taken on my iphone using the plastic bullet app

taken on my iphone using the plastic bullet app

taken on my iphone using the hipstamatic app

taken on my iphone using the plastic bullet app

I read a great article on the Photoworks San Francisco blog recently. The author discusses the increasing use of iphone apps including Hipstamatic which filters an average camera phone photo turn into a pastiche of a holga, diana, any number of hip camera film effects. I totally empathise with his feelings and comments as I too feel conflicted about the medium.

Partly, hands up, I know I'm being a snob. I've worked extensively with camera film, and effects including light leaks/flare/polaroid borders/pinhole and toy camera over the last ten years. It informed a large part of my illustration style and it wasn't always the easiest process to work with. To suddenly see the effects available at the touch of a button is partly amazing and partly infuriating.

Some of the comments in the follow up to the article are eloquent; "photography is about the journey not just the end result. If they come out with cool pictures and learned nothing on the journey then they have gained much less." and in a similar vein: "I guess it comes down to that old chestnut, is art created without intention as valid as art created with intention."

But, maybe more importantly, the conflicting argument that film shouldn't be revered just because it's film: "I feel that a far worse trend, is glorifying toy camera photo’s just for the sake that they are shot on film. Just because you leave your negative frame on your photo, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s good."

Recently I bought an iphone and started using hipstamatic. To be honest, it didn't do a huge amount for me to begin with, but then I found plastic bullet and I love this app. The interface is much simpler and it has a lovely element of surprise in that you have the choice of four different processed images, and if you don't like any of those it develops a fresh set for you.

I think it's time I got over myself and embraced the medium. What are your thoughts?

My new Red Ruby Rose gift boxes arrived today, yippee! Clutches will now arrive individually in one of these beauties, although I have had to tweak the postage up a little for international buyers as they're 100 grams heavier than my previous packaging.
They are bespoke printed with the Red Ruby Rose logo on the lid in foil inlay, and the heavyweight board is lined with a cream buckram paper which has a lovely textured finish.
I honestly didn't think I'd get quite so excited about a simple box, which suggests I need to get out more.

Why does autumn always come as a surprise? The transition into shorter and colder days and nights feels like a bit of a shock. It's not that I dislike September - it's just the sinking feeling that summer has gone.

However, it's not all gloom. This year the garden has been fruitful. The old apple tree is groaning under the weight of fruit - so much so that I wish I'd thinned the crop earlier in the year as the poor old dear looks fit to drop. Even the ancient pear tree has a bounty of curvy beauties. In the veg plot the sweetcorn is just ready to pick now and the french beans that I neglected to pick earlier in the summer have ripened into deep purple beans that are turning out to be yummy in soups and stews.

The toadstools above were growing in the lawn the other week and I'm fascinated by their inky frilly gills. They are Blackening Waxcaps and they start turning blue after being picked, turning black eventually. Apparently edible but not something I'd personally relish eating.

As for Red Ruby Rose, I've been preparing a brand new collection of printed silk scarves, all featuring my own textile/collage/photographic prints. I'm both excited and nervous about this new line. They should be in the shop by the end of the month and I'll be exploring wholesale for the first time too. Also arriving are new bespoke printed gift boxes, for both the clutches and the scarves. The sample arrived last week and looks amazing so I can't wait to get these photographed and listed, as they'll be the finishing touch for Christmas gifts.

Red Ruby Rose is now on facebook
It took me a little while to fathom out the difference on facebook between personal profiles, groups and pages but with the help of this fantastic Squidoo article I got it sorted. If you're on facebook please do pop over and say hi!

It's been a busy month here, catching up on custom orders and fixing some pressing house repairs before autumn. That hasn't stopped me squirrelling new fabrics though and I've just listed some new embroidered silks and linens, including these new peacock designs and pretty birds and roses.

I'm also starting to think about my own Red Ruby Rose website, which would work alongside my Etsy shop but would be tailored more to the UK market, listing in Sterling. More info on that soon.

