colourspace

lately

2010-05-19T17:27:00.000-07:00

so i need to write this in note form it is 1.26am and i need to sleep but before i go...

new camera was faulty. got a replacement (very reluctantly on the shops part but i perservered and they agreed). it so happened that they replaced it with a demo model which was scratched and had been used. i complained. eventually (yesterday) a brand new one arrived. 3rd time lucky!

I have been so busy. i still haven't begun editing Easter holiday photos! I've been shooting for a local Theatre Company, doing headshots, trying fashion photography ..... no sewing for ages and i need to begin soon but never a moment to spare. Next week it is Iris' birthday. I need to get her a present but don't know what to buy...

we have been offered a free place to stay in Annecy, France for two weeks. I am sooooooooo looking forward to that...and tomorrow I'm doing another Dusthouse shoot for the RSC...goodnight!

new toy

2010-03-30T09:04:00.000-07:00

I am so so so happy. Today my new camera arrived and even though I can't upload my photos to my mac yet (they forgot to enclose the software cds) i cannot believe how good the image looks! :)

giant Lunos

2010-03-25T07:21:00.000-07:00

Finished these two this morning... another 3 to make. Excuse the dust we've just had a wall knocked down!

Spring has finally sprung and the daffodils are out so hope sun follows next week as we are off to Cornwall for 10 days :) hope to catch up with some special people.

Have toothache again :( but am going to visit the dentist in the morning... :(

And the children break up for Easter tomorrow!

Have entered some photos into a local competition. Really hope to win the £1000 prize, especially as I am buying a canon 5Dmk2 tomorrow!

In my folksy shop

2010-03-13T11:59:00.000-08:00

just listed in my Folksy Shop :)

still here

2010-03-05T03:03:00.000-08:00

its been a while since i blogged. so much going on. after manically sewing non stop last year i've decided that i haven't got the will to make stuff anymore ...well not so much stuff. Also my photography is taking off. Slowly. but nonetheless its what i LOVE. I have been shooting in collaboration with Dusthouse for the RSC and enjoying every minute. Tomorrow I'll be on location doing film stills for Romeo and Juliet :)

Yesterday was World Book Day and Iris wanted to go as Alice in Wonderland so I made her a pinafore from a bed sheet. see photo above.

Now I'm off to clean the house, the builder knocked down a wall and there is dust everywhere. All is good. Have an order for egg cosies and chickens to do....

We have SNOW :)

2010-01-11T03:31:00.000-08:00

I was reunited with my very old skool wellingtons which my dad found in a cupboard in his garage :)

I just can't get back into doing any work! I'm watching crap tv and I'm quite enjoying myself! There are a few print ideas swimming around in my head and I have started a sketch book...

oh and we've been sledging everyday on our hills :)

and I've taken lots of photos :)

Let it snow!

2009-12-20T10:32:00.001-08:00

new fairies

2009-12-09T02:55:00.000-08:00

just listed a couple of these at my Etsy shop

update

2009-12-06T17:28:00.000-08:00

still to do, in order of importance

post robin

sew elastics onto hairs flowers

2 white fairies

2 turquoise fairies

5 lavender hearts

+ Bah Humbug

10 russian dolls

3 foxes

4 commissions

1 boy mouse

1 camo luno

Tooth Fairy is visiting us tonight!

2009-12-05T18:14:00.000-08:00

Top for Iris

Bottom for O

once printed the edges were sprinkled with fairy dust and a few tiny silver stars.Then covered in a transparent glittery sticky film. I used an image found online then photoshopped my butterfly photo over the top and gave them all wings :)

Things To Do Part 2, reminder to self...

2 fairies white

2 fairies turquoise

4 pairs of flower hairbands

1 mouse for a boy

4 commissions for someone else

2 corsages

10 russian dolls

10 lavender hearts

3 foxes

1 bah humbug heart

:(

2009-12-05T00:55:00.000-08:00

Too busy and the tooth fairy didn't come in the night for Iris...she'll be coming tonight!

lately

2009-12-04T16:55:00.001-08:00

in my folksy shop.

reminder

2009-12-04T16:32:00.000-08:00

Things To Do, reminder to self...

2 fairies white

2 fairies turquoise

4 pairs of flower hairbands

1 mouse for a boy

4 commissions for someone else

2 corsages

10 russian dolls

10 lavender hearts

Things I would love to do but have no time:

More Photo's

Use my medium format and polaroid cameras

Bake more cake

be more organised

enjoy my family!

Today Ophelia competed in an Athletics competition. I am so proud of her. She is doing AMAZINGLY at school. Iris and I went to see A Christmas Carol with Mikka and Maiya. Poor Iris was terrified in parts (grim reaper + falling into a coffin scene) but we all really enjoyed it. I looked over at her in the Christmas Past scene, when Scrooge fell in love, and she looked SOOOOOOO HAPPY! She is such a romantic!

We came back home to find the butterfly we rescued still in our kitchen. Iris was so happy she now has a 'pet' and named it Gerta (unisex name apparently). We can't put it outside because it is raining so we fed it. See photos. And decided it can stay in our kitchen for the time being.

