The Story Behind the Shot // This Could Be the Place
October 2015 saw us take a two week road trip around Scotland, stopping at loads of our favourite locations along with some new ones. We either spent the night in our tent or in a small cabin or B and B. Glen Nevis, Applecross, Torridon, Assynt, Glen Affric. It was a brilliant trip!
Shoot Day // 15.10.15
We woke up to a really misty morning in amongst the trees at our cabin down Glen Cannich. I'll happily admit to being awful at getting up in the morning but as soon as I saw the conditions, I started to get excited. It was exactly what I was hoping for for sunrise. We headed off down Glen Affric to a spot that I'd reccied the day before, stopping along the way to capture shots of some of the Caledonian Pine trees and the loch side reflections.
Glen Affric is one of the most beautiful spots in Scotland. It feels very remote and unspoiled. The mist started to lift and reveal more of the trees and loch as the sun came up. We stayed for a couple of hours enjoying the changing conditions and filling memory cards, the only ones there that morning, before heading back to our base for some breakfast in the sunshine.
Explore the Series
I've created a series of posts with the story behind some of the shots that have gone on to become designs. You can read them all here.
The Story Behind the Shot // Now is the Time
I'm taking you back to September 2018 again, when getting on a plane felt very normal. We went on a 3 week trip to the USA, landing in New York and spending a few days putting in some serious miles on foot to explore the city. The frenetic energy, the noise, the people, the food, the architecture. I love New York! As someone who lived in Glasgow for a huge chunk of my life, New York feels like a home from home. A place I want to keep visiting.
Shoot Days // 22-25.09.18
The weather was sunny and mild and we were staying in a lovely little Air Bnb on the Upper East Side which proved to be a great location to explore from. We strolled through (a tiny part of) Central Park on our first night and found the Central Park Dance Skaters enjoying a little evening boogie which really set the tone for the next few days.
We immersed ourselves in the busy streets, walked the High Line and enjoyed street food at Chelsea Market. Breakfast at Ess-A-Bagel on 3rd Avenue, coffee in Bryant Park, lunch in Greenwich Village, dinner at Meatball Shop in Hells Kitchen. I spent a lot of time photographing the busy streets, especially around Broadway and we headed over the river to Brooklyn and enjoyed the Photoville exhibition with some pizza. The trip wouldn't have been complete without a stop at the Empire State Building. That's where I shot 'Now is the Time'.
Enjoy a behind the scenes look at what it's like to be on a shoot day with me in New York.
Explore the Series
I've created a series of posts with the story behind some of the shots that have gone on to become designs. You can read them all here.
Yip, you read that title correctly!
I first started offering placemats as part of the Banter Collection back in 2014. Back then I only offered them in 4 popular designs, unlike the 30+ I have now.
So if you've had your eye on some for a while or there's a few you've yet to pick up to complete your collection, grab them while you can. I won't be ordering any more in as of today and quite a few designs are pretty low with only 4 or 5 left!
Here's a few fan favourites from over the years.
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Dailies are regular updates that can usually also be found on my Instagram.
// 27.05.21
Wishlists
Eeeeek!! I'm excited today. I'm soooo close to releasing Club Neon and as part of that update to the website I've added some extra features.
You can now save your favourite items into Wishlists, create different lists and name them. You can even group lists into boards. Whoop!
❤️Lets say you're moving house, start a Wishlist for your house warming and share it with your friends and family. Create a separate list for items you want to buy yourself.
❤️Create a birthday list for yourself or even *ahem* a Christmas list to share.
❤️Create a gift list for someone else's birthday (I won't mention the C word again 🤭).
❤️A bunch of you and your friends/family/colleagues are chipping in together to buy a gift for someone lovely. Create a Wishlist and share it with your group to decide what to get.
There's so many reasons to create a Wishlist actually that I could go on for hours but I won't.
Wishlists are active now, go check 'em out and start creating your own.
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The Story Behind the Shot // We'll Have That Day
I'm taking you back to October 2013 tonight and one of the most spectacular sunsets I've ever seen. 😍
I was out with my camera quite a lot back then and just starting to enjoy hillwalking so this was one of my very early Scottish landscape shoots from the top of Ben A'an. It's a short hike to the rocky summit with a stunning view over Loch Katrine. The Arrochar Alps are at the far end of the loch. You can clearly see the outline of The Cobbler.
