Christmas is comming and plans for next year started !!!

A bit of mad times in Autumn but now all cool down and I totally refuse to get back to my daily madness with groups, associations and all the others.
I am chilling and gathering my toughts for next year. Already some plans start to run wild in my head.
You do need to get your plans in order and I learn a valuable lesson : start preparations from early enough .

I plan for next year to: half at least, my stress levels and this will happen with a good planning and more important following the plan and the schedule .

First on the list for Jan is to make the pattern and do the sewing for a crewel embroidery size 15/ 20 inches  for a nice lady in Galway which will take the ICA exams .
Well... drawing finished now just to start the sewing and pattern writing so I think I am ahead of my self for once...

A bit dark, but otherwise you would not see the drawing so I had to make it more dark for better visibility.

Then a first pattern for blackwork which is actually purple .
At the moment I am not very keen in doing blackwork patterns. I will see after this first one if I am going to continue with .

Then a project for the Embroidery guild and another for the Lace guild .
Classes start to fill in and I am still having my full time job.
Now... do I am going to be able to avoid the word STRESS next year?
Will keep you informed about :) :)



 Happy crafting all
Hugs
Renata

Shows, holidays and work

Yes, the Knitting and Stitching show finished a long time ago.
I have return to you with some pictures maybe a little bit late, but I think it's never too late to tell you again about how much of a good time I had at the show and how much I really did enjoy the show.
I have to say a big thank you to all of you which came for the first time to see my work and for all those whom came back time after time to check my work and support my journey through the land of embroidery and lace.

Here is the night before the show when everything was set up and finished, or so we taught. The next morning I found some of the pictures down on the floor with damaged frames but the actual embroidery was OK.

Then all the madness started.
Four very busy days which took the life out of me. I actually never realised what I was getting myself into.
I learned my lesson for the next show, which is that I need to start my preparations from NOW .. !!!!

I had shown and explain my prized quilt at least 50 times and I do believe it was the star of my stand. Everyone was intrigue and mesmerized by the complexity of the design.

 Here is a much detailed picture of the quilt in question.

Another star of my show was the Blackwork portrait of my lovely daughter which many people recognized when they seen her around at the show.

I had a sore throat  for about a week after from so much talking.
Now it is all finished and after all that stress I have take a very very big break.
Something which I actually should have done a long time ago: talking to my family, watch stupid things on TV, cleaning windows, cleaning the house and just lazying around.

I think now will be the time to announce the winners of the raffle prizes and to get back to work !!!!


Happy crafting all,

Hugs
Renata

The Knitting & Stitching Show in Dublin - freebees ?????

Officially it has been done.... I have a stand in one of the biggest craft shows in Dublin : The Knitting & Stitching Show

This is going to be the first of many more years to come.

I will have most of my work displayed at the show and I will also be selling a few kits. Just enough to pay for the stand, lights and insurance.

Or so I hope :) :)

These are going to be the front and back of a couple of flyers which I am hopping my helpers will be spreading around .

Now because this is sorted out I just need to think of some sort of promotion to run during the show time .

Any ideas?

Any suggestions? What would you like to see? 1 hour  free class? a free kit ?  or maybe a % free from a series of classes? hmm...

I personally would like all of this :) :)  ... can we do it? ...

I will leave it with you to decide on what you like.

Happy crafting all
Hugs
Renata

Lace Convention 2015

Yes.. I did record the year  and this is in the hope at some stage will become a tradition . Or maybe I am to fast in thinking this will happen. Was A lovely time and very happy and excited people around doing all sort of laces and in special the traditional ones from Ireland .
And then  was that fabulous show and presentation of lace collections .

 A lovely collection of umbrellas from children ones to all sort of others.

I really don't know way most of pictures are sided but I still believe you may be able to see the beauty of the lace.

