Wedding Venue Embroidered Portrait

So it's been on the cards for a while.  Been in my mind sketching and scribbling how and when I was going to do it.  Finalising the details right until the last moment.

About a year ago I created a picture for my home of The Eiffel Tower, which held special memories.  

And I knew straight away that I wanted to create more.  I was busy with commissions at the time, so I had no time to develop my idea. 

So this year I scheduled some time to put pen to paper.

I announced on my Facebook Page that I was looking for a Tester - someone who was attending a Wedding and could capture the beautiful Venue in a photo.

The very lovely E.P. got in touch and once she had sent her photo I began to create. 

Completely stitched using a Free Machine Embroidery technique, I recreated the venue 'Hoath House' the best I could, capturing it's beauty and detail.

Adding the finishing touches, by Personalising the piece and then stretching onto a padded box canvas.

I hope you love it as much as I enjoyed creating it stitch by stitch.

To purchase your very own Wedding Keepsake, they are available here 

www.michellecorbindesign.co.uk

Speak to you soon

Michelle xx

My Crafty Business

This month (September) is the beginning of a new Season.  It's nearly Autumn, which comes, not only with new colours and a crispness in the air, but it is also the run up to the Season we call

CHRISTMAS!!

Oh yes, it is here, and for this Season, I have decided, that I need a bit of a fresh start.  I will be designing and creating some new Christmas Makes, recreating some of last years, but also I have set myself a Goal!  Oh yes, it's time for me not just to be the 'Sewing Lady' as I know many call me, but I now need to put on those 'Big Girl Pants' !

This is after all a business and well, I sometimes to be honest forget that, because I love to create so much.  Creating special Keepsakes for you and your loved ones to treasure, makes my work so special.  

I will also be continuing to work through my Waiting List, creating your Keepsake Bunnies, Quilts and Cushions, for you to treasure your memories, as always, but I need to get a little more 'smart' with my numbers - booo!

Anyone who knows me, knows I have a phobia against numbers and maths, but as a 'grown up' and a 'small business' I need to use them - booo again!!

Sooooo...... I signed up to do a little challenge.  

It's a 100 Day Challenge, and for it, I had to set a goal - and Achieve it!!

So I popped on my 'Big Girl Pants' and reviewed my previous years in business.

These were my findings:

•  I really enjoy, designing, sewing and creating
•  I really love my customers and appreciate their custom
•  I really love my family and appreciate the opportunity to work around my childrens needs

But..

• I haven't taken a proper wage for a few years and we can't afford for me to do this anymore
• My Commission Work, does not earn me enough to take a wage
• I have not reviewed my numbers regularly enough to be 'Business Wise'
• I forget all too easily that this is a business and not a hobby.  I may enjoy it, but I also need to feed my children and contribute to our household bills
• I can't continue, just putting all money earned straight back into the business for stock etc, I need to live and provide for my family - Properly!!!!!

Conclusion:  I NEED to feed my children, pay for their hobbies, and pay our household bills.  Unfortunately, money does not grow on trees, and I needed to set out a plan.

Who knows what I will achieve, and whether I will get there, but if I don't get smarter, I will have to rethink my whole business, so I have to achieve it.  I really hope you will continue to support me, as I really appreciate each and everyone of you

Achievements so far: Website, is now up and running and has lots of new Goodies listed.  Ranges include Christmas, Weddings and New Arrivals, with more to come soon too.

www.michellecorbindesign.co.uk

Etsy, is now link to this Blog, has some new additions, and is regularly being updated

www.etsy.com/michellecorbindesign

I also, have some new ideas and products in the planning stage, and with the help of 2 very good friends, I think they will be worth waiting for.

I'll keep you posted on my achievements.

Much Love

Michelle 

xxx

It's been a while...

Well, yet again, it's been a while since I wrote.

What have I been up to I hear you ask?

Well let me tell you:

In January, I joined The Arts and Crafts Emporium.
A team of Artists, who collectively sell their Artwork, once a month, based on a Theme, creating 'One off' and 'Bespoke' items, which link or are inspired by the theme.  Some Months sell out well, but if the artist does not sell that month, they have usually learned loads, been able to challenge their creative juices, sell elsewhere and have had a lot of fun developing their new piece.

The first Theme I joined in was Fibonacci.  

