Fabric Shops

Hello you...
I have been taking a bit if a break from online activities for the last week or so. I got busy in my 'real' life and was finding it hard to get a healthy balance. I'm feeling much better now you'll be glad to know, after much rest and many early nights I have a few blogs lined up from my time away :)

Fabric shops are like sweet shops for me. I want to have everything and can never decide what I actually need or want. I sometimes forget completely what I went in for, only to come out with some spangly thread or gorgeous printed cotton and a dress pattern.
I found a new shop recently. The Treasure House in Southbourne. It was a beautiful day so I thought I'd capture the juicy colours and eye-candy of the products on display.

I love this one above of all the eyes. Makes me want to buy all of them and attach eyes to everything!
Have you got any local shops that sell weird and wonderful things?

Love, me x

p.s - I had orders for three commissions this week for my canvas hearts. I am so happy to have come up with a product that people want to buy. The latest one I am making is to include some fabric from the wedding/ bridesmaid dresses, can't wait!

New things in the shop

Hey y'all.
Last week I dropped off the biggest heart I have made so far! I haven't even measured it but it is BIG. (must get better at measuring, photographing, logging - note to self).

It is such a pretty piece and I am really proud and thankful to Coastal who helped me with the colours and sizing. Things are selling like little heart shaped hot-cakes down there and I am soon to launch the canvases in my Etsy shop (just as soon as I get this measuring bit down). May take me a couple of weeks to sort that out but eventually I will get them online. They have sold all but two of my Heart Lyric Cards, so I did a major re-stock of those and as I walked in Rachel said 'oh we just sold one of your canvases this morning'! Eepsters! I get so excited thinking about my little artworks going home with a lovely new owner :]

Here are some peeks of the latest pieces.

These are some of my Mothers Day hearts.

What are you doing for Mothers Day?

Love, me x 

Valentines Display

So I told you a while ago that Coastal Creatives asked me to make some canvases for them. Well, when I went back to hand everything in I took a few pictures of the window displays to share with you as my work made it into the Valentines display (in fact while I was taking pictures some ladies were commenting on my piece, saying how much they loved it!) sneeky peeks of opinion are great.

Spot them?

Also made the 'Love' canvas on the little stand. Yups, that's three of my pieces in the window!

Here's the whole shop. I am so grateful to be part of what they do, such lovely people and beautiful things in there.

This one just shows inside where my work has it's own little space with information about private commissions. So exciting!

I am also delighted to tell you that I have been approached to do a solo show of my work, both crafty and arty. More details to follow, but needless to say this is a dream come true!

Do you have big dreams?
Love, me x

and the winner is...

It's results day! I am so excited to be giving away one of my works of art. At first I thought 'oh my lord, no-one is going to enter' but they have:

There were a whole 5 entrants. (I like to think quality more than quantity applies here, right friends?) Here they are above.
I employed a very fair method of selection: eeny meenie miney mo. And the winner is.....

Congratulations Miss Chantilly!! :)

I was feeling generous, so decided I would also award a prize to the runner up, which was:

Yay for Amy!! (By the way you should check out Amy's Blog here.)

And then I decided that as there are only 5 entrants, I am going to award everyone the same prize! So well done everyone who entered :)
I will be contacting you all in the next week to arrange getting those prizes in your loving hands.

As for the rest of my weekend, I will be working on two commissions for delivery on Monday, spending some quality time with the wee-un, hitting the gym and visiting my Mumski.
What are your plans?
Love, me x

the first ever Re:Loved giveaway (eep!)

Yups it's giveaway time people.

I hope you have been liking my new collection of hearts, I have had lots of positive feedback about them face to face which is loverly. I thought it would be a great time to have a giveaway to say thanks for all your support both of my blog and creative persuits in general.

Sooo....friends, family, blog/  twitter/ facebook chums you are all welcome to join in to win one of my most poular art cards:

You can decide to send it or keep it for framing...I won't tell anyone :)

Here are the rules for the giveaway:

1. Leave a comment below, tell me if you will be sending a valentine this year

Optional extras for more chance of winning:

2. 'like' my facebook group then come back and leave a comment to say you have done so

3. follow me on twitter, then come back and comment

4. visit my etsy shop and come back to tell me which item is your favorite

5. follow this blog, and leave a comment

These are a lot of options, you don't have to do them all...

I will pick a random winner this time next week, and your card will be on it's way to you in time for Valentines.

Love, me x

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!

Revolutions

I just posted a tweet about how I never get any time to blog during the working week, and here I am getting a post out there at 930pm on a school night. Chuffed.

I just have to post my resolution list for 2012, I don't feel like the year has truly begun until it is out there. Olivia and I started a new tradition this year, on New Years Day we got out the art equipment: watercolours and pens etc, and made really pretty versions of our resolutions to hang up. She already went through my list last night over dinner asking me if I have done them. I have made a good start on a few.

