rachael gardiner

Bunting=pretty!

2011-02-15T10:28:00.000-08:00

I made this bunting from old fabrics from amsterdam.....it's cultured bunting!

2010-12-20T04:36:00.000-08:00

Thankyou very much to GreatGreenDreams for featuring my lampshades on their blog!

One little snowflake flew round and round....

2010-12-20T04:32:00.000-08:00

I was asked to design the Christmas backdrop for the school I work in....and here's what i came up with! It took an age to cut out all the stars and snowflakes but when the lighting was on, the shadows made it all worthwhile!!

Get your lampstands glammed up!

2010-12-09T13:42:00.000-08:00

You can now buy my unique one off lampshades at folksy! yay!

Get them while they're hot!!!!

2010-12-08T16:09:00.000-08:00

Get your mitts on some lovely rachael gardiner wares this Christmas!! :)

Check them out at folksy/rachaelgardiner.....

A happy new home....

2010-12-08T15:11:00.000-08:00

Here is one of my cushions, in its new home courtesy of the lovely Jill McCamley.

Christmassy craftings at Forfey HQ

2010-11-29T13:18:00.000-08:00

I had wee stall at Forfey HQ at the weekend which was really fun! Here's a couple of pics of my stall....and look, i have forayed into the world of cushions and bunting. They'll be on etsy soon so keep a wee eye out!

charity shop finds!!

2010-10-21T09:54:00.000-07:00

Hit the charity shops today, so thought id share the treats i found! I love the decanters - they'll look beaut with tealights in them!! All in all a good days shopping!

My new tealights.....awwww.

i ♥ my typewriter

2010-09-28T15:54:00.000-07:00

here is a new piece i was commissioned to do....i got to base the design around a quote the commission type people gave me, and what better way to showcase a quote than type it on the good old trusty typewriter? I was abit worried about using material in my precious machine but i love the outcome...

Work of royals...

2010-09-22T13:17:00.000-07:00

I was recently asked by the lovely Gail of seventyseventyone to exhibit some of my ceramics at the craft shop in the Royal Exchange Theatre, in Manchester.
Here is their blog so you can have a wee nosey at my stuff and the other designs on show.

the return of mr fox

2010-09-06T12:21:00.000-07:00

Had a wee minute so decided to get my needle out and do some stitching :)

Wedding Stationary

2010-08-16T15:25:00.000-07:00

Thought id post a few photos of the wedding stationary in all its glory!! Im really pleased with how it came out! I designed the Wedding day invitation, the evening invitation and the order of service, which are all slightly different and unique from each other.
If anyone would like to get invitations designed please feel free to get in touch at hello@rachaelgardiner.com

2010-07-04T17:14:00.000-07:00

I designed my friends wedding invitations recently and here is the finished front cover. It tells the story of their relationship through tiny images. I'm really pleased with the way it has come together and i think the future mr and mrs griffith are pleased too. Evening invitation to follow....

2010-07-04T17:02:00.000-07:00

This is a piece i was commissioned to do for a lovely couple who just got married last week. It is based upon the poem He Wishes For the Cloths of Heaven by W.B.Yeats, which is one of my favourites. This made the piece all the more fun to make, altho it did take ages cutting each individual letter, but i think it was worth it. Hope they like it!

2010-02-04T07:16:00.000-08:00

I.F. Focus

2010-02-03T08:19:00.000-08:00

Make some noise!!

2010-01-20T17:26:00.000-08:00

Ok so, today i sent some of my work to the Noise Lab shop in Manchester, where it's being exhibited and hopefully sold! It's all very exciting, they're doing some amazing things over there; most of all creating a bit of a stir and interest around arty type stuff, which is great! It's really cool to be part of it!
Here's some of the work i sent... hope you like.

Bert says "byeee mel"

2010-01-02T07:14:00.000-08:00

Market times

2009-12-20T13:41:00.000-08:00

I had a wee stall at St. Georges Market in Belfast a couple of weeks ago and thought i'd share some pics of it! It was my first market experience so i was feeling a bit nervous but it went really well and hopefully i'll get to do lots more.

I.F. Hatch

2009-12-15T05:47:00.001-08:00

Very stereotypical.....sorry....but i kinda like her! She hatches plans to take over the world while she knits!

Plates for sale!!!

2009-10-07T16:46:00.001-07:00

Hey everyone...just letting you know that you can now get your mitts on some of my plates at this great crafty selling website called Folksy. Happy shopping.....

Roxy wonder dog

2009-10-07T04:55:00.000-07:00

Painting time....

Decided to try my hand at some painting......which i haven't done in a verrrrryyy long time. Im so used to doodling that i found it quite hard work, but it's definately worthwhile getting back to basics (actually looking and concentrating).....thanks john for the push!

Buns, coffee, and some of my work...

2009-09-24T16:15:00.000-07:00

"If you go down to the Clements on the Stranmillis Road today, your in for a big surprise"....well not really that big....but you will see my work which is currently adorning the walls.....so go and have a nosey if you fancy it....also i highly recommend the choc chip muffins...!

FORFEY (fawr-fee)

2009-09-24T07:59:00.000-07:00

Here's a documentary of Forfey Festival i exhibited at in August so you can have a wee gander.....my work appears around 14:30.

Jeff

2009-09-22T14:11:00.000-07:00

I found a photo of jeff (he was bought at Forfey Festival) and decided to upload him. Hope he's having fun at his new home.

Abi and Colin

2009-09-22T13:18:00.000-07:00

I was commissioned these two birdy pieces by a lovely lady called abi spendlove.....she has a website of her own which you can see here.

Wardrobes and backdrops...

