Off to Bournemouth tomorrow!  Hoorah!  We finally have some excellent weather in our green and pleasant land and we are determined to make the most of it.  I have pushed last week's 'experience' to one side (no, really, I have - sooo strange) and am heading down to the seaside with my gorgeous family.  We are going to the Aquarium/Oceanarium in Bournemouth (again) and then we're going to have a paddle in the Sea and make sandcastles and moats and maybe bury Daddy in the sand!  We MAY look for some interesting shells, who knows?  All I DO know is that we will be having a lovely and loving family day out and I can't wait!

Good Night and Don't Have Nightmares...

Well, I went down to the beach yesterday.  I was full of anticipation, in spite of the weather (it has been a touch inclement in the UK just recently), and I had a spring in my step at the thought of spending some quality time collecting shells, driftwood and debris.  It works for me...

I was togged up in boots, water-proof coat and trusty (if slightly musty) old hat.  Bags in hand, I set off on my hunt for all things beachy and the going was good.  Lot's of lovely driftwood, a few shells, a rusty door-hinge (I know, I know) and some bits of old rope.  I wasn't looking ahead so much as down, in order to avoid the driving rain, and so it was with a degree of surprise that I happened upon an old-boy fishing just a few yards in front of me.  This could be good (thought I) for my blog.  He looked like he'd been fishing all his life - old, weathered features, worn clothes, all the gear...a great photo opportunity?   Hhhhhmmmmmm!

Herein lies the irony.  The night before, I had been to a concert in Hyde Park - it was amazing! - but it finished around 10.15pm.  It was dark.  My family and I were headed in opposite directions and I found myself walking up a somewhat deserted Marylebone Road on my own.  I felt alone and vulnerable and quickened my pace so as to reach my destination (Marylebone Station) as soon as possible.  Clearly, I made it in one piece - phew!  The next morning I find myself at Calshot Beach.  It's deserted but I feel at peace and contented, safe and secure.  If I should meet anyone on this rather drab and dreary morning they will be of like mind, glad to be alive and enjoying the sea air.  We will pass the time of day, joke about the weather and then carry on with our walk...

...not the fisherman.  No.  This fisherman wasn't fishing for bream or bass.  As I made to walk by, he stepped in my path and told me a couple of strange and inappropriate stories to do with women offering themselves to him.  I smiled politely, nodded and tried to move along - each time he stepped right in front of me and began on another story.  I knew this was wrong, he was wrong...the next thing he did was to gesture towards his midriff (slightly below) and, in the manner of a News of the World reporter (I suppose) I swiftly made my excuses and left...in completely the wrong direction!  Take note, plan your escape!!!

So, I found myself heading up the beach in the opposite direction to all civilisation and humanity.  I kept glancing back.  Mercifully, the fisherman wasn't following.  In fact, he appeared to be dismantling his rod and tripod.  I called my husband, he called the Police, they called me (while I made my way up the very steep bank into a field that led to the beach road)...I got back to my car.  I was shaky, I was sweaty (I'm sorry), I was thirsty (luckily I had a flask of coffee), I was safe...the police and I rendezvoused but, a day later, the fisherman was nowhere to be found!

Naturally, I am reliving the 'incident' in my mind again and again.  I know I was feeling uber safe having survived 'scary' London the night before.  This, in hindsight, was clearly a mistake.  One should ALWAYS be on ones guard.  Avoid potential danger through astute awareness.  Don't assume the countryside is safer than the city - it isn't!

Possibly a quarter of what I could have collected...

That said, I WILL go back to the beach.  Night all, take care and don't have nightmares! x

Wonderful Weekday Workshop

Today has been pretty good for me.  I woke up and the sun was shining and as night falls it is shining, albeit sleepily, still.  I ran a workshop in the most stunning location yet, Chaffeymoor Grange at Bourton inWiltshire.  The workshop was part of a reward / chill-out day for the dedicated and hard-working staff of a well-known local company geared towards helping others (I will post the name of the company if given permission).  The group was made up of staff from all departments and the mood was relaxed and jovial, lots of banter and laughter interspersed with intense moments of silence and concentration.  I LOVED IT, and what made the whole thing even more enjoyable for me was the very clear pride each individual had on their face at the end of the session.  Real delight and surprise at what they had created out of simple driftwood and debris from our very own beaches.  And the clincher for me??? "I wonder if the other groups had as much fun as we did?".  "I hope not!"  says I...

