WOYWW 175: some inky tags and a bit of shopping

I've not been doing much moodling lately so I tiredly sprayed up some tags the other night.  They were a little dark so, after tidying my desk (!) I slapped some paint etc on them.

So my desk, unveiled today for Julia Dunnit's 175th 'What's on your Workdesk? Wednesday', is scattered with a few tags and my sketchbook [I'm trying my best to do some work for Jane Davies' Extreme Composition workshop].

I added some transparent fluid acrylic to this tag which really lifted it, before adding a black acrylic paint/india ink flower.

And to this one I painted and stamped some squares, added some strips of tissue tape and a 'Chloe Stem' that was lying around my table!

On another table in my house are some of my purchases from The Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair.    I'd love a few of these butterflies up my wall but only had the funds for the one.  Check out what Anna Collette Hunt did with thousands of these and other insects at Nottingham Castle here

Cheryl Ewing's piece was almost too nicely packaged to even open! [don't you just love brown paper packages tied up with string ?  ;)]

Inside, another piece for my hallway...

I mentioned Julia Jowett's wonderful work in my last post, and ended up spending more than I intended at her stand!  But it's just sooooooo gorgeous!!! (and I don't usually 'do' birds!!!)

(love the printing on the above felt, might need to try that at some point!)

A new bathroom is on the list of DIY jobs at the minute so when I saw 'Harriet' by Kate Lulham I knew she had to come home and live there!  She's so quirky she really makes me smile.

And finally, a fabulous felt 'stone' forming a fun pin cushion by the very talented Lindsey Tyson :)  Her nuno felting is to die for but these pebbles were more in my price range.

Thanks for looking!  I'm off to blog hop a few desks myself :)

the Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair 2012

I had all good intentions to keep making and blogging whilst back at work but I've just been sooooooooo tired!    Today though, my daughter, niece and I took a trip into Manchester to the great northern contemporary craft fair, a veritable feast of gorgeousness!

I AdOrE fifites designs so these modern takes were a purchase must!  (I also LoVe toadstools!)  It took me ages to choose which pieces to have but eventually went for the toadstool mug and plate, the leaf jug and the green bowl and dinner plate.  I'll certainly be adding to the collection of pottery by Sarah Heaton.  The grey pieces are gorgeous too...

There's so much to see at this show.  These paper birds were delightful..

..this wooden pendulum clock a masterpiece, and mesmerising to watch...

...and this ceramic work by Claire Baker is such fun!  (Check out that 'cup handle' made from a spoon!)

Liz Cooksey's beautiful textiles are tiny and intricate and just stunning!  I love how they look like miniature quilts..

... and they're such a contrast to Holly Levell's equally amazing textile pieces which re-create retro food and sweets!

I made a number of purchases (oops!), which I'll share tomorrow, some of which came from the very talented Julia Jowett who, it turns out, recently joined Unit Twelve, a favourite gallery of mine :)  Isn't this wire work stunning?

... and the girl's dress in the above piccie is all hand embroidered!  I'm DeFiNiTeLY signing up for her workshop in February 2012 :)

There's sooooooo much to see at this show, and I didn't get pics of everything I loved, but we did have a fantastic day, and snapped some pics of some of the fabulous Manchester architecture on the way back to the tram :)