F i E L D y

A Private View.

Yesterday was a particularly lovely day and I had a bit of a jaunt out to the countryside. I had some of my Liberty print make-up bags and shower hats to drop off at the Green Gallery in Buchclyvie…….

They have an exhibition opening on Saturday….

Although they still had a lot to do – hanging artwork etc - all the work to be displayed was there so I was lucky enough to be able to have a good look around at all the gorgeous things. It is a lovely gallery with a really good mix of painting, jewellery, ceramics. textiles and glass…..

I am very excited to be part of the exhibition among such gorgeous work – Look, my name is on the flyer!! I was particularly taken with the ceramics of Karen McPhail and the tree paintings by Sandra Moffat – oh to be rich, I could spend a fortune there. If you are in the area do pop in – it is well worth the effort. Downstairs the paintings are by a variety of artists using animals as subject matter and upstairs are some beautiful seascapes and woodland landscapes.

As I was in the area I took the opportunity to call in on Rebecca and her gorgeous wee boy Duncan. I wish I had had my camera with me as she lives in an idyllic location with some amazing views. In fact the whole journey was one amazing vista after another – quite breathtaking.

Rebecca had recently purchased a tepee for Duncan which her husband had put up while she and the baby were out – his wee face was an absolute picture when she showed it to him for the first time! Hopefully she will blog about it!

Hebridian Road Trip - Day Four - Ae Fond Farewell.

Our final day on the islands was a bit overcast but it perked up once we entered Stornoway. We had plenty of time before we needed to get to the ferry so we took a drive up to Tolsta which is at the the end of  one of the 4 roads out of Stornoway. The road ended abruptly and became single track and looking at the map we realised that if we continued we would reach Port Ness but from another direction – I was always under the impression that there was only one road there and back. We didn’t have time for that but it has been mentally filed along with several other places as something to do next time we are there. I would happily make the trip a bi-annual event (hint hint Is!) – there is so much to do and see and depending on the time of year the landscape is ever changing – I never get tired of it!

We headed back to Stornoway and took a walk around the grounds of Lews Castle which has sadly fallen into a state of disrepair. I rather liked the coat of arms ‘Heart and Hand’ – it could be the crafters motto!! Maybe I will adopt it as my own!

A new addition is an enormous willow sculpture of a woman in the grounds – I know nothing about it but it looks great – as if she is watching over the harbour at Stornoway and keeping it safe.

Finally we had to wave a sad farewell and got on the ferry. The crossing was very smooth (no photos from me I’m afraid!) and it seemed like we reached Ullapool in no time. After a quick scout around we decided that we should round off the holiday with fresh fish and chips from ‘The Chippy’ – we sat and ate them with our fingers whilst looking over the harbour…….

It was without doubt the best Fish & chips I have had for years!!

Four and a half hours later I was dropping Isobel off at her lovely cottage – holiday over :(

Best start saving for the next trip!!

Hebridian Road Trip - Day Three - The Long Road to Huisinis.

The following day dawned bright and sunny and we set out bright and early for Huisinis – the most westerly point of the Outer Hebrides. I had been there once before a few years ago when working on a student film, however when I had made the journey I had a massive hangover and was actually in the back of a small van so although I thought I knew the right road and that the place I remembered was Huisinis (there are only 4 or 5 roads in Harris anyway!) I wasn’t 100% sure as we turned off the main road down a single track ribbon of tarmac. I was even more anxious as I had seen a sign as we made the turning saying Huisinis 113 miles – I know I was hungover last time and it did seem a long way but even so………

After a 10 mins we passed the tennis courts (yes there are well maintained public tennis courts on the side of a cliff in the middle of nowhere) and I was relieved as I remembered them from the last time so at least we were on the right road. I then realised that we only had half a tank of petrol and started to fret about that (everything closes on the island around 1pm on a Saturday) If Huisinis was 113 miles away on single track would we make it there and back and then up to Stornoway to catch the ferry the next day on half a tank? Unlikely I thought so, after much discussion and a 20 point turn, we turned around and headed back to a small petrol station on the main road which took roughly 15mins. When I was paying for the fuel I remarked to the lady behind the counter (I think she was American) that it was a long way to Huisinis and she agreed! So we set off again – this time with a full tank. There was the sign again – Huisinis 113 miles. After driving along the precarious road for around 20 mins we stopped and looked at the map. According to the map we were 2 thirds of the way there! 10 mins later we were pulling into the small car park at the beach having reached our destination! It was then we realised that Huisinis was only 13 miles not 113 miles – someone had tampered with the sign! I was very relieved as I didn’t fancy 113 miles on that sort of road.

The beach at Huisinis was as lovely as I remembered and we spent some time walking around and taking photos before setting off over the Machair (wild grassland and flowers) to the cliffs. It’s a lovely walk with stunning views out to sea. We were a bit early in the season to enjoy it in its’ full glory – there were buds and shoots everywhere but it will not come into full bloom until June – but it was bright and sunny with a fresh breeze so we weren’t complaining!

Anyone can let their sheep and cattle graze on the Machair so as you walk around you will always encounter livestock. Unfortunately, although I was some distance away, one sheep took exception to me being there and whilst trying to skirt around me got perilously close the cliff edge and disappeared over the side with a startled “Baaa!” Luckily, it landed on a rocky outcrop about 3 foot down but it was wedged and couldn’t right itself. I had to slide down on my arse to where it was and grabbing its’ ample fleece I lifted it up onto its’ feet – it was surprisingly light – it then leapt (who knew sheep were so agile?) onto some other rocks before leaping back onto the grass at the top. After a few seconds it put its’ head down and started grazing as if nothing had happened! I think Isobel and I were more traumatised by the whole event – plus I had a very wet arse!!

Drama over we continued our walk but minutes later I slipped on a very boggy bit of peat and slid a few feet, covering myself from arse to ankle in smelly peat bog mud. I was also pretty close to the cliff edge and decided that walking so close to the edge was courting disaster and headed up to the top. By then the wind was up and with nothing to stop it before it hit our bit of the coast it was fierce. In fact it was hard at times to stand upright and holding a camera to take pictures was almost impossible, plus the glare of the sun meant that all I could see on the screen was my grimacing face! Its’ a wonder that I got any decent pictures at all. The wind did dry me out very quickly though which I was grateful for!

After a couple of hours we returned to the car to get out a picnic that Isobel had bought with her (very well prepared!) and despite the howling wind she insisted on putting it all out including the gingham cloth which we had to weight with stones! It was delicious and immensely enjoyable despite the dermabrasive effects of the wind whipping sand into our faces – we were covered in the stuff – but we are British and nothing stops us having a picnic on the beach! This is our picnic bench - what an idyllic spot. You can just make out Isobel on the beach in the distance!

The rest of the day was uneventful and we drove down to Leverburgh, visiting more beaches on the way back. We pottered about taking photos before heading back to the hotel – another perfect day!

Hebridian Road Trip - Day Two - Destination Lewis.

After a hearty breakfast of bacon, egg, sausage and Stornoway black pudding we made a quick pit-stop at the tweed vendors before heading up the road to Lewis. Stornoway is roughly 50 minutes drive from Harris and in comparison to Tarbert is a teeming metropolis!

The day was rather misty and we encountered some thick fog as we got higher into the hills which cleared slightly as we made our way towards Stornoway......

stopping for a few photo opportunities on the way.

You can just see some wiley Harris sheep in the distance - livestock on the island roams free and they will not give way for anyone! Something to be mindful of when driving over there!

