Lucy Moose

October news

2011-10-30T10:18:00.000-07:00

Just quickly before our big exciting news tomorrow.....
It's been a busy month and things are really hotting up for Christmas, orders steadily coming in, this will getting more and more manic as we move into November.
Anyway, we were really excited to take part in Cupar Arts Festival with a window of LucyMoose madness in the Maisie and Mac gallery. There was an exhibition in the gallery based on drawing, including the work of Clare Knox Bentham too, who does huge crazy drawings in glue......

We have had some lovely sunny days and getting out with the boys and dogs in the holidays was good fun, if cold! We are all a bit Halloween mad in this house, so we have had carved pumpkins on the go for a week now....we are on the second round! Also soup, curry, roasted seeds, pie etc etc!

Sunny September

2011-09-29T15:01:00.000-07:00

Well it's been nothing but rubbish weather most of this summer, but I think we have been saved at the very end by a few days of glorious weather. We have had the usual weird mix of orders this summer and we are now working towards The Cupar Arts Festival, which will be installed the first week in October. (Pictures and blogging to follow)
The Cool it Schools has been officially launched and is being rolled out across schools around the country. My son's school is also taking part, which will be fun, as there are so many projects to get involved in, including doodle stuffing.
We are doing a competition tie in with Know magazine, design a doodle and you get it made up, for FREE! If you are in the Warwickshire district, this is for you.
The fantastic US website Inhabitots did a great piece on us, as did Creative Boom, lots of lovely studio shots from Moose Towers.

And finally for now, the lovely Jacqueline Gold voted for StuffyourDoodles as one of her favourite Twitter #WOW businesses at the beginning of September.

Press!

2011-08-31T10:38:00.000-07:00

Another fantastic month for great press and mentions all over the place. In no consecutive order: Lilsnob, Coolmompics, London Property Makeover and Stylus.

We have also have a fantastic tie in with Cool it Schools which will be going out mid Sept. More news as it comes. Lots going on, all very exciting and keeping us all sooper busy at Moose Towers.

The website will be getting an awesome re-launch in the next few weeks, which we are beyond excited about.....

...and some random puffins!

Summer holidays

2011-08-24T07:57:00.000-07:00

Well we had a lovely summer break, all a dim and distant memory now. The kids are back at school, life is back to normal, and the weather is well, weather. We made the long journey south and did a lot of touristy typical holiday stuff....Brighton Pier - rollercoasters, ghost trains and toffee apples. London - festivals, exhibitions and the madness of the West End. We managed to see some lovely old friends and catch up over the odd refreshment or two. The boys had a ball and the weather was hot, so they got to swim lots and play outside with their chums. Looking forward to the Autumn and all it has to bring.

Holidays!

2011-07-25T13:47:00.000-07:00

The Moose will be away for a couple of weeks. We will be occasionally checking mails. Normal hoof service will resume August 8th....

Still rainy July

2011-07-21T14:16:00.000-07:00

Well thank goodness for rainy day goodies...we have a house brimming with paper monsters....
Another happy customer in Belgium...the lovely Theo with his dragon
Lots more press in the offing....can't say just yet....
Fabulous new jewellery from Dominic Jones and Rick Owens

Moose is moving with (Re)Design , an ongoing exhibition "Doing it for the Kids", this summer in Kingston

Rainy July

2011-07-10T13:49:00.000-07:00

Well another age since my last post. I am going to start posting more regularly (famous last words!). Life at Moose Towers still sooper busy....plus we have moved house twice in the year, an experience not to be repeated for a while :(
I travelled south to see friends in the Cotswolds over from the States (no we weren't at THAT wedding) which was great for a few days' respite. The weather was lovely and we just bumbled round the countryside for a bit.
I have still been having amazing press, which is fab and keeps us all busy here. The latest being the August issue (beginning of July? they get earlier and earlier) of Elle Decoration. Which is massively exciting.
Weirdly Christmas orders will start to come in soon...I know...how scary??

Anyway the Mooselets are away with their Dad on a boat on the Norfolk Broads, hopefully getting better weather than us up here. So I'm making the most of the free time (as we are on school hols already) and beavering away like crazy.

