, setting an horizon and capturing the architecture ignored just below the sky horizon - and I got that blue sky I love too! We proudly presented our souvenirs at the end - Lynsey did 'old' - a bag of good old fashioned chocolate limes bought from a sweet shop established a 114 years ago that none of us even knew existed. I did 'new' - I joined the new Cardiff Central Library and got my library card, a first in over 15 years ..... better late than never!

WonderCulture School Trip Cardiff on Flickr
Ange's WonderCulture Schooltrip on Flickr
Lynsey's WonderCulture Schooltrip on Flickr

WONDERCULTURE SCHOOL TRIP

2009-09-03T13:11:00.011+01:00

3.9.09 3pm on the steps 3 hours to discover & capture 1 School photo on the Museum steps 2 key destinations to visit 1 souvenir collected 2 postcards of Cardiff - posted!
1 look up 1 look down 1 place you've never visited before 1 sketch of an interesting doorway
1 bottle of pop 1 packet of crisps 1 bar !! 15 visual perspectives per Tripper uploaded
1 Flickr WonderCulture Schooltrip Cardiff 09.09 pool 1 Flickr Cardiff Design Festival 09
2 Satchels packed!

TODAY - it's the WonderCulture Schooltrip in Cardiff and it' sunny!
We're heading off in a bit on the WonderCulture Schooltrip as part of the Cardiff Design Festival 09. A whole bunch of curious people with sketchbooks, camera's, pop and crisps will be meeting on the steps of the National Museum of Wales at 3pm today. As Cardiff city centre is changing with the urban redevelopment project nearing its final stages the WonderCulture Schooltrip is an opportunity to re-familiarise and grab a fresh perspective of the city in a fun and creative way. Looking forward to a few cheeky beers and a mighty big creative discussion in one of our favourite bars 10Feet Tall later.

SHARE AND SHARE ALIKE

2009-09-03T12:59:00.004+01:00

So I brought the freshly baked rustic cobs into work today..... well it's good to share. Lynsey has the same sentiment - so she offered her banana and advocado pear that needs eating.......... well what else are you supposed to do with that mixed platter!

MIDNIGHT FEAST

2009-09-03T12:35:00.004+01:00

Ok we said we were baking mad last time but when you fancy sarnies for lunch the following day and it's too late and far too wet to go shopping for the loaf the bake it yourself..... even if it is midnight. This rustic batch came out of the oven close to that time when I should've turned into a pumpkin. This time I really improvised - maybe that's what happens late at night! I mixed 2 flours, one wholemeal stoneground and one full-on seed and grain with more yeast, more sugar, more salt, more butter, more sunflower oil, more warm milk and water, more stretching and kneading and more proving... more of everything equals more taste!! Dead tasty in fact... with loads of butter of course!

ISLAND CAMPING

2009-08-28T14:39:00.007+01:00

Just as Fi & I prepare to head down to our caravan in Wild West Wales for the bank hol weekend we were chatting about how we could so do with a holiday - preferably a tranquil, peaceful one with no one around.... no disrespect to you fellow nomads! And we've found just the place, caravan and all - it's so off the wall and cool. Wish we'd created this little retreat ourselves. You can find it on its own little island in Holland!

LESS TECH IS MORE

2009-08-28T11:45:00.003+01:00

Stumbled across this earlier on the net. Quite apt as we're in the middle of developing and prototyping 'jackets' for tech stuff. Made us smile, made us think..... once again 'Less is more'!

EXPOSED 10 - DEBS ELSAESSER

2009-08-25T17:16:00.006+01:00

We've been so full-on here we completely forgot to welcome our new design intern Debs Elsaesser to Nomad & Nest straight from New Designers 2009 One Year On where she was one of 50 young designers selected to exhibit. We've commissioned Debs to design a specific capsule collection for our AutumnWinter 09 Campaign launching in October (no peaking - it's under wraps!). Debs will also be showcased in Exposed10 as part of our commitment to working with 10 inspiring creatives each year. Anyway, we quickly took this little snap of Debs on the cusp of prototyping her design in our studio and workshop today - before she bury's herself up to her neck in more hide and sheepskin this week... more off-cuts coming her way! Debs also has her own studio brand Re-ply Designs based in West Wales and loves the hands-on approach to the design process - just the way we like it.

BAKING MAD WE ARE!

2009-08-23T14:07:00.004+01:00

It's the sort of thing you do when the weather is mizzy and you have an inspired 'nostalgic and traditional domestic' moment. We'd already invested in the ingredients so this particular Saturday some 3 weeks ago we baked our first loaf together. One minute we were trying to be professional bakers (pretending we knew what we were doing with kneading techniques!) the next minute we were like kids watching every second on the clock whilst the dough proved, taking sneaky peaks at it rising in the loaf tin before constantly hovering in front of the glass oven door watching the loaf bake. Then like kids hanging round the kitchen waiting for mum to give us permission to taste we waited... and waited, staring at the loaf as it cooled with bread knife, plates, butter and fresh coffee at the ready. It wasn't a bad first attempt - it was neatly formed, nicely browned, had a hollow sounding tap on its bottom, it was fresh, warm, handmade, nostalgic and we felt pretty chuffed with ourselves. Now the weeks have passed, we have bought only 1 loaf since and have handmade 5 loaves and 8 small cobs. We're still experimenting, we're still practicing and we have to say that out of the oven this morning popped the best yet - a pair of Wholemeal cobby loaves!