Other news:

In the school play this year Iris is a mouse!

I sold 3 robins on Etsy this week. and one Russian Doll (to a very nice polaroid enthusiast called Stefan who I met in Paris last year!)

Tod and Andrea are having a baby! Hooray!

I drank a bit too much mulled wine last night.

I have too much work to do.

fabric animation

2009-11-27T04:27:00.000-08:00

here is the work I did with BAFTA nominees,The Brothers McLeod

....and don't forget to breathe

2009-11-26T12:36:00.001-08:00

ever lost the feeling in your fingers?

and some more...

2009-11-04T05:36:00.000-08:00

dolly

2009-11-03T01:47:00.001-08:00

More Christmas

2009-10-25T02:02:00.001-07:00

I have Angels

2009-10-09T01:44:00.000-07:00

Everyday someone pops round to help me...my neighbour has my 6 year old over to play so I can work, my friends comes to help me sew, another friend will come and stuff, my mum will pick up the children from school and sort all of the washing piles...I am so lucky. We drink tea, eat biscuits and laugh...And here is what we made in the past week (with a lot of help from my cousin who is staying with me for 2 weeks)...only another 500 or so items left to go!

Nowadays I'm supplying Uneeka, Funky Olive and foufurnishings.

I am going to make sure a few of these items get to my shops Etsy and Folksy.

twas the night before Christmas...

2009-10-02T02:12:00.000-07:00

No time to blog...

Fox

2009-09-18T01:14:00.000-07:00

My neglected blog...So much going on here lately. I'm finishing off orders so I can begin thinking about Christmas stock. Lauren from Uneeka asked me to make a fox so here he is. I'm quite pleased with him. The first one I made looked more like a crazy dog. Today I need to make some more boats.

Yesterday the primary school my daughter is at were getting rid of some furniture. Old School furniture. I'd already acquired two solid wood bookshelves a few months ago which I LOVE. But yesterday I could hardly contain my excitement when the caretaker showed me two chests of drawers with square drawers with old fashion handles and label slots. I can't describe how lovely they are. And they were free. I spent all day rearranging the furniture and I'll take a photo later to show...

My big girl LOVES High School :)

And yesterday I noticed that Autumn is in the air. My favourite season, longwalks and hot chocolate. The air seems different in lots of good ways. Soon the fair will be in town. And I look forward to the 4th October when my cousin Sylwia will arrive for a two week visit to help me with my Christmas stock :)

Going off on a tangent I have Iris at home today (she is 6) and she is watching Cinderella. She just came up to me horrified that the wicked witch said a swear word. I asked her what it was (surely there is no swearing in Cinderella). The reply? "Hell", and her face was a picture she was actually blushing from the embarassment of it all! I love this age. So sweet and innocent still...

Well better get out of my dressing gown. LOVE not doing the school run!

cushions

2009-09-07T13:33:00.001-07:00

I've made some cushions. I've been meaning to do these for a while now. and they have piping around the edge. I have lots of screenprinting ideas too but need to expose some screens first.

I'm working on several back orders at the moment and as soon as they are done its time to start Christmas stock...robins, faeries, trees, hearts.....lots of ideas too little time...children back to school tomorrow, off to sort out lunchboxes...

Last Week...

2009-09-01T15:07:00.000-07:00

Last week was spent in Cornwall...chilling at the beach with friends, drinking far too much pimms, visiting friends and climbing up cliffs. The Summer Holidays are nearly over. O starts big school. And l will have to learn to let go in many ways... and hope she doesn't stray from the safe path I've kept her on...

My ABC's for O (a list of rules!)

A - always let me know where you are

B - Beautiful on the Inside

C - Chill!

D - Dialogue is good

E - Enjoy these years, they are the best ones

F - Follow your heart

G - don't grow up so quickly

H - Be Happy

I - I Love you all the way to the moon and back again a trillion times (remember that)

J - jump around

K - is for KARMA

L - LOVE yourself

M- manners are free

N - NO means NO!

O - OM

P -

Q -

R - Respect yourself

S - Smile :)

T -

U -

V -

W - there's a whole world out there waiting to be explored

X - xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Y - You will ALWAYS be my baby girl

Z - zzzzzzzzzzz

I will come back to P Q T U and V - too tired to think

summer

2009-08-23T15:52:00.000-07:00

new @ Uneeka

2009-08-21T08:57:00.000-07:00

in stock @ Uneeka

Growth

2009-08-20T06:43:00.000-07:00

Iris: Mum, is a shoe a living creature?

Mum: No Iris

Iris: Well how do they get smaller then?

I am still here

2009-08-17T17:22:00.001-07:00

I have been so rubbish at updating my blog lately. I have plenty of excuses...school holidays, lots of work, more work...and excitingly lots of new stockists and hope to be soon living the dream. The dream of designing but not up till 3am every night making. I have been looking into having my products produced by a fairtrade co-operative.

