Scrapbooking tutorials and positvity art video

I made a video today with some of my rainbow positivity art and handmade makes on it, 

what do you think?

It's a pretty cool site called stupeflix where you can choose themes, add music (they have a library to choose from) or you can add your own, you can then add your photos, then you can publish directly to Youtube. 

Make sure you change the settings on the video to high def before watching. 

I have spent most of the day, after walking the dogs on the beach, researching about different paint techniques and found some really interesting blogs with different tutorials on them.

Birgit Kerr has some great scrapbooking techniques, I loved this one where she teaches you how to transfer print onto your canvas with mod podge. 

The daily marker has done an easy tutorial on using distressed ink too, something I want to have a go with but haven't got round to yet.

I am looking forward to making more Alice inspired canvasses, all 3 of these sold at the fair I did on Saturday.

I really enjoy getting my fingers full of glue, glitter and paint and creating something which develops and grows with each thing I add to the canvas.

I have had an idea to do a big rectangle one with her falling down the rabbit hole. I have collected some patterns and images from an old copy of Daphnes diary, have you seen it yet? its such a wonderful magazine.

Love Dotty xx

Grand central, alternative shopping Liverpool

I took the middle son to Liverpool the other day to have his passport interview, apparently everyone who applies for their first passport has to go, they asked him some simple questions and everyone who worked there was really nice. He was relived when it was over though, a bit nerve wracking for a quiet 18 year old. 

We went to eat in a veggie/vegan cafe called Egg, it has a boho vibe and a good menu with a big selection of hot dinners, snacks and cake. 

I opted for dragon pie and salad, there was loads and I couldn't finish it all. It was pretty nice, but I have tasted better to be honest. 

Round the corner was a really gorgeous building, plants grew from the rooftops and it had all sorts of art nouveau features. It is called Grand central and is an alternative shopping centre. 

The ceilings are amazing, everywhere you look are gorgeous features, amazing clothes, quirky shops and loads of colour. 

I was in boho heaven!

There are vintage, punk, goth, hippy shops and other shops in the basement ( I didn't go down to see as we had to stick to a time schedule. It's somewhere I will definitely go back to, to have a proper look round. 

Love Dotty xx

We're all mad here -all the best people are!

This is what is going on in my studio today, making Alice inspired canvases and cards ready for the stall I'm sharing with JuJu Kuchoo at Miller Park this Saturday. 

It is part of The mad hatters herbal tea party -

"Be ready for a day of love, fun, tea and music. This 1 day festival is gearing up to be a action packed and glorious day. From Theatre, Music, Circus and Fitness, a whole range of fantastic events will be bringing in the sunshine and all the party atmosphere!

We have Live Music, Circus, Stalls and more!

Thing's to do, watch & hear!

Cirque Du Alice, the Contemporary Magical Urban Circus.
Catch our breath taking circus performances throughout the day, every hour. Bringing in the arts of Aerial, Acrobatics, Acro-Balancing and Fire! These shows will leave you breathless!"

 If you want to come tickets are available on the gate (donation), bring a blanket and a picnic.

It's boiling today, the sun is coming through the big window so going to have a lunch break and eat some coconut ice, then I'm going to make skirts and dresses this afternoon for the fair.

 It was 32 degrees here yesterday, really unusual for Blackpool. I don't cope well in the heat and just want to be fanned!

Hope you are having a wonderful day

Love Dotty xx

Studio tour - dreams do come true

I am so happy that I actually cried today, I was overcome with gratitude because one of the dreams I have had for years came true, you know we moved to a new home in January and I was blessed with a room to be my studio, well Mr Delightful has been sharing the space as he is self employed too, until his office was redecorated, rewired etc, the past week he has worked hard getting it all ready and yesterday he moved out of my space into his own. He helped me moving furniture, building an ikea unit my friend donated, hanging rails etc and then today I got to do my favourite bit, sorting everything out and making it look pretty.

Welcome to my delightful studio:
click the photos to make them bigger.

I have always wanted a craft room for years, read all about it, and knew I wanted it in different zones because as well as being an artist I love to sew, make clothes and all sorts of handmade things from fabric and wool.

I have 3 'zones', an art area as you walk in the room, this has a big architect easel I have had for years, I actually found it in the back garden of an upstairs flat I lived in about 16 years ago. I watched for a week to see if anyone claimed it, but no one came so I dragged it up a flight of stairs in 2 pieces, it is really heavy and I don't know how I did it, sheer determination I guess!

I have all my art, scrapbooking, drawing, stamping stuff in this area.

I have a sewing 'zone', this part I am most happy and grateful for, because I don't have to put anything away now tbefore I use the table, I actually have a cutting table, and anyone who sews knows this is like pure gold.

The little white tubs on the wall are from Ikea, only 50p each too so really affordable and very handy.

