The Great Create

This post comes with a warning... it's rather long, so you may want to grab a cuppa before embarking on it... !

The day finally arrived. Many hours of preparation, inspiration and making came together in this one event... The Great Create. I was relieved that the day finally dawned and I was going to be able to see the end result and hopefully have a fruitful time. We packed up the car the night before.. it was literally groaning under the weight... and then tucked in for a good nights sleep. 

Saturday morning came and the sun was shining, the sky was blue, and we set off on our way to Greenway House on the banks of the river Dart. The journey there was idyllic... crossing the dart on the lower ferry ... I will have to post some pictures of that one day as it is so beautiful looking out to sea beyond all the colourful boats bobbing up and down in the water.... and then trundling down the leafy Devon lanes, catching glimpses of the Dart through the trees, to Greenway.

I don't know about you but I love doorways... the wonder of what might be behind and what will  open up to you as you enter... a world of possibilities! ... and this was the door that was awaiting being opened for us to enter and set up. Inside was the most amazing walled garden. It was such a quiet, peaceful, beautiful place to be..

 

Once we were in and our ideal spot chosen, we began the task of unloading the car and setting up. I was so thankful to have  borrowed my parents gazebo -  it's one of those eze up ones which really are so easy to put up... grab a corner each and pull and hey presto... it's up!! I felt a little mean ( or was it smug!!) as I heard the other stall holders muttering about number 5 poles fitting into number 6 poles and then standing back to scratch their heads whilst the poles lay scattered over the ground! Anyway, as you can see the girls, Harriet and Rosie were real stars... they worked really hard at helping to set up, and as you can see were experts at putting up the bunting - just as well really as we had to dismantle the whole stand every night and then put up again the following morning!

 

Still looking a bit of a mess but getting there...

 

Setting out the jewellery.

 

Done!  I was so pleased with the final look. All the planning and thought really paid off. I had so many lovely comments about how people were drawn to the stand because it looked so colourful and bright....

I love this windbreak... it's a great background for the table... and doesn't the bunting look good with it too???

We set up two tables for people to sit at if they wanted to have a go at making either a button bracelet or a beaded memory wire bracelet... as it was, not many people took the opportunity to sit and make, which was a little disappointing, but it meant that the girls and I had somewhere to sit and wile away the time making jewellery. 

 

I was so pleased with the way this looked...

Yummy buttons awaiting their turn to be made into button bracelets...

 

Remember these?

 

 

Here are some of my bracelets displayed on the handle of an old wooden trug that I re-painted...  credit goes to Harriet for taking this photo!

 

This is the green glass jug that I was telling you about.. it really shows the earrings off well

 

Caught on camera.. Harriet snapping again!

 

Most amazingly coloured buttons...

 

The bit I enjoyed the most.... meeting new people, chatting and teaching...

By this time I had already met some really lovely ladies. One particular group of ladies were having  girly weekend in the South hams and were enjoying their visit to Greenway and especially visiting my stand!!! When I met them I was wearing a particularly beautiful necklace that I had only just made that week and was really pleased with it... I was asked it if was for sale... well.. what could I say? So that necklace was sold to a very happy customer. I put on another necklace, only to have another of the ladies from the group ask if that one was for sale too!!! Well, by this time we were having a great banter together and I asked if she wanted my dress too!!!! Needless to say that I sold that necklace to her and others to the rest of the group... if you are reading this ladies... thanks for making my day, it was a real pleasure to meet you and I hope that you had a brilliant weekend... keep in touch!

 

A small, very quiet person making a button bracelet...

As I said before, the event was not as busy as I was expecting so harriet and Rosie and I had plenty of time together making jewellery.... this is just a few of the 13.. yes 13.. button bracelets that Rosie made over the weekend

          

Harriet was inspired to make a necklace and matching pair of earrings..

 

 

Some quiet time at the end of the day to do some posing... the garden was full of sculptures..

 

All packed up, feeling weary at the end of day two, waiting for our lift home...

Home to the sunshine in the garden and a jug full of cool, refreshing homemade lemonade... perfect ending...

 

Rosie obviously still did not feel tired at the end of the day as she had the energy to have a bounce on her trampoline!..

 

As for me....   well, I was content just to have a wander around the garden and drink in the colours, and sounds of a summer evening....

...... followed by a snooze on the sofa!!!

It has definitely been an interesting weekend. The setting was stunning, the weather was perfect, the people I met were really lovely, I had some amazing encouragement and feed back, however, the numbers were very low and I was a little disappointed in the turn out. I now have buckets of buttons and beads... workshop anyone??

One of the most enjoyable parts of the weekend was spending time with Harriet and Rosie, chatting together, laughing together, making memories, being creative together and working together as a team. It was such a privilege to have that special time with them, so I am very thankful for that.

I hope you all had a great sunny weekend

xx

Beady Thursday

Don't you just love it when the post man arrives on the doorstep with a pile of parcels for you??? I get soo excited........ today was one of those days! Two parcels.... did I really order that much?

Here's a sneek at what was lurking inside.....aren't they delicious?

I especially like these ones...

and these....

and these...

and these.....

they really are delicious aren't they?

Well, that was it, once opened I was immediately inspired to make some new pieces of jewellery. Firstly, this one...

I really love the bright summery colours, they make me feel very happy. I used waxed cotton to string the beads on to, some, with larger holes, have been threaded directly onto the cotton, whilst the others I have either put onto a headpin or created my own headpins with a wire shape at the bottom. I really enjoy working with the wire and creating new shapes. I think that they really add a special touch to the necklace. In my usual style, I also made earrings and bracelet to match....

I also had an order from a lady who had previously bought one of my necklaces to make her another one the same but in "kingfisher" colours..

I think it turned out ok.

I have been thinking about setting up a website to sell my jewellery and other hand made bits, and now that I have new beads, I think that I had better do something about it. I am not really sure where to start but I am sure that it will all come together......in the end.

I had some really exciting news yesterday and that is that I have been selected to show my jewellery and demonstrate / hold workshops in jewellery making at The Great Create that is to be held at Greenway House, on the banks of the river Dart in Devon, over the bank holiday weekend in May. Aghh... so much to do and prepare, but, I feel fully justified in buying all those beads as I now have to make lots and lots so that I have product to sell. I would love to see you if you are near by, come and say "Hi" and have a go at making something for yourself - you'll love it...I promise.

I wonder what tomorrow will bring? I hope that your tomorrow is filled with happiness  and little treasures to thrill your hearts.

Bye for now xx