Through The Round Window

Pattern & Colour at RAMM

2012-01-23T10:35:00.000Z

Yesterday we visited the newly re-opened RAMM at Exeter

It's a lovely museum - just big enough and small enough to

keep little minds (and feet) busy and interested.

Lots of weird and wonderful things to look at.

Some great reference material for me too...

Unexpected

2012-01-16T21:01:00.001Z

Weymouth Beach, out of season.

Extraordinarily beautiful.

Motto

2012-01-11T13:36:00.000Z

I wasn't expecting to be quite so busy in January,

I was expecting at least a week or two of extended tea breaks

and gentle tidyupping after all the festive mayhem.

But WALLOP, straight in with 3 commissions,

press requests, website designing and, er, the occasional tea break.

So, I have adopted this as my motto

when I feel less than satisfied with my day's progress.

Thank You

2012-01-03T21:01:00.000Z

A few of my favourite Christmas presents...

1) Vintage tea set from my best friend

2) Lisa Jones Beaver Mug from my sister

3) Triple Word Score Scrabble rosette by Sami Teasedale

(which is from, er, myself... it's a long story)

The kids are back to school tomorrow, and therefore I am back to work.

It has been one of the best Christmas holidays I can think of.

Wonderful times with family and friends,

non-stop laughter, delicious food, thoughtful presents...

I am left feeling very blessed and grateful. And full of chocolate.

2012

2012-01-01T20:46:00.000Z

A list of things I am feeling very excited about in 2012

(in no particular order)

Both children in school 9-3 five days a week

Decluttering

Re-organising workshop and office

Starting work on three commissions

Making myself a new website

Magazine interview

Spa Day with my very lovely sister

Making some new designs that have been

floating around in my head for too long

Redecorating

A weekend away with my best girlfriends

Swimming more regularly

Submitting work for an exhibition here

Spring returning

Daylight

Not looking pallid

Family camping weekends

Being more organised

Being more proactive

How about you?

Sunny Day collage by Isla

More Freebies...

2011-12-19T21:43:00.004Z

I'm officially on holiday now.

All orders have been despatched and I'm fully in Christmas mode.

By which I mean I have a horrible cold and

Stones Ginger Wine within arm's reach at all times.

I might even wrap some presents tonight.

And, as well as these, I might use some of the
free printable gift tags I've been bookmarking:

from

Okay, this last one's not free, but they are gorgeous.

from

I don't know if I'll get a chance to do another post before the 25th,

so I shall wish you all...

MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Have a wonderful time xxx

D.I.Y. Paper Chains

2011-12-14T14:56:00.000Z

We've been having fun making paper chains.

Firstly we just cut up A4 sheets of coloured paper into strips across the width...

...but then I remembered some wonderful Eastern European embroidery designs

on some faded paper that my mum had unearthed in a dusty old shop

on a visit to the Czech Republic a couple of years ago.

A bit of scanning, slicing and sticking later....

To make them, you will need:

Good quality A4 paper (I used card from the pound shop)

A ruler, cutting mat, sharp blade, pencil, double sided tape.

You can download the three A4 sheets I used as printable PDFs here:

Sheet 1

Sheet 2

Sheet 3

Enjoy!

(Let me know if there are any problems with the downloading,
I'm a bit of a novice when it comes to things like this!)

Last Chance

2011-12-11T22:57:00.001Z

There's still just enough time to place an order

for "made to order" items in my shops (UK only)

Last order date is Tuesday 13th December.

I do have some items in stock and ready to post though.

Last date for those will be 20th December.

Hey Look That's Me

2011-12-08T21:14:00.001Z

Yes, this very blog that you are reading right here has been recommended

as one of Channel 4 Homes favourite craft blogs.

If you're visiting from the 4Homes website...

Hello!

Pop-up Shop

2011-12-07T17:07:00.001Z

I'll be taking part in this Pop-up Shop event at The Pie Factory

in the hip n' cool Old Town, Margate, Kent between 16th - 23rd December.

There'll be lots of fab makers and doers joining in, including Ohh Deer,

Rachel Loves Bob, Tri and Gull, Sanna Panda amongst others.

A great chance to pick up some last minute Christmas presents.

Find

2011-12-06T12:43:00.001Z

Was really excited* to find this little vintage Waechtersbach pot

in the charity shop the other day.

(*read: grabbed it out of window display and ran to the till)

If you'd like to see more of this Dick Bruna-esque range of ceramics,

there's a whole Flickr pool dedicated to it.

Sunday

2011-12-04T21:42:00.001Z

We went to my sister's cottage to make the Christmas Pudding.

There are always interesting things to see there.

Envelopes

2011-11-29T11:01:00.001Z

Something very exciting about receiving an envelope like this...

