Monday 31 March 2014

Just a Note About National Stationery Week.



Hello,

I was delighted to read that this week is National Stationery Week! 
I know that to many people that doesn’t sound too exciting, but if you love pretty paper and cards and gorgeous pens, like I do, then this is a week to revel in...


Have you had a note in the post recently? Something handwritten that someone didn’t dash off but had spent time crafting and was popped in a cheery card that you could place with love on your mantelpiece, desk or pinboard?  There is a common view that letters, notes and writing by hand are things of the past and that ‘thank you’ notes and keeping a diary are also old school…can you even remember how to hold a pen?


 The media has for the past few years have been bemoaning the apparent fall from grace of handwriting, but it is still something my children are very much into and I know primary schools the world over are still teaching it, even if they have all singing, all dancing IT suites.  One look at my pinterest newsfeed tells me the art of calligraphy seems to be having a bit of a comeback.   Personally, I love nothing better than to have a lovely paper diary or calendar with a pretty cover and luxurious paper to thumb through.  I get giddy with excitement in presence of beautiful stationery as my friends have witnessed on many a shopping trip...


It’s convenient to think that we don’t use diaries because everyone favours planners on i-pads and tablets, and that no one writes a handwritten letter because it’s easier and cheaper to email it. I think more than likely, technology and our overly complicated and very busy lives have distracted us from sitting and staring out of the window, composing ourselves and putting pen to paper.  

Up in our loft I have a large box of letters from my pre-internet days that are replies from letters I had sent to friends and family, which documents my life at that time in a very unique and treasured way, in a way that an email could never do and I feel blessed to have such a box of treasures!...  


The organisers of National Stationery Week want to remind people of the joy and importance of putting pen to paper. They say it’s not just about the physical act of putting pen to paper but also about stopping what you’re doing and taking time out to enjoy the process. Think of Beatrix Potter and the wonderful stories and paintings of her characters she included in some of her letters. It was a creative activity and so heart-felt...


Possibly slightly ironically I am telling you all about this on a blog and the organisers are using the hashtags #GetBritainWriting as well as #LoveStationery and #StationeryAddict on Twitter. Maybe we should all be popping a few notes in the post about the event this week instead?

To find out more visit: www.nationalstationeryweek.com. The awareness week runs from 31st March until 6th April. 
Happy writing!

Best wishes,





Tuesday 25 March 2014

Bouncing into Action Developing New Designs...


Hello,

It makes me very happy to announce that today was my first 'NO COAT' day of the year!  :)
I'm keeping everything crossed that the weather stays nice and that it's the first of many no coat days this year.

For that reason I want to celebrate by sharing some cheeky peeps at some of the new designs I'm working on.  I know I have cut it very fine for new designs for Easter this year, but hey ho - they'll be ready to go nice and early for next year...


This new Easter card is at the printers right now and will be available from my online shops by the weekend.

I also need to restock some of my gift wrap designs so am taking the opportunity to slip a few new designs into that order which include my little bouncy bunnies design at the top of this post.

There's another project I've been dipping in and out of over the past few weeks and it's almost ready to go to print.  Below are some teaser images of a new recipe book I'll be adding to my stationery range soon for Spring and Summer... 



Have a lovely week.

Best wishes


Friday 21 March 2014

Mum’s the word!


Hello!

Sssshhhhh...there are top secret activities are a foot this month in our house thinking of what to get my mum-in-law for mother’s day (sadly, my mum is no longer with us).  

If you’re also looking for some inspiration on what to buy your mum for Mothering Sunday on the 30th March, then I’ve picked some of my favourite gift ideas from two of my stockist’s online shops:

 Thank you to both Elsie & Fleur and Potter & Rest for allowing me to feature some of their products and providing me with the product details below.  I *may* have slipped in a few items that I’d quite like to receive for mother’s day! ;) 

Both these lovely sites feature my design work and also stock my cards, wraps and illustration prints so well worth a pop over to check them out if you get a chance. Elsie & Fleur even offers a gift wrap service using my wrapping paper!

Here are four of the best ideas from Potter & Rest...


Galvanized trug
W21cm x D13.5cm x L33.5cm. £19.95. A beautiful trug for garden tools. Also great for carrying cutlery and BBQ essentials for entertaining outdoors. Each trug is handmade and aged. Waxed beech wood handle.



