The Sketchbook Project 2012

Never heard of The Sketchbook Project? Well why not. It's a genious idea! Basically, anyone can sign up to the project whether you're an artist, student, teacher, business man - anyone. Arthouse will post out a sketchbook to you, fill it up with sketches, watercolours, textiles, acrylics - any medium you like. When it's finished, post it back to Arthouse and viola, it becomes part of a library of sketchbooks. The library goes on a worldwide tour and then ends up in a library in New York for anyone and everyone to see. How amazing is that?!

Want to get involved? You can still sign up to the January 2013 submission here.

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So the 2012 submission is currently on tour and is in London now until this Friday, 19th October 2012. I went down for a nosy this weekend at Canada Water library.

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Chantal Vincent from Sydney, Australia

Chantal's The Journey of Henry had some lovely little prints, some beautiful drawings and some very inspiring quotes.

"Every day is a journey, and the journey itself is home" - Matsuo Bashõ

I love this turtle print!

I thought this drawing was beautiful. I think it's watercolour pencils. I must have had a slightly shakey hand taking this photo but because of the nature of the drawing it just adds to it. (I think so anyway :) )

"Freedom lies in being bold." - Robert Frost

At Home With Vogue

Check out my design is this months Vogue! 

Vogue, November 2012, Issue 2572 Volume 178

Thank you!

Thank you to everyone who came to see me (and buy!) at Great Northern last weekend. Thank you for your support. I had a wonderful time and met some lovely people including my wonderful stand neighbours for the week.

I have just about recovered and caught up on some sleep! It has been a slightly more relaxed week but with lots of emails and exciting things J (around my other job!)

I have just added all the new fans to the mailing list so keep checking those inboxes. If anyone else would like to be added to the mailing list just drop me an email: sarah-janehocking@live.co.uk

The coasters which I launched at the event have already been added to the online Etsy shop and the canvas bags will be following next weekend. If you want to place an order for a bag in the mean time then do drop me an email.

Don’t forget to ‘Like’ Sarah-Jane Hocking Embroidery on Facebook , and follow @sarahjane_h on twitter.

New products

Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair

Great Northern is now well under way. Come along to find me at stand 109, Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair, Spinningfields, Manchester, M3 3HG

Saturday, 10am-6pm
Sunday, 10am-5pm

Hello London....

I have more news for you...

I have a new job! I shall be moving to London at the end of August to become a Visual Merchandising Stylist on Oxford Street! This is an amazing opportunity! Although it's still retail based, it is a creative role which I'm sure I will love. What little VM I have done so far I have really enjoyed and I hope that it will open lots of new doors for me down the line :)

So wish me luck!!

No fear though, I'll be continuing with Sarah-Jane Embroidery alongside my fab new job :)

Sample 12

A couple of weeks back I went along to the Sample 12 Degree Show at the University of Huddersfield where the remainder of my classmates (the ones who did placement years unlike me) were exhibiting their final projects. What a vast array of talent!

Check out the Sample 12 blog and facebook page for more info but here are a few I particularly liked...

Stephanie J Roberts

www.stephaniejroberts.co.uk/

©Stephanie J Roberts

Kate Simmonds

http://cargocollective.com/katesimmondsdesign

©Kate Simmonds

And of course, The Blood Bag Project



Exciting News...

So I can finally reveal that I have been offered a place at the Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair (GNCCF)!!!

This is a HUGE event, the largest of its kind in the North and it is such an achievement to have been offered a place. Out of over 300 applicants I am one of 150 designer makers who have been offered a place. Yay! Happy happy girlie :)

So pop the dates in your diary now: 4th-7th October 2012

Venue:

Hardman Square,

Spinningfields,

Manchester City centre.

I shall bring you more details in due course but for now, why not have a nosy at the website to get a taster of what you can expect...

Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair - 2012 Exhibitors - Textiles - Sarah-Jane Hocking
http://www.greatnorthernevents.co.uk/

The Blood Bag Project

I completely forgot to post pictures of the second Blood Bag I made....

Busy bee!!!

So much to tell you and so little time! Had a crazy few weeks but lots of exciting things have been happening. All shall be revealed over the next couple of weeks so watch out for plenty of blog posts spilling the beans!


Cat Bolton, 2011, Once Upon a Saturday Gardens



Freelance for Cocoon

Way back last summer, when I did New Designers, I met a lovely lady who was in the beginnings of a new business start-up. She was looking for fresh, young new design talent to create limited edition textile art. I submitted some freelance work and viola, my design is now available from Cocoon Fabric Art. Check out my design in cushion form and wall art, each in four size options.

Tree Quilted Wall ArtLimited Edition Design By Sarah-Jane Hocking©Cocoon 2012

The Blood Bag Project Workshops

I have held a number of craft workshops with a group of year 4 children from a local primary school. We have done two after school sessions and two afternoon sessions to create 'Blood Bags' for 'The Blood Bag Project' organised by my friend Leigh.

I have posted about 'The Blood Bag Project' previously which you can read here.

