WILLING TO BE A SHELTER IN A STORM
YOUR WILLOW, OH WILLOW, WHEN THE SUN IS OUT
Goodness but I've got a lot to share this week - apologies for that and also for being terrible at replying to comments last week. Sorry, I'm usually really good but life just happened, if ya know what I mean! I promise to be better.....
The desk (No 1)
I'm doing a school summer fair this afternoon in selling crafts in aid of the RNLI - I'm taking that huge box of items that you gave me, Wipso, and am adding a few odds and sods of my own.
Yesterday was Yarn Day at the WI meeting with a talk on Fleece to Shop and a knitted/crocheted item for the competition. I had an idea inspired by Twiglet's little dragon, so here's Desk No 2:
Obvious what it's going to be eh?! I didn't have a pattern for the tea cosy so got my pot and made it up. There was a cross stitch chart for the Welsh flag online so I copied that onto paper....
With the addition of three pom poms and a crocheted edge to the flag. Ta -da!!
OK desk stuff finishes here but craft stuff continues...sort of. The boys and I went on a road trip last Friday to Cardigan. We stopped at Cilgerran Castle (NT) which was amazing. There was a fantastic figure of Sir William Marshal made out of willow, so clever.
The maker had used different colours of willow with different weaves to create the effect of armour etc.
Here's a 6'3 son for scale!
You can see a face and emblem on the chest - so clever!
Then we carried on to Cardigan - it's a very old market town on the coast with a really interesting history. I'm going to go back because we didn't cover half the ground we wanted to...
The market was a real surprise - talking to the fabric stall lady, it's the only purpose built historical market in Wales. It reminded me of the mosque/church in Cordoba with all the arches. You could see where the original cattle stalls would have been.
The lady in blue was very interesting to talk to and explained that the market group are trying to get funding to repair the fabric of the building.
Oooh, there was lots to see....
And many different shops to tempt me!! I was restrained.......
It's a two storey building, the upstairs wasn't as good as downstairs but there were more sculptures made of willow....
Aren't they wonderful? Cardigan Bay is a brilliant place to see dolphins, basking sharks, the odd whale, sunfish...all sorts come across the Atlantic. You don't even have to go out in a boat. At Newquay (Cardiganshire rather than Cornwall) you can stand on the harbour and watch the dolphins off the coast.
I'd have liked the willow dolphins for my home or garden but couldn't fit them in my back pack!!
Have a wonderful week xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
28 comments:
oh what a gorgeous place- both the NT and the market - lovely building!! Happy WOYWW Helen #?
What a lovely day out with the family. Your tea cosy is fantastic-you clever you are to work out the stitches needed to make the dragon. I could have managed the pompoms in the time it took you to do it all! Good luck with the sales today.
Love that tea cosy, would they not sell in the lifeboat shop?
Trust you to have a day out and find fabric and haberdashery goods. Love the willow figures. Have a good week. Ani (not contributed yet)
Well, what a photo full blog post that had me spellbound whilst going through it. First of all, your wonderful makes. I had seen the tea cosy before and was in awe of it, no wonder it took a prize. Good luck with the school summer fair later today.
The willow guy is amazing, gosh it must have been huge! And so full of detail too. Just the thing for your son to have a photo of with him stood beside it. But I love the dolphins, they just are magical to me in real life and so anything to do with them appeals to me.
That brings me to the market. What a fabulous building. I love architecture and those arches are amazing. Looks as if the stalls were a wonderland for you. Usually you get one stall or so that deals with textiles but this looks like a real treasure trove.
Can fully understand you wanting to go back to do the Bay full justice. I think it might be something that will go on my bucket list too. Dolphin watching is a real big appeal.
Hugs, Neet 6 xx
Hi Jan, Hope the summer fair goes well and the weather is nice for it.
The tea cosy is fab. I remember as a kid mum always did the tea in a large teapot.
The Willow Knight is fab.
The market is also fab. Hope they can raise the money needed to do the repairs. You must have tied your hands together, or put tape over your mouth, as I can imagine you left without buying anything:) LOL
Those willow dolphins were really fab.
Oh I'd so love to see dolphins and whales. We get seals here. Sadly I have seen a sunfish, porpoise and even whales dead on the beach, but never in the sea.
Happy WOYWW
Sue #8
Wow to your write up on wales, it looks fabulous. That market hall is something else.
Thanks for the tour Jan
Lynn xx 13
Oh Jan what a fab trip you had - and that market - lovely building and lots of fab stuff to drool over! The willow sculptures are stunning - it's so clever isn't it. Good luck with the craft sale. Tea cosy is just perfect! xx Jo
Just been on Cratyanni's blog and told her about this hotel I saw featured on Four in a bed yesterday. Then thought - 'why have I not told LLJ?' so here is the link - I am sure you will find it most interesting.
