How to make an easy screen print.

Hope you enjoyed this tutorial. Any questions about the bits I've left out - please ask! xx

What to do?? A navel gazing post without pictures

    I have been pondering what to do with my business, well it's hardly a business - more of a thing.  I've been looking for answers, as you do, which way to go? What to focus on?  and there's so many possibilities it's driving me mental! I guess this is how religious beliefs start because I'm now looking for signs! Send me a sign!!       

    

    Anyway I just saw a dead duck in the canal, which made me think of how popular the dead-bird-thing is.  Are we killing of the bird as a popular symbol of freedom or something? Or is it just another way of looking at a bird??  From underneath or captured or dead. 
    My large question is – Is The Strange Bird dead?? Would it be more popular if it was??

    I was going to put all that on Facebook but it was getting too long and I’m terrified of being honest on Facebook , also it does sound slightly like I might be suicidal, I’m not by the way, (phew) but I may still kill off The Strange Bird.

    

     I’ve read in those ‘how to blog’ books that you need to write lists as they are great and people love them! I can’t think of anything more boring than reading other peoples lists but maybe I’m missing the point – maybe they don’t mean Wilkos shopping list?

    

   So just to see if lists are boring or not, here’s my list of possibilities which doesn't help at all it just makes me confused: 

1 Make bags?

2 Make Creature kits?

3 Make brooches?

4 Make all three?

5 Print tee shirts and get a market stall?

6 Get a pop up shop?

7 Organise workshops?

8 Go for fundraising to get some money to open a workshop for screen printing and sewing?

9 Do all eight!

10 Just do illustrations?

11 Write kids stories?

12 Carry on with the ‘How to do’ in the Making Saloon Blog?

13 See if I can get something published in a crafty magazine?

14 Forget it all and get a job back in catering?

15 Volunteer for something, somewhere other than catering?

16 Do a course at college?

17 Do a course on line?

18 Teach myself something new from books?

19 Move house?

20 Move to another country?

21 Arrggg!!!!

I’m now off to draw a dead Strange Bird to see if it makes me happy or not.

How to hand print a collar or macrame necklace.

 

A Fern called Horse

Inspiration

White Horses
Black Beauty
High Chaparral
Rawhide

Only available for a while in the Strange Bird Etsy shop.

Bespoke home illustrations

Hello lovely people! The sun is shinning and the park is calling,  

"Charlotte!  Get Vinces scooter and go to the park now!" and I shout back 

"Yes alright! in a minute I just have to write a quick Blog!!" 

So here it is!

I love Houses!

When I was a kid the things I loved to draw where triangle girls with giant hair doo's and idilic, symmetrical houses surrounded by picket fences.

Loads of my best and loveliest memories over the years, are set in family and friends homes. I have no happy memories of giant hair doo's though, so my plan is to draw homes rather than triangle girls.

The first is 'Long Gardens' which is packed full of lazy summer memories, friends, music, lots of larking about, swimming in the river, long drinks and delicious food!

So once you have had your happy home immortalised in pen and framed on your wall,  you could have your illustration made into wall paper! or printed onto fabric and made into curtains or cushion covers!! with the magic of Spoonflower!

Or, inspired by my dads drawing from the 70's ( see below)  

You could have some book plates made! 

Easter Chick & Bunny Creature Kits

    I have been busy developing my Creature Kit range, they went down so well at Christmas that I've designed some more just in time for Easter. There are now four Creatures to choose from, Strange Monster, Owl, Easter Bunny & Easter Chick, the fabric to make each one has been professionally printed with the wonderous  Spoonflower.

I've also changed the packaging to reduce the costs all round! I really hope you like them!

They are all ready to buy from my Folksy shop here... Folksy Shop.
Or for FREE shipping - from my website shop here.... Strange Bird Shop.

Spring give-away time!

Things are hotting up out side and here at the Strange Bird Department of design.

1. I have officially finished re - making my website after weeks of confusion over what it is that I do!
( I know all the business manuals say 'just stick to one thing - and be an expert in that'  which sounds gloriously simple but my brain thrives on confusion! )

So here it is! The Website!

And to celebrate its arrival  Everyone who signs up for   The Strange Bird Newsletter    before the 11th March will receive a 25% OFF coupon in the first newsletter!!        Hoorah -  What a bargain!

Just click on the 'SUBSCRIBE' button down the side here, or on the website.

2. If that wasn't enough excitement I'm also GIVING AWAY my first ever Crepe de chine silk scarf!
Just pip over to the Facebook page to find out more.

