january needs jack ... !
January, lets face it, is rubbish!
Yes okay, there are a few good things about it ... snowdrops, planning a fresh new year, my birthday, stacks of new pants! (lovely Christmas gift) log fires and homemade courgette soup (stashed away at the end of the summer, with this miserable month in mind) but that's about it?
So my tip to get you through the bleak, short, dark days of January is this ...
Jack Johnson! (He sings & plays the guitar)
Try it, it really works! listen in the car, at your desk, during breakfast, on the tube.. ? You'll soon be conjuring up images of lazy, hammock hanging, summer afternoons that make you smile effortlessly at everyone!
louisa
that's nice ... !
We are all slowly getting back into work mode, some slower than others it must be pointed out "Louisa, where are you exactly?" During the holidays, the following was received from a new viewer to our web site ...
"... what lovely things, and in a madly materialist world it’s wonderful to find stuff that’s sustainable and beautiful – a lot of eco-products have frankly not got beyond the hair-shirt knit-your-own-sandals school of design!" Liz, Luton.
Thanks Liz! that's exactly what the adila collection is about!
christmas cards ...
Christmas is coming! the mood at adila HQ is festive if not a little childish (nothing wrong with that) excitement. Party invitations (Louisa's been invited to the Turner Prize, which quite frankly is just not fair! what about the rest of us? we love art too!) David (best dressed designer in the whole world) is heading for Columbia. There's talk of food preparations, appropriate day to put up the tree (Christmas Eve!) best butcher for free range turkeys, gift wrapping, party frocks and how to cook for 5 hours, hold several conversations at once, follow Delia Smiths 'Countdown to Christmas' whilst looking fabulous, being amusing, in control and sober (actually we all agreed, this just isn't possible) So as you can see, not one Scrooge amongst us! except... on the issue of christmas cards.
In today's world of email, mobile phones, blackberries, cars, land lines and legs! We can all share our Christmas good cheer with those we love. Plus, there were a few confessions in the adila office ... only putting up handmade and tasteful cards, immediately ripping up and re-cycling 'George's card (we changed the name) old school 'friend' last spoken to Sept 1986, who thinks his new car, salary, summer holiday is of interest? and then annoyance at remembering to take the, by then lost cards, to Boots The Chemist for re-cycling.
Anyway, to avoid spoiling our good humour, and stop our moaning, we pooled together whatever money we would have spent on cards and purchased a box of christmas gifts for the children at Bowy House. Brown bears with ribbons, giraffes that play a tune, comfort blankets with spooky eyes, a few good books etc., Everyone had a favourite toy which received a certain amount of 'playing' with prior to being tagged, wrapped and shipped off to South Africa in time for Christmas. So please remember, there will be no cards from the people at adila this year, and we wont mind if you do something similar, in-fact we would prefer it!
So, with the card issue resolved to everyones satisfaction, it's back to work and more discussions of ... shirt with jacket or suit? are life size plastic snowmen tasteful? how many times have you watched "it's a wonderful life"?
Hope you all have as much fun as we intend to.
Merry Christmas!
adila photo-shoot ...
Andrew Mcarthur, adila's photographer/philosopher, is a cross between disillusioned 60's hippy, and cheerful sweater-wearing teddy bear. Andrew works from a large barn studio, which let's be honest, is rather untidy, and stuffed! with all sorts of 'useful' things? ... "ah yes! old mouse ball, never know when that will come in handy" Yeah right, like never? and it does not stop at the small scale! But we are being too harsh, Andrew allows us to turn up at short notice, push his 'useful things' aside, spread out our latest adila collection and order fresh coffee and thick cut toast. Discussions whilst shooting range from Madonna's recent adoption, to why Bob Dylan would be an unwelcome dinner guest at Louisa's table. ( ... he cant sing, his songs are depressing and he would probably whip out his harmonica for a few equally depressing, nerve-grating tunes, nightmare!) Louisa is not a child of the sixties, we suspect Andrew does not share Louisa's Dylan phobia.
However, whilst all the munching, moaning, shuffling of 'things' was taking place, the new adila 'Sparkling' jewellery was captured on CD. Richly bead-encrusted bracelets, earrings and brooches, each piece handcrafted by one individual ensures it is truly unique. Available to view on the adila web site Nov 9th.
John, the adila web wizard, had an idea. "Now we have the monthly e-news letter in place (click to register for your copy) lets change the old news page for a blog? providing an insight into the people and events behind the scenes at adila"
We all liked the idea! so that's exactly what will happen from now on. Everyone at adila will be invited to contribute, sharing the little episodes that make up our days and weeks. We can't promise high glamour and excitement every time, more likely it will be the funny, and often bizarre (the beetle really did go up in flames, see below) things that make us laugh, although Louisa says she wasn't actually laughing at the time.
Today there's not much winding down for the weekend, Louisa's rushing off to a photo-shoot, (look out for the new funky plastic range next week) John's retreated to an afternoon of technical bliss, free from Louisa's constant need for assistance and advice.
We are giving interviews and organising photo-shoots for two glossy magazines in South Africa, Fair Lady and Homes & Leisure. As you can see, it's busy, and although we only launched 2 months ago, we are delighted with all the interest and excitement adila has created.
The story began last November, Louisa Power (buyer and other things) headed out in her not so trusty 35 year old beetle in search of the first adila collection. With a bottle of water, a map (which Louisa cant read) and lots of enthusiasm, it was an eventful and fruitful trip.
The first adila collection was gathered from Cape Town, and the west coast of South Africa. Louisa met the people behind the products. Community projects, farmers, home workers, designers, each with their own story to tell. (read more)
Mohair, intricately woven copper wire, beadwork, recycled plastic, discarded cardboard, satin, rescued cotton ... are just some of the raw materials which created the first adila collection.
As for the beetle? Unfortunately it came to an untimely, but not totally unexpected end in Simons Town on the cape peninsula. The South African navy did their best, but the beetle went out in a blaze of glory and the buying trip continued.
Two new exciting designers were discovered whilst attending the Design Indaba Expo in Cape Town, South Africa. We are pleased to welcome Lime and Ollymolly to the adila range.
Lime will be designing limited addition, exclusive to adila, abalone jewellery. (view current designs)
Ollymolly have taken discarded printed material and woven it into a range of funky, fun and functional bags. (view bags)
We are proud and excited to announce the talented Dutch artist, Altaf Kramer has joined the adila collection. Abstract forms, symbolism, colour, combine to create works of true beauty and emotion. (view paintings)
10% of the profit from each painting will be donated the to adila sponsored project in Paarl, South Africa. (read more)