The Collector

2009-08-07T19:01:00.000-07:00

I have always loved the look of butterflies displayed in boxes...but I heard that they have to pin them when they are still living and thats not nice.We visited the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford last Sunday afternoon and I photgraphed their pinned butterflies instead and am selling 12" x 12" prints in my Etsy shop. Is that just as bad?

hectic

2009-07-17T11:02:00.000-07:00

really hectic. finishing off orders for Uneeka. Tea towels have arrived and they are great. Really pleased with the quality.O finished primary school today :( end of an era and lots of goodbyes as a lot of her classmates are off to different schools.Now for Summer...but where's the sun? And more cases of swine flu...hope we don't get it or if we do hope to catch it very mildly.So tired that I can't possibly get ill as well.

My Mamiya 645AFD is still at the fixers.They want me to pay £258.75 to get it fixed so I'm spending precious sewing hours ringing trading standards and writing letters....grrrrrrrrrrr....I just want my camera home and they should fix it for free...waiting for reply.

Photo's of teatowels and a dolly I was commissioned to make...

Its pouring down with rain .... POURING...off now to bath the children and more sewing....

half way there

2009-07-02T16:07:00.001-07:00

A box in the post to Uneeka and another soon on its way.

This week has been manic. 3 sales at Folksy - only listed last weekend. One gallery and one website want my 'things'. Lots of photo jobs up and coming. One of which is shooting stills for a film. Another is documenting a music festival.More props for bromc. 41 more Russian dolls, 50 hearts and 80 hair bands and slides.........BREATHE....and RELAX...out tomorrow night and off to see our friend in Caesar at the RSC on Saturday night! Fun and Games. Also fitting in a child's birthday party on Saturday and am hoping to pick my own strawberries in the Cotswolds this weekend! :)

i must try this :)

2009-07-02T08:36:00.001-07:00

Dannie, do not lick the screen ;), originally uploaded by lepiaf.geo.

just blogging about this because i want to try it out. It is from one of my flickr contacts Le Piaf geo

last week...

2009-06-30T01:28:00.000-07:00

...Ophelia came first in every race on Sports Day.She also came first in the long jump and is now going into the finals for South Warwickshire.I'm so proud!

I'm still sewing...more fish.

My mamiya 645afd had a battery leak and is not working :( but as i've only had it for 3 months the seller is fixing it under warranty :)

I made my first sale on Folksy :)

Ophelia has gone on a school trip for 5 days and it is very quiet here...

I took some nice photos this weekend and now I'm off to drink coffee and sew.

Uneeka have a new website and it looks amazing.They stock my owls,fish,boats,Russian Dolls,egg cosies,cards.....go and have a look. They sell the most beautiful quilts too :) and I have my eye on the aqua rose one...

in Padstow

2009-06-19T02:21:00.001-07:00

At Uneeka in Padstow,UK.

At no.4

2009-06-14T12:43:00.001-07:00

We are so lucky our street is full of children.There's Maiya at no.4,Ellie,Josh and Hannah at no.1,Emily and Finlay around the corner,Cameron up the street a bit.On Sunny days they play outside all day long, riding bikes, selling stuff to the neighbours (hmmm, I caught them selling bunches of herbs for £5 once!!! nobody bought them,I wonder why?!)I hope that when they grow up they all stay in touch.

Holiday in Cornwall

2009-06-09T02:20:00.000-07:00

some more photos from our favourite place

On their way

2009-06-09T02:08:00.000-07:00

Exciting news. My Teatowel designs are being printed for Uneeka :)

I can't wait till they arrive and I can play with customising and dyeing some of them,I'm having them printed at a fairtrade co-op in India through this company .

They will arrive at the beginning of July :)

Happy

Also i'm getting my hair cut these evening by Matt Curtis. Not sure what I want yet. Think I'll go for a radical one! :)

Now I better sort out the house and get started on my order of 400 items for Uneeka...

Retail Therapy

2009-06-03T16:14:00.001-07:00

I found afabricoutlet on Etsy which sells the most beautiful fabrics and if only my credit card had no limit ;) It belongs to a lady called Deborah who is wonderfully helpful and friendly.You should go and check it out.I have placed several orders and there are a few other fabrics which I will be needing when I next get paid! Especially because Uneeka have placed another order today for fish,boats,russian dolls,hearts,hairbands....(thankyou lovely people at Uneeka if you are reading this)

I'm back!

2009-06-02T01:30:00.001-07:00

We had a lovely break :) The weather was fantastic and when the sun shines you can't beat a week in Cornwall.Our friends came too.Iris turned 6 and we had a party on the beach. Now i'm home with lots of new ideas running around my head...inspired.I am going to design my own fabric at Spoonflower , fill up my Etsy shop, get some of my photo's printed and framed for our walls, make a beach blanket and save up for a David Pearce painting...Happy Days

Cats

2009-05-23T07:32:00.001-07:00

I made some limited edition cats.The second one is for Iris' 6th birthday on Tuesday.And Ophelia wants no.3.We are off to Cornwall in a couple of hours :) I am so looking forward to good food, friends, sea,sand, reading,drawing,meeting with Uneeka to show new product samples,Rephlex night in Falmouth...see you soon...have a lovely Half Term :)

GO IRIS GO!

2009-05-19T11:16:00.001-07:00

I took the stabilisers off Iris' bike today and off she went :)

She did fall off and grazed her knee but got straight back on again.My brave baby girl.

