Childrens Prints...

My friend recently had a beautiful little baby girl, which has done two things to me. 

One, made me very broody, which is never good when your single and 21.

And Two, help me find me a new found love for all things baby. After shopping around for baby grows, changing bags, prams and blankets, Ive fallen in love with all the gawj baby prints and the silly amount of teenie tiny baby clothes, that you simply just MUST buy. 'Joules' baby have some absolutely stunning prints and the colours are too beautiful.

I decided to do a bit more research into the interior side of things and had a go at making my own Personalized baby print. At uni I created a range of animal prints,but never actually developed them further, so I thought now was the perfect time to use them! I had a look at stores online and took inspiration from prints id seen on 'Etsy' and 'Notonthehighstreet.com.' I used a basic color palette to start with, but im pretty pleased with the results and have had a few people emailing me with orders already... 

Unframed Print £22, Framed £30. Please email devadaisy@hotmail.co.uk for personalized orders.

Bluebellgray...

For the past few days Ive been working on a second interview project brief. The brief has 3 sections and one of them has asked me to design a 'Traditional Rose' Surface pattern. I remembered reading an article in Elle Dec a few months ago about 'Bluebellgray' and gave them a Google. I absolutely heart there prints. The colours and watercolour print flowers are stunning on the pale fabrics they use and the embellishments and trims really give their final products an edge. I always find watercolour flowers can be quite dated, but these prints by 'Bluebellgray' are modern, original, bright and edgy...
So if you've got a spare £70-110 treat yourself to a cushion. 

Getting back on the design horse...

Its been a bit of a weird month! And I'll admit I haven't picked up a paint brush in ages! At the moment im still currently looking for work in my local area and in Manchester. Ive come across a few amazing jobs, but i just don't seem to be having much look on the design house front.

I approached a local craft shop the other day to see if the owner would stock some of my work, the manager Alison said I should approach bigger companies such as the National Trust and Next with my designs. She was really helpful and gave me some good advice. Its hard to keep going when your getting knocked back all the time especially when its your own work, because its personal, but after a long chat with Alison I felt a lot better about myself and my work. 

So this weekend I have decided to try and approach some of the more high end boutiques in my area and see what they think of my designs.

Wish me luck...

Graduate Struggles...

On Wednesday I had a portfolio viewing with a design company in Stafford. I was really pleased to find out about a design house so close to where I live and when I looked at their website I loved what they did! The company mainly focuses on interiors and designs surface pattern for fabrics, curtains, ceramics, wall tiles and lots more. The team all seemed really friendly and they were based in a really quirky design studio in an old abattoir. 

After showing them my portfolio, I have been offered a one day a week placement. I'm really excited to start with them on Tuesday and show them what I can do. Ive been asked to do a bit of painting and drawing in the next few days,so im going to get started with some florals today...

We ♥ Handmade...

So after a lot of money being spent on my degree show and all the hard work that went into making these products, I figured, why not sell them. For the past few weeks all my handmade tea towels have been sat in a box under the stairs and I would much rather they were being put to good use! So here are a range that are for sale. All products are Limited Edition, Tea towels start at £14.99 each. Please feel free to email me for details...

devadaisy@hotmail.co.uk

'Feather Day' Tea Towel £14.99

'Mustard Floral' Tea Towel £14.99

'Mustard Trio of  Feathers' Tea Towel £14.99

'Grey Meadow' Tea Towel £14.99

'Big Geo Carrot' Tea Towel £14.99

'O.J Geo' Tea Towel £14.99

'Artichoke Geo' Tea Towel £14.99

Its been a long time...

Hi...wow its been a while since my last post, and lots has happened! I managed to get all my final show up and away, exhibited at New Designers, lots of job offers and placements from that! I also started an internship with the British Museum, which unfortunately I had to give up because of funding. I am currently back at home in Shropshire after achieving a 2:1 degree in Textile Surface Design. At the moment i am looking for work here and in the surrounding area, which is proving harder than I expected!

Here are a few images from things I have been doing over the past few months...

Tea Towels Down...

Today I finally printed out my Tea Towels. I printed them on a 'Cotton Jeska' fabric.I like the natural feel to the fabric and feel it compliments the towels well. The towels all printed out without any problems and Im really pleased with the results. I feel the colours and the designs all work really well together. Now I just need to hem the edges!

Tea Towel Designs...

