So the day was getting closer and the reality of actually having a working studio that visitors to the village could come and have a peek at was finally beginning to sink in. Ian and I spent the week before sorting things out for the 'big' day.
The biggest job was putting up the Gazebo which of course wouldn't quite fit into our alley. It had to be suspended over the roof, that is obviously why I married an ex Theatre Rigger as it went up in a flash and was decorated with bunting that I hadn't even known he had bought!
I had some professional signage done for the Quay to let visitors know where I am and two signs for the bottom of the alley.
Because the walls are hundreds of years old literally the nails of course refused to cooperate so Ian decided to glue them on and this took some time! But being a village he had lots of people stop and chat and ask him what he was up too! All publicity is good publicity even if it is your husband glued to a wall for half an hour!! Our neighbour Danielle has commissioned a local artist to paint the walls and you can just see the boat in the right wall and there is a lovley big lighthouse waiting to be painted on the left.
Then of course the task of clearing up the studio, somethings had to stay like my travelling Gazebo which is the huge bag at the end and of course the inflatable Kayak and oars in the corner which is what every lampworker needs and Millys basket which you can just see at the end there although she is not the best meeter and greeter to strangers so her time in the studio is limited now!
All nice and tidy! now time for the cabinets and displays.....
Outside we set up some tables and put out the sweeties!
My mum and father in law sent me this lovely bunch of flowers for luck so we popped them on the table and we were ready to go......
So smiles all round!! Have you spotted Ian? We had a lovely day and infact were to busy for most of the day to get the camera out! Thank you to everyone who came to visit particularly my two lampworking friends Julie Haveland Beer and Amanda Muddimer it was lovely to see everyone and Manda, those Jelly Worms made ALL the diffence to my day? Amanda owns and runs a fantastic lampwork studio in Barnstaple and runs courses from there (
www.mangobeads.co.uk) and I am doing beginner and taster sessions in Appledore so there is now lots available for anyone who wants to have a go at lampworking in North Devon. Amanda has alot of advanced courses to and hosts International tutors, I am doing a course later this year with Carla di Francesca and I did a course there with Astrid Reidel at the end of last year.
I am now open between 3pm and 7pm most days for visitors, my first afternoon was yesterday and I was thrilled with the amount of visitors. 10 people popped by, but it did teach me that I will need to leave some of my more complicated experiments for the moring as I can't chat and make big beads at the same time!
So what have I been up to glass wise? Playing with colour mainly and my big hole mandrels! I also have a couple of ideas up my sleeve following a lively (sober!) chat in the pub this morning when I was dropping some more of my cards off there. So look out for Anna's idea to hit the web!
I have been working on these glass wheels and am hooked!
They are large and the size means I have to be really on the ball as far as keeping them warm all over is concerned and I have had some very sad casulties!
This was one that suffered a thermal shock but I have glued it together and it is hanging in my window! I still need lots of practice at the detail but I am happy that things are moving in the right direction!
This gives you some idea of the size...this is a UK 10p beside this bead.
So that is all for now, thank you for reading and if you are ever in Devon or if you live close by and are reading this do pop by and say hello! The address is 1 Victoria Crescent, Irsha Street, Appledore, EX39 1RS and if you would like more information on beginner and taster sessions do email me on bazaarbarnstaple@yahoo.co.uk
Jennie ;0)
