well.illbedarned




darn.it



i like to make things.
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about.

im laura. im 23. i am a recent graphic design graduate from UCCA. i am one half of Lazy Soosan and i like knitting and drawing and watch too much trashy tv. i sing very loud in my car but not in the shower. i dont want to turn 24 but i would like to grow up. i am messy to the max. weapon.x

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Monday, May 04, 2009

london zine symposium 2009


The London Zine Symposium yesterday was bigger and better than ever. With an apparent record number of zines, crafters, writers & distros spread across the two rooms at the Rag Factory selling their wares and celebrating DIY and zine culture.


Lucy and I arrived bang on schedule having made an effort to not be early as usual! We set up our Lazy Soosan table, complete with banner and bunting, and watched in awe as people began flowing through the doors: a veritable stream from midday right up until six o'clock.


Our manic day of prep payed off and everything went rather swimmingly. We even managed to squeeze in some precious time to make a batch of alphabet biscuits to draw in the punters! In all honesty they turned out to be more like shortcake... a slight overkill on the flour quantities, but no one was complaining and they all got gobbled up with 2 hours still to go!


It was an absolutely beautiful day despite the threats of rain from the weather forecasters, which led to somewhat tropical temperatures in the rooms, but it didn't seem to put people off one iota.





We met some lovely people and saw so many great zines - the 6 hour stint flew by without us really getting a chance to take it all in and see absolutely everything. From what we did manage to get to, highlights include Fever Zine, Bel's Art World, Shebang and Girl Photographer, to name but a few.


Not the main attraction perhaps, but definitely one worth mentioning... the floor, which i was informed had been installed sometime between last years event and this one, was rather special! A recycled school gym floor perhaps? whatever it is i seem to have come away with quite a few pictures of it! Looking down whilst walking around the room, the colours and shapes danced around your feet - very neat indeed!

So, it's all over for another year now, and a great day was had by all... roll on 2010!
x.


well.illbedarned [ 2:11 PM ] | 1 comments

Tuesday, April 07, 2009

lazy soosan at LZS



So we've been waiting rather impatiently for this news, but today we received confirmation that Lazy Soosan has been allocated a spot a this year's London Zine Symposium - hoorah!

So yes, we will be manning our table all day, so please do pop along - it was a really great event last year with some rather special workshops, and a great selection of zines to peruse your way through, and even a radical history walk, touring the sites of housing, class and gentrification around spitalfields market. The day is sure to be just as fabulous as last year and is well worth a visit - i kid thee not!

And now for the science part:

London Zine Symposium
Sunday 3rd May 2009
12pm - 6pm

The Rag Factory
16-18 Heneage Street
London
E1 5LJ

Be there or be square!
x.


well.illbedarned [ 12:36 PM ] | 0 comments

Sunday, March 22, 2009

happy mothers day!


I hope that there has been plenty breakfasts-in-bed, flowers and chocolates, and freshly baked cakes doing the rounds today!
x.


well.illbedarned [ 9:58 AM ] | 0 comments

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

E-E-E-Ever so Exciting!


Issue E has arrived! It's been a while coming, but we promise that it is well worth the wait! with such spectacles to behold as Elvis himself, a trio of eager beavers, a pretty rubbish employee of the week, and a rather interesting young chap called eugene, its all ever-so-exciting! So head on over to the shop to get your hands on our latest labour of love! (sneak preview below!)


In other Lazy Soosan news, we now have alphabet badges up for sale, which we think will look just smashing on a lapel, a bag, a sweater or maybe even a hat. The options are endless!


And as always, keep checking the Lazy Soosan blog for up-to-date, last-minute, hot-off-the-press Lazy Soosan news!

x.


well.illbedarned [ 12:06 PM ] | 0 comments

Thursday, March 12, 2009

lazy soosan giveaway



If you've been itching to get your hands on a copy of The Alphabet Series, then head on over to Design for Mankind and enter yourself into the giveaway! We've teamed up with Erin to offer you the chance to win issues A, B, C and D, and a pack of our postcards too! so head on over quick-sticks and add your comment to the list to be in with a chance!

More Lazy Soosan news coming super soon - so stay tuned!
x


well.illbedarned [ 8:26 AM ] | 0 comments

Monday, February 02, 2009

snow time

So, its been brewing for a while now, but last night, the snow finally hit. The heaviest snow in the last 18 years that is...! London trains and buses were cancelled, airports and schools closed, and the office was pretty much empty.

I do love snow. especially when its this thick and crunchy! i decided to make the most of the beautiful weather and take an afternoon stroll down to the duck-pond. (very picture heavy...!)



Their green and indigo flashes are super pretty. and their legs seemed to be extra-specially orange! I wasn't allowed to feed them, but they seemed to be happily munching on goodness-knows-what under the snow.

I continued my walk up to the Great Barn and Manor Farm House before finding myself in St Martins Churchyard all of which had been completed transformed by the heavy dusting of snow, and looked all rather quaint indeed.





