A love affair...

...with a paper punch.

Yes friends I have finally lost my mind but I'm hoping you'll be able to see why. 

I design and print all the little backing cards that my brooches and earrings are pinned too and my business cards. I'll leave you to decide whether I do that well or badly because I am never happy with my branding. 

I use this awesome uncoated card from Eco-craft called Hairy Manilla (gotta LOVE that name!) It's the same as I use for printing my bicycle and cat cards onto. I slice them all up using a knife and cutting board, nothing very exciting there. 

Until!!! I was looking round my local The Range store and found this little chap...

It's a corner punch. What does it do? Well, it cuts the corners off your card. And look how good it makes them look... 

I mean, you can't tell me those cards don't look so much more fancy with rounded corners! 

It just adds a little sumthin' don't you think? So much cuter! 

And the best thing? The punch is like £5! I can't remember precisely how much but I'm telling you, it's worth it! Look at those lovely smooth corners. 

Tiny Cats

I'l be honest, I find it really hard to blog regularly. From the dates and frequency of my last posts you will definitely see that I just can't post even once a week. I just don't feel like my life is generally interesting enough to post often but I am endeavoring to change that.

I have been making so many new things recently that it seems a shame to not share them and you know how it is, blogging gets you followers and followers like your work, I'll do my best to keep you interested!

It's taken a little while to get these little cats made, just because of Christmas and having to rework the images (and i'm bad at Photoshop/Illustrator so try to avoid it!) The wait was worth it though, they are so cute and tiny when sat next to the cat brooches! Sorry there are no images of them in ears, I can't wear my own earrings. Some day I will pluck up the courage to go and get them pierced again. The cuteness of these may help me find some balls!

They're available from my Etsy shop priced at £4.00. Select them in my little shop widget on the side or click the hotlink.

Work in Progress

Thanks to the Christmas holidays I don't go back to work until tomorrow and so that has given me some time to work on some artwork and new bits and pieces for Hello Pushkin. I've also been experimenting with patterns and different media in my sketchbook and collecting lots of inspiration pictures together.

My students hate doing "research"; when we ask them to look at the work of other artists to help inspire their own work. It is kinda forced because it's not images they've sought out themselves but it's so important to see what other people are doing. I'm sure you all know that!

So I have been walking what I talk and doing exactly what I ask them to do, because I would be at a loss for ideas if I didn't have inspirational images!

         Cutting up images for my sketchbook.

New earrings displayed on new card backing!

Chris has also been busy getting his hands dirty. Literally! Ages ago he bought an Adana 3 x 5 printing press and it's taken quite a lot of work to get going but finally he has and it is looking very smart and working like a dream! He has been printing some Thank You cards. Here are his instagram photos of the lovely job he's been doing.

Inking up the roller ready to get going

Inked up and ready to print.

Back to the grind tomorrow but I will be adding some new earrings and a couple of new necklaces to the shops soon. Just waiting for the shop I buy my chains etc from to open up again after the holidays.