In early June I started Lilla Rogers Make Art That Sells course. I knew I wanted to take part as soon as the course was announced to really broaden my knowledge of different markets and push myself creatively.

We are currently in the early stage of week three and I thought now was a good time to take a look back at what we’ve been doing and what I’ve learned about myself and my work. The course itself is deceptively simple with each week focused on a different market – from bolt fabric to children’s books – and each assignment is built up from smaller tasks set during the week. It’s a fab way of working and has really taught me to slow down. I tend to go rushing headlong into things and miss out on really pushing my sketchbook work, which is after all where most of the magic happens!

The first week was a bolt fabric assignment based around mushrooms and pyrex casserole dishes. This was familiar territory for me, especially after having done Rachael Taylor’s fantastic course so it was a nice way to ease myself in. I submitted my final piece to the group flickr page nice and early and I felt good about it and confident in my final piece.

However, once Lilla began her review of all the students work I began to see there were some things missing from my design. There was a lot I was pleased with but I could have used more icons, developed a bigger, more detailed world and added more variety to the design. The standard of the work from the other students was amazing and I was a bit humbled by it all to be honest!

The second week focused on the Home Decor market, something that I love and would love to do more of so I was really looking forward to the assignment. The week’s challenge was to design a plate featuring seeds, pods, succulents – alternative florals I guess. I don’t know if it was the slight downer I had on the experience of the previous week or the floral subject matter but I really struggled to connect with the project, I couldn’t find the magic and things just were not clicking! Now I’ve been a designer long enough to know that it’s all part of the process, some days just don’t go your way, but this felt different. I don’t know if it’s the difference between working in a busy design studio where you can lean on your colleagues at times like that or whether I was feeling a bit competitive with the other students on the course, all of whom seemed to be turning out amazing designs. Whatever it was I just couldn’t get the picture in my head of what I wanted to create to match up to what was happening on my screen. It felt frustrating, I might did have had a tantrum.

In the past I might have given up on the idea, said “you know what, floral aren’t for me – let’s go back to drawing those geometric shapes you love so much” and if I’d done that then no doubt would have had something I was pleased with done and sorted in moments. But that wasn’t the brief. Plus it felt a whole lot like giving up. So I pushed on. Left my computer screen and went back to my sketchbooks, but this time I picked up a bunch of them, old ones that I’d filled with scribbles and sketches over the years. And there, on one of the pages, was the answer. It hit me like a flash. It was a tiny, very rough doodle I had done weeks previously but it was exactly the mechanism I needed to hold my ‘alternative floral’ sketches in my geometric shapes. Unfortunately I found that drawing about 10 minutes before I was due out of the door for drinks with the girls so I couldn’t do anything about it! I had to sit on it all night while I drank wine and gossiped and giggled – a massive hardship I’m sure you’ll agree

The next day, after a large coffee, I sat down sketched it all out and then hit Illustrator in a big way. It came together really quickly and I LOVED it. Not just the end result (which is pretty good, if I say so myself) but the process. It was full of happy accidents, little things that made me giggle and loads of ‘ahh ha’ moments. I couldn’t stop at just plates, I went on to create a whole tablewear collection using motifs and icons from the main design (icons are such a big learning point for me in this course – look how useful they are!). And I had fun. Lots and lots and lots of fun. I woke up in the morning thinking about it and gladly worked nearly all day Saturday on it. Joy.

I called the collection Evolution, partly because the floral motifs I used feel quite primordial to me, ancient almost, but mostly because I felt like I had a bit of an evolution during the process of designing it. I found a new language for my design work and learnt not to give up on things, that even subject matter that you don’t immediately connect with has something in it for you, it’s just a case of finding it and – in the case of the little sketchbook drawing that unlocked it all – sometimes the answers were there all along. I’m looking forward to more evolutions as the course progresses.

 

- – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - -

Get your FREE exclusive Sam Osborne calendar digital wallpaper.

