beetroot press - handmade

Hello there,  I can't believe it has been 2 weeks, more or less, since my last post.  Time has flown!  My e-mail account has been hacked into, which I don't think I'll be getting back, so that's been very frustrating and time consuming.  I've been busy making again too and just booked to be at a Craft and Gift fair in Cheltenham on the 24th November, in the Town hall to sell my wonderful wares, so I think most weekends will be spent making from now until then.

Here are some photos of the little purses I have been making.  They are all made with recycled fabrics, I love the denim mixed with the ditsy florals, so are all eco friendly!  One is a Pocket purse, and the other a little envelope.  The Pocket uses vintage floral fabric and has a little ribbon loop to hang it up if you like.  And then to be more festive, there are some robins at the bottom filled with Organic lavender which smell sooo good!

I've ordered some recycled card blanks to make some Christmas cards so I'm looking forward to that this weekend.  I also added a pic of the wrap I'm sending the products wrapped in.  It's basically recycled wrapping paper, so it will differ when one runs out.  I am awaiting some red gingham tissue-paper to arrive in the post to give orders a more homely Christmassy feel.  All very exciting.

Lil' envelope

Denim pocket purse

Envelope purse

Hang it up!

Robin lavender bag

Robin's reverse side

All wrapped up!

Beetroot Press - Introduction

Hi everyone, What miserable weather we've been having here in the UK!  I've just finished re-potting some seedlings in the sunshine and it decided to tip it down so I baked some fairy cakes instead.  So I'm writing this while I'm waiting for them to come out the oven, yum!

I promised to give you a proper introduction to my business which is called Beetroot Press.  Through Beetroot Press I sell joyful homeware products for children and adults which I design and make myself.  It started from a desire to make my hobby into a business and to create gorgeous, designed pieces for homes that love a splash of colour and fun.  All of the textile products are eco-friendly in one way or another, the inks are water based and the fabrics are either organic or made from sustainable material like hemp or flax.  I would like the cards to be printed on re-cycled card, I am still looking for a printer in the UK that does this so let me know if you know anyone!  

I screen print my designs onto fabric and then sew them into tea towels, cushions, lavender bags or they become canvas wall art.  I hope to buy a paper printer so I can print pictures to hang on the wall and make greeting cards myself.

I originally was going to call the business BlanketStitch...(hence the blog name)!  Someone else registered the name before me, so I went back to the drawing board.  I love the new name because it's fun, beetroot dye can be used to print with, and is organic so I feel it gives the right feel to my products...and I love beetroots!

Here are a few pictures below of products I haven't shown yet....

Garden Birds tea-towel.  You and your little one can learn which birds are visiting your garden by having this hung in your kitchen!  The Garden birds idea came to me when I was in the garden and wasn't quite sure if there were chaffinches or sparrows in our hedge chattering away, that along with influences from old-fashioned style tea towels showing different species of plants or animals.  They are all British birds you could find in your garden.

Apple for the Teacher tea towel.

Happy Birthday and Thank You Market flower cards.  These were taken from the Market flower cushion and wall art print.  I love that they are cheerful and bright.

Some photos below of where I work drawing and painting.  It's actually on my landing, but it's quite a big space and has a good stream of daylight through the skylight.  I do most of my work by hand and then scan it into the mac to piece it together into a design.  

Me at my desk painting

Fine line drawing for the Beetroot Press 'Garden Birds' tea-towel print.

 Biro drawings for the printed linen lavender bags.

My collection of recycled and vintage fabrics that I make from.

I sell these products on Etsy and Folksy and have a facebook page for Beetroot Press.  And if you would like to know what I tweet occasionally, see my Beetroot Press twitter account here.  I hope you enjoy having a peek.