Upcycling with Out of the Dark

This season, Bubble has teamed up with High Wycombe's Out of the Dark (OOTD), a charitable social enterprise which creates unique, upcycled furniture.

Founders Jay and Jade Blades employ disadvantaged young people, teaching them how to restore, reupholster and completely revamp unwanted pieces. The charity will be helping to furnish our February show - and, when Jay offered to hold an upcycling workshop for friends of Bubble and Speak, we jumped at the chance!

But who to invite? We swiftly assembled a crack squad of creatives, including Kid Style Junkie's Suzanne Peters, Little Scandinavian's Bianca Wessel, City Kids' Victoria Evans, Natalie Lee of Style Me Sunday, illustrator Sophie Crichton, Upcyclist's Antonia Edwards, Collezioni's Peppe Orru, stylist Fran Lee, photographer Sonya Hurtado, and interior designer, writer and blogger Ashlyn Gibson.

The workshop was held at Shoreditch's Pitfield, a cafe, shop and gallery brimming with unique homewares. In this suitably creative setting, Jay and OOTD craftsman Luke set about teaching us how to upcycle an old school chair.

After a crash course in painting and upholstery (top tip: don't staple your fingers), it was time for the really fun bit - choosing our chairs, and beginning to revamp them!

We painted our chair frames (armed with plenty of wet-wipes for drips), before using super-strength glue to attach padding to their seats. 

OOTD work with donated fabrics, and had brought along a range to choose from. Each creative selected a piece of material, which would be used to cover their chair seat - although upcycling veteran Ashlyn had come equipped with her own. 

Then it was time to bring out the big guns - staple ones, to be exact! Supervised by Jay and Luke, we made a start on attaching our fabric to the seats. It was very fiddly, but using the air-powered guns proved a lot of fun (so much so, in fact, that B&S got a bit staple-happy, and had to start again!)

Nevertheless, most of our creatives were soon stapling away like OOTD professionals - and even had time to add a few finishing touches. Ashlyn's chair featured an in-built whoopee cushion, while illustrator Sophie's was a colourful work of art. 

What do you think? We were seriously impressed with their unique creations - from Suzanne's chic monochrome seat, to stylist Fran's expertly accessorised piece (complete with retro badges). 

The 11 chairs will be on display at Bubble this February - and, if you like what you see, you could even take one home with you! We'll be putting them up for grabs in a silent auction, with all proceeds going to the wonderful OOTD. 

Fancy owning a stylish OOTD original? You can register for a ticket to the show here. We've got our eye on that whoopee cushion chair, though..

Gas&Air Studios

'Recycle more' topped our list of new year's resolutions - and, this season, we're taking tips from Gas&Air. February's show will be partly furnished by the South London company, which creates innovative tables, chairs and benches from reclaimed timber. And we thought our egg carton desk-tidy was impressive! 

We caught-up with designer Guy, who explained how a garden-full of unwanted pallets became a thriving furniture business...

Guy, how and when was Gas&Air founded?

Gas&Air Studios started with a pile of old pallets in the back of a
garden in South London in 2009. After experimenting with the pallet
timber on various ideas we came up with our first design, the folding
Pallet Chair and Table. The possibilities of working with pallets was
exciting, and we enjoyed the freedom and hands on nature of working with
reclaimed timber.

Tell us more about the Gas&Air team...

At the moment there are three of us that make up the Gas&Air Team. There's myself, designer (and furniture obsessive) - then Denny and newcomer Dylan,
both carpenters and experienced and dedicated 'palleteers'.

Where do you source the material for your pallet furniture?

We source our pallets from timber yards and from local businesses in the
area around our workshop in Battersea. All the pallets we use are
damaged or unwanted; we never use pallets that are new or due to be re-used.
We have also started to use old, disused scaffolding boards in our
furniture, which we source from small business around London.

What has been your most exciting project to date?

