Illustration Friday - Obsession

Shoes aren't my obsession, I'm more of a flip flop kind of girl!

Coloured Glass

I have found a way to distract myself all to easily. As I mentioned in an earlier post we are moving house, so I am starting to sort and pack up stuff. In the process today I just had to take pictures of my coloured glass.

 

I have collected coloured glass for years. Nothing of any particular value to anyone else but me. I just love the colours, the translucency and the way  they sparkle like fairytale jewels. They always inspire.

Old Photographs

We are hopefully moving house within the next few weeks, it's the school holidays, we're off camping next weekend and life feels hectic. So I was thinking that my little blog here might loose out on my attention with little time for illustrating. Then as I was clearing a cupboard today I found an old box file filled with old photographs. I know they aren't my illustrations but somehow it seems OK to put them up here to show you. They came from my Nanna's house when after it was cleared when she died.

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I  just had to pick a few to show you, they are so atmospheric and indicative of times gone by. 

I don't know who any of these children are. Are any of them my Dad, John Howarth, or my Uncle David?

 I don't know who any of these beautiful young women are but one may be my Nanna (my Dad's Mum). Her maiden name was Louisa Fowweather.

 Who are these young men?  The man top right has signed his photograph to give to the girl he was courting perhaps. Are any of them my Grandad he was called Percy Howarth?

 Here's a glipse of life gone by. Considering photography was such a novel and expensive thing to do it's quite amazing that a snapshot of Nanna in the kitchen was taken. (She looks incredibly like my Dad!)

And this I find amazing. It is a reference for my Nanna, before she married when she worked as a milliner. She made hats. This is a picture of Nanna. Is this some sort of millinery event?

I really don't know the answers to many of my questions and I find these images really poigniant and precious. If you know anything about them I would love to hear from you.

Illustration Friday - Perennial

This is a drawing of a hydrangea my lovely man gave to me. It's dried now, to a lovely muted lilac colour and sits on the shelf above my desk.

It also inspired this fabric design. It is printed onto silk available from my Spoonflower shop. I am so pleased with it and am making it into scarves with hand rolled edges,

Illustration Friday - Gesture

 

For you!

I have been playing with this image and turned it into a fabric design thinking that it might make some sweet retro curtains or bedding perhaps. 

Click here and you'll go to my Spoonflower page to find the fabric design

Once I've checked a sample you will be able to buy it, but it will take a few weeks before I can do that. Bear with me.

Cut and Sew Arthur Doll

Finally getting the cut and sew dolls up and running. This one is called Arthur!

I just need some sunshine so that I can take photos that show the vibrancy of the colours on all the dolls, then I can put them in my Etsy shop. The trouble is it is raining and has been for days. Where has summer gone?

Illustration Friday - Stay

I think he's come to stay.....unexpectedly!

Updated my website

Green Street - A new addition to fabric designs.

At last, I have given my website a much needed update. I hope it's more self explanatory and navigable. Having been staring at it all morning I can't see 'the wood for the trees', so please have a look at it and let me know what you think.

Illustration Friday - Remedy

Remedy: For a good nights sleep - remove pea!

Limited Palette

Spoonflower has a fabric contest this week with the theme being "butterflies" with a limited palette. My starting point was this pen and ink drawing from my sketch book.

This is the palette for the design. Interesting choice and not my usual, so I was interested as to how I would use these colours.

This is a part of the finished design. I'm still pondering on the dominant use of the pink for the butterflies, this may be because I am not the biggest colour pink fan but then again I like the pink with the paler green. I will be interested to see all the entries, this week, on Spoonflower as I think the palette will highlight the effectiveness of everyone's repeat pattern.

To see my pattern in all its 'glory' follow this link to my Spoonflower site.

www.spoonflower.com/fabric/660181