Goodbye 2010, Hello 2011...

OK, lets get it out of the way first - I am really sorry that my blogging skills have left a little to be desired in 2010!   But, look on the bright side, there are only a few hours left so things have to get better, right!  So, I declare to one and all, I promise to be better at blogging in 2011 - yes, I realise this isn't exactly the hardest thing to achieve but it is a start....

Right then, now the unashamed grovelling is out of the way, hope you all had a great Christmas with family, friends and loved ones and don't now feel the impending guilt of over-indulgence.  After all, think of it as supporting the economy - the alcohol, chocolate and general, fattening foods economy that is!  



The snow was pretty to look at but I'm
begging you snow Gods - quit it now!

 I am delighted to announce that despite their best efforts, the snow Gods didn't ruin our celebrations as everyone was able to get to us in Kent to spend Christmas here. It was hit & miss for a while and never have I viewed so many live traffic webcams in my life to virtually travel the route from Yorkshire to Kent and check on the state of the roads.   As it turned out, when my brother and Mum travelled on Wednesday morning, it was the easiest and quickest journey here they had ever had!!

Even the shopping trip to the supermarket to collect Tarquin (the turkey) and other goodies went smoothly.  Normally it resembles something between shopping in a war zone and a third world country with empty shelves and trolley rage but the shelves were full and the customers seemed just grateful to be out of the house and able to stock up for Christmas dinner (which someone once described as just a normal roast dinner but with hats on - hmm, I'll get back to you on that one!)

Now all the family have returned home and hubby is trying to get back to some normal working patterns (even though most people don't seem to be returning to work until January) so it has gone from a full house to just me and the cats....  it is normal but really feels strange and quiet!

So New Year is upon us and I feel confident that it will be a great year.   I have decided to approach the new year with a positive outlook and plan to 'retire' some designs and introduce new ones so if you have requests of what you would like to see, please e-mail them to me at craft.studio@virgin.net

I am starting to fill in the calendar with events for 2011 and will update my online list as soon as I have confirmed dates.   Already it looks like 2011 will be busier than 2010 and that was pretty busy!!

So, I hope you all have a very Happy New Year and that all your dreams and wishes come true.    Maybe 2011 is the year I finally will win the lottery......   If I do, I'll certainly let you know!

Happy 2011 Everyone!

Great Feature, Great Blog - Really short post!

A really short post from me today (yes, I know this is unusual!!)  but I wanted to let you know that I am so pleased to have recently been featured on the blog of a wonderfully talented crafter - Charlotte Hupfield of Charlotte Hupfield Ceramics.

Charlotte was kind enough to do a series of interviews with other crafters and my one is featured here.  When you have read my feature, please do have a look around the blog at Charlotte's work.

I will do some more posts shortly on the feature in ABC magazine, my 'almost' interview with BBC Radio Kent and freezing my wotsits off on Bromley High Street so watch this space....

Sorry for the teaser but I have to run now as I have a ton of orders from this weekend for designs purchased as Christmas gifts so need to get these started so that they can be delivered in plenty of time!

Brrr - If this is Autumn, I don't want Winter!

How bizarre is the weather at the moment?   From mild, almost summer-like days everything has suddenly flipped and now it feels like the middle of winter.  Having just watched the horror weather forecast, the talk of 80mph winds due tomorrow and torrential rain is not making me feel much better!!

Last weekend, we were at a fair at the old Fort Purbrook in Portsmouth - a wonderful old building with views to die for but unfortunately past experience has shown us that warmth and heat weren't top of the agenda when it was originally built (they were also sadly lacking in forward thinking and the signal for mobile phones and chip & pin machines is quite frankly shocking!!)

So, dressed like Nanuck of the North with thermal leggings, vest and socks, long sleeve t-shirt (as opposed to the short sleeved one which is normally favoured at shows), thick trousers,  two coats, scarf, gloves - you name it, I was ready to face the worst it could throw at me!  And, I am pleased to say...  I was baking!!  We were placed in a slightly different location to normal and the room was much warmer due to more efficient heaters and assisted by strong sunshine beating through the window throughout the weekend.  I ended up de-layering throughout the course of the day and scratching my head at the absurdities of the British weather!

