Autumn at t'mill

Well hello my lovelies!

It has been an AGE since I last blogged.  Nearly a year!

I promise to get my act into gear now I have updated my blog page theme.  Prettier, methinks.

It has been a SUPER busy year; settling into the new, bigger studio, holding lots of workshops in and out of the studio. Here are some images of recent projects:

A lovely workshop with lovely ladies who all produced a mosaic table top.

A little girl's 5th Birthday Party with foam mosaic frames.

My new Husband and I! Our honeymoon patio. 

Yes - I finally got married in April. Told you it was a busy year!

Mosaic ducks and butterflies at a BUPA nursing home.

A3 mosaic for a local church.

Mosaic making at Barnaby Craft Cafe 2013

90 mini mosaics created and installed in the new gardens at Bexton Primary School.

Community mosaic in sheltered housing in Macclesfield.

Well dressing at local nursing home.

Well dressing designs and support at St John's Primary school, Bollington

Creative therapy at a mental health centre in Manchester

Creative therapy mosaic plant pots (and planting!) at nursing home

1m2 mosaic at Bushbury Hill Primary school in Wolverhampton

Mosaic workshops at the studio

Launch of new 'White Nancy Giftware' range. This image shows my Shamballa bead wine glass charm in a hand made origami box.

Pre-grouted White Nancy mosaic

Well, as you can see, I really have been busy. There are lots of other things going on too such as our Autumn programme for adults and children's workshops in half term.

If you would like to see how you can come and learn a new skill or even expand on existing ones, please get in touch, I would love to hear from you.

kindest regards

Debbie (Mrs!)

xx

Wedding Invitations

Well, it is a glorious day here in Bollington - the sun is bouncing off White Nancy and the blue sky is a wonderful backdrop for such a calming icon.

Today is the day I make the flowers for my cousin's hand crafted Wedding Invitations.  

Creating hand made cards is something I have done for one or two years (ok - make that 21 years!) and have had quite a few of my designs published in several creative magazines over the years (17 years!)

The important thing about crafting is that is has to be a labour of love.  It is no good sitting down to make something beautiful for someone when you are in a bad mood of any kind or feeling rushed.  

Today is a perfect day - my mood is great and by the time I have finished I will feel as though I have had a soothing massage.

So - I am off to make some 'anonymous' flowers (as my Mum would have called them). They are actually inspired by Aquiligia which are one of my favourites.

Busy Busy Bee

That, apparently, is the definition of my name 'Debbie' - busy as a bee.  Well, I cannot deny there is a certain similarity.

I am currently preparing for a silk painting workshop at Ellenbrook School in Worsley, tomorrow.

Thankfully the internet is up and running again so I can also finish the research for the rainforest masks and t-shirt painting on Thursday!

I just love working here, at the studio! The fog has settled into a pretty mist, encompassing White Nancy and I am listening to Norah Jones as I prepare my lesson.

I think I may just make myself a ginger and honey herbal tea...

Pictures from the launch...

The entrance to the Mill, yesterday.

The third floor corridor - 

think the balloons may have given it away!

The children's activity area outside the studio. I felt that as there was so much going on inside the studio and it was a 'drop-in' style workshop, the Little Creatives and Young Creatives would have more room to create. It worked well!

One of our Little Creatives decorating his recycled jar 

for Earth Hour 2011

Ah - Ruth and Moira. They arrived at 11 and they were so good at the working on the East Cheshire Hospice mosaic that I chained them to the table and wouldn't let them leave until 4! Only joking - they didn't need chaining. They took to mosaic like ducks to water!

Hopefully they will come back and help work some more on the mosaic.

Dave, adding his contribution to the community painting for The Bridgend Centre.  Everyone who attended the launch were invited to paint on the canvas - including Charli and Scott from Silk FM.  The canvas now has all the underpainting completed and I am going to add some finishing touches before presenting it to the Bridgend Centre, Bollington.

the day before

The sun is streaming through the studio window, White Nancy is looking resplendent, draped in the rays and I'm sitting at my desk drinking the best cup of coffee I've had in a long time. And I made it myself!

I have so much to do for tomorrow, I'm a little concerned it's going to be finished! At least I have the design agreed for the East Cheshire Hospice mosaic and I know what I'm doing for the Bridgend Centre painting.

Going to get off and finish my brochure.

See you later!

We have a printer!

What a gorgeous day!  I can see White Nancy from the window of the studio and the sun is bouncing off her.  Ben from Nestable has just popped upstairs from his office in Adelphi Mill to put the wireless printer online. I can print!

I just wish I had my Mac here so I could download the template for all my invoices instead of having to start again on Vista. C'est la vie!

Once I have this quote finished, I can get a few more boxes tidied - I did say I would empty the five remaining. Hmm. Fingers crossed!

I hope there are plenty of people out there who want to learn mosaics and crafts!

See you later.

:-)

Monday, Monday...

Good morning all you good people!

After a refreshing weekend in beautiful Bollington, I am ready to take on the world, again.

Walked up to White Nancy. I am DEFINITELY going to have to join the gym in the new year. Phew! Worth the views, though. Absolutely stunning and as my mate Oliver told me, I got a 'good sky day'. Yep, I know what you mean.

Well, despite lots of ideas for small, gift-size mosaics, I am going to spend the day filling my ebay shop with craft materials that I have been meaning to sell for ages.

Is it me or is it INCREDIBLY boring inputting information about stock?

I have put up a picture of White Nancy for you all to enjoy.  Sorry it is only with a little digital camera - can you imagine the quality with a good quality SLR?

Speak later

:-)

Milk Bottle Top Hill

Good morning folks!  BRR - well, we woke up this morning FREEZING! Yes, the heating had decided to go to sleep and not wake up this morning. It's not all bad, though, a little persuasion from me and it awoke, albeit sleepily.  Ah, warm again.

I was chatting to a friend of mine the other day and we were talking about White Nancy. She said their school would take children up to 'milk bottle hill' in Bollington. I wonder if this is White Nancy? It does fit!

That leads me to my next though, I'm delivering some card making sessions at the community centre on 25th November and I think I might design a Christmas White Nancy Card...

Ok - that's me signing off for this morning. Got to get my boy to school then come back and create.

Have a good day

Debbie xxxx