blessings

This past week has definitely been one that hit me full in the face. We've all had times like these so I know you'll understand what I'm talking about. Monday morning I had something awful confirmed that deeply effects my business through no fault of my own, I would love to share the details but I just can't at this time.

Within the same day my boyfriend got told to go to A&E immediately to get an infection he'd had for a couple of weeks treated. He was and is fine but the man you love getting unexpectedly put in hospital for a few days is a bit of a shock to say the least. Between getting my ducks in a row to protect my business and worrying about Scott there hasn't been a whole lot of work happening this week. I can't tell you how frustrating this is as I have been on such a creative roll of late.

But anyway I called this post blessing because I still have many to count; Scott being home safely and mostly in good spirits about his new badass neck scar. Having an amazing circle of friends to turn to for support, advise and contacts. Discovering the culinary wonder that is beetroot on wholemeal toast with camembert (picture above). Any meal that easy and tasty has to be a blessing, right? Somehow keeping on top of the 100 days project (picture also above) I now have 2 full sheets. Finally, getting back into my work and seeing my new line come together. I still have a bit to do but it feels more like a mole hill than a mountain at the moment. I'm pretty glad to put this week behind me and hope to share more positive posts in the weeks to come.

100 days...

I have just embarked on the 100 days project, you can read about it here. Basically you choose a creative processes and do it once everyday for 100 days. I am taken it as an opportunely to add some structure to my structureless life. But more importantly it's giving me a reason to 'practice' doing hand lettering.

My project is pretty straight forward I will hand write the word 'PRACTICE' in an illustrated font. My first go -above- is pretty crappy but I have 99 more goes to get it right. (Note the awful kerning/spacing at the end of the word, I'll be working on that tomorrow)

I'm documenting my work on Tumblr and also daily on Instagram user name dearcolleen... no surprise there.

hey cookie

No posts for weeks then two in as many days... no jokes about buses. Anyway this is a quickly just because I made these cookie the other day and they were devine.

The lovely Sophie a friend from Wellington recommended this recipe for Salted Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies (I won't bother repeating it here just click on the link). Sophie runs a great blog, please do check it out, her OE will make you green with envy. Anyway it's the best thing I've baken in ages and so easy, there for utterly blog worthy. I cook a lot and never post recipe so you know it must be good. I believe Sophie made them with the much talked about Whittaker's peanut butter chocolate, I used their peanut slab. I'm sure both addictions add some magic.

in the zone

Ok sorry about the awful title but it does sum up why yet again I have been AWOL. I recently made a board of all the concepts in my notebooks that I felt would make good designs, it's a rather grand total of 35, I'm not going to get them all done over the next few weeks but I am keen to whittle the todo list down.

Since opening the shop I have introduced new work as and when they're done, the odd piece here the odd piece there. However for this release I wanted to work more like a fashion designer might and create a line of designs on a theme, which will be launch together. This hasn't been an easy way to work, particularly financially but hopefully it's been worth it as I'm really pleased with how things are coming together. The new line is definitely a progression but hopefully without losing the elements that make it feel like mine. As always, I'm writing most of the copy as well as drawing, designing and working out production. I'm 7 designs down and I'm aiming for a finished line of 12 pieces. At this point I'm pretty mentally shattered but my hands are serving me well and seem to be drawing faster and with more accurately each day. Above a preview of a tee design in progress from scribbled idea to artworked design. Thanks to a couple of cool folks on social media for pointing me in the direction of this version of the old quote. I'm aiming for a release date of early May.

Well I'm publicly announcing deadlines I've also made a pact, of sorts with some fellow designer types on twitter to get my rebrand and website sorted (kind of) by the 4 May. I'm very thankful for Amy Potter and Liora of Toodles Noodle for being part of this plan because it might actually get me to stick to a deadline for once.

looking forwards...

Today in New Zealand it feels like a day to look back and a day to look forward. I'm going to focus on the latter because I'm at a lose for words about the former. So here's a post about thing's I'm looking forward to.

This week I'm looking forward to my first trip to Melbourne, drinking lots of coffee in Fitzroy. Walking the streets with Scott and using his SLR to shoot lots of graffiti, signage and all the other street crap designer types take photos of. I'm looking forward to staying in this amazing looking house (See above). Thanks to twitter for tipping us off about Airbnb, because the hotels we were looking at where awful and out of budget. We're really keen on meeting other creative types while we're in town so if you fancy joining us for a coffee you can find me on twitter @dearcolleen or leave a message here.

