Sunshine in Glasgow

I was lucky enough to visit this place with work recently, doesn't it look pretty in the sunshine? It's the Piping Centre, in Glasgow, and we even heard a little bit of traditional music while we were there. We've been out and about in Glasgow en famille today, but the weather wasn't quite so kind to us, even though the company was delightful.

Feeling the love for New York reads

I've had some lovely feedback on my new zine.

A customer writes...

Fab wee zine! Loved reading it and now have a few more books on my 'must read' list. Thanks! 

And over at Pushpin...

Ticking both my travel and books boxes, this new zine from Katy is all about 25 of her favourite books about New York. There’s everything from classics, children’s, non-fiction and modern fiction plus including best sellers and indie publications, so even avid readers are likely to discover something they haven’t read. I’ve only read six myself. As well as describing the books, Katy intertwines tales and anecdotes from her time living in New York. If you’re planning a trip there, this would be a fun read and you should pick up a few travel tips too.

All the cool kids are reading books on my list - like Isla Fisher with The Great Gatsby (well, you'd hope she has read it, what with being in the upcoming film and all) and Lena Dunham (amongst others) on The Bell Jar - come and join us!  PDF copies are only a dollar, and for the real, in your hands zine experience, it's only a little extra, plus P&P.

Newsflash: it's happening

The actual rug is actually being made. It's a beautiful sunny Sunday, and I'm in the mood for getting things done. Hurray! This patch has taken me half an hour, and contains 23 pieces of t-shirt, stats fans. I'll check back in this time next week with progress.

New lavender cats

Another shirt upcycled means another colourway for my lavender cats.

Get them here, or win one in the Craft Guerrilla tombola, the proceeds of which go, via the Celia Hammond Animal Trust, to help people to help real actual cats.  My little lavender cat makes up part of the first prize, check out this haul!

 

There are two more super handmade prize selections to win so do enter if you can.  I can honestly say right now, you'll never have to sponsor me in any form of running (the one positive aspect I've found of permanent nerve damage), so this is as close to a sponsorship form you'll ever see on this blog!

Shadowlands - a recap

So last weekend, me, my mum and my little girl headed off to see some of my prints in situ at the Shadowlands Exhibition in Sheffield.  A fantastic little boutique called Bird's Yard hosted the event, organised by Claira, who runs Vertiline in Love at Bird's Yard.  Vertiline is a long-time stockist of my work and it was a real thrill to see the shop in person at last.

I had a lovely trip down to Bolton, where I was staying near my mum's house for the weekend.  Here's the weather overlooking Rivington Pike in the morning when we set out for Snake Pass and beyond.

When Claira put out the call for contributors, the brief was to produce a black and white or grey print on the theme of Sheffield.  Now aside from the fact that my cousin worked as a clown in Meadowhall when she was a student, and two of my friends from sixth form now live there (separately, I might add), I know very little about Sheffield.  I doubt it's much different to many Northern towns with an industrial heritage, but for me the unique selling point of the city is its background in stainless steel, the kind that we hold in our hands every day, every time we sit down to eat.

I put ink to card and further inspired by DIY culture and um, those shirts that Nicky Wire used to wear (hashtag: notsheffield), created an outline of my chosen phrase, then got to work filling it in with prints of flatware.

And here it is in situ.  I was very proud.  My mum was very proud.  My small child ran about like a wild beast released.  The photos might look like I'm going for hipster/amateurish but the look owes more to 'holding onto small child's hood with not entirely free hand, with stairs'.











We admired everyone's work, browsed every last inch of the shop (my mum loved the bird and button cushions but couldn't decide on a colour and would like me to buy one for her online once she is used to her new living room, please), had a very serious word with small child for touching fox necklaces, ate some delicious goodies then headed immediately across the lane for the best tea in Sheffield.  We weren't disappointed.

The exhibition is still running this week, but Bird's Yard is open on a permanent basis so I urge you to catch one or the other as soon as you can.  Vertiline in Love also provides mail order online.  She has Kate Broughton nail transfers, you know.

Apologies if you already know this..

...but did I tell you my friend was nominated for an Oscar?  Way back at university, when Shine 6 was the coolest compilation on the planet , I presented a show on student radio alongside this guy from up north with a totally unexpected San Francisco accent, who I met through having a ridiculous crush on his flatmate.  In 1999 when we graduated, he went to Cali while I flew out to live on the East coast.  When I came back to the UK, he stayed on in Hollywood, I got myself a blog, he got an entry on IMDB and the rest is history.

On the 24th of this month I'll be glued to the TV.  Here's a link to a photo of my buddy stood next to KATHRYN FREAKING BIGELOW at the NOMINEES FREAKING LUNCHEON.  No, not De Niro, the other side.  To say I'm excited is an understatement.  Go team Silver Linings!  Bigelow: gold outfit, right of photo, by the way.