On our radar: Satellite tracking

Satellite tracker website screenshot

I’m quite interested in the night sky; although, I can’t claim to be an expert or anything like that. Since we moved, in 2019, to West Wales, to one of the ‘Dark Sky‘ areas of the country, the view of the moon and stars has been outstanding. Sighting the Aurora unfortunately, to date, has eluded me!

I’m beginning to be able to identify planets, stars and constellations. I’ve recently discovered a couple of tools that, as well as helping to identify celestial bodies, they also help with satellite tracking.

The screenshot above is from a website that detects your location and formulates a schedule of satellite ‘passings’. It even shows you an image of your exact position (the photo above shows the trees on the hillside opposite my house and a tiny portion of the huge sycamore tree in our garden in the top right corner!) to help you work out where in the sky to look. It provides you with a week of passes of various satellites and will even send you a reminder alert if you want.

The screenshot below is of a smartphone app. It mainly shows the orbit of the International Space Station, it even tells you the names and nationalities of the astronauts who are on board at that moment in time (as I write, there are 7 on the space station; two Americans [both of whom are women], three Russians, one Japanese and a Dane). Another great option on this app is that as you hold your phone up to the sky, it tells what the names of the stars and planets directly in front of you.

Satellite tracker app screenshot

Get their look: Pretty in pink home office

 

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Anna | Pod & Her Peas (@podandherpeas)

This pink home office is the headquarters of personalised gift boutique, Rosie & Ava (named after owner Anna’s two beautiful young daughters).

It’s an obvious creative’s space – however, it’s also where the necessary day-to-day drudge of admin takes place – so do everything you can to make it as enjoyable an experience as possible!

All Anna’s office furniture, accessories and equipment are wonderfully colour coordinated; swivel chair, waste paper bin, tape dispenser, printers, keyboard, scales, computer mouse and more. She’s a self-confessed lover of pink.

She even has a pink retro kettle alongside a cute pink mini-fridge to store her cold drinks or milk for tea – no wandering off to the kitchen for a brew and getting distracted!

Get their look

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Prices & links correct at time of publication.

AstroAI 4-litre mini fridge, pink
AstroAI 4-litre mini fridge, pink
Satechi F3 smart monitor stand, white
Satechi F3 smart monitor stand, white
Lift Vertical ergonomic mouse
Lift Vertical ergonomic mouse
LOGITECH POP Keys wireless mechanical keyboard – Heartbreaker Rose
LOGITECH POP Keys wireless mechanical keyboard – Heartbreaker Rose
MUNBYN shipping scale
MUNBYN shipping scale
MUNBYN label printer
MUNBYN label printer
Cricut Explore Air 2, rose pink
Cricut Explore Air 2, rose pink
Vinyl wall sticker
Vinyl wall sticker
AstroAI 4-litre mini fridge, pink
AstroAI 4-litre mini fridge, pink
Satechi F3 smart monitor stand, white
Satechi F3 smart monitor stand, white
Lift Vertical ergonomic mouse
Lift Vertical ergonomic mouse
LOGITECH POP Keys wireless mechanical keyboard – Heartbreaker Rose
LOGITECH POP Keys wireless mechanical keyboard – Heartbreaker Rose
MUNBYN shipping scale
MUNBYN shipping scale
MUNBYN label printer
MUNBYN label printer
Cricut Explore Air 2, rose pink
Cricut Explore Air 2, rose pink
Vinyl wall sticker
Vinyl wall sticker

Bookmarks: Creative Space

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"Creative Space" book in the H is for Home work space

Today’s book review features a fascinating little read.

cover of "Creative Space" book

Creative Space – Urban Homes of Artists and Innovators by Francesca Gavin.

wall covered in art with a coffee table stacked with art and interior design books

The book takes a peek inside the homes of creative types – artists, designers, writers, photographers etc.

plastic dinosaur figure

…and explores the style of the spaces they inhabit.

large loft type living space with huge poster of a girl with flowers in her hair

Some people combine work & living space, whilst others keep some degree of separation between the two… but even in these cases, the taste & influences of the occupants is very interesting. How their interior spaces affect their work –  and how their work affects their homes & contents.

shelves with books and a framed portrait with the words "After Death What?" written across it

The homes featured are located all over the world – with their unique cultural & social influences, environment and climates.

anglepoise lamp in front of a pine chest of drawers

The book is quite a backlash against minimalism.

cardboard boxes made into seating

The rooms are filled with an eclectic array of furniture, completed and ongoing work projects, pieces by fellow artists, flea market finds, collections of objects, reference material and so on.

shabby chic leather club armchair

In fact, quite the antithesis of the cool, white spaces much loved by many glossy interior magazines. These spaces are inventive & spontaneous, less staged perhaps – less pristine and more chaotic in many cases.

live/work creative space with bare cast concrete walls

They’re full of interest & colour.

wall of shelves holding books and toys with a red Belgian brasserie sign above

In addition to the photos of each space, there are also Q&As from the occupants.

mid century modern furnished sitting room with huge floor to ceiling windows

The narrative delves a little deeper into what makes them and their homes tick – why they’ve chosen to live where they do, any alterations they’ve made, details of their work, how they use the space etc.

loft apartment with rope swing hanging from the ceiling

There are 30 creative spaces featured – in cities such as Barcelona, Berlin, London, New York, Paris and Tokyo.

workspace with bright orange painted walls

Just to highlight a few of the occupants:

  • Fafi – a Paris-based artist, illustrator and designer
  • Nicola Formichetti – a fashion director and stylist living in Shoreditch
  • Leah McSweeney & Rob Cristofaro – a fashion label couple who’ve made a New York loft apartment their base
  • Julia Schonlau – an illustrator and character designer who lives in a two-bedroom flat in Berlin
  • Juan Redon – a Barcelona-based architect, curator and pop collector
  • Yukinori Dehara – a figure illustrator, toymaker and animator in Tokyo

workspace with bright orange painted walls

It’s certainly a great little book to dip in & out of – you’ll notice something new every time.

white-painted work room with two large windows with bright red curtains

The photos full of ideas & inspiration…

man working at a large wooden table with a huge red painting in the background

…but having said that, we wouldn’t choose to live in all these homes, although there are a few that we’d definitely quite fancy!

workspace with one wall decorated with various masks

If you’re thinking of getting yourself a copy, the book’s available from Hive and Amazon UK or USA

[Many thanks to Laurence King Publishing for the review copy]