The snow didn't really stop all day, and by 3pm it was threatening to get heavier, so, while i still had a tiny amount of sensation remaining in my feet, i carefully dashed home along the slippery, slushy pavements, back to the saftey of my own back garden, a cup of hot chocolate and a steaming hot bath! (very much in that order!)



There are heaps more photos from my wintery walkabout on my flickr, so if you're not all snowed-out yet, click on the picture below to take a peek!



Now all thats left to do is hope and pray that it wont have all disappeared by the time i wake up tomorrow morning. that would be very sad indeed! I hope that everyone is enjoying this lovely spell of snow, take care, and try not to slip up!
x.


well.illbedarned [ 1:32 PM ] | 0 comments

Monday, January 26, 2009

Between the Covers


Between the Covers is an exhibition about women's magazines and their readers, currently showing at The Women's Library in Aldgate. At the back end of last year, lucy and i got an email from Melanie Maddison, (editor of the Leeds-based 'zine Colouring Outside the Lines) asking if we could provide some Lazy Soosan work to be a part of 'Zine Fest' - a series of zine related activities and seminars supporting the exhibition. So on Saturday, we toddled along to the exhibition to see Soosan, and all the other lovely zines in action.


To read more about zine fest take a peek here and to read reviews of the comic exhibition, pop along here, here and here.


and i couldn't not mention the beautiful cake stall! Yum indeed!

x.


well.illbedarned [ 1:39 PM ] | 1 comments

Sunday, January 25, 2009

roll up, roll up!





Lazy Soosan do colour!
Come pick up a pack of 4 full colour postcards from our little Etsy Shop!

Lovely stuff!
x.


well.illbedarned [ 1:34 PM ] | 0 comments

Sunday, January 04, 2009

amigurumi



hoorah! my second amigurumi attempt has come up trumps - and I'm hooked! The pattern for this super cute pear is by amigurumi girl, and can be found here.

x


well.illbedarned [ 1:29 PM ] | 0 comments

Saturday, January 03, 2009

festivities

christmas is already over, which is rather sad. it seemed to come and go all too quickly this time around. its been super lovely to have some time off from work, and just to have some proper quality family time both in the south, and the north too.
it has been quite a while since my last post, hence the large number of photos that follow! so yes, heres a few bits and bobs from the christmas/new year period:



Christmas tree decorations


Gift wrap and handmade gift tags


Tiffany's cupcakes from the somerset house ice rink


Oliver - who absolutely loves the christmas tree, and everything that dangles from it!


New year's eve fireworks



My mum knitted me these beautiful endpaper mitts. you can find the pattern hereThey re quite possibly the softest mitts i have ever worn. i am absolutely in love, and am now after a pair in every colour combination imaginable!


books.books.books! note the red 2009 moleskine planner. it's so satisfyingly chunky!


And Paul bought me this fabulous moustache ring from Tatty Divine :o)


buttons.buttons.buttons....


...and a tape measure of course!


I hope that y'all have had a lovely time over the holidays too, and that 2009 has started out well. I am still finilising my list of resolutions, but thats ok... im giving myself until the 5th - thats when the real hard work starts again!
x


well.illbedarned [ 7:00 AM ] | 1 comments

Thursday, December 25, 2008


well.illbedarned [ 7:14 AM ] | 0 comments

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

MOvember


Movember is a charity set up in the name of men's health - prostate cancer in particular. Throughout the month formerly known as November, men across the world grow Moustaches to help raise awareness about the very real health issues they face.

A number of my fabulous friends are joining in this year and are all looking remarkably hairy and very nearly Magnum P.I-like!

But yes, it is a very real, very serious, very important cause - to find out all about it, or to make a donation, click the button!


x.


well.illbedarned [ 1:54 PM ] | 0 comments

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

five-a-day


I finally got around to making these postcards using the fruit and veg patterns i have been working on.
Each set includes 5 different postcards: cherries, apples, lemons, mange-touts and aubergines. Each of which can be eaten as one of the 5 daily reccomended portions of fruit and veg that help to maintain a healthy diet. The postcards themselves however, should not be eaten and will not in any way improve your daily diet...!



Being healthy means nothing if you are not happy, and one of the most effective ingredients that helps to maintain happiness is good friends. It's important to keep in touch with loved ones, so with these super healthy postcards you can keep in touch with your recommended quota of 5 friends per day! How very handy indeed!



Lucy kindly invited me to share her stall at super.market! last week in Camberwell. We had much fun selling our wares and eating slice of homemade cake after slice of homemade cake... and the most fabulous biscuits ever, made by The Biscuiteers!

There were a lot of other lovely stalls: The collected adventures of b. b. barry, Jess Turnbull, and Mr PS to name but a few.

And here is our little stall in all it's glory :o)


x.


well.illbedarned [ 1:29 PM ] | 0 comments

Monday, November 17, 2008

dried.on.paper

So, I am a little late posting about this, but nevermind...!
A couple of weeks ago, i received a mysterious email inviting me to a 'VIP launch party', with very few clues as to what the whole business was about. When my invitation arrived in the post, there were even fewer clues; just a time, date, place and a company name: driedonpaper. The invitation itself however, was rather special indeed:


A stamp, an ink pad and a piece of yellow card: a print-it-yourself invitation! Fabulous!

