Bust Craftacular 2012

Thanks so much to everyone who made it along to this years Bust.
I met so many really lovely people, some of whom told me they've been buying my work for years. I really can't explain what a heart warming thing that is to hear, It makes all my hard work over the years worthwhile.
Here's wishing you all a very merry Christmas and a brilliant New Year. I'm off to put my feet up til then!

Hooray for trays!

OMG!!!! This has got to be one of the most exciting parcels I have ever opened - all the way from Sweden, here we have my very first tray, and what better design to don it than my old faithful Nice biscuit.
Each tray is handmade from the finest Scandinavian birch wood. The trays have no joins as they are made from a single sheet of birch which provides a high quality finish and longevity of use. They are also dishwasher safe to boot! These words come straight from their lovely makers.I'll post some better photos taken in daylight soon (just as soon as I see some daylight!)The tray measures 27 x 20cm so you'll easily get two cups of tea on there along with a pack of your favourite biscuits!!
Grab yours in my Etsy shop Now!!

Cold dark nights getting you down? Well here's something to warm your cockles - the wonderful Tinta have only two weeks left at their brilliant Pop Up space in N16 so why not pay them a visit and have a nice cup of mulled wine for your trouble. I hear there'll be mince pies too (if you're good) Oh and that's not forgetting loads of amazing and affordable art from the likes of Kate Hazell Ed Vere and Martyna Zoltaszek to name just a few of my faves.

Thank you so so much to everyone who made it along to Pexmas. The organisers and the customers alike were all so cheery, I had a great day!
If you didn't manage to make it, don't fret as i'm taking part in Bust Craftacular on Sunday the 16th.
I've a new and very special product which will be making it's debut so watch this space, will post images soon.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIt's Pexxxxxxxxxxmas!!!!

New Colourway

I've just received delivery of a new colourway of my Russian doll tape - previous colours which have now all sold out include black, red & blue. I thought teal would be a nice addition and it just so happens to go well with my wrapping paper too.
If you simply can't live without having some then click here

Oh and big shout out to the wonderful Libby for her camera skills!!! x

A Whole Lotta Love

On the 9th March 2006 I met a very kind, handsome and funny man, little did I know then, 6 years later he would pop a BIG question to which I said HELL YES!!!!!
Here's a little print which was made to celebrate.

That time of year.....

!!!!!!!!!UPDATE!!!! !!!!!!!!
Due to circumstances beyond my control I won't be at The Holly & Ivy Market tomorrow.
Sorry to anyone who was going to pop along and see me there.


Please do come along and say hello if you can make it along to either of the other two sales.
Oh and a word of warning - expect a queue at Bust as the wonderful Rob Ryan is back with a print grotto - get down there early!!

Wrap up warm

I can't believe that four years have passed since I first drew my Russian Doll 'It's What's Inside That Counts' design, and although it has been featured on tape I've only just got around to getting some wrapping paper printed.
Each sheet measures 700 x 500mm, weighs 90gsm and is printed in a very jolly red, using vegetable oil inks onto 100% recycled paper.
Grab yours now and remember this wrapping paper's not just for Christmas, it's suitable for use all year round! Boom Boom x

Mollie Makes & I Talk

For those of you lucky enough to own an ipad, please check out Gathered the brand new weekly craft magazine created by the great Mollie Makes Issue 3 which is out today features an interview with yours truly!!!!
And as if that's not enough excitement you can get the first 5 issues free when you subscribe!

It's that time of the year again and i'm taking part in quite a few sales.
I always struggle to display my wares successfully so I decided to invest in this greetings card display. I've also been after a tabletop browser to show off my prints but not only are they really expensive they're ugly and boring so I have opted for old magazine racks found on ebay. I'll post some more photos soon - hard to get a good photo in these grey days.

Website Coming Soon

I like a challenge as much as the next guy, so even though I don't have ANY technological knowledge i've decided to learn how to build my own website. So far it's proving to be a slow process, I keep reminding myself that slow and steady wins the race. Also, once i've learned how to do it that knowledge will remain with me all my days so I think it really will be a worthwhile venture.

Spending Time not Money

You may have noticed i've really been getting back into drawing type of late. Well i've just found a home for it on my brand new moneybox.
The idea behind it is pretty simple really - it's for couples saving up for something special, each time they spend a night in together they put money in the box, it's about spending time instead of money.

