Thursday 5 January 2012

Happy New Year!

Firstly, i would like to wish you all a very happy New Year! lets hope 2012 brings you all lots of happiness, creativeness and good health : ) At the moment, I'm waiting patiently for a new delivery of lino....(well OK, not that patiently!) for some new printing projects, but the break over Christmas has at least given me a little time to get jobs finished at home.

For over a year we have been living with a gaping hole in our living room, while we installed a wood burner. Whilst we installed the stove in the autumn, everything else had been put on hold, as work commitments and family life became ever more chaotic and we became blind to the falling plaster and grubby paintwork. With a very limited budget (i must be the only woman i know, who asked for a stove chimney for her birthday!), a little bit of determination and lots of help by family, we've finally finished the room.


Old Fortnum and Mason hamper basket from Reloved Furniture, King's Lynn.

Many thanks to my long suffering father-in-law, Ian, who despite being on night shifts, came in during the day to help paint, plaster, scrape the floor boards and generally give me the help needed to get the job done before Christmas.

It's now a perfect setting for all little gifts and objects I've received and collected over the last couple of months, many from local artists, friends and businesses, and those precious items collected from the beach too.

So while i wait for new materials to get started on my own work in the new year, it's been wonderful to have the time to appreciate the work of others.



Wagtail by Tony Bellars

 Norfolk artist Tony Bellars, creates charming pieces of artwork from salvaged and re-claimed materials and recently exhibited at the Bazaar Bazaar Show at Greyfriars Art Space in King's Lynn.  I couldn't resist this little wagtail, which now sits perfectly with this painting by Norwegian artist Line-Katrin Moe.
Bird painting by Line-Katrin Moe
Cushion by Victoria Evans and the Victoria Works Union

I was thrilled to be given this wonderful cushion from artist and sculptor, Victoria Evans as a Christmas present this year. Vicky usually works in bronze, creating beautiful contemporary sculpture but recently started to produce these fantastic cushions, using local, vintage imagery as an inspiration. Anybody that knows King's Lynn, will recognise the iconic Campbell's factory tower, which is now in the process of being destroyed. A little bit of history on a cushion!


Mind blowing origami by Vicky's brother Luke.

Driftwood collected from Brancaster Beach











17 comments:

hannah madden printmaker said...

happy new year to you amanda! here's to a printastic 2012 x your new stove looks fab, nothing quite like a roaring fire is there ;)) gorgeous finds too ! han x

Mangle Prints said...

ahh thanks Hannah! Hope you have a fab New year too xx

Kate said...

Looks lovely. Love all the little pieces you've got too.

Happy New Year to you all xx

textile artist said...

Happy 2012!!!
Love the stove so muich may finally accept that my sons advice and have one put in one day when I can afford it!!! Apparently they are much more efficient at giving out heat than an open fire???! comments please to help decision!!! Thankyou!!
Also, where do you get your lino supplies from and are they expensive? I enjoyed my Bowes Museum workshop (see my blog)with french artist Pascale Hemery so much I would like to try simplifying some of my degree designs and trying them in this new (for me) medium!!!

Wishing you and your beautiful work even more success this year! PS I recommended your blog to Padcale! :-)

Aileen Clarke Crafts said...

Congratulations on your cosy and beautiful fire place! I LOVE our wood burner and actually find winter pleasurable because of it : ) We don't have a mantle piece though. I do miss that special place for special things : )

Shane Patrick said...

it's all done! Congratulations Amanda! It all looks so lovely xxx

Lizzie said...

Aw... I have stove envy.. We wanted to install a multi-fuel stove in our sitting room, when the old back boiler/gas fire was removed. However, it would have cost over £1k to take out the flue liner for the gas boiler and replace it with a new one for a solid fuel stove... Then the cost of the stove itself, installation etc... So, we spent a couple of hundred on an electric "pretend stove" instead. It's pretty and stuff, but one day....

You and your family have certainly done a grand job with that stove and the surround/mantel etc. I love how the stove is rounded and a bit like a pot-bellied stove. It's cool. The mantel-piece is absolutely right for displaying lovely bits and pieces. It all looks very gorgeous and homely.
Happy New Year!

Unknown said...

What a perfectly framed focal point you have created and a very Happy Bew Tear to you.

Mangle Prints said...

Thank you, it's been great to get at least one room finished- now to tackle the rest of the house!!
Lizzie, i'm sure your fireplace looks fab- we were just lucky that we managed to pick up the stove so cheaply(£30) and had lots of help doing the rest.

Shane-It was the visit to your house before Christmas, that really inspired me to get the job finished. Thank you xx

Chris- if it's ok, i can e-mail you some links to some on-line suppliers if you like? and thank you for recomending me to Pascale, i'm very honered. : )
Amanda x

textile artist said...

That would be great! Thank you for your lovely comment on my blog -very much appreciated especially coming from someone who is so experienced and whose work I love!!!:-)

Mangle Prints said...

Hi Chris, you're welcome. I can't seem to find your e-mail to send the info to though. I you would like to e-mail me and i can send you the links.
amandaacolville@aol.com
Amanda : )

Anonymous said...

Love the little wagtail!

Line Katrin Moe said...

I want to sit in front of the wood burner and read a book. Such a sweet place you have made! And I can see that the bird has come to such a good home and that he enjoy his place over the wood burner. Makes my heart smile:) Wish you a creative and happy new year!

Anna said...

Happy new year Amanda, your fireplace looks great. Saw your lovely work at the Church Street Gallery recently, I have work there as well and a blog Inky Fingers, must write my 1st post this year.

erasercarver said...

Happy New Year, Amanda! Your new stove looks absolutely gorgeous, and the beautiful pieces that decorate it set it off perfectly. Here's to a great year ahead :)

Mangle Prints said...

Thank you Carey, hope 2012 brings you lots of happiness toox

Suze said...

Your stove looks very at home surrounded by your beautiful gifts and pickings...and makes for a very cosy centre to your home. I love your little wagtail...reminds me of those I see darting around Lynn...

xx