Fresh and New

 A fresh new year, and a fresh new start....i love the sense of new beginnings that this time brings.... and the tidying away of the xmas decorations and arranging of new things that i received from my dearies is always a new year pleasure......the blossom in the sweet new greengate jug above is from a tree in our front garden that blooms almost all year round...

                          ....some new sewing pretties came my way and will be put to good use ......

 

 .....and some delightful new pip china ......there is a jolly little robin in the garden today too, just like this one...i love the vivid colours and the textures of this design, and the stripes and the clever mix of new and vintage style...

 ........soon there will be more baking.... once the recent feasting has been recovered from.... and this sweet book will be inspiring me.......

 ..........i've been working hard since yesterday when Mr P went back to work and so did i.....my studio has been de-christmassed and some new bulbs have been brought in (yet to open, but almost there).....

 ....the light changes all the time, from a bright sunny spell first thing to grey and silvery and then to deep dark cloud......

 ....i have lots of illustrations to do, and my new book projects to make and write about, and my new stripy crochet blanket is growing amazingly fast, as many of you predicted, i love doing the stripes too :-))....will take a picture of it very soon.....

......wishing you all a happy first week of January...thanks so much for dropping in to see me and for everyone who follows and comments a big ThAnK YoU.....keep cosy and have a wonderful week....i'll be back soon xxxxxxxx

Crafty Work

I'm working hard today on several projects - a magazine commission, something for a book, a quilt and some papercrafts. I just love my working days. I feel rather guilty to be saying I'm working at all as I love it so much! It's a strange thing being a freelance designer and working from home. I've always done it, apart from when I first graduated and I taught design and drawing at a college, but even then I was building up a collection of textile and wallpaper designs to exhibit in Holland and France. Those exhibitions and the commissions and contacts I made led to me being able to go freelance.

When my daughters were small I used to sell through design agents who took my work to customers and charged me a percentage. They would contact me with new commissions, sometimes visiting me at home to talk through the work, with the children actually there too! I used to do designs sometimes at weekends and in the evenings, during nap times - just whenever I could, I managed somehow.

It even counts as work when I go shopping - looking for props, spotting new trends, absorbing the newest colours and being inspired and of course buying crafts materials....soooo much part of my work!!
Time to stop and get BaCk to wOrK now...Have a great day! x