Yesterday..........

Last night I made a foray into the world of willow weaving thanks to a workshop run by Judith Needham at The Ashcroft Arts Centre. Described by Judith as "trying to wrestle an octopus", willow weaving does involve trying to wrangle damp willow lengths into shapes it has no desire to be in! We experimented with different ways to make hearts (the results of which are below) and I found it weirdly addictive. I'm already thinking about wrapping bits in wool and weaving feathers into the shapes. It is also tempting to sneak out in the dead of night leaving "Blair Witch"- esq effigies dangling from the trees and porches of my neighbors. Too "Wicker Man"? Perhaps......

Take a look at Judith Needham's website for images of her beautiful willow playhouses and information on willow weaving workshops. www.judithneedham.co.uk

Introducing BROKEN BIRD HOSPITAL ...

My new website and Etsy Shop are under construction as we speak and will come together under the name, "Broken Bird Hospital". Here is a little preview...........

NEW WORK FOR SALE AS LIMITED EDITION GICLEE PRINTS...

I have just realised that I failed to post any images of the new work I created in the run up to Artsmart. All of these new pieces are available to buy and can be ordered in a range of sizes. A size and price to suit all walls and wallets! All prints are released in editions of 50 so get in there quick...

As promised here are a selection of my favourite stalls from Artsmart...

Katie Spragg's beautiful jewellery really caught my eye. Made by screen printing drawings onto porcelain, Katie's pieces feature mythical beasts in sea greens and browns that evoke a vintage feel. Check out her blog to find out more..........http://katie-spragg.blogspot.com/

I'm sure anyone who visited Artsmart will remember Hiroko Matsushita's gorgeous stall "Paperholic". Which featured a range of delicate paper products including handmade crackers, cards shaped like cups of tea with biscuits and paper birds. Check out her blog or website to see her gorgeous paper cut messages displayed in gift boxes. http://hirokomatsushita.com 

http://hirokomatsushita.blogspot.com/

Lauren Mortimer's stunning pencil drawings depicting children have a lovely retro quality enhanced by her use of vintage audio visual equipment within her compositions. Lauren's illustrations are quirky and nostalgic, visiting her website is a must...www.laurenmortimer.co.uk

Kangan Arora Design produce beautifully individual textiles and signs which draw heavily on an indian design aesthetic with a distinctly modern edge. Check out her blog for the full product range and enjoy her gorgeous photographs at the same time! www.kanganarora.blogspot.com 

TODAY a million emails, a dog and a dead duck

I promise the duck died of natural causes neither Joe the dog nor I had anything to do with it. (And no, the duck is not now in my freezer). I am building up a collection of "Fallen Fauna" photos though so stay tuned for a future project.

Post Artsmart ...

So my sleep patterns have taken a hit since the Artsmart prep began, illustrated by this view from my window at 5am. I was tempted to post the pics from 2am and 3.30am too but it was dark.

Artsmart.............

So Artsmart has been and gone and hopefully everyone has a great time. The standard of work on show was fantastic. Luckily I was stuck behind my stall otherwise I'd have a house full o' stuff and zero money.

A huge thank you to everyone who came down. Meeting so many lovely people made the weekend worthwhile and the generous comments about my work were much appreciated. In the following days I'll be posting some of my favourite stalls from the show so you can check out the talent.

ARTSMART JUST 4 DAYS AWAY!!!

So now the looming shadow of Artsmart is almost upon me I thought I'd give you a little sneaky peak at the wares I will be flogging on friday and saturday. The spare bedroom has turned into a teeny suburban warehouse where the stock is being piled (literally). I will have around 15 different unique and handmade products for sale as well as a range of cards, prints, original artwork and a lucky dip! With prices starting at an incy wincy 50p there will be something to suit all purses I'm sure :)

ARTSMART TICKETS GO ON SALE! ROLL UP ROLL UP

Things are hotting up as Artsmart draws ever nearer. The tickets are now on sale so follow the link to get yours now...www.artsmartlondon.co.uk

This little snippet from the latest Artsmart bulletin will give you a little taste of what you should expect from this groundbreaking event.....


The Artsmart Market brings together 100 stalls from University of the Arts London’s rising stars offering you unrivalled access to the very best in art, design, fashion and photography. As well as emerging creative talent, we have invited some of the best artists and designers in the UK to take part. Special guest stallholders include acclaimed ceramicist Tina Tsang and trailblazing jewellery boutique Tatty Devine.Stallholders were handpicked by a panel of the industry’s finest talent spotters making Artsmart the most exciting place to discover new talent. 

Check out my invitation, I'd love to see you there!

NETLEY POLICE FAMILY DAY

So it has been all change lately but I took some time out from moving house and preparing for Artsmart (more about that shortly!) to tout my wares at the Netley Police Family Day. It was a great event packed with police related activities, carnival games, hogs roasts, the outstanding Hampshire Constabulary Band and of course Arts and Crafts.

I did have a mishap, smashing one of my framed pieces to bits accidently but the day went well and a good time was had by all!