...containing sweet little cards from Etsy seller Mogutakahashi

What fun things have you received in the post lately?

Recycle, Reuse, Repurpose

2011-11-26T22:39:00.001Z

About this time last year I ordered some festive postcards of my work.

But I managed to get the text upside down on the reverse (idiot).

I didn't want to waste these nicely printed cards, and then I had an idea.

They make very lovely gift tags. Which I shall be attaching to all my gifts.

*cough* and selling on Folksy and Etsy in packs of 5 for £3.50 (free UK postage) *cough*

Winter Girl #2

2011-11-21T21:25:00.001Z

I made a new version of my Winter Girl panel.

Swap #2

2011-11-19T22:52:00.001Z

Technically, this was actually Swap #1 as it happened back in the summer

but for various reasons I haven't been able to post it until now.

This pair of Flying Birds was commissioned by one of my favourite makers,

Bird-Stitcher-Extraordinaire ~ Sami Teasdale.

They are a wedding gift to her very dear friends who tied the knot last year

and the 3 colours echo the colour scheme of their wedding.

In return, she has made me something very wonderful,

which I'll do another post about, as soon as I can.

Swaps with Spots n Jots

2011-11-15T10:26:00.001Z

I recently discovered the work of Matt Sewell

via another fellow bird nut, Sami Teasdale

I was really happy when Matt contacted me to suggest a swap:

my Friendly Acorn for...

Thanks Matt!

Norwegian Spruce

2011-11-08T21:32:00.000Z

'Norwegian Spruce Fir Tree' stained glass decorations

now available to order on Folksy and Etsy.

In super bright colour combinations - Turquoise! Yellow! Orange!

Hand painted onto beautiful Polish handmade mouthblown glass,

before being kiln-fired and leaded in the traditional way.

Whizz Bang Pop

2011-11-04T21:16:00.000Z

A treasury to celebrate some of the UKs brightest sparks on Etsy!

Have a good Bonfire Night.

Sunday

2011-10-30T22:59:00.004Z

We spent a few hours at West Bexington today,

one of the most underrated stretches of Chesil Beach.

Also home to my favourite cafe/gift shop...

think Royston Vasey-on-Sea.

There is a row of rather bleak and deserted-looking chalets.

We chose the last one as our favourite.

It reminded us of Villa Villekulla, especially with the horse next door.

Familiar Faces

2011-10-20T22:15:00.000+01:00

I'm going to be making Mary and Josephs to order again this year,

as well as making a few to have in stock.

They always prove very popular, and I'm using slightly brighter shades

of red and blue Polish mouthblown glass for their robes.

I like the idea of making a full stained glass nativity set,

with a camel, wise man, shepherd, Angel Gabriel et al.

Exhibition

2011-10-16T22:02:00.000+01:00

I've just finished and delivered a number of pieces for the Rostra and Rooksmoor Gallery in Bath as part of their All Wrapped Up exhibition.

I've included a new design, Crofter's Cottage, which was inspired by a recent re-watching of one of our favourite family films, "Ring of Bright Water". If you haven't seen it, I recommend it, although it is a rather more tame version of the true story of Gavin Maxwell, his otters and his time at Sandaig (a remote part of the Scottish mainland). The trailer below does not really capture the charm of the film (largely due to the awful voiceover man)

The cottage in which he lives is a derelict but idyllic Crofter's Cottage. Typically, they are single-story, whitewashed dwellings with a tiled roof, like this one.

My version is a re-working of my original Woodcutter's Cottage. Having spent a bit of time researching crofter's dwellings, I'm rather tempted by the idea of staying in one for a long weekend. Tucked up by the fire on a sofa a bit like this one...

The exhibition also features Rebecca Coles incredible papercut butterflies, Emily Lawlor's gorgeous mosaics and Claire Halifax's silkscreen cityscape prints. Go and see if you're in the area!

Blank Cards

2011-10-10T11:48:00.000+01:00

Yippee, hooray and huzzah etc.

Blank cards featuring my stained glass designs now available on Etsy & Folksy

Professionally printed on 350gsm card stock

and supplied with a recycled paper envelope.

Perfect for dropping someone a line, or wishing them a Happy Birthday

You can buy them individually or in a 3 pack (choose your own designs)

*** Free UK postage too ***

Overlap

2011-10-04T20:41:00.000+01:00

Finishing off a few Autumn pieces...

... and starting on the Christmas items.

Building Blocks

2011-10-02T13:19:00.001+01:00

I think my girls are probably a bit too old to justify buying more building blocks

although I really did want to get a set of these...

...or these...

...and am still hopeful that Father Christmas might bring us some of these:

But I think we might be able to stretch to some of these...

Weekend

2011-09-26T11:23:00.000+01:00

We went fossilling

but didn't find any.

We went to the Vintage Market

but didn't buy anything.

