Best Final Major Project Award

Yet again, life has got in the way and I haven't added anything new for a week! In an ideal world, I would add something every day but that just doesn't seem to be working at the moment. Still, having finally got round to it, I am putting a photo of the award I collected on Thursday night for my Final Major Project.

It is a rather decorative award and I am very proud of it.

(One of the cats has just climbed up the chair beside me and is purring loudly and willing me to get her some food, so I'd better go and do that.)

International Felt Day

I have just been looking at the website for the First International Day of Felt and some of the work that was made is amazing! (http://www.feltunited.com/) The picture above shows work by a Swedish maker, Maria Holmein Nord. I also like the huge banner pieces made by a maker in Argentina. The theme this year was 'red, orange, yellow'.

I never fail to be amazed at the versatility of felt and the creativity of the makers. It does take a while to download the images from the website as there are lots of them, but it is worth it. I didn't manage to take part this year but maybe next year. The theme will be 'yellow, green, blue' so that gives lots of scope.

Gorgeous colours

Here are the felt squares I have made over the last two days, ready to be transformed into three 'trios of felt hearts'. I really enjoyed blending the colours and experimenting. I'll take some more photos when I've finished the pieces.

Commissions

Another view of the Feltabulous stall, showing the decorations on the little Christmas tree. I am working on some commissions at the moment and have been making merino felt squares in different shades of reds and pinks. Today I am going to make squares in blues and greens. I shall then turn them into the little hearts, two sets personalised with initials. I do enjoy working with Merino wool because it felts so quickly and easily. I always blend the colours using my hand carders to give a combination of colours to the pieces.

After completing the commissions, I would like to concentrate on some of my landscape ideas, using the roadside verge photos and sky photos I took recently. It should be fun!

Craft Fair!

Above are photos of the stall I had on Friday at the Craft Fair. It was very successful and people were genuinely interested in my felt work, especially the natural coloured items. The Merino pieces attracted people to the stall and they did like the little hearts in particular. I had lots of really positive feedback so I know I am on the right lines. I was really encouraged!
The Craft Fair on Saturday was also helpful although the weather was not conducive for people coming out. Again, I had loads of really positive comments about my felt and I did manage to sell some pieces.

I enjoyed talking to people about my felt and it was a really successful foray into the world of craft fairs!

Panic has set in!

I am feeling really guilty because I haven't posted anything for ten days!

I haven't made any new pieces of felt, but I have been working on more stock for the craft fair tomorrow night. I think I have been a bit naive because somehow I expected it all to 'just happen' and there were loads of things I hadn't even thought about. Chris has been busy getting cellophane bags and making labels and bag tops to give a professional look to the items. I was just going to display the pieces in baskets and wrap them if anyone bought them but I have to admit, they look much more effective in the bags.

I have made a little photo album of my larger square landscape pieces with a title and description of the materials used for people to flick through (and hopefully commission something!). I have also been making 'how to care for felt' labels, price labels and 'Made in England' labels too. It's all go!

I am also going to display some unwrapped hearts and stars on a little Christmas tree to give an idea of how they would look and to give the opportunity for them to be touched, as to me, that is an important part of the buying process.

I shall take photos of the stall and post some after it is all over and once I've recovered... I'll also mention whether I sold anything!