Today is the last day of July... Wowzers. So, it is also the last day of my summer sale of 15% off all of my Summer Collection with code SKUNKBOY over on Etsy. Tomorrow there will be no more discount, so if you've had your eye on something now is your final chance at getting it a little cheaper. Furthermore, I only ever buy a limited amount of the fabrics & some are going going (almost) gone forever!

These photos are from my summer shoot with Rob & Jess - It was such a lovely last minute day.

I'm so sorry about the lack of blogging on my behalf. I'm sure it's not made a massive impact on anybody's life. I've really been so busy & not had time to think of what to blog about/document what I've been up to or load any of it onto my computer. Last weekend we were working at Camp Bestival, a family festival in Dorset. Dorset is so beautiful & the sun was shining all weekend which made a nice change.

As soon as I got back yesterday I had to make some finishing touches to orders, email people, start some new orders, pack up dresses to be sent yadda yadda yadda. All this is happening as well as trying to create my Autumn Winter 2012 collection in time for release in early September & planning a party we are having this weekend. I mustn't complain though as I know that I have points where I am twiddling my thumbs & complaining I have no work. I love the feeling of being busy. But, it is nice to relax & watch a film when you are truly exhausted (we all watched Ghostbusters in the middle of the day yesterday before I got on with some more sewing).

Anyway, I'd like to say that at the moment, I am loving what I do. Perhaps I thrive on a little bit of stress, does anyone else feel the same? I'm very grateful for all the amazing things I get to take part in during the summer touring with my sister, festivals are such inspiring artistic places. As well as a lot of fun :) Also, it's so nice to really feel like I am starting to get noticed a little bit more, with an increase in blog readers & orders & all that stuff, it's just nice to know that someone reads all the crap I write & do. So thanks for reading! Am I getting a little too gushy now? Sorry.

Well hello there summer!
We took a little very last minute trip to Italy this weekend which was probably a silly idea when I have a lot of sewing to do. I just had to escape the wettest summer in the history of man kind though.

But enough of summer lovin' & how about some Bloglovin eh? I set up an account a long long time ago but as with most Internet endeavours I didn't quite understand it so brushed it to the side, however, it's come to my attention that a ton of people use it as their way of following blogs, so I must be missing something right? Also, if you want to follow me via it then I now have a link in my side bar :)

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

What is everyone's preferred way of reading blogs? Am I stuck in the dark ages cos I still just view them through my blogger account?

Hope all is super & sunny wherever you are! Ciao bellas!

Ahhhh, I've been so busy this week it has been very nice but I also got a rubbish cold whilst at Latitude which was not so nice. Lots of coughs & sneezes :(
First off, I would like to say HELLO to all my lovely new followers, I'm very excited you have joined me here on my blog & hope you enjoy your stay.

This last week I've been featured on the Skunkboy blog quite a bit.  The super lovely Katie wore my 'Red Delicious' dress that I sent her (picture above) & she just looks amazing in it! See the photos here. I also have a little giveaway over on her blog, to enter check it out here.
 Also also, I am having a special 15% off any item in my summer collection with the code SKUNKBOY. Do it.

I've been at Latitude over the past weekend & that went pretty great to, so fun to be back on the road. Saw some amazing comedy/theatre/music etc (as well as working very hard obviously) & can't wait for the other festivals.

So, I will leave you with this lovely song by Tune-Yards, we saw them Friday night.

They are wicked.

This week we are properly rushing to get everything finished in time for the Videopia festival tour. We head off to Suffolk to Latitude festival on Thursday & as always we seem to be cutting it pretty fine.

I've made a start on the girls uniforms in some left over red & white spotty fabric I had from a NYE dress. It looks a little weird in the photo, I haven't finished shaping the bodice & I have a feeling I'm gona end starting again as I think they would look great in all polka dot.

(I have a new adjustable tailors dummy - I love it)

Whilst I've been sewing, Rob has been real busy pap maching his socks off. These are the beginnings of what will be some fearsome dinos from Jurassic Park!

This weekend we have been drinking a lot of casual rum & watching a lot of Tour de France.

Now I must dash - I have a lot of faux fur onsies to make before the night is out.

Is anyone planning to go to any festivals this summer?
I really missed the lack of Glastonbury (it's the first year I've not been since I was 9, booo), but, there are so many amazing festivals going on these days it really is quite exciting.

I read The Great Gatsby a few years ago & I loved it so much. I try & mainly read novels written in/about the 1920s-40s, just because, well, they make me happy. I can't wait for the film

Here are some amazing images that make me yearn for the beach in the 20s, followed by some gin & dancing, of course.

(image source)

& just please don't come back until October maybe? Thanks.

So lovely to hear about all your holidays, England can have such perfect summers, when it's good it great & you'd never need to venture off the island.

It's pretty wet & foggy here in Cornwall. Yesterday was lovely & sunny for a bit so we walked to the beach & braved the sea & then stuffed ourselves with fish & chips, washed down with shandy bass. Today is pretty erratic, so I'm getting some sewing done.

