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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...

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