Busy times and lazy days.

Well, I've done it again... neglected my blog. But, I guess that with all the other things that have gone on in the world during the last few months its not the end of the world!

I really can't believe that it's been so long since I've posted an update!

I've had a busy few months. 

My studio has been needing work done on it desperately, as it is a building that's is over 100 years old, and belonged to my great grandfather.

The CADW dragon, back at
Caerphilly castle for Christmas 

 It has changed use over the years from being stables for horses for his business, to a warehouse for a wholesale confectionery business, to storage, a garage, back to storage and now workshop...or what I now grandly call my "studio" to the outside world, but is usually within the family referred to as my being "in the warehouse" (perhaps it's a Welsh thing). At last I have a sound roof, which means that I can get decorating inside and making it look like a studio at last.

The run up to Christmas was as usual a little hectic. As ever, lots of ideas, techniques to try out and perfect alongside attending and selling at craft fairs, helping with Cavetsy organisation and the usual family occasions. 

Not a great deal of the refurbishment work was done by myself - but never fear! Good old Dad to the rescue! He's worked like a Trojan bless him, and it has kept him busy for weeks - I don't think he realises how much I've appreciated all the work he's done and I now have a room suitable to hold classes in with a curling, painted walls and carpet tiles! A major improvement, but the next upgrade needs to be toilet facilities . 

A busy few days

I've had a busy few days, well few weeks really. 

I've been busy making for the markets I've had coming up in June - unusually for me, three weekends in a row. 
I've made lots of suncatcher type gifts - so small items really, that often sell well, but take a while longer than larger pieces.  Then my Etsy shop ran out of stars (again!) midweek, so they had to be remade, wired and replaced on stock.
I wondered a few weeks ago if I should be putting things for C******** out at markets, and during a quiet period at one recently, had a discussion with fellow stall holder, and friend from the Cardiff and Valleys Etys team (CaVEtsy), Ruth of Mablijack about the merits of it.  I was assured that I should, as 'people buy throughout the year for...'.

Recent stall at Boutique Gift Market

I know it's only June now, but in the past, I have sold lots of angels/xmas trees/stockings/icicles/robins/stars and other little bits and pieces in the run-up to the dreaded C******** that look great on the tree and what with it being only 26 weeks away..., and as I said they take a while to make. Should I make some now, in anticipation of a rush?

Copper wrapped stars

 This weekend I did a little test.  At the back of my big white tree that I strategically placed a snowflake, a xmas tree, a little angel and a robin. With a liberal sprinkling of stars on my stand, was I likely to sell anything? Would anyone notice and grumble about C******** stuff being out already? Stars are popular throughout the year, so perhaps they are not associated with C******** (by now I'm fed up of typing and counting all the little asterisk's, and I'm sure your fed up of seeing them so we'll just call it Xmas and ignore it shall we?).

Well, surprise surprise (now I've turned into Cilla, bless her) NOT ONE COMPLAINT. The only xmas mentioning comments I had were along the lines of -'those will be lovely on the xmas tree won't they?', and I sold at least one robin for someone's tree among the other bits and pieces that went over the weekend. - Result? Already thinking of designing different angels for this year, and working out how much glass and what colours I need (just incase there's a glass shortage! - I kid you not, with the problems the glass makers have been having In the USA, there may well be.  Let's hope not eh? Or what will I have to show you?

Two more little owls

Two little owls

 In the meanwhile, I'll leave you with these two little beauties ( or should that be four?).  This weekend, whilst waiting for customers to come in out out of the rain  I added a copper hanger on one, and a beaded copper hanger on the other.
True to form, I didn't take photographs, but I was so pleased with how the hangers turned out, they may become part of my ever elusive "style".