Etsy shop find... a chat with Melodie Stacey

This months etsy interview is with Melodie Stacey.

Melodie is a fine art and mixed media artist based in Brighton.

Her dark and whimsical artworks are full of intrigue and wonder and leave you wanting to know more about the mysterious ladies that feature in her paintings.

Beautiful dreamy landscapes, lush foliage and interesting buildings in the distance all help to create drama to each piece.

And lets just mention the colour palettes and how amazing those bright pops of colour look sitting on dark grounds, yum!

So, lets get to know a little about Melodie shall we...

1. Can you tell us a bit about you and your background... 

I'm from Brighton now but previously I lived in Scotland and studied Fine art at Aberdeens Grays school of art, for a BA Hons in painting.

The following year from that I did a MA in Art and Design.

2. What books/ magazines are currently on your coffee table?

I don't buy magazines very often so it's more likely to be books..my latest is about Wes Anderson whose films I'm a huge fan of.

3. Can you give us an insight into your creative process?

I normally work at my best in the morning, and I have to plan my time very carefully as I home school my daughter so consequently everything has to be tied around her routine.

I keep a sketchbook to sketch or write any ideas and then I try them out! 

Some work and sometimes others don't, which is fine as it's all part of the process. 

4. Tell us about a typical day for you...

I work in the mornings to finish work started the previous day and then use my afternoons to work on admin in my shops, answering emails, checking Instagram which I'm a bit addicted to!

I don't tend to work later than 6pm, but sometimes, especially if I'm making dolls it can go all evening too.

5. Where do you work? 

Describe your studio/work area…

I work from home, I don't have a studio. We have a large dining table so that suits me fine as I work small and can put things away quite quickly. 

It's not ideal and I have to confess I'd rather have a studio but it works for now.

6. What’s the most rewarding thing about being an illustrator?

I wouldn't really call myself an Illustrator yet, though it's something I'm working on. I've always seen myself as a mixed media artist though illustration is the path I'm hoping to take now.

I have recently started making prints and it's lovely when people send me photos of them in their homes.

7. What makes you laugh?

My husband and Father Ted, I'm a big fan of daft humour.

8. What's your guilty pleasure?

Cheesy detective shows

9. What’s the most popular item for sale in your etsy shop? And your personal favourite?

I've just sold my favourite, it was a painting called 'Jay mountain' but currently it would have to be Mr Magpie, which is in my Etsy shop.

10. What are your favourite books from childhood?

I have many favourite books but the one that stands out is The Bedtime Book by Richard Scarry, a huge book full of stories, poems and lists! Jan Pienkowski, Judith Kerr and Janet and Allan Ahlberg amongst others were favoutrites too..and not forgetting Roald Dahl!

11. What are you currently passionate about or fascinated by and how is it inspiring your work?

I have recently been trying to use paper clay. I've made some figurines and dolls with it, I really would like to use clay further.

12. Who are some of your favourite illustrators/designers and what do you love about their work?

I have a lot of favourite illustrators, the one that stands out though is Isabelle Arsenault. 

I recently brought The Cloth Lullaby which is about Louise bourgeois, it's just an exquisite book and the illustrations are breath taking. 

(all images above copyright of Melodie Stacey)

A big thank you to Melodie for giving us an insight into her world.

You can follow Melodie here...

etsy | website | instagram | facebook

x x x

A Unicorn Party!

Well, we've had kitty inspired party moodboards so now we're having a little ode to the Unicorn!
Who doesn't love a unicorn??

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

x x x

On my bookshelf...Dear Bunny

Dear Bunny is a wonderful little book about being grateful for the things we have, big or small.
Written by Katie Cotton and beautifully illustrated by Blanca Gomez, it tells the story of a little girl describing what makes her day so special.
A lovely relationship with her friend Bunny runs through the book as she explains how she likes mornings, why she enjoys playtime, bedtime, and all the little things in between.

It's such a gorgeous book, and definitely a must for your little ones bookshelf.
Dear Bunny is available to buy from The Wordery.

Here are a few pages from it...

(Photos above copyright of louise/loveprintstudioblog. 

Illustrations copyright of Blanca Gomez)

x x x

A few days in the Cotswolds...

The boys and I had a few days in the Cotswolds recently, for a little mini break.

We had some grey days and some gloriously bright blue sky days, 

and were very lucky the rain held off, yay!

The Cotswolds isn't even that far away from where we live so it was weird having a 'holiday' that only took a couple of hours to reach, but nevertheless, it was nice to have a break and some down time together.

