Springtime has almost sprung! Hooray!

Daffodils and snowdrops are popping up all over the place and I am super happy to see them. I love spring. This is fairly obvious by the work I tend to produce at this time of year. I am a rather seasonal maker. :)

A fistful of mini bouquets from yesterday in the studio. I have purchased some vintage mini milk bottles to put them in. I've also been making roses- the first in my single stem actual-proper-flowers collection. Soon there will be some iris, daffodils, lilies, orchids and arums decorating my studio too.

I have changed my windows display for Mothers Day, with lots of baby owlets and their mammas:

It's a rather cheery place at Manchester Craft and Design Centre at the moment. Although a visitor to my studio did liken her experience to Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds this week! Oops! I've never considered my friendly little fellas to be intimidating before :D My apologies, lady.

My neighbour Ella, of THIS IS PEWTER fame, has a lovely springtime window in her studio, which she shares with Helen Tiffany Glass.

I love the handmade mini bunting! It's so precious.

Ella is running a series of workshops throughout Spring. She runs them from Space2 at Manchester Craft and Design Centre. I like working in my studio when she's running a workshop, because participants always pop in during their dinner break with lovely things to say about Ella and her teaching skills. They are always so delighted with their makings.

One of Ella's cuttlefish casting photos.

I've been making new Kiwi birds for a commission for a customer. He and his twin sister were turning 50 and she lives in New Zealand while he lives in England. He ordered two pairs of birds to represent each of them; a Kiwi for her and a Robin for him! It is such an honour making personalized gifts. The Kiwis:

Kiwis are such odd little things! They're furry more than feathery and they have no tails to speak of. Whilst making them it gave me a few ideas about how to design hedgehogs and porcupines.

I have also designed some new butterflies. Meet Ron, the Purple Emperor:

These are for a little lady who turns 5 next week. :)

My studio buddy Suzanne of Devines Design is having a small sale in our studio. Her display is so happy and colourful.

I keep eyeing them up for my mum for Mothers Day, although she has quite a collection of Sue's bags already! I don't use leather myself, otherwise the black and grey clutch at the bottom would be mine already. It's lovely isn't it?

It is almost time for Future Makers at MCDC. It is an exhibition we put on every year to compliment the MMU Graduate Award exhibition in the main exhibition space. Resident makers select a new graduate they think has some mad skills; a Future Maker.

Mine is Lydia Cotterell, who makes printed fabrics and illustrations.

A sneak peak of some pieces which will be on display on The Wire, in the main hall of MCDC:

I am very excited to see it displayed!

Lastly, I treated myself to a lovely slice of cake from Oak Street Cafe yesterday. Usually I'm mighty fond of their mixed salad plates, since Liz the chef is capable of tricking me into thinking even my least favourite vegetables can be delicious. (I would NEVER have believed sweet chili broccoli would be one of my favourite things. I've never liked broccoli before, even though it looks like happy little trees on your plate.) However yesterday their cake options were just too tempting. Delicious vegan, wheat free cake can be hard to come by, after all! Well done Karen, you culinary wizard.

Rasberry and Almond. Mmm.