Lost in the Wood

Crochet Red Squirrel Head It's all go at the Lost in the Wood woolly epicentre! I've changed the name by banishing the 'Designs' element to a faraway place. We'll go it alone as Lost in the Wood from now on, a decision prompted by the fact the designs made the name a bit too long and wordy and didn't really add any clarification (indeed it may have been a bit misleading if someone wants me to design a house or fabric I'd literally be quite lost).  In a rare show of co-ordination, I'm also launching a new webiste. The last one was essentially this blog with links but thanks to a super clever & patient friend, I've now achieved a proper one! And there was no crying involved which makes the process a hundred times less arduous & upsetting than my past forays into the website world. Wordpress I'm sure you are splendid indeed and fulfill other's website needs but you I think are best for far savvier minds than mine. So here it is- Lost...

Needle felted bee swarm (in progress) As my old school motto had it (see title), living bravely is a Good Idea. I'm not sure I've always embodied it, unless changing my mind & trying out various different paths in very meandering style counts (maybe by default it actually does?). Anyway, let's attribute my latest decision making to boldness rather than folly. Prompted by an adorable little shop recently coming up for rent, I've briefly been debating whether to open a workshop/ studio/ shop with my woolly partner in crime. After much thinking, planning and costing, I've put the idea on hold for at least a year or two. It'd be a big undertaking that financially & artistically I'm just not ready for it at the moment. However, all the thinking and debating has been fantastic in helping me define what it is I want to (and can) do right now. So it'll be a big goodbye to the (part time) day job in 3 weeks HURRAH!! I'll miss the many lovely peo...

It's going to be a busy week ahead with both big and small decisions to mull over. The small being a giveaway/ competition over on the facebook page. It's almost reached 100 likes and therefore cause for a mini celebration! Now I just need to decide what is sufficiently tempting without being major extravagance, what to choose mmmm.... The large, I'll tell you about soon if it comes to fruition. Scary and exciting in almost equal measure! In other news, my work may be featured in a magazine soon. Well, 'featured' may be overselling it, but I may have a little corner to nestle in as part of an interesting article... Signpost of Flowers I hope all this has teased and tempted you dear readers (or reader, if everyone else has had a better offer). In the meantime, here's something uplifting. As regular readers will be aware, I'm a little bit obsessed with my adopted town Caernarfon & its fortunes. This weekend there's a fiesta atmosphere as Gwyl A...

Portmeirion Bit erratic on the blog front recently but with good reason, last weekend my little brother made his inaugural trip to Wales. After 5 years of excuses (including living in New Zealand for the 1st 2 years, I gracefully accepted this one), he arrived at last! Was most exciting to be able to show him lots of lovely things with the sunshine gods beaming down benevolently on us for once. Accompanying him in the trip was our best friend, a good natured soul who will happily potter round Caernarfon Castle, Portmeirion etc etc once again (not really a hardship and there were plenty of ice creams to help fuel these escapades). I've been to a number of lovely places around the world (such as waterfalls in Brazil, arriving by camel to the Pyramids at Giza, hilltop temples in Japan) but few places can top the loveliness of Portmeirion on a sunny summer day. I've visited quite a few times now (including in winter) and it never fails to delight and inspire (and use up a lot o...

Hello, only a flirtatiously short post tonight as it's late and the efforts of getting ready for esteemed visitors (my brother, who has NEVER been to Wales! & best friend) have quite tired me out. To keep you happy (if there is anyone out there, I may be presumptuous on this point, let's optimistically assume there's a tiny-to-modest number of readers). For your dubious delight, here's pics of our well received (by those that saw & those ordered to go back outside and notice them this time) of the collaborate woolly wonders of  myself and Little Miss Jones ( http://littlemissjones33.blogspot.co.uk/ ) as well as of my cheerful stall with it's ridiculously good value Hobbycraft paper bunting (£2 a pack, this is using less than half of it!) and a peak at the other stalls. So many lovely things for sale but many remained unbought. Yes, despite our marvellous woolly signage! (oh and credit due also for all the posters, advertising boards, press articles etc tha...

My, oh my, exciting things are afoot, I'm delighted (and greatly amused) by the forthcoming WORLD PREMIERE which will be taking place at the craft fair at Galeri, Caernarfon this Saturday, July 6th!!! Here will be unveiled the world premiere of the unique and totally new concept of YARN-POOTLING! You are cordially invited to marvel at the way Lost in the Wood Designs and collaborator/ partner in crime  Little Miss Jones http://littlemissjones.co.uk/ take the concept of yarn bombing, dilute it and make it all squishy like the cakes we enjoy eating. Little Miss Jones defines it best as "a gentler, more relaxed form of yarn-bombing" (see her very funny blog http://littlemissjones33.blogspot.co.uk/ ). So, it's a no thank you to going on dawn raids on town centres to spread our woolly treasures, instead we'll knit & crochet at a temperate pace, more than likely sitting in a garden with cats, cakes (well, me certainly) and a nice glass of something chilled or i...

Slate Teapot by Dave Stephen There's already lots of reasons to love little Caernarfon town but this week introduced a shiny new one. Just opened on Monday, Siop iard  https://www.facebook.com/iard is a lovely shop/ workshop /gallery at 7B Palace Street, Caernarfon. Artists Ann Catrin (metalwork sculpture & jewellery), Angela Evans (contemporary jewellery) and Dave Stephen (slate guru) are selling their work and you can have a peak soon at them creating in the workshop area as well. They are also very happy to chat about the current programme of crafty courses ( (held at Parc Glynllifon, c.15 mins drive away) and book you in to any you're tempted by. I  first discovered I loved making things by going to various iard courses a few years ago so I highly recommend trying one (or a few) for inspiration, fun or the start of a whole new creative career! http://iard.co.uk/ Slate Cake by Dave Stephen While, predictably I'm enjoying browsing the new jewellery,...