They've Landed !

As you may know from my previous posts the greatest thing that has ever happened to me, creatively, happened this year. My work is for sale in Liberty of London. If you read my blog you will know that my love of all things Liberty began at the age of 7.

Well at the end of last month I finally got to see them in the 'flesh' or should that be fabric, in their new home. Lovely friends beat me to it and sent me pictures of them, but nothing could compare to the feeling of seeing them myself.

It started with this sign, proclaiming the new Haberdashery, its wonderful to see a department like this developing. I remember seeing the outrage on social media when John Lewis threatened that their habby would be going.

I felt like a child creeping downstairs on Christmas morning to unwrap their presents, except in reverse as I ascended the amazing wooden staircase towards the third floor. My heart was beating so fast and the emotion rising as I got nearer.

I walked through the door and there they were, sitting against a pale grey wall. It was so difficult to take it all in.

Inevitably, I burst into tears and my lovely hubby took a picture !

The haberdashery is glorious, with wonderful vintage tables displaying beautiful notions and materials. There are also work tables, the walls are lined with inspirational mood boards too.

I would highly recommend a visit, there is so much to see and I bet you won't be able to leave empty handed.

Workshops 2017. Get crafty.

Hello everyone, I've been mapping out my new year and thought I'd let you know about the workshops I have planned for 2017.
I have some lovely new venues and a combination of hand and machine stitching.
Workshops are great fun and I am fortunate to have the opportunity to teach some fantastic talented students, who very often inspire me.
My first career was as a Primary school teacher so I love the process of presenting a group with the same project and seeing all the different ways it can be interpreted.

 

 My first workshop is on Saturday 25th March at The Magpies Nest, Bideford. This is hand stitching on silk applique creating this cute Blue Tit in a hoop. More details https://www.facebook.com/TheMagpiesNestBideford/?fref=ts

Next I'm back at the fantastic Make at Monteray. 25th April.
This is a machine applique and embroidery workshop, the idea being to learn new techniques and gain confidence with your machine. You will produce a lovely butterfly cushion in your choice of colours.
http://www.make-at-monteray.co.uk/events/craft-workshop/machine-applique-butterfly-cushion-with-heather-everitt.html

In May 20th,  I'm back with the members of Exeter's Embroiderer's Guild, this time with a landscape workshop. As an added bonus we will be joined by members of the Young Embroiderer's Guild, which will be great. https://exeterembroiderersguild.org/

Blue Tit Brooch

Poppy Brooch

 

In October 4th, I will be in Barnstaple, with the members of the West Country Embroiderers. This is a new workshop making a bird and a poppy brooch.  http://www.westcountryembroiderers.co.uk/

So if you interested please click on the links or contact me directly on mail@heatheremb.co.uk 
It would be lovely to see you.                   

 

Balancing The Books !

I’ve been putting off writing this for quite a while; I’ve tidied my sock drawer, alphabetised the cd collection and written my Christmas cards, okay the last one is untrue but it gives you an idea of how difficult this is to write.

I have recently taken a step back from stitching and taken a close look at my ‘business’. You see I even find it problematic to call it that, but with the help of the wonderful  Creative Business Network I felt it was time to investigate my earnings and try and separate my love of creating from the need to pay bills.

Embroidery is everything to me, the creative process feeds my soul and without it I feel unfulfilled. But there is something about this creativity lark that seems to make me want to apologise for trying to make a living and worse still undervalue what I do. Guiding me through the process of unpicking costings, Helen at The Creative Business Network was a fresh pair of eyes who ultimately helped me to work out my bottom line. I had a few shocks along the way, perhaps the greatest being that I was paying myself about £3 an hour for some of my pieces.

Why do we find it so difficult to ask for our worth? Why the lack of confidence in our work? I’m sure not everyone has this but I know a lot of my creative friends do. This idea that someone will accuse us of not being worth it, tap us on the shoulder and call us a fake? It’s even got a name ‘imposter syndrome’.  I’ve had a few incidents that have exposed this raw nerve; once at a craft event when an incredulous woman asked me three times how much something was and then brought her family and friends back to my pitch to once again express her astonishment at the ‘huge ‘price tag. It was a brooch for £20 that took me over 2 hours to make. I didn’t respond I just stood there and smiled.

 

 

It’s funny isn’t it that those events stay so vivid in the mind whereas all the lovely things that are said get filed away.

So what I am trying to say is I am going to adjust my prices not because I want that holiday in the Maldives or that 3^rd luxury yacht but because I’m worth it. I trained for 5 years at Art College and university, I have practised my art and my heart and soul goes into what I do. I am working on confidence and being able to say I’m proud of my work and I’m good at what I do.

I also have incredibly tidy drawers!

The price increase will come into effect on the 1^st September, but I will continue to make items to suit a range of pockets.

http://www.thecreativebusinessnetwork.com/

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