BOYS WILL BE BOYS.

Except they won't. Or, don't have to be. Why do people still insist on using phrases like this? I was recently on facebook and someone I don't know commented on a friends status post about potty training. My friend was having trouble with potty training her son who is about the same age as Stan and this women commented "Boys tend to be harder as they concentrate on things less". REALLY? I mean, REALLY???!!! Are you actually serious? I was so shocked to read this. It made me (probably unnecessarily) angry. In this day and age with all the problems we have with boys not doing so well at schools (according to statistics), women, and mothers (I checked, she has two children, a boy and a girl) feel the need to stereotype children this young. She has basically written off her son and all boys with this silly comment. Do you not think if we continue to tell boys they are no good, concentrate less etc then they will go on to do just that.

Many parents still seem so set on putting girls and boys into these.....dare I say it, pink/blue camps? I often even hear myself at playgrounds justifying Stanley's timid behaviour that he is shy and doesn't want to go down the slide with all the other boys. Why do I end up laughing it off sometimes and I'm so ashamed to say I've even be known to make fun of his cautious ways to other parents to fit in in all this stupid playground/playgroup parent hierarchy.

Why do boys have to be more boisterous and loud and girls quiet, sensible and thoughtful in their play. I know this to be untrue just in the small friendship group I share. I have friends with kids who have boys that are playful, loud and sometimes unruly, but I know many friends daughters that are also the same - and what fun they are! I also know quiet sensitive cautious boys (Stan being one of them) but I know girls that have similar traits. What does it really matter anyway how quickly they walk, talk, learn to go down a slide, potty train? Surely all we should be focusing on it letting them enjoy being who they are, and a CHILD, no matter what that might be and how that fits in with what is the 'norm'.

THE BLANKET {sarah elwick}

This is my second review of one of my very clever friends over on the left. This time it is the lovely Sarah Elwick up for answering a few questions about herself and her *new* on line shop she has set up. I was very lucky to receive one of her gorgeous baby blankets in the post as a little swap for some artwork. I was excited when it arrived as I'd seen little peeks on instagram and facebook. And my oh my did it not disappoint, it is gorgeous in the flesh. My husband LOVED it too and didn't even say "do you really need another blanket" which in itself was a flipping miracle!

I used to go to art foundation with Sarah (I know it does seem like I'm a little biased and only currently reviewing 'Sarah's'!) She has moved up to Winchester to teach and create these masterpieces. She has recently exhibited at MADE in London and will be showing and selling her beautiful stuff at MADE in Brighton on Friday 23rd, Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th November. Make sure if you are in the area you pop in and have a look, or check out her shop on line.

I asked her a few question so you could get to know a bit more about her and her work...

WHAT DID YOU STUDY TO GET WHERE YOU ARE NOW

I studied for a BA(hons) in textile design, specialising in knitwear at Winchester School of Art, graduating with a 1st in 2003. I then went straight onto study for an MA in Menswear Knitwear at the Royal College of Art. Both courses were absolutely fantastic, and really taught me to think creatively, and developed my personal handwriting as a designer.

WHY IS PRODUCING AND SOURCING MATERIALS FROM THE UK SO IMPORTANT?

After I graduated from the RCA I worked as a knitwear designer for a company that mass produced knitwear collections for clients in the US. They manufactured this knitwear using factories in the Far East, where the motto seemed to be 'make 'em cheap and pile 'em high', and any slightly more interesting construction technique,  high end yarn, or stitch pattern would usually be ruled out because it would be too expensive to produce.

This experience really opened my eyes to the conditions that cheap knitwear is made in, and gave me the impetus to want to start making something here in the UK, being able to design products that I felt passionately about, using high quality yarn, and supporting the extremely skilled knitwear, and yarn producers we have in the country, hopefully helping to keep this important part of out manufacturing heritage alive.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO MAKE SUCH AMAZING COLOUR COMBINATIONS!

This year for my new geometric merino collection, I was inspired by patchwork quilts, and other traditional 'folk' textiles, such as Scandinavian Fairisle knitwear, and traditional welsh wool blankets, as they all have quite bold, graphic colourways and patterns, which I always seem to be drawn to. I got particularly inspired by this blog called Folk Object: http://folkobject.tumblr.com/ which has whole a wealth of inspiring Folk art and textile images to view. 

I then digest this information over a period of a few weeks/months. At this stage I tend to procrastinate for ages over a wide variety of inspiration and imagery, and then gradually designs and patterns seem to come naturally to the front of what I'm working on. If my gut reaction says 'YES!' then I go with it! It's difficult to know which designs and colourways will be popular, but I think you have to rely on your gut instinct about what makes you feel most excited as a designer, and try and take a few risks with new work each year.

WHERE CAN PEOPLE SEE YOUR WORK AND BUY YOUR BEAUTIFUL THINGS.

My work is available to buy through my online shop on my website: http://sarahelwick.com/ through Notonthehighstreet, or through a few shops I have listed on my website. I am always on the look-out for suitable new outlets, so please get in touch if you would like to stock my work.

Other than that I've just shown my work at MADE LONDON, which was brilliant, and from the 22nd-25th of November I will be exhibiting at MADE12 in Brighton: http://www.brighton-made.co.uk/ please pop by and say hello if you can!

DO YOU HAVE A PLAN OF WHAT YOU'D LIKE TO PRODUCE NEXT?

After really great feedback on my work from MADE LONDON on my new geometric merino range of accessories, I plan to continue to develop this range of products next year. I want to design a new range of womens luxury fineguage merino scarves, that really showcase the beautiful merino yarns to their full potential.