On arrival we made a beeline for An Lanntair, the local Arts Centre, for coffee and cake. Whilst there we were lucky enough to catch an exhibition of photography and mixed media and the shop was full of lovely locally produced crafts to enjoy.

Before heading off to our next destination, Port Ness, we bought the local butcher out of Stornoway black pudding to take back to Glasgow (we practically filled the car boot with the stuff!) – it is a great delicacy in these parts and the islanders are trying to give the locally produced pudding the same status as Harris Tweed as it is widely accepted to be the best black pudding in Scotland! I can vouch for its’ delicious tastiness!

Port Ness is the most northern point of the Isle of Lewis....

and has a lovely wee harbour and beach which were shrouded in mist when we were there.

It also has a cafe and a small gallery called the Harbour View Gallery. I was rather taken with this collection of buoys outside!

We had intended to go to the lighthouse on the Butt of Lewis but knowing the road to be rather narrow and on the cliff edge I decided that my nerves couldn’t stand the drive in the thick mist (we wouldn’t have been able to enjoy the views anyway) so we headed off to Carloway. I have been to the islands many times now and have seen more or less everything there is to see (several times - I never tire of it) but I have never managed to make it inside the Morven Gallery but this time we managed to blag our way in! They were not officially open but it was very busy as they were hanging the last few pieces of donated artwork for an auction that was to take place the following day in aid of the Linda Norgrove Foundation. They very kindly let us have a look around and I urge you to make time to visit this beautiful gallery if you are ever in the vicinity.

Isobel made a few purchases from the shop and we set off again – next stop the Blackhouse at Arnol. Until as recently as 1966 people were still living in this type of dwelling – hard to believe.

The house to the left is what people moved into from the Blackhouses and they are known as White Houses. You quite often get the remains of a blackhouse, a whitehouse and then finally a modern kit-house on the same family owned plot of land/croft. The previous dwellings are left to crumble away although now it is becoming obvious that there is money to be made from renovating and renting out these old dwellings as, next to weaving, tourism is the biggest source of revenue on the islands.

We also stopped at the Blackhouses at Carloway – this settlement is less of a museum but still shows how people lived.

The blackhouses here have been renovated to modern standards and are rented out as holiday lets. Tourists have free rein to roam between the hours of 9.30am and 5.30pm but after that the gate is closed and the holiday makers renting them can enjoy some privacy. Unfortunately as we arrived at 5.45 we could only take pictures from afar but you can get the general impression of the place.

The reason we were so late is that we stopped for a look and a chat at the studio of the lovely people at Rarebird who are making quite a name for themselves with their well designed quality Harris Tweed bags and accessories. In 4 years they have developed their business into something quite special – they deserve their success as the work they have put in and the detail in their lovely products is admirable. Plus they are just really nice people!

We ended our tour of Lewis at the stone circle at Callanish around 7pm – unfortunately there was a local photography club there trying to get some photos of the stones at sunset which made it quite difficult to get any good pictures without folk in bright red windcheaters wandering into the shot!

Also my battery had run down on my camera and I was only able to take a few pics with my iPhone.

By this time the visitor centre was closed and I was suffering from a severe lack of caffeine so I consoled myself by scoffing a few too many M&S chocolate mini-bites! (essential road trip fayre obviously) whilst enjoyin the view.

After dinner and a drink back at An Lanntair we headed home weary but happy – this sightseeing lark really takes it out of you – and it was home to bath and bed in readiness for the next days explorations. Yes, we really know how to live it up!

Hebridian Road Trip - Day One - Glasgow to Tarbert.

I notice that at the end of my last post I rather smugly wrote that I would be blogging from the Outer Hebrides – well, obviously that didn’t happen! Although there was Wifi in the hotel I couldn’t get the computer working and to be honest it was a relief because what I really needed was total rest and relaxation. Instead, I contented myself with long soaks in the bath with a good book at the end of the day – far better.

I am not good at photography and hardly ever take photographs that are not related to work in some way but for the first time in ages I took my camera with me (Isobel my travelling companion is an avid photographer so that had something to do with it) In the past when I have been travelling I have taken loads of photographs only to get home to find them really disappointing – they never really captured the beauty/grandeur/atmosphere of the places I have visited. Anyway, I did document this trip albeit in a rather patchy manner – Isobel took ten photographs to every one of mine so her blog about the trip will be far more in depth!

So the first leg of the trip was to drive from Glasgow to Uig on Skye to catch the ferry to Tarbert on the Isle of Harris. We were extremely lucky with the weather and although blowing a chill wind it was dry and bright. We stopped at the visitor centre at Glen Coe and then set off up to the Skye Bridge passing the beautiful and enigmatic looking Eilean Donan Castle on the way.

This is one of the most iconic Scottish images/buildings and has an amazing atmosphere…

 

We didn’t have time to really explore fully but next time will hopefully get a better look.

Miles and miles of driving through beautiful Scottish landscapes and we arrived at Portree, Skye for a quick bite to eat before hotfooting it over to the Uig Ferry…..

Again a woeful lack of documentation here no picture of the voyage over but Isobel and I both spotted this boat at Uig Harbour - New Venture! 

A couple of hours later we arrived in Harris and went straight to the hotel where we booked into our gorgeous rooms! A glass of wine and plate of fish and chips later I was ready to hit the hay. Yeah, rock’n’roll baby!

Oppor-chancities.

I was fortunate enough to be commissioned to make a bag by a lovely lady (another stallholder) I met at the Spring Fling at the Creggans Inn recently. My being there was a complete fluke - the owner had bought a few items from me for a small shop they have in the hotel and whilst in conversation she asked if I would be interested in taking one of the 2 stalls left for the event which was happening the following week. I jumped at the chance, as did Isobel, so the next week found us driving up to Loch Fyne on a beautiful spring day - the drive alone was worth it!

I had last been to The Creggans about 14/15 years ago - it was the best hotel in the Argyll area and all the actors and the Director of a film I was working on stayed there (it was my first ever film job and it came with a hire car, was filming in the most beautiful locations in Scotland and was starring Colin Firth - I thought I had died and gone to heaven!) It was on this film that I first met Caireen (she was the Assistant Art Director and I a lowly art dept. runner) and we have been good friends ever since!

I was interested to see what, if anything, had changed and I was delighted to see how lovely the interiors are now. The hotel has had a complete overhaul and is both stylish and comfortable plus it has the most amazing views over Loch Fyne. The event itself was very jolly - the local community turned out in force - but sales were poor and I only sold a few things and all to other stallholders! However, it was not a complete bust as I delivered my order for the hotel and got paid and was asked by Fiona to make a bag. It was to be based on the leather bag that she had with her which was her ideal bag but with straps that were a touch too short. So I took some measurements and a couple of photo's, Fiona chose her tweed and, after several emails back and forth, the result was this...

I made the bag with a dark tweed on the bottom as I thought the light tweed would get dirty quicly.

and I lined the inside with a vibrant turquoise......

The handles were webbing which I ran a length of tweed up to te in with the bag which works well but if I make a bag like this again I would probably just use webbing as it works fine as it is....

It's a very simple bag but I am so chuffed with it! I had to figure it all out for myself - make the pattern and work out how to construct it with fabric stabiliser and interlining - I even did my first magnetic clasp! It looks like a proper thing! Best of all Fiona was delighted with it and that's what really counts - I was very nervous about showing it to her - it is very different making something specifically for someone rather than just making something on spec, hoping that someone will buy it.