I am excited to start working on these. Did you set any goals for this year?
Love, me x

Year in Review - 2011 Creativity

Looking back over the year is such a brilliant exercise, I have just amazed myself with how much creativity I have squeezed in around my teaching job! (Pat on the back and a clip round the ear, as my Grandad -who sadly passed away this year- might have said).
So here it is:

This is not even all, but some highlights of things like: launching my blog and Re:Loved, getting my packaging and company ID finalised, meeting Kim Smith, teaching amazing creative sketchbook lessons at school after going on a course, commissions for large artworks and shoes, starting my art journal - which has been the key to my creative year, making artworks and accessories, selling in two shops locally as well as craft fayres.

It has honestly been the best year for me creatively, and I have had friends say I have inspired them to work on their own books/ ideas/ products...I am really humbled by that. I feel I have reached a point where I can just go ahead and be creative without suffering massive blocks, the major one of which I overcame this year, which was recovering from the damage my degree did to my work. Blogs really helped me this year, they have been my inspiration.

So, in the words of Julia Cameron, and the book 'Heart Steps - prayers and declarations for a creative life' I leave you with this on Creativity and Spirituality:

Life is energy, pure creative energy. This energy is the source of all I desire, all I need, all I want. When I call upon this source to supply me, I am freed from depending on people, institutions, and hierarchies. My good comes from me in all directions, from all quarters. No one person can block my good. No circumstance can circumvent me.

I have more round-ups planned over the next couple days as well as mine and Olivia's resolutions, which we are currently working on. For now, Happy New Year lovely people. Mucho Love x x x



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

All the fun of the Vintage Fayre

Fancied myself as an amateur Fashion Journalist today. Ok, so I was there to sell my wares, but there was some seriously sharp style going on at the 'Vintage Festival' today. Before I tuck my cold toes into bed, thought I would share...

First, this amazingly stylish family, even baby Pearl had the cutest vintage cardi with ickle ducks on...aw!



I completely forgot to write down this young lady's (below) name ( I was in the process of buying cake at the time so may I please be forgiven?) I love her edgy rock-chick look. Accessorising was great, she had a huge ring and an awesome feather in her hair.



 

With hair like that you HAVE to be pulling off some style swagger eh? I love Carmel's bow, like Minnie Mouse ears. And braces: very current. I wish I was brave enough (and would not get fired) for hair like this.

Nicki is from The Cherry Closet, a fast upcoming vintage shop in Pokesdown, Bournemouth. Everyone commented on her gorgeous dress, which is doing its own thing with the tiniest bit of help from the perfect little belt (slightly masculine to tone down some of the girlie-ness...like 'yeah I'm cute, but you can't call me that!')

It makes me so happy that the yoof of today (the kids, the dudes...whatever) are wearing vintage, or just mixing up their own style (other than wearing black and drawing on their arms). Mary looks so effortless in her outfit, from shoes to bag...perfect, cute and age appropriate.

Last but by no means least is Lily, she is the utter embodiment of my all time movie hero: Molly Ringwald in Pretty in Pink (Andi). Lily is 16!...there is hope for our world don't you think?

We talked for a while about her skirt which she thinks is a one-off vintage piece, and has pre-raphelite paintings all over it. I love her belt so much, and such a sweet little bag. It was so nice to watch her milling about, adding to her outfit as she found new things (she later sported a straw hat).

It was a fun day, and I met many lovely folk. I am so tired now though...gotta go and dream up some new things to make, and new outfits to put together to keep up with the kids! Me x

More Summer Sketchbook

Here are some more pages from my Summer Sketchbook, which has now become 'My Sketchbook' but these pages are from the summer. This year was a great one for my artwork, the weather was so bad it meant many gloomy days in with cups of tea. making a mess with art materials.

These pages follow on from the last I blogged, a mixture of: sculpture garden with Lisa and baby Amber on a very hot day, booking myself in for various craft fayres that were disasterous, Weight Watchers and booking Olivia in for her cycling proficiency.

The thing you can't really pick up with these pages it that they are cut out in places, maybe I should have photographed them standing up, looking through? I loved this page until later I drew a black pen page and it messed up the man's face on the left...now he looks like he has a rubbish moustache!
This one depicts: cold cold days at the beach in August, more raffles (hoping to hit the jackpot, only one a bottle of ketchup!), treats, and my journey to get work into Coastal Creatives.

Hope you like them...

Seeing as we are on a summer theme, thought I would drop an old picture of little Olivia when we used to live in the Caribbean. This, for me is the ultimate photo of a Caribbean child - so free and happy. She still loves Mangoes so much, even though we have to pay for them these days! This picture fills me with motherly love ♥

My little baby will be 12 next week! She has asked for a Soda Stream machine...I can't wait for her to get it so I can make one (hehe).

This weekend I will be sorting out her birthday requests, working at the It's All Been Done Before Vintage Festival, making final touches to my Coastal Creatives consignment...and maybe I might get time to drink tea, listen to the radio and enjoy some Autumn sunshine. Love, me x