light up necklaces. what i wore.

A few weeks ago we released these HUGE STATEMENT necklaces. You can't get flashier than this (literally!)

The necklaces have three lighting modes, constant light, flashing and sequential flashing, and they can be worn day and night!

Want to show off in your favourite cocktail bar, or wear for coffee with your mates, you can wear them switched on, switched off, flashing or not.

I'm modelling the necklaces in this shoot and I wore both with a silver crushed velvet babydoll dress, which I normally dress down with sandals and frilly socks for the day, or dress up with graphic tights patent white shoes! If you want to see what that looks like I've made a Pinterest board with all the items on!

So what do you think of the light up necklaces? How would you style yours?

ROAR!

Karli

Credit | Photos and video edited by the super awesome Bob Prosser (who does most of our photography) you can see more of his work here.

mollie makes handmade awards

Last Thursday we were invited, as finalists, to the Mollie Makes Handmade Awards, and what a day it was!

I'm sure you've all met George by now but if you haven't here he is, and he's the reason we were shortlisted with hello DODO for the Mollie Makes Collaboration Award!

Now Brighton is a pretty talented place and Amy and Claire of Super + Super were also shortlisted for the Established Business Award - WOOP WOOP! HYPE BTOWN!

Amy, Jam (with no legs) and Ali chilling in the sunshine

The day started with a Photo Walk by Xanthe and some homemade lemonade. Presentations from the finalists were through-out the day. We couldn't watch these but there was a panel of EIGHT judges, and we were the very last presentation... eek!

There were talks on how to get your book published and one from Pinterest. They were fun and definitely insightful! (now what can I write a book about...)

Crafty Materials for Crafternoon Cabaret Club

Unfortunately Jacques wasn't able to come along but I got to hang out with the Dodos and met plenty of amazing designer makers!

So with our nerves building all day, we waited at the bottom of the stairs to meet our doom (jokes) - we presented to the very friendly bunch and were asked lots of questions about George, our brands and how we had worked together to collaborate.

When it was all over we grabbed a pint - cos it'd be a stressful day - and waited nervously for the results and when we were announced, none of us moved! We were winners of the Collaboration Award! WAHHHHOOOOO!

WE WON! WOAH!

Creative Idea award winner Allison Sadler’s (#MakeItSewcial) and Established business award winner Nikki McWilliams (I'm a stalker, as you can tell they weren't posing for me ;) )

Back in Brighton we all went for celebratory burritos and filled Jacques in, he was pretty hyped so here's a dark blurry photo of him and his Mollie Makes swag (including an amazing brother pen with a LIGHT!?!)

So George is now award winning! How magic is that? Mega thanks to Mollie Makes and all of the judges, we are soooo excited to have won!

Do you have a George? Do you think fame has gone to his head?

Karli

meet our stockists! Porta.

Want to find out more about the boutiques that designosaur is stocked in? The last one of these posts was from Pyramid Gallery. Now to back to our home town Brighton to Porta, an emporium of all that glitters!

David
PORTA
4 Bond Street, North Laine, Brighton

We are a weird and wonderful fashion boutique which tries to appeal to the quirky masses!!! We have been here for 5 years now, and we like to think that we have built a bit of a following thanks to our locally sourced jewellery range, that includes Designosaur amongst other fabulous acrylic brands.

Which designosaur design do you personally like the most?
I LOVE the Sabre Tooth Tiger necklace and the Narwhal! I'm really attached to the fact that I was one of the first people to own a triceratops necklace too!

Which designosaur piece do your customers love?
People are really in love with the dinosaurs, but recently, George the chameleon and the small glittery unicorn pendants* have become firm favourites.

Have you done anything particularly creative/ different with the way you display our products?
We are very lucky to be working very closely with Karli and Jacques, therefore we have access to their own display stands for our shop, which makes it easier for our customers to identify the brand as soon as they come in the shop. Also, I am still hanging on to the idea of having a giant T-Rex in the window to promote designosaur!

What do you hope will come next from designosaur?
We would love to see the "skeleton" range expanded to everyday animals like cats, peguins, sharks, and obviously mermaids and winged unicorns!!! cause yeah, mermaids and unicorns are everyday pets for us!

You heard it here first, mermaids and winged unicorns are everyday pets in Brighton. If you go into Porta make sure you say hey to David, he loves to chat!

ROAR!

Karli

*these are Exclusive to Porta!

bracelet

Hello!

