little sets of handprinted bits...

I've been selling hand printed cards and labels and stationery for ages in the real world and in galleries and shops on actual streets, but not really online, so I thought I'd list a few things in sets as it really isn't worth anyone paying postage for one luggage label is it!  (Although they are pretty amazing luggage labels and I am very addicted to printing them...)

This little set has two hand printed cards that are 14 cm square, one tiny printed card (with little birds on it), two luggage labels/gift tags, one printed envelope and also a colour and size matched envelope for each card.  Wow.  That really is a set, I know.


You can find it here.  Take a look!

printing multiples

In the last week I have been cutting out a complicated lino block for a commission and in my sad world my way to relax and get away from it all is to do some printing.  I think I may need to broaden my horizons a little!

Maybe next time I could try a spa or even a walk along some stunning coastline or perhaps a little boat trip around the docks...

...but there is real satisfaction to a hoarding squirrel like me in printing a great big stack of labels, envelopes and cards with lots and lots of different images from my stack of lino blocks and seeing some old favourites again, the ones that just 'work' on the scale of luggage labels or little cards.  And even better, because these are not 'art' limited edition prints and the handprinted, rough and ready feel is just right I can print and print and print without worrying about the odd finger print or missed corner.

Lino Printing workshop in Bristol

Do you like to be spur of the moment and be creative at a seconds notice?  Great, then this is for you!

I'm teaching a beginners Lino Printing course tomorrow at Makers in Bristol - yes tomorrow!  Is that short enough notice for you?   There is a space left, so if you are in the area and ready and waiting for a creative challenge follow the link for booking details here.

It's going to be intensive. In just three hours we will have designed, carved and printed pictures and greetings cards but then you will have the rest of your weekend free to recover, whilst gazing with a satisfied air at your editioned prints.  What a great way to end the summer and kick start your creative Autumn...

Romans and holidays

Here's a little test print of a Roman image I'm doing as a commission (which handily is the same size as a greetings card, lets not waste any time here...).  Have you tried cutting fake mosaic in lino recently?  If so let me have your hints and tips please.

This is based on an Orpheus mosaic found near Bath many years ago and the rest of it is filled with great shaped animals, dancing to the wonderful music Orpheus plays, which I'm really looking forward to doing (in a pixelated way).

We've just got back from a great week away too, and I thought that this photo summed up the holiday pretty well - look at the weird mix of footwear that our little group decided on for a summer walk in the UK - we were definitely expecting and getting every type or weather that day!  Can't beat a week living in a field, washing in a bucket though...

allotment day

We're spending a couple of days at the allotment this week, catching up with the hundreds of little jobs that were ignored through the sunshine, because really, no one is supposed to work when it is sunny, are they?

This year has been amazing for flowers, berries and veg on our plot, and we are seeing so many bees at the moment (50% of growing space is covered with self seeded borage which may have something to do with the sheer numbers of bees - that borage gets everywhere) especially early in the morning on a sunny day.

It all looks pretty lovely - which is why I never take my camera...

Today I had a brain wave though, look, I've scanned in some beans to show you instead.  And I've scanned in a courgette too, which slightly messed up the focus.  So now you know what beans look llike, but are still non the wiser as to the look of our vast borage plantation.  Oh, well...

The Naked Hedgehog Project

Photos by Lou


This is your chance to join in with a fun summer project - The Naked Hedgehog Project.

We've printed lots and lots of hedgehogs, but they need your help, they don't have prickles...

...you can make prickles any way you like - sewing/painting/printing/sticking/college - the choice is yours and then you can make your little hedgehog into a toy/cushion/clothing/bunting/a bag/anything else you can think of...we've made ours into little hedgehog shaped cushions...

In the Autumn we are having a window display of hedgehogs at Papervillage in Bristol as lots of regulars to the shop are joining in (as well as a local Brownie pack) but there is also a Naked Hedgehog Project Facebook page and it would be amazing to have a collection of hedgehogs living there together.

If you fancy having a go and joining in you can get hold of your naked hedgehog here (they are £3 each) or if you are in Bristol pop in to Papervillage.  

I'm so excited to see what everyone does and can't wait to have a Naked Hedgehog Project Facebook page populated with lots and lots of happy, prickily hedgehogs!!

Would you like to join the Naked Hedgehog Project??

summer

The hardest part of my week this week has been thinking of things to do with black currants.  We only have two bushes.  That should be just right for a family of black currant lovers.  This year they have been in bumper, berry overdrive.  Which is good.  But now the freezer is filled with frozen berries, there's a line of jars of jam in the cupboard and a bottle filled with yummy black currant cordial in the fridge.  And there are still berries on the bushes... oh, and the red and white currants too...Can I open an urban pick-your-own farm?

In other summer holiday news I have already spent a day sitting in a 'playbarn' for about 2000 tedious hours with my arms sticking to the top of a plastic table.  My plan - get it over with on day one and then force the children to potter about in nature for the entire rest of the time, or if there really has to be an alternative to nature we could make something out of paper and glue and glitter.  We have done the 'playbarn' already this summer and so do not need to return.