Shoot Day // 12.10.13
The Autumn light that afternoon was beautiful. We decided to stay up there for sunset and by the time the sun was dipping, we were the only ones left on the summit. There's no better place to watch a sunset than somewhere high up eh?
I can still remember getting really excited as the clouds started forming into a mackerel sky and turning pink. These kinda evenings are few and far between, so catching one from the top of a hill like this still feels lucky.
Explore the Series
I've created a series of posts with the story behind some of the shots that have gone on to become designs. You can read them all here.
May 2017 saw me elope to Iceland and honeymoon with a road trip around Route 1. Did I mention that travel and adventure are at the heart of my happiness? We had 3 and a half weeks to explore and experience the country in all kinds of weather.
We'd been to Iceland once before to celebrate our 30th birthdays and knew hiring a car was the best way to see the country. We looked at a few different options and eventually settled on a 2 berth camper van. To our surprise, the company upgraded us and we arrived at Reykjavik airport to a 4 berth luxury motorhome.
The landscape is spectacular but I was particularly taken with the horses, their fluffy manes and playful personalities.
Shoot Day // 20.05.17
On this particular day, we drove from Mývatn to the East Coast in glorious sunshine with the road completely to ourselves. North East Iceland is so much quieter than the South West. I couldn't resist stopping and getting some shots of the road ahead.
Explore the Series
I've created a series of posts with the story behind some of the shots that have gone on to become designs. You can read them all here.
]]>The Story Behind the Shot // Days Like These
In September 2018 we went on a trip to the USA. We'd spent some time on the East Coast in New York and DC before flying to Vegas, picking up a car and putting in some serious miles. We drove out to the Grand Canyon and back, on through Death Valley before spending a couple of days visiting Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Home of the largest trees in the world (and bears) and honestly such a beautiful place!
Shoot Days // 05-06.10.18
The day we arrived was really moody with mist all through the trees, shrouding the canopy and creating an amazing atmosphere to the place. We walked many of the grove trails hopping in and out the car to zig zag further up the Generals Highway through Sequoia National Park, climbing higher and higher in elevation. Giant sequoias only grow on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada, between 4,000 and 8,000 feet up! I spent hours shooting images while Mr Gray shot film. It was a brilliant day and we finally stopped at Grant Grove Village to spend the night in a log cabin.
By the second morning, the mist had cleared and sun was streaming through the trees. We headed for a drive out to Kings Canyon and Cedar Grove to explore the canyons and the high roads.
Evening brought a sunset thousands of feet high above the tree line on the road back down at Sequoia National Park where I shot this title image for the Days Like These collection.
Explore the Series
I've created a series of posts with the story behind some of the shots that have gone on to become designs. You can read them all here.
It's finally launching! The Days Like These Collection will be available as cards and prints end of February.
When I first created this collection, I only sold it on Thortful and as 2020 progressed, it felt like we were getting further away from freedom. It wasn't the right time to launch it. Now is the time.
Days Like These is a collection of photographs from some of my adventures. Processed in my signature Neon Gray style, they have a retro feel and an air of nostalgia. Originally created to inspire hope of life after the 2020 pandemic, I chose the words and artwork carefully to continue inspiring wanderlust in the future.
I've created a series of posts with the story behind each shot. You can read the first story here.
]]>// 05.02.21
I'm excited! I've joined Ecologi to do more to fight climate change. Not only will I be planting trees every month, you'll be planting trees too with every purchase you make of my products. How good is that?
It's something I've wanted to do with Neon Gray for quite a while so when I found Ecologi and could make the impact even better by directly linking it to every order you place, I was in!
They support so many fantastic environmental projects globally. Currently they've partnered with Eden Projects and are supporting their tree planting in Madagascar. Closer to home, they're also working with Future Forest Company on reforestation in Dalry.
You can keep track of Neon Gray's impact so far here and read more about Ecologi too.
For 2021 I've decided to start sharing the stories and behind the scenes of what goes into the creation of a new design or collection.
My first new release this year is called Beach Hut and it's a new addition to the Banter Collection which launched today.
]]>For 2021 I've decided to start sharing the stories and behind the scenes of what goes into the creation of a new design or collection.
