The Madhatters Birthday Party.

 

My handmade tags sit lovely among the eclectic tableware and munchies!

 

I love the light in this image, Beautiful colour palette.!

 

                                mmmmm! Tweet hearts!

Next party nautical theme! keep you posted. :)

Home and Gift show 2012. Back to reality!

'Me looking like a geek at my stand lol!..'

'My work at Home and Gift 2012.'

Well these last two weeks since the show have been a blur!! I had a great response to my work especially Queenie! and had a lovely time with friends. Myself and Jayne were just like naughty school girls lol! We shared a lovely cottage in Pately Bridge near Harrogate, with the amount of time we spent at the show I don't know how we had time to socialise, but we did! wine (Every night), the pub and a lovely girly night in/ and hour at the local pub with Jayne,Therese, Gill and Angela.  It was lovely to have time with the girls but I really missed my hubby and my boys! :(

             'Jayne's work looking lovely as always www.mygorgeousangelpie.blogspot.co.uk '



I would like to well done to everyone who exhibited along side me and hope you all got great contacts. I met some great contacts and other British manufactures/ businesses.

Look out for my next post ...... Handmade Britain! or not!

Mad Hatters Tea Party!!

On my return I was asked to do the party adornments for a mad hatters tea party! The party colour theme was flamboyant Alice.
So this was what I came up with............

They were hung on cocktail filled tea pots, cups and cupcakes.....mmm! 

Home and Gift show 2012 - The build up begins!!

Well the UK's largest trade show is almost here! I was so excited to be selected to exhibit at this prestigious show in Harrogate.www.homeandgift.co.uk
 As a busy mum of three little boys, I have alot to plan before I can even leave for the show! (the usual household chores, I wont list them! There's alot!)

Now the nerves are really kicking in! and its making me think way too much!!! 

I have so many thoughts running through my head of which direction to take with my work! Is this the right time to sell British handmade products? I am hoping to get this answer by exhibiting at this massive trade show. And how many stands are actually selling a handmade product?!! This will be interesting.

As my best Friend Jayne would say "We will use this time as an adventure" and it is so lovely after all of the hard work to have the opportunity to exhibit with Friends who have the same fear and worries. It gives you a great support network in the current financial climate.

Watch this space!! x :)

The Perfect Backdrop!

I had a great opportunity of working with a very talented photographer called Ian Morrish. www.ianmorrishphotography.co.uk  
We worked on this shot on location near Church Street in Hartlepool. After a lot of looking around the North East for the perfect location to shoot my work,  we finally found it near where I lived and worked all along! We actually walked past it every day. This lovely graffiti artwork was hidden away behind a nightclub! A great backdrop top compliment my work. It show the initial basis from where this collection had grown from and I think it shows it really well!
There was four of us involved in the photo shoot, two talking to the pigeon to get him in the shot. It was very funny but once we had that pigeon he wasn't getting away!!

This is my favourite shot of the day! It show my chair really well. Well done Ian, good luck in your work. Also a big thank you to Jane and Jennie for all of your hard work in pigeon whispering lol! Couldn't have done it with out you x
The full collection will be available on my online portfolio very soon.

Queen Liz is finally stitched up!!

She really should have gone to specsavers!

After hours of hand embroidery! I have finally stitched up Queen Elizabeth II ready for her Jubilee celebrations this coming weekend! She has a screen printed dress and a beautiful embellished crown, just what ever girl needs.  As a British designer you can't really not do a little bit of something for this national celebration. Top trends at the moment is to have the British flag in EVERYTHING! and to be honest its driving me nuts and making everything look, well a bit tacky. I know this is all about Britain, but like the keep calm slogan its getting a bit over done. RANT OVER!
So I have decided to keep my drawing simple inspired by the 1950's British stamp. My embroidery is ready to be put into design development for products. I am excited to what I can develop from my embroidery piece.

'Queen Liz II' -such a hard life staring into space!

Personally, I love the contemporary style of illustration created from the random stitch!!!

'zombie nation' -hmmm! Interesting!

No rest for the wicked! Thanks for taking the time to read my blog. Design development coming soon!

Cucumber sandwiches to the ready :) Hurahhh! x

 

An Old London Bus!

I was so excited when I saw this in a traffic jam near Sunderland! I just had to take a pic to share with you!

                      'I wanna have a go!'

Great inspiration for stitching up the Queen collection.

Still Stitching up the Queen!

My Queen's Head is slowly getting there! I have added more detailing into her hair, lips and eyes. My hand embroidery is taking its time, but I am really excited about the sketch quality I am gaining from the back! I am staying Conservative on the front and develope more designs from the back to other collections.

  'Those french knots took FOREVER!'

You can see the back soon!