New designs: Cherries Galorious, Wispy Rose, Simply Cherry

As promised, I've been working on some patterns using my new graphics pen. Oh, how did I live without it before? And here are the fruits of my labour (sorry about the awful pun). This is called 'Cherries Galorious' - funnily enough! Thought this pattern would look lovely as wrapping paper - on nice thick paper, perhaps double sided with spots. I love cherries, even glace cherries; I'm ashamed to say when making me christmas cake, I tend to finish the pot off once the required amount has been added! Naughty, but nice...

I had such fun drawing in Photoshop with this pen, usually I doodle in my lil book this rose, entitled 'Wispy Rose'. There is a story behind it. A couple of friends of mine asked me to work on a design for their wedding invitations, they wanted to incorporate their wedding date 09.06.07. Seeing as they were getting married in Edinburgh and the bride being Scottish, I couldn't resist the influence of Charles Henry Mackintosh - I love his work. So I started sketching ideas and eventually came up with a rose using the figures of the date (this was done using typed numbers and manipulated in PS). As I was sketching the figures fitted in well and the rose came quite naturally - needless to say they loved it. So much so, it was even iced on their wedding cake! See if you can work out the numbers, I have included images below of the final invite... how did I use the 7? This is the stem of the rose. Well, ever since then I have developed and sketched the rose and so had a go in PS with me new pen! I'm quite pleased with the results.

Here is the 'Simply Cherry' design, named simply because its all about the cherry, simple!

Return from the land down under...

Well, it's been a while since I've written a post. Oops. I have been on me travels - returning from the land down under after a 3 week break, including a stop in wonderful Hong Kong. All the while keeping my eyes wide open for inspiration of course. Hong Kong was a quick stop, but I had the most amazing time. I felt safe in HK, a young woman on her own, even when travelling the metro at night, walking around the night market and down Nathan Rd back to my hotel; I wanted to take in the sights and smells of HK at night rather than travel back on the metro and miss it all. The humidity of HK gets you during the day, at times you had to dive in and out of stores just for a quick cooling relief but once you step out the door the wall of heat and humidity hits you and you dive into another store. At night it felt different - more bearable some how. This allowed me to walk a fair distance along Nathan Rd without having to dive into shops for relief and eyes on you to make a purchase, it was the case of a true eye-catching browse! I can't quite describe the smell of HK...a fusion of scorching humid heat, street food, cleanliness from shops & hotels, and traffic!? All adds to the flavour and memory I suppose. A bustling city, people everywhere, and noise all around added to my sense of security. My favourite spot was sitting on Avenue of the Stars, away from the hustle and bustle (though still pretty busy) and looking across the water to Hong Kong Island. A skyline presented with branded tall buildings from the tech world! A haze falls over the water during the day as you look into the distance away from the buildings, and as the sun tries to make its appearance it revealed the blueness of the water (strangely enough). I loved sitting in this particular cafe with my cappucino in one hand and notebook in the other, writing ideas more than drawing them - I wanted to descibe my ideas as I couldn't justify them by drawing. This was the start of a really lovely trip and onto Oz I went to see the Fergmister.

Australia! It was great to be back. I returned to Sydney 6 years to the day I had left. Had it really been 6 years, it all seemed so familiar. Fergie picked me up from the airport in his campervan and drove me around Sydney, the familar places of Bondi and Paddington and to those I had not discovered last time. First stop was breakfast. Bearing in mind it was winter, we sat outside a lovely little cafe overlooking the turquoise ocean, with deep blue skies above us and sun on our faces in a place called Marouba. I had already begun to see Australia with new eyes. During the trip I was discovering how much the arts and design culture of Australia is well and truly on its way up. So much opportunity is out there for artists and new designers/crafters, something I had really disregarded of Australia (apologies for my ignorance) for one reason and another. From the weekend craft markets in Balmain to the larger venues offering opportunities for crafters/artisans to show and market their wares in Sydney and Melbourne (to name but a few). I was open to it all. I hadn't seen this last time, was that my ignorance or was I not truly aware of what I wanted to be in the creative world? Think it was a bit of both actually. I fell in love with an Australian stationery brand called Poppies for Grace - I discovered their work in a fab shop called Duck Egg Blue in Balmain and fell in love instantly. I just love everything about their work, from the style of drawing to the packaging. I also admire and love the fact that all their pieces are using recycable materials, are environmentally friendly and printed using vegetable based inks/dyes. Something I would love to adhere to with my work (though having contacted a few Eco friendly printers for quotes and questions, I've not heard back from any of them?! Hmm!). So, potato printing, here I come...

The whole trip was just great, the sights of true wildlife such as a koala and its baby eating eucaplytus in the trees along the side of the road to that of a LONG snake in the middle of the road, for which Fergie got out of the van, picked up a stick and 'sshhooed' the snake off the road so he wouldn't get run over! I of course stayed well and truly in the van in full support and encouragment of Ferg, ahem!! It worked though. Before moving on, the snake turned its head at Ferg, hissed at him and slowly slithered off into the bush without even a thank you for saving its life! Charming!

All in all I came away inspired, a little more focused on what I would like to produce and what I would like my role to be in an ever increasing eco-friendly environment. I am currently working on some designs with my new graphics pen (the wonders of it all, it has opened up endless possibilties)!! So I hope to post some up soon, ones that I am truly happy with, but for the time being I'll leave you with a cheeky little number I just couldn't resist doodling on!! Welcome, Angel Mia...