My first ever market.....an experience!!

So I have finally completed my first ever market. I have to say I was a bit scared but also excited beforehand. I just didn't know what to expect. Would my stall look ok, would everyone look more professional, would people be nice?

I have taken on a few tips from more experienced friends of mine and asked lots of questions and advice beforehand and it has paid off.

I got to the venue (Miller pub near London Bridge) at 10am and was shown my space straight away and started setting up. I did have some help from my boyfriend and his daughter and we all got to work straight away. pretty much did the table set up as I tried it at home on the dining table, a few things didnt want to stand up but everything found its place at the end and I was very pleased with it. My table looked colourful and busy with loads to discover.

I got chatting to some lovely people, picked up new ideas (and lots of business cards) and enjoyed a look around to see what everyone else had made, lots of amazing stalls!!

The loveliest suprise was my bloggy friend Kim Dellow of Crafty Makes popped by, we had not yet met in real life so it's was really lovely to meet her. She also took that picture of me.

As for sales, I did well. Much better than some of the stalls around me who had more larger items and didnt sell as much. I took on a tip from Zuzu who said to have smaller, cheaper items as people are more likely to pick up a little something for a £1 or £2. So I had bottle cap fridge magnets for sale. They are so much fun to make too.

I also sold this canvas I made last week for the Try it on Tuesday Challenge (sponsored by The Craft Barn).
Someone picked it up as a present for someone.

Overall it was a very positive experience and I would like to do it again but as these things always happen at weekends it makes it difficult for me cause I'm always working. But I hope to do more fairs like this, definitely.

For now I have to concentrate on my shop adventure. A local shop has offered to sell some things for me, which is amazing news, but I can see a lot of work coming my way. I better get making!!!

Mixed Media Canvas

All my art pieces seem to be the same kinda style at the moment - messy, painty with some collage images thrown in. Add a cute quote and there you go. It's just what I enjoy doing at the moment and here is another canvas I did.....

I bought some collage sheets from Lisa's Altered Art recently, they are extremely versatile and I like working with old photos. Whenever I can I use old family pictures to make it that bit more personal but finding just the right photo is often easier said than done so collage sheets are the perfect alternative and you can print them in the required size.

I hope you enjoy my colourful girly canvas and feel inspired to create something yourself.

Another crazy painted mirror

It's yet another mirror, I just love them. Practical little home decorations and so much fun to do. This one if another piece to be goin to the fair on saturday. It's similar to one I did previously but then again they are all unique.

I am entering this into the Simon says Stamp and Show Challenge where this week Anything goes.

This is also a creation for Try it on Tuesday's Altered Week and this week we are making presents. Their challenge is sponsored by The Craft Barn as usual.

Published in Stampers' Sampler - a dream come true

There are some news you just have to share and shout out cause they are so exciting! I got my copy of the new Stampers' Sampler today and fast forwarded to the Photo Challenge results to find one of my cards has been printed.

This challenge was right up my street as I love working with old photos and the picture on this card on page 68 is one of my all time favourite photos, it's my mum when she was little and it's such a pretty picture.

All the other photo cards are really cool too and very inspiring, I'm sure going to try out a few layouts shown in this.

So go get your copy, it's one of the best issues in a while.

I am my art and my art is a reflection of me

Another mirror so I thought I title this post with one of my favourite Wendy Vecchi stamp quotes. Mirrors and reflection, you get it?!
So yeah i painted yet another mirror but I am really enjoying it so why not. And this one is going into my craft fair stock, which reminds me I really need to get planning on the table set up and write some price tags and work out prices and well, just plan it all, only a week to go.
So exciting and scary!

So with this mirror I went a bit crazy on the painted background (again) and just had fun.

I also had some fab news, the local shop thats taken on some of my mirrors has actually sold one so thats really great news. I better get making some more.....

Bottle cap fridge magnets

I've recently come across some bottle cap fridge magnets in a shop and thought what a fab idea. I had already bought some bottle caps previously and the epoxy dome stickers and these caps fit one of my circle punches perfectly.
So I got making.
Some images work better than others, just give it a go.
For these I used stamped images but I think they'd also look fab using old photos or maybe even magazine clippings. Anything you can punch out really.