Also from this one event, thanks to the generosity of some of the other crafters there, I have been invited to participate in two very interesting shows in that area. Both events are on consecutive weekends in May and I am very excited about taking part in them.

The first is a weekend event on the 14/15 May at Loch Fyne and the second is on the 22nd May at Benmore Botanic Gardens. Both events look to be really good fun and I can't wait. They are the sort of events that I would go to anyway as a punter so to be taking part in them is great. It has also given me something to focus on - a sort of deadline - which I sometimes need in order to get motivated and get making. I have a few ideas for some new-style bags (Fiona's bag has given me confidence to experiment more), camera cases and more besides!

 

 

 

Handmade Baby Gifts.

A new baby is the perfect excuse to indulge in a little retail therapy – especially when there are so many opportunities thrown in your path! The baby’s Mum is someone who really appreciates the handmade so I knew that I would be spoilt for choice as I had a couple of craft events to attend over the course of one weekend.

My first purchase was actually made at the Morningside Makers market at the Ghillie Dhu (sadly this event has been cancelled after only one market) where I found this lovely animal alphabet print by Emily MacKenzie….

The perfect decoration for a nursery and very smart in it’s Ikea frame…..

 

I made another two purchases at the Spring Fling at The Creggans Inn  ( a very enjoyable event - lots of lovely crafters and beautiful loch views) from a lovely lady called Wendy Higgins aka The Wee Quilter. I bought this sweet quilt which will be great as a playmat or as a wall hanging/decoration…..

It has Noah’s Ark and a few animals on one side and on the reverse an assortment of wee animals.

I also bought this lovely wee Bunny……

 

Such an appealing wee face!

Again perfect for a nursery decoration and for her to play with when she is a lot older. In fact there were a few bunnies for sale and I couldn’t resist buying another. Whether it finds it’s way to another small child or stays with me is debatable!

Last but not least a lovely handmade card by Bella Bheag.........

I finally got off my backside this week and opened a Folksy Shop and on Saturday I had my first sale!! I have two shops on Etsy – one for tweed and one for everything else but the Folksy shop has a mixture of both including these Liberty fabric shower cap and bag sets – great for Mother’s Day.

I am struggling to find the Folksy widgit to link from my blog to the shop – any suggestions/help would be appreciated!

A Few Thoughts On Craft Fairs.

2010 was the year that I decided to explore the possibility of taking my crafting to the next level by participating in considerably more, and larger craft events. Unfortunately 2010 turned out to be the year that most people decided that buying handmade crafts was not top of their list of priorities!

After investing a huge amount of time, effort and money in the many events I attended over the summer I just about broke even, but was left exhausted and without stock for the upcoming winter events that I had committed to, wondering what the hell was I doing with my life? I know from reading other blogs that this has been the case for very many crafters.  Disappointing as the financial rewards were I feel enriched by the experiences I have had and by the many wonderful crafters I met in the process - Karen, Catherine and Meg to name but a few.  It has also made it clear to me that the way forward for me, at this point in time at least, is to go back to doing a few select events that do not involve a huge financial outlay, at the time of year when my work sells best i.e the Winter months on the lead up to Xmas. Luckily I attended a couple of cracking events at the end of the year that made up for previous disappointments and boosted my confidence enough to encourage me to continue.

This year I have snuck a couple of early March events to maybe catch some Mother's Day purchasers and one in June as it is local to me and part of the West End Festival but apart from that I am concentrating all my efforts into building up my stock for the end of the year. Having made this decision I feel as though a weight has lifted from my shoulders. I now have the time to do other things that I enjoy doing - this year is going to be the year of travelling for me. Not some Elizabeth Gilbert style life changing trek across several continents but a few short breaks going to places I always wanted to go and generally just enjoying myself!

I haven't done too badly so far this year. I have already spent a week in East Sussex visiting family and enjoying the cafes and galleries in Rye and Lewes, walks on Camber Sands...

and a couple of days in London where I managed to catch the last day of the Diaghilev and the Ballets Russe exhibition among other things!

I also managed a short break to Bruges (my first encounter with Eurostar - brilliant - V. civilised!) which is a place that I have always wanted to visit. It is great for a cultural break with it's great architecture, galleries and restaurants. Great shops too. And chocolate! We even managed to see a fantastic piece of performance art/dance.

I have also booked a short break to the Outer Hebrides in April...

a chance to check out the tweed mill and get some good walking in! And another road trip to visit my sister in Cornwall is on the cards! Throw in a couple of weekend trips - The International Quilt Fair in Birmingham, Country Living, Knitting and Stitching Show etc and the year is shaping up pretty well.

So all in all, despite a slightly disappointing 2010 I am filled with optimism for 2011 and I would just like to share a few thoughts with you based on my experiences. They are mostly common sense but.......

1. Price your work realistically and STICK TO IT. Don't be persuaded to undervalue what you do.

2. Know your market - who is your work aimed at - try to find events that attract your target group or that at least have a good chance of attracting at least some!

3. Don't take it personally if you don't sell alot (or in my case at a couple of day- long events only ONE item!!) and don't let it dishearten you (difficult I know) It is NOT a reflection on you or the quality of your work. Use the time to learn what it is that customers are looking for and what they like about your work or just chalk it down to experience and don't book for that event again!

4. Talk to your fellow crafters and try to learn from their experiences - most people are more than happy to share information about events etc. but remember that everybody has a different experience depending on what they are selling and their expectations of what a 'good' day's takings are.

5. Try to test drive at least one or two new products a year - craft fairs are a great way of getting lots feedback about your products. This is especially important if you are attending several events in the same place or area over the year - people like variety and existing customers need encouragment to buy yet more of your fabulous products!

6. Talk enthusiatically to your potential customers about your work - it is amazing how few people will realize that YOU have actually physically made it! Plus people are more likely to buy from you if you engage with them. Promote any other events that you are taking part in and maybe have a small handout/flyer with a bit about you and your craft credentials.

7. Use each event as an opportunity to refine and perfect your stall display - don't rest on your laurels - make an effort to be creative - you don't need to spend alot of money. My favourite addition to my display this year is a twig that my friend Laurence picked up for me in Pollock Park and some battery operated lights from Ikea. Also, move things around on your display - especially if you are somewhere for more than a day.

8. Enjoy yourself! Be prepared and take something to work on if you are not overun with customers, some nice food and a flask of good coffee/tea. I don't know about you but I get very grumpy if I don't get something nice to eat.  Some events are woefully lacking in the refreshments dept.!

9. If you are taking part in a large event have a range of items with prices to suit all budgets - sometimes it is the cheaper 'bread and butter' items that make an event successful financially. If you can find that 'magic' item that is quick and inexpensive to produce but highly desirable you are onto a winner!

10. As my pal Isobel always says -  Go in HOPE  rather than in EXPECTATION.

If anybody has any thoughts or observations to add to this please feel free to comment - I would be really interested to hear about your experiences. Until next time....Happy Crafting!xx

Fun at the Beach.

Our Wednesday Walk this week took us to the beach - Troon Beach in Ayrshire to be specific. After a cloudy start the weather brightened up and we enjoyed the most amazing walk along one of the longest stretches of beach I have been on for a while! The dogs were in heaven!!

They both went crazy - bouncing about like Tigger and dashing in and out the waves........

It was such a joy to watch! Surprisingly Murphey, who had been very tentative about going into the water at Loch Lomond, was a total water-baby. We couldn't get him out!

