my new glasses (and me)

new designers = new rings

i succumbed to temptation and decided to treat myself (again), i did so the whole time i was in london, i like to make the most of it... so this is one of my purchases, a ring (the one on the right) from the (jewellery) collection i liked best in the whole show , by jenni sleigh, whose work was delicious... o almost forgot... i actually bought 2, the second ring (not pictured) is called 'shopper' and is equally as fabulous!

tears and tiara's

here's my most recent work, my entry for the hand and lock competition...up to date news is...i didn't get through. never mind i shall put it on the cover of Italian Vogue (JOKE!!!!)
thanks to Vicky for taking the photo's, Tim for setting up the studio, Laura my daughter for modelling, Lucy her twin for artistic commentary during the photoshoot, Catherine for making me pose like an idiot and not least Stephen and Carol for all the drama and help with the dress and everyone else who kept me going !
(more here)

designed and made

today i will be invigilating at the designed and made gallery (above live theatre, broad chare, quayside, newcastle), if you're passing... please come visit.
(work pictured by Ali Rhind).
am intending to update this blog a little more after the demise of my other so keep checking back for news... am incredibly busy at the moment , desperately trying to pull something together for the hand and lock competition; deadline is the end of the week... in my defence i only started a couple of weeks ago (2) and lets say i have perhaps been a little over ambitious. or...is there such a thing?

the SHOW

if you can't make it, this is what it looks like...if you did make it...thank you for the fabulous comments in my book, if you are going to make it...please leave fabulous comments in my book! x

on show...

i am interloping (?) the textiles and surface design degree show...with a few select pieces if you wish to see them in real life... the art gallery, church square, hartlepool...oh and the students stuff is fabulous...
and make sure you pop into the college to see the applied arts show (amongst others...loads to see!)

final...ly

...the dress...

how gorgeous is this?

recieved in the post this morning...the catalogue for a new exhibition that i have a piece in...it's beautiful; heavyweight watercolour-ish card stock in a delicious shade of pink, (with complicated folded inside pages) also a clever rubber wristband fastening reflecting the title/meaning of the exhibition...book artists delight...go to the exhibition if you can. details here.

gross

i saw a seagull eating a dead pigeon on my way home today.

foundling out...

i have come to the conclusion that although i have 3 pieces either unresolved or not even started for my foundling collection, it has come to its natural end, i must move on now...having done 2 'talks' on the collection i feel i have met my own brief which called for an emotional response from the 'audience'...therefore i am putting it in writing that the dress shall be finished by midnight tonight...it shall be entitled, 'i know it needs more embroidery'...so an image will be posted at some point this week and we can all put it to bed... i will leave you today with another inspirational photograph of my wall...(chair poster with original, authentic graffiti, from a street in barcelona, circa 2003...)

christmas cake

i actually got round to making it today. it is really horrible.

an irish observation...

this is another foundling piece, finished...it is entitled
... 'a white butterfly is said to be the soul of a dead child'
more images on my website; gallery 4.

visual stimulation

things with wings mostly, it seems.

finished!

the installation is complete...the shop counter is in place...and i think i have finished my studio spring clean... i was tempted to go to laura ashley for a roll of delicious wallpaper to line the drawers but i managed to save myself £26 and an hour or so by utilising an upholstery sample book i have been keeping, and after all you can only get a glimpse of it anyway now it's full of 'stuff'!

five days

i have spent the last 5 days...yes, 5 days, vamping my studio, 3 days longer than expected...all that tidying, sorting, cleaning...but i feel good! well i will after i have unscrewed the VERY neat threads from the wall and shifted a whole area of stuff to the other side of the room in order to be able to install my vintage shop counter...a little advice one should always follow...MEASURE FIRST!

progress in progress

this is approximately 10 hours of embroidery and a tiny part of the intention...it does not help that i need pliers to pull the needle through the fabric each and every stitch...i still can't decide if it is worth it...

new blog

vintage finds: 'du jour'

• objet trouve: daily

charm...ing

during the course i went on i made a couple of pieces to adorn the garments produced for my foundling work which is rapidly coming to an end; ...real silver and a real good time.

vintage lifestyle

inspired by my previous post, a recent purchase (!) and all the lifestyle blogs i have become addicted to, i have decided to set up a new blog with daily (this may be a little ambitious) postings of visual vintage treats, name/title suggestions welcomed!
today's treasure i picked up on my way through Manchester on Monday for only £3; an addition to my collection of embossing presses...isn't it sweet

rescued...

a new aquisition...a seating arrangement for my hall, a place to throw school bags and shoes at the end of a busy day...it works too...i must collect some old ladies...

blog hopping

i get lost in inspirational blogs!
hi to my new followers! Polly - check out www.lillarogers.com...

am still waiting for a date for my AA2A/ foundling exhibition...i need a deadline! i need closure!... have already got loads of idea's for my next collection, well actually the one after the next! what i need to do next does not inspire me that much but it shall be a challenge, and hopefully worth doing...still continuing my purses throughout though.

i am going away on a little course next week, am so looking forward to it... 3 days and 2 whole nights away with all meals included and a little bit of craft on the side! hopefully i will come back with some little treasures! (...and i don't mean babies!)

x

today...

the designers market place yesterday was a great day out...for spending every penny i earned on other peoples stuff! saying that i now have a vintage antony & alison handbag and also came away with a little silk scarf, some nicola parkin cards (fabulous) and some great nude magazines! a few less jewellery pieces, french man badges and cards of my own...it was a very sociable day with lots of lovely comments...thanks!
today i intend to relax but that shall include preparing for tomorrow...my last day as an aa2a artist and so much left to do
x

tomorrow...

...i shall be at the Designers Marketplace at Northumbria University Students Union with a few select items for your perusal...
see you there!

another 6 hours...

... i have spent on this dress... a grand total so far of approximately 24...and more than that to go, i have not even finished the machine embroidery then it's the hand embroidery, i am liking it more but not yet enough...wish me luck!

blues

i am working on the 'dress'...seem to be getting nowhere fast...i am sure it shall not be ready, it requires many many hours of embroidery... i am tempted to leave it until last, get all my other pieces finished off and framed/mounted so i can spend whatever time is remaining on this 'large' project...the chanel haute couture team can do it, i should be able to!