Best craft bag ever?

Well my sister kindly bought this bag for me not long after the birth of my beautiful little girl. I think I was supposed to use it as a nappy bag, but I found it impractical for shopping with as I could hardly fit anything in!

However, I have found that my craft supplies fit ever so neatly into the many pockets. I have a pocket for acrylics, another for sequins, another for my cards and so on. Plus, there is still room for a nappy and wet wipes. It's so handy. And it looks lovely too!

How about you? Do you have a bag that you couldn't live without? Please share your favourite!

Things worth keeping

So, it was my beautiful baby girl's first birthday on Wednesday and I can't help but think back to when I saw her for the first time: the midwife asked me what sex it was and me, delirious and bewildered, looked at my baby and saw it was a girl. A beautiful, raw, bonny girl! 

A year has passed in a dreamy delight. A bubble of sleep deprived love that is so wonderful. I am blessed and I know it. 

I was sent a lot of cards to celebrate the birth of Tabitha Joy and I have kept them all. Each precious in their warm wishes and love for a new life in the world. 

I wanted to share the gifts and words that my friend from college, Emma, sent to me. Her words are another blessing, treasures that can't be bought, but something that will always be kept.

"Then you came" was written for her birth and "A Silver Spoon" was written for her birthday.

Random acts of kindness

So I was enjoying my large cappuccino and munching on a particularly buttery flap jack at the Cafe Dog and Rabbit last Thursday. Some Latin music was playing and I jigged around trying to entertain Tabitha whilst reading the notice board with posters for shamanic healing and art exhibitions.

I then spied a lone bit of paper with the words "practice random acts of kindness and senseless acts of beauty" and some info on how Anne Herbert had written those words on a napkin in a cafe in San Francisco. The words stuck with me long after I had finished my drink and whooshed my baby off on her next adventure.

Just the mention  of San Francisco is enough to get me reminiscing about my honeymoon in California and the one evening we spent in San Fransisco riding the cable cars and watching fireworks light up the sky as it was the Fourth of July. Our stay was brief as we were lucky enough to get a last minute camping pitch in Yosemite and a night under ancient redwoods and the promise of bears called us onward.

I would love to go back though and explore streets lined with beautiful pastel coloured houses and have a whiskey in a bar where Keroac used to go. I have a soft spot for the hippie movement that was so strong there and the words of Anne Herbert seem to sum up some of that spirit.

Happily dreaming I wondered what I could do that would be considered a random act of kindness. There is a website Random acts of kindness that has lots of ideas and resources. It's great to think about how doing something simple, like writing a letter can have such a positive impact on someone.

Well, after my giveaway last week, the idea of giving away something as my act of kindness twirled around in my head for a while. I remembered my box of handmade flower brooches and also the felt flowers I made for dogs (!) that had been tucked away and decided to release them into the world.

I put some on the tables at the Cafe Dog and Rabbit yesterday and some at Archie's in Penzance earlier today. It felt a little odd, (I asked the staff and explained first) but it was also quite exciting! I like the thought that someone will read my little note and feel a bit special for a while. Maybe it will inspire them to research random acts of kindness and start practicing their own.

There is a world kindness day later this year on November 13th and a whole week dedicated to random acts of kindness next year Feb 9-15th.

I think that I am going to have to send some of my cards out.

What about you? Any ideas?

Friends and family are my inspiration

Friends and family really are my inspiration. It is when I create work for people that I know, I feel that images just come to me. It makes me want to do my best work too, so that they know how special they are.

I try to put the same energy into every card I do as it's really important to me that a card 'sings' and has the right energy. 

Below are the stages of development of a card for my friends who have just had a baby girl. 

It all starts pretty basic, just getting some colours down. My friend has a thing for orange and turquoise though so I knew I wanted those as foundation colours.

I made some tiny fairy stamps to represent the new baby and played around a little bit with the placement of different stamps.

Things are starting to take shape at this stage, but with the new baby called Flora, I simply had to add more flowers!

A fresh take on business

Well, business has always been a bit of a dirty word in my book. As a creative person I have looked at business as something that proper people do and not something that my brain was ever properly designed to deal with.

I have realised though that in order to become the artist that I want to be, to develop my skills, create beauty and also be a positive role model for my little girl, I need to work on the business side of my creativity.

I have been making lots of connections, working on my teams on Etsy, joined the Indie hour, a support and network group for fellow small businesses (hello Jill and Peta!) and joined some great groups on Facebook. 

Some of the best articles I have read recently include:
The Design Trust 
How to sell your crafts online

There are lots of articles. Really good ones. So I will be going back for ongoing advice.

Etsy on working together and focusing on your target market
Marketing your shop together

A brilliant article that really helps you to focus and how to work with your online teams and buddies.

My creative mind is being expanded and I am enjoying the process. 

I haven't got to the number crunching bit yet though, but I promise I will. (Mentally uncrosses fingers). I will, I will, I will!

But not today. Now is sleepy time for baby and it's #wineoclock for me.

Card giveaway

My first giveaway!

I am giving away one frameable, keepsake card to three lucky people.

Each one is signed, titled and dated and looks lovely in a simple frame. (So you might want to keep it for yourself!)

 All you have to do is like my Facebook page, glitter and earth and share the card you would like on your timeline. Simples! 

You have a really good chance of winning as my page is quite new.

I shall select winners on June 6th at 8.00pm.

Good luck x

Spring in Cornwall

It's happening slowly. Just wanted to share some recent photos I have taken.

This is my front garden.

Sea thrift

Gorse.