Moving On

Just a quick note to say that clearly this blog has been very dormant for quite some time now, time and enthusiasm for blogging whilst also running a business, having a day job and all the other stuff that humans need to do has been in short supply! I know it's still getting traffic from Pinterest though, mainly for my tutorials and a few other bits, so I'm reluctant to delete it altogether as I think people are still finding some of my content useful. 

So for anyone interested in the Bunny Bosworth business and how it's been developing over the last few years you can head over to my shiny new website! 

www.bunnybosworth.com

And if you're interested in more crafty adventures you can find my dressmaking blog here;

https://shouldbesewing.wordpress.com

Happy reading!

Autumn-Winter Collection Is Here!

Hello again! It's been a while I know, but I've been squirrelled away in my work room getting my new collection ready, and finally it's all listed in my Etsy shop!
I've previewed it on my Facebook page, and at the few markets I've had recently and it's been very well received, so I'm super excited to make it available to everyone now. The prints I've picked for this collection are perfect for the cooler weather and longer nights, lots of dark florals, warm reds, plum, navy, and popping yellow and cerise for a flash of colour. I'm also very pleased to have collaborated with my friend Alex on the photo's for the new collection, I'm sure you'll agree the product shots are perfect, and I can't wait to show you all the lifestyle shoot, so watch this space!

Reef Knot Cuff in Elysian

Josephine Knot Cuff in Ros

Eight Knot Bracelet in Mirabelle

Reef Knot Bracelet in Thorpe

Re-designed for A/W - Josephine Knot Bracelet in Milla.

Hoop Drop Earrings in Thorpe

Knot Drop Earrings in Milla

Button Stud Earrings in Ros

Eight Knot Necklace in Thorpe

Reef Knot Necklace in Ros

Eight Knot Pendant in Elysian

Josephine Knot Necklace in Mirabelle

And if last season's brights are more your thing they're still available through Etsy with 40% off!

Etsy Picks: Twin Peaks

There's no series quite like Twin Peaks, and I don't think there's another TV show that's inspired so many Etsians. With all it's bizarre characters, quotable lines and retro styling David Lynch's creation is a goldmine for designers and artists. I'm nearing the very end of the two seasons (my second attempt) and I don't know what to expect, it just keeps getting weirder.
For now, here are some of my favourite Twin Peaks treasures.

Twin Peaks Brooch - 'Diane' by kateslittlestore (the sheriff badge is also pretty fantastic)

Twin Peaks poster by WilliamHenryDesign

Twin Peaks Patches by JennisPrints

 Coffee and Pie iPhone case by YakawonisQuilling

 The Owls Are Not What They Seem tote bag by BRANDED

Great Northern Key Chain by piediddy

Twin Peaks travel poster by (my absolute favourites) JazzberryBlue

A Damn Fine Cup of Coffee mug by SilverSpider

A Valentines Collection

I've just finished listing a small collection of new pieces especially for Valentine's Day (February 14th in case you were wondering) and yes, you're right, that is my birthday too! How good of you to remember!

I've chosen another version of Capel for these pieces, the bright red one which I've been lusting after for some time now. It's a really true red which works brilliantly for V-Day.

I'm most excited about a couple of new designs I'm trying out, seeing which is most popular before I go into production on my Spring-Summer collection.

Both of them are based on a really simple figure of eight knot, this first one made of four knots in a symmetrical arrangement, suspended from chain either side.

 

 The second is more like my a-symmetric reef knot necklace, with the two knots extending into a continuous 'collar' which fastens with a clasp at the back.

 Which is your favourite? I'm leaning toward the first design, but I'm easily swayed, I'll definitely be taking one of them into next season's collection, and I've got some exciting new prints lined up for it too, so watch this space!

Outside The Frame

I'm not as organised with my Christmas stock as I was last year (when I began in July...) so I've been racing through a few new ideas to get them into my Etsy shop and to other stockists as soon as possible. Yesterday I whipped up a batch of these kanzashi flower decorations;

When it comes to my product shots I have a go to set up of:

•  Big A2 sheet of off-white paper blu-tacked to the wall so it falls into a curve against the dining room table.
• Sheet of white foamboard to bounce back light and reduce shadows.
• Camera set on 'macro'.
• As much natural light as possible, but not too much, and only from a certain direction, and not too bright. 
• Everything else can be fixed in Photoshop. Usually. Unless I've done a really bad job.

After a brief forage around Etsy this morning for Christmas decorations generally I came to the conclusion this category, more than any other, is full to the brim with shabby looking photos of what may or may not be shabby work. Determined not to fall into this trap I did the only sensible thing and snuffled round the shrubbery outside the flat for a goodly sized twig.

