Exhibition news!

So, I've been very busy creating a unique piece of Artwork for the 'Inspired' 2011 Exhibition at the Stewards' Gallery within Clitheroe Castle...and as it is the preview tonight, I'd like to share my creation with you all!



'Home Time at the Bar' is centered around the North; a nice comparative piece to my earlier 'Time at the Bar' 1&2 which were London-based. Featuring solely UK-sourced beer mats, it focuses on all things Northern, specifically in the Ribble Valley where I grew up (and still live!)


Containing 12 handpainted/customised beer mats based on places memorable to me and my childhood, here are a few of my favourite.



After securing the beermats on to the canvas frame (involving some bending, lots of bottles of wine - for leverage only!, and lots of glue) I finished the piece by painting a single black line silhouette of the infamous Clitheroe Castle. I think, as with the London skyline used in my previous pieces, this creates a focus for the piece and really brings it together.

A special big thank you has to go to Dan who cleverly created the 'Ribble Valley' pint glass made of all the places in the RV, and took these stunning photographs!

'Inspired 2011' features work from 70 artists based in the Ribble Valley and East Lancashire and, if last years was anything to go buy, has a brilliant variety of work on show. It runs from October 22nd to January 15th 2012 - more details can be found here.

I'ts the Preview Night this evening and I'm really looking forward to it - I'll let you know how it goes!

New Cards!

Wowsers, it's been a while since I showed my face on here hasn't it! Sorry everyone. It's been a few mad months at QC HQ - including work on a very special project of which all will be revealed later this week!

In the meantime, there's some fab new designs for you to browse over...and Christmas will be coming shortly too (after trying to delay it, I've finally got to admit it's definitely time to get some of the festive spirt in gear!)

Now available to order are these super-cute personalised 'New Baby' cards.


You can either have little hearts or stars holding up the Baby's name, and their Birthday is cut out on a little banner along the bottom of the heart. They make lovely gifts for the parents as I've been told these are both now framed in the Baby's bedrooms, aw!


In a bit of 'something different' for one of my most popoular cards, my favourite custom order this summer was this Vintage-tastic Wedding card for a very happy couple.

The script-like writing lent itself naturally to a vintage look, and with the deep creams and blush pinks and the two little love birds at the top, I think it worked really well!

Bon Voyage! (in a few days...)

Just to let you know that from next Monday 1st August, I will be picking up my scalpel and cutting board and tootling off for a couple of weeks...in the first ever QC holiday!


Do not fear, I'll still be online and contactable via my Folksy and Etsy shops, so please do wing over any ideas for custom creations or general queries. Just for a couple of weeks I've got an actual holiday (hurrah!) and a very big and exciting project to be doing which requires all my concentration! I'll be back from the 19th August - and am still here for a few days yet!

New Cards!

Crikey it's been a while since I said hello! We've had a very busy few months with lots of orders and some new adventures to be had. More coming soon about those - first though, some new card designs (hurrah!).

In spirit of Weddings and all things romantic, there's a new Wedding/Anniversary card about town. It's shown in a lovely sea blue but is, as always, available in whichever colour you fancy :)


And now for a spot of cake - Birthday cake! This cheery little card is quite loud and proud, so if there's any Birthdays you want to shout about...


Right, back to the cutting board for now; hope everyone's well and enjoying the spots of summer sun that we keep getting!

Happy Birthday Mum!

It was my Mum's Birthday on Sunday, so this was her little treat :)

Custom creations!

I've been so busy this year I haven't yet had chance to post pictures of some of my custom orders - so now that Valentine's Day madness is over (and I've got weekends and a few evenings back, yey!), here you go...

My first order of 2011 was this very special vintage Typewriter - very different to my normal style, I even got to do a bit of drawing!






Hope you've enjoyed a peek at my recent creations - back to the cutting board for me now! (well, once my poor burnt hand - exactly where my Scaplel rests - has healed :( )

Love is in the air...

Wow, it's been a while since I've treaded the blog pages this year! Sorry for the absence - it's been quite busy at Quite Contrary HQ with lots of lovely Valentine's orders, too busy to stop!

I'm grabbing a minute though to just let you know that if any of you are still on the hunt for cards (or sneakily trying to hint to the OH where he should buy his) my last orders for personalised and regular Valentine's cards are tomorrow (Wednesday) - they'll be going off in the post on Thursday morning. Click here to buy one from my Folksy shop

Here's some of my favourite custom orders I've had this year, enjoy! :)

My first French card

And, as a HUGE Toy Story fan, this is my most favourite of all!