Skip to main content

Full Speed Ahead (along the Woolly Road)...

Mmmm, bit quiet at yesterday's craft fair @ Galeri (Caernarfon), must have been something very exciting happening somewhere else! It's a shame (although am very much in favour of exciting things happening as a general rule) as it's  a lovely venue with fab crafters,  we just need to work at enticing more people down this way, a  strategy we'll be putting our minds & crafting hands to before the next one on 6th July. 

 
For this fair I brought a few new friends with me including Hector, the big bunny with a slight air of sadness about him, little bunnies Mille & Leo (on his racy lime shield) and the two rival crochet squirrel heads, as well as a new range of fruits in jars (they look good on a Welsh dresser, preferably nestled next to a rack of crochet toast as in my little cottage). Rather sadly, the thing that I really enjoyed making for the fair was a jar of crochet leeches. Although almost anything can be found online, there were no patterns for crochet leeches to be found (I know, surprising!) so I made them up myself and was most pleased with the result, see pic and please note the sparkly 'mouth' detail.The point to this? Oh, absolutely none, just that it pleases me (and hopefully at least one other person!).


Here's me at my cheerful stall... And let me introduce you to Little Miss Jones (she's the madam in the suitcase who definitely knows her own mind) while the smiley lady is known as She Who Wields the Needles / Janice & is, I suspect, the one who actually does all the work. Together they make & sell an array of very lovely knitted items & possess lively, inventive crafty minds. Keep up their antics on http://littlemissjones33.blogspot.co.uk/

After a hard day of chatting to other lovely crafters, eating a bit too much millionaires shortbread and consuming a fair volume of tea, it was time to pack up then head off the dinner at my favourite restaurant, Oren (Church Street, Caernarfon). Featuring a different set menu each weekend (some choice of mains), it's always a delight. Last night hubby & I were treated to a fabulous feast of delicate Middle Eastern flavours with a wonderful mix of textures going on. It's a small, intimate dining room which is incredibly homely (in the way I'd like my kitchen/ dining room to actually look) where conversations across the tables tend to always happen & poor Gert (the clever chef) must inwardly despair that his diners are enjoying themselves too much to ever leave. There were an entertaining mix of characters there last night & a very jolly atmosphere as well as my meeting a very pretty rosebud side plate that was so perfectly me that it was made a  gift to take home (disclaimer- gifting pretty plates should not be expected with your meal). Have a look at the blog & sign up to the newsletter to find out what the future menus will be http://orencaernarfon.wordpress.com/
Also, are great reviews on Trip Adviser to peruse http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Reviews-Oren
N.B. Gert is not paying me for the glowing comments (well, maybe in pretty china), I just love it and want others to know and appreciate lovely individual restaurants in the area!

Right, back to craftiness, post-fair it's now full speed ahead towards new ambitious goals. Work needs to dramatically speed up on my magnificent piece for the Galeri open art exhibition (open to all, closing date is 30th June, get info here- https://www.facebook.com/events/SafleCelf ). I say 'magnificent' as it remains so in my head, I'm hoping this will translate into reality once it's making gets properly underway! Also, I'm messing about with designs for an eye catching installation for Helfa Gelf art trail in September as well as becoming involved in a special project set to be revealed next month which should be colourful & fun...

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Joyfully Geeky Crochet- Creating a TARDIS

Creating a TARDIS (correctly using capitals now after previous admonishments by my pedantic husband) has, I can confidently declare, been my second favourite present make ever (only bested by a crocheted honeycomb frame made for my bee-keeping mother). It may indeed have a wibbly-wobbly roof (angle of the above picture is flattering!), cheerfully wandering letters on the 'police box' signs and a tendency towards a leaning base, but I am sadly very proud of my little blue box. Part of the pleasure definitely comes from anticipating the look on my brilliant Dr Who-loving friend's face as he opens the box it's travelled north in. Concerned about any misunderstanding, I've taped an 'it's not shoes!' note to the top so as to avoid even momentarily confusion when presented with a peppermint green Clarkes box. Once he fights his way through the swathes of bubble wrap (it was a big box), he'll be the wondrous owner of this mini delight. I'm thrille

(Anatomical) Love Is In the Air!

Crochet Anatomical Hearts by Lost In The Wood February has been set aside for a much needed catch up with the paperwork (dull but essential), a move into my new cute little studio (exciting), finishing commissions (overdue) and an exhibition piece (satisfying). However, I was a very busy little bee in January, working on some new anatomical designs (which will be a key focus for my work this year). I've started with hearts, the most appropriate bodily organ for this time of year and one of the most interesting to crochet with all it's ventricles, veins and arteries. I'm not claiming these are anatomically correct (no student of biology/ physiology should look to these as learning aids or we're all done for) but they make a reasonable attempt. Intended as large wall pieces, hang them as statement art works or nestle a smaller one under a bell jar and let them be brazen about their well crafted weirdness! They have been hanging splendidly in the Lotti & W

Bunnies Hop Into Crochet Magazine

'Love Crochet' magazine 'Love Crochet' Autumn 2013 There was thrilled excitement at Lost in the Wood cottage over the publication of my first piece of press publicity!!    'Love Crochet' magazine (Autumn 2013, issue 5) has a splendid article on craftidermy featuring some of my crochet bunny heads. I was really pleased that a lot of what I'd contributed did actually end up in the article, including the recommendations of other artists creating in other mediums such as Mister Finch's textile insects & Zoe Williams weird & wonderful needle felted creatures. It was a very small but interesting glimpse into how publications source stories and use the information provided. Hopefully it'll lead to more opportunities, especially since between us, me & my proud mother surely must have helped boost circulation of this issue! The rest of the magazine is very colourful and enjoyable too! Fittingly, this was Hector's (big grey bunn