Mastery, Anyone?

Hand-dyed lambswool hanks 100g

It must be Sunday, because I am sitting here at my computer trying to put together another blog post! Despite the best of intentions, I only seem to be able to put together one, perhaps two, posts per week.  So much going on and no time to write about it. Nationwide was a great success and we are all just composing ourselves and trying to take in the spotlight.  I think we all appreciated the spotlight and here's to hoping that the artisans that need Craft in Kerry find us!  Sadly, they edited out our contact details in the interview, but people are quite good at Googling these days, so they should find us either on  our blog on  http://craftinkerry.blogspot.com/ or on our Facebook page.

Mosaic felted wrap by Pam de Groot

Our craft showcase went well and I have plenty of hand-dyed yarns left, if anyone gets itchy fingers to start a new knitting or crocheting project!  I need to get busy as there are plenty of new babies showing up in our circle of friends.  A friend of mine, having her third baby, was sure she would be overdue again, but that baby just could not stand the idea of hospital and she ended up delivering him HERSELF in the bathroom!  I about died when she sent me a text with the news.  Mother and baby are doing wonderfully, but if that child doesn't deserve a special present, I don't know who does.

The big push now, besides the Handmade Sessions, is Pam de Groot's master level dyeing and felting workshop that will be held in Dingle, Co Kerry on June 17/18/19, 2011.  The 17th will be a day of resist dyeing to prepare for the 18/19 felting days.  Pam is Dutch by way of  Australia and in Ireland for a short time.  Her work is mainly in mosaic felting, which is comprised of individual panels of pre-felts that are inlaid or tiled and then felted into another, larger piece or garment (thus mosaic).  Much of her work is in wearables and they are very beautiful; more examples can be seen here http://pamdegroot.blogspot.com/.  The workshop will allow time for participants to dye the silk and felt pieces on the 17th and then make the prefelts on the 18/19 to end the weekend with a unique and fabulous piece (or two, if you are quick and ambitious!) to wear for the cold weather months.  Pam also does quite a bit of natural dyeing and I am hoping that she brings some of the eucalyptus that is native to Australia as I have seem some of her work on her blog and the end result is really lovely.  A day of experimenting with dyes and two days of felting with talented and interesting women--HEAVEN!

Mosaic felted tunic by Pam de Groot

Cost for the three days of master level work is just €150.  A deposit secures your place and I have just a couple places left.  Originally, I wanted to start organizing these workshops in Dingle as there isn't much outside of Dublin or Cork.  It would be nice to have advanced level craft education on the West end of the country to make it more accessible.  Kerry is off the beaten track, as they say, but it is also a wonderful place to visit and get inspired.  The workshop fee does not include accommodation, but I can help with referrals.  Many people are staying with friends in Dingle, so I wanted to keep the price as low as possible for participants.  Lunch will be provided by the Goat St Cafe (http://www.thegoatstreetcafe.com/), which has a wonderful reputation and very good vegetarian/special diet food for people who need to consider those options (again, not included in the overall price, but their prices are fair). Great desserts, too!

If you want more information regarding this workshop, please email me at sharon1_crandall@hotmail.com.

Now, if I can get back into my own studio now, I have a fairy blanket to finish for that lovely, new baby....

Post-Christmas Slump OR Regathering My Thoughts...



Two books recommended on Etsy for marketing and,
I think, part of The Plan.



We have entered the post-Christmas slump, which is that delicious, drifting time of staying up late, sleeping in late, lazy breakfast and reading books.  Thank God for it because December always burns me out.  I have marketing books to read and lovely books of fiction to take my mind off the dreariness of winter.  I need it to recharge my batteries and focus on The Plan for 2011.  And in order to get to The Plan, I need to eat, sleep, and read and hibernate a bit to regather my creative energy.  I see on Facebook that friends were felting on Christmas Eve--how do they keep going???  I am always knackered by Christmas Eve and can just about manage making dinner before reaching for a medicinal glass (or three) or wine....

For now, I need to get my workspace reorganized and put back together.  I had to move most of my studio home because of the sub-zero weather and lack of heat and light in my studio, but my house is up in a HEAP that is driving me mad and it all has to go back before I flip out.  Usually, even in the worst mess I know where to locate things I need, but it has all gotten away from my like a large ball rolling down hill, getting larger and more dangers and faster as it hurtles towards disaster.  At least we are thawing and temperatures are up to normal. All that hunkering down by the fire and trying to stay warm was for the birds--I was only warm in bed and my son was always at me to get up and feed him.  No peace!

I suppose it's a natural time for focusing on plans for the New Year, although I do not do resolutions as such.  Goals to work towards...I need to get marketing and sales up for Etsy and get myself on Twitter.  I think I need to rethink Lámhdhéanta as it is not working--do I keep pushing to try and get the concept up and running or do I give it up???  I am personally thinking the concept will work, but the implementation needs tweaking.  And by that last comment I mean that I haven't a feckin clue how I am going to re-attack it.  It will come to me in a dream, most likely. 