May mayhem

2011-05-23T15:37:00.000-07:00

Well, another age since my last post. Been a good month so far, work busy (as always), more great press, more in the pipeline and Open Studios. About to move house....again :(

This time however the last time for a while. Looking forward to getting in and putting MY stamp on the space (the mooselets will roll their eyes!)

Feb...oops now March

2011-03-01T14:20:00.000-08:00

Well, it's been a busy month.

The fabulous new Bluebird in Glasgow's West End has been displaying and taking orders of stuffyourdoodles.

I quickly popped through to the SECC in Glasgow to help a friend source stock for her new shop at the January Trade Fair, more news about that VERY soon - exciting.

I went to my first ice hockey match with the boys, which was very fast, fun and furious.

More amazing press in Maxi magazine Germany and Diepresse.com.

A few doodles headed north to Orkney for their "Summer Holiday" production, which was a great success, despite the appalling weather nearly scuppering the delivery.

Thank goodness the lighter days are coming....Spring definitely in the air.

January....not the blues

2011-01-23T03:11:00.001-08:00

Life good and still whizzing on after the Christmas madness. The snow has melted and everything now flooded, but we are all moving...just! Unfortunately after all the snow, Christmas and general lethargy, the 'flu struck. The slowest start to a year ever. But, we are roaring into 2011, a fabulous meeting in London with the best marketing guru there is, working with Orkney theatre, press with EasyLiving, Maxi in Germany, the website going into revamp and the ongoing loveliness that is Bang on the Door and samples of work that we have done with them....rock on 2011!

1/11/11 HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

2011-01-11T13:42:00.000-08:00

Hallo is anyone out there?? Blimey Nora, been 4 months since my last post...but in my defence, I have been pretty busy. Moving house, oldest puppy starting secondary school, major personal upheaval (no don't ask) and the usual Christmas MANIA. But..we are back, rested..ish, and ready, really ready for 2011. Very excited about this year, it is going to be great. It has started off in the most amazing way and long may it continue. Thankyou to everyone who supported the Moose throughout 2010.... including Artful Adventures, Newslite TV, Avantages, Sew Hip, Cool Mum Hunting, Saga magazine, Baby Jungle, Ethics Girls, STV, Shopping at Ashleys, The Observer, The Green Parent, Prima, Comment ca va bien? and many more. More crazy creations to come this year.....so exciting! Above a few images from the Tales from the Sock Drawer exhibition that is currently running at the 20-21 Visual Arts Centre in Lincolnshire.

movies!

2010-09-18T17:16:00.001-07:00

Went to see Salt tonight with a friend...good, fast movie, came out of it exhausted! Angelina is a beautiful woman, but sometimes the over emphasis on her beautiful pouty lips and BIG brown eyes, is just...overemphasis.

Been a busy week, making, sending orders and working at the gallery...new routines, all needing a bit of getting used to. We'll get there. Things starting to get in motion for the end of year "C" word...eeeek!

End of summer?

2010-09-13T14:16:00.000-07:00

We are getting a real cross section of weather at the moment, some beautiful, warm sunny days, immediately followed by torrential rain and howling wind. Not posted for a while...work been busy and I've been helping out at a local gallery too. Pop in if you're passing www.kinrossgallery.co.uk. Work picking up, as people rolling back into all and starting to think about that thing that happens in December - can't bear to say the word, have already used it far too much already...only September!!

Long walks on local beaches with the dogs have been a must on good days. The boys have been "zorbing" on water at Falkirk, when camping with their Dad. Crazy doodles flying out of the studio - literally, a plane for Virgin and a grumpy girl who moaned all the way to Sydney!

