Oh crikey. You've somehow stumbled across our incredibly out-of-date blog. It turns out we don't have the staying power to write a blog. Instead you can catch up with our tea towel shenanigans on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest (if you're that way inclined)... Cheers ma dears x

Order in time for XMAS 2014!

Oh jingle bells, it's that time of year again! We've now got those all-important last order dates to ensure your tea towels arrive before Christmas.

Here's a quick overview, if you want to start planning ahead - it'll be here before you know it...

Asia, Far East (including Japan), New Zealand:
Tuesday 2nd December

Australia:
Wednesday 3rd December

Africa, Caribbean, Central & South America, Middle East:
Thursday 4th December

Cyprus, Eastern Europe, Greece:
Sunday 7th December

Canada, Poland:
Monday 8th December

USA, Western Europe (excluding Greece, Poland):
Thursday 11th December

UK:
Friday 19th December by midday (12pm)
If you're really desperate, contact us about UK Special Delivery - last orders will be taken up to midday on Tuesday 23rd December.

We hope you have a fun festive season and do give us a shout if there's anything else we can help with!

Santa Sally and Dasher Dave x

And the winner is...

Hannah Whittall with her fabulous Fresh Milk design!

Hannah's design was chosen from across hundreds of entries; we love its vintage feel, stripy straw (very on trend!), and fantastic, hand-drawn typography.

After whittling down all the entries to the top 15 designs (which can be viewed over on our facebook Design Competition 2014 Gallery), we then chose the winner and runners-up with the help of our fabulous guest judges, Michelle Alger, Head of Home for Heal’s and Mollie Makes Editor, Lara Watson. We were only planning on having two runners-up this year, but really couldn't come to a decision so we have three!

Pictured (from top to bottom): In second place, Dust if you Must by Lisa Curtis, and joint third place going to Fishy by Svenja Borghans and Rabbit Garden by Sophie Wainwright. Prizes will be winging their way to the winner and runners-up next week.

Fresh Milk will be available to buy from ToDryFor.com in a couple of month's time - we'll keep you posted! In the meantime if, like us, you like Hannah's style, why not check out her portfolio: www.hannah-illustrates.co.uk

Finally, thanks to everyone who entered the competition. The calibre of designs was incredibly high this year and we had some really tough decisions to make. We appreciate the fact that each design takes time and talent and feel very humbled that so many people submitted entries. Thank you, and we look forward to next year!

Release the Hybrid Hounds...

Rubber chickens and Bonio biscuits at the ready... the Hybrid Hounds have arrived!

 Cockapoo

 Labradoodle

 Poogle

Schnoodle

Designed by lovely Lucie Sheridan, our new range of tea towels depicts Poodle crossbreeds in all their colourful and crazy glory. Honestly, who wants a Schnauzer when you could have a Schnoodle?

Pieminister + ToDryFor = PRIZES Galore!

To celebrate last week's Pie Week we've teamed up with everyone's favourite pie brand, Pieminister, to offer one lucky winner a box of 6 of their delicious new lighter pies and a signed copy of their incredible cookbook, A Pie for All Seasons.

As we're big (quite literally) pie fans, the new lighter pies are like a calorie-counting gift from the pie gods. There's Kooky Chook, a free range British chicken, sweet potato, chilli, and coconut pie (Sally's favourite); Chickalito, a free range British chicken and free range British dry cured ham pie (Dave's favourite); and Light as a Feta, a butternut squash, sun-dried tomato, and feta pie (Sally's mum's favourite)!

So... how do you win this amazing pie-tastic prize? Simply follow both ToDryFor and Pieminister (as if you don't already!!?) on twitter and tweet the following:

I pray to the pie gods to give me @pieminister @ToDryFor PRIZES #hungryforpies http://bit.ly/1h6LrBh

The closing date is this Friday 14th March, 2014. We'll pick a lucky winner at random and then if that's you, all you need to do is DM us with your postal address and the pies and book will magically arrive on your doorstep. Boom!

Best of luck! Sally and Dave x

PS - If you don't live near a Pieminister shop don’t worry, as they’ll deliver direct to your mouth! We are in heaven...

