A Peek Inside My Studio During Open Studios North Fife 2013

Open Studios has been busier than ever this year and it's not over yet! I'm awake ridiculously early so I thought I'd get some photos uploaded to share before the day begins.

This is my third year taking part in Open Studios. There are 86 artists and makers taking part this year and as with other years, the response has been phenomenal!

Although I do live and work in the North Fife area, I prefer to move premises for Open Studios. I use my Step Dad's old office in Ladybank for the weekend which has the potential to become my permanent studio but I still prefer working from home.

I do my best to recreate my work space here though. I even brought my curtains!  

This is our little back room Gallery where I have my larger framed pieces displayed along with some framed prints.

We have also been serving tea, coffee and cake in here and at times it has been packed with people!

We set up a little Sales Desk and I'm so grateful to my Mum and friends for helping me out. They have been serving a constant stream of customers over the weekend which has left me free to talk to people about my processes and do a bit of demonstrating.

We've been playing with Transfer Paints this weekend and letting people have a go. Children and adults have all enjoyed it and many textile enthusiasts have been in to have a closer look at the embellisher machine and what it can do. The pink coat is there to display a brooch and to show people how the embellisher machine can be used to make motifs which can then be appliqued onto garments.

I still love my little lobster creel shelf that I brought home from Elie beach last month. In the interests of safety I restricted the display to cards as I have it hanging in a place where people might brush past and knock fragile things off it. The cards are harbour and sea themed though and it has been well admired.

 

The new mugs have been a big hit with the coos going off to new homes all over the country.

These will be available online when I re open my shops next Monday. I'm taking a little break to organise my stock.

It's great having so much space to display my work compared to the average 6' table you get at craft fairs.

It's a bit like playing at shops!

 

Felt and Seashell Trinket Boxes with a few complimentary jewellery pieces.

So if you are reading this on Monday 6th May, you still have time to come in and see us.

We are open from 10 - 6pm and can be found at 64 Commercial Road, Ladybank, KY15 7JS.

Just look for the white Open Studio boards. 

There are 7 other artists exhibiting in the village of Ladybank alone plus Off The Rails Art house Collective are open for visitors as well.

I'll be back next week with lots of new listings in my shops and perhaps a few more photos from our weekend.

Thank you so much to all those who have embraced the spirit of Open Studios and come in to see us and planned a route to visit as many as possible over the weekend. We really enjoy putting this event on for you and are delighted with the reaction we get. Here's to another busy day today!

March Update

Well this time last year we were having an unseasonable warm spell. This year we have blizzards and freezing temperatures that  have me wearing half a dozen layers of clothes and the heating in my work space up full blast!

Lots going on here though with two fairs coming up in April and Open Studios North Fife the first weekend in May.

I have had some of my most popular felt pictures made into Open Edition Giclee Prints in different sizes.

Vibrant Hills is available in two sizes

15 x 15 cm in a 25 x 25 cm Mount at £30

and

25 x 25 cm in a 35 x 35 cm Mount at £40

Island Cottage and Boat is also available in the sizes above.

Harvey is available in the 15 x 15 cm size and 10 x 10 cm

These small 10 x 10 cm Prints are really cute and at just £12, they make a lovely gift and are easily framed.

Prints

Available here

New cards in stock include 'Island Cottage and Boat', 'Cottage By The Stream' and 'Wee Coo By The Loch'.

Cards all £2.50 each

Sets of four or six are also available

'Home For Supper' is also back in stock as well as 'Harbour Houses, Boat and Fish'

All cards available here

My Mum has been helping me out by sewing the beads and brooch bars onto my brooches for me. I make my brooches from my own handmade felt and genuine Harris Tweed. I usually sit of an evening sewing them up but Mum has taken on that job and I have to say her sewing is impeccable! She even had two handy little dishes on hand to keep the beads safe while sewing and gave one to me too.

These will be coming with me to Falkland Craft Market on Saturday 6th April, 10 - 4pm in Falkland Community Hall.

You can also find some for sale in my shop here

Our Open Studios 2013 Brochures are now available. You can collect a free copy from public places like libraries and art galleries all over Fife, Tayside, Edinburgh, Dundee, Angus and beyond. You can also download it free from our website and browse all the artists taking part online as well. http://www.openstudiosfife.co.uk/

Hope Spring comes soon and that we will perhaps see you at one of these upcoming events.

A Wintry Week

 Brrrrr...it's been a chilly time here in Fife over the last week or so. We love a bit of snow up here as it's so pretty but it came in as sleet on a fierce east wind to start with and we didn't get any of those glorious blue sky days when all is bright and beautiful. 

We were lost in the mist last Wednesday.

We've had a wonderful variety of birds pecking around the garden including this wee fat partridge.

 Unfortunately my husband and two children have all been unwell with a flu type thing so it's just been a case of keeping everyone warm and looked after which hasn't left much time for making anything.

Some folk say they can smell snow in the air and I think that's true. I also believe my Granny's old way of telling if it's on it's way. She always said blue flames in the fire meant snow was imminent and we have had plenty of  those. When I rake the hot coals there's a pink glow and flashes of purple too! I've never seen that before.

This wee cottage is slowly but surely loosing it's roof tile by tile. I still day dream of renovating it into a Craft Bothy but it's just a dream.

Snow is possibly the only thing that can make trampoline netting look vaguely interesting too!

The only new thing I have managed to make this week is this oval Sheep Pendant.

It has sold already but there will be plenty more in stock in various colours soon.

 This brooch is still available though

Brooch £15

Available Here 

I do have plenty of cards in stock including this set of six for £12

Set of Six Cards £12 here

I have also been playing around a bit on Pinterest recently and found this idea for a Cable Cuff. I happened to have this wrist cuff bracelet made from a batch I made from old denim jeans last year. It wraps around the cable and the handle of the iron, keeping it nice and tidy when it's stored in the cupboard! Genius! Very easy to make with a bit of fabric and button or a bit of crochet or knitting. Mine just happens to match the iron and ironing board.

 So a very slow start to the year here creatively speaking.

Our brochure for Open Studios North Fife should be ready soon. You can keep up to date with Open Studios news on our Facebook page here