October is Transition Month...

Crocheted merino hat with hand-dyed felt pieces

Lots of transitions these days.  Transition to self-employed person, which is simultaneously exhilarating and creative and also very worrying on how I will manage a regular income.  Transition to a car owner once again.  Yep, I picked up my darling on Monday and so I am now the proud owner of a 2000 navy blue Ford Escort station wagon.  She has low miles and is ready to go!  I must get her washed again because she is filthy after driving up from Cork, but otherwise seems in great form.  The relief of having a car again!  Plenty to be doing, but must get the final license sorted ASAP as motor insurance is shocking here.

Felted and dyed three scarves yesterday with pics to follow.  Craft fair on tomorrow, so must get labels sewn in and all new pieces tagged.  Trying to keep a high production level, but darn busy life keeps interfering!  I do have samples to make and send to the USA for two shops who have expressed interest, so that will help me sleep at night if I can get that going.

All Kerry Christmas Market on at An Díseart in Dingle December 17 & 18 (Sat & Sun) from 10-5pm.  Standard 6 ft stalls INDOORS €25 per day.  Please give me a ring to register as space is going quickly!  There will be charity Santy, facepainting, excellent food and craft, and more surprises being organized.  Should be great craic! 087-9111793 for more info.

If you are interested in felting workshops, please note the dates below...

Hats

Saturday, November 5th

Tuesday, November 8th

Tuesday, November 29th

Hand-dyed merino felt hat with seed bead
embellishment

Wednesday, December 7th

           

Scarves

Friday, November 4th

Wednesday, November 16th

Tuesday, November 22nd

Saturday, December 10th

Ring 087-9111793 or email sharon1_crandall@hotmail.com to register.  Space and materials are limited.  Plan to make something lovely for yourself or a loved one for the holidays this year!

No Holidays This Easter!!

Life is zooming along lately, with me as a mostly willing participant.  I am tired, though.  I am cramming a lot into my days, but once we get past Holy Communion and into summer, things will slow down--roll on the end of June!

Fiona Crinnion's beautiful bracelet

Not that all my activities are drudgery.  I am really looking forward to Craft in Kerry's first Craft Fair that is coming up next Friday, April 29th from 10-6pm at An Díseart in Dingle, Co Kerry.  More of a showcase that just a run-of-the-mill craft fair, it will feature some of the fantastic diversity that Kerry's artisans have to offer.  In our dodgy economic times, it's important to remember that supporting handmade artisans means jobs to Ireland.  You can own quality, beautiful items that will last and make sure that Irish people stay employed.

Beyond our stallholders, there will be craft demonstrations featuring our Handmade Sessions, the boy's of Scoil Ioghnad Rís selling handmade bird boxes/houses, face painting for the kids, and a lot more.  Nationwide will be there filming us, so there should be something for everyone.  All on the grounds of the former convent.

We are *hoping* for a fine day and so the convent gardens should be spectacular.  They are going to be redesigning them into the Tree of Life garden which can be seen here http://www.diseart.ie/visitor/gardens.html.  I am sure the Monsignor would appreciate all interest!

So, lots of events in our short week next week:

• Wednesday, April 27th Felting Workshop 1-4pm @ An Díseart in Dingle, Co Kerry.  Email sharon1_crandall@hotmail.com or 087-9111793 for details.  Limited spaces.

• Friday, April 29th Craft in Kerry Craft Fair 10-6pm @ An Díseart in Dingle, Co Kerry

Bluebell Eco Candles

Back from the Big Smoke

I do love Dublin for a break from rural life, but I find I have to rush, rush, rush and then I am back home again.  Hardly any time for relaxing or rummaging around for supplies I might need or just getting to know the city.  We went up to Dublin for a Failte Ireland gig called Meitheal that was on at Mansion House.  Garry Marcham and I were there to promote craft making for Craft in Kerry's new project called the Handmade Sessions.  Meitheal put us in touch with almost 300 international tour operators to talk up the sessions that will begin in Dingle in June.  In the picture there you can see Garry using his lathe to shave wood and I am the nut in the red felted hat in the background next to my friend the bald eagle!  I felted flat pieces and gave tour operators a chance to learn felting and see the kind of work we are doing.  The Handmade Sessions are important to us for two reasons: 1.  They provide much-needed work for highly skilled craft artisans. Many artisans are not able to work full-time at their craft and this needs to change; and 2.  We want to preserve these skills and educate people in handmade traditions.  So, we are all go to get things ready.

In the meantime, I finished two more textile collages.  This one is wool/silk/paper with a quote attached.  It will be heading to the framer soon.  The other one is a piece of wool I dyed dark inky colours of night sky and then machine pieced in hand-dyed wool stalks and stars and my favourite passage from Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare.  I am pleased enough with it so far, but can't quite make up my mind on whether it is finished or if it needs more hand stitching around the reeds.  Opinions?

