Kerrera

I promised to share some photos from our trip to the west coast last weekend so here is the first installment.

We camped near Oban at Gallanach which is just a hop and a skip across the sound from the small island of Kerrera. Since the weather was lovely and the ferry across to to the island was just a short walk from the campsite, we set off for a day out adventuring round this very green looking island.

Kerrera Ferry

We took the red route around the island and went clockwise giving us beautiful views back across the sound to the mainland.

Horseshoe Bay

We met sheep everywhere!

This wee family were sheltering in the hollow as we came around a corner. I don't think they were very comfortable with us being in such close proximity but they weren't for giving up their shady spot either so they put up with being photographed.

At the southern tip of the island there is this lovely bay looking south to the Isle of Seil and beyond to Scarba, Luing and Jura. Gylen castle dominates the view.

The castle was built in 1582 by the Clan MacDougall. It was only occupied for a relatively short period of time as it was besieged then burned by the Covenanters in 1647 during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms.

In May 2006 a restoration of the castle was completed with grants from Historic Scotland and money raised by worldwide members of Clan MacDougall.

We enjoyed spending a bit of time here, eating our picnic, climbing up and down the hillocks and peering into rock pools. Should have got some good rock pool photos but I was too engrossed in the views.

The lambs definitely seemed more chilled out the further round the island we trecked.

Here is a classic Hebridean scene with the sheep on high ground and the Cal Mac ferry in the distance.

As we climbed higher from the west side of the island, up over the middle, I noticed a lot of sheep fibres stuck on the dry stone walls. Reminded me very much of the woolly walls in my felt pictures!

Sold but more coming soon.

Loved this house at Barr nam Boc Bay.

And this one at the sheep farm heading back down to the jetty.

Looks really peaceful doesn't it? But the noise from bleating sheep here was deafening! Amazing how each bleat and baaa sounds different though.

Came across a few oddities on our walk as well.

I liked the squares within squares here and the textures in the peeling paint.

And a nice bright blue with a touch of rust is always a pleasing combination!



This old horsebox seems to have been a souvenir shop at one time.

All in all we enjoyed our visit. New inspiration has been gathered and happy family memries made.

When I saw this sunset I'll admit that I felt rather hemmed in and would have loved to have been out on Iona or on the south west tip of Mull. I do love looking out to the open sea, with waves crashing in and that feeling of being on the edge of the world.

The main reason for going to Oban though was so I could drop new stock off at the gift shop Room 15. I'll share some photos from there in the next post.

The Makers Market on Saturday was great. I met a few fellow Open Studio artists which was nice and a busy day was had.

Next event is Falkland Street Fair on Saturday 23rd June so if you are local be sure and put that in your diary.

Makers Market at The Steeple, Newburgh, Fife Saturday 9th June

You can find me and my work at

The Makers Market

The Steeple

Newburgh

Fife

Saturday 9th June 2012

10 - 4.30 pm

Hope to see you there!

I have been so busy making new work for this event and for stockists that I really have not had time to share anything new on the blog. Hoping to remedy that next week with some photos from our recent camping trip to the west coast. Thankfully we had beautiful weather unlike the constant driech we have had since we got back.

Here are a couple of snaps taken on Kerrera Island.

Tune in next week for a more detailed installment!

:)

New Sheep Brooches and Other News

Been very busy since the Open Studios weekend fulfilling orders and commissions and coming up with some new ideas.

I'm delighted to be able to share this commission piece with my customer's permission.

I was sent photos of this beautiful crofters cottage on North Uist and asked to make a felt picture featuring the cottage, a rainbow disappearing into the sea, some wee sheep and a bit of artistic license with the background and sea.

Struan Cottage

I'm delighted with how it turned out and so is my customer and the recipient.

The cottage has been in my customers family for years and she feels that this piece will become a real family heir loom.

This is one of the photos I worked from. The cottage is available to rent for holidays and I really hope to go their maybe next year. After our visit to Harris last summer, we are really hankering to visit the Uists and to stay somewhere like this would be amazing! Beats a tent any day!

As well as working on commissions I have been rebuilding my stock after a very busy time at Open Studios. The sheep pendants continue to be popular and I have made a few more available in my Etsy Shop. There is a whole section there for Sheep Jewellery.

 

I often get asked if I make the sheep pendants as brooches and I'm pleased to say that now I do! More shapes and sizes coming soon but these are the first designs hot off the work table.

The Orkney fibres in this one above make the landscape look like a wild Scottish mountain covered in heather.

 

Sheep Brooches £15

3.5cm in diameter

 

So as well as new brooches, I have some new card designs in the pipeline and hope to get some framed pieces photographed and listed later today.

 

If you are in the Angus area this weekend, look out for Open Studio signs all over the place as Angus Open Studios runs from today Thursday 24th to Monday 28th May 2012.

We have planned a route and hope to visit some potters, jewellers, textile artists and other designers. Looking forward to visiting this collaboration of three artists who have set up a rather splendid tent in a garden on Dishlandtown Street in Arbroath! Makes me think of a make believe land from a children's story book!

 

 

Makers Market Saturday 9th June

 This is the next event I will be exhibiting at. Hoping to have a few new things ready as well as a selection of Pictures, Cards, Felt and Textile Jewellery and Tweed and Felt Boxes.

Open Studios 2012-A Great Weekend!

Open Studios 2012 was a huge success! We had such a busy weekend and enjoyed every minute of it.

We had over 400 visitors to the studio over the weekend. Thank you to everyone who came along.

