2015...a review

2015 was a hellava year...it was the year I became a fabric designer. 

To be fair, or accurate, I already was a fabric designer, small scale, nothing fancy, designing and printing my fabric panels for my own use and lots of you lovelies out there. But 2015 was the year that I officially became a fabric designer with my launch collection, Blueberry Park with Robert Kaufman.

That really set the tone for the whole year since it was back in January 2015 that I started to design the collection and almost a whole year later in November when it was released for you all to buy. 2015 will forever be remembered as a memorable year. A year on living this process on a daily basis I am honoured, flattered, humbled and beyond excited about quite where I am and what I am doing. I am pretty sure professionally it can't get much better than this. 

2015 wasn't just about the fabric, I had such highs in other areas too. I had an amazing year with countless magazine quilt projects. That is one thing I will also never tire of or become immune to. Seeing my work in glossy print is such a buzz every single time. I think at one time I had about 5 projects one after the other after the other, and all in and amongst the bubble of the collection getting ready, but the pressure of that still made it all nothing short of a joy...

...and there was more! Back to my love of screen printing and running workshops, 2015 was a wonderful year. I had some really great workshops at my home with some amazing enthusiastic printers and I also travelled near and far to teach, which was such a buzz. I was welcomed in Huddersfield...twice...Scotland...twice...Wales...once and even over in Copenhagen. Every group was just fantastic...so much fun.

On a personal level we had the high of moving house at the end of 2015 and discovering that we all love living in the country. We moved for the house. We fancied a change and it just so happened that we fell in love with where it was too and I can't wait for 2016 to unfold and see what adventures we get up to here.

It has been an unbelievable year. Professionally the best...personally some deep lows thrown in to test our resilience. But it isn't about that here other than it was a big part of what 2015 was and can't be missed out.

2015 was amazing...January is a time for reflection and planning and if I am going to stand any chance of 2016 being half as good I need to do just that...reflect and plan. I hope you will be with me on my journey and let's see where it takes us. I couldn't and can't do it without you.

xox

Edinburgh Workshops...

Morning! Now I have remembered where my blog is and hot off from my visit to Edinburgh this weekend, I thought I would revisit and share all.

This is my second visit up to Edinburgh this year...boy those ladies like to print! I love my visits up to Edinburgh to Jo's wonderful shop, My Bearpaw. Firstly Jo is there...and her lovely husband Jonathan and it's such a treat to manage a weekend to visit them.

When I went up this time I had the extra treat of being met by Blueberry Park bundles as I entered the shop. Seriously I don't think I will ever tire of seeing my fabric out in the wilds.

Jo has an amazing clientele for workshops. She has worked really hard to build up a hugely successful vibe up there with people craving her workshops, so it was wonderful that she filled 2 days of attendees...with still a waiting list for more wanting to learn to print...I think I will be back again soon!

When you walk into My Bearpaw you don't realise the Aladdin's Cave space behind and with the walls covered with Jo's beautiful quilts, it is the most perfect inspiring space. The eagle eyed of you won't miss seeing the Blueberry Park Lone Star there...what a beauty and what a joy for me to see.

We set to work designing and cutting stencils to use in our printing. I love this part. I love the silence due to the utter concentration and being thoroughly absorbed. I love the following WOW moment...the moment when the designs everyone has worked on suddenly become alive!

I used to be a secondary school teacher in my former life and trust me those wow moments were few and far between. Screen printing workshops give that wow moment every single time and it is so wonderful to see. 

I love being surrounded by amazing people and seeing all their creativity coming out. I love that every single workshop is completely different from the one before. 

I love that every person comes up with something completely different from the next person...and I love that everyone is so enthusiastic about the thing that I am so passionate about and can not wait to do it again.

Thank you Jo for having me and thank you to all 20 of you ladies for being so amazing and enthusiastic and I can't wait to come up again!

Copenhagen...

Hello from Copenhagen...or rather hej!

Last summer a lovely Danish lady called Maja came to one of my screen printing workshops at my home in Leeds. It was the start of a wonderful friendship that led to a seed of an idea being formed to come over to Copenhagen to run some workshops. Together the 2 of us, along with the lovely Ruth, a British export to Sweden planned and organised a weekend of workshops in Maja's home town.

