I’ve been having a play with printing lace on leather for a new range of clasp frame purses.  A couple of weeks ago I went over to my good friend Ruth Green’s who let me use her printing studio for a day.

After a morning of experimenting I finally got the paint solution to the right consistency and started to print the leather.

I got varying results depending on what colour I was used so decided to stick with the darker tones. Here’s some pictures of the leather pieces drying.

The leather has been sewn up into lovely clasp frame purses

The new purses will be on sale at Marketplace the Midlands Arts Centre’s contemporary craft fair which runs every weekend in the lead up to Christmans.  I’ll be there on Saturday 19, Sunday 20, Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 November from 11-6pm.  Please come and say hello.

If you’re in Birmingham this Saturday you should pop down to Moseley for the Moseley Festival.  There’s a whole host of things going on including CBSO players playing in the private park, summer cider tasting at The Fighting Cocks and an Art Trail around Moseley.

I’ll be selling my wares at the street fair on the village green (Alcester Rd and St Mary’s Row).  So do come, say hello and marvel at my new fabric and cut out greetings cards (pictured above).  I’ll also be selling my usual mix of accessories, cushions and stitched pictures.

This weekend I’ll be taking some of my wares to the Kings Heath Big Party.  The fun all happens on Saturday 19 June in and around Kings Heath High Street.

I’ll be selling my usual mix of unique handmade accessories and homewares.  They’ll be lots to see and do so if you’re in the area, do pop along and join in the party.  Or even if you’re not in the area, make a special trip to come and visit my stand.  For more information about whats going on where visit here

I’ve been back at Birmingham Royal Ballet helping out with Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake but one week I was given a rather unusual task of helping to install an exhibition of costumes, sets and props.

Birmingham Royal Ballet are celebrating 20 years of moving to Birmingham from London.  As part of their celebrations there was a gala performance with excerpts from their whole repertoire.

So cue resizing mannequins with an electric knife and mini-sander, padding out cod pieces with tissue paper and fixing in props with fishing wire and suction cups

The exhibition is located in the foyer of Hippodrome Theatre.  You can just walk in and have a look around

Marvins Magical Mini Mart will be springing into action as part of Pop Up Shop on 47 Corporation Street, Birmingham.

Pop Up Shop on the ground floor will feature lots of independent retailers from Birmingham and Marvin’s Magical Mini Mart on the 1st floor will feature Ben Javens, Ruth Green, Love To Print, Focus Point Photography, Joe Rogers and Sarah Coulston

It will only be around for 3 days 24 - 26 September from 10 - 6pm.  So come along and see us hard at work in Marvin’s Magical Mini Mart

For more information about Pop Up Shop you can follow them on twitter here or join the Facebook group here