SNOWDROP AND HEART WINDOW WINS A PRIZE!

Last weekend was the Shepton Mallet Snowdrop Festival and Storm Dennis!  Despite this, it was a huge success and the festival goes from strength to strength.  At the gallery we had put together a hearts and snowdrop window to celebrate both the snowdrops and Valentine's Day. Our window won the prize for best dressed window at the festival, due in part, I am sure, to the enormous snowdrop and gorgeous cushions made by Liz Oliva - see top left pic.  Liz is a member of the gallery who makes fantastic hats...

AUTUMN IS HERE!

Autumn is here and we have just done a window dressing in the One Craft Gallery that reflects the season!  Our superb hat maker, Liz Oliva, had made some fantastic velvet pumpkins and fungi - see bottom pics, and top second left and Phil Davis, our wood turner had produced some toadstools (bottom left), apples,  pears, and a great sunburst bowl (middle right). These items, together with a trug of real apples, crab apples, paper leaves and other goods in keeping with the Autumnal theme, made up our window...

OPEN GARDEN POP-UP SHOP

I have just taken part in an open garden Sunday and Monday at East Burford House, which is part of the National Garden Scheme.  I designed the poster and helped my fellow members of the One Craft Gallery create a pop-up shop in a garden room that had french windows opening up to a lovely terrace.

The weather was sunny and hot for the two days so we had loads of visitors and made plenty of sales!  Liz Oliva's sun hats were particularly popular as were Rowena Kinsman's outdoor ceramic planters, sculptures etc.

The gardens at East Burford House are truly beautiful.  It is a fantastic space, full of sculptures, water, terraces, different features and a huge variety of planting.  There was also a secondhand book stall, plant stand and tearoom, all in aid of Macmillan Cancer.

The artwork on which the poster was based, reflected some of the plants and sculptures I had seen in the garden in previous years.

It was quite hard work, to take a selection of all our goods, and create the pop-up shop for just two days, but as well as the sales which were gratefully appreciated, we felt it was a chance to introduce ourselves to prospective customers of the future!

HATS TO TRY ON!

Today I had a treat - a visit to my friend Lizzie, who is a fellow maker at the One Craft Gallery.  I made it part of my early morning walk as my walking buddy was away.   It was great as Liz Oliva makes fabulous handmade hats and let me try some on!

I also had a chance to see her chaotic but so creative studio workshop and showroom.  My studio gets so messy so it is good to see that I am not the only one - it shows a lot has been going on!  She has a fantastic large noticeboard which is covered in inspiration and ideas - see below, top left.

Lizzie's hats sell well in the gallery.  She has a loyal following that buy them for every season.  Her hats are made from high quality materials which she sources from all over the world.  She is also constantly working on new designs for hats and accessories so that her work is always evolving and keeping up with current trends.  A visit to someone who is so creative always inspires me to get back into my studio and make a mess!!