Featured Artists: LittleBarb

Fans of LittleBarb's range of fabulous and unique button jewellery will be delighted to know that Barbara has opened two new shops in addition to her original Folksy shop: LittleBarb on Etsy and LittleBarb.co.uk

Barbara says "On my site you will find necklaces made from buttons, ceramics and fabrics, often mixed together in the same piece. 

Each necklace is a one-off and designed and created by LittleBarb.  I try to use vintage buttons where possible, I find the colour and finish often more interesting than modern buttons, although I do use these too." 

"Fabrics range from silk to felt and the ceramic used is often porcelain, although I do use polymer clay too.  I am drawn to colour and this is often the starting point for a necklace.  I try to find colours that not only compliment each other but also those that have vibrancy because of their unusual juxtaposition.

"All in all my work is a mix of elements that interest and fascinate me.  I hope you too find them attractive too."

Book Review: Rag Rugs - Old Into New By Debbie Siniska

My most recent book purchase, was, in fact, a set of three...

I was expecting a normal-sized set of books when I purchased these, so was a bit disappointed to receive a set of three stapled booklets with card covers. Each booklet has 36 pages and is filled with plenty of diagrams and colour photos of work in progress and of finished pieces. Size 8 1/4" (21 cm) high x 5 7/8" (15 cm) wide.

Book 1 looks at tools and materials.

There is a brief history of rag rugs, followed by descriptions of the tools used in making them. The rug hook, bodger, peg, latchette hook, shuttle hook, scissors, cutting wheels, frames etc are shown with a paragraph of description. The author describes choosing and obtaining textiles to use; backing fabrics; methods of marking out designs; and use of colour.

Book 2 covers techniques and starter projects.

One or two pages are devoted to each of the tools described in Book 1, also making simple tassels, and how to braid and coil rugs. Next are sections on finishing your rug and ways to display it and clean it. Some small project ideas will get you started:- flower brooch, herb pillow, memory mat, and seat mat.

Book 3 contains further projects to try.

There are instructions for making a child's mat, celebratory banner, wall panel, braided mat, welcome mat, flower bag, and penny patch rug. There are some sections at the back of the booklet for stockists, rag rug makers and places of interest to rag rug makers to visit.

In summary: I'm glad to add these to my collection of books on making rugs, and they are a useful basic overview for someone new to the subject. They cover, in brief, a good range of techniques and styles, which should provide the initial inspiration needed to give rag rug making a go.

I'm not sure why this material was split into three booklets, rather than a single book, as you would really want to have all three to complete the 'course'. The pattern line drawings are pretty tiny - you will need to be good at enlarging designs to make use of them.

Portrack Garden

Rob and I went to visit 'The Garden of Cosmic Speculation' at Portrack House at Holywood, near Dumfries on Sunday 1 May. It was opened under Scotland's Garden Scheme, for charity. It was just open for one day (and for the first time in many years).

This photo shows the sculptured landscape with lakes designed by husband and wife team Charles Jencks and Maggie Keswick Jencks. The view is seen from the top of the spiral mound (shown in the 4th photo).

Red Bridge with seat...

A beautiful rhododendron in the more naturalistic area of the garden.

The 'Snail Mound'. The people capering about on it give some idea of the scale.

Portrack House.

It was a hot, sunny day and there were hundreds of people there - picnicking, sun bathing and exploring every corner of the grounds.

We enjoyed looking at the Garden, but decided that all of that grass would be a bit too high maintenance for us ;o) I prefered the more natural looking areas with lots of plants, trees and, hopefully, wildlife. How on earth do they mow that mound?! The version at National Gallery of Modern Art in Edinburgh is perfect, though, - just right for the setting.

Holiday near Inverness

Rob and I have just arrived back from our holiday staying at The Bothy, Balblair Self Catering Cottages near Croy, Inverness-shire.

The holiday cottage was as nice as last time (with all mod cons), also cakes and biscuits on arrival. Mr and Mrs Strachan senior run it along with their daughter who lives in the farm building. Trig and Bob (dogs) came visiting most days, along with Jack who was staying next door, so Henry was very happy, as they all got along famously.

Our itinerary went something like this:-

Sunday:- Aviemore & Highland Wildlife Park
Monday:- Dornoch and Tain
Tuesday:- Nairn, Findhorn, Burghead, and Elgin
Wednesday:- Ness Islands River Walk, Inverness, The Black Isle (including Rosemarkie and Chanonry Point, Cromarty and back around the Cromarty Firth)
Thursday:- I was ill in bed all day :( (possible food poisoning). Rob went to Nairn beach with Henry
Friday:- Ullapool on the West Coast, then on to Achiltibuie

The weather was almost always sunny or cloudy, but dry. There were a few showers on the journey across to Ullapool and overnight on two occasions. There was still snow thick on the ground in Aviemore/The Cairngorms, but it had melted (apart from on the mountains) by the time we passed back through on Saturday.

