Baby it's cold outside....

This is the newest installment at Original Penguin, Covent Garden. The brief given to Elemental Design was to add some Christmassy elements to the existing window scheme, which we had installed a couple of months ago.

I designed some happy Penguin vinyl, and a large glittery Penguin to share the plinth with the mannequins. We added some red foil globes, some presents and a Christmas tree inside the shop. I did the vinyl all by myself! Quite a challenge but I proved to myself that I can do it.

YESSSS!

The speech bubbles now feature some Christmassy phrases... And it really is SO COLD OUTSIDE!

Lucy's First Christmas (windows)

A few months ago, Elemental Design got a brief to design and build the Christmas windows fir Ely's and Morleys (department stores in Wimbledon and Brixton).

At the time I was like "whaaat? it's August!"

But then we all got really into it and I felt like my initial ideas designs were prominent from the beginning of the project right through to the end. I popped by Ely's to take some pictures and was so happy to see my work in the flesh!

Here are some of the initial designs that we (Elemental Design) did, followed by my photos of Ely's in Wimbledon.

"Gifts that the whole family will enjoy!"

RIBBIT RIBBIT

Monday was a fun day this week! Me and Sarah got to go and work in the basement of Liberty, to decorate and bedazzle this frog for Liberty's Christmas windows. He was made by Elemental Design for Liberty's Swampy scheme... The other windows have all kinds of creatures, including giant spiders, jellyfish, flying fish, a mouse flying through the sky on a bicycle.... eee!

A MUST SEE in London this Christmas!

BANG BANG!

A small boutique in Kensington, that sells high fashion and also offers styling appointments with the Italian sisters who own the shop.

Elemental Design installed 2 windows, based on a new product that the shop was about to stock - Juliet's Got a Gun - a new perfume.

We came up with this scheme, where the mannequins are surrounded by stereotypically masculine guns, given a sparkly finish (by myself in the workshop - that was a fun day!), and also more feminine feathers... The mannequins themselves have oversized black roses as heads.

The shop has also unfortunately had a series of break-ins, so we hoped that this scheme might deter any future deviants!

some snapshots from my life...

(Above photos by Mike Reed)

It's been ages!

Back at the beginning of September Elemental Design installed these magnificent pods into the atrium at Liberty. They were inspired by Manolo Blahnik's new collection, and his pop up shop in Liberty.

We spent weeks making flowers using individually cut petals from luxurious fabrics... These were carefully wired into huge pods (2m diameter!) and we spent the night at Liberty installing them.

At 7am we lay down on the floor in the scarf room, and watched as the pods were hoisted up towards the ceiling by some funny blokes on cables. Very surreal.

But beautiful non? go and see for yourself...

Original Penguin, London

Another project that I worked recently on at Elemental Design - a 1950s cocktail party in the Original Penguin windows in Covent Gardens!

I went along to the install which was fun, and designed the wallpaper and some of the elements in the window. I also found the pineapple lurking downstairs in the Elemental workshop, yay!

It's in for the next few weeks so if you're in the area, head down there and check it out...

Chopard 150th Anniversary!

The swallow in a cherry blossom tree

The kitten in a field of dandelions!

The koala in a eucalyptus tree

Andy Macgregor's beautiful hand-crafted animals!

Yikes! It's been two months since my last post. This is mainly due to the fact that I have been employed (HOORAY!) therefore am mega busy and slacking on the blogging front. Soon I will learn to juggle everything... I am now officially working for Elemental Design in Brixton, as junior assistant designer. Yessss!

Anyways - this here is an amazing install at Selfridges, for Chopard jewellery, which I worked on with Elemental. Elemental were commissioned by Chopard to create showcases for the Selfridges Wonder Rooms. To celebrate their 150th Anniversary, Chopard have released 15 watches, each based on an animal, with diamonds and sparklies and gold and mother of pearl and loads of other shimmery shiny stuff...Bling! Apparently the watches took up to 700 hours to make, by some amazing steady handed watch-makers (?!!) in Switzerland.

Elemental asked Andy Macgregor to help out and make the animals for the windows, and he did a super job! We all cooed and ooed and aahed over the animals when they arrived, my favourite was the Koala with the baby on her back.

In the studio we made the flowers and assembled all the lazer cut trees and leaves. If you should ever need some cherry blossom or dandelions made in paper, I'm your girl. I'm still having dreams about those origami blossom flowers....