I have 2 tables in an L shape for sewing on, a fantastic huge window which the sun shines through on a bright day, but it's been pouring down here all day. I am going to whizz up some curtains tomorrow with this gorgeous Rosali fabric and give the windows a good clean (if it's sunny)

I also have a computer 'zone', this is a brilliant piece of furniture because when you are not using it, it folds up so your computer is out of the way and your computer chair tidies away underneath. 

I want to give that lampshade a makeover soon too, I like the shape, but the fabric is a bit daggy.

I adore the wallpaper, and know I am boring you with it before, but it's so cheery and always makes me smile, the blue tits remind me of my mums garden.

Honestly, I don't know how to convey to you just how happy and grateful I am, I feel like it's almost a dream. For so long I used the dining table to work at, in a cramped and damp living/dining/storage room, I dreamed of one day being like the women on pinterest or on other blogs who I thought were so lucky to have such lovely places, I kept putting it out there to the universe, what I really desired and needed to get me to the next level in life.

I have done many things over the years, had shops, ran events, had wild ideas ( I still have them daily) but nothing has fitted just right, this though, this is the place at the moment I feel right in, this is where I feel I can let my creativity soar, and for that I feel like all my christmases, all the jewels in the world have come all at once.

Keep dreaming, keep believing, know in your heart that dreams do come true, I didn't know how I would end up with this beautiful studio, there have been weeks where I didn't eat so I could feed my boys (pre Mr Delightful), times where I burnt furniture on the coal fire because I couldn't afford fuel and I didn't want the boys to be cold, desperate times, times of despair, times where running away became an option, but I clung onto the hope that one day life would be how I dreamed, life would be so wonderful. That day is today. 

Tomorrow is our 10th anniversary and that is another law of attraction story with an amazing 10 years behind us, that I will tell tomorrow (or maybe the day after depending on if I get chance with all the kissing going on ;) 

I am so blessed with amazing people in my life who often donate fabric, buttons, wool, furniture ect to me to help me along the way. 

I may not be rich in money (yet) but I am rich in happiness, an amazing studio and home and love.

I wish for your dreams to come true.

Love Dotty xx

BBC good food show and gardeners world 2016 trip

We were blessed with tickets to go a see this years BBC Good Food show summer and Gardeners World at the NEC in Birmingham, after getting National Express and a train ( saves £10 doing it that way) and a really long walk through the NEC we came to the halls the shows are held in, a massive space with over 500 producers and brands, some stage areas, demonstrations and show gardens.

This Capability Brown enchanted tea party by Wyevale garden centres garden was my favourite, with its romantic roses and vintage tea setting.

I didn't realise until I got home and read the brochure that you could go onto this barge and it had flowers inside too, drat I missed it!

There was a large marquee full of gorgeous plants to buy and displays of products, some I have never seen before and if I had a few thousand could go wild!

Lots of mock gardens inside and out, I had a couple that I loved and some not so much but I was impressed with how everything looked so healthy and not floppy at all, like the flowers and plants had always been growing there.

How beautiful is this garland, I would love something like this for my wedding (no I'm not getting married, just fantasy wedding for now) designer Alexandra Froggatt did a wonderful job.

I am pretty impressed with my photography skills on this next shot, Mr Delightful loves bonsai maybe from his Karate kid addiction in the 80's or was it 90's? I forget anyway he loves them and want one of his own so I took a photo for him and it turned out really well.

This one is called urban nature and is based on a retired couple who downsized from their Cotswold country home and now live in Birmingham hahaha, the write ups are so funny. It is a cute garden though, I love the colour of the shed.

How fantastic are these clear globes, they remind me of massive bubbles. I love foxgloves and poppies and this cotton lavender that shows them off so beautifully.

Another part of the Capability Brown's garden, I love the way they have used an old fireplace and ohh look at the trailing ivy.

These Iris' are so vibrant, they had 100's on display of various gorgeous coloured flowers. Iris always remind me of fairies, I can imagine a fairy flying out of the middle of them. (maybe from Spiderwick chronicles, have you seen it, I adore it)

Another favourite section of Mr Delightfuls was the carnivorous plants, fly traps (poor flies) and pitcher plants abound.

We did have a lovely day and if you eat everything (like meat) then the food bit would be good too, because we are almost vegan it was not as impressive and to see certain chef's like the hairy bikers you had to pay extra which I thought was a shame.

All in though it was a good full day out, I slept most of the next day through being shattered and if I went again would spend the extra tenner to go the full journey on the coach, saves messing around with extra journeys.

15 things you didn't know about me!

Ok lovely likers, I see I have been blessed with lots of new likers lately and thought it would be nice to open up a bit and give you some insider info on me and my life ;)

Feel free to ask me anything, I love a good question.

1. I have 6 chickens and 2 rescue dogs called Stanley and Badger

2. My nickname is Runty Pipkonian plus loads of other variations by Mr Delightful.

3. My favourite food is sausage (now veggie ones), mash and gravy.

4.I love the smell of nutmeg and could easily grate a whole one onto my food but then I would probably hallucinate and slip into a coma and maybe die, so I restrain myself. I could sniff out a nutmeg at 100 paces for sure.

