A watershed moment

OR

thoughts while enjoying the autumnal sunshine

Thank you to everyone who came along to my exhibition at The Church Street Gallery in Saffron Walden which finished last Saturday. I haven't been to collect the unsold prints yet or check exactly what sold . . . I was a little disappointed with how quiet the gallery has been, but then again I'm not sure what I expected to happen. Should I have waited until I had done lots of new work just for a solo show? Was it silly to agree to putting together an exhibition in only a few weeks? 

Probably best not dwell on 'what-ifs'. A good number of prints including a framed 'Winter Evening in Bull's Wood' and lots of cards sold. And I've had some lovely positive messages from friends who did visit the gallery.

The past couple of weeks have felt like a watershed – between getting all my existing prints framed and exhibited and moving on to work on something different. I so want to do something a bit different! Is that a normal reaction after an exhibition?

And now for something completely different . . .

CUSHION COVERS

I'm introducing some printed fabric items into my online shop, starting with these printed linen slip-on cushion covers.

I have kept the price to enough to cover the fabric printing/making up the covers/p&p plus a little extra (after all I'm not giving stuff away!)and have decided to only sell them direct from my online shop rather than offer them at a trade price to shops/galleries.

I'd like to add further designs to the range, I can get the fabric printed in very small quantities and re-print the popular designs. Any feed back or suggestions of which of my designs you'd like to see adapted for cushions would be most welcome.

WATERCOLOURS

Some of you will know that I've wanted to get back into the habit of doing watercolour sketches. I very much want this to be a habit that becomes a small part of every day (not sure this will happen but the intention is there).
Earlier this summer I decided to treat myself to a brand new box of watercolours  . . .

of course, I had to start by doing this . . .

and after a slow start I'm gradually re-engaging with painting . . . 

I have rules -

no pencil or eraser allowed

 the Ginger Studio Assistant got bored and didn't pose for long!

discovering that limited time is actually good

not worrying about just painting over bits that went a bit wrong

and discovering that my car makes a good studio while out and about.

I haven't painted today

. . . and the sun is out! . . .

Celia

xx

PS: it may be sunny BUT it is VERY WINDY!!!

just done, still wet
today's watercolour -
the view beyond our garden.

Tah-daaah! My first fabric collection

I've wanted to do this for years – adapt my block print designs for a repeat pattern for fabric. Then someone pointed me towards Spoonflower, and I got very excited!

There were other options of course . . .
Such as, printing directly onto fabric from hand cut blocks (tempting but it would mean completely reorganising my studio and I had other priority projects this summer)then printing to order - and I don't think I could handle the stress (perfectionist).
Or finding a UK digital fabric printer – yes there are some good ones BUT I would need to order everything and then resell it.

With a Spoonflower "studio" I could upload all my design ideas and order swatches/trial lengths and test them out before then opening a shop for anyone to order from. Fun and no wastage :-) Everthing is printed to order using eco-friendly water-based ink on beautiful natural fibre fabrics.

I've put together a collection Birds Wedding based on my print and popular card design 'The birds' wedding day'.

There is a large repeat design 'Hearts', a solid colour with small white motifs 'Sprigs' each are available in three colourways: Ruby, Sea and Stone. And also a modern Regency-style  'Stripe', which is available in the two pastel colours, Sea and Stone.

Well, the sample lengths arrived and I skipped around a bit because they were very very lovely. Then I snipped them up into pieces and made up three bundles of the beautiful linen/cotton soft furnishing quality canvas for my "Secret Sewers".

Later today they are going to blog about what they made, so pop over to visit:
Tracy's blog – where there is some superb patchwork (a table runner, coasters and cushions) and a give-away!
Over on Gina's blog there is a stunning tea cosy, a lovely red cushion and a make-up purse (which she's giving away to one lucky person)
And on Su's blog her makes are a large comfy cushion and padded case for her iPad.

For myself, I ordered a length of the cotton voile fabric printed in the Stone Stripe design . . .

My vintage Singer Starlet helped me stitch it into a simple curtain (a pole slides through a large hem at the top)

It makes the little window in the old stable room look very charmimg :-)

Although it was very difficult to photograph because the room is always quite dark . . . so I took the curtain outside and pegged it onto an apple tree to watch it ripple in the breeze.

And to admire my neat stitches :-) In fact it was a dream to sew, no slipping and the design makes it easy to align the hems perfectly straight.

So there we have it! 'Birds Wedding' my first ever fabric collection, available to order here.
Please don't let ordering from the US put you off, it is incredible efficient and even if you have to pay a little extra shipping/vat (duty is only charged for parcels over £135) the prices are very reasonable for such good quality fabrics.

btw I've started a Pinterest board Sew me! to collect together all the things that have been made from my fabrics, so if you buy some fabric and make something, please let me know and I'll Pin it :-)  
Celia
xx

PS with quilters in mind two small scale prints, "Small Sprigs" and "Small Stripe", will be available soon (I am trialing them in the quilting weight cotton this month).

The Secret Sewing Project

I promised in a previous post fabrics designed by me . . . and there isn't long to wait!

In fact sample lengths arrived in my studio earlier in the summer, but I knew I'd be too busy to make things from them . . .

then I had a cunning plan :-)

The Secret Sewing Project

I enlisted the help of three of clever creative blogging friends who I knew wouldn't be able to resist a free parcel of fabric :-D

And I invited them to . . .

Then, inspired by the excited emails I received with attached photos of work-in-progress, I got out Starlet and did some sewing myself :-) The fabric was so lovely I've found my long-lost stitching mojo!

The Secret Sewing Project big 'reveal' is coming to a blog near you very soon . . . Friday 4th October is tah-daaah day :-)

I'm excited to see what Gina, Su and Tracy have been stitching, aren't you?!

And my trusty Starlet will share her 'make' too!

Celia

xx

Psst! I've heard a rumour there may be a give-away