Anyone for an illuminated cup of tea?

Do you like my new kettle? It arrived in the post today, all the way from Gilles Eichenbaum in Paris and it is my present to myself for working hard on my book...something to mark the occasion! It is wonderful that it should arrive today as yesterday as I had the loveliest email from my editor. She has read my manuscript and is really pleased with my submission and thinks it will make a beautiful book! I had a little cry with relief I can tell you. I put my heart and soul into that book and it is wonderful to hear that it has been enjoyed.

It's not over yet though. I have been over zealous and written way too much. I have to cut it down by 6000 words. Yes that's SIX THOUSAND....and by Monday afternoon. Haven't quite got my head around that yet....

Anyway this wonderful art piece is something that I fell in love with along the way. It has been lovingly crafted by Gilles Eichenbaum who has a business called GARBAGE as he makes new artefacts out of peoples disused items. Kettles, coffee pots, saucepans, colanders with beautiful lace work patterns cut out using simple tools in his workshop. It LOVE it . It has made my day to unwrap the box and see it in real life. I love that it is so smooth and well finished. I love that it is painted white inside to reflect the light around. I love that the lid comes off (why wouldn't it?) so that you can change the bulb. I feel that if I tipped it up, bright illuminated light would pour from the spout. I like the sound of that cup of tea!

The Gathering of the Illuminated!

My mate Dave is an LED expert with a business called LED Fantastic. For the last couple of years his name (LED Dave as I call him) has come up SO often in conversation when I chat to makers about various designs that they would like to illuminate, and I have referred many people over to him for his expertise with great results. Above and below you can see Helen Musselwhites stunning 'Magic Cupboard' and below that, you can see Priscilla Jones's quirky 'Illuminated Teapot'.

LED's are great because they offer a low energy and low risk way of lighting things up!

Now the great thing is that Dave also runs the Hebden Bridge Hostel

which is an ideal place to stay and host a workshop.

We thought it would be great to get everyone together, artists and lighting designers for a weekend at the hostel to learn more about these wonderful 'Light Emitting Diodes' and how we can use them in our work. It's also a great chance to hook up and share ideas and enjoy a lovely relaxing weekend in Hebden Bridge at the same time. 20th- 22nd January 2012.

Here is a link to the flyer with all the information about the weekend and it would be really wonderful if you could make it!

Loula Belle

I LOVE this photo so much. This is my daughter and her friends modelling for Loula Belle at home in the launderette (yes they did get a few funny looks). Leonie Stephenson makes these gorgeous vintage style pinnies in the most pretty fabrics. I saw Leonies work for the first time the other evening when Fiona had a brilliant fashion party at her house. They are beautifully made and would turn baking into the most stylish affair! Leonie gave me her business card with this image on when I saw her but seeing it over on on 7071 design blog just now made me want to put it on my blog too!!!

Loula Belle keeps a lovely blog with lots of recipe ideas (she made a gorgeous lemon drizzle the other night) and this is her shop.

'Fresh', an exhibition at The New Leaf Gallery

I am pleased to be part of the 'Fresh' exhibition at The New Leaf Gallery in Monmouth. Isn't this a pretty flyer. It's nice to be alongside these two talented artist. I am loving the work of Clare Mahoney. Such beautiful pebbles. And the Jane Ormes prints are gorgeous. The exhibition starts on the 28th May and runs until the 9th July so if you're in the area to go and have a look. I wish I was closer as I'd very much like to see!

Debbie Bryan and her Nottingham Lace

I've just been down to Nottingham for another inspiring book research trip (I won't give anything away, 2012 launch remember!) and I took the opportunity to catch up with Debbie Bryan a friend who I have met through various craft shows over the last few years. Debbie is a maker with a shop too, just like me so it's really inspiring to hear about what she's been up to and share ideas. Debbie is a textile artist and makes beautiful knitted and felted scarves as well as range of scrumptious resin jewellery to compliment. She opened her shop a few years ago in Nottinghams historic lace market and this inspired her to launch a heritage collection of lace inspired products. Here is one of her lace brooches.

Nottingham is famous for it's lace production and it was crafted by people all over the town and then traded in the lace market. Sadly there's not much production happening anymore but lots of people remember it from when they were children and come into the shop with their lace stories and lace samples. They have however met a chap who still makes lace after all these years and he brought them lots of original lace patterns which are exquisite. They now sit beautifully framed in the shop.

