Feet up...

Kelly France
If there's one day of the year you don't want to forget, it's probably Mothering Sunday. And this year it falls earlier than usual. Famed as THE day to celebrate and thank the women that brought us into the world as well as other maternal figures, Mums across the country are already excited at the prospect of a lie-in (and maybe even the possibility of breakfast in bed!) on Sunday 11 March. We told you it was early! We all know the thing most Mums value is quality time spent with loved ones. If you’re looking for some inspiration of what else to give, read on to discover our top picks that might just help Mum remember a precious moment (or two) spent in some of the UK's most famous cities – as well a few further afield… If Mum’s going to be able to relax and maybe even get cosy, one of our cityscape cushions will provide the perfect backdrop a little ‘me time’. In a range of multicoloured designs as well as some bold black and white options, our printed cushion covers can be bought separately making them incredibly easy to wrap and post! This bright London design is one of our most popular cushions. And if some quiet time doesn't sound quite enough, why not treat her to a slice of her favourite cake and a good brew? Our range of mugs will whisk her away and invite her to get lost in one of many vibrant cities. A coaster might be a welcomed gift too if she’s not a fan of watermarks – or already has one too many mugs! If she’s a collector of tea towels (we all know a few, right?!), look at our range of eye catching designs guaranteed to brighten up any kitchen. Our newest addition to the selection available online boldly displays the sights and landmarks of Newcastle. That’s our top three gifts for Mum! Don’t forget to take a look at our range of prints too, which include New York and Vegas skylines, and maybe even top your gift off with one of our cityscape gift cards for extra brownie points.

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Valentine’s Ginspiration

Kelly France
The perfect partner to your Valentine’s favourite drink? Our Newcastle Gin Glasses are now available online, joining our popular Manchester design. Just in time for a romantic tipple - we think they’re quite the pair! The balloon Gin Glasses are boldly decorated with highlights from both illustrations, meaning next time you enjoy a drink you can also take in the sights of these famous cities. To celebrate, we’ve been searching through the recipe books and have found this winning concoction for the big day...

Roseberry Gin Cocktail:

Ingredients: 1/2 c. rose petals // 1/2 c. sugar // 1/2 c. water // 1 egg white // 1/2 c. fresh raspberries // 1oz . Gin Rose Syrup: Dissolve sugar in water, medium heat. Add raspberries and rose petals, simmer. Cool and strain-off syrup. Cocktail: Mix Rose Syrup with gin in a shaker. Add egg white, shake until slightly foamy. Pour into a Gin Glass and garnish with raspberry or serve simply with ice. Treat your next drink further by pairing your Gin Glass with one of our cityscape coasters - get one to match the same location or mix things up and pick from our range of designs. Our coasters are a great way to add splashes of colour to coffee tables as well as creating a real talking point amongst friends and family. As devoted fans of gin ourselves, we’ll be posting more cocktail recipes over the coming months. If you have one you think we should share, we’d love to see it - please get in touch!

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Sheffield Skyline, Commission by Museums Sheffield

Meha Hindocha
For this piece on Sheffield I wanted to bring together a number of elements including: Sheffield’s industrial past, the hills and all the green spaces, elements of the regeneration within the city, parts from the different quarters, the stunning architecture, extensive art and many talented artists, musicians, actors and athletes. Where possible I like to get the different parts of my drawings to interact with one another. For example, in the bottom right hand corner you have the rock climber crossing the ‘final hurdle’ to get to the Henderson’s relish bottle. Further along, I have an abstract Jessica Ennis jumping over a Def Leppard guitar and a snooker play (in front of the crucible) interacting with the ‘Rain’ sculptures designed by Colin Rose. These in turn become part of a mural by Phlegm, which is related to space and stars and a creature peering up through his telescope. There are plenty more stories and characters hidden in the piece for the viewer to find and enjoy. The layout of the buildings is roughly set out according to a map view from the Southern side of the city. Please see the annotated version of the drawing that highlights many aspects of the drawing and details my research. sheffield-annotations-finished

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