A lamp in it's new home

Alice from Simply The Nest just let me know that she has blogged about my work after buying an allium lamp at the Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair at the weekend. It is such a gorgeous write up and such a visual treat that i wanted to share it with you. She took some lovely pictures of the lamp in situ. I hardly ever get to see where my little creations end up so it's lovely when this happens! It's has obviously gone to a beautiful home!

News from the Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair

I've had a really fantastic time at the show. I have sold lots of lamps and worked hard to promote my work and Radiance which I suppose is the ultimate aim but I have also met up with old exhibitor friends, made new ones and had a lovely, lovely time! It was really nice to know that lots of people looked at my picture of the shop with recognition or with excitement and the promise of paying us a visit! It also met so many people I have been chatting to via blogs and Twitter over the last year and it was really nice to put faces to names.

This year my stand was opposite Linzi Ramsden, a ceramic artist based at The Manchester Craft Centre. She is also inspired by plants and flowers and actually grows her own flowers which she used to create the textures in her ceramic panels. They are lovely and so was she. She was a good stand neighbour and kept us entertained.

This year the show was situated in a large marquee in the centre of Spinningfields, Manchesters new and swanky business quarter off Deansgate. They had an awesome banner. It was huge! Last year the show was at Manchester Grammar School which perhaps a little more quirky but it was nice to be in the centre of town and the venue was more condensed which had it's benefits.



Despite driving rain and high winds it was very busy most of the time and people seemed to be enjoying all the lovely work which I have to say was outstanding and very inspiring. Although I didn't have much time to spend going round get round I did take some time to have a look and take some pictures.

Being me, I always notice the lighting and I loved Jane Blease's new work (shown above)- lampshades, brooches and some lovely framed pieces. There will be some coming to Radiance soon!

Another lighting artist at the show was Jenny Bland with her beautiful lamps and shades made from spun embroidery thread. (hopefully also coming to Radiance soon)



There were some lovely displays and quirky ideas. I liked these hands on Lynsey Walters stand displaying her colourful felt rings.



Kate O'Connells serving platters based on shards of broken pottery caught my eye.

It's always nice to catch up with the lovely Debbie Bryan and was good to hear that her new shop in Nottinghams Lace Market is doing well. She gave me one of her beautiful resin buttons which I have happily sewn on my cardy!

I always like Yungi's cosy textile stand too and catch up with Mr Yungi himself (Bryan Young) We were stand neighbours at b.c.t.f afew years ago. We always have a giggle.

...well I have run out of photos but I feel like I have barely scratched the surface There were SO many talented makers (144 to be precise) making so many utterly beautiful things. It's an honour to have been a part of it.

There are more reviews with great pictures over at Moregeous and over at HisforHome.

Last day before the Show

Just though I'd say a quick hello as I'm going to be busy at the GNCCF over the next few days. My stand furniture and stock is in a huge pile in my workshop and tomorrow we will load it up and go and set up in Manchester.

Wanted to say thanks to Kate Feld from the Creative Tourist website who has written a piece about the show to tempt you!

I'm looking forward to meeting many people I've been chatting and Tweeting to over the last few months but have never seen in real life. It will be nice to put some real faces to these names.

Hope to see you there but if not I'll be writing about it here next week! Bye for now.x

Wedding date lantern

I thought it would be nice if the last lantern on a string of named wedding lights had the couples wedding date on. We tried it out and it looks quite sweet.

What a busy week!

I think this has been the busiest week yet. I seem not to have sat down all week. It's all good though. Laura, on a work experience placement has been amazing (despite being full of cold and coughing and sneezing all week bless her) and it makes me wonder how I ever cope on my own for most of the week.

We have got a lot done together. We've made loads of lamps for the show and gift wrapped them them all. Yesterday the Not On The High Street winter catalogue came out with my personalised fairy lights in and I've had orders for seven sets already which I'm pretty gobsmacked about.

So it's been fairy light making central!

It's been nice to have a couple of glasses of wine this evening and chill out a bit....and tomorrow, no work...except fitting our kitchen floor. The new sink is in place and now time for the lovely floor. That'll make a nice change...

Great Northern Contempoarary Craft Fair Approaches

It's only two weeks until set up day for the GNCCF now so I'm working hard making stock and preparing my stand. It's all go go go! I have Laura Garrow (remember me blogging about her a few weeks back) on a work placement with me which is wonderful and I think we'll be able to do a lot between us. She looks very happy to be here and keeps beaming from ear to ear!

Mr & Mrs

I have just made these lights for Mr & Mrs Armsby. I havent done a 'Mr & Mrs' before as people usually write their first names. I like these, they're sweet. Look out for my fairy lights in the November issue of Perfect Wedding magazine which is out now. I'm yet to go and buy a copy. Looking forward to seeing them there.

Denmark

I just had a marvellous few days visiting my friend Amy in Denmark. We realised that it was our 20 year anniversary as we met in September 1989 when we started at Dewsbury College of Art and Design. I was only 16! Amy is a textile artist with a fascination for bats and has made me a very special personalised Bat Box for Radiance. I thought it would go and collect it and see Amy's beautiful home and studio in the Danish countryside.

Sofus accompanied us for a walk in the cold crisp morning sunshine.



Otis enjoyed his cuddles.





Amys workshop is full of inspiring and interesting work. Cupboards full of fabric and trimmings and shelves of her bat boxes. It has a lovely view across their lake and they have deer running throught the garden. She is currently working on her website and I'll alert you to it as soon as it's done so you can have a closer look at everything. Here i am with my Bat Box. It has a lamp and an illuminated wall panel, a cosy chair, pictures of my family and cats on the walls and a shelf full of books. I'm going to put more pictures on the Radiance blog later on....