Subscribe to the Sam Osborne mailing list and get an exclusive desktop design every month plus previews, news, features and an exclusive code for 15% off your first order at Sam Osborne Store

Subscribe now > sam-osborne.co.uk/newsletter <

- – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - -

The post Make Art The Sells: A lesson on sticking with it appeared first on Sam Osborne.

I hope you’ve been enjoying A Month In The Life, my blog series where I ask some of my favourite designers, makers and creative types to keep a record of the last month and share an insight into what they’ve been up to!

May has been a fab month with great posts from Tina Devins from Dreaming On A Star and Penny Taylor from Taylored Curiosities and now I thought I’d fill you in on my May. It has been a month of new beginnings ,with work starting on my new collection and our first craft fair of the year. I also bought out a new range of greetings cards, started the promotion for my print sale and Confetti Pop’s Style Lab photostyling course started! Busy times.

My May Highlights:

5th: We celebrated Nana’s 101st birthday!

11th:  I shared a stand with Kim from Knockout at the Artist and Makers Fair at Waddesdon

16th: Delivered a bunch of print work to the lovely Emma May from Simple Pleasures Sewing School - love this bit of my job!

19th: Had a day out at a vintage car rally, indulging my love of 2CVs and other amazing old cars

21st: Started research for my next collection – these are all books about discovery and exploration!

23rd: My new greetings card collection based on some designs created for my #365Patterns challenge

28th: Started promotion for my print sale (on now!)

30th: Starting sketching for my new collection! Love this part of a project, sketching and designing away!

31st: Just squeezed into the month is my feature in the fabulous Moyo magazine – this was very exciting and I’m so pleased to have been asked to feature!

Hope you enjoyed reading the story of my May, you can read all the Month In The Life posts > here <

If you are a designer, maker, artist, photographer, crazy creative person and you’d like to share a month in your life with my blog readers then I’d love to feature you and your work. Just leave a comment below or drop me an email >here< and I’ll get back to you with full details of how to take part.

 

 

 

- – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - -

Get your FREE exclusive Sam Osborne calendar digital wallpaper.

Subscribe to the Sam Osborne mailing list and get an exclusive desktop design every month plus previews, news, features and an exclusive code for 15% off your first order at Sam Osborne Store

Subscribe now > sam-osborne.co.uk/newsletter <

- – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - -

The post A Month In The Life: Sam Osborne May appeared first on Sam Osborne.

Today Tina Devins from Dreaming On A Star continues my Month In The Life series for May with a visual diary showing her creative life throughout the last month.

Tina is an illustrator and surface pattern designer from Ireland. She is a fellow graduate of the Art & Business of Surface Pattern Design and designs under the name Dreaming on a Star which she beautifully describes as a happy, innocent place full of hopes and dreams!

Find out more about Dreaming On A Star on Tina’s website, blog, shop and  facebook

- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – -

Over to you Tina, tell us how May went for you:

“Oh I’ve had such a productive month! And it’s only by recording it that I’ve realised this. So thank you Sam for this opportunity!

Find out more about Dreaming On A Star on Tina’s website, blog, shop and  facebook

- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - -

If you enjoyed Tina story of her April the you can read all the Month In The Life posts > here <

 

If you are a creative person, whether you draw, shoot, write or make, and you’d like to share a month in your life with my blog readers then I’d love to feature you and your work. Just leave a comment below or drop me an email >here< and I’ll get back to you with full details of how to take part.

 

 

 

- – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - -

Get your FREE exclusive Sam Osborne June calendar digital wallpaper.

Subscribe to the Sam Osborne mailing list and get an exclusive desktop design every month plus previews, news, features and an exclusive code for 15% off your first order at Sam Osborne Store

Subscribe now > sam-osborne.co.uk/newsletter <

- – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - -

 

The post Month In The Life: Dreaming On A Star appeared first on Sam Osborne.

Today Penny Taylor from Taylored Curiosities kicks off my Month In The Life series for May. Penny has kept a visual diary showing and sharing her creative life throughout May.

