Lots of Goings on in Yorkshire.....

Things around Bridlington is changing and bicycles keep popping up around the town. We are very excited that as part of the Tour de Yorkshire, Bridlington is its starting point with the even more fantastic Bradley Wiggins cycling on our doorstep. It makes me feel very proud and excited to be from Yorkshire and Bridlington!

We are also excited to share with you The Victoria Mill's very own cycling club! They call themselves the Victoria Vikings. Obviously because they think they are Vikings :). The group has started to grow and meet regularly for rides along the Yorkshire coast and countryside.

Open for both male and female and abilities, the Victoria Vikings are hoping to grow. With what better way to start your Sunday with a cycle and a coffee from The Brew Mill. :)

Check out the Victoria Vikings Facebook Page: 

https://www.facebook.com/victoriavikingsbridlington

Find out more about the Tour de Yorkshire here:

http://letour.yorkshire.com

So that's what have to look forward in May, what about April! Another exciting event is taking place in The Victoria Mill in association with The Priory, The Little Organic Bakery and The Brew Mill present Professor Elemental's Tea Party Extravaganza! Bringing you something British and eccentric! I can't wait! Especially excited for the food yum!

The Victoria Mill hopes this is the start of many interesting events in the future. Feel very privileged to be involved. Click on the link to find out what we have been listening to in preparation for the Professors visit :) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iRTB-FTMdk

So what else have I been up to! I am eagerly waiting for it to get warmer so I can get outside in my studio! I have ventured out to produce a little personalised birdie cushion which is something I shall be advertising soon to do hopefully. It was certainly chilly outside washing my screens. Dylan didn't want to join me :)

Do you think they are a good idea? Going to have a little more practice with my screen with the letters on. 

With it soon to be April lets hope for some warmer weather, lots of drawing, printing and flowers blooming! 

Creative finds from Goa!

I could have bought so many bold bright and colourful items in Goa. Especially these beautiful fabrics which were only £1.50 a meter! I have no idea what I want to make with them yet. I did think a very bold patchwork quilt. They would make some lovely summer dresses or even brighten up a room as a cushion. 

This was one of my favourites. I love how it isn't always perfect and there are slight areas where the print has bled. I certainly can't wait to get designing again. I've never done a design with just motifs and paisley shapes but I would love to have a go. 

I also bought some heavy woven fabrics which unfortunately I do have a cheeky snap of. These were from what I called an Indian Liberty. It was full of amazing antiques, high quality fabrics, carpets and some very sparkly jewellery. 

I also took along with me a printed tote bag, I wanted to give it to someone I met on my journey. I met a lovely lady called Anita who travelled each day to work at a beach shack on the beach. She helped them out and when all the sun loungers was full, was able to start selling her own souvenirs or paint peoples nails. She left around 7 each day, travelled home and returned the next for 9am. She sometimes has to hide her items from the coast guards as they would confiscate them. I thought it would be a good bag for her to hide her belongings in. 

We also visited one of the busiest markets in Goa. It was also on for nearly the entire night! It was fantastic! Talk about late night shopping. Lots of different pieces of art and souvenirs. Leo really liked these carved masks. At first I found them extremely scary but then after time I really liked this white one of the elephant god. It seemed to have more detail than the rest and we chose to buy it. We also bought a couple of prints by two other modern artists. 

I loved this sign that I came across on one of the artists stalls. It is known in India to haggle a good price but I completely agree with this statement :)

Cannot believe its been a month ago now! I still love looking at the photo's! 

Back at CCAD!

I was delighted to be back at CCAD last week as the artist in residence! It just feels like home! I got straight stuck in and set up my work bay with lots of inspiration to kick start a new project! 

The time there seemed to go so quickly! It must of been all the fun I was having! Whist there I did a talk to each of the year groups of the textiles and surface design course. Discussing business and life after CCAD. I hope it was inspiring and made things not look as scary after Uni life. 

I also got the chance to make handmade paper. I haven't done this in years so it was great to recap on this. 

Here is what you do:

Using newsprint tare it up into tiny pieces. If you want a big piece of paper! You need a big pile!

