Postcard Post - Squeeze Me

Love is definitely in the air, as well as the wedding stationary that I'm working on, thoughts have turned to Valentines Day. My Sister-in-law bakes wonderful cakes. She does some of the most amazing occasion cakes I've ever seen, as well as scrumptious fairy cakes. Around Valentines Day she bakes and sells some fairy cakes and decorates them with all things love.
This year she has asked me if I would like to make some cards to sell alongside the cakes, and could I especially come up with something that is a bit more appealing for a man to receive.

This is what I came up with

I thought a more clean, graphic content would be more appealing than something cute and lovable. I kept with the red theme as this is always associated with love, but then, the men I know will also associate red with certain football teams! Not to be out done, I thought, I can always do the blue alternative as well!

Beautiful Butterflies

My partner's daughter and fiance are getting married, they are a lovely couple. The wedding is at the end of February, and they are at that stage where all the details of the day are being finalised. I've been asked, if I wouldn't mind helping out with the reception stationary, place names, table numbers, menus etc. Wouldn't mind? I was really pleased to be asked. Baking cakes? I can't do, but stationary...I can!

I was invited round for a lovely Sunday lunch and the opportunity to discuss the theme and what was required. The theme is black and ivory using butterflies and swirls. First job was place names. Then she said, I've been looking on the internet and I like these, can you do something similar. The images that came up were of beautifully intricate die-cut butterflies that perched on the edge of a wine glass. My heart sank, I do not have any die-cutting craft machines or large fancy punches. As I explained this we came up with the idea that if I can design a simpler, smoothed shaped butterfly, then maybe cutting out with a pair of scissors is not beyond my capabilities.

So, I set to work on the design. I finally came up with a smooth shaped butterfly, that also, wasn't too basic. To this, I then added some swirls for decoration and, of course, a name.

I have to say, I was very pleased with the look of it. I then swapped the colours around to come up with a Groom's version.

The Bride to be, thought they were amazing! That was good enough for me.

After printing onto card, I fold them down the center and cut them out. They do look very effective once they are perched onto a wine glass.

I can't wait to see all the place names in position, with the rest of the table decoration, they are going to look magical. I just hope my fingers have recovered once I've cut out enough for eighty guests!

The Doodle Room is Done!

At last, the Doodle Room is done, finished, complete! Hooray!
And I'm very pleased with it. Let me show you round....

Here's the 'before' pics.

It wasn't bad, a bit cluttered but functional. My biggest problem with it, was I didn't enjoy being there. I didn't find it a nice place to be inspired or creative. So, it had to change...

Into this...

A bright new space, with a lot less clutter and plenty of areas to pin inspiration to get the creative juices flowing. I'm so happy with my new Doodle Room.

The details:

1. The shelves got a make over too. They were painted to blend in with the white walls.

2. My pens and brushes in their artist made pots are given pride of place on the desk. An old cork pin board was covered in some graphic patterned material to give it a more updated look. The picture is out of a magazine of a couple circa 1950's/60's laughing whilst on a seaside holiday, you can't help but smile when you look at it.

3. Another pin board. Homemade using corrugated board and material to cover it. It measures nearly a metre and a half in length and takes up the room on the wall opposite the desk.

4. A few of my favourite old cameras, which I had collected from car boots and flea markets. These have been stuck in the loft for quite a few years.

5. A new chair and desk from Ikea, with a homemade cushion. I managed to find some orange/red material to match the light shade and mixed this with some of the material that I used on the pin board above the desk.

6. Another flea market find. Its an old cutlery tray which is perfect for pens and pencils etc, and a copy of the Hello Sunshine print to add a splash of colour.

7. New knobs for an up-cycled cabinet. This cabinet was one I had downstairs and was originally dark wood until I painted it with the same paint as the shelving.

8. I now have lots of room for new (or old) postcards and inspiration.

I hope you enjoyed the tour of my Doodle Room, I'm looking forward to spending time there, being creative and sharing some new designs and doodles with you.

Postcard Post - Hello Sunshine!

All this rain we've been having is making me long for some sunny days and brighter colours!

Well, if its not going to happen naturally outside, then I can at least make it happen inside by way of a sunny postcard.

I suppose on the plus side, all this rain is making me crack on with my doodle room make-over. It's coming together nicely, the hard work is done. Walls are painted, shelves are painted and even an old cabinet is painted.

As well as this, I've been busy making home-makes for the room, a couple of pin boards and a cushion for my chair. Next is to sort all the stuff that came out of the room and only put back what I want or need. That is going to be a job in itself!

Shed Some Light on the Matter

I've been thinking about my projects for 2014. My first undertaking is to re-vamp the smallest bedroom in the house, from a study come store room for craft items, into a more functional 'doodle room'. I've been busy working out the details of what I want to achieve and what I need to do to get there. This had a strange effect of inspiring a new print. Otherwise known as going off on a tangent!

I've noticed a growing trend for illustrations using individual words shown in a variety of fonts and styles to display a well known phrase, quote or rhyme etc.

I did a simple doodle of one of my light fittings quite a while ago, one of those things you draw because you're not sure what to draw.

I thought, I could use this...as well as tell myself that I should be working out the details of my room make-over! Here's the quick sketch that I made on my pad, that should have contained a list of things to do.

Anyway, the tangent seemed a more exciting thing to do, so I took my initial idea and added some graphics and type, to create my own take on this typographical trend.

Tangent over, and its back to the to do list for me. I shall keep you posted on the room make-over as it progresses.

Happy New Year

I hope you have all enjoyed a great festive season with family and friends, as I have. Santa was very kind to me and brought me some lovely presents, including some good inspiration books and a children's badge maker! Which, I'm sure, you have not heard the last about!

As 2014 is welcomed in, thoughts turn to the new year and what it may bring. I was never big on setting resolutions, however....getting fit, eating healthier, losing weight and saving some money are always on my list once the festive holiday is over and we all fall back into a usual routine. This year is no different, in that respect!

But, what I do like to do, at the start of a brand new year, is to dream. Nothing big. Just some little goals or projects that I would like to achieve by the end of the year. These usually start off as little dreamy ideas floating around in my head until I've figured out some of the details. I'm sure you will get to hear about some of them in time.

What about you? Do you set yourself resolutions? Or goals? Maybe you thrive on a list of achievements to be ticked off? Or maybe you're just happy to go with the flow and dream a little now and again?

From me, I would like to wish you all the very best for the New Year, hip hip hooray!