 

at one point we thought he was swimming to Arran!..........
 

but he came back when treats were on offer...........

a stray beachball that crossed his path met a sticky end......

Oinage stayed still enough for a few seconds so I could get this picture............................

After a final look at the sea...............

we walked back through the dunes next to the golf course...

 

it was totally idyllic - hardly a soul about - jut me, Elaine (pictured), Laurence and the dogs.

We rounded off our trip with chips and cream scones at the Blueberry Cafe - all in the interests of research you understand. We have had scones everywhere we have visited these past few weeks and I can reveal that the scones at The Oak Tree Inn are waaaaay ahead. Of course the final result will not be published until after our walk next wednesday - location to be decided as yet!

Balmaha Walk.

I really loved my week of dog sitting as I was out walking Belle in the most lovely countryside every day and at the same time getting fresh air and exercise. I mentioned to my friend Laurence that I was missing it and he suggested we do a weekly walk on a Wednesday with his dogs. He lives near Pollock Country Park so the dogs go there every day so we thought it would be nice to try different places that they (and Laurence) had never been to. Last week we went to Mugdock Country Park and this week we went to one of my favourite places of all - Balmaha on the eastern shore of Loch Lomond.

It is about an hours drive from Glasgow but so worth the journey. Best of all there are several walks around the area and a great pub called The Oak Tree where you can get coffee and scones at the end of your walk!

I think it is safe to say that the dogs absolutely loved their first visit.....

and they were totally entranced by the large body of water. At first they were a little cautious....

but Oinagh (the bolder of the two) took the plunge and after a little encouragement.....

Murphey took his first steps in....

He went deeper and deeper trying to get a wee stick that kept floating just out of reach....

and was genuinely frustrated as it floated just beyond reach........

but due to a chance gust of wind that blew the stick back towards him he was eventually successful....

They were both rather interested in the ducks....

but luckily the ducks were too quick for them! This is a really beautiful walk - not too strenuous but with amazing views - it is heavily wooded and there are several small secluded beaches which is a great mix. The bluebells were just about finished but the wooded areas were carpeted with wild primrose...

 

a sight which transported me back to my childhood!

At the end (and beginning) of this walk you have to cross a bridge which is not suitable for little doggie paws so the dogs needed to be carried. Of course by this time they were soaking wet and Laurence insisted that he carried them both so I didn't get soaked - what a gent!

I'm not sure that they were that impressed!

One final look at the loch........

and we were off to The Oak Tree for the most delicious cream scones and cappuccinos - yum!

The first name out of the hat for the pincushion giveaway was Petit Filoux and the second was Isobel - Congrats!

Morningside Makers Market.

Last Saturday I attended the Morningside Makers Market for the first time.........

and had a fantastic day! The location itself is great as it is in a very nice part of Edinburgh and there are alot of great design/interiors shops a stones throw away which are great to explore if you get a chance to leave your stall for a few minutes. The event was well run, well attended and had an exceptionally high standard of work on sale - a refreshing change from some of the events I have done in the past. There were about 25 stalls selling a variety of crafts - some people I knew (Isobel and Eleanor) but most were new to me although I had seen their work online - it was great to put faces to the products. I am so glad that I have booked for a few events as places are going fast. I would highly recommend it as both a stallholder and as a customer!

I was in between Cherith Harrison and Alison of AliBali Jewellery - they had lovely stuff on both their stalls which I could have spent alot of money on (if I had any!) and just next to Ali was Moira Dickson who does the most beautiful embroidered textile art. I was looking at her work - agonising about whether I could justify spending money that I don't have on one of her pieces that I particularly liked, when Moira suggested a swap as she wanted one of my Wee Hotties! Needless to say I was delighted and agreed straight away! Isn't it lovely!?.....

It now has pride of place in my home studio!

I had a couple of new bags to show....

I really like the Resin Bow clasps. The bags are quite wee as the clasps are only 6" wide but I think they are the perfect size for an 'occassional' bag. I kept the labels on the inside as there is enough going on outside with the bow clasp. 

When I got home I felt really energised and tackled my workroom which was really chaotic. The tidying turned into a serious spring clean and I found a few things that I could live without so I thought that I would have a few wee giveaways. The first giveaway that I am going to do is for these two pincushions. I thought that I had sold them all last year at Edinburgh but found these two lurking at the bottom of a drawer!

If you are interested just leave a comment on this post and you will be entered into the draw. First out the hat can choose the colour that they would like and second will get the one that remains. I will do the draw on Fri 14th May at Midday GMT.

Have a great weekend!

Flowers.

I took these snaps yesterday when I was on my way back from a morning walk. The weather continues to be glorious and the sunshine adds a vivid glow to everything. I don't know what these flowers are but they are gorgeous................

they are such a lovely shade of red/orange......

and there is a whole bush of them climbing up the neighbours wall.........

You can just about see it here (I am staying in the house with the little dormer style windows)

Everyone takes such care over their gardens and public space here. For the past three days there has been assorted people mowing the graveyard in the church and strimming all the roadside grass, collecting litter, planting spring flowers outside the church and at the weekend most of the neighbours were out painting the fences that run through the old part of the village white! This is a conservation village so I suppose you must feel a certain duty to maintain it if you are going to live here. I for one am glad that they do - it's beautiful!

Much Ado About Nothing.

I have come over all Shakespearian having just spent the day in Stratford upon Avon - birthplace of The Bard. I am in Warwickshire at the moment doing a little dog-sitting and living the good life in my friends' lovely 17th century cottage! I know - lucky me! As Stratford is only 30 minutes away from where I am staying I thought it would be nice to pay a visit. I have not been there for some time and nice it was - bustling with tourists , sunny.......but after an hour or so it started to irritate me how bloody "shakeperian"everything was - Bard's Walk, Iago Jewellery, Mistress Quickly's Tearooms, Measure for Measure Bistro etc etc etc. The whole place seems unreal, like a film set and what some businesses have done to the building frontages is quite honestly legalised vandalism thus reducing our heritage to cheap and tacky tourist traps (it is as bad in Scotland with all the crappy 'tartanalia' and 'mockintosh' on sale)  I know that not everything can be preserved pristinely, after all it is a town like any other not a museum, but I can't help feeling that there should be some limits to what companies should be allowed do to the fabric of the buildings. I am not knocking tourists - they bring alot of money into our country - I just think we should be offering them something better!

Anyway, despite the total sensory overload of being surrounded by so many quaint buildings I managed to take a couple of pics ofa couple that I particularly liked. This first one is now a pub and was built in 1576.........

there are a huge amount of buildings like this in Stratford. I really liked a couple of the details like this dog?...............

and this Tudor style Rose........

and of course the scary screaming head - so popular during this period of history!...

Here is the local Costa Coffee....

with yet more carved heads.....

and of course no trip to Stratford would be complete without a pic of Will's house...........

I managed to snatch a couple of shots without hoards of tourists in front of it - believe me it was a very small window of opportunity!

I am ashamed to admit that the most exciting thing about my trip to Stratford was discovering a great shop called Fred Winter. It had a really great mix of interior decor and craft items and I just had to buy half a meter of each of these wonderful Grayson Perry fabrics designed for Liberty.............

I love the quirky, slightly sinister feel of it.

I was also delighted to discover that my new fave bodywash is currently 2 for 1 at Boots so for £3.91 I got 2 bottles!

It smells amazing , contains no parabens or bad stuff and the bottle itself is made from 50% recycled material and can in turn be recycled. What more could you want! Try it - you won't be disappointed.

