Category: Artwork

Artwork

I love drawing, but not running…

Julie GardnerLeave a comment

I’m not a natural runner, but I used to run every week, without fail, round the streets where I live. And I have to say I didn’t enjoy it much. The only things that kept me going were 1. knowing I would feel good about it afterwards and 2. Looking at all the houses as I ran past (I’d always make sure my route was down the streets with the nice houses!) Well, now I’ve given up running, (I decided life’s too short to do something you don’t enjoy and I get to walk to and from school twice a day now). But I still get to look at lovely houses, and in even more detail as I draw personalised house pictures for people. Not only that, I love doing it, I really do.

Here are some of my latest ones. Firstly, a gorgeous house with lots of windows, with my embroidered sky (including a pretty pink butterfly), in a white frame. This was for a lady who wanted to give it to a friend as a thank you gift.

Embroidered sky house
Embroidered sky house

And secondly, another of my favourites, a Victorian semi for a friend who lives down our old road, with my original blue collage sky, in a white frame. I’ve got some ideas for developing these more in the New Year, but first I have beanbags to make. At least my orders for Christmas are nearly done now and I can relax a bit, but I’ll miss looking at houses for a couple of weeks… Maybe I should go back to running? Or maybe not!…

Collage sky house
Collage sky house
Artwork

Too special to give away…

Julie Gardner1 Comment
gilhoolie mini business cards
gilhoolie mini business cards from Moo

I don’t know about you, but our postman is delivering parcels daily from Amazon at the moment, so when the he rings on the doorbell it’s really good to know the Christmas gift shopping is going well. But today… my gilhoolie business cards from moo arrived too! Very exciting indeed.

I chose the mini business cards that look a bit more designery (I know that’s not a real word, but you know what I mean) and are very dinky and smooth. I’d definitely recommend them if you need business cards and want something a bit different.

I have four designs; two gilhoolie tulip pattern ones; one with my logo and one with a close-up of one of my labels on a pouffe. They all come in a rather lovely box too. Okay, so you already know I get excited by silly things… and this is definitely one of them. Only problem is, they’re a bit too special to give away!

Artwork

Another house portrait…

Julie GardnerLeave a comment

I’m ALWAYS looking at houses; windows, chimneys, brickwork, pretty details, I just can’t help myself. So when I visited a friend this week I left feeling I had to go straight home and draw their beautiful home. This is the third one I’ve completed (see my earlier post ‘Our house in ink and collage’) and it’s another thing I absolutely love doing.

I wanted to experiment with the sky this time, so instead of making a collage of bits of blue paper from magazines I used one of my gilhoolie patterns. It has a bit of a retro feel, which I love, and contrasts with the Victorian house. I just hope my friend likes it too!

If you would like me to draw your house just leave a comment on here and I can send you the details. Great for a Christmas present with a personal message added at the bottom!

House drawing with gilhoolie pattern sky
House drawing with gilhoolie pattern sky
Artwork

gilhoolie first prints

Julie Gardner1 Comment

Even though my workshop isn’t set up yet I decided to have a go at printing last week (I say workshop, it’s just our utility room really, maybe one day I’ll have a workshop in the garden that I can potter in all day – it’s good to have a dream!) It was all a bit make-shift and experimental but at least I’ve had my first attempt now. I’m a bit restricted on colours with my starter set of inks but I plan to order more soon so that I can mix my own (once again I’m trying to be patient, not very good at that!)

I definitely need to practice before I can put them onto a lampshade but it’s a start and these ones might look nice as a pocket on a beanbag perhaps? Feedback from friends is that the windmill design is the most popular so I may just stick to that in the beginning; I’m learning it’s best to take small steps at this stage but it’s easy to get carried away.

Nearly there, I just need to get a bigger piece of worktop so that I can do more than one print at a time…

gilhoolie first prints 1

gilhoolie first prints 2
gilhoolie first prints (at last!)
Artwork

Patience… (nothing to do with Take That, sorry!)

Julie GardnerLeave a comment

I’ve had a few set backs over the last week as it seems I’m being a tad ambitious trying to start off with A2 size screen prints. I was close to giving up but I really want to see my designs in print so I’m going to perservere and try and be a bit more patient.

I thought I’d have a go at making up some designs that could be printed A4 size and then repeated to make a lampshade. First of all I started along the lines of a trailing flower print but I think those kind of designs are more suited to bigger prints and wallpaper so I had to go for something a bit simpler (there I go again, being too ambitious!)

There’s so much choice in terms of textile designs these days; it’s quite hard to come up with something original but I like this and it’s definitely simple. The taller flower is supposed to be one of those pretty pink/blue/purple flowers (Allium Azureum for all you horticulturists!) which I love (an ornamental member of the onion family apparently, a bit like a big lollipop). The other one is just made up, can you tell?!

News flash – while writing this the printers have emailed to say my A2 screens are ready for collection – see, it does pay to be patient!!

2 flowers A4
A4 print for lampshades
Artwork

Decisions, decisions…

Julie GardnerLeave a comment

I only have three silk screens, so I need to decide which three of my designs to start printing onto fabric. It’s not easy! To help me make a decision, I’ve been using CorelDraw to add my designs to some pictures of lampshades and my Moroccan pouffe. It helps me to visualise how they will look and how to scale the pattern repeat.

gilhoolie pouffe and lampshades
gilhoolie pouffe and lampshades

I think I’m going to go for these three: gilhoolie butterfly, tulip and windmill…. but don’t hold me to it; I keep changing my mind!

gilhoolie butterfly, tulip and windmill
gilhoolie butterfly, tulip and windmill

I might start by making a lampshade for our new front room (I know I said I’d start with tea-towels but hey, I’m multi-tasking!)

Decorating is ongoing but nearly there; just shelves to build and wallpaper to put up. Watch out for the photographs soon!

Artwork

gilhoolie has a logo!

Julie Gardner1 Comment

I’ve read that a good logo can make or break your company, no pressure then… Apparently it needs to be a true, direct reflection of your company, your brand and of you as well.

Well, I’ve spent quite a bit of time this week trying to come up with a logo for gilhoolie that does this. I want gilhoolie products to be fun and a bit quirky but also stylish and accessible. Of course the textiles will be hand-printed and the colourways will be very fresh and clean in soft pastel shades. I’m hoping the logo I designed reflects this (thank you for your advice Chris and Sandi!)

If you have any comments on the logo please let me know. Thank you…

Gilhoolie logo white background
My logo
Artwork

Our house in ink and collage

Julie Gardner1 Comment

This is just something I did the other day to fill some time in between appointments. I’ve always loved our house and I can remember really clearly the first time I saw it two years ago. I thought it would be good to do a simple drawing to put on the wall as a keepsake. I hope you can see the resemblance (and for those who have never seen our house, now you can!)

Our house in ink and collage
Our house