Framed Artwork Commissions and a Cake!

I have just had some lovely feedback regarding a framed artwork commission I did earlier this month so it is now safe to share it with you without spoiling any birthday surprises.


I was asked to produce a customised version of my Boating Artwork to sit alongside a customised version of my Afternoon Tea Artwork that I was commissioned to do earlier this year. Both artworks were to celebrate 60th birthdays. It is always so lovely to be asked to produce gifts for such special occasions.

 'Love of the Sea since 12th November 1950'

'Loving Tea since 13 May 1950'

If you would like to order one of my personalised items or would like one of my products customised to suit you then please email me at studio@clairehurd.co.uk.


Now, on the theme of Birthdays; Having received lots of lovely cake making goodies as wedding presents I have been eager to do a bit of baking. The perfect occasion came up with my Husband's birthday so I made this..........

A real chocolate feast! A true 'boy' cake with homemade chocolate Lego men and Lego bricks. I really enjoyed making this. My next cakey makes will be cupcakes so a bit easier to ice!

Crafty Details from my Hen Parties

I blogged about my Papered Parlour Hen Party back in August. Here is a little reminder of the bags we made.

I really wanted to add some fabric and stitch detail to my design but was out of action following my hand operation at the time. The wedding then took over and I didn't have the spare time. I have now finally finished my bag by adding some appliquéd fabric bunting flags to my printed ones, some appliquéd fabric leaves on the tree and some simple stitch lines. I have also stitched some text and the date on the reverse.

With two of my bridesmaids being children (aged 5 years and 20 months) I felt I had the perfect excuse for a second hen party! I therefore organised a Bridesmaid's Tea Party and invited all three of my bridesmaids and their families. We had a wonderful time playing in the garden, eating cakes and ice lollies and making imaginary cups of tea with our new tea set!

(Handmade mini muffins - we soon polished these off between us!)

I handmade the invitations for this tea party based on our sage green and chocolate colour theme adding lots of pink and flowers to make them suitably girly. The images below show details of the face and reverse. I hand-embroidered the design and added appliqué detail before scanning it in to the computer and creating a design for the reverse. The final invitations had a printed version of this embroidered design on the face and a personalised reverse all mounted on a chocolate card base. My finishing touch was to hand-stitch tiny buttons on as the cherries on the cupcakes.

(Face)

(Reverse - Fanchesca's Mum had her own invitation as my chief Bridesmaid!)

Handmade Boating Artwork now Available

The sun has finally come out and I have managed to take photographs of my new Handmade Personalised Boating Artwork. I am relaunching my design from last year in a new larger size with more space for text (personalisation now available with up to 30 characters).

The centre boat can also be personalised with three initials of your choice.

This artwork would make the perfect gift for a new born baby boy, for boat lovers of all ages and would be ideal as a Father's Day gift. For more details please visit my shop.

Handmade Baby Goodies

My handmade personalised elephant baby bibs have proven to be very popular so I have added a new boys design and made my cupcake bib personalisable too. These bibs can be found in my online shop HERE.

I have also listed two one-off appliquéd and embroidered textile artworks in my NOTHS shop. There is only one of each artwork available making them a truly unique gift to welcome a new baby in to the world. I am offering these artworks to my Blog followers and Facebook fans at a 15% discount (with free P&P). Payment needs to be by paypal. As there is only one of each artwork available they are offered to you on a first-come-first-served basis. If you would like one of these artworks then please email me at studio@clairehurd.co.uk.

For full details on these artworks click HERE for the baby blue bear and HERE for the baby pink bunny.

Another Blog Feature and De-Stash Purses

I have been featured in another lovely Folksy Friday treasury today. Kate from 'Buttercup Boutique' featured my  Personalised Framed Cupcake Artwork in her Pink themed blog post today. Thank you Kate x

I am continuing to create de-stashing projects in an attempt to reduce the amount of fabric scraps, ribbon, off-cuts and odd reels of cotton that I have. This is clearly going to be an on-going activity!

I have been making 'De-Stash Purses' to sell at the upcoming Handm@de Craft Fair in Winchester (Sunday 4th July, Winchester Guildhall). I have lined them all with the same acrylic coated linen/cotton lining that I use in my make-up bags making the finished purses really durable (and also using up my lining scraps!).

Boating Artwork

My boating framed artwork has once again been featured on another blog. This artwork is proving to be rather popular! Follow this link over to 'Booties by Dannie' to see my artwork and the other lovely boating themed products she has chosen for her treasury. Thanks for the feature Dannie x

Click here to purchase your own framed handmade Boating Artwork.

I shall be placing a new frame order soon and once I have received my supplies I shall be relaunching my three boat framed artwork from last Summer. 

This artwork is suitable for personalisation and is also one of my favourites so I look forward to getting it back in my shops!

Exciting News!

I am really excited to share my news with you today - Claire Hurd Design has appeared in print!

