It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas!

 

The adverts are all around us, on TV, in the newspapers and magazines, in the shops and on every billboard you care to look at!  Christmas is rushing ever closer and faster on our heels - never mind that today is 5th November in the UK!  Guy Fawkes deserves a little consideration surely?  Then we must stop a while and think of those who've given their lives for our freedom - that's this Sunday and again on 11th November...we must never forget!  On a lighter note, I have 4 family birthdays to consider this month too.  So, Christmas is lucky to even get a look-in before December....well...I say that...

 

 

 ...I have a Christmas market coming up in mid-November so I am on event overload.  Something will surely give.  And, indeed, it has!  I am as sick as a dog but soldiering on because...I have to.  Thank goodness for Lemsip and paracetamol.  I have completed my carol hearts and my key rings are looking great.  It really is beginning to look a lot like Christmas in the Horgan household!!!

Countdown to the 'C' Word!

Okay, I'm at it again!  Counting down to the dreaded 'C' word that is Christmas (of course!  What were you thinking?).

I posted off 5 of my darling little tartan Christmas stars today to the good old US of A!  Thanks to my latest colonial customer in Texas - I hope they like them!  I have been busy making some delightful decoupage key rings in readiness for the Bath Artisan Christmas Market  (just 2 weeks to go this Sunday!) and my carol music-themed hearts are now complete (pictures to follow soon) - they look fab.

In the meantime, I have been lucky enough to have a few quality days away in glorious Devon with my favourite people (my family).  We visited RHS Rosemoor (pumpkin hunting), went swimming, went to Exmoor Zoo (ghost hunting), Westward Ho! (it was verrrry windy!), and even managed to fit in a bit of golf, as well as eating way too much rich and tasty food - not forgetting the cider (it's practically compulsory in Devon!).





That's it for now!  Will BLOG again soon with loving pictures of my Vintage Christmas Carol hearts.

Don't Panic! Don't Panic!

Well, what a nail-biting couple of weeks.  Me (and a bunch of other crafters no doubt) received a complete curve-ball from the organisers of Handmade Winchester...the Christmas Handmade Winchester Fair is cancelled!  Oh no - yikes - help - I was banking on that one - now what do I do? Why?  I know not...and breathe.  Suffice to say I was a tad perplexed.  It was such a successful event last year!

 

I was face-booking fellow crafters, bemoaning my sorry fate when I happened upon a post which mentioned another company (Inspired Events) had taken over the venue and there were spaces available on Saturday 30th November.  Without hesitation I applied for a table and (phew) got one.  I just hope the event is as successful as last year's!

 

So, I am back on track and making one or two very Christmassy items (see below) and once again getting excited about my next stall at Bath Artisan Market (17th November and then 15th December) and all things festive in general.



Wintery Pooh Bear and Christopher Robin Decoupage Heart

72 days to go - just in case you were wondering

WRONGO!?

Yikes!  This must be all too familiar to those of you who take the trouble to read this blog but...I AM starting to panic about Christmas!

I was lucky enough to have a blinding day in Winchester last December and was foolishly expecting similar interest and enthusiasm from post-Christmas events...WRONGO!

I am still relatively new to this 'game' and the penny has certainly taken it's own sweet time to drop very slowly, but equally heavily, onto (and into) my head!  My makes are 'arty' - created with and from love - and as such they are not 'essential' but they ARE life-enhancing.  They are beautiful and tactile, of the earth and the sea and up cycled to the 'nth degree! 

At the end of the day...I love what I do and take pride in my creations.  If others do too?  All the better!!!

101 Days!

Oh crikey!  I can't believe I am starting to work/think towards Christmas already!  101 days to go and it feels like I have a million and one things to do.

 

I have some adorable Pooh Bear winter scenes which I've decoupaged onto some wooden hearts and am also creating decoupaged Christmas decorations to add to my collection.

 

I'm still working on trying to display my wares so that they are shown at their best - less is more and all that!  Trouble is, I find it really hard to do minimalism - it's not really my thing!  TTFN.

