Catch up!

Howdy! I just wanted to pop in and say hello, as it's all been very "Sewing- teachery" focused and not much chat at all. There is so much going on behind the scenes here that  finds me brimming with excitement and feeling all the worse for not being able to share it. (due to "sewing teachery" mode).
So I hope you will indulge me while I get it all out!


On the home front our  DIY jobs are coming along nicely and we look set to putting our house on the market by summer! (gulp did I just write that!) I have been painting walls like there is no tomorrow...and skirting boards and doors..and...and!
Its my youngest's birthday this week too, 6 years old. A marvellous age to be! And bless her cotton socks she finally relinquished her hanging-together-by-my-shoddy-darning woolly tights for some new ones (Miracle of miracles.) There is an Owl themed party happening this weekend (I have been instructed) and some "top hats" amongst other party delights to be made.
There's also a huge amount of plate juggling going on  with getting organised for London's design Trade Fair in May, and the whole new range of items I'll be taking. My heart and soul is going into these items which I would love to share in another post another time.....suffice to say I've been pushing and stretching myself in every way and am going out on a rather large limb.....but it feels FANTASTIC!....
especially when fabric rocks up on my doorstep with my designs printed on them. Love love LOVE.

I'm leaving it to the nth hour to create and introduce some new items that feature sewing too...deja vu of this time last year but thankfully no leather hard painted canvas to sew through..my fingers are feeling a lot perkier as a result!

A couple of my foxy prints actually made it onto the Pulse website which is a real honour....ok, granted if you blinked you'd miss them....but the prints are there none the less :)

You can see my little bit of blurb over on the exhibitor bit if you'd like a sneak preview of some items I'll be taking along..I'll be adding more soon.

I'll be back on Friday with more stitchery teachery-ness and a new bunting flag design...this week I'm looking at stitches to use for filling...a wee colourful sneaky peak below...

Really loving that acid yellow colour at the mo.....can you tell ;)

Hope you are gooooood wherever you are xx

Always learning..

I'm very much a geek. Which feels good to say as for a long time the inner geek got dialled down to make way for social approval! The things we do :)
Anyhoos I am always on the lookout for things (online/books/classes) that'll teach me something new. For better or worse I'm always working away on something in the background. Last year saw me try out repeat pattern design and hand drawn lettering (through Skillshare which is a REALLY great resource and cheap CHEAP too!). I tried out hypnotherapy (a friend was studying it and needed some case studies...I'll share more another time) and energy moving techniques to satisfy my "woowoo" side!
What else? Many books perused like this and this, interviews listened to over on "Smart Creative Women" with Monica Lee...the list goes on.
Point of mentioning this? Well my recent learning opportunity is taking the form of Lilla Rogers' Assignment Bootcamp.

If you are interested in design at all it's likely you have heard of this colourful and dynamic (and very inspiring!) lady. I figured if I want to make a great living from my art, it would be a wise move to get assignments and insights from one of the best. 

                                   The point of Lilla's Bootcamp is to become part of a creative community, and fulfill assignments which get you drawing, drawing, drawing.The end result is plenty stretching and growing, some gentle support and hopefully a few finished pieces worthy of going in a portfolio!

You may have guessed that this months assignment involved cuckoo clocks! Which I love and took as a good sign as I've been working on creating a cuckoo clock design since the summer...and kept getting stuck on! 

The end  assignment suggested using the cuckoo design as a phone cover, this is where I've got so far....yep I'm stuck again! These cuckoo clocks are driving me cuckoo ;)

I've started a repeat pattern too...still more to add but thought I'd share so far also

So what about you? I imagine I am not alone in this quest for learning and growing and geekery! I'd love to hear what you enjoy getting your teeth into x

Birdie plates!

I'll quickly swing past the fact I haven't been around for a few weeks (it's been October school break) and still haven't got xmas cards to show (printers getting something fixed)... and jump straight into talking plates! I've had a growing collection of miss-matched plates for some time now, some vintage, others just in need of rescuing from the local thrift shop and given some love. The plan was to add my own designs either using decals or ceramic pen/paints. 

As with most intended projects, the plates have gathered dust  (hangs head in suitable shame!)...but I did paint some little designs over the summer hols with plates in mind ,which I thought I would share.

This has a painted background and digital coloured bird in the foreground. Experimenting again! It's called "The great escape" 

I've mocked it up roughly on a plate below........too nice to eat off of I think!

plate photo:Photo: Kristina Schuster (Flickr)

This second design is entirely paint and aimed entirely to make the eyes zing!It's called "morning glory". 

Below is another quick mock up.......

Loving the colours against the porcelain! And feeling suitable inspired to dusting off that neglected crockery! x

Confessions of a creative!

When it comes to creativity, over the years I have probably immersed myself in every type of craft there is..from quilling to mosaic making, crocheting to candle making...the list goes on. It was always with joyful abandon ,excitement to learn and explore, that I would begin each project ....creativity = JOY!

 Having a mum that was the uber queen of creative nurturing as well as owning a craft shop as I grew up, really could not have been more perfect ..I mean how lucky?!

So with this in mind,  you can imagine the chats I have had to myself  when reading business advice which stipulates the need to create a brand, being focused , choosing your audience...key ingredients to making it as an artist. Blardy blar. I read these things alot! And I take on board what other people's knowledge and experience has been. I mean I'm grateful that they are even willing to share this...
     

But as soon as I read things like this my heart immediately crumples....because the truth is, if I can't fly with a whim to where creativity is urging me today , if I don't have room to learn  and grow, then I would be as well back working a 9 to 5 job where I felt restrained and unhappy. Really.

So I am here to say that I am creating my own recipe from now on!Working out my own ingredients that work best for me, where "happy" is the north point on my directional compass!

Why am I telling you all this? I guess to tell myself more than anything!
 Also because part of me feels I need to justify the things I keep sharing with you..the pencil sketches, the clay brooches, the fabric books, the paintings the stitches.....ALL the creativity that comes from me....and now my most recent experiment and learning...digital patterns and designs! :)
Last week I was chastising myself saying I really need to just choose ONE thing and STICK TO IT!..Oh my..who's voice does that one belong to?! Some draconian teacher from my yesteryears.
Today I am standing up and saying this is who I am, and this is all I will ever want to be....multi faceted and multi talented :) ......er well perhaps a little more practice on the pattern making first :)
It's very humbling sharing the beginnings but maybe it just may inspire you to experiment and follow your creative rumblings.... xx