Some exciting projects in the pipeline, which I am really looking forward to working on...more news soon. Good to have some great projects coming up, especially when everything has been packing up on me recently....phone, computer, dogs having accidents, operations...grrrr.

wee mee

2010-08-10T15:22:00.000-07:00

Good week, friend up from the south...and her boys, so an abundance of testosterone in the house. Luckily another female joining the mix tomorrow to sort of even it out. We opted out of the ubiquitous IKEA visit...probably wise. Huge amounts of food and wine being consumed and much mud and mess, who is responsible for which not sure yet. We had a zapzone party today for my oldest..so 10 x 11/12 year-olds there....but the easiest ever, as you turn up, turf them out, drink coffee, natter and they return hot, pink, sweaty and hungry. They get fed and watered, given cake and a party bag and you pile home. Just wear earplugs for the HYPER journey home & you're sorted! My 2 back at school next week, which I am looking forward to. I think I need the routine more than them sometimes! Anyway, I have been transformed into an i-phone weemee, by the lovely J! Not very like me, but me liking...especiallly the tongue hanging out!!

press

2010-08-06T16:38:00.000-07:00

summer holidays nearly at an end...and the weather feels cooler, how mad is that, when the rest of Europe is cooking? Anyway, have had a piece, un petit morceau, in Avantage magazine (Aug issue) can't seem to upload the pdf...but looks good! Also the fab Chris Robson took some shots of the studio for Visit Scotland. (see above). Friends coming to visit next week from down south...exciting!

space!

2010-08-03T14:35:00.000-07:00

Well, the summer's here..but the sun has gone. I can't believe 2 more weeks and the boys are back at school. S going up to "BIIG" school, and G into year 5. It has zoomed past and we have done loads, and this week I am free, as they have gone off with their dad camping. So I trying to utilise my time as best I can and not just whirl about in my own space!! We had a lovely week in Oban, walking, fishing, reading and just chilling. The weather was good for the West Coast, as it can be wet, sunsets to die for, jellyfish spotting and catching mackerel. Back home and work still coming through, not as manic as usual (summer), but I had to do some crazy puffins for the BBC in a very short time frame and more online sites and orders. I will give details when they all go live. I have been on some long walks with the dogs; all the rosebay willowherb out at the moment, a weed I know, but the most beautiful pink. One day we saw red squirrels fighting in a tree (hence the pic of dogs looking perplexed up into the tree!), and one actually fell out to the ground...the weirdest sight! Today I managed to finally cover some vintage directors chairs, that have been sitting around for ages, being eaten by mice, a project for me...yay!

The mysterious case of the midnight sun..well almost

2010-07-06T15:29:00.000-07:00

These long balmy evenings have been so amazing...even up here in the wilds of Scotland. Crazy going to bed, when it looks like you should be getting up outside...or was I just horribly late?? Anyway, trundled off to Kirkcaldy at the weekend, dragged small boys with me, and it was a fabulously sunny day, lovely location, amazing exhibitors and tea, scones, fashion show, balloons, juggler, small giraffe and general mayhem. Not many punters through the door, which was a massive shame and quite frankly their loss...but a good day had by all. The small terrrier beast still causing mayhem, but we love her, despite her excitement towards anything mobile and noisy (including small boys). The rain came today, so I s'pose that's us back to the usual Scottish summer...at least it'll all be green and 20 foot tall in the garden! Doodles still trotting out the door...some exciting proposals & possible jobs coming through at the moment, which is VEEERY delumptious. The doodles seem to be breeding everytime I turn my back there is another one..must be the rain....

Happy Canada Day!

2010-07-01T13:58:00.000-07:00

I'm not Canadian, but I've had a lot of press there...so Happy Canada day guys! Really, it's appalling, I haven't posted a bean since April...slacker....well, not really, just manic and blogging seems to drop off the spectrum sometimes when you are living life!! BUT, things are fab here at Moose Towers. We had a FABULOUS Open Studios in May. Seems an age away, and onto planning the next-aaargh! Loads of press, through Kilgraston School's "Habit" magazine, Sew Hip (issue 17), The Green Parent (june/july), Prima (July) and . More press and weblinks up and coming. The weather has been amazing, thankyou, after such a COLD winter, so lots of barbecues, walks and just sitting in the sun. The crazy puppy a real sunworshipper and so happy when crashed on your lap in the sun snoozing. Everyone happy and looking tanned, healthy and happy. School holidays start tomorrow....7 weeks. My wee boy going up to secondary school in August (still can't get my head round the early summer)....and needing to revamp the house totally!