DO YOU FIND TEACHING A BENEFIT TO YOUR PROFESSIONAL PRACTISE?

Definitely. I think having to explain techniques, and approaches to students really enhances my knowledge and understanding of certain processes. I also find it really inspiring to see what my students design, as they are looking a process with fresh eyes, and so can often be really innovative and push the boundaries of the discipline.

ASIDE FROM COFFEE WHAT CAN YOU NOT LIVE WITHOUT?!

Well I'm more of a tea person to be honest, so tea, and red wine, oh and probably houmous. I eat it pretty much every day!

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE SOMEONE WANTING TO START UP THEIR OWN BUSINESS

Be prepared to work ten times as hard as you think you will need to. 

Do shows where you can sell your work to the public as soon as you can. The feedback you will get on your work, what people like and dislike about your products, and whether ultimately will you be able to sell them to make enough money to make a living out of it, will be invaluable. 

Don't undercharge for your work. If something is handmade, using good quality raw materials, people expect to pay a bit more for it. If you're only making a couple of pounds profit from each item, you're never going to be able to sustain it as a business.

Ask for advice. From your peers, tutors, other people running a similar business to you, organisations who run workshops. Ask what shows they recommend, how they price their work, how they produce their work, etc, etc. As long as you're not in direct competition with them, they will probably be happy to help you.

Always thank people who have helped you along the way. Whether it's tutors, show organisers, suppliers, friends who photographed your work for you, or modelled your work for you, whatever it is say thankyou, and if you can't pay them offer them something in kind. In my case, some knitwear in return for something I need help with always goes down well, and you never know when you might need them again...!

Me and Stanley also did a little photo shoot for Sarah to help with images on her website. You can see more here, but a little glimpse of what we got up to is below. I think it is so important to support these hardworking individuals as best we can. There are so many huge brands out there making tonnes of money by selling cheaply made things out of not very nice, unsustainable materials. I think if we can buy a little less but buy locally or from people we know then just perhaps we can make a real success out of good, talented people.

OH, IT ALWAYS HAPPENS WHEN YOU DON'T NEED IT

Sickness that is. I am so rarely ill. Stanley has his moments, like all good babies they pick up little treats here and here. For example this morning I went in to his room to find that he had been sick in his cot. I will come back to that...for now it is about me. I was ill Sunday, you know when you start to feel something creeping in and it has that way of sweeping over your body with the same dread and lethargy I loathe. Anyway by Monday morning I had a pretty impressive temperature and felt terrible. It is so hard too to explain to Stanley that I'm not my usual crazy dancing self because I'm ill. And no it's not because I don't want to give in to all the 'uddle mummy' demands it is because I reeeeeeally don't want to pass this on to your tiny little body to deal with. I had to get better, I had a book festival to go to miles away in Southend on the tuesday...the very next day. I had someone picking me up at 6.20am to drive the hideous 3 hours there. I think though sometimes that helps - forcing yourself to get up, get moving and basically get over it! In the end I made it. It was booked 6 months ago and I didn't want to let the library down, the staff, or the lovely children coming for two workshops. In the end it was the best decision. The place was lovely - Southend Book Festival is one of the best small book festivals I've been too. Welcoming, well organised and run with kind people making sure I was ok, feeding me sugary treats and cups of tea to keep me going. The kids were a joy to work with, thoughtful, clever imaginative and above all fun. I clearly wasn't quite right as I completely forgot to take my normal photos of the wonderful creatures they draw. This time though I did get something given to me... this as a memento from one of them. What more could you ask for when you're not feeling quite yourself?!

Now though I am of course back to full health, Stanley it seems not so much. Not sure what the sick was about but I do know I had that horrid Mama guilt of knowing he had slept in it for several hours without making a fuss, poor lamb. A warm bath, a hairwash (oh dear) and some clean clothes have made him happier and comfortable for now. Hopefully this afternoon with some sensible food in his belly he will start to feel better.

♥ S&s

footnote: I hope to post the second t-shirt painting photos this week, sorry I forgot all about them.

WORKSHOP {part one}

I have recently been up to London twice to do illustration and story workshops. One was at the National Portrait Gallery, and the other was in libraries in Brent. I really enjoy the process of talking to children, seeing how they react when I show them my work. Especially when I show them the many stages to creating a children's book, that it doesn't happen straight away, that I make many mistakes, and practise books before starting the final one. However the noise they make when I show them my artwork is so lovely, and always makes me pleased that I continue to shun the computer to make my images and spend the time slogging it out on proper paper!

At the NP Gallery I was asked to do a morning and afternoon session involving paintings within the gallery. I based the workshop around the surreal portrait of Charles Waterton, who not only was into taxidermy but also creating new creatures out of different animal body parts! I thought this idea would appeal to children's imagination, and to keep the workshop a little to my way of working I got them to all to produce their new creatures in little books. They first were told the story of Charles Waterton by a storyteller and then I took them up to the gallery so they could make little drawings of animals from the paintings as well as draw some different styles of frames, and frame shapes that were hanging in the gallery. We went back down to the most incredible basement workroom where I could show them my work, and then I helped them make a simple book out of a few folds, and one clever cut! Then they drew their animals, cut them up, and then stuck them back together to create their new creatures. The outcomes I thought were really good for just an hour workshop. I was so pleased, and they all seemed happy with their mini books.

footnote: sorry about the quality of the photos, I only had my phone with me to record the day.