Well, as the title of this post implies, I have indeed made 'much ado' about almost nothing - I have been away from proper regular blogging for a while and I really am finding it difficult to get back into the swing of things. Hopefully I will get my mojo back soon - there is only so much you can say about bodywash! (it really is seriously good though)

I had a tinker with the header on the blog today - I know it looks crap but I don't have the mental capacity to change it at the moment. I also tried the same header on my Etsy shop - what a disaster!!! Will have to sort it out another day as I have no idea what I am doing.

 

A 'clutch' of bags.

Sorry for the terrible pun - I have so little to say for myself at the moment that it is hard even to think of a post title or even a blog worthy tale to tell so I am afraid that all I am in a position to do right now is post a few pics of my latest endeavours on the old sewing machine. I managed to get hold of some nice bag 'fixings' so that I could try out a few new things for the upcoming craft fair season. I have booked into quite a few large events and most of them are new to me so I am pretty excited about the prospect of casting my net a bit wider (see side bar for details)

So first up are these large clutch bags........

I really love the big bobbles on the top and the finished product is satifyingly chunky. I have 3 different colour lining fabrics and I have been mixing them with the fabrics that they work with best. The large clutches have a wee pocket for putting a compact in and I have sewn both the Harris Tweed label and my label into the inside as I feel it works best with a handbag (as opposed to a make-up bag)

I have also been using a different style of frame for some smaller clutches...........

they come in 3 different finishes (silver, gunmetal and antique brass) and I have managed to get chain handles to match so that they can also be used as shoulder bags.

and I have really enjoyed trying different decorative ideas and colour combinations...........

There is something very satisfying about bag making..............

but I think I will stop for a while until I sell these. I tend to get a bit over enthusiastic and make loads of something that I enjoy making, without actually testing the market. I am off to Troon this weekend for a Craft Fair run by Ayrshire Craft Association so we will soon see!

Wish me luck..............I could do with a bit right now!

PS One really lovely thing that I did last week was to meet up with Caireen for a visit to the Collins Gallery to see their amazing Sashiko exhibition. I am ashamed to say that in 18 years living here in Glasgow I have never been there before! It is a small but perfectly formed gallery owned by Strathclyde Uni and the exhibitions are mainly craft related AND IT IS FREE!!!! If you ever visit Glasgow you must go. Pop over to Bella Bheag if you would like to see a really good post about the current exhibition.

A Bit of Shameless Self Promotion.

I have been working away on a few new things which will be making their debut here..........

I am very excited to be showing my work amongst all these people which also includes the lovely Rebecca......

who will be  showing off her new range of painted ceramics. It is the perfect opportunity to get some original and interesting gifts for Mother's Day. I have some new Draught Excluders and Doorstops on display and also some purses, make-up bags and one Clutch Bag.

All the purses are this style of small coin purse in a variety of pretty colours..........

and the make-up bags come in two styles - curvy......

and boxy...............

in a wide variety of colours and patterns. I am pleased with the way they have turned out as I have never made anything like this before. Finding decent suppliers for the "bits" you need is time consuming but worthwhile. I got instructions on how to make them from the brilliant U-Handbag site - her tutorials are so easy to follow it is a great resource.  I have really enjoyed making something new and have recently purchased some more frames and chain to make some handbags so watch this space.

If you are in the Buchclyvie area this weekend please pop along to the gallery - you won't be disappointed - plus there is free wine on offer - always a good thing!!

PS The items pictured above have been added to my Etsy shop......

A Bit of Business.

Just a quickie to say that I am doing a couple of shows before the end of the crafty season (as well as working full time hence no blogging - well, something's got to give!)

First this weekend........

Should be good - also in attendance - My Baboo, Bella Bheag and Tartan Heart

Then next week on Friday night only at the Green Gallery Ladies Night - the same lovely ladies plus others will be there all weekend.

And finally on Saturday the 5th Dec at the Wee Green Market at Killearn.

After all that I will be packing away all my crafty stuff for a few weeks and getting ready for christmas - unfortunately I am working right up to the 22nd Dec so it will all happen in a rush!!

I went to Country Living last weekend but was really too tired to enjoy it properly - I did get some lovely coloured Nutscene string though and will hopefully get a chance to make some crocheted bags with it at some point!

Must dash - back to the grind!

Coming up for breath.

Sorry for the long silence here on the blog - I have been mad busy with work (what's new) However I have managed to fit in a cheeky wee holiday before I started my new contract...............

no prizes for guessing where I have been!

Back soon with some new tweeds and some new products! I even have some yet to be blogged finished crochet projects to share , oh and yet more stunning Etsy purchases (how I love Etsy) x

A Little Retail Therapy.

No visit to a craft event would be complete without a little retail therapy so this post is a bit of a show and tell of items I purchased whilst at the West End Festival. I had a couple of birthdays to buy for and I found some ideal gifts!

A sweet wee lanyard style charm necklace by Eleanor Barron and hand screen printed card by Isabelle Ting (I loved her stuff)

Yet more Isabelle Ting screen printed items..........

 

a lovely sketchbook and bag.........

Some gorgeous Organic soap and moisturiser by the lovely Miss Ballantyne.........

The packaging and attention to detail is amazing and the products are really lovely! I bought a load and put it by for christmas.

And for myself I bought this sweet birdy necklace by Caroline Temple...............

which makes me smile every time I wear it! I also bought this pin by the very talented Syrah Jay....

The wee cat sold it to me! And last but not least I bought this beautiful handpainted fired glass dish by Carrie Paxton (no link available I'm afraid).............

I love it's simplicity.

Well there you have it - a good time selling and buying in Edinburgh - the best of both worlds.

West End Festival.

Better late than never they say - this post is 2 months overdue! I took part in the Edinburgh West End Festival at the beginning of August and started a new job half way through my week there. Needless to say the job took up all my time and energy and something had to give hence the tardy blog.
I enjoyed my week there despite there being a few wee problems - having to move from the last week to the first because of new job (less crafting time) and having to find someone to run my stall for 3 days at short notice. However everything fell into place and thanks to the help of a few good friends I was able to participate and start my new job.
The fair went well despite the fact that I had to make a huge amount just to break even due to a few bad choices. I sold loads and Jean my replacement sold even more (Thanks Jean!!) Isn't it funny how other people can sell/market your work better than you can yourself - well that's my experience anyway.
The set up at the beginning was the most stressful time as the whole thing was an unknown quantity but it all went pretty well - my confidence was knocked a little by the organiser commenting that I should have covered the wooden walls with fabric (I hadn't realised that everyone else would be doing this) but I stuck by my decision to leave the walls bare as I felt my stuff worked well with the wooden/rustic look. I did however take his advice to get some lights to put up the next morning (luckily my friend had 3 clip on spotlights I could borrow) It was a great atmosphere in the marquee and warm and dry (unlike outside!) and I was surrounded by some really lovely people and we all kept an eye on each others stalls when one of us needed a "comfort break". It was well attended and there was a steady stream of visitors and it was great to be able to meet and talk to crafters from all over Scotland and beyond. I bought several birthday and christmas presents as well as a few bits and bobs for myself!
Here are a few pics from the event to give you a taste of what it was like...............

the marquee is top left of this picture (conveniently placed above the cafe!!) - it has bunting on the outside.

There were lots of lovely stalls outside and stalls in the arches to the right hand side of the top picture - you can see Lothian Road running along the top of them!
This is my stall.............

I took some shelves from the workroom to use.......