Fish

2009-05-18T09:50:00.000-07:00

Fish for Uneeka...

more owls

2009-05-14T02:55:00.003-07:00

Uneeka

2009-05-14T01:29:00.000-07:00

all done :)

chipmunk

2009-05-08T11:06:00.001-07:00

I made this "chipmunk" a few weeks ago from a drawing my friend Greg gave me. It has a wacky tail but can't find the photo with the tail on my computer right now.....I'll add it if I find it...

lots of work :)

2009-05-06T01:34:00.000-07:00

i made this tea cosy for a friend of a friend. She wanted something girlie.I'm thinking about patchwork and quilting quite a lot recently but just no time.As soon as i've finished my order for the Uneeka Shop I'm hoping to make a quilt for me.

The Russian Lavender dolls are for the shop. When i've made up the rest of the stock i'll photograph it and post it here.

The animation is looking really cool so far. can't wait to see it when it's all done :)

Better go and do some sewing now. So easy to drink coffee and get sucked into reading other blogs.......

and looking at things i want

Brighton

2009-05-02T16:33:00.001-07:00

My polaroid show is up and looks good. There are 7 of us exhibiting. check out this guys work.I love it.

I got up at 7am this morning (supposed to get up at 6 but couldn't face it!) and went down to the seafront and took photo's. the light was still ok.Then we had a great organic breakfast in the lovely hotel we stayed in.The waiter gave us a map with some cool places to visit (thankyou Mark! as you can see i found the Banksy!).And best of all I found a great little fabric shop with the perfect linen...and when Toby wasn't looking I bought several metres and some buttons! :)

Now i'm home and very tired but happy :)

Hurrah

2009-04-27T04:33:00.000-07:00

finished. but can't show you the whole thing yet. Here's just a taster.This is the background for an animation.I made the characters too. Hopefully when its made I'll be able to post the animation here.can't wait to see it when it's done.

And now ... more sewing...birds,owls,egg cosies,russian dolls...fish,teatowels,tea cosies....etc etc.

Polaroid exhibition preview on Friday.excited.still have lots to organise.Looking forward to a day in Brighton taking photo's too!

And just found out that I'm going to be an Aunty.Lush :)

Keeping my head above water

2009-04-23T03:50:00.000-07:00

Its all coming together. My polaroids are framed (thankyou Max) and ready to go to Brighton for an exhibition starting 1st May (one month only) Unit B3 AOH.They look beautiful. Cyan / turquoise hues with dark chocolate frames.I'm not exhibiting to sell, although I will be selling prints.It's just nice to show stuff.

The animation is looking brilliant so far and i've just about finished the background quilt with bonkers trees.I have every faith in Greg that it will look amazing.

I have a long list of exciting stuff to design and make for Uneeka. Ideas are swimming around in my head. There will be some great tea-towels, fish, dolls....the list goes on.and thats exciting.

I spring cleaned the kitchen yesterday.And have bought miso soup because i'm embarking upon keeping healthy (no more crisps for dinner for me).wonder how long that will last.I did open up a massive packet of lemon grass prawn crackers whilst watching Desperate Housewives last night!

One week by the sea has totally re-energized me.I feel strong and happy.

Easter Holiday

2009-04-18T06:49:00.001-07:00

Cornwall was lovely.2 whole days on the beach! funny to think that only yesterday we had the whole beach to ourselves and now we're home to no hot water no heating (yes the boiler has broken for the 8th time in 12 months - and its only 3 years old).

Sometimes think life would be so much easier if we all lived in communes in wigwams with vegetable gardens...with showers and underfloor heating...

work no play

2009-03-31T14:09:00.001-07:00

hello, again it's been a while...

I've been busy . Posted 20 more egg cosies to Uneeka yesterday. Still have a few to make for friends.Need to start thinking about new stock and want to upload some items to etsy / folksy.Have a list of stuff to do. Paperwork surrounds me. as does fabric (it was tidy for a day) I've started the collaboration work I'm doing with my BAFTA nominee friends The Brothers McLeod. So for 2 weeks its going to be all work no play.I hope to show you what i've been working on some day but at the moment its secret.

I just finished icing 50 cupcakes for O to take to school.And I need to take photos.Walking past the carwash today I realised that I miss my camera and I need to get out more.I've been asked to photograph a wedding in December...and speaking of wedding photography I just LOVE this mans photographic style.

My best friend has arrived back in the Uk with her family of 3 kids + a bump.She's been living in Oakland for the best part of 10 years.Can't wait to catch up with them all in Cornwall over Easter.

Also I realised today just how lucky I am. Life is good :)

Blown Away

2009-03-23T18:37:00.000-07:00

Every scene is like a photograph I wish I had taken.

it rained and then the sun came out...

