Exciting news!

I know, I know twice in as many days!  Just wanted to share some fabulous news with you.  I have been featured in Cloth Magazine!!!

My first feature.  As you can imagine I am very chuffed.  Cheers everyone :-)

Tick tock, tick tock... I'm sure the clock is ticking faster than it should be!!!

I can't believe it is the end of the summer holidays, can you?  One week today, and the children will be back at school and everyone will be settling back into their daily routines... well, not quite for us as we are going to have a sneaky trip to Cornwall at the end of next week for a few days!!!

I feel so out of touch with my blog at the moment, which is a real shame as I do like revisiting my posts as time goes on... it's like a record of what I have been up to... my diary :-).  I post more frequently on my facebook page, so if you would like more frequent updates on what I am up to, please do feel free to pop over and like my page so that you are included in the news feeds.

Soooo, what have I been doing all summer?  Let's have a brief look back.

We started the summer holidays with a trip to stay with my brother and his family.  The weather was glorious while we were there, and most of the pictures are similar to this one.  It was fabulous being able to sit in the garden and watch the children play whilst relaxing and experiencing various 'o'clocks' ('Pimms o'clock', G&T o'clock and 'Wine o'clock'!!!)

We also had a few family days out.  This was Skipton castle, which was okay, but a few too many signs saying we weren't allowed to do things (e.g. stand on the grass which was mown so that it had perfect stripes across it... aghhhh!)

I've also done a bit of paper cutting (more than I thought actually!!)...

 ... a Family Tree Commission (which you can find more details about here)...

... a Baby Name Memory Tree (click here for more details)...

... and a few of my new Wedding Day Memory Trees (these have been really popular and there will be more to share with you once they have been given... click here for more details!)

I also did a little bit of doodling... 

... and shared my 5th wedding anniversary with my hubby.

And then we (me and the children) visited my sister in her New Castle (as the Tinker says), where we had a lovely time with her and the children...

... eating ice-cream...

...having a trip to Whitley Bay to eat fish and chips, before climbing a multitude of steps (with an 8 year old and 3 children under 4!?!?) to the top of St. Mary's lighthouse. 

We also had a trip to a farm to pick some strawberries (they turned out to be the most expensive strawberries we had ever eaten!).

In the evenings when the little monkeys were in bed, we had a good natter whilst drinking wine and doing a spot of sewing (my sisters first sewing project!).

 Fabulous times and ones to be treasured.

Hope you had a good summer too :-).

It's time for a GIVEAWAY :-)

I have reached over 500 likes on my Facebook page, and to thank people for their support and kind words, I am having a giveaway... and of course I will say thank you too!

THANK YOU everyone (I shouted that from the roof top!), it's lovely to have met so many lovely people and I hope I continue to do so, and it's lovely that so many people think me work is lovely too :-D.

I will be announcing the winner round about this time next week, and the winner will be able to 'choose from one of the following options' ;-)

One of my cosmetic bags, chosen from this collection...

... or a £10 discount voucher to spend in my Etsy shop...

... or alternatively, £20 discount off one of my paper cut trees.  A Memory Tree (perfect for a new baby gift, a Christening or Baby Naming gift, a first birthday, a wedding or other occasion you would like to remember), or a Family Tree.

So, what are you waiting for?  Get yourself over to my page.  If you don't already 'like' my page, then please do so, and then leave me details of your favourite pudding (?!!) under the giveaway post.  Oh, and please do be very lovely and like it and share it with your friends.

Yey.... have a lovely Sunday evening.  Here's to week two of the summer holidays *raising glass*.  Have a lovely week :-)

Front Page News!

Firstly I must apologize for my absence (once again), every time I write a post I make a mental note to do more, and then 'things' take over!  Things are pretty busy here, which is fantastic, but it does leave me less time to share stuff with you all :-(.  If you do want more frequent updates, I do tend to post what I am doing on facebook.  If you haven't been over to see me there, please do pop in say hi, and have a cup of tea and a piece of cake while you are there!

I have had some lovely news today.  From Britain With Love contacted me to tell me that I am on the front page as they have featured my Family Tree in their Editor's Pick.  Yippee!!!

