My first workshop - It was a success :)

I was really pleased with how the workshop went today, what a great start :)  I had some very good feedback, everyone left with a new skill and had a good time.  I learned a lot too like maybe I should start even smaller as in what I teach.  I think using tools like blades may be a jump a little too quickly.  I think learning about the rubber and what it feels like under manipulation with different tools is more important than I thought.  Perhaps patterned stamps for backgrounds on cards would be good.

All set up and ready to start...

The ever ready salesperson with Ink for sale, ha ha...

Next time I think I will use tools that you could perhaps find around the house.  Then with these, show what patterns can be achieved. 

This could get addictive and I loved the social aspect of the workshop too. 

Everyone went home with some gift wrap and their very own stamp that was mounted on their own oak block.  I was told that I was very organised and I think it went well for that reason as everyone had achieved there goal by the time we finished the lesson plan.  Wooop!

Some beautiful seed heads, a great first carve image to try...

Poppy

Happy balloon image for party bags...

And here is a few of the finished articles that people took home with them :) 

Beautiful butterfly, for first time carvers I was really impressed...

A beautiful portrait of two grand daughters :)  What a brave first attempt, but didn't she do very well.

A very pleased student, such a beautiful contemporary seed head with her own leaf design added for that touch of creative personality.

I love this flutterby, very good capture of the butterfly's flying by.

A veined flower, very contemporary feel to the everyday flower.  It made great packaging too.  She used sea blue and silver on her gift wrap.

Lou-Tonkin - Needle Felting Genius!

I am very excited to have been chosen to try out Lou-Tonkin's jacket.  I will be taking it for a test drive, washing, wearing it and finding out the staying power of her needle felted work within clothes.  She will be branching out with her fab needle felting work into a new line of clothes and I get to help by test driving her jacket :) 

So I will be sharing on my blog how I get on, I'll show photo's of the detail after washing and wearing.

I am very excited about a range of clothing from Lou-Tonkin and really looking forward to seeing the end results.  All of her work is gorgeous and if you haven't checked it out yet, I strongly advise you to go take a peek, you won't be disappointed...

Here is some more gorgeous work from Lou-Tonkin

BLOG: http://loutonkin.com/2013/06/11/drum-roll-please/

FACEBOOK PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lou-Tonkin-Art-Graft/118577118182463?ref=ts&fref=ts

Repeat Printing Stamps

I keep trying to promote my repeat printing stamps, as I think they're the best thing ever!  But I think I might be on my own on this one.  

Anyhoo... Here's a t-shirt I made for my wee man from a simple aztec print stamp that I carved.  I used a Versa Colour Ink to stamp with and then set it with an iron.  I will wash it in a cool wash first to see how it comes out. Versa ink do make a fabric ink pad so look out for that if you want first time success.  I read somewhere though that the usual versa colour lasts just as well with an iron set. 

I love it and so does my eldest son, he would like one too as does hubby...  Do they really or are they just being nice ;)

Here it is...

For George my youngest I measured 11cm down from each shoulder and ran the ruler in a straight line.  I then printed just below the line, joining up the repeat prints along the way. 

I heat set the ink with an iron on hot steam through a tea towel.

Ta Na!  What do you think, Aztec surfer! well nearly ;)

Here it is on show at the fair today along side the other repeat print stamps that I had for sale, again no sale!  Maybe I should let it go and go with all the stamps that do sell.  Oh go on, give it a go and link your blog to me ;)

Etsy Shop, finally...

http://www.etsy.com/shop/FranSherbourne?ref=search_shop_redirect

I'll start off by telling you that I have finally done it :)  I opened up a shop with Esty.com  It's been a long time coming and I should have done it ages ago.  I always seem to be busy with my two gorgeous boys of 3 & 5, house, chickens, dogs, stamp orders, school runs and anyway you know how it goes.  You get to the end of the day and your done for!

I have one item on there and my banner is looking lovely, it's a start and I'll add more as I make more.

