Linocut Workshop

September 9, 2021March 23, 2025 Julie Gardner3 Comments

Whenever I look at art I’m always drawn to prints – mostly screen prints and lino prints, it’s something about the clean lines I think. So I still dream of one day being a proper artist who spends all day printing beautiful prints to sell. I kind of think I will one day, when life is a bit quieter and I have more time. Right now (and it’s partly my own fault) I seem to always be rushing from one thing to another. From lampshades to drawing to sewing and back again, plus I also do some admin and social media work for small companies on the side. It’s all good though as I’m someone who really struggles when I don’t have enough to do. I’m already a little nervous about the winter coming up as without the work in the garden to fill my time I’ll need to fill it with something else. I’m seriously thinking about making a quilt, never done it before and it might be a rewarding thing to do and will keep my hands busy.

Anyway, I was dreaming about being a lino print artist a while ago and decided to find myself a course to go on. I’ve done it before but sometimes a course is just what you need to feel inspired and to build your confidence. I soon came across a course in Oxford, run by Claire Florey-Hitchcox. Have a look here.

I found a few courses but immediately loved Claire’s own work and it was only 30 minutes from home so it kind of felt just right. The course I attended was for printing onto fabric so that one day I might be able to print my own designs to make into lampshades. Another dream of mine! I also thought I might be able to add some machine embroidery but that’s just me running before I can walk as usual…

The day was amazing, I loved it. Claire started by showing us all the different tools and linos available and we had a go at cutting different lines and patterns. I’d never thought of getting tools from the shed and hitting them with a hammer to make marks in the lino!

Then we started our own designs, tracing them onto the lino and cutting out, all under Claire’s guidance and with little extra tips shared along the way. Lunch was spent in the gorgeous garden, surrounded by wildlife and the odd chicken walking past. It was so nice to be away from home and chatting with other creative people in the countryside, I must do something like this again very soon.

Here is my lino cut design of a protea flower:

Great tip – using the side of a spoon to make the tracing lines go through!

This was five weeks ago and I have to admit I haven’t done any lino printing since. But I will! I just need to order some more equipment and fabric. It’ll be something else to do in the winter to keep busy. Watch this space, there may be printed gilhoolie lampshades coming soon!

Creative Courses

COVID-19 Day One of Lock Down

March 24, 2020February 8, 2025 Julie GardnerLeave a comment

We knew it was coming but it still feels very strange being on lock-down in your own home. I have been out to walk Arthur the miniature schnauzer today but that’s it. (The photo was taken yesterday, while I was cutting pvc for a lampshade, he likes to be wherever I am😍) Thank goodness we have a garden to get out in. And the sun is shining too. If it wasn’t for this virus I would be feeling optimistic about spring and the year ahead. As it is I’m feeling a bit anxious and uncertain about everything but I know I’m very fortunate too.

When we were having dinner as a family yesterday evening we decided it was going to be a bit like being on a family holiday, with only ourselves for company. We seem to be managing so far (I know it’s early days but we’re a very close family who like spending time together anyway).

The youngest has been studying online with his friends, watching their maths teacher’s live YouTube classes, exercising a bit in the garden and then playing online and chatting to friends the rest of the day. He seems very happy and unfazed.

The oldest had a video for university via zoom today and has college work to get on with still, but no weekend job any more. He’s a bit of a worrier but doing okay.

My husband works from home a lot anyway so not much different although he’s crazy busy and hasn’t travelled for business since this all began to get worse. He’s very pragmatic about it all and looks at all the stats.

Me? I have a few lampshade orders to finish. And the odd bit of work for the interior designers and small businesses I have been working for. But otherwise I have made several mind-maps of things I can do to keep busy. One for the house 🏡, one for the garden 🌼, and one for gilhoolie. That includes exercise (running 🏃‍♀️ on my own or with husband), online yoga 🧘 (adriene), online barre, Joe Wick’s school PE class each morning 😅 and meditation with Smiling Mind.

