redeemcreations.co.uk

Pixie House brooch village

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These little things are such a pleasure to make - so they are multiplying! I think they look quite cute all together and it adds to my childish fantasy that they may just house little pixies who appear in my studio at nioght when I’m not looking…..maybe that’s why my desk always looks like such a mess in the morning?!
When I was alittle girl I used to draw characters called “nomites” (I think named by my parents!). These tiny creatures had no body, just one big head with arms and legs poking out of the side. I would imagine all sorts of different individuals; often they would be getting married, complete with lacey veils, confetti and streamers! I think I was always content if I had a small scrap of paper (even better a tiny notebook) and a pencil! The smaller the world I created, the better. I think I still find it hard to break out of this miniature utopia and many of my grown up creations follow the same miniscule limitations. When something is so small, you can’t spell it all out. It forces you to imagine the rest and in a way, you have to escape into this little universe in your head to appreciate it.

By the way, I’ll be putting these in the shop soon, along with some pixie house key rings when I have time to make them!

new stock March 08 183

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My latest Teeny totes. I am in the process of updating my etsy shop, so check it out soon.
These little bags make me happy. I love making them, even thought they are fiddly. I especially love going all out on the pink, as with these. Little girls love them.
I have also uploaded a load of new photos to Flickr, so check that out too.

 And just to show that I can do “non-pink”Teeny totes too……

Mother Goose Inspiration

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Hello again! Seems like a while since I last blogged! It’s been half term, so child-free time has been at a premium!
I have managed to get in the studio a couple of times, coutesy of my hubby and my mum looking after the children though!
Mum brought me a children’s book and it sparked my inspiration again. I had been thinking about embroidered bags, but had sort of got stuck on the imagery - teapots and watering cans. Which are ok, but not really quite right. Then mum gave me this book and since then I have been trying to work out the perfect way of translating these beautifully simple designs onto fabric.
This is proving more complicated than I had imgined, not just from a technical point of view. I have tried various forms of transfer, lino cutting and free style embroidery. None of them are quite right. I am waiting on some textile medium to be delivered to see if I can make the lino cutting more effective - I’ll keep you posted. If it works, the posssibilites are endless! Is it sad to say, that really excites me? No.
Anyway, I have also begun using the new labels, which are pink and deep brown. They look lovely and a whole lot more professional, I think than the old ones.
Watch this space for the latest on the children’s book idea!

This was one of the best designs I found - I may even have to use the idea for a new logo.  I am in the process of unifying my business - trying to get a “look” to everything I do, and I need a logo.  This is a bit too complicated though, but I like the idea….

I am tracing over it using a transfer pen that you then iron onto fabric.  Useful technique, but not the right one for what I am trying to achieve.

Getting there….but she’s still a little scary looking!

molly’s apron

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My guest blogger today is my friend Sally - this is a picture of her little girl Molly wearing her new birthday apron…..

Thanks, Naomi! I’m over visiting my best friend with my children - Molly has just turned two and my son Tristan is four. Tristan thinks it is great that when we get together we have all the numbers up to five - Eron is 1, my Molly is 2, Ben is 3, my Tristan is 4 and Cadan is the big boy at 5! This is a belated birthday visit for Naomi, and Molly was presented with her special gift, too….

Well, the look of sheer joy and pride on my daughter’s face… you can tell she just loves her new Reedeem Creations!

Little girls adore little bags, and at two years old, Molly is already amassing a small but very exclusive collection. I was thrilled to notice that the pocket of the apron was part of some fabric that I wore as a skirt over fifteen years ago - see Naomi’s post from last year about sorting through my Mum’s old material - and I was tickled as pink as the butterfly to think that this fabric will now form a new and even more special memory!

Thanks so much to my dear and special friend for her generous thought and time taken to create something so precious. You never fail to inspire me and lighten my heart!

