Merry Christmas

Well I guess this will be my last blog before Christmas now. This design sold last year so may be in the shops somewhere in the USA now. (copyright to the buyer) We are off to see the wizard, the wonderful wizard of Oz at the theatre today, then to my Dads for a family Christmas. Merry Christmas everyone...see you in the new yearxx

Lara Sparks embroidery

My dear friend Lara; a very talented embroidery designer, has just launched her own website. She made this sweet cushion for my studio door! Go and have a peek at her gorgeous work.

The water signs

These are the next 3 star signs for my istock collection....the water signs. Pisces was the first one I drew using the mermaid plate I uploaded the other day for reference.

Christmas fairy

I made this finger puppet fairy for a friends little girl. I think she looks suitably festive next to our Christmas tree here : ) My own girls always ask if I'm making them something, and its usually, "no this is a present for someone!!" So I really must make them something each, and I have some ideas, as I want to make them cute key rings for their school book bags. I've already ordered the silver key rings, which I found on ebay, so now it just the making and sewing part.

Bird in the studio

With my fondness of all things birdy being well known, this graceful enamel swallow is now flying above me in the studio..... thank you Rach!

Mermaid inspiration

Here's is the Poole pottery dish by Robert Jefferson, as promised. My hubby is a great collector of ceramics so he has to take the credit for this find! Often I despair when a parcel arrives from ebay, but he did well with this one! I just love the simplicity and linear of this fab design. The mermaid face and hair inspired me for a Pisces, so that was my starting point. I have to work on some textiles today so will get back to this project tomorrow.

Earth signs

Ive been inspired by a Robert Jefferson design for these star sign girls.. Jefferson was a pottery designer who worked for Poole pottery, I will post a photo of it tomorrow. I'm going to upload 4 groups of 3 to istock, starting with this; the earth signs, then fire, water and air.....watch this space!

Christmas butterfly

I made this little butterfly to hang wherever you please. I used some felt and vintage silk and lace with old and new buttons and beads. When I was living in Brooklyn years ago, a textile designer friend of mine inherited a big bag full of vintage beads and sequins, they had belonged to a costume designer who no longer used them. She gave me a good few of them and I still use them to this day.

Birdsong

Yeah I know I love birdies, they are just so cute. We had a fox in our garden today, he was so tame, he curled up to sleep underneath the trampoline, then when he saw us watching him he yawned, stretched and casually strolled into next doors garden!

More Christmas designs

I decided to upload this Christmas design to istock, so we shall see if it gets accepted! I've been madly printing out Xmas cards today as have some orders which is good! Haven't been able to do anything too much as my youngest daughter is off school, so being an attentive Mum is top job today.

I've been making some little purses for Louisa's friends as birthday pressies, using old designs. It's so much nicer than buying a hunk of plastic, but of course it had to be pink for 4yr old girls!

Baubles!

Here's my next Christmas card; baubles! I managed to work out how to put the photo links on the side of my blog too. Blogger is just soooo fantastic, it does everything you could possibly want!

Etsy news

After mentioning yesterday that I may list some of my cards on Etsy, I decided to go ahead and do so... I'm selling them in bundles of 5 and you can choose your own wording on the front if you want. I want to get a photo link list on the side of my blog........not sure how to do this yet!!

Christmas Cards

Today Ive been designing some Christmas cards, which I'm going to be selling on a site called Photobox. Obviously they take a massive cut!!! But then I don't have to print out or send off to people! I also will still hold the copyright to all images, so can always print and sell them in my etsy shop or send them to friends. These 2 designs are the start of a group of 4.

Bag holder

Hello readers, I salute anyone who keeps up their blog as well as everything else we all have to do at this time of year! I have been very busy doing commission work, which I can't blog about, except to say Ive been designing some boys wear textiles for a clothing company, which has been really good fun to do!
Also in the past few weeks I managed to finish off the bag holder for my brothers girlfriend. She wanted a bag to hold plastic bags, and even did a sketch of how she wanted it, so here's the result! In true kitty stitch recycled style, I used a skirt I had in the studio to make it with.
Ive started making some Christmas pressies, but can't even post pictures of those at the moment either, without spoiling any surprizes!!

The case of the dodgy monitor

A week or so ago I was browsing around blogs as you do, and checked out how about orange, a fab design blog. Jess had featured this fab hue test, which I proceeded to do. If you want to try it, you MUST click here. My first score was a dire 27. I couldn't believe it!! Then I thought, hold on, I cant be that bad at my job!! So I decided it was time to buy a new monitor(a bad work person must blame her tools right!). Mine was 6yrs old after all. After some research I decided on a 20"Samsung. Now here I am looking lovingly at it after my wonderful hubby bought it home for me the other day!! Ive just redone the test and improved to a 7! Yippee theres hope for me yet!

Freecycle

I know I usually blog about design, but this is really great: Freecycle is a fantastic Eco friendly idea, and I joined today. You have to follow the link and find a recycling group in your area. Then you can offer or request anything you want, within reason (it actually states you can't put your kids on!) Then off you go, clear out the loft, put something on that you were going to take to the dump and someone else may want it. It all helps reduce land- fill!
Oh and this is my orange butterfly brooch that is nothing to do with freecycle!

My journal day!

