Hi Everyone

Are you enjoying the sunshine?  Isn't it hot?  The sun has its good and bad points:  on the one hand we love to feel warm and dry and to get just a little bit of a tan; but on the other hand no-one wants to go shopping if it is too hot.  That is how it was on Saturday at Frome.  It was so roastingly hot there were very few people that came to the market.  It was lovely in a way to be able to have a chat with the other stallholders and do a bit of networking as it is so called.   Despite the low sales I had some lovely conversations with lots of people. 

I have got a month off before the next fair so I am hoping to make a few more different things.  I've already made some cuddly cushions and some bright pincushions and fabric pots.  I really must take a few more photos for you to see them all.

It's only a few days until the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and a few weeks until the Olympics so lots of exciting times ahead this year.  The Olympic torch passed through Bath last week when I was at work but unfortunately I didn't see it.  To assuage my disappointment my friend Becky said she would do a re-enactment for me with a match!  Ha, ha.

Happy crafting
Philippa x

Hi Everyone

I'm sorry yet again for the lack of photos because they are said to tell a thousand words and that would be really useful in saving me time in typing and you hours of listening to me drone on.  I've been busy this week fitting WRC work around the salaried work where we have been packing up the office ready for the move tomorrow.  I've started making some different things to move my work out of the nursery and into more grown up stuff.  Hopefully the weather will be better tomorrow so that I can show you a couple of pictures but there is more that I want to do.  It is so difficult to get all these ideas that are racing around in my head out and into the physical.

I've also been busy this week booking up a few new venues to fill up the calendar.  Take at look at my events page and you will see all the details.  Hopefully I will be at a place near you.

I heard a great expression on the radio the other day that I must share with you:
       If you see someone without a smile give them yours.

Happy crafting
Philippa x

Hi Everyone

Well, what can I say, other than yesterday I was a very sad lady indeed.  I stood behind my stall at Lacock and smiled, I sat behind my stall at Lacock and sewed and smiled, I smiled, and smiled, and smiled........and the people came and smiled back at me.........and then moved on.  It's very disheartening when you have spent so many hours sewing things that you love and hope others will too only for no-one to buy.  Not even a button.  It's not as if they weren't spending money because everyone else was rattling the pennies in their moneybelts and tins.  By the time I got home my smile was very definitely upside down.

But hey today is another day.  I decided to cheer myself up by setting up my new sewing machine, the one he-who-likes-to-be-obeyed bought for me 6 months ago!  And what was the first thing I decided to make?  A pretty moneybelt in readiness for all the sales I am going to make sometime soon.  I also sent out details of my website to new venues so I have some other events to look forward to.  Plus.....plus.....I am thinking of things to create that will perhaps move me a little away from the nursery.  I really don't know how it happened but that seems to be where I have ended up and it is time for a change.  I'm not saying Smart Ted and the other bears won't come out to play again but they will have to share their table with a few new items.  So watch this space because I think a revolution might be afoot!!!

Happy crafting

Philippa x

Hi Everyone

Just the briefest of notes to say I am at Lacock Village Hall tomorrow 11-5.  I hope to see you and show you a couple of new things that have not yet made it onto my website.  It's been a bit hectic here today trying to get things finished in between painting (just to keep him-indoors hapy).

Happy crafting.
Philippa x

The craft fair season has started!!!!

Hi Everyone

Never let it be said that I am a fair weather craftswoman.  There I was last Saturday over at the Cheese and Grain at Frome when it was cold, wet and windy but still with a smile on my face.  I was so grateful for everyone who visited my stall and enjoyed lots of conversations about the weather....typically British.

Then not satisfied with that punishment, Becky and I thought we would try Lacock on Sunday.  The weather was even worse! I did feel so sorry for those people that had signed up for a coach trip to this beautiful National Trust village.  They had to come regardless and the village was not so picturesque in the pouring rain.  Paul and Sara from Inner Spiral were there with their wonderful felt and hand spun wool creations.  They also sell hoopla hoops and during one of the many quiet spells some of us stallholders were given private lessons in how to do the hoola.  I used to love it as a child and was very pleased to be retaught by Sara.......but then again I am only 6 so its no wonder I enjoyed it as much as I did.  Thank you Sara.

The keen-eyed amongs you will notice a couple of new additions to my stall:  my Dala horses.  I love making these little creatures and everyone is different.  They take quite a while to make and I am getting through yards and yards of ribbon.

A lovely couple at Frome saw them in the morning and admired them, then came back in the afternoon to buy one for a friend in Switzerland and ended up buying 3.  Those are the sort of customers we all love.  Mind you I did the same thing on Sunday with some little rabbit toys.  I tried to choose one but while choosing I decide one was the dad, one the mum and one the baby (even though they were all the same size), and once I thought of them as a family I couldn't break them up so ended up buying all three!

Until our next chat, happy crafting.

Philippa x