Now, I must get writing as I have lots of details for the Craft in Kerry Craft Fair that is on April 29th in Dingle.  It's part of the Feile na Bealtaine/Pan Celtic Festival celebrations and it's proving to be a cracker event. We have more than 30 exhibitors, craft demonstrations, face painting and nibbles for the kiddies, a Craft in Kerry lucky dip, and a handmade bargain table that is not to be missed!  Did I mention the masseuse???

Where Did January Go...?

I usually find that January and February are the dullest months of the year, but that was before I decided to start a Scouts troupe and a craft guild simultaneously while working, cranking out new stuff from my studio, and cleaning (hah!) my house.  Some of those things are going well and some things are falling down the rabbit hole.  Scouts and the craft guild are going great!  House is okay, not bad, but studio is not going well at all....In desperation, I moved a load of stuff back over, to tempt myself into taking up camp and getting stuck in again, but it was freezing and so I unpacked the boxes and hightailed it out of there.  I will be heading back tomorrow, but it won't be for long periods of time until the weather warms up some.  It's just hard to stick -5 with no heat, especially when sewing requires sitting for lengths of time and felting is a wet process that would leave me with even colder hands.  My right arm has also been giving me some grief, something about tendonitis, so I've had to take it easy.  Never a dull moment.

Make a beautiful felted book cover?

We had our first meeting for the craft guild, changed the name to Craft in Kerry due to Google search engines, and are off to a flying start!  We have our first event, a craft fair, scheduled for Friday, April, 29th at An Díseart in Dingle from 10-4pm.  We will have craft demonstrations and try to give it a real family atmosphere, given that two festivals will be taking place at the same time.  We have our next meeting scheduled for Monday, February 21st in the Carlton Hotel in Tralee at 7:30p.m.  Lots to discuss!  Details for membership to finalize, publicity ideas, logo's hopefully will be ready to vote on, and we have an interview on Radio Kerry to get ready for!  Weeshie Fogarty rang me and said he would be delighted to give us an hour's interview on his "In Conversation with..." show on Wednesday nights from 6-7:00pm.  Our slot isn't until March 30th, but we need the time to get press packs ready, start a blog, decide which five members are doing the interview, and get him some background info on our coming events.  Meanwhile, Nationwide was in contact and they are coming to Dingle to film us for the craft fair, so it's time to get organized!  I did get a Facebook, page up and running, so you can look us up under http://www.facebook.com/KateOConor?ref=ts#!/pages/Craft-in-Kerry/172314459478834.

I'm also teaching a felting workshop during the Feile.  It took me awhile to decide on what to concentrate on since by the end of April it will be warmer and a new winter hat will be at the back of everyone's mind.  So, this is what I came up with...

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Life-transforming ideas have always come to me through books. --bell hooks

Learn the easy and transformative process of felting, one of the oldest textiles in the world. With wool, warm water, and a little soap and energy, you can create all kinds of wonderful items. We will focus on the process of making felt and then felt book covers that can be used as journals, sketchbooks, or photo albums. They make a wonderful gift, but you may want to keep it for yourself! Materials provided on the day, but please book in advance. All abilities welcome, but preferably age 14 and up. 087-9111793.

Time: Wednesday, April 27th 1-4pm
Price: €20, plus materials fee

Sharon Crandall is a textile artist based in West Kerry. She enjoys making things with her hands and crochets, embroiders, quilts, and makes jewellery. Four years ago she discovered felting and Zing! wool and natural fibres became a passion.

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I know the workshop fee is very small, but it's really hard to fill workshops right now.  In the good old times, I could easily have charged €50 for the three hours.  Any thoughts???

Getting organized...

.There will be a meeting Monday, January 17th at 730pm at PAUL GEANEY'S to organized a handmade artisan guild, tentatively named KerryHandmade.  There's lots to discuss, including setting up a committee, grant possibilities, craft fairs, and workshops.  Since this is the Year of Craft there seems to be a rush to schedule lots of activities, but there is also the opportunity to promote Kerry crafts and get a bit of money to do it, too.

If you are in Kerry and you make handmade goods, please try to attend the meeting.  Not only will we be able to market together and save money, but we will also raise the profile of all handmade goods in Kerry.  Speaking of marketing, I am currently reading Un Marketing by Scott Stratten.  It was a recommended read by Etsy and I have to say it is worth every penny.  It kind of validates all the ideas that I have had about cold calling and how it does not work.  In a nutshell, people sell themselves as trusted individuals first before they ever sell a product.  Important to remember as a sole trader.  Do spend the money to buy the book because it makes so many valid points.

In the meantime, I have stressed the tendons in my right arm, so my felting and crocheting is very slow right now.  Not very convenient, but there you go.  I can use the sewing machine, so maybe I should concentrate on that for now.  There are lots of plans for this year, but it seems to be off to a very slow start!!  Is anyone else experiencing roadblocks???

That 'ol Kerry Magic...

