An experiment with a new way to make screens

I drew this typewriter on Wednesday. After weeks of no idea of what to even draw let alone print or make it came as a huge relief to actually produce something I like and I can possibly print.

I usually make stencils to print my designs but have just discovered a new way of making reusable screens. You paint what you want to print onto a screen using Speedball Drawing Fluid and then coat the whole thing with Speedball Screen Filler. You then wash out the blue drawing fluid and bingo you have a permanent screen. I used to do a similar technique where you draw on the screen with oil pastels, coat it with gum arabic then wash out the oil pastel with white spirit.

The image did not come out perfectly. But then it wasn't going to was it? I rather like the hand drawn look to it and have plans of how to use this technique in the future. I only had a few blank bags to print on so there are only 3 available. But of course there will be more, because I can use the screen again!

Every cloud....

I made this cloud brooch last night in a moment of inspiration. Yay! I have been lacking that massively as I said in my last post but picked up one of my favourite books and as always it sparked my imagination. I made Chris an anniversary card as it's our anniversary on Friday, four years together, woah!

Then I made this brooch, and very pleased I am with it too.
I plan to make some variations on the theme too if I don't keep breaking the little stars :S

Mini Bags

Oooo these mini bags are so useful! I've done a few in this design before in different colours and they've been very popular.

They're so handy to put your lunch in or your book, or any other goodies! I use mine to pop my Persephone books in so I don't mark their lovely grey covers and I keep my graphic markers in one too as they are rather fat pens!

You can get them in my Folksy shop now.

In other news I am having a lovely Easter break but am rather frustrated by my lack of inspiration! Why is it that when I had no time to do things and I was tired from work I was desperate for more time, now i'm on holiday and I just can't seem to get the ideas going. So very annoying!!

I am eager to be creative and make things but I just cant get any ideas out. However I did make a lovely bag from some vintage fabric I had last week. Pictures to follow of that! I just HAD to make something. I am now on the hunt for some vintage 50s fabric so I can make cushions for our 40s/50s front room. No luck in the charity shops so far, keep your fingers crossed for me!

Come For Tea

For a while now i've been wanting to turn some illustrations i've done into digital prints to sell.

I spent an evening learning how to make them into digital illustrations on Adobe Illustrator and discussed it with my friends at work, the graphics and digital art and design lecturers. They preferred the original drawing not the digital version and said it is more than fine to just scan the drawing into my computer, maybe clean it up a little and then get them printed.

I was anxious that the hand drawn look would not work when printed digitally but I was assured that isn't the case and the beauty of my drawings is that they look hand drawn.

So here is the finished result! I have 5 Come For Tea digital prints for sale in my Folksy shop. And if they go well, I may do some more designs!