2009-09-22T13:03:00.000-07:00

I designed a projectable backdrop for a band called Suzey and the Sinners. They used it as a

background for their gig at The Wardrobe in Leeds.

2009-09-06T17:39:00.000-07:00

This was a wee wedding pressie i conjured up for a couple of lovely newlyweds.....

Le couple d'amour.

2009-09-06T17:20:00.000-07:00

I was recently commissioned by a lovely lady for her second wedding anniversary a couple of weeks ago. This is what i came up with....happy anniversary guys!

Close ups...

2009-09-03T16:29:00.000-07:00

Was just thinking the other day that my work is best seen close up, then you can see all the detail.... so thought i'd upload a few wee close ups of lampshades that i have made....

Happy sunday project...

2009-08-16T17:38:00.000-07:00

This was a wee pressie for two lovely people....

Forfey festival 09

2009-08-09T09:34:00.000-07:00

This weekend i had the pleasure of showing my work at Forfey Festival 09.

Forfey is an intimate folky festival, held at a farm in the wilds of co.fermanagh, where people can go and appreciate art and music..... It's really exciting to be part of something which is supporting local home grown northern irish talent!

A wee pic of people checking out my work in the arthouses....

I.F. unfold

2009-06-16T09:57:00.003-07:00

I.F. adapt

2009-06-04T04:50:00.001-07:00

Fantastic Mr. Fennec Fox!

Pretty northern ireland...

2009-06-02T06:03:00.001-07:00

Took some photos last night at the lakes that i thought were nice, so decided to share.....

I.F. - cracked

2009-05-26T08:33:00.001-07:00

2009-05-26T08:28:00.000-07:00

a grumpy old man in a trucker cap.....always fun to draw.hehe

2009-05-25T16:43:00.000-07:00

Saw some interesting people in the Telegraph Magazine so decided to have a wee go at drawing them.

out with the old....?

2009-05-20T16:28:00.000-07:00

I was looking through some photos on my computer and stumbled across my old Foundation final project from about 4(ish) years ago. I used to think it was totally removed from what my work is about now but i can see it was just the start of my learning curve. I don't think i take my work so seriously anymore....by that, i don't mean that i don't care....it's just that i learnt to have fun with my designs and illustrations. I was really proud of this piece, still sortof am, but me and my work have changed and moved on alot since then......

Here it is....

I.F. - contagious

2009-05-19T03:49:00.001-07:00

Quickest sketch ever for illustration friday....lots to do! I like the idea of laughter being contagious.

Procrastination.....

2009-05-19T01:05:00.000-07:00

Sometimes (others might say all the time) i procrastinate and this is what happens......bear wall....

Haircut?

2009-05-15T05:42:00.001-07:00

Arthur thought his split ends were getting abit unmanageable.

I.F. - parade

2009-05-14T08:23:00.001-07:00

Audrey always hated the dog beauty pageant parade!

I.F. - 'hierarchy'

2009-05-07T08:24:00.000-07:00

The lion.....the king of the jungle!

Mel Wiggins EP Launch

2009-04-29T02:49:00.000-07:00

The CD cover is finished! yay!! The official launch of the Mel Wiggins EP was on Sunday night at Blick Studios in Belfast. It was a really cool wee venue and Mel and the band were amazing! You can check out their music here www.myspace.com/melwigginsmusic and maybe get your paws on a CD.

Here's the finished cover folks!

Front

Back

My work at Blick Studios

doodlings

2009-04-23T06:57:00.000-07:00

2009-02-13T14:34:00.000-08:00

Im illustrating a CD cover for my friend Mel..... check her out...
http://www.melwiggins.co.uk

Here's some of the ideas we liked but decided not to go for.

Woof!

2009-01-28T02:49:00.001-08:00

had some spare time so i decided to decorate an old record i had....

IF 'Pale'

2009-01-21T13:51:00.001-08:00

crafty bits

2009-01-04T05:13:00.001-08:00

Heres a wee monster badge i made my friend for christmas! i made him during crafty time at my friend mels house :)

blustery

2008-11-11T15:51:00.001-08:00

this is how i felt in the wind and rain this weekend

thanks mr monkey!

2008-11-04T15:16:00.000-08:00

Id just like to say thankyou to mr monkey for popping by to my exhibition in Manchester! You can stop by his website and see for yourself!
www.houseoftheorangemonkey.co.uk/monkey/trips/trip14904.htm

"yup"

2008-10-26T13:43:00.000-07:00

i love old vintage fabric and i love my pink flourescent thread...so i used them both when creating these bird characters! ....very "bright."

Sleepy

2008-10-26T13:40:00.000-07:00

Here's a wee quick sketch i did of a snoozing hamster, thought he was kinda cute. He's called Kevin.

FEAST!

2008-10-04T12:12:00.000-07:00

The lovely people at Manchester Craft and Design Centre have asked me to take part in their exhibition Feast which showcases ceramic artwork. I am exhibiting my degree show plates which i created for my final major project this year. All my plates where found rummaging around in charity shops, this is my works central idea; i like to create beautiful, quirky designs from old, unwanted things. I kiln fired my illustrations onto the plates, incorporating the original designs with my drawings. To add extra interest i drilled holes into them adding ribbons and buttons, and painting them with gold lustre. I love that each plate has been revitalised, instead of sitting in a dusty pile on a shelf somewhere.

The exhibition is on from 17Oct-10Jan. Feel free to pop by and check it out! :)

http://www.craftanddesign.com/exhibitions/feast

Phobia cat

2008-10-02T05:58:00.001-07:00

a moggy with a fear of dust...get the marigolds!

IF 'Packed'

2008-10-02T02:25:00.000-07:00

Here is my very first illustration friday post! I decided to do a wee nest 'packed' full of chicks! very noisey!