JOB OF THE WEEK

words and pictures

Making a living from craft/design is not easy. It looks great on the outside - no boss (read no paycheck), no 8am starts (read work through the night if you have to) no saving up holiday days (read no sick pay, overtime, or...holidays). There is also the added pressure of coming up with new things all the time. On occasion you can feel like a sausage factory.

Christmas comes with its particular stresses. You have to get work done for it in September for a start and if you don't make your money over this all important season it makes for a very difficult first quarter of the following year. I'm only just getting my catalogue out now - about three weeks late (read completely on time for me). But for the first time in ages I genuinely like the new work.

I've used old fashioned Christmas messages, collaged them onto linen then hand painted extensions to the floral frames. Scanned it all at very high res to get the fabric detail. They print really well, very soft but retaining the detail of the fabric. The cards have both a vintage and a modern feel and there isn't a silhouetted deer in sight. I'm pretty sure that the market will be pretty limited for these - making my January a poor poor month in 2010

No matter. I feel like closing down the factory and growing things instead.