Tables and chairs were provided as part of the deal and you can just add stuff to suit yourself. I found some cheap shoe racks which I used to raise the table area a little...........


and used the baskets and table cover that I always use. I tried not to overcrowd the display (one of my problems in the past) and I had plenty of space to store my stock under the table. I added a map of Scotland with pins showing Edinburgh in relation to The Hebrides (where Harris tweed is produced) I was amazed at how unaware even the locals were about the nature and history of Harris Tweed and spent an awful lot of time explaining WHY it is so unique. I made lots of everything and sold some of everything so I was pleased with the overall result. I learned so much from my experience there, particularly about pricing and overheads etc. I did a re-evaluation of my prices before I went and realised that despite my best efforts I had under priced quite alot of my stuff. I have also found some great wholesale suppliers to get some of the additional items that I need to make some of my products thus making me a bigger profit margin on each item. I have also learned how important it is to plan and prioritise what to make and how much. I also surprised myself by how much I can physically make in a short space of time without killing myself. I also learned the importance and value of having such good friends - willing to put themselves out to help me in my time of need so many heartfelt thanks to Jean, Anna, Mary Jane and Caroline without whom it would not have been possiblexxx
A few more pics of the display/stall..............


Corsages and Scottie Keyrings were displayed on some old cork boards that I already had, covered in felt that I had been given from a job I did ages ago - in fact the only things I bought for the display were the shoerack (Bonnypack £6.95) and a lavender plant from B&Q.
So all in all a fabulous experience - I will be back to do it all again next year!

Invercottage.

Last weekend I travelled to Invercottage (near Strachur) to take part in the first craft fair organised independently by a select band of happy crafters! Despite having spent several months driving around the whole area whilst working on my first film job I managed to get lost and was an hour late - not a good start. However it was fine as I still had an hour to set up before Invercottage opened for business.
Come inside and have a look around.......

Isn't it gorgeous! You can see people enjoying the sun and a delicious lunch up on the terrace to the left.
It was a really beautiful day and quite a few people had come along to see what we had to offer and despite it being in such a remote location sales for all of us were good - it pays to get the right location.
On offer were handmade cards and tags and some lovely Clutterbuckets courtesy of The Patchwork Dress aka Caireen.......

Cards and handmade decorations from Bella Bheag aka Isobel (just peeking out from behind her display!)

Knitted and felted bags and gifts from My Baboo aka Lynne...................

Some hand embroidered cards and hand decorated pashminas ands waistcoats from JemmaJo (no pictures - sorry)
And last but not least some of my own stuff...

The cover needs a good iron!! In fact I am a bit fed up with the way I display my stuff and think it needs a radical overhaul. I had too much stuff displayed and the overall effect was confusing and messy so I am planning to do some serious redesigning.
We had a great day chatting and eating lovely food and drinking seriously strong coffee whilst enjoying the wonderful view............
I would have shown the wonderful view but I can't seem to get it to load properly - it is a composite of 4 images and I have never been able to get anything like this to load so......... just imagine the most beautiful and peaceful Loch on a summers day!
In other news the blanket has reached this stage.

The next time I blog about it, it  will be completed ....hopefully.

Ooops looks like thew picture works in Safari! Can't be bothered to sort it out!!

Craft Event.

Thanks to Lynne's efforts a few of us from the Wee Green Market ( Bella Bheag, My Baboo, Patchwork Dress, Fieldy) are having an event at Invercottage next Saturday.
many thanks to Caireen for putting the poster together....

It is a lovely location and well worth a visit - Hopefully see you there!! (It's about 1.5 hours from Glasgow) I am REALLY looking forward to it!! A lovely day out in great company!!

This Weekend at Killearn.

Yesterday was the monthly Wee Green Market at Killearn which is always a great opportunity to catch up with other crafters and buy some fantastic local crafts and produce. It was a very busy market and there were a few new stalls which is great to see - news is spreading about the quality and variety of things on offer! It is the first opportunity that I have had to show some new things that I have been working on and to get some feedback on them. I was really chuffed to sell quite a few things including a couple of my new felted tweed Scottie Keyrings..........

Another new product is my simple contrasting tweeds Pincushion.........

I also made some bigger drawstring Project Bags which I will be putting in my Etsy shop in the next couple of days.............

I have made them slightly larger than the ones I made originally to easily accomodate small knitting and crochet projects. I have also been making more of the Colinette wool corsages which have also proved popular.........

and I finally got around to doing something with this lovely printed logo that came on one of my tweed orders - I was going to frame it but then I saw this emroidery ring and thought it would look nice in that. It has become part of my table display.....

I am going to have to get my act together quickly as I need to sort out my labels/business cards and table display if I am to look in any way professional at the Edinburgh Festival Craft Fair in a couple of months time!! At the moment my display is a mish mash of things I already had and things that I have bought from charity shops and I feel it needs to be a little more cohesive. Will add 'Design new Display' to my ever growing list of things to do! I am off to panic and drink wine!

Filling the Well.

I have been feeling a bit flat lately - distinctly lacking in motivation. I finished my last job about a month ago and promptly fell ill with a nasty virus which dragged on for quite some time, leaving me rather tired and listless, unable to do anything requiring focus and energy. However it is not all doom and gloom as I had rather a jolly time drinking coffee and watching too much TV namely 'Homes Under the Hammer' and 'The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes' which I absolutely LOVE! (Jeremy Brett is superb as Holmes) However, all this came to an untimely end when I embarked on some serious home improvements which saw me camping out in the living room surrounded by all the c**p from bathroom, kitchen and bedroom. I also set myself a stupid schedule of unrealistic targets (sound familiar) with regard to what I could get made for the upcoming Wee Green Market. For some reason I felt really resentful at the amount of work I was doing sewing wise, exacerbated by the withdrawel symptoms of trying to wean myself off the bloody TV!
Luckily I had arranged to go over to visit Caireen

Creative Stitches.

Hmmmm - the title of the exhibition promises much but the reality is rather dissappointing, although there were a huge amount of people there who would probably beg to differ. However, there were a couple of things that caught my eye and it was lovely to catch up with Isobel and talk about crafting and blogging amongst other things. I felt sufficiently enthused to go home and plan a little for the upcoming year with regards to selling my tweedy goods - I have been woefully disorganised with regards to this so this year is the year I intend to cast my net a little wider. I was contacted by Craft Fairs Scotland recently to see if I would be interested in participating in some of their events and I am tempted. There is one at Langside Halls - within spitting distance of my house! - which I am going to check out (March 21st for any locals reading) with a view to doing their Christmas Fair. There are also ones in Edinburgh that I am going to look at. I am also thinking about taking a stall at the Craft Market during the Edinburgh Festival, just for a couple of days to see how it goes.
Anyway, these were the highlights of the show - for me at least...........

tucked away to one side of the hall was an exhibition of items made from recycled goods. I love the lump of knitted and crocheted coral.........

by Inga Hamilton. I am fascinated by the whole idea of the Hyperbolic Coral Reef that has been doing the rounds recently.
I also loved these spoons/kitchen utensils. The first made from paper and cardboard pulp....

ad these made from recycled childrens books................

by Magie Hollingworth. Lovely.

Oh well...........

