The Muse

So often we hear about designers, directors, artists having a muse - sometimes a model or an actress.
I would like to introduce my very own personal muse.
He lives with me, used to have a career in the racing industry but luckily no longer has to do this, he now spends a lot of his time lying on his back with his legs in the air (quite zen like, he can lie like this for hours without moving).
Please meet Casey.....




His unique greyhound profile is currently gracing some of my latest creations





He has taken to the life of a muse with ease, as long as there is a regular supply of treats and walks through the woods, not to mention the odd belly rub.
I'm sure other muses must demand similar.

Buttons and Hounds

I love buttons.
This is a fact.
I have boxes of buttons, bags of buttons, some new, some old, some faded, some gifted, some treasured.
So while thinking of a new picture for daughter's bedroom, it wasn't long before the buttons came to mind, and a joint project began.
One box of buttons, one tube of glue, one ikea white picture frame and the finished result -



Both myself and daughter have sorted buttons together for a few years now, and making this picture together, and hanging it in her newly decorated room, felt good. It now takes pride of place, hanging above the little black fireplace (and the restoration of that is another story...)



Making a picture for a child's room also led me to think about other ways to create wall decor that steps away from the twee and the predictable, and maybe how my hounds (or at least their images!) can find their way into bedrooms in a soothing sleep encouraging way. Over the past week I have been working on my latest wall art, the Greyhound at Night, now added to my etsy shop.



Which I think would be perfect for any age bedroom, surely the comfort of a hound guarding over you at night would help send you into happy dreamland. Made from a wonderful starry fabric, with the instructions to "shh..." embroidered next to a sleeping moon.