Penny is an artist who creates gorgeous little creatures. I love how she describers herself on her website; “ I draw, I sew, I create strange creatures that live in odd worlds, people often question my sanity… I like to look up as I walk past trees, to see if I’m missing anything. I like to smell old books and my very old typewriter and imagine the memories. I like to walk down roads I’ve never been down before to see where they lead. Life is about adventure.”

Smart cookie this one!

Find out more about Penny on her website and her shop and connect on facebook,  twitter, instagram and pinterest

- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - -

Over to you Penny, tell us how May went for you:

“This month for me has been a whirlwind.  Between new releases for my online store, 5 exhibition pieces for 2 different galleries in America and starting a new job around being self employed as an artist, it has flown by and I haven’t really known whether I was coming or going.  It’s also been a lot of fun though. 

My exhibition pieces are some of my favourite so far and getting to use all of my different mediums is really refreshing.  I have been dabbling with needle felting this month, which is showing already in my work and I am loving every second of it.  I will continue to expand on my Morrow creations.  I have a custom Dude for Dudebox which is slowly being turned into a Morrow tree house and I will be sharing finished photos of on my website over the coming month 

It’s been really good fun taking part in this blog feature too, as it’s meant I’ve actually recorded my month, my work and all the other things I’ve done and been able to appreciate them more then when they flash by and before you know it the month has gone.  So thank you Sam for asking me to be a part of this and helping me enjoy my May!” 

Find out more about Penny on her website and her shop and connect on facebook,  twitter, instagram and pinterest

- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - -

If you enjoyed Fiona’s story of her April the you can read all the Month In The Life posts > here <

 

If you are a creative person, whether you draw, shoot, write or make, and you’d like to share a month in your life with my blog readers then I’d love to feature you and your work. Just leave a comment below or drop me an email >here< and I’ll get back to you with full details of how to take part.

 

 

 

- – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - -

Get your FREE exclusive Sam Osborne June calendar digital wallpaper.

Subscribe to the Sam Osborne mailing list and get an exclusive desktop design every month plus previews, news, features and an exclusive code for 15% off your first order at Sam Osborne Store

Subscribe now > sam-osborne.co.uk/newsletter <

- – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - -

 

The post Month In The Life: Taylored Curiosities appeared first on Sam Osborne.

I’m so pleased to be able to share my feature in the wonderful Moyo magazine!

Moyo is the world’s only online magazine dedicated to surface pattern design! Each issue is packed with interviews, design briefs, colour challenges, art reviews, student showcases, design tips, inspiration, trends and more, this free resource is published quarterly. Moyo is run by and contributed to a fab team of design industry professionals including Rachael Taylor, Beth Nicolls Patricia van der Akker from the Design Trust and Libby Macmullin. You can image my surprise and excitement when I got an email asking if I’d like to be featured in the next issue!

Apparently my #SBS win and the work I’d done while on the Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design course had caught the editors eye and they suggested an interview style article featuring me as a rising star! How could I say no? I jumped at the chance! Once the questions had been sent over I got straight onto answering them – and some of them were pretty tricky! The most fun part was coming up with my list of design favourites:

FAVOURITE DESIGNERS: Wayne Hemingway, Bridget Riley, Holly Fulton and Mini Moderns

FAVOURITE BLOGS: Print & Pattern, Aesthetics Of Joy, Design*Sponge

FAVOURITE MAGAZINES: Computer Arts, 8 Faces, Living Etc and of course Moyo

FAVOURITE DESIGN BOOKS: Print & Pattern, Creative Licence, Field Guide To Fabric Design

FAVOURITE FONT: There is no way I can pick one – all of them on different days probably!

Issue 4 came out today and I am pleased to be sharing the pages with amazing creatives like papercut genius Mr Yen and the lovely Lilla Rogers, whose Make Art That Sells course I start on Monday! To read issue 4 (you can find my feature on page 76-77) click > here < and to read all the back issues of Moyo Magazine visit the site > here <

To find out more about press features I’ve had or for information if you’d like to feature me online or in print visit my press section

- – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – –

Get your FREE exclusive Sam Osborne June calendar digital wallpaper.

