Friday 20 November 2009

Blackhouse Shop!


On doing a little stint at my Parent's work while my Mum has been unwell, I naturally had to do my daily trip to the butcher to collect delicious pies. I past what used to be Gullane's little veg shop 'Get Fresh' to discover it is now going to be a beautiful little shop called 'Blackhouse' owned by my family friend Lynn McCallum Barr.


Lynn is a designer in which specialises in goods from handbags to cushions made from handwoven Harris Tweed. She is orginally from Culloden just outside Inverness and grew up within a family and community that was surrounded by the traditional production of Harris Tweed. She now lives in Gullane, East Lothian in which she works from home creating designs and hand-making these wonderful and fun Harris Tweed bags and accessories.


Lynn is a true inspiration to young designers and has shown that with motivation you can go a long way. She began her business by attending lots of craft fairs (a few years ago we visited her stand at the Royal Highland Show, I bought one of her bags!) and through this gaining interest from both customers and those within the craft industry she then set up her website blackhousebags which has made a great success and she now plans to invest in a shop.


She tells me that she is now moving her studio down to the back shop out of her flat in which she shares with her husband Euan, as she has no longer has enough space in the flat and has to actually move things to make space.


She also informs me that she has sourced other Scottish craft designers to showcase in her shop which I am looking forward in having a browse at when the shop opens in the beginning of December. So everyone should come along and have a nosey! Good Luck Lynn!

I Truely Think Computers Don't Like Me!

Well, it has been some time since I last posted. You'd think after the whole Uni thing I would be good at keeping up-to-date, but I see it as taking a wee 'holiday' from the whole responisbility at keeping good things like this and keeping them current.

I feel that computers are currently against me (especially my cousin's laptop... grrr!) I am currently trying to set up an account with this online portfoilo website everycreative.com which is a great. I got an email thru just yesterday saying that they had gone round New Designers way back when in July and had picked up on some peeps work they would like to encourage to join. I was very happy about this and have joined up. HOWEVER, I have then tried to update/upload a biography and have done so a couple of time and does the computer do as I say and save what I have spent an hour and a bit to write.... thats right... a big fat NO! Maybe I should take a coffee break to try and re-group :-(

Also, good news started new sketchbook work again FINALLY! Lets hope I can keep up the work and stop ranting.

Saturday 18 July 2009

Patchwork Harmony

On returning from New Designers, a received an email from Caroline Taylor who is the owner of the company Patchwork Harmony. Patchwork Harmony is an online boutique which is full of lovely little vintage bits and bobs for the home.

Lace Table Runner




Her current blog is all about the theme of 'Nostaligic Britain' showcasing work from New Designers including my work and 3 other designers, which you can imagine that I am chuffed to bits that she liked my work at ND and it's also nice to see different designer's takes on the nostaligic idea.


Jenny Appleton

Sara Thomas

Natalie Turner

Amy Greer

Wednesday 15 July 2009

New Designers Week 1

What a week it was...

An amazing opportunity for new graduates to display their work in the Design Business Centre, Islington, Old London Town for the public, industry and fellow design graduates to have a wee gander at. Duncan of Jordanstone Textiles unfortunatly was no big winner in any of the prizes, but as my Gran always said 'it's not the winning, it's the taking part that counts' too right!

Our stand seemed to get a lot of positive interest and a number of the girls where approached (myself included) by a number of different possible clients. Very exciting!

It was a great way to finish university life, I thoroughly enjoyed my stay in London and will miss the rest of the Textiles girlies... roll on the reunions.

I stupidly didn't have a camera to capture ND but luckily my fellow peers did so I shall post some piccies of our stand in due course.