Update & Christmas Wishes

Hi everyone!

Sorry for my blogging absence! I was so busy in New York I just couldn't find time to blog, I had an amazing time and have so much inspiration to share but I might just have to save those posts for the New Year!

Below are a few photos from the hundreds I took.. Just a few of the highlights being an incredible sunset from 'The Top of the Rock', the view from our apartment building and visiting the marimekko shop (fabric HEAVEN)!!

This will probably be my last post for 2012, so I am sending you all best wishes for the Christmas/Holiday season! I hope you have a great one!

Here's hoping 2013 is a great year! I have lots planned and lots of inspiration, new designs and products to share with you all, so come back in the new year! And finally, here's a rather cheerful Christmas decoration I saw in Canada back in the summer to see us out! Merry Christmas Everyone! x

Images copyright Rosie Simons 2012

Spoonflower

This week I entered Spoonflower's Holiday Napkin Contest..

I wanted to create something fun and festive, so I chose bright versions of classic 'holiday' colours and combined them with contemporary Illustrations of classic holiday icons and 'happy holidays' caption in a playful typeface. 

You can vote HERE!

The only instructions for the competition were 'Using a fat quarter (21" x 18") of fabric as your canvas, create a set of holiday-themed cocktail napkins. We suggest setting them up sized at 4.5" x 4.5" inches, with an additional quarter inch on each side to be used as a seam allowance (making each square 5" x 5")' so you were free to play with different ideas and layouts of the design.. I chose to go patterned!

All images copyright Rosie Simons 2012

NEW Etsy store!

Today I have very exciting news! My greeting cards are now for sale in my NEW Etsy store!

Currently for sale are Greetings and Christmas cards, I hope to branch out soon, selling other paper goods and my own designed fabrics. The cards are currently available as singles or packs of 8, custom orders are also accepted.

I love the About page feature on Etsy, which gives you a space to tell your/your shops story, with lovely big images and a cute round bio image for the shop owner.

My lovely little sister took the photos of the cards for me, I am so pleased with how they came out, she's very talented with a camera!

Images copyright Rosie Simons 2012

Sneak peek - New card designs

Today I am introducing you to a greetings card range which I am just in the process of sending to print.

I have always wanted to create greetings cards, I think they're lovely objects to have and to hold so went about creating some of my own!

There are 4 Christmas cards, 2 different designs each in 2 different colour ways. These will be available to purchase in dual design packs; Purple and Blue Merry Christmas and Red and Green Happy Christmas or each design as a single card. I will be opening a new Etsy shop to sell the cards (and lots of exciting other stuff!) next week, so keep your eyes peeled!

I have also produced some every day greetings cards, in my 'Inky Floral' design (seen here) which will also be available to buy SOON! Don't forget to follow or check back next week for news on where to buy the cards! To keep up to date you can also follow me on Twitter or 'like' Rosie Simons Graphic and Surface Design on Facebook.

All images copyright Rosie Simons 2012

Goodbye 2011, Hello 2012

Shortly after my last post I jetted off to New York City for a week thanks to my wonderful boyfriend! Like many people out there I LOVE New York! It's a fantastic place all the time but just before Christmas it is so magical!

To add to my adventures before jetting off to New York I visited Gent in Belgium for the weekend, another beautiful place especially in the run up to Christmas!

This was my second year running celebrating my birthday in New York and attending the Etsy staff Holiday Party, so here are a few pictures from my trip! (it's quite hard to pic 'just a few' out of the 1000 photos I took!)

Exploring Brooklyn Bridge Park

The Winter Garden at the World Financial Center, absolutely amazing with lights hanging from palm trees inside the glass house

'One need never leave the confines of New York to get all the greenery one wishes' - Frank O'Hara

The Freedom tower is getting there

View of Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan from Brooklyn Bridge park at night

New York Rangers vs Dallas Stars (my first ever time attending a sports game!)

Pretty Brooklyn Street

More views from Brooklyn Bridge Park across to Manhattan

I had to take a photo of this when I saw it because I couldn't believe the similarity to the South West Trains logo (seen below)

 On the roof of the Etsy office at 1am taking in the spectacular view, you are level with the Manhattan Bridge and traffic and subways go whizzing by beside you and the view over to Manhattan is unbelievable!

My first ever trip to Kate Spade.. 'Live color fully' and they do.. SO MUCH COLOUR!

Amazing Sephora window with paper crafter writing and flowers

The High Line Park - A public park built on a historic freight line elevated above the street on Manhattan's West Side. It's an amazing park, cutting through buildings, old and new and giving you unbelievable views down Manhattan's streets and avenues.

An entire shop of buttons.. heaven.

An entire shop of ribbon.. even more heaven!

Times Square (from a way back as it was so busy stopping or taking pictures was impossible!)

Looking down Avenue of the Americas

Central Park on a sunny (but absolutely freezing) afternoon

I love the look of the worn painted on advertisements on walls

Manhattan Bridge at sunset

Brooklyn Bridge Park at sunset

I LOVE NEW YORK

And then Christmas, New Year takeover and now, back to work. The sad reality of finishing my dissertation for hand-in in 3 weeks time! But I thought I'd finish off with this picture of the wrapping present my mum used. It was apparently very cheap but I really enjoyed the design, simple but very effective!

Now I guess I'd better stop avoiding work and get on! Here's to a great year!