We visited lots of little towns and villages whilst we were there, including Bourton on the Water, Burford, Chipping Norton, Cirencester, Stow-on-the-Wold, The Slaughters and Broadway and had many a pub lunch followed by a tea and cake stop! 

Well, it would be rude not to right?

Here are a few snaps of our week...

(photos above copyright of louise/ loveprintstudioblog)

x x x

Creative Quarters...Victoria Fitton

The next designer to be featured in Creative Quarters is Victoria Fitton...

Victoria is a freelance illustrator living and loving life on a working farm in Glastonbury, Somerset.

She studied Design at Staffordshire University which was a multidisciplinary course looking at the areas of Glass Design, Surface Pattern and Ceramics. 

It was hand thrown pottery which Victoria fell in love with and eventually specialized in. 

A number of years spent as a potter included selling a range of functional ware through David Mellor Design at Sloane Square and exhibiting at the V&A museum as well as Contemporary Applied Arts in London.

A move from London to the countryside and beginning a family meant a change in emphasis and all things ‘arty’ had to temporarily take a back seat. 

As her three children became more independent, Victoria began to draw and paint again in spare moments. 

Inspiration can come simply from everyday living; a funky piece of packaging or a walk in the countryside with Willow the dog! 

Victoria is particularly drawn to the organic, ever changing forms found in nature. 

And there is something about repetition that really appeals; a group of shapes or colours that share similarities, creating rhythm and movement in a piece. 

With cows right outside her studio window, it is quite a normal occurrence to have to down brushes at very short notice to help out with a calf being born or some other cow related crisis!

Currently Victoria sells prints of her work upon request and intends shortly to open an Etsy shop so that she has a more visible selling platform. 

She is also keen to find representation with the hope of licensing her work to a much broader audience. 

She would love to one day be involved in designing a fabric range or would be equally happy designing for the children’s market in some way.

To get in touch Victoria can be found using the following links;

https://www.victoriafitton.com/

https://www.instagram.com/victoriafittondesign/

https://www.facebook.com/jollyfoxprint

- - - - - - - - - - - - 

I hope you've enjoyed reading a little about Victoria,
and seeing a selection of her work.

To get in touch with her, please visit her website for details.

If you missed the last Creative Quarters post featuring Georgia Ragnall, you can read it here.

And don't forget, if you'd like to be featured, 

please send examples of your work with links to website portfolios, 

and some info about you and your background, etc... 

to Louise at loveprintstudio@live.com 

Look forward to hearing from you!

x x x

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter folks!
Hope you all have a lovely, long, relaxing weekend.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

x x x

Colour crush...

Can't resist squeezing in another colour crush post this week...

I tend not to be a huge fan of red, but used here with cobalt, shades of blue, corals and pinks, I quite fancy that combo!

(image credits clockwise from top left)

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

x x x

Three lovely things...easter blooms!

The long Easter weekend is fast approaching, and one thing thing I'm sure you'll be gifting, aside from choccie eggs, are flowers.

Here are three lovely ways of presenting them, spotted around blog land...

(1) Mini DIY Easter Bouquets from Say Yes

(2) DIY Pun flower bouquets from A Bubbly Life

(3) Ice cream cone blooms from Parties Made Pretty

x x x

On my bookshelf...Town Mouse Country Mouse

A classic Aesop's fable reimagined by Libby Walden and beautifully illustrated by Richard Jones.

Town Mouse Country Mouse is a story of two mice who live very different lives. 

One in a bustling city and the other in the quiet countryside.

Deciding to swap their dwellings and spend time in the others environment, discovering new and unusual sights, they soon realise the true meaning of home.

"But home is where my heart is, so home is where I'll stay"

It's such a lovely, classic story, but it's really bought to life in this new adaptation by Libby Walden, and the stunning illustrations of Richard Jones, with each page full to bursting of wonderful details.

Little ones will love the rhyming story aswell as the 'peep through' pages and all the charming characters that join the mice on their adventures.

I highly recommend it!

You can purchase the book here

(photos above taken by me for use on loveprintstudioblog)

x x x

Colour crush...

In honour of such a gloriously sunny weekend here in the UK, I thought we'd start the week off with a nice bright colour crush...

(image credits clockwise from top left)

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 

x x x

A cat lovers birthday party...part 2!

The last Cat lovers birthday party post always seems to be up there in the most popular posts, 

so quite simply, I thought I'd do another one!

From cutesy, girly and pretty, to a clean, if somewhat glittery, monochrome look.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 & 7

x x x

Take Four...in these shoes!

Ooh glittery heels...yes please.

Rainbow sprinkles...yes yes!

Peach heels and strappy flats..indeed!

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

x x x