Slowing Down Summer

 

Summer seems to be sneaking through and we are nearly in August already without feeling like we've had lots of sunny summery days. I haven't spent nearly as much time sitting out on the balcony stitching into the evening as I wanted to - in fact I think this photographed occasion was my only one this year so far! I must get out there again. I love watching the sun go down, it is absolutely the best bit of our flat with the tremendous view from the window. 

Even when I'm not sat out on the fire escape, I'm usually positioned on the sofa where I can still see the fiery show through the window (ignoring the little grubby handprints left on the glass during the day). 

Here I was working on the Lakeside Stitchscape Swap cards as I'd been inspired by going camping with the Guides the weekend before. We took them for two nights and it was absolutely horrendous weather! The poor things managed, just about, to cook a breakfast of eggy bread and bacon on open fire but it rained the whole time, took two hours and we used up so much wood to keep the fires going. My raincoat is still imbued with the smell of wood smoke. Of course on the day we were packing up to go, having endured leaking tents and high winds, the sun came out and it was beautifully hot and sunny - but it was a shame that the fine weather hadn't arrived earlier! 

I've taken lots of artistic license with my cards though and made beautiful white felt tents, with not a rain drop in sight - more on those in another post. 

In the height of summer the sun sets behind the tree as you can see in the above photo, but in winter it doesn't make it that far and sets much further to the left of where it does now. Which means that our living room gets bright golden sunlight at about 4pm in winter. Currently we get deep red light at about 8.30pm if the conditions are right and it honestly makes my heart sing. 

My Guides and Rainbows have broken up now for the summer holidays which means I get a bit of a break and my Tuesday evenings back. We still have a few activities planned - an activity day for the Guides in August to help one get her gold award (the highest award you can get in Guides), a carnival making day to make decorations for our District carnival float, plus the carnival itself in September. I love being a Leader (apart from the admin and training side) and really enjoy seeing the girls grow and make friends and gain in confidence - we've just said goodbye to six of them who are moving up to Rangers who have been with us for the last three years. They joined us at the tail end of the Covid pandemic and started out their meetings online over Zoom! So that was slightly bittersweet as they are such a lovely bunch and I will miss them at Guides. 

It's still nice to have a break from it though. 

We've been trying to take advantage of the better weather days and go outside more and take Baby F on adventures. We've been to Pevensey for a friend's birthday party and played at the seaside. He was not at all keen when the sea swooshed in and he ended up sitting in a wave but got over it when we changed him and set him off to play cars and digging with his little friends.

The water was so calm it was like a pond!

My uncle mended my wooden floor stand for me as well which was very exciting! One of the dowels that held the head of the stand on snapped several months ago and I was going to take it to the tip but Reece said he'd fix it so it was sitting in a heap for a little while (one of those jobs you just don't get around to) until I mentioned it to my aunt, who mentioned it to my uncle, who went and bought metres of dowel (the smallest piece he could get!) to fix it. I like to have two projects on the go, usually a smaller piece that I can take on the bus, and a larger one which sits in the floor stand for the evenings. 

This chicken Stitchscape has been coming around with me on the bus whilst I didn't have a stand, but really it didn't appreciate the travelling and the fabric ends are a bit scraggly so I'm pleased it has somewhere to sit whilst it waits its turn to be finished off. It's nearly done, I just need to add in some plants and scrub I think to help with the perspective and push some chickens back into the landscape.

And a few weeks ago we welcomed a new member of the family to our home - little Arlo! He's fitted right in with us, although it's taking him a while to get used to Baby F's excitement over having him here. Each week sees an improvement in his confidence though and he'll now go right up to Baby F if he's sitting quietly so hopefully in a couple of months they'll be fast friends. 

Arlo is definitely a little goofball though and it's hilarious to watch him have the zoomies around the flat in the evening - he definitely likes to get himself into mischief and squishes into all sorts of places, but he's an absolutely sweetie and we love having him around. 

What are you up to with your summer?

Port Lympne Safari Park

 

As many of you will know, I am also a Rainbow and Guide leader when I'm not stitching away - and I'm also now in a job share to be District Commissioner for my District too, which involves a depressing amount of unwelcome admin. 

