Keeping up the momentum

The exhibition is upon us!   I will be spending all day there tomorrow; today we’ve been at the Mansion House, St. Helens, for a craft fair.   It was a good day, lots of lovely comments!  

Apparently, the exhibition has been well received with a steady flow of people coming to look at it.  I shall be able to judge its success better after spending the day there tomorrow.  Then there’ll be  the task of taking it down and returning all the prints to their rightful owners. 

On the craft front, I’ve been pushing on – mostly with felt book/diary covers, I’ve made quite a few now and I’m ready to move on to something else.  I’ve also made a few brooches – I think Winter is the season for brooches, people like them to brighten up their Winter coats.  

This week, I’ve been quite adventurous and self –indulgent!   I’ve made myself a felt hat – the first time I’ve tried a hat,  and it was quite daunting.   The completed item (well, almost completed) has quite a high crown and an asymmetrical brim – it doesn’t look half bad.  I haven’t decided yet whether to decorate it and, if so, with what.   Who knows I might have a photo of it soon – I might have photos of a lot of things soon – that’s one task I’ve neglected for weeks – must try harder.

Progress or is it?

Just a short blog this week.   We've been very busy getting ready for the Camera Club Exhibition.  We spent over 3 hours yesterday evening crawling around the floor surrounded by prints - putting titles on, sorting them into categories and deciding on the layout.  It's a job well done, it should make the actual mounting of the exhibition a bit easier.   There are over a hundred very varied prints and it should look really good.   We'll be there all Sunday, 19th,  and are quite looking forward to it. 

I've made great progress with the quilt,it's all sewn together and pressed ready to sandwich with the wadding and backing and do the actual quilting.   It looks absolutely exquisite (I think), so much so that I don't think I can bring myself to dye it - it's just beautiful as it is.    At present I think I will keep it as it is - I'll have a photo of it soon.

I've also been busy trying to build up my 'stock' - although I've only actually finished one scarf and a cowl and some Christmas cards!   I've made felt for some maple leaf brooches and a couple of diaries and they are in the final stages of completion so I should have them finished soon.     Watch this space!

Great news!

We went to St. Luke’s in Crosby on Saturday, taking our Christmas decorations and cards in the hope that Crosby has started its Christmas shopping.   The cards went very well, but the decorations didn’t attract anyone.    The same applied to our trip to Scorton on Sunday - I really think it’s too early for them – I think we’d better wait a couple of weeks.    Scorton Village Hall was a really busy, pleasant and well-organised venue and we will be going there again on 10^th December.

 I have, at long last, completed enough square for my patchwork quilt.   I’m now in the process of joining them all together – then for the dyeing - can’t wait to see the results although it’s a bit scary – anything could happen.

My camera club, Maghull Photography Club,  is mounting an exhibition at Maghull Town Hall on 19^th and 20^th November, so we have been busy selecting and mounting prints to display.   We’ll also be involved in the organisation and curating of the exhibition as well, although not on the Saturday,  because we’ll be at the Mansion House, St. Helens, for a craft fair that day.   We’ll be there on the Sunday during the day and then we’ll help to dismantle the exhibition and tidy up.   It’s a lot of work for just two days but we’re looking forward to the chance to show the local community what the Club does and how much talent there is among the members.

Last year, we applied to take part in a really big event at St. George’s Hall in Liverpool and were really disappointed not to be accepted.   This year, it takes place over two days so we tried again.  We applied for both days in the hope of being successful for one of them.   Imagine our surprise when we were accepted for both Saturday and Sunday, 3^rd and 4^th December.   We’re going to have to work flat out to make sure we have enough ‘stock’.     Oh dear, that will be another excuse for not doing any housework!

Jet lag gone!

Just a short post, this week.   Considering that I was expecting to be jet-lagged this week, I have made quite a bit of progress.   Nothing new, just 7 more patchwork squares.

This afternoon, I made a piece of felt to cover a diary – it was a bit of an experiment I wanted to make a ‘picture’ of poppies against a blue sky.   Using some red pre-felts which were offcuts of the poppy corsage, I cut out three poppy shapes and added them to a background of pale blue, white clouds and green vegetation– they look great – it’s drying in the airing cupboard as I write.

 
Sadly, our trip to Lark Lane, yesterday, was our last for this year, but we hope to be there again when the season starts again in 2012!   I took some Christmas table decorations, gold pine cones and Christmas cards – although there was plenty of interest, only a few cards and cones sold.  Perhaps it’s a bit early?   I’ll be taking them with me to St. Luke’s in Crosby on Saturday, 29^th October, and to Scorton Village Hall, on Sunday 30^th – another  busy weekend ahead but I’m looking forward to it.

Down to work!

Down to work!

I haven’t posted a blog for a couple of weeks because I have been on a wonderful holiday.   We went on a tour ‘New England in the Fall’ to see all the beautiful Autumn colours.   Wow!   We timed it just right and the colours were amazing.  I have taken over 1000 photographs – heaven knows when I’ll have chance to process them but I’m looking forward to at least a couple of good ones.  It’s now time to get down to  work again.

I have done a little bit of craft since I came back – 9 more patchwork squares – I’ll have to have a count up soon and see how near the target I am.      I’ve also made 3 felt notebook covers, 2 in black and white and another in autumn colours – guess where the inspiration for that one came from?

Liz and I made another 4 Christmas table centres before I went away and I will be taking them to Lark Lane this Saturday to see if anyone shows any interest.   Having been into Liverpool shopping today, I’m also going to take some Christmas cards, the shops are full of them already.