We didn't expect twins but they were conjoined! Nicely baked and in true Nomad & Nest style... each Stoneground Wholemeal cobby loaf 'the same but different'!

TIPS FROM US VERY NOVICE BAKERS
To start - First ask your Gran or your Mum for recipes (can't beat the old tried and tested ones)! Or dig out the cookery books, the flour and Yeast packets also have recipes, there's plenty of tips online OR here's our novice top 10 tips we think are pretty useful and funnily enough seem to have have worked!
1. Warm your bowl before putting ingredients in - it gets the whole process going
2. A teaspoon of sugar really helps the flavour
3. Salt is a must - we put less in our 2nd loaf and the bread ended up a little bland
4. Bread needs fat - sunflower oil or really soft butter is good
5. We've added warm milk to the luke warm water when using the Strong white flour
6. When we knead we've started stretching the dough to get more texture
7. Proving in a warm but critically draft-free place
8. Oil the baking tin or baking try
9. Find a distraction when your bread is proving & baking - bidding on EBay's a good one!
10. Keep it real - real butter, real jam, real coffee!

Oh yeah, if you haven't already noticed, we've been cheating a little by using quick yeast... we are trying to find fresh yeast ...... honest!

Out of all the quick yeast we like this one from Dove's Farm eatblished on the Wiltshire/Berkshire borders in 1978 by Michael and Claire Marriage who are dedicated to using local raw materials, organic ethical and fairtrade agricultural systems and are committed to working within the community. And to top it all their yeast is great and we love the simple retro packaging - All good enough for us!

Anyway here's some pics of our loaves, cobs and a few homemade banana muffins Fi rustled up and snook into the oven whilst resourcefully making the most of a couple of manky bananas and the ovens energy consumption. Now we're 'baking mad we are'!

Our First loaf - using an Organic Strong White Flour

Our next bake included 1 loaf and 2 cobs using Organic Strong White Flour and another loaf using a Multigrain Flour (lots of seeds) ...... notice Fi's banana muffins - took less than 10 minutes to munch through that batch between us!

Last weekends cobby loaf - We used a Stoneground Wholemeal Flour, baked it to a darker brown and the taste was really malty - baking just get's better!

TIME PASSES, WHO CARES!

2009-08-17T13:25:00.006+01:00

Totally seduced! This is definitely one of the most beautiful calendar’s we’ve come across thanks to the creatively intelligent work of Spanish Designer Oscar Diaz. Love the embossed typography and the spectrum of coloured inks. This has got to be such a chilled and soporific way watch the days go by. Almost like printing, the ink slowly absorbs its way into paper, using the capillary action to colour and highlight the embossed dates as it travels daily. Ok time passes us by but who cares when you could watch it in such a beautiful sensitive way!

Spotted in architecture and design magazine Dezeen's newsfeed

NOMAD & NEST WOZ 'ERE... BEFORE TORCHWOOD'

2009-08-12T11:48:00.011+01:00

Just a couple of pics I took of Ianto Jones' shrine - Bless!

Munching lunch in that regular little corner of Cardiff Bay... damned hot yesterday!

August 2006. Onebag 925, 247 & 24 posing for our first Nomad & Nest photoshoot...
We woz 'ere first!

Ok, Fi & I didnt watch the special series of Torchwood weeks and weeks ago but living and working here in Cardiff you can't really escape the fact that the Torchwood team live and work here too. Between Torchwood and Doctor Who Cardiff has definitely become a destination for fiction fans from all over..... and I mean all over!

Our studio is only a 5 minute walk to the seafront here in Cardiff Bay - Torchwood's patch. Yesterday Fi & I grabbed one of regular spots to munch our lunch. Obviously not as regular as we thought because since we were last there 'that spot' has become a shrine to Ianto Jones - a fictional character killed in that special series of Torchwood. And when I said fiction fans from all over... even Slovakia!

This shrine was in this 'spot' in this small corner of Cardiff Bay because it was the entrance to Torchwoods HQ..... yep really! Anyway, Nomad & Nest claimed it first.... August 2006 in fact, when we did our first product photoshoot. See we woz 'ere first!

AWARD ENTRY - CARDIFF DESIGN FESTIVAL

2009-08-10T15:54:00.008+01:00

Just to let you know Nomad & Nest's website has been entered into the Cardiff Design Festival Showcase and Design Awards 09. The judges are Richard Seymour of international design agency Seymour Powell, David Worthington formerly MD of the Conran Group and now Chairman of the Design Division of Media Square PLC, Mark Boulton web designer of Mark Boulton Design. You can read about our website inspiration on the Cardiff Design Festival website.

