Free Printable: Christmas Tags

I designed these little Christmas gift tags to use in my gift wrapping this year, and thought I should make them available for you too. The pattern is taken from this card, one of my linocut designs. I used illustrator and photoshop to change the design around a bit. I would love to be able to have this printed on wrapping paper!

Download your free gift tags here  (for personal use only please).

Make sure your print settings are set to 'high', and use thick paper or card with a textured finish for best results. Use a hole punch to cut out the hole at the top and you're done. Perfect for any last minute gift wrapping!

Market preparation

Today I have been counting all my prints, cards and tags in preparation for the Millthorpe Markets on Sunday. These tidy piles are the least of it, you should see the rest of the studio - so much mess involved getting everything organised.

Hoping for some good weather. If you are going, I would love for you to stop by and say hi!

instagram

Now that Harley has upgraded phones and given me his old iPhone (all my phones have been hand-me-downs), I have been able to join instagram. Now I have another thing to distract me from doing any real work. Pinterest is the worst when I am procrastinating. I scroll through all the pretty images, repinning to my boards when suddenly I wake up and realise hours have passed. I'm not even kidding. If you would like to follow me, my instagram user name is ameliaherbertson.

I know I haven't been posting much, things have really picked up and I have been super busy with markets and custom orders. Right now, it is 11pm and I haven't had dinner yet (or lunch). I am drawing like crazy and to get ready for the Millthorpe Markets on this Sunday. I'm so excited, they are always fun. Except for last time when our whole stall nearly blew away in the wind. This time we are taking weights and tent pegs!

Lino printed Christmas Cards

Christmas Tree


Noel


Merry Christmas card

 I know I am late to be releasing my Christmas cards, I can't believe it is (almost) that time of year already!
As usual, these cards are hand printed with my own carved lino blocks on thick textured paper.

Pinterest Picks: Studio Spaces

I have been dreaming of a new and more spacious studio to draw and lino print in. Pinterest is the best place to scour for inspiration! My boards are slowly growing with beautiful images. These are my favourite art studio inspired pins.

1 // 2 // 3 // 4

New Christmas Card Designs

I have been busy designing and carving new block prints for my Christmas card range. Here is a sneak peek at one of the designs..


This is how I start a new design. A rough sketch in pencil which I then transfer on to the lino by rubbing the back of the paper and leaving the pencil markings on the lino.



I was going to make it a cleaner image, and tidy up all the black marks around the letters but I have decided I like it that way. Now I have to get printing the design on cards!

I'm Back

I am now back to work after a much needed break from designing, printing and drawing. I was feeling burnt out and I really needed a break from everything, mostly the computer and the internet, to recharge and find inspiration and the urge to create again.

I feel much more ready and excited to take on the Christmas rush and get to work.

Thank you to everybody who visited my stall at the Handmade Canberra markets last month! It was so nice to meet you all. Also a huge thanks to the hugely talented photographer Erin Dando who took these gorgeous photos of my stall! Check out her website, I just love every picture on there. xx

Market Preparation

These past couple of weeks have been wonderfully busy for me. Wholesale orders, markets and orders from lovely etsy and MadeIt customers have taken over my life, but I love it!

I've been lino printing and drawing like mad in preparation for the Handmade Canberra markets on this weekend! I will be there Sunday only, and I can't wait. If you are in the area be sure to pop by and say hello, and check out all the other talented designers.

Sketchbook

A few pages from my current sketchbook. I used to draw in it everyday, just quick rough sketches, but haven't had the time lately. I would love to be able to fill sketchbooks like the ones here.

Shop update

New art prints added to my little shop!

Seed pods

A collection of seed pods Mum and I picked up on our walk today in the park. This tiny little spider came out of one of the cones when I was photographing them, he was so tiny I don't think he even realised I was there. These were collected for an artwork I am working on tonight.

On my desk

A new bird drawing I am working on.

Handmade Canberra Markets - Designer Interview

I am featured today on the Canberra Handmade Market blog with a designer interview! Click here to read it.
I will be at the next market (they are on Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th Sept but I will be there Sunday only) selling original art, hand printed stationery and other goodies.

