My Creative Week In Photos

Monday Morning Blues.

The start of a new project

I love my job sometimes 

Creative Coffee <3

Almost finished!!!

Detail

Printing Tutorial!

Hello!

I decided to upload an audio tutorial I recorded. I wrestled with this decision because I mumble, a problem my loved ones are pretty familiar with.. HA! If you think I am drunk, I don't drink and if you think I am weird, I probably am. Anyway, here it is! Feel free to comment below on what you think.

Materials

Waterbased block printing ink

Nice paper or card

 Printing rollers

Biro or compass

Blunt pencil

Tracing paper

Flat easy clean surface (explained in tutorial)

Poly block foam sheets

Step One

Get your design ready as instructed in the tutorial using your tracing paper, poly block foam and a Biro or compass. 

Step Two

Prepare the surface you are using for the ink and get inks ready. Choose the papers you want to use and lay them out ready for your block.

Step Three

Roll out your ink as intructed in the audio tutorial. Roll the ink on to your block and print. Repeat as many times as you want and keep rolling more ink when it drys out. Try printing using fabric paint on to fabric or paint on to canvas.

I hope you have enjoyed my tutorial and please feel free to leave any feedback below. 

Abbey x

Keeping A Creative Journal

Keeping some kind of journal is an essential part of being a creative person. It allows you to document and store everything you stumble across that has sparked your imagination for the future. I have filled many sketchbooks and altered books over the years and I still go back to them for inspiration. I keep journals for both art and textiles, both are different creatures for me and I like to be organised. Textiles is all about texture, pattern, materials and you explore everything you see using fabrics and techniques. My fine art books are full of drawings, mini paintings, media and tracings and I notate everything to help development.

Altered books has become a bit of a phenomena and there are groups all around the world. What you do is find anything bound like a book and alter them creatively, bringing them alive and making them exciting! I made my own altered book in college using an A-Z map book of London. I went around the city taking photographs doing sketches and explored artist who were inspired by cities and created a book. I think it was one of the most exciting things I have ever done! I loved scribbling in my book and collecting information. It is something I come back to on a regular basis, unfortunately a lot of my work was ruined by storing them in the wrong place at the wrong time. My A-Z hangs on my bookcase reminding me to explore new things and be creative!














I've not shared my art on blogger, I want to create a different space for that. I love to draw. I think if I didn't draw life would have no meaning. I share life's frustrations through my work, my pain and anger at the cards that are sometimes dealt to me and the people I care about. I have a private sketchbook which is just for me, which has been neglected this year because I've had no need for it.

Sketchbooks and journals will always be the best part of an artists work because you can see how they develop ideas and how they get inspired. I might have a photograph or a sketch that I want to use as a part of a drawing, I would take that image and develop it over time. I will never just use the image like it is.

My friend Fran wrote a great post addressing the subject of inspiration or imitation. I think there is a line that every artists fears, but by using a journal you can develop your ideas and make them your own. I tend to stay away from any websites or magazines that may influence my work, its not easy when we live in a world that is surrounded by imagery! I think if you completely rip something off then obviously, they have stolen your design and imitated the original. I get inspired all the time by what people wear, artists I love and films I watch, but it would be difficult not to let that seep into my work.

Getting back to my original point, keep a creative journal because it will help your work enormously! I think you will be surprised how much your work will change, or even improve by doing so. I will always alter books, sketch, doodle on note pads, scribble on photographs, collect leaflets and it all ends up in my journal at some point for future projects.

Etsy Shop

My Etsy shop will have lots of new goodies up by the end of next week; cushions, bags, wall/door hangers and lots more! I currently have fascinators, hair slides and headbands for sale which are all hand sewn by me! Keep an eye out for a handmade Christmas gift for a loved one at the  Doll Doll Dolly shop. I try to get all items out as quickly as possible which are sent in bubble wrap sleeves or wrapped parcels. Doll Doll Dolly will also have a stall at an upcoming event in Brighton, all details can be find at http://frightenbrighton.wordpress.com/.  I hope you all succeed in your Handmade Christmas this year! 

