Demain

Tomorrow I've got a stall at the bi-monthly craft fair run by Of Cabbages And Kings, up in North London. I haven't done anything like it since before Christmas, and am half excited and half thinking I-hope-I-sell-enough-to-make-it-worth-sacrificing-half-the-weekend. So mixed feelings (and in fact a lot of the excitement comes from the anticipation of making and devouring a packed lunch)! These are some peg dolls that I made last weekend for the occasion (quite a few of their dresses are tiny pieces of what were were human-sized dresses).

Exhibit A

This weekend I'm taking part in an exhibition in a little gallery in Bristol called Room 212, organised by Claire Platt and Camilla Stacey of Calm Air All Ice. The idea is that the girls have invited fifty-two artists to contribute three pieces each to the show, which is only on for a few days. Unfortunately I can't go and see it in person, but I've been browsing their pictures from the opening night (including a tiny image of my three dolls in the window) and it looks great!

Co.

I've been busy all this week building an actual proper real life website (www.bessharding.co.uk). It's mostly meant as a portfolio site to show examples of my illustration, textiles and painting, and of course has a link back to this blog and to my Etsy shop. I'm really pleased with the layout, and although not all the content is there yet, it's now online and ready for viewing!! Here's a snapshot...

All's Fair

I've been talking about it for quite some time, and finally on Saturday it was the We Make London Christmas Fair. It was a very festive day, with lots of wonderful stalls, and Christmassy visitors! Next up is the Of Cabbages and Kings fairs on Saturdays 12th & 19th, where my friend the fab illustrator Mary Kilvert will also be exhibiting. Here's my stall from this weekend with my whole collection, familiar and new...

Christmas Fair

Next Saturday - the 5th December - I'm taking part in the We Make London Christmas Fair at Chelsea Town Hall on the Kings Road. I think it's going to be a brilliant event, there are going to be all sorts of super artists/designers/makers exhibiting, and an illustrious list of sponsors. Do come along if you can!!

Merci Paris

I went to Paris for the first time a couple of weeks ago, and really loved it. It rained all day on my first day, which was a bit dampening, but the sun came out the next day and showed off the city in all its glory. My favourite shop was Merci - a concept store near where I was staying in the Marais district. It's got a lovely café that sits in the middle of a library of second hand books, and the shop itself sells a curated selection of clothes and homewares, all very beautifully displayed. And to top it all off, there's an red Fiat 500 in the courtyard! Anyway, enough about that, here are some of my Paris pictures....

A sculpture in the Tuilleries outside the Louvre

A carousel at the bottom of the Sacré Coeur

A view over the Seine to the Left Bank

An old shop front in Montmartre

Haute Couture

Have you heard of Momiji dolls? They're little collectible wooden characters, each with a different style and personality. Momiji have been running a competition for people to make larger, textile versions, with the 10 shortlisted dolls being exhibited at Royal/T in Los Angeles. Here are my two entries, fingers are crossed!!

Affordable Art Fair

Last Sunday some friends popped by with tickets to the Affordable Art Fair in Battersea Park, just up the road from my house. So, along we went and had a very fun and inspiring time looking at all the affordable (erm, well... to some) art. Some of my favourites...

Anna Hymas

Charlotte Hardy

Vanessa Cooper

Chinese Takeaway

This past week has been Chinese Wellbeing Week, as run by London South Bank University's Confucius Institute. I did some illustrations for their publicity (posters, banners & postcards), which I loved doing and loved seeing as a finished product. Here are the originals...

Moon Festival

T'ai Chi

The Legend of Hou Yi and Chang'e

Une Nuit A Paris!

Yep, I'm going to Paris, at long last, my first trip, just for one night. I am doing full prep by poring over my copy of Paris Made By Hand, examining the Paris design guide on Design*Sponge, and flicking through back issues of Marie Claire Maison. I Just Can't Wait!!!

Parlour Games

Tomorrow (Saturday), I've got a stall at an indoor market at The Papered Parlour, a very lovely looking artists' studio/venue in Clapham (my 'hood handily enough). I've been meaning to pop along there for ages, so am very excited to finally be going and to part of the market. Come if you can!

We Make London

This time next week, I'll be taking part in another craft fair - this one is organised by We Make London, and is in a hall in Stoke Newington. I've been a visitor there before so am really looking forward to actually taking part and having my own stall!!

These are my dolls at the bottom of the flyer!!

A Little Bazaar

I've mentioned that last weekend I took part in my first craft fair. I must admit, actual sales were a bit thin on the ground, but it was good to get my things in front of real life people, and I had some really good feedback and lots of people took business cards, so I think a success overall!! It was - a bit unusually - in a bar, but it was very sunny outside, so my photos are a bit funny lighting-wise, but they give a bit of an idea of my stall in situ...

Cockpit Arts

A couple of Fridays ago, I met my sisters after work at the Cockpit Arts Open Studio private view. Cockpit Arts is a huge studio space/organisation, which seems to really support the designer/makers who work there, calling itself a "business incubator". It was a very inspiring visit, and a lovely start to the weekend. Here are a few of my favourites:

Graphic cushions, lampshades, prints and cards by Helen Minns

Jolie-laide graphic cushions, deckchairs, cards, linens and bags by Thornback & Peel

Last but certainly not least, one of my favourite designers Abigail Brown, with her beyond gorgeous birds, creatures and cards. If I could ever have such a cohesive range, distinct style and happy aesthetic as Abigail I'd be happy!

Original

Last Sunday I went to the Craft Council's Origin Craft Fair, at Somerset House. It was a lovely sunny afternoon, and Somerset House is such an elegant venue. I didn't stay for very long, but got quite inspired by some of the work I saw there. In fact, I dashed home to do some making of my own, and to finally stick a pile of cuttings into my new scrap book, but ended up going to the local pub quiz instead. My number one favourite was Samantha Bryan and her incredibly detailed fairy characters with their weird and wonderful accessories.

Samantha Bryan

I love the knitted textures on these ceramics by Annette Bugansky, and the clever way they make a brittle, delicate material look cosy.

The fine line drawings on tea towels, laundry bags and other objets by Teresa Green are really simple and appealing.

And finally, I was very tempted by this suede bound notebook by Kim Robertson, with its hot and glamorous colours and graphic print reminiscent of Stella McCartney...

Happy Campers

This is me and my friend Emily at Camp Bestival in Dorset last weekend. We were on our way to the comedy tent when we were snapped by one of the Sunday Times Style magazine special festival paparazzi. Its a pretty good memento to have of a brilliant weekend!