Sunday 8 July 2012

Country Life Mug For Handmade Monday

Woo hoo! The Sun has been shining in Wiltshire today after a week of rain rain rain. I had the most glorious walk through the fields this afternoon (accompanied by very happy dogs!) and there is no place i'd rather have been. 



Its funny how easy it is to forgive and forget all the endlessly grey days when the British Summer finally comes up trumps!

Inspiration Collage

The countryside has been much on my mind this week. I have been working again on my new website design (an ongoing project!) and decided to put together a collection of images to show some of the inspiration behind my designs.


It was an interesting exercise because it really brought home to me how much the colours, shapes, textures and smells of my surroundings influence my creativity. I find the rural life nourishing on many levels, but now i'm beginning to appreciate how much it inspires my inner artist :) (I'd be very interested to hear about what inspires you to create if you'd care to share in the comments!)

Country Life Mug

With all this in mind i'm sure it won't be hard for you to spot the inspiration behind my latest mug design...



I may have gone a little crazy with the detailing... believe it or not i had to stop myself adding more! My mugs of this size are normally priced at £12, although i think i'll have to charge a little more for this one as i have put so much time into it. Here is the reverse side...


I'm occurred to me that this might also work as a stand alone design... what do you think?

Thank you in advance for sharing your thoughts on this week's creations, i really value the comments left on my posts, they are always so kind and also extremely helpful!

What kind of week have you had fellow crafters...? I'm off to Wendy's fabulous Handmade Harbour blog to link up to Handmade Monday and find out! :)

25 comments:

  1. Love the new mug, and love the sentiment too!
    The great outdoors is one of my main inspirations too, our favourite haunts of RHS Harlow Carr and Bolton Abbey (along with the Ilkley Moor that I live on the edge of) never fail to inspire - all the wonderful shapes and forms of nature as well as the fantastic colour combinations
    Catherine x

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  2. I really like the back of your mug... and deffo think it would work as a stand-alone design. Can just see it going down a bundle with Country Living :)

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  3. The Country Life mug is really great. You are right, there is so much inspiration outdoors for all of us crafters - even when it is pouring with rain! Hope you have a good week.

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  4. I agree with the above comments - the mug design is great and the back would stand alone. I love your inspiration photos - who could fail to be inspired by these images? They are so colourful and peaceful. You have me thinking about what inspires me and I am really not sure. If I think of something will get back to you. Thanks for the question.

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  5. Your mug is lovely!! I love the minute detail which adds to the special-ness of the mug! I have been watching the tour de france and the gorgeous scenary is really inspiring me (and making me want to move to the french/swiss alps!!) X

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  6. I'm inspired by exactly the same - the countryside and its peace and beauty. Now we live in the middle of nowhere I find I'm much more creative than I was even when we lived in the middle of a country village! Your mug is fabulous, and I reckon that I'd buy one! It works as a whole or two seperate designs.
    Have a lovley week.
    xxx

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  7. I love the tiny fork detail- so cute.
    I wish I could be inspired by country living, I do love nature, but living in a very grim, very urban city there is little chance of that- though I did get a bit of a shock this week when I was surprised by a heron flying past my kitchen window, struggling a little in the wind! And a couple of months ago a sparrowhawk appeared on our garden fence. Oh- and at work this week I had to remove a baby rat from the foyer....maybe it's a bit more wild in the city than I give it credit for!

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  8. beautiful mug, fab painting, very neat and stylish
    love the details, esp the plant climbing up the house wall.
    well done x

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  9. thank you for your lovely comments everyone!

    i am enjoying finding out about your recent crafting on your HM blog posts :) x

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  10. What beautiful pictures and love the mug, the country cottage is perfect.
    Have you tried the 'O' Dream board you can then have boards on your computer.

    Thank you for tour lovely comments on my blog this week

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  11. Love the mug, and I know the feeling of having to stop yourself adding more! Inspiration seems to come from everywhere - nature is a big source - but I think the more you work on something creative, the more the ideas flow.

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  12. love your photo montage - the colours are fab, real English summer stuff! And yes, I think you could have that as a stand alone for the mug xx

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  13. Great writing on the back of the mug. I often write/embroider like that it looks so nice with the little trowel as well. I also think it would look good by itself. Wouldn't mind living in that little house!

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  14. Lucky you getting to see the sun. Really liked seeing the picture collage, lovely colours and the mug is gorgeous. The detail is great, especially the flowers beside the door. Ali x

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  16. Sorry about deleting the previous comment, bad grammar, worse spelling!!

    It's a great mug, it's so easy to get carried away with detail but that's part of the fun of crafting.
    I'm also inspired by nature, but I also get inspiration and ideas from crowds and city life. I love your photo's.
    Thanks for popping over to see me and leaving your lovely comment.

    Jan x

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  17. Lovely mug...I love country life too!

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  18. I love the photo collage-I can see why you find it so inspiring.Great mug-and the design's fabulous!

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  19. If there is one place that is guaranteed to provide inspiration, it's the countryside.

    I think all the detail on the mug shows that it is something that's been created with a great deal of care and attention.

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  20. Another lovely mug and whilst I love the country theme the best bit of all for me is the tiny fork design on the reverse :) Thanks for your comment on my blog. The hat is to be done in a chunky yarn so completely the opposite to the gloves. Have a good week :)

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  21. Love your collage of photos. Very tranquil and can understand how they inspire you. Another lovely mug, you are clever x

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  22. Great source of inspiration.
    Thanks,

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  23. Gorgeous Natalie - so summery! But I think you'd have to do a range... you know, "I love ocean life", "I love city life", "I love river life" ... the list may be too long ;-)

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    1. thanks Ailsa :)

      i've been thinking along those lines too... great minds think alike! x

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  24. Detailing on your mug is supberb. Love the tiny tiny bird on the fence. Hugs Mrs A.

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Your lovely comments are much appreciated x