Day Sixty-Two

Crafts Council Hothouse Taster Day Road Trip..!

Wow today was an epic day. I was up at the crack of dawn today for a little adventure with some fellow artists for a little road trip across to Farnham, Surrey all in aid of work of course! I must have been a little too excited as I didn't really manage to get off to sleep properly the night before, either in anticipation of what the day might bring, but probably more so worrying about missing my 6am alarm and sleeping in as I'm really not a morning person.

The trip was a taster day being put on by the Craft Council in association with the University for the Creative Arts Service. An intensive programme of tips and advice tailored for craft makers wanting to learn about setting up in business and developing creatively. The day included speakers: Ceramist Katherine Morling, Alex Brownless of Artsthread, Jill Read - Crafts Council Press Officer and official Tweeter, Holly Berry (BB2 MasterCrafts) and Lucy Jane Foakes (winner of BDC New Designer of the Year 2010), Alison Branagan - author of the Essential Guide to Business for Artists and Designers.


It was definitely a worth while visit. Although it reiterated things I already knew about, it did actually reinforce what I my next steps should be. It was definately worth while networking with the other attendees also to make sure you made the most of the day. All-in-all I would recommend this to someone who was literally just in the beginnings of wanting to start up a business. As today was just a taster, I am guessing that I would probably get a lot more from it if I attended one of the proper days sessions, so this is something to think about, but at least I've come away energised. Well, after a good nights sleep I am hoping I'll still feel the buzz in the morning!


Have any of you fellow makers been to a conference thing of this kind before & if so, how did it help you??


Nite all...x

Day Fifty-Eight

Sad Rain Cloud Necklace by Killer Cupcake

Woh is me...I woke up this morning feeling hugely sorry for myself. I had managed to avoid catching a cold for what feels like at least a year, but with all these weeks of rain & chilliness, it looks like I've been got by the lurgy!
I will try and plough on through it though. I actually have a homemade chicken soup on the go as we speak. 


♦Chicken Soup Recipe♦
I love to make mine with a left over chicken carcass from a tasty roast dinner.
In a pot of boiling water add the said carcass. Make sure the water covers the chicken. Add a few optional larges chunks of veg such as carrot, leek, onion. This will give you a more tasty stock then with just the chicken alone, but it's not essential. Simmer on a low heat with the lid on for 30 mins. Remove the carcass & veg chunks. Season with salt and pepper to taste. I like to throw some tinned sweetcorn (the whole contents with it's sweetcorn juiceness) and an egg (use a fork to whisk it slightly into the soup). An egg I hear you cry!! Well yes! It's really not as weird as it sounds... It actually thickens the soup a little and adds a bit of creaminess to the flavour which is just how I always like it - like how my mum used to make it!


Anyway, I'm off to enjoy some soup infront of the tv for a little 'me' time. Let me know how you get on with yours...!

Day Fifty-Six

Wow, so sorry to have not been keeping up with my blog for well over 2 weeks. Things have been a little hectic with one thing or another....one being that my bathroom leaked last week and there always seems to be a lot of waiting around for plumbers when there's such work involved. Anyway, he eventually came the next day, well over an hour late I add, and on my one morning with the chance for a lie-in! ...8.30 he said...oh, ok I agreed!


I went to Londres with Mr Red Bird. I had a fab time and must admit that the weather was pretty decent to us considering the amount of rainfall we've had these last 2 weeks. Brick Lane bustling as its usual wonderful self. I love popping into all the vintage/retro shops, bric-a-brac, artisan markets galore. I'm sure Mr Red Bird felt quite the opposite, however he was kept very happy with his 'salt beef bagel' which is infamous around those parts, and possibly a herring one too!!
I visited a basement market, which too my enjoyment lead me to my 2 best purchases of the day! I'll post some snaps later, but I got  gorgeous vintage sheer buttercup yellow blouse with a high neck, ruffled front & complete button down back. It's exquiste and a steal at just £6. It's pretty old but in amazing condition. Turning it inside out I like to look at the hand stitching made to create this peice... My other purchase is a cornflower blue super soft leather bag that goes across the body. It's wonderful and even though I have a million bags [or close to i'm sure], I've been using my new one everyday since!! - Photo will follow. Please share snaps of any of your amazing finds on Brick Lane. I love being nosey...


Here is a snippet of a few iamges in my latest Etsy treasury I put together called ♥ T H E  L O V E R S  P I C N I C ♥ I hope you love it...

