Fabric Fusion 2011

I've been remiss and neglected the blog of late but that's because I have been making and making some more.......MONSTERS!!!!!!! I absolutely love these guys who are based upon the great patterns of Rebecca Danger, I'm a fan can you tell?
I've been making lots of stuff not just monsters, which was to update existing stock and flex my brain for this past weekend's Fabric Fusion event in Bradford on Avon. I got to set up camp with the lovely and talented Lou Butt of Louise Butt Designs and spend 2 whole days knitting, stitching and chatting to some lovely people who stopped by the stall. Did I mention the cake? So today it's back to tidying up and putting things away and thinking up new ideas for the next event.....a Handmade and Vintage day at Jumble Jelly in Bradford on Avon, check out their website for all the details.
Back to the wool stash!

Integrity is where it's at

I've kept on with my daily reading at Girls got Gumption and the more I read the more ideas keep sparking off in my brain.
I'm going to tell you about an amazing professor I had when I was studying for my BA at Trent University. His name was Michael Treadwell and he has since sadly passed away but I consider myself to have been so fortunate to have had him teach me. He said many things that have stayed with me over the years, one of the most significant was that "All knowledge is one". The idea that all things are interconnected and that as you explore the world, if you are watching, you will see how it is one large circle. He would give us this smile as he would sit there and open his hands, as if to say "see I told you", when we as students would have this lightbulb "a-ha" moment. I am delighted to say that I have had many more of these moments since then but each and every one makes me think of him.
So I was reading Tori Higa's profile and she spoke about integrity in your work, which is interesting to me as I was only talking about that very subject the day before with a friend. See how it all fits together in one big circle? I've been thinking about this a lot because there have been times when people have encouraged me to change my materials in my jewellery in order to make a greater profit and I've said no. I know that it wouldn't be right for me or what I am trying to achieve. As creative people selling our work, I am very aware that my name is on what I sell and it represents me and my values. Often I am selling to people who I haven't met, if all they have to know me by is my work shouldn't that reflect me? Tori mentions that for some people "success" is often defined by how much money you are making, that if you apply your code of values to your decisions and can be faithful to those than you are truly a success. I'd like to think that applies to the way I try to operate, maybe not a great businesswoman but it feels right.

The world is opening wide

I've been doing tons of reading and thinking and creating lately, which means that sometimes my head is a very full place to be. But I've discovered a great website called Girls got Gumption. It's a fantastic collection of creative women who share their stories and thoughts about life, the universe and tapping into that creative flow. There are about 25 women profiled and I want to read one profile a day and then I can really savour the experience. Today I read the story of Summer Pierre, the advice that really resonated with me speaks to where I am in the creative journey, she said "PLEASE DO IT NOW. You will never be adequately prepared, or have time to get ready to live your dreams. Start now."

At the moment I feel as if I am standing on the edge of a precipice, feeling fearful with butterflies in my stomach but so wanting to dive headlong into the new ideas I'm creating. I can feel that my focus is changing and I am making room for the "me I am meant to be".
I know that I often struggle thinking what if I run out of ideas, what if I can't make what I see in my head, what if, what if, what if? At the moment I can't believe that I've had those thoughts because there are so many ideas in my head that I am more afraid thinking what if I don't get that idea on paper and I forget it, or what happens if I cannot describe it how I see and forget why it was really important. So I guess part of the lesson is that these fears too shall pass.

Summer Pierre quoted J.D. Salinger in her profile with the phrase "Write the book you most want to read". I love that, it is so powerful.

Holy Barking Bacon Biscuits Batman!

Now there is on odd blog title if I ever saw one but I thought I'd take a break from the usual baking regime and mix it up (quite literally - sorry I can't resist a pun) and make some dog biscuits for my favourite four legged creature. He's still a puppy and prone to behaving badly but he only has to show me his bat ears and he reverts to the really tiny puppy we brought home 9 months ago.

As we speak he is sitting by the oven door and the rest of the cooling biscuits whining for more. That's what I call advertising and a good recommendation. Tiger gives these biscuits 5 out of 5 paw prints!

