There is always time to draw...

Sorry for my absence over the past year or so, I have been enjoying time with our gorgeous son who is now 9 months old. Where does the time go? We've nearly been in our home for 3 years and so much has changed in that time. 

It's fun being off on maternity leave (from the day job) and exciting to know that I won't be returning (handed my notice in last week! eek!). It's a new season for me as a mummy but also creatively, I've been more creative in the last few months than I have in ages. I had let the day to day routine of life stop me from enjoying that creative outlet and I had shelved my dreams. Now is the time, I've dusted off those dreams and I'm putting pen to paper as I try and create a way to enjoy being a mummy and also create beautiful designs and patterns that I can share with you. 

I'll try and keep you updated more often :) 

Here are a few things I've been drawing lately...

300 Followers!...

    I know it may only be a little milestone but we have reached over 300 followers on Twitter! Thank you to each and everyone of the 300 people who think we are worth following. It means a lot.

Thank you.

It's A New Season....

     I can't believe how fast time flies when you're busy and having fun! It's already February and the last few weeks since Christmas have been very productive.

I'm sad to announce that Charlotte Blake will no longer be providing the wedding stationery service which we have been over the past 3 years. It's been an honour to be a part of so many beautiful weddings and to have met lots of lovely couples. Thank you to those of you that made it possible to be nominated two years in a row for the Welsh National Wedding Awards and for encouraging me along the way!

Its a New Season! One that I am very excited about. For a long time this has been but a dream and even though it will still be small steps for a while, it's definitely the right time for this particular 'something new'.

Over the last few weeks, I have been reading up about running a successful business, working out our business promise to you our loyal customers, working on new designs (early stages but there are some yummy ones!), updating our website and lots of other bits and bobs and I wanted to share our progress with you.

Myself and the hubby bought our first home last August (whoop whoop!) and two weeks ago we finished the studio! Here's a little peek (along with some other pics):

 My very organised space (finally!)

I love the lighting, thank you Ikea! 

 A new design I've been working on...

and finally, there's nothing like a little bit of creative drawing...

2014 is definitely going to be full of change and growth for Charlotte Blake and I hope that you will join us in our journey and keep encouraging us like you do! :)

love Lottie x

Notecards In Spring...

It's been great to have some time in the studio to play around with ideas and to start putting together initial ideas for a new collection of notecards. Here is a sneak peek..

Creativity In The Studio....

It has been great to have some time to get back to basics creatively over the last month.

If you are creative you will know that when you have a period of time in which you stop using your skills or use them less often, you find yourself becoming a little unsettled and itching to get your hands on a piece of paper and a pen (or your medium of choice).

Then, when you do actively make time to be creative something wonderful happens. When you get away from the routine of life and back to the thing which you love doing, you realise that the creativity you've craved has formed part of your very soul and you aren't quite you without it. Which is why as a creative person it is SO important to make time to sit down each week to draw or sew or paint or just create.

Here is a little peak into my studio and the wonderful designs that I have been creating over the past month....

A Little Damask Design....

It has been a busy month and I still can't get over how fast 2013 is going. In the last month I have been working on wedding stationery orders which are always creatively satisfying but I have also been making time to draw, be inspired and to see what I can create for fun.

Below is a little taster of the designs I have been working on. So have a look and let me know what you think as I want everything I create to be something which is eye catching and to be something which someone else would want in their home.

Spring is in the air.....

Tomorrow it will be the 1st February 2013. A new day, a new adventure and a step closer to spring. I can tell it is on its way because the fresh green stems of my tulips have emerged from the soil and spring means wedding season!

I was very excited this week to deliver some finished invitations to a lovely couple, Kelly & James. They are getting married in April this year and it all became real for them when they opened that box of invitations. It gave me great pleasure to present the invitations to them and filled me with joy seeing how excited and happy they were with them. So, because of that I wanted to share the design with you,  may I present Kelly & James April 2013.....

All designs are copyright of Charlotte Blake 2013 www.charlotteblake.co.uk and permission must be given for use of these images.