And what a weekend it was! The whole weekend was just perfect, from the venue, to the gathering of creative peeps and even to the weather.

Maja lives in a group of apartments that has a fantastic meeting room that was just the most perfect light filled, roomy space that I have ever had the pleasure to teach in. Not only was the room itself perfect but so was the location. It is positioned overlooking one of the many canals in Copenhagen and a short stroll from Copenhagen Street Food on Paper Island where we went for lunch each day. You can see photos of it if you scroll down and as you can see the idyllic weather made the weekend even more special and spot on.

Over the course of the 2 days we had a gathering of 16 different wonderful creative ladies. Some had come over from UK...thank you Di!...others from Norway, Sweden and Denmark itself. I was quite overwhelmed by the uptake of the workshops and it was so special meeting all these lovely ladies.

I love teaching workshops. It is one of my favourite things. I get such a buzz from being able to pass on my love for screen printing and get an equal buzz from seeing all the unique amazing work that gets produced each day. Every workshop is always so different...a completely different group of people...and on this occasion speaking different languages...all with one thing in common...the love of learning a new craft.

Teaching a whole day workshop is such a joy. It gives time for everyone to get to know each other, chat, make new friends, get inspired by being together and seeing the progress that happens in that one day is just a joy.

My hubby, Matthew, came with me on this little jaunt and spending time together exploring this stunning city was a treat. Maja's hubby, Mikael kept Matthew entertained whilst Maja and I were busy 'working'. Boat trips, beer drinking jaunts seemed to be the order of the day. I am actually really grateful to Mikael for being such a fantastic host and giving Matthew such a wonderful time and insight to Copenhagen from a local's perspective and the fact that the 2 of them hit it off was such a bonus.

Our later in the day flight home yesterday meant we had a little time to explore Copenhagen further. Assisted by our local tour guide Maja, we got the river boat across to the Design Museum. It was full of the inspiring Danish design that we love and would expect and it didn't disappoint. Danish furniture contains such iconic pieces that are so familiar that it was a delight to see some of the originals. The textile pieces from various eras were obviously a pleasure to see and totally inspirational.

Being back home now and flicking through the photos remembering the amazing few days we have just had with such wonderful hosts, new friends, shows the trip as it was...one of life's highlights. I feel incredibly lucky that not only did I experience this but even more so that I can call this work.

workshop mania...

Last weekend kicked off the start of 6 weeks of workshops. In fact every one is due to get progressively bigger and busier than the last.

The first one last Saturday, at the fab Simply Solids, started off at a genteel pace with 7 participants. The new shop is a perfect venue for workshops...a lovely airy space and surrounded by beautiful inspiring fabrics and makes.

It was a lovely intimate affair with lots of creativity coming through from everyone.

::   ::

Today things moved on a step with me getting ready to teach 25 WI ladies...and no there was no nakedness involved (aka The Calendar Girls!). I prepared plenty of paints to avoid pushing and shoving and hair pulling to get to the chosen colour...there was a little pushing and shoving...but no hair pulling.

Considering I usually keep groups to under ten people (FQR being an exception) it worked really well. Being in a big church hall, we weren't limited by space, so that helped a lot.

It always amazes that with every workshop no 2 people design and print the same thing and actually I don't think any 2 people across any of my workshops have ever designed the same thing!

I think my favourite this time was the toadstools...how cute?! And I think I love it even more with the thought of it being made into a baby's dress that the Mum is planning on doing. I can't wait to see a picture of that!

I do so love teaching workshops. I love seeing the creativity and enthusiasm  from everyone and the thought that I have started them on an exciting journey that they want to continue on fills me with pride.

My next 2 workshops are biggies...I am in Wales for a couple of days teaching some GCSE students and then off to My Bearpaw in Edinburgh for a whole weekend of fun.

And speaking of far flung places, I have been asked to go over to Scandinavia with my screens and pots of paints to teach over there. I am coordinating with a couple of lovely ladies over there to organise possibly 2 workshops...1 in Copenhagen and 1 in Sweden, possibly Gothenburg. If you live in that vicinity or want an excuse for a trip over there do leave a message and I will send you details. 

It's Saturday night, I'm tired from all the fun and excitement of the day, so it is a glass...or 2...of red and a sit back to reflect on the fun before I get ready for the next.

Hope you are having an enjoyable weekend wherever you are. x