Subscribe to the Sam Osborne mailing list and get an exclusive desktop design every month plus previews, news, features and an exclusive code for 15% off your first order at Sam Osborne Store

Subscribe now > sam-osborne.co.uk/newsletter <

- – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – –

The post Moyo Magazine feature! appeared first on Sam Osborne.

The post ‘Orbit’ Collection appeared first on Sam Osborne.

San Francisco-based artist Klari Reis is creating a new super colourful Petri dish painting every day in 2013.

And what’s not to love about her project? The colours are amazing, the challenge unique and even the titles she gives each one make me smile – I’ve included them with the images below so you can see what I mean!

Klari hand paints each plexiglass petri dish using epoxy polymer to mimic the huge variety of microscopic forms usually found in petri dishes. She colours each batch of the polymer with powders, oils, acrylics and dyes that bleed and merge together creating bold organic patterns and shapes, I love that her workplace sounds as much like a lab as it does an art studio!

The paintings are so bright and cheerful, I’m loving seeing this project develop over the year and look forward to a new one each day. You can follow the project via Klari’s twitter or dedicated blog. To find out more about Klari and see her other works, including an amazing collection of painted apothecary bottles visit her website > here <

She also completed as similar project in 2009 and these have been turned into large scale wall art with the groups of dishes, 30, 60, and 150 strong, arranged in a circle each one suspended on metal rods of various lengths. These, plus individual petri dish paintings are available to buy > here <

Stay tuned for more Design Love posts about artists and designers whose colourful work catches my eye!

- – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – –

Get your FREE exclusive Sam Osborne May calendar digital wallpaper.

Subscribe to the Sam Osborne mailing list and get an exclusive desktop design every month plus previews, news, features and an exclusive code for 15% off your first order at Sam Osborne Store

Subscribe now > sam-osborne.co.uk/newsletter <

- – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – –

The post Design Love: Klari Reis, The Daily Dish appeared first on Sam Osborne.

Brand new wall planners for organisation that’s pretty and practical!

Late last year I launched my first collection of calendars and wall planners and while the calendars were popular (selling out twice) the wall planners went down an absolute storm. So it’s with great pleasure that I can announce some new additions to the range: two 2014 planners (for those super organised people out there) and an academic planner running from August to September for students or those who can’t wait until January to get organised! Plus there a reprint of the original perpetual planner that you can use any year or forever and ever – a customer who bought one last year wrote to me to say she’d had it laminated so she could wipe it down and re-use it next year and the year after and the year after that!

They are all available now and ship within 2 weeks so you can have them up on your wall and start getting everything planned, organised and strategised asap.

For more brightly-coloured planning and organising tools, including downloadable daily to-do lists, visit my shop > here <

- – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – –

Get your FREE exclusive Sam Osborne May calendar digital wallpaper.

Subscribe to the Sam Osborne mailing list and get an exclusive desktop design every month plus previews, news, features and an exclusive code for 15% off your first order at Sam Osborne Store

Subscribe now > sam-osborne.co.uk/newsletter <

- – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – –

The post Planning just got serious! appeared first on Sam Osborne.

I hope you’ve been enjoying A Month In The Life, my blog series where I ask some of my favourite designers, makers and creative types to keep a record of the last month and share an insight into what they’ve been up to!

April has been my busiest Month In The Life month yet – we’ve heard from Georgia Bosson & Bethany Wigmore, SAM from Hand Press Print, Julie Hamilton and Fiona Murray this month and now I thought I’d fill you in on my April.