It feels a bit like I’ve been made temporarily redundant and I’m thinking of ways to fill my time that don’t involve going out or spending money. As I said, I’m a bit anxious and go from emotional to profoundly grateful. I’m okay when I’m at home but the social distancing feels very odd; I like to chat to people and now we have to stay 2 metres apart or not go out at all. I’m rubbish at not knowing what the future holds I guess; how long will it last, who around me will be affected etc etc.

Anyway, I’m going to post on here what I’m getting up to, to keep me motivated. I have the following to get on with for gilhoolie (I won’t bore you with all the things I have planned for the house and garden!):

Finish existing lampshade orders
Finish drawings for my website
Design a gilhoolie poster for when things are up and running again (loving Canva for things like this right now)
Design a range of gilhoolie lampshades – I’m thinking machine embroidered to keep me busy!
More gilhoolie loves blog posts, including Pinterest boards
Finish working on some botanical drawings I did a while ago and think about setting up an Etsy shop
Blog post on my new workshop / kitchen
Online courses – drawing, painting, textile design, Marketing, SEO (for my design assistance for interior designers work)

Should keep me going for a while. Take care out there everyone.

Henley-on-Thames School of Art…

March 29, 2018February 16, 2025 Julie GardnerLeave a comment

I discovered The Henley on Thames School of Art last year – when I was looking for something creative to do that fits around working and making lampshades.

Thank goodness I discovered it! What a lovely place it is! It’s a warm, welcoming, sunlit studio at the back of Hart Street, with a little courtyard. You’d never know it was there, unless you spot the little sign at the entrance to the alleyway…

Last year I attended a ‘Drawing and Painting from Scratch’ course with Max Hale. I know it’s ridiculous, considering I have drawn quite a few commissions for people, but I’ve never been taught how to draw and I found the tips Max shared with us incredibly eye opening and oh so helpful. “Ah, that’s why artists hold out their brushes to measure!” I said to myself… And simple things like drawing a line of symmetry first. Bit of a light bulb moment! (or 2 ha ha!) You can see the lines of symmetry in my drawing below.

Drawing I like. But I have to say, I found the acrylic painting really hard and don’t have a lot of pieces to share on here. This one was all about shade and I found it easiest as you didn’t have to think about mixing different colours yet.

The next one was a bit more tricky although it looks fine from a distance, but then all the great paintings are like that too aren’t they?!

So that was my adventures with drawing and painting from scratch. Max was a brilliant teacher, very patient and knowledgeable, an amazing painter too.

For the last ten weeks I have been attending a life drawing class. Such fun! I have always wanted to have a go but always been too scared, which is crazy, I’m not the one naked after all.

We were thrown in at the deep end on week one, but that’s the best way to learn isn’t it? Have a go, draw big, free and loose – so different from my usual drawing style which is very intricate and detailed and precise. Over the weeks we have had a go at using charcoals, various pencils, conte crayons, ripping bits of coloured paper and ink (my least favourite!)

Jo Harris took the class, along with her adorable dog Lulu, who likes to sit with the model, especially when there’s a lamp giving out heat! Jo is a very talented illustrator who is also really lovely and friendly and a really good teacher (with a great taste in music too, very important when you’re drawing!) I have learnt an awful lot, but still lots of practicing to do which is why I have signed up to another term.

We destroyed most of our work in this class as it was all about having a go and not worrying about the outcome. I loved that idea! I did keep a couple though. Hopefully my drawings next term will be an improvement and I’ll want to share more…

If you’re looking for art classes in the area look no further, you won’t be disappointed. And if you’re a bit wary about life drawing, don’t be, it’s all just shapes after all!!

Drawing by tearing pieces of flesh coloured paper – very very difficult, and he didn’t even have a moustache!

Creative Courses · Lampshades

Lampshade workshops – such fun!

November 26, 2015February 8, 2025 Julie GardnerLeave a comment

Where does the time go?! Being a busy mum of two, working part time and running a small business means sometimes I tend to neglect my blog and end up writing for others instead of myself – which is all very good but surely I can do both? I know it’s my own fault but there always seems to be something else I need to do, (including the gardening, keeping the house running, shopping, oh and of course coffee and a chat with friends, very important for my sanity!)

