Hogweed Print

I've finally started printing my new designs for Open Studios! I have four weeks to produce some exciting new things that are mainly in my head at the moment.  Above is the new Hogweed print using a drypoint board as the printing plate.  It shows various stages of the process.  I'm waiting for them to dry so I can add some watercolour.  I've tried colours out digitally and will post the finished print with added watercolour next week hopefully.

White Iris

Always hard to find when you need one, is a tasteful Sympathy card.  Hopefully this new card by Phoenix fits the bill.  I chose a limited palette and a style that resembles a wood-block print.  I thought it made a change to use iris rather than the more usual lilies.  Iris was a Greek goddess of the rainbow, which she used to travel down to earth with messages from the gods and to transport women's souls to the underworld. The three upright petals and three drooping sepals are symbols for faith, valour and wisdom.  They have been printed on matt textured board and cost £1.20 each from your local trader.  I will have all my cards and wrap for sale at Open Studios in July.

Strawberries

And this new card matches the wrapping paper featured in the post on 7th December 2010.

New Baby cards

These are two new die-cut cards from Phoenix out this month.

It's May already!

No posts in April as too busy working on Christmas designs and it seemed a bit unseasonal to post pics of Santas and holly especially when the weather was so fabulous.  Instead here are a few things for May, including the finished macaroon design, which wasn't selected, but I shall endeavour do something else on a similar theme but different format.

Macaroons

Macaroons are apparently the 'new cupcakes' so I've been working on a new card design for Phoenix.  In the interest of research I first had to buy some to draw.  Yum!

Open Studios 2011

My first post of 2011!

It was the Open Studios AGM on Sunday and it made me realise that I should really be thinking about new work for the show in July.  My studio will be open the second and third weekends in July and will have the usual mix of limited edition prints and my published cards and wrapping paper.  The above collograph is called 'Indigo Bird' and is from an edition of twenty five hand coloured prints.  I'm planning to do some new large prints, inspired by patterns in fields, so watch this space to see how they turn out.

I'm currently working on new Christmas designs for Phoenix but I'll have to wait until next month to see if anything has been selected.  I'm also working on a Strawberry card to go with the wrap which is number three in their best seller list.  The presents design is number one!