Now, I think I’ll have another one of those tasty fairy cakes Naomi made if the kids have left us any….!!

birthday cakes

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Thank you to all my lovely friends who have made me feel very special this brithday. Thank you Kate for a beautiful cushion, which may have to form the colour scheme for our bedroom when we do it - rich, deep purples and majenta. Thank you too to Lucy who baked me these lovely cupcakes. There’s nothing quite like having cakes made for you. Speaking as someone who bakes with the tiniest of excuses (usually we’ve eaten all the previous batch!), it’s a really thoughful gesture when someone takes the trouble to do it for me. Especially when I know the person in question is a very busy lady, so thanks Lucy, they were scrummy.
Also, I won’t be too offended that Cadan, who always refuses the cakes I bake as a special treat for his lunchbox (strange child), took one of Lucy’s cakes with obvious glee this morning. All I can say is that I think he is a child who likes things to be “just right” and perhaps mine are a little more, haphazard shall we say than Lucy’s immaculate creations. To quote Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves (which you will probably never hear me say again), “Allah loves wonderous variety” and we are all different. Some more different than others.

birthday 001

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Thought this little cup and saucer deserved a bit more web space. I think it’s charming - to use an “old-fashioned” word! I had a birthday cup of tea from it and felt very civilised. It has pride of place on my dresser amongst my growing collection. I really like this deep turquiose colour - I have always liked turquiose.

By the way, I found time to put a few houses in my etsy shop!

house brooches

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Presenting the latest addition! These are little house brooches and I think they have turned out really cute. Each one is different; some have flowery vines climbing up their walls, others have dainty rows of flowers. Ever since I can remember, I have always loved making tiny things - mum and dad will vouch for that. I used to draw tiny worlds, or make them with acorn shells and twigs by tree stumps. I guess that’s why the fabric in the background appealed to me. These houses are in the same tradition. I have really enjoyed playing with the fabric combinations and sewing on the little flower beads. Very relaxing, especially when you are feeling rotten.
Yesterday was my birthday and I didn’t manage to get out of bed till 2pm because I felt so rough! I’m starting to feel that way again as the evening draws in and as Ben was up several times last night too, I think an early one is called for. But first that mountain of washing on the line…..that never goes away, does it?!
Look out for these house brooches on etsy, I think I’ll be spending some sofa time uploading some things soon.

A picture of some birthday treats.  Mum found the cup and saucer for me - we are currently sharing a love of finding these in charity shops!  She also made me an altered book as an alternative to a card.  Very original and much appreciated.

Benjamin Robert commission

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Not a brilliant photo, I admit, I should have scanned it!
This is a piece I completed recently for some good friends who have a new grandson. I absolutely loved doing this for them. Painting is my first love and always will be, wherever else my wanderings take me. It’s not just the act of painting, although this is theraputic, vitalising and wonderful in itself. For me, doing this kind of piece, for a few short hours, I get to invest mysef totally in the life of another - think just about them and follow my instinct as to what will both express their personality and speak into their future. It’s like a holiday in paint! To me, this is why I was given this gift. Encouraging others. Whatever form that takes. And this is a form I love!

And this was a gift from my special friend Sally when we moved into this place.  She did it because she knew we wanted a permanent reminder, somewhere we’d see it often, to give thanks for all the wonderful things we have.  Too oftne, we focus on the things we don’t have, would like, things that would make life easier, better, more fun…..the list goes on.   The challenge is to live in a way that looks at the blessings we do have - of which there are many (more than our storehouses can contain).  Thank you Sally for this beautiful reminder.

teeny totes 2

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Had a wonderful day in the studio today. I put up a noticeboard and filled it with lots of lovely inspiring things - and I even managed to make a couple of bags. They seem to be coming out in light pinks and yellows - perhaps to match the mood of the light at the moment.
The sun has been winning the battle today (mostly) and casting a delicate light over everything in my little workspace. It feels really cosy in there.
Having spent the day “rationalising” my fabric stores yesterday, I feel ready to begin work again creating.
I have all sorts of projects lined up that I want to do; experiments and explorations, but we’ll have to see if 3 boys and everpresent housework allow.
Still, for now I am off downstairs to have a glass of well-earned wine and a doodle in my sketchbook.

med 16 front

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This is the bag that seems to be getting the most attention on etsy so far. I think it’s quite pretty too. The wide braid makes it really special.

The fabric on the back is a thick upholstery fabric and I love the delicate, but bold combination of pastels. That reminds me…..my other hyacynths have come into bloom - just what I needed to breath a bit of life into a day at home with poorly children!

Like them?