Just when I thought 'I'd' nailed it...

Phew!  It's been a long old day today.  We were up with the lark and in Bath shortly after 8 o' clock this morning.  By we I mean me and my 2 daughters (Daisy and Grace - 8 and 5 respectively).

 

I had packed the car the day before while my 'helpers' were off swimming with Daddy - lucky things.  I was pretty pleased with myself, I can tell you, since my initial load was a mere four boxes and the trestle table.  Piece of cake...or so I thought!  Hang on a minute!  What about the chairs (I needed 3 this time), the snacks (for me and my helpers), the bag of things to do when we're not selling stuff (which we, hopefully won't need!), the kids' things to sell (old dresses etc) for pocket money, my 'all-important' trolley (it's a lifesaver!), coats, wipes (you never know, but if you don't take them...), the hessian hanging board and the hammer?  These were all unceremoniously chucked in on top of the four, neatly packed, boxes - my smug "organised" self was very swiftly eating humble pie.  I am sure I will get it right one day!

 

Organisation and efficiency aside, we managed to unload the car and set up the stall in plenty of time.  Daisy and Grace were keen to help with the display and worked beautifully together with just the odd bit of input from me.

Lots of lovely comments and lots of people taking leaflets and cards.  I could really have done with more sales and sincerely hope November and December offer a more profitable outcome!  On the plus side Daisy and Grace had an absolute ball and took a variety of pictures of their favourite stalls around the market - I'll post the less blurry ones later on this week.  In the meantime, I will try and fathom out the perfect packing technique for my market forays - I think a list may be in order next time...



WHAM BAM! September 8th 2013!

Okay, so I'm unashamedly self-promoting my next Bath Artisan Market appearance - next Sunday 8th September 2013 - be there, share the date and venue.  Come and buy some gorgeous gifts and things.  Stock up for Christmas and wow at all the handmade and crafted items for sale.  Click on the link below to find out more...

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If you can't make the market you can always visit my Etsy shop (see the link on the right) where I have (for sale) a comprehensive selection of my wares.

Markets aside, I have been extremely idle throughout this glorious summer- no apologies, I have spent the time with family and friends re-charging and enjoying life, remembering why we all work so hard in the first place!  It is only today that reality has struck - it is now September and I have 3 Bath Artisan Markets (September, November, December) and one Winchester Handmade Christmas Fair (1st December).  Yikes!  Given the success of last year's Winchester (indoor = nice and cosy) Fair, I feel I may need to make some extra items.  I have been gathering bits and pieces for my decoupage makes and my lovely friends have been collecting shells and bits of driftwood from across the globe - I am always incredibly grateful for these extra materials and am looking forward to creating some unique pieces in the next month or so.

Today, though, I have turned my hand to making a couple of fantastic (I kid you not!) Christmas decorative stars from some up-cycled wrapping paper that I managed to salvage from one of daughter's birthday presents (she had to open that particular present extremely carefully - under my watch - so that not a shred of it was ripped or torn).  I hope the picture below demonstrates the beauty and funky potential the paper promises - if all goes well, the stars will be on sale this coming weekend!

Funky Christmas Star!



 

Keep it Simple Stupid!

A few days on from the Bath Artisan Market and I am feeling more positive than I did on Sunday.  Boy!  Was it chilly or what - it's the middle of May for Pete's sake!  Trade was slow but I did cover my costs and got some feedback and so hope to do better next month!


Lovely but, perhaps, a touch too busy?  I vow to be more 'organised' in future!

With June in mind (early June mind) I'm hoping the tourists will be out and the weather will be a whole lot more clement!  I will be creating a few more items - Pooh Bear, Dennis the Menace, and perhaps some vintage Peter and Jane pieces too.  Also working on 'point of sale' (POS) since I think my stall may be gorgeous but, perhaps, a touch too busy (like an advert wanting to squash too much in!) so that my dear clientele can actually see exactly what it is I have to offer!  I should be good at this (given my advertising background) but I am so close to it I do find it difficult to step back and take an objective stance!  I have, therefore, decided to have a few practise runs and invest in some POS shelves/staging - I hope it pays off!

