What a gorgeous couple of days it has been - please Mr Weather Forecaster, don't suddenly change your mind and tell us rain is on the way?
Since my last blog, which was, embarrassingly, several weeks ago, I have completed my last craft event this side of summer. I made the decision a couple of years ago not to hold events between late May and September; I found that people coming into the town centre were there mainly to quickly get their BBQ goodies and their week's shopping and either nip back home to their garden, off to the beach or to buy supplies for their holiday travel. As both a stallholder and an event organiser, I know how disheartening it is when footfall is low. However, that doesn't mean to say work has stopped for the summer in the A Fair to Remember office - requests to take part in the autumn and winter events are coming in every day and I am still on the lookout for venues I can use that are in a busy town centre or (impossible I know) guaranteed to attract a high footfall.
What else have I been doing? Catching up with friends, lots of gardening, visiting Wisley to see their plans for improvements and changes, spending a day at the Chelsea Flower Show; not sure I agreed with the choice of Best in Show or the Peoples Choice Best in Show, but hey that's what Chelsea does, creates controversy and talking points and we wouldn't really want it any other way, would we? Of course, almost needless to say, a big talking point was Diarmuid Gavin's garden with its spinning trees, roof rising up and down and flower beds spinning around the building - great fun and he can be relied on to do something very, very different.I am still a one-day-a-week potter - I love the course, feel I sometimes move one or two steps forwards only to fall three steps back, but it is great fun. My fellow potters are friendly and some of them are incredibly talented and I am not too sure why they are not selling their work for hundreds (if not thousands) of pounds. I still have the 'what I see in my mind's eye, doesn't match what I produce' problem, but I can't be talented at everything (as if), can I?
I am looking to take part in events (as a stallholder) in the winter months and prefer to do two or three day ones. The first day is always hectic and it is great to be able to walk away at the end of the day and arrive the next day knowing all I need to do is uncover, tidy and begin selling. The Farnham Maltings Christmas event is open for applications and I will have a go. I was disappointed not to get in last year, but was very surprised that this year they are showing a video on their website from the 2014 event which has some of my work! So embarrassing, I wrote this post and didn't publish it - er, not too sure why. However, I think an update is needed. I didn't get my application for the Farnham Maltings completed in time, so sadly I won't be taking part this year. My knee is still giving me trouble - turned out to not be ligaments, but physio doesn't know exactly what it is so a return to the doc's this week is on my list of 'to-do's'. My
pottery course has now finished until September - lots of plans on what to make next term, but I am possibly going to return to making my face pots, which I enjoy and they seem to work out fairly well.
Richard and I went to Jersey for a few days this week - the weather was a mix of cloudy and sunny. We lovely Jersey and it was nice to go back to places we knew and also to stay in our favourite hotel. More or less up-to-date - nearly forgot have just watched Andy Murray win Wimbledon. A great match and a great player.
Have a great week everyone. Now for my 100 lines: I must regularly update my blog, I must regularly update my blog.
Jill