Our Region wanted everyone to get involved with a weekend of Animal Adventure activities at the end of June - with a special badge - and I ended up organising for 75 Rainbows, Brownies and Guides, plus 15 Leaders and helpers (including myself) to travel to Port Lympne for a day! It's not something I would take on by myself again in a hurry, I must admit, but it was a great day and the girls all had a lovely time! The weather was absolutely brilliant as well which was a relief, and we all got there and back safely so you can't ask for more than that with a mega day out. 

I would quite like to go back to the safari park with my family I think, when Baby F is a bit older, and have a bit more time to wander round the bits I missed. It's very hilly so not ideal if you are mobility impaired, or require a buggy to be pushed around, as there are also lots of steps. You can hire little golf buggies to drive around but I think there are set routes for those. 

The house is beautiful, and the gardens around the house as well, and the views!! Oh my goodness, those views out to to the sea are incredible. It was so clear, you could see for absolutely miles. We saw loads of different animals and I did take pictures but quite a lot of them include the girls so I can't share them on here. We started with the Lions and Tigers, then walked down a massive flight of steps to the little pond in the above image, before wandering off again to see the Gorillas (who had a little baby playing with a stick) and different types of monkey, and two Orangutans swinging around chasing each other with their long arms. With all of the fencing you were actually standing quite far away from them all so the photos aren't amazing I'm afraid, I should have taken my zoon camera lens with me. 

You also get to go on an actual safari ride, so we packed in all of the girls (on two different safari trucks and trailers) and set off on our safari adventure! We saw wolves, bears, capybaras, rhinos, various types of deer, zebras (in the distance) wildebeest, water buffalo....

I mean, how's that for a view?! I hope these safari animals appreciate it. 

I think my favourites were the giraffes, they're always so majestic looking. We had to stop for this one because it decided to stand in the road in front of us with a kind of giraffe-style Paddington hard stare but it eventually allowed us to pass and go on through. 

The camels, however, are sassy creatures aren't they? Even when they aren't looking their best and are moulting all over the place they still have high sass levels. We actually had to radio for help on this one because a smaller, private safari truck in front of us got stuck when one of the camels started using the front of the vehicle as a scratching post. It didn't matter how many other trucks were queued up behind us revving their engines in a kind of passive aggressive manner, the camel wasn't moving and eventually they called a keeper to come along who banged on a bin lid to get it moving out of the way. It seems to be a regular party trick though as both of our safari truck sessions (which were staggered 30 minutes apart) experienced the same thing and got stuck with the camels and had to be rescued in a similar fashion. 

Just look at that 'don't care' attitude going on there. 

The macaques were hilarious, and very smelly! The Rainbows (the youngest girls in Guiding aged 4-7) in particular were fascinated by the grooming going on, especially when we told them that the macaques would eat the little bugs they were pulling from each others' fur. "Ewww, gross!"

If you get a chance to go then it is definitely good fun! Just be aware that there aren't very many toilets if you are going in a big group, and the toilet blocks themselves are quite small and spread fairly far and wide across the site. And it's a lot of walking!

May Flight of the Bumblebee ATCs

As always, it's an absolute joy to host this swap. There are some very talented ladies out there and I very much appreciate them taking the time to make these little cards every month. Of course, it's completely voluntary so I hope that they also enjoy making the cards, but still, they've chosen to participate in my little monthly challenge which I'm very grateful for because it means that I have an incentive to keep making little pieces as well. 

These cards are the May, Flight of the Bumblebee cards and I love the diversity here. The bees sure are getting round to many places, all kinds of flower meadow, vegetable patch and green field. Some have fantastic woven hives (although I'm now debating whether it looks more like a hive or a skep?) and one even has the texture of the inside of the hive which is really clever. 

There's also a really interesting variety of techniques in creating the bees. Some of them are distinctly fluffy, like they have been made using stitched loops/tufting stitch which have then been cut? Others are satin stitches, some are collaged fabrics, some have little organza ribbon wings!

I always try and take the same kind of photos for the blog posts, with close ups of each card, so have a scroll down below and see how you think the bees have been created. 

This one is very fine and delicate, with simple lines - although there is still a range of stitches used that I can pick out; running stitch, stem stitch, back stitch, detached chain stitch and straight stitch. Plus the variegated machine stitched edge really sets the card off nicely. It's one of the ways I know immediately that this card was made by Jacquie, because she always does such beautifully neat, machine edges to her cards. 