(Why? Why did I not buy those cushions!!!)

We had a nice weekend.

Sofa Crush

2011-09-20T20:36:00.000+01:00

I seem to have developed a hopeless, can't-stop-looking-at-the-picture,

need-to-get-me-some-of-that, full on girly crush on this sofa and its styling.

I'm loving the midcentury-modern-meets-Finnish-folk feel of it.

It's giving me all kinds of ideas as to what to put in our summer house

now that it's getting colder (and my mum has nicked her sofa back).

(Image from Living Etc. January 2011 - Oliver Heath's House)

Good Books

2011-09-12T09:30:00.000+01:00

I've found some very nicely illustrated children's books recently.

The first two were picked up at a book fair in Collioure

and are published by Editions Grandir.

We were lucky enough that they had the

English translations of the 2 books we loved.

The last one came from a car boot sale a few weeks back.

The other browsers at the stall may still have the bruises

from my elbowing past to grab it.

I like the slightly Christmassy feel of the last image.

Which reminds me, I'd better get busy making....

Holiday Snaps

2011-09-07T09:30:00.000+01:00

I've been enjoying playing with my new toy.

Here's our holiday, ahem, courtesy of Instagram and Hipstamatic

(late to the bandwagon as ever)

We stayed here, here and here.

I can't recommend Casa Migdia highly enough...

(click around the floor plan on their site to get a good look)
It is run by a French family, so feels both French and Spanish at the same time.

My expectations of it were pretty high, but it far exceeded them.

For example, I wasn't expecting it to smell quite so NICE everywhere.
I wasn't expecting our room to have THE BEST SHOWER EVER
(and the most amazing sleigh bed for Nelly)
I wasn't expecting the gentleman who was minding it for the owners
to be so very affable
I wasn't expecting the breakfast in the garden to be quite so delicious
I wasn't expecting a Babyfoot table in the bar, cold beers and a wonderfully eclectic assortment of French chanteurs coming from the speakers.
I wasn't expecting to find a thrillingly huge collection of French interiors magazines...

Can't wait to go back.

Acorns and Conkers

2011-09-05T01:30:00.000+01:00

I've so many things I want/need to blog about I don't quite know where to start...holiday snaps, great book finds, recent commissions, future plans... but I think I really should start with these two little pieces, since I listed them on Folksy and Etsy before I went on holiday and then promptly closed both shops (which are now both open again)!

As it's September, I can legitimately rattle on about all things Autumnal, so here are my Friendly Acorn and Friendly Conker designs. Me and the girls have been collecting a lot of shiny, newly-fallen treasure from the trees lately (we even got a couple of Spanish lads to leap up and grab conker branches for us in a park in Girona the other day) so I thought it would be nice to capture those friendly little nuggets of polished goodness tucked inside their textured cases.

Back Soon

2011-08-23T00:12:00.001+01:00

Taking a little break.

See you in a couple of weeks!

Anna's Museum

2011-08-17T21:57:00.003+01:00

How nice to stumble upon Anna's Museum in the back streets of Brighton

whilst meandering my way back to the train station last Friday.

A quirky collection of stones, bones, teeth, pottery and taxidermy,

neatly displayed in the window of a private house

with carefully handwritten labels.

New Designs: Sweater Cat

2011-08-12T09:28:00.001+01:00

I hate to pre-empt Autumn...

(Actually I don't. August is a chore and September is wonderful)

But anyway, I'm going to be listing some new and autumnal themed designs.

First up is Sweater Cat.

A very self-satisfied looking cat sporting a classic Argyle Sweater.

I have been brewing this design FOR EVER.

It was a real struggle to get the cat to have the right attitude.

Sketch after sketch, and still it wasn't right.

As soon as I scribbled the Argyle jumper on, everything fell into place.

Made using gorgeous Polish handmade glass, in rich glowing colours.

This cat is currently in stock and ready to send.

I'll list a choose-your-own colours option soon.

Blue Bird, Yellow Box

2011-08-10T21:34:00.005+01:00

I got a bit carried away at the aviary today.

>>>>>><<<<<<

We've been doing a few flick-books as a little bit of summer holiday fun.

Just a stickman jumping off a building, that sort of thing.

Need a bit more practice to get them as good as these ones by Alla Kinda

These photo flickbooks also look pretty cool.

Slow

2011-08-03T13:49:00.003+01:00

Making slow progress in my studio at the moment.

On the kids table, it's a different story.

Tentacles / Spectacles

2011-07-27T21:00:00.004+01:00

I love the alien, tentacular look of this little fern

that grows on the walls around here.

>>>>>>><<<<<<<

Inspired by this and this, we've had much fun with

martha and the mini-moopettes today.