Here are a few photos of our studio space for those who were too far away to visit.

Many people ask me why I don't use this as a studio throughout the year and the simple answer is that it just isn't practical. I enjoyworking from my cottage and do a lot of work in the evenings sometimes and with children to look after a nice garden to go out into, I just prefer working from home.

We have access to this space whenever we need it though and although it was a bit of an upheaval moving production from home to here, it was enormously beneficial for an event like this and really nice to be able to display all my work to it's best advantage.

 

As well as the main room with my work space set up and most of my work on display, I used a secondary room as a Seascapes Gallery.

We had the sound of the sea on CD playing in the background and we served tea and coffee in here.

We also left a weekend newspaper for the men folk that weren't that interested in textile art and craft and nick named this room the 'Man Creche'.

It was so busy on Sunday afternoon that it was like a cafe in here with standing room only!

The response to my work was wonderful and it was nice to share some ideas and techniques with other fibre art enthusiasts as well as give demonstrations to other interested visitors.

So now it's back to work replenishing stock and fulfilling orders and commissions.

 

My online shop has reopened today and I will be adding new pieces over the next week or so. A great way to keep up with what's new from me is via facebook so if you are new to my website here and are a facebook user, do come over and say hi!

Also Open Studios North Fife is not finished yet. Many of the studios are open for a second weekend on 12th and 13th May. Look for the little orange 2  on the brochure entries. www.openstudiosfife.co.uk

I won't be open myself but you can check my events listings on the right hand side of the page here to see where I will be exhibiting next.

Open Studios North Fife 2012

Open Studios North Fife 2012

takes place on

Saturday 5th, Sunday 6th and Monday 7th May

10-6pm each day.

I'm really busy preparing for my second year participating in this event.

Here is just a selection of what will be on display at my studio this year.

New Sheep Pendants in different designs

Sheep Earrings

Textile and Glass Pendants and Earrings

Harbour Cottage and Boat Pictures

Framed Felt Landscapes

Printed Cards Featuring Felt Landscapes

You can scroll through some of my other blog posts to see what else I will be displaying.

All my work is for sale.

I will also be demonstrating with the fabulous embellisher machine throughout Open Studios and sharing how to make a simple brooch.

You can keep up to date with what's new from me on Facebook Here

and with our Open Studios event Here

You can also see a full list of participants with maps and photos on the website at

www.openstudiosfife.co.uk

You'll be guarenteed a warm welcome at all the studios this year so hope to see some of you there.

My studio number this year is 24 and you can find me at

64 Commercial Road

Ladybank

KY15 7JS

We are on the corner of the main street through Ladybank and Church Street. Look for the white Open Studio boards. There are seven participating studios in Ladybank alone so well worth a visit!

Refreshments available free of charge.

Wintertime Spring and a Radio Interview!

"Never cast a cloot, until the May is oot!"

Never a truer word was spoken! This old Scottish saying basically means that as Spring teases us with warmer weather, don't be putting all your Winter clothes away or stop wearing your vest and layers until the May flower, or Hawthorn is in bloom.

We were soaking up sun in the garden all last week then woke up to this on Tuesday morning!

Back on with the layers of leggings, long skirts, vests and polo necks!

This is a colour photo by the way, not black and white!

Thankfully it has nearly all melted but what a shame for my children who are all excited about their new trampoline. Even now that it is dry enough to bounce on, their feet are freezing!

Thankfully the snow came after our visit to Glasgow on Sunday.

I was the guest of DJ Ciaran Dorris on his Sunday Sessions Show on Celtic Music Radio.

Ciaran has been asking me to be on his show for ages but I never felt brave enough. He offered me the slot on Sunday though and said I could plug our upcoming Open Studios event so I said yes.

I actually really enjoyed it! We had great fun as you can see from these photos my

husband took.

We were joking around, taking turns to see who looked daftest in the big earphones.

I think my son won that one!

 

Ciaran usually interviews a musician, singer, artist or writer on his show and it goes out live online between 5 and 7pm every Sunday and he has a loyal following all over the world who join in the chat and banter via Ciaran's facebook page and email.

We heard from folks in Nashville, Texas, New York, Arkansas, Denmark, Ireland, The Netherlands and France as well as here in Scotland.

As Ciaran's guest I was 'Castaway' to a ficticious Hebridean Island for a week and had to share with the listeners what items of choice I would take with me.

A Book

A DVD

Four Music Tracks

A Luxury Item

A Guest for an evening

And something to throw in the Island Incinerator

(Something I feel the World would be better off without)

I chose

The Tenth Gift by Jane Johnson

(I like a book with a good story that also tells you something about another country and culture. This one starts off in Cornwall and ends up in Morocco)

The Blues Brothers or Hairspray (couldn't get it down to one!)

Beeswing by Alistair Ogilvy

Leave a Light on For You by Edwina Hayes

The Lock Keeper by Tommy Carew

Morning Nightcap (a tune) by Lunasa

Garlic Pepper (because I dislike bland food and assumed I'd be stuck with boiled spuds and fish for a week!)

For my guest I'd be happy with anyone who can sing and play guitar and who'd be up for singing songs all night round a fire.

And for the Incinerator I'd throw in Greed. The world be a much better place if nobody was greedy. If the multi national companies actually worked with the land and people to produce what we need rather than doing everything for profit and power.

I can't believe how quickly the two hours went by! I thought I'd be lost for words but Ciaran makes a brilliant host and it was all very relaxed and enjoyable.

If you fancy listening in to Celtic Music Radio sometime you can find them online here