I think this is what I am suffering from! I have spent several hours over the past few days surfing the net looking at all the amazing and fantastic things other people have been making, leaving myself no time to actually make anything myself! I realise that most of my posts have been about non-craft related stuff which was not really the original purpose of setting up this blog. So, I have promised myself that the next post I do will be about something I have made or am in the process of making. After this post that is, it sort of follows on from the subjects of the last post............
I have just spent a day in Aberfeldy enjoying the benefits of someone elses' garden (more on that later) and poking around some of the shops. I was drawn to go into one of the small galleries there by a poster featuring a picture of a bee (I have a mild obsession with pictures of flowers/insects/butterflies etc) When I went in I saw that it was part of a set of 2 paintings the other of which was a Red Admiral butterfly! They were small (approx 3" x 3"), painted onto oak and framed with enormous, detailed black frames - gorgeous. See it here.
The artist, who also owns the gallery, came out and we ended up in a discussion about the future of fine art, how important it is to value the handmade and the importance of the relationship between the fine arts and craft (all of which had been touched upon in the seminar I attended in Edinburgh) He was a true 'advocate' for his art and for the work he was selling and also the products he was selling in the art shop section of the gallery. I bought some beautiful Italian handmade paper and envelopes which were a part of a selection of things he had personally chosen to stock after visiting the factory in Italy. I also bought some grosgrain ribbon (another weakness of mine) and a card that he had printed himself.
At the other end of the spectrum, 2 or 3 doors down from The Temple Gallery there is a very traditional old shop called Haggarts - it sells tweed (but NOT Harris Tweed!) I don't think that the window display has changed for a while.
Back to the subject of gardens, after enjoying sitting in someone elses' lovely back garden enjoying the summer sun I was inspired to finally take action - I have been meaning to sort out the pots in my back garden for months! Last year it was a riot of colour and it made me smile every time I looked out my kitchen window. This is the view that greeted me this morning.....
very grim. The hanging basket which was my pride and joy last year has definately seen better days! The local magpie community discovered it during their nesting season!
After stomping around the local garden centre in the pouring rain I returned home with a few measly looking specimens - not really a good idea to buy bedding plants when the growing season is over! Waiting for the rain to stop so I can get out and plant them. Watch this space.........
I am also suffering from looking out and seeing more grey than green! Enjoyed seeing the Haggarts tweed photos - have fun making xxx
Posted by: caireen | August 06, 2007 at 12:24 PM