I was thinking the other day, “what’s missing from my life right now?” Well, I was actually sitting down with the Headspace meditation app which I have been doing for 18 months or so. (I’d really recommend it – whenever I feel like my head is too busy, which it often is, I get back to Headspace on my phone). The app is great; you just download the ‘pack’ you want to follow and away you go – ten minutes of calm a day, bliss.

The new pack I have just started is called ‘Acceptance’. Basically, I had to think about what, and who I am resisting right now. To be honest, I’m pretty happy with my lot, in fact very happy. So I found it hard to answer this question straight away (well, the whole point is that you don’t answer it straight away, but anyway). The only thing I could think of is that I’m a little frustrated that I’m:

a) not writing enough for my own blog and

b) not drawing or sewing at the moment.

Both are things I really enjoy but have to be in the right frame of mind to do. Since I started working part time a couple of years ago (after 2 years off work, just being creative and doing ‘gilhoolie’ stuff) I do find it hard to fit it all in and these things always seem to come last. I absolutely love my job though so I wouldn’t have it any other way. And here I am, finding time to write (at last), and I have some ideas on what to draw too so I plan to get on with that ASAP. So it is possible! Hoorah! I’m even finishing this off at 8 o’clock at night rather than watching TV 🙂

For this blog post, I thought I’d tell you a bit about the lampshade workshops I run from my house in Maidenhead, Berkshire; in particular the one I ran this time last week, the day before my birthday.

It was with two ladies who had traveled from Milton Keynes and been in touch by email a lot over a period of six months or so. I teach private lessons too but it’s always nice for someone to bring a friend to keep them company and learn a new skill together. It’s fantastic when we come to the end of the 2 hours and they can sit back and compare lampshades over a cuppa.

As soon as I opened the door I knew we were going to get along and have a really fun time. It’s not like working at all and I’ve come a long way since I ran my first lampshade workshop a few years ago.

The beginning…

The workshop starts with a cup of tea or coffee and a chat while I have a look at the fabric they have brought with them and then iron it to make sure it is nice and flat for making into a lampshade. In this case, they had brought some fabric remnants from John Lewis so made identical lampshades but you can bring whatever takes your fancy as long as it isn’t too thick and doesn’t fray too easily.

The middle…

Ironing and introductions made, we crack on with the fun part – making a lampshade. I’m obviously not going to tell you what goes on exactly (you’ll have to book a workshop!) But everyone ends up with a perfect, 30cm drum lampshade for a table lamp or pendant fitting. All with a little help from yours truly – I show them what to do and then hand over – doing it yourself is the best way to learn. Some techniques are more tricky than others but the most satisfying bit is definitely when they roll the rings along the panel and the lampshade starts to take shape. You can see the relief on their faces that they have done it right!

And the end…

We always end with homemade cake (gluten free brownies today, Victoria sandwich with cream and jam last week) and tea or coffee, plus a bit more of a chat about making lampshades of course. I advise on attaching trims, making lampshades using paper, making lined lampshades and answer any questions they may have. They’re always welcome to contact me afterwards too for advice, all part of the service.

So the two ladies last week really enjoyed themselves and went home clutching beautiful handmade lampshades for their homes. One of them wrote a lovely testimonial for my website (before I asked her to!)

“Many thanks for giving us a thoroughly enjoyable time today: making lampshades, eating your scrumptious cake and generally having fun! it was a great pleasure to meet you and spend time in your lovely home.
I am absolutely thrilled to bits with my new lampshade and now feel confident to embark on making more – you gave an excellent course.”

When I close the front door after a workshop I always feel satisfied and incredibly lucky that I get to do what I do.

Now I need to get on and draw – that’s my aim for the next couple of weeks – I mustn’t put it to the bottom of the list of things to do… (must look back at this blog post to remind myself that).

To find out more about drum lampshade workshops click here or contact me for more information and a booking form. I tend to book them when asked so I’m very flexible on dates. Anyone can learn with the right guidance, even those who say they’re no good at using their hands or not creative can make a lampshade on a workshop with gilhoolie!