My first new release this year is called Beach Hut and it's a new addition to the Banter Collection which launched today.
Back in September 2020 my husband and I went on a self catering holiday, staying in a wee cabin close to Drumnadrochit. We did day trips to Applecross and Moray, drank a lot of tea and enjoyed some peace and quiet on our balcony.
Shoot Day // 17.09.20
We've never been to the Moray Coast before but the weather in that area seems to have it's own microclimate. We arrived at Findhorn, grabbed a bite to eat and headed for a stroll on the beach. It was 26 degrees with blistering sunshine and just enough wind to make the waves crash onto the pebbles. There was a seal bobbing in and out of the surf and a few dolphins off in the distance. Bliss!
I shot lots of images of the beach and the huts (that red one eh?) and we vowed to holiday up there properly once we can all travel safely again. I put a little scrapbook of the day together to share with you.
Explore the Series
I've created a series of posts with the story behind some of the shots that have gone on to become designs. You can read them all here.
// 22.01.21
Back in September I went on a trip to the Moray Coast. It was 26 degrees on the beach at Findhorn that day, so so gorgeous!
I shot lots of images of the beach and the huts (that red one eh?) and created the final artwork for a new design that I'm launching at the end of the month.
If you subscribe to my newsletter, you'll have had a first look at the new design at lunchtime today. Have you seen it??
Head over to the reel I shared on Instagram yesterday if you love the beach and miss the sound of the waves.
// 21.12.20
Aaand, that's a wrap!
The studio is closed for the year (well until further notice really). I've made a final post run this afternoon. Next one will be a week today. And now I'm so, so so ready for a break! Despite the recent developments, I'll be doing my damndest to make the best of it. I'll have a sparkly outfit, good food shared with my husband and my health.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for keeping my business going through the shittiest of years and choosing to shop at Neon Gray. I have the best bunch of customers a gal could ask for!
Whatever your Christmas looks like, I wish you and your nearest and dearest all the best.
Merry Christmas!
Lx
// 18.12.20
This time next week people all over the country will be opening their presents and quite a few will be getting some of my products. That makes me so happy.
Have you seen Instagram's new 'Guides' feature yet? I created one yesterday that I linked to in my stories with my top 10 best sellers of 2020. The fact that I can even share that is testament to how incredibly supportive people have been to small businesses this year. I've lost count of the amount of times a customer has said how happy they are to support small this Christmas. That's an incredible thing to come out of this shit show of a year.
It's been a wild ride and I'm so ready for some downtime, snuggled on the sofa with a movie and a hot chocolate. Out of office will be going on very soon!
// 11.12.20
THE SHOP IS BACK OPEN!!!!
I'll be open my normal hours again until I close for Christmas on the 19th at 5pm. Wahey!
Thursday - Saturday 12-5pm.
I'm busy working my way through your orders as fast as I can and will keep doing post runs daily up until the 21st. Get your orders in as soon as you can if you need them for Christmas Day. Royal Mail are working really hard but there's just so much mail this year that there are increasing delays and I don't want anyone missing out.
This is the absolute busiest Christmas I've ever had and I cannot thank you all enough for choosing to shop at Neon Gray this year.
// 08.12.20
WAHEY!!
It feels like I've been waiting so long for my final coaster and placemat delivery of the year and now it's finally here.
All stock's been updated online and this is the last delivery before Christmas so if anything sells out you'll have to wait until 2021.
We're in the final 10 days of Christmas orders before the studio closes and I take a break until the New Year. I'll have the studio back open on Friday again, whoop!!
So, a bit of housekeeping...
I'll close the studio on Saturday the 19th of December and make a final post run on Monday the 21st of December. Orders will then go out once a week until the studio re-opens in the New Year on Thursday the 7th of January.
Please, please, please get your orders in asap to receive them in time for Christmas. Royal Mail are currently experiencing extremely high volumes of mail and increasing delays. They do have recommended last posting dates which you can check on their website. But, I would strongly advise ordering as soon as you can to avoid disappointment. All orders go out First Class post.
// 04.12.20
The studio tree is up!⠀
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Scroll for a look at some of the baubles. A mix of small businesses and a couple of big retailers.⠀
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I was going to put all the decorations up in the shop but I'm dubious I'll even be back open this year. ⠀
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Have you got your tree up yet? Mine is up in the house too. Hands down the earliest I've ever done it. I'm also a couple of Christmas movies down, have popped the quality street and mulled wine and even had some mince pies.