♥ T H E L O V E R S P I C N I C ♥ by Red Bird Makes

See you again soon....x

Day Forty

Emergency Tea Print by What Katie Does

What Katie Does...!


Well indeed... I joined as one of Katie's Blog followers after seeing her beautiful prints on Etsy. Little did I know that London based Katie was going to make a trip to the lovely city of Bath, where our 'Charlie Boots' shop resides. Her escape from London was made for her boyfriends mother's birthday and she describes the highlights of her trip to this 'pocket-sized city'. Among her snapshots of this idyllic city was a photo of our shop window on Broad Street - wohoo! I am pretty chuffed that Katie thought our shop window good enough to warrant a photo in her mention of 'the nice mix of independant shops'. Anyway, take a look here and have a read for yourself...http://www.whatkatiedoes.net - thankyou Katie!

Day Thirty-Six

Rain, rain, go away...


Wow, the weather this week has been a little more than confused. Relentless rain all day Friday, definitely not what you want to start the weekend after a hard week of work! That said, I'm glad the sun has shown it's face today. 


I've been spending a bit of time looking at various artworks to adorn my livingroom wall. I mean there's quite a few things going on already, but it needs some organisation and perhaps a new print or two wouldn't go amiss! Anyway, I've come across these sweet candy coloured treats that I think would be perfect - what do you think?

Print by Ashley Goldberg

Screenprint by Jane Foster

Day Twenty-Seven

Happy Easter..!

Union Jack Cushion by Red Bird Makes

Hello...I hope you are all well and truly getting stuck into your Easter weekend whatever you may be up to. I've been fairly productive in that last night I finally got stuck into making my Union Jack cushion that I've been putting off for months. It is going to be featured in the Bath Life magazine in a couple of weeks time for the special Queen's Jubilee edition, so keep and eye out for it if you're in the Bath Area!! It will obviously also be making it's appearance in 'Charlie Boots' (online & highstreet shop) and my other online outlets after this bank holiday! I'm also working on the 'Teapot Stamp' cushion & it's sisters, so keep watching... I think this would make perfect set for a British summer garden party or picnic don't you think? 


Made from 100% recycled felt made from post consumer plastic bottles! We at Charlie Boots believe in sustainability, so when you buy this cushion you'll know that not only was the felt sourced from here in the UK, but it has been made using recycled materials and was also handmade by me. So do your bit to support handmade, buy handmade!


I do find it ridiculous the amount of bottled water people consume, when we in Britain are lucky enough to have a brilliant water system and we can access perfectly clean and tasty tap water for drinking - so there's really no need to buy it in bottles.


...x

Day Twenty-Two

Hello again...

I've been busy of late what with keeping my Etsy, Folksy & DaWanda shops up-to-date with my new products...making [said] new products...keeping on top of my orders from my Red Bird Makes online shop & Paper Sissors Stone online shop...keeping my shop in Bath {Charlie Boots} wonderfully stocked...remembering to blog...keeping Mr Red Bird happy...

Phew, anyway I think you get the gist! It's suprising how much time and effort goes into a making a business a business, but it's all totally worth it and I wouldn't want to swap it for anything!

His & Hers Fun Fab Cushions by Red Bird Makes

I was so pleased when I got commissioned to make a pair of 'his and hers' cushions for a local run guest house! I was approached by the lovely Douglas of the Hill House, Bath after he spotted my 'Moustachio' cushion in the Charlie Boots window. The Hill House website is currently being finished, but I was lucky enough to get this amazing photograph of one of the gorgeous guest rooms as a sneak preview (piture taken by Suzy Bennett). I will surely post up the information of this stunning Bath Guesthouse as soon as I get it. In the meantime, these cushions are available online and I think they would be just perfect as a wedding gift or house warming present for your friends and loved ones...!

Eco Felt 'Home' Cushion by Red Bird Makes

Eco Felt 'Love'Cushion by Red Bird Makes

Here are a couple of new designs I've been working on...please let me know what you think! I think they're just right for Spring/Summer and will definately brighten up any room. These will hopefully be available to purchase in my Etsy shop from Tuesday. As a little bonus I am giving a 15% discount to the first person to order either of these cushions!! Just enter 'LOVEYOURBLOG' as a coupon code at the checkout....so check when the listing goes up & best of luck.

Love & Peas...