Busy Doing Nothing...

Half term is nearly over and what a busy time it has been...doing not very much really.  Well, not very much in the way of my Driftwood and Debris work.  The Diamond Jubilee and my children have taken priority, as they should, and it has been a ball!  We have begun to decorate the Wendy house (inside) in a jungle theme (my eldest came up with the idea) which has involved copious amounts of paint, glue and coloured paper.  Naturally, this is a much bigger project than it first appeared and we have a way to go before it's done - still, it is looking good so far.  The weather has been...changeable, but my girls have been bonny throughout.  We went to the Hay Festival and attended a talk by Francesca Simon, the Horrid Henry author, we bar-be-cued, we planted up a new herb bed, we went for tea and cake, we visited my mother's farm (always fun), we walked the dogs (a lot), we danced, we sang, we joked, we laughed, and yes, there were some tears (but not too many) and we celebrated our lovely Queen's Diamond Jubilee!  It's been a good half term!



There's Debris and then there's DEBRIS!

If you must use a syringe (for whatever reason) please use it responsibly - that is all.

Please take your litter home with you!

You Live and (hopefully) Learn!

I took part in my first 'Craft Market' last weekend and ended up out of pocket and somewhat disheartened by the whole affair.  I had spent the previous couple of weeks frantically making mirrors, sunbursts and hearts and managed to deplete my hard-sought stocks of shells and wood in the process.  I was stupidly nervous too but did, at least, have my six and a half year old daughter Daisy as my stall companion - she was a star (naturally) and helped with the setting up and putting away of all the stock.  She has an eye for display and was a real help in arranging the stall - particularly the decoupage hearts which I had made in order to have some attractive, yet cheaper, items on my stall.  Sadly, the weather was not on our side and the footfall was negligible.  On the plus side I did get some great compliments on my work and invaluable advice from fellow stallholders. 

What I have learnt from this experience is that I need to plan ahead...way ahead.  I checked out the Bath Christmas Market (already fully booked) and our local Cuckoo Spring Fair (I am on the waiting list for 2013) - given the current weather forecast I am not too miffed about the Fair!

My workshops work - they are fun and I do not end up out of pocket.  My clients get completely engaged in the creation of their own work of art and the atmosphere is relaxed and slightly magical.  I generally end up in awe of the people I meet and happy to have cheered up someone's day - THAT is a GREAT feeling!

That said, I have not given up on special events.  I am sure there is a market out there for my 'stuff', I just need to find it!

It's all in the Timing!

Never mind stocking up on petrol and water - what next, really?!  It's the Easter holidays and I have been ferrying the kids to and fro, buying school shoes and doing a spot of Spring cleaning, gardening, and the like.  My driftwood workshop is currently doubling up as a seedling nursery, until the weather is kind enough to let them move to the greenhouse outside, so I am having to be 'creative' with the space I have left.  I am rapidly running out of space, especially since I've had to 'pot-on' the first batch of seedlings that were rapidly outgrowing their little cells.  My poor stepson's bed is now covered in baby plants - luckily without him in it!  I will have it all fresh and lovely before he next comes to stay...

What has become apparent, with all this re-organising of space, is that I am extremely low on materials and, while there are no immediate workshops in the offing, I do need to build a few stock items for a couple of 'events' I plan to attend - the first of which is in just 2 weeks time.  I am awaiting delivery of some base heart and circle shapes but have little to decorate them with - time is going to be tight and I need to get my skates on collecting, making and creating.  Nothing like a bit of pressure to get one going!

So, having been away last week when the weather was stunning I had planned to take a trip down to the coast one day this week.  Today (this morning at least) is lovely but I have to wait in for a recorded delivery (typical) so I am pinning my hopes on a favourable weather window tomorrow since the forecast into the weekend is not pretty.  Fingers crossed I can replenish my supplies tomorrow when I will be ably assisted by my two girls!