If you have landed here because you got a D.I.Y Bracelet in our new exciting vending machine at Renegade Craft Fair, or the Brighton Etsy Craft Party goody bag then WELCOME! I'm about to teach you how to make a macrame friendship bracelet! If you are here in any other way you can still do the tutorial you just won't have a designosaur starter bead to set you off (if you super desperately want one tweet us, we'll see what we can do!)

OK So are you ready? This is what we are making...

You  will need: threads - three different colours | scissors | a designosaur bead | a ruler

If you want a bracelet exactly like mine (which is BLAH length long) then you will need to cut your threads to 90cm. If you are using the materials provided then your threads are already 90cm long!

First fold your threads exactly in half.
Then thread the folded end though one side of the designosaur bead.
Thread the reamining thread the newly created loop.
Your thread is now securely attached to the bead.

Use a Safety pin through the open side of your bead to attach your bracelet to a cushion/ your jeans / your book bag

I have taped mine to the table for the purposes of photographing but trust me - safety pinning is the easiest way to stop it coming unattached!

Lay out your threads in the following pattern (or any pattern you like, if you put two of the same colour thread together, this will create a thicker row)

Take the furthest left thread [1] (mine is coral)

Lay this over the second thread [2] (mine is aqua) to create a four shape

Tuck the coral thread [1] under the aqua [2] thread to create a loop

Hold the aqua thread [2] taught and slide the coral thread [1] upwards

Slide the knot right to the top, this is a left knot (and the only knot we will be using!) 

In case you didn't get that we are going to do it again on the lilac thread [3]

Cross the coral thread [1] over the lilac thread [3] to create a 4-shape

Thread the coral thread [1] under the lilac thread [3] to create a loop

Slide the newly created knot using the coral thread [1] to the top of the lilac thread [3]

You now need to do the same left knot on threads [4] [5] [6]. 

You have completed a whole row of knots, WELL DONE! 

(you're still with me right?) 

The aqua thread [2] will now be the furthest left string.

Do exactly the same as you did with the coral string [1] across threads [3] [4] [5] [6] [1]

Repeat this always working from Left to Right with the furthest left thread

Do this for about 10cm until your bracelet looks like mine!

At this point split your threads into two sections of three threads

Plait the two separate sections (if you don't know how to plait/ braid then I'm not sure how you even got his far, give up now - or google plaiting)

This section should be about 7cm long

Your plaits should look like this

Tie a knot in the first plait (make sure your plaits are the same length)

Tie a knot (overhand knot if you wanna get technical) in the other side 

Make sure that both the knots are in the same place (else you're gonna have a wonky bracelet from here on out!)

Go back to the beginning of the tutorial and do the same left knots to create the second part of the bracelet (or use the power of memory!)

Should look something like this?

Do this until your threads get too short / you get bored / your bracelet gets to a wearable length
Then split your threads into two parts again

Plait / braid the two sections to finish off your bracelet

Tie a knot in the ends of the plaits

Trim the ends (not too close to the knot else it will come untied!)

This is what you've made HURRAH! 

Thread the two plaits through the otherside of the designosaur bead (you may need to jam the knots through using that safety pin you have!)

Put your bracelet on you or your friend

Use an overhand knot or two to secure the bracelet.

ENJOY!

I'm really hoping at the end of this tutorial you have a bracelet that is somewhat similar to mine. You all got different colour threads and beads (in your goody bags) so if you have successfully made a bracelet please use #designosaur to show us, and @designosaurYEAH on instagram or twitter.

If this is a good tutorial let me know, (I might do another?!) equally if it sucks and you're looking at a tangled mess also let me know! (I won't do another)

ROAR!

Karli

pick me up! london graphic arts festival.

A couple of weeks ago we went to visit  Jam and Ali aka hello DODO at Pick Me Up, a yearly graphic arts festival held at Somerset House, London.

Lazy Oaf 

Lazy Oaf

Lazy Oaf

hello DODO were part of the Best Room and when we went to visit it was PACKED! We came back just before close to take some snaps!

Best

Best

hello DODO's work in the Best Room

I couldn't help but buy some of the gorgeous pieces and I snapped up a graphic print by RISOTTO and a FUN print in the Lazy Oaf Room.

We listened to Cathy Olmedillas from ANORAK talk about their new Magazine DOT. I love listening to successful business people saying that they didn't have a plan, they were winging it or they went against others advice but still SMASHED IT!

It was a visual delight of colours and patterns and you should definitely go along next year! Did any of you go this year, which was your favourite room, or piece?

ROAR!

Karli