2009-03-22T11:45:00.001-07:00

Jury service was hard. I started off loving it...I think I loved it until we had to reach a verdict...and then it was hard. I was angry that the police /crown prosecution service hadn't don't their job properly (and thats an understatement) and I was sad that one of the fellow jurors was racist, chauvenist and each time I would express an opinion he sniggerred.I was the youngest member of the jury so I guess he thought he could get away with it...but I was the only one that questioned his usage of words like 'illegal immigrant' (we didn't know whether or not the defendant was legal or illegal but that was irrelevant to the trial in question, it had nothing to do with his immigration status)....aaarrrgggghhhhhhhhh...its over now and thats good but my children are growing up in a world full of people who think like this man and that scares me...

On a lighter note I am so busy... its wonderful.I am making new items for Uneeka and I'm exhibiting my photography in May in Brighton, I'm working on a project with The Brothers McLeod and most exciting of all i'm going to shoot fashion in Glasgow for a magazine and fellow polaroid enthusiast...sooo all good.

Last but not least I have to tell you I got breakfast in bed this morning, some lovely Mothers Day cards and gifts and lots of kisses and cuddles. Ophelia even put 'to the best mummy in the world' on my card....funny! most days I'm told i'm the most evil... :)

Egg Monsters

2009-02-26T05:10:00.000-08:00

My ideas for Easter.......more to come.......

News

2009-02-24T13:18:00.000-08:00

Easter Owls available at UNEEKA at the moment.

Well its been busy. Loads of photography work and editing. And a few sewing projects on the go. Then half term holidays came and went so fast.

And I have to tell you I've been very naughty.Last Sunday my friend Lucy and I went to the photography show Focus on Imaging at the NEC.Have been thinking for a while that I need to upgrade my camera...and was sure that I would find a canon 5D at Focus second hand / reconditioned.I found one but it just didn't do anything for me. It didn't feel right when I held it and it certainly didn't make me feel like the mamiya 645AFD did 5 minutes earlier at the Jacobs stand (where incidently the man behind the counter was rude to me, so rude in fact he refused to show me the lenses because -his words - he was pushed for time.It was obvious he just thought I was NO WAY going to buy that piece of heaven.well he was wrong).So I bought the mamiya and I LOVE IT and I look at it like a mother looks at her newborn. And it hasn't even had film in it yet because I'm treating it like a first child - reading the manual (just like i read the baby books when Ophelia was born) in the hope that when i do load the film nothing will go wrong......and the pictures are in my head waiting to be shot....one problem - the digital back for this mother is approx £7K so i'm back to shooting roll film until I can get a cheap digital back...

we have snow

2009-02-08T11:27:00.001-08:00

Valentines Day Hearts

2009-02-02T02:28:00.000-08:00

Antique linen hearts stuffed with dried roses.

Owls

2009-02-02T01:49:00.001-08:00

I took a 3 week holiday away from my sewing machine. I think I over did it a bit in December.But now I'm back and I've been making owls and Valentine's Hearts (picture to come soon).

This morning it snowed.And Ophelia proceeded to scream like a banshee in protest at having to go to school.Iris ,as always, just looked on in bewilderment.Ophelia is 11, Iris is 5.I do understand SNOW should equal walk to the hills and playtime however I have photo's to edit from a shoot I did yesterday coming out of my ears (1000 pictures to look through and choose from, convert to black and white etc - YES I KNOW I TOOK TOO MANY)...

Also I have been asked to do some fashion photography for a magazine soon.I'm so excited about that.

I'm off to make myself a coffee...and I have biscuits...

Amazing

2009-01-20T16:01:00.000-08:00

this I LOVE

My friend Gen

2009-01-16T02:47:00.000-08:00

Merry Xmas

2008-12-25T15:51:00.000-08:00

Happy Xmas to one and all!

School Nativity 2008

2008-12-18T03:59:00.000-08:00

LOVE her drawings

2008-12-18T03:53:00.000-08:00

Iris draws ALL OF THE TIME.She is 5.This is her design for a doll she would like me to make.I love that she draws...

Coin Purses

2008-12-16T14:32:00.000-08:00

some more purses...on their way to Cornwall.I will come back later, need to get off the internet as my husband wants to play online on his playstation!

Come and Play

2008-12-08T14:32:00.000-08:00

I've been busy...actually that's an understatement. For the past 2 months I haven't stopped making.And everything is selling so fast I don't even have excess stock for my Etsy Shop.Fairies, hairbands, bags, purses, Luno's.I had another order last week from a lovely fairtrade shop in Cornwall, Uneeka. I've sent off 10 'Luno' monsters,100 hairbands,20 lavender hearts, 20 cinnamon hearts, 35 purses and pencil cases.See Esthers tutorial at LondonMummy.I adapted it a little.You should check out her wonderful inspiring blog. I love it.I still have to make another 40 make up bags / coin purses to be posted asap.And typically my sewing machine is playing up. First the zipper foot spring flew off midway through sewing.Then I broke about 5 needles.Now its making a very strange clattering sound. SIGH!

In the morning I'm going to my old School to give a talk to the 6th form Art students, show them my work (mainly photography but a few handmade things too) and get intimidated by a bunch of 17 year olds.I'm sure they will all be lovely and enthusiastic. As major backup I'm taking Greg, my very talented friend and husband to one of my best friends,and he is bringing a dvd.Apparently he rambles, his words not mine, so thats surely a good thing.I'll just talk for the first 5 minutes and then hand the conversation over to him!...