I can't wait to catch up with old and new friends in Wellington. I have a few days there on route home from Australia and will do my best to fit visits in with all I can. I guess this means more coffee drinking, oh dear what a shame.

Weirdly I'm starting to look forward to winter. Making soup and snuggling infront of the wood burner. I'm going to buy some wellington boot (that's right wellies, I'm never coming round to the term gummies) and I'm adopting the saying 'no such thing as bad weather only bad clothes' so if you catch me whining about being cold tell me to put a jumper on.

Finally I'm so excited to be all moved into the new studio. Three days DIYing, a creaked neck and a hell of a lot of help from Scott but it's a bright beautiful space. It's pretty much the studio I have been dreaming about since I was a little girl, only it's in Dunedin not New York. Life's a funny old thing. I'll probably make a little film about it at some point but for the time being I'll stop boring everyone and just leave you with these before and after pictures.

1. above: space before work, long work bench which was taking up a whole wall. Black beams and scuffed paint work.

2. Bench cut in half, wooden slaps exposed and sanded to make a window seat for day dreaming/ procrastinating on.

3. Unused door way covered over with a large black board. Plus art work I did for the other studio moved and hung on the wall.

4. Finally after white washing the walls four or five times the black is gone and the space is pretty much finished. Furniture has been moved in and I just need to buy a plant and hang some artwork. A huge thank you to my lovely Scott for giving up his weekend and doing so much hard labour.

my studio, a visitor and playing hookie

Time just seems to be flying, which I'm putting down to life being rather lovely. I've just said goodbye to a surprise visitor who dropped by for a long weekend. A friend from crafting circles in Wellington who I spent an enjoyable few day sight seeing and generally just chilling and playing hooky with, mostly at the lovely beaches around Dunedin. Kate is an excellant cook and bright spark who's always up for a giggle so her visit was a breath of fresh air.

Below Kate is the blond in the middle, a seal that scared us half to death at the beach and finally a shot of the ocean, I still can't get over how blue it is here (in New Zealand).

As most shop owners will tell you we're in the quiet months now. The rush of Christmas is over and shoppers of being good and saving their pennies. This means my income is at a low. Most of my spare cash has been going into my studio do up (more about that in a minute) but being a girlie girl I like to treat myself to new outfits as often as I can. Lucky thanks to the January sales and great op shops (charity shops as we call them in the UK) I've managed to score a new pair of trousers and retro dress for just over $20nz... not too much.

Below pattered MC hammer trousers and a retro pussy cat bow blue pattered dress.

Finally I spent the week before last hinden in my studio painting what I am currently calling the 'Weapons Wall'. It's the frist piece of work I have just done for myself in ages. I'm not a 100% sure what the idea is behind it. I just wanted to paint something territorial, I think because I'm renting a shared space. Anyway just as I finished doing up the shared studio a private office in the same building became available. After sleeping on it I know I had to take the new space. It breaks my heart that the 4 weeks hard graft I (we) put into the first space was pretty much wasted time but the new space is perfect so I'm sucking it up and moving on.

Below 'Weapons Wall' and new studio space taken from the talented lens lapse blog.

too long...

I haven't blogged for months. I lost heart a little or rather a lot with this blog. It started as a travel blog after I left England to document my adventures in America. Then I landed in New Zealand and it became about another journey; the set up of a business and a means to find my way in becoming my own boss. 2011 was the best of times and the worse and I found myself at a lost as to what to write. 2011 was a huge year for my personal life. I won't bore you with the details but it ended well with me moving in with my boyfriend and his his young pup. We now live a very happy existence in a little grey villa in Dunedin in the South Island.

2011 wasn't the most creative of years although I did work on a few private commission pieces and when The All Blacks won the world cup I couldn't resist doing a Rugby dishes tea towel.

2012 is the year I get my work back on track. I have so many half design projects which will be getting finished. Plus other plans in the offing, which are already keeping me out of trouble. I'm also in the middle of moving into a new studio it's taking a huge effort to get it ready but I am planning to move 'Dear Colleen' in this weekend. Here is a sneak peek of the signage I painted on the back wall today. Sorry for this rather dry post. I'll try and blog a little more often and with a little more finesse from now on.

Dear Colleen Studio wall signage from Scott Savage on Vimeo.