I am pleased to say that it stayed dry so the visitors came along and once again I was really pleased to see some previous customers along with many more new ones.   Lots of people were buying items as gifts as well as their Christmas Decorations which again highlighted the difficulties of knowing what needs to be made each week.  (Must remember to write 'Crystal Ball' on the top of my list to Santa this Christmas!)

So, as we are halfway through another week, don't forget to head over to http://www.studiocrafts.net/ to get your Santas, Snowmen, Nativity Scenes, Wreaths and all kinds of Christmas decorations as well as some really unique and affordable gifts for your friends and loved ones.  I will resist the temptation to tell you how many sleeps there are left until Christmas Day but it is pretty scary.... (and exciting - I love Christmas!!)

For full details of where you can see us between now and our final show before Christmas (which is on December 17th at Bromley Market), please head along to the events page.


Piggies on Sleigh - a fun Christmas decoration!
Who says, you have stick to the norm?

Crafters Delight

Yes folks, I have found it!  The one piece of 'kit' that makes life so much easier, you wonder why and how you haven't managed to think of it and use it before!!!

'Please tell us, oh all-knowing one...' I hear you all cry!   Well, it is this...

...wait for it...

Glass clear vinyl sheeting!! (pauses for whoops and hollers)

Yes, I finally managed to get hold of two 3m lengths of clear vinyl sheeting to cover my tables on the many outdoor stalls I have through the year and today was a perfect example of how wonderful it is.   Bromley was a town of all seasons today - sunshine, rain, wind, we pretty much had it all.

However, thanks to the aforementioned sheets, my normally frantic running around covering over stock and trying to deflect rain and drips was absent!   The plastic protected everything from the rain and the wind did not cause the usual whipping up of tablecloths as the plastic hung some way down the front of the table (behind my banners) so the wind couldn't get underneath.

Yes, I realise this is not the most exciting thing for non-crafters or for those crafters who aren't on the craft fair circuit but believe me - if you have ever done a craft fair in a rainy, windy, outdoor location, the joy is palpable!!

Oh yes, and I am pleased to say that on a pretty quiet day numbers-wise (there were a few tumbleweed moments down the High Street today) I didn't do too badly considering!  Tomorrow we are back at Hempstead Valley Shopping Centre nr Gillingham, Kent so the plastic sheets can have a well deserved day off as we are indoors.  (I'll be honest, I won't miss the rain and cold plus I can throw in a bit of shopping too!)

If you are in the area and want to come and say Hi and get your Christmas decorations (this is the last trip to Hempstead Valley before Christmas) you can find our stall in the area outside Marks & Spencer.

Hope to see you soon & happy crafting.

Busy Week Ahead

This weekend saw us again at Lancing College in Shoreham, West Sussex at the wonderful Christmas craft fair organised by Woodland Crafts (thank you Paul & Anita!!).  As a maker-only fair, the quality of items on show is truly astounding.

It was a great weekend and we were all extremely grateful that the horrendous weather which was forecast earlier in the week stayed away and we were blessed with two gloriously sunny, albeit cold days.  Whilst we were inside the college, had the weather been as originally forecast with heavy rain and galeforce winds, I am sure that most of the customers would have decided to stay in their warm, cosy homes!

Fortunately, the visitors came out in force and it was great to see lots of regular customers as well as many new ones and I now have a heavy week ahead making up new stock in readiness for my next shows at Bromley Market on Saturday and on Sunday it is our last visit to Hempstead Valley Shopping Centre before Christmas.  (We will be back at Lancing College in 2011 - both in April and October - keep an eye out for dates on the Fairs List of the website)

It is pretty much non stop now until mid-December when I stop my shows for the year (although my online shop is open every day at http://www.studiocrafts.net/) so I anticipate that I will be kept very busy just keeping Christmas stock topped up! 

