Just a few photos to show some of the production line behind a big batch of invites like the ones recently completed.

 Invite inserts all printed and drying, this can sometimes take a while on pearlised or coated papers.

 Embellisments assembled and ready to attach to the front of the invites.

 There's a LOT of folding to do, especially when the invites are boxed.

 Here's the production line on the go, assembling invites and adding trims.

 Closer shot of the detail.

FINALLY! 85 invites complete and boxed, with Calligraphy names labels on each ready to go!

Inside each box was the main laser cut invite, with pearlised printed and decorated invitation on craft card. The invite's were tied with twine with a pearl and paper flower wedding date tag embellishment  added. Slipped in the twine was the reply card, post card style printed on the reverse with  a menu selection tick box.

Also a book of tear out tickets for transport confirmation, a copy of the menu's for the day and a 

pre-printed return envelope for replies. 

 All laid in a tissue paper wrap with a silver wedding seal closure within the craft card box. 

Some very special invites to share!!! Now that the Bride has had the chance to deliver all these beautiful boxed Vintage style Invites (with included reply info) to all her guests, I can share some of the detail. Laser cut doily fold invite with flat vintage style buff and pearl card invite inside. Tied with twine and pearls, completed with a hand made flower and wedding date tag. Reply post card and menu selection card, hand decorated and distressed, with a book of transport request tickets, perforated to tear out and reply. All together wrapped in tissue in matching vintage buff box. The boxes were all finished with a Calligraphy name label for each guest.

Stationery show 2015

Exciting times, enjoyed a trip to London for the Stationary show 2015, great venue in the British Design Center, Islington. Been there many time to various events. The show was great, enjoyed viewing many new product launches. Great to meet the lovely people from Manuscript Pen co. the ultimate Calligraphy company people! Also enjoyed a chat with the William Mitchell nib manufacturers.

So chuffed to see the expanded selection from Manuscript and from their new catalogue just how much is now available in Left Oblique!! Even fibre tip Very encouraging!

Wonderful visit to Kew Gardens while down there, this has given me lots of inspiration for some new ideas, variation on a theme to do a whole set Botanical illustrated , Calligraphy Quotes. Will definitely be working with the National Handwriting Association too, lets see if we can make a difference to the level of writing skills given to youngsters these days. At the moment it's shocking how bad it is!

Wedding Venue research for future colaboration

Finally finished the house renovation, studio sorted and getting back into the world of art, craft and calligraphy. Very busy on my own Daughters wedding for 1st August this year, obviously it's a big secret for all the goodies associated with that, but I will enjoy sharing soon as I can.

My 'Underconstruction' page for the forth coming web site should pop up soon, planning on attending a few Wedding Fayre's through the region this coming year to get out and meet some brides. It's a few years since I did the Wedding Fayre's, but I think as I have been off the scene whilst in house move and renovation mode, it will be good to get out there again.

Planning on linking up with a few more lakes hotels this year too, watch out for venue sketches of some of the best lakes Wedding venues. I have been having a tour of a few lately, enjoying being in 'secret shopper' mode, whilst enjoyng the hospitality and discovering those I would like to work with and those I will not!!! Always a few surprises in there when they don't know they are being assessed. Most of all was probably The Samling, sorry folks not impressed. Leading star by far The Gilpin Lodge Hotel, just wonderful, as ever!

All was not lost....

A few weeks after we moved, the most devastating thing happened, in the chaos to compact spare rooms full with boxes of all our kitchen contents and that of many other rooms, which we were not going to need for some time, I lost some vital boxes of studio equipment. As we were packing things safely out of the way as we embarked on some fairly major renovation. I lost track of my water colour brushes, just as we were clearing lots of things away to the refuse tip. A life time collection of brushes, some of which I'd had for over 30 years, also my Art-Kure water colour sketch system brushes and paints, and my ZIG calligraphy pens and artists sketch pens. We were convinced the small boxes they were in had been mixed up with card board and boxes for the tip. I was devastated, many of my brushes were very expensive, life long friends, lots were hand made, but all were precious. How or where to start again was daunting, I was so upset and literally felt my creativity had been thrown on the tip, being very down hearted and glum about the whole thing

That was nearly six months ago, I had a serious amount of work ahead to take my mind off it and got on with the renovation. At one point we had, no bathroom, no kitchen and no staircase!!!

Gradually we have seen the house take shape and achieved a fitted kitchen and bathroom in time for Christmas. Some rooms being slowly unpacked and amid the search for boxes relevant to 'living room' over Christmas, to try and add a homely feel to the place over the holidays I found them!!!

Today was the best day ever, I opened a box and they were there! I swear they weren't  when I was looking 6 months ago, but there they were. I could have cried, the relief ! To anyone not an artist I can only try and explain how that felt. Think of something you have owned, collected, expanded and invested a lot of money in for over 30 years. Which you have used so regular and 'broken in' to be an extension of your own hands. so hand picked, loved and shaped, it would take another 30 years to replace.

Finally, I can start to think of putting my studio together again and organising my arty world. Which without the tools of my trade would have felt pointless and painful, as I moved to this place for the peace and quiet, the views and the garden to paint!

Apologies things are so quiet, studio is still packed and we are still in full on renovating old property mode, plastering, knocking down walls and putting in windows. Watch the space I will be back.......

Plans for the next few weeks....

In a couple of weeks my studio will have to complete packing up for the move and I will be out of Arty action for a little while. But all will return with new vigor, as my new space will be better. Hubby will have his own studio too. In the mean time we have to start work on the coming exhibition work as soon as we unpack, some of which I will use for photography to complete my new exciting web site being built.
Lots and lots going on, some where in between time to breath and take a holiday too!