Victorian Birds x 2

2011-07-26T11:00:00.000+01:00

I recently finished painting these two birds to post off to Crewe, to be leaded into a pair of stained glass panels being made by a leaded-light maker up there. They are copies from an original set of domestic Victorian stained glass door panels, with the addition of the graduated yellow silver stain background, which I think works really well, giving an almost 3-dimensional quality to them. It did mean an extra firing in the kiln though, which brought the total number of firings up to 5. Always nerve-wracking doing that final and sometimes unpredictable silver stain firing.

Retro Roost

2011-07-24T20:43:00.007+01:00

I've just started selling my work on the very new and shiny Retro Roost. Their aim is to showcase a maximum of 99 British designers on their online design fair. I think they have a few more slots available, if anyone is interested. They offer a very reasonable deal to sellers and I think the site looks really clean and user-friendly. I like the way that they have organised the categories too - sometimes I go on to Etsy or Folksy to find something specific and it can be like trying to find a needle in a haystack.

Here are some items from other sellers on there that have caught my eye....

Sketchbooks

2011-07-20T13:44:00.007+01:00

I got a couple of great books out of my local library recently, which really surprised me, because most of the volumes in the Art and Design section are normally rather ancient and uninspiring.

The first book was Play Pen, a really enjoyable book which we've all had a good thumb through, and found some new books to add on to our children's picture book wishlist.

Then I also found this one, which is a telephone-directory sized tome, jam-packed with images from graphic designers' sketchbooks. A thoroughly inspiring read - it's really interesting to see how different artists record their creative processes.

So I thought I'd open up a couple of pages from my sketch/note books. Sometimes I'm scribbling down an idea for a new design, or reworking an existing one, or taking notes, or just doodling.

My favourite place to sketch ideas is on train journeys. I often look forward to the journey more than the destination. I like small sketchbooks the best, A6 size with either plain or lined paper, I'm not fussy. I've really enjoyed these ones which I got for Christmas. I've filled up 2 of them already, just got the octopus one to go...

Sometimes the kids get hold of them and put their sketches in too.

Treasury Time

2011-07-16T11:06:00.004+01:00

I was reminded by this post from Mrs Eliot Books to blog up

a few lovely Etsy Treasuries I've been featured in recently.

Took me a while to "get" treasuries

(a way of Etsy buyers and sellers showcasing their favourite things),

but I always find it massively flattering to have my work included in them.

This one, by Amanda from Mangle Prints includes loads of my all-time Etsy heroes:

And this one by the fantastic Fric de Mentol is just pure joy:

And this one, by pencil jewellery supremo HuiYi Tan is very slick and stylish:

There we go. Trumpet-blowing done. Parpitty-parp.

Peg Dolls / Winners

2011-07-11T20:42:00.015+01:00

I'm recovering from 4th Birthday Party mayhem, although we did have a great day, the weather behaved itself and the bunting fluttered to order, so all good.

I decided that I'd had enough buying plastic crap to put in the party bags, and I'd seen a couple of things on Pinterest that gave me the idea to make some peg dolls to put in the bags (along with the usual sweeties and obligatory balloon). No time for complicated stitchery though. But then I remembered this book that I'd been given by my sister for Christmas. Aha, I thought... paper skirts! I love folded paper!

Not only that, after a recent shopping spree (read: revoltingly over-the-top splurge at a certain fashion establishment *coughwhitestuffsalecough*) I had a good stash of little bits of haberdashery that I saved from the swing tags: lace, twine, velvet ribbon etc.

I used pvc electrical tape to make their bodices. It is possibly my new favourite material. Stretchy. Sticky. Lots of colours. Available from just about anywhere.

I was even organised enough to take a few in-progress shots like a real proper blogger.

The girls spent a long time trying to decide which one they wanted in their party bag. Yes, even the host kids get a party bag round here.... and why not, it does take the sting out of everyone going home a bit.

<<<<<<>>>>>>

Thanks to everyone who commented on the giveaway. The lucky winners are....

No. 23, which is Maddie and No. 38 which is Rike. Congratulations - I shall start on your leaves tomorrow! Sorry, I would love to be able to furnish you all with a little something. Maybe I'll have to start doing giveaway party bags, so that no-one has to go home empty handed...

Little Things

2011-07-05T10:30:00.000+01:00

Little things have been making me happy lately.

Mostly purchases.

New oilcloth for the kitchen table from Viva La Frida

Bumper pack of original Topsy and Tims from Ebay.

<<<<<>>>>>

Still plenty of time to enter my GIVEAWAY, if you haven't already.

Come here and have a look.

Chevron Leaf Giveaway

2011-07-01T12:29:00.006+01:00

Woop! High time I had one of these.

Partly to say THANKS you lovely people

for stopping by and reading my ramblings

And partly to celebrate finishing a mountain of work

And partly to celebrate these (if I do say so myself)

FLIPPING GORGEOUS NEW COLOURS

on my Chevron Leaves.