A really enjoyable week with lots of nice meals out and about. We either had lunch or dinner out every day (sometimes both). Sometimes we bought food while we were out to eat back at the holiday cottage.

I particularly enjoyed the trip to Ullapool - a pretty little 'Fairtrade' town on the side of Lochbroom with a small port. The beach near Achiltibuie (at Achnahaird) was absolutely amazing and completely deserted when we got down to it (quarter mile walk from the car park). It had acres of clean sand, blue water with the mountains in the background - just perfect.

A building in one of the gardens at Findhorn Ecovillage.

A walk near the River Ness in Inverness.

View from Cromarty on The Black Isle.

Ullapool harbour.

Achnahaird Beach.

Henry had a wonderful time here, running around like a puppy instead of a 15 1/2 year old dog!

Love Buttons On Holiday

All of the Love Buttons online shops, including Love Buttons HQ will be closed until Sunday 27 March 2011. Apologies for any inconvenience.

In the meantime, here are a few of the buttons that will be listed after that date...

Julia x

Artist's Biography and Artist's Statement

Artist’s Biography

I was born in rural Oxfordshire, England in 1966, but have lived in Scotland for the last fourteen years.

My love of arts and crafts began at an early age, when I would spend many happy hours painting, drawing, flower arranging, making collages from ‘found’ items, making figures out of fabric, weaving on cardboard ‘looms’, embroidery, and painting pebbles. I once made an ‘installation’ of a giant spider’s web that took up several rooms in our house made from the contents of my Mother’s knitting bag. On another occasion I mixed every jigsaw puzzle in the house together, hoping to come up with a new picture at the end of it. Since Mum was none too pleased at having to tidy up after me, I stuck to less ambitious artworks after that!

At Clifton Hampden Primary School, as well as the usual academic subjects, knitting, sewing, gardening and cookery clubs meant that we all enjoyed some ‘hands on’ practical work every week.

Berinsfield Comprehensive School allowed me to follow my interest in art and crafts with lessons in drawing, painting, pottery, woodwork, metalwork and even batik. I got an ‘O’ level in art and went on to study Art with Art History ‘A’ level at Wallingford Upper School.

I turned down a place at Maidenhead School of Art and instead chose to study Psychology. (We all make mistakes!) My interest in art continued with visits to Art Galleries and Museums, and eventually, as an adult, I again returned to my first love and began to make sewn goods such as bags, household items, small quilts and cushions to sell at local craft fairs.

Alongside this, I worked in a variety of jobs, including retail, administration, marketing, gallery assistant, book seller, and currently, a button seller.

In 2007, I discovered an online venue for selling my art and craft work, called Etsy.com. I am not a prolific artist, and this way of selling a small number of artworks suited my way of working perfectly. You have direct contact with your customers on Etsy, and I occasionally take on commission work.

Although I have been contacted by shops and galleries wanting to sell my work, I have not yet taken that route, as I don’t have enough pieces available!

Artist’s Statement

I am passionate about making textile artwork, using new and recycled fabrics. I make rag rugs, patchwork, appliqués, collages, and also acrylic paintings.

I try to design with colour, beauty, humour and functionality in mind - or at least one of those things!

My ideas are usually drawn from nature, in particular, beautiful colour combinations. I often start with a life drawing or photograph, which is redrawn and simplified until it becomes icon-like, while retaining the essence of the original. (For example, ‘Euphie Guinea Pig’ was adapted from two paintings I made of a childhood pet).

Other sources of inspiration include:-

·         sitting down with a blank sheet of paper and just doodling whatever comes to mind. The doodle can be enlarged to form an abstract theme (for example, ‘Fire and Water’); or may turn into a picture (eg, ‘Secret Landscape’);

·         cutting out pictures or shapes from a magazine and arranging them to form a new image or pattern (‘Three Hills’ card);

·         altering a photograph through colour changes and with special effects, such as using a ‘mosaic’ filter in a programme such as Paint Shop Pro until the original subject becomes almost abstract and unrecognisable (‘Sunset on Snow’);

·         gathering fabrics together and picking out the colour combinations and textures that go well together (‘Raw Edge’ sample);

·         decide on the subject matter and work out how you can best express what you want to say. For example, (‘Austerity Britain’ and ‘Green Britain’ came about this way).

My favourite part of creativity is the problem solving and design:-

·         How can I best express an idea or image? This may involve making trial pieces to see what works and what doesn’t

·         Which medium will suit my idea best?

·         Which colour palette will I choose? And so on.

I hope to continue exploring my ideas through a variety of media.

Knit Your Own Mini Cupcakes Kit

I love these cute little knitted cup cakes, and now you can make your own, thanks to a fab kit from Monkey Knits!

The kit includes everything you need to make three perfect mini cupcakes including toy stuffing, buttons, beads and yarn. Perfect for display purposes or for play cookery or picnics!

Cupcake knitting recipe designed by Angela Holladay of Monkey Knits.