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

A Week in Blogs

I make no apologies for the fact that I am passionately addicted to blogs, every week I learn more from them. I see so many things that I just fall in love with, and it all gets stored in my creative filing cabinet. This week I was so busy with work and a busy end-of-half-term as well as being supremo exhaust, I didn't get much of a chance to read my blog-list.

Today is Saturday, and as is the usual routine I am sat with my coffee (will be about three by the end of this week's blog-que...but decaf so don't worry), thought I would take you through the highlights and share with you what I see, and love from just one week. Up fer it? Good...let's get on then (coffee is getting cold):

An amazing fun-looking tutorial from The Dainty Squid. I love nail art and my students are always fascinated by my nails.

And the really fun story of her meet-up with one of my favorite bloggers Elycia.

Sew your own heart sweater/ braces/ bow tie with A Beautiful Mess.

This gorgeous peek into Art Journalling from Happy Daisy...

and as part of her 'week in pictures' post she showed the card I sent her, that was a prize in my giveaway!

A new blog to me 'Poppytalk' showed this goregous Topshop dress...love! She also posts a Friday Font download...yes please!

These gorgeous hand painted cups from Tiny Happy. A blog I love for it's simplicity and beautiful photography.

Little peeks into the life of Kim Smith always make me happy.

This amazing Picnik galaxy tutorial from Perfect Pear...wow! Guess what I be doing today?

This recipe from Kyla Roma looks sooooo delicious. I will defo make this this weekend. But for now I am off for coffee number two :)

Gorgeous journal pages from Kara Haupt. Very inspirational. I use her writing style a lot in my journal, its sooooo cute!

 And after seeing her thank you cards, I am off to ebay to find a Dymo machine.

A new favorite blog lead me to this, the cutest idea for a valentine. I love DIY cards.

Miss Indie posted about my favorite ever movie featuring current major crush (Zooey Deschanel)

On Elycia's blog she shared her version of the meet-up with Kaylah from The Dainty Squid, and it made me long for the days of taking photobooth pictures. Where have they all gone? Someone tell Kodak we want them back. Thanks :)

Next year I am soooo doing this Project Life thingie that I keep reading about on blogs. Elise is sharing hers every week. I am pretty envious and want to do it now!

This downloadable from My Girl Thursday featuring names from my favorite TV show: Gilmore Girls. Although actually right now my favorite TV show is New Girl with Zooey Deschanel (did I mention I love her to pieces?)

I love everything from this blog, so inspiring and this week I took advantage of the free wallapaper download.

I loooove this little case, and always get inspired by the work on the Artmess blog.

This blog inspires me so much too. I love the graphics and amazing photography. These are like little nugets of eye-candy, always delightfully welcome in my blog feed.

And that's it!

Today it took me 2 hours and 2 coffees to get through the lot, and I enjoyed every last minute of it. Now I have to go get out of my pjs and get on with my day. Things to do: paint my nails, write another blog post, drop my baby at her Nanas for a sleepover, tidy the house, cook some soup, dye my hair and write a letter.

Did you get a chance to check out any of these blogs or do you have blogs that inspire you? Please share :)

Love, me x

In love with the past

I have been watching this amazing series on BBC4 which charts how musicians from England broke through in America. More than anything I am loving the archive footage. Today I fell in love with:

How beautiful is she? Reminds me very much of this young woman that I also love and has obviously styled herself on Stevie Nicks.

I love Fleetwood Mac, I find their story very fascinating. They were amazingly talented and very passionate individuals who were no doubt full of mind altering substances...no wonder they fought like cats.

If you get a chance, check out this series. Last week was all about the 60s and the Beatles mainly. When this show is on I sit very close to the scren and sometimes snap pictures on my phone...how crazy is that? I am in love with the past (aesthetically) :)

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

There is no such thing as a bad day...

I have had a crud of a day. Well not really a day but a single moment in the day threatened to turn it all to crud. I am usually a very positive person, not much can shake me. But I work with teenagers so you can imagine this gets tested a LOT, sometimes much more than others and it can come from seemingly nowhere. I had a run in with an angry young person today and it really got to me, made me really angry. this is what makes me not a great teacher; I take too much to heart.

How happy was I to get home and read blogs, answer = tres.

I not only read lots of blogs to cheer me up, but forced myself to go out for a run and felt a million squillion times better.

As I was reading, came accross this little challenge, thought I'd hop on board and take the focus back to the positive.

The idea is that you share on your blog, or twitter, or wherever you like...three things you are grateful for at the end of each day in February ( I hate typing February, it feels so awkward). Here are mine for today, which I have tweeted and also will write them in my art journal:

1. the aching feeling in my body after a long run
2. a warm and cozy house on a bitterly cold night
3. blogs - I love them so much and they inspire me even on the most awful of days, today it's My Girl Thursday (who has herself been inspired by Sarah Rooftops.)

You can join in too: post your three things anywhere you like, if you use twitter tag them with the hash code #3thingsfebruary (grr there you go again darn feb).

Feel free to add your below...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!