Blue Signs

An assortments of blue signs made by me over the years.

Where does time go?

Life alway seems so busy lately and  even though my intentions are to keep up this blog, it has sat silent for so long. Far too long.

I have been busy - like everyone I know has been,  and despite  technology always going forward, somehow I seem to go backwards. I never seem to get caught up with blogs, online selling and recording my work digitally.

Everyone keeps asking me if Ihave a website and although I sell on on-line sites, I do not have a dedicated site yet, so I thought I would start showing signs here so people can see the range I do.

It has been a busy year - time has flown by so quickly and here we are, in the run-up to the Christmas 2012 period and despite all my resolutions to be more dilligent and list posts year round,  - it has not happened - so here I am again writing on my long forgotten blog! 

I have made and photographed loads of signs, and I am still in the learning process of getting to use my DSLR camera, and it is starting to sink in. Slowly, but surely.

After 30 weeks of instructed photography classes and 42 weeks of photoshop classes  a couple of years ago, I am still not there by a long shot, but I am not as far behind as I used to be! My tutor Clarrissa was very pateient with me. Practice really does help! 

I take virtually dozens of pictures every week of my signs and rarely am I happy with them even after altering, but I keep trying and maybe will get there soon. Some work out well colourwise, but maybe they are not sharp enough, or over/under exposed ar will not fit into the format I need them to fit.  I  am sure one day I will get there!

Metal Hearts!

So here goes - a few of the signs I have made in the summer. I intended to take pics of every sign but never seem to manage that so I have bursts!

I found these lovely simple metal puffed hearts  which are about 5 inches across and bought as many as I could find to paint roses onto. No basecoating needed aside from a clear surface primer, I can straight to painting  and then varnishing!  They are great fun to do and very popular on my craft sales table. 

As you may know - I am a bit obsessed with roses!

VINTAGE CHIC

This design is always popular in cream,and duck egg blue, or soft pink backgrounds and with various coloured roses, although pink is the most popular.  Simple, and who can resist  a rosebud or two or three?

NOSY ROSIE'S VINTAGE GARDEN

I have had a frustrating year with wood that I have bought warping! I buy it,have it cut and bring it to the studio I work in and it has been warping - sometimes  slightly, sometimes severely.  SO FRUSTRATING!

It seems that  wood is no longer being cured properly after planing, cutting, sanding etc. All these mills that turn trees itno planks are apparently not curing them! Well not all of them - but the ones that supply the wood to the DIY chain I bought recent  batches from. 

 Ones of the properties of this cheap wood that I do like it that the grain is often highly raised which has a lovely effect when I sand back the layers of paint to reveal the background. This warped wood has been painted with duck Egg Blue background and has bright pink rosebuds peeking around the letters. I wanted to keep it - so taken with the grain that I was, however,  it resides with one of my customers now.

PARIS FLOWER MARKET

This sign is from the same warped batch  as Nosy Rosie's Vintage Garden sign, and this time I decided to use it for a vertical sign. Again - lovely raised grain - this time overcoated with a beautiful vintage green colour, pink roses and little daisies.

Again, I wrapped the stems of the rosebuds and daisies around the letters and squeezed some cabbage roses above.  Unfortunately the  middle one looks a little squished, so this sign lives in my studio and I will make another one of this design to sell on Not on The High Street.  

This sign measures approximately 6 inches wide by 12 inches deep. 

 I intend on doing a bigger version of it as well, which is 8 by 18 inches in size, but it may well have more roses and daisies and even more different flowers

Well back to photographing signs!  You guessed it - Christmas signs for NOTHS and  fairs so I will go now while the light is right and post more later!

Apologies for any missed typos!

SeaSigns

Wonkey Folly

Custom Signs

Nautical Signs

Hi!

I am going to publish several photos (not all of them good either I am afraid!) of some of the signs I do with a nautical flair, as I have been previously talking with a lot of people who are interested in them.

I am doing this, so that should people be interested in what I make can look though this and find the photos!

I know there are photo sites around and I also know that I could do them on Facebook, but I am not crazy about FB, and for now this will suit, so forgive me for repetive content!

Any of the signs are available in colours to suit decors, and if you want something special and individual do contact me and I will do what I can.

I presently sell through Not On The High Street and eBay and will happily post any orders through either. My desire is to have a dedicated website, but with my limited techno abilities, that may have to wait.

I will get there with a website as soon as I can - that will be a priority for me in the coming months, but for now, my blog wil have to be my contact.

At the moment, Christmas is upon us, and with that I have booked into several shows for the season and thus I am within a sea of projects!

I will post pictures of Seaonal Christmas stock as soon as I can!


Sharon
xoxoxo

Adding pictures

My poor sad little blog - no attention since before Christmas so here goes the first few pictures for all the lovely people at my various craft events who have asked about a webiste.

