I totally didn't realise for ages...but look!
http://teaandwhimsy.blogspot.com/2009/04/whimsical-wedding-inspiration-by.html
This lady contacted me last year re: some of my photos and I'd completely forgotten about her blog!
So nice to read the kind comments on there :)

Something

Ok so here are some drawings I've been working on...theyre all works in progress because I have NO TIME at the moment to finish them! I wish someone could just pay me to draw and drink tea.

I also reaaaally want someone to show me how to make them digital, as I'm totally old school and only do things by hand. Help?

 

This last one is a card I painted for Mum for Mothers day, I need to get it back off her so I can scan it in and play around with it!

The rest are trying to be a continuation of my degree work, but with less of a fine art slant and less provocative (I used to draw genitalia flowers. Not very commercial.)

So as you can see I'm trying to force myself to draw and paint things in my spare time. I have SO many ideas and not enough hours in the day. Its all a bit difficult at the moment, with having to move house, do my PTLLS coursework, volunteer, apply for jobs, figure out how to get some money from somewhere, working random bar shifts, trying to network, attend workshops, plan the summer exhibition, apply for funding for the craftshare, etc etc. Yeah. It's all a little bit hectic. I'm hoping something will finally give.

Slackerrrrrrrrr!

Ok so I havent posted for TIIIIME! Since being made redundant from my lovely job at Urbis I've been volunteering my lily white ass off for Venture Arts, Sale High School in the day and working at Zion Arts in the evenings. It's been brilliant and I've met so many good (almost golden) eggs! The kids at Sale are brilliant and challenging but I wouldnt want it to be any other way.

Oh and I've also been trying to complete the 30 days of cycling...check out the site We ride our bikes. Every. Friggin. Day And in my interweb travels I also found these beautiful shops Bobbin Bicycles which is great for funky accessories, probably more as a treat if you're feeling flush, although they have some awesome panniers for around £30! London Cycle Chic is also good for a little browse/perve! I also stumbled across this lady's beautiful cycling blog (plus amazing cycling outfits! Let's Go Ride A Bike As you can probably tell, since the turn of BST I've gone a bit cycling mad! As a treat for all my hard *unpaid* work I treated myself to these beautiful cycling shoes from Vagabond!

As I've had the two weeks of Easter off to recuperate from the madness, I went home to see the rents and fatten myself up a bit and catch up with the fammo. Which included a all you can eat Indian buffet! NOM!
I've not been very focused art or craft wise lately; I've made so many pairs of earrings but no one seems to want to buy them! I admit I do need to add more things to the Etsy page, funk it up a bit, and stop buying vintage things just for myself... I did get an amazing Squirrel jumper though!
I have been drawing while I've been working the bar (hey, it was quiet, I was bored.) I'll upload a scan when it's ready!
In the meantime check out the amazing stuff on Neet Magazine's Blog it has everything a girl could desire!

Redundant but not unoccupied

So I'm officially jobless, but loving it. Been busy helping out at VA, Zion Arts Centre, and slowly starting to upload more things onto my Etsy page!
I will be adding vintage items, and once I've found amazing fabric will start to work my way into handmade clothing. Will be scouring the local charity shops and car boot sales with K and A this weekend to look for vintage clothes that I can rework. Also hopefully on a more fine art angle, I will try to start drawing again! Arrrrgh!

But in the meantime listen to the new Joanna Newsom album, which is tickling my earbuds (?) as I type! Breathtaking...

Robin Hood Tax

So while I've been busy (ish) netting I came across this:

What a bloody brilliant idea! I suggest you sign their petition right now which you can find here!

Wheeey!

Sold my first Etsy item already, and loaded up one more through excitement! (Should be asleep...)

Yeah!

Finally for the first item up for sale on the etsy page! Czech it out: here!
Downloaded GIMP image editor because my lame-ass laptop can't cope with Photoshop and it seems to be pretty good for a free software - I do recommend it if you can't 'afford' Photoshop. You can find it here. I edited the logo on it, after monoprinting some sketches a few weeks ago. More mono on the way!
I finish my job on Saturday so hopefully should have a lot more time to craft my bitch up. Getting home at 7 really buggers up your evenings, especially as I cycle and often get home damp & starvated.