Ive finally completed my Tea Towels Designs. I have two collections in total. One containing my geometric prints and vegetable designs, another with my lino block organic floral designs. Im really pleased with them overall and I think they will look great when there printed. I wanted to screen print my organic floral collection originally, but due to the time scale left Im going to just digitally print all my towels onto a natural fabric instead...

Professional Pack...

Over the past week I have been finalizing my professional pack. Ive had the contents for ages. I just wanted to finalize my logo and sort out my business cards before i sent them off! But Ive finally completed it. Ive decided to put the contents into a brown paper bag sealed with a patterned sticker with one of my design on it. Ive edited my logo slightly and added some of my current work to it. Im pleased over all. and everything is ready now its just a case of putting it all together...

New Finalized Logo...

Not long...

Sorry I havent been about this week! Its been a bit manic! After having virtually nothing after my hard-drive disaster i feel like ive managed to nearly catch up! Since i last updated Ive managed to design 2 complete ranges of tea towels, get my ceramics printed and ready to fire and complete several croque designs and lampshade ideas! I finally feel like its coming together but there's still such a lot to do, in such a short space of time! My plan for this week. Is to print my tea towels, finish my croque and lampshade designs ready to be okay-ed and printed next week and to finally send off my business cards! Il keep you posted, but whilst your waiting here are a few of my designs so far!

Lino Birds Print © 2013 Deva Daisy Booth

Woodcut Shade © 2013 Deva Daisy Booth

 Circle Thistle Print © 2013 Deva Daisy Booth

Ceramics down...

After working really hard yesterday and most of the early hours of this morning i have finally finished my ceramic transfers ready to go to the printers! Im really pleased with the over all collection and feel that the design link well to my project and project my autumn theme well. The designs for my teacups and canisters differ slightly, so I have tried to link then together by using similar colours and themes throughout the collection. Take a look...

A super quick mock up of what my designs will look like in sets on my teacups...

One of the Ceramic Canisters I will be transferring onto... 

Large Feather Canister Design © 2013 Deva Daisy Booth

Med Floral Line Canister Design © 2013 Deva Daisy Booth

Small Woodcut Canister Design © 2013 Deva Daisy Booth

The heat is on...

Wow, the last few days have been a bit crazy! But im finally starting to feel like im getting somewhere! I had a tutorial on Monday, which went well, i feel like i got a lot out of it and i now have a full plan of action. Screen printed Tea Towels, Ceramics, Fabric Croques, Fabric lengths and Lampshades. I finally feel like i know what im doing, which feels great after being in a big heap on the floor for most of the Easter vacation! Today i bought my ceramic pieces and measured them to size. I have also completed a set of tea cup designs and ceramic canister designs to show my lecturer tomorrow, before they are sent off to the decal company. I have wanted to make espresso cups throughout this project. My mum has a lovely Whittards set at home and Ive had an obsession with patterned espresso sets since the day i saw them! Ive been shopping around for a set for months and i haven't found any i like. However whilst in M&S today i found a gorgeous set of small stubby teacups. I couldn't resist them. They were a bit pricey, but totally worth it. There not too big, but they will showcase my design work much better than my original espresso idea...

Artichokes again...

Today hasn't been very productive, however i do feel like i know what im doing and what i need to do to get to where i need to be! What a mouthful! I booked a tutorial with my lecturer just before i spent the weekend designing things that i shouldn't be! I feel a lot more on track and i have a big list of things to do. Im going to concentrate on working up fabrics for my interiors and kitchen collection this weekend, which will hopefully end up being used for a range of interior fabric lengths, tea towels and ceramics! Lots of work needs to be done but i feel like i can do it! 

Ive just been working on this design for a tea towel and im pretty pleased with it. Its a repeat of the artichoke i created digitally yesterday. Ive done two variations, but i think i prefer the second one! Let me know what you think! 

Artichoke#1 © 2013 Deva Daisy Booth

Artichoke#2 © 2013 Deva Daisy Booth

Veggie...

Today ive been working on my vegetable prints. Ive managed to work with one of my geometric artichoke shapes and have designed a repeat pattern for one of my lampshades. Im pretty pleased with the overall out come of the prints ive managed to produce today. Ive just managed to draw my own digital artichoke too, using a petal shape i had hanging around on my hard drive from last semester. Im pleased with the illustrative and liney  effect i have managed to achieve using my tablet and although it needs some tweaking i plan to make another repeat with it tonight after work...

Old School...