I was browsing the Handmade Canberra website and found these designers who will be showing their wares at the next market.  The items are all handmade and all beautiful!

1. Ink & Weave tea towel
2. Temono bag
3. bilingual ring
4. Bumble Australia candles

Custom Monogram Artworks

Last night was spent in the studio drawing more little letters. Custom orders are very welcome, with letters and flowers of your choice!

Today

Usually Friday is the most productive day of my week. I work in my studio all day, at least twelve hours but often more, and get a lot of drawing or printing done.

Today I accidentally took the day off. I went for a walk with Mum which turned into lunch with Mum, which turned into shopping.

After that I ended up at her house rifling through some of her childhood things while she sewed another pillow for her dogs after they chewed the last one to bits.

1. My mum's old salt and pepper shakers
2. Her and her brothers' childhood stamps, with beautiful little packages made from vellum paper. I love the classic design on the pastel book and letter card. There is also a receipt from Fosseys (department store) dated 1966!
3. Lovely little bundles of stamps. As I've said before, I am a total paper nerd, and these made me very happy!

I hope you have a good weekend! Hopefully you have a day off too.

Golden Kiwifruit

I tried my first Golden Kiwifruit recently. Being a huge fan of the green kind, I was a bit disappointed in the taste. It was too sweet, I love the tangy-ness of the green kiwifruit (I even eat the skin). Anyway, when the days get warmer I want to try this recipe for Kiwifruit pops. Have a great weekend!

Sneak Peek - Shop Update

I have been very busy over the last few days designing, carving and printing new greeting cards. This is the new "Congratulations" card in pink and blue to welcome new babies into the world! I will be printing these in more colours so they will be appropriate for any 'congrats' type situations but for now just pink and blue.

The letters are hand stamped because the letters I carefully carved into the design read back to front when printed (I overlooked the first lesson in lino printing, which is anything you carve in will print as a mirror image). I think it looks better now than it would have though, so happy mistake!

Pinterest picks

For those of us in the Southern Hemisphere (well for me at least), the winter months are dragging on and on. Harley brought up the idea of us heading on a road trip this summer, and since then I've been dreaming about sun, sand and the opportunity to wear less than three pairs of socks at one time. Until then I've been trawling pinterest for holiday inspiration.

1. Colourful popsicle
2. Ice Cream Truck - original source
3. Tide - original source
4. Umbrella by Vicki Dvorak

DIY gold painted deer.

I know I'm a bit late jumping on the 'paint something crap gold and call it gilded' train, but this little deer sits on my desk and the opportunity presented itself.

New hand printed card

A new card design added to the shop.

Blueberry & white chocolate buttermilk scones

Harley helped me bake these scones on the weekend, and we shared them with his parents. Believe me when I tell you they taste much better than they look! At first I thought the dough wasn't sweet enough, but when you find a chunk of half melted white chocolate the very slightly salty flavour is a perfect match. They are definitely best straight out of the oven.

RECIPE:
2 Cups self-raising flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon bicarb soda
60 g (2 oz) butter
2/3 - 34 cup buttermilk (as much as you need to make a fairly soft dough)
And we added:
200g frozen blueberries
200g white chocolate

Adapted from Margaret Fulton's Encyclopedia of Food and Cookery (Hardie Grant Books)

Shop update

I have added a new "Neighbourhood" linocut block print to my shop. I made this print by printing on the paper surface twice, layering the ink after the first layer had dried.  It comes in two colour schemes: red and blue, and black and red

String and Twine

My sad collection of string and twine and some beautiful examples of why I love kraft paper and twine so much.
1. Black/Gold metallic Baker's Twine by Knot & Bow

2. Ana and Aaron's Wedding invitations by Scout's Honor Co. 

3. One Fine Dae packaging and branding

Weekend

I spent my weekend outside in the winter sunshine with the dogs, looking forward to warmer weather. I hope you had a good weekend!