Sharon's beautiful card has such a variety of stitches too. The dandelion clocks look to be fly stitches, with stem stitch stems. French knots have been added to enhance the flowers in the print, then the bees have the most beautiful little organza wings. 

Another Jacky (different spelling - currently there are three of them, each with a different spelling!) and I love the textures here with the fabric collaged pumpkins! Beautiful woven wheel flowers and lazy daisy (detached chain stitch) flowers, bullion knots, french knots and straight/satin stitch flowers and then the kind of rough satin stitch bees just helping themselves to all of the nectar there. 

And Pam's bigger bees are definitely fluffy, made with some kind of tufting stitch. I think my favourite part about her card might be the hive/skep though which is so beautifully stitched!! And look at those tiny little french knot flowers and barely-there bee wings. 

Michelle has used a base of Aida for her bee I think, again somehow making him with a fluffy back, then cut him out and embroidered around him with lovely french knot and lazy daisy flowers, in keeping perfectly with her background fabric. I am completely guessing here about how the cards have been made by the way, if anyone else has any other suggestions please do shout. 

Liz is another participant who I can recognise straight away, partly because she does such beautiful cross stitch/petit point work. The number of colours in this bee is amazing! There's real motion there, you can almost see the wings vibrating. 

This is the third Jackie, who is new to the group, this was her first card!! I really enjoy the running stitch flight trail being left behind, and the fence is just so cute! An ideal way to edge that raw fabric line and so in keeping with the sweetness of the card. 

Abi is another participant I can recognise the style of before I turn the card over to check. She is brilliant at using lots of fabrics cut into small shapes to collage her pieces and embellish with stitch. She also uses lots of different types of fabrics, quite a few jersey type knitted ones if I recall, and her lines are always so clean with bold designs. 

This card from Veronica I think is so clever. The more you look at the card the more detail you see - for example, as well as the variegated whole thread (the thicker one) which makes up the majority of the honeycomb sections, she's also used a stranded thread in a few of the holes in various colours which kind of catch you out with another texture. The bold back stitch lines really make it and pull it all together. 

This is a fantastic collection of work, so many different stitches used here and lots of different colours too! It's been really brilliant to see this little photoshoot come together and, of course, now they have all (except one) flown off to their new gardens. 

Heathfield Show 2024

Big sales events have to be a family affair, I definitely couldn't do them on my own! From lugging around the really heavy stuff, to having an extra pair of hands to hold the poles, and at least two cars to transport the stand, the decorations and the goods in. 

This year I participated in the Heathfield Show for the second time with a stand in the Arts and Crafts marquee and it seemed to go even smoother than last year thanks to the routine we remembered from last time. 

My Dad has always been an excellent supporter of the bigger shows and is usually the one moving around the framework for me as they have a longer car than us and we know it all fits in. In an ideal world, I would have access to a van (preferably with my logo on the side because that would be super cool) but it seems a bit unlikely to happen at the minute as we have nowhere to keep a van, never mind not being able to afford one just for the odd occasion, I would need to be doing lots of shows to make the purchase of one worthwhile. Let's just hope that my parents don't downsize their current car!

We had it all figured out this time around and loaded up our smaller car with my stock and most of the hooped originals plus some framed pieces, then into Dad's car (or The Mother's, technically) went the frame, table, gridwall, shelves, display stands, A-frame... 

Last year I had ended up with a corner space with two sides open to the public, which was lovely and unexpected (usually you have to pay extra for those spots) but meant that Dad had to rush back to my studio to grab even more bits to make up an extra side - this year I checked first but I only had one front so it was ok. You just have to plan your space differently depending on your visible sides. 

The frame goes up really quickly, and I definitely have to thank a couple who sold candles and diffusers way back in 2018 who I was placed next to at the Kent County Show. At the time I had just got two stand-alone grid walls which went on their own legs and could be linked together, but they had a whole market stand frame, custom built for their requirements which just popped up, had curtains hung around it and shelves popped on, and then came down again really quickly! I spent the weekend chatting with them and learning about the frames, then took the plunge and bought one for myself and it has been one of the best business display investments! Not only does it go up really easily, but it is fairly sturdy and means that you can level out your stand better on uneven field grounds, you can hang things off of it and buy additional attachments for shelves or tables, plus with the curtains on three sides, you can just clip a tarpaulin across the front and top at night time or whenever you want to 'lock up' for additional security. 

