a week ago...

we were esconced in a hot and sticky (we love summer!) Town Hall in Kendal ...surrounded by all manner of wonderful artwork, and some of our own...do you like my seedhead and brooches? I have really enjoyed creating my new work...and a big thanks to husband of patience for endlessly printing and cutting out my new labels! 

(beautiful landscapes by David Sims in the background)

 

we had journeyed to Kendal driving down through the Lake District past Keswick and Ambleside, Windermere and beyond...we had made our winding way through the crazy one-way system in Kendal(anyone out there familiar with this??) and found ourselves on the first floor of the Town Hall...faced with a big blank white space, displaying only our names...two tired textile artists with boxes of stuff, tables, shelves and more...

so bring on the tech team and...

several hours and much shifting around later...ta da!

 we were very happy as you may imagine so a big thanks to our wonderful families for supporting us...

 

here's a tiny taste of what you could have seen...

Kelly Stewart's amazing prints

and the delightful work of Emma Louise Wilson...who coincidentally I met up with on facebook before we met here, and some of whose work I had already had hanging in my studio...

  

and did I mention the amazing pop up tea shop run by Frumenty and Fluffin...all day cuppa's for hungry artists and visitors...and cakes beyond your wildest dreams!



and yes I did do a little bit of shopping, as well as selling...so much to tempt me amongst all the wonderful artwork...I'll share this little beauty with you, so exquisitely wrapped, a present to me after all my hard work...

and when you open it... a tiny gem of a bowl by the 'other' Emma...you can see more of her work here

I think when you visit a show like this you little realise all the hard graft which goes on behind the scenes...so a BIG thanks goes to Rosie and Tina and all those who made ArtFest happen!
 

and love and hugs to my 'home' team...chief packer, and chief arranger and carer of dotty artist mother...

going home...it will all fit in...somewhere

had a long lie down this week, sorry not been around, normal service slowly being restored...back to reality and the very overdue hoovering!

hope you're enjoying the summer here in the UK...Emmaxx

there are times when only cake will do...

...especially if it involves chocolate too!

daughter mine had 2 cakes...one for her party and one for her birthday..rather like the Queen...only DM makes her own! Gone are the days of elaborate Barbie castle cakes made by Mum...with ice cream cornets for towers...actually it's quite a relief she makes her own as I am sure my cake baking is no where near up to her standard...tho of course I taught her all she knows...no, maybe not!

cake one had simple fondant icing made sophisticated with chocolate flicks...

and chocolate ganache for the middle...I can hardly say it let alone tell you how to make it!

cake two was a New York baked cheesecake with amazing delicate chocolate icing...mmm!

I want to celebrate my blog too...thanks to you all for 'bearing with' the lack of pics... and to all at Blogger...I had every faith and you came up trumps for me! It is so nice to be in technicolour again! If I knew where you lived I'd bake you a cake...or better still get DM to do it!

So it is now a verrry short time indeeed to Christmas...and where am I?  I ask myself...well of course the house is now imaculate, all presents bought, wrapped and posted too... cards made, decorations hung, mince pies lined up in the freezer....all that's left is to put a ribbon in my hair...in my dreams! 

Never mind, I like a challenge...so I will just muddle through as always... lower my standards and aim for happy times as we are very blessed and fortunate in where and how we live, and our house is full of love and creativity, as long as we are together and fit and well that is the best Christmas present I could wish for...

still a bit of hoovering and a tidy up wouldn't hurt...see you later! have a great weekend xx

old friends and upcycling...

what to do when your trusty sewing machine isn't very well, for the first time in 20 years and you have  to take it to the machine doctor...

and then a 'Making in The Studio' workshop is happening and we are a machine down as someone's machine has come without a foot...

it's time to call on Singer and Jones...sounds like a double act or a firm of solicitors...but no, they are my old friends...

this is Mrs Singer...such a wonderful machine...smooth and well-oiled...daughter mine loves the smell of her!! 

 
and here is Miss Jones...a hand worked beauty with a lovely action and a tiny spindle-like spool hidden in her depths...both are gilded ladies fit for a fancy drawing room or front parlour...

sewing using a hand machine is soo soothing...clink and chink as the handle goes round and the needle smoothly moves up and down...

Victoria arrived equipped for anything...and brought a friend...a lovely Mollie Makes doll which she had made...and a fab pincushion...

Sandra did a show and tell ...a beautiful crocheted rug she had made and  gave me a gorgeous gift of a crocheted bowl, to which I added a lovely button and filled with threads...isn't it a gem?

I do soo love it when people bring things they have made to show...or send photos of items finished after they they go home...

Sandra's busy here sewing on to the front the pretty leaves which she had embroidered with beadwork...

  
Helen came with her cute little basket of goodies...

Sandie got to use Mrs Singer and enjoyed herself no end...and did hand sewing and then got on to making a corsage...looking good! She had made her pretty beaded bracelet by the way...so many talented makers here today!

and after a day of hard work and fun and concentration and sewing and cutting...and tea and cake...4 beautiful bags appeared...Sandie's has a bit to go to be finished as she made hers slightly differently but here is Helen's with pretty suffolk puff decorations...

and a later photo...thanks Helen...love the covered button...

and Sandra's gorgeous soft green bag with beautiful embroidered beaded leaves...

and Victoria's messenger bag...with fab flower in just the right fabrics after much debate in the studio...

Ladies I salute you! You have all made gorgeous handmade handbags...hard to tell that when you arrived these beauties were all old wool jumpers!

I soo love doing workshops and meeting wonderful creative folk who take a making idea and run with it! You are all an inspiration!

a taste of vintage...

take a village hall...fill with all kinds of tempting vintage and craft goodies with tea and scrummy homemade cakes served on delightful mismatched china...add enthusiasic stall holders with some wonderful clothes, books, china .and who could ask for more on a rainy Sunday in Arnside?

I left home early and drove down through the beautiful rainy Lake District... through Ambleside...past Kendal and on to the small seaside town of Arnside...a childhood haunt as we spent many holidays near here with my grandparents in their caravan at Silverdale...happy days with Granny's three sisters, the 'great' aunts living nearby...making us magnificent teas in a Famous Five fashion...

so here we are at the WI hall...in we go to the treasure trove of vintage wares...

beautiful shoes...

 gloves...

handbags...

 

china and all kinds of knicknackery...



and then the cakes...mm!






  teacups and teapots awaiting customers...





bunting galore and a great atmosphere...



so hands up who remembers a phone like this??

be a modern domestic goddess...with one of these gorgeous handmade aprons by artist and designer Jan Huntley-Peace

 

or try a delightful upcycled felted bag or teacosy by...you know who!

 and here's Graceleaanne and her fun stall...

I loved her book on how to do it right...must take notes!

and Tricia (perfect hat!!)and Sandra with more handmade goodies ...lovely baby jackets and bags..and dainty china...you can see their Milla Rae etsy shop here...

I was soo tempted by these tiny cups...aren't they exquisite?

Juliet's lovely stall...tempted me to buy a book and a beautiful Otterburn Mill baby blanket...don't you love her spotty apron! I forgot to ask if she made it herself!
 

Karen and Margaret had such a beautifully laid-out stall, all 

carefully written brown labels and colour co-ordinated...

and me... well it was a quiet day so I got on with my knitting which felt the perfect thing to do at such a vintage event surrounded by nostalia for simpler times and for handmade...I may not have made my fortune today but I met some wonderful people and had very enjoyable day...