Showing posts with label embroidery. Show all posts
Showing posts with label embroidery. Show all posts

Tuesday, 28 February 2012

Arty Farty book-lust

Hey friend :)
At school I recently ordered a whole stack-a-books to inspire my classes and myself in Textiles Design. Hopefully these will help us/ them/ we to be more creative. I know they have already worked their arty-farty magic on me and I am full of ideas, my inspiration-tank est full!

we'll start here
I love traditional techniques used in a contemporary way, blackwork here...sooo labour intensive (all handstitch)!
graffiti is a passion of mine, and this Textile version is beyond yummy. Scattered words and images hand stitched.
beautiful aesthetically as well as disturbing and uncomfortable
narrative work is another passion of mine: feelings, messages, codes, links


I would whole-heartedly implore you to check out this book if you are a lover of any of the following: textiles, embroidery, subversive stitch, graffiti textiles, contemporary art, feminism, guerrilla textiles.
I originally saw this book at the Knitting and Stitching Show and didn't have the money to buy it. So glad I could at least get it at school to lust over...swoon! The artists in here are so inspirational it makes me want to cry.

If you liked this you may way to check out the author's blog, he is called Mr X Stitch.

What inspires you?
Love, me x

Tuesday, 24 January 2012

busy bee and giveaway preview

Hello you.
I feel like it has been ages since I blogged, I have had withdrawal symptoms. I have barely had time to read blogs never mind write one. I have been a busy bee.
I had a deadline to meet for Monday - art cards for Coastal Creatives...


I am such a huge fan of music of all types. Held within the lyrics of songs are many answers and touching sentiments, as well as profound and insightful words of wisdom.
If you have any song lyrics that could add to my collection please leave a comment, especially if you have a special song. I am taking commissions privately and through Coastal Creatives for my lyric pieces. Art cards are £8 and canvases are £40.

A really exciting first for my partnership with Coastal...a piece on canvas...


...here's some detail.
I love this song, and it has a deep spiritual meaning for me and has brough me great comfort though some difficult times in my life.


As well as this I have been making some exclusive Art cards for my freshly decorated and spring cleaned Etsy Shop. Listen to it *ping*


I love it. Is it ok to love your own shop?

I even had time to whip up a knitting needle case for a special someone's birthday...



Featuring fabrics from: a stash a friend gave me that used to belong to her amazingly talented Mother (she stitched the cross stitched flower fabric), a charity shop pillow case and an old pair of PJs! I love the stories my works tell, to me, through the fabrics I use. Often it makes me laugh too, if it holds a special memory - like the amount of time I spent in those pjs.

So....as you can see a busy week or so.
I am so excited to show you all the things I have been making. If you have any feedback I'd love to hear it. Blog comments are awkward but once you get the hang of it they're oki doki.

Oh, and good news is Coastal Creatives have asked me to make another 4 canvases!!
Back to the sewing machine then.

What have you been up to?
Love, me x

P.s...keep them peeled for a very first giveaway this week!

Tuesday, 13 December 2011

New Makes

I have just delivered a lovely bundle of freshly made goodies to Coastal Creatives for a pre-Christmas restock. In the mix were a few new ideas: embroidered badges and rosettes. I am working on some more of these for upcoming events like Valentines and Mothers day.


I had a little commission yesterday to make some personalised versions of these...hmmm good idea!


Once I made this dinky little brooch I fell in love with it, then had to part with it soon after. Although this is a massive close up, it is in reality only about 6-7cm accross.



I restocked on all the hair clip duo sets, these are always really popular, and each set is one of a kind. I have been using more embroidery stitches on them, inspired by this blog.



And I restocked on the large clips, these have alligator attachments so can be worn as a brooch or shoe clip too.


These little beauties are very popular too, all sold out from my last stock update - Coastal call them pompom earrings.


Lastly...dropped a few more of these in for good luck. I originally made them as wrap around bracelets, but Coastal sell them as hairbands. In fact one of my Year 11 students came into school with one a couple of weeks ago and it looked amazing. How sweet of her to buy my wares...aw!

