Remodeling and new work

Over the past few weeks I have been re-familiarising myself with some of the tools in Photoshop that I've not used for a while. I'm an old fashioned girl really and love hand drawing my designs and pattern repeats. But in the digital age you have to embrace some aspects. I've quite enjoyed tweaking old designs and experimenting with new ones. 

Moorish was my design for the Kleenex competition and I decided it would make a rather nice pattern for other things. 

 Moorish copyright Ballistic Owl 2013

Here I've changed the colours to give it a more earthy tone and I liked it so much it has become one of my new rug designs.

I've also tweaked a few other designs, giving them a more neutral colour palette. I rather like Sycamore in it's grey scale colour-way.

 Sycamore charcoal & grey copyright Ballistic Owl 2013

Look for these in the Originate collection at wwwballisticowl.co.uk I've also reformatted the pages and tidied a few things.

This design was for a entry to a design brief that I really enjoyed doing and got to explore some of my floral drawings and a more pastel colour palette. It also got me practising my digital repeat skills! Fingers crossed it is chosen by the company who set the brief.

Passion Flower copyright Ballistic Owl 2013

I've been loving making items for my market stalls and really love this tiny, itsy bitsy piece that has a combination of screen print and embroidery and yet only measures about an 1 1/2 inches! If you'd like to see it and more then they will be with me at Tynemouth Market this Sunday (2nd June) on the East concourse. 

Itsy Bisty lavender copyright Ballistic Owl 2013

Hope to see you all soon, and thank you for the support and comments, it is very much appreciated :-)

Fancy a bit of retail therapy?

I've been busy over the last few weeks designing and making these gorgeous little chaps. All hand printed and hand embroidered. They look lovely on my shelf but would look even more gorgeous on yours.

Little bird in the lavender is a lino print and he's enjoying a spot on the lawn by the lavender bush. He's in a 10 x 10 inch black box frame and can be your's for £24 + p&p. Click here to find him perching in my  Folksy shop.

Little bird amongst the flowers is also a lino print, but he is exploring the trellis which has been screen printed in a lovely soft blue. He is perching next to lavender bird in my Folksy shop too, and his measurements are as lavender bird and he is also £24 + p&p.

If you'd like to see more of my items on Folksy just click the link in the side bar under the title of 

Retail Owl: online shops.

My Etsy shop sells mainly cushions at the moment ranging in price from £30-£65. Including this screen printed Gothic cushion, measuring approximately 40 x 40 cm and includes a pad for UK orders only.

I'm trying out both these shops at the moment, but will make sure I leave the link for each item so you can easily find them.

All the fun of the fair!

My last post was all about getting ready for Tynemouth Market and making lots of gorgeous cushions, lampshades and gifts. Well that was a weekend ago now and what fun we had! We were up early packing the car up and checking we had everything. I nearly forgot my coat as it was such a bright sunny morning, but later I was so glad I went back for it, brrr it was chilly.

With my very lovely assistant we soon got set up and all our layers on and I must say the stall looked lovely and jolly. People were certainly drawn to the bright bold colours of my Pods cushion and the Fern rug. I sold a few items and got some lovely comments on my work and people seemed impressed that it was all designed and handmade by the same person. 

The market has such a great atmosphere even on a grey, cold day and lots of the other stall holders gave encouraging comments and tips. I certainly felt welcome and often got asked if I'd be there next week.

I will be hopefully doing the Tynemouth Market once a month and will be busy making things in between.

All packed up and ready to go!

The boot is stuffed, good job the car is an estate.

Nearly set up, with rug, lampshades, cushions and gifts.

One of my bird prints, with hand embroidery. 

Copyright Ballistic Owl 2013

This Saturday I will be at the Newcastle Falcons Rugby Club with MC Craft Events. I'm really excited about this as the organisers asked me to come along after seeing the stall at Tynemouth! 

I'll have my cushions, lampshades and my gorgeous embroidered pictures as well as a few other things. So if you're at a loose end on Saturday, why not pop along and come and say hello.

I am also accepting commissions on my fantastic printed and embroidered pictures. So if you have a special birthday or wedding coming up, drop me an email or get in touch via my Facebook page and I would be delighted to make you a special and unique gift. 

For Ben & Caroline's wedding in April 

copyright Ballistic Owl 2013

Thank you for dropping by, see you next post :-)

Stitching, printing and making for the debut!

This week has been a little hectic in the Ballistic Owl Studio and you can barely see any work surface or floor for that matter! But it has been great fun and it's good to be stuck into a project and have a deadline. It reminds me of those mad days at CCAD when it was coming up to hand in and project work, paper,scissors and mugs were littered all over the place. 

It is all in preparation for Tynemouth market, which is a great place and always has a jolly atmosphere. On Saturday 11th May (tomorrow!!) Ballistic Owl will have it's first ever stand, selling cushions, lampshades and works of art. All, as many of you will have seen on my Facebook (Ballistic Owl) page, have been created in my home studio and the screens washed out in the bath (I do give it a good scrub afterwards).

