This is knit...

I have started my knitting course at This is Knit, the first piece we are doing is a scarf. So learnt to cast on, knit and purl! Apparently we get to knit a matching hat.. watch this space!!

Excuse the crappy quality of the photo - taken with my phone. My camera crapped out on me...

Jewellery Design course...

I recently completed a jewellery design course with the lovely ladies at Irish Design Shop, and I have to say I have a new found respect for these metal working geniuses. I really didn't know what I wanted to do and they were very patient! After two days of sawing, filing, soldering and relentless sanding, I came away with three pieces. Two rings and a brooch. I really enjoyed the time I spent there, and can't believe that I did so much in just two days. Well worth it!

Their blog for the courses can be found here.

Dome ring - I made the ring, the domed a piece if silver, soldered them together and spray painted the dome.



Square ring - I made the ring, soldered on a rectangle piece of silver, cut out the inside circle. Repeated for other side, soldered on the sides and filled it with resin.





Piglet Brooch - sawed the piglet out of copper, soldered on the pin and spray painted him.

Rose, The Year of the Ox...

So here is the completed picture, I hope she likes it!

Rosebud gets her picture...

Finally, it only took me a year to get the finger out and paint a picture for my niece, Rose. She is over a year old now. Better late than never!!! I have included my sketches here and some photos of the various stages in the process.

New year, new resolutions!

Well we are halfway through January and I have not broken my resolutions yet! I am off the smokes for good (and booze for a month) and feel pretty chuffed with myself. I decided that giving up stuff is well and good, but this year needs to be about learning new skills. So I am booked in with This is knit for a beginners knitting course in February. I used to love knitting when I was younger, so am looking forward to it. Another course I am booked into with the lovely ladies in Irish Design Shop, is a beginners jewellery course. I'm doing this in March. So that should keep me busy for the next few months.

I bought five bibs in Mothercare and embroidered them for my beautiful niece Rose, for her first birthday. I never took any photos though, so will have to ask my sister to get a few snaps! Santa was very kind to me this year and I got a Cath Kidston sewing box. So it's been put to good use!

Ready, Steady, Embroider!

At last I have done something non work related! Tonight is my last class with textileworkshopdublin.com, the workshop I am doing is called Ready, Steady, Embroider!

I chose this Sugar Skull design from a book from Sublime Stiching, called Embroidered Effects. It's on a table mat and is not finished yet. So I will post again once finished. I think all my family and friends should be expecting embroidered Christmas presents now!

Hiatus...

Hello there, so I've not really posted in a long time. The "Heads" video didn't win :( but it was great to get a nomination! I have been very busy in work. I work full time as a graphic & multimedia designer for The Pop Company. We are creating a website at the moment, which will showcase our best work, so check back for that. We are also re-doing our Design Studio and I will up load some photos when that's done.

I have taken a bit of a hiatus from my personal work and the studio. I hope to rectify that starting in February. A small bit of procrastination never killed anyone, right? It's too hard to get motivated in January! On the plus side, my sister gave birth to a baby girl yesterday. Her name is Rose, little sister to Sam & Freddie. I better do her a picture!