After a 7 hour intense overnight install, the showcases were done and we all stood back in wonder (harharhar)... These are some snaps I managed to take during the install, but hopefully I can get hold of some better ones for you to feast your eyes on soon.

www.elemental.co.uk

RESEARCH

It has been a while since my last post, I am a little sad to admit. However for good reason! I have been interning with an exciting visual merchandising company in Brixton (Elemental Design).

Spring is here and blossom is flying around making my eyes all itchy but I don't care, because finally my rainbow maker is back in action! The combination of early morning i-pod sessions and sunlight has been inspiring me to do stuff, and my latest idea has got me all excited!

I am shocked at how hard it is to find a good photo of a rainbow on the internet. Mental note: upload better ones.

So long story cut not so short, I have some things in the pipe line so come back soon: rainbows, paper flowers, dancing, Four Tet, sunshine, Greek mythology. S'all I'm sayin....

sweet sweet features

Today Lola and myself were featured on the blog of Twin Magazine, which is a bi-annual style book. Lucia Davies interviewed us and produced this lovely piece!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FRED BUTLER

We made Fred and Verity's 30th birthday cupcakes. They were deliciously cosmic and well received.

x HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO FRED TODAY! x

daily rubbish

Our cupcakes have been featured on the daily rubbish blog!

We have also been busy making some rainbow delights for Fred Butler's birthday party tonight, watch this space, photos to be uploaded soon....

BLOOD SWEAT & FEARS - FIN

We Make T-Shirts (see more here)

mental models on a shoot with Michael Otero

Dan Wilton shoots models wearing Charlie le Mindu hairpieces

Red Velvet cake, and no its not from Hummingbird bakery, WE BAKED IT!

Street style shoot with Grant Thomas and stylist Debbie Lerner, who we hope to meet again soon

A hectic five days was spent waking at the crack o' dawn to bake up some goodies, then transporting them rather precariously on public transport to Carnaby St. Tea & Cake with Fifi and Lola went well, lots of good feedback ("the most delicious brownies I have ever had" - Richard Danks) and lots of people asked us if we have a shop. So if anyone wants to fund/sponsor us to open one, I reckon we would have quite the successful tea time stop shop.

The event was a lot of fun and exciting to be a part of. I drank my body weight in Tiger beer and then Alibi the following mornings. Met some great people, watched Mike print loads of t-shirts and witnessed Andy cruising around on a guitar on wheels. splendid!

I await the printed version with anticipation and maybe even some fear, as Holly and I performed a glittery kitchen scene on Sunday afternoon for the magazine, to go alongside one of our recipes. I am still sparkling.

* Hooray to Chelsea and all her hard work, and to the team that helped her make it happen. *

BLOOD SWEAT & FEARS

"Blood, Sweat & Fears is a live magazine taking place on Carnaby Street from Wednesday 17th- Sunday 21st March.

Open daily from 10am-9pm there are live events taking place throughout the week, with lots of free beer provided by Tiger for the evening events."

Holly and I (Fifi and Lola) will be hosting a tea & cake shop, open daily 2-6pm. Here, visitors can watch other goings-on in the gallery, chat, all whilst enjoying proper English tea and some delicious home-made cakes.

We also have some exciting plans for the private view, so watch this space!

Visit the Blood Sweat and Fears website at www.bloodsweatandfears.co.uk for more information.

Blood, Sweat & Fears is working in conjunction with Art Against Knives, a charity helping to reduce knife crime on the streets of East London through social initiatives
A donation of all onsite sales and all proceeds from the publication will go to AAK.

JUMBLE SALE ~ the spring clean

This Sunday Fifi and Lola, aka me and Holly, will be selling fings wot are nice at the 'Let's Get Ready to Jumble' spring clean edition at Bar Music Hall on Curtain Road, London. I was spring cleaning our loft recently and dug out boxes of vintage Apple Computers t-shirts, sweatshirts and other goodies which my dear old Dad has let me have. So our stall will consist of menswear for Mac geeks, vintage delights from Lola's Vintage Wardrobe, handmade Easter & Mother's Day cards and gifts, jewels fit for a Queen, and of course some deeeeelicious CAKES!

Jumble mania goes from 12-6pm. Free entry! Amazing stuff at low low prices. Come on down! You'll find us near the bar (hopefully) munching cake and squarking.

she just keeps me hanging on

Working with mount board hurts. Holly and I made these hangers for Craig Lawrence's gold A/W10 collection. The photo is the model used for Craig's film (sorry I don't remember her name). This collection appears to be pretty popular. Fans include Lady Gaga amongst many others.