Moobaacluck - Handmade Happiness from North Norfolk

Drawing again and thinking about colours I love

2012-01-30T14:26:00.000-08:00

The surface pattern course has started today, it took me a while to twig that I didn't need to wait for another email to view the first excercises!

I have so much catching up to do... I'll be mixing tasks with exploring the way I might work if I were to think 'surface pattern' other than painting. When I paint I so rarely draw anything out first. These are tonight's drawings as I sat at my computer.

I tried not to worry too much about accuracy.. but I noticed how much better the second drawing was than the first - even though it took many attempts to capture the foreshortening of the scissors. But how self conciously I wrote "deliberately left lines in!" Hope to cure myself of that.

I can/could line draw and I can paint - what will be an adventure is how to combine the two - if I decide I want to...:)

I've been stacking up magazines ready to got through tearing out colourways that jump out at me. I've had this Chicken Curry soup picture around for months in my studio.

I hadn't done anything with it at all but had torn out the page last summer as I felt really strongly about it when I turned the page. They are such happy, zingy, fresh, bright colours : wonderful.

I think the dark blue green stops the pink, yellow and orange from being too saccahrine together....and there are enough of the latter to stop the red chilli with the green inspiring thoughts of Christmas!!!

I'd love to hear from fellow Surface pattern e-course students below. I have joined Flicker but am wary of it - I expect that will change when I get to understand how it works :-/

A few doodles

2012-01-27T11:41:00.000-08:00

Last night the email came through about Module 2 of the surface pattern course run by Rachael Taylor and Beth Nicholls... and I couldn't just go to bed could I!? I am so so pleased I signed up. Itching to get going. One of the great things is that they have kindly included several articles and excersises from the first course (that I was unable to do) which will help those of us who missed it to get into the swing of things. One of the suggestions was to draw fairly randomly - which sounded right up my street. When I am on the phone I almost always doodle without thought and often quite like the funny faces I come up with.

©Gabriella Buckingham 2012 - all rights to all images reserved

I really haven't done very much - just 5 minutes of playing before we had to go and collect my husband from the train but it was so nice just to sit quietly and not worry about "having" to do a sketch for a job or try to draw from life - which is certainly more challenging. Depending on your point of view!! It's challenging if you're aiming your drawing to look like what is in front of you anyway.

I really like coil with hanging stars - will be developing that.

I already feel there are things here I can develop. A touch of humour and whimsy - with delicacy :)

What an adventure. Thank you Rachael and Beth , (click on their names to find out about the course - it's not too late to join in) I think this is what I need. x

What will the year of the dragon hold?

2012-01-23T09:27:00.000-08:00

"2012 will bring opportunities to awaken your own higher consciousness and eliminate negativity, limitations and disease from your life. And if that isn't exciting enough for you, just wait until 2013's philosophical Snake year approaches bringing with it, cosmic awareness, sage spirituality, and integration with Source."

This has appeal.

Eliminate negativity, limitations and disease from your life.

Oddly today I woke feeling very excited about the future. I hadn't read this but was up scribbling ideas in bed at 6am. What I want to achieve seems clearer. Having made up my mind at last about how to proceed I feel sure its the right thing to do. I went out a couple of nights ago to a friends house to watch a film. Afterwards I found myself saying " I don't know why I am afraid to employ people..." and it almost felt like an outer body experience. It sounded pathetic, I didn't dwell... but as I was saying it it really seemed like some old well rehearsed mantra. What on earth am I afraid of. When I am successful enough to need staff or part time help then I will cope with it!!! This is actually a huge leap forward. I've been holding myself back. My attitude is changing. In fact I do "employ" someone to cut out my designs and we get along very well...

A few minutes ago I checked up on the new Chinese year and what it is supposed to mean ( see above) and it is very apt. Whether or not there is anything in it is another matter. It's fun to consider.

Healthwise I have decided to excersise and stop winge-ing about my wobbly bits. I've done this before - the difference now is that I really feel it's now or never. I am 44 and clearly remember sitting in my graduate flat share at the age of about 22 saying when I am 30 I will be fit! And I have set up a twitter # tag to badger myself everyday to do something. #slugzap if you fancy joining in.

These are the books by my bed which do tell you what is preoccupying me ;)

True to form I have started or dipped into all of them - read some, finished few. However I will be finishing them all in the next few months ( possibly not the accounting ones - do miracles happen?!) so do ask if you want to know more details about authors/titles etc.

As ever all comments or thoughts that this brings up are v v welcome x Gabs

Sketch on Sunday

2012-01-10T14:12:00.000-08:00

I drew my daughter on Sunday. I am very rusty indeed! This was the second attempt - the first looked more like me than her! This looks quite a bit like her..possibly I've added on a few years but I promised myself I'd post what I did.

Lazy lump with Country Living Magazine

2012-01-07T02:22:00.000-08:00

I am currently being so lazy.. not really like me. I'm just worn out after being back at work for only 3.5 days, not sleeping well for the last two nights and having pmt. There always seems to be one day where my energy deserts me almost completely and my eyes feel heavy. Sitting here I can see so much that needs doing and looking at blogs and magazines only makes me brim with desire to move furniture and open trunks, reorganise and decorate. But that is a comment for my other blog about my home and garden that isn't really off the ground yet...

I bought Country Living (Feb issue) for the first time in ages today. I say "bought" because usually it arrives automatically on subscription as a Christmas present from my mother. She'd asked me if I wanted to have it continued and at the time I said no - not that I don't like it , it's just that I found myself simply flicking through it every month- enjoying the pictures but rarely reading much of it. Until the Kitchen Table awards started at the end of last year - loved reading about those and wish they'd been around a few years ago when i was starting Moobaacluck. Wonder if I can get away with entering to become an established painter? Somehow I doubt it as I have earned my living on and off through my paintbrush for couple of decades.

Anyway it is really lovely to read about other makers just starting out and the more established ones too from all walks of life. There's a chocolate maker in the February issue of CL, something else I've always fancied trying but only on a small scale and a silversmith jeweller too called Rauni Higson.

It's always fascinating to learn more about the working processes of small businesses.

I bought Country Homes and Interiors last month purely because of an article about a Derbyshire female blacksmith and the way she runs her business. That's not a skill I will ever learn by the way but it was fantastic to see it shown as a contemporary business - particularly one run by a woman : Hayley Powell

I took the photos on my mobile phone - clearly I had to get out of bed to do it. Luckily for me my husband is about ferrying our daughter to a party this afternoon and making some soup while my son plays with his Moshlings infront of the fire. I managed to paint an order this morning, glitter and post two packs of postcards and do the weekly shop before a lazy couple of hours in bed so actually today has turned out quite well. Tomorrow I am going to do some real drawing for the first time in months.

Will I be brave enough to post any of them? I wonder... I suggested that we all sit down and draw each other around the table for half an hour - but you have to be fluid with a family don't you?!

Little Award!

2012-01-04T13:57:00.000-08:00

Thank you so much to Helen of Belmont Yarns for naming me as one of the blogs she likes to follow that has under 200 followers:)! Looking through the blogs I look at when I can quite a few don't have a list of how many followers they have. The blogs below I genuinely like although I don't get to read them or comment that often.....

I believe I now need to nominate 5 other upcoming blogs who have less than 200 followers which I love reading. Looking through the blogs I look at when I can quite a few don't have a list of how many followers they have. The blogs below I genuinely like although I don't get to read them or comment that often.....so here they are, in no particular order:

AlisonHullyer talented artist and illustrator who I did my foundation course with over 20 years ago..!gulp

Gooseberrymoon fellow Noths seller - beautiful stationery and equally beautiful blog

victoriawhincup an illustrator whose work I love looking at - lots of delicate quirky lines

thedevilmakeswork interesting personal blog about Woo's life and her making

LeighShepherd stylish original resin work and lifestyle blog by lovely friend Leigh

I hope some of you have a look and decide to follow them too x

2012-01-02T12:21:00.000-08:00

Itching to do some actual painting again. I console myself with the fact that Mary Newcomb didn't really start showing her paintings until she was in her 50's.

This year I will be experimenting far more with pen and paint with the aim of developing the illustration aspect of my work.

I love both these paintings, the one at the top because it was from memory and just flowed out in a couple of hours and this still life - although it is quite traditional in approach - because I like the light in it and truly got lost in painting it for a few days.

I used to do life drawing at college and am not sure if I have anything scanned in that I could show you.... I do!

I will aim to simply draw more ( some would be progress!) without pressure to be perfect and gradually my skills should come back. Here are a tiny amount of the published work I've done, these are much tighter paintings for children's books and notelets in the case of the train and ark, but the floral with cake is closer to the way paint my still lives - this was printed as a greeting card and notelet:

I suppose you can see where Moobaacluck came from! I hadn't had children by then though....

I do seem to have a thing about flowers and gardens...particularly tulips; you'll probably have seen this one if you've been following my blog:

I am really looking forward to pushing myself on my own terms to see what I am capable of now.

I really love developing Moobaacluck but need to find a way to incorporate all aspects of my creativity - I think sewing is out for me:) into my life. Is this too speak my brains? Ceramics I've done and will photo those pieces another time!! I thoroughly enjoyed coil pot making and Raku (throwing wasn't really for me) but painting, drawing, designing, printmaking and Moobaaclucking it is. Oh and illustrating with it all of course! Where should I start!?

In a couple of weeks I'll be starting Rachael Taylor's and Beth Nicholls' surface pattern design course. Find out more by clicking the logo in the margin right at the top right:) I can't wait.

What about you? any plans to investigate new ways of working or even completely new skills?

January 2nd 2012

2011-12-31T08:50:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year !!

(Yes I am a few days late with that but if I manage to post this before Friday then I will be on target for a weekly blog:)

©TonyBuckingham.com Jan 2012

This is me with my soon to be 9 year old son on top of what I will call Beeston Bump today. Behind us is Cromer and in front of us along the coast is Brancaster and Cley where we went walking today. It was a beautiful but chilly day. I am wearing what I call my "Simon" beautifully and unexpectedly made by textile genius Mhairi Wild.

The sun has now set on what was a lovely family day full of laughs and delicious food from the pub just outside Holt called "The Kings Head" - Leatheringsett. My Haddock filled the plate and arrived swooping on the chunkiest chips as if it had been battered in mid dive! I think we only managed to get a table because we arrived just as the pub opened.

Wishing all my blog followers a year in which life moves on in the right direction. X

2011-12-30T00:54:00.000-08:00

I'm just going to write something to break the dead lock. Shocking that I haven't blogged for over 6 weeks! In the grand scheme of things of course it isn't.

This is one of the garlands I painted between now and then which I particularly liked as is this Mr & Mrs garland which I will be developing as an item to offer as standard - probably in different colourways. This was a specific customer request to go with her wedding flowers. It was a really grey day when I photographed these.

This was the last fair I did in Holt on November 26th...the Pick'n'Mix organised by Lisa Smith Clare aka Bobobun on Twitter. At some point I will magic some time to do a proper post about it. I photographed all the stands with mixed results but I need to cross reference the pictures with the business cards that I have ....somewhere!

But if you can't wait to see do look at PlanetPenny because she has some great photos of the event and actually did a far better job than I might do. In this particular instance;) This is her picture of me looking sheepish:

Some of last weeks commissions

2011-11-13T14:45:00.001-08:00

Just a handful of the last weeks commissions....I can't quite believe that I have almost 100 orders outstanding as I write. I am staying calm.....

....plus I am really really glad that i took photos... as I was cropping this one I realised that I had not finished the glittering on the nearest pink spot. I can't quite believe that I didn't notice it. However I have contacted the customer this evening to let her know I will put it right if she'd like me too!

