Tree Fall

Kirsty Elson

It was my birthday while we were away at The Contemporary Craft Festival, which on the downside meant that I had to work on my birthday, but on the upside meant that Jim was absolutely spoiled for choice with what to buy me for a present!

I have been a huge fan of Kirsty Elson's work for a long time. So I was very, very happy when I opened my present from Bella and Lily to discover that it was my very own Kirsty Elson original.

All her work is made from the driftwood that Kirsty finds on the beach, along with old nails that she uses for chimneys and railings, and each piece is incredible in it's beauty and detail.

 

 

 

 

I have strong childhood ties to the coast, having lived in a number of seaside towns, and these pieces are just so evocative of a time I loved so much. Plus, and this is one of the reason's Jim and the girls chose this piece, the link to textiles, with the washing line just makes it all the more perfect.

If you get a chance to see Kirsty's work in person, you really should, because you'll love it. It's impossible not to. In the meantime though you can see more of her work, plus read all about how she does it on her blog.

 

 

© Kirsty Elson

 

© Kirsty Elson

The Contemporary Craft Festival

Ten days ago Jim and I and the girls, all travelled down to Devon so that I could exhibit at the Contemporary Craft Festival that is held in Bovey Tracey every year.

Although I've been lucky enough to be accepted to exhibit at a number of big fairs around the country, this one was a whole new experience for us, because it not only involved towing a trailor for 7 hours, but also involved our first ever family camping trip.

 

The Contemporary Craft Festival isn't like other fairs. Usually setting up at a big fair is pretty stressful, with time slots and limited parking and no children on site (which is complicated when it takes both Jim and I to build a stand). But this set up was pretty easy and relaxed. Particularly as we were able to send the girls off to run wild, while we got on with the fun of building the stand.

I have to admit that I don't do a lot of prep when it comes to designing my stands these days. Jim and I work really well together and because I use the same basic concepts for each stand, we can play it by ear. As long as I have somewhere to hang the bibs, hang the clothes and display the cushions I'm pretty flexible and the use of Roddy & Gingers wonderful wallpaper always helps to create a consistant identity.

 

The show lasts three days (plus the preview night) so Jim and the girls had to keep themselves busy while I was working. Before we arrived at Bovey, we had intended for Jim to take the girls out and about, exploring that part of Devon. But as soon as we got there we realised that there was going to be plenty for the girls to do without leaving the festival itself! 

 

Jim and the girls spent the days out in the sunshine, climbing trees (there was the best climbing tree), screen printing bags, learning to weave on a loom, writing stories and eating icecream.  And every now and then they would show up on my stand, with food or a glass of wine (it's hard work!), show me what they had made and then disappear again.

I always enjoy exhibiting. After spending so much time working alone in my studio, it's great to spend time with so many other designers, especially at such an amazingly curated show.  But this show was even more fun than most. Not only was I surrounded by lovely, talented people, but the whole atmosphere was one of fun and community. And the fact that so many of the exhibitors camped on a site provided by the organisers, helped create a truly friendly, relaxed atmosphere.

And as well as there being so many super talented exhibitors (Kirsty Elson, Teresa Green, CoucouManou, Katrin Moye, and Sarah Heaton, to name just a few), the fair was also full of people that so obviously appreciated the level of talent on show, and were not only there to enjoy everything on offer but also (and most importantly) to buy.

We all had a fantastic time over the weekend. The incredible weather definitely helped of course, but it was really the fact that the fair was so well organised and full of so many amazing designer/makers, with so much for the girls to do (and fantastic pizza for Jim!), that really made it stand out. We were lucky enough to be able to combine a very successful weekend with a great family camping holiday.

If you have the chance next year to visit The Contemporary Craft Fesitval, I really can not recommend it highly enough. I don't think anyone could be disappointed with it (except possibly the elderly woman who asked me if anyone at the show was selling windbreakers!).

I will definitely be applying again and keeping all my fingers and toes crossed that I get the chance to be involved with such a great event again.

Spring time

 It's spring next week! It doesn't feel like it, with the snow we had last week, but it definitely is.

And to kick it off I'm exhibiting at the Selvedge Spring Fair next Friday and Saturday (22nd and 23rd March) at the Chelsea Old Town Hall.

In preparation for both spring and the spring fair I've been making some new spring inspired dresses and blouses.

The Circles A Line dress is made from the most wonderful printed linen from Mini Moderns. I love all of their designs but I think this print may be my favourite.

The sandy coloured blouse is a cotton mix with a printed white spot on it and a beautiful drape.

 

All of these will be available at the Selvedge Fair, along with lots of other new designs - including new bibs and childrens headbands. If you're in the area, it's an incredible fair and I'm very excited to be a part of it.

 

Quick and easy

I found a little time in the last week or so to make a couple of things for me and Bella.

I saw a cardigan/shawl similar to this recently and decided to make one out of some wool I've been holding on to for a couple of years.

 

It only took about half an hour to make, with just two pattern pieces and because I used boiled wool, no need for finishing any seam.

It's warm to wear, which is what I wanted, but the wool is just a tiny bit heavier than I was hoping for.

 

 

I made Bella's blouse using the same pattern that I drafted for this blouse. Again, it only took a short time (there's a theme here), with one pattern piece and other than the bias binding, nothing fiddly at all.

 

5

Last week Lily turned five years old.

