Friday night and I'm loving...

that Woolfest 2013 is only 359 days away...

so in the meantime here's a taste of what you might have seen this year... despite the most rainiest weather with welly boots and rainhats (and that's just on the sheep!)...people came out of the wet and into colour and texture and all manner of wonderful woollyness...and buying and selling and sharing and talking and laughing and touching and loving all the amazing yarns and fleeces and all manner of textile art and craft...contemporary and tradition meeting and mingling...makers and producers and farmers and animals...celebrating  their love for wool...

there is SO VERY MUCH TO SEE ...and the people came and came...from near and far... from around the world...in buses and charabancs with friends or family or alone... mainly it's a Womanfest...the occasional man wandering bemusedly (or stallholding for a wife)...

thanks to my fantastic husband of very great patience and talented arranger of handbags daughter...we set it all up together on a wet chilly Thursday evening...and I felt like the newest girl at Big School...but I soon settled in when I met old friends and made new ones amongst the other stall holders...everyone is just so friendly and I swear all the customers are on something cos they are all sooo happy...

thanks too to all my friends who came to say hello...and to everyone who gave me such lovely feedback and comments...and bought my bags and hats and brooches ...

my best Emmie and Emma sign made by daughter mine...

and did you know that alpacas hum??

and sheep come in all shapes and colours...

and that there are some very talented people out there...

beautiful necklace and wrap by Marion Rae

fabulous nuno felted scarves and printed pebbles by Lyndsey Tyson

exquisite crochet in linen and wool by namolio

yummy cupcakes and pretty roses by Linda Chapman at Moor End Felts

crummy yarn and buttons from Tinker Tailors

delicious delicate knits from Rebecca Selfridge

and don't you love the colour and texture of these bags and yarns from knitting4fun  

and the rare sighting of a Phil Bradley, basket maker...with some of his beautifully crafted willow work just to prove that THERE ARE MEN AT WOOLFEST!!

and this is just a wee bitof what's there...there is just so much more to see and experience...this can only give you a small visual show...you need to hear and see and smell and touch...better make sure you go next year! see you there...

It's Woolfest...this week!

and so there may or may not be a blog this week...please don't panic... the world hasn't ended... I just need to focus... so I will be ready before midnight on Thursday... hope to see you here...or there very soon! have a lovely sunshiney week whereever you are! I'm off to the studio to get working and making with fabrics and threads and machine embroidery for those few last minute goodies I can rustle up...just love it! and some more labelling and pricing making lists and arranging and thinking about what will go where...

and

so I have breakfasted outside in the sun,...checked on the 3 duckling and Mummy hen, pottered in the garden taking photos of the flowers to share on my blog... put the washing in...been on facebook (business of course!)... spoken to my father on the phone...made a cup of tea...done a mini blog saying how I won't be blogging this week...so I guess now It is Time to Go and Get On!!

love to you all on this sunny summery Monday morning (I've got my socks off again)...xx

 

there's nothing wrong with shopping...

it's essential therapy as anyone will tell you as it not only keeps other people in work but can be very pleasurable...especially when it's for fabrics... threads...inspiration...beautiful artwork etc... and as Money IS Love...it's a way of sharing the love...a win win activity...

so halfterm hols and we set off for the big city...first Carlisle for fabric and then to Degree Show at the Uni...and then to Newcastle....

At the degree show we wandered amongst all the wonderful exhibits of textiles,furniture and jewellery...daughter mine loved the room full of costume designs and there were some fantastic textiles...tho not as mnay as usual my passion was still indulged...with my favourites being...

Janet Wilde's beautiful detailed and imaginative work...

 

some fantastic hats...sorry I didn't get the artist's name

and the thoughtful intricate embroideries on a theme of Alzheimers by Lauren Rudd

and then a drive across the A69 to catch the Metro into Newcastle...I love people watching and looking at the houses as we pass by...it's always a trip down memory lane as I am from 'over there' bonny lasses...

and oooh! temptation in John Lewis's...where I have shopped from being a child...many memories of being here with my Mum...and now I am shopping here with MY daughter and we are in the haberdashery department...isn't that a wonderful word...it's all bright and modern and the colourful dipslays are sooo enticing...wool and yarns, threads, fabrics, books, patterns, beads, feathers, buttons...

so much temptation...we got away quite lightly with a selection of interesting fabrics and fab ribbon for daughter mine...and I had a wee piece of Cath Kidson and some needles...very restrained! (apart from the new washing machine..of that more anon!)

 

and then we returned home from the big city and now we have news of our broody hen...she has been such a clever girl...sitting on 6 eggs taken from the fridge and has hatched...3 ducklings! ain't nature amazing! (yes ok they were duck eggs!)  and she'd being a fantastic mother and they love her!

and here's all the aunties waiting to see what's going on in THEIR hen house!!?

  

such a nosey parker that Emilia...

they say never work with children or animals...but I think they always put a smile on your face one way or another! xx

celebrate...handmade

whether it's willow baskets or cupcakes...or bags or dresses...there's a whole lot of making going on round here...today it's the turn of husband of patience to be in the limelight...he's often to be found behind the scenes...but here his making takes centre stage...

since doing a weekend workshop he has just loved setting to and making a basket...which is a whole process... first soak the willow...the right amount and size...it all has to be planned a week ahead...to be carefully cut and then woven in precise mathematical patterns... here is one he made earlier...a special chair for sitting in to willow weave ...or just drink tea...home grown...so no air miles at all...and very much SLOW and patient making...I love the colour and shape...

and now he has the proper tools in a lovely wooden holder he made in his tool shed...he can be found outside in all weathers making handmade woven willow creations...some a trifle wobbly but some just amazingly strong and beautiful and round and woven with love and passion...

 

it starts with a base...and magically several hours of weaving and Radio 4 later... a two tone basket appears...of great interest to Emilia chicken...checking it for quality control?

how pleasing to grow and harvest something with which you then create a useful and beautiful object...here's another in use by daughter mine...plotting some creativity and craftyness in a corner of the studio...

here's my favourite inspirational Mollie Makes...with a fab free gift...cleverly on a handmade theme...and of course wonderful craft ideas inside to make or just drool over...

so let's celebrate handmade... and all craft and art and writing and sewing and gardening and...whatever you love to do! xx