I have been noticeably absent, but I return!! Rising from the Christmas ashes, I am ready to take on 2011.  We had a lovely two weeks off and really did nothing but eat, talk, read, and watch movies, but that was exactly what the doctor ordered.  December, as always, leaves me burned out and that two weeks of thinking and reading and nearly downright lazy time is what I needed to get myself focused on the new year. And I came to a few conclusions:

Dreaming of 2011??  I think so.

If I am to endure poverty and obscurity, WHY not in Kerry?  We have a house and friends and a life here, I have my studio.  It just seems overwhelming and financially devastating to start over again back in Seattle.  My wee little start into a textile career would be sucked away into the recession abyss and my training and struggling would be for a hobby, not a career.  Just can't face that.

If I am staying, then I am investing myself MORE and not less into Kerry.  I want to put Kerry on the map for handmade goods and crafts tourism.  First stop is KerryHandmade, a guild for handmade artists of all disciplines.  I am organizing a meeting for Monday, January 17 at 7:30pm at Benner's Hotel in Dingle, Co Kerry.  This meeting is for all handmade artisans throughout Kerry, so spread the word. We will be discussing the purpose of the group, how to get our message out, and a craft fair possibility during the Pan Celtic/Feile na Bealtaine on Friday, April 29th. There will also be workshop teaching possibilities throughout the Feile. If you make handmade goods, please plan on attending as this will be of great benefit to you! I have high hopes to get something going to really start branding areas of Kerry as centres of creativity --no, I wasn't going to say excellence!!  Come along and we will see how to get the ball rolling.

And my final thought for the New Year: felt my way through it!  My house is up in a heap since I had to move all home during The Freeze, but back it must now go and get cracking on developing clothing!  I will be teaching a felting workshop of undecided focus in April and I must plan that and shift into replenishing stock and PLAYING with wool and design and colour.  Certainly more dyeing :) 

As dreary as December felt, January is certainly looking up.  You can't keep a good optimist down!

December Panic in Dingle!!

Crocheted and felted lacy scarf: Merino, Mohair.

I have been procrastinating in my blog writing, but that's because we have been struggling with the cold weather and I have had to move almost everything home because there is no heat in my studio.  I put in two hours work there and was frozen.  Even my heating system at home isn't keeping my house terribly warm and the kitchen is too cold to be in by night.  I know it sounds boring to go on about the weather (though it is an Irish national pastime), BUT it seems to be having a big impact these days.  I am just relieved that we aren't having as much snow in Dingle as it is treacherous with the snow and ice.  And I feel truly sorry for my English friends as it is much worse there. 

I am in the middle of a mad week of projects.  I have cuffs to embellish and finish, a festive top to felt, a quilt to assemble and finish, fours hats to embellish, and felting more scarves.  This doesn't include getting ready for the craft fair on Sunday, felting with Fionn's class, and cleaning and decorating the house.  All go!! 

The craft fair at Benner's Hotel in Dingle should be wonderful.  The Dingle Chamber of Commerce and MFG are organizing a shopping day in Dingle, so come out if you have time (and the roads are very good our way) as there will be caroling, discounts in shops, and at 430pm there will be a Lantern Parade with all the school children in West Kerry.  They are having  a competition for the schools on who can make the best lanterns out of recycled materials.  Go Scoil Iognáid Rís!!! It should be a wonderful afternoon and no better weather for warm woollies!!

Now, back to the sewing machine and the cold kitchen!!

Cold Dingle Morning

We woke up this morning to a dusting of snow around Dingle and a considerable amount more in the mountains.  Winter is here!  And is there any better time for wool???  It's about 20 f/-4c today with the wind, so hopefully people will pick up some lovely warm gifts for Christmas.  Handmade and not made in China.

I felted two scarves yesterday.  What I call Ladder Scarves as they look like a ladder or spine when laid out.  The are long and flippy, which makes them hard to photograph.  In the photo to the right you can see the texture of the merino and silk together, very shiny when ironed and the merino is nice and soft to the skin.  I used natural merino and then over-dyed it twice to get the variegated tones.  You might need a much substantial scarf  today, but this is good for most weather days in Ireland. 

I am way behind on felting projects, which is about usual.  I have too much going on in my own life that is disrupting production!  There is going to be a great craft fair on in Dingle on Sunday, December 12th from 1-6pm at Benner's Hotel.  I am working on some more scarves that will be done by then and I have more hats coming.  You'd want your hat today! 

So much seems to be coloured by Ireland's disastrous financial situation.  Everyone seems to be so resigned and depressed, but they really can reject the loan and make the banks take the burden instead of adding generations of debt to each person in Ireland.  What makes matters a lot worse is that they are calling for austerity measures for us all and then you hear about €240,000 golden handshakes being given out and how they only two weeks ago voted a pay rise for themselves.  Austerity for all would be bad enough, but it isn't for all.  Morale is quite low.  The Irish news seems to be reporting that there isn't any other option, but calling an election before they finalized the loan is one thing the Irish people can do.  Otherwise, Ireland will be colonized all over again, this time with the banks.