My Interview for Cornwall today magazine

My interview for Cornwall today has finally been published and is in the shops now....

whooop ..de doo.....very excited to be featured in this fantastic magazine. Thank you Sarah Drew for such a fab write up and photographs x x x

Home ware collection designs

I have been planning a collection this month......here are a few rough designs

What do we think......mmm....these are my first drafts of a home ware collection. After many a scribble and tea circles on my desk these were the best designs. I'm torn between fox or hare or both.......ahhhh..... that could be a bit crazy though when making up orders for the shops. I have been having sleepless nights over my tea cosy........do we really need them...they do look cute but have you actually ever used one. I love my tea but despite having a lovely cosy for my tea pot it has never met the kettle.

Sketching for print

Happy Easter......I have been sketching today. These butterflies were the product of a lazy afternoon with my little Merryn sat in the conservatory with pens and paper and radio......love these lazy holiday days. Merryn drew a great pig in shoes and a lipstick with the words 'get a pig ' written all over, pearls of wisdom for you. She has just started to write and also likes spelling swopper dad on all my sketch books. Don't know what this means but Merryn finds it hilarious.

This one was a butterfly too but it looks more like a green fly.....not quite so pretty.

I'm going to print these after the Easter holiday when I'm back at uni. I cant wait...I have missed my messy uni nights in the print room. I plan to print fabrics and my own wallpaper designs once back so I'll take some photos and show you how I get on. www.facebook.com/WoollySoup I have been using my facebook page more and more recently so I thought I would add it to this post. If you want to have a nose at my day to day work then please come and say hello on my facebook page. I try to do regular give away events too so you might end up coming away with a freebee. Well buy for now, I hope you all have a fab Easter x x xx xxx

January Printing

I started a printing course mid Jan so thought I would show you a bit of the work I have produced. I'm loving being back in the University environment. I think if I could, I would spend my life just doing course after course. Feeding my brain is very important especially after my two kids, I'm sure I left a few brain cells behind in the maternity ward. Sorry the photos are not the best but they were taken in the evening in the university on my phone. Well I'm going to get out for a stroll down by the beach before the storms hit again.......it has been crazy weather down in Cornwall so far this year, lucky I'm on a high point so have not had flooding to worry about. Well, buy for now, keep warm and I'll post again soon xxx

Happy New Year and Hand painted Toys

Happy New Year everyone. I hope Santa was kind to you and you had a good holiday. I had a crazy time. full of friends and family staying over and lots of cooking and eating. Now my Diet starts and exercise. I just had a green smoothie for lunch and I have to say although it was tasty I am already hungry. There is still a pile of cheese left in the fridge and every time I open the door I am having to battle the craving...........my will power is bad, don't know how much longer I can resist its charms.......may have to have a cheese binge tonight just to get rid of the temptation. Holly our adopted cat has settled in and has been dropping cat food sachets on my head at night time (usually 4 in the morning)and waking me up with a beef smell and a plop to the fore head......it would be quite funny and cute if I wasn't so out of it at that time of night. I have started back on my painted dolls this month. I took a pile of stock into one of my new stockist " The Shop That Popped Up ". As you may have guest its a pop up shop in Liskeard and I don't know for how long it will be there but its a great shop. They are trying to bring a bit of modern craft down this way and its full of brilliant local designers making things that are different to the normal for Cornwall. I love it and my dolls have been selling well so far so hopefully it will be open for a while.

My Bird Folk Dolls are still in production and I'm still loving designing them so I think they will carry on into this year. This one sold while I was still in the shop, she had only been out five minuets while I was having a good old gossip.

Bird soft sculptures

Sorry I haven't posted on my blog for yonks. I have been really busy making lots of soft sculptures. I have been accepted in the Kaya Gallery on the Barbican in Plymouth so all my time has gone to my new art venture, Have a look at my new page if you have five minuets(www.facebook.com/artistchloebirnie). I have only been making these boxed Cornish bird sculpture for a couple of months but I have sold two big boxed pieces now and several single birds. Isn't it funny how somethings just take off and you hadn't even imagined that it would take you down that road. I have also signed up to a print making course for January at the university, can't wait it will be loads of fun. What else has been going on......mmmmm......We also acquired a new member of the house last month. A little kitten now named Holly by the kids. She found us in the recent storms and we took her in for the night then put posters up, told the pet shops and vets that we had found this kitten and we went knocking at doors round the area. So far no one has phoned or come forward and its been 4 weeks now. I think she will be staying (although my other half is not impressed). She is very sweet but likes my bird sculptures a bit too much, I will have to watch her.

Mouse Hole Mouse

I have had a busy couple of weeks. I finished my Gannet soft sculpture for my art label www.facebook.com/artistchloebirnie and my mouse hole mouse toy. I started this little mouse after my visit to Mouse Hole in Cornwall whilst away one weekend in the caravan. I found a sock and a hankie washed up on the beach and as I cant resist a bit of found texile treasure I had to sneek them into my pockets with much ridicule from the family. It had to be a mouse, being found at mouse hole and this was the finished article. (don't worry they were very well washed). I have also started on my Christmas stall stock. I wasn't planning on doing any this year but here I am with three fairs lined up for Christmas.......which I know I will stress about.........and be last minute larry again. It is all for a good cause though, My studio shed fund for the allotment. I'll be there soon i'm sure. I just have to keep my mits out the savings jar on top of my cupboard. I still have a way to go but my little allotment studio will be in place soon, Half way there now so maybe it will be done for Christmas with the help of the extra cash from those last minute stalls.

Cup of tea anyone......