Design Competition 2014

Oh yeee-air. Get your pencil cases primed, your kettle switched on, and the do not disturb sign on your door, it's time... The 2014 ToDryFor Design Competition has begun!

The lucky winner's design will become part of our existing line-up of talented artists, which includes Gemma Correll, Rob Ryan, Julia Pott and other highly acclaimed individuals.

As well as receiving five free samples, on-going commission payments and international exposure through press and worldwide stockists, the lucky winner will also receive a year's subscription to Mollie Makes magazine and a year's supply of Yorkshire Tea. Two runners-up will also receive a bumper box of goodies (including Beast In Show mugs and biscuits). Wowsers!

The top 15 designs will be whittled down to the final three by our super-amazing guest judges, Michelle Alger, Head of Home for Heal’s and Mollie Makes Editor, Lara Watson.

If you want a heads up on what usually takes our fancy, why not view the gallery of previous year's entries over on our facebook page, or take a look at the 2011, 2012, and 2013 winning designs.

The closing date for entries is Monday 14th April 2014.
Good Luck!

Get your Pokemon onesie out...

That's right folks, Dave and I decided to pay a visit to this year's Thought Bubble, the UK's largest annual event which celebrates sequential art in all its forms (aka a whole other world of comics and cosplay). We didn't actually don onesies or indeed crack out the face-paints but we did have an amazing day out meeting dozens of fantastic illustrators, gawping at sailor lolitas, spending a small fortune on prints, and generally being a bit too giddy for our own good.

A fine selection of cards by Kristyna Baczynski...

First up, we met the lovely Kristyna Baczynski (as recommended to us by Debbie Greenaway - thank you, Debbie!). Kristyna's work is creepy and cosy at the same time; it draws you in and before you know it you're being lovingly mesmerised by a demonic-looking pigeon... Right up our alley!

Timothy Winchester (People I Know) sans head, good jumper.

Next up we met Timothy Winchester (aka People I Know). Over the last few years I have become rather obsessed with Timothy Winchester (you always have to say his full name) and his utterly-addictive web comic. A big fan of dinosaurs, wizards, and Angela Lansbury, Timothy Winchester (you see what I mean?!) is a comedy genius who has the best twitter feed in the world (@PeopleIKnow).

Rain by Philippa Rice

We then had a chat with Philippa Rice, creator of My Cardboard Life and super-cute mini-comic Soppy (from which the above risograph print is taken). We'll definitely be checking out more of her work, especially as I've popped We're Out on my Christmas wishlist...

Lizz Lunney - she does good unicorns!

We then bumped into lovely Lizz Lunney, who does a fine line in copious cats and trapped unicorns! 

Joe List's 'Annotated Weekender' - as addictive as comedy crack

Another illustrator who I could quite easily become obsessed with is Joe List. I first stumbled across his work by accident a few years ago and soon became eager to see each next instalment of The Annotated Weekender (if you haven't already seen this prepare to suddenly devote at least the next 8 hours of your life to it).

Gemma Correll - hello!

A quick trip to the cash point later and we were off to see Gemma Correll. I'm sure we don't need to introduce Gemma here as we always seem to be banging on about her in one way or the other! We're in love, always have been and always will. She also has a rather fine collection of extra-strong fridge magnets featuring dogs in party hats. Woop!

Magnets by Gemma Correll / Postcards by Raid71

We then had chance to say a quick hello to Leah Moore and John Reppion, the super-talented (and incredibly sweet) husband and wife team behind numerous comics including our favourite, Wild Girl, an awesome story about a thirteen year old girl who discovers she can communicate with animals. Check it out!

Kristian Donaldson (a bit scary but we love the colours!)

What's That Thing He's On? by Ben The Illustrator

Hunting and Fishing by Isabel Greenberg

Matt Walkden prints (amazing!)

Our wallets were then magically made lighter and as we appeared to have purchased some incredible prints (see above) from the likes of Kristian Donaldson, Ben The Illustrator (for Art V Cancer), Isabel Greenberg, and Matt Walkden, we realised it was probably for the best if we made a sharp exist!