Once we had the majority of the stand up, Reece arrived with our smallest 'helper' - who was actually no help at all, especially as he arrived fast asleep - and the boxes of kits and stock. We set up on the day before and I like to play around on that day with the presentation of the stand, checking how it looks and making sure I know where everything is going to go although, once it's all finished, I take photos of how it looks and then lie down or remove the items from the shelves in case the stand gets knocked. 

We have been the first ones to arrive for the past two years and last year I never met the person next to me until the day of the show. I've always found it easiest to get in, set up as early as possible, and then go again because you have more space to park and unload, you can leave boxes in the middle of other areas and, if anything happens, you have the afternoon to fix it. 

The little grumpy-pants sitting in the red chair had woken up hangry so Reece dealt with entertaining and feeding him whilst I got on with setting out all of my hoops and the Stitchscape Shop. This was the first proper event that I had the Stitchscape Shop (which is what I call the items that I buy in to sell as they are - sewing tools like threaders, needles, hoops and scissors, fabrics, felts and beads etc) and I was really pleased with how it all looked alongside the hoops, kits and handmade items. 

So, these are my set up photos for roughly how I wanted it to look. Cards and prints got added in later on, and I had the battery powered lights charging at home to be taken the following day. The only real to-do I needed to do that afternoon was to print off price labels for all of the original frames as some of them didn't have one. 

Once that was all done, it was a case of tidying up the boxes and making it all fit under that table. We actually ended up with loads of room because we were right at the edge with an empty corner between us and the person on the right hand side in this image. It worked out really well as we could store more boxes just outside our space, plus set up a little area for Baby F to sit in, and there was a gap in the marquee wall we could sneak in and out of too. 

Anything that wasn't needed was put back in the car ready for take down the following evening, and then all of the frames were laid down and everything covered with sheets and bubble wrap to protect it from any drips. 

Each of the curtain walls is actually two curtains and I always safety pin them together so that someone can't come along and open them in my absence (not that I'm expecting anyone to, you just never know and it's a real trust thing to leave all of your work and stock alone in a field full of strangers....anything could happen!

Then the front has a tarpaulin grippered on to it and we are good to go! 

It's always really exciting to leave the tent mostly empty and think about what it would look like the following morning, full of the most amazing arts and crafts. We left about half 12 I think in the end and there were only about five people setting up in there - it was a total transformation the following day!

Sadly I didn't get any photos of the transformed tent, it was straight to work fixing those labels and the lights, putting out prints and cards, up-righting the frames and just general tweaking. Reece was in the back feeding Baby F cereal and then went on a mission to find us breakfast (the most enormous hot dogs with bacon you've ever seen!).

This is when I really appreciate the set up work I did the day before. The lady on our right (if you are standing looking back at the stand - or on our left if you are inside the stand) was a jeweller and when we got there all she had put up the day before was her felt board stand, but no stock, signage, display pots or prices or anything and she was getting herself in a right pickle! She didn't seem to have planned where things were going so was exclaiming at how stressed she was whilst still putting out stock when the show had opened and people were walking round, but equally wouldn't accept help so there wasn't a lot we could do. Interestingly, at lunchtime, she also hid behind her stand on the grass floor and had a nap! Quite a character. 

Ah, my gorgeous Mr DT. He really is an absolute gem, manning my stand for me if I need a comfort break or a wander, going out to fetch coffee, snacks and food, and taking charge of Baby F for most of the day. 

Our little pickle was mostly very well behaved, although he did get bored in the afternoon. We always take as many different activities as we can for him; car toys, books, water paints, duplo, Youtube(!)... but he just always wanted to be out and about walking around (which Reece, my parents and I took in turns) and refused a nap which we'd been counting on - although he eventually just kind of ran out of battery and nodded off on Reece's nap. Last year he'd still been in the buggy so we could jostle him to sleep but he wasn't having it this time at all. Not now he's a strong, independent toddler.

It was a really nice show, not quite as lucrative as last year, but it was lovely seeing customers from last year come back and visit and chat! Plus you never quite know what will eventually come of these events as so many people take cards that you may get comeback from later on in the year. Last year I definitely got lots more workshops from it as people took cards and photos back to their stitching or WI groups and I got contacted afterwards to give talks and stitching sessions. It's about being seen as much as it is selling your wares. 

Thank you to everyone who came and said hello or made a purchase. And to my wonderful OH, sassy toddler and parents for all of their help.