The brilliant TAG Fine Arts were showing my work at the Multiplied art fair, but now that's old news, they're now exhibiting at the AAF Battersea from 25 – 28 October 2012 and as if that weren't enough you'll also find them at AAF Hampstead from 1 – 4 November 2012. They are also currently offering FREE SHIPPING so if art fairs scare the living daylight out of you, get buying online here
You can find out more about the shows and even catch a glimpse of one of my prints here

I travel quite a bit on my own and have to admit I get pretty lonesome at times - especially when traveling back from seeing my lovely nanny. I'm really very close to her so it's always incredibly hard to say goodbye.
I carry a notebook with me everywhere I go & this gives me the opportunity to take my mind off things by doing a little bit of drawing or jotting down ideas for new prints, this is what I drew on the flight back from N.I today.

Pop up, Pop in

The Wonderful Tinta are taking part in The East London Design Fair Pop-Up shop, geez that's a mouthful! Why don't you pop on down and get an eyeful!
Arch 2, Emigre Studios, 274 Ricmond Road, London Fields, E8 3QW open daily 11-6 (8 on Friday) September 19th - 23rd

Happy Birthday to ya

It seems i'm always looking for birthday cards and can never find one I feel is quite worth the money, so I decided to print my own and of course not wanting to make life easy I decided to make a two colour one.
I'm really enjoying drawing type at the moment and am beginning to feel the more I do it the better I get. Go figure!
It's not often that I feel totally happy with my drawings but in this instance I am - I really think the candle makes it.
I made a few extra so I can offer them via my Etsy shop which you can visit here.
P.S Big shout out to my best friend in the whole world who just so happens to be over on the other side of the world - she'll be celebrating her birthday on September 18th, I don't think i'll get a card over to you in time Jill, so here's a virtual one until I get the parcel packed up and over to you.
I love you dearly. xxx

Well, it was only a matter of time..... i've finally got round to getting some 'Nice' tape made, it's my first two colour tape and I must say i'm pretty pleased with it. It's always so exciting when a new tape arrives at the studio - it makes you feel like a kid again. The lovely Lou pointed out that each one could be cut off and used as a sticker, but whatever you decide to do with it, it'll go on and on for nearly ever (well 66 metres worth) Now that my friend is value for money with a capital "V" so get yourself over to my Etsy shop and bag yerself some, or if you're in London head on down to Elphicks on Columbia Road E2 as they have some too. (Elphicks is only open on Saturday & Sundays)

That's a Wrap

I got really excited the other day when I opened up an email which brought me the news that my 'Nice' teatowel had been featured in a magazine. Being a massive ego maniac I got straight onto the interweb, tracked it down and boy am I glad I did! The magazine in question Wrap is really lovely - it's printed onto un-coated stock which instantly makes it a joy to hold but it's also full of beautiful illustration, interviews, stories and you get free wrapping paper with every issue. As if that weren't enough I also received a free print and excellent customer service which made me feel really valued. I'm really enjoying dipping in and out of it, slowly learning a little bit about each featured illustrator, so a big THANK YOU to you Chris & Polly x

A Family Affair

One of the best things about having access to a print studio is being able to help out your family. My mum is an absolute legend and is so multi-talented it's unreal, in fact there's not many things she has turned her hand to and not mastered. I finally got round to printing these business cards for her, my brief was just to create something nice and simple with a circular logo. I decided to incorporate her initials into the circle. I'll put up a proper link to her blog so you can see all her work as soon as she gets herself up and running. The pint mugs pictured above are for my uncle David - another very talented sole who happens to be president of Garvey Motorcycle club. It was great fun to make these man sized mugs - especially as it took me back to about ten years ago when I painted a huge banner for them.

They're back

by popular demand! It's only taken me about a year to get round to printing tiles again. I've even managed to get a few new designs done - more images soon but in the meantime here's an oldie but a goldie! x

I made these little fellas ages ago and am happy to say they've been selling like hotcakes!