April was an unusual month as it included a holiday, my first holiday in two years and boy did I need it! We grabbed a last minute deal to stay with friends in Florida and enjoyed a week of sun, beaches and swimming pools. I actually managed to switch off completely, so easy to forget how important that is! Aside from holiday loveliness I’ve signed my first licensing contract – all still top secret but hope to be able to share with you soon – been working on some fab client projects, sending samples off on exciting journeys and enjoying see Spring finally reach the UK shores! I’ve also begun working on my next range for my own label, which oddly has involved me reading Gulliver’s Travels and Around The World In Eighty Days – can’t wait to see where this project goes!

My April Highlights:

1st: Found this amazing wallpaper behind the light switch in the bedroom while we were decorating

3rd: My latest business reading material – this book is fab, totally recommend it if you’d like to get your product into shops!

5th: Signed the first of a few licensing deals. This is a new direction for my business but one I’m very excited about

8th: Headed into the beautiful city of Oxford for a meeting about Handmade Makers Markets that I run with my Friend Michelle

10th: My brightly coloured packing for holiday!

15th: Enjoying the sun, sea and sand at Atlantic Beach, Florida

23rd: Home from holiday and happy to see the weather has improved, makes running that bit more enjoyable

24th: My Birds In Flight fabric and Geo Brights wrapping paper was requested by a very exciting publication – more on this when I can!

29th: After taking a little break I’m back on my #365Patterns challenge.

Hope you enjoyed reading the story of my April, you can read all the Month In The Life posts > here <

If you are a designer, maker, artist, photographer, crazy creative person and you’d like to share a month in your life with my blog readers then I’d love to feature you and your work. Just leave a comment below or drop me an email >here< and I’ll get back to you with full details of how to take part.

 

 

 

- – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - -

Get your FREE exclusive Sam Osborne May calendar digital wallpaper.

Subscribe to the Sam Osborne mailing list and get an exclusive desktop design every month plus previews, news, features and an exclusive code for 15% off your first order at Sam Osborne Store

Subscribe now > sam-osborne.co.uk/newsletter <

- – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - -

The post A Month In The Life: Sam Osborne April appeared first on Sam Osborne.

Today photographer Fiona Murray continues my Month In The Life series where I ask some of my favourite creative people to share a window into their life over the course of a month.

Fiona is a super talented photographer who gets huge thumbs up from Kirstie Allsopp no less! Fiona graduated from the Glasgow School of Art with a degree in Fine Art Photography and, after honing her talent with some of the top Scottish photographers, she has been creating beautiful images for editorial, commercial and direct clients for the last 8 years! And I’m excited to say Fiona is also the first photographer featured on my Month In The Life series!

Find out more about Fiona on her website and connect via twitter and facebook

- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - -

Over to you Fiona, tell us how April went for you:

“It’s great to look back at a month and find out how much you’ve actually achieved. April was really busy for me both professionally and personally, it was my birthday, my best friend visited from OZ and I attended my favourite wedding ever. As well as working on images for an upcoming book published by Harper Collins, shooting food imagery for Simply Add Chilli and product shots for outdoor sports retailer Vango. It all sounds a bit exhausting but it’s also been really fun.” 

Find out more about Fiona on her website and connect via twitter and facebook

- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - -

If you enjoyed Fiona’s story of her April the you can read all the Month In The Life posts > here <

 

If you are a creative person, whether you draw, shoot, write or make, and you’d like to share a month in your life with my blog readers then I’d love to feature you and your work. Just leave a comment below or drop me an email >here< and I’ll get back to you with full details of how to take part.

 

 

 

- – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - -

Get your FREE exclusive Sam Osborne May calendar digital wallpaper.

Subscribe to the Sam Osborne mailing list and get an exclusive desktop design every month plus previews, news, features and an exclusive code for 15% off your first order at Sam Osborne Store

Subscribe now > sam-osborne.co.uk/newsletter <

- – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - -

 

The post A Month In The Life Of: Fiona Murray appeared first on Sam Osborne.

Next up in my Month In The Life blog series is surface pattern designer Julie Hamilton from the wonderfully named Artistically Afflicted.