These peelable decorations are ideal for temporary decorative occasions such as Halloween, Easter and Christmas as they can be stored away when removed and used for many years to come.   What did become apparant this weekend was also how perfect they are as gifts for friends and family across the globe - they are lightweight and easy to post without it costing you a fortune in packaging and postage costs.  I had a number of customers who were purchasing items for sending to Australia this weekend.   Hopefully Ali's Craft Studio will become a well known name down under!

Why not have a look at what is in the shop and get your decorations and gifts sorted out all in one go!  And as there is a set £1.00 postage charge per order to the UK (£4.50 for worldwide orders), you can stock up safe in the knowledge that there is no nasty surprise when completing your order.

It certainly has the right feel for making Christmas related designs - it is soooo cold here now!  I am so glad that I have a heater under my desk to keep me nice and toasty!  So, I guess this is going to a short post as I have to get back and bring to life more snowmen, stars, reindeers and Santas ready for colouring tomorrow.   Stay warm everyone and I hope to see you at a show soon.

The power of electricity

You know how they say, you don't know how much you need something until it is gone?  Well, yesterday, I realised just how much I need electricity in my daily life!   Twice, yes twice, I was thrust back into the dark ages when power cuts struck.

The first one was at lunchtime so at least I could see and the Gods were being kind as I had just finished heating up my lunch in the microwave and sat down to eat it when everything went off.  Now as I have said, it wasn't too drastic as there was plenty of light (apart from the fact I was in the middle of watching a really interesting programme on SKY!) but it was sooo quiet.  I never realised just how much noise the general whirring of equipment made but it was spooky to not have anything.  Even Misty (the cat) was disturbed by the silence.   Thank heavens for battery operated radios!! 

Around 10 minutes or so later, a few beeps indicated that power was trying to come back and very shortly afterwards, the reassuring whirr was back.  All except for the SKY+ box - yes, folks the fun and games started again!!   Anyone who has been following my blog for a while knows my love-hate relationship with SKY+ boxes!!

The ominous red, standby light was on so there was power but after a 10 minute wait for it to settle itself down again, pressing the button on the remote to start it up produced.... nothing! (Visions of all the recorded programmes disappearing again started to form in my mind)

You know the drill - unplug for a short while, leave to let the hard drives to restart, press the SKY button...  Nope, not having it.  Repeat....

Well, after just short of an hour of pleading & cursing, unplugging and pressing the magical green light appeared!!

Fast forward to the evening...

I had decided to go into the craft studio to colour up a few more designs and was literally half way through my three snowmen design (with my loyal helper asleep on the window sill, of course) when POP - we were plunged into complete darkness!

Unusually, there was no moon at all last night so when I say complete darkness I mean it.  I couldn't see my desk infront of me, never mind anything else.   I searched for my mobile phone on the desk by fumbling around and finally found it so could create a little light to move the work off the desk onto the drying racks and safety.   So by the light of the silvery moon pink mobile, I found the camping torch which was fortunately in the porch and very handy and began finding the others which were in a bag by the sofa.   If you have ever had to change batteries in a large torch by torchlight, you will know the fun I had when I realised that half weren't working.   I love candlelight but they are a no-no with two uber-curious cats as it is a major fire risk! (coupled with the fact that I actually don't know where any candles are, but that is beside the point!)

Hubby was still working so I called him to let him know that we were in complete darkness and to be careful on the drive home (I assumed that traffic lights, etc would have been affected too).

Back again to the battery operated radio for a bit of noise (Misty was now following me everywhere as I had the light - Blinky was asleep in his current favourite spot on the top of the stairs and didn't give two hoots!)  then the realisation hit me again that I have the joy of SKY+ standby/restart still to come!

I couldn't make a cuppa, couldn't sit and browse the Internet, couldn't have a shower (we have electric showers) and couldn't even package up my orders for posting as the printer was part way through printing the packing notes when the power went off.  So I found myself sitting cradling my loyal radio staring into space.    It was the most bizarre feeling going into the porch to find absolute, complete blackness outside - it was like the world had disappeared!

One hour later, just as Hubby arrived home, the power finally came back on.   Time to go and reset all the clocks (again), check the timers (again) and find the SKY remote control ready for the battle of wills that is me vs SKY+ (again!)

