March Meet The Maker - Week Four-ish

Good afternoon,

now I'm not meaning to jinx anything here but maybe, just maybe, Spring is beginning to sort itself out. The sun is shining here is Wiltshire and I've even hung washing out on the line! (it's the little things!)

So on to week 4 of March meet the maker... 

Day 20 *Tools and materials* 

My work is mainly created using freehand machine embroidery on a domestic sewing machine and I sometimes add a few hand embroidered stitches too. I use a hoop to keep my fabric drum tight, threads and embroidery floss as well as little splashes of appliqued fabrics too.

Day 21 *A day in the life of...* 

Today is not the ideal day to follow me as I'm off to the day job and not going to have time for any may I design work.... On my days off I tend to get up about 8ish have a nice brekkie and a strong coffee and then check emails.

If I have portraits to do I'll crack on with these wither sketching them out, inking them in or stitching them. I then have to frame the portrait, photograph them and get them packaged up really nice and safe to send off. Other days I maybe designing wedding stationery or teaching or eventually I'm going to come up with new designs... Each day is very varied and I love it.


Day 22 *Sketchbook and lists* 

I love stationery and pretty sketchbooks and notebooks! I also am an avid list writer! I do a to do list everyday to keep me on track and so I don't forget anything! I've just got to remember which notebook I wrote it in...

Day 23 *Hands at work* 

My house portraits have a few different stages: I draw them out onto paper first in pencil, then I ink them in so that I can see the lines more clearly to trace them onto calico, I then start stitching 

Day 24 *Achievements* 

Just over a year ago I'd never taught before and decided to give it ago. In school I hated reading out loud, at university I hated doing presentations but for some reason I felt i wanted to give teaching workshops in free-motion embroidery ago. The feedback has been lovely and the work fantastic. 7 workshops down and I hope many more to come. 

Believe you can and you're halfway there.

Day 25 *Being a maker means...* 

Finding something that makes you happy and creating things that hopefully makes others happy too <3


Okay so I may have spoken too soon, the weather has clouded over! Oh well at least its not (whispers) snowing!

See you next week

xx

March Meet The Maker - Week Three -ish

Good evening,

So we're well into March and isn't spring just wonderful, lots of sunshine, daffodils lining pathways, and blossom on the trees. HAAA just kidding... what is with this snow??! The weather is so confused at the moment but it needs to sort itself out -  I think I'm solar powered I need some sunshine.

On we go with March Meet the Maker I fell behind so have just spammed everyone on Instagram catching up today (Sorry!)...

Day 12: Postage and Packaging

Gotta love a polka dot! All my parcels are posted in polka dot tissue paper with a handwritten note from me. Happy post!

Day 13: Work Clothes

 (Excuse the polka dot face - I'm not that obsessed with them that I paint polka dots on each morning!) I usually seem to wear blue.. dark blue, navy blue, denim blue... today though I wore yellow... with a hint of blue! Luckily neither my day job or May I Design is particularly messy so smart casual goes! (Unless I'm working from home then PJs fit the Bill!)

Day 14 Dreams and Plans

These change on a daily basis I get so excited and jump head first into an idea then a few days later another 'brilliant' idea pops into my mind haha.

One thing that has stayed consistent is I'd love my own garden studio like this one off Pinterest where I can teach workshops with a gorgeous view (I'd also like a big, gorgeous garden too) and I'd love to have my own gallery that sells the work of new designer/makers and also allows them to teach workshops in their medium... one day! Oh and I've had another idea.......


Day 15:

Head over to Instagram to see this.. Boomerang I'm not going to lie these boomerang things stress me out a little, I think it's the continuous loop! But I've given it a whirl and a big 'HELLO'


Day 16: Helpers

I am so lucky that both my parents are so supportive of my craftyness! Dad is super helpful with technical drawing and also there's not a single thing that man doesn't have stored in a tin or tub somewhere!

My mum is also so supportive, she listens and offers advice with every aspect of my business and keeps me on track when I have random ideas I want to follow. I really don't think I'd have kept going if it wasn't for them being so encouraging and supportive. I'm a very lucky girl


Day 17 : Customers & Feedback

I swear I have the best customers the feedback for my portraits and classes are so lovely! It makes all the hardwork worth it! And it's true lovely feedback does make creative's do a happy dance - well I do anyway!

Day 18: Inspiration

I am super inspired by quaint buildings and cute doors. I'm not sure what it is they just fill me with happy! Being so near the Cotswolds I'm not far from a shed load of inspiration.