Good night, x Gabs

2011-11-07T04:11:00.000-08:00

Thanks so much to all the contributors to my last post! I used a random number generator once i'd assigned you all a number and the winner is....."Little Brown Rabbit"!

Well done Emma, and thank you for your comment - that's how I felt about the tilting letters. You can't throw letters in the air and expect them to line up! Which thank you's would you like - boy or girl?

Here are the final versions - very close to what I originally did but with some fine tuning:

tilted fairy and "You" tilted up more... essentially version 1 which most people preferred on balance; and for the boys one - a slightly smaller but more distinct T with a smaller pirate boy - position a bit different and I think it works better.

Now to print some out - photograph them and get them on my site asap. Thank you so much for your help, let me know if I can do the same for you. x Gabs

Help - your opinion needed! Comment and win result..

2011-11-06T01:03:00.000-07:00

I need some opinions please... I'm designing some thankyou postcards to go with these invites... I was quite pleased with the first versions but then asked my husband and he felt the letters should be all tilting the same way.. and the fairy tipped up a bit. Now I am really confused! He may well be right *grits teeth*. Don't let that influence you!

Version 1:

Version 2:

Could you comment on what you genuinely think works the best please? I could scale up version 1 text wise or scale down version 2 text wise of course, just to confuse matters!:) Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Here's the boys' version 1:

and second version:

As a thank you for your time I will choose one of you at random to win a prize in the form of a pack of 8 of the final thank yous - either boy version, girl version or half and half - whichever you prefer.

Fire away! Hope some of you want to help. Ends Monday 12pm just so I am forced to make a decision and get on with them! x Gabs

The competition is now over and the winner has just been announced - thank you all very much for your comments.

Thank you Forest Flower!

2011-11-05T02:04:00.000-07:00

These lovely Christmas spiced decorations arrived yesterday:

I really didn't expect them so soon but Andrea ( Forestflower23 on Twitter) is more nifty than me - or perhaps she very sensibly has stock piled up just ready to be beautifully wrapped and posted off! I was the first to order so was delighted when I received this as an extra thank you:

Andrea has just launched her website, I had a look and really liked the traditional fabric she uses with the simple contemporary treatment of the decorations. I loved the little thank you sticker on the tissue paper she used to wrap up my order too. You can see the website address on this little swing tag too:

Thank you Andrea, they will look perfect on my tree :) with some of my Moobaacluck wooden stars too - same colours!

Autumn weekend

2011-10-31T14:12:00.000-07:00

On Saturday I had to work but the children and Tony went to the Ecotech Centre in Swaffham and climbed up the only wind turbine that will allow you to in the UK! Very jealous. It swayed a bit and there are 300 steps to climb.

There's an unusual garden there too...

On Sunday though it was very much a family day, the children drew out their pumpkins for cutting by Tony in the kitchen....

...while I painted horsehead backgrounds at the other end of the table. After lunch we all drove to Sheringham park and did the spooky trail surrounded by glorious trees and views.

How blue the sky was... and I loved the autumn colours underfoot ....

And this stunning Acer.. Tony's pic looks amazing large but it runs over the text at extra large :(

No moans or tears and the children were great too. Even though I took great delight in scaring my daughter twice!! Love you FB.

We climbed the viewing tower and this is me at the top squinting in the sunshine:

And a muddy coloured pic I took of a view through the bushes to the sea:

We pottered when we got back. Funny how that extra hour made the day extend, we seemed to pack so much in! I have a lot of work to do to tame this garden. I did make these beds myself but have been so busy this year I just let it grow and did nothing to it. I am determined to be more self sufficient next year so am getting down to clearing things in readiness for spring. One day I will buy myself a greenhouse to get a head start with seedlings.

There were a few marigolds still flourishing among the parched seedlings so I gathered those up and arranged this to decorate our table when we ate our roast lamb in the evening! Bit of a domestic goddess day :)

How was your weekend?

Do you live in Somerset or Norfolk?

2011-10-26T09:54:00.000-07:00

Find out all about what promises to be a very special event run by Rebecca Larsen of Edamay. You can find her own shop here but click the picture above to find out more about the event she is organising to run for the weekend of 26th - 27th November.

I will be in Norfolk that weekend exhibiting Moobaacluck in Holt from 10 - 4pm on Saturday 26th November.

This lovely design was commissioned by Lisa Smith- Clare the event organiser. It was created by Jane of TeawagonTales. Find out more about the people exhibiting here . I was asked to participate by Lisa a.k.a Bobobun and I am really looking forward to seeing her work in person. The blog about her own life and work is here.

And if you are up there do visit a great clothes shop called Annie and Boo; if you can go there on a Thursday you get wonderful attention from Norfolk's answer to Gok Wan ( only much more delicate and female) in the shape of Sarah Morgan - colour and style consultant. If you are a twitterer you can find @sarahmakeover there too. She'll be walking the Himilayas in the Spring for charity and has organised what looks to be a fantastic evening event on the 18th November at the West Runton hotel; I am hoping to go - depends if we can find a babysitter... ;) Ask her about it if you are local x Gabs

The postman brought good things today

2011-10-18T13:14:00.000-07:00

I was very pleased to see the postman today as he had a nice stack of goodies for me; @whoatemycrayons had sent me my latest batch of Moobaacluck labels and two other things I'd ordered turned up! I hadn't known when this one would arrive as I'd ordered from a seller on Etsy who lives in America...

Bunny Dee aka Danielle Gundry- Monji makes beautiful things, I love her illustration style. I stumbled across her from a mention on someones blog ( sorry someone I am like a butterfly flitting with little memory) and then contacted her through her Etsy shop asking if she would post to the UK. Danielle immediately got back to me and made sure I could order the 3 badges and something else she'd been working on....

.....you may know I rather like bunnies... this was what was inside the box:

I am wearing it now. The chain is just long enough to go over my head without undoing the clasp and it is lovely to find something in gold too rather than silver which doesn't suit me. Love it Danielle - thank you x

I also received these lovely goodies from Valerie at Snapdragon in Scotland for Jane Lindsay.

Now I am not sure whether Jane had time to have a hand in making them herself as she was on holiday in London last week but I was so impressed with the quality and speed with which my order was dealt! and the generousity of the set of stickers and yet another handsome postcard to thank me for my order. Very pleased with these :) I am sure my daughter will love hers. Thank you Snapdragon x

Made by Artisans Christmas Gift Guide

2011-10-14T10:14:00.000-07:00

Woohoo!! Ms Tia @whoatemycrayons has pulled off a gorgeously designed brochure featuring 8 designer makers including her own Christmas card designs on the back page and a selection of my work on page 2-3. The other makers, who can all be found on Twitter too are : @3BlondeBearsLtd @Lizajdesign @melandersondes @hwrdesigns @kyleigh @HUSHGIFTS

Well done Tia - we know how hard you worked on this and thank you XX

P.S Free delivery UNTIL November 1st on any order from my site www.gabriellabuckingham.com

Happy Anniversary Theo Paphitis' #SBS

2011-10-10T01:29:00.000-07:00

I realised last night when I was designing these little cards with Moo.com (with my Klout bonus)) that it must be almost a year since #SBS launched.

Happy Anniversary to all fellow winners! and thank you Theo for choosing me so early on, it was very encouraging for me.

When I won I didn't really know what it was all about as it has only been going for a few weeks, but I think the effect of winning can be cumulative. I'm not one to bang on about things - ahem, so I didn't do a press release but I did have a little flurry of interest and followers and its something in common with let me see...6 x 52 = 312 winners.. that all have the Theo Paphitis seal of approval.

It was lovely to be chosen by Theo when my humble little site was Moobaacluck.com without a shop:) He must have seen something he liked. I just hope he'd like my new site!

Find out more about Theo's business tips here and more about how #sbs works here

Bargains and not such

2011-10-09T01:42:00.000-07:00

Let loose from the shed I went off to Aylsham in Norfolk yesterday morning. I was in search of bargains but as we had to buy sweets for the children ( a Saturday ritual) I left the rest of the family choosing and wandered down the street to window shop. I ended up buying a pair of intriguing earrings that I saw in an antique shop which were only £2.50, almost eyptian like - very dangly and definitely not for everyday wear! But fun. Forgot to photo - sorry.

I forgot to add this bargain from a charity shop, very housemaid:

and here is Freya modelling it! It is a lot smaller on me...

It was incredibly nippy after the heatwave of last week so, (and this is where I really fell down on the bargain hunt), I bought these from "Blossom and Green" an off shoot of Holt's "Annie and Boo":

I had on an odd collection of clothes - a summer tunic over jeans with thin yellow cardigan and last minute green mac - I was freezing!! Those wrist warmers are gorgeous and I kept them on all day. The stripes are a long cosy scarf.

We wandered away from the town to "The Big One" - a large field car boot sale. I'd never been before and its only running until the end of October and although enevitably there were only half the sellers that there seemed to be in the summer ( having driven past several times), there was enough to see on a chilly day. Here are my finds!

OOoodles of this gorgeous artex type material, what shall I make with it!!?? £3.50 :)

Then this little cup for 50p which is very damaged but I just liked it.

Any antique experts out there who know anything about it? Looking at the mark and damage!?

And I also bought these because they made me smile and I have an idea for a photographic project next year in which I may use these!?

Teddy was a pound. And pig was 10p! I also found a very nice glass bowl for 10p perfect for trifle. Which I have never made but will have to now.... I suppose....

In the meantime I will try to be good and use the pig to save up for some more bargains. What bargains have you found recently? And seriously what would you sewers make with all that material? I think possibly cushion covers or even a table cloth might be good... do you think it will wash well?

Trying my hand at some sewing!

2011-10-05T02:15:00.000-07:00

This is my sewing machine. It was bought for me as a present by Tony my husband and we had to dig it out of the garage so that I could attempt to turn a size 10 skirt that I'd found in a charity shop into a dress vaguely resembling something a Victorian girl would have worn.

Fortunately how to thread it and load a bobbin came back to me and at about 7 pm I got to work. I found an old cot sheet in a trunk and decided that I would make a frilly apron out of that. Nothing like setting yourself a task is there?! I cut the waist band off the bias cut skirt and cut a neck line of sorts. Before Freya went to bed I asked her to climb into it and pinned a few loose pleats to make it slightly less voluminous. Of course I left the hem on the skirt! My sewing is pretty cack handed but I did do that forward than backwards overstitching so it should hold together...

The apron was another story, it took a lot longer but was better sewn on the whole.. I didn't finish until 11.30pm as I couldn't fathom how on earth to make a ruffled hem other than by hand. It was a stab in the dark but it worked and most importantly Freya was pleased enough to say " that's good muma - you should do it professionally!" Er, no I don't think so!

Elliot went off looking a little like David Essex with his Falmer waistcoat and neckkerchief - again last minute finds at a charity shop!

and I plaited Freya's hair

All in all I am very glad we made the effort to send them off like that; it's such a faff but their happiness makes it worth it. Tony took some great photos in sepia effect too and apart from the 1929 bungalow and bike bag you would almost think they were from the past :)

I wonder if Victorian day is happening all over the country or if its just in Norfolk? There was a run on flat caps in North Walsham apparently :)

special sunday

2011-10-02T11:40:00.000-07:00

I loved today, it was a bubble of joy and pleasure. Some of my favourite people visited and hoovered up the food I had put together since the early hours.

Ottelenghi and Delia sat on my shoulders with a vague improvistation of Annabel Karmel for the children. Said children were angels that hoverred in the hope of leftovers. ( this is our garden - you can just see our apple tree in the centre of the pic below:

That white chocoolate ganache was heavenly.

