Blog and Buy Sale: lucky dip giveaway

We're running a giveaway with the lovely folk at Blogandbuysale. There are four packs of our Christmas cards up for grabs, and it's super easy to enter, just lucky dip. Entries are open until 12th December, 9pm.
See link below for full details... good luck

http://www.blogandbuysale.com/2012/12/lucky-dip-giveaway-betty-dupree-christmas-cards/

Christmas gift guide 2012

Most of the artists we've worked with have their own online shops, or have produced exclusive items for other stores. Here's our top ten pick of their wares, which we think would make fantastic gifts.

1. Tom Frost 'Waves Will Rise' screenprint £145
http://theboyfrost.bigcartel.com/

2. My Two Toms 'Who We Are...' LP £10
http://stitchstitchrecords.co.uk/stitches/who-we-were-and-what-we-meant-by-it/

3. Ben Newman 'Bento Bestiary' book, published by Nobrow £12
http://www.nobrow.net/2774

4. Nicholas Frith 'Red Deer' screenprint £18
http://www.etsy.com/shop/nicholasjohnfrith

5. Leah Duncan 2013 calendar US$32
http://www.etsy.com/shop/leahduncan

6. Marcus Oakley 'London' poster from Human Empire 12 Euro
http://www.humanempireshop.com/Poster/Plakate/Artprints/marcus-oakley-london-poster/

7. Gemma Correll t-shirt from Buy Olympia US$20
http://www.buyolympia.com/q/Item=gemma-correll-just-pour-the-coffee-in-shirt

8. Lizzy Stewart 'Toska' self published zine £6.50
http://www.bettyanddupree.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&path=41&product_id=168

9. Bjorn R Lie 'Log Cabins' giclee print £75
http://bjornlieillustration.bigcartel.com/

10. Eloise Renouf 'Trees' tea towel £10.95
http://www.etsy.com/shop/EloiseRenouf

US and Canadian distribution

We now have a distributor handling our sales in the USA, which enables us to provide a more efficient and convenient service for our wholesale and retail customers there, saving you the time and cost of international shipping.

BuyOlympia are based in Portland, Oregon and specialise in well designed artist made goods including books, cards, prints, clothing and accessories. All of which are available to order online.

More recently, they have established a retail storefront and gallery space 'Land', exhibiting work from the likes of Gemma Correll, Susie Ghahremani, Ryan Jacob Smith and Nikki McClure. Land is located at 3925 N Mississippi Avenue.

End of season sale

We're having and end of season clearance, with 30% off all textiles;
scarves, tea-towels and cushion covers.

So, why not treat yourself to a little something, or buy early for Christmas!
Very limited quantities available, see them here

Featured: Design Marchand blog

Very pleased to see several of our gift wrap designs featured on the Design Marchand blog, alongside some delightful handprinted work too...

Slapsefjell

Written and illustrated by Bjørn Rune Lie, Slapsefjell (Slush Mountain) tells the tale of a day in the life of a fictional mountain village. It is an homage to childhood winters spent in his Norwegian homeland, and it's culture of cabin trips, skiing and the great outdoors. 

Without a strict storyline as such, Bjørn's playful and humourous paintings take you on a tour around the town centre and ski slopes, give a chance to meet some of the local characters, and see what's going on. Although unable to read the language, we were captivated by the books anthropomorphic animals, and beautifully detailed landscapes. 

This led us to work with Bjørn in reproducing several images from Slapsefjell as a range of Christmas cards. In addition, he has created new work for the accompanying wrapping paper.  

Originally published by Magikon Forlag (ISBN 9788292863046), we have heard that plans are underway for a French edition, although as yet, not one in English.

The Imagined Brand Mini Expo

Nicholas John Frith has a solo exhibition opening at Lion Street Store in Rye, East Sussex this friday. 'The Imagined Brand Mini Expo' will showcase a series of illustrated at typographical works depicting fictitious products, packaging and signage, and is open until 3rd September.

We have a set of Christmas cards designed by Nicholas launching very shortly too. You may have seen a glimpse of them previewed on our Facebook page. If you didn't here's a couple of them...

My Two Toms & friends...

'My Two Toms' are Tom Cops and Tom Stubbs, who play instrumental songs inspired by traditional Appalachian folk music. Their 2010 American tour supporting Charlie Parr, was captured by Tom Cops' medium format camera, and produced our debut photobook 'Midwest'.

