1.1.15

A New Year dawning


Many of my lovely friends and readers will know that at the beginning of 2012, soon after moving into our new home - this little cottage from which I write - my beloved partner Andy tragically died. So many of you supported me in those lonely, heartbroken and dark times. Even though I may not have replied to every email or message, their presence helped me work my way through the excruciating period of grief which followed. Thank you seems hardly enough.

I cannot deny that it has been a long, solitary journey since then, despite finding odd fragments of joy. The constant battle to endure the loneliness, the worry of finances and trying as best I can to make some sort of business. For whom? Because life alone for me, is not a life at all. And so this poor blog has been often neglected. I have had little to write about, save work and more work. But now it is a New Year and a fresh beginning for me. And for another person.

Immeasurable joy has danced into my life and I have a reason for living again. A loved one to care for, to cook for and to hold. My bleak life has been transformed and I remember yet again the poem quoted to me in the early days, by a dear friend and soul sister. 

Someone I loved once gave me
a box full of darkness.
It took me years to understand
that this, too, was a gift.

(Mary Oliver)


At the time, it seemed a horrendous mockery. Now I read it with a sense of blessedness and newly opened eyes. Welcome Joe; welcome to my life, my heart and my many dear friends, wherever in the world they may be.

3.11.14

Toft Alpaca Workshop



This last weekend saw me packing up my workshop again and travelling by various means (taxi, train, bus, foot) to the Toft Alpaca shop, near Rugby. I was a little dead on my feet by the time I arrived, but a friendly and business like welcome - not to mention a fine bowl of creamy latte coffee - soon had me upright and setting my workshop up for the next day. 


 


It's that time of year when people's thoughts turn to Christmas and I'd pre-made a little set of my own trees to act as visual aids and inspiration.




And then I set my sales table up, as I now sell not only my own kits, but tools and supplies now. I couldnt bring my entire range of 52 wool colours (which I have stocked in my Etsy shop) but I brought as many as I could.




I was fully booked with twelve places filled. The shop and cafeteria have a really great, busy atmosphere and soon my little band of needle felters were hard at work creating their own trees.




 Lunch was a superb affair.




I took advantage of the time to pop out and get a quick shot of the stars of the show, the alpacas. There are many more than this, but these two sweeties are near the shop.




Next door to my class, a crochet workshop was going on - making the delightful creatures designed by Toft founder Kerry Lord, in her new book, 'Edward's Menagerie'.




Which contains patterns for all these lovelies dangling here -




Meanwhile, back at needle felting central, I'd opened up my battered suitcase of treasure - beads, findings, threads and everything needed to beautify a Christmas tree.


 




This was a particularly talented class, and by the end of it I was incredibly proud of the gorgeous small forest of trees skillfully crafted that day. As for myself - well, I packed everything up again and made the return journey back home; a very busy two days indeed.




I have just two workshops left this year - one is fully booked, but there should still be places for an acorn making workshop on November 20th at the White Hart pub in Eynsham, West Oxfordshire. Details and booking contact can be found on my website



28.10.14

Green apples, golden pears



My Conference pear tree has been over productive again this year. Too much fruit for one person and as I did last year, I let my lovely neighbours gather as many as they wished. Still the tree hung heavy with fruit. So I have picked my own small share. The split ones to eat now -




The perfect ones to store for a few weeks.




 There are apples too - sour cookers of an unknown variety.





This is the trouble with fruit - I don't have the inclination or time to do anything with them and yet I hate waste. The birds will gorge on any windfalls though and in my garden I have a couple of very plump blackbirds who have done very well out of my lethargy.




I actually found myself more drawn to the spoiled fruit still clinging to the tree.





 Such rich colours and close up, a fascinating surface; quite beautiful in its own right.




This is the problem with living in the country, where everyone has fruit trees and a glut of produce. However, I am bravely chomping my way through several pears a day and they are, without doubt, very sweet and tender. Everything will be eaten, one way or another.



24.10.14

Hope and Elvis needle felt workshop



This month saw my return to the eternally wonderful Hope and Elvis studio, run by Louise Presley,  to hold two all day workshops over one weekend. It barely seemed as if I'd been away, but it had been almost a year.




In the morning, and in keeping with the autumnal weather,  acorns were made. I accidentally got my own measurements wrong, not for the first time, so instead of bijou acorns, we had egg sized ones. but everyone enjoyed themselves. As you can see from the big beam on Louise's face.

 


And amazingly, despite my error, we had a batch of acorns by lunchtime -




And a cluster of cheerful toadstools from the afternoon's work.




On day two, I did it all over again, with another group of lovely people. But this time we kept the acorns a little smaller...




This was a gorgeous colour combination, with faint gold beige stripes on a tomato red background.



There was one very special person who came, Charlotte of  'Chest of Delights' blogspot - we've been virtual blog chums for a few years now and it was lovely beyond lovely to meet her and finally get to hug this friend I'd not met before. She also brought along some of her own beautiful work.




 There is something very pleasing about a well made toadstool.




I also launched my fourth needle felt kit, which just happens to be a decorative acorn - they went very well, which is always nice and reassuring.




Decorative acorn kits are now available from my Etsy Shop, priced at $17.00/£10.60 plus shipping.

My next workshop is at the popular Toft Alpaca Farm, Rugby, on November the 1st - this time making Christmas trees. For more details and to book a place, please visit their website, but hurry as it is almost booked out!

29.9.14

Travelling light to Cinderhill Farm

 

In much need of a break, I set off for my second home, Cinderhill Farm. Traveling light with all the essentials.

Hello pigs, snorting about in a carrot munching frenzy.



 Hello again Marvin, my old friend the farm rooster.


 

Hello to my new job, as Chief Label Sticker-onner at the Pie House. Cinderhill Farm is now a chief pie supplier to the newly opened Gloucestershire  Service Station and pies cannot be made fast enough. Or sausage rolls.

 


Sticking the labels on in precisely the right place turned out to be my forte - everything has to be beautifully turned out, from pie to packaging.



So the next day, we set off with crates of various pies, all the way from the Forest of Dean to Gloucestershire. Across the magnificent Severn Bridge -



Where we unpacked many, many crates of hand baked goods at the warehouse, before doing a little shopping, Cotswold style. Local cheeses from small dairies, for supper -



And beautiful artisan bread from small, local bakeries.




Gloucestershire Tebay services are all about selling local goods and supporting the surrounding community. It's an entirely different  shopping and eating experience to the standard service station.




Naturally, a selection of Cinderhill Farm Pie House Foggys were sitting proudly in the deli section.




We had civilised and greedy double cake for tea, from the cafe.Yes, the huge meringue is mine.




 And even later, the worker's reward. Ciabatta and exceedingly good cheese. Almost humble. 


It was a lovely week of work and relaxing. But then it was time for me to return to my own quiet world. Goodbye, wonderful Wye Valley, with your spectacular views.



Goodbye noisy geese, with your beaks stuck in the air.




Goodbye sweet Pearl, house kitten of great beauty.




Goodbye rufty tufty barn cat who's name I can't remember.





 Goodbye Cinderhill Farm, until I return again.