OK Ottelenghi - I didn't get it quite right visually but oh my goodness - the flavour and I have to say - how gorgeous they looked despite the ott coulis on the surface.

The other version I made : half creme fraiche, half marscapone- some vanilla essence and 25g icing sugar. Yum...

Those are our lovely friends and our garden .... it faces North East which means the area nearest to the house is in the shade by midday. Perfect afternoon - the kind I dreamt of in summer but that never happened. I feel quite soppy that a day like this happened, thank you Becky, Neil and Suzy and dear dh. X

just re - read this and sozzled would be a better word for "soppy" :)

The last week of September - I will remember

2011-09-30T14:32:00.000-07:00

The start of the heat wave..I've been determined to leave the shed more this week. On Tuesday dh and I set of for a short walk as soon as the children left for school, it took longer than usual because I kept seeing things and views that I just had to take a picture of with my mobile phone. Not quite the right "in the moment" attitude but I am glad I had it with me.

These dried seed heads caught my eye high up above my head as we walked deep into a heavily shaded single track road before we climbed up onto a field to walk back into North Walsham

I don't remember the skies being this blue throughout the summer.

On Thursday evening after school we gathered swimsuits and supplies to drive the 10 minutes to Bacton beach for a family BBQ. We forgot plates and cups but it didn't matter. A special week.

My daughter and son making the most of the warm pools the tide had left behind

I love the shape of my shadow now that I look at it here: it reminds me of my wooden angels!

I made an effort to plan my workload properly this week so that I could begin to change my "I must work at all times" default position. It's been an eventful week in many ways. The trauma of being asked a very difficult question about the Tooth Fairy by my newly 7 yr old daughter, our escaped rabbit (who later came back to be caught!!) mixed with the uplifting effects of a walk, two beach visits and my yoga class this morning and the heat has made it a memorable week. How can it be October tomorrow!?

This is a small proportion of the commissions I had to finish this week. Even though like everyone else I dislike seeing Christmas products in the shops from August I am really happy to have these orders now. With the way I work...asking my superman Les to cut out my shapes, send them to me, paint them with gesso, sand, then up to 4 layers of painted wood sanding in between coats :- it's inevitable that I will have to "go out of stock" of some items the nearer we get to the end of November.

How are you coping with Christmas orders?

I am thinking ahead more this year and aiming to prepare far more in advance. It's so tempting to have evenings off though... My excuse is that the bulb has blown in the kitchen and no one has remembered to buy a new one. It does seem to get dark almost instantly at 7pm which is rather odd with the giant sun this week. A strange mixture of Autumn and Summer. Memorable :)

Using my illustrative skills....

2011-09-20T13:50:00.000-07:00

I once used to illustrate children's books; my first commission was from Ladybird books which was a great start! I went on to illustrate several more books, and contribute to others but after we moved to Norfolk and had two children fairly close together it became increasingly tricky to find time for the concentrated blocked work that book illustration requires. I did manage to paint a few books with my daughter asleep on top of my table. But I've never attempted to write and illustrate a book. Like many people I imagine I could do it...

Today I went to Lauren Reeves today to have my hair cut - Fye Bridge Street, Norwich - (I highly recommend her. She has to be the most welcoming, confident and swift cutter!) Anyway...shortly before my appointment I popped into a very appealing looking book shop a few doors down. It was filled with intriguing art and photography books and a publication I'd never seen before:

I took this image of the issue I bought from their website . I was particularly attracted to the magazine once I saw that there was an article in it about Oliver Jeffers... off to read that shortly!

And no doubt I will hunt down more copies in the future.

"We wanted a general magazine about illustration - the artists, the collectors, the collections, the exhibitions, the history, the philosophy and the key events relating to this subject. We wanted to discuss the work of great artists from the past as well as new graduates currently coming out of college. We wanted to explore children’s book illustrators alongside those who work on adult novels and classics - or even political manifestos and train timetables. We wanted to consider the humorous, the serious, the sinister and the surreal.

And we believe we share these wishes with a wide range of people from book collectors and dealers, to lecturers, professional illustrators, book publishers, fine press printers, bookbinders and current students." Illustration magazine - (part of their statement on their home page)

Sounds great!

This last week I have had quite a lot of orders for my own stationery - both the Birthday invitations

and the Christmas Thank you postcards I designed for Moobaacluck.........

it reminds me that I want to start developing this aspect of my work again.

Thank you if you were one of those lovely customers who've ordered ;) - Gabs x

2011-09-14T03:13:00.001-07:00

As you can see I have been fiddling about. What do you think?

A bit spartan perhaps....?? hmmm???

Some recent creations

2011-09-09T10:26:00.000-07:00

A customer asked me to paint one of my small stars last week for her pantry. She specified everything and I think it worked well and funnily enough went very well with my kitchen plates!

Talking of stars I finished these off for another customer too; if anyone knows of a red emulsion that is bright but not too bright - similar to this which doesn't take 4 coats to look finished please tell me what its called!

This is a garland I quickly snapped this morning before wrapping in tissue and boxing up to post.

and finally a card which has been around for a while taken from my boat star and decorated with a red star border. I've only ever sold it at craft fairs and I will be putting it and a few others on www.gabriellabuckingham.com as soon as possible. I like the idea of doing a multipack of a few designs too, don't hold your breath though - you know what I am like. Flurry and then not a sign ...

I fully intend to alter the blog banner too so that its in keeping with Gabriellabuckingham.com

watch this space! ( from time to time)

Two good reads

2011-09-05T06:49:00.000-07:00

Well here we are almost in Autumn and although I will be sad to see the children go back to school it also will mark a new phase in my creative life. I need to make some changes to function better at work in my shed and in the office inside where I pack all my orders. The chaos will end. My husband will probably die of shock. He will eat his oft quoted " I love what you've done with the place!" words.

In the last couple of weeks I have bought three books related to business - two of them craft specific and one Personal MBA book recommended by my Twitter friend Jane Lindsey designer owner of Snapdragon who I am very grateful to as she also sent me a book to get me thinking positively. Thanks Jane x I haven't yet begun the MBA book as there are only so many books you can actually read at one time - aren't there?

On saturday we went to Pleasurewood Hills in Suffolk where Tony and I felt a good part of the day feeling queasy but in quiet moments where we were able to dispatch both children on the "Snake in the Grass" I pulled out this book: "Craft Inc." by Meg Mateo Ilasco

I find its perfect for the way my life is as I can dip in and read nuggets that get me thinking or resonate with me, the same is true of the second book actually... but its larger!

Both are similar in treatment in that there are interviews with makers and this gets you thinking about where you fit in. I personally found it very comforting to read about one maker whose aim is simply to sell 100 dollars worth of her craft a day and she was very happy with that and this enables her to live the life she wants. This isn't her - but just a snippet of one of the very interesting interviews from the Craft Inc. book

and this is one from The Handmade Marketplace by Kari Chapin

There is a lot of interesting discussion about blogging from key bloggers too - I would thoroughly recommend both books to those about to embark on crafting for business or for those who want to be re-fired and inspired. Importantly - both these books are by American authors and deal with USA law as far as the tax /business sides are concerned; but all other topics are universal. I wonder if anyone has written something similar for the UK market?

Please recommend books in the comments section that you have found useful too - I'd love that and anyone having a quick look here would be grateful I am sure! Thank you - Gabs x

Riot Raffle part two

2011-08-26T05:15:00.000-07:00

Last week I decided what I am giving to the Riot Raffle that @Zoeanddrew on Twitter has spent days working hard on setting up. There are many many wonderful handmade things being donated and its not too late to get involved ( I hope I am right in saying!). Prizes need to be sent out to winners in early October.

There are still several weeks in which to buy tickets - only £1 each - donating to support independent retailers whose premises were damaged in the riots.

Please click on the RIOT RAFFLE logo on the right to find out more.......:)

I have put one of these aside to post out to a winner.

2011-08-18T23:15:00.000-07:00

Susan Bonnar is a great Twitterer and as she was delighted to reach 2000 followers decided to give away one of her gorgeously crafted handmade books. I happened to be the follower chosen at random and this is what arrived in a very luxurious padded white box just as I returned from holiday:

Incredible work involved, you can see more of Susan's work here http://www.dottiedesigns.co.uk/
although I note she has cannily shut for the summer;). So you will have to wait to buy your own!

Thank you so much Susan, I will use it as a photo album. X Gabs

Riot Raffle

2011-08-13T00:54:00.000-07:00

It's been a month since I last blogged and there is a lot to say or show so there will be a little flurry of posts over the next few days as and when I can fit them in. School holiday time is hectic and without wishing to bring people down, the rioting in England has been profoundly shocking. Enevitably when you have your own children it makes you worry for their futures as well as the unborn of the rioters!

But as its clear that these idiots are the minority from the hard work of Twitter friends like @artistsmakers who organised a mass clear up in Londons worst hit areas and @zoeanddrew who is organising a raffle to help fund independent shopkeepers ( check out her blog for details http://zoeanddrew.blogspot.com/ second post down)

I am one of over 60 makers who are contributing something for the raffle, I haven't yet decided what it will be but probably a bunting a bit like this one, which was made to order and sent to Australia a fortnight ago.

@mhairiwild that's your gorgeous pink crochet cloth hanging up at the window! ;)

2011-07-13T04:03:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday I took 4 trains up to Perthshire to visit textile designer Mhairi Wild and her lovely family.

(Ok so a picture of clothes pegs doesn't quite convey it but I love the colours:)

I had slightly sweaty palms when I alighted the final train in the early evening as we had never met before! But I needn't have worried... We chatted continuously as her husband drove us on the short drive from Perth to where they all live in stunning surroundings.

Quite honestly I had such an interesting time that for the most part I completely forgot to take pictures. We drank two flavours of local wine with our first meal together : raspberry and elderflower wine with a spicey chorizo paella - heavenly!!! With Alan topping us up... which proved to be quite painful as morning materialised! It wasn't until then that I discoverd that between 3 of us we'd had 3 bottles. Ouch.

Mhairi (pronounced Varry) has great style :just look what she produced for my breakfast!!

All three of us felt rather delicate and instead of the hub-bub of Glasgow we decided to visit Crail via St. Andrews. Somehow the part of Scotland we were in escaped rain virtually the whole time I was up there! The sun certainly shone in Crail and we browsed a 2nd hand book shop where I found an extremely useful book called something like "100 things you don't need aman for" , Mhairi bought greengages, Alan peas! And we all had a wee tipple in the pub - a very medicinal "Crabbies" over ice. Delicious ginger beer with just a touch of alcohol. Wonder if you can get it in England?

all these are Crail pictures....

Here's Mhairi stalking on ahead... see that wall.. we climbed it and wobbled along in the wind - can't say I enjoyed that with a hangover and dangling camera!! :)

Feeling very much better the next day after Thai noodles and pavlova ( no alcohol that night) we set off on the bus to Perth - just Mhairi and I. It's years since I've been on a bus - "such fun"!

A view from the top deck, I really love the tiny stand alone houses in the hills:

We got off early to walk to a fantastic wool shop called Elena Costell Yarn & Fibre Studio. A treasure Trove of a shop! I'm only starting out as a knitter and potential crocheter but excitedly perused the wares! These I bought:

Biggest needles and biggest - dubious looking - crochet hook with warm wool and brown sequin thread.

It rained while we were in the shop but as we walked into Perth over the bridge you can see it moved:

Mhairi and I popped into the Perth Art Gallery/ Museum to see a fantastic glass exhibtion and then instead of more shopping sat happily quaffing Chardonnay and getting to know each other better.

Giant knitting began that night and somehow we squeezed in crochet tuition too... photos of my efforts another time. Flowers bloomed while I was there and I hope that a new friendship has too x Much love to you and your family Mhairi for a wonderful break.