As a goal for last year, I wanted to try and get nominated for the Irish Blog Awards, but I can't seem to find criteria for nomination.  I know the IBA ( are in March 2011, but that seems to be the only info I can find.  Anyone else know anything???

Does anyone else have any good goals/resolutions/common sense for the coming year????

All I want to do is stare at the tree like a cat...

The Autumn Cometh

This weekend I could definitely feel the chill in the air and last night it was cold!  It was the first night I had to light the fire, instead of wanting the cosiness of it lit.  I suppose my news today is that I have my Etsy site up and running!  It feels a bit like giving birth, except I haven't nosy nurses poking at my girly bits and I am not starving!  But my baby is up and running and now it is time to start SELLING! Plenty more will be added in the coming weeks. 


More nuno felted silk/merino
scarves this week



I am going to be working on scarves this week as the hats and scarves have sold the best.  Lots of purple and gold for our Huskies! I have rovings that are dyed, dried, and ready to go, so I need to make lots of pre-felt pieces to add into the designs and get some chiffon dyed up so it is ready to go on Tuesday.  Chiffon is dry in minutes, so I need to dry my purples and greens and blues so I can get ready to lay down some fibre!  I have the week to complete scarves and then I must get onto some slipper samples.  The resist felting is going really well, but I think the slippers will be more challenging.  And hats!  More hats must be felted.  Eek, I haven't enough time to really get at all the projects I need to!  If felted a lovely dark blue/purple hat for myself and I need a new scarf to go with it :)  When I say NEED, you know what I mean....

It seems like I am inundated with forms to fill out lately.  Paperwork for citizenship, kids, Scouts, jobs.  When I get through this next bit I need to get on to Halloween. We pulled everything out of the attic, but with all the interruptions today, I didn't get a thing put up.   So the house must transform.  At least I will have a great excuse for leaving the dusting for the next few weeks!!



Fishnet cape: crocheted, felted, felted flowers, beaded collar.

Photos Snapped!

Bright pink hand-dyed lambswool

Well, I finished the photography for ETSY today and I just edited the photos.  We have had glorious Indian Summer weather, so the light was perfect.  This is going to be a mostly photographic post, so here goes:

Fishing net cape with beading around the neck

Merino/Silk/Alpaca hat

Turquoise funky beret

Felted, embroidered, and beaded green wrap

What a Difference a Day Makes...

Yesterday was stunning, the kind of postcard day in West Kerry that makes your heart sing and so glad that you are lucky enough to live here.  Blue skies, a light breeze, and 2,000+ people in Dingle for the 2nd Annual Dingle Marathon.  Fionn and I were signed up to volunteer down at the finish line, handing out goodies as the runners entered Dingle once more.  The forecast was given very poor for the day, so we were very lucky and since most of the runners were not from Dingle, it was even luckier to be able to show off the Peninsula at her best.  We handed out goodie bags from the sponsors, water from Kerry Spring, and passed out t-shirts to the breathless finishers.  I have to say, there was a fantastic atmosphere and the operation was very well organized.  There was great music from a slightly mad Kerryman (never did get his name, but he kept the crowds going) and the locals and visitors alike hung around longer than I thought they would.  Fionn got to hand water to the finishers as the crossed the line and even got to put a few medals around their necks.  Great fun and a wonderful afternoon. For all the events that are put on in Dingle, this one is great: good PR  and money for the town, lots of visitors who seem a largely positive bunch, and the whole lot is cleaned up and tidy afterwards. Win-win!

I had a mad week full of two children's birthday parties, work, sewing labels in clothing, and trying to get a dress sewn/felted for the wedding next Saturday.  I need to just take a look at measurements in my studio tomorrow and we might have a nearly finished dress!  I might want to add a bit of embellishment around the waist area and I need to felt some cobweb felt for fluttery sleeves, but we are nearly there.  I will post photos when I get it done! 

My very grownup little boy started the boy's school for 2nd class/Ranga Dó this week.  He was very nervous about the Irish, but when he got home the first day he told me "Mom, I hate my old school and I love my new school!  We got to play basketball!"  Boys.  They can be bought with food and sports.  Here he is with the new school uniform, which he wore the first day and then he will wear the blue polo shirt and navy track suit bottoms with the sports jacket.  He would live in track suit bottoms if I let him.  I am just relieved that we are off to a good start.  It seems like homework is going to average an hour this year, so it may be hard to get a lot done in studio until he gets it done.  I know he is supposed to start doing a lot of it himself, so once we get a routine going I am hoping he evolves into my little self-starter! 

Not many pics this week as I am getting ready to photograph EVERYTHING for ETSY this week.  Weather forecast is not good...sigh.  Weather has been very good on Sundays, but it's hard to get people to drop everything and model on a Sunday as they often have family plans.  Perhaps the sun will shine only in Dingle once again this week and I can snap everything quick!  Must finish dress and felt some kind of vessel to nicely present our cash present to the bride and groom.  And this week I start Christmas items!  If you think I am a bit daft, then you are forgetting that it takes time to make these lovely, handmade items.  Only 112 days left til Christmas!!!