Bird and rose, available at Red Ruby Rose

Peacock feathers, available at Red Ruby Rose

Rambling rose, available at Red Ruby Rose

Sage peacock feathers, available at Red Ruby Rose

New original printed silk clutch, silhouette branches

The latest in my collection of Red Ruby Rose originals is printed silk. I'm quite excited about this one (don't I always say that?) as I've been searching for a while for a bespoke silk printing company here in the UK. There are lots of print-on-demand fabric houses around now but not so many who'll offer silk as a textile option as it's tricker to print and needs a different set of dyes to other fabrics.

So, my first test batch arrived today and it's gorgeous - even nicer than I'd hoped and the sandwashed habotai silk feels beautiful. I have twelve other designs that I'll slowly add to the shop over the next few weeks, a mixture of old favourites and some new prints too.

This silk is so great that the thought of a new line of contemporary silk scarves in original prints crossed my mind. That would be fun! When my poor old hands finally declare that enough is enough from all this bag making then it's certainly a thought.

Sandcastle at Red Point, Wester Ross

At the beginning of June I took a little birthday break up to the west coast of Scotland. It's a beautiful place even when it rains but we were lucky enough to have sunny skies and only a few hints of the dreaded midgees that descend in swarms and terrorise hapless visitors.

This time we took a couple of boat trips, both of which were truly memorable. The first was a whale watching trip that departed from Gairloch and took us out to the Northern tip of Skye - worth it just for the scenery let alone the promise of whales, dolphins and other assorted marine life. It was a breathtaking couple of hours and we saw minke whale, porpoise and puffins. Imagine my delight when I read on the BBC that the very same boat, a month later came upon a superpod of around 1,000 short-beaked common dolphin. I think that the boat owner, Nick Davies, must have the best job in the world, at the very least he must have felt like the luckiest man alive that day.



Video by Nick Davies, owner of the Hebridean boat cruise company, aboard Orca 1, surrounded by a superpod of dolphin

Our second boat trip was on the achingly beautiful and rather haunting Loch Maree. There are several isles on the loch upon which we alighted but one in particular, Isle Maree, was really quite spooky. I took some photos of the Victorian money tree but as we went further into the island I had an overwhelming sense that I couldn't take any more photos, especially inside the druid circle. Very odd.





In other news, it's been a busy month in the shop so I haven't had a chance to make or list many new styles but there are some new prints in the pipeline including original prints on silk, can't wait for these, they should be in the shop by mid July.

Just a quick post to say a huge thank you to everyone who commented or contacted me after the Quit your day job article on Etsy. I received an overwhelming and touching amount of feedback. It's been a busy few months and it feels like time to recharge the batteries so I'm going away for a few days and am leaving the laptop behind. Fresh sea air here I come!

One of the best things about being on Etsy is the direct link between maker and buyer. I love the messages and images that are sent to me, building up little stories of the bags on their travels once they've left my hands. Also when I'm at the Post Office there are often times the PO staff and I joke about hand delivering the packages that are going to the most exotic places. Hawaii anyone?

Thanks to Susannah for sending me the lovely photograph above of her wedding party, with clutches replacing bouquets. Her wedding looked fabulous, there are more over at the Brides Cafe. Photographers are Anika London Media.

I was delighted to find this vintage Liberty peacock print. Over the past couple of years I've made clutches from quite a few different versions of this fabric, including silks, wools and cottons in various colours, but this rich blue colourway is especially lovely with the teal and gold highlights. This clutch is now available in the shop.

In other news, I'm really looking forward to gigging in Bristol tomorrow night with Cue Fanfare, we've been rehearsing the last couple of evenings and it's been a while since we've played a show so hopefully the tequila will be flowing. I'm nervous about it for various reasons but will expand upon all that soon in full Spinal Tap style.

A couple of years ago I found a beautiful piece of embroidered silk in my occasional trawl of favourite London fabric shops. It was a real find, and I made a limited edition four clutches out of the piece.