Seal of approval from top business woman Jacqueline Gold of Knickerbox /Ann Summers fame

2011-06-29T12:52:00.000-07:00

I WON - can't believe it!! Along with @buggytug and @thejeanboutique

Today - I saw a tweet about a competition on Twitter run by Jacqueline Gold which I believe stands for Women (inbusiness) on Wednesday #WOW . I may have got that bit wrong - someone correct me. See more about the ceo of Ann Summers and Knickerbox on her twitter page where there is a link to her website and you can see her tweets about #WOW

Jacqueline invited anyone to tweet their business including that hache tag by 5pm today and she would pick just three businesses and retweet their entry. I thought "why not?"

At 6pm what did I find just before going to eat with the children? a single mention from @Jacqueline_Gold :

" #WOW winner @Moobaacluck Love the concept of 'handmade happiness'. Beautiful, well-designed website"

It's so gratifying to hear that Jacqueline thinks so highly of a website that I designed myself - (of course I did use the wonderful @createdotnet programme)! But still it encourages me to get uploading all those images that are awaiting treatment!!

If you haven't seen my new website yet its here : http:www.gabriellabuckingham.com

Help for freelancers : Freelance Friends

2011-06-23T08:51:00.000-07:00

Inspired by reading so many comments like this on Twitter:

"I wish I was nearer and I would come and help with packing like a shot..."
"I'd help if I lived near you..."

I've come up with an idea. Its just a germ that I thought of in 10 mins... so needs a lot of figuring out.

I would have to have it organised based on counties and then people could access it to put their names forward as either volunteers (if they wish)- or just if not more valid - paid workers - with a fee that they would like to achieve per hour as a helper. That way creatives who are low on work are able to earn whilst helping those that are so busy they can't cope. Other freelances are far more likely to be available at short notice and if there is a list of names - locations and fees then it could be the answer to finding help.

The legalities are another issue - I can't forsee any problems if I am running it as an information list only. Can anyone else?

I'm quite serious about this, so please all genuine advice is gratefully received.

Thanks!

a few images for me to remember

2011-06-20T12:47:00.000-07:00

Who's looking at you kid?

Hunstanton Sea life centre two weeks ago ish.

You aren't allowed to use flash of course.

I was amazed and how beautifully my Fuji F100 captured the colour as it really was.

Happiness in Chalk

2011-05-14T07:26:00.000-07:00

I came across a wonderful idea. How do you raise a little bit of money to help make a dent in your student loan or course fees? Create something ephemeral yet with great appeal that people are willing to pay for. I was...even though I was taught Italic at school there is something so charming about the simplicity and creativity of this inexpensive idea.

This is it:

Mia Nolting is American and now a graphic designer.... find out more about her and this service here

Love it - thank you Mia.

The Easter holidays and spring is well and truly here ...

2011-05-09T12:48:00.000-07:00

See that blue behind these very lovely weeds.. its our giant paddling pool. I've been in wading about to cool off a few times but the rest of the family have been less wooss-like.

I love the blossom showers at the bottom of the garden, this time seems so brief - only a few days.

Inside the house I'd put together a makeshift Easter tree of twigs with all the unsold wooden eggs I'd painted for Country Living! You can see a glimpse of the yellow kitchen that remains unfinished. Still hoping to find time to paint the grey skirtings and doors.

The children and I made Easter fairy cakes but for some reason I only took a picture of them before they were cooked. This was the first chance I'd had to use the silicon cupcake holders.

It has felt like summer in North Norfolk for weeks, although more like Spring when I went to Italy last week! Ironically during the four days I was there it was the worst weather they'd had for a while.

Susi's house in a little hamlet just outside the small hill town Archevia in "le Marche" region.

Evidence of drinking...only one glass how odd; These Irises were all over the garden - gorgeous

I had a fantastic time with my fluent Italian speaking- wine expert friend Susi.We drank many local wines even had a private impromptu tasting at a winery and toured about in our little Panda catching up on the past few years and reminising.

Here she is wandering off fast while I take hasty pictures.....

We had a day of sophistication in Senegalia the nearest city to Archevia.

Ate Pizza near here

These fennel were huge - four times the size of those you see in our supermarkets...

This fig tree was glorious - standing alone in a small square, so vibrant - a jewel like green

Archevia cut into the hills; we were staying to the far left.... off the picture. A view from a restaurant we almost got into! May 1st seemed to be a celebration day in Italy:)

behind the house late that day the 1st when we had a very sticky walk before our journey to the airport.

This is just a little reminder for me that I got away for a while. A little space to remember how lucky I am. One day I hope I'll be able to afford to bring all the family out here. Must brush up on my Italian though as in this region no one speaks English but the natives are very friendly.

Country Living and BCTF

2011-04-08T01:02:00.000-07:00

As you all know I've now done both of these shows and while I don't regret having done them at all I can honestly say that the best thing about doing them was the people I met, fellow exhibitors and of course customers when they were there!

This is my stand at Country Living both before ...

and after...

It took me two days to get it to look like this and I was very relieved that you no longer have to paint your stand back to white (if you chose to paint it). I certainly wouldn't have attempted dark purple if that were the case or I'd still be there trying to make it white!

I used chalk to write on the walls inspired by a deep red Poppy Treffry stand I'd seen at the Christmas Country Living Fair. Many comments on that - and it was so useful when I needed to change things around when they sold.

My BCTF stand is below. I took about 4 hours putting this together; I needed blue tack, velcro hook and fluff ( not a clue what you call the fluffy side) - the point is for this show the boards are totally smooth and you can't use any screws or nails. Butcher's hooks are essential too if you want to do any hanging of your own pictures or shelf construction. Much of my display fell down over night and during the show but other stand holders were great offering help and more hooks!

Old hands created some incredible staging. Worth a visit to fathom how they do it! Unfortunately I was rather sad during the show as my 10 month old rabbit died after a cat attack on my journey up there. I held it together most of the time and meeting Leigh Shepherd and all the other tweeters I did was fantastic; but I just wanted to get home really! This decoration was inspired by him - he was gorgeous - grey not white. He was also called "Lucy Sparkles" ( the children wanted girls) but i've done so many rabbit decorations since having rabbits that I realise now why...

Hence I didn't feel like photographing other stands although I did have a good look. I would definitely advise a visit first to see if your product fits in before you decide to commit to doing the show. There are many many jewellers and its a great show for you if you are, ceramicists and painter/printmakers. In fact I may come back there as my artist self:)!

I had a christmas wall too and wonder if my stand was just a little too much to take in :)

For Moobaacluck I will have to reserve judgement as to whether it is the show for me. I took an order and had several requests for my price list but the vast majority of buyers are from galleries - only a handful are from gift shops and visitor numbers were 50% down apparently. The recession is responsible for more cautious ordering but some had a great show so there is no real telling! I made far too many order forms, totally complicated. All you need is a duplicate copy book for orders if people make them at the show - and lots of price lists. Well I have plenty of rough paper to doodle on now!

Both shows were very down on visitor numbers. Ask me in a few months if I'm doing either again :)

If you were there and we met - thank you for the chats :)

Preparing for a big retail fair - Country Living part 2

2011-03-11T06:06:00.000-08:00

Well only just over a week to go until my first big event. Although I am really looking forward to it, at the moment I feel exhausted! I am really pleased with what I have done so far but as you can see there is still some way to go. This isn't all of it...

My very exclusive 15 teatowels are done and my miniscule stickers from Moo.com, just need to bag up the former and work out how to deal with the latter. Still more prints to do and cards to make but all that I have done so far is framed or bagged. Just a few boxes of wood to varnish or decorate! A breeze! I have actually started making small piles of things to do only if I have time rather than piling on more pressure, which is quite positive I believe.

I know when I come to bag and price things I will be pleased with all the new designs I've managed to create in the last few weeks. Even commissions coming in has been helpful in a way, for example a customer emailed me to ask if I did any red and white designs for doorhangers and I offerred to make this for her:

(the new horse print to be fully revealed at the show!) Of course I made another sample and sent that one off! I have created a huge job for myself in that I now have quite a few new things to ask Tony to photograph for my shop on notonthehighstreet.com/Moobaacluck . I think if i had a superpower it would be to stretch or freeze time to suit me....

These are a few new tags for trade customers but I will be offering them on Noths too, I really love them! I did lots of these at Christmas but all these are everyday; my Christmas ones are shaped like holly leaves.

Something I will say about Country Living - they are very organised. You receive a large A4 ring bound book full of instructions and forms to complete and send off to arrange all aspects of the show. You are given deadlines for each form. As soon as I read those I filled in all the most urgent ones immediately. As a first timer I really want to get in there early - particularly as I have my stand to paint and I shall probably be doing the set up alone. I've been so efficient that I didn't remember receiving my car pass and when I chased it in a panic a few days ago that I shall be the fourth person to unload in the first slot.... later that day I found my pass "filed" under some stacks of miscellaneous papers!

There was the lighting to organise ; I went with hiring a socket at the show in the endand have sourced two downlighters - I shall add the web address later when I have time but do prompt me if you are interested in where I found them. I'll be borrowing some lights from a friend to arrange on my shelves. Another tip - I sorted out my mobile payment option - but only just in time. You need a merchant number and then you need to ignore the address that they tell you to send to the direct debit forms to and send them all back to them with the forms. Yes. I did as it said on the forms. So they weren't with the application. It took a few attempts and nearly two further weeks to receive and send back new ones! Finally sorted - thank goodness.

There are a lot of costs I didn't take into consideration and I haven't yet toted it all up but I estimate that even with the discounted WiRE stand I have probably spent £1500 on the whole thing - may be more. Bare all that in mind if you are going for it next year!

Other costs I incurred of my own volition were joining the GCA and ACID. Both organisations will be a huge help to me in the future and I have to get serious about what I am doing.... don't I..?! Here are just a few of the cards I've designed recently:

Doing the show - whilst I have found the preparation physically challenging has helped me to clarify where I am going. For example, yesterday I painted a few campervans. It had been my intention to make about 10, by the end of the day I'd made five. Admittedly I am tired but I just realised - I can't offer them to trade. I would make no money for the time it takes me! They will stay a bespoke or direct to customer product!

I am sure doing this show will prove to be really invaluable for me as I will find out over 5 days what my customers really like or not... I certainly don't regret the investment in time and money this all represents for me (of course i'd love it to be cheaper!). Really the only downside is the same problem all artist makers or those building their own business - that of not having enough time for friends and family.

One thing, no two things I want to say about the preparation. It is hard, hard work when you do it all on your own. Secondly I am so grateful to my very patient husband both for his gesso painting help when he has time and for putting up with my mess in virtually all rooms in the house!! For being a general star.

I will report back after the event and would be delighted to meet any of you on W8 at the Business Design Centre Islington, from March 23rd - 27th ;

best wishes Gabs

X

The corner of my bedroom

2011-01-27T02:19:00.000-08:00

You're not seeing much of it but these are three paintings I did about 1-2 years ago now that finally are up on the wall and I think work well together. They weren't done at the same time but clearly I am drawn to similar colour palettes.

The light has been dingy in january and these were shot on my camera in natural light in the gloom. Although they are fuzzy the colours are more accurate than those I did with a flash. Which if any would work as cards do you think? all comments welcome.

Thank you Sophie - IckleScamp

2011-01-26T01:25:00.000-08:00

This gorgeous photo was posted on Twitpic by Sophie aka @Icklescamp (on Twitter)yesterday to celebrate Australia day! It features the Ausy Brit bunting that I made for her to celebrate her marriage to her Australian hubby. Lovely to see it again and such a nice thing to see first thing in the morning when suffering from a nasty chest infection. You needed to know.