Creative Courses

7 vital ingredients of great craft workshops

September 26, 2013February 16, 2025 Julie GardnerLeave a comment

I haven’t been to that many craft workshops but I’ve been lucky that the ones I have attended have been fab. The ones that made me go W O W were at The Make Lounge (now sadly closed) and at Homemade London. I remember leaving with an enormous sense of achievement and satisfaction that I had learnt a new skill and had the opportunity to chat to some lovely people. I traveled home, proudly clutching whatever I had made, thinking “I made that!”

So, what’s the difference between a memorable craft workshop and a not so memorable one?

7 signs you’ve attended a great workshop

When you attend a great workshop, you should:

Receive clear correspondence beforehand on what to bring, where to go and what to expect, so that you arrive feeling relaxed and ready to learn
Be taught by a teacher who is patient, knowledgeable in their skill, and interested in what you do too
Meet like-minded people, even make new friends and contacts to stay in touch with afterwards
Learn a new skill in a relaxed atmosphere and in pleasant surroundings
Get a chance to ask questions about the craft and learn some useful tips
Be invited to give feedback on your experience
And finally… Be offered refreshments, and if at all possible (I personally think it’s really important….)

h o m e m a d e c a k e ! ! !

After all, a craft workshop isn’t complete without it, don’t you think?!

I consider my lampshade 1-2-1s and workshops for small groups to be all of the above, I really do. I think it’s important that people leave feeling happy, with a buzz about their new found skill, and of course full of cake and cups of tea!

Here’s some feedback from a 1-2-1 I held last week with a lovely lady called Helen (including the cake above):

“My only feed back is that you have a lovely teaching style, relaxed , friendly and not rushed. For me, the perfect thing to do on my day off and the finale that gorgeous cake. Just perfect!!!!”

Pictured in the photo below are Tamsin from Curious Upholstery and Libby from Elizabeth Eley Upholstery. We had a lovely time making four lampshades, including lined ones – workshops can be tailored to suit you, just let me know when you book.

You can find out more about my lampshade lessons here, or contact me for more information.

Artwork · Creative Courses · Sewing projects

Something new…

April 17, 2013April 14, 2025 Julie Gardner

Okay, last night, unlike most nights when I go to sleep as soon as my head hits the pillow, I really struggled to switch off. My head was buzzing. Firstly, because I just watched the brilliant Great British Sewing Bee – and then promptly booked myself on a course led by Tilly Walnes from tilly and the buttons (who was on the show). It’s in June and is being held at Lauren Ghani’s new shop in Birmingham – guthrie and ghani, which opens on Saturday 27th April. Usually I have to think about these things for a bit but I decided to give it a go; I need a new challenge and making my own clothes will definitely be that!

Secondly, I took a look at guthrie and ghani’s fabrics (dangerous!) and decided to order some Denyse Schmidt Flea Market Fancy fabric. Not for dressmaking, but for some big lampshades (what else?!)

And thirdly, after my attempt to get back into drawing yesterday, I had a very strong urge to draw flowers today and was dying to get on with it. Not any old flowers either, foxgloves, don’t ask me why, I think I like the shape of them. It’s a shame there aren’t any around right now, so I had to go by photos on the web but it was fun to draw something that isn’t in my kitchen for once.

So a day for being bold today, and going for it, learning something new, not bad eh?!

Creative Courses

gilhoolie in Craft Focus…

June 15, 2012February 8, 2025 Julie GardnerLeave a comment

gilhoolie has been featured in the June/July edition of Craft Focus, the leading trade magazine for the arts, crafts and hobby industry! Have a look at the Craft Focus feature to see my instructions on making a drum lampshade and a comment from me on the benefits of running workshops.

If you’d prefer to come and learn how to make a lampshade you could book a place at Make & Do in Caversham, Reading – bring a friend, it’s great fun and you’ll take home a lovely lampshade (you can even add a bobble trim if you like!)

I also offer 1-2-1 lessons, just get in touch for details.

