Halloween

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Hi everyone,

It’s Halloween and what could be better than decorating your house for the festivities?

As you can see I have been busy with spooky creations and made some great stuff to welcome this year’s Trick or Treaters. I hope you like it too!

Enjoy the evening.

Jo x

Paper Happy Birthday Bunting and an unexpected commission

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BRIAR PATCH GOES GLOBAL! (Well, France anyway)

One of the reasons I like undertaking commissions rather than making stock items is that I never know what I’ll be asked to do next. So, when a friend asked me to make some Birthday bunting for an outdoors party in France, how could I refuse? As I hope you can see from the pictures each letter was individually put together with background images featuring the birthday girl’s favourite stuff. Because I didn’t know how much space there would be to hang the finished article, I packed the letters up (after very carefully checking the spelling) with little pegs so they could be arranged to fit on site. By all accounts the party went off well and I’m now waiting for a flood of commissions from France – optimism is my middle name!

IS THERE NO END TO MY TALENTS?

Living on the Isle of Man means you either ride or race bikes, or know someone who does. By contrast, crafters are thinner on the ground, which meant I had a hurried commission recently to replicate a very specific style of racing number, needed to complete a replica of a famous racing bike. The owner of the bike may have been a dab hand with spanners but not quite so skilled in drawing/ painting the number “8”. Briar Patch to the rescue! A solid 15 minutes’ work with my trusty Silhouette and some black vinyl saw the job done. And, as a bonus, Channel 4 (a UK TV station) did a report on the racing and there was the finished article lurking in the background during the introduction.

Joann x

Craft Fair in Port Erin, Isle of Man

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Well it’s been a mixed week at Briar Patch with not too much crafting going on as life has a habit of getting in the way of the fun things we all want to do.

Only had time to make a couple of small items this week: note books and a Love Potion (or should that be Luurve Potion?) bottle for Halloween, which I really like. Halloween is my second favourite holiday, the first being Christmas.  Unfortunately I won’t be having a Halloween stall this year but I will be hopefully creating some fun stuff which I will start next week. So, don’t forget to check it out and, of course, there is still time for any commissions before the end of October.

I had a stall at a craft fair on Saturday in Port Erin, there were a reasonable number of people passing through but I think most were looking for ideas for Christmas (in September?). Still, some interesting folks to chat to and I can think of worse ways to spend a Saturday (housework for example!).

Joann x

It's all in the start

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This is the blog of Briar Patch Designs, if you’re interested in paper crafting, and crafting in general, hopefully you’ll find something on these pages to enjoy, or even buy or commission!

ABOUT ME

I’m Joann O’Brien. Born in Australia and now living on the Isle of Man (a story in itself), I have always been a paper addict. I just love the feel and smell of paper and, as my crafting skills have developed, I’ve been endlessly intrigued by what it can be bent and shaped into.

For me, paper is an amazingly versatile material, it can be made into so many things from the simple to the very complicated and there is no “right” or “wrong” to restrict my imagination.

THE BLOG

While I do get out and about to craft shows on the Isle of Man (these are listed under the “Where am I?” heading), the blog is going to be a place for me to share new and revisited ideas, my personal twist on patterns and forms, and just good old-fashioned playing about with paper.

I will also be happy to take orders for the things I make and, even better, talk to you about things you would like me to make for you just contact me via my email.

THERE’S MORE

My problem with most blogs is that they are just one person’s view on the world. By contrast, I want to hear from other paper enthusiasts (I was going to say paper fans but that sounded ridiculous), I’d love to know what you’re making, what you’re using, what you like and don’t like: in fact, anything that stops me having to actually write the blog myself! (Email and snail mail address are under the “Contact me” heading).