Lily struggles with birthdays every year. She says they happen too soon and that she always needs more time to prepare herself for them. I totally agree with her. It doesn't seem possible that it's been a year since she turned 4. And it doesn't seem at all possible that its been 5 years since she made us a complete family.

I'm still amazed on a daily basis by Lily. She's extraordinarily kind and loving. She makes us laugh constantly and often makes me want to cry with her kind words.

Every year I find it hard to put in to words who Lily is and what she means to us. I've had readers, in the past, suggest that I seem to care more about Bella, because I find it so much easier to write about her (seriously, I've had actual emails about it!). But the fact is, Lily is so much more than the words I can find to say about her. She's everything to us. And we've loved every single minute of every single day that we've been lucky enough to have her in our lives.

I am beyond grateful to have her as my daughter.

Love you times infinity Lily Bongo's. And I can't believe that you're 5 already!

Chill

Don't let that sunshine fool you...it's still blooming cold out there.

Some new childrens snoods are in the shop now.

The first

We've had a rough week this week. Both girls have been poorly, and it was my parents 48th wedding anniversary, the first one since we lost my Mum. Plus it's been really cold. And frankly I've had enough of the really cold.

But this morning I woke up and it was beautifully sunny and the girls temperatures were finally back to normal, plus it's the half term holidays, so no getting up early tomorrow, or making sure that packed lunches have been bought or that uniforms have been washed.

I'm always amazed as we start to slowly edge in to Spring, just how much difference the change in light makes. Without really noticing it, the days are getting longer and the light is getting brighter. Even this early in to the year, I'm starting to notice the greenery pushing through the mud and ice, even if it's only the weeds. And at this time every year I start to remember just how much easier life starts to feel with the promise of longer days and brighter light.

 

This year is different though. This year is going to be a hard one. Everything is a first. Bella's 8th birthday was the first one that my Mum wasn't there for. Its the first Valentines Day that I haven't had a card from her. On Lilys birthday next week she will turn an age that my Mum never saw . Next month it will be my first Mothers Day without her. Then it will be my first wedding anniversary (and she's the only member of either mine or Jims family that has ever remembered it), then my first birthday. It will go on all year. And it makes looking forward very hard.

But the sun light and the promise of spring still makes my heart feel slightly fuller. Even this year.

Today , while enjoying my sun lit studio and thinking about how I will face the year, I did what I love to do, I made a new pair of leggings for Lily to wear to the park, and started a new blouse for Bella. And I imagine that's what I'll continue to do.

The Simple Things

Six issues in to the new magazine from the Mollie Makes team, and I think its safe to say that The Simple Things is definitely worth buying.

I'm not often keen on magazines that offer a little bit of everything. I'm a bit like one of those people that can't have different foods touching on the same plate... I like my magazines to be single discipline.

 

But because The Simple Things has such a strong overall identity, I've found myself enjoying all the different apects of it.

 

A lifestyle magazine, it covers everything from design, interiors, and food, to places of beauty, native wildlife and the history of modern culture. All with beautiful imagery and a reader friendly layout.

 

Issue no 6 includes such diverse features as an article about the city of Melbourne, how to grow chillies and the joys of blustery walks on the beach. It also features the beautiful home of the photographer, Debi Treloar, as well as recipes for a special Valentine dinner for two.

As well as looking great, Simple Things is worth reading from cover to cover and manages to balance interesting pieces, such as the article about photographer John Londei, with light hearted (but original) fluff like My Day in Cups of Tea!

 

I only have a few magazines that I buy every month - Elle Deco, Living Etc and Mollie Makes - but I'm definitely going to be adding this one to the list from now on.

 

Unplanned

Instead of working during the last week, I've mainly been looking after sick children. Bella started feeling poorly just after her birthday and ended up with a horribly high temperature and sickness by the end of the week. To be followed rather quickly by Lily falling fowl of the same bug by the end of the weekend.



Unfortunately they're both still in the mid grip of this nasty bug and are still at home, keeping me company, while I look at the piles of work that really needs to be done before next week, when it's half term and they're home all week again!

The never ending struggle of working from home....

Eight

Yesterday was Bella's 8th birthday. Which seems incredible to me.

9 years ago, after 2 years of trying and 3 miscarriages, we finally got past that elusive 12 week mark of pregnancy and started actually thinking we might finally have a baby of our own.  At 20 weeks we were absolutely over the moon to discover that not only were we having a baby, but we were having a baby girl.  At 28 weeks we were told that I had obstetric cholestasis and that Bella would have to be born before 37 weeks, or we risked a still birth. Ironically, within the week I started going in to premature labour and spent the next 5 weeks mostly in hospital, trying to keep her where she was!

On the morning of February 4th, at 35 weeks I went in to labour. And again ironically, after spending 5 weeks trying to keep her in, once I went in to full blown labour, she decided she didn't want to come out! Twenty six hours later, and after a very, very fraught emergency delivery, we finally held Isabella Florence in our arms.

Eight years later, so much has changed. We've gained so much (Lily, Lily, Lily!!) and lost so much. But the very best thing that I've done in the last 8 years, is watch my beautiful Bella grow more and more every day in to such a lovely, funny, caring, crazy, clever, cool, amazing girl.

Happy birthday gorgeous girl! Thank you for being all that you are! We all love you to infinity and beyond.