Old style glamour

I think a big part of me is seriously old-fashioned when it comes to interiors, whether they are English or French style. I love this photo of film star Hedy Lamarr looking as if she's having a civilised time sipping tea, with lots of books to read.

Or Coco Chanel's apartment with that stunning oversized suede sofa, lacquer screens and chandeliers.

Images: Unknown, Chanel

Indoor landscapes

It's such horrible weather outside, as Sherlock Holmes would say a real peasouper. It would be just so nice to have a sunny day and be outside, or perhaps I could make indoors look like this instead and pretend!

Images: via seehearsay blog, Japanese artist - if any of you know who it is, please let me know!

Anzu has a day off!

Don't worry we'll still be around to answer your sales calls, but we are essentially having a day off! Things have been so hectic and amazing recently that we have all been working ourselves to ridiculous levels including many weekends and evenings so we're all having a day off. Hooray!!

Image: Fred Astaire and Rita Hayworth via clauda.79.taipad.com

Columbia Road

One of my favourite things to do at the weekend is to visit Columbia Road, and last Sunday some of the anzu team went with our lovely Japanese distributor Aki and for tea afterwards. It was such fun.

I loved that this guy was sitting doing some needlework in his flat whilst soaking up the atmosphere of Columbia Road and the band that were playing nearby.

It was pretty chilly but Spring had definitely sprung with lots of daffodils, crocuses and hyacinths on offer.

Below the technicolour offering of one seller.

Mary Katrantzou

Not sure I would wear all of this, but I think the prints that the fashion designer Mary Katrantzou is doing are interesting, especially from an illustration point of view. They are distinctive, fun and cheerful, and mix images up nicely

Love the candy colours the three girls are wearing above.

Images: Mary Katrantzou

Fun Valentines

Happy Valentines! So whether you send our Anzu heart locket card,

get this Yves Saint Laurent Love caviar (yes please!),

buy or wear these fun Stella McCartney Valentines knickers,

fill your house with flowers,

sink back on a bed of roses, or light one of our Bed of roses candles and finish with scones topped with Fortnum's delicious rose jelly be sure to enjoy yourself.

Images: Anzu, Prunier, Net-a-porter, Tim Walker, Anzu, Fortnum & Mason

Spring Fair

Having walked around Spring Fair so much the past couple of days, I can safely say you really need to be wearing these or something like it! This is our trainers image from our new Men's collection of cards.

It's been a great show so far - thank you so much to everyone that made it. And yes we will be there tomorrow and the day after so you still have a chance to catch us in Hall 3 Stand T45!

We will be at Spring Fair tomorrow!

Kung Hei Fat Choi!

I hope that is spelt right - anyway, Happy Chinese New Year! These photos from my phone are rather grainy but I loved the way the streets in chinatown looked with all the lanterns and I bought myself quite a few lanterns too. It is now the Year of the metal rabbit, which apparently is meant to mean the start of more tranquil times! Let's hope.

Anzu day

On Friday we had 'Anzu day', not to be confused with Anzac day! Talking about all the new things Anzu will be doing in 2011 and all the exciting things that have been happening recently, and also enjoying a rather nice lunch.

My Mum did a delicious honey and clove roast ham and brought cheeses from Yorkshire and women's institute chutney, Ruth brought a tasty salad with aspaparagus, courgettes and olives in it, and we had some rose champagne. Loulou took the fun pictures. It was a great day!

Anzu area in the General Trading Company!

We are delighted to say that we now have a little Anzu stand in that English institution the General Trading Company including our candles, bejewelled cards, notebooks, candles, boxed cards, and more.

So do drop in! The General Trading Company is located on 91 Pelham Street, South Kensington (next to Chanel) and on 84 Holland Park Avenue, or visit www.generaltradingcompany.co.uk for more general information.

More pattern!

Following on from my previous post, some more pattern images I'm finding inspiring. Above, the Mughal patchwork from our current collection of Patchwork cards.

Don't chuck out the chintz - a Carolina Herrera designed gown in a full-on interior. I always think the French do this so well, and have pattern on wallpaper, chairs, curtains, everything! Although I couldn't live with it, I think it looks great.

From a rather different viewpoint I love the intensity and colours on this Jose Parla graffitied wall.

and finally I'm not sure I like the metallic sheen on these, but I like the painterly look and they are nonetheless an interesting idea!

Images: Anzu, Carolina Herrera in Vogue?, Jose Parla, unknown

Dense pattern

Balenciaga often has lovely brocade in it's collections and I love the way they've shot this piece against the patterned background for their pre-Fall 2011 collection. Ever since I was little, I've loved painting pattern and colour and always find myself drawn to images like this, that are actually quite full on. At the moment, I'm working on something not dissimilar, so I thought I'd post a selection of some images I'm finding inspiring

This Matisse painting always reminds me of my childhood as for a long time we had a print of it hanging on the wall and Matisse has always been an inspiration for me.

How amazing is this? Discovered via the wonderful mlleparadis.blogspot.com

And then a piece of my own work, as featured on our current Patchwork range of cards. It was inspired by every kind of textile from folkloric Russian textiles, Chinese silks, Saris and Valenciennes lace. Apologies that the colours became a little more lurid on the upload (no idea why!).

More on this topic to follow!

Images:Balenciaga, Gaugin via Andrewgrahamdixon.com, Passage Paradis blog, Anzu, Anzu.

Top Drawer Spring 2011

Thank you to everyone that came to visit us at Top Drawer. It was a great show and actually one of our best so we are delighted about that! And I look forward to showing you some of the goodies that we have been so busy working on.

Above is an image from our Pink necklace card

Top Drawer Spring 2011

Come and see us at

Top Drawer Spring, Stand D28

16th-18th January 2011

Earls Court

London

Lots of exciting new things, so we look forward to seeing you there!

Louis Vuitton store, London

I finally managed to pop into the new(ish) Louis Vuitton store on Bond Street, and I was really wowed by the design off it. Minimal but with character and totally luxurious.

This is even more dramatic looking when you're in the store.

Images: 1,2 & 4 luxurylaunches.com, 3 interiordesignhouses.com (Peter Marino).

What are these two up to?!

Looking very suspicious indeed - Loulou and Jasmine share a scarf on their way out for a sneaky dim sum anzu lunch today.

Crystals

We're all busy at Anzu at the moment, working on doing lots of new cards for the two tradeshows coming up. We have some new editions to our Bejewelled range with crystals on them, men's cards and more goodies!

As we will soon be busy hand decorating the new Bejewelled range with crystals I thought I'd do a little crystal post - love the bookends above from Artwareeditions.

And perhaps just for decoration? The invisible shoe by Andreia Chaves. Below is our Diamond bow thank you card