Pretty Things

Brooches handmade by me!

Still insanely busy here at Delicate Stitches HQ but I thought I'd try and share a few photos with you. This week The Heathlands Project, where I work part time, has been down at Alex Boathouse at Talkin Tarn selling our hand made wares. The sale was organised by my friend and colleague Helen Tuck and we both also had our own little tables there.

My stall

View across the tarn from the boathouse

The guys up at Heathlands have been working really hard and have made some beautiful things, including some lovely felt Christmas tree decorations made by my textiles group. Today I got the chance to take a couple of the guys up to the Boathouse and I was really impressed seeing all the work out on display.

A selection of the Heathlands Projects wares

It was also a really nice chance for me to have a look at my stock and put out a couple of new things, including some hand printed sketchbooks. A few weeks ago I carved a couple of lino blocks and I used these to make prints for the sketchbooks. I really like lino cuts and enjoyed designing and carving these blocks.

Hand printed sketchbooks 

Detail of hand printed sketchbook.

Elephants!

Sunshine Elephant

On Saturday I did a craft fair at the Tithe Barn in Carlisle. It's a really lovely venue so it was a real shame it was so quiet. However, the people organising it (Masseuse Smooth, who also have a shop in Penrith stocking some of my stuff) came to me to tell me they'd sold one of my owl doorstops and the person who'd bought it wanted to know how much an elephant would be. So, I set about designing an elephant and came up with this design.

Design for the elephant doorstop

They took it away to show the person in question who said yes and so last night I made a lovely sunshiney elephant. Now I'm off to make one in green, as you do.

Side view

Back view

Detail

Appleby 10th November 2012

Yesterday I did a craft fair over in Appleby. I really like travelling over to Appleby as I think it's a lovely little town. I didn't do so well but I had lots of nice chats with other crafters and have come back with new plans and ideas for the New Year. I also got plenty of knitting done which is always good! My next craft fair will be at Tithe Barn in Carlisle on Saturday 1st December, 10-4.

Pictures from BOB

 My Lovely Owls at BOB

I had a lovely time down in Bakewell for BOB this weekend. Not really a financially successful venture but I met lots of lovely crafty folk, especially Red Apple Tree Crafts who I was next to. Very well done to Hannah Greatorex for organising it all, it was a lovely atmosphere and great to see so many unique ideas in one place.

I would put more pictures up but picassa is being silly. Grr!

More owls, penguins and others!

Birdies

Hot water bottle covers-cosy!

Details of hot water bottle covers

A Summery Summary

Owl cushions commissioned for a wedding

Each owl had the wedding date embroidered on the back

Crazy Owls!

July and August, even more so than the rest of this insanely busy year, seem to have flashed before my eyes. Instead of attempting to recap and explain all the madness I thought I'd just post a few pictures of some of the things I've been up to. I've just got back from a much needed holiday and feeling pretty much human again. I think I might need to reassess that whole work/life balance thing. It's been fun but there has definitely not been enough sleep!

Appleby Agricultural show

It was very muddy

Cushions!

Images from Impecunious' Summer Project, Wonderland. A week long community arts extravaganza held at Botcherby Community Centre.

Wonderland art work

Mask making

Mushroom making

Mushroom making

Butterfly decorating

The crystal cave

Crystal Cave

More plastic stuff

Magic mushrooms in the crystal cave

Decorations

Pom-pom caterpillar

UV wool and butterfly decorations

West Cumbrian Game Fair

In the marquee

I had a stall at the West Cumbrian Game Fair at Armathwaite Hall, near Bassenthwaite on Saturday. It was not a very successful day for me but I did get to chat to some other lovely crafters and we didn't get rained on!

Things and stuff

Lovely owls

Lovely key rings

Lovely hair things

Exciting Times

Delicate Stitches stand at Masseuse Smooth

I've had an even busier than normal week this week but it's been full of lots of good things. One of which I shall now tell you about. I've done a couple of craft fairs in Appleby organised by Masseuse Smooth who also have a shop in Penrith and they've asked me if I would like to sell some of my items in their shop. They already stock work by several other makers and I've been thinking for a while about trying to get my work into a 'bricks and mortar' shop rather than just my Folksy shop so it seemed like the ideal opportunity. So, today I took some of my items down and they're now available for sale there. Exciting times indeed! More to come later about other exciting things I've done this week...

Brooches and hair clips

Door stops

Cushions

Wigton Craft Sale

My stall at Wigton

My friend Helen and I did a craft sale at Carlisle Youth Zone on Wednesday evening, it wasn't very busy but you've got to try these things. In a similar vein we went to Wigton Market Hall today, again it was very quiet but I sold quite a bit and got chatting to some very nice people which for me is part of the fun! Anyway, here are a few pictures, if you like my work please have a look at my Folksy shop www.folksy.com/shops/delicatestitches

Keyrings and earrings

Swallow Cushion #2 I liked the one I did as a commission so much I've made another!

Owl hot-water bottle covers

My stall at Carlisle Youth Zone on Wednesday