I think they'll make a nice addition to my display at the craft fair next week. I am a little nervous about my first fair but also excited. Hope the weathers nice.

More of a detailed view here, I used one of the hero arts background stamp - pop dots for the ones on the left. The butterfly is out of a bigger image by Paperbag Studios.

A fantastic opportunity....

A great opportunity has come up for me recently and I've been meaning to share for a while but never got round to it.
Basically opposite where I live is a row of small shops and businesses, one of them being Studio 61 - a framing studio and art gallery. The gentleman who owns it has kindly agreed to display some of my work, my mirrors to be precise. Although it's not exactly what he normally exhibits (mainly his own photography) he liked my stuff and as I'm a local artist he wants to give it a go and see if my stuff may sell. So the past 3 weeks I've been busy working on some mirrors for him and I dropped them off today and now it's wait and see if people are interested.

This one here is my latest piece and my favourite at the moment, again I got really messy and painty with the background and the houses are stamped (Paperbag Studios) and coloured with my new favourite neocolor crayons (thanks to Kate Crane for the tip!!!).

Fingers crossed my mirrors sell and I may get to do more business with John. In the meantime I'll just enjoy getting messy, I have just stocked up on mirrors so I'm set for a few weeks!

I want to ride my bicycle....

Time for another card I think.
When looking through my stash a little while ago I thought those idea-ology gears would make really cool bicycle wheels so I borrowed my mum's Darkroom Door stamps and made this card. Just lucky the image is just the perfect size for the gears.

Sisters in the mirror.....

Remember the 3 tags I made as my first venture into art journal style stuff?

This mirror I started that day too, it was my first bigger piece in that style and it just confirmed I had made the right decision trying this kinda style. It's so much fun and messy and if I don't like something I just paint over it, splatter more paint, spray a little more etc.

I love using this particular photo of me and my sis, it works so well with everything.

I have another mirror to share with you in the next few days so watch this space!

Mixed Media Canvas

I was working on 2 things at once the other day, one being a mirror that I will share with you in the next few days and the other is this canvas.
I've nit worked on canvas for ages as I always like to make "practical" things like picture frames or mirrors or clocks. But I like this little picture, in fact it's goin on my wall rather than towards the craft fair I am making things for at the mo.
It is made up from enless layers of paints and sprays. It is also the first time I worked with printed images from Lisas Altered Art. I'm not normally one for using digital sheets but she sells some great images or kids and also old photographs.

Flower girl card - Charisma Cardz Challenge

I've not shared a card in a while so I thought it was time.....

I made this card for the Charisma Cardz Challenge where the theme is All about flowers.

The image is by Paperbag Studions, I love their stamps more and more each day. If you havn't tried them give them a go, they are stunning and great quality.

More of my art journally style adventure

Dont you sometimes just hate blogger? Just typed a post and then it disappears, not happy.

To keep it short but sweet this is a card I made since I've gotten into art journaling and the general style of art journals. I am learning lots along the way and it's so much fun. The card isnt a masterpiece but it's fun and personal. I have since made some nice pieces I am very proud of and don't want to part with but you'll have to pop back in the next few days to see them....

I am still eagerly awaiting the arrival of Kate Crane's Art Journaling dvd's, the postie hasnt brought them yet :(

Try it on Tuesday - Boxed Up!

I'm really enjoying the Try it on Tuesday Altered Art weeks, great themes and inspiration from the DT.

This week we are boxing things. I used an old box from some metal coins. It was just a perfect size with six little compartments. So I painted and collaged it with various things. Like I mentioned before I am doing a fair bit of art journal style stuff at the moment so I was just painting, inking, spraying things I thought may as well do the box like it too.
Add some ideaology, cut out some hearts and make x's from wired paper ribbon, which came off some packaging so plenty of recycling in this project too.

Check out the Try it on Tuesday blog and their sponsor for the week - The Craft Barn.