Day 19: Can't Live Without

Bar the obvious of my trusty sewing machine I think next it would be a strong brew and a to do list... I love a list! I'm got the memory of a very forgetful goldfish so lists are a must. There's something so satisfying about crossing things off the days to do list!

See you next week! Let's hope Spring remembers to arrive by then!

xx

March Meet The Maker - Week Two -ish

Good afternoon,

The time is flying we're nearly halfway through March! How the flippin' heck did that happen?! And with the March days ticking past so is the March Meet the Maker challenge. Here are a few more prompts...

Day 5: Photography 

I love taking product shots, I think mainly because I love buying cute colourful props to use in my styling! If you ever see a girl in b&q taking lots of wallpaper samples as backdrops it's probably me! 

Day 6: Workspace 

I'm so fortunate that I have a room dedicated to my craftyness! Unfortunately it looks like a small (possibly large)craft explosion has gone off in there SOOO... while I'm ignoring the mess I'm currently working from the dining table!! I've promised myself to get my room sorted and back in business in the next month or two... especially now I've seen so many of your gorgeous spaces!

Day 7: Routine 

 Now this is a funny one. I work 4 days a week as an Interior Designer in Marlborough the other 3 days I do May I Design stitching house portraits, teaching, designing wedding stationery and doing product photography. If I'm honest I have no real routine I just try my best to fit as much in as and when I can!

Day 8: Flatlay 

Gotta love a flatlay!

Day 9: How it's Made

All my work whether it be my house portraits, wedding stationery or greetings cards start out being stitched. I use freehand machine embroidery on a normal domestic sewing machine. I will first lightly draw out the design on the fabric to use as a guide. I'm not too worried if I wobble off the lines as I think that's part of the charm and character of free-motion embroidery

Day 10: Relax

 To relax I love to go out and explore local villages and parks. A find walking does really help to clear my noggin if im feeling overwhelmed! Pretty door spotting is also very relaxing

Day 11: Branding

I'm a little bit obsessed with yellow and grey so these had to feature. I've kept my font quite quirky and friendly and I'm slightly obsessed with polka dots too! I hope my brand comes across as friendly and not too serious!

See you next week

xx

March Meet The Maker- Week 1

Good morning all,

I hope you've all been safe and well this week and the snow hasn't caused you too many disruptions. The road into work, for me, has been impassable so I've had to work from home - the road is still closed now but hoping the snow will have melted by tomorrow! 

I thought I'd just stop by and tell you about March Meet The Maker a photo challenge I'm taking part in over on Instagram. It's set up By Joanne Hawker for makers, like me, to share a little bit more about ourselves and our work.

 Each day has as different prompt to get us all talking and sharing. I thought I'd post the first few days with you here...

Day 1: You

I'm a Lichfield girl currently living in Wiltshire. I stitch house and venue portraits using free-motion embroidery and love really cute, quaint buildings (so lucky round here with the Cotswolds just a stone's throw away)  I love teaching workshops as well as attending as many as I can. I'm really looking forward to getting to know you all over the course of March :)

Day 2: Where

 Here! In my little house in Wiltshire. I'm originally from Lichfield and go home to my parents as often as I can. I now live and work in Wiltshire by day I'm an Interior Designer and in my spare time stitch houses or teach workshops!

Day 3: How you started

 I've always been creative when I was little I'd buy paper plates with my pocket money, decorate then with paints and felt tips then 'sell them' from the Wendy house at the end of my garden! My poor parents were my only customer! 

Since then I went to uni and got a degree in Fine Art it wasn't really for me so I went back to uni and studied a few modules in surface pattern design. This was a lot more up my street!

A few years later I was bought a pink sewing machine for my birthday with not a clue how to use it I set about learning. I knew I wanted to do free-motion embroidery but had no clue how trying to do it with the normal foot in and feed dogs up! A few books later and I was hooked on drawing with my machine and stitched this card for my mum for Mothers day. She loved it so much she said I should stitch house portraits for other people and commissioned me to stitch one for her friends birthday. The rest, they say, is history....

Day 4: Favourite to make

Surprise, surprise, I love stitching house and venue portraits they just fill me with happy. Adding just a little pop of colour and capturing the character of the building in stitch is the best.

I have also recently started to design wedding stationery commissions. I'm very new to to wedding stationery but it's definitely something I'd like to pursue, to be a part of somebody's big day is a lovely idea.

If you'd like to take part it's not to late just use the hashtag #marchmeetthemaker and get involved. Lots of makers are sharing stories about themselves and their work so head over to Instagram and take a look...  https://www.instagram.com/may_i_design_/

Hope you have a happy Sunday, Keep warm 

xx