Hand painted ceramics

 

I have painted some new ceramics this week getting ready for Paper Scissors Stone, a Bristol based shop that brilliantly showcases local talent. It’s Easter holidays so I am working in the evenings, cups and saucers and large serving plates so far. I’ve had to ask the children for a ten minute break to write this post and clear my head before I take nine 12-year-old girls to a laser fusion birthday party and then back home for an overnight!! just writing about it makes me want to lie down and breath into a paper bag!!! But it is a beautiful sunny day so all is well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Drawings from the magic garden

 

My lovely little girl was 12 today, she opened her present’s, we ate cake and had a slow easy day, she is having a big party with friends on Wednesday. This afternoon we watched movies and ate popcorn and I finished off these magic garden drawings. Pencil and pen on black card. It’s hard to believe my baby is so grown up. Happy holidays everyone.

 

 

 

Large Oshi doll, kittens and puppies

New large Oshi doll, she is slightly smaller than a Molly Dolly and is for display. Her clothes are fixed and decorated with hand embroidery, beads, silk and felt flowers. Her body and hair are linen, her dress is raw edged cotton and muslin. Below you can see her sitting with a little Oshi bunny and some new puppies and kittens made from linen and silk. Inspiration comes from Japanese kokoshi dolls, wooden peg dolls and primitive cloth dolls. 

 

 

 

 

 

Selvedge Spring Fair

 

 

Sadie and I travelled to London last weekend to take part in The Selvedge Spring Fair and despite the miserable cold weather we had a lovely time. I was pleased with my table display, the coloured boxes worked well I think. We met lots of lovely people but as usual didn’t get much time to look around, I had wanted to photograph some of the lovely stalls but ran out of time and energy, the link will show you all the other talented exhibitors. And we are straight into the Easter holidays!

Selvedge Spring Fair

I am working away furiously preparing for the Selvedge Spring Fair this coming weekend, there is so much to do although with each fair I think I am becoming more streamlined with my preparations. I still haven’t found an easily portable solution to my table display, I don’t drive so travel by train with a suitcase, this does limit my options. Below you can see my work table as it looks today, I am experimenting with these lovely colourful boxes to display my work and am pleased with the overall look. The little linen dolls are the first in my new range called ‘Little Oshi’ dolls, they are inspired by Japanese kokoshi dolls, wooden peg dolls and primitive rag dolls and are the perfect size for craft fairs. I will try to remember to take plenty of photos this weekend and report back as there are going to be many talented artists and makers at this event. Have a lovely weekend and beginning to the Easter holidays and of course if you are in London come and say hello!

 

Drawing

 

 

So I just had my weekend without the children, I always miss them terribly but really really enjoy the break!! I like to watch movies whilst I work. I loved watching Wes Anderson’s ‘The life Aquatic with Steve Zissou’ whilst I finished of these drawings for new small art brooches. I am insanely busy again getting ready for the Selvedge spring fair in London  on the 22 & 23 March and Paper Scissors Stone in Bristol starting mid April. Also some images of new brooches completed and available in my shop now as well as lots of new small art necklaces.

 

 

 

 

 

Happy valentine

 

I am working with clay this week as the children are at home and it’s easier to work on a smaller scale, I’ve also got pages of sketches that have waited to be transformed into little clay creatures. These are an extension of the shrink plastic and painted paper clay jewellery that I am working on as well. I have some lovely polymer clay colours that I wanted to work with, I didn’t want to use paint and am experimenting with drawn features. Above is a little valentine love bug. Below are some of the first little characters I made, love bugs, an easter bunny bunbun, a scarlet house mouse and Burgers a moose mouse.

 

 

 

I have also made some magic bean necklaces below, the last image is a close up of Burgers the moose mouse.

 

 

A Dachshund called Gus

 

Today a little Dachshund called Gus has arrived in my shop, he is made from black linen, wool felt and velveteen. Finished off with a dashing red leather collar and cool plastic bead necklace.

 

 

A Fox

This lovely fox joins the white puppy and little rainbow pony in my shop today. She is made from linen with lovely details including a wool felt collar with a bell and beautiful sea green recycled glass bead. I am loving these new animal dolls! it is a lot of fun adding all the little details. Watch this space as more animals are on their way!

 

 

My 2013 so far

I’ve ignored my blog for a while!! not intentionally, I have just been so busy through January. So here is some of what I have done, lots of new designs  and ideas on the work table with some older designs reinstated with a few little improvements. Above is a mini rainbow pony and mini molly dolly bear, below are some knitted pocket animals, I used to make these a couple of years ago and have waited for an opportunity to revise the pattern and add them to my shop.

Above is a lovely new Molly Dolly with a linen and Liberty tana lawn dress and little felt fox purse. Below are a couple of new yoyo baby dolls available here. And a lovely Molly Dolly mouse in knitted pants and vintage cotton top.

The white linen puppy and rainbow pony were just completed today and will be in my Etsy shop soon. I love adding just enough kitsch details, like flourescent bling, rainbow hair and cartoon like features to contrast nicely with the linen, hand stitching and vintage cloths. I’m also working up a lot of jewellery samples, some painted clay, some shrink plastic drawings and some leather and cloth wrist bands. The last couple of photos show me half way through sorting out my workspace, with Ikea shelves and boxes, still a lot to do but it’s looking better organised already! so I hope your new year has got off to a swinging start as well, I’ve got to get back to work now, see you soon.