A selection of old-fashioned and modern roses with wonderful blooms, many higher fragrant – from £13 each depending on variety. The rose ‘Constance Spry’ pictured produces magnificent, pure rose pink, deeply cupped blooms of luminous delicacy. It has a strong myrrh fragrance; in fact, it was this rose that introduced the myrrh fragrance to the English Roses.


Chrysanthemum collection
The striking illustration of Chrysanthemum ‘Karashishi’ by the Japanese artist K. Hasegawa dates from 1891 and is taken from The Royal Horticultural Society’s (RHS) Lindley Library. These gardening tools and accessories are either sold together as a collection for £65 or separately from £14.95.



Steamer chair, £395 (small occasional table also featured £125) – cushions also available. Perfect to ensure mum has a comfortable relaxing day snoozing or watching the world go by.

And here are four of the best from Elsie & Fleur...


Spotty/floral union flag bag – green and pink and has been handmade by my very talented sister-in-law Louise Waghorn. Who as a mum-of-five herself will definitely be very deserving of a bit of pampering on March 30. H34cm x W36cm x D15cm (handle drop 14cm). £40.


Floral fabric teddy – a great little handmade friend! H17cm (seated). £22.



Felted flower egg cosy  perfect for the breakfast tray on Mother’s Day morning going hand-in-hand with that well-earned lie in and cuppa in bed. H8.5cm (excluding the ribbon). £9.



Sweet Orange, Spearmint & Milk Soap
This range of soap is handmade by Emma Malleson, who uses milk from her husband’s Jersey cross cows on their farm in Dorset. Perfect for having some relaxing me time in the bath. Not less than 100gms. £4.95.


Now all I have to do is print off this little list and leave it somewhere where my little ones will spot it and make sure their Dad gets the hint!

Best wishes,

 


Monday 17 March 2014

Mother's Day Giveaway - We Have A Winner!....


Hello,

It's time to announce the lucky winner of my giveaway!

Thank you to all of you who have entered and have supported my mother's day giveaway  - I truly appreciate all those likes, comments, shares and re-tweets.  The giveaway is now closed and a winner has been randomly selected by one of those whizzy online random name picker tools.

Congratulations Jodie Brown -your name was selected making you the lucky winner!
  
Please send me a message with your address details so I can get each of the items featured below sent to you in time for Mother's Day.  You can contact me using the form here: http://www.artworkbyangie.com/contact.html


Thanks once again for all the support and sorry to everyone who entered, there can only be one winner on this occasion.  I will do another giveaway when either my facebook page hits 4000 likes or my blog hits 200 followers, whichever happens first.

Best wishes


Monday 10 March 2014

Mother's Day Giveaway!


Hello!

It's been such a long time since I did any sort of giveaway here on my blog and facebook and twitter.  The lovely weather at the weekend has put me in a giveaway frame of mind.

Last month I ran a giveaway for my newsletter subscribers.  If you follow my newsletter, please check through your messages as I did announce the winner last week on my newsletter - but they've not contacted me yet to claim their prize.  You never know, it could be you I'm waiting to hear from!

With this giveaway, I'm offering one lucky winner these 3x A4 unframed, signed prints and a 16x16cm motehr's day card.  All you have to do is comment below here on my blog, or like and comment on my facebook post about this giveaway, or retweet my tweet about this giveaway...






The giveaway is open to entries until 9pm Monday 17th March when I will use a random selection tool to pick a winner and announce it here.

Good Luck! 

Tuesday 4 March 2014

Potter & Rest - My New Stockist...

Hello,

This week I'm delighted to announce the launch of a new website which also happens to be my new stockist.

Potter and Rest is a true virtual garden centre stocking all the things you would expect to find in an excellently stocked garden centre.   This new site has the added benefit of offering free  expert advice from their resident gardening guru Peter Burks, who is the current General Manager of one of the Westcountry's leading chains of garden centres', Trelawney Garden Leisure and the immediate past Chairman of the Garden Centre Association - so when it comes to plant care, Peter knows what's best!...


As well as stocking my designs, I was also asked to develop the logo and branding for Potter and Rest and have been very hands on in assisting with the launch of this site, it feels very good to see the site go live.

Here are some of my products you'll find listed at Potter & Rest



Blue tits and blossom gift wrap









It's been good to see some better weather this past week too as I've even managed to do a spot of gardening at the weekend! I've tidied flower beds and have started thinking about what to plant up for the summer months, so the launch of this site is great timing for me.

Best wishes