Some ideas arrive fully formed, most don’t.
Notes from The Ornamental - a journal - is where the unfinished ideas live; sparks of an idea, rabbit holes I've fallen down late at night, the exhibition I have visited and can’t stop thinking about, a new (to me) technique I discovered and need to try immediately, the colour combination I saw on the subway the other day that now lives on my camera roll. Also the occasional random link - just for fun- because why not? It got my attention and I'd like to share it with you.
Think of this as my studio in journal form. If you have ever been in a real working studio you’ll know it is never really tidy. There are threads hanging off things, there is an experiment in the corner that might become something wonderful or it might become nothing at all. There's a box of references, a half-finished sample, a cup of tea going cold because something interesting just happened.
That's this.
What you’ll find here
Exhibitions I have visited or ones I'm reading about, techniques and crafts I'm curious about or have experimented with, whether or not they are strictly my world . You will find tutorials for things I’ve referred to on Instagram (hi! come find me ), and we can start conversations and figure some things out together. ‘Notes’ from The Ornamental studio is exactly that - following a thread of an idea to see where it leads.
A Little About Me
I am Stephanie, the founder of The Ornamental, the person behind all the kits and DIY tutorials. I started out in fashion design - interning and working at Alexander McQueen, Chloé, John Galliano, Gianfranco Ferré and Diane von Furstenberg (which bought me to NYC for 3 months and here I am 18 years later…). My background is in womenswear - I studied Knitwear design at Central Saint Martins in London and loved it. I have had an insatiable appetite for everything crafty since I was a little girl and grew up in a very creative house - there was nothing my parents couldn’t DIY and we have a family motto coined by my mum “we could make that at home”. I think I made my first wonky needlepoint around aged ten - it featured 4 animals and the giraffes legs bent the wrong way - it still has a place at home, it has put in a very decent shift!
I am passionate about the art of needlepoint, knitting, embossing, sewing - honestly really anything creative, and even more passionate about sharing this with others - it is no secret that I long for a studio of my own one day and I am here to say it loudly….. I'd like to manifest a beautiful cosy space ( tiny probably….. this is NYC after all and I am the queen of living in tiny spaces).
The Ornamental grew out of the belief that making things with your hands is one of the most nourishing things you can do; the simple act of creating something slowly and deliberately is good for you. The kit boxes that I design are my way of inviting you in.
‘Notes’ is the messier companion to The Ornamental and you are very welcome here.
The Box Room desk - overlooked by Mochi the spicy and highly opinionated cat
Currently really into: Delusions of Grandeur, Grayson Perry at the Wallace Collection/ The Indian Textile Sourcebook / The Embroidery Stitch Bible and Words With Wings And Magic Things illustrations by Doug Salati
An experiment in tin embossing - this one is from a recycled tomato paste tube
Big project//small space - Christmas Tree skirts embellished with Flora and Fauna made with love from our apartment in downtown Manhattan since 2019