Finally I've tracked down more, and a pristine new length arrived last week. Yippee! I can hardly bear to cut into the silk as it's so gorgeous, so it will remain intact for a few more days and then I'll be making a new batch of clutches like the ones above from the original piece I found.

I'm a bit behind on new listings at the moment... lots of new fabric here but there aren't quite enough hours in the day at the moment, will aim for updates next week.

All the buds and blossoms are blooming in the garden, it all looks so fresh and lovely. However, my slide film photos had other ideas and captured a more ethereal and dusky scene. I can't believe these pics were taken on a bright sunny Spring day!

I don't think I could make a purse much smaller than this! As a magpie of purse frames of all shapes and sizes I'm gathering quite a collection of different types. This tiny purse would hold a few coins or a special piece of jewellery. Not hugely practical but very sweet. Not currently listed, I'm considering whether to attach a keyring or chain, or to include it as a little extra with a larger clutch.

*excuse my lumpy hand... purse making and guitar playing doesn't make for pretty paws!*

I've become an addict to What Katie Wore, a blog penned by Londoner Joe, portraying his girlfriend Katie's daily wardrobe feats. Quite a task! Her style is fabulous and she carries off colour and style combos that makes black-addicted mortals like me quake in their boots.

Look looky what Katie is wearing today... nice clutch :)

Another new design, this time taking the hipster into a petite little coin purse on a chain. This one features printed leather with the little birdy on both sides... more coming soon.

A couple of new things to share, firstly I'm now offering custom silk labels for my clutch bags - perfect for marking a special occasion or whispering a secret message to a loved one.


Also, I'm going to be adding original printed leathers to the hipster bag range. First up, ethereal flower, (which will have a long chain attachment) and bird on a wire to follow.

Finally, the atom clutch makes a reappearance. Yay!

I'm planning my next batch of fabric designs at the moment and would love to include at least one hellebore print. The previous owners of our house were really keen gardeners and I often get pangs of sadness that I can't maintain the garden to the standards they kept. However, I'm still delighted by the surprises that appear year after year from their ambitious planting endeavours - especially the different varieties of hellebores. As plants go, they hang their heads low and look fairly dowdy at first appearance but when you lift the flower and peek you're greeted by the most astounding display.
I took these photos with cross-processed film so the colours are weirdly saturated but I think it helps add to the otherworldliness of these early Spring blooming beauties.

It feels like Spring has finally sprung and here's a new hipster bag that I've just listed in sunshine leather nappa leather to match the daffodils blooming in the garden.

Timeless paper kindly featured my Liberty clutch this weekend as part of an article revealing the launch of a the new range of Liberty of London goodies at Target today. Having a peek at the website it looks like a lot of the homewear range is already out of stock. Understandable as some of the items are fabulous.

Liberty prints only selectively float my boat. I adore using the original Hera peacock print, originally designed by Arthur Silver in 1887, and the contemporary update is equally lovely.


However, I've never been a fan of the vast majority of the cotton dressweight fabrics, which always to me seemed a little fussy and twee. I think it's the scale, I'm drawn to larger bolder prints rather than their delicate little florals. Also, the staff in the textiles dept at Liberty have always been so haughty (maybe I've been unlucky) which makes the buying process a bit miserable.

So, I skipped the fashion section of the new Target collection and went straight to the homewear where this gorgeous cushion and cakestand caught my eye. Looks like they sold out within hours of being listed. This collection is currently available in the US but looks like selected items will be available via Liberty in April.

Liberty of London for Target floral cushion

Liberty of London for Target floral cake stand

I've been adding some new items (and some old favourites!) to the shop this week, including several more hipsters

Plus, the lovely retro seedheads and a few other goodies to come.

Due to the favourable exchange rate at the moment also I'm including free international shipping for the rest of this month. Yippee!

Finally, I have a giveaway going on over at Luv2have's blog this week.