sam's notebook

do you mind if i knit

 

While we are on the topic of lovely papier mache creatures (see yesterday's post on Julie Arkell), some weeks ago I found a wonderful blog called do you mind if i knit, written by artist and illustrator Vanessa Cabban. Now this is not a new blog, so I wonder why it took me so long to find it????

Reading Vanessa's blog is like sitting down to a nice cup of tea and a chat with an old friend. I love her papier mache creatures (which she makes in this beautiful studio), she posts a tonne of photos from her open garden visits around her little corner of England (love those posts almost as much as her papier mache posts), and she has a hilarious Miniature Dachshund called Douglas who pops up regularly on the blog. 

Here is one of Vanessa's wonderful creations below (Sir Henry Brambles) - you can see more on her blog, and she sells on etsy too! Make sure you keep an eye out for Audrey and Happy Louise. They are fabulous!

 

Image from do you mind if i knit.

mari fray foster: quilted jewelry, heirloom series

 

Look at these beautiful necklaces! Made by jeweler Mari Fray Foster using antique quilt blocks, 1930s reproduction fabrics, quilt batting and embroidery floss.

You can read more about Mari's amazing work on her blog Mari Makes. There are some wonderful "in progress" shots of her work which I really enjoyed - I love it when I get to have a peek into a favourite artist's creative processes.

You can also find Mari on etsy and flickr!

 

 

 

 

  

Images from Mari Makes.

 

ragtales :: a new shop on etsy

 
Danielle of Ragtales has finally opened up an etsy shop! Those of us who know Danielle's work have been waiting some time for this!

I purchased one of Danielle's beaded, silk wrapped twisted cord bracelets, and let me tell you, it is even more beautiful in person.

 

Image from Ragtales on etsy.

 

she made wings of love letters and cherry blossoms

Another absolutely beautiful print from Amanda Blake. Click on the image to get a better view! 

 

Image from thisisalliknow (Amanda Blake) on etsy.

 

deardodo

 
Original watercolour painted paper collages by DearDodo on etsy.
 

on horseback
 
 

 

small village big dog


Images by DearDodo.

 

persephone earrings

 
From foundling on etsy.
 

 

Image from foundling.

 

vintage needlepoint bag

Beautiful colours in this vintage needlepoint bag from VeraVague.
 

 

Image from VeraVague on etsy.

 

clutch bag by red ruby rose

Georgeous silk-lined blue linen clutch bag from etsy seller Red Ruby Rose.
 
 


 


Here's a little snippet from Red Ruby Rose's featured seller interview on etsy. I love the sound of her house, and the description of her childhood home sounds so wonderful - two creative parents and an old Somerset mill house surrounded by woods and garden...

Hi, I'm Rowena and I'm writing to you from Bristol, England - home of trip-hop (Massive Attack, Tricky, Portishead), Banksy, and a mighty fine suspension bridge. I live with my boyfriend Robbie, in a rambling Victorian house that we bought back in the days of yore when banks would happily lend mortgages to sketchy cases like us. We share our home with a various assortments of critters that wander in when we leave the front door open (hedgehogs, spiders, cats, musicians.....)

I was born and brought up in Somerset in an old mill house, surrounded by woods and garden and lovely green stuff and then I moved up to Scotland to study printed textiles at Edinburgh College of Art. After graduation I took a detour from textiles and have spent the last ten years self-employed, building up a collage/montage illustration career, firstly in Scotland and then here in Bristol. Red Ruby Rose is a fairly new venture for me... it's the result of my yearning for a more tactile process away from my increasingly digital illustration working methods. I started making these clutches for fun and haven't stopped.

What first made you want to become an artist?

Probably because I'm completely and hopelessly unemployable. I grew up in a creative environment - my mum's an artist and my dad walked out of his office job to become a self-employed printer when I was 11. He knew nothing about printing at the time but set up a one man business in the house which he still does to this day... that risk-taking obviously influenced me. 9-5 was never a viable option.... I did a few temping jobs when I was particularly skint after college and it spurred me on to never go near an office again.

Images from Red Ruby Rose.
 

and i walked

Sixty-six metres of printed tape by Rob Ryan. Fantastic.





Image from Rob Ryan on etsy.

 

more flowers

Of the Liberty variety this time! I bought a metre of this gorgeous fabric (Elysian brown pink) this summer and managed to get over my fear of cutting into it for a little project for C's room - hope to have a photo of the finished product soon!




Image from Alicecarolinesupply on etsy.

 

twitter birds

Beautiful fabric wall stickers from etsy seller lovemaestore, designed and made in Australia. Found via the lovely blog periwinklebloom, who was found via one of my favourite blogs, follow studio.

Image from lovemaestore.

 

etsy treasury from blossom

One of the loveliest etsy treasuries I've seen. Put together by Blossom.
 

Image from Blossom.

 

i need new fabric like a fish needs a bicycle

But I couldn't resist this beautiful linen from etsy seller cottonblue. It arrived today and it's gorgeous!

Image from cottonblue on etsy.

 

sterling silver and aquamarine

By jessitaylor on etsy.

Image from jessitaylor.

 

ragged roses

A lovely (new to me) blog and etsy shop. I love these vintage seed packet lavender sachets.

Image from Ragged Roses.

 

josephine blouse

By Anna Fabó on etsy.

 

Image from annafabo.

 

the swing set

By Montreal-based freelance photographer Irene Suchocki. Irene blogs here and you can also find her on etsy and flickr.

Image from isphotography.

 

enhabiten

Beautiful products made with vintage and eco-friendly textiles from enhabiten on etsy. Found via sfgirlbybay.

Images from enhabiten.

 

tinctory

Stunningly beautiful and original jewellery from tinctory on etsy.

Image from tinctory on flickr.

 

too late

I checked in too late and these garlands from lobster and swan were already sold! I would have snapped them up in a second!
 

Image from lobsterandswan.

 

larimeloom

Gorgeous handsewn clothes by larimeloom on etsy.

Perfect for spring and summer.

 

Images from larimeloom.

 

nora the woodland rabbit

By JunkerJane on etsy.

Image from JunkerJane.

 

royal buffet

Lovely garlands and mobiles by Royal Buffet on etsy.
 

Images from Royal Buffet.

 

morris & essex

Handmade cards designed and created by Eliza Jane Curtis in Buenos Aires.

Eliza uses a combination of linocut block-printing and silkscreen, using both traditional screenprinting tenchniques and a Print Gocco.

Images from Morris & Essex.