 

' FromBritainWithLove.com is an online magazine and directory dedicated to showcasing Britain’s most talented designers, craftspeople, producers and retailers. From gorgeous handmade gifts to delicious locally sourced food, original designer fashions and unique pieces for your home, every fabulous product we feature has been made right here in Britain.'

If you haven't already visited the site, please do.  There is a fantastic collection of goods produced in the UK by small businesses.  Please support small businesses!

Since being commissioned to make one of these Family Trees in March, they have kept me very busy.  These are two that have already been given as gifts that I can now share with you.

Apologies for the dreadful photo.  I had little time to do this and get it
posted to the US  in time for Fathers Day, so it was taken at night!

I have also been working on Memory Trees in this style, but with dates of events on.  There is a gorgeous birth date one that I am dying to share with you, and I have also done one with a wedding date for a 1st wedding anniversary present (which is paper!), and have 2 more waiting to be made as wedding gifts.

It is so lovely that people like them so much.  Here is some feedback that I have had:

"love it, love it, love it :-) x"

"The Family Tree is absolutely beautiful - thank you. It will make a very unique and personal birthday present for a very good friend. Thank you for making it and sending it so promptly and for your outstanding communication every step of the way."

"This tree is so beautiful! It is even more amazing to see it in person than the picture. Leonie was so gracious to work with me to get this done quickly and shipped to me in time for Father's day. I love it and I can't thank her enough!"

"It arrived this morning - totally delighted, you are very clever."

If you would like to have a look at more of my papercuts, you can find them here.

Right, I'm  off now I have a papercut that I must finish as I also have some Foxy Loxy wash bags I need to make up in the next couple of days! 

If you are interested in having a Family Tree, or a Memory Tree made for you, you can find more details here.  Please do get in touch if you have any queries :-)

Doodlecut1

More often than not, as soon as the little Tinker and the Fairy have been fed, watered and put to bed, I make my way upstairs to my attic studio to work on Loula Belle At Home products, and as I have a number of new stockists, I have plenty of work I could should be doing!

However, as much of my time last week was working on art projects with groups of young people, I allowed myself to come upstairs and do something creative for myself (unfortunately a pretty rare occurrence).

Out came the scalpel and one of my notebooks where I had drawn a doodle during the Easter period, and this is what happened!

I chose some lovely paper and re-created my doodle, then I got cutting!

This is the reverse side of the finished piece,
the side I was working from.

As I work I like to flip it over to see how it is coming on!

After 8 hours hard labour (I did have to break it up with a nights sleep!), I had finished.

Reverse of finished Doodlecut1

I find that mounting papercuts is really stressful.  People have said to me that they look like lace... they do, but they are so fragile.  Although it says on the tin of the glue that it is repositionable, it is not.  Once it has touched the mount board it isn't coming off without disasters!  

After steadying my nerves, spraying glue and attaching it to the mount board I allowed myself to breathe once more (good job it doesn't take too long to do!!!) and popped it in a frame to see how it looked.

This is now for sale here.

After indulging myself in some papercutting, I then received another order for one of my Personalised Family Tree papercuts, so I had another opportunity to pick up my scalpel!

If you are interested in having a Family Tree made for your family, or to give to another family, you can find more details here, or you can contact me.

I hope that you have a fabulous weekend.  I will be taking tiles off our bathroom and shower room (which are tiled all over) ready for the builders who are coming on Monday to knock a wall down!  Agh!!!

New Papercut - Family Tree

A few weeks ago I was asked to create a family tree papercut, so I jumped at the chance.  I've been itching to share it with everyone since last week, but as it was a gift, I was unable to.  Now the gift has been received, I can share it!

Tree, all drawn (with back to front names) and ready to go.

I find cutting really addictive.  Once I've picked up my scalpel, I'm reluctant to put it down.  I spent hours stooped aver my desk, my shoulders, hand and fingers really hurt after.  There's always a phrase my dad always uses that pops into my head at times like that 'no pain, no gain'.  I'm not convinced by it, but it always pops into my head none the less.

Finished!

The pain was definitely worth it, I'm reaaly please with it and I'm going to miss looking at it sat on my desk!

I find that finishing a papercut is a bit like finishing a good book.  I can't just jump straight into something else and spend a little while feeling a little lost!

I am happy to do some of these on commission, and you can find details here.