In 2013 we were asked to provide furniture for the new Google
Engineering HQs in London. The office, designed by architecture and
interior design agency PENSON, is an amazing space, so it was very
exciting to see our furniture as part of the design.

What are you looking forward to about Bubble London?

We love having our furniture at different venues and events, and enjoy
seeing our it in action. Bubble London will be an excellent
opportunity for lots of people to experience our furniture. It is also a
great challenge for us to design some new furniture for a large and fun
event.

Look out for Gas&Air's unique creations in and around the BDC at Bubble London A/W15! You can register for your free ticket here. 

The Magic Door Store

Team Bubble and Speak can't resist a little magic, festive or otherwise - which is why we just had to share this new Bubble brand with you!

The Magic Door Store was founded by former events manager Sarah, who kept her two young children entertained with stories about the fairies at the bottom of their garden. 

When winter came, she realised that they might like to come inside - and created a 'fairy door' to make it possible. 

Her children loved their miniature doors so much that Sarah decided to share them with the world - and the rest is history!

Each 20cm high My Elf Door and Mr Fairy Door comes with putty to attach it to the wall - as well as a small vial of 'magic dust'. 

A range of accessories - including deckchairs, welcome mats, milk bottles and 'magic footstep' stencils - are also available. We love this miniature Christmas wreath!

Ultimately, the doors encourage little ones to be creative and use their imaginations - though we suspect that parents could get caught up in the fun, too!

Catch The Magic Door Store at Bubble London in February (you can register for a free ticket here). 

Poppy's Pop-Up

Poppy's Shoreditch pop-up store is open for business!

The Bubble brand has set up shop at Number 20 Cheshire Street - and, on Tuesday evening, it held a special launch party to celebrate. 

There were beautiful dresses, fun stocking fillers and a few familiar faces (including this handsome fellow - it's Fred himself!)

Visitors enjoyed a glass of 'poppy fizz', and admired the goodies - from girls and women's dresses, to cushions, bags and socks - on offer. 

The shop (which is open until Sunday 23rd) will be hosting a range of special events - including a Christmas shopping evening this Saturday! Tickets are £5, and there'll be fizz, canapes and Poppy goody-bags for all. Pop along and see for yourself! 

B&S Meets...Magnus & Mouse

Launching a new children's brand can be a real roller-coaster ride, fraught with challenges and setbacks - but, in the end, hard work and perseverance pay off. No one knows this better than Penny Telford and Isobel Armstrong, the founders of new Bubble brand Magnus & Mouse. We caught up with Penny, who told us more about their journey from ambitious mums to professional fashion designers...

Penny, when and why did you decide to found Magnus & Mouse?

We started Magnus & Mouse in early 2014. Isobel and I have been friends for a long time and had spoken a lot about her idea for printed cot sheets. With both of us looking for more flexibility to work around our families, and having skill sets that complimented each other well, it felt like a 'now or never' moment to put our ideas into action.

What challenges have you faced in the process?

The biggest hurdle for us was finding the right suppliers. The quality of the organic cotton, the print quality, and also the working conditions in the suppliers we selected were all really important to us. We did lots of research online, much of which to no avail. Being a start-up we found some of the bigger suppliers weren't really interested in spending time talking to us and answering our questions. After putting in some serious legwork, we found many useful resources to help with our search and we now have a great partner who already works with some really big and trusted names in the industry. We also visited the factories first hand and were really impressed by both the quality of the goods produced and the conditions. All the factories we work with have extremely high standards and adhere to very stringent regulations. The care for their employees was also clear, which really made us confident in our selection.

How would you sum up your brand’s philosophy?

Fun, stylish and parent-friendly.

Could you tell us a bit about your first collection?

It was important all our products were suitable for boys and girls, so that was a great starting point. With the idea being born in Sweden, where Isobel noticed the range of cot sheets was much more stylish than anything we had over here, unsurprisingly they all have a real ‘Scandi’ feel to them.

