Friday 30 May 2014

Teeside Arts Fest!


Image copyright to King Crumpet 2014
I'm really excited to announce that i will be taking part in the King Crumpet Teesside Arts fest 2014! Any one who follows me work will know that i have worked closely with King Crumpet Events before and they are always a hoot! King's events are always so original, fun, quirky, and just something a little bit different to what you see in the normal everyday of teesside. 

If you love art, illustration, jewelery, ceramics, photography, textiles, gift etc then this is the place for you. Set in the beautiful town hall of Middlesbrough there are artists and designers showing and selling their work, such as Lucy Addison, Jessica Langford, Poppycock Illustrations, King Crumpet herself and many many more!

This event is free entry for all ages, and is seriously not to be missed!!! 


Image copyright to King Crumpet 2014

Rosebud Casson featured on Beckabonce.

 
I was really pleased to find out that I had been featured on the BeckaBonce blog ran by Rebecca Wilson, a freelance illustrator and surface pattern designer. Her blog is brimming with inspiration and it's such a good place to get your work out there to people that would appreciate and be interested in art. I'm really honoured to be included on such a lovely site.

To find the original post, click the image below!

http://beckabonce.com/2014/05/12/designermaker-rosebud-casson/
 

Saturday 17 May 2014

Decoration

Unfortunately today, i woke up with a pesky virus! Second one in as many weeks...i'm not a fan of my immune system! Our plans were originally to go on a long walk up Rosebery Topping, a hill just on the outskirts of our town. I very much doubt, however, that i could even get halfway up feeling like this, so we have decided to delay our trip until further notice. To be honest i was having reservations about being able to get to the top in one piece anyway ha! But you don't know until you try eh :) (the last time i did this hill was ten years ago, so not massively confident in my fitness abilities these days....)

Anyhoo, we have settled on a slow, gentle walk along the beach, and maybe even pick up a banana flavoured ice cream. Seems that the sun lotion won't go to waste!
Until then! I am taking the opportunity to get a quick blog in to show you whats been inspiring me lately.

My boyfriend and I are saving up to buy our own place, and it is going to take a long while yet until we will have a comfortable deposit to play with - So! I have been keeping my self occupied, and also motivated in the saving plan, by researching interiors and decor! I've absolutely loved looking through Pinterest. Some people have the most beautiful homes!


http://www.pinterest.com/pin/515240013591705912/
I love this idea of having a busy wall - i absolutely love illustration and already have a collection of prints tucked away ready to be framed for our new home. I can't think of a better way to show off lovely art work than having a nice clean, bright white wall with lovely frames dotted across it. I think it definitely gives the room character, and gives your guest something to look at! It can also be a glimpse into your taste, and sometimes a quite intimate look into your feelings and outlook on life - depending on the type of art that appeals to you and you choose to display.

I'm also a big fan of the lowness of it all. Low bookshelves and dvd shelves seems to make the room seem bigger and more spacious.


http://www.pinterest.com/pin/515240013591634195/
I really like this interesting approach to displaying frames - on a table lent against the wall.

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/515240013591643617/

I love the wood flooring in this room. I'm a big fan of any hard wood flooring - not so keen on laminate however. I really like the business of the shelves in this one. With mine and Tom's ever growing book collection, we are going to need something like this to keep them from popping at the seams!

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/515240013591636287/
I think the main theme throughout the house would be nice plain white walls, and then splashes of colour would be added with accessories. Pots, pans, cushions, ornaments, throws.....

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/515240013591636287/

Beautiful kitchen ware adding a splash of excitement in a plain white setting!

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/515240013591661127/  

I've always loved the idea of having a low table, with floor cushions dotted about to create an intimate dining experience. I would definitely have a big solid table and chairs in my dining room for more formal and dinner party occasions, but would love to be able to sit around a low table to chat and eat good food.

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/515240013591637247/  
Obviously, being the creative self i am, i will need space! I DREAM of having my own studio one day to be able to work in from home, and carry on my own little business. Something like this would be ideal - busy walls bursting with inspiration, plenty of table space for both sewing machines and screen printing. At the minute my work space is very limited, so having somewhere i can breathe and comfortably work is the most important thing for the near future.