We're also pretty chuffed with our previous Cardiff Design Festival awards -

2007 Winner of Furniture design award - Caerdydd Raw armchair
2008 Winner of Product design award - Pocket

2008 Winner of Product Design Award - Pocket

2007 Winner of Furniture Design Award - Caerdydd Raw Armchair

To explore the entries click the link above or go to www.cardiffdesignfestival.org/showcase. There's some seriously tough competition in the Showcase but we love a bit of healthy competition - its good for pushing our design boundaries!

CARDIFF DESIGN FESTIVAL 09

2009-08-10T14:24:00.005+01:00

We're so busy here with our heads down, buried up to our necks in new design ideas for our AutumnWinter09 campaign that we completely forgot to mention in our 6070 Journal about the Cardiff Design Festival 09. Now we've been a supporter, participator and disciple of the festival since the day we were born and this year is no exception.

We'll be organising our own satellite events during the festivals programme throughout October....now that probably means some cake baking for Fi and me! Anyway what ever we plan or do it'll be in our own alternative but community-spirited way - We'll be keeping you posted.

Don't forget to put the 10th & 11th October in your diaries and pop and see us at WonderCulture's Designers Market.

The Cardiff Design Festival website is fab (Go Hoffi). It's great to have a showcase of design in Wales and a site that's interactive and kind of owned by the design community.

Oh and the catagories for the design awards are now in the process of being judged. Nomad & Nest have been successful winners of awards in 2007 and 2008. This year our website has been entered so we are keeping our fingers crossed. Check out the showcase and entries in the Cardiff Design Festival Showcase

WONDERCULTURE DESIGNERS MARKET

2009-08-10T13:29:00.008+01:00

Nomad & Nest will be taking a stall at WonderCulture's Designers Market for a whole weekend during the Cardiff Design Festival 09. We'll be launching new products as part of our AutumnWinter09 Campaign so we'll be selling new collections, additions to Fresh Stuff and of course our good old faithfuls from our pop-up shop.

The great thing is WonderCulture is back in its rightful home in the Stwidio in Chapter Arts Centre in Cardiff. And just as exciting Chapter has undergone a major redevelopment and will be opening the new cafe and bar at the beginning of October - just in time for WonderCulture's event.

When: Saturday 10th & Sunday 11th October 09
Where: Stiwdio, Chapter

We'll keep you posted. If you want any more info just give us a shout.
Be great to see you at WonderCultures Designer's Market

R.I.P JULIUS SHULMAN 1910 - 2009

2009-07-22T11:19:00.017+01:00

Case Study House #20 (Bass House) 1958
Architects: Conrad Buff, Calvin Straub, David Hensmen, Altadena

Cheuy House 1958
Architect: Richard Neutra

Case Study House #21 1958
Architect: Pierre Koenig

Case Study House #22 1960
Architect: Pierre Koenig

Julius Shulman

Legendary modernist photographer Julius Shulman died last week at the age of 91. Shulman will remain one of the most celebrated architectural photographers in our time - and deservedly so. Renowned for his iconic images of modern architecture the Master of camera-work captured the vibrancy of colour, striking forms, remarkable structures, relationships with the landscape and the vision and style of each era. His work not only became a comprehensive documentary of some of the most innovative architects and their works such as Richard Neutra, Charles Eames, Frank Lloyd Wright, Eero Saarinen and Pierre Koenig but also became an art form in its own right. There's a great little film called 'SHELTER' - its a kind of interview in which his narration to accompany some of his photos and case studies. I've slipped this in below along with a few of my favourite images from his collection. And last year Taschen published "Modernism Re-discovered" - a fantastic 3-volume set with more than 400 images of his work across his credible 70 year career. It's on my birthday list!! Finally, before I leave you to explore and contemplate the world of Julius Shulman here's a quote from "Modernism Re-discovered"

“We’ve always had green - those of us that are concerned with the environment. So why should we suddenly discover that green is good?” Julius Shulman RIP

ESCAPING - THAT FRIDAY FEELING

2009-07-03T13:25:00.005+01:00

It's Friday and almost time to escape and head to Wild West Wales. So here I am again, peering out the corner of my eye at this picture that reminds me that weekends are for doing something different, something inspiring and something exhilerating. I took this photo last summer when I hung out in Newquay, Pembrokshire for a weekend. This guy was amazing, casually doing his standup paddleboarding around the harbour and out to sea.... and I mean out to sea! I used to surf and now I kayak but today I really fancy having a go at standup paddleboarding. or could i get away with just trying to standup on my kayak this weekend?

A FIRST

2009-07-01T11:40:00.002+01:00

There's always a first time for everything so this is it, our first blog in our 6070 Journal - nothing majorly exciting except that we want to say -

Hi to you all, looking forward to sharing thoughts, ideas, inspiration, experiences, things that make us spark and a whole load of creative randomness.

And a particularly special Hi to all you bloggers out there who have been hitting our blog daily for weeks and weeks - you're a patient bunch. Not sure how you found us but would love to see you back here very soon.