Accidental Vix

As the new year gets off to a creative and busy start I was glad to be asked to do a personalised baby grow for a 1st birthday this week that involved my animal sketches and something birthday themed. My initial thought was of my pet rabbits as a child as they bounced around the garden like excited children, and then I was told that the little boy in question likes Pandas so my 2 latest gocco prints emerged! I also did a third sketch which wasn’t suitable for gocco printing so I turned it into this quick and colourful illustration to add a bit of colour to an otherwise grey January, at least weather wise.

xx

Our bad luck continues so I’m constantly on the look out for things to make me smile, and today I have found it in the form of some great yet simple cards by Slice of Pie Designs on Etsy. Here are my top 3 reasons to pop on over and take a look:

1. What a great idea to create cards to send on the morning of your wedding, with a few simple words (although some of them still apply a year after getting married)
2. Typographical cards are so different to what I do and the contrast appeals to me, I use pictures and others use words
3. I choose which cards I send carefully, but this one is for my husband for our everyday married life ‘please don’t be late‘

So if you haven’t done so please pop on over, and have a great Tuesday.

Xx

After my very exciting Gocco workshop on Weds night (more to be revealed shortly) and whilst I still debate with myself whether to invest in a Gocco machine, I thought I would take my inspiration for today’s favourites from printed delights:

Deebeale – Blue grey hares (This is an artist I have admired ever since my early days on Folksy)

Kerry Beary – Penguin print (It might be humid here but this is too cool not to feature)

Two guitars  - Scooters and hearts card pack (This just completely reminds me of holidays)

Off in search of printing ink now, have a great weekend.

Xx

The latest listing in my Folksy shop is inspired by my sport and golf obsessed dad, who is a huge inspiration in my life. As it’s Father’s Day in less than a month (19th June in the UK) I thought I would just give a gentle reminder not to forget our fantastic dads so here are some fab folksy items which would be perfect for Father’s Day:

Indivijewels – Personalised ball marker (This is would be great personalised treat for those golf crazy dads)

Moonflame – Cricket cufflinks (my dad is a very good cricketer and avid fan so these would be perfect for him – especially with his daughter’s wedding only 7 weeks today!)

Framed up – Framed lego (perfect if you can find your dad’s team, my dad would rather have Burnley than Arsenal but I’m not entering that debate)

Two for joy paper studio – Ice cream print (my dad’s moto in life!)

Project tie the knot – Eye test tie (as my dad wears suits to work everyday this would add a sense of humour to his meetings)

Have a great weekend, especially if you’re seeing your dad.

Xx

Well, now I know I have 2 trapped nerves in my back which aren’t helped by an old hip injury and plenty of metal in my leg it helps knowing where the pain is coming from but is doing nothing to help get rid of it! I managed to get some emergency physio at the end of last week but the agony continued over the weekend and as I knew there would be no more welcome physio until today I set about distracting myself from the pain and side effects from the strong painkillers making me queasy and my head fuzzy. There could only be one solution and that involved pencil and paper and some ideas for a new set of fashionista note-cards I am working on. So I introduce you to Hetty and Ben (and my lovely metal leg!)

Have a good week

Xx

If the reason isn’t obvious as to my topic this week then I will have to just mention that it’s Good Friday today and a very well received bank holiday. So today’s picks are all from fellow folksters with Easter in mind:

Cherry blossom  candles – creme egg candles (a classic sign of Easter, and looks good enough to eat)

Dollydoo – Egg cosy (these are too cute to resist)

Emily Moir – lamb cushion (I love going home at this time of year to see the lambs, and love the simplicity of this)

Hannah Madden – Chick chick card (the bold colour and design of this hand printed card is gorgeous)

Crafts Queen – Little glass chick (just adorable)

Northfield Primitives – Rabbit (I’d quite happily own this rabbit for life, not just for Easter)

I’m glad to be back in Yorkshire for Easter and my birthday, watching my fiance eat chocolate like there’s no tomorrow as he gave it up for lent,   reminiscing of being young and Easter egg hunts and seeing all the pretty daffodils in the countryside.

Xx

I love a good wedding… but one thing’s for sure it takes a lot of preparation to make a good wedding! I’m hoping that our wedding will be one of those fab events with lots of planning in little time, a bit of luck and a bucket full of creativity to help us on our way.  My fiance doesn’t know what’s hit him, I’ve gone into work mode and feel like a project manager 24/7 now. I have to admit the creative bits are my fave, although I seem to be managing to give everything an artistic twist at the moment because I’ve promised I won’t take on any major creative projects until I am a married lady. The first major bit of wedding creativity can now be revealed as everyone should have received their save the date cards and invites already

In addition here’s a sneaky peek of what’s to come… watch this space as more handmade wedding bits are revealed. I’d also like to say a big thank you to all who have helped me with my flower so far, we’re over half way now!!

Xx

I haven’t done a Folksy Showcase Sunday for a while, but I feel motivated to do one this week as a fantastic friend has joined Folksy recently… Jessie G Designs. Jess is obviously taking to it like a duck to water as there have been 4 sales in less than a week, which comes as no surprise – I have to say I have been lucky enough to receive some of these fab cards and they are definitely worth buying. So you’d better snap up some super screenprints before they all go.

Good luck Jess!

Xx

I’m so glad it’s Friday… although it’s only been a 4 day week after the long Christmas break, continual engagement celebrations and wedding planning it has been a real struggle to get up in the mornings! It will come as no surprise that I’m completely loved up at the moment and can’t wait to get home in the evening to spend time with my fab fiance even with plenty of save the date invites still to make and send this weekend.  So today’s folksy picks are lovebird themed as that is the design of our save the date cards which I can only show you a small sneak peak of as I want it to be a surprise when our guests receive them:

Cherryloco jewellery – lovebirds necklace (I love the modern simplicity of this design)

Joanna Rutter – very tiny lovebirds necklace (this is stunning, and so cute)

Kirsty Elson Designs – love birds (this would be adorable sat at our wedding)

Opitome -  orchid bridal display (perfect if you want your bouquet to last past your wedding day with these hidden little lovebirds)

Sian Bostwick jewellery – silver bird ring (I looooove my diamond engagement ring but this would look cute next to it)

Hope everybody’s new year has got off to a good start, and congratulations to all those who got engaged and are getting married this year!

Xx

It’s been a while since I wrote a blog, but things have been so manic with work and all my creative projects on the go at the moment that I have hardly turned on the computer! I’m working on lots of exciting things including preparing for my craft fair which has now been postponed to 18th Dec due to the snow, filling my sketchbook for the sketchbook project that needs posting in less than a month (!) and of course continuing to make new items for my folksy shop, some of my faves being my new Christmas decorations, santa bag and desktop calendar. So, I think I have surprised even myself by deciding to join in with the December listing club on Folksy this month by listing an items every day.  I am in good company though, and here are some of my favourite hats to wrap up warm in for Christmas from fellow elves:

Hats and more – hand crochet hat (how cosy does that look!)

Nofkants curios – santa hat scarf (this just made me smile, which I needed today)

Imogen’s imagination – grey wool beret (my new fave hat style is the beret which I never really wore until a friend bought me one and now I can’t get enough)

Uniquely yours – cafetiere cosy (a hat for your cafetiere, or maybe more a scarf but everything needs a hat)

But time for bed now, a long weekend of crafting for my fair ahead.

Xx