The "not so" secret of getting published!

I am really delighted and honoured to say my work has been published in the Winter Edition of Sew Somerset, and not just one article but two!
I tell you it's a FANTASTIC feeling! (picture Julie Andrews bounding around the Alps singing "the hills are alive" tra la la la)

It's also had me marvelling  at the fact that something I once viewed as 'A Great Mystery'  requiring some kind of insider mystical knowledge, is in fact VERY straightforward and requires no secret handshake/special knowledge/genius talents.
It simply required a bit of action on my part (getting off my backside and actually sending in some pieces for submission to Stampington publications) and a touch of good fortune (that what I sent fitted in with what they were looking for at that time.)

It all comes back to that old addage "got to be in it to win it" or even older " if you don't ask you don't get".......

Which is slightly annoying, as the excuses no longer wash......you know, all the ones we tell ourselves as to why such and such is not possible/likely/ever going to happen.



Don't get me wrong...it does require you to put yourself out on a limb, offer your creations (and your heart on a plate) to be rejected and rebuffed if said creations don't make it to publication. But I assure you the picking up of a heavy heart is way easier to soothe when you know you did atleast try...the constant niggle of having never tried is not quite so...

I am NO expert at this, far from it! But even with my limited experience it is quite clear to me that if YOU happen to be flicking through a publication, appreciating what you see and pleasantly day dreaming about seeing your work or words amidst the same  pages, or worse still... feeling slightly envious and wondering "what have they got that I haven't"?....then it's time to take action! I urge you to check the submission guidelines, email an editor, dust off  some items and find an address to send them to. 

There are so many publications out there (not even touching on the online side of things) all looking for something/someone to fill their pages, share a little of their uniqueness and creativity. Meant in the nicest possible way...you just really need to get off your backside too!

And with lady luck/divine providence/(fill in with own chosen deity) on your side you will get to experience a touch of Julie Andrews in your life too.
Tralalala :) x

Added note:
haha! It appears we are all to be gifted some Julie Andrews/sound of music magic today.....amazingly and very randomly have just stumbled upon this image ...AWESOME!

by Sarah Bellar

from Hama beads no less!  :)xx

Hummingbirds

I would love to meet a hummingbird in it's own natural habitat...a tiny miracle of nature.

To me they appear as a "fleeting glimpse of beauty," a flash of magic, and a reminder to seek out  such magic and beauty in the tiniest of things.

I wrote a post about the various messages birds have brought me through life and it's hummingbirds that have been calling to me lately. Tricky when I live in Scotland....not too many about! So on being asked by the lovelies around me what I would like for my 40th birthday gift I pondered a while and then the answer came...a hummingbird!

Of course, not a real one! One inked onto my skin instead. A tattoo.

The first and only tattoo I have, I got on my travels when I was 21...it was a swirly sun that I had designed, inked around my belly button by a buddhist monk who tattooed as a hobby! (I know ,you couldn't make it up!) 

It was really meaningful to me and symbolised the growth and journey of  me moving away from things I'd known (family, university, teenage years) to growing and stepping into the person I wanted to be. 

My sun tattoo has stretched and grown twice with the swelling of my pregnancies...both my girls loving the fact they grew from the sunshine!

So it feels right  that this new chapter of my life is honoured too. Not just turning 40, but the changes that been brought about with my youngest starting school. The mum ties loosening a little, the greater time to focus on me and my creative business.

I'm still working on the design I would like, but thought I'd share some of the hummingbird designs I have created....from paint and stitch to digital. Next stop...tattoo!

I want to dedicate the last painting to my dear Granny who recently left us. I hope the sun is shining where you soar xx

snippets...

hmm so whats been going on here this last week....
well my wee solo exhibition is getting closer and I fluctuate from feeling calm and organised (or atleast my version of it), to overwhelmed and fraudulent! Its definitely a good lesson in exercising  those paltry self worth muscles I tend to sport!
Above is the front of the little flier/invitation I created which is off to the printers....alas..I realise now I've forgotten to include the opening times...ne'er mind...don't imagine many people will be hammering down the door at 9am, clamouring to get in!

So I'll share some sneaky peaks of what is going to join me on my adventures in paint and stitch! (some of which you have already seen on facebook, apologies!).... these butterfly wings are going to belong to an animal other than a butterfly..but I shall keep you guessing for now. 

The desire to experiment with this dense hand embroidery alongside other mediums has somewhat dampened since beginning...but hours and hours of stitching the brittle canvas and shredded fingers would do that I guess!..I'm 12 hours into the wings in the photo above.....

You've seen the damask design I was working on  here..which is now finished, yay! and this is another little peak at more embroidery on rock hard canvas ..can you feel my pain!?  :)

I'll be including freehand machine pieces too....an assortment of animals and people. All this snow has had me dreaming of summer...                                                        

The one below won't be accompanying me..but I have a particular fondness to it..its called "the reluctant superhero's!"

Aka...me and my little one :)

Hope you all have a lovely easter holiday xx

The makings of a wedding album

I've finally finished a long overdue promise...a wedding album for the dearest and most adorable couple. I'm very biased of course, having seen the beautiful bride grow from a little girl...but also knowing the trials these 2 have been through made me feel very blessed and priviledged indeed, to get to make them something special.

I did spend most of the time wanting to squidge those gorgeous wee cheeks of theirs ...but that just heightens even more, how old I  feel now that the little girl is big enough to get married!

So.....the makings of a wedding album....

Of course begins with two dear hearts very much in loooove....

A mixture of textures, vintage linen , mixed with broderie anglais and tilda fabric.... keeping it pale with a splash of my "go to colour" blue/turquoise. I've started stitching on applique "leafy swirly bits"  for the background to capture the trees  and the setting they were married in.

The spine of the book is stitched in place, and all the fabric pieces of the background are sewn together. More appliqued leafy swirly bits have been added ... and of course the glowing bride and groom!

I added a little bit of blue watercolour to the background so you could see the dress better...there's a little bit of leakage but that's ok!

More water colour added and hand embroidered details too (LOVING the kilt!)......now we're ready to attach this whole piece to thick board to make the front and back cover..and then bind in the pages.

I promise to share the binding and cardboard sticking some other time ..it's the messy and not very pretty stage (and where I didn't have enough hands to carry out AND take photos!)

I look forward to handing this over, knowing that its going to be filled with some real treasured moments.

And now it only seems fitting to end with a proper "awwww" inducing moment....

how is this for love...the groom completely designed, sewed and made the bride's dress! swoon :)xx

Ta daaaaaa.... !

Finally I have something to show you!.....the  project I've been working on is now in completion!...a wee range of stitched cards and limited edition prints...yippee!

 I started creating these stitched designs almost a year ago, squeezing them in between the other projects (and life!) that was going on..and I'm feeling pretty proud of my little creations....its been like having children all over again :)

They'll be coming with me to the Glasgow Trade Fair this weekend, which I'll be exhibiting at...I'm in the throes of last minute organisation  as I type!

 These birdie ones are a little different from my usual stitching but they are my favourites for sure.....so happy with how the cards and prints capture the exact textures and depths.You could easily mistake them for the original, the prints especially.The temptation to touch is high!

Some familiar faces you have seen before too....

Thought  I'd better make atleast one "gentlemanly" one!

  Good old gloria.....I do love a cheeky budgie, and a pink one at that!

 I wanted to include a little bit of wordage too.....

 Aah, feels so great to have shared and released these out into the world! Thankyou so much for looking :)x