2010-04-27T14:56:00.000-07:00

Busy month...lots of travelling, lots of fun. Went to Kids Modern in Dulwich, which was great, quiet, as it was a super sunny day, and every self respecting Londoner was giving it large in the park...but glad I went. Bright and shiny day and spent it with my fab friends from Winters Moon, who have the most AMAZING retro products (see above!). Usual chaos in the studio with orders and stuff going out...crazy balloon guy who travelled south. And, just to add to the chaos, I have a new member to the Moose clan...young Piper...who I think will run rings round all of us!!

Crazy week

2010-04-07T15:21:00.000-07:00

I have a week free in the Easter holidays...unheard of! Trying to really focus and work on upcoming shows and not just whirl in circles wondering why it's soo quiet. Been having the odd "I want to come home" phone call, but the boys have been to the zoo, The Natural History Museum, on an Easter Egg hunt....lucky things. Anyway, I'm getting stuff ready for Kids Modern and a prelim meeting this weekend for an exhibition later in the year (very exciting...). Had a FAB weekend in New York 2 weekends ago with a good friend....just a few days away with BA. Was hoping to get stranded...but being served tea by the pilots was as exciting as the flights got (and back to back movies!). I love that city so much, and could live there in a minute, but not with little ones at the moment. We went to the Tim Burton exhibition at MOMA, which we went round twice it was SO busy...but fantastic. The guy is totally nuts and a genius..a real hero of mine. We walked miles at the weekend...saw loads, including Macy's flower festival (hence bunny pic), and, met with a friend from Washington. Good time had by all.

Then back to the UK.....and nuts hail, sleet, snow and brrrrgh. Easter?? Straight back to work...like I'd never been away. Oh, and thanks yesterday to Yahoo France for the mention. Knew nothing about it, but the website went nuts for a while!

Excited Moose!

2010-03-23T15:35:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm still running, not completely up the hills, but I'll get there. Feeling GOOD on it. Busy week, my last teaching at Haydays for a while. Had a mention on Anorak magazine's Twittering. Also am being promoted through Signal 1 radio all this week. They are running a doodle competition, free doodle for 1 lucky person. Scottish Woman magazine finally out, with a big feature on Fife and all it has to offer, including our Open Studios event and LucyMoose. Another doodle went to Virgin for their Vroom competition. Looks a bit Christmassy, but hey ho. Very excited and frantically packing and organising other half, kids, dog & rabbit, as I'm away for a few days with a friend to New York. Lists, lists and more lists of what everyone is doing...when, where and how! Flying with BA so hopefully it'll all run smoothly, if we do get stranded, hopefully it'll be the NY end!!

More blogging?

2010-03-16T14:47:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm determined to be more regular in my "blogging", just find by the time I sit down of an evening I can barely string 2 words together, let alone write in straight lines. It's been a good week or so. I have been sending doodles all over the place....2 to the lovely Emma, author of belgianwaffling and had a mention on kickcan and conkers.

Meant to have some press coming out in a Scottish magazine, but not out yet...late to press maybe. Been doing a few other press bits and pieces and the usual doodle teaching at local clubs and schools. The weather has been pretty awesome recently, so dog walks have been a real treat....not so sure about the hill running that I have said yes to though. Give it 6 weeks I've been told, then it all becomes a doddle mmmmmm.....

My amazing decals turned up today from Decor Designs....so excited. Looking forward to revamping everything. Having a major clearout. Hard, but cathartic. (Need to paint first grrrr)

Finished a few weeks business telecoaching with Real Coaching Solutions - great to get some forward focus and momentum with life and work. Highly recommended!

Weekend

2010-03-07T14:35:00.000-08:00

Great few days...sorting out PR and new directions. Fabulous sunny day, chatting to C and actually took my coat off sitting outside in the sun!! We all toddled off to see Alice in Wonderland 3D..just the BEST movie. Tim Burton a genius I think...this proved that. Packed cinema...good to see, great atmosphere and everyone seemed to love it. Though where has this, oooh the credits are rolling, quick run out of the cinema mentality come from. Does no one sit to the end anymore? Looks like my summer plans for the boys coming together and we will get to spend some time with old friends, just chilling and the boys with their mates that they haven't seen for ages, exciting. Great long walk with friends and the dog on the beach and got close to a seal colony. I have heard about them before, but never seen. Beautiful but smelly! Ikea today...getting a few bits for the house and work....SO busy, why did I go on a Sunday...thought it would be quiet..haha! Tired and need to get motivated for next week, lots ahead.