When not playing music, the other half of the eponymous duo, Tom Stubbs, is a partner in Somerset based Biggerhouse Films. On their first journey across the US in 2007, again supporting Charlie Parr, Stubbs took his video camera. The resulting film is a touching and humourous documentary of life on the road for touring musicians, surviving without the luxuries of hotels, private jets or a competent tour manager...

 

Play

My Two Toms released an LP on Bristol's Stitch-Stitch records, with guests musicians including Matt and Kate from Movietone/Crescent, and François (laterly of François & The Atlas Mountains). The LP is adorned with beautiful sleeve art by Norweigan illustrator Bjørn Lie. We have commissioned Bjørn to produce a collection of Christmas cards and wrapping paper for us, which we'll be releasing very shortly.

Our first anniversary

We're celebrating one year of trading today. It's gone incedibly quickly, and we've exceeded a lot of the goals we set ourselves. A big thank you to all the wonderful artists we've had the pleasure of working with, and of course to our customers and stockists. Lastly, our thanks to all the journalists, bloggers and Pinterest users who have featured our products, as well as our followers on Twitter and Facebook.

We've got lots more new products to launch in the coming months, and today is also the official launch of our new Eloise Renouf wrapping paper.

East London Comics & Arts Festival

Ben Newman and Tom Frost and some of our other friends, are amongst the artists exhibiting at the East London Comic and Arts Festival next weekend. Organinsed by London comics publisher Nobrow, ELCAF will be taking place at The Village Underground, Shoreditch on Sunday 17th June.

In addition to the multitude of stalls selling comics, zines, artwork and other goodies, there will be talks, seminars and workshop, topped off with live music in the evening.
For further information, visit www.elcaf.co.uk

Eloise Renouf giveaway

To mark the launch of our new notebooks designed by Eloise Renouf, we're giving a pair of them away.

If you're already a fan of our products, then it's safe to assume that like us, you have a love of paper goods and pattern design. These combine beautifully in the form of 'endpapers', the lining found on the inside of hardback books. Often overlooked, they display an attention to detail, that we have embraced in producing our own books (although, as ours are paperback books, they're not strictly endpapers, but do give a similar visual effect).

We want to celebrate this under appreciated element of design, so are asking you to raid your bookshelves and send us a scan/photo of your favourite endpapers. We'll be posting the submissions onto Pinterest for all to see.

The endpaper design we judge to be the best, will win a pair of Elosie Renouf notebooks, a copy of Uppercase magazine #13 (which featured Eloise's artwork on the cover), and a selection of our greeting cards.

There will also be a second prize of a pair of notebooks, for the design which receives the most likes and repins on Pinterest.

How to submit an entry:

Tweet your image to @Betty_Dupree

or

post it onto our facebook wall; https://www.facebook.com/bettyanddupree.co.uk

Please credit the Title & Author of the book, and if possible the illustrator and year of publication.

We know that won't all fit in the space of a Tweet, but get in what detail you can. Alternatively, post the image to your own blog, and Tweet us a link to it.

Terms & Conditions

1. You may submit a maximum of 3 images per person.

2. If more than one person submits the same image, the first instance will take precedence.

3. Play fair - submit original images, not something you found via google.

4. Deadline for submissions is 12 noon on Saturday 16th June (British time).

5. The judges decision is final.

introducing... Eloise Renouf

Here's a preview of our new notebooks designed by Nottingham based illustrator and designer Eloise Renouf, which will be launched next month.

Eloise draws upon inspiration from nature and mid-century design, and re-interprets these with additional modern influences and her own personal perspective. The notebooks have a mix of plain, lined and squared pages, with spot illustrations thoughout. We will also be producing an accompanying range of wrapping paper.

There's a profile of Eloise in the current issue of Uppercase Magazine, who selected her work for their cover. http://www.uppercasegallery.ca/uppercase-journal/2012/3/27/cover-artist-eloise-renouf.html

We'll be running a competition to give away pairs of notebooks very shortly. Follow us on Twitter or Facebook to find out when.

'Print' exhibition in Bath

Tom Frost's screen prints are in increasingly high demand. If you're looking to pick some up for your walls, head on over to Bath, where he has some of his work included in the exhibition 'Print' at the Rostra gallery.

He will be showing alongside such talented artists as the wonderful Bjorn Rune Lie,  and Sir Peter Blake.

Opens Saturday 5th May, FFI
http://www.rostragallery.co.uk

Pinterest

Like many others, we've gotten ourselves hooked on Pinterest. Not surprising, as we work in a very image based industry.