Any way, yes, after a few more days of trying to unravel this cryptic conundrum all was revealed in Shoreditch Studios last week. The launch was for a new mobile phone with more features you can shake a stick at. Now this is not really my general area of interest... I'm happy as long as i can send a couple of (preferably) free text messages, make a few quick calls here and there, and play a few games of su doku... and if it looks pretty, well that's a bonus..! But yes, regardless of that, the party was still rather excellent.
pictures pictures pictures:



It was all rather 'art' focussed. Inside the first room there were several installations with themes such as time, music, robotics, the world, telephones, and so on.


There was also a wall of prints created especially for the event. Some designs were even included in the goody-bag for us to take home at the end of the night. (the goody-bags also included a t-shirt, and a memory stick)



It did infact turn out to be quite a nice night - I should mention that it was also my actual birthday night, so it was rather excellent to be provided with unlimited free champagne all night! And plus, they had my absolute dream clock there! I have been eyeing up a similar (newer) one from Habitat for about a year now... I may well just have to cave in and buy it now! Although... do they make much noise...? I wonder if it would keep me up at night with its flap-flap-flapping?
hmm... Answers on a postcard please!



x.


well.illbedarned [ 12:53 PM ] | 0 comments

Sunday, October 19, 2008

knit.wit

So, what with today being the last day of national knitting week an' all, i reckon its jolly well time for a knitting (& crotchet) themed post.


These knitted condoms were made for a friend's birthday. i wouldn't recommend them as an effective form of birth control, but i would definitely recommend knitting a couple, as they're super quick and easy, and rather silly too!

pattern:
Using 4mm needles and 4 ply wool
cast on 22 stitches,
knit 36 rows (or add a few more for a larger size...)
knit 2 tog for the next 2 rows (leaving you with 6 stitches)
knit 2 rows
knit 2 tog (leaving you with 3 stitches)
thread the end of the wool through the remaining stitches and pull tight.
sew the sides together - and you're done!


You can also add some special touches by knitting a few of the purl rows, to give a ribbed effect!

And in other news: crotched squares!


Since debbie's crochet masterclass on the beach last month, i have been on a mission to crochet a whole blanket, which has been going a little slower than i initially anticipated, but anyway, yes, this is my progress so far!


Sadly, at this rate, it will be more like summer by the time i have finished, so i will just have to get chilly this winter, but goodness, am i looking forward to next winter already!

x.


well.illbedarned [ 8:48 AM ] | 0 comments

Saturday, October 18, 2008

paper n stitch...



A big thank you to Brittni for inviting Lazy Soosan to feature on paper'n'stitch: a brand new online exhibition space, created to promote artists, designers, makers selling handmade goods, and independent boutiques. Come visit the lazy soosan paper'n'stitch shop right here!

Lovely

x.


well.illbedarned [ 1:19 PM ] | 0 comments

Friday, September 26, 2008

an apple a day...



x.


well.illbedarned [ 4:11 PM ] | 4 comments

Thursday, September 25, 2008

D is for DIY


Issue D of The Alphabet Series has finally arrived and is very much up for sale in our shop.



In the spirit of all things D, this issue is DIY-tastic: handmade from start to finish. and thats how we're going to keep it from now on! So go snap yourself up a copy of the new look Alphabet Series: its packed from start to finish with more love, care and attention than ever before!

visit the Lazy Soosan blog for more info, or take a look at my flickr for more pictures.

Delicious!
x.


well.illbedarned [ 10:21 AM ] | 1 comments

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

crochet-at-the-coast


This weekend, Lucy and i headed down to Brighton to see Debbie, who ever so kindly gave us a quick crash course in crochet squares - many many thanks indeed - i have been practicing religiously so that i wont forget the knack! It also just so happened that it was a super lovely day - heaps of sunshine, and fortunately for us we were able to sit on the beach and soak up the last few hours of summer in the process.


(Mine is the blue one... the expert ones to the right are Debbie's!)



Lazy Soosan news coming shortly, so watch this space!
Ta ta for now
x.


well.illbedarned [ 3:07 PM ] | 0 comments

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

stimpfield 08




So, I've finally got round to posting about stimpfield:
a home-grown, back-yard, lo-fi, d-i-y, festival dreamed up by louise and me.

It was such a fun day, and well worth the endless planning. The invitations were tickets, and guests were instructed to bring themselves, their tents, their wellies and a musical instrument of their choice, along with an mp3 player for the silent disco.



Each guest recieved a lanyard with a detailed site map on the back, incase they managed to lose themselves in the garden!
There were games of cricket, pass the parcel (the prize being original stimpfield merchandise), inflatable bowling and sack racing accompanied by giant bubbles, face painting and silly amounts of glow sticks.

much fun indeedio!



Roll on stimpfield 09!
x.


well.illbedarned [ 1:40 PM ] | 2 comments