Happy February & new camera day!

White rabbits! - as my husband always insists on saying at the start of the month (not sure where that comes from.)

To celebrate the beginning of a new month (not really - just coincidental!) I've treated myself to a lovely new camera. It only arrived yesterday and I was getting quite distracted in my print room today. I was supposed to be printing but found myself stopping all the time to pick it up and photograph all the nooks and crannies and interesting bits and pieces. I think I had it on the wrong setting I've since discovered but the results are still way better than my little old faithful compact digital. I'm looking forward to experimenting with it and getting some great close-up shots of my work.

All things baby

It's been a busy January. I know we're not at the end just yet but it feels like it's been a long month to me. I've been busying away with printing and orders. My Not On The High Street shop is proving to be busy meaning many more trips to the Post Office. Martha (our not quite yet 2 year old) is getting very familiar with the Post Office routine now!

I mentioned in December about some design work I'd been commissioned to do for a London baby boutique called So Tiny London. That's finished now and the results are above. The brief was to create a black and white design to be used on shop branded cards/business cards incorporating the shop name in my hand-drawn type with lots of baby things surrounding it. A candy-shop of baby bits and bobs.

I had fun doing it and re-visiting all those baby things which our little girl is growing out of so fast!

NOTHS

After much deliberation I joined Not On The High Street before Christmas and my page has just gone live this week. I haven't got a lot on there just yet - it all had to happen quite quickly so I'll be adding more over the weekend.

Very exciting. I hope. I've had my first order today but I'm not quite sure what to expect in terms of sales. Perhaps lots more trips to the post office or perhaps not. I'm in their valentines catalogue so I'm hoping for a few orders but we'll have to wait and see when it comes out next week............

I know this is a little late but Happy New Year!

I had a lovely Christmas and New Year break - I really felt I needed it after a pretty hectic 6 months. I managed to stay away from my computer and desk - more because work chaos was replaced by lots of catching-up with friends and family from a-far. It was really great to see everyone as usual.

Traditionally I always love January. Not for all the resolutions but because I always get a feel of optimism when it's January again. While most people hate the dull and dreary weather (that is understandable in the current weather and I too will probably moan about it very soon!) I enjoy the feeling that the whole year is ahead of me and I can start creating some new and exciting designs and prints. I love to plan lots of fresh new things for the next few months. I've always had the luxury of having a fairly quiet first couple of months of the year though so my optimistic January mood is being challenged somewhat by my very extensive workload at the moment. I've certainly been jolted back to work with a big bump as I face a massive amount of work to do over the next 3 weeks. This mainly comprises of card and book orders to fulfill, more books to print and make and another online shop to set up (more about this to come) as well as accounts and the design work I started before Christmas to finish (more on this to come also.) Not to worry. I'm also trying to face these challenges with my January optimism (my husband may disagree with me!) and I start day-dreaming about making myself more efficient over the forthcoming year and possibly employing someone to do all the cutting, folding and packing to free me up to do all the lovely design and print bits. I think I can dream on for now but there's nothing wrong with a bit of January optimism in my books - afterall spring will be just around the corner and that really is something to look forward to!

Time off...

That's me finished for now.

After a very hectic few months I'm having some time off at Christmas. Whether I can stay away from my computer and studio for the whole of next week remains to be seen but I plan to try and relax anyway.

The lights are on, my favourite little wooden babushka dolls are on the tree (all decorations are at least half way up the tree this year to allow for our over-zealous 20 month old little girl!) and I'm looking forward to the following:

1. Having a tipple of my homemade sloe gin whilst I wrap presents.

2. Not working in an evening - I really must try to switch off.

3. Spending time with family and friends.

Right - that's me for now.

Have a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year!

Ok, enough of the cold now.

Ok. I know it's very pretty and it's lovely and wintery and all that but I'm going to be a bit grumpy about the cold now. Now it's no longer just Brrrrr but plain annoying when I'm trudging back and forth with kettles of water and struggling to print with hands which feel like blocks of ice! I was printing (very slowly!) at the weekend and everything is ten times harder in this weather. First my pressure washer has been frozen up and now all the water to my print room is also frozen up (hence the back and forth with water.) So out came the trusty old ( and very retro!) 60's/70's electric three bar heater from my Mum and Dad and I was toasty and warm. I remember it well from when I was growing up. Not quite sure about it's energy efficiency or it's safety come to think of it but it's heat was very welcome.

On a similar note I've been attempting to re-learn how to sew so that I can make a fabulous curtain for our front door - to keep the draught and cold out (and also with the possiblity of screenprinted cushions in the future... where I'll find the time for that I don't know!) So I have borrowed my mum's old sewing machine. Now this is another bit of 70's kit of my mum's which reminds me of my childhood. I don't think I appreciated at the time what a lovely object it is - and what a great colour!

Anyway...... other than all that faffing around I've been very very busy work-wise. I've had quite a lot of last minute orders required before Christmas (a lot of queuing in the Post Office) plus some to keep me busy in the New Year. Today I've been busy working on a design commission for a London shop - one of my stockists. I'll post some images of this when it's finished.

Lists for January have begun - and it's looking very full. My planned time-off at Christmas is dwindling somewhat.

I've also posted a photo of our Hardcastle family Christmas card. This year I opted to screen print a design I did for us rather than the usual dipping in to my card stock! I'm quite pleased with it.

More prints added to my shop

I've just added some more prints to my shop. These limited edition screen prints are sold carefully wrapped in acid-free tissue and packaged in a branded tube. They make a lovely gift for a special someone or just for yourself if you don't fancy giving it away!