Country Living Spring Fair...

Hi,

I went along to the Country Living Spring Fair yesterday and was a little disappointed. It was quite expensive to get in only to find just a few designer crafts makers selling their wares.

However I did meet Jan Constantine and saw her lovely goodies (www.janconstantine.com) including cushions like these. I love their sixties feel.




It was a shame to see that a majority of the stall holders were selling reproduction items that you could buy in Romford.

However outside we found lots of lovely little antique stalls and shops selling little gems. I treated myself to a cute little 50's style metal stamp of a little girl clutching a dolly. To our luck their was also a French market and we found a quaint little restaurant selling really good food.

Beading bonanza

Forever the student, I decided to enrol myself to a City & Guilds beading course at Missenden Abbey. It was seven week ends over two years, set in beautiful grounds that would inspire anybody, even the dullest of people, with the added bonus of rainbow silks based up the road.

For one of my projects I decided to take on an egyptian theme which I hadnt looked at since teaching ceramics to Primary School kids over a decade ago with a visit to the British Museum.
I was surprised at how I thoroughly enjoyed researching this magnificent era again. But little did I know that the following year the 02 were to hold a large exhibition on the Egyptians but as I was full to the brim with the Egyptians I couldnt face going. Looking back at my beading project I wish I had.





As the egyptian project was completely self-indulgent, for my next project I decided to do a wedding collection as this was more commercial, well I do have to pay for the course somehow! It has prooved very popular.......






I also love to bead for myself whilst watching the soaps of an evening and started on this necklace. But this has turned into a mega project which is taking forever, I think Roxy's baby will be having one of her own before I finish.