Valentines Papercuts

It's February, my birthday month, and I have been working away getting my website updated with lots of products. January felt like a bit of a slog, so I'm starting afresh and looking forward to Chinese New Year! My papercuts are now online, I really love making these, especially the anatomical heart, which was something I started when I was working on the weekly word drawing project.

Lovebirds

Puffins

Anatomical Heart

Tote-ally great

I've been updating my online shops, so I now have 5 different designs of tote bags available to buy. Check 'em out here: http://nellsmith.bigcartel.com/category/tote-bags. They are organic cotton, hand screen printed by me, and at 10 pounds a pop, would make a lovely pressie for your Secret Santa! For the run up to Christmas, I'll be including some surprise gifts with each online order. I love Chrimbo!

New Work! And Black Friday discount code.

Hello to you! I'll skip the usual lack-of-blog apology and move right along to the important stuff. I've worked all summer long on new things and I have FINALLY put new prints up on my website. Here are a few work in progress shots to prove that I have been working hard, and that I draw everything by hand before any printmaking commences.

I think one of my favourite prints is the Spectrum Goat Skull. I love the way the colours blend, so each one is completely unique. It's always a bit of risk, trying something new and changing direction, so I really hope I sell some of this work. I've loved making it. There are five new prints up, go have a look, http://nellsmith.bigcartel.com/ and if you like what you see, there is 25% off everything in the shop all weekend with the code NONEMOREBLACK. Have a good 'un! x

Juneathon week 2 round up

Another busy week! I am so tired I can't really think about what I've done. Made a start on some new big drawings and made some time-lapse films, thank you very much to the ever lovely Paul Capewell for the app recommendation! Lots of fun to be had. I can't upload it here without a big faff about and frankly I want to go to bed for a bit, so that'll have to wait. Follow me on instagram if you're desperate for a peek.

'Hand' was the theme for this Weekly Word Drawing and as it was Friday the 13th I thought I'd embrace the beast within with some horns. Drew this watching the Mexico-Cameroon game. I am now dead into football after forgetting all about it for the past 4 years. Funny that.

I hadn't done any running since Sunday, but got up early this morning for parkrun and got a PB.

Pretty satisfying to see how much quicker I've got over the past year, also felt a lot easier than it used to! 26th female, happy with that.

I still haven't had a booze-drink, but this is all set to change later, BBQ, football and party times. What could possibly go wrong?

Miles run: 3
Miles cycled: absolutely loads
Yoga classes: 1
Alcohol consumed: 0
Magnums consumed: Let's not talk about that, ok?

Juneathon Week One round up

I've had a good and busy week, in which I have exercised everyday but had no time or inclination to blog, so here's a little round up instead.

 I made a start on bigger geometric drawings in my studio. Really pleased with how they're evolving. This is about a metre across. Tricky to get a good picture. I'm going to try and make a little time lapse film of me making one. This will involve me learning how to make a time lapse film, hmmm.

 On Friday I went to a meeting in Liverpool at Open Eye Gallery. Exciting things happening, which I'll talk about later once things are confirmed! It's a great space, enjoyed the Martin Parr photographs. I went over to the Tate Modern and checked out the Constellations exhibition too.

 The weather was beautiful, I had such a nice day pottering around and checking out some galleries and drinking lots of good coffee. Went to Bold Street Coffee and managed to find the Baltic Bakehouse, which was boss, la!

 Went to the Science Fiction exhibition at FACT, which really spun me out. There were loads of little doors to go through , it was like being on a space ship (I imagine). There was this weird film with a talking lychee (or durian, who can say?) in it which I enjoyed.

 On Saturday I got soaked for the umpteenth time cycling into town to teach a screen printing workshop at Fred Aldous. Lovely group, always love seeing how different everyones prints are. Next workshop dates are in September, you can book on the Ministry of Craft website.

 I was a little late with my Weekly Word Drawing. This week's theme was 'Head'. I had a few different ideas, but hastily knocked these smug moon heads out. Trilby versus fez, which will win? (Fez, obvs.)

 I am trying to be healthy and eat well and not drink, so made a radish and fennel salad with lemon and mint dressing, to accompany delish tea made by my pal. First Saturday night booze-free since time immemorial.

 This morning Nick and I drove out to Longdendale and ran up and down a big hill. It was mega!

 Nice day for it! And by 'it', I mean a very sweaty 10k run.

Ate a bacon butty, watched the tennis, then distressed some cats.

Miles cycled: approx 70
Miles ran: 6.8
Yoga classes completed: 1
Units of alcohol consumed: ZERO!

Not Running, but Risographing and getting great Reviews.

I have completely slipped behind with my training plan. Eek. The only exercise I've done this week is cycling into town and back. To be fair this is a bout a 10 mile round trip, so better than nothing, but not great. I slept terribly last night, hopefully I'll settle back into a routine soon.

I cycled to the Craft Centre to take some photos of my latest alphabet risograph prints, I spent this morning editing the photos, which always takes so much longer than predicted! Little Foxes are now available to buy from my website.

A lovely customer got in touch to say how happy she was with her order and has left a glowing review on Yelp! How nice.

Travelling, travelling, wandering

What an amazing, whirlwind week it's been! I didn't quite make it through Blog Every Day in May, as I was called away at the last minute on Very Important Business to New York! Who could say no?

My Dad came to stay last Friday, my washing machine broke and flooded water all over the kitchen floor, I sang with She Choir on Saturday in the pouring rain at Envirolution Festival in Platt Fields Park, went to my friend Jane's wedding on Sunday, flew out to New York on Monday, came back on Friday, stood in my room for half an hour nearly going under trying to pack for a trip to Derbyshire, celebrated my sister's 10th wedding anniversary, came home on Sunday and slept.

So, I've failed at Juneathon already, but I'm going to try to bring it back this week. I feel pretty done in, so I'm having some low-key times, have stocked up with fruit and veg and am staying off the booze!

 Me with the beautiful bride.

New York I love you.

Little Italy with a delicious beer.

Walked over the Brooklyn Bridge to Manhattan.

Back to Blighty.