Progress?

2011-01-21T10:08:00.000-08:00

I feel that mentally I am progressing with preparations for the two shows I am doing; and there are increasing piles of gesso'd wood appearing gradually in the shed for me to paint and paint and paint.

I asked dear @tonybonus to photograph a few new things for me this week which he did beautifully.

Orders are gently coming in which - while I could do with earning more money, is just about as much as I can handle while deciding which items to make for trade and then work backwards to paint as many generic items as I can for Country Living at the end of March!

(I love this heart. I designed 3 new ones but this is my favourite. Bit late for this years Valentine but it will be part of the trade range and frankly it could work all year round as a decorative gift could it not?)

I have to accept I just can't do everything I wanted to but will give it a damn good try.

At the recommendation of Jane who runs Snapdragon's Garden and is @snapdragonjane on Twitter I am reading "Rework" by Jason Fried &David Heinmeier Hansson.

It's incredibly reassuring that I seem to be one of the sort of businesses that they recommend becoming - I don't have an official business plan and I go with the flow and do try to seize opportunities. The downside which I found hit home is that there is nothing admirable about working oneself ridiculously hard and thinking that it is some kind of virtue! This book told me I am stupid but also that I can take my time and reevaluate where I am going at any time! It's up to me! It's my business and I can change it anyway I like because what I don't have is overheads and staff - as yet. It's all to play for. It also reassured me greatly and I would recommend it as a good read for any small business.

And I want to thank Jane who gives so many people sound advice and the benefit of her experience. You're not supposed to start sentences with and are you? It's my blog and I can do what I like :)

Bye for now x

The Challenge Ahead

2010-12-17T11:22:00.000-08:00

It's only 3 months until I am doing the Country Living Show in London and just a week later the BCTF - British Craft Trade Fair. Due to painting endless horse door plaques in the last two months as well as a fair amount of personalised xmas decorations. But at last I have finished the Christmas horse orders and posted 20 off today - yippee

I haven't actually made any stock yet, so guess what I will be doing on the quiet after 7 or so days off. On top of this I do of course have to plan my stands for both shows and design a definitive trade range. I don't mind saying that I am mildly terrified at the hill I have to climb in what is now such a short time. My entire website needs a rethink too and I need to find all my receipts so as to do my accounts by the January 1st deadline. I remember so clearly sitting here last year at around this time saying how 2010 was going to be about getting organised and getting systems in place..bit ambitious.

But I will do it and can't wait to get started; Christmas is slightly in the way and I must take at least a week off to see the family. My little girl says she misses me and I know exactly what she means. I see her everyday but unless Tony is away I rarely have the time to spend just mucking about with the children and I am so looking forward to family time, even if only for a week. Something tells me I will have to really work at finding time for friends in 2011, definitely missed people this year which is why Twitter has been a sanity saver at times. I'm very grateful to people who have stuck with me through the horse months.

I've been filling notebooks with plans and have my accomodation sorted out, but so much is undone. The logistics worry me as far as Country Living goes mainly where to park my car so that its not miles away from the venue and yet doesn't cost me another small fortune. Anyone reading this have any suggestions? Perhaps CL send us more details about this.

That's if for now. So many plans so little time X Happy Christmas to all. I'll be back - Gabs

Day off at last

2010-10-31T10:42:00.000-07:00

It seems an age since I last had a day of no working.. you can't really count this. Equally I see that it has been well over a month since I blogged. Enevitably as an artist I can't expect to be a prolific writer what I seem to be is my own sweat shop! Tony and I were giggling over that as we both sat painting horsehead bases last week one afternoon. I giggled, he chortled I suppose. " I am my own gang master!" I cried.

Anyway today I escaped with the family to Holkham Hall for a scarey trip around the museum counting ghosts; and did see some rather gruesome sights as we went around:

after that I ate the most enormous chocolate biscuit cake slab you have ever seen (as well as something more healthy beforehand) in the voluminous cafe. I think that word is more apt for material, but the ceiling was at least 30-40ft high I would have guessed: probably where they used to house the coaches for the house 200 years ago. Loved the old toys I saw in the glass cabinets there and a Welsh Lovespoon... I've never thought before how these are actually used. Anyone know?

We walked a quarter of a mile or so through the grounds to the largest walled garden I have ever seen but sadly much of it was closed off to visitors and the ancient green houses were in a very dilapidated state.

A fairy took this photo of her view of one of the only flourishing plants in the garden:

And here are some more sights of Autumn and the deer in the surrounding park land owned by Viscount Coke. Great name. Can you spot a grim reaper?

It's six years since a live wire arrived in my life

2010-09-23T12:22:00.000-07:00

This is my gorgeous girl who was 6 today. She was born in this kitchen, in a birthing pool, just me and her.

My husband was on the phone requesting that the midwife come now please! I had thought he had called her earlier when in fact he had not.

It was an unusual start to life and this is the only home she's known. Despite the intermittent rain during her party the bouncy castle in the garden was well used - at one point I think possibly all the children were stumbling about on the large red hills which were noisily swaying under the pressure of 11 screaming girls and 2 boys.

My husband had bought the ingredients for the party bags and on impulse I decided 24hrs before the party to hand paint 13 tags for them. ( For some reason we make party bags for our own children ..)

24hrs sounds like a lot, but when you paint the gesso in say half an hour - go crystal healing for the evening, get back, string bunting, make up bags (as far as possible), do the 13 red base coats, prepare the birthday breakfast, decorate the kitchen with balloons, sweep the floor, arrange the presents...get to bed at 12.30 am.. get up at 5.30am to an excited daughter (who you convince that it is the middle of the night, but not for long)....You get the picture...When both children are dispatched to school continue painting shapes in the shed and do a third coat on the tags, hair dry them a little for speed.. then do a 4th coat - of pale pink, ditto, (do a butterfly doorhanger for a client) then distress the tags, then paint names on all before threading them with narrow red gingham*.... all before 2pm... it doesn't leave much time.

I am fully aware the above must be an English teacher's "how not to construct a sentence" but language is ever evolving ;

The parents loved the tags and I have definitely found another product line :)))
* not pictured - this was a photo I took on route from studio to kitchen; when I develop these in the future they will have all sorts of colour possibilties and the wooden tags will be 4mm thich birch. These were very lightwieght ply that were bought in stock for me to play with. I do love this wire platter, it will possibly feature in more photos in the future.

Wordle

2010-08-29T06:23:00.000-07:00

This is a fun way to spend 5 or 10 minutes! Go to Wordle.com and chose whether to upload some text from the front page of your website or any site you run with an rss feed and see what Wordle extracts from what you paste.
I liked this one based on the front page of my website (which needs an overhaul by next Spring!)
and I also did one for this blog which is rather different! Something tells me I am keen to know things..

Being a lazy lump

2010-08-27T12:26:00.001-07:00

Supplying retailers

2010-08-11T12:19:00.000-07:00

Moobaacluck is a relatively young business, not quite 2 years old and have made my fair share of mistakes.

A large part of my business is personalised artworks and wooden decorations; but I am developing a trade range for launch next April in Harrogate, which will still be handmade but each individual item should take less time to produce as I will be able to make them in batches. I will also be launching a small range of paper products.

The point is - each of these lines will I need a different pricing structure. I need to start somewhere and necessarily have to start costing and defining margins at the high end rather than the low because that is what came first.

Twitter is fabulous for firing off questions. I'm very grateful to the people who RT ( retweeted) my question and of course to those that DM (direct messaged)

©Amanda Farren

Ella Announcements have a commendable approach; I really like the way Amanda clearly states what her terms are for supplying retailers. It is a confident message and everyone knows where they stand from the start. Thank you so much Amanda for permission to use your image and post a link to your site. You can follow "AmandaFarren" on Twitter too Ella Announcements Trade terms
And many thanks to retailer Angela Emery - MyFunkyParty for alerting me to Amanda

I began my career on Notonthehighstreet.com where 25-27% on top of all packing and delivery costs is the norm. From what I can tell this is a normal commission for web only site.

The complication comes when you are supplying a shop that has a web site: what then?

Then the next stage: retailers, no website sales...

Retailers normally expect to double the price you charge them and then add vat; some actually make their retail price x 2.5 what you charge them and then add vat on top!! I found this to my cost when I was asked (before I had barely begun trading) to supply a major chain store in Norwich. My items were too expensive, not as well conceived as they are now and didn't sell. It was a strange situation whereby they made the order without even seeing some of the products and even asked me to come up with prints unseen. One day when I am more prepared I will go and see them again! These items were not personalised, although handmade so ought to have been a mid range product in terms of price.

The consensus with galleries seems to be a 50% +vat margin ; a jewellery designer tells me that she is in the wonderful position of supplying an independent shop specialising in local crafts who only take 20% and their website sales 25%. (That partly answers my own earlier question) This same designer receives 50 % in a shop in the nearest city centre.

Another fellow Twitterer supplies samples of personalised high quality items to retailers at a discount for them to generate orders from. She tends to achieve 30% margins but finds that there are shops that will not go that low, in which case she cannot supply them. 50% margins are just not worthwhile for an artisan personalised product.

It would be interesting to hear from any makers and suppliers to retail whether they achieve a 40% margin ( i.e making 60 % themselves). No one has mentioned that half way point -YES they have!! completely forgot! Nic - sorry. Nic always gets 60% - so retailer gets 40%. Just flung that in so)) :
which to me personally makes sense for hand crafted products that are not personalised but that are of very high quality in small quantities. I like things to be complicated.

As a top accountant I know said "Decide what you want and stand your ground - if they don't want you, you will find others who do" - thanks Mel. Really important to remember that.

Do you know any different? or would you be prepared to share your own experiences - whether seller or retailer? I hope this "article" will help some one. Thanks :)

General Waffle - family illness and coping with guilt!

2010-07-31T14:31:00.000-07:00

This isn't likely to be a coherent post. Although perhaps a theme will emerge.

I have been ill this week as those who follow me on Twitter and Facebook will know. Nothing severe - just a sore throat, queasiness and general exhaustion picked up from one of the children. Both have been on holiday from School and its amazing how the days either speed by or drag if you aren't feeling well.

I designed a green star version of my bumble bee for a customer from Illustrate My Name; I really like it. It seems to have quite a retro look.

Managed to get through all the urgent orders this week and actually am a little ahead of myself, so much so that I spent all day today (Sat 31st July) designing illustrative cards for my greeting card illustration agent and Phoenix Trading. All are speculative which means there is no guarantee that anything will come of doing them. That said I get much from doing it. It's very easy to get rusty and out of practice with illustration and I wouldn't say that I found work just flows because I always - even today- feel the time pressure. A roundabout way of saying, I am trying my best and hoping that I will make a breakthrough and move on with my illustration style(s). Will post pictures of those another time...

I have about 20 outstanding Moobaacluck orders and because of my husbands work ( only Mondays are regular) I always have the feeling that I just might not have enough time to do everything.
Managed to paint all these on Friday - finish them at least but this little lot probably took 2 - 3 days to do. Something tells me I need to develop a printed product line!!

Yet again Tony looked after the children all day on his own. They have a lovely time with him so its not as if they are suffering without me there, its more that they have grown up feeling that I am not usually "there when we go on trips". This isn't strictly true but I suppose for 70 % of the time they do anything exciting it probably is. I feel very happy creating but its always tinged with regret. Something I will just have to get used to. How do you all cope?

Here they are on their quiet Monday with me at home; you can't see them but there was a swarm of beautiful dragon flies swooping about.