Romeo and Juliet

2008-12-04T16:28:00.000-08:00

I went to the RSC Courtyard Theatre (once known as The Other Place)this evening.A friend got us free tickets for the Romeo and Juliet press night.Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrhhhhhhhhhhhh the pain of Romeo and Juliet.The lighting was amazing, so many moments longing I had my camera (although I wouldn't have been allowed to use it, RSC and all that).It was a 3 hour 15 minute production. I love going to the theatre but I must admit towards the end I was getting more than a little bit restless. Restless because i knew that i needed to make Iris her penguin costume for the school play (deadline: the morning) and O hasn't got antlers yet for her part (prancer) and then there's the 75 purses which need making for a shop order by the weekend...and so many other things on my mind which I won't go into here.LIFE IS TREMENDOUS.
All sorted now.Costumes are done.Will worry about the purses in the morning, after my regular morning cuppa (with lots of digestive biscuits may i add) at Lucys after school drop off :) and the large sum of money I paid into my mortgage account didn't disappear into the ether after all so I am breathing calmly...is it too late for jam doughnuts?

Juno

2008-11-24T06:44:00.000-08:00

I love this film

I love this film because the girl reminds me so much of my daughter O.

Happy Birthday

2008-11-20T18:07:00.001-08:00

My big girl O was 11 a few hours ago. I baked cakes and took her out for pizza with 9 friends (and i'm not on valium!) and then she had a party at the local LUSH shop.They all had a great time. The boys emerged with mohicans (great! i'll be popular with the parents who don't bath their kids daily!) and blue glitter.The girls looked like they did when I left them at Lush, except for O who was SHINING and covered in blue glitter, her hair looked like she had literally slapped a jar of gel onto it.Thats my girl...always was fond of lotions and potions.I caught her 3 times with my Lancome glitter aged 3.not putting it on (too cool to be girlie), just randomly pouring it on the bathroom floor.At least she has taste, why use the bog standard glitter when there is Lancome in the house?

O never wants anything much for her birthday.this year she asked for a Rubik's cube and a mobile phone.I have refused point blank to get her a mobile phone for the past 2 years,all her friends have them (some of her classmates have had them since they were 7...what is wrong with parents these days?why do they give in to their kids so easily?) She's always with us and therefore does not need a mobile phone but she's growing up...FAST, and next year she goes to BIG school and will walk there and I will have to let her go and if she has a mobile well i could install that tracking device i was reading about....

I feel really aaarrgggghhhhhhh about it but we gave in. Partly because I think she'll get bored of it but also because when i do let my first baby out into the big wide world, to walk to the corner shop perhaps, I can contact her to check she's ok (every 5 minutes or so).....SIGH! perhaps we'll move to Alcatraz?...

just quickly...

2008-11-11T10:11:00.000-08:00

I have been averaging 4 hours sleep a night for the past 2 months.My house is trashed.Tomorrow I am doing a Christmas Fair and I am seriously concerned about my stock levels.But anyway here are some of the fairies and Luna's (Iris named them) that I will be selling. ( also cards, hearts, tutus, a rabbit, a rat, tote bags, sequinned trees)

Paris was wonderful but I could do with going again this weekend! alone so I can go back to the ribbon shop and buy all of their stock. In Paris I did see some silver knee high socks that I fell in love with.I didn't buy them because they were ridiculously expensive but I couldn't stop thinking about them (I know RIDICULOUS) anyway luckily for me my friend Lou went to Paris this weekend and I sent her to the shop HOME AUTOUR DU MONDE on Rue Francs Bourgeouis and now they are mine and I LOVE them. they are even better than i remember.and my husband would normally be pretty unhappy with my executive decision (men don't seem to understand why anyone would want to spend that much on those socks) HOWEVER in two days it is my birthday :) so I have got away with it this time! Fingers crossed I sell loads tomorrow!

I ♥ Paris

2008-11-05T02:05:00.001-08:00

It was great. even when it rained.and i'd like to write more but i'm soooooo busy its not funny.

Faeries

2008-10-26T09:55:00.000-07:00

I posted 15 of these last Friday morning.I was quite sad to see them go but plan on making more.Although fast running out of time. Having to do my tax return tonight then I have 2 nights left of sewing for the Christmas Fair (and its half term this week) before we leave on Wednesday night to stay in London with friends... because on Thursday morning we are catching the Eurostar to Paris.I am sooooooooo excited. I cannot wait to meet up with Polaroid friend Tod Brilliant and his wife and then in the evening more polaroid people are partying.But most of all I am looking forward to taking photo's and chilling in Paris and eating beautiful food at La Divette du Moulin in Montmatre, a place we found when we took the children to Paris in 2007.

Nearly Finished...

2008-10-20T06:10:00.001-07:00

...almost done with my huge order. just waiting for more lavender to arrive so I can fill the last two and post to Uneeka.Off to Paris next week for 3 days with my holga and polaroid cameras to meet up with Tod Brilliant and CarmenDeVos and various other polanoiders.Exciting and a much needed break after a month of 5 hours a night sleep (and sometimes even 4 hours).

