Autumn Inspiration - Philippa Robbins....

Clogs on a cushion cover Karvol Capsules

Okay m'dears..get set for a week of simple inspiration! I will be posting things I have found on my travels in the last wee while that have stirred my soul and blown my mind!!...when I said linky goodness, I meant it ;)

Today, the amazing artist Philippa Robbins whom I found a few weeks ago via her flickr photo-store. I was firstly moved by her wonderful paintings of knitting....the detail and quality of the work is just sublime..by the time I found the images of her tablet works I was hooked { I am especially enamored with the image above of Karvol capsules which were my best fried as a child when I had a cold!!}...and then I was love struck with the painting {top} of the clogs. *wow*. It is the quality of image in Philippa's work I really admire, the technical brilliance of her observational painting..her style. I would love to live with some of these, to own one....{maybe one day!}

To find out more about Philippa's beautiful work check out her lovely website...:)

xox

Smile - if you can....

...this old postcard {my all time favourite} always manages to bring a smile to my face, even during the hardest, toughest weeks. That was/is {?} one of them....and I have not been able to get myself in gear to update this dear wee blog with any sort of goodness to amuse the masses - so sorry dear friends for the unexplained absence. I am just so tired.....not sleeping very well, and with so much still to do....tiredness is the topic de jour. {not that I am going to really explore the theme....}

I have been saving up linky goodness galore, and my favourite autumn inspirations..which I hope to be able to get around to posting next week...not tonight though. I have been out for a big shop today {food}, so have spend the last hour and a quarter preparing a huge big unctuous beef casserole/stew to have with mash tonight. It is a double batch....so the house has a wonderful rich aroma about it.

Tonight, I will just be relaxing on the sofa and reading the new issue of Vogue, and am looking forward to the return of one of my favourite dramas....Spooks!!! { a brilliant MI5 spy -type thrill trip of a show} whooohoo ;)

Happy Sunday my dears - hope you are having a good one!!
xox

two long weeks...

Hullo friends...So - three collections in two weeks. Two long weeks...no days off {ugh}. Am feeling more than a little tired, and having just finished today - I am very much looking forward to a long lie tomorrow {new clean sheets on my bed..so I am hoping for a good sleep!}...and a bit of an easy day.

This week I will be preparing some tutorials for Whip-Up at long last {see sidebar....html is beyond me tonight} on how to make your own jewellery findings {earring hooks..jump rings etc} - so there is to be a good clean down of the ol' bench and out with the close-up lens!

Mmmm..confronting these images, aren't they? {self portraits always make me cringe a bit}. 'Tis me in the workshop {Mav's flickr challenge}...note how cheery I look ;))))
till tomorrow, xox

Inside the Cover {part two}...

Book number two is :: Josef Frank¦ Textile Design :: distributed by Svenskt Tenn.....and it is a delight as well!!

Every time I see a pattern design book which has images of the original wood blocks used to print the fabric, I am sold - there and then. I am really obsessed with wood blocks, and use them as inspiration for the construction of my pieces {thinking, if this was a pattern...each layer would add it's own motif to the print, creating the whole}....I often want to have a go at cutting my own blocks {I have the tools..I use them to carve the ivory, so it's kind of similar} too. The two pages in this book {middle images} that showed the blocks for Josef Franks' textiles just blew me away..hope you like them too.

------- {I included the pumpkin one as an ode to Autumn ;)!!}---------

As promised here and here you will find some snaps of some of the jewels I got at the show on Wednesday......much more still to source!

I am going to be working through the weekend again...getting work finished to go to Diana Porter {gallery} at the beginning of next week. Would you believe this is the first of my Christmas shows going out already...crazy right!? I am betting it's going to get crazier :)))) ---- I am trying to decide whether to get my own gold plating equiptment or not? I think I need to make things simpler and do it myself to avoid all the problems that occur with involving other people *sigh*

wishing you all a good and restful weekend.

hugs, xox

Inside the Cover...{the return of}...

My actually buying a new book {or two..you'll see that one tomorrow} means the return of Inside the Cover!!....I found this book :: Accidentism - Josef Frank :: on my travels yesterday and decided to treat myself.

