Logbook May
Hello May,
Hello You,
I think April itself deserves a full logbook as so much happened. It has been a good start in the new season. Spring and all what it brings : light, colours and vitality !
In the Studio.
Despite my absence online I achieved some jobs. In march I went on the mainland for a couple of days visiting galleries and introducing my work. 2 galleries are now displaying my baskets : Artisan And in Aberfeldy and Lael in Lochbroom. 2 others have ordered baskets from my secret third collection. I haven’t yet presented it here or on Instagram but I will do it when I feel it is the right moment. For now, the galleries have the exclusivity. This collection is named “A sinuous Dance”. It is about movement and colours, it is decorative objects made with rope and driftwood.
Then the first Craft Fair Market of the season took place in Stornoway Town Hall during Easter weekend and it was a true joy to do this again and meet my co-sellers.
From June to September I will be in Stornoway or Tarbert for some Craft Fairs, all along the season. I will keep you updated.
For the second year, I take part to the event Open Studio Hebrides in July, an organisation and community of artists and makers, living and working across the Isle of Lewis. You can already save the dates : 27th-28th-29th July and 3rd-4th-5th August.
Finally, despite the few hours spent in my studio, I had time to sew more than 90 headbands from organic or deadstocks fabrics. They are available here. I also made 10 pouches with my cotton dyed with plants. Then, of course, I continue my dye journey and lately I tried red cabbage. The article is available here. I harvested Gorse flowers and gathered enough onion skin to make 3 batches of dye vat. Nettles are growing and will be ready soon and I look forward to dye again with this plant.
In the Garden
If I spent so few time in my studio it is because I’ve been busy with gardening. The weather was too good to stay inside. Secondly, my partner and I live in the old way of islanders lifestyle: following the forecast. As much as possible, we organise our day depending the weather.
In march I started sowing vegetables, herbs and flowers seeds and of course I like to take care of them everyday, being filled with wonder at the growing process.
It is now the third season for my veg garden and it needed a good spring cleaning, literally. We are close to the shore and a lot of wastes arrive in it when it is stormy : plastic, polystyrene, ceramic, glass, rusty stuff, … However We had a good surprise, when digging the soil to remove a maximum of stones, we found a lot of potatoes growing roots again. We found enough to plant them in 4 lines. Celery are naturally growing again without any assistance.
The garden, like the house, is a place I take care to design and try to make it an aesthetic environment where to spend relaxing time. With the help of my Father-in-law, I made a big progress in a plant bed that was bare soil half of the year, once the tulips and summer flowers were dead.
Of course the to-do-list doesn’t stop here and is still in progress. A lot of other jobs small or important took place or are in progress. Renovating the garden is the same than the house, it will take years to achieved.
My other job.
Last but not least in this long logbook, I have another job. Yes and it takes a lot of time too. Since last year I am training to be a tour guide for the cruise ships coming in Stornoway. I passed successfully my assessments with WITGA. The season started the 24th April for me and it is going to be a busy one !
I am lucky to make a living with jobs I love : handcraft and art with Dragons Are Real, speak about history and the place I love with people who want to know more about it. Both are time consuming but I happily do it and I wake up every morning, happy to start a new day of work and this, is invaluable.