I'm late, I'm late, I'm LATE! Just like Alice's white rabbit I should have posted this blog article days ago but lately Baby Bling has been the boss of me and time is just disappearing like never before.
So I have been tagged in the 'Round the World' blog hop by the wonderfully talented Bute artist Ruth Slater! I first met Ruth through the IBAC group on the island where she was been undertaking the none too easy job of helping the small organisation coordinate itself and it's great Open Studios event each year. We both have a love of nature and our surroundings yet create very different finished works from our common source of inspiration which is really interesting and exciting! 
See what I mean? :D 

So what is this Round the World Blog Hop all about?

Artists from around the world are posting content every week in answer to 4 questions about their creative process.  They are ‘tagged’ by an artist and then post their answers to the same four questions who in turn will tag another artist to do likewise and so the circle goes. By reading backwards from previous posts and forward to subsequent postings you’ll get a chance to read and experience artists from all over the globe and see what kind of creativity is happening in their lives from places you might not have had the opportunity to visit.

 

What am I working on?
Spring/Summer Bling! I've been researching lots of florals to get ready for production. There is such a wealth of flora and fauna in Scotland that I am hoping to incorporate some of it into my newest pieces. I will also be adding more lovely animals to my Bonnie Beastie range with 'Nessie' joining the ranks very shortly and many more local creatures to follow.
How does my work differ from other in my genre?
My work has a real Scottish twist. I have a pretty cheeky sense of humour and I think that comes across in my designs. I love to create pics that people will find personal to them, the Scot's Slang words were the beginning of it all but since then I have developed lots of new work drawing on various aspects of Scottish identity and history.
Why do I create what I do?
I was a graphic designer by trade who stumbled across an idea at the bottom of a bottle wine one night and in a crazy coin-toss moment ended up crowdfunding my own laser cutting machine! It's been a real roller coaster with ups and downs just like any small business, but I love it. Working for myself is something I enjoy and equally it's great to work and collaborate with other creatives to create new pieces together.
Things are a lot trickier now I have had my first child. I really did underestimate how much time I would have but I am learning to adjust and accommodate the new arrival. 
How does my process work?
I tend to go and photograph things that interest me or visit libraries to look at Scottish history sections. From there I sketch out ideas in my notebook, very often while on the ferry to or from Bute, and then I begin stylising the sketch to create more graphic marks that will translate into outlines suitable for jewellery.
The laser cutting part can be quite experimental at first with a new piece, lots of testing has to be donate ensure the designs are cutting right, looking good and I have to make sure my ideas are translating well into wearable finished products.
What Next?
I'm going to send you all over to my friends at The Shop of Interest in Glasgow. They are both creative's in their own right and support lots of others through their gorgeous West End shop in Glasgow so please check them out. I think Martin is on holiday at the moment so may need to be a little patient to see their blog article!
Hope you've enjoyed this wee insight into Bonnie Bling and happy blog travels.
Mhairi x
Bling Boss 

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