Happy Easter.

Happy Easter everyone!

I hope that the Easter Bunny visited and left some chocolate eggs and treats to enjoy!

I do love really yummy chcocolate and one of favourites that I have shared with some special family and friends is Artisan Du Chocolat. They are so delicious and have such fabulous flavours. So if I deserve a little treat I may visit Selfridges in London to buy a little box. Here is a pic from when I had a visit.

These pics were taken around valentines so there was alot of pink and red packaging. Another store I visited this week was Fortnum and Mason and they had all the Easter Chocolate displayed to tempt everyone, and it did look inviting!



I love all the striped packaging on the champagne truffle boxes piled high! It is geat fun to browse around the food hall as well as Selfridges.

This time of year I look forward to all the blossom trees although it has been pretty cold this year but I hope to see all the blossoms out soon.

This was a pic taken in Sefton Park Liverpool  last year as the blossoms began to come out. So pretty,feminine and delicate .

So I hope you have a great Easter with lots of hot coss buns, chocolate, fluffy chicks, bunnies, flowers and egg hunting.

Now I am going to enjoy a coffee with some chocolate easter treats! Yummy.

Happy Easter Sunday! x

Handmade card designs.

I wanted to share a few details and pics of some pretty Handmade cards I designed for a lovely friends shop in the Lake District. The designs were very girly, feminine and delicate in look. Inspired by a fashion illustrative feel and a touch of swarovski sparkle.

My inspiration was all things I love.....fashion, ballet, cakes, chocolates, beautiful birds and butterflies to name a few! I love using watercolours and ink for the delicate feel of the paint. I also like to keep a simple, clean look to my designs although this is not always easy and it is easy to want to add a little more to a design. This is when I try to remember ..."Less is More"

Well I hope this gives a first glimpse into my designs on a snowy cold weeekend in London! Have a good week ahead. x 

A bit about me!

As I am starting a new Blog I will start with a little bit about me!

I am a Textile/Fashion Designer and Illustrator. I had a love of art and design from a young age loving my drawing and painting and knowing I wanted to follow that direction from around age 8yrs. At school I loved my Art lessons and slowly specialised into the Fashion and Textile area as I went through Art College doing my general Art and Design at Southport College of Art.

I then went on to study Textile Design at Huddersfield University where I specialised in Print Design for Fashion after also working on woven and knitted textile projects. I still loved to incorporate fashion Illustration on my final presentation boards and this is still a strong love today.

After gaining my degree with honours in Textile Design I headed for the bright lights of London where after a little time I managed to get to do work experience for the well known Designer Zandra Rhodes, this led on to a full time position as Textile Designer then Head Textile Designer as I was working there for 11 Years.

In my time working at Zandra Rhodes I worked on the printed textile designs for the in house collections,
Handpainted Textile Designs, opera and ballet costume designs, interior designs, high street collaboration with the likes of Topshop. I also worked with student placements and interns which was great fun. It was a great creative environment to work in and I learnt an awful lot from my time working alongside Zandra .

After working at Zandra Rhode I relocated to Liverpool where I did business courses and managed to get some funding to start up my business Tara Smiley Designs. I designed a feminine mix of designs for Brides and Bridesmaids with accessories such as Handpainted silk capelets, ornamental pretty hair accessories, tiaras, bags and jewellery. I exhibited at Harrogate Bridal Exhibition and The Uk Wedding Show at St Georges hall Liverpool. This was an exciting and challenging time and venture. ( I will add some photos in blogs to come.)

I also exhibited artwork of Canvases and Watecolours at Portland hall Spa Southport which was another great project and my inspiration was flowers, nature and fashion illustration.

So now I have relocated back to the bustling city of London looking for work and inspiration within Fashion/Textiles and Illustration area or another creative area I could use my skills in..

I am always being inspired by all things creative so I hope to incorporate all sorts of fun and inspirational things in my blog as well as Fashion, Textiles I will be looking at food,travel, beauty and general lifestyle, creative, girly,  feel good stuff . So I hope you will enjoy the blogs to come and find some joy and inspiration from them! x