What was is Sir Robert the Bruce said?  "If at first you don't succeed, try, try, and try again!".  Will do!

A Rain Day in Bath? Not at Green Park!

Well, today started out just peachy!  Glorious sunshine, barely a breath of wind and just a whisper of cloud on the horizon...it was not to last!

 

We arrived at Green Park, my daughter (Daisy) and I, a touch frazzled, having taken one too many wrong turns through the maze that is Bath!  I ended up mounting the pavement (deliberately) and unloading the car (Betty Flower) at the steps to the entrance of Green Park Station - I was desperate and frantic, "Challenge me for being such a rebel ... IF YOU DARE!" - nobody did!  My daughter was chilled and just going with the flow...she has been my leveller the whole day.

 

So, we get our stuff unpacked.  We stand and look at it.  Daisy gets the chairs set up (priorities)!  I look at it some more.  I realise I did not need to bring along a trestle table after all.  Daisy asks if it's time for a snack yet - it has just turned 9.00am.  We munch on some dried mango (tastes better than it sounds!).  We both look at the stall.  We look at each other.  We grin and blow each other a kiss and say "I love you!".  We finally get down to business and start setting up our stall.

Driftwood and Debris at BAM!

 

A blurry helper at rear of stall

 

The Vintage Hearts yielded loads of interest!

 

Bluebells from the garden added a freshness to the display and some glorious scent too!

The day was chilly and the weather went from fine to grey to grizzle and drizzle.  I gave out a few business cards and flyers and have already had a mention on another blog and 2 new 'likers' on my Facebook page.  I managed to cover my costs (just) and met a bunch of lovely fellow stall holders - ALL way more experienced than me but more than happy to share their knowledge and experience.  For me, it is a lovely way to spend the day (so long as my costs are covered) and any profit is a bonus.  My DH thinks I'm a nutcase but does his best to understand...and he spends his leisure time catching fish and putting them back!

 

That's by-the-by though, I was fired up enough to want to give it another go and feeling mildly confident about June.  The weather can surely only get better, can't it?!

Nostrils full of Paper Dust!

As usual, I have known for ages that I've got an upcoming market event and I have left it until the last minute to get my stock up to date and relevant for the time of year!  Christmas?  No problem - stars coming out of my ears.  Spring/Summer?  Uh Oh!

Not to worry.  Thanks to my, ever-patient, husband I now have a summer range of fridge magnets and bunting.  I have also experimented with matt varnish and I love, love, love it on the bunting and some of my new key-rings and magnets - the finish is great and the durability equally as strong; it also dries so much quicker than the gloss!

So, with just days to go, I have a table full of half-made products awaiting either a final layer of varnish or a jump-ring and key-ring attachment - or even a magnetic attachment.  Why do I put myself (and my poor family) through this stress?  I don't know!  But I do know that I enjoy the buzz of the day and meeting fellow crafters and artists who are trying to make their hobby pay. 

Here's to next Sunday at http://bathartisanmarket.com/our-next-market/ - hope to see you there!

Turned Out Nice Again!

I have been very British these past three weeks in that I am suffering with the worst cold in years and soldiering on with a stiff upper lip...well, after a fashion.  That said, my temper has been short, my skin is a mess and my poor family have had to put up with me coughing, sneezing and wheezing in equal measure - and don't even get me started on sinuses!  I haven't even lost weight (often a consolation for me when I'm ill) because I have fed my cold with gusto.  Hey ho!

Thus, my motivation to do anything more than simply 'exist' has been somewhat lacking.  Only today have I got around to finishing off some lovely decoupage bunting with a layer of varnish.  My Dennis the Menace key rings got a brief and cursive look from me (they don't deserve it - they're lovely) and will have to wait another day for their loving sanding and base coat.  So, I am feeling guilty as well as poorly.

