build up to craft fair - Hopeful & Glorious

Hi despite being ill with the 'Putrid Throat' (Poldark term) I have been extremely busy this week organising the work for the Art & Craft Fair at Museum of Lancashire being held this Sunday & Monday.

I managed to make six needle felted brooches, update the list of items to be sold & check through all the goodies, weeding out items I did not think would sell, especially 2014 diaries!

I also bought two display stands on ebay, from which I had to remove copious amonts of sticky residue from tape etc- half an hour later they look reasonable. Why do people sell stuff that needs cleaning???

However I can now display flyers etc in a more professional way, as you can see from the photo below. Pretty good eh??

The photos below have been taken in my Guest room (lets hope I have no unexpected guests!!!) they won't be able to sleep on the bed or the floor.!!!



-

new brooches & stands

boxes galore

Further work on Exhibition 'Art & Soul'

I have nearly completed my work for Natural Progression Textile Group exhibition 'Art & Soul' which is being held at;

Bridge Gallery,Samlesbury Hall, Preston New Rd, Samlesbury, Preston PR5 0UP-

2nd July to 1st September 2014

01254 812010 http//www.samlesburyhall.co.uk

Open Sunday-Friday 11.00am to 4.00pm-

 Free Entry to exhibition.

Preview- Thursday 2nd July 6.00pm-8.00pm-OPEN TO ALL.

Below is a sneak preview of some of my work!!!

I am not giving any more away- you must come & see the exhibition for yourselves., as photographs do not show textiles to their best advantage.

Art & Craft Fair- Hopeful & Glorious.

Hi, I am running a stall at Museum of Lancashire with Caroline on Sunday 3rd May 12.00 noon to 5.00pm & Monday 4th May 10.30am to 5.00pm.

It will be held at Museum of Lancashire, Stanley Street(off London Road & next to the Prison) Preston PR1 4YP- see, buy & enjoy Glorious British Art & Craft.

The goods on sale, throughout the fair, are of a high standard & very very beautiful. A bonus is that entry is free & you get to go around the museum as well. There is also a small cafe- parking on site is limited however. But disabled access is included. If car park is full, there is a pay & display parking on The Range Car Park on the opposite side of London Road.

The museum is great and very interesting, so well worth the visit.

Photographs will follow after the event.

However here are some of our stall at a past event- this was the Christmas stall at Samlesbury hall so ignore the baubles on the Tree!!.

working towards our exhibition

I have been very busy working towards our exhibition 'Art & Soul' which will be held at Samlesbury Hall 2nd July to 1st September this year-more details to follow.

I am also attempting to make some items for The Skirmish Weekend held at at the end of August at Samlesbury Hall & spent all yesterday making brooches to attach to knitted capes for me & Caroline to wear, as we have to dress in Medieval clothing whilst manning the stall.

The brooches seem to be working, made with encaustic waxed grunge paper- but the hat pins which fix them together are causing me headaches, as the beads at the end keep sliding off, obviously the glue is not doing its job!!!

looking good -pinned to cape

Top one still be clamped!!!

Hopefully I will sort this out & maybe try a different glue- I will not be defeated!!!

Either way I am pleased with the end results & will continue to make some more encaustic jewellery for the exhibition as well.

I should really clean the bedrooms & bathroom, however there is always another day???

Full Diary

Just gone through my diary for 2015-I still use a paper diary!!! Most of April & May are booked up & June's looking like heading that way too.

I know I hate being bored, but I think I may have to calm down- getting a little old now!

I have three craft fairs booked, with a possibility of a fourth, loads to do but I do love them. I am looking forward to the Skirmish weekend at end of August at Samlesbury Hall. We have to don medieval  outfits & dress the stall accordingly- I have already knitted two capes, one for me & one for Caroline, which I will fasten with an encaustic brooch thingy (yet to be developed) & may do a third one for sale.

Pictures will follow when I have completed the task-

I have dyed a dust sheet olive green ready to make a dress- so good to go.

I have a workshop planned at Avant (see previous posting) & a small one planned for The Art House, Southport on 23rd May - this has been arranged as an off shoot to an Embroiderers Guild event which is now not going ahead- we will be making encaustic jewellery. (details will follow)

The workshop planned for Alston Hall 6th May does not seem to be coming off, due to lack of interest so far- I think the cost is putting people off- however you never know???

I have a holiday planned for end of May, numerous Natural Progression & Embroiderers Guild workshops & bits & pieces during the year.

Who says retirement is relaxing????

New workshop 19th May 2015(new date)

I am running a workshop 'Design to Stitch' at Avant Garden Centre, Wigan Road, Leyland PR25 5XW T 01772 433777 -  on Tuesday 19th May(AMENDED DATE) 10.00am to 4.00pm- The cost is £35.00 which includes a light lunch & refreshments during the day.

The aim of this workshop is to take away the fear of design & the cries of "But I don't know where to Start!" We will work through the processes involved in creating a piece of work based solely on your own initial idea. We will use different mediums to interpret those ideas eg sketching etc, we will then think about what textile techniques would work best & how to start and proceed.

Please contact Avant for the requirement list and to book your place.

Pages taken from my input into travelling books at parbold Embroiderers Guild.

workshop experimenting with New Techniques- 4th March

The workshop was very hectic, with possibly too much content- however the students coped well & produced some great samples as below;

 distressing painted kunin felt

all working very hard

Marcia transfer painting

At the ironing stage already????

Jolly little band-missing Val who had to leave early

Kathy at work

painted bondaweb onto kunin felt- very sone/brick like

light molding paste applied to weed suppressor - ready to be painted & zapped

Brusho'd pieces

painted bondaweb on felt

now distressed lutradur added

painted tyvek, stitched & distressed

transfer printed poly fabric

light molding paste applied through stencil & painted with Koh-i-noor -nearly ready for zapping

As you can see some lovely pieces, which the ladies can work on or develop.
Just finished putting all the stuff away- I think it will be some time before I do another full on mixed media workshop- maybe something using less materials is in order???