My Day Trip

2008-10-17T18:00:00.000-07:00

I took a day off and went to London to meet an old friend,to look around the Frieze Art Fair and to see the wonderful Annie Liebowitz exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery.Then saw more friends.coffee and cake.then home...back to work! :)

Handlebars

2008-10-14T11:56:00.001-07:00

One of my favourite Etsy Shops at the moment is rarrarpress.

I LOVE her postcards.Yesterday I ordered 5.One of which I will frame for my brother's birthday gift,he has grown a handlebar style moustache lately! He's in India at the moment with his moustache.

Love

2008-10-13T09:57:00.000-07:00

her art always makes me smile.

Making Cider

2008-10-11T14:50:00.001-07:00

The weather was amazing today. My old school friend Jez was having a cider making weekend. (most weekends at this time of year he makes cider because thats what he does for his job, alongside organic farming).So off we went to help collect apples and press them and sample the goods. I had a 'kier rural' ,like a champagne (but cider) with blackcurrant cordial.

The children loved it, not the cider (!) but the rural adventure.The weather couldn't have been more perfect.We would've stayed for the veg stew around the campfire but Iris was SO HUNGRY and the food was still an hour and a half away at 6pm.I'm sure we could be persuaded to volunteer again...

The Mop

2008-10-10T17:38:00.000-07:00

and to finish off the day on a much happier lighter note the MOP (as we know it) is in town.

disappointed

2008-10-10T17:22:00.001-07:00

i've just had some of my images printed as cards for a shop.Because it was a small print run I couldn't afford to do litho prints and had to go for digital...which you'd think would be good enough.The printers (lets name and shame because i am annoyed - VLM.com) firstly sent my 300 cards 4 days late.but thats ok. I'm a tolerant person.HOWEVER they arrived looking like they'd been lying around in a stock room for 3 years.They had bleached out and marked YELLOW borders (even though we'd given them an extra 0.5 cm bleed on the crop)...thats not all, they also had marks on every one, upturned corners, hairs on the images,look like they've been cut with a blunt blade, ink coming away at the fold...IN FACT they are totally unsaleable.Anyone who knows me knows if it ain't perfect I won't sell it, and these had my name on the back.300 UNSALEABLE cards (i'll cut them up into gift tags) SO THEN I phoned the printers politely.They,politely, agreed to reprint with a matt laminate coating free of charge (that's good of them) and I received the new batch today.Yes they are much better quality BUT yet again i'll be calling them on Monday.The fold is 2mm out...which matters when it leaves a white line next to the black border of the image.arrrrgggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Morello Living

2008-10-06T04:48:00.001-07:00

Christmas is at our house already! These will soon be available at Morello Living.

Sunday

2008-10-05T13:48:00.001-07:00

I'm still manically sewing away. 50 little robins at the moment.Have finished making the Morello Living order,just needing to photograph the items for their website / catalogue.Ophelia took her 11+ exam yesterday.Fingers firmly crossed...quick update but must go and make...

trees and birds

2008-10-02T11:10:00.001-07:00

I made these last week for Uneeka. The birds are stuffed with organic wool and home blended cinnamon, orange and clove.They smell like Christmas.Have lots of other things to make still so won't be blogging that much over the next month.Large Christmas Fair coming up in November and a few days minus the kids in Paris to look forward to.

My 'Facebook' friends list is turning into a 'little black book' list. So keeping me busy. getting 300 cards printed today.Better go and tidy up the mess i've made...everywhere thread,seqins,newspaper shreddings,buttons,needles and parcel tape...

3 times lucky

2008-09-30T13:38:00.000-07:00

My photo's have been featured in 3 Etsy Treasuries today!

In fact i've been having a lucky few weeks.Lots of work. Am supplying a great Fairtrade Shop in Cornwall called Uneeka with lots of Christmas products, first parcel of 85 trees and birds and cards off tomorrow.Will take photo's before I post. I don't think i've ever worked so hard to such a tight deadline but its been worth it. Bed at 2am every night, up at 7.

Also Morello Living are going to be selling trees, birds, lavender hearts and cards.

Tomorrow another 6 card designs are getting printed...

ummmmm, just sent off a wedding photo job quote so am waiting to hear back. And most exciting for me Dazed and Confused Magazine have made my polaroid one of their 'favourites' on Flickr....nice to get noticed!

Ophelia does her 11+ exam on Saturday...I know she will pass with flying colours and I will be sending her to my old school.

now...off to have a cuppa and more sewing...

Art

2008-09-23T17:24:00.000-07:00

My 5 year old did these.I think they are cool!

Susie Tooby Art Cards

2008-09-18T16:14:00.000-07:00

You can purchase these cards in my Etsy Shop.

They are the work of Susie Tooby.

Sisterhood

2008-09-17T03:02:00.000-07:00

Richard Wellings Thomas,my friend,directed this film.Go and see it.
Sisterhood Feature Film Teaser from Emily Corcoran on Vimeo.