Haverford fabric design

          I had an idea when I was about six that I wanted to design wallpaper when I grew up. Then last summer I got completely obsessed with drawing patterns and one step closer to my six year old ambition thanks to the wonders of Spoonflower, where you can upload your design, have it printed onto a range of really nice cotton and organic fabrics, or decals or wallpaper!!!  

I love it!

          OOooh also - if you would like a 25% discount on anything in the Etsy shop just sign up for my bi-monthly newsletter in the side bar here - where it says 'Subscribe to our mailing list'. 

I'll be sending out my first ever newsletter in a week or so, which will include a 25% discount voucher for everyone who has signed up in time! What are you waiting for!! xxxxxx 

Haverford design inspired by the Castle gates at Haverford West

The Strange Bird range of bags with the Haverford design

The Spoonfower fabric printed on silk crepe de chine

And now.... the silk scarf!

Soon to be available in the Etsy shop. 

The Triple-Bill.

It's been quite, damp, dark and cold round here for some time,  but I have been secretly busy,  drawing and planning - usually with the duvet and hot water bottle close by.

Anyway (with a big Bagpuss style yawn) it seems that all that winter malarky is over  - there are buds on the trees crocuses in the garden and even sunshine! And now I can reveal some of what I've been making during the long hibernation.

Inspiration came from a set of six shot glasses I bought from the charity shop - bargain!

I love and admire this deer sooo much, I may well have accidently on purpose, taken his stylish antlers for my own birds, but in homage to him and his rare beauty I have elevated them to museum status by arranging them on plinths. Here - The Triple-Bill.

    Also available in bell jars.

    And as brooches.

  Illustrations and brooches will be available in my Esty shop soon.

COMING SOON! i.e. next week - the exciting launch of my re-made website with discounts and fanfares and everything! Don't miss it!

Creature Kit Help Desk

This is the Make & Sew yourself a Creature Help Desk.

So you have your kit and instructions, but you're a bit stuck, well you've come to the right place! 

These photos should help with the tricky bit on page 5 of your instruction booklet. 

After you have sewn around your creature from point A to B, open out the seams at the bottom corners.

Then sew across each corner from points 2 -> 2 and points 3 -> 3 (the numbers are not marked on the backing fabric - you could draw a line across with a ruler if that helps)

Carefully turn your creature inside out and stuff with your stuffing. Use the base shape - stuck on to card and cut out. Slot it into the base. Carefully sew up the opening by hand. 

Your creature is now complete! Hooorahh!! 

Every creature made will be BRILLIANT and DIFFERENT! I love them all!!

So give them a name and send me a photo of Him / Her / It.  

And I'll put them up in The Gallery 

You can send them here...Thegallery@Strangebirddesigns

Make & Sew Yourself a Creature

Introducing my latest creation... The Creature Kit!

Strange Monster & Strange Owl

Each creature comes unmade, in a box with instructions. All you have to do is make it!

When you've finished you can send a photo of your creature right here to me and
I'll put it in The Gallery, which is also right here!

I'm just waiting for the boxes to arrive before these lovelies hit the shops! I will also be posting helpful photos of the creatures being made, and other useful tip-top tips that you may need.

This Way to..... 

The Gallery

The Norwegian Jumper

Now that the nights are drawing in and the sun is low in the sky, the heating is on and the wooly hats are out, my thoughts are turning to winter holidays, skiiing in the Alps?  Christmas in a chalet in Switzerland? Tobogganing in Lapland?? Poppppeeeeeewwwwww.....

That is the sound of my bubble being burst when I remember that I'm not a sixties film star, Cary Grant is not my boyfriend and I've never been skiing in my life.

The fantasy.

The fantasy - drinking wine and eating fondue, and looking glamorous. Then heading for the piste for some amazing skiing without falling over drunk.

The reality -  the only time I've been to an exciting cold country was when I was five. (Yes I know it's cold here but it's not the same - this country is just sort of soggy.)

My family and me climbing a glacier!

We went camping in Norway which seems exciting now, but at the time I did not understand why we couldn't go somewhere hot and stay in a hotel! 

All I knew was that my dad wanted to drive the car up mountains and across fjords and see how it would deal with the hairpin bends. 

  

'The Volvo' as it was called.

And my Mum wanted to knit Norwegian jumpers.

Posing at the Artic Circle with our
hand knitted Norwegian jumpers on. 

The result of all this fantasy/reality stuff is this....... A new range of winter themed cards.

Red Hart & Snow Birds

(so as not to scare anyone  - in small print - they are actually christmas cards)

In the shops now!