the frame tutorial

I have been trying to pin down my friend Lenny for ages to give me a tutorial on making picture frames and finally managed to on Saturday. Lenny is one the most creative and enthusiastic people I know so you should really pop over to his blog and check out his prolific making of 'things'. They are too diverse to mention here but here's a sneak peek...

But onto frames..

I have wanted to make my own frames for a long time and especially since Lenny made me some last year for my birthday out of reclaimed wood and greenhouse glass.

And so, on Saturday we both had a window of time, he cut and fiddled about while and I watched and learnt. First we chose a straight piece of wood...

Measure twice and cut once. And then a few more times.

Put in a 'thingy' to hold it together while the glue dries. Cut some glass to fit, add some contrasting beading, et voila!

Some refreshments from the children. Very nicely presented I thought - Lenny has a girl.

We loved this bit - a keyhole to hang it up by. Awesome!

Many thanks Lenny, much obliged. Now, can I come round and borrow your shed? (And I'm secretly hoping I can have that frame too : ))

Ahoy!

Look out! Especially if you want to use this telescope..

I've been FOFFED!

 

Well hey diddly do, I've been Found on Folksy!

return of the seagulls

This little chap was inspired by a trip to a secret location on the Essex coast during last week's holiday. The location has to remain secret as it's my brother's favourite unspoilt spot and he would be none too pleased if I blabbed the name!

hedgerow 2

Finished the second of my hedgerow illustrations after a week's break in London. We had much fun but it's nice to be back. This illustration works with the other one so they can hang side by side.

Like this...

hedgerow 1

First of the hedgerow illustrations to be reproduced as prints.

little bits of lovliness

I happened to come across these rubber stamps by Jolyon Yates on the stylistic gallery website. Apart from the beautiful stamps you can create with them, what makes them so gorgeous is the way the wooden handle has been cut from 'repurposed beech'.

Check out more of Jolyon's work here.

hedgerows

I feel as though I've been absent from my little blog for a while so thought I'd update with a couple of recent photos. The hedgerows are at their best at this time of year, full of honeysuckle and wonderful grasses. They get cut right back in June otherwise you wouldn't be able to drive down the tiny lanes (yes they are that narrow in Guernsey in places) so now is the time to enjoy them and gather material for my illustrations.

from the wilde

"An eclectic collection of some of the most exciting and contemporary designer makers, artists and illustrators from the UK and carefully chosen international artists. These collections are for people with a love of the city, country and the coast, for all of us who aren’t lucky enough to live there but are lucky enough to own a piece "From the Wilde"..."

And you can now get Little Paper Gallery cards from there too! 

blog interview

Pop on over to Charlotte Hupfield Ceramics where you can see not only Charlotte's lovely work but also a little interview with me!

coveting covers

I saw this series of Penguin books recently in the local bookshop and was instantly drawn to the fantastic cover designs. Who cares what they're about, they'd just look great on the bookshelf. (Incase your're wondering they're actually a collection of food writing, from poems to recipes.) Packaging really does sell a product, I did it this morning when I opted for the more expensive Clipper Green tea because the packet is so pretty! See here in my earlier post.

hand drawn competition

My entries for the latest Tigerprint competition - Hand Drawn. You can see the other entries here.

Wish me luck!

bold florals

New bold floral illustrations as Summer is just around the corner. Woooah, they're bright!

pink and turquoise

Another lovely colour combo put together from selected Folksy picks. Must have been all that warm weather over Easter that's making me feel so summery!

From the top...1. Coin Purse by Hortensia Designs - check out the lovely lining too  2. Cushion by Anna Keren Designs  3. Lavender Puppy by The Whistling Cowgirl  4. Pocket Mirror by Kikichoo  5.  Rose Petal necklace by The Blue Starfish  6. Felt Brooch by Made by Lolly

new stockist

My cards will soon be available to buy from the Down to Earth gallery in Shropshire. They have a lovely online gift shop selling lots of beautiful art cards and prints so pop on over for a browse.

wood store project

From this...

to this! I'd like to say I played a bigger part in this than suggesting 'we' make one and choosing the colour.

But I can't. Clever other half even slated the roof. Top marks!

yellow & grey folksy finds

This colour combo is still bringing me much delight and I keep seeing yellow everywhere. I don't know if it's the fabulous weather that makes me notice it more or if there really is a lot of it about?

Whatever it is – I LOVE it! So I've rounded up some Folksy finds that share this colour match made in heaven. And they are as follows...

1. Crown Hat by Ann Moore  2. Earrings by Grace Showers Jewellery  3. Cushion by Linen Tree  4. Print by Mrs Eliot Books  5. Linen Table Runner by Hand Print by Sima

Herm

Took a break from the old routine and went to Herm Island yesterday - 15 minutes by ferry from Guernsey. Now if that's not breathtaking, I don't know what is.

card parcels

Cards ready to be posted. Don't forget you can purchase cards online and they will be lovingly packaged, so a selection of cards would make a great gift!

one potato, two potato

In a bid to try something different and get away from the computer I found myself armed with some printing books and a stack of my sketchbooks to have a go at good ole potato printing. Well if it's good enough for Lotta Jansdotter, then it's good enough for me - her work is ace!

Taking inspiration from a sketched peacock feather, I got to work on a 'Romano'. Lotta's advice is that chunky designs work best.

And here are the results...

It's a bit hit and miss. I think thicker paint would have worked better although I quite liked the textured effect when using more than one colour

Lots of fun and nice to do with the sun streaming in on a glorious Spring day. Give it a go!