So, I will never take electricity for granted again and feel like oohing and ahhing every time I turn something on!  (Oh, and just incase you are wondering, I now have torches placed around the house so I don't have that horrible situation again of being plunged into total and utter darkness if it happens again)

I am pleased to confirm that the snowmen are now completely coloured and no longer semi-naked and, of course, available to purchase online now at: http://www.studiocrafts.net/onlineshop/prod_815703-729-Three-Snowmen.html

Have a great weekend everyone - I will be at the Weald & Downland Open Air Museum in Singleton, near Chichester this weekend for the last time before Christmas so if you are in the area, please come along and say hello.

I'm off now to enjoy the luxury that is being able to make myself a cuppa....

The end of Summer?

The nights are drawing in and it is feeling chilly at chez Ali's Craft Studio lately - does this mean it is the end of Summer?  I can't quite bring myself to admit it and whack the heating on but I guess it won't be long....

Last weekend we suffered from that most hated of weather for an outdoor craft fair scenario - no, not rain - wind!!  Lots of wind.  It is a nightmare - your gazebo feels like it is about to take off any minute and setting up/breaking down takes forever!

So, I have just about come to terms with the darker nights and having to put on more layers and thermal socks but please, just a small plea to the weather Gods - chill out of the wind front please!   Fortunately there aren't that many more outdoor shows left (apart from the wind-tunnel that is Bromley High Street!!)  

However, with this cooler weather, it doesn't feel quite so odd to be making so many Christmas decorations!   Yes, some people are really prepared and buy for Christmas before Christmas Eve!  People are buying not only for decorating their own homes for the festive season but also for presents.   Buying early means that you avoid the crowds but also spread the cost so I guess it is a great idea if you can be that organised!

If recent fairs are anything to go by, Halloween is definitely becoming a time when people in the UK are thinking of adding some decoration to their homes too - it has always been popular in the US but us Brits do seem to be joining in the fun - and why not!!

So, if you can't bear the thought of scooping out a big pumpkin with a spoon, let me take the hard work out of it for you - simply decorate with these Halloween designs.  They won't start smelling after a couple of days and you can use them for many years to come!

For more details on the fairs coming up and if you are looking for some inexpensive yet unique presents just pop along to the website: http://www.studiocrafts.net/

Now, I must remember to go and get some 'Trick or Treat' sweeties before everywhere sells out!

Hello, allow me to introduce myself...

Well, I thought perhaps I should as I have been so rubbish at blogging!  

As anyone who knows me will testify, timekeeping is a skill I am sadly lacking as I always underestimate how long everything is going to take.   So, after recovering from the shock of realising when I actually last posted, I have come to the conclusion that I have most definitely been abducted by aliens who have stolen a lot of time from me!  

However, I take comfort in the fact that I must be a nice guest to have on planet Zog as it happens frequently - like every morning before setting off for a craft fair when half an hour is definitely stolen between getting up and leaving at the time we planned to!

Say Hello to my time-stealing friend from the planet Zog!

I just don't know where the time goes.... one minute I am sitting on the stall in a field complaining about the heat and the next I am digging out my fleecy boots anticipating winter and Christmas!

I have to admit that I am a real sucker for all things Christmassy - from Santa and his reindeer (don't even think of trying to tell me he doesn't exist, buster!) and listening out for sleigh-bells late at night on Christmas Eve to decorating the tree and putting on those really cheesy Christmas compilation CDs which drive my hubby completely insane!

 OK, so we are only just into September so why am I talking about Christmas?   Well, currently laying out in my craft studio drying are numerous designs featuring snowmen, Santas, penguins in Christmas hats and Christmas candles.   Now I know how the big retail shops feel (apart from the copious amounts of cash flooding into the bank....) preparing and showcasing Christmas-themed items in readiness for shoppers.    And yes, before you ask, people really do buy Christmas decorations this early - I actually sold my first Christmas designs in April this year!  Some people are just way too organised....

