Two Birds

This is my 100th post on my blog, so I thought I'd show you a close up of my new card published by Phoenix Trading as in the previous post it's hard to see the quality of the printing.  I really like the matt watercolour-style heavyweight paper they use.  This design has also been 'debossed' to give it the impression that it's been handprinted like old fashioned letter-press printing.

I think this is one of my favourite designs I've done for them in a while and they retail for only £1.50.

New Tea Towels ordered

I have just placed an order for my Goldfinch tea towels to be re-printed in these lovely new colours.  They should be on my website by mid October.

October 1st - new product day

I really must update my blog more often, but I'm so busy designing and working to deadlines it doesn't take priority.  However I do try and put things on facebook more regularly as it's quicker and more immediate, so if you haven't looked on there for a while follow this link to my page.

So what have I been working on?  The above is a new card design from Phoenix Trading released today.  It is called Two Birds (code: WS285). It has de-bossed images which creates a 'letterpress'/hand-printed effect. 

Here are some fun colour-in finger puppets I was asked to design. A mixture of 17 farm animals and people plus 7 pieces of 'scenery' that stand up. Let your imagination run wild! You too could colour a chicken green.  (code: CP008)

Summer

Open Studios is over for another year and this was by far the best year ever, in the 18 years I've been taking part.  My Dandelion design seems to have been the most popular.  I sold a framed original drypoint print and sold out of my coasters and the cards published by Green Pebble.  Perhaps I should design a dandelion inspired tea towel next?

If you would like to see a little video of me being interviewed in my studio here is a link on youtube.  I am 5:48 minutes into the clip.

Now to think about and start some new designs.

Cambridge Open Studios

My studio will be open to the public this weekend and next weekend (13-14th & 20-21st July 2013) from 11am - 6pm.  I have been taking part since 1995, so am well established and have plenty of work to show you.  I have new drypoint prints of plants and seed heads, flotillas of boats and imaginary hares in the garden.  Pictures are available framed and unframed.

Also for sale are my large range of published cards, wrapping paper, stationery and hand-made cards.  I have expanded my popular range of coasters, screen-printed tea towels and added a little collection of magnets.  I have information about how I produce my designs and will be demonstrating some printmaking techniques.

The studio is well signposted from the High Street in Milton, just follow the yellow flags.  So why not come and see what I get up to all year?  The studio is nice a cool on a hot day and I will have elderflower cordial and sweeties.  I look forward to seeing you.

And the winner is.....

...apart from Andy Murray (yay, I could hardly watch with the excitement)... Sasha.  I have emailed you, so please let me know your address.  Congratulations.  To keep it fair, I typed in the 63 names of the people that had commented or shared the tea towels either on here or on my facebook page and then used the random number generator to select a lucky winner.  I am now also well over the 2000 mark on my page so thank you everyone for taking part.

Giveaway

Time for a give-away.  Two reasons, Cambridge Open Studios starts this weekend (although mine isn't open until 13th July) and as I type, I have 1939 people who have 'liked' my page on facebook (plus more from 'pages', that don't show up on the counter thingy).  It would be great to reach the nice round figure of 2000, so I'm going to give-away one of my new Goldfinch tea towels, shown here in the window of Cambridge Contemporary Crafts.  So if you would like to be in with the chance of winning, you can comment below or on my facebook page.  Feel free to spread the word and I'll announce the winner at the weekend.