John Allison - Don't Tit About On Ladders (sound advice!)

However, there was just one more person we wanted to catch up with before we left, namely John Allison, the man behind Bad Machinery, Scary Go Round, and Bobbins, as well as some fantastic tea towels! It turns out when we moved to Yorkshire we literally moved into the same little village as John's mum and dad. Stalkers? Us?!

We're now hibernating again until the next time we can persuade the grandparents to babysit. At least we've got a year to work out our cosplay outfits for Thought Bubble 2014 (we're thinking possibly Donatello and Splinter although we've found that green face paint has a habit of also making your wee green).

Drying to Know

It's not just us!!! There are other people that share our obsession with tea towels! Bath Spa University presents Drying to Know, an exhibition of informative and instructional tea towels through the ages. The exhibition will draw viewers' attention to the idea that a practical and necessary item can also be a work of art (something that we've been banging on about for ages), a form of advertising, instructional guides, and, by default, a celebration of all things British.

Drying to Know opens this Friday 8th November (coincidentally our 5-year wedding anniversary if anyone fanices sending us a card) from 4:30pm to 7:30pm. For more information visit: http://www.bathspa.ac.uk/homepage/news/a-different-way-of-looking-at-tea-towels

We heart Lisa Jones Studio...

It's true. We admit it. We have a big ol' crush on Lisa Jones Studio. It's not just that their new tea towels are utterly A-mazing, but everything else they produce makes us smile every time! We first blogged about Lisa and her partner Edward way back in 2010 and our love for them (aka slight obsession) just keeps on growing...

 

Their ever-increasing card range and new clocks are adorable and we especially love this bright yellow beaver mug (which cheerily stares back at us every time we open our kitchen cupboard).

If super-cute creatures just aren't your bag (!!?) then you should check out Lisa's blog; erudite to the nth, it's full of interesting ponderings, gallery visits, good reads, and enviable charity shop finds...

On yer bike...

Yes! William Wright's winning entry in our 2013 ToDryFor design competition has arrived!

Le Tour is everything you ever wanted from a bike-themed tea towel. You've got the rush of competition, streamline noses, those little cycling gloves that make you look professional, and curly handlebars without a hamburger bell in sight.

So what are you waiting for? Grab your bicycle clips and your spokey dokeys and speed on over to ToDryFor...

Dishes I'd Rather Be Doing

Ooo lordy! It's Ryan Gosling... in my kitchen... (on a tea towel, damn it)!

That's right ladies (and gentlemen), Dear Colleen's 'Dishes I'd Rather Be Doing' extended tea towel range is finally here. Choose between your glamorous Hollywood Dishes (George, Johnny, Brad, Owen, and Jake), not one but three Ryan Goslings on Hey Girl, and your classic Costume Drama hotties (Colin, Sean, and Hugh).

We are super-excited to have been able to collaborate with New Zealand-based illustrator, Dear Colleen, producing her fantastic tea towel designs here in the UK. See the full range (including her amazing Lemons towel) here...

Drying dishes with Daphne Padden

ToDryFor is delighted to present a new, vintage-inspired range of tea towels featuring original 1950s/1960s tissue paper collage designs by highly-collectible artist, Daphne Padden (1927-2009). When Daphne sadly died in 2009, unused collages were discovered in her studio and with the permission of her estate have been restored by vintage poster gurus, Quad Royal, and transformed by ToDryFor into stunning, linen union tea towels.

To give you a bit more background, these fantastic designs actually began life as cut-tissue paper collages; the glue hadn't aged well so they needed a little bit of a digital clean-up before they were ready to dry dishes.

Daphne Padden’s work originally came to our attention in 2010 when her iconic series of 1950s travel posters were uncovered in a disused passageway in London Underground’s Notting Hill Gate station (see image below).

This image is an official London Underground photograph; to view more visit their amazing flickr set.

Find out more about Daphne Padden and view the full vintage-inspired tea towel range here...

High Five!

It's ToDryFor's 5th birthday on Wednesday and we're planning a little something special to celebrate. We'll be selling our top five best-selling tea towels (see below) at £5 for 5 hours and, even more exciting, the first 5 people to order get one for 5p (RRP £9.95)*!