To feel more summery I have made this treasury. I also listen to this album on repeat. It is my favourate.

 Hello there!

Right, not much to share work wise, but a few pictures of the usual.
Making pocket mirrors & badges:

Tiny little parcel:
 Goody bags from my giveaway yonks ago (again, I'm super disorganised):

It seems to have been one of those weeks where you spend a lot of time doing life admin. Hours have been spent on the phone trying to sort out car insurance or driving around not seeming to get anywhere or failing MOTs or hanging about in horrible shops calculating how much you have spent/can afford to spend/what you are even doing in the first place!

Tomorrow we are off to Cornwall for a week, to a place where my dad has been going since he was four. He learned to swim in the rock pools. It's a tradition. I can't wait to fall asleep to the sound of the waves & wake up to do the cross word & feel all cold & salty from the sea. (when I say 'do the cross word' I mean 'hold the pen whilst reading out the clues & filling in the answers so I feel like I'm the cleaver one).

It won't be too much of a holiday though as I am taking my sewing machine/computer/camera/PVA. I will be spending most of my time making costumes for our up coming festival tour with Videopia (facebook) (blog). I'll explain more next week with some pictures of my Jungle Book/Jurassic Park/Jaws creations...

I hope everyone is feeling less pissed off about the rubbish things than me. Anyone going anywhere nice on their holidays? I'd love to hear of nice things to dream about.

This makes me happy.

Well this isn't really a studio Sunday post. It was sunny today & we sat outside eating cake really.

Rather than doing any of my own work I did help my Rob out with setting up his Etsy shop. He has left his job to become a full time artist. It's pretty risky business - but we're young & you gotta follow your dreams!

So cheesy.

Well anyway, here is the shop so far. (Soon to have more original paintings & house portraits - if you have a pretty house & want a super discounted house portrait to start his portfolio get in touch ASAP!)

Here is his website.

& here is his blog.

Oh, & here is a post I did a little while ago about his studio in our field.

This week I will be ordering new fabrics, helping revamp the Bedford TK horsebox ready for festivals, & heading to Cornwall. Along with sewing, of course.

Hope everyone had a lovely weekend.

Hooray!

I have finally got all my little summer collection together & in my Etsy shop.

It was all a bit of a last minute thing, but I've really enjoyed focusing on some key pieces & getting them styled etc. Yesterday was a gloriously sunny day & we went off to Budleigh beach to take some pictures. I roped my gorgeous friend Jess in to do some modelling & I am super happy with the results. All the photos were taken on my old 70s Canon SLR. After the shoot I took the film straight into town & got it developed, I was so relieved with the way they came out, I was dreading the film being loaded wrong or something like that. The photos have such a nice quality to them, I didn't need to do any editing to them as the colours were all vibrant & clear.

Here is the whole collection:

The 'Darling Clementine' Sundress.

The 'Blooming Lovely' High Waist Shorts.

The 'Pretty In Pink' Hand Printed Tee.

The 'Ziggy' Pleat Skirt.

& The 'Red Delicious' Classic Dress.

To see all the photos click here :)

A while back I was approached via Etsy by a lovely lady called Ester, she's in her final year doing photography at University of Westminster & wanted to borrow my velvet cape for a photo shoot about eco fashion.

Well, I was pretty excited to be involved - so I sent her my cape to borrow for her shoot & it has now appeared in her final magazine. It looks so good. I couldn't be more pleased with the way it has come out, the styling is wicked & Ester's photography is very super indeed.

Take a look here to see the whole magazine, (the cape features on page nine of the Freja mag).

Also, check out her other work on her website.

I've had this song stuck in my head all day. Welcome to the working week chums. I love Elvis.

(shelf in my studio)

For some reason I decided to stay up sewing til 5am last night. Not exactly a wild Saturday night, but I just felt in that mood. I've always enjoyed working in the middle of the night, it's peaceful & I don't get distracted. Also, I always feel that if I'm in the mood for working ridiculous hours I should just go with it, as I probably won't be in the mood to work at all the next day.

I love staying up all night at this time of year as well. Sunrise is magical, & we are nearing to the longest day so it happens at about 4.30, once I get to that point I always think I will just stay up through the next day too but when I started 'resting my eyes' at about 5, the next thing I knew I was waking up at 10.30 in all my clothes under the duvet. Probably for the best, else I would have been Groucho Marks today.

So, here is what I've been working on:

Oh my darling, oh my darling, oh my darling Clementine. My newest addition to my Summer 2012 collection.

The 'Clementine' Sundress

A sneak of a special apple dress for a blogger in USA (more to be revealed in July)

This week I have a bunch of parcels to send out including a few dresses/sweatshirts & my giveaway goody bags - I know I am way behind with posting things, big appologise I somehow just didn't manage to get to the post office last week. (Rubbish excuse).

Hopefully be doing a little summer shoot, if the weather lets me.

& also ordering in some fabrics for my AW collection! You can still vote for your fav organic cotton here.

Hope everyone had a lovely weekend.