springtime in the studio

Fresh Scilly Narcissi.

new format cards

I've been selling this small range of square 'Domestic Bliss' cards for the last year and although they are totally lovely I really felt that they perhaps lacked something. 

Perhaps they were just too small and being overlooked? 

My most recent Cornish Cottage cards are all printed at a slightly larger size, 15 x 15cm (6" x 6") and look great, you can see the stitched details beautifully as well as having more space inside for your thoughts and wishes. 

With this new range of square cards printed at a larger size I felt that this little lot could have a Gok Wan style make over and would benefit from a new look. So here they are, all shiny and new!

 The Domestic Bliss range

 5 designs

Compare and contrast!

I'd love to hear what you think about their new look. Why not have a look up close at www.textileillustration.co.uk 

Happy Stitching

Cat x

pictures from the studio 2

Still in my gently-does-it frame of mind, I thought I would share with you some of the pictures the brilliant photographer Stewart Girvan  took last Friday afternoon of the studio and it's contents. 

I was in need of some new studio photographs and profile pictures, so I called in Stewart to solve the problem. Here is only a taster of what he shot, but I'm absolutely delighted with the results and can't wait to share more in the coming weeks. 

I love this close up shot of some sewing in action, the attention detail and focus on the stitching is great. 

This picture has become my new profile on facebook. I like the fact that i'm busy concentrating on my work and not trying to smile at the camera!

I love the angle at which this shot is taken, the edge of the table almost looks like a water line and my sewing machine looks like it's just floating on the surface. It reminds me of the analogy of a duck, calm and still on the surface but paddling like mad underneath!  

Happy stitching

Cat x

pictures from the studio

It's been a while since I've shared anything so I thought I would ease myself gently back into the swing of things with a few photos of the studio from the month so far. All have a nice bright and colourful feel to them, roll on Spring! 

Easter cards

On the table

Pencil Pot

ramblings

Yesterday I spent an arty day with friends, we took a circular walk stopping to draw, take photos, notice the small details that sometimes pass you by as we go about our busy lives. It was absolute bliss!
 

Views from gate posts. Just the glimps of water over the tree tops.

 Sketching in my wellies, we were prepared for the weather!

Noticing the flora and fauna in Cornish hedges!

Artistically framed wildlife!

Fantastic colours, textures and details.

travel journal

I thought I would share a few pictures of a travel journal commission that I've just finished. The brief was to make a journal for a campervan owner encompassing some of my textile images on the cover. 

The finished deign was made up of a collection of some of my textile illustrations printed onto good quailty card, I added a strip of bookbinding cloth along the spine for added strength and durability in compilmentary navy blue.

As a nice finishing touch I added blue and white striped headbands to the top and bottom edge of the book block and used some decorative printed paper for the end pages.

The pages inside are divided into eight sections, and are a collection of cartridge paper, lined paper, plain and tracing paper which I printed some nice bright colourful images onto. Every other section has a brown envelope bound into the spine for saving things in.

I'm delighted with the end result and definately think i'll make some more either as gifts, commissions or to use myself!

Thanks for reading
Cx
  

being more artful

Now here's the thing, display as inspiration.

It may come across as procrastination, but i'm sure arranging your sewing equipment, tools of the trade, threads, needles, pins and scissors and especially fabrics in an aesthetically pleasing manner can be defined as productive. I do alot of this, my fabrics are arranged by colour and pattern. To all scorning friends or spouses, better or worse halves, the time spent organising your stash of crafting parafinalia should only ever be seen as useful. How else are you to find that delighted reel of raspberry thread if it's not placed seductively next to the lime green spool of silk. Or the exquisitely made fabric pinking shears if they do not sit well in the old wooden  tray that you rescued from the antique shop last week giving it new life and a new purpose?


In reality our lives are less like Country Living interiors and more like crazy turbulent happenings, with friends, family, children and partners all taking their bit. If we have time to do anything that helps us feel creative, if it's only appreciating other's artfully arranged equipment even better, I feel better just breathing in the bunch of blooming threads above. If we can do just a little bit of tidying each day ourselves then we feel as if we've made real progress!

In my reality things looks like this:

 
I definately could do better here in the display as inspiration stakes. I hope this little plastic tray of threads tells you that i'm busy doing other things, hopefully other creative things, than to arrange them nicely. Either way i'm inspired by the colours and their potential, one day i'll pick them up to use, but for now it's time to log back into Pinterest and breathe deeply in other folks artful arrangements!

Happy Stitching
Cat x