The show, the rug, Celia Birtwell and Chelsea pensioners.

Wow what a fantastic four days! Decorex is an amazing mix of interior fixtures, fittings, decoration and people. The Royal Hospital Chelsea is a lovely setting for the whole event, with gardens to wonder round if you fancy some fresh air. The Goodweave stand was fairly busy the whole time, so not much chance to admire the grounds, but plenty of time to meet lots of people and be introduced to new and exciting companies.

The entrance space with it's fantasy based underwater world was lovely to walk through each morning and was designed by NH Design. I particularly liked the shell head board and delicately frilled bedlinen. A lot of the stands had a theatrical edge to them whether it be the bedouin tent of the Rug Company or the seaside themed And So To Bed stand. Our stand was not so theatrical, but my rug was displayed to it's full potential and really stood out. I was quite taken aback when I walked round the corner and saw it there in all it's glory! It got quite a lot of attention and lots of lovely compliments.

Meeting Celia Birtwell was a treat, you could say it was the equivalent of meeting the Queen. She is followed by her entourage always ready to carry her bag. We had some photo's taken and hopefully at some point I'll be able to put one on the blog. I also got a signed copy of her book which I'm looking forward to reading.

The Chelsea pensioners would from time to time make an appearance and it was great to see them in all their regalia. They had a good look round and had chats with people on the stands and were even up for the odd photo. Here you can see them enjoying a nosey round the stands first thing while it was still quite. Their red coats look amazing, but I'm not sure how they manage in the heat as the temperature was 26'C this week in London and hotter in the marque!!

Altogether a fabulous opportunity and one to never forget, I felt very privileged to be there. Thank you to Jacaranda, Woven Ground and GoodWeave for giving me that opportunity.

Looking back in time

Just been having a look at some new collections by some of my favourite companies and there's an interesting feel to this new batch of collections. We've just had a trend for all things science related and inspired by the 1951 Festival of Britain and the remake of old favourites such as Lucienne Day's Clayx. Now we seemed to have moved on slightly, but still in the same vein, naive interpretations of flowers and objects. I love Harlequins Delphinia (top image), with the tall plumes of brightly coloured flowers that flow nicely across the pattern. I also like Sanderson's Fitzroy (bottom image) with the almost faded out colours and simple leaf forms. It certainly seems we are looking back in time when life was much slower and less complicated.

I'll watch out for some of these new collections at Decorex and I'm sure I'll come back inspired and desperate to get designing new repeats!

Decorex next week!!

Only a few days to go and I will be at the fabulous Decorex International trade show! I'm really looking forward to it and to seeing my rug all made up and on display. Also a bit nervous, as it's a big event and there will be lots of big names there and then just little old me. I will be in the capable hands of Sam from GoodWeave and I'm looking forward to meeting her and spending some time on the stand. The whole experience will be fantastic especially meeting Celia Birtwell on Monday at the prize giving, best frock on that day!!

Winter's Moon

If you're looking for a blast from the past and re-live some childhood memories then take a look at Winter's Moon. It has collections of furniture, accessories and children's games and toys that have stood the test of time and ready to move on to new owners. I love these bright cushions with the stylised flowers, I also have my eye on a couple of vintage chairs that I might see if I can find a space for in the new house!

I'm starting to get my new room sorted out and will soon be back to drawing and creating new patterns and designs. I'm also getting ready for Decorex which is rapidly approaching.

Please note that if you look for Silvertabby Designs blog you will no longer find it. As mentioned in a previous post, I decided to have a revamp and you'll now find me here at Ballistic Owl, please keep popping by I enjoy your company.

New name, new look

After a busy few weeks moving house, I got thinking about my blog and my design identity. I decided that although I love Silvertabby it was time for a change and think of something more dramatic and punchy. So a rename was in order and after a glass of wine and some wondering thoughts "Ballistic Owl" was born. I hope you like it and I feel it reflects myself and my crazy love of colour and my love of all things natural. My designs often have a quirky twist to them and so I thought my design name and logo should too!