So I'm giving 2 people the chance

to win a Chevron Leaf

in the colours of their choice*

Just leave a comment saying which 3 colours you'd like

(and make sure you leave a name so I can contact you)

Choose from: Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, grey, mustard, plum, turquoise

Feel free to blog/tweet this, the giveaway is open to anyone.

I'll pick the winners ~~next Friday~~ on Monday 11th July

(Jeez what was I thinking - I have a kids party to organise!).

Hooray!

*As I will make these to order,

please allow 7-10 days for your leaf to arrive,

should you be lucky!

Attack of the Zombie Housewives

2011-06-28T10:43:00.002+01:00

Is dinner ready yet?

Oh, perhaps not. I can see you've had a tough day.

Isla, who only ever wants to have her face painted as a zombie or pirate.

NEVER princess or fairy. How I love this child.

<<<<>>>>

I am finishing off another order for Rostra and Rooksmoor,

and all being well, I will try and do a little giveaway later this week.

Stay tuned.

Victorian Stained Glass

2011-06-24T11:06:00.000+01:00

I'd like to do a little celebratory tap-dance

(well, I would if I could tap-dance)

I've FINISHED this job which has consumed me for quite a few months now.

These panels are for a beautiful Victorian Rectory in North Dorset,

to match in with the existing originals.

However, the clients wanted to personalise them a bit,

so chose to have a long-tailed tit (their favourite bird)

depicted in the central panel of the three.

Each quarry (diamond shaped pane of glass) was hand-painted

(not screen printed) and required 4 separate firings.

There were about 75 of them in all

I was particularly proud of the little wasp flying next to the long-tailed tit.

There is a bit of a late-summer theme that carries on

in the front door panels which I also designed and made...

...more of which anon.

Hmmm

2011-06-17T16:09:00.013+01:00

Mooching around Pinterest the other day,

I came across a print for the Sasquatch Music Festival

that really caught my eye.

Gosh that looks similar, I thought,

to my Chevron Leaf design (below)

So I thought I'd better just check out some dates

Just to make sure that I hadn't seen their design

and subconciously come up with exactly* the same leaf/feather shape

I checked.

Good.

It seems that

I posted the design on the internet before they did

*The shape of the leaf/feather is exactly the same

The colour sequence is exactly the same

The black lines are exactly the same

Just sayin'

WIP

2011-06-13T10:56:00.005+01:00

I've been trying (and failing) to come up with a satisfactory, not too cutesy,

kinda retroish design for a stained glass cat.

Nelly knocked one up in 30 seconds flat.

The real work is progressing slowly, but I'm hoping to have

them all finished by the end of next week. Phew.

Bugs

2011-06-09T11:00:00.003+01:00

My latest crush is on these vintage insect diagrams

from one of my reference books that I use for Victorian bird paintings.

The last one makes me want to go digging around

in a riverbed looking for caddis fly lavae.

I spent many a happy hour doing that as a child.

Nasturtiums

2011-06-07T11:24:00.005+01:00

I've added a new SALE section to my shops.

I have quite a few pieces that I've been hoarding

for a couple of years that I want to let go of,

but are quite different in style to my more recent work.

The first pieces I've listed are these nasturtiums,

which I made for the Bridport Open Studios a while back.

There are ~~2 orange~~ and 1 yellow available, at £15.00 + postage.

Holiday

2011-06-03T09:11:00.002+01:00

Aaargh. I need to stop playing around

and get on with some work!

Butchers

2011-05-31T21:23:00.004+01:00

I'm very lucky to live in a town that still has

three butchers, three grocers and three bakers.

There are almost certainly some candlestick makers somewhere here too.

Spaces

2011-05-26T16:35:00.004+01:00

Nelly has a little desk in her bedroom now.

I love popping in and seeing what she's been up to.

We've finished redecorating our spare room.

It is now nicer than any other room in the house.

I succumbed to the Habitat Bloomsbury duvet as a treat.

Happy Sea

2011-05-21T16:55:00.005+01:00

I'm working on some new stock for

The Rostra and Rooksmoor Gallery

It occurred to me that the semicircle shapes

on my Happy Valley design needn't be green.

They could be shades of aquamarine.

Hence Happy Sea.

This is a work in progress shot of the glass

cut and painted, ready to be leaded-up.

Swatch

2011-05-09T12:10:00.007+01:00

My nose is to the grindstone, painting quarries.

I am enjoying the quiet contemplation that repetitive work affords.

****

I've coveted my friend Mary's Elanbach linen colour swatch chart

for a long time. I probably wasn't very subtle about it...

she gave me one for my (belated) birthday present.

It looks right at home in our living room.