Yesterday I did a little experiment to see if I could print a small section of repeat pattern. It's a little tricky as I don't have stops on my cobbled together print table, so it had to all be worked out by measuring and by eye. But it worked quite well, not perfect, but almost. It has mow been made up into something rather exciting and will feature on the stall tomorrow.

Gothic repeat copyright Ballistic Owl/Tracy Bidwell 2013

For those who have not made it to Tynemouth Market before, here's a little peep at what it's like. It's always busy and has a great feel to it and there's always lots to see. I just hope it will be sunny like it is in this image.

Tynemouth Market, image from Tynemouth market website.

This is a small selection of the stock I will have on the stall, I've since added to it and will even have my rug on display that I had made for the NEC last year. All I need to do now is finish labelling and pricing and pack it all ready to put in the boot. Fingers crossed I get it all done and that I'm not in bed too late as it's a fairly early start in the morning.

So if you are about tomorrow morning and fancy a trip up to the coast, do pop by the stall and say hi, it will be lovely to see you.

Collection of Ballistic Owl cushions and lampshades. Copyright Ballistic Owl/Tracy Bidwell 2013

Must go and get those labels done, see you next time :-)

Brains, fine motor and tea!

This week has been one of learning new skills, using either practical hands on skills or using the old grey matter and on some occasions a bit of both. Especially when some of the instructions given are not always very clear or decipherable! 

The main grey matter skill has involved trying to work out with somewhat more precision how to do a repeat in Photoshop. I have managed in the past with Beans and Radiolarian, but I want to get better, more confident in my skills and most definitely quicker at it! I do love creating patterns by hand, but realise that sometimes you have to let technology in. So I will keep practising until I'm totally sure and if you have any tips that you think may help that would be great.

Radiolarian copyright Ballistic Owl/Tracy Bidwell 2013

The other activities have involved my fine motor skills and some grey matter. I ordered some lampshade kits and have thoroughly enjoyed putting my own fabrics onto them. Here are two using my Beans (or Pods as I've renamed it) and Radiolarians. I must say they look rather fabulous and I'm keen to make more and soon they will be up on the website and on Etsy, so look out for them.

Pods copyright Ballistic Owl/Tracy Bidwell 2013

Then today I've spent time on the sewing machine, learning how to put zips into things and how to make small purses. I must say it was rather a lengthy process first time around, partly due to the fact I chose a pattern with a patchwork type section in the centre as well as learning the zip bit and lining too. It feels a little strange and almost like I should have known how to do it, but I'm more of an hand embroiderer and so a lot of machine skills don't come easily. Aided by plenty of tea, I'm glad to say though that I mastered today's project and made a second purse in much less time and the zip looks better too.

So now I'm armed with my new found and developing skills, I'm going to keep creating and making and soon you'll find more gorgeous things on the website or Etsy. 

Now what shall I make next..............................

First attempt: purse with a zip.

Thank you for popping by and don't forget to check out my Etsy shop the link is at the top of my blog :-)

Wall art - Secret Garden

If you've been keeping an eye on my Facebook pages you will have seen little snippets of this embroidery over the past few weeks. I've really enjoyed doing it and building the layers within stitch and beading work. Well I can now say it's FINISHED yay!

I decided to semi quilt it and have some areas that were just embroidered through the cotton layer and other sections through both the quilting and cotton. It adds a variety of textures and depth and it kept my knee lovely and warm on those cold days we had a week or so ago.

It's called Secret Garden as it tells the story of a wonder around a beautiful garden and highlights all the lovely things you may spot or find there. I love visiting gardens and finding inspiration in the borders and meadows.

Part quilted section with images of feather finds. 

Copyright Tracy Bidwell 2013

 My favourite bit of the piece, love the combination of colours, layers and textures.

Copyright Tracy Bidwell 2013

 The peacock feather.

Copyright Tracy Bidwell 2013

 The whole piece complete with ribbon for hanging.

Copyright Tracy Bidwell 2013

Secret Garden may find it's way onto my website or my Etsy shop, I've not quite decided yet, but it makes a beautiful wall hanging.

Thank you popping by and I'll look forward to seeing you again soon :-)

Tracy A Franklin - an inspiration to get the needles and threads out!

A dear friend of mine bought my attention to the very talented Tracy Franklin the other day and looking through her website and blog I was amazed and inspired by her beautiful embroidery. Tracy is a local artist based in Durham and creates beautiful pieces with a traditional feel. Often looking to Celtic patterns and historical references, she gives them a contemporary look by using unconventional materials and acquired threads.

Tracy Franklin- Specialist embroiderer.

Tracy uses various techniques in her pieces including crewel work, white work, gold work and applique all used to build up beautiful textures and patterns. Tracy also teaches on the techniques she uses and often has courses available and her studio is stuffed full of fabric and threads.

So next time I'm in Durham I will pop down to Fowler's Yard and take a peek at Tracy's studio and her gorgeous work.

If you would like more information on Tracy and her work please follow this link and be prepared to be amazed! Tracy A Franklin - specialist embroiderer:

Oh and she also has a list of published books on the techniques she uses, these are listed on her website which is also gorgeous.

Thank you for dropping by, I'm now going to get my needles and threads out and do some inspired embroidery :-)
'via Blog this'