We first fell in love with Emma Block’s work after discovering her Style Icon illustrations, and since then have become obsessed with her vintage-tinged art.  Under the influence of old photos, 1950s illustrations, jazz and vintage fashion, her work carries a warm, retro feel with pieces that depict teatime, everyday life and fashion drawings, while others are drenched in nostalgia like her illustrated ode to Frances Hodgson Burnett’s childhood staple, The Secret Garden. The London-based illustrator also dabbles in stationary with a lovely range of greeting cards and to-do list templates.  She collects her tools in teacups and jam jars, has sketchbooks piled on window sills and looks to an inspiration wall covered in postcards and photographs.  Peek inside her adorable book filled studio after the jump, and visit Emma over on her website and Etsy.

“This is my studio; it’s really just the corner of my bedroom. I have my desk next to the window so I have lots of light when I work.”

“To the left of my desk I have huge amounts of paper, and to the right I have my light box and my sewing machine. Above my bookshelf is my inspiration wall, covered in postcards and family photos.  I like to keep things that inspire me around me, like books and old photographs, and I usually have jazz music playing while I’m working. I am very lucky to have a jazz musician boyfriend, who is usually playing in the background whilst I work.”

“I have piles of sketchbooks on the desk and on the window sill, and tea cups and jam jars full of pencils, pens and brushes. Most of my pencils are tiny, sharpened down to a fifth of their original size and I have special pencil extender for these.”

“I am very particular about keeping my pencil sharp and I have a lovely painted wooden box that I keep my pencil sharpener and all the sharping in.”

“I love my collection of Windsor and Newton series 7 paint brushes that my Grandpa gave to me, though to be honest there is really one brush that I ever use.”

Thanks, Emma!