January Is Almost Over!

Well, January is almost over and lots of exciting things have happened! I have a stall on the 27th at Revolt, a metal night that I will also be DJing at. I am pretty scared that something will go wrong, unfortunately I am not the most confident person in the world, however I see this as an opportunity to prove a point to myself.

I have been working hard on new things this month and shared a little teaser of my new work with you over the weekend. It is only Tuesday but I have made lots of new bits to sell online and at Revolt.  Here are some larger photos of my new work...

Inspiration!

Creativity is not something that just comes out of thin air, it is born when you're inspired by something you see, hear, touch or even taste. Artists and designers have always struggled with inspiration and go to great lengths to find it. I think we could all do with remembering what inspires us in these difficult times, so I have written a list and I hope this helps in your own quest for inspiration.

Metal
I love Heavy Metal ! In fact I think I would die without it. I love that feeling when you hear one of your favorite songs. The hairs stand up on the back of your neck and then the world disappears around you. During my metal moments the world looking at me will see a total geek headbanging out of time! I am a big Thrash fan and this provides me with lots of inspiration. Think of the 80s, Long hair, Ripped jeans, leather jackets, weird artwork and band shirts! Yes! I go to festivals every year and take lots of photos for the vault. Metal inspires the passion inside me and keeps me drawing or sewing when the tank is low.

Pretty In Pink (1986)


I have a teeny obsession with Andie Walsh (Molly Ringwald) In Pretty In Pink, her attitude, issues and style in this film is just awesome. I love how she loves clothes and customises them so she can stand out from the crowd. They beat her down but she keeps her head up and carries on. I had a bad time at school because I was the crazy arty one that confused everyone. When I first saw Pretty In Pink I felt like I was watching myself and I was oddly comforted by it. I love this film and it will always inspire me to be myself and be creative!

Horror *screams*
I have been into horror movies since I was a kid and I find it hard to get scared these days. I will admit to having a nice little horror collection and on those days I can't draw, I stick on one of my old favorites and then ideas just come to me. I guess this could sound a little 'scary' but it isn't about what's happening in the story, it's about the art of how they made something come alive! The Return of the Living Dead is a great example of that or any film by Fulci. The masters of horror cared about the 'art' of gore! That is what inspires me.

I have only written about three inspirational things. My list is pretty long but the three above are the most important. The only thing I didn't write about is 'Love'. I think love inspires everyone on the planet and I know I have found it. I hope you feel a little inspired! I would love to know what inspires you, so feel free to leave your list in the comment box below.

My Metal Door Hanger..Thing..

I went into town yesterday to buy some new fabric for my little pin cushions but, I ended up leaving with pleather in three different colours! I often go into craft shops, get crazy ideas and end up leaving without the thing I went in for! I saw the pleather and I immediately got a flash of heavy metal. I wanted to take my pin cushion idea further and develop it into other designs. So, today I made a 'heart' shaped door hanger which reads 'metal'. I love heavy metal and craft but, I can never find anything that mixes the two and this leaves my room bare. I have recently taken up making things for my room, that reflect my personality and maybe for others with similar taste to mine.

 I began by cutting out my shapes and getting myself organised. I like to have everything out in front of me ready to go! I glued the letters on to the white banner to keep then still, I then stitched the edge of the letters to keep them in place and for decoration. I have a little obsession with studs (ok, huge obsession!) I cant help myself. I was always told in my textile classes that you want to add texture. I always try and add a little in every project but, it's not always easy in every single project. I added a ripped detail on the heart and studs for a little extra fun. I pretty much just sewed the entire thing together, added a fancy loop and sewed two buttons on for decoration.