Dailies are regular updates that can usually also be found on our Instagram.
// 17.11.20
I opened my studio to the public 2 years ago today. ⠀
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On Friday at 5pm, I’ll be closing it again in line with Tier 4 restrictions. Whilst this does make me sad, I’m fortunate to have a good online presence established and the best bunch of customers a gal could wish for.
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Keep supporting small folks, we all appreciate it more than you could possibly know!
// 03.11.20
Where the magic happens.
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I don't often share the back of the studio, where all the work actually takes place. Back in the summer I did a mini refurb to make more space at the back and create a more defined shop area at the front. I repurposed loads of units and wood, made that big workbench in the middle there (where all your orders are wrapped up and processed) and moved my desk to make more room for stock.⠀
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The 2021 calendar on the wall is from Risotto Studio. I really wanted a BIG wall planner for next year so when I saw this A3 calendar, I split it up and made my own. It has the most lush neon fades and I love it!⠀
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It might sound mental to be starting to plan next year already, but honestly you amazing people have just made this my best October ever!! Despite all the madness, restrictions and heartache for so many, your support means that I've been able to grow under the most challenging circumstances and despite there being some pretty rocky moments for me back in the spring/summer.⠀
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No idea what to expect over the next two months but right now, I'm really bloody grateful!
Here's the before, pre pandemic.
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// 03.09.20
It's my last day in the studio for a couple of week's. I'm taking a much needed break and heading off for a staycation tomorrow. Keep your eyes peeled on Instagram stories for some Scotland spam.
I'm doing a final post run this afternoon and then the next posting day for orders will be in a week's time on Thursday the 10th.
I get asked a lot what But 'n' Ben means. It's a two roomed cottage. The outer room straight off the front door, the 'But', would have been your main living/kitchen/sleeping everyday space. The inner room, the 'Ben', would have been a more formal space for guests, entertaining and double up as extra sleeping space. I've even heard the same phrase used for an old 2 roomed tenement flat. They're more commonly used as holiday cottages now.
// 01.09.20
Two years ago today, I picked up the keys to my wee studio! There was a lot of refurbishment to do and I snuck in a road trip to America too before eventually opening on the 17th of November 2018.
A lot has changed in that time and I’ve kept adapting the space as I’ve grown into it with the biggest changes coming this year due to Covid. I am so bloody happy and grateful to still be here though and still have customers walking through the door and shopping online.
// 22.08.20
My cards are now all made from 100% recycled paper stock.
Lockdown was the perfect opportunity to switch my card manufacture from sustainably sourced to fully recycled. I stopped using cello sleeves years ago and have been wrapping your orders in tissue paper ever since. I've also been using 100% recycled brown envelopes for a long time so it makes me really happy switching the cards to recycled too.
They have a slightly different finish and colouring to my old ones and there's little flecks of grey through them due to the recycled nature of the paper. All your orders posted out this week have had the new ones so hopefully you like them.
You can read more on my approach to the environment and sustainability here.
]]>// 18.08.20
The Studio is OPEN!!
It's been 154 days since I closed the studio back in March and I'm so happy that my business is still here after all that the last 5 months has brought.
I shifted as much home as I could and worked from a cramped desk in my spare room. My manufacturers closed temporarily and I ran out of (almost all my) stock. The studio refurb took a while to complete and eventually the stock started to arrive again.
A few things have changed in the shop. There's a new wall, a new mural and slightly more space to browse. There's hand sanitiser for you to use and a screen that you'll find me behind. I'll be wearing a mask and if you can, please wear a face covering too. I'm allowing one person/household in at once and for the time being, I'll only be accepting card payments.
Amazingly, there's been customers through the door already this morning. Thank you if you popped in today! You've made my first day back open so much easier.
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// 30.07.20
The new shop area at the studio is finished and ready for dressing with stock! What do you think?
It probably doesn't look like it, but this mural has been a lot of work. I'm so pleased with how it's turned out though.
So many of you have been getting in touch to ask when I'll have more cards and prints in stock. This is the final piece of the puzzle. I'm hopefully finalising everything with my manufacturer this week and then we're go. As soon as the cards arrive, I can open, whoop!! What a long few months this has been.
