one hundred

Finally writing post number 100!!! although it isn't what I promised- sorry!! no giveaway yet. I've had such a busy few weeks and I'm not quite ready, but in the next few weeks there should be one. Without sounding cheesy, thank you so much to all of your for reading my blog!! I know I'm an absolutely rubbish blogger, as uni and a job with long hours has made posting difficult, rare and a bit all over the place. So for those of you who have stuck with me, thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have finished university!!!  wow, it feels weird writing that. It still hasn't sunk in yet. my work for the degree show was one of my animations of my stick man and dog, projected onto the open lid of an old fashioned school desk. It was all about childhood and memory, and forgetting memories ect, and was in a tiny little space in the exhibition. I wasn't 100% happy with it if I'm honest, but I've had good feedback from other people. And one of my external examiners was Mariele Neudecker, which was amazing!! I had to be interviewed by her for my assessment, and was nervous, especially when the girl before me came out crying!! but she was so lovely, and told me my work was beautiful and even gave me some contacts she thought i should get in touch with for galleries she thought would be interested in my work!! it was amazing!! 

I have been doing lots of celebrating with friends and family, and have been completely spoilt too. My mother bought me some new pretty dresses, one with a starry skirt, and one with cat print all over. My Nan bought me a lovely wooden necklace with a triangle pattern sewed into it, and David bought me some beautiful flowers, wine and fudge!

I also recieved a wonderful package from Lyzi over at being little after winning her giveaway!! I was so excited :) I got so many amazing goodies!! I received a print of her beautiful mizu no kokoro painting, one of her really cute sewn kitties, a recipe for raspberry lemonade, some really pretty cupcake cases, a headscarf, some lovely jewelry by ella masters and a 'knit your own ninja' kit!! I finished the ninja last night, and love it!! My David tried to steal it from me he liked it so much :) If you haven't visited Lyzi's blog before, go do it now!!! She is very talented and her blog is one of my favourites!

we have had some bad news though this month. Archie, our kitten, is missing. He's been missing for a week and a half now, and it is awful without him. we are keeping everything crossed that he will turn up soon, but we do miss him. As does Alfie. It's just not right having Alfie without Archie!! Archie is quite silly, and likes to wander into neighbors houses, and get himself into strange places, so our guess is he's been accidently locked in somewhere. But we are desperate to have him back. I know this is a long shot, but if anyone who reads this is in the Reading area, have you seen a black cat with a blue collar wandering about anywhere?? or know of one thats been found?? we miss him :(

since finishing uni. I have been busy trying to set up my own little business. It's very scary and daunting at the moment!! I have been working really hard too produce lot so things to start selling, such as the sewn animals, little woven bracelets, and miniature jars with little sewn characters inside, which will become pendants! Hopefully my shop will be up and ready soon. Once it is, I will have that giveaway I promised. My parents are also building my studio in the garden this weekend, which is so exciting!! I will be in there next week decorating and can't wait!! I have also filled the time with some day trips out to farms and castles, painting my nails bright colours,   drawing and cooking lots, and watching lots of rubbish TV!!  

Also, now I've finished uni and my job in the student bar, I will blogging LOTS more!! I'm hoping to blog at least once a week now, I've been waiting so long to be able to blog properly! It also means you won't have to read huge long posts like this where I try to squeeze a million things into one post!! I've been trying to comment on some of your lovely blog posts I've read and reply to you all, but blogger won't let me comment??! hopefully that will be fixed soon!

take care

x ♥

strawberry swing ♥

hello! this is what the nice parts of my may have looked like. may has been crazy crazy crazy. I have a week until I finish uni. WOW, It hasn't quite sunk in yet. But because of that, may has been very full of work and deadlines. But in the time I have taken to breathe, I have filled it with with cuddles with kittens, poppy pops, and bruce and lenny, new additions to my summer wardrobe, including a few new pairs of shoes, a pretty graduation dress, colourful scarves, patterened tights, blue cardigans, strawberry rings and huge floaty tops, yummy treats such as eggs and soldiers in my hello kitty egg cup, and a lovely falafel recipe by lyzi at being little. I also recieved some treasures from charlottie including teeny books, letters, a teeny chic, a bunny pencil, a tiny hamster called harold and a star ring, and my David bought me a pretty silver daisy ring too. So my month hasn't been all bad!!

The uni work is madness at the moment though, as there is so much to do for the degree show. Last week we had to prepare the exhibition space, which involved building extra walls, sanding of walls (by hand, my hands are very blistered!!) painting all the walls and the floor. This week we are putting the work up ready to be marked. Then we wait until the 10th of June when it will be open to the public. I am terrified!!!!!!!

Then that will be it, uni will be over. And I go out into the real world. Again, I am completely terrified!!! But I am also very very lucky. My mum and dad have been the best parents ever. They know how, more than anything, I would love to be able to just make and sell my artwork and jewelry, but financially, I can't afford to take the time to start building up my own business. But, they have secretly been saving and are about to buy me a summer house for a studio at the end of the garden, and are willing to support me as they want me to try and get my business to take off. Its amazing!!!!! I could not believe it. And they are not rich, or well off at all, but through one way and another they have got the money together. I feel so lucky, but strangely guilty too. I feel like I will be a burden to them, and also guilty that I am getting this chance that others don't who are much more talented than me! But I am going to work really hard at making it work, and doing craft fairs and my etsy shop and making lovely things to sell so that hopefully I will be able to repay them one day.

