Run Off My Feet!

The wonderful Pam de Groot
demonstrating Shibori dyeing

It's been a hard couple of weeks getting The Handmade Sessions open, and we could use a few more things up on the walls, but we will be officially open for business on Tuesday, June 21st with a wood carving workshop. The delightful Pam de Groot was with us for three days and taught master level felting and resist dyeing to christen the space. The walls are already dirty and need to be repainted! We all had a great time and learned so much. Many, many thanks, Pam, for making the trip to our corner of the world!

Please join Craft in Kerry in celebrating our new venture, The Handmade Sessions, on Monday, June 20 at 4pm on John St in Dingle, Co Kerry at our new venue opposite Galvin's travel agent. We will be showcasing some of our craft workshops, including wood carving, felting, knitting, spinning, and clothing upcycling. All welcome!

All workshops are 2-530pm for the present time and cost €35, materials included.  Please contact +353-087-9111793 or email handmadesessions@hotmail.com.  Lots of great workshops coming and if your group would like a day-long workshop, please contact me as we can accommodate that!  Parking in old CBS parking lot just four doors up from us on the right.

Marika making design decisions with her prefelts.

The Endless To-Do List...

Handmade Sessions at the Malton for Kerry Tourism Expo

To say that I have been busy has been a major understatement.  I finished my job at the creche and had one day off to organize and then headed to the Malton Hotel in Killarney for the Kerry Tourism Expo.  It was excellent.  There was great enthusiasm for the Handmade Sessions and we got a chance to really network in Kerry for Craft in Kerry.  It was a long day, but well worth it.

My sister had arrived the night before on a rather horrible trip into Ireland and so went swimming with my son while I was talking and talking and talking at the Malton.  Between jet lag and her hangover, she wasn't doing all that well by late afternoon.
We recovered from that marathon day and then had just the next day to run around and get ready for my son's Holy Communion, the reason for Auntie Jen's visit.  The weather was windy and sunny on the Friday, but Saturday dawned with awful weather.  We barely got into the church intact and could hear rain hammering on the ceiling of the church during the Mass.  The service was lovely and so beautiful.  My son has been in school with most of the other kids since they were 3 years old and so it was so lovely to see them so grown up and innocent and wonderful up there.  I was so proud of my boy.  And it was over all-too-soon and then we were down to the Skellig Hotel for lunch and a bit of needed relaxation.  Many glasses of wine later, we collected a pizza for the exhausted Communion boy and headed home to watch the film of his choice.  Up for Mass the next morning and I lost count at the amount of times the Communion children were yawning.  It made for a slow and easy afternoon (full of wind and rain, of course).

The much-loved Auntie Jen

Next day, we took off to Co Clare for three days.  Liscannor, Doolin, and Ennis.  It was lovely and sunny for the Cliffs of Moher and Doolin, but raining, raining, raining all the other days.  Two different taxi drivers recognized me from Nationwide, which I found a bit disconcerting--I don't want to be recognized!  We had a great visit, however, and we dropped my sister at the airport and headed off back to Kerry.

And now, I am frantically preparing for the launch of the Handmade Sessions.  We have venue, we have instructors, and we have (mostly) enough money.  Marketing materials being printed, venue getting painted next week, and workshop materials are being gathered.  Please check the calendar for Handmade Sessions at http://craftinkerry.blogspot.com/.  There are lots of great workshops coming up.  The calendar should be finalized by this weekend!  Life is in the details!

Look at the smile on that boy...psst, he's right next to
the priest!

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....

Long Time No Blog...

Pat Lawless' regal chairs

We are over the Easter holidays, thank God. My son was quite happy to put on his uniform and walk to school.  He was ready a half hour early!  I think we definitely are both ready to get back to routine.  I spent a manic amount of time in my studio trying to get ready for the Craft in Kerry craft fair and then the admin work to get the craft fair ready (with the help of the wonderful Fiona Crinnion and partner Ronán and Colleen Bowler).  Nationwide has come and gone and it should be on tomorrow night (Wednesday May 4 at 7pm in Ireland, but you can view in on Player at www.rte.ie).  I was happy enough with the feature and so we just have to wait and see how we end up after editing.  The weather was beautiful on the day and we all came outside.  Actually, it was too beautiful and people were down on the waterside part of town soaking in the sun and sea, but no matter.  We made a start and it's onward and upward!!

Colleen Bowler's beautiful pottery.  All items at the CIK
Craft Fair were handmade in Kerry.

Now I need to get the Handmade Sessions on the map.  If we are going to get started for the beginning of June, there's a good bit of work to get done.  I have a flyer done, but we need to adapt that to a brochure and have leaflets printed for all the hotels and B&B's.  We need to build a great table to work around and have a real kit the building out session.  We don't need much to get started, so we might just squeak by on the cheap.  It's a bit ambitious to get us started on this so soon after starting Craft in Kerry, but the time is now and I know it will work.  There are also so many promising artisans that are not working and I am hoping that this will not only raise their profile, but also their income level!!  We all need a boost and a break from the Irish economic doom and gloom. Lots of meetings to get through this week, but I am hoping to have a good answer on funding and getting our foot in the door soon to get the premises ready.

A final pic of some of the journals that I felted for the craft fair.  I am happy enough with them and hopefully they will be part of my off-season woolly stock.

Felted journals by Chiarrí Creations

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

Felting Workshop

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.  Materials provided on the day, but space is limited so please book in advance.  All abilities welcome, but preferably age 14 and up. 087-9111793.

Time:         Wednesday, April 27^th 1-4pm, at An Díseart (next to St Mary’s Church)

Price:          €25, plus materials fee €5

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.

Sharon Crandall, Chiarraí Creations; chairperson, Craft in Kerry; member, Craft Council of Ireland; member, Feltmakers Ireland. http://www.etsy.com/shop/kerryfelter http://kerryfelter.blogspot.com/

http://craftinkerry.blogspot.com/

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???