Between the nine children they made a total of 14 blood bags. They all found Chloe's story very sad and were really keen to help make Chloe better. The kids took great joy in explaining to their classmates what we were doing and why.

On Friday 18th May the school held an art exhibition. Each class had studied a particular theme and created art works which were up for sale. The exhibition was open from 2-5pm and we had a table where we worked on the blood bags. We got lots of interest from parents and other pupils in the school and had flyers on hand for them to take away. Hopefully we inspired other people to get involved too.

Some of the finished Blood Bags

close-up of the finished Blood Bags



The pupils hard at work on exhibition day.



Lending a hand; an after school workshop.





Exhibition: Julie Arkell at The Bluecoat Display Centre

Julie Arkell, Image courtesy of the Bluecoat Display Centre website.

I met up with some of my old course friends in Liverpool last weekend to go to the Julie Arkell exhibition at the Bluecoat Display Centre. We all decided that when we are grownups with our own houses we would like one of Julie’s adorable figurines to adorn our new abodes. Hopefully we won’t be waiting too long!

If you want to pop down to see Julie’s exhibition it’s on at the Bluecoat Display Centre, Liverpool until this Saturday 12^th May.

The Bloodbag Project

The Bloodbag project organised by Leigh Bowser aims to raise awareness of Diamond Blackfan Anaemia (DBA) and offers you a chance to show your support and do something to help.

Leigh's neice, Chloe suffers from the rare condition DBA. Chloe needs regular blood transfusions to survive. Find out more about Chloe's story here.

Leigh, like many others is unable to donate blood so cannot help Chloe through what appears the 'normal' route. Therefore she wanted to find an alternative way to help. That is how The Blood Bag Project was born.

As a sign of your support and to help raise money Leigh has created a community project, The Blood Bag Project. She is asking you to create a textile blood bag (using the template here). The bags must be made from textile and must be created using the template so they have a sense of unity. The rest of it is up to you. The blood bags will be exhibited in some way and then will be auctioned off individually with 100% of the profits donated to The National Blood Donation Service (50%) and The Anthony Nolan Trust (50%).

Don't forget, you can also give blood. Find your local blood donation centre here.

You can follow the Blood Bag Project via the website, on Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr.

Here's my first blood bag:

Of late...

I've been a busy bee lately but not of the crafting type. I've been working lots of extra hours at my part-time job trying to earn some extra pennies. The finale was a 12hour through the night shift on Sunday (yawn!) but the 17hours worth of pay made it all worth while! I'm now recovered an raring to go again :)

I did squeeze in a quick visit to LOVE Handmade at The Continental in Preston on Sunday. This was the first event of it's kind by the organisers. They normally specialise in vintage events. I went along to see if LOVE Handmade was something I might be interested in doing in the future. It was lovely, but not sure it's quite right for me :( what a shame! Back to the drawing board... Amongst others, Woodchip Boutique, The Make District, Bagabeauty were there.

In terms of other opportunities, I'm on the reserve list for another retail event. Keep your fingers crossed please and watch this space! :)

Etsy Shop

I now have an Etsy shop (at long last!) Find it here.

'Spring Loaded' at Unit Twelve, Tixall Near Stafford

On Saturday, I went to visit the ‘Spring Loaded’ exhibition at Unit Twelve.

I took a few photos…





Jennifer Collier



Jennifer Collier


Jennifer Collier works with paper bonding with stitch and wax to recreate household objects. If you look carefully, often the papers used have a connection to the object they portray. For example dresses made from dress-making patterns.



Jennifer Collier



I’ve always loved the work of Jennifer Collier ever since I was introduced to her work in A-Level textiles. These dainty little shoes have to be my favourite. So delicately beautiful.



Jennifer Collier



Amanda Mercer combines ceramics and textiles in her work. Vintage and memories are her inspirations creating decorative and wearable pieces.



Amanda Mercer




Amanda Mercer

 'Spring Loaded' is on until 28th April and is open Thursday to Saturday, 10am-4pm. Other artists in the exhibition include: Emily Notman, Audray Vivien, Chris Thompson, Selina Campbell, Sarah Myatt, Anna Calvert, Fiona Hermse, and Jane Johnson.

Unit Twelve,
Tixall Heath Farm,
Tixall,
Stafford,
ST18 0XX

A mini holiday

I thought I'd share with you a few photos from my mini holiday in Cornwall. Upon my return from Paris I arrived into St Pancras at 10.30pm on the Sunday night, caught the 11.50pm sleeper train down to Penzance arriving at 9am Monday morning. I had a lovely little sleeper cabin for the night, not the best night sleep but not the worst either. Lovely little adventure :)

The sleeper cabin  :)

Godrevy Beach

My little brother all wrapped up. It was SO cold but we had fun clambering over the rocks :)

I love finding interesting crevices and formations in the rocks. Future project inspiration maybe???

All those blobs are seals! This cove is completely secluded and is home to hundreds of seals every year. A passerby proudly told us they had counted over a hundred seals here this very day! Awww :)