So, the next time I post, in a few weeks time, I will have finished uni. It will be also be my 100th post, and I am hoping I will have had a big makeover on this blog and my etsy shop and already have some products to sell! So I am planning on celebrating with a big giveaway,  that I hope you will all love!

Hope you are all well, and good luck to all of you who have exams and deadlines!!

x ♥

  

butterflies

It is the end of the holidays and on Monday I will be back at uni, back to mine and my Davids house, and back to work. so many feelings, so very confusing. Excitement about being in my third year, excitement to see where i will be by th end of the year, excited about my artwork, about cooking, learning new recipes, excited to be in the house with just me and my David again. Sadness to be leaving my family, and scared. Scared of what might happen when i leave at the end of this year, scared that I wont be good enough to pass my course. Scared about money worries and work. 

I have been busy busy busy with making these little figures. The little round characters i first started drawing when i was 11, and friends and family have been asking for me to do illustrations and paintings and figures for them ever since. I have done lots and lots of them, and then recently, my father bought me a block of clay, and i started making them out of that, and my family love them, and are very excited and think i should be selling them. i dont know, i dont have much confidence yet. i might. i wanted to know your opinions??

I have been working on doing lots of different characters. ones in costumes, couples, bride and grooms, mother and babies, birthday ones with balloons with the age on them, and even making them into cake toppers. I can also customise them, so people have a choice of hair and clothing colours. What do you think?? Do you tihnk they are the sort of thing people would want to buy?? I would sell them in my etsy shop and on ebay, and possibly even craft fairs?? i dont know. I would love to get some feedback from you??

I think I would price them at £4- £5 each, if I was to sell them. please be honest and tell me whether you like them or not??

thank you everybody, im very grateful for all the comments i recieve even if i am rubbish at getting back to everybody. you are all wonderful and make me smile :)

p.s:  have now added some figures to my etsy shop :) im a bit nervous but very excited about it!!

x ♥

hello again ♥

hello!! I have missed it here ever such a lot. Finally I have finished my year at uni and have time to blog again!! Although my camera has decided to hide, so you must excuse the pictures, they're taken with my phone and are not very good really.

I had my end of year exhibition, after weeks and weeks of hardly any sleep, working late into the night. The piece I made for the show was a big big park with the miniature figures. The piece was 4ft x 4ft, and had 63 figures in it!! They were all children, playing and exploring. it took much much longer to make than I expected it too, making each little tree and sticking on its leaves and making the earth and the grass and the paths, having to paint and glue each tiny detail. The piece was put on the floor of the gallery, so that the people who came to see it had to crouch down like children playing with little toys.  I was ever so nervous about it being in the exhibition. my family came to see the opening and to stay for the weekend, too, which was lovely. Luckily, people seemed to really like my work!!!! it was wonderful to watch as people went over and smiled as they found another detail, another child climbing a tree, or little girls whispering secrets in each others ears.

While my family were visiting for the weekend, we took a trip to the peak district. It was so so beautiful!! We stopped at a little farm we found too, that was selling the most delicious homemade ice cream. And we saw all the baby animals, like the new born  lambs and baby cows. Whilst petting the lambs, they seemed to confuse me for their mother and began sucking on my fingers!! I had 3 of them, with a finger each, and they wouldnt let me go!! It was adorable!! My father took some lovely pictures, but he cant send them to me because he hasnt worked out how to put them onto the computer yet. hehe!! Whilst in the peak district, I found a teeny tiny wooden chicken hidden in the corner of a shop for a couple of pennies. I had to take her home, shes adorable!! her name is minnie.

since finishing uni, I have been a little bit naughty. I got a nice little suprise of some extra money I didnt realise I was getting. so I have bought myself a few treats!! Dresses of florals and tiny horse prints. Gold sparkly tops and pretty little skirts. Pale pinks and lace. some floral jeans. Some new ribbon, and cord, and charms. A new haircut. snip snip snip. my hair was in terrible condition, so the lady cut it to just below my shoulders. It feels very different but much much better!! and a little ebay find. Some boots. Mint green with peach laces, which that I now have to wait for, to arrive in the post. please hurry mr postman!!

I have also been doing lots of baking now I have more time. I have made some lovely brownies, and some dilicious peanut butter fudge!! I got the recipe from Sophie Dahls show. I adore her and her prettiness and her stories and her lovely lovely homely recipes. My David and I have been enjoying the little homemade treats in the evening wth cups of tea, until our tummies were completely full of sweetness!!

 

I am still working, as a waitress and behind the bar at uni, until the end of June. And then I get to go home!! I cannot wait. i have lots of arty projects planned, and books I want to read, and lots of cuddles. With my little brother and my poppy pops. I cannot wait, I really really cannot wait!!!

And of course, lots more blogging!! I have missed it lots, and I have missed you lots. How are you all??

♥ x