2010-03-01T11:09:00.000-08:00

Long chilly walk with the dog at the weekend. Great to blow the cobwebs away. S been ill and restless for about 3 days, good to get out. Work still ticking along...planning for an exhibition at the end of the year.

Ducks!

2010-02-23T14:31:00.000-08:00

Just finished some huge duck costumes, that headed to the World Mobile Phone Congress in Barcelona. Good fun and much laughter putting them together. Still absolutely Baltic in the Northern wastes, but lots coming up and much planning needed....before it all sneaks up on me.

2010-01-15T15:22:00.000-08:00

Small trickles of weak sun coming through into the studio. Amazing how pale it looks when you see the photograph...it doesn't seem like that at the time. Snow melting and now going black and yuk. Looks like the promised weekend of sledging may not happen, disappointed boys! Orders coming in and going out...some small, some BIG and fairly daunting! New challenges. Certain doodles seem to be breeding, must be Spring in the air.

2010-01-12T14:46:00.000-08:00

My fabulous Paumes books arrived yesterday from the lovely Yvonne at Yvestown. All in Japanese, but really doesn't matter, so inspirational. I'm totally inspired to redecorate...if it wasn't so bloomin' cold. All the snow has frozen and gone sludgey and it's now rainy. Such a shame, it was so crisp and magical for a few weeks.

This strange girl is hanging around for a while in the studio. She came for Christmas and decided that she liked it so much, she would stay longer. She does chat a lot, but we have a giggle whilst I'm working, and she drags her bunny around the studio.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-10T14:12:00.000-08:00

Been back at work for a week now, but think it will kick off properly tomorrow...have the feeling that people are REALLY back into the groove then. Still submerged in snow, which is FAB! Loving it. We've managed to pack in some wicked sledging in the past couple of weeks (bruises to prove it!). Jan is proving to be super busy already, which is great. Think this is going to be a bonkers year.

Nearly Santa time!

2009-12-20T15:19:00.000-08:00

Wow! Wish I had more time to add to this, but this time of year I'm more NUTS than an elf...so many orders. Always right to the last minute. Just had my birthday, which was fab and fun. All my lovely friends being gorgeous and such a laugh. Feeling Christmassy now, especially as we have snow too. Not been sledging yet, but if the snow holds....mini snowmen seem to keep popping up in the garden and a Grimble has appeared in the kitchen looking for blue food.

Moose Towers overdrive

2009-11-17T12:54:00.000-08:00

As usual, a sooper late post! Things very manic here at Moose Towers, Moose & the mooselets (you know who you are...you're fabulous!) all busy stitching away to make those Christmas dreams come true. No, we haven't taken Santa's place, we're just very busy trying to create lots of doodles for our lovely customers. The installation at The Byre Theatr e creeping closer and closer...frantically making competition winners to go up in the theatre foyer and gallery.

Lots been going on in the last month or so. Amazing, when you create new blog posts you get a real concept of how quickly time passes.....anyway....

Been away in Newcastle with (re)design, doing modelling workshops with the kids in The Great North Museum, part of the Design Event 09 festival. Over 2 weekends...great fun! Next to the amazing Lizzie Lee, who creates the most amazing lampshades from recycled lace (must send her some!) and the really fun sock creatures/aliens.

I've uploaded some pics of current doodles that have left the Moose laboratory. I will do a separate update to credit all the lovely peeps that have shown an interest recently and do the usual links and stuff.

Oh...and how could I forget...some doodles were on the Paul O'Grady show tonight. My 30 seconds of fame..haha!! Tried to link to the show, but couldn't..so just the thanks page!

Back to it!!

2009-10-14T13:56:00.000-07:00

Had the most amazing 3 weeks in Chicago, staying with good friends and seeing the sights, chilling and taking it all in. Back to life with a big BUMP!....like we never left. Lots of new projects....exciting times!

At last!

