The wikiup gets taller

By this evening the wikiup, as Graham calls it, is almost the height of a man.

Stocking up for the winter

Each Christmas we spend some time with both sides of our family. It is a time of hectic visits to relatives and lots of driving, followed by a week of relaxing and getting ready for the year ahead. I love this time of year, I never think about work... having said that there is always some project on the go.

This year it is chopping and storing wood for next winter. Sam and his dad have got their hands on lots and lots and lots of wood, they are on day three of processing it ready to store. If I am honest I think Sam is mostly excited by his new chain saw.

It does mean that each night we can cosy up by the fire safe in the knowledge that we probably won't run out of wood.

Festive countdown

In our house winter celebrations are underway, marked by the annual Christmas Pudding preparations. I have to say I don't really like Christmas Pudding, but a few years ago found this great recipe by Rachel Allen .. I am a convert!!

Here it is waiting for its 3 hour soak in simmering water :)

I have also been making last minute preparations for the Handmade & Vintage Festive Market at The Storey in Lancaster. It takes place on 8 December from 11 - 5. I organise this event every year but this is the first time I am taking a space myself. I join 45 other designers, makers, artists and vintage enthusiasts in providing the city of Lancaster with an alternative high street.

Here is a little glimpse of what I will have to offer.

Transformation

I am busy working away on the planning for the Handmade & Vintage Festive Market 2012. It takes place each year at The Storey in Lancaster but this year is a little different.

For the past six years I have been Programme Manager at The Storey Gallery. Slotting this fun and festive event in amongst a more critical programme of contemporary art was like light relief - it felt like a break. I love this event and I love organising it, meeting all those fabulous makers and spending the day inspired by their work and approach.... but I miss the programme of contemporary art I produced throughout the rest of the year. I miss the challenge, I miss the research - most of all I miss that amazing space and the job of transforming it into something entirely different for each exhibition. I miss my colleagues, and I miss the ability to share amazing ideas and objects with the people of Lancaster.

I am a bit sad about it today.

I hadn't intended on writing such a melancholic post, I had fully intended on writing about the Festive Market, which is quite jovial - I hope you dont mind me being so open and honest !! I think I am doing too much reminiscing.....

British predator print

Recently I have been working on some designs for fabric which will eventually become a variety of products ... Look what arrived this morning - my designs on a big roll of fabric!!!

I am very excited!

Festive Market

I am organising the Handmade & Vintage Festive Market in Lancaster again this year. I was always a really successful event in the Storey Gallery programme and something I was keen to continue as a freelancer. This year will be slightly different - I am taking a stall myself to test peoples reactions to my work. It is quite terrifying letting all the things I have been working on over the past few months out into the big wide world, but I am also excited. I hope they are well received!!

The Festive Market takes place on Saturday 8 December from 11am - 5pm at The Storey. I will post the flyer in a day or so. For those of you who use Facebook, you can find out more on the facebook event page but also here on my blog. Over the next few weeks I will post details of some of the exhibitors!!! They are what makes the event so successful and fun!

Below are some images from last year taken by the very very talented JB from beanphoto

Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair

I was lucky enough to be asked to be the guest curator at this years Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair in manchester. To be honest I hadn't been to this event before but it is a regular feature in Manchester's cultural calendar and attended by over 6000 people. As you can imagine I was very excited about taking part.

My role was to curate The Great Northern Graduate showcase (GNG 2012) and I was keen to stamp my curatorial mark.

(A small rant - for me being a curator is not about 'picking things and putting them together', nor is it about being some kind of trend maker... a read in a blog once that someone had 'curated their window sill' ... madness. Being a curator is about standing between an artists work, or an object or idea, and an audience and providing avenues for that audience to investigate the work. It is much more than selecting it is about ideas and about thinking and being curious.)

I selected nine graduates all with work I fell in love with. I centred the thematics of the showcase around ethics, the ethics of making and of collecting, quoting the fabulous Vivienne Westwood 'Buy less, choose well...'

Back from our travels

We are back from our travels, it's been a bit of an extended summer. We spent several amazing weeks cruising around the UK visiting friends and taking a much needed break. This was our home. It seems we have become hippies with our newly painted orange van and bell tent.

I have to say I could live in it for a while.

After meeting up with old friends we travelled on to South Devon, Sam's family has a place by the coast which they very kindly allow us to use in the late summer. We spent what felt like a month there, enjoying the beach and introducing Isla to the wonders of swimming in the sea. Since getting home work has been frantic. I was guest curator for the 2012 GNCCF - I had so much fun!! Thank you all those who contributed to making it such an amazing event. Images to follow shortly.

