Vote Libraries

 

I created a design for Every Library & Creative Action Network's latest campaign 'Vote Libraries'. My design details education and storytime and how libraries can help with children's literacy.

I went to my local library yesterday and although it's tiny I managed to find a few graphic novels, a cookbook & a book on mindfulness. So much knowledge, wisdom & enjoyment are in the pages of books. So make sure you use your library they're so important for us now & the future generation.

Custom Embroidered Book Bags

  

After first creating my Haruki Murakami Book Stack Bag for my etsy shop I started creating Custom Book Stack Tote Bags where you can choose your own 6 books/Authors. Here's a look at a few of the embroidered book bags I've been creating over the last few months. . .

 

I love seeing what books people choose and I get to add even more great books and authors to my to-read-list!

    

I got to embroider my favourite trilogy 'His Dark Materials', must reread it this year as it is 20 years since it was written! (love these scholastic special editions)

 

Here's me with my original Haruki Murakami Bag out in the garden.

   

I also did a special 7 book version for my sister, a huge Harry Potter fan!

 

and here's one I did of 6 Neil Gaiman books out in the wilds of a library!

What books would you choose on yours?

August Instagram Diary

      

Here's my favourite moments of August 2014 through my Instagram:

Rubha Huinish on Skye Birthday Walk where we spotted seals & minke whales, Visited the oldest inn on Skye, London Map drawing for my sister's birthday present...

     

Packing up an Oscar Wilde Print order from my Louise Norman Studio shop to be sent to Dublin, Packing wooden game orders from my vintage Beautifunk shop, making Merci thank you cards...

   

Creating a new confetti sprinkle tote bag, Beautiful Tiled walls at Sheffield Library, Wrapping mini presents in origami paper...

     

Walking in the Peak District, Visiting Chatsworth & a sneak preview of the new 'Beyond Limits' sculpture exhibition and visiting the beautiful 'Heights Chapel', Delph, Saddleworth for lots of family history.

Pink & Blue Bags

 

I have just finished a small collection of pink & blue natural cotton bags (well there's a pink & green one as well!) These are just perfect for spring turning into summer (even when it's a rainy and cold British Summer) they are now in my design & illustration etsy shop.  

 

 I love sashiko stitching so these semi-circle pattern bags are in homage to the dashed long stitches from Japan and created from beautiful prussian blue and pistachio green thread.

 I also created some simpler shape bags which I love, they are all hand painted with fabric paint and then stitched with prussian blue thread. Here's the Circle...

 the Diagonals...

 

 the Semi-Circle...

and the Triangle.

You can pick them all up in my etsy shop.

New Hand-stamped Goodies in my Etsy Shop

 

I've been working on some new patterns for a few new things in my etsy shop. You can't get better than the classic spots and stripes so here's some on cushions, tote bags and notebooks. The cushions come in yellow and blue, check them all out and more in my shop here

 

 

These notebooks come in a Blue and Red Criss-Cross Design & a Yellow and Green Zig-Zag Stripe Design and you can choose from 2 sizes: Large or Small! 

 I've also just started experimenting with lino and made these landscape lino stamped prints, love the call of the wild.

 

I always use a cotton bag whenever I go shopping nowadays, they're so useful to carry around and fit everything I need to buy! So I made a collection of handstamped cotton bags using linocut stamps of circles, lines and crosses and my favourite colour - red! Check them all out here in my shop!

   

 

Studio Round-Up

 Here's a little round up of what I've been up to lately in my studio:- 

I've been making a lot of Murakami Book Stack Tote Bags as it was featured on Buzzfeed in their list of 37 ways to proudly show your love of books! {my bag is #21} 

  

I also made some little notecards featuring a great Murakami quote to send as thank you notes in the cute stripey and spotty packages!

 I had my first stall at a Craft Fair in Penge, SE London and debuted my new Xmas Cards featuring Merry Xmas Greetings in Welsh, French, English and Hawaiian! {plus they sold out!} and Origami Tree Gift Tags, which will both be back in my shop soon!

   

What have you been up to?

Oh yeah Merry Xmas in Hawaiian? Mele Kalikimaka of course! {Never too early for a bit of Bing Crosby}