As my hard-drive is not working, today i have been sketching my design compositions in biro so that once my work is restored i can digitally design quicker. I have done some simple sketches of basic design layouts and ideas that i have for my collections. This evening i have completed a few of my geometric espresso cup designs on the computer using my own shapes and colour palette. I will fill you in more on my technical PC failures tomorrow and show you my completed espresso patterns. Wish me luck...

Hardrive Disaster!

Today ive been trying to design some more fabrics. But my hardrive wouldnt open any file from this semester. Ive just updated it and the computer has deleted all of my work from this semester. Which means i have no scanned in work to design with. Ive just checked my backed up files and i have a few bits on there that i will be able to work with today. Unfortunately im also going to have to re-design all my designs that i have completed so far because they've been deleted too. So not a great day...

Busy Busy...

This morning has been busy busy! Ive sent off an enquiry form to Citrus Rain for details on pricing and fabric for my small pocket handkerchiefs. Ive managed to source some large logs from a lovely local farmer for my ceramic bowls, free of charge and after receiving my 'Moo Sample Pack' for my business cards ive finally decided on a finished design and card size. I just need to wait for my loan until i send them off! (Student poorness is rubbish!) Ive also bought some plain recycled post cards to screen print onto for my press packs.

This afternoon Ive researched further into how to make my lampshades. Ive found a few good tutorials, but i cant decide whether to just back and existing lampshade with my own fabric or make my own, which would mean me sourcing some pressure sensitive styrene, which is the shiny paper that is normally used on the inside of lampshades. I will think further into this later on! I need to carry on designing first! 

Its all getting very real now and degree show nerves are setting in! There's such a lot to do...including finding some accommodation in London for New Designers! Lots of to-do lists now need to be made...lets just hope there not too long!

Croque #1...

Ok so after several hours and some serious stressing ive completed Design 1. I have no idea why my PC is being so slowww but i managed to watch 3 episodes of Gavin & Stacey between saving this one file!!! Im really pleased with this design and i like all the colours and textures. I think they really compliment each other and the overall mood of the piece. I think this design will work best on interior fabric. However Thinking about a previous collection I based on 'Dapper Gents' i also think this style of Design would suit a mens collection of some sort, possibly on some quirky dicky bows, ties or silk handkerchiefs?...

Design day...

Today im going to start properly designing some repeat patterns in Photoshop. Ive just taken some photographs of the work I have done over the Vacation period, because the scanner i have at home isn't really of a high enough quality for me to use. Im just importing all my images now, so il upload some designs later on...

Fly Hooks...

Today i got up early, played about with my blog and developed some of my worksheets. I really feel that my work has developed over the past few weeks and my fish theme has added some sophistication to my work. Im feeling a lot more confident overall and i finally feel like im ready to start designing properly! Here's a few of my worksheets from today...

 Developing my birds and line work using pattern and simple line to create a sophisticated finish. Im pleased with these birds and feel they will work well on a lampshade design along with geometric forms...

My fly sheet worksheets so far. I feel they work really well together and i love the colours and textures...

 

Some of today's fly hooks close up. I love the colours and the textures together and i feel that there going to make some really nice designs...

Step Ladder Décor...

For the past few weeks i have been thinking about ways to display my work at my degree show. After a tutorial a few weeks ago we discussed the possibility of displaying my fabrics on an old ladder. I did a bit of research into how other artists and shops have used ladders in displays and i really liked the way it looked...

I started to look on sites like ebay and gumtree, for a good second hand pair. I didn't want to buy new because i felt that a second hand pair would have more character. All the pairs on ebay were all really expensive because people were selling them as 'shabby chic.' Or in other words, old and tired looking lets add £20 onto the price!! Yesterday I finally found a pair in Lichfield which is quite close to my home in Shropshire. But by the time i had driven there and purchased the ladders it would have worked out at about £50! Ironically yesterday afternoon my mum and sister visited a vintage fair at a local village hall and low and behold look what was waiting for them when they got there!! It was meant to be! So here are my beauts new ladders! All i need now is some beautiful work to display on them!!

Hard Day...

Today has been shocking! I had a nervous breakdown on my poor dad at lunchtime and spent a whole hour crying! But then i managed to get it together and get a few final worksheets done! Tomorrow im taking a trip to an aquarium to take some photos of fish and fishing gear so i can develop my fishing collection, whilst designing prints for my other collection.I feel a bit better after my breakdown and after putting all my work into sections and getting a few more worksheets finished i feel like i might be able to finish this degree!!

Manchester...

