***Day 24- of @joannehawker #marchmeetthemaker Customers/ Feedback***
This is one of my favourite reviews I’ve had. I love that people have my work in their lives it’s weird to think that something that I made at my kitchen table is now off out in the world but I love it :)
***Day 22 - of @joannehawker #marchmeetthemaker Proud Of ***
This crazy thing that happened once…I thought it was just a little interview in Embroidery magazine I had no idea it was going to be on the cover until I received a photo from Julie from @craftevan of her and a friend from uni clutching copies. I then rang every magazine shop on the Wirral to try and find a copy and then me and my mum freaked out in a carpark reading it ha
***Day 19- of @joannehawker #marchmeetthemaker Dream Collaboration ***
I’ve always wanted to illustrate childrens books or at least have a go at doing one. I have no idea where to even start but I’ve been playing with an idea I’m not quite ready to show off yet that will potentially explore this avenue.
I’d also love to develop my floral brooches into some kind of wedding related button hole or hair piece so if anyone would like to take the plunge come at me ha
***Day 18- of @joannehawker #marchmeetthemaker Mistake or Lesson***
I need this wrote on my scissors or hands or forehand! I should have learnt my lesson from the amount of mistakes Ive caused by not following the golden rule…Measure twice cut once
***Day 17- of @joannehawker #marchmeetthemaker What I’m Working On ***
Doing some painting today ready to be turned into notebooks tomorrow! I moved all of my stuff back to my workspace yesterday meaning I can get straight on with making after work…organised and prepared Holly is happening
***Day 16- of @joannehawker #marchmeetthemaker Workspace ***
As I mentioned last week I’m very lucky to have a space to use in my neighbours house. It means my mess and theres alot is contained behind a locked door and I can just pick up where I left off the next day. Then when they come back I just tidy up and move back home for a few weeks.
This afternoon I’m moving my stuff back over and trying to get it back to how I like it…this is the most tidy it will be until June ha
***Day 15- of @joannehawker #marchmeetthemaker Motivation and Goals***
My mantra is just keep trying… A few years ago I lost my way a little bit. Things happened in other aspects of my life and it totally knocked me off balance and for a long time all my juggling balls were on the floor and I had nothing to pick them up with.
Its taken time but with the help and support of my family and friends I’m in a way better place than I was before. Im looking after myself I’ve lost 6 stone in the last 3 years which gave me way more self confidence than I’ve ever had and in turn I’ve found my guy who values me and makes my life brighter just by being there and we are currently saving for a house!
I’m getting back into making and I’m trying to be more organised. I have 2 goals for the year I’m going to create new work and from that new work update my etsy shop regularly and get new stockists #simple
One day in the future I want to own a craft retreat type place where people can come stay for a weekend and be inspired by workshops, cake, nature and being surrounded my creative people.
***Day 14- of @joannehawker #marchmeetthemaker Where I Learnt***
My degree was in Textile Crafts and I specialised in embroidery. I already knew free machine embroidery before starting uni so my actual skills are self taught. Practice and just trial and error and many many hours with my sketchbook and sewing machine just playing around with different ways of doing things. (@laurajeanpaperandstyling and me at our graduation)
***Day 13- of @joannehawker #marchmeetthemaker Photography ***
Instagram was not playing along yesterday so double posting today!
No fancy set up here, just my sketchbook by the kitchen window. Nice to see its not just me that waves an extra piece of white card round to get more light into my photos though ha (Thanks @js_levell for this photo)
***Day 13- of @joannehawker #marchmeetthemaker Photography ***
No fancy set up here, just my sketchbook by the kitchen window. Nice to see its not just me that waves an extra piece of white card round to get more light into my photos though ha
***Day 11 - of @joannehawker #marchmeetthemaker Reducing Waste ***
I try to save and use every scrap of fabric, my heart brooches are all from a tartan stash I found at a charity shop and I have a usable bits bag that I use for tiny details and total scrap bag which I use to stuff the pots of cactus pincushions.
All of my envelopes are saved by my boyfriend who saves all sorts from going in the skip where he works. Although they are bubble wrap filled I’m at least saving them from an early trip to landfill.
***Day 10 - of @joannehawker #marchmeetthemaker You***
I am a serious photo avoider the camera goes in front of me and all of a sudden I can no longer control my face…I’d love to post a lovely photo of me and my work looking wonderful but instead here is me colouring in at Wagamamas
5 facts: ⭐ My favourite colour is green ⭐ I love to bake and want to own some kind place where cake and art work together ⭐ I’m rapidly approaching 30 and it makes me a little bit sick ⭐ Rich teas and bourbon biscuits are my favourite ⭐ Pigs are my favourite animal
***Day 9 - of @joannehawker #marchmeetthemaker Story Behind Your Name***
All down to my parents they had a plan of if they had daughters they’d all be plant names…I’m the only girl with 3 brothers!
Featuring my flower bunting and noticeboard and @laurajeanpaperandstyling Happy Head cupcake toppers which I have dotted round my room and make me laugh when I see me poking out of plant pots #smallthings
***Day 8 - of @joannehawker #marchmeetthemaker Product Range*** All my work is currently packed in the box towers that I showed yesterday, so this is a little bit of a cheat photo from a craft fair I did at Christmas
I love embroidery and I love fabric so that is the main body of my product range everything is one of a kind so if you buy anything from me no-one else will ever have one the same
*** Day 7 - Less Glam Side #marchmeetthemaker *** I’m currently lay on my bedroom floor looking up at my box towers….
I am incredibly lucky in that my neighbours let me use their house to make my work in and all I do in return is mow the lawn, pay the window cleaner and keep an eye on their house while they are away.
They come 2-3 times a year so for the 2 weeks they are here all of my stuff moves back over to my teeny tiny bedroom. I never realise how much “stuff” I have until I have to pack it up carry it back home and cram it in here ha
I am incredibly grateful and they are lovely people!!! I think its my mum whos most thankful that I can lock all my mess away and she doesn’t need to navigate round my hurricane of a work space
*** Day 6 - Full or Part Time #marchmeetthemaker ***
I’m a part time maker and have been since I finished university. 7 years of early starts at John Lewis most recently as a Visual Merchandiser, home by lunchtime to create in the afternoons and my evenings are at the gym where I lift, dance, jump, zumba and swim my way to triathlons just for fun :)
I would love to go full time and have big dreams of what I want to do and where I want to be so hopefully one day in the future!
*** Day 5 - Detail or Close Up #marchmeetthemaker ***
So this is an unseen piece in my Supermarket Stitch collection and I have no clue why I never shared it because it was the best and most detailed thing I ever made!
A box of @yorkshiretea which is a firm favourite in our house! It took literal weeks of layering up embroidery, from the little sheep to the cricket players.
*** Day 4 - Tools and Materials #marchmeetthemaker *** My brother Nouvelle 1500 was given to me by my lovely neighbour who hoped I’d get a use out of it, I showed her some of my Supermarket Stitch work and she couldn’t believe I’d used the machine she gave me, she was so happy that it wasn’t just sitting in her cupboard anymore.
I have enough embroidery hoops to perform some kind of circus trick and the 2nd photo is of my cotton wrack, a gift from my boyfriend who said the unorganised chaos of the plastic tub I used to have was just too much ha
I use alot of felt and use reverse applique to build layers of colours and then add details with free machine embroidery.