So here's the recipe....oh the measurements may appear odd but I reverted to my default Canadian measuring and didn't weigh the ingredients as I went. I'll try and update that in the future.

Barking Bacon Biscuits (makes about 86 small bones)

2 1/2 cups (625ml) whole wheat flour
1/2 cup (125 ml) skim milk powder
1 tsp. garlic granules/powder
1 tbsp. oat bran or wheat germ or ground oats
1 tsp. beef stock granules (or real stock instead of the water 125ml)
1/3 cup (80 ml) bacon drippings
1 egg
1/2 cup (125 ml) cold water or the stock as mentioned above
3 rashers of cooked bacon ground up in a food processor or chopped up superfine

• Mix all dry ingredients together (everything but drippings, egg and water)
• Mix in drippings, once mixed it will be like fresh breadcrumbs
• Mix in egg and then add enough water so that it will form a ball when mixed. You may need to add a little more or less depending upon your ingredients
• Roll out (like pastry) using a rolling pin until approximately 1/2" thick.
• Cut out into shapes, I used a bone shaped cutter that was about 2" long but you can cut into any shape you and your dog like
• Lay out on a baking sheet, no need to grease or space too far apart as the biscuits don't spread it's more like you are crisping them and drying them out.
• Bake at 180° (160° fan) for about 25 minutes, leave to cool before rewarding your dog!

As there is bacon in them I will be keeping them in the refrigerator but I don't think they will last long. Oh and a disclaimer....I'm not a dog nutrionist, but it stands to reason that if you feed your dog loads of extra biscuits you may need to adjust their meal portion size and use your judgement about whether they are suitable for your pet.

Must go, the dog is now driving me insane with his whining!

Sign up, Sign up it's workshop time!

I've got some news that I am over the moon about! I've been asked to run some sewing workshops at my lovely local shop Jumble Jelly in Bradford on Avon. So we've been having lots of chats about what people want to learn, what we think they want to learn and how we can get those people learning and sewing with their machines. The workshops start in August so there is still plenty of time to get your name on the list, here's a sneak peek of what you could make in the applique apron class but the design is really up to you. Get in touch with the lovely ladies at Jumble Jelly it really couldn't be simpler. Hope to see you there.

Folksy Friday

Quick little post as I dash out the door to have a lovely morning knitting - well crocheting today - and lots of nattering at Jumble Jelly this morning. I'm off to a great start today as I've been included in a Folksy Friday showcase which you can see at this link curated by Dianna Jessie. Folksy Friday has become a phenomenon of sorts where normal people like you and me who love handcrafted things search the fabulous makers at Folksy and then bring items together "virtually" in a display all gathered under a theme of their choosing. It's a great way to get to know other artists and showcase some great things too.

Secondly it's Canada Day, so have a great day off for all my Canadian friends, I'll be with you in spirit and I think it's butter tarts all around for dinner tonight!

Dirt under the fingernails

Today was the first day in ages that I wasn't trying to get into the garden and only succeeding in dodging raindrops. We've had lots of wind and quite a bit of rain down here in the southwest and my roses are flattened and everything looks a little bit downtrodden. So it meant that I was destined to be pottering (ok, actually lots of digging and weeding and cutting) around the garden when the weather co-operated.
The lavender hedge got a big haircut and I have armfuls of lavender stuck into every vase and jug I can find, dotted around the house. If we aren't completely chilled out with the scent of lavender everywhere we never will be.
So slightly wind worn and with pink cheeks and nose from the sun I am sitting here looking forward to an evening of quiet, working on the crochet ripple blanket for one of my little minions. I'm a novice at crochet but have quickly picked up the necessary stitches to complete the ripple pattern, probably thanks to the excellent instructions I found over at Attic24, there are lots of little instructions and lovely ideas to be found there. My problem is that I want to make everything now and end up with lots of projects on the go at once. I could have worse problems I know, so I shall count my blessings.