MORE // #1 Spring
Welcome to my quarterly newsletter of sorts. It’s unapologetically long. Definitely one to be read with a cuppa so please stick with me!
For a while now I’ve wanted to create something which brings MORE to and gives MORE out of the business I’ve invested 17 years in. More brand story, more thought process and more of me age 42 and what I do, create, eat, drink, where I visit…..
Not a self-indulgent newsletter (I know at this stage it’s in danger of sounding like this – but please bear with me!) but a rounded celebration of the fact that there’s more to everything than meets the eye; more to tell, more to see, to do, read, grow….. Indeed there’s more to life and more to every maker and creator out there.
I want to share the new things I make and create, plus ramblings, adventures, insights, behind the scenes, fascinating businesses doing good, doing ‘interesting’ and doing different. It won’t be just about our business – mostly championing inspirations, originality, fun, honest and sincere people, brands and ideas. Spreading the word and building community.
By calling this MORE I don’t want to imply or encourage some kind of life dissatisfaction or materialistic striving. Far from it in fact and more to the contrary I want to promote the idea that there’s more to life – things which can help and enrich for a more rounded life. Not costly or materialistic things, not idealistic or picture perfect ‘we must all do these amazing things for a perfect life’ things and certainly not permanently seeking the next thrill or holiday. That’s not what I’m about. Simply doing more with what we have and helping other businesses with their dreams and ventures. Recommendations are the best way to do this. I thrive on recommendations – books, podcasts, music, food…… It’s like those lovely long conversations with friends where you come away wanting to check out that particular book or find out more about a business they tell you about.
The Overview Effect
Who doesn’t want to broaden their horizons and widen their perspectives? There’s something called the ‘Overview Effect’ which I recently learnt about. It was originally coined more than 30 years ago by astronaut Frank White to describe the awareness that results from the experience of viewing Earth from orbit or the moon. I read about it in reference to how it can apply to everyday life – Perspective gained from seeing the bigger picture. In effect – stepping back. We all need to have more ‘Overview’ and less tunnel vision. This is something I feel I want to run with – looking beyond just the daily scroll and daily to-do list and thinking more about what makes me tick and inspires me in order to look at the whole.
The ideas I explore and the inspirations I look to may or may not at some point culminate in something else – a range of something, a new product, a new ‘arm’ to my creative business or it might go no where in particular. Who knows! But it’s fun to have some ‘unknown’ from time to time.
More Reading /
Things I Learned From Falling – Claire Nelson
Prepare to be blown away by Claire’s account. If there’s ever a real life tale of gaining perspective then this is it. I felt humbled, mesmerised and yet fearlessly eager to get out in the outdoors after finishing it. I came across this book on the wonderful Adventurous Ink – ‘The Book Club For Outsiders’. It’s well worth checking out if you like books to broaden your perspective and adventures out of doors.
More Listening /
On The Irregular is a podcast by Java Bere. Every episode she chats to women from all walks of life about their own unique, creative journey. How they got here, how their story has shaped their creative work, what they’ve learned, what has helped them and where they plan to go from here. It’s a seriously brilliant listen and Java has the calmest voice of anyone I’ve ever heard! Recent favourite was her chat with Amy Liptrot – conducted while rambling in the hills – complete with sounds of babbling streams and anecdotes of their walk.
More Coffee (please!) /
Need a coffee fix? You’ll find me in The Hide in Pocklington.
More Independent /
I’m going to start local with this one. We have so many fantastic and fascinating creative businesses close to where I live and many are tucked away in sheds and outhouses around the Yorkshire Wolds countryside. I’ve known Kayti Peschke from
Here Be Monsteras (above) for quite a few years now. She was at the helm of a beautiful magazine called Caboodle a few years back but now works full time as a potter from her very cool house and pottery studio 15 minutes from me. Always one for spotting a photo opportunity and championing the local creative community Kayti embodies the whole ethos of an independent creative business.
More Colour /
There’s always more. More design to be done, more new work to create…… I’ve felt more inspired to create since Christmas than I have in a long time. The designs are bursting to get out!! Having just booked Top Drawer for September my latest ranges of cards and stationery are well underway. A cheerfully bright, colourful and bold new range of children’s cards and age cards are going to be the first to be released in the next few weeks and they’ll be closely followed by a mix of occasion and slightly more experimental/art-based and concept-based cards. Those elusive ‘new products’ might even eventually make it out of my head!
More outdoors /
I’ve been back out hiking with my groups of walking buddies. This time we’re walking the Cleveland Way in stages and the scenery is simply stunning. We’re as far as the very top of the Yorkshire Moors and there’s further north to go before we drop back down along the Yorkshire coast. Walking with a group of friends is my kind of therapy – and there’s no topic off limits for walking chats!
More Seeing /
YSP. It’s always got to be YSP for getting an outdoors fix mixed with design, inspiration and good food.
New exhibitions include Robert Indiana – Sculpture 1958-2018, Yukihiro Akama: Ki no ie and David Nash: Full Circle.
If you’ve made it to the end of this newsletter you not only deserve a medal 🏅!
And because we’re a small business we need and appreciate every bit of support so please follow us on Instagram and tell your friends about us.
Alison x