I've just discovered this slide show website, and thought I'd try it out for some of my great designs for Mother's Day. You can buy any of them on our website here

Our temporary mural - Part 1

I thought I'd share with you the fun experience of creating some very temporary art.

Our last trade show was the Spring Fair, Birmingham, and we were exhibiting in the greetings hall for the first time (up till now we've been in contemporary gifts). So I decided I'd do something a bit different with my space.
I wanted a display that reflected the philosophy of our business - fun, different, recycling, no waste, all that sort of thing.
So I decided to have a go at something I've never done before - paint a mural on the walls, top to bottom, side to side - 5.5 m x almost 3m tall. And here's what we did:

I booked an extra night at my b&b to give me more time. Emma came to the NEC after her university lectures had finished for the day and we got painting.

We marked up a pencil grid, and then started. Here's Emma making the first marks, and chatting away about knowing that her Grade B in GCSE art would come in handy one day! (Any idea what we're painting yet?)

This is when the funny looks from other exhibitors and contractors began, along with comments like "Would you like a bigger paint roller? - that's going to take you ages".
Yes, we got lots of comments mentioning Rolf Harris!

This was the equipment we used - 3 paint trays, a mini roller, a couple of bristle art brushes and the all important blue nylon scrubby thing from the bathroom, along with cheap white emulsion and a bottle of kid's black poster paint.

This is where we left it on the Friday night - I was just a little concerned that it may not go according to plan and look rubbish:

And this is how it looked when it was finished and the stand was dressed, ready for a busy week of business. It's my interpretation of our Country Walks range of cards - you can see one of them here to compare, and it's also our local part of Thetford Forest where we all love to walk the dogs.

And finally, here is my last view as I left the NEC hall at the end of the 5 day show - lights have been swithched off, the carpet's gone, other exhitors have left:

I wonder whether I should have signed the panels?
If anyone ever sees these panels again, do take a photograph and let me know!! I'm told they get painted over and used at the next show...

The art of postcards

Postcards - I love them, and have kept some of those sent to me over the years. I'd like to encourage everyone to start sending them again. We need some fun post landing on our door mats. It's a really lovely way to show someone that you thought of them. You don't have to write much - the main thing is that you were thinking of them.

I love to write them as much as receive them. If you have a shop and sell lovely postcards, don't forget that we all need stamps too.

Here's a postcard I was sent a long time ago - it's from my parents when they went to the Arctic Circle, leaving my brother and I with, well, I can't remember who, but I've kept the postcard:












I'd love to hear what others think of postcards - have you got some that you've treasured over the years? When you receive one in the post, what do you do with it? Stick it on the fridge? Shove it in a box? Dare I say it, throw it in the bin?.... Mine go on the fridge or on my studio wall, and eventually make it into a box.

So, to help me on my mission to encourage the sending of postcards for fun, I'm adding some of my designs as postcards to my portfolio of work. They will be on show for the first time at Spring Fair Birmingham next week, and will be available online in a few weeks time.

Here's a sneaky preview: