Look After Me!

This week, I have been helping out at the wonderful Nottingham Trent University. On Tuesday, I helped out with the 3rd years tutorials as they approach the end of the course. So many amazing ideas bouncing around. I absolutely love working at a University and being part of the student's learning. On Wednesday, I hosted my penultimate screenprinting workshop of the academic year. Then, on Thursday it was back to the studio for more tutorials - this time with the second year. In one of the spaces in the Uni was this huge blackboard, pictured above, where students had scribbled their dreams and hopes that they wanted to achieve 'before they die' - really fun to read while having a tea break! 

In other news: I had been worried that without clear washing instructions on my hand-made pillows the print might be compromised. When I send out an etsy order I always write a note with care instructions for the products, but I thought I would design some little cards that I will hang from the labels of my cushions so that it is perfectly clear! It's also a nice piece of unique branding to add to the product. Maybe people will keep the cards forever too! :-) 

I have also set up a Pintrest! (I know, I know - another distraction, hey?!) I am to be believed that it will be very useful, inspiring and helpful to my work. I am probably going to feel really late to the party - but if you like, my profile is here. Let's link up! I will be adding to it tonight. 

Jenna Lee Alldread's photostream

Jenna Lee Alldread's photostream on Flickr.

I updated my flickr :-)

Beefstock V

The Beefstock poster that I designed came back from the Printers last week! It looks great. If you fancy the line up - it's only five pounds for all day and all those bands - 18th May at Wharf Chambers in Leeds. Gerronn down!

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chalk boards & a new website

Last week, I spent my time hand cutting and painting these chalk board characters and now they are in my shop! Check them out here. I also have been working on a new greetings card range that I will be launching this month - which is pretty exciting. I have been drawing squirrels, killer and sperm whales and lovely houses for it. I can't wait to get them all printed and put them on sale :-) I was inspired by my time at Tigerprint to have a go at making my own range. They are a little less mainstream, but hopefully people will like them! I have been tackling making a new website too, which is now live at www.jennaleealldread.com hopefully this will be able to grow and evolve as I become fluent in html and css (hey, anything can happen!) I would love to know what you think of the new website and the chalk board characters! They were such fun to make, although I have spent the last week covered in dust and walking around with bits of sand paper stuck to me. I do feel like I could tackle any household DIY problem now though. ;-) 

Tigerprint

You can read about my time at the wonderful Tigerprint Studio here! 

Jenna Lee Alldread Doodles: Illustrations & Creations

Here is a new illustration I made (of me) and a repeat pattern in the background of my making processes to use as stickers when wrapping up orders and on bags at craft fairs and internet avatars and such! What do you think? Can you see I have sneakily added one of my homemade cat collars on me? A little bit of product placement there! The repeat pattern is made up of pencils, scissors, squeegees, sewing needles and threads which are my main processes really - apart from my good ol' mac, that is. 

Wortley, Leeds.

A pencil sketch of some Wortley houses in LS12, Leeds. 

New Stockists & Chalk Boards!

I am pleased to announce that I have a lovely new stockist in Yorkshire! In Horsforth, you will find Nell Berrey's Vintage Furniture and Reclamation store. The shop, which is near the train station is home to beautiful, creative pieces  of furniture some of which have a modern twist on their classic style.
You can see her website here.

Here are some of the pillows that I dropped off at the shop last week, which are available there. 

I also hand cut one of the cheeky cat characters out of thick MDF and hand painted this cheeky cat black board which you can hang outside or inside your home! He is available to pre-order as I will be spending the weekend painting up a few more! He has screwed in hooks on his back so you can hang him up with ribbon or string and place him anywhere in your home. 

Made to the highest standard, the thick wood has been hand cut into shape, filled and sanded, then primed and finally hand painted with lots of layers of high quality black board paint so he will stand the test of time. More characters coming soon! If you would like to pre-order this chalkboard you can here. 

The making of: 

meow!

Easter.

I hope everyone has had a lovely Easter weekend. I went to the Ideal Home Show in London on Friday for inspiration, did lots of running (and therefore eating!) and ended it in Wales & Chester with my boyfriend, getting some quality time together. It was lovely. :-) 

I put this Spring Time offer into my etsy shop last week. You can now get any two hand made screen printed pillows from my shop for £30 - saving you £10 with some designs. You can have a pair or mix and match. There will be new designs coming soon and they will be available in the offer too. Over the Easter weekend, I was sorting out my materials and workspace and realised that I had lots of blue bicycle patterns material that I printed left over. I have been making collars recently out of the left over cuckoo clock material and sausage dogs but I wanted to make something I bit different with the bicycles. So armed with safety pins and elastic I made these reversible, gingham and bike material head bands. I hope you like them - they are only £3.00 in my shop, and I have a variety of colours :-)

I popped down to the JuJu shop in the Corn Exchange in Leeds to find that my bunny pillows have been selling well there! :-) I restocked the shop with some pocket mirrors and the blue bicycle pillows and will be heading in there now that Easter is over with some more rabbit pillows that I made:

The Crafty Fox Market 2013

On the 25th March I sold work at The Crafty Fox Market in Brixton. Getting up at 5am to drive down to Leeds was easy as I was filled with excitement for the day, but mixed with snow storms along the M1, diversions that took us an hour up towards Coventry and back again meant that we were an hour late to arrive at the Dogstar pub where the event was held. I know it wasn't anyone's fault that the snow was falling and the M1 was closed but. I felt so flustered setting up amongst a completely full event! I managed to construct a lightened (atmospheric!) box for my cat collars to sit in, had an earl grey and soon got into the swing of things!  The market is so vibrant and busy and fun. As soon as doors opened it was non-stop browsing, chatting, meeting, eating, buying....! 

I was sat next to the lovely people at Mister Peebles who make utterly gorgeous cards (see pictured donkey) They were truly lovely people who helped me in my moment of 'arrrrghhh' at the start of the day. I hope our craft paths will cross again soon. Check out Mister Peebles' shop here

There were so many lovely stalls there. I partially liked 'Stuffed Nonsense' who make rad & endearing creatures. This one, pictured below, is the spitting image of my friend Dave. I was so tempted to buy it for him and post it anonymously :-) (sshh! I might still do that. Hope he doesn't read my blog!)

Check out their blog here. As soon as I got home I googled them and their blog is such a lovely read of all the fun crafty things they get up to! You can see all their creations inside their etsy shop.

My other favourite stall of the Sunday was Stacey Swift, an illustrator from Bedford who makes gorgeous prints, cards and stationary covered with her charming illustrations. I really liked these plush foxes she had in a basket on her stall. Check out her shop here.

So dispite the early rise and the battle with the weather and roads, the day was brilliant. I met some awesome people, was introduced to some great new work that I will be spending my pennies on in the future and I have some new stockist leads to go on (fingers crossed) The work I sold is in my online shops as well! Etsy link here & folksy here. 

Here is a video of the event this year! You can get a taste of how much fun it was - certainly something for everyone!

Working 9-9 Ditch The Guilt

I was approach by self published author Carol Cameleon to design a book cover for her latest book which discusses being a working mother today and feeling guilty that you go to work and you are away from your family, then coming back from work and putting on a Mothers-work-head and doing it all again! All Mothers seem like super heros to me - balancing so much, be it a job, the children, maintaining a spotless house etc! I don't know how it is done! I really liked the idea of the book and I thought that a lot of people would relate to it! The book covers a lot of topics from Post Natal Depression to childcare options and time management and much more! 50% of the sales of the soon to be ebook go directly to the charity Action on Pre Eclampsia, which I think is a lovely gesture of Carol's. You can read more about the book, Carol and her other projects here.