This was also the day that I decided to take part in the Notonthehighstreet Christmas brochure. I may be setting myself up for a very tricky time but I am determined to make the best of it. Its as though i have to make life difficult in order to change what is wrong. Im my case the disorganisation of my work spaces and lack of money. Perhaps this will sort out the latter enough for me to buy things to sort out the former.

I designed these horses specifically for a local customer, she loved them so I thought I'd try them out on Noths never thinking for a minute that this would be the product they wanted to feature.

We ( the children and I ) also made two cakes that twitter friends will know I polished off pretty smartly. Here's a photo of them, believe me they tasted wonderful, better than they look here anyway.

Hilarious

2010-07-23T11:27:00.000-07:00

Apparently I write like James Joyce having had my last post analysed via a Facebook Application!
I have never read anything by him but I do know that Ulysses is incomprehensible to all but the most determined scholars. Ha.. so funny.

I write like
James Joyce

I Write Like by Mémoires, Mac journal software. Analyze your writing!

Part 2 - Preparation for the Country Living Show next Spring

2010-07-11T06:16:00.000-07:00

First I need to book accomodation. I do know people in London but I think it would be a bit much to ask of them to put me up for a week. Besides - I have a feeling I will just need to go to bed early every night or try and do a spot of yoga (haha) in my hotel room to unwind. Have just booked to stay at Earl's Court Easy hotel - it cost £295 - yikes. But for 7 nights in London that's not bad. Of course I will have to pay for my food... me thinks I may lose weight that week. If anyone fancies putting me up do let me know - I will only lose a fraction of that money by cancelling!

After speaking to Penny Lindop a couple of weeks ago I now know that you are allowed 2 days to set up before the fair opens. Some people take 1 day - clearly very experienced exhibitors but someone like me will need more time. Especially as you are allowed to decorate your stand - by that I don't mean simply hanging things up, you are allowed to paint on the boards.

With Moobaacluck being a handpainted business (primarily for the moment) I would be mad not to take advantage of this.. possibly mad to do so some might say. The only snag is that you have to paint it all back to the neutral greyish white afterwards. I think it would be a good idea to visit the Christmas fair with some swatches in my paws to make sure I get a good enough idea of the colour paint I need to buy to do that.

Apply here for a stand yourself

Another thing Penny told me to be aware of is that there is little time to unload. Book a slot when the big book of instructions appears in the post 2 months before the show and accept that it may not go smoothly! If people booked earlier than you haven't finished you will be asked to move off or park up and come back; not easy in Islington. Must say I am not looking forward to that bit. And you should only allow 30 -60 mins to unload, deposit everything and return to your car before moving off and trying to find somewhere to park.

Penny suggested that I book some of the lighting offered (for which you pay extra) as I haven't got my own. This way I can be sure of the most appropriate lighting and that it will work...

A curious thing that you wouldn't know unless you had exhibited there before is that the WiRE area has a weak mobile signal; something to do metal surrounding walls.. this means that when it comes to

automated payments one is better off using a telephone line. Never having accepted cards before I was anxious about how to go about this. If you join the Federation of Small Businesses apparently among the benefits are the discounted rental of Streamline machines. You have to rent a line from Country Living - again bookable a couple of months before the show; at about £30 for the duration.

Think carefully too about how you will store stock, plan your display as much as possible before hand; you bring everything: table, any shelving, drill, tape, posters, framed pictures, display racks.. Plan, plan, plan. Apparently there is a limited amount of storage space if you can find out about it so that you don't have to have ALL your stock on your stand. However you wouldn't have access to this when the show is open to the public.

I was offerred a stand for the Christmas event last week and decided knowing what I do now that I would be better off visiting the show then instead!

If you know differently or have anything to add to this post please comment. I will amend and add wherever necessary :)

Time management or not in my case

2010-07-11T03:08:00.000-07:00

One of the hardest things is juggling time consuming art work with family life; all too often I have 6 day weeks and there is rarely a day when I am not fiddling with something. However this weekend I gave myself an entire Saturday and most of Sunday off, apart from 2 hours finishing 30 of these stars - they have to be posted tomorrow!

©Gabriella Buckingham - Moobaacluck 2010

In fact as I finish this post it is the following weekend; there isn't enough time to be perfect. All creative types have to accept this..don't we? I would be very interested in hearing how you all organise yourselves!

I have just bought myself some great wooden filing trays so that I can put all the jobs for a particular day of the week a stack of those. Of course I want to paint them beautifully too but that is going to have to wait!

I had the best weekend I have had in a long while ( last weekend!) taking some time off to splash in the sea with the family and ate outside all weekend, pottering among our weeds and plants with the occasional plunge into our big blow up pool. Heaven, can't want for much more really.

Lovely purchase from DotsandSpots

2010-07-04T14:35:00.000-07:00

These arrived last week; ordered on Wednesday morning and they were with me on Thursday morning - all the way from Somerset to North East Norfolk:

and what is more Becky, the founder and chief designer at Dots and Spots included a gift of a set of 4 postcards with my order! Thank you Becky :)) As you can see below the books were appreciated, but I am keeping the postcards.... and the campervan notebook .. and of course the Garden Stuff...

See more of Becky's product range at http://www.dotsandspots.co.uk/ !

Some news part 1

2010-07-01T00:16:00.000-07:00

As usual have been mostly contained in the summerhouse 6 days a week ( apart from school runs, once to the supermarket and oh joy, a dental specialist in Norwich. Less said about that the better) Oh and the most important day release happened last Thursday. "I worked like Billy Ocean" ( a strange phrase personal to me that I don't remember the origins of) last Wednesday to complete as many orders ahead of time as poss to have lunch with Penny Lindop in St. Benedicts restaurant in Norwich. We spent a fun 2 hours discussing all the potential hazards of setting up at Country Living next year; Penny gave me lots of tips and a big task to do which I will begin next week.. honest Penny!!

Penny designs wonderfully quirky hand finished greeting cards, prints and framed clocks. To see more of her work please look here http://www.pennylindop.com/ If you are visiting the Royal Norfolk Show you can find Penny in the craft tent.

This is one of my favourite pieces of Penny's work. I love the idea of a collection of cards in a lovely box. A great gift for someone or a treat for yourself!

As soon as I find my notebook I will write Part 2 with details of all that I gleaned for those of you who like me have never done a big event before. I have done plenty of craft fairs but never one that necessitated an automated payment system. So that was one of my major concerns.

Yesterday I was delighted to hear that I've been accepted for the British Craft Trade Fair next Spring. Plenty to do now... not that there wasn't before! :))

Are any of you exhibiting at a big show this or next year? You are welcome to post a link to your site and announce what you are up to in the comments section! Look forward to seeing what you are getting up to. Part 2 to follow soon .... now WHERE is that notebook.....

off to the post office any second...

2010-06-18T02:58:00.000-07:00

Felt in the right frame of mind (let's face it, wasn't in a mad rush for a change), to pack up my orders in the way I mean to continue.

Some of you will know that I have been a Phoenix Trader in the past (still am officially) and I have rediscovered these very useful recycled labels that are perfect for sticking over envelopes that as still reasonably serviceable but that I may have made a mistake with the address on!

I think using my flower stamp makes a world of difference and quite honestly I don't always have the time to do this, but am going to try from now on.

I like to reuse packaging wherever possible but at the same time not everyone appreciates that:( There is a fine line for some between sending something that looks like a gift and something that looks scruffy.

So I will recycle padded envelopes if I can remove or cover previous addresses and stickers but not if it risks a customer thinking that I don't really care how Moobaacluck is perceived. So serious:) And yes the photo below is out of focus... I bet there is a spot somewhere that isn't ?

A couple of things...

2010-06-18T02:27:00.000-07:00

Two furry and in the case of one, fluffy things have now arrived at the Buckingham household. They seemed very camera shy this morning but I managed to get some shots 5 mins before I whizzed the children to school...

I am just slightly worried as we were told they are both boys..and the grey one keeps mounting the fluffy one. Hmm any advice?! Perhaps I should get a second opinion sharpsish!

the buzz of another follower

2010-06-14T09:41:00.000-07:00

Beehive © Gabriella Buckingham circa 1998

Oh I have 44 followers of my blog - thanks whoever the 44th was! I was beginning to think 43 was my limit ;) I very much appreciate anyone who follows me. There are so many blogs that its quite something to actually move someone to press that button !

Don't be shy about leaving comments and if I am not following you let me know and I will; relationships are important to me especially as the work I do is so time consuming but predominantly solitary. There isn't a lot of time to see my real life friends so virtual friends do actually mean something. Some may think that is rather sad of me - others will realise it just is what it is. She says in a slightly un- thought through - sort of - the dinner is ready and I have to go - sort of way!!!!!!!

No news is good news?

2010-06-14T02:55:00.000-07:00

I have found it difficult to have any time off lately; I am not complaining about having all these lovely orders though, just my ability to handle it. When you are busy it is the time when you really need to be at your healthiest in order to cope and with the type of work I do, involving a huge amount of time sitting down painting this isn't easy. Hence giving up cakes, biscuits, jam and sugary cereals (day 4 and it hasn't been too bad surprisingly) - if I can't find time to move about much something has to give.

Constantly working like that makes you question why you are doing it!! It is essential to love it ; people always say "you must be so patient" when they see what I do and hear how long it takes. That surprises me as I wouldn't say I was a patient person particularly, in fact I am at my calmest quietly working away. I have considered using spray paint and it just wouldn't hold any joy for me. Painting is almost like meditation. Hours pass and it is incredibly satisfying to see the beautiful results. This is part of the view from my summer house this weekend.

Despite working for a few hours on Saturday and Sunday I did manage to see some of the family and hold a chicken for the first time when we all went to visit the local garden centre for what we call "Chicken Day". Certainly lost most of my anxiety as to whether I could handle a bird!

I read part of the paper, ate outside and saw the children happily creating their own floral artworks; my daughter's is pictured here.

Thoughts on the future

2010-06-05T00:55:00.000-07:00

Being accepted for the Country Living fair in Spring 2011 is going to help me to focus. Am very excited about it! This is a link to my LIKE page where you can read more. I will be blogging about my progress as I think it would be very helpful for someone like me who hasn't actually done a big retail fair like this to document all the things you have to do to prepare. I've exhibited locally but this is completely different.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000978582379&v=wall&story_fbid=126947770666381#!/pages/Moobaacluck/108970109141355?ref=sgm

I will let you know if I am accepted for the BCTF too which, as a trade fair, would be totally different but potentially life changing.

Here are pics of my garden a few days ago. After going to Spain and it was lovely to see things bursting up all over the place.. although of course there are more weeds than anything!

Sunday May 30th - part 2

2010-05-30T14:53:00.000-07:00

After a bit of a struggle to find a pub that wasn't full to the brim and a little tantrum from me we found The Old Coach Inn in Thornham where I happily guzzled half a cider and a lamb shank puff pastry pie.

Then only a few hundred yards further along we discovered a fabulous treasure of a shop called
"Vintage Home and Garden" run by the lovely Jo Griffiths who I discovered on Twitter when I began to follow her a couple of months ago. I am keen to follow businesses and people in Norfolk that I feel an affinity with and having met Jo today I know I wasn't wrong. We share the same love of colour and neither of us will wear black! Funnily enough we were both wearing yellow cardigans today :)

(Jo is on the right - what style! and @tonybonus and my young son on the left)

The shop is absolutely lovely. I realise now on looking at my photos that I did not take in much of what was there and am longing to go back without the children. The shop isn't large but every bit of space is beautifully used and with Jo's styling background it isn't hard to understand why.

If you are searching for a genuine old gardening tools, the handles worn smooth from being handled for years you have come to the right place. Elegant glassware, delicate bird cages, giant rulers and highly fragrant candles all grace the longest old French table I've ever seen. Which is for sale....