Blast from the past

While I was having a clear out at the weekend I discovered lots of skecthbooks from my days at Camberwell College of Art. Contrary to popular belief, it seems that I didn't waste all of my time there propping up the student bar! It was actually really enjoyable (although embarrassing at times) flicking through all the busy pages, remembering how much I enjoyed writing little things like this. I'm hoping i'll discover a few gems to inspire some new work. I posted this one up today because it seems quite apt for how i'm feeling at the moment. I was in a world of my own, making my way home and an old gentleman let me get on the bus in front of him. It was such a simple thing and not out of the ordinary at all, but instantly I was transformed from my doomy demeanor and before I knew it a huge smile was beaming across my face as I thanked him. The thing is he'll probably never realise how much his instinctive action was appreciated.

Days gone by

After smoking for more years than I'd care to remember I decided 18 weeks ago that i'd stop. I read Alan Carr's book (no not the comedian, although I do love him) and after all these weeks I haven't really craved a cigarette, that is until now.. .. To be completely honest i've had a stressful and heartbreaking couple of weeks so it's no wonder that I find myself craving my old crutch but i'm determined not to give in. Finding these old drawings I did one Christmas about 7 years ago prompted me to write this post, so for anyone out there trying to stop smoking, go on you CAN do it! The knack is really wanting to...

Well, as usual i've been lying low on the blog front, I suppose I haven't had a lot to say for myself, until now that is! Here's a sneak peek of something i've been working on for a little while. I'll be releasing a few new bits and bobs along with tried and tested old favourites this Sunday 24th June when I'll be proudly joining the Lovely Merchants upstairs at The Victoria Pub, 2 Mornington Terrace, London, NW1 7RR. We'll be there from 12-5.30

D&AD Don't cha know!

So, I got a really brilliant email this week from the hardworking, innovative & generally great gals at Laqa & Co letting me know that The D & AD have just announced this years winners and the packaging project that I am very proud to be a part of has won a book award! Huge congratulations to everyone involved!! Oh and while i'm on the subject of the wonderful Laqa, not satisfied with producing brilliant ways of getting colour on yer talons, they've now got lips covered too, so i'll be posting a blog about my new artwork for their brilliantly named 'fat lip' pens soon.

Screenprinting is a pretty simple process and like most things in life I've always had the best results when I've taken more time to prepare everything properly before starting. However, sometimes you forget to put the paper down and you end up with this - a printed vacuum bed. All those little holes carry air and when they're covered they hold the paper in place so once you've pulled the ink through the screen and onto the paper the paper stays where it is and the screen lifts upwards with ease. Without those little holes the paper would stick to the other side of the screen and once you've peeled it away you'd more than likely end up with a soft image, which ain't good! The image here is a brand new version of my little 'you complete me' prints - I wanted to make a more substantial print of it so I drew a border and decided that the words should be lowercase so they could have a more flowy feel - they're meant to look like ribbon and the border is a kind of hybrid of rikrak & pinking shears, if only I'd included a couple of buttons in there the print could have been a homage to my old friends from my sewing days.

Well, my epic eggventure has ended, it was a tough old journey and lots of hard work (along with tears at times) but i'm pleased to say it was all worth it as my egg sold for £2,300 - you can have a look at the lots which are still available to buy here .
This money along with all the other humungous sums from the sales of the other eggs & various merchandise will go to help two amazing charities - Elephant Family & Action for Children.
I'd like to send out a huge thanks to everyone involved in this incredible project, everyone I have met along the way has oozed enthusiasm, dedication & diligence, none of this would have happened without all their thousands of hours of grafting.
I feel deeply honoured that I was invited to be a part of it.
Pictured above is one of my favourite photos of my egg, if you have any of you standing beside it or if you know anyone that has please email me at reapwhatisew@gmail.com as i'd really love to see them.

I'm super gutted to be missing out on this sale - it's gonna be a goodun!
If you're in the area please do pop by, although I won't be there in the flesh I will be in spirit because the beauty & the brains behind Mercy & Pearl will be selling my teatowels.

The Elephant Family have supplied selected artists with ostrich eggs so they can replicate their giant eggs. They're being sold at the pop up shop in Selfridges alongside mugs and lots of other merchandise produced to help support the Big Egg Hunt.

Epic Eggventure

Well, here it is... over 25,000 little sticky dots, three coats of varnish and a heck of a lot of woman hours later my egg is finally complete.
Not long now til the official launch date - such exciting times and I really still can't believe I was chosen! Please do pop along to the to the The Big Egg Hunt . for more information on the event and to see who else is taking part, there are some seriously big names! I will post some better pics of my egg soon.