Turn to page 6 of the current issue of Popular Crafts magazine and there is my personalised cupcakes artwork! As you can imagine I am very happy. It is a great issue too with some of the designers I follow online also featuring - I am in very good company.

Hopefully there will be more of this to come in the future. It is great to see that all of my hard work is worth it and my designs bring enjoyment others.

Claire Hurd Design products featured today

Today is a good day for Claire Hurd Design!

My personalised Elephant baby bib has been featured on the Cuteable blog for Flickr Friday.

My framed boat artwork has been featured on the Quite Contrary Crafts blog as part of a seaside themed Folksy Friday treasury.

My framed personalised cupcakes artwork appears in 'Today's 40 Favourites' on the Not on the Highstreet website.

Thank you to everyone for featuring me, I am so pleased that you like my designs.

Claire x

Archive Afternoon Tea Artwork

I had been intending to frame this afternoon tea artwork from my portfolio archive for a long time. There were just a couple of details on the design that bugged me though and I kept putting it off. This weekend I finally got around to amending the details that bothered me and this artwork is finally mounted and framed.

I did blog about this artwork previously after its first few tweaks in July 2008 but out of curiosity I looked up the details I had filed regarding this design (I keep dated patterns and templates for all of my artworks). Would you believe I made this design in July 2007?! Certainly about time it was finally amended and framed! And surely a clear sign that I am not likely to tire of the theme of afternoon tea and cakes!

I have a few more archive afternoon tea designs that could do with reinventing. I have had a few suggestions and requests from one of my stockists so lots to think about. I will keep you posted on what I come up with.

New Tea Time Themed Goodies

I have just added two new tea time themed goodies to my online shops (both Folksy and NOTHS).

The first is a new embroidered and appliquéd framed teapot artwork. This artwork combines linen, lace and printed floral cotton and has lace trim, satin ribbon, a mother-of-pearl button and hand-embroidery detail.

The second is a cute little make-up purse with an appliquéd teacup motif. This purse has been made in the same style as my make-up bags and thus has a sponge-clean acrylic coated linen/cotton fabric lining making it easy to keep it clean.

If you would like to purchase one of these designs in another colourway or with a personalised message please email me at studio@clairehurd.co.uk.

Cx

60th Birthday Artwork Commission

I was recently commissioned to design and make an embroidered and appliquéd framed artwork to celebrate a 60th birthday.

This was a really enjoyable commission and I created the artwork based on the recipient's favourite subject matter, flowers, and the colours she will soon be decorating her living room in. The customer had seen my previous designs for Mother's Day cards and particularly liked my Aqua Flowers design, I therefore based the flower motifs and layout on this card design.

I built up the background using a white pigment print floral fabric and a beautiful lilac silk stripe fabric. I added lace trim, miniature ric-rac and satin ribbon to disguise the join. The flowers were appliquéd on and then detailed with beads, sequins, miniature buttons, lace trim and a combination of machine and hand-embroidery.

The recipient was really pleased with her present and said that she was very impressed with the quality and detail of the artwork and looks forward to putting it on display in her living room.

Handmade Valentine's Love Heart Framed Artwork

My latest addition to my online shops (Folksy and Not on the Highstreet) - a lovingly handmade embroidered and appliquéd Valentine's Love Heart framed artwork.

The fabric heart has been teamed with gingham ribbon, cotton lace trim and a natural mother-of-pearl button. The motif has a soft grey printed heart tag and hand-embroidered 'Love' text. The artwork comes framed in an off-white locally made textured wooden frame with stand and hanging hook. The artwork has a pale cream mount with a red border and is signed and dated with the year. The frame measures approx. W.16cm, H.16cm, D.1.5cm and has a glass front.

If you would like to order one of these artworks with a personalised message then please contact me at studio@clairehurd.co.uk.

A Few of my Favourite Things

Well, things have finally slowed down for Christmas. My final last-minute orders were sent out yesterday and my online shops are 'on holiday'. I have some new designs and products to share with you in the new year but in the mean time I thought I would share a few of my favourite things with you. I plan to do a post like this every now and then to share my favourite textile designers with you and am starting with the following three as designers I have admired for many years.

First up, Belinda Downes. Belinda produces beautiful embroidered, hand-painted and appliquéd book illustrations that I have long admired. Such wonderful attention to detail and delicate images that work really well in print. This summer I also came across her fantastic greetings cards under the label 'Paper and Cotton Ltd'. Of all the textile illustrators I have come across Belinda is definitely one of my favourites.

Next up is Poppy Treffry. I love Poppy's relaxed hand-drawn style and have been a fan of her work for many years. It is wonderful to spot her products in so many fabulous stores such as Liberty in London. There seem to have been lots of textile badges around this year at the various craft fairs I have visited but my firm favourites are still those by Poppy Treffry which I first discovered several years ago on one of my many visits to the Eden Project in Cornwall.

