1st November 2009

I am proud to introduce my daughter Alaida to you all. She arrived two and a half weeks early on 12th October and is a really happy and healthy little girl.

She is keeping me and her Dad very busy just now so I’m taking a little time out from work. There are a few projects that I’ve worked on over the last few months that I will keep you up to date on with a few blog posts here and there.

For now I’ll leave you with this picture of Alaida on her first day at home. Happy days!

1st October 2009

All the major elements of the first of a series of illustrations I have done for The Queen’s Hall are out now! This includes the fabulous large scale banners at the front of the venue, see piccies here, virtual wallpaper and logos on The Queen’s Hall website, Twitter, and Flickr accounts and now these gorgeous brochures.

Andy Catlin, Marketing Manager at The Queen’s Hall, approached me a couple of months ago to ask me to design four illustrations around the theme of musical instruments for The Queen’s Hall to use in their promotional material and online. You can catch up on the back story and how this fiddles design developed here and here.

Of course this design is only the first of the four illustrations which will be used throughout the following year, culminating with the final design for the Festival 2010 edition of the brochure out next August.

A personal note

You might notice my blogs become a little more irregular over the next few months as I have now officially started maternity leave and my mind and time will be focused on preparing and getting used to life as a new mum. I’ll definitely keep you posted as the projects and collaborations that I have been working on up till now make the jump into the real world with a few blogs here and there. I might even put up some piccies of the creative bits and pieces I plan to make for the baby. For now, I’m off to put my feet up and think about making curtains decorated with little white fluffy sheep…

23rd September 2009

The Earphones design that I did for streetwear label SP:UK a few years back has been one of their best sellers at festivals, online and in shops around the UK.

Now, after several reprints and new colourways (I’m loving the new baby blue on chocolate men’s tee below) stocks are running out fast!

Get your original Carlene Edwards Earphones tee here before its too late! You could be extra organised and get a few in for Christmas prezzies! There are even some good bargains to be had in the Fluro Yellow, Peacock Blue and Choc-Grey colours.

And if you like this then you can get more original Carlene Edwards tees and goodies here.

Happy shopping!

16th September 2009

The first installment of my illustration commission for The Queen’s Hall is out there on public display! Last week large banners featuring the first of my four illustrations for The Queen’s Hall were put on display outside the venue. I went down to see my work in the flesh and take a few snaps for my blog…

The design started with a trip to  Reid Concert Hall Museum of Instruments for an afternoon drawing the beautiful antique violins that are stored at the museum. After some designing and development work back at my desk the design began to take shape. A little extra colour work on Photoshop, and the design (in a variety of colourways) was ready for approval. Happily, Andy and his boss were really pleased with my offerings and here is the final design…

The illustration is being used throughout The Queen’s Hall materials from banners and brochure of events to their website and recruitment material.

Keep your eye out for the new look brochure with listings of Autumn’s events at The Queen’s Hall, I’m particularly excited about Gomez! For other exciting gigs and the latest news from the venue be sure to check out The Queen’s Hall website and Twitter page which have both also had Carlene Edwards inspired face lifts!

I’ll get some photos up of the brochure here soon…

7th September 2009

In a couple of weeks my latest collection will by flying over to Paris to be exhibited in the Indigo section the worlds biggest textiles trade fair, Premiere Vision!

This is the forth time my collections have exhibited at Premiere Vision and this time my work will be available for buyers to see at the stand of Allan Thomas (stand 5V20) in Indigo.

I have just uploaded some preview images in the designs page of this website so if you can’t make it to Premiere Vision you can take a look here.

I’d love to hear your feed back on my designs and if you’re interested in purchasing just get in touch here. Enjoy!

2nd September 2009

I’m just back from a lovely trip home to Hackney to visit friends and family and to help my wonderful grandparents celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary! It was a great party with all the family together and Salt Beef and Latkas all round! Perfect!

It also meant I got to see my freshly tattooed cousin Beverley, who has been recently decorated with some unique little snowflakes which I designed for her! See the original designs here.

Sean at Steel Beauty has done a brilliant job! Here are some before and after photos…

If anyone else would like a bespoke tattoo then drop me a line, I’m always happy to get doodling on a theme of your choice!

19th August 2009

I am really excited to tell you all about a great new commission that I’m working on just now!

I have been asked by the wonderful Edinburgh music venue, The Queen’s Hall, to create four original illustrations for their events brochures for the forthcoming year.

The theme I have been asked to design around is musical instruments and each brochure will feature a design created from my own drawings and sketches of a different instrument. The designs will be used as a wrap around print for the front cover of each of the four brochures, starting with the Autumn 2009 brochure which will be out this September.

To get started I went along to the Reid Concert Hall Museum of Instruments which houses an amazing collection of antique fiddles, violins and brass instruments. I sat and sketched to the sounds of a musical show in the background, part of the Edinburgh Festival which is in full swing up here now. I felt like I was sneaking a freebie while I was working! I’ll definitley be going back to do some more drawings for the next three programmes.

The illustrations are well into development now and I will post some of the contenders for the first issue soon.

Meanwhile here are some sketches that have inspired the first designs.

17th August 2009

I just received this photo of Ciaran Griffiths, better known to most of us as Mickey Maguire, from Shameless wearing my Flock of Dancers T-shirt!

The Maguire brothers have worn three of my You On Earth tees on the show over the last couple of series. It’s great to see my designs on TV!

P.s. If anyone knows how to save stills from a DVD please help me, I’d love to get some action shots from the show up on here! Thanks!

11th August 2009

A few weeks ago I had a request from my lovely cousin Beverley for some ideas for a snowflake tattoo. It felt a bit wierd drawing snowflakes in the middle of summer but the occasional icy wind of the Edinburgh summer made it a little easier!

I started sketching some ideas and wanted to offer something a little different to your standard snowflakes so played around with some arrows to take it in a fresh direction.

Above you can see the final snowflakes and here are some of the preliminary sketches too.

Check back for an update and piccies of the tatto.

6th August 2009

Anne Bonnar, trustee of the National Galleries of Scotland and founding director of the National Theatre of Scotland, first contacted me about a month ago when I joined a great social networking site for designers in Scotland called 38 minutes.

Anne sent me a lovely message saying how much she liked my designs and that she would love to have a dress made from some of my fabric. We arranged to meet up at the next Edinburgh Coffee Morning, where a mix of arty peeps and techo wizzes meet up to swap ideas (and show off their new toys!), so that Anne could see the designs up close and choose one for a bespoke dress. Here are the results!

Anne has already worn the dress to the Dublin Theatre Festival and is planning to wear it again tonight when she attends the openning of the Edinburgh Art Festival! So far Anne’s being getting lots of positive comments and even a few requests to buy the dress!

Watch this space for news about more limited addition and bespoke dresses!