5. I like watching romance films and am currently obsessed by a spanish subtitled series about romance, fashion and running a high end fashion shop called Velvet. I love it because my mind is constantly thinking of a million things and because of the subtitles I have to concentrate on it and nothing else (apart from eating Green & Black's chocolate)

6. I like smelling things, I think I was a dog in a past life, I love the smell of musty books, petrol, hot tar, my belly hole even though it smells of cheese, Mr Delightfuls armpits when they are musky, new carpet, dogs paws that smell of biscuits, a spot behind Stanleys ear that smells of a teddy bear I had when I was 7, it smelled a bit musty so I put strawberry shortcake talcum powder on it, behind my mums sofa and rubbed it in, then I used to sleep with it in my bed and dribble on it, behind his ear smells just like that and transports me back in time.

7. I have to wear shoes and a bra to feel motivated enough to do housework.

8. My dad left my mum when I was 7 and I met him again when I was 16, I didn't particularly like him very much at first, he was loud and brash and always after supermarket checkout girls, but he did give me an insight into where I got my sense of humour from and open my eyes to try new things, I hadn't eaten any 'foreign' food until I met him, I tried my first tikka masala, lasagne, korma and bolognaise with him.

9. Both my parents are dead, even though I sometimes miss them, I also feel free of the guilt of not visiting them often or having to be a certain way as to not upset them, I am a grown up orphan but I feel total freedom too.

10. I have been to college to do art, fashion design, textiles, criminology, psychology and aromatherapy massage.

11. I wanted to be a clown when I was a child, then as a teen, a fashion designer, then in my 20's a forensic scientist, now I am 40 I am finally an artist (something I have wanted deep down since I was 12 and drew a pair of hands holding a bamboo bag handle).

12. I was a teenage mum, in a domestic abusive relationship for 8 years and a single mum to 3 boys aged under 5 by the time I was 23. It was hard. I didn't sleep through the night for about 12 years. Sleep deprivation sucks! I had post-natal depression too.

13.I like being in forests, by rivers, planting seeds, touching mud, feeling the light rain on my face on a hot day, singing loudly, praticing keyboard, reading books, sleeping, snow, log fires, flowers, adventures, listening to the birds, looking at people and pretending they are animals and figuring out what animal they would be.

14. I would love to work in a bookshop that sold magazines so I could read them all every month (well not all of them, things that are crappy like Heat magazine, I have no time for but ones like Flow, The Simple Things, Country Living etc)

15. I can't stand things that are spelled differently just to be cool, like for example Kris' Kuts (a hairdresser) or happinezz (even though I love this magazine the name irritates me).

I think I will write more like this on my blog, I kind of like this outpouring of me and who I am, I think sometimes when you look at someones photos and read statuses on social media you only get a small part of the picture, I know I sometimes feel, other folks are doing so much better than I am, or they have travelled more, or their lives are amazing, but in reality we all have shit to deal with, we all have weird ways and a past, honesty might shatter the illusion, but I want the illusion shattered because when you can connect through your stories and feelings, that connection with others is priceless. You don't feel like such a failure or boring or a crap mum, you feel like someone else is going through the same stuff so I am not that bad or I'm doing OK. I don't want to censor anything anymore and if I lose friends or likes along the way, that's not for me to worry about, the right people will be connected to me and I can feel free.

Feeling grateful everyday

It is true you know, once your eyes are opened to another level and world there is no going back. Sometimes it's kind of difficult knowing but mostly it's amazing. I often wonder whether I would go back to where I was still closed off to the magic. But life now is wonderful and beauty is everywhere through time and space and on all levels and realms.

 Sometimes you just have to take a minute and really appreciate what you have got and feel grateful for this moment right now. Sometimes life happens and we get tired, sad, feel inadequate or even poor, but really when you think about it you are living someone else's dream life. You are rich in so many ways already, whether its the friends you have, the love from a partner, children, a home, a bed to sleep in, inner peace, a garden, pets etc there are other people who wish they had these things, be grateful today and everyday for you and your wonderful life. I know I am, I am so grateful for the water that comes out the taps, for heat at the flick of a switch, for my health, for my legs and feet that take me where I want to go, for my eyes so I can see the beauty in the world, for my ears to listen to music, my hands to create art, space to grow plants, chickens for fresh eggs, the love I have for myself, space to create, a comfy bed to sleep in, the list is endless.

 How blessed am I!

Really excited that this art I finished last week had loads of love from friends, so I have had it made into prints which are available for £15 on my Etsy store or through Facebook 

 

Hope you are having a wonderful week, I am really excited to be going to Conscious camp this weekend, it was such a suprise because I wanted to go for ages but don't drive and it's in Wales (I am in Blackpool), so when my feind texted me yesterday to see if I wanted a lift i was overjoyed. I am going to take my camera and will upload some photos when I get back. 

Love Dotty xx