Wipe away the dust...

It's taken far too long but I have FINALLY joined the 21st century and invested in an iPhone. I'm not normally one for sheepish actions but I don't regret joining the iPhone wagon in the slightest! For one I can blog more often instead of waiting for a wifi opportunity. So here is the start of a roller coaster of updates, following the creative activities of Holly Bower Makes..... 

Sunshine is good for the soul (as long as you're wearing suncream)

Yesterday was surely this years hottest day so far, so wisely I overdosed on vitamin D.  With my body rich in this sunshine drug, I've had surplus amounts of energy to spend on being creative. My hunt for a beautiful rug, fit for my living room became a failed mission after exhausting every possible means, I have since decided to create my own. I now own a natural flat woven rug courtesy of Ikea, red paint and a roller. *watch this space. Unfortunately too many of us do not realise the capabilities of our own two hands; (with the exception of engineering) I am constantly questioning how products are designed/created/played. Admittedly some of these queries are money saving based but I take great satisfaction in self taught skills.  Here are a few rug design ideas... more to come soon, that and possibly a lamp shade design. Must go and retrieve some more vitamin D.

Does a passion for craft entrap me in the 19th Century?

Art may be defined as "the expression by man of his pleasure in labour" [Pevsner] but does my love for handicrafts also entrap me in the 19th century like William Morris. Morris tried to rebel against mass production of cheap, poor quality items; which yes, in an ideal world would be replaced by individual unique pieces but who doesn't like walking around the boldly coloured circuit of an Ikea shop? 

I love making, from knitwear to screen printing and origami to baking. It gives me a sense of achievement, to take something from it's raw state and see it through a process into a polished, final object, especially when it's an object another human being would happily hand money over, for it's ownership. The catch 22 arises when you try to sell, how do you put a price on something you've put your heart and soul into? On one hand you want everyone to be able to own your unique handmade pieces but on the other, you want to break even with costs and time. After fighting a hard battle with my conscience I decided on ignoring the latter; surprisingly I've since opened up an Etsy shop. 

With regards to the choices between right and wrong, handmade and mass produced, there is in fact no black and white answer. Without mass production how could you appreciate the handmade? The truth is, you wouldn't.