Summer at last - and a big decision!

Suddenly we have something a lot more like summer weather – dry and sunny but with quite a stiff breeze to keep us from overheating. 

The schools broke up last Thursday and it is so unusual for the weather to change for the better once the children are at home – it’s usually the exact opposite!

I heard that the birds are getting confused by the weather and migrating at the wrong times and something quite bizarre is certainly going on with one of my little apple trees –

It’s hard to see but yes, that is blossom up at the top, on the right and apples down near the bottom, all on the same tree!

I’ve been working on that rose and lavender design, making it into a repeating pattern, trying not to get frustrated with my laptop running out of memory and placing the design elements as accurately as I can by eye.

Nostalgic Scents of Summer Pattern Throw Pillow by helikettle
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But on Saturday, I heard about some so-called ‘improvements’ that Zazzle are making to the site, which most people seem to think will be disastrous for sales!

Products seemed to have gone missing from our stores - I clicked on the 'Tote Bags' button only to find that there were 'no products found' in spite of knowing that I had created more than fifty tote bags!

I was quite overcome by a feeling of 'powerlessness' in respect of the various Print-on-demand websites I sell through. During this past year, each one of the four main sites I use has made changes that have adversely affected the artists and there’s not a thing we can do about it.

I read on the forum about an artist ‘leaving her computer in tears’. I felt a bit the same way but instead, I went out and mowed the lawn and took out my exasperation on the edges with the shears! I should really have been working on my designs -  putting the 'greetings' on the Roses and Lavender card above! - but it was the first of the beautiful summer’s afternoons and it would have been a shame to stay indoors.

I often do my most constructive thinking whilst trimming the edges of the lawn!

And as a result of my pondering, on Sunday morning I did a google search for online surface pattern courses as the products that Zazzle have launched this year – cushions, bags, sleeves etc, have reawakened my love of surface pattern design.

Scents of Summer Pattern Messenger Bag by helikettle

I was completely amazed when a UK-based course came up straight away and it looks like just what I need!

Here it is -

Do What You Love

The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design

So - (deep breath!) - although it will involve expenses that I don't really want to think about, I have decided to do what I wanted to do more than 20 years ago . . . . . . . . better late than never!



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The Magic of Flowers!

At last I’ve got around to making those ‘Poppies and Cornflowers’ greeting cards!

Bright Poppies and Cornflowers 65th Birthday Card by helikettle
 

But on the other hand, that Islamic Pattern that I made for the collage for my brother’s birthday card is only partly edited. It’s going to take a very long time, and not being a person with a lot of patience, it’s quite likely it’ll languish in its current unfinished state until I forget all about it!

And I’ve only just got around to creating the customizable version of the ‘Bubbles’ Screenprint design from a couple of weeks ago!

Stylish Aqua, Sea Green, White iPhone 4/4S Case Iphone 4 Case-mate Cases by helikettle

I seem to be far more in the mood for flowery designs, in spite of our decidedly un-summery weather!

I’m sure this has been said many times before, but I really believe that this is the worst, coolest, windiest and, above all, wettest summer we’ve ever had! I shall actually be glad when the autumn arrives and we can stop pretending it’s summer!

I haven’t been a great fan of the summer for a couple of years now as I was feeling quite unwell whenever we did get a hot and sunny spell, due to my pollen allergy. I love growing flowers in my garden, particularly the sweetly fragranced ones. And most of them seem to really thrive in this Welsh clay soil!

But gradually, year after year, my symptoms increased and going out in the garden became a no-no and as for bringing flowers into the house – well, my shelves of vases had sat redundant, gathering cobwebs, for a while now -

But then, at the end of May, after the only really hot and sunny couple of days we’ve had, I had my first ever asthma attack after going out to bring my washing in from the garden! 

Scary as it was at the time, I have reason to be grateful it happened. As long as I use the puffer my doctor prescribed, I can enjoy my garden again and even fill my house with vases of flowers, just like the old days, before my allergies. I've even had the posy below in my bedroom and enjoyed a good night's sleep without coughing!

I usually like to let flowers fall naturally in their vase, rather than ‘arranging’ them. And this little posy of lavender, Albertine roses and Mock Orange Blossom particularly caught my eye and asked me to take a photo of it. This weekend I got around to using the photo as the basis of a design – not a painting as such, but a motif that I’ll use to make a repeating pattern. And probably some greeting cards as well!

First I have some more catching up to do - why do I so often seem to be trying to catch up? When Zazzle launch new products, as they have recently, I generally find that some of my older designs will fit on them nicely. So that will keep me busy this week.  

But maybe I’ll find a little bit of time for those ‘New Baby’ designs I mentioned last time!

Lavenders Blue, diddle, diddle, Lavenders Green...

Did you have to sing that silly song at school? I did and it always annoyed me because even as quite a young child, I just knew that lavender is neither blue nor green - it's, well, it's 'lavender'! Though I'd probably have described it as 'purple' as a child.

About five years ago, I bought five miniature lavender plants from an artist friend who had given up painting to help her son set up a garden centre. I had fond memories of the lavender bushes in the garden I grew up with but knew that my present garden was too small for lavender on that scale so the miniature ones seemed perfect for the job.

But there's nothing miniature about them now!

This one almost blocks the pathway round to the French Doors of the dining room where I mostly work! But I don't really mind because, even in Spring and Autumn, when there are no flowers on them, they give off a wonderful scent. Very relaxing if I happen to be working close to them, planting bulbs or sowing seeds - and the butterflies seem to adore them!

Now I could write about the wonderful properties of lavender, the many comforting and healing uses for its essential oil and how it got its name from the Latin word 'lavanda', meaning 'thing to be washed'. But you probably know all that and if you don't and are interested, Wikipedia will tell you all you need to know!

Just one thing I will mention though, that Wikipedia leaves out - a few drops of essential oil of lavender, even fewer of Ylang Ylang and fewer still of Vetivert, sprinkled in a warm bath will give off an aroma that has to be experienced to be appreciated! Sadly I lent my excellent book of aromatheray 'recipes' to an aromatherapist and never got it back but that mix I do remember, even though I haven't been able to remember the author's name to try to track down a replacement!

I think lavender is sometimes associated with old ladies, which is a pity. Perhaps it's because nobody except VERY old ladies puts lavender bags amongst their linen to keep the moths away these days or dabs their brow with lavender water. We've grown more sophisticated in our tastes though sometimes 'old' ideas are recycled and become all the rage! I was pleased to discover that lavender is making a come-back as wedding confetti, as an alternative to rice or those paper horseshoes and bells that just hang around on the pavements after weddings, looking untidy and a bit sad.

So I've created a few 'lavender' products for my Zazzle store - I think these stickers would add a special touch to the envelope of wedding invitations, or even a letter or card of condolence -

'Sweet Lavender' Stickers by helikettle
View more Sticker Stickers

And, of course, I had to make a mug!

'Sweet Lavender' Mug by helikettle
Create mugs at zazzle.co.uk

'Lavenders Blue, diddle diddle...'  - oh really!!!!