(you may click the picture for a better snoop at the treasures)

Weekend

2011-05-03T21:22:00.004+01:00

We celebrated the Royal Wedding in style, in the company of good friends,

outside my favourite shop in Bridport, Old Albion.

Sharon, who runs it (and organises the monthly Vintage Market)

had laid out trestle tables in the courtyard.

My friend Lisa brought her tea trolley and apron.

There was a lot of tea and scones and wine and beer.

*****

On Saturday we narrowly avoided golf-ball sized raindrops

and did our first campervan sleepover of the year.

Yes. There were toasted marshmallows.

How was your weekend?

Bookish

2011-04-28T12:02:00.003+01:00

It is getting harder

and harder

to walk past my next-door-bookshop these days

without popping in.

Triangles

2011-04-25T21:17:00.003+01:00

A long overdue trip to London, on a blazing hot April day.

We wandered along the South Bank,

and remembered what hustle and bustle felt like.

Harbouring

2011-04-18T20:27:00.005+01:00

Give me a sunny afternoon and a dirty old shipyard and I'm happy.

Circus

2011-04-11T15:04:00.004+01:00

Going to be a bit quiet here for a couple of weeks.

Easter holidays and two commissions on the go.

The latest one is a pair of windows for the illustrator of this book.

I was so delighted when I made the connection

it is one of Nelly's favourite books.

He was generous enough to give me a signed copy of this book

while I was there to measure up!

Chevron Leaf

2011-04-06T22:02:00.006+01:00

More newness in my shops!

Chevron Leaf, in my favourite favourite colour combination

of ochre, indigo and grey.

When I get more time, I am TOTALLY making

a full size window with a repeat pattern of this motif.

A bit like this:

****

Thanks for all your nice comments and input on my last post.

It's really good to get feedback.

Curtain

2011-03-29T20:31:00.004+01:00

We've got this funny little door in our bathroom

Which leads nowhere, except to the hot water tank.

And it's kind of half-way up the wall.

I think it's my favourite thing in our whole house.

Even more now I've appropriated this gorgeous tea-towel

by Leah Duncan as a curtain (to hide said hot water tank).

*****

I've made a few changes hither and thither.

New header. New profile pic.

Been a bit confusicated about my blogging style lately.

More chatty? Less chatty?

More random stuff?

(Yeah, like, a post about a door. In my bathroom)

Or keep more focussed on work?

More personal, less personal?

Or just carry on ambling and rambling aimlessly?

Your thoughts much appreciated!

Find

2011-03-23T13:25:00.003Z

How happy do you think I was to find this mug today for 50p?

VERY.

Flowers

2011-03-19T09:01:00.003Z

To celebrate the arrival of PROPER SPRING,

I've made a new design called Linear Flower.

I'm really happy with this design.

There's something very satisfying about the contrast

between the smooth round shape of the flower

and the edgy zigzag pattern on the surface.

There's currently one in stock (tangerine and turquoise)

Or I can make to order in the colours of your choice.

Available on Folksy and Etsy

Puppet Club

2011-03-16T14:24:00.007Z

Tuesday evenings just got a lot more fun, since we signed up for Puppet Club.

Run by Marc Parrett of Stuff and Nonsense theatre company

(who I've blogged about before),

we're having a fine old time with newspaper and masking tape.

Even the room it's held in is a bit special

(a beautiful old dance theatre dressing room)

I'll post up the finished puppets soon...

Nice

2011-03-13T22:22:00.005Z

I love Twitter. Not only because it is funny and diverting and not too time-consuming, but because nice things come of using it. About a week ago I saw a tweet from Lisa Stevens about some chancer selling sawdust on Etsy at $20 a packet as "Rustic Confetti". How we laughed. I joked that I should sell my left-over glass shards all beautifully packaged as "Evil Confetti". Lisa replied that she would happily take any of my glass shards off my hands to use in her ceramics, so I quickly put together a parcel of little bits and pieces

and popped it in the post.

And then, a few days later, what should arrive through my post box

but this stunning ceramic piece that she made using the glass.

It makes me very happy whenever I look at it.

Interlude

2011-03-09T13:03:00.004Z

Busy busy busy on a large commission at the moment,

nothing to show yet though.

We've been collecting these brilliant BUGS

And I found this handy bird book which is rather sweet.

And we've been out for soup in the van a few times

Animated

2011-03-06T09:32:00.007Z

I thought I was over my schoolgirl crush on The Black Apple...

...one of the first blogs I subscribed to when I started spending

too much time on the internet.

Then I saw this.

The music by Swedish sisters First Aid Kit is gorgeous too.

Bedtime Reading

2011-03-04T14:22:00.002Z

I've got a great stack of books on the go at the moment.

All courtesy of my recent birthday and the joy of the Amazon wishlist.

I can't get enough of the "anti-styling" of The Selby.