So, yesterday....I decided last minute to nip down to London to catch the last day of a big jewellery trade show at Earls Court with the hope of buying stone, bead and pearl stock for all the work I have to make in the lead up to my Christmas shows. A 20 hour day started at 4.45am......and I arrived at the show at 12.20. To be honest, I didn't get as much as I had hoped {although I got some really good lemon citrine briolettes I will show tomorrow} as the dealers simply didn't have what I was looking for {nothing wildly out of the ordinary - what I would call basis stock....good quality pearls for example and some smokey quartz beads}, but I have made some new supplier contacts, so will follow those up to try get what I need over the next month or so...

By 3.00 I was well and truly knackered, and had seen enough and bought enough...so decided to call a halt to the show. I had a mere few hours before heading back to the airport so headed to Mecca..;) {aka Liberty} to have a quick dose of soul-soothing. A pot of Assam tea, and piece of their amazing carrot and pineapple cake perked me up enough to look around the store in earnest. On the third floor I found a jewel of a new section....Svenskt Tenn have opened a store within the store, bedecking one end of the gallery with Josef Frank pattern design a-plenty...heaven. So, although I absolutely cannot afford it, and had already given the ol' credit card a bashing and a half at the trade show....I just HAD to get the two books on Franks {one on his textile designs, and the other..seen above...on his architecture}. They were v, v pricey..but beautiful and I have never seen them before in the shops. 'Accidentism' has a printed fabric cover *melt*....and is a joy to behold.

....needless to say the day ended with the hell of the airport {Stanstead} and to be honest, chaos. The security queues took over an hour {just to get through the scanner - not including check in} and we had to listen to people verbally abusing the staff for the delays {blame our government people!..their policies lead to terrorism!}...it was a long day.:)))))

I would say that yesterday London kicked my ass...it was one of those dirty, irritating days with horrid cab drivers and rude folk everywhere....but thank goodness for the goodness at Liberty and the grade-A genius of Josef Frank. They got me through.

till tomorrow, xox

Is it really Monday??...

Happy Monday everyone.....I personally can't believe that there has actually been a weekend at all as I was working right through it, but I am assured that this is indeed a new week...any comments to the contrary people?? ;)

Anyway, I said I would show you a picture of the piece I was making based on the new drawings I did in France....here is the necklace {there are also earrings so far..} taken from the leaf shadows that I hastily shot {hence the iffy photo} before parceling up and racing to the post office. As I mentioned at the end of last week I was contacted very short notice about an opportunity to show some jewels in a very exciting place..........Kyoto, Japan!!!

There has recently been a new gallery for contemporary jewellery opened at the Kyoto National Museum and one of the project directors saw my work at the Glasgow Print Studio and asked me if I had some jewellery she could take over with her when she flies to Japan this week. Eeek *beam*........so! I got busy and got some work made {as I had no stock whatsoever apart from two big pieces} which I just sent out today {she is based in Edinburgh}..phew. I am so excited to be part of this project and hope it to be just the beginning of my adventures with Japan!

Well, after a LONG weekend, and an even longer Monday {??!!} I am going to depart having just shared that little jewel of a tale....I have a date with the sofa!

hugs, xox

Sketchy...

Hello Friends! Friday already.....what a week it has been, I have rarely known faster. After returning from my break I had a collection {12 pieces} to make and get away {due for arrival sept 1st}..so I got that sorted and out, and also had a request yesterday for some work to go somewhere VERY exciting, very short notice. I will tell all next week...and show you what is going *beam*.

Above are some little studies I made in my Moleskine {actually bought in a little Librarie in Nyons} which I got as a little surprise on my birthday. It was the last full day of the trip..so I didn't get much done really, but it has sparked some ideas already for new jewels..some of which are already in production! What is it about Moleskines? They make you want to work, and make you feel creative...so yummy they are.

...Oh yes, have also taken to wearing a pea-green beret I bought for 10 euros...I *love* it so, and am more than happy Autumn is on it's way now. {always to be honest}

So, just much work in store for me this weekend..but it will be worth it {you'll see}. Wishing you a wonderful one yourselves...a big holiday in the US right? Have fun chums.

hugs, xox