What have I been up to?

I have been away from blogland for a while.  I have been busy.  First I went to the Contemporary Craft Fair in Devon a couple of weeks ago and then last week I was on holiday in Malta (where my parents and grandparents used to live).

Bovey Tracey Contemporary Craft Fair is fabulous.  It has been going for 10 years and I have been attending for about 7 of them.  Its 3 days of hundreds of fabulous artists, sculptures, stone masons, painters, glass workers etc as well as workshops and talks-I thoroughly recommend it.

Plymouth college of Art take over a tent every year and show case new talent.

 Elsewhere in the show the stonemasons were particularly good this year.

 The oddest thing though is next door.....

 Next door to the site is a company who specialize in advertising models and film sets

 It is free to visit and it's 2 stories tall filled to the brim with the strangest things!

After visiting next door we popped back to the fair for some final purchases....mine came in this bag....made from wallpaper and sewn up the sides with ribbon threaded through punched holes at the top for handles (and strengthened inside the holes with a small piece of gaffa tape).  Such a brilliant bag just to hold my new purchase.

 and my new purchase?  Well that was the red and grey leather handbag in the left middle of the photo made by the rather talented Gosia Weber.

A brilliant trip, I believe they also do one up north, if you get the chance I would recommend it.

And Malta?  Well, lets just say Valletta is the most beautifully architectural city and we spent the week visiting cathedrals, gazing at paintings by Caravaggio, swimming off the rocks with the locals and loving that I was mistaken as both Maltese and Italian!!

Shame I had to come home and back to reality really!!

Happy crafting

Kyla

  

The sun is shining and I'm feeling inspired

This weekend me and my fabulous husband, Lee, went down to Devon for the Contemporary Craft Fair at Bovey Tracey organised by the Devon Guild of Craftsmen. Over 160 exhibitors and workshops set in the wonderful Devon countryside.

There were some amazing pieces for sale, and after watching a demo on felting I decided to have a go at it this evening, whilst the sun was shining - so off I went into the garden with my bamboo place mat from the dining room( it was all I had to roll the felt in!), wool, kettle and detergent (goodness knows what the neighbours must have thought I was up to!).

I was surprised how few steps there were to turn the wool into felt - I have no idea what I am going to use it for, but I am sure I will think of something and I will definitely have another go.

I also had a go at using alcohol inks, not sure if I am a fan of the effect yet, early days. But I will finish the project off over the next week and post the results - let me know what you think.

So many new techniques to try, so few hours in a day.

Hapy crafting

Li'l Pidge