Adventures in Laser Cutting

Something very exciting happened at my work this year…we got a laser cutter!  I love laser cut products and have been a fan of the detail and professional quality you can achieve from using a laser cutter.  It has been great fun learning how to use this shiny new piece of kit and exploring the creative possibilities it has to offer to our students.  It arrived in time for some Christmas gift making totally essential practice, which was a bonus too!

Necklace for me ;-)

Whale necklace combining different coloured and transparent acrylic

I was so excited I kind of went crazy ordering myself bright and shiny acrylic in all the colours of the rainbow to have a play around.  I love anything that can be personalised and also love the look of in your face acrylic jewellery.  Here are some of the results of my experimenting.  

It has been great for me to develop my Adobe Illustrator skills and also make me think about drawing becoming products or more 3D.  I would like to develop some statement pieces that are more sculptural.  I also like the idea of exploring layering and combing different materials.  I can’t wait to try out some different things.

Handmade Gifts

Cuddle Kitty

I love to when possible make handmade gifts for people.  I like the idea of being able to create something with that person in mind as well as having a reason to make and get creative.  I love to make things for children the best.  I like trying to match an idea to a little person’s personality and the love the idea that something can be adapted and personalised.  Here are a few images of some gifts I have made over the past couple of years.

Super Finn

Ballet Bags

Crayon and Sketchbook Rolls

Crayon and Sketchbook Rolls

My Finished Umbrella Prints Entry

This bank holiday weekend was the perfect opportunity for me to finish off my entry for the Umbrella Prints 2016 Trimmings Challenge.  I still had to add my hand stitch detail, which for me is totally like adding the sprinkles to cake you have baked.

My "Little Helper" insisted on sitting on my knee while I worked!

Once I was happy with my piece it was time to fame it and photograph.  I think the Mountain Girl fabrics look fab against the green walls in my house; I'm obviously drawn to those colours.  Here is my finish entry, I'm pretty pleased with the results but am more happy that this challenge has inspired me to start creating again.  I feel like I am motivated to put myself out there and make new work and just enjoy the process of creating without worrying about who or what I'm making for.

  

My Finished Entry #umbrellaprintstrimmingschallenge  

All that's left to do now is to email my entry and keep my fingers and toes crossed!

Framed design in my dining room

Close up detail - Poodle

Close up detail - Pug

Close up detail showing hand stitch 

Close up detail showing hand stitch 

Umbrella Prints Trimmings Challenge 2016..

Trimmings Challenge 2016 from Umbrella Prints - Picture from www.umbrellaprints.com.au

I thought I would let you all know what I am currently working on.  We decided at work to run the Umbrella Prints Trimmings Challenge 2016 as a live project with our level 3 year 1 students.  As staff we have followed previous years competitions and admired the creative responses to the challenge of creating something from a pack of trimmings. Of course not wanting to miss out on the fun the staff decided to join in too.  The trimmings packs are available in 6 different colour ways.  I chose the Mountain Girl Pack.

6 Different Trimmings Packs to Choose From - Pictures from www.umbrellaprints.com.au

I Chose The Mountain Girl Trimmings Pack - Picture from www.umbrellaprints.com.au

I decided to create a piece based on some dog illustrations I had done some work on a few years back.  I decided to combine appliqué with screen printing.  Here are some images of my work in progress just after I had screen printed the line on top of the appliquéd fabrics.  I still need to add some hand stitch and work out how to mount it and then photograph my entry.  Watch this space for updates and my final challenge entry.

Appliquéd Dogs with a Screen Printed Line

Close Up Detail

Drawing on Ceramics...

Marabu Porcelain Painter Pens & Plain White Ceramics

My First Creation 

One of the things I had a little go of a while back was drawing onto ceramics using.  I was inspired by a trip to Homesense where I discovered these beautiful Sagaform Carafes which were crying out to be turned into people!  I bought the ceramics first and then went to Hobbycraft in search of ceramic markers.  I bought a selection of Marabu Porcelain Painter Pens and these are some of the results.  The pens are brilliant you can doodle away on the item of your choice and then simply cure the design in your oven.

A Circus Inspired Plate

Feed Me I'm Hungry

After posting my samples online I was lucky enough to be contacted to create some commissioned pieces.  I created an RAF inspired carafe and illustrated a plate for a fireman retiring from the fire service (not pictured).  I definitely want to explore using these pens to doodle on things in the future.

An RAF Inspired Commissioned Carafe 

An RAF Inspired Commissioned Carafe 

Teacup 

Playing Around With Hand Lettering & Quotes

fancy a cake pop?

Did you know I love to bake?  I got this beauty below the Christmas before last and I don't think there has been a week that has gone by where I've not used it.  Invite me to your house and I wont be bringing flowers I prefer to say it with baked goods.

This week I was tasked with making 80 cake pops for a birthday celebration.  I made chocolate cake with vanilla frosting covered in white chocolate and decorated with black and orange edible pearls.

If you've ever wondered what 80 cake pops look like then this is it!  I hope they go down a treat I was very tempted to eat one but didn't make any extras.

a sneaky peak...

I've got lots of top secret projects on the go at the moment which proves a little tricky when it comes to the world of blogging. 

Tonight I have been whipping up custom travel journal for a birthday gift for a friend of mine who is going on a lovely little trip with her hubby for her 50th birthday this weekend.  I also made a never been seen before 50 things to do before 60. 

As for the rest of what I'm up to well that's just too top secret to share at the moment.  Watch this space as I will be taking lots of bad photographs photographs to share here once it's safe.

Since we last spoke...

So I know I'm supposed to be blogging on a regular basis in line with my resolution but I've been kinda busy...

Making work for my first craft fair has been really hard as I am starting from scratch, building up a stock of products to sell.  I am using this as a testing the water exercise so am trying to make lots of different types of things.  I have been sewing, printing, cutting and sticking like a crazy lady!  It's been the last thing I've thought about before going to sleep and the first thing I've thought about when I wake up but I've really enjoyed myself and surprised myself as to what I've achieved.

I need to make sure I am making time to document my journey through this blog and learn to take more pictures, using a real camera not just my iphone!  Finding a balance between making and blogging will be a struggle for me but I'm determined to get there so watch this space...

2013 the year for change...

My new years resolutions for the past few years have been the same

1. Start blogging
2. Make and sell my work

I have failed miserably every year probably for fear of failure but this year things are going to be different! 2013 is the year for change and generally making it happen!  I truly believe I'm going to come out of this year a very different person, almost unrecognisable (in a good way).  So this is it I am frantically making stock to sell at a craft fair and online and blogging about it as we speak.  All I have to do is sell some work and keep up the momentum and my resolutions will have been achieved.  What do you want to make happen in 2013?  Come on lets all do it together and take over the world!

a sneaky peek at what I'm up to