2009-09-04T14:10:00.000-07:00

At last I'm back on the blog....been so busy, just haven't had the time. Anyway, finished the doodle giveaway for the lovely Lauren in the US. Been making top hats, telephones, more doodles, and generally enjoying the APPALLING summer weather we have been having. It has felt as though the monsoons have hit at times!

Giveaway winner!

2009-08-13T11:25:00.000-07:00

Long time, no post. The winner for the "doodle" giveaway is Lauren Wenchel from Maryland, USA. Thanks to the lovely Katherine at kathblack.blogspot.com. Will be winging it's way to her soon!

ooh I'm blushing!

2009-07-07T14:51:00.000-07:00

Fab to be doing a doodle giveaway with the fabulous Katherine at kathblack.blogspot.com, (follow this link). Her and outblush.com are current fans, whoopee!

Holidays are here

2009-07-06T04:04:00.000-07:00

The summer holidays have arrived! Fabulous....and fabulous weather too. Headed straight to the beach with the munchkins the day they broke up. So hot, the dog dug a hole in the sand he could sit in to stay cool! Virtually unheard of in this part of the world. It was great to sit in the sun with my book and just chill. The next 7 weeks will now be a huge juggling act. Work busy and loads to get on with and coming up later in the year. Spent Sunday in Edinburgh city centre at the Grassmarket. Lovely sunny day (after the initial soaking when I got there - typical!!), music playing, people dancing, drinking, browsing the stalls and generally having a great time. Good to see so many tourists milling about enjoying this great town.

Ouch!

2009-06-29T14:29:00.000-07:00

Ran the Edinburgh Race for Life 10K yesterday. I hadn't really trained for it, so did power walk a chunk. Good fun, misty, foggy, yuk day, which is perfect for getting hot and sweaty, as it keeps you cooler. Legs lickle bit sore today though....that'll teach me! Back to Hat's for a shower and lunch - she also ran, and breezed through, as she HAD trained! Cutting and sewing a load of bunting for a July event, and also working on orders and getting ready for the Grassmarket this Sunday.

summer?!

2009-06-24T15:21:00.000-07:00

It's so fabulous to get decent weather - we can never depend on it in this part of the world. Sports day at school was a scorcher-amazing. Tonight, whilst I had a free hour - boys at school play and scout sausage/sizzle/walk, finished "Charlie", doodle for a local client. Sky ominous again, beautiful day, but that weird "haaar", that seems to sit on us at night and clear at midday the next day.

Midsummer Night

2009-06-21T14:04:00.000-07:00

Crazy bonkers day. G's 8th birthday party, a house full of kids and bowling. I could have done without the 6am "can I open my presents now?" alarm call...knackered! 2 new members of the family, Minstrel the dwarf lop bunny (very cute) - G's birthday present. Wonder how long the cleaning and caring will last?? S then found a toad in the garden..."Newton", who is in huge bucket in the garden and being given the biggest selection of bugs they can find! All happy. Went to an outdoor Midsummer Night's dream production at the Dundee Botanical Gardens. Freezing and windy! Good night, but would have been nicer if I could have felt my feet and fingers! Flaming June.....!

Juney June

2009-06-17T14:51:00.000-07:00

Another month seems to have skipped by....work busy, and diverse. Seems to be a constant whirl of school, boys, tennis, sewing, dog-walking and all the usual stuff! Fab times away with old friends, this is the year for weddings and 40th birthdays. A new tattoo, stock for shows coming up in the summer & a 40th pressie for one of my oldest friends.

Chilling

2009-05-12T14:59:00.000-07:00

After the madness of Open Studios & the in-laws staying, relaxing for a wee while. Not too long, as I have other shows to get ready for & orders to finish. Good sunny romp on the rocks on the beach at St Andrews (after we got lashed with rain first of course!)

Open Studios 2009

2009-05-11T14:03:00.000-07:00

WOW! What a great weekend. The weather was rubbish either side of it, but the Sat, Sun & Mon were fab and we had 100's of people through the doors seeing my work. I had managed the Alice in Wonderland theme (minus the caterpillar-was beaten by him, well, lack of time really), which hung in the middle of the studio (the characters had to be rehung a few times after over enthusiastic kids got hold of them!). A real buzz about the place and so fab that people can come by and see my work and know what goes on behind my crazy windows! Also have been added as a favourite "what's new" on peoplelovepresents.com. Follow this to see http://peoplelovepresents.com/whats-new.html?catlimitstart=40. Very exciting. Happy Spring!