I did start some more poppy corsages a couple of weeks ago but I haven’t made the centres for them so that’s another job unfinished.    I had intended to make some photo keyrings by now – I thought they’d make good stocking fillers but I ran out of time -  I’ll have to attempt them next week as well  – who knows, I might even have some photos to post!

A busy weekend

We delivered the photos of the Soap Corner's products on Tuedsay, Margaret seemed very pleased with them.  
Despite buying two  more different  fabrics for the quilt, I haven't made a single square since I last posted - I was out every evening last week - not socialising either, mostly meetings etc.   There is a shop in Marshside Road, Southport, which sells, among other things, a vast selection of patchwork fabrics - I would like to live there!  

I finished some felt book covers and they are now covering  2012 diaries and there will be more before too long.

Liz and I started on the Christmas table decorations last week, we only made 3 before we ran out of steam.  We intend to do some serious work on them this Friday.   

The weekend was extremely busy.  On Satruday, after delivering some of the Club's photos for a competition, we headed for Lark Lane.  We hadn't been there since July, so it was nice to meet up with all the familiar faces.   In fact, one couple who had bought prints from me before, came back for another one.    Apart from that, I didn't sell much apart from cards.

Sunday morning, very early, saw us heading for the unknown.   There was an Open Day at Wyresdale Hall and Country Park near Scorton which is between Preston and Lancaster.   We found it without too much difficulty,  despite the extremely narrow bridge over the River Wyre which was a bit daunting at first.   The Hall was an interesting old Manor House which I would have loved to visit, but we just didn't get the chance.  We hope to go back again, one day, to have a good look at it.    The Craft Fair itself was in a barn with the farmers' market.    It was very large, quite draughty,  and we shared it with some sheep!  However, we had dressed up in our walking gear so we were fine.    Surrounded by chutney, yoghurts, puddings etc. we had a great time.   There were lots of people browsing and buying, and quite a few took cards and said they'd either look at the website, or come to see us again when we visit Scorton Village Hall in November.   As usual, we met some very interesting people - especially Oliver, a gorgeous little boy who helped his mum and gran with their yoghurt/ice cream stall -  he entertained us greatly.    There was also a stall run by volunteers who were friends of Trinity Hospice in. or near, Blackpool.    They were selling the most beautiful, inexpensive, quilts and bags, and other crafts.   I hope they made a lot of money - they deserved it.   By the end of the day, when we had carried everything back to the car and made our way home,  we were absolutely exhausted - what a cure for insomnia.

On Monday, I had another busy but enjoyable day.  I went to run a mini felt-making workshop for my daughter and her friend.   We spent the whole day round her big kitchen table making felt.   They were both rank beginners but, by 'school run' time, they had each completed a piece of felt for a book cover and a small bag or purse, while I made a book cover and another felt bowl.   I hope they enjoyed the day as much as I did -  they said they did!


I've had my second ever order from the website this week - cue great rejoicing - it was for a double poppy corsage and I have already posted it.    I also had a call from the Coffee Etc Gallery in Parbold to say she'd sold some of my cowls and corsages, so I took some more there.    I need to get making some more corsages I think - perhaps on Friday.   So, all in all, an exhausting and successful week.


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The Rain it raineth................

I've worked hard, this week, with not a lot to show for it.   I've been busy every evening what  with activities which have just started again after the summer, a photography club committee meeting and some product photography.

On Tuesday evening, Liz and I went to 'The Soap Corner' to take some photos of Margaret's products for her web site.  Despite the fact that we are total novices at product photography and, thanks to the loan of a light tent, we were really pleased with the results.   We worked hard for 3 or 4 hours but we had a really pleasant evening - lots of laughs.    I've now finished the post processing and the photos are all ready to deliver - I hope they'll be acceptable - I think they will.

Our photography club is planning an exhibition at the local town hall in November so we are expecting to have to put in quite a few hours towards getting that ready.  

I actually bought some more fabric for the quilt, this week, you wouldn't believe how difficult it was to find 100% cotton in white or cream - I could have had any amount of plain but I really needed patterned.  In the event I bought some white spotted cotton and have completed 8 more squares but I still could do with another, different fabric, so that I can have some variety in the squares.   The search continues!

I've made a couple of pieces of felt and one red bowl this week.  The felt is now covering 3 diaries -  I can't believe that 2012 diaries are available already.  In the same vein, Liz and I are starting to make Christmas table decorations - we've already sprayed some pine cones and various seed heads and now we just need some candles and some greenery.   We have to get started now or we'll never get them done in time.

The Medieval Fair at Lydiate Abbey proved to be beyond us.   We arrived in very threatening weather at about 10.30 to start unloading.    We had just unloaded the table and a couple of boxes when there was a torrential downpour.   Even the tent which had been erected couldn't completely shelter us from the driving rain.  By about 11.15 the rain had eased but the damp had begun to penetrate the boxes so, reluctantly, we decided not to risk getting everything spoiled and we decamped.   It cleared up later in the afternoon but, by that time if we'd stayed, all my things would have been ruined.   It was such a shame the weather was so bad - the organisers had worked really hard and everyone was very disappointed, not least us. 

The plan, for the coming week is to try to catch up with everything which was put on hold last week - gardening in particular, and to prepare for the Craft Fair at Lark Lane on Saturday and Wyresdale Country Park, near Scorton, on Sunday.   It's going to be a busy weekend, I think.