Hugs, Neet 6 xx
http://www.theknittinghotel.co.uk/index.html
OH! Dear! there's Cardigan on the Bucket List of Places to Visit!!
Love all that willow work, amazing how creative some folk are but I bet their hands are a tad calloused!!
LOVE the teacosy ..... may borrow the idea for a scarf for PJ and his new sister...... Christmas is popping its head up round here! lol
Have a good week
Christine #22
Look at you designing your own tea cozy! It turned out so well! Also loved that wonderful fabric shop! It's huge and I could spend days there for sure!
Glenda #23
The greatest knight was well named there, wasn’t he? Loved your tea cosy, and I want the dolphins too xxx Hope your sale goes well; Burry Port RNLI must be so glad to have you supporting them.
Lynne xx
I'm really glad you're putting my makes to good use....lets hope they sell well for you. What a fab day out you had....I'm tempted to ask if you bought any fabric?
Hugs,
Annie x #16
Hiya Jan, how fabulous are those willow sculptures? Reminds me we used to pass a huge Wicker Man round about the Glastonbury area when we went down to Cornwall.Don't know if it's still there, not been down that way for years now. That market hall is amazing, can see why they want to be able to keep it in good order. There is a similar one up in Derby, but that is mainly Wrought Iron work, rather than stone, but fabulous non the less.I'm afraid my restraint would have gone out the window, lol. Love & hugs to you all, Shaz #4 XxXxXx
Happy WOYWDW
What a lovely place to visit and i love the way they have used the willow so clever, Love the hall and so much there,
Lilian B #19
Hi Jan, hope the fair is going well and that you have a sell out raising plenty for the RNLI. I've admired it on Facebook but I'm admiring the tea-cosy again - it's truly fab! Just for a minute I thought you'd popped up to Galloway and bumped into the Wickerman who is equally as tall as Sir William. Doesn't your boy look like you! Love the arches in the market building and those fabrics - I can feel a trip to Cardigan coming on - next year!!! Have a wonderful week. Hugs, Elizabeth x #24
Oh yes life does just happen but what a wonderful way to spend it Jan. I don't believe I've ever been to Cardigan bay sounds like a great place to wind down. Well done on not being tempted by nice things, it's not as easy as it is to say it hee hee!! Thanks for the reassuring words regarding Hubby & his rehab, his second 12 week sessions are a lot tougher than the first but he's trying hard. Happy WoywW & Thanks for sharing such lovlies today HUgs Tracey #17
Wow Jan, no wonder you didn't get round everything you wanted to in Cardigan, that market is a show stopper. Love the willow woven art work too. Great tea cosy especially at the last minute. Good luck with sales for the RNLI. Happy WOYWW. Sarah #3
What a lovely trip out. Those dolphins are gorgeous and the Knight is HUGE! I can imagine you were very happy with all those luscious fabric stalls to look at in the market. Hope today has gone well. Happy WOYWW. Have a lovely week. With love & God Bless, Caro xxx (#15)
What a busy desk. I'm impressed. And that tea cozy is out of this world. Amazing!!
What a lovely place you and your family visited. Such a great market, too. I fear I would have been tempted. I LOVE (and often hoard) fabric. Happy WOYWW from #1.
Fabulous place, all that gorgeous fabric that I'm surprised you wanted to go home. I love your tea cosy it's brilliant. Wishing you a very happy woyww with hugs, Angela x11x
Hi Jan. What a wonderful time you had. Great tea cosy! Take care Anne X 14
I loved the willow figure and the dolphins. So beautifully made. I rather liked your tea cosy too. Clever lady. xxx Maggie (Silvercrafter) #9
Fantastic photos! I love the statues with the willow branches. So pretty and clever. Have a wonderful week. Dorlene #27
I enjoyed all your photos! Cool tea cozy.
When you share photos of places you go I feel I'm visiting, too! Thanks!
Have a great week.
Carol N #25
What a wonderful road trip! The craftsmanship in the willow sculptures was amazing! And the market! Such a feast for the eyes! Bet restraint was difficult! Have a happy week!
Gorgeous photos of your beautiful part of the world. Willow sculptures are stunning.
sandra de
I love your teapot cozy! That historical market place in Whales looks like it would be thrill to visit, with it’s amazing architecture. Thanks for your visit to my blog and blessings!
Oh, those dolphins! Oh, those shops! Oh, all those colorful fabrics! (can you tell I am drooling over all those photos?!) Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog last week, I am late with my visit due to tropical days in the Netherlands (too warm to sit at the computer in the atelier - too hot to do anything really...) Warm hug from Holland, Marit #7
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