Day Two-Hundred & One

Here's a little teaser of what Mr Red Bird & I got up to this weekend... Can you guess where we've been??

Day One Hundred and Eighty-Two

A change is as good as a rest...!

Well....it's been a hectic few months and things have indeed been a-changing for me, hence why I have been off the blogging radar. I can say that I have moved on to a new chapter and things are looking up!

I've enjoyed a few trips abroad to Fez, Paris & Cassis. I've moved out of my co-operatively owned shop. I'm now stocking in some spaces in Bristol with the hope of expanding my stockists & today I started a new job at a fantastic independent cafe - The Workhouse Cafe!

Here's a few little snippets of what me and Mr Red Bird got up to in Paris. We were extremely lucky to have been reviewing 4 hotels & an apartment during our stay, which made Paris that much more pleasurable. The apartment shown below was my favourite of all probably because it was our own private space & we could, for a short amount of time see what it might feel like to live the Paris life! We stayed there for two nights and I was so sad to leave. We ate amazing fresh baguettes from the local bakery every morning with meats, cheeses & as much fresh coffee as we could drink listening to the chilled Parisien radio - we definately fitted into the life-style with ease!!

 As much as I loved setting up and working in my little co-operatively owned space in Bath, last month I decided it was time to move onto things-a-new! It's was a massive learning experience and one that I have no regrets. I like to think that both postive & negative experiences are experiences to be learnt from non-the-less. Life is too short to think otherwise!

Day Eighty-Nine

.·:*:·. Jubilee Celebrations...! .·:*:·.


I was super pleased to see my 'Eco Felt Union Jack Cushion' & 'Teapot Stamp Cushion' in Bath Life Magazine's double page spread which featured Jubilee themed 'Best of British' buys.
This was my little bit of creativity towards the celebrations of the Queen's Jubilee and fabulous additions to my felt cushions range!!
I source my felt from here in the UK and it is 100% made using recycled post consumer plastic bottles - how fab is that! So, not only are these cushions pretty but they're also ethically made.
You can pick yours up from 'Charlie Boots', Bath or order one online and get it delivered!

Jubilee Cushions - Bath Life Magazine

Jubilee Cushions - Bath Life Magazine

...Happy Bank Holiday ♥

Day Seventy-Two

F O L K S Y : F R I D A Y by Bread And Jam...

'Folksy Friday' - Beards&Moustaches by Bread And Jam

Well hello good people!
I was very suprised yesterday evening to receive a message Catherine of 'Bread And Jam' blog saying that my Moustaches-on-Sticks were featured on her new blog in her first 'Folksy Friday' collection.
'Bread And Jam' are a Loughborough creative collective who specialise in block printing their fabulous folk art insipired designs on papergoods & old school very cool wooden pencil case boxes! Their blog yesterday included their very first 'Folksy Friday' collection & I feel very honored to be included in it - wohoo!
If you didn't already know, Folksy is an online handmade marketplace for UK artists where you can buy hand produced items straight from the makers.
Please follow their fun blog & take at look at their super wares too!

Happy weekend...
♥

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