On the plus side, the weather has finally perked up here in the UK and this weekend I got well and truly stuck into my gardening.  I even managed to catch a bit of sun on my tired old face and the warmth of it on my palid skin felt invigorating and life-affirming.  Consequently, I am facing this next week with a smile and the promise of Spring along with a desire to be significantly more productive than I have been so far this April.  It is amazing how the weather can impact on one's mood.  I hear it's turning chilly again towards the end of next week (Joy!) so best make the most of the next few days while we can!

Take Good Care of My Baby!

Phew!  I have finally completed my commissioned driftwood and shell mirror and it is now ready to be shipped (airmailed) to the US.  I am absolutely delighted with the finished product and will be sad to see it go but, happy that it's going to a loving home; there is a space already ear-marked for it on my client's wall - indeed, it has been made-to-measure.  In fact, in just a couple of days, this darling driftwood mirror will be sitting in it's new abode several thousands of miles away from where it is sat right now - amazing!  So please couriers "Take good care of my baby on her journey across the Pond.".

55/56cm squared driftwood and shell mirror

Commissions aside, I am trying to get into decoupage mode with a view to creating some more keyring hearts and heart magnets as well as some jolly bunting.  I say 'trying' because the weather in the UK has been less than spring-like just recently and I'm finding it difficult to imagine we'll ever get to see the sunshine again!  We're lucky, living in Wiltshire, in that it has simply been bitingly cold but most parts of the UK are currently under several inches/feet of snow and worse still there are areas without any power!  The reason I'm keen to get on is that I'm hoping to take a stall at the Bath Artisan market in a couple of months - when the sun will be shining and people will be dizzy with the heady scent of spring about them.  My husband thinks I'm crazy but I really do love the buzz of these markets and it's fun to meet fellow craftspeople face to face every now and then, as well as getting direct feedback from the buying public!  If I manage to make a few pennies and cover my stall and travel costs all the better!



Looking for Something Original? Look No Further!

I love doing what I do.  I am lucky, I know, in that I get to create beautiful objects from bits and pieces found on the beach and old books and left over wrapping paper etc.  Like most people in my 'line of work' I create specific sets of shapes and sizes of products whether it be driftwood or decoupage.  It simply isn't practical or cost-effective to create a raft of unique works (although, given that I work with driftwood each piece is inevitably a one-off).


Close-up of commissioned abstract
driftwood art.  I love the way the light casts
playful shadows against the wall - adds an

extra dimension to an already gorgeous

and unique work!





Commissioned Abstract Driftwood Art for Indulgent

Bathroom Space - we all deserve a bit of ME time after all!









Thus, when I get a tentative enquiry regarding a 'commission' I do get rather excited.  I consult with my client and we come up with a 'concept' together.  Sometimes the client is very specific about what they want and sometimes they have a vague idea and we work through the project piece by piece, and then there are those who are happy to let me 'run' with an idea and pleased to have their very own 'commissioned' artwork with a 'story' to display where-they-will in their own home.

 

Hessian backed and mirror fixed
awaiting adornment



Close up of sea-washed glass
affixed to gnarly driftwood





Awaiting the finishing touches - surrounded by bits and
pieces of wood and shells that may or may not be a part
of the finished article.



I'm currently working on a  driftwood mirror to be shipped over to the USA.  It's going well and I can't wait to finish it and then lovingly package it up for it's long old journey across the 'Pond'.  It's almost twice the size of my bigger mirrors and I know it's going to look great upon completion (see pictures for progress so far). 

Close-up on a corner

So, there it is!  Don't be afraid to commission anything because us arty crafty types love a challenge and a chance to break away from the 'norm' every now and then!  TTFN!!!

Oh, I love the sound of breaking glass...not!

An eventful few days have passed for little old me.  I took my girls to Bath on Sunday to check out the Artisan Market (a new monthly feature at Green Park in Bath).  It was jam-packed with gorgeous stalls and rosy-faced stall-holders - there have been warmer Mothering Sundays!  Although the day had been slow for some the general feedback was that this is a market still in it's infancy and will surely grow (so long as they stick to their ethos of all things being hand-made/vintage).  On the plus side it is under cover (but not indoors) and the atmosphere was uber friendly as well as the products being delightful and (for the foodies) delicicous!  So, I have made my decision... and I'm going to apply to hold a stall there (not every month but perhaps 3 or 4 dates before the end of the year!).