Time to watch a bit of Frankie Boyle. A daily dose of cynicism to keep me sane. Meanwhile check out these amazing posters at Poster Cabaret, I want to buy every single one!

Printy printy!

 

Action Stations!

So...still haven't managed to put any pics of my earrings up on Etsy yet, it started snowing and the light is TERRIBLE! Managed to start drawing out some ideas for a logo though (as you can see above, I've been getting printy printy!) Me and Wilse are going with a simple strawberry design, and will hopefully have it done by the weekend!

Managed to sort loads of things out though, got rid of loads of stuff out of the basement on Manchester Freecycle - a lovely lass by the name of Rachael Willis came over to pick up an old beanbag for craft projects, and some lads came over for some random vinyl posters that were sat in the basement for months who are going to make them into wallets! It's so nice to see everyones recycling and crafting :) Also popped into Hope Direct again and got loads of vintage-y frames for drawings, and some red Converse for £2! Bargain!

I'm also starting to do some monoprinting under the influence of Wilson...it's really fun and you get lovely effects. I'm using a lot of the motifs I drew in my first year, inspired by organic forms/doileys/erotica. Will try to keep it up, as I have always thought it could have some longevity. I want to merge them in with more folk inspired patterns, and incorporate a bit more watercolour into them, inspired by folky embroidery?! Anyway, we shall see.

 

Also popped into Venture Arts today to see if they needed any volunteers, and now I am helping them out every Tuesday afternoon with art & craft projects, which I am really chuffed about! I think its going to be really fun helping out and meeting people, it looked like they were starting some really cool projects based on the Antony Gormley statue in Manchester City Galleries to go into a V.A. exhibition at the Lowry Centre.

Bed now, blimming tours in the morning which I haven't revised!

PS: Sorry for sh*te photos, been using my phone camera for the purpose of laziness!

Unsuccessful!

Tuesdays scour of the charity shops did not turn up anything outstanding, other than a vintage frame for my drawings!
What's going on? Where are all the bargains? Over Christmas me and the Strawb found loads of little nik naks for our vintage stall. Come on people, have a clear out!

Was off work today with a snot virus, and managed to do lots of little chores that had been looming over me for ages. Got rid of some household-y bits on Manchester Freecycle, brilliant for getting rid of stuff you cant be bothered to sell online, sent my eBay items off (a tad late, sorry people!)
Hopefully will get round to putting my earrings on card ready for selling this weekend, I'll post pics next week when I get the chance. You can also check them out on my Etsy page, I'll be putting them straight up once I've done the shop logo. Woop!

The reason why I'm trying to be so productive is because it's 3.5 weeks now til the big R (I'm being made redundant from Urbis as it is closing to become the new NFM. Boo, hiss. Still jobhunting a lot, managed to do a lot to my Arts Council application form, fingers crossed!

Bed now, need some rejuvenating sleep to help me shift this lurgy!

Thrifty Birthday to me!

Today is my 26th birthday, which will be mainly spent perusing the charidee shops of Kenilworth and Leamington Spa for vintage fabric, antique photo frames and lovely little nik naks for my crafty fairs that I hope to do in the next few months!
I've already made lots of lovely little vintagey earrings with cabochons I bought on eBay, which seem to be very popular with my workmates at Urbis!
I need to focus more on some drawings though...me and Ginge want to start concentrating on our own work to sell rather than vintage tat. I SHALL start some drawing when I get back up to Manchester!! I might treat myself to some new watercolour paints from Paperchase :)
Birthday shower time, I shall report back with my findings!

New beginnings!

I got very confused with having too many blogs running at the same time, my old photography business blog and a personal blog, that I've decided to open up a new streamlined version.

I think this blog is going to be a bit of a work-in-progress while I work out my intentions, mainly interesting art/design/craft sites for now. But while you're here, please check out my Flickr page or my Etsy page in the meantime!

I'm also going to blog about the arty & crafty things to see in and around Manchester, shops, events, artists and whatever else I find as I explore the city on my rusty old BSA bike. Oh and promote the wonderful area that is Chorlton!

Cheerio for now!