Pick Me Up 2nd edition - part 2

This year, the pictures that stood out for me were by this artist Zara Woods (aka Woody). I liked so much I bought a limited edition print and some cards!! If only I won the lottery!!..

In total contrast, this lady must have the patience of a saint and the most steady of fingers!!Seiko Kato produces these images by cutting out details within books, in this instance, from Victorian medical books, drawings and encylopaedia, and making them into a collage on an impressive scale!!! (skull - 'subterranean' and detail)...

I have a thing about typo and alphabets!!! I even bought a limited edition alphabet by this lady. Jessica Hische is a typographer and illustrator, specialising in hand- drawn lettering.. 

Sarah Arnett had some lovely colour combinations in her nature inspired prints....

I liked the story-telling in Paul Blow's prints....

    room to speak

   no television

It's Nice That curated an illustration event with artists drawing live (amongst them was Tom Gauld but more of him later!!) and their illustrations could be purchased there and then!! Soju Tanaka's drawings were lovely but I couldn't get a photo - reminded me a little of Studio Ghibli's Hayao Miyazaki (more of that in another post!)...

I'd already blown my budget and I hadn't even got to the shop (Concrete Hermit - vouchers most welcome!) but here are two images that made me smile AND that came out OK in photos (I wasn't tall enough for some!!)

   Tom Edwards 

Adrian Johnson

And finally, Themlot had built a model city, and visitors were encouraged to be part of this interactive walk though city...

Sorry this was a while in being posted and it's rather long. I hope that if you like what you see, you'll link to the artitsts' and collectives' websites. The show was great and a real inspiration and I really hope there'll be another next year. I'll be saving like mad!

Pick Me UP - 2nd edition (part 1)

I had the pleasure of Mrs.Cheese's company for a trip to London's beautiful Somerset House yesterday to see this brilliant exhibition again this year. The artists involved in Pick Me Up are a truly talented bunch, and it was nice to chat to them about their work - very inspiring.

Jaguarshoes Collective showcased some artists....these are by Arran Gregory (totem pole at virginia water/screenprint) and print by Marcus Oakley (untitled).

Anthony Burrill had an open studio at this year's show.

Visitors were encouraged to create 'fanzines'....brilliant for kids!!! Here's Mrs.Cheese hard at work and wall of finished 'fanzines'.

More pics to follow....keep checking back!

new stuff for spring 2011......

I've been making these brooches from rescued herringbone tape and vintage buttons...I'll have some more of these, with a sprinkling of homewares, at the MTAM's Easter Fayre on Thursday 7th April at the Town Hall from 9am-12noon.....

 ...hope to see you there.

comic relief....

...doing great work for those going through such tough times. How can it be that in 2011, there are still parts of the world where children die because they haven't got 35p to get a taxi to a medical centre? How can so many have so little whilst we all waste so much? It's not right.....lend your support to these initiatives supported by comic relief by going to their websites...sometimes it's not always your money they need...a signature added can help change things...

"be the change you want to see in the world" (Mahatma Gandhi)

Japan

A Mad Hatter's Tea Party

It was our mini-mills' 4th birthday party yesterday and we invited her friends to a Mad Hatter's Tea Party! It took a bit of manic organising as we only decided what to do a few weeks before but I think we got away with it!!! Thanks Adam for helping to make the large tea-pots, keys and signs and for having to get up quite high to stick them on the ceilings - a big thing for someone who hates heights, especially whist standing on a rickety step ladder! Here are pics from the party....firstly you need to go 'down' the rabbit hole!

Thanks to Gabriella (the Mad Hatter) for entertaining all 25 kids for 2 hours (a small break whilst they had tea!) - the kids were thoroughly entertained!

The tea-room is all set for the tea-party (thanks to my family for loaning teapots and cake stands and plants!).....

A table of treats....

Thanks to 'Uncle Joe' for making the delicious red velvet birthday cupcakes and for decorating them just how I imagined! (I apologise for bombarding you with pics of what I wanted!!!)....

I had made some jam heart tarts (I was the Red Queen so just living up to the part!) but these lemon-flavoured iced biscuits are my favourite - I enjoy decorating cakes and biscuits but cannot make the things to save my life! So I cheated and bought some lemon biscuits but I'm such a wimp as my fingers starting hurting after the first few!!...

Everyone got a themed party-bag - a huge thankyou to Elaina at Bowcocos for the fabulous gifts for the girls (badges and playing cards for the boys)....

And finally, a very happy birthday girl (4 today!!) and 2 very cheeky cheshire cats!!...

Labour and Wait

I like this shop very much indeed!!!

Pick Me Up - 2nd edition

Heads up on the up and coming 2nd Pick Me Up graphic art fair at Somerset House - 17-27 March. If it's anything like last year, it will be great! Will keep you posted.

KATHAK STANZAS - dance and mythology

We went to see this wonderful session of kathak dancing at the Royal Festival Hall on the Southbank the other weekend, which formed part of the IMAGINE children's festival over the half term week.(I apologise now for the out of focus moments!)

Gauri Sharma Tripathi is the southbank artist in residence, and she put on a brilliant show/workshop of traditional South Indian kathak dancing and told stories of Indian mythology in which we could all take part.

My highlight was the music in the last dance routine -"KANYA" by Niraj Chag...beautiful! (He was also responsible for the music for BBC Radio 4's modern dramatisation of the Indian epic The Ramayana which was fantastic - my girls were thoroughly engrossed with it). Please do check out the links in this post - I hope you enjoy.

made to order.....

I've been busy working a few commissions;

This is a boy's scarf order from a friend in Switzerland, handknitted in black + grey twist with lime green stripes. It's a short scarf where one end goes through a loop, so there aren't long ends to worry about.

A canvas commission for a friend who had twins, Hattie and Ted, made from pre-loved fabrics and hand stitched onto canvas.

I was given a top by a customer which her daughter used to wear when she was little. She really liked the print and it had sentimental value so I made some bunting, a corsage and a canvas using that fabric. Now my customer has a unique collection which is special to her and her daughter, instead of packing the top away.