My New Project

2008-09-15T16:23:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited.For a while I've been admiring the collaborative project 3191.I've got a lovely friend,Willow, who lives 881 miles away from me in Italy.We are both mothers, we both make 'things' and we both like to take photos.To cut a long story short we have ventured into our own joint project.We endeavour to post as often as possible at our joint blog called 'Peapod'.In the Summer holidays we both coincidentally photographed beetles on the same day.This was just one of our 'Peapod' moments.

Mouse

2008-09-09T01:36:00.000-07:00

It rained.Then it rained some more.The children are back in school so I'm making again.This mouse has sold but there are more coming.I've got 2 months until my next big Christmas Fair so am trying to be more organised.I feel like i've done very little during the Summer (if you can call it that) but I've had a few photography jobs to keep my busy.I've been very slack in the blogging department.Partly because I'm not really sure where I'm going with it.I've just set up another blog for my photography where I will upload a photo a day.I'm going to mainly upload my handmade stuff here from now on.

The Secret

2008-09-02T15:03:00.000-07:00

All will be fine

Pink Lady

2008-08-20T19:14:00.000-07:00

All dressed up for a blackberry hunt in the hills!

everything but time

2008-08-18T19:48:00.000-07:00

no time for anything these days...Cornwall this weekend, before then sewing projects to finish, 900 photos to edit (yes!900), children to feed and entertain, bank managers to visit (aaarrggghhhh) and root canal surgery on Wednesday...ALL FUN & GAMES...health spa? hmmmm, whats a health Spa?

Beach Day

2008-08-10T17:42:00.001-07:00

Beach, originally uploaded by colourspace.

I am back from a week in Cornwall.We had rain everyday except Thursday afternoon and Friday, and I got the toothache from hell all week (need a root canal) but it was so lovely to see friends and catch up.Photo shoot tomorrow so need some sleep...more later...

Never work with animals or children...

2008-07-28T17:45:00.000-07:00

I did a shoot this morning and got some nice shots.Hopefully i'll be allowed to upload some here...

I am back

2008-07-26T18:26:00.001-07:00

We survived Week One of the school holidays!

Newborn Photo Shoot

2008-07-06T13:24:00.000-07:00

Last week I took these pictures of a 2 week old baby girl.I offered to take them because I'm desperate for new subjects to photograph. Also I feel sad that I have hardly any pictures of my girls when they were this tiny and its such a precious time.They don't stay like this for very long.I got some beautiful shots but am waiting for permission to post online...

where has Summer gone?

2008-07-06T13:11:00.000-07:00

Am hoping the sun comes back.I've agreed to go camping with the kids...

Hairbands

2008-06-22T07:34:00.000-07:00

I have been neglecting my blog of late but checking everybody else's! Very busy avoiding housework and making pretty hair accessories nevertheless! And soon sun hats and dresses and so many other things which keep us from having a kitchen table! : )

my creative moment today

2008-06-13T17:03:00.000-07:00

FEATURING

Having done not a lot ALL DAY LONG I was happy to curate another Etsy Treasury!

I've had a busy week and felt completely emotionally drained today.Yesterday Louise at MorelloLiving.com bought more stock from me (hair bands, little birds, hearts, tote bags, cards) and ordered other things too, happy me.Next week my cards are off to Harrods with a friend who happens to be Mohammed Al Fayeds chiropractor!!!I've also got them into a local gallery and some have gone to Southwold too.I've got lots of ideas for my photography but really want some new faces...think I might have to start pestering the general public soon.

My latest treasury - I LOVE PRINT

2008-06-06T14:55:00.000-07:00

featured sellers

also Sugarberry featured my 'bird and tree' in her treasury

Listed Today!

2008-06-05T12:36:00.000-07:00

Lots of new items are arriving in my shop this week. Here are some items I listed today.

NEW! Cards in my Etsy Shop

2008-06-04T04:07:00.001-07:00

The Fair was disastrous. We had torrential rain and the field/carpark was waterlogged.Sold a bit , but probably a 10th of what would usually sell. Sold 4 cards!!!....oh well! they are hopefully going into a local shop, Vinegar Hill (I say hopefully because I am waiting to hear from them) and I am selling them in my Etsy Shop at wholesale prices.

Little Birds

2008-06-02T12:08:00.000-07:00

It has been a hectic week. Most nights i've been up till 4am ,off to bed just as it gets light and the birds are singing.I've averaged 3 hours sleep a night.The charity fair 'Champagne & Shop' is tomorrow and I set up my stall this evening and its looking good, even if I do say so myself.

I'm excited about my new stuff - organic wool filled, hand printed linen birds, tote bags (gorgeous fabrics & appliqued - will put photos up tomorrow), Russian Dolls, baby shoes, tutu's.My cards are ready too and I'm anxious to know how they'll be received. My lovely mum and her friend sat for 4 hours yesterday and put 1000 cards and envelopes into cellophane bags! Most of all i'm excited about the lunch i will be getting, it was so good last year, and one glass of champagne will be fine if I drink it early on. The fair is in a marquee adjoining the most beautiful country house called Burmington Grange (the link does not do it justice, will have to take some pics tomorrow!) anyway I can't believe i'm sitting here writing when I have sewing to do.........ciao for now!