What's Doll Doll Dolly All About...

I thought I would explain what 'Doll Doll Dolly' means to me. A few years ago I decided I would start making things, but I didn't really have the confidence to show my work and it has taken a long time to get to this point. Ever since I was little I have been creative. I studied Textiles, Fine Art, Photography and Music at college and gained great skills for my creative future. I suffer with a confidence problem- I find it hard to put my work out there in due to fear of failure or people will think my work is rubbish. I was really motivated to work at the beginning of the year, but I had a really bad patch and put everything on hold. At last things have been picking up and I am a lot more confident in my abilities because of my boyfriend Dan, who constantly pushes me to keep working.

I have M.E, a condition which effects your energy levels and it can make life pretty tough. I have been unsuccessful in employment as I can't keep up and I slowly get run down. I really struggle with my concentration, so much so my favourite tool is my seam ripper. Life can be difficult at times, however one thing that keeps me going is my work and my determination to be 'someone'. I have noticed my health has improved over the last year and I can maintain a really fulfilling routine. 

I want to to make my dreams become a reality and I plan on making Doll Doll Dolly a success. I hope to get on the craft fair circuit, sell more on my online shop, and eventually open a shop with workshops and provide a platform for craft enthusiasts. This is a long road and it may not happen, but I want to make the first two a reality. So, here I go on my creative journey and I am putting it all on Blogger for you all to read.

Skull Pillow

After making the heart pillow, I was thinking about how I could develop my ideas further and so I came up with this skull idea. This afternoon I sat down and made this Mexican inspired skull. I am really please with the outcome and I plan on making miniatures in different colours.  

Pleather Collection

Last night I made this 'Love' cushion (above), it was a real labor of love but, I loved making it and I am really happy with how it turned out. I made the Metal heart earlier in the day and I was inspired to make something bigger and better. I plan on developing my pleather project, getting inspiration from horror films, cartoons and tattoo art.

New Projects! Make Your Own!

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I have been working on some new projects on the run up to Christmas. I have begun by printing my own Christmas cards. The photo above is of he first layer of polyblock print. I wanted to create a background with some texture and carved the patter into the foam block. I chose red as one of the most popular Christmas colours. 


Christmas is a difficult time for me and I find all the rushing stressful and annoying. I have decided this year to take my time and be prepared to minimize the stress and actually enjoy myself.. My previous post about 'buying handmade' this Christmas is handy if you want to find different gifts this year. I like to make my own if I can and this year I plan on making or buying a handmade gift for each person on my list.

I have been exploring 'felt' recently and I began by making a mini pin cushion as a little experiment. I want to make large felt hearts and other shapes for wall hangings or door handle decorations. My pin cushion experiment (above) came out 'ok' but, the writing was a little rushed on my machine. I want to explore with different fabric, wadding and stuffing, to see what works best with my designs.


The reason I have decided to make very 'kitch' designs is a simple one; I can never find anything I like at an affordable price. The highstreet feeds us 'what's in' and I genuinely like 'what's out'. My taste is becoming more and more popular but at a price. I want creative designs at affordable prices and what better way of doing this is to make it myself! 

I have purchased some pleather (fake leather) to make heavy metal inspired designs for my boyfriend and I to enjoy. We are massively into Metal and it's not easy to find anything metal inspired in the shops. I collect studs and weird buttons, which will be perfect for my creative madness! 


'Home Sweet Home' signs, 'Love pin cushions, 'House Of Metal' pleather cushions,wall hangings and maybe a few little brooches for fun. 


I think in this day and age where we live in a consumerist, demanding, mass produced, frightening society, we have to be more creative to keep our individuality. People bang on about growing your own veg, making food from scratch, I think we can apply that to textiles and MAKE OUR OWN!