Julie Hamilton lives in Whistler, British Columbia in Canada and describes herself as  an upcountry girl living in a beautiful backcountry world! Her designs are full of colour and energy and range from the flowerly and foliage-filled to fun and quirky takes on stripes and spots. She has just started a fab new series on her blog where artists and designers share their creative process from inspiration to finished product – well worth a look!

Find out more about Julie on her website and connect via twitter and facebook

- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - -

Over to you Julie, tell us how April went for you:

Find out more about Julie on her website and connect via twitter and facebook

- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - -

If you enjoyed Julie’s story of her April the you can read all the Month In The Life posts > here <

 

If you are a designer, maker, artist, photographer, crazy creative person and you’d like to share a month in your life with my blog readers then I’d love to feature you and your work. Just leave a comment below or drop me an email >here< and I’ll get back to you with full details of how to take part.

 

 

 

- – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - -

Get your FREE exclusive Sam Osborne May calendar digital wallpaper.

Subscribe to the Sam Osborne mailing list and get an exclusive desktop design every month plus previews, news, features and an exclusive code for 15% off your first order at Sam Osborne Store

Subscribe now > sam-osborne.co.uk/newsletter <

- – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - -

 

The post A Month In The Life Of: Julie Hamilton from Artistically Afflicted appeared first on Sam Osborne.

Continuing my Month In The Life blog series, today we follow printmaker SAM from Hand Press Print through her creative life in April.

Seven years as a jewellery designer maker, a degree in Art History specialising in architecture and an interior design background combine in Hand Press Print for SAM. She lives in Edinburgh and is inspired by the architecture and open spaces of the city, as well as the natural rugged beauty of the Scottish countryside. Her drawings and sketches are translated into beautiful lino cut prints.

Find out more about Hand Press Print on her website and connect via twitter and facebook

- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - -

Over to you SAM, tell us how April went for you:

21st - Simple still life – using my favourite green (my kitchen is that colour!!) – at The Vintage, a fantastic food pub in the Leith area of Edinburgh. Celebrating a friends birthday… this was after a fantastic cocktails and foodie night … but I forgot to take my camera….

  

Thanks so much to SAM for joining in with the Month In The Life series and sharing everything you’ve been up to in April – it’s been fab getting to see a window into your work and life in the beautiful city of Edinburgh!

Find out more about Hand Press Print on her website and connect via twitter and facebook

- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - -

If you enjoyed SAM’s story of her April the you can read all the Month In The Life posts > here <

 

If you are a designer, maker, artist, photographer, crazy creative person and you’d like to share a month in your life with my blog readers then I’d love to feature you and your work. Just leave a comment below or drop me an email >here< and I’ll get back to you with full details of how to take part.

 

 

 

- – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - -

Get your FREE exclusive Sam Osborne May calendar digital wallpaper.

Subscribe to the Sam Osborne mailing list and get an exclusive desktop design every month plus previews, news, features and an exclusive code for 15% off your first order at Sam Osborne Store

Subscribe now > sam-osborne.co.uk/newsletter <

- – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - -

 

The post A Month In The Life Of: SAM from Hand Press Print appeared first on Sam Osborne.

Continuing my Month In The Life blog series, today we follow illustrator Bethany Wigmore through her creative life in April.

Bethany is a recent graduate from the University of West London whose fabulous illustrations are inspired by her surroundings, travel and things seen in everyday life. Bethany is pursuing her dream of a career in illustration, something she fell in love with at University, Bethany explains; “I had always had this notion of a a career in illustration in the back of my mind and the process of going through university made me realise that this was where my real ambitions lie. Now I spend my time constantly drawing and building on what I have in my portfolio. The style that I have developed over recent years is delicate and colourful, detailed and quirky, I enjoy using fine-liner pens, watercolours and surprisingly the average black or blue biro has made its way onto my work.”