I love this new colour combo - claret and blue, very Aston Villa!

I wanted to show these ready for sale so I could share my packaging ideas. I make all my packaging out of old card: magazines, postcards, flyers etc. I cut them to size and apply my simple labels. I love it. It is born out of pure poverty and a desire to re-use as much as I can to make in an environmentally friendly way. The reverse has a label too with my Etsy shop address (which is empty at present...oops! Bad marketing!)


This is from a series of pieces: 1,2 and 3. Framed and ready to go...somewhere.


Lastly for today. I saw a funky idea for wrapping ribbon on a Google search and decided to give it a go. Hand stamped ribbon. Yes all my presents this year will be sporting it. Packaged with old Christmas cards to my daughter from her friends. I will post some images when I have done some wrapping with it. It's a super easy and satisfying little make, I just happen to have rolls upon rolls of ribbon that I bought in a charity shop bundle one lucky day.

Have you got plans for your wrapping or making this Christmas? My creativeness is on overdrive at the moment...
Love, me x

Wednesday, 7 December 2011

Festive Top Ten: from me


It's time to say goodbye to the Festive Top Ten series of blogs. It has been a real challenge to go to work all day, cook dinner and blog every day...but I am proud of me for getting it done.
I am very grateful for those who have contributed, and left comments (always welcome and I will try and get back to eveyone).

Last post today is my Festive Top Ten. I decided to champion two loves of mine: Textiles and Etsy!

............................................................................................................................................................


1 - amazing hand made embroidered card
2 - beautiful art quilt
3 - very pretty little alice piece
4 - wearable art
5 - delicate vintage image collage
6 - little textile book
7 - kindle cosy
8 - fabric bowl
9 - embroidered bowl
10 - textile art

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

This is totally a fantasy list. I wish I had enough money to buy things like this, I'd love to fill my world with other people's handmade lovelies. Of all of these things I would deeply love the wearable art neck piece, I would totally rock that with many an outfit.
These are just the things I like today, who knows what my wish list will be tomorrow?

What would you wish for today?
Me x








Monday, 5 September 2011

Boscombe Arts and Crafts Bazaar

I had such a great time at the Boscombe Arts and Crafts Bazaar on Saturday. I swear I spent the whole day talking to lovely local people and customers, lots of craft admirers...it was soooo fun!
I had some good sales, and lots of positive feedback which is so nice, as I have been squirreled away all Summer making my products. I came home happy happy happy and full of beans.
The Bazaar is really small at the moment, but its going to be amazing with the backing of Bournemouth Borough Council and Boscombe Regeneration. Special thanks to Bisi Bordley who not only co-organised it but was a fantastic support on the day; setting up the marquee and helping set up the stalls, as well as watching my stall while I went for a quick break. Legend.
I took some pictures of my work, as I am really pleased with the way I set it up.


I used lots of old boxes and a suitcase as props as well as some of my collection of Antique embroidered table linens.



I used a hand mirror for folks to look at themselves, especially useful for earrings I found.



All my packaging is made from recycled card (circulars, leaflets, magazine cover etc), then I add labels with my logo to the front and hey presto, they are ready.
We had some official pictures taken by the Echo...eek! So look out for those if you are local (sorry South Korea).

Tomorrow I am taking a collection of my products to a fabulous little boutique gallery in Southbourne called Coastal Creatives who are interested in stocking a range of mine...how exciting!

Saturday, 19 February 2011

Mmmmm...men doing Art Textiles

I have been discovering a wonderful new wave of exciting Textile Artists through the new course I am teaching: OCR Textiles Design GCSE. I am really thrilled with the amount of Textile Artists around, and really encouraged that men are becoming more well known for their work in this field too. I am in love with James Hunting's work, which follows a lot of the same processes as my own. I have included a few other artists that I am currently obsessing about too.

http://www.jameshunting.com/

Cas Holmes - amazing work, and so much of it to see and fall in love with. www.casholmes.textilearts.net/

Lastly for now - Sandra Meech, gorgeous layers and lyrical stitch. www.sandrameech.com/
I flippin' love Textiles!
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