OOOH, long time no see..

2009-04-19T13:58:00.000-07:00

great weekend, we have had a great 2 weeks off from school. lots of playing, fun and just chilling. been hard trying to do the usual manage the kids, be a nice parent, work, do stuff, and keep sanity...!

Hanna's Gallery in Spring

2009-03-24T14:45:00.000-07:00

Work starting to pick up again. Think this is going to be an exciting year. Took stuff up to Hannas Gallery in Dundee at the weekend for a new Spring exhibition. Could have done without the murderous hangover, but I struggled on! The opening is this Saturday (28th) Must update the website, with all this news. I have so many things in the pipeline, if they all come off I'm going to be frantic! Think I might have been over ambitious about my plans for Open Studios, but that's me!!

The weather's BALTIC again after the days of warm Spring sun.

PPPETER PPPOTTERS GGGALLERY

2009-03-12T16:29:00.000-07:00

Fab day...out of the fishbowl...delivered work to the Peter Potter Gallery, Haddington. Beautiful space, Arabella doing the grandest of jobs, fantastic space.... She currently has work by Maki Hamada, stunning, colourful, complex......

Tum-Tum

2009-03-11T14:18:00.000-07:00

Tum-tum finished for S. Poor boy he's been waiting for this since August. He's so patient! He's so chuffed with him and he goes everywhere with him - apart from school! Just plodding on getting stock together for upcoming exhibitions and shows. Time never on my side. Crappy weather again today. When will Spring arrive? Have a whole pile of seeds that need planting. I keep promising the boys that we'll do it, maybe this weekend.

Planning.....

2009-03-04T14:33:00.000-08:00

Things seem to be suddenly taking off, like everyone is coming to after Christmas and January. My head full of ideas, things to do, places to go, things to sort out, prepare and manage. All very exciting, never enough hours in the day! Alice and her Wonderland going to be a theme for the openstudios in May. I'm going to change the whole studio around and do something totally different. I've gone from having 2 months to aaargh 2 months???!!! A new rockabilly Russian doll!!

Inspirations

2009-02-28T14:44:00.000-08:00

Been up to lots, lots coming up. Everything seems to move so quickly when you think of the year ahead and what you have to organise and plan. Open Studios in May - 2 months away, but when I think of what I want to do for it, no time at all......!! The sun starting to peek it's head out more and some lovely warm (well, compared with what we have been getting!) days and great walks with the hairy beast. Running going OK, gradually building it up again. Boys full of spring naughtiness...went to see Bolt 3-D with them and the Donna Wilson exhibition at The Lighthouse, which they loved, though I think a visit to Forbidden Planet and raking through loads of cartoon related figures/comics etc proved more interesting!

Edinburgh & snow

2009-02-19T14:48:00.000-08:00

Not logged in for a while, and everything changed so much in that time! Last week crazy super sledging snow. Went with the boys (half term last week) & snuck over a farmer's fence to a BIG hill, that was a blinding slope to sledge down. 2 sledges, 3 of us, lots of fighting over who goes next & lots of mess when we all went down together - especially to stop ourselves before the barbed wire/electric fence at the bottom! Didn't stay long, as G wasn't in waterproof/snow gear, so he was totally freezing and wet, also the dog was waiting (shivering) on the other side of the fence.

My comic relief noses turned up for the boys. No doubt they will be trashed by the day, but want to get them in the mood....I'm very tempted to dye my hair pink for the event, as a fundraiser...

This time last week, knee deep in snow, now really mild and lose a layer type of weather. Strange!

Spent yesterday in Edinburgh at the Stills Gallery, work networking/mentoring thing. Very inspiring and motivating. Lots of potential work stuff to attack. Very exciting! Great city, I always feel so inspired when I go there. I'm always amazed how somewhere so close is so cosmopolitan, when we live 40 mins away TOTALLY in the sticks!

REGRESSION!