Here are a few snaps from our break over the summer. Now its getting colder and the nights a little darker .. I love this time of year. xxx

Holiday time

It's time for a holiday .... See u in September xxx

Brilliant MT Tape

I love wrapping presents for people... I love packing up things to send in the mail. My secret weapon is MT tape and lots of it.

I was directed to this site by the fabulous wrapping guru Hello Sandwich. I have been following her blog for a little while now, it is so inspiring.

Glampers we are

So we have taken a giant leap into 'family camping' ... our tiny and very hardy Vango is getting too small. We intend to use it one last time at the beginning of August then this monster arrives later in the month.

Sam has been reluctant to buy one of these for a while, but the lure of more space has sucked him in. I can't wait, although I also feel a little bit like we will be cheating. I am sure I will get over it :)

I am also considering a new camera... Nikon or Canon, or even Sony??

Lull in activity

There has been a lull in activity, both here on the blog but also in general. I have been very sluggish recently, it must be this crazy weather making me a little laxadasical. If I am being fair to myself I havent been here much, by my computer so have not been stumbling on those gems I feel I need to share.

I did stumble across this little number today ... Its so cute, by Cos - always producing some understated classics for our small folks.

I am intending to blog more frequently now I am 'back in the office' so keep an eye out.

xx

New Designers - Part One

I was at New Designers in London last Thursday for the first part of this epic graduate showcase. If I am honest I wasn't blown away, but there were a few interesting people. I fell in love with these pieces of furniture by Kay Rudge.

.... and in stark contrast, Joseph Hartley's ceramics stood out a mile. Joe didn't include this in his showcase, but I love his baguette holder, every French man should have one.

I will be back at New Designers this Thursday - then have the awesome task of putting together something outstanding for GNG in Manchester. This event has been curated by Kelda Savage for the past few years so I have some pretty fabulous shoes to fill.

Little fishy baby shirt

This is such an adorable shirt from Petite-Boutique, Smallest is a little bit big for it now. What a shame.

Nice stuff and pretty things

I need to get my head back into work mode... as you know I am not at the very start of my freelance career and hurrah I have landed my first job.

I am officially curator of The Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair Graduates showcase. I am so looking forward to it... and am very pleased.

To help get my head back in gear I have been looking at pretty things and fell in love with this by Normann Copenhagen.

jour férié

We have been holidaying in France, far far away from any internet connection so my blog has been neglected. It was worth it though, a bit of time in the sun enjoying the company of my fabulous family.

I always seem to retreat to the sea when I need time to reset.

How do you like my handmade shorts?

Babychino

Smallest and I had a day off ..hanging out with friends, drinking great coffee at The Music Room. Isla had a babychino in her very own grown up cup like Mummy's...

I am off to Glasgow again tomorrow so we are making the most of our day together.

Raining its pouring the old man is snoring

It has been raining A LOT recently so Isla's new mac, posted here, has been coming in useful. It's a bit big but does the trick...

In a way the weather has been good. I have been stuck inside and forced to write all the proposals and job applications I have lined up.... one down three to go...

Bounce Henge

I spent yesterday in Glasgow, checking out GI with the lovely Patricia Fleming. What an amazing day, some great artwork and some not so great. The highlight had to be Jeremy Deller's Bounce Henge, mainly for the fact that it has become such a hit with Glaswegians ... I wonder if it will become Glasgow's 'Another Place'?

When we visited the weather was glorious, families had set up picnics, and Patricia tells me children have started having their birthday parties at The Henge. I love it when people embrace work like this, even if they aren't concerned whether its Art or not.

Another highlight was Kelly Nipper's Black Forest at Tramway .. the performance was quiet and understated, but I really enjoyed it. The enormous space, with tram lines running from side to side, seemed domestic, and cosy, and inviting. I stayed for some time. I also watched to two films at Tramway, Redmond Entwistles Walk Through was interesting, but not terribly thought provoking. I found Moyra Davey's Les Goddesses dull, maybe I didn't give it enough time?

Today I am trying to digest it all, so I went singing with Smallest at Lancaster Library. Fabulous fun.

Mid week

I am officially on holiday at the moment but it doesn't feel like it. I have jumped into my new freelance role with both feet.... I find myself with 3 proposals, a job application and 2 websites to get done. I have managed to hold off the panic by writing lists, and lots of them.

Smallest is at home with me today, she has been colouring in & cuddling lots.

Above are my leaving flowers from Storey Gallery. Boo.

Last day at Storey Gallery

Its my final day at Storey Gallery. What an amazing space and fabulous organisation to have worked with. I will miss it terribly.

Who knows what the future holds, its exciting to think about the possibilities.

I have just noticed this is quite a grey looking post. How appropriate.

Found this design company on Kickan & Konkers today.