There are blankets woven from recyled wool, antique toys that make lovely decorations if you can't bear to have them played with. Near the door a lovely selection of contemporary cards and gift wrap

(one of my three purchases - a card by Biddy Picard published by artcardscornwall.co.uk)

..are available and I spotted two bowls of very appealing hand made Snapdragon badges and mirrors by Scottish designer Jane Lindsey, who is also a twitter favourite of mine.

(The smell potent smell of marzipan rises when you lift the lid, I couldn't resist buying one of these)

Jo is supremely welcoming and helpful and I would highly recommend a visit, looking forward to going back. Tony and I are hoping to visit the Yurt next door again for more than a drink and will plan it for a day when Vintage Home and Garden is open.

While there today I drank a delicious bottle of Breckland Cloudy Lemonade - yum. Breckland Orchard is another Norfolk business that can be found on Twitter.

Do look at http://www.coastandcountryhome.co.uk/index.htm to find out more about Jo and Vintage Home and Garden...there is a link there to Jo's blog .... :) happy reading!

Sunday the 30th May - a day off! Part one :)))

2010-05-30T12:54:00.000-07:00

We had a very busy day out once we actually managed to leave the house!

First stop Salthouse Church just outside Cley where Philip Walmsley and Brenda Unwin were exhibiting as part of Open Studios. We were able to chat to both artists and naturally exchanged details, not quite sure what Philip made of Moobaacluck but I assured him that I have other talents.. Funnily enough the first thing that struck me wasn't a painting but a beautiful pulpit decoration:

The more I looked at Philip's incredible drawn constructions the more I liked them; he used to doodle geometric shapes as a small boy and now takes great delight in portraying buildings from his imagination "brick" by "brick" with no pressure of having to be architecturally correct. There is a 3 d element to his work when you look at it and the scale ranges from A4 to covering an entire wall.
Brenda's work appealed to me more immediately probably because it is closer to my own - or at least I understand and see the "how" to element of using acrylic on paper. My favourite pieces of hers are those on the far right - the small abstract square(called "Before dusk - or twilight" - can you tell I've forgotten!?)

and the other piece next to it which was a response to a teaching trip Brenda organised locally. Abstract yet not so much so that one couldn't imagine what might have inspired these pieces, the rest of her images were far more concerned with portraying remembered impressions of light and colour; funnily enough they reminded me of Mondrian's - what I call - grid paintings...very fitting to the space and her fellow exhibitor.

What a busy week

2010-05-29T01:20:00.000-07:00

Not a lot to say, been doing too much of that on Twitter! Inundated with work this week literally 10mins after arriving home I had a phone call from someone ordering bunting privately and the new Notonthehighstreet brochure came out so have quite a few orders from that. Not sure whether the amount that comes in will actually cover the cost of being in it, that remains to be seen! But to grow the business one has to take a risk once in a while. My father thinks I am not a risk taker but I'm not sure he knows me that well! To give him his due he has lived in Spain for the past several years so is basing his opinions on annual meetings. Mind you depends how you define risk :)) Just got back from a lovely holiday over there with the children. Sadly I was unable to access a computer :( but actually it turned out to be a good thing as I did begin to unwind after a few days. So much so was raring to go when I got back, still am - only pretty tired now! Holiday photo selection ( heavily edited never fear) will appear here in the next few days.

Here is my boast a gram for those of you that don't subscribe to my Like page:

Haven't got a clue

2010-05-07T05:30:00.000-07:00

I have been awarded a fair few sunshine awards - at least 3, but cannot for the life of me work out how to download the flower logo in order for it to be on my desk top so that I can up load it to the margin here!
Help!! (Please?) I know some of you will know exactly how to do this so will hunt you down individually if you don't spot this ;) thanks in anticipation ! Gabs

The last few days

2010-04-30T12:38:00.000-07:00

My WiRE magazine came today.. you can see the mini article about Moobaacluck here http://www.facebook.com/pages/Moobaacluck/108970109141355?ref=sgm

This is one of my favourite pieces from last week,
one of my birch dogs

Really like the colours and the addition of the star on the tag.

Today I finished off this tulip painting but feel it looks quite old fashioned and am in two minds as to whether to take it to the gallery!

And I painted this landscape

the photo of it isn't great, think I like it .. I always have such a crisis of confidence with my painting. I am sure all artists have these self doubts.. or do they!! ?

What are your thoughts?

Sunshine awards - my turn now!

2010-04-28T11:59:00.000-07:00

I have been awarded this by Sarah Dashworth of Noah's Ark crafts, Becky of Dots and Spots fame and Joy Shallcross who is a marvellous knitter - a skill I am not sure if I will ever acquire. Now it might take me a while to work out quite what to do about this.. need to follow the instructions. Of course I graciously accept but in order for this to be valid I must fulfill various criteria!

Aha found 'em ....

The rules for accepting this award are:-

Put the logo on your blog or within your post,

Pass the award on to 12 bloggers,

Link the nominees within your post,

Let the nominees know they have received this award by commenting on their blog,

Share the love and link to the person from whom you have received this award.

My nominees are firstly the three lovely ladies who were so kind to mention my blog and my work on Twitter or in their blogs:

Dots and Spots

noahsarkcrafts.blogspot.com

joyknitt

vintageandhandmade

littlebrownrabbit

colourartblog

kateslaterillustration

arkdesignsbyanna

froginthefield

colourartblog

beesandappletrees

birgittsdesignz.

ilovemyhouse

You all have intriguing, funny or beautiful blogs... probably all three :) - love Gabs

A casulty of my gardening

2010-04-19T03:34:00.000-07:00

Managed to do a fair bit of gardening in the Easter holidays and as I hadn't quite achieved a Tulip order last Autumn bought some in pots. During my digging frenzy I managed to decapitate one of them but all was not lost, I chose a favourite little pot for it and a few days later it opened. Absolutely stunning.

Not a lot to report

2010-04-19T03:23:00.000-07:00

Nearing the end of the Easter holidays now and have lots of orders to get through but the main challenge is finishing off a new garland or two ( we will see if both will be photographed) for the Notonthehighstreet Summer Living catalogue. I was in 2 minds about entering into this but its too late to back out now! These will be appearing- in the Christening section, I doubt they will photograph both though.

If anyone knows where I can find a more turquoise gingham ribbon please let me know!

This last week

2010-04-11T00:20:00.000-07:00

Spring has very much arrived, since the Easter holidays we've had gorgeous sunny mornings and I for one have been to the garden centre. Moobaacluck has seen a surge of orders for these (the above items are only available to order at giftwrappedandgorgeous.co.uk , the others are both there and on notonthehighstreet.com/moobaacluck

The adventures of the Buckingham family in a few pictures...

2010-04-05T10:16:00.000-07:00

Originally we decided to go to Oxenborough Hall near Swaffham for an egg hunt at least an hour from our home! Just outside Reepham there was a rare stretch of straight road...and as I sped up to 60 miles an hour I drove over a big lump of mud..only it was a rock.

A quarter of a mile later a strange sound announced a flat tyre!! Luckily we had a spare, Mr T sorted it all out in about 15 minutes and we went on our way, causing only slight tail backs on the A47. We drove past the sign to Gressenhall and realising that we had another 14 miles to go at no faster than 50 mph ( due to warning on spare) we turned back and drove a couple of miles to Gressenhall Museum and work house.

I'm so glad we did! Instead of an egg hunt we had a wildlife stamp hunt through a working farm and surrounding countryside and the children ran ahead of us in delight.

There was an old fashioned fair with a helter skelter and cake walk; a huge Victorian work house - walled gardens, church, school etc all preserved to show how they would have looked into the 1950s. Have to go back as we didn't see everything by any means. And we joined the Norfolk museum scheme, so 10% off the lovely home cooked lunch here and 3 other venues and will be able to go back free for a year to Gressenhall and the 8 or so other museums in Norfolk. A happy accident :)

Musings about twitter

2010-03-31T08:48:00.000-07:00

Well as you see I have changed the way my blog looks - only I am not a librarian.

Thanks to lots of fab twitterers I found out about the new template service:

"they've something called "Blogger in draft" which means you can make some changes"" - VickyMD

and top techy teacher Jeff 2869 has told me where to go ( so to speak) to alter the html/css when I have finally created my own background. Shall probably use the one from my twitter page for consistency.

I do love Twitter, but at times it makes me anxious. I'm the kind of person that is very open and then regrets it slightly so it can be a worry... but conversely there are some lovely lovely people who brighten my days. I don't leave the house to an office, just a few times a week to deposit my offspring at school, so for a sole trader, artisan type it is a companion.

I am interested in so many things but truthfully not always on a deep level , so to be able to throw out a question or connect with someone either similar to me ( in terms of career) or from another field altogether is really stimulating. I found a great tweeter today whose mission it is to excite people about reading for fun, and I shall be hunting down a few good reads from her : libraryninja , thank you! I am assuming you are a she! Also a lovely writer realkaywoodward whose picture I love as she looks like "such fun" in the words of comedienne Miranda and tweets - who I also follow, but whose twit name I can't quite remember. There are some fabulous characters to follow who invent personae (spell?) so its never boring!

One essential thing to greater enjoyment of Twitter is Tweetdeck I believe, or Hootsuite: some sort of mechanism in which you can see different streams, searches, replies to you, private messages (yes you can DM or direct message people - IF - they are following you) and see random tweets from people you aren't following pop up in the top right corner of your screen while you work on the computer.

Finally - I have actually had work offered to me through twitter: private clients, potential new outlets, and other business contacts, that vast majority of whom I had never heard of. Elements of my work are now on www.giftwrappedandgorgeous.co.uk and www.lassothemoon.co.uk

So if you are a Twitter virgin maybe you should look at it more closely - even if all you do is snoop about a bit first! You can lock your account if you want so only those you approve can see what you write, you won't be seen in the public time line.

Our Weekend Outing

2010-03-31T06:40:00.000-07:00

On the way home we stopped off at East Rudham to visit a shop we go past EVERY time we drive to Rutland to my mum's but this time we had the energy and time to stop... those are my two children running to it!

We went to Castle Rising( very near Kings Lynn) with the children on Sunday 28th March, highly recommend it, good guide and v easy to imagine what it must have been like in the 11th Century: stunning location and despite these pics the weather was good if windy! I loved this view, may paint it one day. There is a lovely tea room a short walk away called Unique - affliated to a huge barn stuffed full of glitzy and quirky interiors goodies from baths and sofas to canvasses and cards.

Today's orders

2010-03-31T06:17:00.000-07:00

Only two to dispatch today: a last minute doorhanger and a print of my campervan painting. Hope Ollie likes it..

Hello!!

2010-03-24T10:15:00.000-07:00

Fab to see I have 3 new followers on here - hello and thanks :)) Do say hello if you get time! I am also designgabs on twitter if you haven't followed me as Moobaacluck. I don't really mind where you follow me. I set up a new account on Twitter partly to tweet about non Notonthehighstreet business as I do sell elsewhere and have a fine art career ( ha ha) and an illustrative one too. Does that make me greedy?

Unsurprisingly I don't keep things strictly business on my blog - despite the fact that my entire life is ruled by my "work". But that's what I LOVE to do most so is that surprising? I try and squeeze in a look at the family sometimes too.

And I have just worked out how to get the pic on the left. Good. Think I prefer it!

What I did today

2010-03-24T09:55:00.000-07:00

Had quite a good day creatively, possibly partly because I'd actually tidied the studio yesterday so everything was ready for me to get to it! As I'd woken at 4 with severe chest pain (very odd yet to investigate but happens sometimes)I was raring to go at 8am.