Then, pop the paper in the blender add 300ml of water. Keep adding a little more if necessary. Blend and keep shaking the paper so the blade doesn't get stuck.

When it's like a pulp. Using the wired mesh place the pulp ontop and spread out. Using another piece of wire mesh apply pressure and place ontop.

Squeeze all the excess water out. Keep applying pressure. The squeeze again in between a backing cloth. Then leave to bake in the baking cabinate for two hours. Unfortunately I forgot to take a photo of the finished result! But it was very exciting!

My time went so fast at CCAD. I'm hoping to start a new project and hopefully be back soon at print club asap! 

Living North 2014!

November began and so did my fairs! They seemed to arrive and go as quickly as Christmas has. I also seem to have been neglecting my blog so I am trying to get a few posts in for you to read before the new year. :)

I loved the run up to my fairs. It was a little chilly in the studio but I was fine printing away with my heater and radio on full. Although with this sudden change I can barely step out side in the garden Bbbrrrrr. 

Incase you missed it at all. This was my stand. Slightly different from the year before but in the same location. For those of you who did pop by it was so nice to see some returning people. It was also lovely to catch up with stall holders from the previous years. 

I tried to print as many of your favourites as possible but I did find each day you seemed to have a different favourite design. I think mine has to be Dylan or Mr Duck. They both put a smile on my face each day. 

This year I had some new additions to the collection. I have produced some notebooks and also some hand drawn Christmas decorations. 

Here is a close up of my decorations. What do you think? 

The weekend was very busy. Again I loved every minute of the experience, I hope to be in the same place and spot next year. Fingers crossed :)

Dads Army Hits Bridlington!

Wow, I have had a busy month in November and December and just realised I have completely neglected my blog! Naughty me. So I am back and I have loads to blog about before the year is up. Firstly, it has been such a fantastic time in Bridlington for the community. It has been the home for a few weeks for the Dads Army crew for their new film to be released in 2016. I myself, was even lucky to have them film on the same street, five doors down. 

Their main filing took place on the Old Town High Street of Bridlington. The shops were painted and completely transformed into a Walmington-on-sea. Many people visited from across Yorkshire. It's a shame it wasn't summer, it was a little chilly stood watching :)

Here are some of the shops....

I popped down to the old town on a couple of occasions to have a go at star spotting. As a little girl I grew up watching Dads Army regularly with my grandad. I cannot wait to see the film. 

I was also lucky enough to get nearly face to face with Catherine Zeta Jones. She was absolutely beautiful. She arrived and left the set in a blacked out car but it was amazing to see her filming from a distance and then see her close up. The town was full of excitement. 

They filmed during the day and at night. Using a large light in the sky to create moonlight upon the high street. I was lucky enough to have them film outside my house using this. They turned all the standard street lights off and this was the only light.

The film isn't due out till apparently 2016. That seems like such a long time! I'm sure Bridlington will be counting down the days. 

Where you can find Lauren Cherice...

We are now entering the festive season with Halloween and Bonfire night behind us. I am very busy getting my products and designs ready for my Christmas Fairs running though-out November and part of December. So this is where you can find me. 

Starting of next weekend... We have the Living North Fair at York Racecourse! I am so excited this is my second year at the Event! This year I will have some new products and designs with me, along with some of your favourites. 

Next up is another event in York. This time in the city centre. York is such a lovely place to be at Christmas. The city is filled with many events for the festive season and the Home and Lifestyle Fair is certainly on for your Diaries. This is my first time at The Hospitium in York. So I am very excited! 

You can also find my work at The Dickensian Festival in Bridlington on the 23rd of Nobember at The Alex May Gallery on the Old Town Highstreet. 

The following weekend you can find me at two more events locally in Yorkshire...

29th November, Boynton Village Fair 1.30-3.30pm

30th November, Burton Constable Hall

Then my final event is bringing me back home to Bridlington Spa. This is a two day event at the beginning of December! 

I hope to see some of you there and is looking forward to meeting some new people! 

New drawings on the go!

I have been super busy over the last month or so drawing lots of new designs. I have now got quite a few of these onto a silk screen so I can next share with you how they will develop.

It does feel strange to stop the drawing stage as I still have the drawing bug but now its time to get messy and get printing!