Yesterday I was inspired by blusheds journal day, so here's mine today, it will be my longest post ever!
Started by taking the girls to school in the freezing rain, but every cloud has a silver lining, and ours was a lovely rainbow arching into the sea!Took a photo of this gorgeous leaf that a girl in the village gave to me. Lovely colour. Checked out some blogs and had a cuppa tea! Inspired by Robins orange post so here's one of her cards with some of my grans orange fabric from the 1970s!Did some drawings for my new design and started it in illustrator. My brother rang for chat and then I went onto lynda.com to check out some techniques. I learnt how to make my own art brush! Then had to run to fetch my youngest who finishes school at lunchtimes until Xmas. (not alot of quality design time then!)After lunch Louisa hijacked my computer, so I made a start on a bag for my brothers girlfriend. As it turned into such a lovely afternoon we went down to the village for a wander before picking up Ruby. We went by the pond....okay so I did that especially so I could put our pretty little village pond on my blog!!
We popped into the local museum garden and found some great sculptures by a local artist Marion Briggs. Next stop to pick up Ruby and then off home, where....................... I'm now finishing my blog and will then proceed to make the dinner and all of that kind of palava that you have to get on with. I can actually see why I dont get much done now!

Birdy card

I have lots of old designs stacked up in my studio, as these days I have to print them out for myself to actually see, then I just send them off into cyberspace, to my agent. I used to have to print them out and then post them in the mail, and before that it was a case of painting by hand..oh for those days eh! I loved sitting painting all day!! I still like to draw in my sketch book, but I miss using a proper brush.
Anyway, this has turned into a rant about the good old days, must be getting old! The point is that old print-outs make great appliques, a good way to recycle your work too!

Robin the fabulous!

My rainy day was brightened up considerably when some gorgeous cards arrived in the post from Robin Zingone. What a star she is, I was one of the lucky winners of her blog competition, all I did was leave a comment and next thing I know some lovely inspirational cards arrive here in Blighty. I love Robins style, its quirky, bold and her characters are so full of life.... her colour combinations are zesty and delicious! Definitely worth checking out her blog...thank you Robin!

Lets Chat!

Here's one of my newest istock drawings, which had its first download yesterday. I love doing these quirky linear animals and want to do more on this theme. Think Animal Farm! Think Babe!

Floral Jug

I picked this sweet jug up at our local charity shop. I love the floral and the way it looks as though its been screen printed onto the glass ...very pretty.

Happy Birthday Ruby!

Yes its Ruby's birthday today, so I have loads to organize for a 7 year olds party this afternoon. Why then am I posting photos of my new phone jumper that I knitted last night!? Hmm.. good question...I cant answer it right now, I have tooooooo much to do! Happy birthday Ruby!

Talented Ant B

Did I ever mention my lovely brother Anthony? Well he helped me set up my design website, which took him alot of time, so thank you so much for that Ant! He also happens to be a talented photographer, and just all round fab brother. Have a peek at his work on istock and hire him too for weddings or any kind photography you want! Heres a few of my favourite images from his current collection.

Kitchen love

I love taking inspiration from everyday objects. Wooden spoons, pots and herbs were the starting point for this design. (copyright to the buyer) It has an autumn/winter feel about it....actually a bit like England at the moment! Click on the design to see it bigger...

Red fish circle

I recently met in the land of blog, a lovely designer/illustrator called Amy Schimler. You can see her work on her blog Red fish circle . The funniest thing is we discovered that we share the same textile design agent....its a very small world! Here is an example of some of Amys' work, which is fun, illustrative and has great detail. I especially love her prints which she sells on etsy.

Mr Moose in the hoose.

Heres a little fellow I designed for boyswear. This one sold somewhere in the USA. (copyright is with the buyer). I really over-work my printer when I make designs like this, as I put the fabric right through it....its not colour fast ..but as a one off sample thats ok.

Little Birdie

This birdie is flying over to a birthday party today so she can hang out in a certain litle 1yr olds room! Ruby came up with the idea to make her a 'hanging birdie' which I thought was very clever!

Book cover illustration

Browsing charity shops on holiday I found this wonderful book cover. I can't seem to find any information on the illustrator: Sally Egan, but her style is very familiar to me. Ive googled her with no luck. I love the linear aspect of her work, with simple colour to offset it.

jugs and mugs

Having the girls with me all day for the summer hols is great......until I want to do some designs, then its frustrating for me!! Ive done some istock drawings today, in between taking the girls out on their scooters and all the other mummy things us mothers have to do! I have been inspired by my collection of jugs, and old cups that we have around the place. I wanted to really simplify this too, hence the linear pattern version. Will have to wait to see if they get approved by istock now. (I had to wait for hubby to get home before I could even finish these, so fear not the girls arent totally neglected by me!!)

Back home!

We're back from our lovely holiday in Cornwall...if you don't like rainy days on a caravan site, this one wont be for you!! We did have some beautiful days too, but the Cornish coast is wild and changeable. This dramatic beach photo sums it up. We clambered down some steps carved into the cliff to get to this lovely beach at Gwiththian ...the girls loved the rock pools here and I found some stripey stones, which are my favourite for inspiration.

Away on holiday!

Cute fall animals

Heres my latest istock illustration. Im working for autumn/winter 09 at the moment for my textile design work, so this follows that theme. Is there a frog with a tongue like that? It may be a lizard, but nevermind, he looks happy enough!

Pottery

Every now and then a brown cardboard box pops through our door, and being addressed to my husband, I know hes got something from ebay! Here is the latest Poole pottery find of his, which I actually quite like! He loves to collect Poole and his other favourite is Troika.

Mrs eliots books

I love tea cups and tea pots and wanted to share a favourite artist of mine: mrs eliot aka Francesca Lannacone. Shes a London based artist who works in mixed media making little books as art works. Her lines are so pure and her work has an effortless quality to it. Very inspiring.