Find out more about Bethany on her website (check out the sketchbook pages!) and connect via twitter and facebook

- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - -

Over to you Bethany, tell us how April went for you:

“This month has had its ups and downs, it has involved an awful lot of drawing more so than usual as I am trying to build my portfolio up with more lovely illustrations. I have travelled up and down the country visiting family and working. I was very ill halfway through the month yet I recovered quickly after spending a few days in bed. I am always taking photos so I had too many to choose from, my iphone comes in very handy when I’m out and about. Much of it is food that I’ve made, visiting the Cotswolds (which has to be one of the prettiest places in the UK) great for inspiration and for clearing my head. I have included pieces of work that I have done and competitions I have entered. When I look back now I’m happy that my April month was full of colour and inspiration. The icing on the cake was having my boyfriend home from his three week deployment. Lovely.”  

Thanks so much to Bethany for joining in with the Month In The Life series and sharing everything you’ve been up to in April – I love your illustration style and it’s fantastic to see someone so passionate about what they do. Good luck building your portfolio, I’m sure we’ll all be seeing much more of you in the future!

To find out more about Bethany and her work visit her website and connect with her on twitter and facebook

- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - -

 

- – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - -

Get your FREE exclusive Sam Osborne May calendar digital wallpaper.

Subscribe to the Sam Osborne mailing list and get an exclusive desktop design every month plus previews, news, features and an exclusive code for 15% off your first order at Sam Osborne Store

Subscribe now > sam-osborne.co.uk/newsletter <

- – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - -

The post A Month In The Life Of: Bethany Wigmore appeared first on Sam Osborne.

Hooray, a new month means only one thing – new Month In The Life blog posts! Today we meet textile designer Georgia Bosson as she talks us through a snapshot of her creative life in April.

Georgia is a textile designer with a love of colour and texture – taking her inspiration from everything from pine cones to Indian elephant festivals! She describes herself as: “ a bundle of creative energy – I find it hard to focus on one project or product so limited production runs suit my personality and my working practice. I love to create tactile surfaces by appliquéing wood and Perspex to textiles, the way the work feels is often as important as the way it looks”. Georgia has just finished her first homewares range of one off and limited edition pieces including cards, tea towels and cushions. You can find out more about Georgia via her website, buy her gorgeous collections in her shop or connect on twitter and tumbler

- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - -

Over to you Georgia, tell us how April went for you:

“April has not been the most typical of months for me to share a snapshot of as I have been on holiday for most of it! I did manage to sneak in some work in that time and have my work used in a magazine for the first time which was very exciting!

• Sent work to the Manchester print fair for an exciting new collaboration with the Vapid Slackers.
• Developed some new designs for printing based on my current chevron prints.
• First trip of the month to Milan for the furniture fair, it was super inspiring and totally exhausting!
• Went on a great Tokyo Bikes tour of Milan stopping off at interesting design shows for prosecco along the way!
• Back to squeeze in a couple of days at work with rug designer Helen Yardley.
• Flew to Norway for my friend Stacy’s first year MA show – beautiful!
• A surprisingly sunny week in Bergen with lots of walking up mountains and seeing lovely exhibitions.
• Went on a walk along the canals and discovered Stour Space gallery and booked myself in for their designers market on the 25th May!
• Finished with much needed studio time where I taught myself basic book binding and made a prototype of a new light design. (Watch this space for new products!)”

Thanks so much to Georgia for joining in with the Month In The Life series – you’ve had such a busy month full of exciting adventures, fabulous to see! I love your homewares collection and I’ll be first in the queue for one of your lights!

Find out more about Georgia on her website, her shop and connect with her on twitter and tumbler

- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - -

 

- – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - -

Get your FREE exclusive Sam Osborne May calendar digital wallpaper.

Subscribe to the Sam Osborne mailing list and get an exclusive desktop design every month plus previews, news, features and an exclusive code for 15% off your first order at Sam Osborne Store

Subscribe now > sam-osborne.co.uk/newsletter <

- – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - - – – – – - -

The post A Month In The Life Of: Georgia Bosson appeared first on Sam Osborne.