Ooh-La La! 

by Darling Clementine

The Bearded Lady 

by One Must Dash

 Heaven
by Rob Ryan

Storm in a Teacup 

by HelloWilson

Pugs Not Drugs 

by Gemma Correll

So, let's break it down again...
5 at £5 for 5 hours and 5 get them for 5p. Give us a high five!

The above towels will be on sale for £5 between 12pm and 5pm (GMT) on Wednesday 6th March 2013. That's Mother's Day sorted.

* Only one 5p tea towel per order (we'll refund £4.95 back to the 5 quick-off-the-mark lucky customers).

2013 Design Competition Winner!

Boy o boy! We received more design competition entries this year than ever before and it was a mammoth task trying to choose a winner. Some were highly commercial whilst others were completely obscure but utterly incredible; some just simply depicted cats that we fell in love with. However, we had to make a final decision and this is it...

Le Tour was created by William Wright, a Graphic Design and Illustration student from Leicester. We love everything about these two bicycle-obsessed chaps, from the snuffly moustache to the frisson of competition between the two of them. Not to mention that, dare we say it, the design is very 'on trend' what with Bradley Wiggins's recent rise to fame and the Tour de France coming to Yorkshire in 2014.

Le Tour is now going into production and will be showcased at this year's Pulse show at London's Earls Court, available in the shops and via ToDryFor.com in May. Woop!

We'd like to say a massive thank you to everyone who entered - we appreciate that it takes a lot of time and effort to come up with a design, and we're just sorry that we can only have one winner. We'll shortly be putting together a 2013 facebook gallery of our favourite runners-up - keep your peepers peeled to see if your design made the final cut...

Mid-century Miaows

Just in! Our latest tea towel, Cat Naps, has been designed by cheeky Bristol-based illustrators, Peskimo.

Combining Mad Men cool with feline snoozes, it makes you want to cuddle up with your flea-bag on your slightly scuzzy IKEA sofa, placing ebay bids left, right and centre...

This bright and cheery screen-printed towel will set you back £9.95, slightly more than a de-worming tablet but a hell of a lot cheaper than an original Eames rocker.

Design Competition 2013

It's January. You're bored and cold, cold and bored. What better way to warm up and keep busy than by entering our ToDryFor design competition! This year we want to see plenty of bears, picnics, cheese, booze,  mexican wrestlers, tents, logs, and obviously cute wild animals (possibly a badger if you're up for it). The rules are simple; design it yourself and draw what makes you happy.

If you want a heads up on what usually takes our fancy, why not view the gallery of previous year's entries over on our facebook page, or take a look at the 2011 and 2012 winning designs.

The lucky winner's design will become part of our existing line-up of talented artists, which includes Gemma Correll, Rob Ryan, Julia Pott and other highly acclaimed individuals, as well as receiving five free samples, on-going commission payments, and international exposure through press and worldwide stockists. Bingo!

The closing date for entries is Sunday 24th February, 2013. Best of luck! You could be drying your dishes with your own design before you know it...

Festive Felicitations!

Wow! What a year 2012 has been. We hope that ToDryFor has helped bring a bit of humour and good cheer into your kitchen over the last 12 months, and that you'll be drying up your Christmas dishes in style.

We've got plenty more good things planned for 2013, including another design competition (keep your peepers peeled at the end January), monthly subscriptions, a website re-design, and of course tons of fabulous new tea towels. We thought we'd leave you with a sneak-peek of one them and wish you all a very happy and healthy new year!

With lots of love,
Sally and Dave
xxx

It's a WRAP!

Oh wow!! O goodness! Wrap issue 6 has just been published and we are super-excited to be advertising on the back page. Illustrated by one of our favourite artists, Nicholas John Frith, the advert features a cosy bear washing his dirty dishes.

Wrap is a magazine that celebrates the very best in illustration, design and creative culture. Bursting with interviews and features on an eclectic range of creative endeavours and characters, each issue also comes with five double-sided pull-out sheets of unique wrapping paper, perfect for making your presents pop!

Check out what it's all about: www.thewrappaper.com