Folksy Party Purchase

I've framed my folksy party purchase in one of my favourite frames (it meant evicting Erte's Veil Gown but frankly she was getting on my nerves and she should have gone at least 10 years ago). There's a great story behind Print for the Love of Wood Vintage owl and what's more he is available in various colours check him out on Folksy.

Folksy Party 26th June

A big thank you to Jo Whitehead (I love Red & Glassprimitif) for organizing the Folksy Party at the Keighley Arts Factory. It was lovely to meet and natter with other local Folksy Folk and to have opportunity to try out new crafts in workshops with Jo on batik printing and Jax on letterpress. Typically I carried my camera around all day but only got around to taking a few snaps, which is a shame because it means that I can’t show you the other folk and their stalls.I was particularly struck by work by Laura  Lynsey (swirlyarts) and her creative approach to creating gorgeous items from recycled materials, Pam (Buri Boo) whose diverse and beautiful pieces are all presented with such style and Kev (Dig the Earth) for having such professional stall and stock even though it was his first time, though doubtless well-practised with setting up for Ruby Spirit Designs. The photo below shows the main gallery space, which has a light airy feel and was filled with sheep!

One of the current KAF exhibitions, by photographer Mel Spencer, took me back to my teenage years with names such as Skeletal Family and Ghost Dance. Must unpack the vinyl one day soon!

Goodbye nineteenth century, hello 1970s

Well we've finally made our move, just two whole years after we started the process. So sad to say goodbye to the old cottage but hey why did no one tell me about the joy of garages! And look what's at the bottom of the garden.    

baby spiders

I have a really distinct memory from my childhood of finding a strange brown flower on the hawthorn bush at the end of the alley. I poked my finger into its centre and it exploded like a firework into a seething mass of tiny spiders. We found these baby spiders on our bin this evening and it brought that memory storming back. Luckily I'm not quite so scared of spiders as I was back then.

Foxy Folksy Friday - my first

To celebrate my first Folksy Friday the Garden Fox has invited some of his foxy friends round  for dinner. 

Little does he realise that those hens have nothing to fear in the safety of their beach hutchy. 

All of these wonderful handcrafted items are available to buy on Folksy

top row left to right:

The Frosty Fox (Blackoutwell) / mr fox brooch (Hollowbourne)/ Fantastic Fox Cushion (Kirsty Elson Designs)

middle row left to right:

Garden Fox in Orange (handprinted by A. Deegan)/BeachHutchy 2-4 Chickens (Little Hutchys)/Monty the Fox Lambswool Plush (Sara Carr)

bottom row left to right:

Long-Leg Foxy with vintage fabric legs (Murgatroyd and Bean)/Sleeping Foxes (Dee Beale)/Fox Mask, fun felt disguise (Lupin Handmade)

Fox in shop

This fox print is now in my shop but I am a bit worried that he's going to run amok amongst the hens and rabbits so someone re-home him soon please. He's a limited edition lino print (edition of 45), based on some disappointing photos I took through a double-glazed window on a dark evening in February this year. Having been painstakingly carved from the lino with some nice sharp steel tools he was inked up with glossy black oil-based ink and then lovingly pressed onto crisp white Zerkall paper by my cast iron bookbinding press (see this video for the process).