Then, I received an email via Etsy... I've only gone and got myself a commission!  From the USA.  Wow!  Now, I have done commissions before and they have been well received (naturally) but shipping out to the US is a whole different ball-game - especially when you are talking MIRRORS!  Yup, a mirror will be loaded onto a van, then a plane (via some dodgy airport truck) and then onto another van (in another country) and hopefully to my customer's door in one gorgeous, luscious, beachy piece!  Suffice to say, I do not have a great deal of faith in 'shipping' and have heard some stories that would make your toes curl - packages being kicked across the floor etc (not good, not good at all).  So, it is with a great deal of joy but also a degree of trepidation that I have entered into this 'transaction' with my new transatlantic customer.  I'm hoping for a bit of luck and the most amazing following wind to ensure my 'baby' makes it across the pond intact - fingers crossed!

Dreaming of a sun-drenched summer?

The biting temperatures this last week have made it somewhat difficult to focus on making summery driftwood hearts and sunbursts - especially since my 'workshop' is by far and away the coldest room in the house!  I can dream I guess.

We might need a bit more practise on our skimming technique

 But enough grumbling.  I had a fabulous week off over the recent half term and managed to drag the family down to the beach for a couple of hours beach combing.  The pickings were good but, because the sea was so calm, I have to say my 'helpers' were more pre-occupied  with skimming stones than collecting driftwood.  My youngest had the heaviest bag at the end of the trip.  Was it a sizable haul of driftwood?  Was it heck!  It was, in fact, a bag full of interesting stones and sea-washed bricks - it weighed a ton!  Nevertheless, it has been brought back home and duly washed and scrubbed along with the rest of our booty.  It was a surprisingly decent lot of driftwood and has taken over a week to dry - principally in the winter sun and then finished off over the radiator indoors. 

Today, I have finally got down to creating!  I have a couple of large driftwood hearts in progress and two new sets of decoupage bunting plus a sumptuous, scrumptious, star made with some leftover leaf and petal paper that is so gorgeous I want to keep touching and stroking it!  Wrong?  Probably...  But, I digress, my day has been good and just as well since this next week is written off to the preparation of all things birthday for my youngest's 5th.  So it is down with the wood, glue, paper and brushes and up with the flour, eggs and sugar.  Princess cake and balloons are my life for the next 6 days.  Wish me luck!

It Don't Mean a Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing

Wow!  Where oh where did that last month go?  We've had rain (too much), wind, snow (not enough according to my girls) and even a glorious day of sun this weekend just gone!  This means we have spent way too much time indoors.  And yet I have, to date, created zip!  This has not been helped by my spending time experimenting with the art of needle-felting.  I got a kit for Christmas and have been busy stabbing away at wool for nearly a month now - it is my newest hobby and boy does it hurt when I get it wrong!  A barbed needle in the finger or thumb is not a good thing.

Aside from the needle felting I have been sorting, sifting, recording and listing my Driftwood and Decoupage goodies on my Etsy site and looking into taking part in a few more 'Handmade' markets/fairs this year - having had such a ball at the Winchester Christmas Fair in December.

I am trying to be selective about where I 'tout' my wares having been 'stung' by a couple of markets that weren't quite right for me.  I think I've found a couple of suitable and reasonably local events - I like them and they like what I do so so far so good.  I just need to do a bit of market research and I'll be there.  It's a massive learning curve that can't be boiled down to a simple formula (frustratingly).  I have quizzed fellow stallholders and had plenty of input from family and friends but ultimately where and what I sell is down to me!  No pressure there then...

I am itching to get down to the beach and, with half-term looming, I am hoping for a clear day when I can drag my family down to the beach and collect bucket-loads of driftwood and debris (hoping for some rope or old washed-up tiles/sea-worn brick) and then get making and creating.  Time to get into the swing again!