There’s something about the coastline that invites us to collect—whether it’s fragments of the sea or memories of the creatures that call it home.
We rarely send postcards now, but to the Victorians who built a lot of our seaside towns, postcards were memoirs.
The iconic Coastal Memoirs print, inspired by the wildlife you can find in the UK, where the sea meets land.
There was a nostalgic feeling that came from designing this print. The cold sea air of the North east coast, and watching the sea from a warm cosy cafe with red and white gingham check table cloths, chips in a paper bag and a big strong cup of Yorkshire tea.
From the window of the cafe we have time to inspect the world, the seaside always helps to put things into perspective, to see what a small part we play in it all.
The print showcases the rich tapestry of life surrounding the British Isles. Seals lounging on rocky outcrops, otters weaving through river mouths, and puffins nesting in rugged cliffs.
Close-up details of the animals depicted in the Coastal Memoirs print. Available in a Peggy Top and Louise Dress.
But the magic of the coast isn’t just in the water.
The windswept dunes and coastal meadows are alive with butterflies and wildflowers.
Curlews call across the salt marshes. Gannets plunge dramatically into the waves, and if you’re lucky, you might spot a red squirrel darting through the trees where land meets sea.
Even as adults, we find ourselves gathering little pieces of the shore—a perfect shell, a weathered fragment of driftwood, a feather caught on the breeze. Like postcards from nature, these objects hold stories of salty air, crashing waves, and the quiet presence of wildlife.
What do you find yourself collecting when you visit the sea?