Creative Courses

1-2-1 chez gilhoolie…

May 24, 2012February 8, 2025 Julie GardnerLeave a comment

I have to admit I was quite nervous about my first 1-2-1 lampshade lesson today – there seemed to be so much to get ready to make sure it was perfect, especially as I was running it from my house. I had a big checklist to work through – garden tidy, check, house clean, check, cakes baked and decorated, check, not to mention making sure I had all the lampshade bits and instructions ready, check!

But after all that it went really well and I met a lovely lady called Lynne Sharpe who had driven all the way from Chelmsford to come and make a beautiful drum lampshade in my dining room. Lynne specialises in felt making and runs workshops in this as well as sewing, knitting and crochet. She is one of a team of resident artists at Hylands House in Chelmsford where she has a studio. She also runs workshops from her house under the name of The Make it Room. Maybe that will be me in a few years time?… (We can all dream, can’t we?!…)

Well, we had a lovely chat about work, life, craft and everything in between, while she made a lampshade from a gorgeous Amy Butler fabric under my guidance. I really hope it’s the first of many 1-2-1s and workshops chez gilhoolie – check out my workshop page for more dates or contact me to book…

Creative Courses

A lesson learnt…

April 16, 2012February 8, 2025 Julie GardnerLeave a comment

It’s been too long since my hand-stitched lampshade course and I’m only just finishing off my next project. Luckily I have some really good handouts from the course but I wish I had made another one straight away! I remembered how to do the outside fabric but really struggled with the lining, taking two attempts to get it right. I know it shouldn’t have been hard but I’ve learnt a few things from the experience.

1. always have a go as soon as possible on your own after attending a course – it might all make sense when you’re there but things look very different when you’re trying to do it on your own.

2. Make sure you get handouts from a course if you can and make your own notes as you go through.

3. Don’t panic, you can always do it again and get there in the end, learn from your mistakes – I definitely won’t make the same mistakes next time!

I’m really lucky I had such a good teacher, Angela from Cocoon Home, who I’ve been able to email for advice and support, thanks Angela!

Nearly there now though, I just need to add some trim to the top and bottom to finish it off. If you look really closely you can see the streetly stitching at the front of the lampshade and lethal pins at the back! The fabric is a 100% cotton Liberty print called Boxford A Jersey from the SS12 Whitworth collection. It’s very pretty and floral and colourful and also very me!

I’m hoping to get it done this week now that the boys are back at school and I have some time to myself. I’m going to take them along as examples of my work to the Vintagenie arts, crafts and vintage fair I’m doing next Saturday, 21st April at Park House School in Newbury. I get the feeling I have a busy week ahead!…

Artwork · Creative Courses

Working through my ‘To Do’ list…

February 22, 2012February 8, 2025 Julie GardnerLeave a comment

Yesterday was a bit of an admin day for me as it was the first day back at school and a chance to get my head round things again. Now I can start to work through my gilhoolie to do list (there’s lots on it after a week off!) Today I have been busy getting ready for my first lampshade workshop on Saturday – instructions – check, equipment – check, lampshade kits – check. Looking forward to it, I might even make some cakes to take along; it was so nice when our tutor brought homemade cookies to the lampshade workshop at Homemade London, nothing like the personal touch!

I have also been finishing off some drawings for an art gallery in Romford, Essex. These are all now on my Folksy and Etsy shops and I’m going to stock some for future events. Sorry about the light reflecting on the cellophane but I just neatly packaged them all and didn’t want to get them out again to take the photos.

Oh yes, and while I’m here I thought I’d put this personalised house portrait on my blog. It was commissioned by a lady called Gemma in Birmingham, as a present to her fiancee for their ten year anniversary – ahhh, this was really special to do. It’s the first one I’ve drawn from someone else’ photos and came out really well.

If the weather cheers up this week I’m going to take some photos of wedding venues near here and do some drawings, oh and there’s a building down my road I MUST draw… So lots to do, I really should get ready for the events I’ve got coming up though. I think tomorrow I will be mostly machine embroidering a pile of tea-towels!