Craft Group - Wednesday mornings

Great News for local crafters! There is a craft group starting up on Wednesday mornings from 9.30-12. It will be held at the Gateway Community Church on 42 London Road, Kettering, NN15 7QA.

It will be run for anyone working or crafting from home as a hobby or work.

Any craft is welcomed, tea and coffee will be provided and of course biscuits. All of this will be for £1.50 per persons contribution. Bargain and you get to work and chat within company of like minded individuals.

Here is the Facebook event https://www.facebook.com/events/456737681085540/

Who's interested?

Gateway community - First Craft Group
scheduled 12 June 2013 from 09:30 to 12:00

During school term time only

Warner Edwards Distillery - Hand carved rubber stamps by Fran Sherbourne

I recently made some stamps for a friend to give to her friends at Warner Edwards Distillery.  I had so much fun making them and hope they like them too.

If you would like to check them out, they have a facebook page an website amongst other things.  The company is local to me and I believe their distillery is in Northamptonshire.

https://www.facebook.com/WarnerEdwardsDistillery?ref=ts&fref=ts
http://www.warneredwards.com/index.php?route=common/home

They recently got the San Francisco world spirits competition silver medal 2013 , what a great achievement for a family run business.  It makes it all the more exciting to make their stamps for them.  Thank you to Heather MacAllister for giving me this great order.

Here's some photos of the finished hand carved rubber stamps

W.E. are Warner Edwards. Great friends and craft distillers, we carefully and lovingly create beautiful artisan spirits.

From a 200 year old converted barn on our farm in the quaint village of Harrington, Northamptonshire, Curiosity, our magnificent copper pot still works her magic.

She takes our farms' pure, natural spring water, grain spirit, home-grown elderflower, plus ten other secret botanicals, and transforms them into a fantastically smooth and aromatic dry gin.

Each batch is small, and every single bottle is carefully handcrafted by us, from the filling to the wax seal and label finishing. W.E. think it's pretty special and best served with friends – let us know if you agree!

Busy Keeping Chickens - No rubber stamps here!

One of the best thing's I have done recently is get chickens, I love them.

Holly Left Peppa Right

Three weeks ago we got 2 chickens, one called Peppa and the other Holly.  What fun we have had watching them grow so much already.  They were 10 weeks old when we got them.  Who knew that a chicken would roll in the ground like a dog and come up for a stroke like a cat.  They take themselves to bed every night around 8.30 and try to roost on a perch if we don't get them to bed quick enough.  In fact one day Peppa actually told me off, she kept twirping up at me telling me to come in out of the dark and she got a little frantic that she wasn't tucked up, so cute!... yeah I know! a chicken? Cute? Lol!

when we first got them I have to admit I was a little scared that they may peck me to death or something silly, but no they weren't flappy or pecky at all.  In fact they're kinda cuddly! I just want to pick them up and give them a squeeze but I don't think they'd be having any of that.

We got a hutch from the Tip Shop and paid £7.80 as that's all we had in change, he he.  Took it home and gave it some improvements, a new run, new felt roof and a paint job oh and some posh picture framing trimmings around the top :)  It looks like a pretty posh tree housey chicken coup.  We're not quite finished yet, we'd like to build a run for when we're not there but that will all come with time.  Luckily we're not away for some time yet.

Here are some photo's of the coup/hutch renovation :)

The coup straight from my favourite shop 'the tip shop'

We under estimated how much work we'd like to do on the coup before it was ready, so the chucks stayed inside in their basket, putting them selves into bed each night, too cute!

My old craft fair signs turned into good use for the door to the top floor of their coup. Lovely presentation from hubs.

Simon attached legs to the bottom so we can one day incorporate them into the run but for now, to look nice and give extra support to the wall screws.

The Run, using a bit of left over banister and dowling from curtain pole left overs, painted to match the coup

The drop door, Simon's own handy design

Ta Na!  We are pretty please with how the coup turned out :) 

Their run which they're still getting used to.

The triming around the top was some picture rails that we had from our old house.  I don't throw anything away that I think we could use. It feels good to finally reap the rewards of being a clutter pants!...