Monday Maker: Anna and her scribbles

Today is week two of Anna's maker blogs.  

Here is a little of where she starts and what inspires her.

What did you want to be as a child?

Goodness, I really can't remember!

An actress at one point, then I realised I was far too shy.

Something that involved creating something.

Where do you find creative inspiration?

I find inspiration  in everything. 

A books pages, The colours, the way something is printed, the placement or balance of a page.

I love the books Yves Riviere's has worked on.

A colour and crunch of a leaf

A napkin print or a pattern on a table cloth.

A colour and fragility of a Vintage Tea set.

A typeface on a letterhead, or a beautiful colour used in a child's scribble. 

My children most certainly give me inspiration- how they play, what they find interesting.  
Normally not what you would expect!

I love architecture and often love the feeling of a beautiful characterful building 
with plenty of love and history growing beneath the painted layers.

What makes you different, what inspires you to create unique pieces?

To be unique is to be different. To be inspired by all the different elements you see that touch you everyday in a unique way. To not be unique means you have copied or are unoriginal. To be inspired by something is a good thing.

by Anthony Fry

What blogs or magazines do you read regularly and would you count as an inspirational read?

I don't regularly read blogs or buy magazines. I tend to dip in and out. I love CRAFT making blogs although I have to admit I haven't actually made anything from them.

Magazines never interest me unless they I buy one for a particular article. I have precious saved copies of World of Interiors, issue August 2009 featuring David Earp of Shuktara and his home. 

I tend to be more inspired by a book, a typeface or a colour combination than a magazine.

For years I walked round with a sketch  I did of my Grandma's wallpaper because I loved the print. An inspirational ready- No i am more inspired by an inspirational weight or colour of paper.

Why are your pieces special?

I dont think my pieces appeal to all. But I do hope they find happy homes. I try and capture a moment, a fragment of time or a personality in my boxes. Making them special for a single person or family makes them a lovely thing to make.

Can you tell us about a gift that you will never forget?

Mr Phipps and his workshop

I am happy to say I have had many.

I received a hand beaten silver spoon when I left  my job to go on maternity leave made by a very special person who died a few years ago. He was a very special maker and was certainly as characterful as his spoons. He didn't actually give me the gift but the person who did knew how much I loved it and it was certainly received with many tears.

I received a beautiful blue Vintage tea set from my parents one year for Christmas after I spied it at a treasure shop one day while shopping with my sister. I have used it to drink tea from, champagne and absolutely adore it.

I was given a copy of my favourite photograph taken by  David Bailey, of Jean Shrimpton, from one of my sweet friends. I love it.

These are just a few, there are many.

What makes all gifts extra special to me are the element of surprise. I LOVE surprise gifts.

What have you got planned for the future?

To make more personal boxes for special people. 

I have another new product I hope to have finished by week four of my series of blogs. I hope to share it with you then.

Plus I want to make something in cloth. What I don't know yet. I am waiting for something to inspire me.

What are your three most important pieces of advice to any up and coming crafters/designers.

1. Play and have fun while you make, it shows in the finished product.

2. Be true to you, don't make for anyone else other than yourself. It will never be quite right if you do.

3. Make with love and care. It shows.

unikgifts