Tuesday 24 May 2011

15 days to go!

Trying not to panic! The gazebo should arrive any day now, and cards (greetings and business variety) are on order. Just got to make more stuff to sell! The driftwood cottage with washing line created a lot of positive interest on my Facebook page, so I want to make a couple more like it.
Bye for now!

Saturday 21 May 2011

A quick hello!

Just touching base to say Hi and give you the lastest! I'm so sorry if I haven't got around in blogland much recently - I promise I will catch up properly after the Royal Cornwall Show.

Anyway I've been stitching some more pictures to sell....


I sewed some glass beads on for this handsome fellow's 'crown'...

I seem to have accumulated polka dot cotton in every single colour!

Any stitchings that didn't make the grade or were too small for the frames have been made into one-off cards.

I just collected some work from the framers: above is my latest collage...

...and finally - remember these? I got them framed at long last! And pretty pleased how they turned out too!
Have a fab weekend one and all!

Monday 16 May 2011

Royal Cornwall Show

Happy Monday everyone! The Royal Cornwall Show is only a few weeks away, and I'm desperately trying to make loads to sell on my stall there! This is the biggest fair I've ever been a part of: it's a 3-day event, and I have no idea how much stock I'll need! What if I sell out of everything on the first day? Or even worse, don't sell anything at all?!
I'll be offering a range of goodies: some driftwood boats and cottages, my collages (hopefully in card/print form as well as the framed originals) and some textile pieces too - might as well try and appeal to as many customers as possible!

So I've been busy making love birds...

in some new colours...
No two will be the same!

Which is your favourite pair?

I've also been experimenting with a bit of freestyle stitching...

Thought that subject matter like this may go down well!

They will be framed and displayed with similar stitched pieces.

This is my favourite so far.
Gotta go and make some more! Have a fab week y'all!

Friday 13 May 2011

Fowey Collage

A nice little commission I've completed this week. It may not be instantly recognisable as Fowey, though the letters on the boat give it away...

I love all the roof tops - though it was one of my more fiddly collages (it measures about 30cm x 23cm). Off to the framers now!
Hope you all have a most excellent weekend!

Monday 9 May 2011

Happy Birthday Mum!

Hello everyone, just a flying visit today - to wish my mum a very Happy Birthday!

Here's her present....



....and matching card....

...and here is the masterpiece that Herbie created. Amazing what you can do with a few scraps of Easter Egg foil - and keeping up with the whole recycling thing!

My parents live about an hour away from us - we had a big family get-together there yesterday and had great fun looking through some old photographs. I sneaked this one in my bag (she'll probably kill me for sharing it on here!) showing my mum (right) with her sister.

Don't they look fantastic?!

Saturday 7 May 2011

I want to ride my bicycle!

At some point, most designers/artists/crafters will get a special request for something that pushes them way out of their comfort zone. This happened to me this week when a friend of mine asked for a freestyle stitched piece for her husband - a cycling fanatic!

This was the photo she gave me to work from - I gotta tell you, I wasn't inspired!

But actually, once I'd got started, I quite enjoyed doing it! I drew a rough outline on the fabric first, and despite being very out of practice, it turned out ok!

I'd run out of black thread, so I started with grey -with a bit of silver thread for the chain...

It wasn't bold enough in grey though, so I went over the main parts with some new black thread

And added a few finishing touches, like these steel cog washers...

And of course, a bit of polka dot (I can never resist!!)
Hope he likes it!

Tuesday 3 May 2011

Remember me?

Hello lovely neglected readers! So sorry I've been away from the beach hut for such a long time! I always worry when I haven't written a post for a while, but I guess with the school holidays, Easter and 4 Bank Holidays recently, I'm not the only one who has put blogging on the back burner! I'll quickly give you a run-down of what's been happening round here...

I've been making a lot of cottages, and boats - mostly for the Homespun Fair, which as usual was a roaring success!
This one was a special order for Gertie...

Here's a photo of my stand. I didn't take many photos (always forget!) but you can see plenty on the Homespun blog...

I had to share this one with you though - it was a delight to meet Sarah of The Salvaged Tea Party! You can view her hand customised vintage ceramics here.

It's been ace spending a lot of time with the family - these photos were taken at Bone Hill on Dartmoor, which is looking so lush and green at the moment!


And finally, I'm dead chuffed to tell you that one of my textile sculptures is featured in this beautiful Australian online magazine!


(It's these little guys) It's a gorgeous read, full of stunning photographs and images - and this issue has an emphasis on boys, so those with sons get over here and have a look!
Well, there you go! Up to date for now, I will be back soon, I promise!
Have a good week guys xx