I know decorations are best shown hanging up, obviously, but I've not had any photos 'in situ' for any of mine for the past couple of years. Why? No idea. What I do know is that I don't like product shots of ornaments hanging on an actual Christmas tree, I know it should make sense, but I think it looks too heavy and cluttered, and a plain white or grey background will always win you brownie points with treasury curators.

Keeping my set-up much as I would use normally I rested my branch at either end on a vase, with my paper backdrop where it usually is, and Catsby where he usually is, right in the f***ing way.

Pesky felines aside I'm quite pleased with the results, not perfect but a good starting point. You can see how there is still a lot of space around the ornaments so it doesn't feel too busy, but it adds a wintery feel and shows them off as they would look on your tree. Having many branches gives lots of options for hanging things so you can create some depth in multiple shots.

I tried it out on a few of my old designs too so I can keep it consistent across the shop.

For muffs, a slightly different/precarious arrangement;

So, a multi-purpose twig, what every Etsy seller should have to hand, perhaps you know someone who might need one too? It's a budget friendly gift idea!

Etsy Picks: Foxy

I've been thinking about foxes a lot recently, probably an Autumn thing, and because I quite often see them snuffling round empty crisp packets on my street. Mostly because I wish I had a lovely orange coat though. And a tail.

Smoke Signals, Open Edition Giclee Print - Sized 18 x 14 - by Bark Decor 

Silver Fox Necklace, Laser Cut Bamboo and Silver Paint by One Happy Leaf

 

Wooden Fox Brooch by Layla Amber

 Winter Fox Illustration, Framed Mini Print, 6"x8" by Lyndsey Green

 The Failynn Fox Cowl, Knitting Pattern by The Velvet Acorn

Back in the Swing of Things

After a month long immersion in the theatre world, followed by my sister's wedding and then a stinking cold, I have emerged on the other side, ploughing ahead with new work. Coming back to a studio with nothing but Christmas decorations in stock and having gotten to the end of all my 'good' fabrics (by no means the end of all my fabrics, that will take a few years yet) was more than a little disconcerting. It reminded me of Phillip Pullman's writing habits;

"I write three pages every day (one side of the paper only). That's about 1100 words. Then I stop, having made sure to write the first sentence on the next page, so I never have a blank page facing me in the morning."

I had come home to the BIGGEST blank page, and it took me bloody ages to write anything on it. For the first week I was just scribbling pictures in the margin and underlining the title 4 or 5 times, and the week after that I'd lost the page under a pile of snotty tissues. Thankfully I had some non-design tasks to get on with over the weekend, workshop planning and so on, which has given me a bit of momentum to get my act together today.

One useful thing I did achieve in my first week back was to choose a palette and shortlist some new prints to choose from for my A/W collection. I started with the colour trend report from Pantone, just so I wasn't trying to narrow down from an infinite selection of colours.

I have a feeling Etsy might reference the Pantone colour reports when they set the front page treasuries so it's a handy thing to keep an eye on. The other source I was working from is a still from a fantastic film by Wes Anderson.

If you haven't seen Moonrise Kingdom yet you really must, and if you have you should go and watch it again! Somewhere between these two things I have found my palette, and after much trawling of the site where I get my Tana Lawn I have chosen my prints.

 This first one is Tatum, a classic Liberty design that I haven't used before, the contrast between the dark purple ground and the acid yellow leaves is nice and fresh without being too summery.

I've been desperate to use Capel for a while now, I thought it would be good to have something a bit more solid in the mix and I think it'll really show off the detail in the knot jewellery.

 

This is a Betsy Ann, a smaller, less brash version of Betsy, full of nice stormy, autumnal tones.

This is a Claire Aude, another Liberty classic, but in a colour way I haven't used before, it's a bit softer than the other prints with some nice orangey leaf tones in it, I'd agree with my friend JM that it's a bit 1930's, no bad thing!

This last print is Nina Taylor, it's a seasonal design from the A/W 13 collection and was a last minute pick as I was searching for something with a bit more orange in it to tie the whole collection together, which this does perfectly. You should search the Nina Taylor print as there are some other beautiful colour ways available.

So now I'm waiting for everything to arrive before I can get making again, but if you are interested in ordering a piece of jewellery in any of these prints I am now taking orders over on my Facebook page at slightly discounted prices for the next two weeks. Just message my on FB with your contact details, the print you'd like and the style of necklace or bracelet and I can get started on it as soon as everything arrives, and it'll arrive in it's own Handmade by Bunny Bosworth gift box!