People's houses a bit untidy and full of weird stuff, just like mine!

Nice Things

2011-02-28T09:47:00.004Z

I love Elisabeth's Fine Little Gallery she has started...

Nelly was pleased as punch to see her picture on there

She was also the lucky winner of this gorgeous dress

by Nellystella on the Small Magazine blog.

And the sun's been out again.

Both in the sky and on the Folksy front page.

Brighter

2011-02-21T23:51:00.004Z

Finally, a day where the sun shone and the skies

were blue and full of tufty clouds.

And the children played and paddled in bare feet,

as only small children can in February.

Quarries

2011-02-17T21:54:00.002Z

I have about 42 of these to paint.

Catkins

2011-02-11T14:13:00.004Z

Just been driving through the countryside.

Am pleased to report the sighting of Catkins.

I love everything about catkins:

The way they dangle in the breeze, their colour,

their sense of timing, but mostly, their name.

A couple of years ago I thrifted some pretty

vintage Pyrex plates which I used to celebrate my

love of the aforementioned. I have been scouring the

local junk shops for more since then, but to no avail.

If you see any on your travels, will you let me know?

Happy Valley

2011-02-06T21:30:00.005Z

A new design, to celebrate nearing the end of dreary old winter!

I've had this idea floating around my head for a few months now.

I really love domestic stained glass of the 1930s - usually circular door panels

featuring cottages, sea scapes, countryside, sun rays, poplar trees - you know the kind of thing.

The sort your Great Auntie might have had.

So I wanted to do my version of the classic sunburst,

but with a more contemporary feel.

I can honestly say this panel was a joy to make.

Available to buy from my Folksy and Etsy shops now.

Pop pop

2011-01-29T09:03:00.007Z

We were so excited to find 2 of these on the market last week.

They're called Pop Pop boats, and they work just like the one

Sosuke and Ponyo travel on in our film of the moment.

A candle-powered boat.

Nothing more fun than seeing them whizz around, puttering away.

Even the packaging is a little bit fab.

Lurve

2011-01-25T20:45:00.004Z

A quick round-up of all that is slushy, pink, heart-shaped

and just a little bit gooey in my Etsy and Folksy shops at the moment...

The first and last items are IN STOCK and ready to send,

the middle two are made-to-order items, so please allow 7 - 10 days.

I've been working on a new design which I'm really

excited about showing, just as soon as I've finished it off.

Pinned

2011-01-19T20:34:00.003Z

I always feel a bit cruel pinning the birds together before soldering.

They remind me of those butterfly collections.

ETSY SHOP OPEN!

2011-01-16T09:38:00.004Z

Woohoo! Finally finished listing stuff in my Etsy shop.

Come and have a look!

Order

2011-01-11T11:53:00.004Z

Laying the painted pieces out in the kiln, ready to be fired

is one of my favourite parts of the process.

I like the look of all those random shapes, colours and patterns.

Sorry, the light is not so good at the moment....

it's as grey as an OAP squirrel out there.

This is part of another order of more Springsome pieces for

Rostra and Rooksmoor Galleries in Bath.

Foggy

2011-01-04T15:37:00.004Z

Which is a little how my brain feels right now,

post-Christmas, New Year and various viruses.

Onwards and upwards!

I have new orders to make!

An Etsy shop to finish listing (nearly there)!

And a 7th (!!!) birthday to organise!

And fun stuff to come... A girly weekend in Bath!

A visit from favourite friends who are expecting their first baby!

A family holiday!

Yes! All these exclamation marks are really psyching me up!!! More!!!

Advent 4

2010-12-24T22:28:00.002Z

The only square foot in my house that isn't covered in

tinsel, toys, glitter and general matter.

Happy Christmas everyone.

Have a great time.

See you on the other side.

I've got a feeling it's going to be a good year ahead.

Advent 3

2010-12-17T22:17:00.005Z

Last order, finished, polished and ready to go.

I am getting a bit obsessional about yellow and turquoise.

The antidote to WINTER.

Advent 2

2010-12-10T09:36:00.005Z

The light in my sister's cottage is amazing this time of year.

We went there for the annual Christmas pud stir-up.

But for the rest of the week, it's been duvets and stories for my very poorly girl.

Managed to get a bit of work done though - my copy is on the right.

Advent 1

2010-12-05T09:31:00.002Z

The first week of December looked like this...

We made trees.

I made lots of Mary and Josephs.

I found a way of using up my upside-down printed cards.

The snow made the garden very pretty.

Woolly

2010-12-01T12:47:00.003Z

I'm having a bit of a knitwear moment.

I'd like someone to knit me these please:

All images from Kate Davies except the last one, which is from here

Broken

2010-11-26T14:01:00.002Z

This came in the post today from my friend Delia.

