Snow musings

A wood burning stove, that's what I'd like. A warming stew bubbling on the hob, sheepskin rugs under foot and on furniture to snuggle into. Puffa coats, wooly hats and gloves and snow boots waiting by the door for venturing out.
Yesterday trudging through 6 - 8 inches of the soft white stuff I saw:
a new baby swaddled well on a little plastic sledge being pulled by his Daddy;
children using a hill road normally thick with traffic as a toboggon run;
a very tall snowman;
a Jack Russell catching snowballs in his mouth and thoroughly enjoying it!

Snow Joke!

Last night the flakes were this big. Causing two inches to fall very quickly.

This morning it's snowing again. I reckon Petersfield has 6 inches. Listening to the radio people have been stranded overnight on the A3. Wishing I had some cross country skis. That's the only way to get around easily in this weather! Listening to the news the army is being mobilised to help people stranded in their cars. Dressing in hiking boots, warm layers and hat. More photos coming!

Felt Fruit

Yesterday I made these and a lemon brooch. I did more clothes sketching and fabric sorting. I sorted out on paper how the bags are going to be. And I worried about my porch which urgently needs a builder. Don't you wish there was an office on every High Street where you could speak to the best plumber, electrician, builder, carpenter etc in the area. The council could arrange a contest where people secretly scored tradespeople for any work they had done and the winners in each category were given this free of charge office space. Ideal for people new to an area who don't know who to employ. Sorry, that's not about handmade...

HAPPY NEW YEAR !!

It's 2010! May it be your best year ever. I plan to keep making one off jewellery pieces, like these, I'm also thinking about unusual handbags and even the odd piece of clothing. Plus lots of buttons of course.

My first show of 2010 is Unravel at Farnham Maltings, a specialist knitting wool show where I'll be selling all kinds of handmade buttons. It's on February 27 and 28th 10-4pm.

Christmas Surprises

I just deleted a post because I showed a picture of Christmas orders I've made and it suddenly occured to me that the people who are about to receive these gifts might, just might see this blog and have their surprise ruined. So I will wait until after Christmas to show you what I am making right now!

White Christmas

I got a white Christmas tree this year, appropriately just before the snow started. And although it's artificial it looks oddly right against the snowy outdoors.

I started off just putting shades of white decorations on the tree but it looked a bit dull so I've added red and now it looks ok. Just one thing missing. I can't put twinkly lights on the tree because the wires are green and would spoil the look.

La Maison du Chocolat

During Christmas shopping in London my daughter (above) and I stopped off at this wonderful cafe.

Tea and coffee came with these 'free' Christmas chocolates.

Flavoured with Christmas spices they were delicious. It's the little things that make Christmas special.

Laduree

I have been wanting to visit Laduree in the Burlington Arcade for some time. It's a gold shop famed for its macaroons. Very lovely, very expensive but if you want to taste the merchandise with a cup of tea you must sit outside the shop. Some hardy souls were doing that but not us, too cold. We sat in the warm in La Maison du Chocolat round the corner. Perfect.

Magical windows at Fortnum and Mason's

Fortnum's windows

Regular readers of this blog will remember how visiting Fortnum and Mason's for the first time last Christmas blew my mind! And their windows are equally amazing this year!

Keep the little flame burning

Life is full of ups and downs. One day the future looks rosy and the next day the future looks bleak. Inspiration and joy are never far from my shoulder. Then I hear the news and wonder what will become of this once 'Great ' Britain. Mired in debt with a government that throws borrowed money at any fad project that catches its imagination. Are they hoping we will be distracted from the obvious mess they have made of our economy? It's tempting to try to ignore the wider situation and focus on our own little world of friends and family and their happiness. But we are all affected on a daily basis. Maybe we should be thinking of how we personally can involve ourselves in making this country into one we are again proud to call home.

Tree decorations

Sorting through the tree decorations to see what I can give my daughter for her tree I picked out these old favourites. I love the reindeer. Does anyone know the name of the maker?

Maker status

This display of beautiful woods by my friend Chris Burgess got me thinking about presentation. The way our work is displayed is so important. Sales depend on it. The customer must feel comfortable that he or she is buying into something well made and reliable. Some galleries give out a sheet of information about the maker with each purchase. Sometimes there is information about the maker displayed next to their work.
A carefully thought out display, like the one above gives the customer confidence that they are buying something sound. While a display that looks as if it has been thrown together with no prices and no information gives the customer no confidence and however desirable the product they probably will not risk buying from that person. I think there is a right balance. For example the maker can try too hard and I don't like the enormous dangling tags from work often much bigger than the work itself which look as if the maker is desperately trying to draw attention to his or herself. But better that than torn scraps of paper with scant information on them.
Some work is much easier to display than others. I find my work which is so varied from buttons to dolls to jewellery and mostly small pieces very difficult to display well. Sometimes I am pleased with how it looks but more often I am frustrated that it could look so much better.
Do you find presentation easy or difficult? Are there any rules to help us? I want to know what you think.

Feeling Christmassy

Suddenly there aren't enough hours in the day. Christmas is just two weeks away and orders need to be completed. Then there's shopping for Christmas presents which has hardly started in my case. And I want to get a nice tree - when? I'm working in Tricot Too today and hurrying now to finish some more strawberry brooches to take in with me.
Yesterday I visited the smart new gallery Red Dog which looks very festive with gorgeous blown glass baubles by Will Shakespeare decorating its window. Wish I'd taken my camera with me. I bought some lovely laser cut paper decorations. I am always pleased to see my work in such good company!
How are your Christmas preparations going? Ordered the turkey? Decorated the tree? Bought the presents? How is it going with you?

Lots of Goodies!

Tricot Too at Petersfield is offering my dolls, fairies, various Christmas decorations, felt cuffs, lariat necklaces and flower and strawberry brooches. It's a special shop (more pictures below) and well worth a visit. Opening hours are 9.45am to 5pm daily except Sundays.

Tricot gorgeousness

The unusual rust tree in the window attracts lots of attention.

The ultimate in cosiness! These velvet and cotton patchwork eiderdowns and cushions.

A Miniature Toy Shop

This belongs to my mother. She sets it up at Christmas. Pictured above is outside the toyshop.

Inside the toyshop.

And an aerial view when my giant hand has taken the roof off!

Smart Display

Saw this smart display of Melt Christmas chocolates in Selfridges. Packaging is so important isn't it? If a gift is beautifully wrapped you don't care much about what is inside it, you just enjoy the look of the gift!