It’s not often that I post personal stuff on what is really my business blog. But who can resist pics of puppies? Esther, my cockerpoo and honorary crafter, gave birth to four pups last night, with the first at 21:30, and the last as a bit of a late surprise at 00:35. She’ll be spending the next few weeks in the studio with me, pups and all – got to start them young 🙂
Cue the ooo and ahhhing 😉
Remember this creation for Craftwork Cards that featured on Create & Craft TV a little while back? So many people asked how I made it that Craftwork Cards have booked me to lead a workshop at their head office near Leeds (UK) on Saturday, 26th April. There are still a few places available… I’ll show you how to use my templates and their fabulous papers to make your own dressform, from the base up to the Candi necklace. As a bonus, we’ll also be doing a couple of card projects to finish off the day. All materials will be included, you’ll just need to bring your basic craft kit.
This workshop is now taking place at my studio in Leicester – click here to book.
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And in unrelated news, this ‘ere blog is coming up to another major milestone – I’m getting near 500 posts. When I post my 500th post, it will be announcing a list of winners – my favourite commenters from now until then, anywhere on the blog. Prizes will be pieces of art, from ATCs to cards, a Distress Technique tag book or may be a piece of quilting – all of them created by me. So all you have to do to be in with a chance of getting a piece of my work is to comment (meaningfully please!). And of course, regular followers of my blog get a head start 🙂
It’s official… and I can share exciting news I’ve had to keep quiet about for the past month or so… I’ve been invited to join the Design Team for Craftwork Cards 🙂
I’m really looking forward to working with Julie and the rest of the Craftwork Cards team and my first official post will be towards the end of February on their blog.
Find Craftwork Cards on Facebook here, and their website here.
Encouraged by my recent publication, I have spent most of the last three days typesetting a book with 112 of my tangle patterns in ready for my Zentangle Inspired Art workshop next weekend. I think it’s turned out rather well… which got me to thinking – would anyone else be interested in a copy (especially since several loyal followers have requested such!)?
Here’s a sample page:
As you can see, it’s mainly the information already published on my Tangle Pattern Gallery and blogs, but all in one place with a handy cross-reference. The patterns are arranged alphabetically, with a gallery/quick reference at the back.
There is a CD wallet attached to the back cover to keep tiles in and is wire-bound so that it lies flat when open, and also has room within the wire-o to keep your pen handy. It is A5 in size and printed in full colour, with a total of 66 pages (112 patterns) and stiff glossy cover. (Hard copy no longer available).
UPDATE 25-FEB-14:
For those requesting an e-version…
I have a formatted PDF version which is designed to print onto A5 paper and get wire-bound as well as being useable on most [colour] devices. This is available for £3.50 and payable through PayPal – you can pay in your own currency subject to PayPal conversion rate. Once payment is complete, you will be emailed a link to the file which you can then download. If you don’t receive an email, please check your spam folder. This will be sent to the email address you use for PayPal. Please do not share the file with anyone else – sharing deprives me of a much-needed income and is against copyright law. Please note that on greyscale screens, e.g. non-colour e-book readers, the formatting means that the book does not show up well.
By clicking on the download button, you acknowledge once payment is completed you are not entitled to cancel the order or receive a refund (Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 – digital downloads).
UPDATE 16-JAN-15:
IF YOU ARE IN THE EU (non-UK), this e-book will be affected by the new EU VAT rules for digital services. This means that from this date if you are in the European Union anywhere but the UK I can only provide you with a personally sent link. Please request a copy via my email in the sidebar.
Hard copy versions:
I’m sorry, but I am no longer producing hard copies of the book.
Thank you to Cathi who was lucky enough to actually to be at the Craft & Hobby Association exhibition (big big trade show) in Anaheim, California, this week – she took this photo of my ‘Time Flies’ cards on the CHA UK highlights stand in the Craftworks Cards section. Exciting 🙂
And another pic, courtesy of Julie Hickey, of the Craftworks Cards stand showing off the rest…
I’m delighted to share that I have been invited to join the fabulous Design Team working with Jones Crafts in Nottingham – and I’ve accepted. Keep a look out for brand new projects using kit from Graphic 45, Marion Smith Designs and 7 Gypsies amongst others.
Welcome to my blog, in which I aim to keep you up-to-date with my new career in art and design and showcase my work. Let me know if you want to purchase any of the artwork on display, all offers seriously considered. Please leave comments – I’ll need to moderate your first comment on my blog, but any future comments you make should appear straight away.
A list of workshops held at my purpose-built studio is available here.
Connect to me at The Studio on Facebook by clicking here.
For a trial period, I’m going to open up the studio for a daytime Come & Craft/Stashbuster Clinic session on Wednesday mornings between 10am and 12:30pm (£5 per session). The Tuesday evening sessions have proved popular, but some don’t like coming out during the dark hours or when buses are less frequent. If the morning session proves as popular, I’ll continue them 🙂
For the uninitiated, the sessions are informal, with refreshments and some materials included. You can either bring along your unfinished projects and complete them in the creative environment of the studio, or you might choose to bring along stash and kit that you don’t know what to do with to get ideas and inspiration. If there are techniques or materials that you’d like to learn more about, it’s also a time for experimentation and play.
Booking is essential to reserve a place, and can be done online via my Workshops tab above.
I’ve just found this book on Amazon – and my tangle features on the front cover!
My ‘Arabian-Style Tangle’ is in the middle on the bottom row. It features on page 2 as well, and step-by-step instructions are on page 60. Best of all, I’m a contributing artist in the list on page 122. I’ve yet to get hold of a copy – I’m wondering if it’s the parcel that went missing back in October. I’m also hoping to be able to get hold of discounted copies, but in the meantime, follow the link through to Amazon and get it there… I’d be happy to sign any copies, should you desire me to deface the book 😉
UPDATE:
P&P means getting a stock from the US is unfeasible. For UK purchasers, please use the links above. For US purchasers, please use the publisher’s website: www.northlightshop.com. This will make signing for those that want it a lot more difficult 🙁
My Mum turned up yesterday bearing gifts, and a lot of stuff she’s clearing out from the loft. One box contained collected items that are somewhat mice-nibbled, but are an archive of my childhood craft activities and school books. The above painting of ‘a train’ is perhaps one of my first forays into painting, aged 3½.
This is a Mother’s Day card – complete with insert reading ‘to mummy with love from Neil’. Not a bad first collage at the age of 5, March 1976.
Perfectly apt for this time of year, this snowman was a wax on sugar paper masterpiece when I was living near Dubai in 1978, aged 7. About as far from snow as I could get at that point!
We’ve no idea whose guinea pigs these were as I think we were still living in Dubai at the time – I was 8. Notice the rosettes in the hair – I last had guinea pigs five years ago, and think I’d probably draw them similarly now 😉
This treasure island is undated, but probably from around the same time. It’s that time in drawing development when ‘sky’ meets ‘ground’ – although I wonder if it’s sea at the top with the sails of the ship appearing above the hill. May be a first foray into distance and perspective?