Love birds

Hello readers,

I hope you like the birds I made!

It all started when with YE, which is young embroiders (an amazing session held once a month, where girls around my age are taught new and exciting embroidery skills) I made a bird. So I made the green bird (photo 3). It was hanging around on my desk as I wondered what to do with it- until before Christmas when I realized I could make another one (pictures 2 and 5) to make a set of “Love birds”. After that I quickly put it all together just before Christmas to give to my parents- the love birds- as a present.

Handmade gifts are always best, don’t you agree!?

Probably the funniest thing (and cheekiest one my behalf) when making this gift, was when I had to saw the wood to make the gift complete. A few days before Christmas, I crept downstairs at 7am when no one was awake to then secretly use my dads saw to cut the wood to the right size. Luckily no one had realized!

The great thing about these birds is that there is lots of ways to present them. Infact, I plan to buy a vintage bird cage and put one in there as a decoration for my new room!

Little tip: I sewed the birds onto the wood but I am sure there are other easier ways to attach them on. Perhaps make felt feet and sew them onto the bird, which you can then super glue on?!

Good job its valentines day soon, all you "love birds" out there!

^the first photo is me in my dress and the second is the flower^ It certainly is a fantastic feeling when you wear something that you have made especially when you have put so much time and energy into it!!! A few months ago, I thought I would try making a something different and our good family friend helped and advised me on how to make a dress (clothing is something I had never tackled before!). The first thing I did was choosing material and since this dress was going to be fancy I decided to choose a fantastic fabric called Taffeta. After afew hard working sessions of dress-making the dress was completed- just in time for the cruise me and my family were going on. I wanted to wear it for a formal night but I knew it needed something else so in the cabin I stitched away to make the flower. I hope you like it! little tip: If you plan on making a dress add something to it to make it you own!

On my last post I stupidly forgot to also thank Amanda Duke for helping me to finnish my bronze award to the best it can be!

Let get started... First I think I should tell you abit about myself and why I am doing this blog!

I am 13 years old (almost 14) and I love art , I always have and I always will. So I thought it was about time I showed the world my love for it, and what's a better way then writing a blog about it!

I go to Young Embroiderers (YE). I used to go to an art club and I also do a quilts club for my school's 100th aniversary, but in between all of that I manage to do what I love and that is textiles, crafts and art.

When I was younger I liked to draw and paint..all the usual stuff, however around only two years ago I was shown and taught textiles. And what a amazing thing textiles is! From then on I was in love.

I soon became very interested in arts and crafts and I hope I will at least try everything I can and push myself to learn and make things to the best quality as I can!

I have been very fortunate by having a loving family who support me. For example my Dad helps me with my photography, my Mum takes me to lots of galleries and my sisters have put up with me spending ages in art galleries. But another person who deserves my thanks is an inspiring woman called Maggie. If it wasn't for her I would still only be doing drawing and painting, but she introduced me to the world beyond normal art. She taught me everything I am best at now and love the most, however it was only a year ago she died. It took me a long time to understand that she was gone, but I soon realised she was still there with me and smiling at me as I stitched a toy or took a photo. So last year I vowed to raise money for her. So I did , and through selling my textiles and raising money I was able to donate £142 to a charity for her!

One last thing.
I completed my Arts Bronze award last year, this meant I had to do a four part project. I had to study an art heroine (Vivienne Westwood of course), go to an art exhibition (Summer Art exihibition), learn a new skill (hand sewing) and deliver some training through an art apprenticeship (a toy owl workshop). I displayed everything in a book and sent it away and I hope to get it back soon. I will definitely post about it in the future.

I can't wait to write about my work and views. And of course get feed back from my readers!