On Wednesday I went to Manchester with my mum and sisters. I really wanted to go and see the 'Raqib Shaw' exhibition thats on at the Manchester Art Gallery. Ive been meaning to go for ages, but i haven't got around to it! The exhibition was good and the work was beautiful, but it wasnt really my thing. It was all a bit Gordy and gruesome! The drawings and paintings that Shaw had created were really impressive and the colours used were amazing, however i felt that there was a slight over use of glitter and rhinestones! 

Whilst in Manchester i visited the design center and had a browse around all the different studios. There was some really beautiful work, but i had seen most of it before, because when im back in Bolton i visit the craft center nearly every time im in Manchester! It such a nice relaxing place to be and its so bright and light and creative. I like to imagine myself sat there at a sewing machine stitching away and selling bits and bobs in my own studio in a few years time! 

I also came across a few shops in the 'Northern Quarter' that had some really nice collections including work from Angie Lewin and Lush Designs.

Fish theme...

After trying to develop my fish theme further the other day i did some research into fishing and things that are used during the sport. I came across fly hooks, nets, rods, and floats. After developing my fish themselves and giving them a bit more life i have begun to paint and draw some fly hooks. There surprisingly pretty little things...considering there supposed to look like dead flies! I started off with some simple watercolor and coloured pencil drawings. Im really pleased with the over all finish and i want to expand the collection over the rest of this week so i can begin to design at the weekend. I feel this collection will work best on interior fabrics, possibly for use in the kitchen...

Gouache Fish paintings, I plan to develop these more by possibly painting some in block colours, giving them a more realistic finish...

Fly Hooks, Watercolour & Coloured Pencil...

Missoni Home...

After developing my ceramic ideas and patterns on the computer earlier today I decided to take a look at some current collections online and came across this beautiful new collection for 2013 by 'Missoni Home.'

I love this beautiful range of ceramic bowls, plates and mugs in their newest collection. The colours shapes and patterns are all very complimentary and I love the over all feel of the final collection. I particularly like the bowls below and the geometric print mugs…

 

 

Wheres a Lumberjack when you need one?...

Yesterday I went to my local woods to source some wood for my wooden bowls. The council chop down old trees and branches when the weather has been bad and just leave lots of logs in stacks in the woods. It took us a while, but we manged to find some really great logs, however they were all a bit too bit to carry! The bowls that Ive bought to transfer my ceramics onto are about 20cm in circumference and all the logs that we would have been able to carry, weren't wide enough so there's 2 options, find some smaller bowls and use the small logs i foraged OR take a chainsaw down there and cut my own logs off the bigger ones....I like idea 2 best!

Bowls by loyalloot...the best thing to happen to me since my morning latte.

Whilst doing a bit of Pinteresting this morning I came across these gorgeous bowls by company 'loyalloot.' I absolutely love them. There a bit pricey at $75-305.00!!! But i have to make one!! The colours and juxtaposition between glossy shiny lacquer and rustic earthy textures is beautiful. I would love to make some of these bowls myself for my final project and transfer some of my own designs onto the ceramic bowls before i place them inside the logs. These bowls are made by hollowing out the logs and filling them with a glossy lacquer. im not sure i could do that, so i was thinking more along the lines of hollowing out a hole and then placing my own ceramic bowls inside the holes?? 

 

Imagery courtesy of http://inspiredinteriorslivebeautifully.blogspot.co.uk

London Town....

Last week me and my classmate took a trip to London for the New Designers Prep day 2013. It was a really good day. We managed to get to London early and had time to pop into a few of the big stores and do some Market Research before the meeting at 1. Selfridges was huge and we got lost a few times, but it was good to see all the displays and current trends in a larger store than I would normally look around! We also went and had a look in Marimekko, a Finnish store that was full of gorgeous Finnish design and pattern. The shop wasn't very big, but the overall look of the store was inspirational. I also managed to pickup some great promotional material in the shop and the lady behind the counter was really nice and didn't mind us taking a few pictures...which is rare!

We arrived at the Business Design Center just before 1, checked in and picked up our prep packs. The meeting itself was very informative and gave us all the must know info that we needed for our exhibitions in June! There were a few guest speakers, including a talk from greeting card giants Tigerprint.

After the meeting we took a trip to Liberty's. As we walked in we had a quick browse around the scarf hall, the scarves displayed were stunning. My favorite part of the store was the 'Stationary Room.' The displays were amazing and i got lost in the greetings cards and giftwrap. There was such a broad range of products and styles...I even managed to take a few sneeky pictures!...