Interview with SLC

So, as promised here is the first in the series of interviews I will be doing over the next few weeks.  The interview is with the fabulously talented Sarah of SLC

1. Tell us a bit about yourself:-

I am a textile designer. I studied Printed Textiles and Surface Pattern Design at Leeds College of Art, graduating in July 2009. I am now self employed and own a small shop in my home town Barnard Castle called SLC.

2. When did you first start crafting?

It might sound twee but I first started crafting when I was very young and since then I have loved it!! Taking it right through to my profession.

3. Would you describe this as your work or your passion?
My work in my passion. I love designing textiles I do it for business for a living but also make for pleasure in my spare time for myself, family and friends.

4. What inspires you?

I love where I live in Teesdale, and most of the time my work is inspired by nature and dale life. I do work to brief so this is not always the case, but generally you will find my personal work is themed by nature and the things that around me.

5. Tell us about your favourite creation – do you have a picture?

My favourite creation, is the work I did for my degree show. This project is called Whimsical nature, (picture attached). This work took a year to produce. I was influenced by a poem written by Rose Fyleman called 'fairies'. This poem is about a young girl creeping out of the house to visit fairies at the bottom of her garden. I took this journey into account and thought about what she might see and encounter on her way down the garden and produced a series of prints.

6. How do you keep yourself motivated?

I love what I do, keeping motivated is not a chore. I love providing people with things they will cherish for years to come. My whole surroundings motivate me everyday!

7. Do you attend craft fairs etc. or do you sell purely on-line?

I do attend craft fairs many of them are still to be confirmed for this year and will be taking place at the end of summer you can find more about these on my website as and when they are confirmed. I also sell on-line through my folksy shop which mainly has jewellery for sale, and ebay which sells wonderful cake decorations which are also for sale at SLC high street shop-- www.sarahlouiseclare.co.uk provides links to both of these shops, my website also provides an online contact for my textiles and wedding favours.

I also have a shop on the high street in Barnard Castle DL12 8NF where you can find all of these things and more.

8. Where do you do your work?

I work from home and my shop SLC.

9. Do you have a favourite medium to work with?

I don't have a favourite medium, but I have a few I do tend to stick to and have sort of become my trade mark. These are water colours, pencil drawings both colour and gray scale before moving on to fabric, wallpaper, Ceramics, etc.

10. What are you working on right now?

Right now i am working on promoting my current collection Whimsical nature, but in the background I am working on a new collection which will be coming out soon.

11. Where can we see your creations?

You can see my weekly thoughts and finds on my blog, www.sarahlouiseclare.blogspot.com, you will find my jewellery on my folksy shop, and my cake decorations on my ebay shop each found through www.sarahlouiseclare.co.uk, or you can book a portfolio viewing at SLC 01833 690 855 / info@sarahlouiselcare.co.uk

12. Do you have your own website/blog?

Yes! www.sarahlouiseclare.co.uk

www.sarahlouiseclare.blogspot.com

Can't believe how long.....

Can't believe how long it has been since my last blog post.  Been soooooo busy since last post, but no excuse for leaving it so long!!!

Now that my mum has retired, one of her projects has been to get the garden in order, and unfortunately we can't do it ourselves, so we have had the gardeners in for the last week.  Lovely guys and they have made a marvellous job of it, I just wish they weren't so bloody cheerful when they woke me up at 7.00am every morning!!!!!

The top half of the garden has been completely re-laid with slabs, to make some great little patio areas for us to sit out in the sun (!!), and the bottom half has been gravelled ready for a massive greenhouse and fruit cage.  Mum has got a bit carried away with the buying of fruit trees, and I am seriously considering having a stand outside the house, like in the Good Life!!!

Being completely useless, I forgot to take before shots, but here are the during and after photos;-

During.....and after.....

They also cleared the pond out so I can see my little froggies again......

Aren't they gorgeous????

Well, now I am back on track, I will be a concerted effort to keep up the weekly blog, and will start doing some interviews with my fellow Folksy sellers soon.

Zoe

xx

I'm Sorry....

I'm sorry, I have been a terrible blogger just lately.  My only excuse is that I have been buying so many new beads and trying to come up with brilliantly amazing designs for them, that everything else has gone by the wayside - honestly, you should see the dust in my living room!!!!!  (my excuse - what's the point in dusting? It just settles somewhere else!!!)

And now, I have to tell you that I won't be blogging for another week, because I am going on holiday again!!!!  Yes, I am off to sunny Chapel Point, near Chapel St Leonards.  Staying in a lovely little chalet about 200 yards from the beach.  I have informed Rose that she needs to pack her collar, and she has bounced around suitably!!!

When I am back, I promise I will have photos of some of my new creations, but in the meantime, here are some of the gorgeous beads I have bought this week......

These are all from the fantastically talented Jackie who sells on Folksy.  Her shop is www.folksy.com/shops/dragonglass

And the winner is......

I am really pleased to announce the winner of my first ever blog giveaway is Di of Adien Crafts.  Congrats Di, and thank you to everyone else who took part.  Just goes to show how many Goddesses there are out there!!!!

First Giveaway

Okay, as I have now got over 50 followers, I am doing my first giveaway.

I am a bit of a history and mythology geek so thought that I could tie the two together.
So to win, all you have to do is leave a comment below to say what Goddess you are and why. It doesn’t matter what culture your Goddess is from, it can be Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Celtic, etc. etc.

And the prize.......

This necklace, taken from my Folksy shop. It is made with purple cats eye beads, and some lovely purple cloisonné beads, great for the summer months.

I will run the giveaway until Friday 16th April, then will announce the winner.

Don’t forget to leave details of how you can be contacted, if not linked to a Folksy shop.


Good luck.

Back

Well, got back from holiday on Saturday, and started back to work today.  No enthusiasm whatsoever, so.....  Decided to upload some of my holiday pics.  We didn't really go very far.  The weather was not brilliant, to be honest we spent most of the week sitting in the conservatory, drinking tea, eating, and reading the 14 paperbacks I took with me!!!!! Also took some great pics of all the birds in the garden.  There were quite a few that we don't tend to see where I live, like...

a Blue Tit, and there were a couple of gorgeous squirrels, that came for their nuts every day.

And of course, Rose was with us as well.  Here she is in her special holiday bed!!!!All in all it was a lovely, relaxing week.  But now I am ready for the next one!!!