Flock

Heathlands Flock

Woo, it feels like a very long time since I've been here writing my little posts. Pre Christmas was a bit hectic, to put it mildly, but I've been getting together my to-do lists and getting myself organised and focused again now that the madness is more or less over for another year. I made quite a lot of presents this year and it was really lovely at Christmas to hear people say how pleased they were with their handmade gifts. It cheered me up after the make-athon that was December and I have vowed (probably foolishly) to try and make even more presents next year.

Anyway, the main point of this post was to show you some pictures of pom-pom sheep. Inspired by Anthony Gormley's 'Flock' Eden Arts have been running a project to get as many people as possible to make pom-pom sheep using wool yarn as a way of promoting wool, specifically British wool. I believe this is a Good Thing and so got my textiles group at Heathlands to make some. Today I posted them off to join the bigger flock. Check out Eden Arts website for more details (just search Eden arts.)

Flock

Happy Sheep

Scary Sheep

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

Warwick on Eden Craft Fair and Two Commissions

My Stall

Close up

The craft fair I did on Sunday at Warwick on Eden went very well; it was quite quiet but I still managed to do fairly well and it was a nice, relaxed affair. I met some very nice people and one of my friends from work came down to support me and my friend Helen (I offered Helen half my table as she wanted to do a fair but hadn't done one before.) I also was asked to make two pieces for presents, I like special requests as it means people like my stuff (always a good ego boost) and it's fun to make things for specific people rather than just making a product.

Cat head brooch

Cards and frog 'phone case

Hedgehog 'phone case

Polymer clay 'lace' brooch

The first commission was for a cream cushion with a swallow on, I'd taken an aqua coloured cushion with a swallow on but the lady wanted a cream cushion with a 'proper' coloured swallow. I'm really pleased with the way it came out and may well make something similar for my next craft fair. The second commission was for a doggy doorstop. This was more of a challenge because I really don't like dogs. However, I decided to rise to the challenge and after a bit of planning and experimenting I came up with a design, made a pattern and used this to make a little hound doorstop. I hate to admit it but I think it's quite cute! I hope the recipients are pleased with their presents, I did have fun making them!

The original cushion

The commissioned cushion

Detail of the swallow



Hound doorstop

Detail

Bird Decorations

Hand-made felt birds

I run an art group called Create It! for Eden Mencap Society every other Monday evening and recently we've been making bird decorations. Last session we did some design work and then some felt making and yesterday we began using that felt to make the decorations. The blue bird was done by a guy who'd never done any stitching before, he quickly picked it up and did a great job. I love the colour choices and his blue-lidded eye. Next session we'll be carrying on and making some more birds, I can't wait to see what they come up with!

Work in progress

Design work

Warwick on Eden Craft Fair

Owl brooches

I love the night before (or in this case two nights before) a craft fair. This is the time when I lay it all out, label it all, make price tags and (generally) feel quite good about all the work I've done. It's quite satisfying after weeks of slaving away to see it all laid out, I start to imagine how I will set my table out, what might sell and the people I might meet. I generally don't do anymore making as by now I'm usually very tired and happy to get everything ready then curl up with a glass of wine and a sense of anticipation.

Assembled bits and pieces

I'm going to have a stall at the Warwick on Eden (it's just outside Carlisle) Christmas Fair on Sunday but tomorrow I'm doing a craft fair up at The Heathlands Project (a social enterprise supporting adults with disabilities) and then I'm off to see a reading of Under Milkwood in Hayton so I won't have time to prepare tomorrow. It should be fun on Sunday as I've offered to share my table with my friend Helen, she hasn't done a craft fair before but is keen to give it a go.

Life Drawing

New year, new drawing sessions!

On Thursday I ran the last of my three trial life drawing sessions. It went very well, as have the previous two, so I have booked another set for next year. If you're interested, please get in touch! It was interesting that everyone said they found some of the poses really difficult to capture but I see that as a good thing as it challenges us!

5 minute pose

5 minute pose. I'm very proud of this one as I got the whole body on the page!

15 minutes. Foreshortening, grr!

I really struggled with this last 40 minute pose

So, I did several versions. This is a continuous line drawing

I tried doing sections at a time

More continuous line

Appleby Craft Fair

My Stall

Wow, I can't believe how quickly the past few weeks have gone. Since my last post I've run the second of my life drawing sessions, which went very well, made Halloween decorations and costumes and put up an exhibition of work from the Big Draw, including work done by our members at the Heathlands Project and our local primary school. I did mean to post about all these things but never quite round to it, the main reason being that I have been fully immersed in stitch madness. The reason for this being...

...I was in Appleby in Westmorland today, selling some of my crafts which I have been working away at making for the past few weeks. I was asked if I wanted a stall and I said yes but then had a major stress that I wouldn't have enough to fill a whole table so consequently I've been working like some form of stitching demon for the past few weeks. It has, however, been great fun and I sold quite a lot today so it was all worth it. It was great hearing people's comments and seeing what people liked and what they weren't so impressed with. I very much enjoyed today and I'm hoping to do another fair before Christmas. Having something like the craft fair to work towards has also been good because it's given me an incentive to make things and I've tried out lots of new ideas along the way.

Owl Doorstops

Cards, Key-rings and 'phone cases

Tree Cards



Bird and Heart Cushions