Inspire - My Studio Super+Super HQ Brighton

I have mentioned my studio in Brighton, UK a few times before but today I wanted to give you a tour of my favourite bits of Supper+Super HQ. A three storied studio building founded and run by my business partner (and best friend) Claire and I. S+S currently houses 15 freelance creative businesses. Over the past three years we have hosted hundreds of workshops and parties, drunk thousands of cups of tea, done our fair share of DIY maintenance and met many fantastic (and sometimes challenging) people. Did I mention the cake?

(photos by Claire + Jackie)

Super+Super HQ Is a culmination of the things we love and a totally DIY start up. With the help of some dear friends and family members we turned a derelict retail shop that was full of junk and bad paint colour choices into a retro-scandi chic studio space infused with our enthusiasm, hard work and thrift store upcycled furniture finds! 

Super+Super has been a home for many different start-ups and creative businesses over the past few years. We have hosted workshops with the likes of Tatty Divine and live music events by some amazing artists including Donna Fullman and Pearl & The Beard.

Our studio space is DIY, flexible and ever changing. In the past year it has been the platform for our first 4 published craft books 'The Super+Super Series' with GMC! Other creative spaces such as WeWork who run some amazing spaces around the world hold core values that are very similar to ours at S+S  'Do what you love' and value the importance of people and their unique differences.

What I love the most about S+S is its natural daylight and bright rooms all with original features (including high ceilings, wooden floors and fire places) and that it feels like home. Its a working space and its not like many that are often too corporate or 'cool' for people to be themselves. The one item I love the most is our blue floral upcycled Ercol sofa! Claire and I celebrated the signing of our lease on the studio with a bottle of Merlot and a night in re upholstering a rather dingy (then) brown Ercol two seater sofa. Now its a chic and comfy haven for tea breaks and phone calls... and the occasional afternoon nap!

My dream studio would have a huge urban garden out back for tea breaks and community vegetable growing! Everyone would have their own mini plot to grow what they liked and to help them remain constantly relaxed and inspired! I'm talking raised bed and vertical planting, you name it we'd grow it. Sadly our corner of the Laines is too crowded... but who knows what the future may hold!

Bits & Bobs - Taj's Tea Parlour Brighton

Last weekend I took a few hours out to explore Brighton's South Laine and visit its newest pop up tea parlour Taj's (vintage style) Tea Parlour. Taj has been working her old school High-Tea magic since June this year and has great plans for her lovely little corner of Brighton Square! Go and visit if you get the chance and keep your eyes peeled here for some crafty happenings in the coming weeks.

Grow - Apple Day Festival Brighton

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This Sunday on a much needed afternoon adventure Lyndsey of What You Sow and I ventured to Brighton's Stanmer Park and Hall for their Apple Day Festival. We wandered around stalls, drank syrupy pressed apple juice and tried the amazing (vegan) apple crumble which was a well deserved treat after a week of running between freelance work, studio time and other work commitments. Lynds and I had a fantastic catch up and affirmed that this A/W is all about being good to yourself and making time for down time as well as spending time with good friends and those who really get you. Right?! What a lovely time x

Bits & Bobs - BlueBird Tea Co. Brighton

Bluebird Tea Co. are new in Town (B'town) and keen to whip us tea lovers up into a frenzy with their unique flavor combinations and self pronounced mixolgy style. At £3.00 for a sample packet these herbal infusions do not come cheap but after trying their 'Nearly Nirvana' white tea with Jasmine flowers and spearmint and gulping down a whole pot to myself in one sitting its fair to say they make a fantastic brew! 

Bits & Bobs - I like Weekends

   

On my weekends off, when i'm not hosting a craft party that is, you might find me wandering around Brighton's North Laine finding amazing Moroccan pottery and colourful street art to stare at, drinking a gin in the sun with friend's or at home pottering in our little garden and hanging out with my beau and our cats. These things are why I like weekends. Brighton is a wonderful place for people watching and for those of us living on a tight budget there are plenty of free activities and events if you search them out. With several lovely parks and of course the beach.

Bits & Bobs - Nordic Coffee Collective Brighton

Brighton has its fair share of cafes and coffee shops, but when the Nordic Coffee Collective opened last year in my neck of the woods I was excited by its crisp white walls, Scandinavian aesthetic and home baked cakes! Its the perfect place to meet for an early morning cuppa and as it opens at 8am it means I can pop in and plan my day en route to the studio. What I love about this place is the calmness, the great music, and constant flow of people looking for a little calm in the city centre. Today Anthony Hogarty accompanied my Teapigs mint and liquorice tea and the cinamon buns were fresh and chewy. Go and visit as soon as you can it's lovely!