2009-02-11T09:29:00.000-08:00

Boys on half term, they get 3 days off - wow! Why not make it the whole week? Been making hama bead creations. Never made my own before-very exciting! G made a pig & I did a moose (though looks more like Rudolph), to go around my neck. First day of the holidays not very good, the boys seem to have made a pact to kill each other by sundown, so I took them up the woods for a big walk with the dog so they could vent their spleen on trees, sticks and big bits of ice. Kind of worked for a bit...

I'm sure I'm regressing as I get older. Just a refusal to act as an adult, nothing new really. Am VERY excited, my new toy turned up 2 days' ago - a hula hoop! I have never been able to do it, so I thought, why not learn now? I ordered myself one online the other day from the very fabulous hoola hoop company, black and pink striped!.....and I have mastered it....well I can keep it on my hips/waist for a fair few rotations, before it crashes to the floor. And my God, what hard work. Literally 2 minutes and I'm puffing!! Determined to get good at it.

I have also signed up to run another 10K. Ran one last year, loved it, and a friend asked if I wanted to do another this June, so I said yes, as you do, without thinking! I've got 3 and a half months to get my bum in gear. Should be OK, just the thought of going out on these cold mornings...brrrrr.

At least the snowdrops are appearing in the garden, and the nights are slowly becoming lighter....hurrah. So they cycle begins again!

Valentine Barbies

2009-02-07T14:38:00.000-08:00

My studio window finished and hung - with only a week to Valentine's...will leave it up after.....Not exactly a heaving metropolis outside, but good to mix it up a bit. Hope no one takes a detour by car into my garden trying to see it properly. Pictures not so great as sunny day behind and loads of reflection.

Good day, love the weekend, no up early and out, rustling bouncy children into uniform and coats, but I seem to swither and find it hard to get into my rhythm!

House full of very boisterous boys today....pillow fights, sofas dismantled, x-box, soldiers and NOISE!!!

I keep discovering buckets, trugs and flowerpots full of frozen action figures and cars. The boys are fascinated with freezing at the moment. We haven't had the huge amounts of snow they have down south....next best thing I suppose.

Petrol & post!

2009-02-05T14:01:00.000-08:00

Why do people never make things easy for you?? Drove to the middle of nowhere dog walking, Mr Moose had left the tank on 0, of course, but car then reading fuel=miles=0. Joy! Luckily made it to the nearest station to refill. Visions of me tromping through subzero temp to beg, steal or borrow fuel from a kindly local. I did have my hose in my pocket, failing that (pnaar).

Then hooved to the next town because the postie can't leave mail at the local P.O. for you to collect, but has to take it 10 miles away, so you have to make a round trip daily to pick up your parcels, and you know how hard it is to wait for parcels... (Is the cold making me excessively grumpy?). It really was worth picking up, sexy Steve Madden leather studded jacket I've just got off ebay....just need the weather to crawl over double figures and then I can wear it...not for a while then!

Still finished a big order today, that has been lingering for a while - hurrah, and am decorating my studio window with big fat hearts and Barbie's with wings for Valentines. I know everyone has been talking about it since the beginning of Jan...but still, it's there.

Cracking sunset tonight - hung out of the window in the roof to catch it....wouldn't that be fab...just slide the sun into my pocket for later....

Proddage

2009-02-05T13:45:00.000-08:00

Wednesday, dog to the vet, me to the chiropracter. Blimey it must be winter, we're all falling apart! Dog's sulking with me, he was poked and prodded, he thought he was going to roll in the snow and sit in muddy puddles. That's why he's lost his smile.

Anyway, very excited, my new mailer cards arrived....so I am going to be flying them off to all corners of the globe. 5,000 of them....not very clever humping them into the house when you have just had your back manipulated!

Snow!

2009-02-02T12:40:00.000-08:00

Working on orders, busy, busy. Snow. Not a lot, but it snowed all day. More supposed to be coming tonight. The South ground to a halt (??), let's wait & see tomorrow. Boys want to have the day off school. Dog trying to make snow angels!

Sunday

2009-02-02T12:28:00.000-08:00

Cold!! Kids parties, ebaying, blogging, just plumphing about, as you do on a Sunday.