Our pages are a little sparse at the moment, but that will soon change. Come on over and take a look at some of the things that amuse and inspire us.

 http://pinterest.com/bettyanddupree/

 

Blogged: Atticus and Finch

Atticus Finch was the name of the lawyer in To Kill A Mockingbird, as played by Gregory Peck in the film adaptation. Atticus and Finch is an interiors and design blog by Emily Bludden who kindly wrote about us and Leah Duncan recently: http://atticusandfinch.co.uk/2012/04/you-me-betty-and-dupree/

Illustration and Design Forum

Our friends (and stockists) Shipshape Studio, are hosting an Illustration and Design Forum in Hammersmith, on Sunday 15th April.

If you're interested in a career as a freelance illustrator, it's not enough just to be able to draw! You'll also need some business skills, such as marketing, and be disciplined managing your time and finances.

The Illustration and Design Forum panel will cover these topics and more, with experienced designers Emma Block, Alice Potter and Rachel Lewis talking about there own careers, and taking part in a Q&A session.

Shipshape are giving our followers a 10% on tickets for the event via this link:
http://illustrationdesign.eventbrite.com/?discount=LEARNINGISFUN

For further information visit: www.shipshapestudio.co.uk

Billy Lee Riley - Betty and Dupree

Havn't posted one of these songs for a while.
Here's a rockabilly version by Billy Lee Riley, better known for his hits "Red Hot" and "Flying Saucer Rock 'n' Roll"

Pick Me Up

Pick Me Up is an annual contemporary graphic arts fair held at Somerset House in London. The exhibition showcases the very best illustrators, graphic artists, and designers from around the UK.

Three of the artists we have collaborated with are all participating in the event this year, each producing new and exclusive work for the occasion. Soma Gallery are representing Tom Frost and Gemma Correll, whilst Lizzy Stewart will feature as part of the Many Hands collective.

The show runs from 22 March – 1 April 2012

http://www.somersethouse.org.uk/visual-arts/pick-me-up-2012

Print and Pattern

The launch of our Leah Duncan gift wrap in January featured on the Print and Pattern blog

Architektur und Wohnen

we're a little late picking up on this one, but think it's still noteworthy.

German style magazine Architektur und Wohnen picked one of our Lizzy Stewart cards to feature in their Christmas issue, alongside pieces from Rob Ryan and Rifle Paper Co.

Wrap magazine

Have you come across Wrap magazine?
The large format pages are designed so that after reading, you can reuse them as gift wrap, or pin them on the wall. The latest issue has a North American theme, and features Betty & Dupree contibutor Leah Duncan

It's available from several of out stockists, including the Design Museum shop in London, as well as online from
http://www.thewrappaper.com/

Mothers Day

Are you ready for Mothers Day?
They're not like they were in the '50s...

Bloglovin'

Our thanks to the following blogs, amongst others, who've kindly featured some of our products recently:

Arterie and Co

Creature Comforts

 

Field and Sea

omodernario

 

Royal Television Society Awards

Our congratulations to Ben Newman, and everyone else involved in producing this animated trailer, which won Best Promo at last nights Royal Television Society Awards


BBC Radio 4 - Life & Fate TVC from devilfish on Vimeo

Leah Duncan greeting cards

To accompany her popular patterned gift wrap, we now have 12 Leah Duncan illustrated greeting cards available.


You can see the full range here

Tom Cops exhibition

Folks in Bristol will have an oppourtunity to see some of the photographs from Tom Cops 'Midwest' book exhibited at Cafe Grounded in Bedminster from 5th February until 25th March.


On the opening night, Tom's bluegrass band My Two Tom's will be performing live from 7.30pm.

The book documents the 2010 tour his band made around the American Midwest, supporting the acclaimed Minnesotan blues musician Charlie Parr. The images capture moments, people and places of small town USA.

Cafe Grounded, 66-68 Bedminster Parade, Bedminster, BS5 9HT

Etta James

In memory of Etta James, who recorded a handful of duets with Harvey Fuqua
under the pseudonym of Betty & Dupree.

New Leah Duncan wrapping paper

We're very pleased to announce the launch of our first range of gift wrap.
Comprising of six designs by artist Leah Duncan from Austin, Texas.

Leah takes inspiration from the surrounding landscape, and also her native American roots to create a delicate folk-meets-modern world.

Printed on 100% recycled matt uncoated paper, and available now from selected stockists, and our online store.