All the prints are really fun (our kids loved identifying the animals!), simple and bright. We wanted them to have personality and inject colour into the cot space, which we think can be quite bare with many infants now using baby sleeping bags (including our own babies).

Why have you chosen to launch Magnus & Mouse at Bubble London? 

We attended the last edition of Bubble London and we were really impressed with the quality of the venue and the brands that attended. It was important to us to exhibit somewhere that attracted the right audience and fitted with our own design ethos. We also noticed how many of the exhibitors were offering organic and eco-friendly products and we were very encouraged by that.

We hope that people love the designs and the idea as much as we do, and of course we’d welcome speaking to anyone interested in stocking Magnus & Mouse.

If you could give one piece of advice to someone looking to start a baby brand, what would it be?

Take time to do your research properly. Finding the right partner, and someone you can trust is key. Whilst the Internet is obviously a great resource, never underestimate the value of getting out there and meeting people first hand. Things that can take weeks over email can be solved in just a few minutes of face-to-face time. Going out to Turkey and spending time with people was the most useful thing that we did.

Catch Magnus & Mouse at Bubble London on February 1 and 2, 2015. 

Grand Designs: Bubble & Speak Visits Designjunction

It's been a busy few weeks for team Bubble and Speak, culminating in a trip to Designjunction at New Oxford Street's cavernous Sorting Office. 

We spent hours wandering the halls of this renowned design show, which was brimming with exciting exhibitors and unique pieces. 

Alexandra Daisy Ginsburg's installation, Design Taxonomy, was one of the first to catch our eye. Created as part of the Dezeen and Mini Frontiers show, it featured 112 futuristic model vehicles. 

Dominic Wilcox's Stained-Glass Driverless Car was also a real show-stopper. 

Later, we bumped into Bubble favourite Molly-Meg, who had a pop-up shop at the show. We love that cute Lapin & Me lamp! And is that a copy of Lille Nord we spy on the middle shelf?

Finally, we stumbled across this beautiful exhibition, which had been created in aid of Designjunction's chosen charity, Teddy's Wish. Dubbed 'A Child's Dream', it featured customised ercol chairs and Anglepoise lamps. 

We came away feeling seriously inspired! But how about you? What's got your creative juices flowing recently? Let us know! 

This Week's Best Bits

Have a lovely weekend, folks - we'll see you on Monday! In the meantime, here are some of this week's best links to keep you occupied. 

Cloud by Richard Clarkson; via The Chromologist

This interactive cloud light, by designer Richard Clarkson, would look great in a child's bedroom (providing they weren't scared of thunderstorms!)

The Andy Warhol + Bugaboo Cameleon: via Bugaboo.com. 

Bugaboo's ongoing collaboration with The Andy Warhol Foundation has already given us this iconic, banana-print stroller - and now they're offering fans the chance to bid on a limited edition, Blondie-inspired model. It's all in aid of charity Kid's Company! 

RaspberryPlum's S/S15 collection has landed! The Bubble brand and former Rising Star has extended its range, introducing vintage-inspired pieces for boys and babies. We love those lemon-yellow accents!

Henri Matisse: The Sheaf. Via The Tate Modern

If you're in London with little ones this weekend, The Tate Modern's Matisse Families event could be a winner. 

Feeling uninspired? Teepee Magazine's Tumblr is full of great images and illustrations.

What are you up to this weekend? Let us know!

Prince George's 1st Birthday: Perfect Gifts, Fit for the Little Prince

By Shoshana Kazab - Fuse Communications 

Prince George, the world's most photographed (and adorable!) baby, is reaching his first major milestone and turning the grand old age of one on July 22. We've put together a gallery of gift ideas which are fit for a little prince!