Debbie has invited many of her exhibiting artists to make some lace inspired products for the collection. This delicate jug by Katie Almond was one of my favourites.

AND I have had some lace inspired ideas of my own whilst on the train home (can you believe it Debbie, at last) so hopefully some lamps will be able to join the collection soon!

Fritillary

I just had a spent a lovely fifteen minutes on Twitter and have just 'met' an illustrator called Victoria Archer (@bella_lovebird if your on Twitter) and I skipped over to her blog and discovered her beautiful paintings and illustrations. We agreed we both have an obsession for flowers. Amongst them was this fritillary picture...

and she reminded how much I love these flowers. I tried to do a fritillary design once but the beautiful chequered leaves, which really do sum up their 'fritillaryness' 'proved too tricky to cut by hand. I am now inspired to revisit this flower now I have the super duper laser technology. Thought I'd check out the brilliant BioLib for illustrations and found there to be a particularly lovely one. All inspired again...

Whistle Stop Studio Tour of London & Brighton!

I have just returned from the most inspiring research trip to London and Brighton. Altogether I took 21 trains (including tubes), 4 taxi's, 1 car ride and lots of shoe leather and it has filled me with so much inspiration. I went to interview some amazing designer/makers for the book and spent a lot of hours in workshops and studios learning about peoples work and hearing their fascinating stories. Of course I want to tell you everything and show you all my pictures and publish all the interviews right here right now but that would be giving it all away wouldn't it. Eventually it will all be in the book!

Lovely Feature in Making Magazine

Today I got Making Magazine sent to me because I had a lamp featured in their 'Light Edition'. I had never seen this magazine before, I think it's fairy new and I found it really lovely. It's full of beautiful craft projects and interviews with artists and makers. I felt very at home as I recognised many people in there. Jane Blease had an interview in there and Helen Rawlinson, all people who I stock at Radiance. My lamp is happily nestled amongst friends....like Wendy Jungs heart nightlight, Inke's birdbox light from Radiance and Ose Designs knitted shade. Think I'll have to make friends with Rebecca Wilson too as I've not 'met' her before!

Have a closer look here.

What a lucky girl!

Hello and Happy New Year!!!

I've had the loveliest week of rest after the busiest Christmas time ever ever ever (note, no blogging since the 6th of December...that's a long time for me to not reach the computer) ! It's been lovely having time to see family and friends and time to just hang out at home being cosy and have some time to think after not really being able to catch my breath for quite some time!

During this time as well as Christmas I have had a birthday (38 goodness me) and thought I'd share some of my artsy crafty gifts that I have been lucky enough to receive....and I'll share some big news.

Natalie gave me a set of Rob Ryan plates which are truly delightful. I think this one is my favourite but there are three others in the set which are all gorgeous.

Robert gave me the lovely cacti pincushions by &made. I have coveted some of these for ages. He got them from the lovely Ed at Snug Gallery here in Hebden Bridge but the designer/maker Andrea Lord (a Hebden Bridge lass herself who remembers when Radiance used to be her dentist as a child) has a unit at The Manchester Craft Centre where there are lots of her gorgeous wares to choose from. I think I'll have to start a collection.

..and I am now the proud owner of three of Dee Beales prints. Blue Hares, Snowy Owls and Sleeping Foxes. My Mum and Dad got me the first two and I bought the other with my Grandads birthday money (it was his 89th Christmas this year...imagine that!).

My kids got me this book all about Batch made Craft and Design. It's written by designer Andrew Tanner and showcases many designers and makers across many mediums and tells the stories of how they came to be designers. It's really interesting and good inspiration for me...

...and here's where I drop my big news. I am writing a book too. At the GNCCF this year I was approached by an editor for A&C Black Publishers and she was looking for someone in the field to write a book on Contemporary Craft Lighting. Obviously, being very passionate about the subject I jumped at the chance! It's going to be hard not to give too much away but I will have to keep quiet about it all until it's ready to read. I'll just tell you this. It will look at the work of many lighting designers from across the globe across many mediums - ceramics, glass, plastics, paper, print, textiles, metal and wood. Work is underway and there are some great people involved so far. It's very exciting. I have until November to write it and then it will be another year until publication. So, Christmas 2012 it might be on your coffee table ;)

GNCCF 2010

It's all going well at GNCCF. It's always really lovely to catch up with show friends and make some new ones! I'm liking my new stand. I'm happy that I chose the brown. It really sets things off. My Mum and Dad came to visit today and took some piccies of it (and me). The show is still on for two more days so pop along if you're in the area. I'll try and take some pictures of the rest of the show if I can because there is lots of very very inspiring work!

