HappyMoose | Photo Printing App

While most of us are armed with our smart phones, and have hundreds of photos stored on them, how many of us actually get them printed these days? Well, let me tell you about this super cool app, HappyMoose, which makes printing your photos directly from your smart phone easy and lots of fun! The app was developed by Dunedin-based Alex Dong, and he teamed up with Tim Green, who has been in the print industry for 10 years.




This amazing app means you no longer have to load photos onto a USB stick and take them down to a print shop, you can do it all on your phone, from wherever you are. Choose from the range of products - wall dots, canvases, and wood blocks - and within minutes your order will be complete.




I recently gave the HappyMoose app a go so I could tell you exactly how fabulous it is, and I was so impressed! It is really easy to use, you don't have to be a tech whizz at all, the steps are clear and very easy to follow. Once you've selected your product, you then choose your photo straight from your camera roll. You can zoom in and crop and adjust the photo until you're happy with how it looks in the frame. Next you select from a range of sizes and put in your delivery address and payment details - that's it, too easy!




I chose one of each product in the smallest size, and they were delivered to my door within days of ordering. The quality, and the service is fantastic. The canvas is wrapped around a 2cm wooden frame and sprayed with a layer of fine UV resistant varnish for extra protection. The image wraps around the edges so that the canvas looks great from any angle.





The wood block has your photo printed onto the best photographic paper using top quality pigment ink, then pressed firmly onto a solid 18mm thick wood block. The sides and back are painted a smart black.





My canvas and wood block are currently sitting on my desk and my bookshelf, but if I want to hang them on the wall that's no problem. The wood block has an alligator hook on the back for easy hanging, and the canvas comes complete with a sturdy string and two foam dots at the bottom - so there are no contact marks on your wall.




The wall dot might just be my favourite product. My little one featuring my three girls is on the wall next to my desk in the studio, and it makes me smile every time I look at it. It was very easy to apply - I simply peeled the backing paper off and smoothed it onto the wall. You can peel the dot off and reapply without damaging the wall. It's also easy to clean with a damp cloth and the colour will still look great after many washes.




I highly recommend the HappyMoose app and will definitely be using it again. What a fantastic idea for gifts, don't you think?! Why don't you go and try it out for yourself, you can find it in the app store and it's free!

A Long Island Oasis

It's been a little while since I featured a home tour on the blog, and they're one of my favourite kinds of posts, so let's start the week with one. This beautiful home in Long Island belongs to a young couple who engaged the services of interior designer, Jenny Norris. Jenny worked with her clients to create a home which reflects their interests and personalities, and also incorporates Jenny's love of travel and photography.





Starting with a blank slate, Jenny uses colour and texture to soften the space, and layers items of intrigue, including lots of beautiful photographs. As it happened the couple honeymooned in one of Jenny's favourite travel destinations, Italy's Amalfi Coast, so she included one of her photo's in their bathroom to remind them of that trip.







When you work with an interior designer, it's their job to capture your personality and reflect it in the space. But you will also, undoubtedly, get a sense of the designer's style, so it's important to know and love their work. Then it will be a match made in heaven.




Mocka Hudson Stool

I had been trying to decide on some seating for my 10 year old twins to use at the desk in their bedroom. Because their room is quite small - long and narrow - I wanted stools that could tuck under the desk when they're not in use, and light enough for the girls to move around easily. In the end I decided on the Hudson Stool from Mocka.



The stools were delivered in no time at all, and were very simple to put together. My little helpers did most of it, I just had to make sure the screws were tight enough.



After becoming avid "Block" fans, my girls like to have lots of input into their room, and they put in a request to have socks painted on their stools. It was a simple enough task that just required some masking tape and a couple of test pots.




Everyone is thrilled with the end result. The simple shape is so endearing and I love the touch of light wood with all the vibrant colour that is already in their room.





Pop over and have a look at the rest of Mocka's range on their website, including another favourite of ours, the Mocka Post Box.