At the moment, I am afraid there is no dedicated website, but I will add pictures when I can for you to see the range I do.

Only a few today though as I am only on a break from painting! I agreed to do the Westcliff Art Trail again this week, but because I have been so busy with craft sales and orders and builders redoing my kitchen, as well as the Photoshop and DSLR Camera classes I do during the week, this has been put on the bottom of the pile and I have finally reached it!

Therefore in my coffee break I write this and will add a few shots and come back to it when I can .

Here are a couple of photos taken of my stall last September at the Leigh Regatta and Village Green events in Chalkwell Park! A mix of seaside and vintage chic signs, tags, accessories and decorations!

Following on from Handmade on the 2oth of November, I will be at the Community centre again (same place!) on the 27th of November for the Leigh on Sea Handmade and Vintage Fair, organsied by Anna Cooper. This is a brilliant and fun fair, with some fantastic handmade crafts, many in a vintage theme, as well as vintage clothing, cakes, jewellery, paintings and signs. There is also a tearoom on site run by all the Tea and China, serving tea in vintage china an cucumber sandwiches and delicious cakes.

A fun day and a very popular event! Pop in and say hello if you are there!

Tis the Season

Where has the year gone? Here we are - November and my busy period!

I have several craft events this season including the Westcliff on Sea Women's Institute Christmas Craft Evening held at the Cliffs Pavilion on the 11th of November! This group WOSWI - are the greatest bunch of ladies ever! Ranging in ages from 18 to 70 plus, every meeting is full of fun, laughter and friendship! I am looking forward to the evening!

Followng this event which is a group event and not a public event, I will be showing at several venues in the Southend on Sea area.


The season is Christmas and therefore a lot of my wares will be in that theme, and will include signs, shelf sitter block sets, ornaments, cards, and wreathes, and there will also be wares to purchase as gifts in different themes including cakes, vintage chic, and shabby chic roses.

The list of events is below - if you are in the area pop in and say hello! There will be many stalls selling a huge variety of special hand crafted items made with love!

Hopefully I will see you there!

Saturday, November 20th, 2010- Handmade.

This event is organised by Southend Adult Community College and will be held at the Leigh on Sea branch (Leigh Community Centre on Elm Road). This event is held upstairs and co-ordinates with the popular Farmer's Market which is held downstairs in the morning.

All wares will be handmade by various artists and craftspersons - many who were at some time, or still are, students at the college.

Expect to see a wide range of beautifully made by hand items ranging from fashion accessories, jewellery, mosaics, cards, painted art, collages, and more!

Entry is free and the hall will be open from 10 am to 3 pm. A lift is available and refreshements will be available.

A fantastic oppourtunity to grab some unique Christmas pressies!

Cakes!

Who doesn't like a bit of cake? Even if you do not have a sweet tooth - the revival of the cupcake and cake decorating for eveyday is a welcome return to day of old! Cupcakes, either real or in the form of decoration has been a huge trend for sometime now and of course I had to put my two cents into the equation as well! I am not a domestic goddess however, so my cake stand may never hold the edible sort - but who can resist these lovely cake stands? Not me - that is for sure! I had a lot of people wanting to buy the stands - perhaps I ought to get some to sell!

A Mix of Seaside and Vintage Chic with a bit of Halloween and Christmas thrown in for fun!

A stand with something for everyone! I made sure I had a mix of styles on offer which included not only the seaside styles but also Vintage and Shabby Chic (two styles I am very fond of!) I also included some holiday signs as it before we know it - it will be that time of year once again!

Seaside Hanging Tags

Selling Signs

Below is a selection of some of the nautical signs I have been working on. I had a lot of fun putting colours and sayings together! I used jute string on these signs as opposed to the usual wire I use but I thought it would lend a beachy feel to them!

She Sells Sea Signs down by the Sea Shore!

Update on Annoying Posts

Just to say a big thank you to the moderators at Blogger! They have somehow magically fixed the annoying posts I have been receiving and a big thank you to you for doing so. No longer am I getting these comments and I am very happy about that! I had been considering closing my blog and now I do not have to so .....................Thank you so much!

I am happy now!

Who doesn't enjoy a day at the beach - sun, sand and lots of fun! All of Southend on Sea - from Leigh to Thorpe Bay and Shoeburyness has beaches running along the coastline, and in the summer the beaches are packed when the tide is in or out, especially on a sunny day!

Many people travel in on the Fenchurch Street Line (rail)) to spend a day at the seaside, and although summer is the busy time, there are still people to be found near the sea on any given day.

In the winter months when the wind is wild and strong, it may not be easy to actually unwind on the Beach, but it can be very refreshing and my little pal Riley will happily have his walkies by the beach on any day - rain or shine! He may be a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel - regal by breed name and nature, but he loves to get his paws muddy and run along the beach!