Figgjo was founded in 1941, it is located and named after Figgjo, near Stavanger in Norway. It is best known for its mid-century modern ceramics decorated with colour and characters. Figgjo still trades and if you visit the factory there is a shop and small museum which displays some of its best vintage pieces. Today Figgjo’s mass produced ceramics lack the quirky originality but you can pick up some lovely one-off pieces such as the Sterke Striper hand painted collection.

More Figgjo Museum photos on Maraid Flickr

On a lazy, lovely sunny day pottering around Mundal, Norway’s book town I came across some magazines called Skolekringkastinga. At approx £16 a magazine there was small chance of a bulk purchase so I did something a little cheeky and photographed them in the book shops. From what I can gather they are bi-monthly educational magazines for Norwegian kids. The 1940s illustrations are my favourites.

• More Skolekringkastinga covers on my Flickr

‘Tied up in Tinsel’ by Ngaio Marsh. Cover design by George Critchard. 1973

We have finished designing the 2011 Maraid Christmas cards – a set of three bright and happy designs. All we have to do now is wait for them to come back from the printers!

Yesterday we visited Nick from The Print Project in Bradford to discuss some new Maraid Design business cards. It was the kind of meeting we like; coffee, chatting, looking at old machinery and thinking about design. Nick talked us though bits and pieces of print history and typography. Now we are even more excited to have a little bit of letterpress magic come our way.

When travelling it’s those small differences to home that catch my eye. I was impressed by the beauty of Norwegian manhole covers. I loved the way they are designed specifically for that town or area. During our visit to Ålesund we were promised beautiful art nouveau buildings but the street design underfoot was much more impressive.

1. Ålesund, 2. Røvær Island, 3. Bergen

I read about Pickering’s Beck Isle Museum on the British Letterpress website. The museum has lots to boast about – 27 themed rooms of exploring small town and rural life, from camera displays to a stuffed horse – everything you could imagine under one roof.

Arriving via the Balestrand ferry, Mundal (sometimes known as Fjærland), looks like the quintessential Norwegian Fjord-side village. Only accessible via water up until relatively recently the town has retained its wonderful charm. We spent a perfect day cycling around and browsing the twelve book shops that occupy various buildings such as the ferry port, tourist info, cafe and a couple of cowsheds.

I’ve been asked to supply some sport matchbox labels for a project, specifically Olympic ones. I’m not really into sport and I’ve not paid too much attention to these ones before. They have now sparked an interest and I think they make quite a nice collection. More Olympic matchbox labels on my Flickr.

After my visit to Miniciné recently I didn’t think I would be in a smaller cinema anytime soon. Last night we visited Hambleton Forum in Northallerton for the launch of Contrast/brilliance, a new festival that screens archive film footage. The evening was full of highlights; amazing old film footage of Yorkshire, entertainment from Ian McMillan and a trip aboard the vintage mobile cinema bus. Perfect.

The evening was part of Cine Yorkshire and we made their website!