Britt

Britt, the Australian-designed and made baby & toddler accessories brand, is known for its plush faux fur bears, jackets and booties, and recently re-launched and showcased its new collection at Bubble. A special edition royal charity bear was presented to the Duchess of Cambridge during her recent tour of Australia & visit to the Bear Cottage Hospice in Sydney, complete with George's name embroidered on the bear's paw in gold silk thread! RRP $45 Australian. 

aden + anais

The Australian cotton muslin brand became a household name overnight, after the baby Prince was pictured leaving the hospital wrapped in their Jungle Jam print swaddle. Now that the Prince is a little older, we think he would love to snuggle up to one of their Jungle Jam musy mate loveys made using the brand's signature 100% cotton muslin £19.95 - or for something even more cosy, the elephant bamboo musy mate lovey in grey £24.95. 

My Little Day

You're never too young for a crown, and the Parisian party accessories brand's glitter crowns are perfect for the little Prince and his friends to celebrate his milestone in style! They come in packs of 8 and would be perfect for an intimate gathering with the 1 year old's besties. RRP £7.10. 

Patachou

The Portuguese baby & children’s brand has an adorable collection for AW14, and stand out pieces include the houndstooth padded coat which looks as if it's been designed especially for Prince George. The socially responsible brand has also launched the 'Spreading Smiles' project and has committed to donating an item of clothing to a child in need for every three purchases made by their customers. RRP £53. 

Vevian

Vevian's shoes are hand-made in London and come in a lined box, so are the perfect heirloom piece. The metallic George brogues are a must-have item for any young Prince's shopping list. The shoe box lid can also be personalised with George's full name and date of birth, making it even more special. Vevian shoes retail from £99. 

Pupe e Cavalieri

This beautiful Italian brand was one of Bubble's Rising Stars this season and we fell in love with their traditionally designed collection, with exceptional detailing. This chic ribbed pure cotton romper with striped top and silver blue pants would look simply adorable on Prince George - and the crisp peter pan collar, which is fast-coming a signature look for the young Prince, features mother of pearl buttons. RRP £58. 

The Little Tailor

British baby & toddler brand The Little Tailor is always one of Bubble's busiest stands, and it's easy to see why with its charming signature collection of cuddly knits and toys. We love their 100% cotton rocking chair print sweater with matching pants in grey. Prices RRP from £12 - £28.  

What would you buy the little prince for his first Birthday? We'd love to hear your ideas! 

Bubble London S/S 15 Round -Up

Thank you to all the fantastic brands and buyers who made Bubble London a great success this season. Here are some highlights from the show...

The talk of the show, our mini models brought the spirit of the catwalk to the BDC as Bubble Runway returned for its second season.

Attentions then turned to the crowning of this season's Rising Star, which saw Plumeti Rain triumph with its country inspired collection of beautiful girls dresses made from all natural fibers. Luluzulu and Abc123me were highly commended in the competition.

Elsewhere, nail art professionals Dinky Do Dah were on hand throughout the show to brighten up your fingertips with their amazing designs perfect for both little and large. Check out some of their creations on this video - our fave is the tiger print!

Bringing colour and style by the bucket-load to this season's show, The Loving Chair Company wowed visitors with its pop-art creations across the hall.

We hope you will all be able to join us again on 1 & 2 February 2015 for the A/W event. See you soon!

Roll Up! Roll Up!

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages... come along to Bubble London this season and escape to a world of colour.

While preparing to dress the catwalk and plaza areas of the show this July along with hosting its very own pop-up shop at the show, our friends over at The Loving Chair Company have been busy planning its new collection. The team's in house designers and artists have been dreaming up new, innovative ideas with a sprinkling of fun to bring love, laughter and colour to interior and outside spaces.

Check out TLC's new Circus themed photo shoot, embrace a travelling circus theme, which captures an artistic flair and passion for design, texture and colour, which you can see for yourself in just a couple of weeks' time.

Bubble London takes place on the 13 & 14 July 2014.

Register for your free ticket on the Bubble London website now.