I'm having an art sale!

It has been a busy week in the studio, I did a fair last weekend at Avenham Park in Preston as part of the mad hatters tea party, and then had another this weekend at St Anne's music festival so I was making loads of art. 

I loved to paint and make mixed media pieces, it stops me getting bored of doing the same things.

I love doing both but the mixed media ones develop and evolve as I go where the rainbow ones, I already know the kind of way it will turn out. I also love getting the glue and paint on my hands, it makes me connected.

As I have 3 males in the house I love making girly pieces with glitter and loads of pink, my studio is pink and girly and I love it, if I need to reset my feminine energy, I just come in here and do a big breath and feel myself relaxing and recharging. Sometimes living with all males is hardwork.

I always love to put positive words and quotes on my art, I think words are so important, that is why it's called spelling, you create spells with your words.

I am having a sale over on facebook if you want to have a look, I am also open for commissions at the moment, until I get booked up again. Hope you have an amazing week, remember the possibilities are endless.

Love Dotty xx

LOVEly cards - first studio make

First makes from the new studio are so cute, teeny, tiny valentines cards, perfect for popping into your wallet or purse!. I painted on textured handmade paper, which I love and then folded and decorated them, I love them loads.  Each one measures 15cm x 5.5cm when laid flat.

                                                                         The front

                                                                      The middle

                                                                         The back

                         This one is my favorite, the purple paint has tiny flecks of glitter in it.

                                                            Lovely for friends too

I really enjoyed creating something new in my studio and kept looking round thinking, wow, this is actually real, this is where I get to work! so blessed. What have you been making lately?

Love Dotty xx

My dream job - making art

I have a dream, I have had it since I was 12 in art class at school, I drew a pair of hands, shaping a bamboo handle, it was a pencil drawing and my teacher really praised me for it, it built my confidence and I knew I wanted to be a fashion designer, I loved the feeling of making marks on a page and it transforming in front of my eyes, when I was 16 i went to art college and loved it so much, I learnt so much and I really wanted to be an artist and live in Paris (after studying fashion design in London) but alas fate had other ideas and I met someone and was pregnant at 17, I had my first baby one month after turning 18. I had to drop out of art college because I was so ill from pregnancy, I then went onto having 2 more children all before I was 22. I lived life in a domestic bubble (not one of love either, but that's a whole new story) eventually we split up and I was a single mum with 3 children under the age of 5, no time for drawing or painting or much else to be honest. Then after a couple of years of madness and me trying to 'find' myself things settled down and I began painting again, I was a single parent for 8 years then I met my one true love.

No matter how many different jobs I have had or hobbies I have tried I have always come back to drawing, I have always wanted to do it for a living, I can't imagine anything better, I am always telling my sons to find a job they love and they will never have to work a day in their lives, I want drawing, creating art and painting to be my work.

I haven't put this 'out there' before but I have changed a lot this year and next year I am 40, I am just going to be honest and say it as it is from now on, I have been self employed for 14 years and although I have had wonderful successes, its never been constant, from one week to the next I don't know if I am going to earn money, I trust the universe will always look after me and my loved ones, I truly do, but it would be so nice to be able to not even think about money, to be able to know I can do amazing things and help others without having to be thinking where the next bit of cash is coming from. So now I am putting it out there to the universe and the world....

 I want to draw and paint and sell my beautiful creations in an easy and relaxed manner, in a healthy and positive way, in it's own perfect time for the highest good of all.

So I am now taking commissions, Shhh Christmas is coming (#sorrynotsorry) so if you would like your own piece of bohemian art making for your loved one, get in touch or send me a message on Facebook

Dottys dresses, fashion for fairies

 Happy Christmas eve everyone, as my regular friends on my blog know I have started a woodland collection and promised I would share snippets on here, this week and last I have been working with some gorgeous shot silk, netting and pearls from old wedding dresses and have enjoyed myself so much, I love that I can sit by the fire whilst its all blowing a gale outside and hand sew to my hearts content whilst watching films on Netflix, its especially good this time of year to be home sewing with the twinkly christmas lights, tasty puddings and blankets on my kneew, the dog likes lying on my feet too and even though he gets pretty heavy he is very warm too - free hot water bottle!

So the top picture is a floral corsage necklace I did, I stayed up till 2.30 am making it because I wanted to finish it, I loved making it and am in love with it now, its such a soft pretty and girly piece. I am going to be teaching a workshop in January at our shop in Blackpool on how to make them.
The next pic is a close up of a dress I have just started to make, there are rows of tiny beads and I am going to sew the panel around the front of the bodice

Here is the basic shape of the dress so far, the shoulders are going to have these custom made epulets that have layer upon layer of tulle, satin and silk petals, I have made one and it took me about 8 hours, I have to make the other yet!, will share a picture soon.

I am loving the freedom and creativity I can have, I do enjoy making gorgeous things I choose to make rather than churning out the same thing over and over, although because my rabbits and owls are good sellers I do make a lot of these, each one is different though so I dont get board  

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas day whatever your doing, even though this can be a difficult time for some of us it can also be a wonderful time. If you have love, a home and food your very rich and blessed. It's only a day like all the other days, don't put any expectations on it, just go with the flow and enjoy having a day at home. I am very grateful I have love, a home and food, friends that care anything else is a bonus xxx

What have I been making for Christmas?

I have been a busy bee making lots of lovely handmade things for Christmas, I can't say who they are for as that would spoil the surprise,

Love this fabric, I love the colours so much I made myself a pair of curtains for my dining room with it, I lined them in calico to keep the cold out.

These little mushroom brooches I made one for myself and the green one for my friend http://alovelylittledeer.blogspot.co.uk/ I have already given it to her so I can reveal it!

Which ever one is left out of these unique creatures ( my work colleague/friend calls them freaks :( ) will be going to a special nephew, they are all sitting on a shelf at our shop waiting for new homes, the large one on the left is Peanut

These kits (only 2 left now) will be going in the craft prize basket when we do craft bingo at our Christmas party on Friday. We have invited all the ladies who have been to our craft workshops since we opened in August to come to a Christmas party where we will have food, drink, make some crafty items and have craft bingo! I can't wait. We then break up for our Christmas holidays, it will be nice to spend time at home but I think I will miss the shop, we meet so many lovely people and have a real good laugh at work.

What have you been making this year?