Studio Visit - Joumana Medlej

The internet is a bit of a strange beast, but through it I have come to make some very good friends, link up with oodles of creative souls and share their work and my own. Sometimes I have actually met some of the folks and continue to do so. Recently I had the opportunity to meet someone whose work I've followed for sometime now, years if not a decade via Deviant Art...she was the reason I ended up on Etsy too. 

That person being the super multi-talented Joumana Medlej, doing anything from illustration to digital games. The work that I have been especially drawn to is her calligraphy especially being a bit of a fan of all things typography based. Not that you would ever know.

I popped along to her open studio day last Sunday, 28th June, in London. It really was an honour to get the chance to meet her and to see her work in the flesh, honestly photographs don't always do it justice. 

Part of her London studio, lovely amount of space and light

Just some of the equipment she uses...like looking into a apothecary (you know, a word that I have always had issues with saying aloud)

Also, gave me the chance to pick up a few pieces for the flat, which was fantastic. Can't wait to get these framed and up on the wall, they will be going pride of place in my bedroom...well once I've finished decorating it (so close).

I have to admit, I am not sure how I missed it, as I do have a tendency to get distracted, but I missed the fact she was in London and had been for sometime. So I have Instagram to thanks for helping me to see she had the open studio day! Gawd love social media.

It was a lovely opportunity and I'll certainly pop along to another one of her open days, and maybe I'll get the time to do one of her calligraphy classes, that would be amazing!

You can follow Joumana's work, and travels too (she does take some cracking photographs):

• Twitter - @joumajnouna
• Instagram - joumajnouna
• DeviantArt - majnouna
• Website - http://majnouna.com/

Wee Break

I thought I would post today, as I will probably have little time to post on Sunday. You see as I type this I am on the train heading up to Sheffield. I'm sitting in First Class....ha, only because the ticket was cheap. 

I haven't don't much in the way of making this week, aside from finishing off the sample piece for the pattern, which is now complete. I just need to do the actual pattern then it will be ready to rock and roll. By the looks of the comments on Flickr and Facebook the few small shots of it has gone down well. Hopefully by next weekend it will be up for sale.

What else has been happening? Well I am co-hosting/helping out with the official UK Handmade Deviant art group. I've been wanting to do something else whilst on line that helps folks, and I hope to make it a bit more active, with blog posts and scoping out more UK based peeps on DA. So if you are on there check out the page - http://ukhandmade.deviantart.com/

So see you over there. 

And that's about it! I am off to walk about the peak district, craft and stare at the Jessica Ennis gold post box!

Hello Sun and Old School

Cor blimey this weather has sure come out of no where, not that I am complaining (except when travelling to work, which involves trains with no air-con and the tube full of sticky people). Sun as ever always plays a wonder to inspiration, creativity and mood. And whilst I am somewhat shattered, getting over a long week at work, I can't help but think of things I can do, things to tweek...well right up until the point I slump over the keyboard.

I learnt this week, if your hamster starts yawning its time for bed.

One of the things I have been playing with this week is DeviantArt, some of you might have seen my page over there. I've had it for donkey's of years, well 8 years. Is that enough donkey's? Anyway, I suddenly felt the urge to go on there, on my search of all my accounts, to change the name. Well its a bit of a pain that you have to have a premium account to have the ability to change account name, but well it sort of reminded me I loved being on there, so I purchased an upgrade and have been slowly returning to it.

If you use DA, look around it then do swing by - http://masonbee.deviantart.com/

If your on there, drop me a comment, and I'll go and look at your account.