Last weekend I took part in a Craft Fair organised to raise money for the Kilmacolm Toddlers Group - an event I attended last year too. Despite the rotten weather there were alot of folk out and about supporting the event and I sold quite a few things and made a bit of money to boot. I was very pleased that my corsages were popular as they are a new addition to the range of items that I make and I love making them (see - I am totally justified in buying all that lovely yarn!) It was a really nice event although very small in comparison to last years.
That same weekend I also arranged to meet up with Caireen to look around the Hobbycrafts exhibition at the SECC. Although alot of the stuff on sale was not to my taste it was good to see so many people attending the event. There was a fantastic book stand with so many great crafting books it made me quite giddy - I didn't buy any -  I still have rather alot at home to get through. I did treat myself to some cut price Debbie Bliss Soho.........

a tiny woodcut of a Bee and a tiny frame (unphotographed) and some sweet lasercut wooden buttons.....

Not sure what I will do with them but thought they were lovely!
It was great to catch up with Caireen who very kindly conquered her button phobia to choose and buy these gorgeous vintage buttons for me from an antique shop in Aberfeldy...

Now that's what I call friendship!
This weekend I attended the Wee Green Market - I had high hopes as Xmas is approaching and there were alot of stalls there and a great buzz - however only a handful of people came along and I only managed to cover the cost of my table and the petrol to get there  - just goes to show that you can never predict how an event will go - it is in the lap of the Craft Gods.
On the bright side I have had quite a few purchases from my Etsy shop - I will be updating it soon with some more hotties and scotties and possibly some of my new corsages made from Colinette yarn with Harris Tweed and felt leaves. On the subject of felt - does anyone know of a good supplier of molton felt? I have some in black but generally use crafting felt to back the leaves. I would love to get some nice bright molton to use instead as it will be more robust.
I would like to wish all you fellow crafters out there a fruitful and happy run up to Xmas - hope the Craft Gods smile upon you!

Edited - I think I mean MELTON felt. Molton is something I order alot for blackout material!

The Big Trip - Day 2 - Warwick to Cornwall

I decided that a quick tour of Warwick (which has some of the most amazing medieval architecture in England) would be in order before heading south and as I have already visited Warwick Castle I checked out a couple of Ness's recommendations. First port of call was the Period House Shop - an Art Directors dream!! So many lovely period embellishments - maybe one day I will work on a project that will require them! I can but dream! The shop was situated a stones throw from Warwick Wool - a really nice LYS with quite alot of Rowan... and not much else. I also managed to find a couple of charity shops and couldn't resist buying these stamps....

and these......

and these!......

I am not sure what I am going to do with them - maybe I will do some "art". Ness's second recommendation was that I go to Wylies Food Emporium for coffee and cake. If there is one thing you MUST do if you ever visit Warwick - it is go here. It is like stepping back in time. The cafe is two rooms decorated in 1940's style with lots of original victorian period details (fireplaces etc) It has such a unique atmosphere helped in part by the music playing (1940's swing/jazz style). All the cakes are made fresh every day and displayed under large glass cake domes - I had a piece of Plumptious Scrumptious Chocolate Cherry Cake - and the coffee is like rocket fuel. The piece of cake was so big that even I couldn't finish it! You pay for your food in the little room at the back which is done out like a really old sweetie shop, selling sweets long since discontinued (or so I thought) - all the sorts of things I used to love as a child. The strange thing is that it all seems very 'real' - not at all forced or 'themed' - well worth a visit.
Buzzing on caffeine and sugar I set off on the long drive to Cornwall by way of the Cotswolds. I have never visited the Cotswolds and was not prepared for the beauty of the countryside as I drove along. I passed through the lovely market towns of Moreton-in-Marsh and Stow-on-the-Wold - there were even Farmers Markets on - an English idyll! I had a brief wander and hit the road again heading for Bath. Bath is a place I know well having spent many a Saturday there shopping with my Mum - we usually went to Bristol but Bath was always our favourite place to go. Of course I got stuck in traffic (Bath is a nightmare in that respect) but it gave me plenty of opportunity to appreciate the fine Georgian architecture and reminisce. Unfortunately this reminiscing led to the rash decision to go across country to Weston-super-Mare (my home town and incidentally also hometown of actor Rupert Graves who was 2 years above me at school) on the old road (we always went that way to Bath) This road happens to take twice as long as the motorway but is far prettier, and windier...and narrower....and scarier!!! I'm a city girl and country roads scare the s**t out of me! Note to self: NOT a good idea to set off on a long winding country road with no stopping places having just drunk a litre of water!! By the time I reached a service station I was ready to burst!
I arrived in Golant (the village where my sister lives) around 7pm - I negotiated the ever decreasing roads - imagine going down a tunnel with a 6ft wall of granite on either side - and was feeling quite pleased with myself for getting that far without getting lost once - when I turned the corner to be confronted with a flooded road.

There is only one narrow road in Golant that circles the village and twice a day - at high tide - that circle is broken and you cannot get past unless you back up an incredibly steep and narrow road and go the other way round! Thanks for letting me know Anne! My nerves were shredded by the time I arrived and the large glass of red wine that I was greeted with was very welcome - as were the next several - lucky my sister owns a pub!

The Big Trip - Day 1 - Glasgow to Coventry via....Wales!

Well, I have finally steeled myself to sit down and write about my road trip to Cornwall - it seems like ages ago! I am going to do a series of posts outlining the journey, places of interest that I visited and a bit about the people that I visited - well, rather alot about the people I visited!
Here goes...............I had decided that as I was going to be driving such a great distance that it would be a good idea to make the actual driving/journey as much a part of my holiday as actually being where I was intending to go, so after much plotting and planning I left Glasgow that Monday morning at 8am and by 11am I was sipping coffee and admiring the ducks at my favourite service station (I know - it's very sad to have a favourite service station) which has the most amazing farm shop. I had decided that I was going to take a wee detour through Wales as I was not on any deadline to get to Coventry. It was horrible weather and driving on the motorway was hellish so when I got to the Chester turnoff I was really happy. I was even happier when I crossed the border into Wales and the sun started shining! I drove through the most beautiful countryside and within an hour or two I had reached my destination. I approached the door, my heart pounding with anticipation and what lay beyond did not dissappoint! The HQ of Colinette yarns in Welshpool - Textile Alchemy!

 

It is such a beautiful shop - I was overwhelmed by the choice of texture and colour on offer and the staff were so friendly and welcoming. I have been making corsages out of Colinettes Grafitti yarn in a couple of colours and I wanted to buy a selection of different colours to try. It is so hard to choose between all the colours as they are all magnificent, so I ended up buying one of each colour. Luckily there is a large sale section in the shop so many of them were reduced because of some perceived flaw - not that I could see any!

There are an abundance of knitted samples showing off the different yarns - I spent a very happy hour there just admiring it all! It is a great place to visit - I would recommend it to anyone. What is also good is that it is situated next to the Steam Railway which has a lovely cafe on the platform selling Fairtrade coffee so there are plenty of distractions for companions not interested in yarny goodness. Welshpool itself is also very pretty and not too far away with plenty of shops and cafes to enjoy.

( You can see the full set of photos I took in the shop on Flickr)

I left with a smile on my face and a bag full of the most wonderful yarn with great names like Lobster Pinch, Vatican Pie and Morello Mash!

Within a a couple of hours I had reached my destination - my friends Ness and Marks cottage just outside Coventry. I had just enough time to dump my stuff before being whisked off to a local pub for dinner and a double celebration! Ness had just found out that morning that she had secured funding from Arts Council England for the play she has written and Mark has just recently been promoted to Associate Dean of the School of Art and Design at Coventry University AND his Phd thesis was being published as a book! Ness and Mark are two of the hardest working people I know and they deserve every success! I am very flattered that Ness has asked me to design the costumes for her show and it is great to be able to do something like this again as I have not done any theatre or costume work for several years and really miss it! Ness and I met at Art School where we were both doing Degrees' in Theatre Design. Ness has always wanted to write and now finally, 20 odd years later, she has realised that ambition. It hasn't been easy and I admire her determination - Well Done Ness! If you happen to be in the Coventry area on the 2nd, 3rd or 4th Oct come and see the play - it's worth the effort!