Painted a star - packed it before I remembered that I'd wanted to photograph it! and then two garlands (as pictured), plus did a little work on some fat hearts and rabbits.

At 11.50am went for a fast walk and tiny jog with husband, pleased to slot in some excersise. We are going to Spain in May so I need to get healthy. Completed 3 commissions before 11 am so was very pleased as this allowed me to start what I call a "proper painting" in the afternoon (see above - I always like them at this stage before I tighten up) especially as I didn't need to pick the children up from school. I didn't do much on it as it was a bit tiring standing up for an hour fiddling about, will tackle it tomorrow when I have ( I hope) had a better nights sleep.

If it turns out well I will of course put the finished thing up here!

2010-03-17T09:07:00.000-07:00

I just love my new labels from Moo.com and my little mini cards. Next time I will make sure I create bleed for the labels but am very pleased with how they've turned out and that they turned up a good few days before the estimated date!

I plonked them over two current commissions that I had almost finished, gently of course!

And am now off to the post office to

post them ...

byeeee

Thrilled!

2010-03-14T12:55:00.000-07:00

I am so pleased when I get the chance to paint for someone important especially when they blog about how much they love what I do! This honour goes to Becky at DotsandSpots who has credited me in her Mother's Day blog. Her kind husband, knowing how much she liked the look of the birch bunting I make, ordered some from me secretly last week. See here the wonderful display in the DotsandSpots home this morning! Thank you dear Becky - I am thrilled you liked it so much. Once I had painted the heart I felt sure you would!

The picture here is of other bunting commissioned last summer

Wednesday March 3rd 2010

2010-03-03T13:34:00.001-08:00

Had a lovely walk this morning and arrived back home just in time to get daughter into her tights. Bit of a struggle so my good mood lapsed for 5 minutes! Love her. She does enjoy a tussle every morning... however this is what I saw while walking for 35mins from 7.45am this morning. I had one strong idea for a painting inspired by one of the views.. and found some great fowl reference!! Plus, clearly I had some excercise.. which is a feat in itself.

I even watched Davina's latest fitness video.

Private View this Sunday in Cromer Norfolk

2010-02-17T23:54:00.000-08:00

2010-02-09T11:38:00.000-08:00

Been fiddling with my site front page!
Not sure its quite right yet but it makes
a change.

It's been a funny week.

But all in all the decision not to exhibit at Harrogate Gift Fair is the right one for me; I can concentrate on the 3 other strands of creative endeavour that I get up to! I was quite low about it for a couple of days: its not that I think I was incapable its just that realistically with all the other challenges I have in the next few months there wasn't a lot of time left to create an entire new wholesaleable range !! Duh . Sometimes family, health and sanity have to come first.

Twittering has been revelatory too - I discovered that Sarah (she of the mystery surname(suppose I could ask)) blogged about me last week ! A wonderful surprise: she is equally generous with her favourite recipes and somehow manages to find time to draw attention to favourite fellow creative wonder makers! ( is that bigheaded :))??)
http://www.noahsarkcrafts.blogspot.com/ Have a look do!

Thank you to Alex at shedworking

2010-01-22T04:32:00.000-08:00

Fame at last

Click above to see the shedworking blog with my messy studio in it...

Scroll down to January 22nd though! I do love it in there but it needs ALOT of work.

Serious overhaul this Spring! thanks Alex

Joining UK Handmade

2010-01-21T12:38:00.000-08:00

If you are a member of UK handmade pop over and say Hi

to me here:

http://ukhandmade.ning.com/profile/GabriellaBuckingham

Still trying to work out how to get the official link.... I WILL manage it!

Win some gorgeous jewellery! I've just entered

2010-01-21T10:51:00.000-08:00

Want to win some special jewellery - I'd love to!! hence posting this link on my blog to Chambers and Beau. Amy makes gorgeous jewellery that is featured on notonthehighstreet.com too as well as her own site. I am busy making some new things for Spring but as ever not quite as quickly as I'd hoped!

http://chambersbeauandme.blogspot.com

Have a look and I suppose I ought to say enter yourself really - less chance of me winning though! :)) Good luck! Someone will win!

2010-01-11T12:03:00.000-08:00

http://www.shedworking.co.uk/

This is where you will be able to see a pic of my mess of a shed/studio/summerhouse in a few days.. watch out for it!! And a very bleached pic of me which I like as although I look podgy I look slightly less wrinkly than I actually do... mind you the kind shed man from St.Albans may not put that in...so here it is.. somewhere, no idea how to actually get the pics underneath the text. Also here's a shot of some hearts I did based on one of the patterns on my bunting I designed a year or two ago!

2010-01-08T09:59:00.001-08:00

Goodness me I need help with the design of this.. need to find time to read the how toos :)

2010-01-07T11:25:00.000-08:00

This morning I woke to this: gorgeous. Managed to take about 8 shots before battery ran out.
Then when I charged it up again I experimented with a display shot - two of my cats. Needs work!
Wonder if it is possible to buy short panels of tongue and groove.. may have to get the saw out. Muted army green ( allbeit with white guaze over the top) doesn't quite cut it. But check out that teapot, very pleased with my purchase at the Emma Bridgewater sale :) You can just see my shed/studio/summer house at the bottom of the garden. BRRR...

2010-01-07T10:47:00.000-08:00

I love the snow, it transports you to the past in a way. Easy to imagine how life was without cars. The children have been off school today which I found tricky having hardly slept.

Moobaacluck is in its infancy and I am finding it hard to juggle it with illustration possibilities, the gallery in Cromer and responding to enquiries and opportunitites; especially when all is not as it seems!! But I have decided to do my first trade show in July at the Harrogate Gift Fair. When am I supposed to fit friends and family in?!:) Does anyone else just "see what happens" - I'm not one for a master plan. I do love the unexpected journey of self employment.

The second picture was 2nd Jan when we persuaded the children to come for a walk - it was stunning! We went to Cromer for fireworks on New Years eve, the next photo was taken as we drove along. I was NOT driving.

2009-12-26T07:02:00.000-08:00

Anthropologie Visit Winter 2009

I finally managed to find this shop after walking past it and phoning my husband to find out whereabouts in Regent Street it actually is! (It's between Hamleys and the corner of Beak st).

It did seem quite unassuming at first.. hence why I may have walked past it... well it was busy after all... ooodles of shoppers to block my view.. that's my excuse.

Anthropologie came here only 2 months ago but has been going in the USA for 17 years since it began in Pennysylvania to "inspire and connect with women" through beautiful items of clothing, decorative creations, jewellery and homewares. It certainly has a lot to offer and I found it hard to tear myself away after over an hour and a half browsing. There are 3 vast floors of gorgeousness - possibly 4 - I did get a bit dizzy with it all! And the folksy style of the offerings is, to use an expression that doesn't come easily to me "bang on trend"! These are just a few of the photos I took, yes I did ask and they were very happy for me to snap away. I'm very much looking forward to going back in the Spring when no doubt the whole range will have changed and fab new artworks, around which the products are arranged, will have been created, and there will be a new branch on Kings Road in Spring 2010 too.

Do try the changing rooms and don't miss the sale room - I bought a wonderful top like the yellow one here only in fine brown and caramel stripes that accentuates my stripey hair!! and it was £20 cheaper.... Have fun!!

2009-12-12T15:26:00.000-08:00

Shocking how long it is since I've blogged!

These are just a few of the things I've been painting
that have prevented me!

Feeling excited about Christmas and my jaunt to London
next week.. just got to finish a few more commissions before
that... wish me luck.

New star design

2009-11-18T07:49:00.000-08:00

This is a design I did specially for Jodie from Illustrate My Name who now stocks some of my designs. I LOVE this one and will do lots more next Christmas ( yes I am thinking ahead!)

Jodie kindly took this pic for me as I forgot! Duh

2009-11-16T15:04:00.000-08:00

An order I completed today, I'm quite pleased

with these. They are only £4 each, I think next Christmas they may go up.. I haven't decided?!

Note to self :It seems that one can't use !! in title of the post.

2009-11-14T09:39:00.000-08:00

What a great morning I had today! Sales weren't great but I chatted up the headmaster- couldn't believe he is nearly retiring!! Told him he looked really "designery" and looked him up and down!!! woops - fortunately he was a lovely man and took it in good part. And met a fantastic dynamo of a woman who owns a craft collective in Acle Norfolk who wants my work in her shop; she's really keen on supporting local artists and we got on like a house on fire, very inspiring chat - just what I needed. Left feeling really excited about the future...

Here are a few pics of the stall at Blofield Junior school.

2009-11-11T01:24:00.000-08:00

Hmm feel a bit of a twit in that my twitter account has been hacked after I'd been saying how great Macs were and that I'd never had any problems. To be fair to the mighty Apple its probably got nothing to do with the computer I use,just desperate advertising hackers!

2009-11-09T11:41:00.000-08:00

Join my fanpage on Facebook for a special offer:

Moobaacluck Facebook Fanpage

This was laugh out loud funny...

2009-11-09T09:03:00.000-08:00

My husband showed me some Japanese instructions for his exciting motorcycle battery today....

and I quote, from the section re what to do if you come into contact with the acid:

"Method of detoxify:

Outside : to wash by clear fresh water.

Inside: take a plenty of clear fresh water of cattle breast, well - distributed egg or vegetable oil.

Please send to hospital at once.

Do not allow children to play it."

Well now you all know. Keep those cattle breasts handy.

2009-10-30T10:26:00.000-07:00

I've been slaving away to be ready for the WiRE event at the ILPH Snetterton tomorrow- 31st October.

If you are passing do say hello! Might be pictures on Sunday if my camera lasts.... LOVE my new camera but goodness me the battery runs out fast :(

FORGOT MY CAMERA - which is a pain because my stand looked FABUlous I thought:)

2009-10-30T10:14:00.000-07:00

One of my most popular items, the butterfly doorhanger now comes in 3 other colourways and one day after I added these pics to my site on notonthehighstreet I've had an order for all of them :)

2009-10-22T14:30:00.000-07:00

Not very flattering pic of me but I like it!

I'm the old bird.

2009-10-20T07:22:00.000-07:00

This Xmas bunting was ordered by a customer last night via notonthehighstreet.com , quite a thrill when I saw who it was for! Someone in the media but I won't name names in case she sees it and thinks I am a toad.

The painting here is for sale too if you're interested email me at gabsbuckingham@gmail,com, and you can buy the other things on the mantlepiece at http://www.notonthehighstreet.com/moobaacluck/products

2009-10-20T07:19:00.000-07:00

This is my new little card from www.moo.com that I put in with all my orders; I love them! Can highly recommend in terms of paper stock quality.. so thick that I sometimes think I've picked two up at once.

2009-10-19T10:36:00.000-07:00

Yay! At last I have uploaded all my Christmas range to my product page on Notonthehighstreet

http://www.notonthehighstreet.com/moobaacluck/products

please take a look at the above link and let me know your favourites if you get time!? I've already had an order for the bunting, the Christmas dog card and the large star since yesterday when I loaded it all up there! Must get around now to putting some things on Misi and Etsy. There is always more to do :)

2009-10-02T12:19:00.001-07:00

Am really pleased that I've been asked to be one of a handful of resident artists at The Garden House Gallery in Cromer from the end of October! One wall and some display space for Moobaacluck and a few smaller paintings.

Here's a shot of part of my studio in the last couple of days; still plenty of new products to actually paint and not much here is finished..

2009-09-21T08:48:00.000-07:00

REally happy with my new rubber stamp! it's faithful to my design and prints well once I get the ink loaded properly. I got it from www.stampsdirect.co.uk based in Norwich. Fabo!