The Art Markets Holmfirth 24th June 2012

So I've been working my little socks off for this weekend. I've submitted a piece of work for the Art Markets POP up event on Saturday night in Holmfirth Indoor Market. The piece I've been working on(theme: Best of British)has been the most challenging so far...I cant give too much away but it's up for auction at the event. Then the big day is on Saturday from 10am - 4pm. As always, a fantastic selection of artists/designers/makers selling wonderful hand made work. For directions and a list of makers click here. For a read of a mini interview with me for the Art Markets blog read here. 

Thanks Michael Oaks for taking this photo!

Reetsweet Corn Exchange 2nd June

I'm busy making lovely things for the Reetsweet Craft Fair at the corn exchange on 2nd June Jubilee Weekend. It's my only event booked so far so if you are free, please pop down and support the local artists and buy a few lovely things whilst you're at it. See you there!

I'm back

After a (long) break and no crafting, I'm back. For those who weren't aware, we spent 2011 in Tanzania working in St Walburg's Hospital, Nyangao. This was undoubtedly, the best and most rewarding thing I have done in my life....and one of the most difficult too. The pharmacy and hospital in general was mad-busy all the time and so that's why there was little time for craftiness.

I did however work closely with Michael, the village tailor who helped me make several lovely clothes - one gorgeous dress I had made for £2.50 and wore to the Hartigan-Kriel wedding in South Africa!

Other than that, the only piece of crafting I can share from my time away is this necklace made with Makonde wood and screenprinted fabrics. 

No fairs planned for 2012 so far but I have sent my application to the Holmfirth Art Market so fingers crossed. To kickstart my craftiness, I spent the morning at The Bowery making lampshades with my friend Lauren Marshall. Thanks Laura Slater for a brilliant class!

Saltaire Arts Trail 11th - 19th September

The Saltaire Arts Trail runs for two weeks in September. There is tonnes to do and see. I'll be at the Maker's Fair on 11th & 12th September in Victoria Hall. You can also wander through the streets and visit the Open Houses exhibiting art & and craft. There will be loads of activities for the kids and of course, who could resist pottering around Salts Mill? Victoria road has lots of lovely shops; Magic Number 3 is one of my favourite shops full of gorgeous clothes, accessories and SHOES! And Art Parade have been stocking my work for a number of years now.

Leeds Art Gallery Open Show - 9th August - 19th September

Yep I can hardly believe it myself - I have a piece at the Open Show at the Leeds Art Gallery on The Headrow from Monday 9th August - Sunday 19th September. If you are down in town, please pop in and take a look (I'm listed as number 49) and forget to have a cuppa in the lovely Victorian Tiled Cafe. If you are feeling flush...you can buy my piece too!

Update: I won 2nd Prize !!!

Art in the Pen 14th & 15th August SKIPTON

I got such a lovely surprise this morning when I received a massive wodge of flyers for Art in the Pen ...only to find a photo of my brooch on the front of the flyer! Truly stoked but the panic has also set in as I need to get cracking! Art in the Pen is on 14th & 15th August. See here for more details. See you there. Update: This was a knackering weekend but well worth all the effort. I made loads of sales, had company of good friends over the two days and met loads of lovely customers. In fact there were over 8,000 visitors - amazing!

The Holmfirth Art Market

I went down to see my chums at the first day of the Art Market - it was amazing! There were some very talented people exhibiting today... and will be next week too. Although I was too late to get my name on the flyer, I will be there on Sunday 13th June. Please pop down to see me and say hello!

Screenprinting at Factory4

I recently took a 6 week screen printing course at Factory4 workshop and enjoyed it so much. I think I was trying to run before I could walk etc - desperate to try and come up with my own designs and more importantly, take away something of use. But that's exactly what I ended up doing. By the end I had 30 screen printed paper bags for the next craft fair, one tote bag and 4 T-shirts. Here are a few photos from the classes.

Presenting Emily Farncombe and my beautiful new piano stool

I bought an antique piano stool about 10years ago thinking that I might re-upholster it myself but after all these years, it was time to face up to the fact that I was never going to do it. So who better to re-upholster this but the lovely Emily Farncombe (another fellow Artsmix award winner alongside myself this year!). Emily and I did a 'skill swap' (swapped a piece of art for the piano stool to be re-vamped) we are both really chuffed. I'm using the piano stool at the Holmfirth Art Market; not only to sit on, but to store my packaging in also. I think Emily is pleased with her piece too! The very sophisticated tweed used for my stool is also the same material as Emily's cushions in her living room - so her butterfly piece was made from deep purples, pinks and beige. Emily worked on my piano stool down at Factory4. This is where I did my screenprinting course (photos to follow shortly). Check out the website if you are interested in doing any of the courses.

I also made Emily a cute little brooch - handcut perspex with a vintage map from Stainton (near Penrith) which just happens to be where Emily went to primary school! Hopefully the Factory4 workshop will be getting a laser cutter soon (to prevent me from almost cutting my fingers off making one of these with a jewellery saw!). 

Goodbye custom orders

I've been working on a few commissions recently and now is the time to post them off. I was a bit sad to be handing over this large butterfly box and actually think it was nicer than the one which won the award this year! Another commission was a butterfly box for Nigel Bendle with using only Chinese stamps. Those of you who know me, know that I am a perfectionist and I actually found these stamps a bit weird to work with as the perforated edges weren't perfectly perforated!! Grrr! I was still pleased with the final result and chose a black frame to house my butterflies. The final custom order was for a butterfly box using vintage maps from the Islands of Mull, Arran and areas of Northumberland. The vintage maps were found rumaging through the buckets at the Kirkstall Bookshop Leeds. I have no idea what year the map was printed but was part of a Batholomews quarter inch to mile automobile map of Great Britain. The colours and the texture are lovely! I also made a pair of cufflinks from the vintage maps (Iona in  Mull) which I am really pleased with.