Well after having an uninspired week I am finally getting some designs done in my sketchbook for final products. Christmas week and I've got so much to do our Christmas tree isn't even up yet! 

I'm feeling really inspired by these cut up books by Betty Pepper. It's a really unique and beautiful way of displaying work. 

http://www.bettypepper.co.uk/page2.htm

Cotton reels

Borrowed these beautiful cotton reels off my friend! 

Check out her blog,

http://jesslangford.blogspot.com/

Going to hand embellish some fabric I've been dying. 

Got some ideas in mind for my textiles for my 'fragment' project but going to keep it to myself until the samples are completed! 

Open Studios, Newcastle

Had an amazing day yesterday with my friend Jess, mooched up to Newcastle to have a nosey in the open studios.

Got loads of inspiration from the galleries, but felt strange to walk round the studios of today's contemporary design makers! Got me and Jess really excited thinking about the future, would absolutely love to have a studio set up and share spaces/rooms with creative people!

Would recommend these places to every creative person, you definitely need to visit!

Follow this link to find out more...

http://www.ouseburnopenstudios.org/

Here are some blogs/websites of designer makers we met who are producing beautiful work living the life in their beautiful studios!

http://www.lovelypigeon.blogspot.com/

http://inthesilverroom.blogspot.com/

http://knowyouronions.net/index.html

Met so many lovely, friendly people and got a lot of inspiration for my own work, style, future and everything else!

Inspired!

Done some voluntary work in our new shop 'FOLIO' today, based in Hartlepool, Church square. 

Loved every minute of it! Left me feeling inspired and pushed to make a batch of products which can hopefully be on sale after Christmas!

If you haven't visited it already, get yourself there!

Photo from, claireabaker.blogspot.com

Camden market...

Just put my photos on the computer from my trip to London.

Loved this mans work he was sat on a stall at Camden market without a care in the world making his jewellery. Felt like sitting down and joining him haha!

Birthdays, sickness bugs and samples!

Well been a long week, my birthday last monday(no longer a teenager:(), had a lovely day then caught the disgusting sickness bug! Here is my bay on my birthday, THANKS GIRLS!:)

But back at uni now and ready to carry on with my samples and developing them to be more beautifullll!

Here's a few I've been working on!...

Been playing around with etching onto copper, going to oxidise these to make the etch black and start creating!

Been trying to use mixed media too so here's a sample of textiles mixed with jewellery.

I'm pin riveting pieces of tin onto etched copper. This was just a quick sample but I'm going to develop these by using vintage typewriter ribbon tins to rivet.

And finally... here is my beautiful tool box full of suprises!

  

Here she is...

My beautiful bay. Some would call it messy, I call it organised chaos:)

the first post is the hardest.

Feels like my very first post again, it's been that long!! Really need to sort it out! Well i've now started second year at uni and i'm absolutely loving it! New brief, new bays, new techniques, processes and new faces. Chose the word FRAGMENT to research for my brief. It started off difficult to link my word to my style of working but came up with 'fragments of the attic'. Things people leave when they die. Old chests, boxes, letters, certificates, suitcases and memories. I'm currently focusing on old tins, boxes and suitcases looking into the detail of their marks, prints, vintage patterns. Experimenting with different jewellery and ceramic techniques whilst starting to sample in textile forms. Made some amazing stamps too, using rubbers! Never thought carving a pattern/shape into a rubber would be so relaxing! But it was and also made some gorgeous marks onto paper and fabric. Also found my love for QUINK INK and bleach too! Well as you can tell i'm totally excited and could talk all day long! There'll be more regular posts coming, also i'll upload a photo of my bay because it's BEAUTIFUL! x

INSPIRATION.

Been so uninspired for weeks and couldn't find the time to start my 'summer project' but after finding this blog i'm full of inspiration and ready to start working in my new sketchbook which is from camden market and has a leather cover with handmade paper inside. BEAUTIFUL.

http://www.kerentaggar.com/blog/

FINAL PRODUCTS RANGE

Here are my final products for my 'bon voyage' project.

Ring made with silver, copper, enammel and decals.

Necklace made with a porcelain cast from a mould, resin, cogs and watch parts, decals and a silver chain.

Brooch made from map print using heat tranfer press and fabric manipulation.

Fabric Brooches

Here are some fabric brooches I've been working on this weekend. I used image transfered fabric to create prints of maps and my sketchbook pages and manipulated them adding cover buttons and stitched text. Let me know what you think...:)

Moulds and Decals

Haven't posted in a while! Had a two week break for easter now trying to get back into the swing of things. Slip casted in my moulds today hoping they work well! Will eventually put decals onto them and also waiting for my resin to arrive! I'll upload photos once they're done:) EXCITED:D

Handed in professional practice file yesterday along with paper forms project which are up in the window display in uni. Feels good to hand things in complete!

Excited to bring all my products together for this 'Bon Voyage' project for Mima, will upload photos of my collection in a few weeks!

The Cloud Commission workshop!

Had an amazing day today doing a workshop with Carlos from The Cloud Commission.

Some hilarious activities and been really inspired to be inspired by everything!

Check out The Cloud Commission facebook,

http://www.facebook.com/update_security_info.php?wizard=1#!/thecloudcommission

p.s; Beautiful weather too so added the photo of me in the sunshine at dinner!

Beautiful ebay purchases!

Won these amazing watch parts on Ebay for only a few pennies! Think they're absolutely beautiful!
Going to make some hand made metal rings to attach them to.

Vintage Jug

This is my jug which was from the layers project.
I portrayed my theme of a vintage past through ceramic materials. I used stoneware clay, white glaze and map printed decals to show the influence of my theme.

Vintage Brooch

Here is my final piece from my last project.
The theme was layers and I looked at layers of the past, vintage items, treasures, memories and letters.
I developed my ideas and came up with this stamp inspired brooch.
I recieved a 1st in my results which I was ecstatic about!

New project!

This is the first page of my sketchbook for my new project 'Bon Voyage'.
Image from; http://www.weheartit.com/

Im going to look at the aspects of travel and the possessions a traveller would carry.