Thursday 27 October 2016

It's been a while...

..since I posted.
I've been having a nice time.

I had a brilliant time at Yarndale.
This is my new sign at last.




I wasn't expecting it to be such fun as it was the third time I'd done it and I thought perhaps it might be good to have a break, but it was sooo good I can't wait for next year!
Blurry photo of my pen.



I met loads of lovely people , some of whom had signed up for my course in September which has been and gone, and some of whom were interested in signing up for my second course which is in November (I still have a couple of spaces left due to having to change dates) .The alpacas had a lot of compliments too. Vivian the baby was a big draw with her spotty face.


A grand time was had by all. Apparently , if you were walking about on the Saturday it was heaving, but I was in my little pen and enjoying chatting to people and selling pieces of work so I loved it. It's so wonderful to be complemented all day long.
These giant sheep were walking about all day as well.



On Friday 14h October it was my Lovely Mum's 89th Birthday.

 We had a plan. Hetty went to a friend's house. We would go for lunch to a pub we'd seen in Far Sawrey (Near the Windermere ferry) called 'The Cuckoo Brow Inn' and then go to Kendal and pop into the Abbott Hall Art Gallery to see 'Winifred Nicholson in Cumbria' . My husband had restored a lot of her paintings for a book by Christopher Andrae which was published a few years ago.


Don't you love teh lake District? Lovely sights like this.
Swallows and Amazons on Windermere.


The meal at the pub was delightful , 

Then we set off to Kendal but unfortunately the traffic from the North to the South of Kendal on a Friday afternoon is a nightmare and by the time we got to the Gallery it was too late to go in.

So in the end Brian went on his own the day after , as it was the final day.
Shortly after that, an invitation arrived in the post for guess what? The preview of the Winifred Nicholson in Cumbria Exhibition in London!

The day Brian was hobnobbing with Winifred, I was having a fab time with a wonderful group of ladies teaching the first course I'd organised myself and I have to say it was brilliant fun.
They were a terrific group and we laughed a lot and they made some beautiful felt, and made a good start on the embroidery.

Some came from so far away they had to stay in hotels. I was very honoured.
I'm doing it all over again in three weeks with a different group.Still a couple of places left due to ..well circumstances!

The work on the roof still grinds on. I'm going to miss the lovely roofer and his assistant when he leaves (eventually). Last week his Father (a retired GP)turned up on a motorbike and his brother (a tiler) arrived to throw some rubbish in our skip (by prior arrangement) so we had three members of his family at our kitchen table. I'm beginning to think he's a member of my family! I'll be so glad when I can see through the windows again and walk into the garden without clonking my head on the scaffolding, and pay some attention to what we used to call the lawn. We need an industrial vacuum cleaner to clean out the loft . The skylight has been covered with a layer of thick grit and bits of old slate and new roofing felt so it's gloomy on the landing as thats the only natural light.

Brian is painting the woodwork so all is going to be very smart. e might even finish with a flourish and re-instate the Balls on the gateposts which regular readers might remember were lifted a few years ago but then recovered.



This weekend I'm teaching a workshop at Creative Threads in Garstang.
I was convinced I'd be exhausted on Sunday when the clocks went 'back' but then I realised it's 'forward' so I'm ecstatic.
Happy Winter everyone.



14 comments:

Heather said...

What a lovely post. So pleased the shows and your workshops are going so well, and I love your new sign.
Your Mum looks wonderful and so much younger than her years - glad you had a lovely day together.
Not much longer to put up with roofers and all their stuff, then you'll be all weatherproof and safe for the winter. Isn't it nice when workmen are friendly and you feel at ease with them?

Els said...

Oh my Jackie .... you were at Yarndale ....
(ahhhhh had I only known that : some friends made the (far away)
trip and had a great time there !)
Love the sign b.t.w.

Your mum is looking GREAT !!! (hope to be like that, when I'm
that age !!!)

jinxxxygirl said...

How funny the clocks go 'back' here in the US in November... Spring forward and Fall back...Hugs! deb

Judith said...

The clocks go back in Autumn here in the U.K. too. Sorry to disappoint you Jackie.

Magpie's Mumblings said...

I am not going to ask whatever became of the rest of the body once attached to those legs! Glad you had a great time at the show and happy birth day wishes to your lovely mom.

Erica said...

Jackie, I am so delighted that you are having a joyous time at the moment. Your mother does indeed look wonderful. When I visited the UK, I decided that the Lake District is one of my favourite places there too. Keep smiling and enjoying life!

CreativeCrow said...

Your mum could pass for 70...what an amazing lady.

Rachel said...

Good to hear you've been having such fun!

Jennie Atkinson said...

Great catch up with all your news! Have a great weekend x

Robin Mac said...

What a busy time you have had and what a lovely post. Your new sign looks great, Yarndale must be a great event, those large sheep costumes are fantastic.
Your mum does not look a day over 70, I hope I can do as well at her age.
You will have to post lots of photos when the house is finally finished, what a thrill that will be. Cheers

Liza said...

Love the sign and as one of the lucky people who attended the workshop I can also say what an amazing time I had. I've finished 1 piece and am about to sit down now to finish the second.
PS what face cream does your mum use she looks amazing!

aplusdigitizing said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Jackie said...

Liza I hope you're going to send me some photos? My Mum is great isn't she? I don't think I'll be like her, but I can hope!

WendyCarole said...

The clocks went back you should’ve gained an hour like us over the Pennines :) Great to see you at Yarndale. Your mum is the same age as mine :)



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