PS I have just updated my etsy shop! Go and take a peekx

Potfest 2008.

Every year there is a Ceramics Festival at the Cattle Market in Perth and this year, for the first time, I managed to spend an afternoon there. It is such a lovely venue (well I think it is!) in amongst all the stalls where the cattle are held for Auction. It was such a treat to see so many different styles of work and the whole experience was enhanced by the company of Caireen and Susan - fellow bloggers and craft enthusiasts.
After doing a circuit of the entire show I went back to make my purchases. I started small with this lovely bowl.......

......which I fished out of the bargain bin - a snip at £3.00! It has already found a home on my cutting table holding my pins...

I also bought three fridge magnets from the same artist/ceramicist? at a pound each....

...each one is a tiny work of art. The colours and textures are beautiful.
I then purchased some handmade buttons - thank goodness Caireen and Susan spotted them as I would have missed them completely! A mere 65p each (the larger ones were more)

My final purchase was going to be a white ceramic Rabbit. I am not really a fan of the Rabbit but this sculpture had such simple lines it appealed to me - that and the fact that it was only £12. However, when I returned to the stall it had gone - no Rabbit for me! The same artist had some sculptures of mythical creatures (yuck!) and....... something else that I am hugely drawn to, something I really love, something so beautiful it takes your breath away. Something so expensive that, although I desperately wanted it, I had to go away and think about it over coffee and cake. I am so glad that I was with Caireen and Susan as I might well have gone home without this..........

...beautiful horse sculpture. It never ceases to amaze me how such an large animal can be so delicate, graceful and gentle. It looks perfect on my mantlepiece (I have cleared alot of stuff of it to give my horse the space it deserves) and I feel happy every time I look at it. It reminds me of Rhea, a beautiful Arab mare that I used to share with my friend FJ. Rhea was injured whilst out grazing in her field 2 years ago and had to be destroyed - totally heartbreaking. I know that I will treasure this forever- it was worth every penny.
Of course Caireen and Susan also made purchases, which I am sure you will be able to read about on their blogs. Also, for the cake enthusiasts amongst you Susan will reveal the results of the Sconometer. Have a great weekend!

New Year Break and a trip to 'The Big Smoke'.

Have just got back from a few days break down with my friends in Warwickshire. Apart from the traditional eating of good food and drinking of fine wines we managed to fit in a trip to the Chinese State Circus and a day out in the 'Big Smoke'. Despite the best efforts of Network Rail to thwart our plans we managed to spend a really lovely day in London. Very exciting as I haven't been down for a long long time!

We went to the Louise Borgeois exhibition at Tate Modern, strolled along the South Bank stopping at Gabriels Wharf for lunch and a glass of wine. Gabriels Wharf was one of my favourite hang-outs when I lived in London as it has loads of lovely bohemian craft type shops. One shop (or rather bright pink painted octagonal shed) caught my eye. It was selling felted clothes and accessories - irresistable. Of course I had to buy something and what did I buy? A scarf! I need another scarf like I need a hole in the head but it is so pink. And felted. And it has spots on it......

We continued our stroll along the South Bank stopping in at The Hayward and Royal Festival Hall for a nosy, and then on over the bridge and up through Charing Cross to Trafalger Square where we visited the National Portrait Gallery (my favourite gallery after the Hayward) and took in an exhibition of Photography. From there we went via Neals Yard (I always imagine meeting Mrs Madrigal from Tales from the City there!) to Covent Garden where we window shopped at Contemporary Applied Arts...

......and drank hot chocolate whilst listening to a string quartet from the Royal College of Music who were busking. It was so pretty and more christmassy than christmas which is odd seeing as how it was Jan 2nd! But the fun didn't stop there, oh no! After our hot chocolate we set off for Soho where we found a nice bar in Old Compton Street for a glass of wine to fortify us for more window shopping in Regent Street and Oxford Street. I managed to persuade Ness that I HAD to have a quick look in John Lewis to see if there were any bargains to be had in their yarn sale. No joy. I bought 2 skeins of Noro Iro anyway - well it would be rude not to!

When we finally decided that we had had enough excitement (and Ness had succeeded in flooding the loos at Oxford Street M&S - yes it was her!) we stepped onto Ye Olde London Bus which took us straight to Marylebone Station - no effort required. The train was waiting at the platform to take us back home and home we went having had a truely stress- free day! Quite an achievement as stress-free is not a term usually associated with a trip to London!
The next day I set off for Glasgow. It was a bright sunny day when I left but a completely different story by the time I reached Tebay Services! It was snowing heavily and it was so dark at only 2pm! Tebay Services is set in landscaped grounds with a duck pond. I made the mistake of stopping to take a beauty shot....

..and all the ducks started to rush me!

I beat a hasty retreat! Hope you too had a Happy New Year!

Blog Envy

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.........

A cultural enterprise....

Spent yesterday in Edinburgh at a seminar organised by Cultural Enterprise Scotland which was all about exhibiting at International Craft and Trade Fairs. Had a fantastic day - it was so informative and the two speakers James Donald and Gilly Langton were great. Both James and Gilly are at the top of their game in terms of crafting and design, their games being Weaving and Jewellry respectively. There were about 40 makers there from all over Scotland covering a variety of crafts. I had taken a couple of things along with me but they stayed firmly in their bag - to be honest I felt like a bit of a fraud!
I have put links to James' website here and to Gillys' here
These two sites are also interesting Papa Stour and the natural store
I found The Natural Store when I was looking for info about James' shop Concrete Wardrobe and it came up on an old issue of Selvedge. In this particular copy there are articles about Concrete Wardrobe, felt making and theatrical costume design - perfect! Have ordered it and I am seriously considering getting a subscription - although it is pretty pricey!! I love how looking for one thing leads to another - I am new to all this having only recently got broadband. So many hours go by.........
After a seriously good lunch (free!) and a healthy dose of crafty talk I went off to the exhibition 'Amazing Rare Things' - the Art of Natural History in the Age of Discovery, at the Queens Gallery in the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Couldn't resist taking a pic of these OTT door hinges and the carvings around the entrance.

There was a giant floral display of Lillies as you went in and you could smell them all over the gallery which seemed rather appropriate considering the content of the exhibition. So many amazingly detailed watercolours. Some of them must have been painted with a brush with just a single bristle on it! I loved the way that the artists had no problem putting several seemingly unrelated things on one sheet, paying no attention to scale. My favourite painting title was 'Pineapple with Cockroaches' although my fave painting was by Alexander Marshal (1620 - 1682) entitled 'Common sunflower and greyhound'

The greyhound does look a little frightened! There were several artists work on show including a few Leonardo's but I liked Marshals stuff most. I have a real fascination for botanical prints and drawings and anything with insects.And butterflies. This is lovely too - by Maria Sibylla Merian (1647 - 1717) entitled 'Branch of swamp immortelle with giant silk moths and caterpillars'

On my way back to the station I passed this in the playground of a local school - very jolly!

.... then back home to rest my weary legs and to scrub my blue feet clean (rain+new jeans+flipflops= blue feet) not a good look!