CRAFTfest

This is an exciting idea that Creative Connections has come up with, come along and join us at the weekend.

See you all there I hope.

Messing about with silver

I was trying to get a bit further with all the projects I have going at the moment.
The first job was a clearing up session to try to get a working area. During this process I found a little cheap St Christopher pendant I aquired when I bought a second hand chain. Well since he isn't officially a saint any more I decided to melt him. It's a fairly nasty little pendant anyway, (sorry if you have one like it)

 Here's the original little pendant, about the size of a 5p and very thin, with an embossed image, which is not much clearer than that close up.

Here's the melted result, I'm quite pleased that I've managed to keep the little hanging loop. I like the colours on the reverse, I doubt if I'll be able to keep those if I want to clean the rest, I'll give it a try though.

I've actually combed some of the fleece, I bought two 'slicker' combs for dogs from Wilkos (wilkinsons for the uninitiated) for about £3.50 each rather than about 10 times that for proper carding combs. I've also started making the body for one of the paper puppets. The paper rabbit has a coat of gesso ready for decorating. I've really got to concentrate on one project at a time.

As a complete side issue how about this jackdaw posing for me in the local churchyard last week.

Oh and here's a slow worm who visited last sunday.

In the background you can see a clutter of moulds and deckles, a bowl of pulp and the paper rabbit, just to prove I'm working hard.

Bring Back Mastercrafts

There's a campaign running to try to persuade the BBC to commission a second series of the wonderful Mastercrafts. This was truly magical television, a real cut above the usual dross that seems to pass for entertainment these days, Visit the UK Handmade site: http://ukhandmade.co.uk/magazine/petition?destination=node%2F38
to sign the petition if you would like to see a second series. If you missed the first series you missed something really good. Watching people with real passion for their craft and skills that are almost lost to us, passing on their knowledge, watching people blossom and find their true vocation in life, frequently under quite trying personal circumstances, really inspiring and riveting viewing.

I am not really surprised, I suppose, that the decision has been made not to go ahead with a planned second series. There was no vicious infighting between the apprentices, in fact on several occasions they supported and assisted each other, all of them really wanted to win but all of them praised their competitors and admired their work. The three apprentices in each show were all really determined to succeed and all found strengths, and weaknesses, within themselves. A thoughtful and intelligent programme, too thoughtful and intelligent?