Now to tell you the truth, this theme scared the living daylights out of me, as maths is not my strong point.  But once I got my head around it, I realised that the spiral was used in dance, and so inspiration kicked in and I created this Ballerina Canvas, using a mix of Free Machine and Hand Embroidery.

Fibonacci is a series of numbers which creates a spiral
1,2,3,5,8 etc

'Four Seasons' Spring

'Four Seasons' Summer

 Next was 'Four Seasons'.
By this time, I was knee high in Commissions, and only had time to create 2 Seasons, Spring and Summer.
These, I thoroughly enjoyed making.

They are still available here:

Michelle Corbin Design

'Under the Waves'

Developing new techniques, was something I was keen to do, with inspiration from ACE, so here I tried a technique I had played with previously, but never really created anything with.  

I decided to take advantage, a Coral Inspired bowl developed.  

With the use of Water Soluble Fabric, this bowl, was created purely by interlocking the threads using a Free Machine Embroidery Technique.  The bowls were very well received I'm happy to report.

A Poem I created to accompany my Mermaid Embroidery

Ace, has been an incredible experience for me.  I have been inspired, developed new techniques, and learned so much from my peers.

It has really encouraged me to develop my work further, and not to be scared of trying something new.

It has also helped me to enhance my Commission Work and be more inventive with my designs, and I hope that it shows in my recent work.

Words Of Wisdom

If you have been tempted to try a new skill, but your self doubt has stopped you, I would like to encourage you to ignore it and GO for it!!!  What have you got to lose?  

It might not work the first time, hell, most things don't, but practising and practising will help it to become great.  Ignore self doubt, ignore those people who don't believe you can do it, and prove them all wrong.  If it is something you want bad enough, you'll do it.  

You CAN do it.  Give it a try, and most of all - ENJOY!

I'm so happy I joined Ace, as it has given me the chance to ignore my self doubt and be a little more adventurous. 

Please join us on Facebook for our next theme 'Rainbows and Butterflies'

Here's a sneak peek of my Work in Progress

Thank you for reading.  If you have any comments, I's love to hear them, perhaps, you have tried something new and would like to share your experience?

Happy Stitching (and painting and drawing and knitting and baking and designing and.......)

Much Love

Michelle

xxx

Fabric Addict

Oh me oh my!!

I have had such a busy few months since I last wrote (September, can you believe it?)

There have been sooo many commissions keeping me busy and quiet, that I just had no time to breathe, let alone sort out my fabric stash - and oh what a stash it was!!

So New Year, New Start

A reorganisation was well over due in the sewing studio, so I set to and pulled everything out.  I filled the dining room and some of the lounge 

(I have no idea where I had been keeping it all!)

I began to clean, which then lead to a fresh lick of paint (more on that in another blog)

Once finished, it was time to sort, organise and purge!!

First up was The Fabric Stash!

"Aaaaaaahhhhh" I hear you fellow fabric lovers shouting

Don't worry it didn't hurt, well a little, oh, who am I kidding, it hurt a lot, but now I see the end result, it was definitely worth the pain!!

It all began, with the sorting, from scraps I knew were too small to reuse, to larger pieces I knew in my heart, I will never use, and really didn't love.  These all were sorted into bags, here comes the purge - 2 full of bits and scraps for the bin, and 3 ready to take to the local Art College!  

Then my favourite bit, the organising!  

The larger and beautiful pieces first (after a little distraction from Pinterest looking for ideas of how best to store my fabric) I came across some boards you can wrap your fabric around.  As far as I can see they are only available from the US, but I will get the link and if I find them here in the UK I will add that link too.  I set to thinking of a 'here and now' instant solution, and Bingo a light bulb moment was struck!!

Here's what I did:

First I Pressed, then let it cool.

I then folded the fabric to the size I was happy with.

And sourced some card from my stash.

Next I placed to sheets of card (it was a little thin) onto the freshly pressed fabric

I left a little fabric to one edge, to enable me to fold it over, and taped that edge to the card with masking tape

Folding the fabric with the card, I rolled it over carefully until I reached the end.

Ensuring I did this neatly, so as not to crease my freshly pressed fabric.

Taped the end neatly and voila!!

Sorted fabrics into colours and designers.  Place on my desired shelf, then admired 

I'm so happy with the result.  If you try it, let me know, I'd love to see pics.  One day I'll get the folding boards, but this suits me for now.

Thank you for reading.

Happy Stitching (and folding) xxx