I've been really busy over the last few days but wanted to drop in as I have been trying to keep up on everyone's posts. I have been working on setting up my etsy shop. I have registered a name and set up a paypal account, and now I am working on my 'blurb'. Then I have to take photographs Those of you who already sell on line have probably have got all of this down to a fine art, but I am great procrastinator and sometimes need to have a bit of a boot to get me to make decisions. However today I thought I would go to the craft fair at Wrest Park for a bit of research and inspiration.
Wrest Park is one of my favourite local venues. We used to visit years ago when it was owned by Silsoe College and paid 50p for a magical day in the rather run-down grounds. However it has now been taken over by English Heritage and although the grounds are now better kept, but it costs rather more to get in!
Queueing at the garden gate.
The house is still in use by the college.
The pavilion at the end of the lake, viewed across the croquet lawns.
Entertainment from a string quartet.
The orangery glimpsed through some of the magnificent trees in the park.
I have lots more photographs of the park here on my flickr site. If you like lovely gardens - Capability Brown designed these - do take a look.
I had a wonderful chat to one lady in particular - Maxine Owen who is a textile designer whose work really inspired me. You can see her work here. I felt very reassured by her style with lots of wild stitching and wonderful fabrics I wanted to rush home and start stitching. She also had some incredible journals and altered books, I could have spent ages there. I did buy a couple of her pieces - I will have to photograph them another time.
I have been doing some myself stitching - I have been working on a couple of zipped purses and a paperback-book cover in patchwork, and I have decided to start stitching on the leaf book cover I started way back.
I am hoping to get the shop going in the next couple of weeks and hopefully some of these will be there.
I also want to get my September calendar page made - quite honestly I am not sorry to see the end of August - what a washout!
5 comments:
It really helps to get inspiration from those of common interest. That's one reason blogging is so great for us who have a lot of miles between people. I wish great success for you and your etsy shop. And thanks for the photo tours of your beautiful, historical country.
Jill,
Sounds like 'all systems go'. If you are a procrastinator I must have rigor mortis! I've never known anyone who gets more done. I'm off to look at Maxine's work and can't wait for the shop opening. I notice you've not told us yet what it's going to be called? I hope there will be a grand opening event and a 'big reveal'. Lesley
Wrest Park looks beautiful! Thanks for the link to Maxine Owen, isn't this such a wonderful time to live in? You mention somebody's work and I can click and be looking at it in seconds! I echo Lesley's sentiments re the amount you get done. Hope all is well with Mr T.
I wish I could have gone to that show - the venue is beautiful. Thanks for the link - Maxine's work is amazing! Yours too and I wish you well with your shop. Do hope you will have a Granc Opening as Lesley says. Good luck with it all.
Jane
Looks like a beautiful spot to visit and Maxine's work is so bright and cheerful. My DIL and I have an etsy shop and we are the world's worst procrastinators, so I can relate. We love to make cards and things for the shop, but we are soooo slow at getting things posted. It takes some time but it will get easier. Have fun with your shop!! As much as we procrastinate on ours--we love it! :):)
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