More portraits for brooches yesterday

Yesterday was a lazy rainy day here in Granada, I spent most of the day catching up on sleep and rest. BUT, there always has to be something productive...

I changed the look of my blog here a wee bit, I've been reading this excelent book called "The Handmade Marketplace" by Kari Chapin and one of the main things she points out is your shop and brand image. I'm not sure I'm entirely convinced with what I've come up with and I think I'll probably change it again soon but I'm working on it!

I also did some more portraits for brooches. I drew sherlock about a month ago and had another go yesterday, I'm far more satisfied with yesterdays result. I'm not sure how I feel about drawing well known faces, I usally prefer making something up but my Sherlock has had some great response, so I must be doing something well.

I have no idea why but Charlie Chaplin popped into my mind when I finished Sherlock. I liked the idea of keeping him black and white but of course, me being me, just had to give him rosey cheeks!

And then, all of a sudden, it was 2:30 in the morning and I felt like doing one of my circus girls.

Anyway, all of these little guys will be scanned and touched up and then printed out for brooches. I don't have a printer so I have to keep asking my lovely friend if I can use hers, I think I might have to buy her dinner this time so she doesn't hate me! It's market day in a couple of weeks so I have my fingers crossed that i'll sell enough to be able to invest in my own printer. And folding table. And marquee. And more shrink plastic. 

Patchwork girl and Robo boy

 So, I've been selected once again to particpate in the lovely "Made in Granada" craft market. All motors go go go!

I want to bring some new items with me this time. In the last edition I took my usual hand painted necklaces, blank cards, fimo doll brooches and some paper dolls. This time I want to take things a little further.

You've already seen my Sleeping artists brooches and earrings, I'm also planning on doing some famous faces using the same technique but I also wanted to have a go at printing out scanned drawings, so that's what I've been working on today.

I did a couple of quick sketches yesterday of Patchwork girl and Robo boy.

Robo boy I shoved into the computer and added some metal textures, the result didn't convince me. I think maybe the hair? Anyway, I think I'll have another go at him tomorrow with some watercolors.

I gave Patchwork girl some watercolor. I don't think this would be the finished product but I do think It's cute.

I ended up darkening her a bit. Too much rosey pink for my liking. She is sweet enough though. I think maybe some material collaging could fit in quite well...

Working on new things

I bought myself a pack of inkjet shrink plastic which is absolutely amazing stuff! I printed out my first load of "Sleeping Artist" brooches and earring yesterday and here's the result...

I have Salvador Dali, Pablo Picasso and Frida Kahlo available here in my Etsy shop. More known faces are on the way!

Embroidery bliss

So I tried my hand at embroidery yesterday, first time ever... Well, I've stitched beads onto collars and corsets but never tried to make a picture with thread. I had some great fun doing it! Super relaxing!

Around Granada there's not as much choice as in other cities but I went to a crafty sort or shop just off San Juan de Dios which had really nice quality hoops, a bit pricey, but nice. I think I might take my first piece off this hoop and use it for a brooch or something and maybe use the hoop for something special that I can leave there for display... We shall see.

Whatever I make it into is going straight onto my Etsy so keep your eyes peeled if your interested... I've decided to add more of the bits I do each day into my shop and not just limit it to necklaces. Curious to see if they're liked or not.

I'm working on a face for an art doll with my bigger hoop at the moment. Shall post when it's finished! Or... process pictures maybe? Oooh!

Fancy blog feature for me!

This is a first for me and makes me super super happy... I've been featured on a beautiful blog here in Granada. I met the girl that owns the blog a couple of months ago in a craft market I took part in and she was really interested in my work and ideas... You can read the post here. (It's in Spanish but you can run it through a translater, should be readable enough) So so so so happy!!

Also, thanks to one of my amazing Instagram friends I've purchased some new plastic for my brooches and necklaces. Watch this space because I have LOADS of ideas for it... And some new materials too... Of course! Prints, notebooks and other papery bits!

Snow white hands.

This is the most popular necklace in my shop. This one along with my "Upside down is best" trapeze girl. France, Canada, USA, UK, Ireland, Brazil... I love international orders!

Anyways... I feel a tutorial coming on this weekend... So keep your eyes peeled if you want to know some of my secrets...

Get your own Snow White hands necklace here.

Girly brooches.

I bought myself some Fimo a couple of weeks ago and did some expreimenting... This is what turned out.

I had a craft market coming up and thought I better bring more than just my usual Shrinky necklaces. Pretty cute huh?

I rolled the Fimo into little balls, squished some eye sockets in, pulled out a nose and shoved them in the oven. When they were finished baking I painted hair and features on the faces and put them back in the oven... The dresses are made out of Shrink plastic. 

They went down really well for the market and Christmas, I have no brooches left but I do have some necklaces still available here.

Good morning world!

So, every now and then I log onto my website, change how it all looks and then forget about it for a couple of years... I think that I should really take it a bit more seriously. The plan is that on this page you'll be able to see bits and pieces that I'm working on, tips and tricks, finished products, links to interesting sites and anything else that springs to me...

Here's a picture from a photo shoot I did the other day with my favorite necklace, the flying piggy.

Watch this space for some fun things to come!