Cut Paper and Some Junk Shop Finds

Inspired by my previous post on Brian Wildsmith, I have made a start on a collage.



It's not finished and it's not that refined, I did it whilst Iris was doing some painting beside me so it was quite hard to concentrate fully. Anyway the colours are rather joyful and delicious. Even while severely muted by Blogger (just why does that happen?)



I also had a quick trip to the junk shop at the end of the week and found a few nice things. I haven't been buying much lately, a combination of it being January = having no money, a lack of car boot sales and the weather has meant that there hasn't really been much of a market on Saturdays. I'm bound to make up for it later in the year. Even though I have vowed to curb my magpie ways a tad, as I've been having a massive clear-out this week which has been very cathartic and satisfying.

During my clear-out, I re-found this lovely little enamel ladybird pin which I've had since I was 11 or thereabouts.



Junk shop necklace.



Nautical wrapping paper.



A fine hand-made pin cushion in teeny tiny patchwork.





Tiny turtle buttons. Only two though.



Oh and a super-big THANKS to everyone who left a comment on my interview over at Tea For Joy.

And yes, that was my big reveal, some of my plates are going to be stocked at the Paul Smith flagship store on Floral Street, Covent Garden. I'll post some pictures when I can!

Paper Dreams Tied Up With Bits of String

*Don't forget that there's a festive discount of 15% in both of the shops! For vintage goodness, go here and input this code - lepetitchristmas or if you fancy a jazzy plate to put your Christmas dinner on then hop over here and I will refund the 15% via paypal.*

But! Be quick if you want a plate as they're all going to be whizzing off somewhere very exciting, I'm going to be telling you all about that very soon. Promise!

In other news, I am listening to this record a lot, it's childish and sweet but spooky and odd too - I particularly love Spin Spider Spin. You can read more about it here at Trunk Records. It'd make a sweet stocking filler!

And I've been busy, snipping and folding up paper to make a garland, it hasn't really worked, which is annoying, so that's hanging up looking a bit forlorn and abandoned. I'll have to re-thread it. Again.

I know the photograph is desperately out of focus. But I kind of liked it anyway.



And newly customised plates! My plates were mentioned here on the beautiful fine little day and here on a new-to-me blog called so happy kids (thanks to P for the tip-off). Thank you both!





Found a new (to me) lampshade in a junk shop. £1.



And today, I have been ordering business cards and thinking hard about my contribution to this - due the day after tomorrow, eep! *Cue last minute panic*

Screenprint Extravaganza

So, here I am, back from my screen-printing workshop - it was two days of giddying and frenzied activity. It really made me hanker after my student days, and also reignited my love and passion for printmaking.

I had some rather ambitious plans that didn't exactly come to fruition, which was a tad disappointing. However, I did make a lot of prints on paper, some are finished and some require a bit more work. I am happy with that.

And now, predictably, I want to do more. MORE! I'm thinking about how I can make that a reality, given that there are no printing facilities round here. A gocco, perhaps?

So, here are a favourite few, and as ever I am keen to hear your thoughts.

Screenprint Preparations

Just a quick post today as I'm about to be kicked unceremoniously off the macbook when Paul goes off to the studio. I have been very busy this week trying to prepare for my screen-printing workshop this coming weekend.

It's been fun sifting through old sketches and notebooks and deciding (or trying to) what would make a good print. And also having new ideas as well. Yes, that's always nice.









More later...

Fleamarkets Finds and Other Trifling Matters..

So, I thought I'd show you in a bit more detail what I found in my frenzied half hour at the bootsale on Sunday.

Oh! and I also wanted to tell you that my shoes from this post are featured on Laura's great blog, Glue + Glitter, do go over and have a look! Thanks Laura!

Right, so where were we? Well, I got a great haul of books, including ten for 10p each, which might be my new favourite price to pay for something.

Amongst them, were three AA Milne books, The House At Pooh Corner, When We Were Very Young and Now We Are Six, all republished in 1971 by Methuen. Now it is easy to forget, given the ubiquity of ghastly Disney-fied merchandise and general Pooh overkill, just how lovely the illustrations by E H Shepard are, but they're so evocative of childhood freedom and play, and I certainly never tire of them..



I especially like Christopher Robin's clothes, proper knitted jerseys, shorts, and round-toed buckled leather shoes.







I also found some sweet things for Iris - look at this little shoulder bag! I also have one just like it (but bigger of course!)



And a little wonky basket for doll's laundry.



And this little Duck cup - but she has so many little cups that this will end up in the shop no doubt.



Then there are these two bird coat hangers, not that I think you could hang any clothes on them, but I had to buy them for their sheer birdness and simplicity. I will hang them somewhere permanent, soon.





I also got some 'entirely British' buttons.



And lastly I can't stop looking at this beautiful card that Katie sent.



It's by Lucie Sheridan, she has a shop here. It's flaming my desire to do some printmaking, I can tell you! That's my autumn plan if I can make some more money from my shop, so go buy things! Tell your friends!

Inside and Outside My Sketch Book

I've been spending odd moments this week, doodling about, cutting and sticking. It's really fun. But I do keep wondering what to do with all these things I keep making. Should I open up a little shop? Would anyone buy these? Eeek, it's scary getting back into this again, but I do feel very inspired at the moment, by my friends, by Flickr favourites, by my beloved little blog, by the creative people it has introduced to me and by all your lovely comments. Your thoughts, as ever, are welcome.

So, here they are, owls, geometrics and colour abound, some are finished, others are fledgling ideas waiting to develop...

Giveaway Winner and A New Look for Spring

Sorry to leave you in suspense as to the winner of the Take It, It's Yours giveaway, which ended yesterday, this week has just been romping along. Thank you to all of you who took part, it was lovely and heartening to know that you like what I'm doing.

All the names went into a hat and an impartial bystander (Paul) picked out the winner - it's....



Congratulations Nina dear, do drop me a line with your address so I can send it out to you.

I've also got a new header - ta-daaaah! I have about a million variations, have a look..











I'd love to know what you think of it so do let me know!

Lastly, here's a snap of my new (old) favourite shoes, I love them!

Take it, It's Yours* (A Giveaway)

So, here we are, my 50th post, a small but significant milestone and I'd like to celebrate with a giveaway.

As you can see, I have finally invested in a few mounts for my collages, white for now but I have also ordered some in a nice soft powdery grey. They were handcut by a slightly over friendly man in my local framers.









They look good, although such is the power of a good mount I think even a shopping list would look pretty snazzy.

And I'd like this one here in nice Spring-y shades of bluebell, blossom and daffodil to go find a new home, so if you'd like to get it onto your wall or mantelpiece then do leave a comment below.



* Well, it could be if you leave a comment with your contact details before the 14th April, 10am BST (that's next Tuesday) - overseas entrants welcome. Then I'll put the names in a hat and pick a winner!