I'm taking a break!

 

 

 

After a rather busy few months trying to juggle commissions, keeping up stock of new work, personal projects and exhibition work, I've decided that the best thing to do is to take a short break and close the Etsy shop for a few weeks. This means that I can make all the new work I've been planning for so long, finish those personal projects that are at the back of my mind constantly and concentrate more on refining my current work. The 'home is where them fuckers ain't' embroideries will be getting a new, more permanent look, the mini swear word embroideries will be grouped under a new project, and, after so many requests for cross-stitch/embroidery patterns, I'll be working on an embroidery DIY kit that I've had planned out for so long. There's also a few collaborations in the pipeline with some brilliant artists. We'll be making new products including zines, prints, screen printed hankies and so much more. Intwosandthrees is having a grown up makeover, kinda like Americas Next Top Model but not as emotional. The old favourites will still be available, but better than before. Don't panic though - pet portraits will always be up for grabs and pricings for my work wont change - just the quality of embroidery and the products to be improved.

This is exciting, right?

So that means, Sunday 12th July will be the last day to buy any of the items currently available in my Etsy shop. There's plenty of sale items (see here) and a 'goodbye' discount will be offered during this week over on my instagram - but remember, once they're gone, they're gone! If you're after pet portraits during this break, please contact me now to avoid disappointment and to arrange the portrait. The Intwosandthrees Etsy shop will then re-open Saturday 1st August with loads of shiny new things!

In the mean time, you can follow my instagram @intwosandthrees (see here) for sneak peeks into the new work and for that discount code, PLUS, a little give-away during the re-launch!

roses aren't always red

We all have a favourite cunty pal, someone we can be a top cunt with and not feel judged - and this lil poem is perfect for them! Hand embroidered in a pink silk thread on white cotton and set in a vintage cream and silver frame. The frame has a back stand and metal bar for wall hanging too.

Measures 5.5" by 4"

www.intwosandthrees.etsy.com

try try // again again

More and more recently, I'm finding I'll get half way through a piece and decide to start again or pull out threads and start a section again. At first I thought 'oh god, why is all of my work so terrible recently, I need to pull myself together and work harder' after finding a draw full of half started pet portraits and surrounded by scraps of thread that I've plucked from various projects. Feeling rather grumpy about it all I huffed about it to friends 'urgh, I've got loads of work to do, I've had to re-start that portrait' only for the usual reply of 'no, why? I think it looks good'. I thought, sure, you're supposed to say something kind like that, but really, when I thought about it, why was I getting so grumpy and re-starting nearly everything? When really, it was all ok, or more than ok and actually only one stitch was out of place. So I've realised, actually, I'm just pushing myself, trying to make everything the best it can be, especially if I know I can do better, if I know I can work harder. So unpicking every thread possible or adding another portrait to my draw of half finished pets is ok. It's nothing to get grumpy about and it's nothing to beat myself up over. It's not because it's rubbish, it's because I know I can do better - and that's not being hard on myself - that's just wanting the best for my customers, to make sure I'm the embroidery artist that's different from the last.

when I'm stitching I want to draw / when I'm drawing I want to stitch

Sometimes, I need a little time out from whatever I'm working on. Embroidery can be quite intense at times, especially if I'm stitching a pet portrait and concerned with likeness / colour matching / flow of the embroidery and stitches etc etc so a break to do something different, to take just 5 minutes out and draw something, means I can return to the embroidery with fresh eyes and a new positivity. 'Blind line drawings' are the best for a short pause. Simply find an object / person / animal / whatever, put your pen on your page and draw what you see without looking away from your subject - never look at the page. Sometimes the drawings look childish, sometimes they resemble nothing and sometimes it's just a bunch of lines. But keep practising, keep having fun with it. It totally alters how you look at drawing subjects in the future and just sometimes, you kind of pull it off and create a portrait Picasso would be proud of and an illustration with beautiful marks that Cy Twombly would be jealous of.

Above is a blind line drawing of a rabbit skull and rabbit leg bone. It's half ok / half completely out of sinc and only took me 5 minutes, if that. Drawings like these make me want to embroider illustrations more - I'm never not thinking of my next project, no matter how many breaks I take.

winner winner, chicken dinner

Recently, over on instagram I won this hand coloured print from Gory Bastard (see here and here) and I literally squealed a bit when I unwrapped it. Look at that sad pup, those weird tits, the strange noses and the wobbly lines. I'm pretty sure these people exist and I've seen them around Felixstowe.

Can't wait to get this beauty framed!

Oh, Mog!

 

 

 

One of my favourite parts of the job - being sent the sweetest photos of pets and their portraits.
I want to squish you all.