Now, I have a plan to try to have a more handmade Christmas this year - from handmade presents to table decorations.   Please note, that the operative word in this sentence is plan.  To start with, I haven't yet thought of any suitable things to make as presents which are not going to cost 10x more than a shop-bought item due to the raw materials having to be purchased in advance and I also have no idea when these delights are actually going to be created.  So, all good intentions and all that, I am not holding my breath on this one!

Anyway, it isn't Christmas yet, it is our 9th Wedding Anniversary at the end of this month so hopefully we will be able to have a short break to celebrate and recharge the batteries.  

Then  we are into October and there is Halloween when I feel we have to have the 'Trick or Treat' sweeties in my pumpkin-shaped bag by the door even though we probably won't see any little ghouls, witches or monsters at our door - I am not one to take chances and hubby & I are pretty good at making sure they don't go to waste....

Witch designs have been proving popular over the last few shows so maybe people are starting to decorate for Halloween as well as Christmas.

And no, if you are wondering, I won't be scooping out the inside of a large pumpkin and carving a face into it - last time I tried it looked like some tragic farming accident and whilst the smell of a candle burning inside was lovely to start with, it very quickly turned into something very unpleasant indeed!   So I will stick to my pumpkin bag filled with sweeties for the steady stream (ahem) of trick or treaters beating a path to our door on 'All Hallows Eve' and my cuter pumpkin and cat peelable decorations on the window.  Much less mess and no smell at all....

If you are free this weekend, why not come down to see us at the Laughton Country Show near Lewes in East Sussex.  The stall will be featuring a multi-occasion display from general everyday designs right through to Halloween and Christmas!

Hope to see you there and I promise I will try to blog again a few times before Christmas!

When is an Airshow not an Airshow?

This past weekend we had a stall at the wonderful Shoreham Airshow which is normally resplendent with magnificent, awe-inspiring flying displays but this year the Gods had other ideas - low cloud, rainy, misty days and high winds put paid to all but a few flights which was a real shame.  Last year we were blessed with blue, Californian skies and a full program of flying including the incredible Avro Vulcan (the only airworthy XH558 Vulcan remaining which has a sound beyond belief!)

The incredible Avro XH558 Vulcan at Shoreham Airshow 2009

The south of England really suffered this weekend from horrible weather and the safety element was brought home on Sunday when the first flight of the day by a glider display pilot ended badly with a crash during the landing attempt.  Our hearts were in our mouths as the paramedics attended at the scene for almost an hour.  Fortunately, the pilot managed to scramble away from the badly damaged craft upon impact and is, according to an official statement from the display team, currently doing well in hospital and in good spirits which will come as a huge relief to all who were there.

Needless to say, there were very few displays on Sunday (the worst day for weather) which must have been a huge disappointment to those who had paid to come along.   Fortunately, there was still plenty to enjoy at the show including, in no small part, the craft marquee with some wonderful work on display.  Despite it all, we had a pretty good weekend!   I know that many visitors were appreciative of the huge amount of work which the organisers of the show put in to the weekend and the fact that they managed to have any flying at all (including a Catalina Seaplane, an amazing display of skills by the Harrier team and mock dogfight involving the Spitfires and Hurricanes, plus at the close of play on Sunday when an impromptu display by a Chinook helicopter pilot who was working with the Air Cadets and not there to do anything but standard ferrying to and fro of workers around the site during the breakdown of the show).   Hopefully as the show raises money for the RAFA, people will be thankful of the small amount of displays they did see and the great stalls available at the show.  

So may I add my congratulations to RAFA and the team at Shoreham - in such dire circumstances, you did an excellent job and kept smiling throughout (even when you had to stand in the rain for much of the time!)

Lancaster Bomber

Last year I made some peelable designs of a Spitfire, Lancaster and Hurricane which were popular and got lots of attention.

Hawker Hurricane

Spitfire

Mustang

This year I added the Curtiss Tomahawk (AKA Kittyhawk) and North American Mustang to the collection of WWII planes. 

I will be adding these to my online shop soon.