// 09.06.20
I've been down at the studio this week shifting everything around and making a start on rejigging the space. I pulled the shop area apart and removed the shelving and gallery wall from behind where my desk used to be. I've opened up the kitchen area and spent today creating a new space for my desk to live in front of the mural I painted when I moved in. I'm actually quite pleased with the progress despite the mess.
The next stage is going to be rebuilding a workbench before I tackle a whole new shop area. Everything is being repurposed from what I already had in the studio. I want to create a new shop area so it's safe for, probably just 1 person, to come in once non essential shops start to re-open. I'll also be starting click and collect too.
I have really missed being down here. I know a lot of people enjoy working from home, but for me, this has been a really unproductive period and my drive and motivation have already had a boost just being back in my studio again for a few hours.
// 26.05.20
Finally got my hands on some sample cards from the new Days Like These collection.
Available to buy at Thortful.
A few people have asked about the locations for these. This collection was created to inspire some hope for what's to come once lockdown has lifted and we can all travel again, locally or abroad. The photo on the left was shot at sunset in Yosemite National Park, USA. The photo on the right was shot on a road trip around Iceland.
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// 15.05.20
I've opened the website back up to coasters!
So many of you have been getting in touch to ask about them. I'm very, very short on stock and my manufacturer has temporarily closed their factory. So, once they're gone, it could be quite a while before they're back in stock. Possibly months.
I'll be adding placemats back to the website next week too and then the prints will be the last products to come back online.
This working from home malarky is starting to get a bit unwieldy as I bring more and more home from the studio. Your support though, has been incredible! Thank you to everyone who's been in touch over the last 8 weeks.
// 24.04.20
Stay at Home Special Edition!
A WON'T SEE YE THROUGH THE WEEK, BUT A MIGHT SEE YE THROUGH THE WINDAE.
When I posted this artwork as a concept last month, I was closing my website to orders. That post became my most liked, most engaged with ever here on Instagram. A month on and I've re-opened the website to greeting card orders. You guys were so supportive when I asked for your opinion on re-opening, so thank you!!
I've got a limited amount of these to begin with.
// 21.04.20
EDIT: WE ARE OPEN!
To re-open or not re-open.
I've been tentatively thinking about re-opening the website for greeting card orders. Putting Neon Gray on pause was one of the toughest decisions I've had to make.
I moved house not long before all of this kicked off and creating a space to work from and store stock and all the other things I'd need from the studio wasn't straightforward. I closed the website to avoid unnecessary trips to and from the studio and the post office, but also because I didn't want to be adding to the volume of parcels that Royal Mail were tackling.
I'm pretty well set up at home now and I saw a live chat between Holly Tucker of Not on the High Street and a representative from Royal Mail. Royal Mail are actively encouraging small businesses to keep selling online and I can easily post cards straight in my local post box. I know there's mixed opinions on this, so I'm wondering what your thoughts are and I've done a poll on Instagram today to test the water. Should I re-open for greeting card sales?
// 09.04.20
*CLUB NEON*
This concept has been in the back of my mind for ages. I've hummed and hawed over it, put it on the back burner, concluded it wasn't going to work and then finally said it out loud to someone else and suddenly, it seemed tangible. Throw a global pandemic into the mix and it became more important than ever to cherish my loyal customers and fans of Neon Gray. Instagram and Facebook only go so far with the infinite scroll. There's so much noise, posts and comments get missed and not everyone wants to be on social media. Newsletters feel too anonymous for me and I tend to save them for bigger announcements.
I wanted to create a membership club, more than a newsletter, more than a post on social media. An exclusive insiders club where I can welcome you into the inner circle and you can support Neon Gray and help shape the future of the brand and the products I make.
Some of you guys have been following the journey from the very beginning. Cheering me on from the sidelines. Some of you i've even met in person at my studio in Glasgow. That kinda support and loyalty is worth more than money to a little brand like mine, especially right now!
It hasn't fully taken shape yet. I've got a lot of ideas and it's at this stage where I need your input. What would you like to see at Club Neon? What would being able to support a small brand and be part of an exclusive club mean to you? Leave me your thoughts below or drop me a message.