Hedgerow Earrings

I just bought some of Joanna Rutters Hedgerow earrings. The earrings came on a lasercut cloud in a little blue box tied in red and white string...oooh what a treat!

New necklace

I spent my birthday money on this beautiful necklace by Laura Baxter which just arrived in the post. I absolutely LOVE it!

Hey it's weird being back in the (old) shop today. After all the activity and noise of the last few days it's a little quiet! Need to get some work done though..

Beautiful New Calendar

I bought a beautiful new calendar for this exciting New Year from Amy Marcella at Etsy. What pretty illustrations...Can't wait to use it!

Hello

Hello! Hope you have all had a great Christmas. This lovely 'hello' necklace by Joanna Rutter was one of my favourite Christmas presents this year (thanks Mum and Dad) along with this beautiful pair of silver and resin earrings by Fiona Chapman (thanks Robert). Handmade jewellery is always such a treat especially when you have chatted to the designer/makers and know a little bit about them....one of my favourite things!

News from the Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair

I've had a really fantastic time at the show. I have sold lots of lamps and worked hard to promote my work and Radiance which I suppose is the ultimate aim but I have also met up with old exhibitor friends, made new ones and had a lovely, lovely time! It was really nice to know that lots of people looked at my picture of the shop with recognition or with excitement and the promise of paying us a visit! It also met so many people I have been chatting to via blogs and Twitter over the last year and it was really nice to put faces to names.

This year my stand was opposite Linzi Ramsden, a ceramic artist based at The Manchester Craft Centre. She is also inspired by plants and flowers and actually grows her own flowers which she used to create the textures in her ceramic panels. They are lovely and so was she. She was a good stand neighbour and kept us entertained.

This year the show was situated in a large marquee in the centre of Spinningfields, Manchesters new and swanky business quarter off Deansgate. They had an awesome banner. It was huge! Last year the show was at Manchester Grammar School which perhaps a little more quirky but it was nice to be in the centre of town and the venue was more condensed which had it's benefits.



Despite driving rain and high winds it was very busy most of the time and people seemed to be enjoying all the lovely work which I have to say was outstanding and very inspiring. Although I didn't have much time to spend going round get round I did take some time to have a look and take some pictures.

Being me, I always notice the lighting and I loved Jane Blease's new work (shown above)- lampshades, brooches and some lovely framed pieces. There will be some coming to Radiance soon!

Another lighting artist at the show was Jenny Bland with her beautiful lamps and shades made from spun embroidery thread. (hopefully also coming to Radiance soon)



There were some lovely displays and quirky ideas. I liked these hands on Lynsey Walters stand displaying her colourful felt rings.



Kate O'Connells serving platters based on shards of broken pottery caught my eye.

It's always nice to catch up with the lovely Debbie Bryan and was good to hear that her new shop in Nottinghams Lace Market is doing well. She gave me one of her beautiful resin buttons which I have happily sewn on my cardy!

I always like Yungi's cosy textile stand too and catch up with Mr Yungi himself (Bryan Young) We were stand neighbours at b.c.t.f afew years ago. We always have a giggle.

...well I have run out of photos but I feel like I have barely scratched the surface There were SO many talented makers (144 to be precise) making so many utterly beautiful things. It's an honour to have been a part of it.

There are more reviews with great pictures over at Moregeous and over at HisforHome.

Denmark

I just had a marvellous few days visiting my friend Amy in Denmark. We realised that it was our 20 year anniversary as we met in September 1989 when we started at Dewsbury College of Art and Design. I was only 16! Amy is a textile artist with a fascination for bats and has made me a very special personalised Bat Box for Radiance. I thought it would go and collect it and see Amy's beautiful home and studio in the Danish countryside.

Sofus accompanied us for a walk in the cold crisp morning sunshine.



Otis enjoyed his cuddles.





Amys workshop is full of inspiring and interesting work. Cupboards full of fabric and trimmings and shelves of her bat boxes. It has a lovely view across their lake and they have deer running throught the garden. She is currently working on her website and I'll alert you to it as soon as it's done so you can have a closer look at everything. Here i am with my Bat Box. It has a lamp and an illuminated wall panel, a cosy chair, pictures of my family and cats on the walls and a shelf full of books. I'm going to put more pictures on the Radiance blog later on....