We used to work together here. She has her own business in S.E. London.

We still work together from time to time, via e-mail and post.

I haven't had any painted work like this to do for a while.

It'll be nice to get back to some soft colours and fine lines.

Sun

2010-11-22T11:49:00.003Z

From now until about March, we only get a thin strip of sun

in the garden for a few hours a day.

Luckily it just manages to creep into the summerhouse,

the perfect spot for a cup of tea and a custard cream,

while Smallest bundles about on the sofa.

Festive

2010-11-16T12:22:00.003Z

Just listed some NEW Christmas decorations on Folksy.

More to follow in the next few days

Winners

2010-11-12T13:18:00.004Z

Thought I'd go a bit Old School on the giveaway draw.

No expense spared.

Quite a complicated business...

...but we have 2 winners!

Just email me your address (fmjstainedglass (at) aol (dot) com)

and your egg men will be on their way!

Thanks to everyone who took time to comment and/or follow.

I really would have liked to be able to send everyone something!

Have a great weekend.

Giveaway!

2010-11-05T08:51:00.005Z

Thought it was about time I had a little giveaway.

I have two of my Egg Men in their

Fair Isle jumpers, which I am offering

to anyone who leaves a comment below!

Just let me know which one you would like:

Melvin (glasses) or Eugene (mustache).

I'll pick two winners next Friday (12th November).

Comments from existing or new followers get 2 entries.

Feel free to tweet/blog this!

Two Interviews

2010-11-03T21:00:00.007Z

If you like children's books you might like to hear these...

Interview with Jean Adamson (creator of the Topsy and Tim books)

from The Guardian

Interview with Helen Oxenbury and John Burningham

from Woman's Hour

I was very moved by both.

I'll do the giveaway on the next post.

Yellow

2010-10-31T22:58:00.005Z

I'm going to do a little giveaway next week.

In the meantime I am risking a cocked eyebrow from Mise (and Tom)

and posting some pictures of dead leaves.

New

2010-10-28T13:46:00.011+01:00

I have just opened a new shop on Big Cartel.

I can't recommend them highly enough.

Easy, fast, simple instructions, nice layout.

And free, to start with.

I've also just ordered a new batch of postcards

In this everso slightly festive design.

And there seem to be lots of nice new people over there>>>>

Hello! 100! How are you all?

Oh. Someone's jumped ship. Bye!

Plates

2010-10-20T14:30:00.003+01:00

We're reading this book at bedtime at the moment.

It makes me very happy when we get to this page.

I can think of somebody else this page would appeal to.

Weekend

2010-10-18T11:45:00.009+01:00

All packed up ready to go.

Bring on the cold weather. We have logs.

Bird girl.

The nasturtiums continue their relentless

pursuit for world domination

Clear blue skies and empty beaches.

Hope you had a good weekend too!

P.S. I love this

Perks

2010-10-12T21:16:00.012+01:00

Some days, you have to look out for the little things which brighten your day.

Here are three things that perked me up today.

Finished making my birds for Rostra and Rooksmoor Galleries.

Piled them up on my newly refurbished lightbox.

Good eggs for lunch.

If Gaudi had been asked to design a vegetable,

he'd probably have come up with this.

Nelly and Isla were floored by it,

and scoffed every last turretty floret.

What three things perked up your day?

David Weidman

2010-10-11T14:18:00.003+01:00

I went to visit my lovely talented friend the other day,

and she showed me this book.

I couldn't put it down.

Random

2010-10-05T14:00:00.005+01:00

The contents of my kiln the other day.

Nothing nicer than cracking open a kiln full of colour and pattern.

Our new chest of drawers. It was very tatty to start with,

but after a bit of love and beeswax (and some new bakelite knobs)

it looks very at home in our house.

My new cardigan, thrifted of course. I love this pattern.

I was overjoyed to see it on a cardy.

Little Red Monkey

2010-09-29T21:00:00.004+01:00

Today it has been raining all day. Never mind.

Isla has been more than entertained dancing around to Little Red Monkey.

Oh Comely

2010-09-27T21:21:00.007+01:00

I recently subscribed to Oh Comely magazine. I love it.

It's full of interesting, not-too-wordy

articles on music, art, craft, fashion and life.

There is a quiet, calm, uncluttered feel to the whole publication.

They've asked Folksy sellers to submit work

with the theme "Every item tells a story".

This is what I submitted.

It's called "Some Lived.... Some Died"

An original illustration, hand-painted on

mouth-blown glass and kiln-fired, then

mounted in a lead frame.

2010-09-22T22:58:00.007+01:00

I'm spending far too much time on Pinterest at the moment.

It is strangely satisfying to put all those images that have

been floating around my head in to some kind of order.

You can only join by invite currently.

I have some available, just let me know your email.

(Images from here, here and here.)