And finally, Clare Beaton, another of my favourite textile illustrators. I am not sure exactly when it was I first stumbled across Clare's work but I have been enjoying her gorgeous children's book illustrations for quite a number of years now and must admit I have a growing collection of her books! Clare's embroidered and appliquéd illustrations are always so cute with lots of lovely trims used for texture and detail. I love all her little finishing touches.

Well I hope you enjoyed seeing some of my favourite designers and look forward to discovering more in the new year.

Merry Christmas to you all and thank you for all of your wonderful support this year.

Claire x

New advert on Shop Handmade UK

A while back I won a blog giveaway and my prize was to have an advert on the Shop Handmade UK blog for the month of December.

The lovely Belinda of Shop Handmade UK has been working on it for me using images I emailed over to her and has made it live a few days early. Follow this link to take a look, you will find my advert top left. It looks great - many thanks Belinda x

Tea Cups and Fairy Cakes

Apologies for not having updated my blog in a while. I have been very busy with orders recently and have been spending my time in front of my sewing machine rather than my computer.

I had a large bag of parcels to post today, a combination of online orders and commissioned orders. I wanted to tell you about one parcel in particular - framed embroidered artworks destined for my new stockist!

I am so excited about my design work now being stocked in the 'By Jove' tearoom shop. I was introduced to this delightful tearoom when hunting for wedding venues and my fiancé and I celebrated booking our wedding over tea and cakes there!

I am a huge fan of tearooms and home made cakes so could not believe my luck when I was introduced to this tearoom. It is beautiful, quaint, truly delicious and has a fabulous little shop alongside the tearoom. I could not have hoped for a better setting for my framed embroidered artworks. 'By Jove' will be stocking my 'Fairy Cakes' and 'Afternoon Tea' framed embroidered artworks and my cupcake themed greetings cards.

Please click here to be taken to the 'By Jove' website. I cannot recommend this tea room highly enough and suggest that if you are anywhere near Burwell (Cambridge) you should pop in for tea and cakes, enjoy the atmosphere and marvel at the quirky handmade tea-cosies covering each delicious pot of tea!

Claire Hurd Design on 'Craft Juice'

My Fairy Cakes artwork is on the 'Craft Juice' website today voted as one of their top crafts!

New Card Design now Available

I have just listed a new greetings card design for sale in my Folksy shop.


This design has been created in a similar style to my cupcake, heart, and boat cards mentioned in my previous post so they sit together as a small greetings card collection.



This appliqued house card has been left blank for your own message but of course lends itself beautifully to be a 'New Home' card. This carefully handmade card combines pretty blue and purple cotton/silk/linen fabrics and has been finished off with a tiny bead and sequin door handle.


If you would like to have one of these cards made especially for you with personalised details or text then email me with your requirements on studio@clairehurd.co.uk.

The Last of my Baby Blankets and Re-framed Embroidered Artworks

I wanted to share my final two personalsed baby blankets with you. My final girl's blanket for baby Ella was produced as part of a set with a matching personalised bib. This is the last of my stock of plain blankets. I am now searching for a new wholesale supplier with small minimum quantities so I can produce personalised baby blankets for my online shops.


I have also re-framed my embroidered artworks on sale in my NOTHS shop and introduced my new Boating artwork. These frames are made locally and are a nice solid wood design with a textured white finish that makes me think of natural linen. They are glass fronted and have a sturdy stand and hanging hooks on the reverse. I think they show my artworks off nicely.

To purchase any of the above artworks please contact me directly at studio@clairehurd.co.uk or visit my NOTHS shop here.

New Boating Artwork

As a follow on from my handmade boating greetings card shown in my last post I have designed an embroidered and appliqued boating artwork.

This artwork will be framed in a similar style to my 'Cupcake' and 'Afternoon Tea' artworks and can be personalised by changing the initials on the middle boat to any three letters/numbers of your choice.

I am currently sourcing new frames for my textile artworks - I have found some great high quality wooden frames made in the UK so now just need to approve samples and place my order. This design will be available in my NOTHS shop in the next couple of weeks once I have frames available.

If you wish to pre-order a 'Boating' artwork then please email me with your requirements at studio@clairehurd.co.uk.

Handmade Boating Greetings Card

Having focused on rather girly cards recently I thought I ought to add a more masculine design in to the mix. With my love of the seaside and taking inspiration from my many photographs taken on a recent trip to St. Ives, Cornwall, the natural choice of motif for me was a boat.

The denim and cotton boat has been appliqued on to a textured cotton base and embellished with fine satin ribbon and a miniature button. The birds have been embroidered by hand and the text is hand-written.

I shall be adding this card to my online shops (NOTHS and Folksy) and as I will be making it to order shall be offering to change the text and personalise the card for free.

If you would like to commission something similar, perhaps in a different colour, then please email me directly at studio@clairehurd.co.uk.