The one thing i am mainly looking forward to is the whole DIY aspect of owning your own home. I can't wait to experiment  with creative ideas to make our home our own, and to go off foraging for lovely things to upcycle!

I will have to end this post now, as it's getting on a bit and there is some sunshine to see! But if you would like to see any more of my home inspiration then check out my PINTEREST and click on the Decor board :)

Au revoir!

Wednesday 14 May 2014

Game of Stitches...

A while ago, someone shared a link to my facebook thinking i would really like it. They were not wrong! Being a lover of intricate embroidery, and also a big big fan of the Game of Thrones series, I was amazed to see the beautiful works of art on each piece of costume. I couldn't believe i hadn't noticed it sooner while watching the series, but i was probably distracted by all the blood and guts being thrown about the tv...


Embroidery is one of my biggest passions, and i am mesmorised by the detail and the stories that go with each costume worn in Game of Thrones.



The colours in this bird are beauuuuuuuuuutiful! I absolutely love the beaded detail, used to give the impression of flight and fluidity. The amount of stitch gone into this piece is amazing. If only this was my full time job!!


The concept behind Daenerys's dresses is really cool. Throughout the season they slowly manipulate the fabric more and more of each dress as it progresses and the dragons are born/grow larger. It's such a good and unique idea to portray this sort of time scale and change through the garments that the characters wear. Hat's off to whoever came up with that one!


Now, onto the part that really caught my eye!! Anyone who knows me and my previous/latest work, knows i ADORE insects. I choose them to work from within my own embroidery because they are just so fascinating. Both in nature and in appearance. They come in all shapes, forms, colours, sizes. They almost look like aliens close up! Without insects, our world would be lost, and i want people to see the beauty of the insect world instead of just disregarding them as creepy crawlies. SO! When i saw the Quarteen dress i stopped in my tracks! To be honest, it is not dissimilar to my own work, using various Stumpwork embroidery techniques to create 3D pieces but my work is no where near as beautiful and, well, GOOD as this! One day maybe ;)



My overall favourite piece has got to be this one, worn by Sansa Stark. I feel like the dragonfly has just landed delicately onto a pond, and the stitching around it conveys the subtle ripples and movement of both the dragonfly and the water. It really takes me back to the work of Annemieke Mein, who, when i was in college, was the biggest inspiration to me of all time. When my tutor Sara told me to look up Annemieke Mein in the library because my work was similar and i could gain alot of inspiration, i was gobsmacked! Such beautiful and intricate work within the life of insects and moths. Mein has been a constant source of inspiration since, and has been the number one reason i wanted to become an embroiderer :) It's lovely to see subtle references of her in recent works like this in the costume design for Game of Thrones no less!!

I keep thinking to myself, who gets these jobs!

Monday 12 May 2014

x


Hello!!

I have, again, been neglecting my blog!! I've felt a little uninspired lately, but delving into some beautiful magazines and browsing through a few lovely blogs I have finally got my spark back. I recently ordered my newest catalogue for the Spring/Summer Collection, and looking through that made me realise how far i've come and how much hard work i have put in in such a short space of time. It feels good! Between launching my very own website and exhibiting some detailed embroidery work at the SEWN Exhibition, i have had a hectic few months. Now i think its time to dig my heels in, slow down a little bit and enjoy, appreciate and love what i have around me. As cheeesy as that sounds ;)

Our lovely model Emily Scott getting a sneak peek of herself in the newest catalogue :)

Currently saving up to buy our own house, i've been concentrating on decoration, home accessories and interiors, and i think i've found a new passion! It's amazing looking at all the creative ideas and DIY and i can't wait to get stuck in. It's given me lots of new inspiration even within my own work so keep your peepers open for some new directions in the future :)


I'm also excited to reveal my new collection of Postcards! It's something i've always wanted to get into, and i thought using my photographs from the collections would be a good place to start. 

Anyhoo, to wrap it all up, i just wanted to say I haven't forgot about my blog! I'm actually looking forward to using it more and more and venturing out into some more blogging styles :)