Last but not least..

Bristol!!  My home for over seven years. I went to visit friends in Bristol after exhibiting at Pulse, and hadn't realised it beforehand, but I was there just in time for the South Bank Arts Trail. Yipppeeee!
For anyone who's never been before, its the one weekend of the year when the Creative folk of Bedminster and Southville open their doors to the public, its good fun to wander the streets and visit everyone, and as a bonus, you can get a great nosey round other peoples houses.

I was so happy that my friends Chez Williams and Jo Rose were exhibiting, so I could add to my rapidly growing Chez cushion corner, I love the latest, thank you Chez.

...And I had a good natter with an old friend Katie Wallis at No. 3, and got myself a beautifully embroidered phone cover, in Katies' own fabric design. Check out her blog for this and many more designs.

Confessions

I was very grateful to Katie Treggiden, creator and writer of the Blog 'Confessions of Design Geek', for interviewing me during the recent Pulse show. You can read the interview here. It is fantastic publicity and an honour to be featured on such a great site. Thank you Katie!

Katie also had the task of choosing her top ten exhibitors in LaunchPad. Included in her ten were the brilliant Hole in My Pocket. Brain child of fellow Scot Allistair Burt, his stand was most excellent, and very deserving of an award. 

Hand Painted 'Ships Crew' by Hole in My Pocket

Also selected was Jessica Hogarth, whom I had the pleasure of chatting to at Pulse. Jessica is a screen printer too, and maker of all manner of desirable things. Her 'Coastal Cottages' wallpaper is very lovely indeed. I am well up for a swap anytime Jessica!

LONDON!

I'm back in home in THE VILLAGE, after a few brilliant days in London and Bristol. I was exhibiting at Pulse in Earls court from the 11th-14th of May.

The show was a really good experience, and after four days straight, in a small space, you get to know the people beside you pretty well.  I was very sad to say goodbye to the exhibitors around me at the end. Life would be worthless without a good swap however, and there were some excellent swaps going on. If you haven't already seen the work of the ridiculously talented people mentioned below, then you should have a look. I think I got the better end of the deal.


Jennifer Slattery designs Irish Linen table runners and napkins from her native Dublin. I wanted to run away with the lot, but I am over the moon about these, a beautiful table runner and two napkins. No one will ever get to use them, I will be hanging them on my walls instead.

I'm also the proud owner of a lamp by the cheeky Frenchman, exhibition-stand-chair-thief and owner of Desinature, Etienne Esmanjaud. Thanks Etienne, you have literally brightened up my days.

Also on our block were the lovely ladies Kay, of  Ketchup on Everything and Camilla, of Butterscotch and Beestings. (Obviously that's not them above, that is the Frenchman and the Dubliner.)

Camillas' beautiful work is below. I have my heart set on a Circus Triangles Cushion and I hope there will be one swinging its way to Scotland soon, and if your name begins with a letter of the Alphabet, or even if it doesn't, you should check out Kays' amazing screen prints.. 

Camilla of Butterscotch and Beesting

Kays Jolly Jellyfish.

I've never exhibited at a trade fair before, so I wasn't sure what to expect. Forking out for fancy order books made me feel like a grown-up, but was in actual fact, a massive waste of money. I could have written the orders I took on the back of a (very swish new) business card. On the other hand- lots of great things happened. I have four new galleries, some freelancing work, some interior designers interested in my wallpaper, and lots of good publicity. Also, my sister who is a massive twit, launched a twitter account for me down there. @freya_cumming if you want to twit twoo.