Tomahawk

There was still one more plane I really wanted to pay homage to and after a quick call to check I was OK to use the image, here it is:

Avro Vulcan

The Vulcan to the Sky Trust keeps this amazing plane in the air by constant fundraising (I am giving a donation to the trust for every sale of this design sold).  If you have ever had the honour of seeing this plane in the flesh (so to speak) you would want to help too - even if you are not that interested in planes!   If you would like to know more about the XH558 and the Trust, go to Vulcan to The Sky  If you can help the cause, please do - believe me it is worth it!

Next weekend is a three-dayer at Rudgwick Steam and Country Show so please join me by praying for better weather!  Three days in a muddy field is fine at music festivals but the prospect of wading through mud to get to and from a smelly port-a-loo doesn't fill me with joy!  Oh the life of a crafter is so salubrious, you have no idea!

Fingers crossed everyone...

Flying Time, Great Features and Hidden Monsters...

Flying Time...

Where does the time go?  I can't believe it has been so long since my last blog posting when it only seems like five minutes ago. 

It has been pretty busy here since I posted last - we have been to the Lingfield Steam & Country Show - a fun weekend event with lots of steam engines, animals and vehicles along with activities for all ages.  Can you believe I sold a great number of Christmas designs at this show - on the first day of August!  I do try to take my box of Christmas decorations to shows where I won't be back again before Christmas but usually don't expect to sell more than one or two so I was really thrilled to have so many bought so early in the year (I always recommend that people buy their Christmas decorations as early as possible as keeping full stocks is very difficult as the season gets underway).  Does feel a little strange however, selling snowmen and Santas is sweltering heat!

Is it Christmas Yet?

Last weekend, we were at a new show for us - Step Back in Time, near Battle, East Sussex.  We really didn't know what to expect  and after an interesting start (no plan showing where your stall was, and not enough space in the marquee for everyone who had booked!) we had a great weekend.  Good weather and lots of visitors makes for a great combination!

This coming weekend is another Steam Fair at the Weald & Downland Open Air Museum in Chichester - bring on the soot!!   We always come home covered in a liberal coating of the stuff and feeling like a 60-a-day smoker!  Hopefully the weather will be kind to us again to bring out the usual crowds.

Great Features:

I have been really lucky to be featured on two more great blogs:

• Look at the Crafters
• Zaks Jewels

I feel really pleased that anyone would want to write about little ol' me so thank you one and all for letting me have space on your great blogs.

Hidden Monsters:

OK, so I know you are still wondering about the rest of the title of this blog.  So I will put you out of your misery...

Yes, it relates to moths (yikes - even typing the word makes me shiver!)   I have decided that one of two things is true (or maybe both?):

1. Moths do not talk to one another to warn about dangerous houses containing black moth-eating monsters
2. Moths have death wishes and/or are stupid as they keep on coming!

Last week was a major milestone for me (but not one that I wish to repeat too often...)  As you know if you have followed my previous posts, my encounter with Godzilla the moth began when he cased me out from above the bathroom door.

This location, it turns out, is a real favourite for our dusty, fuzzy, yukky, 'get out of my space and stop dive-bombing me' flying friends.   And last week, I found 'Godzilla 2 - the revenge' lurking above the bathroom door (this time on the inside of the bathroom).

Now normally, my knight in shining armour/shorts would come racing to my rescue but as he had already left for work, I knew I was on my own! 

My options:

1. I could get my ladder and try the 'squish' technique.  If I missed, I guarantee, I would have fallen off the ladder and would have no doubt that as I lay on the ground, the little monster would have come and landed on me just to rub it in!
2. I could close the door and use our other toilet for the remainder of the day until my aforementioned knight returned home to his castle and maiden in distress.
3. I could turn to my new-found hero - Mr Dyson!

Option 3 looked the only viable choice and lo and behold, Godzilla 2 had an unexpected thrill ride courtesy of my purple 'Animal - never loses suction, even when disposing of moths' (maybe not the right slogan but it works for me!)   Problem is, I am now a little afraid to empty it incase Godzilla 2 forces his way out of the bin after he has been building up strength eating dust - after all, that is what they are made of! (does that make it cannibalism?)

Warning!  Moths Not Welcome!

Hopefully, the message will get out to the moth community and our address will be off the radar for a great place to hang out.   Lets hope so!