Small Boy and Weddings!

My lovely cousin got married to an equally lovely bride...Congratulations Chris and Becky!

 It was the most fabulous day, although I think small children always find these services long. The wedding photograher captured my son's mood perfectly.

Makes you proud!?!?!  I love the way he is concentrating on the bride and groom down at the alter..tee hee.

Fantastic pictures were taken, if anyone in Yorkshire needs a photographer- S6photograghy.

Butterfly World Project Craft Sessions

I have had lots of fun over the last couple of weeks, divising a craft session for local children at Butterfly World Project. We have had a couple of sessions and over 100 children have gone home with butterflies. My friend Claire came and worked alongside me as my 'helpful' assistant.

Getting ready

Mum's, Dad's, Granny's, Grandad's all helped their children have fun, get wet and go home with a butterfly each.

Colour co-ordinated butterfly.

It was really busy, great fun...although Claire and I could have done with a little more coffee and cake to keep us going! We will plan that in next time. The best bit was getting to see the children's faces when their butterflies were finished and they were taking them home.

A few of the finished butterflies.

We are back in the Easter holidays and looking forward to seeing more butterfly makers!

New Workspace.

My OH has a proper, grown up job that doesn't involve fibre in any way....however, at the weekend he transforms into a stone carver and has needed a space to work in for some time. He has been stuck at the bottom of the garden all summer - next to the compost...not ideal, I'm sure you'll agree.

We have been toying with the idea that he needs a proper space to work in...and after tearing down the old shed he ordered a small Dutch Barn (glorified shed) and started building, lining walls, putting up shelves etc. Here are the children...being helpful!

They are testing out the top shelf to make sure they don't fall down under the weight of the sculptures!

Ashridge- Chiltern Country Fair

What a joy, this is such an amazing place if you like the outdoors.

It was a real privilege to come here and be part of the Chilterns Country Fair, fantastic venue, as stall holders we were really well looked after. I met up with some people I enjoy spending time with- a great day!

There were a complete mix of craft people, as well as local flapjack makers and wine makers- both of which I've sampled and can recommend.

 

Then we had the more unusual....Ferret Man (with ferret racing) and Wild Men (cooking bread rolls with children on open fires).


 

This was my first big outdoor fair and I loved it. I was really pleased with how
everything looked, it made all the late nights and friends coming over and helping really worthwhile.
I had been really busy making and trying to make sure that I gave a broad view of what we could do with fibres. It's always really fascinating watching the faces of people when you show them the raw materials and then they see what can be made with it. I think this has to be the favourite bit for me.

There were lots of orders and lots of interest in the workshops, I'm looking forward to seeing everyone again soon.

I had this smile all day.

Wedding Shawls- Done!

I have loved every minute of making these. I loved working with Lisa (the Bride, in Australia- via email),  the dyeing, colour mixing, testing, making the prototypes and working out all the design aspects ...last week they were packaged and posted, today they got there.

Wedding Shawls for Bridesmaids

We deliberately made something that would pick up from all the colours from the bridesmaids dresses, but also that would be a lovely gift that they can have as a keepsake for many years to come. I hope they enjoy wearing these as much as I enjoyed making them.

Plum, purple, blue, green, teal.

Can you see all the rivers of silk, they remind me of the waterfall I saw in a picture of the Blue Mountains where the wedding will be held.

Wishing L&L a fabulous day!

Mess!

I am writing this post for myself, I am not including photographs because quite frankly I am embarrassed ;-)

I cannot see the floor or table in my studio. There are piles of fibre everywhere, templates everywhere, I have lost 4 cups and a notebook.

I have been working like mad, in a space that is getting smaller and smaller, fibre is crawling up all around me - soon I will be in a fibre cave.

I think I need to tidy up

...and then start again....

Wedding: Merino and Silk Shawls

I am home, tired but very very happy.
A few weeks ago I was asked to make some wraps for a wedding in the beautiful Blue Mountains in Australia. I have spent the last couple of days with friends and working on the scarves.
I have really enjoyed playing with colours to get the right mix. Photo's have been going back and forth across the ether so Lisa (the bride) could be involved in the making and decisions.

I started with merino and silk

We added colour and lots of it.

We have the fibres ready to go.

Felting planned over the next couple of days...What an exciting moment, I am really looking forward to seeing these finished and being worn by my lovely bride and her bridesmaids.

Now...got to go and make them.