Happy crafting all

Hugs

Renata

 

The Crafty Fox workshop

Is so much time past from my last post !!! If I keep posting in blog and FB I am not having any time left over for some actual work to do .
Been very busy up to now between preparing for the Lace Convention at An Grianan , classes in Dublin City and Drogheda.
This weekend it was the first when I had been very happy the way my embroidery classes are going . Refining my teaching directions , I have got a lot of new ideas about how the classes should flow .

Anyway I was very happy and lucky to have a very experienced class. Not so much on dealing with the materials I use - wool but very experienced in sewing in general .
Very open to my own ideas too which make things much easy .
I did not manage to get any pictures in the class due to me been headless as usual and forget the camera at home.
Anyway been send in the facebook few pics from the lovely  Elizabeth's Catstree work.

Here is she showing off her french knots which had been a nemesis for long time for her .So I have hopes she will tame them and use them a lot .
The whole design is finished now and I can't wait to see what she will use it for .

Another girl sending me the final picture was Imelda McKeogh  which did a great job her self 

Only one girl, Jana ,  had been with no experience in any sort of embroidery. What can I say she is a natural in doing embroidery . Not only she keep up with all the other she did not need any special attention and the job was actually great . A bit of polish in her skills and I may be attempted to get her as an assistant :) :).
All in all a very good day and I have to thank again to all the staff in The Crafty Fox  for all the help and assistance.

I will be back soon with some pictures from the Lace Convention.

Happy crafting all
Hugs 
Renata

Culture Night in Dublin

Culture Night comprises hundreds of events across Ireland and overseas. Arts and cultural organisations open their doors until late with hundreds of free events, tours, talks & performances for you, your family and friends to enjoy.
This is great night for getting the word out there for all sort of upcoming events .
I will be having a great night at The Constant Knitter doing what I best know : embroidery demo .

Booking are well on the way for this upcoming workshop so get your hands on a place call or send an email now.

My lovely blackwork  embroidery is finish ready to be set in a frame and be prepared for the Knitting and Stitching show.
Don't forget to  visit me on stand  A52


Happy crafting all
Hugs
Renata

Back to school

I had a great summer this year, even if we can't really say there was a real summer in Ireland.
During my trip to Romania I managed to get burnt a bit but otherwise all is OK.

Now preparations for the autumn are in full swing. Here is a few dates for your diary, as mine are already nearly full;

• First we have the big ''Lace Convention'' at An Grianan with the fashion show and all the fun that comes with it. I can't even imagine the good times ahead of us to be had.

• On the of 18th September we have the cultural night in Dublin and I will be putting on a demo in The Constant Knitter. This is followed by another workshop which I will hosting the weekend after at the same location.

Bookings well underway for this one.

• Then the weekend following that on the 3rd of October we are embarking on a new and exciting big adventure.....!!!! We start the first of many workshops in Drogheda.

So fingers cross they all go OK.

• Then the big date for your diary 12-15th of November at the Knitting and Stitching Show in RDS Dublin.

I did it..... yes, I made the decision... I took a stand and will have an exhibition of my work.
So you are all welcome to check it out and enjoy!
Don't you let me down by not dropping by to say hello....
I will talk more about all this soon.

Happy crafting all,
Hugs
Renata

Summer , holidays and lots of work started but not finished

Long time did not say anything in my blog . Is not like I would not have anything to say just to busy doing everything at once.
Home in holiday after about 3 years was nothing different from before , had the impression I never missed anything and never been missed : ) :) .
Well... the single and most important thing  I missed are the little ones . They grew up to some lovely misses

This children are the brightest moments when I been back to my natal country otherwise all same .
Anyway the breack was very good for my eyes , manage to crochet without glasses at some stage.
Not like I am free of glasses now. I back o my job and in half a week manage to  get back to same blindness like before, I think is more blood pressure related .
I am well into finishing my Xmas lace designs . Yeah .. I know pronounced the word which everyone try to avoid right now but don't worry from September you are going to hear it everywhere in special in the adds for parties .

Hope you got the idea :) :)  ..Yeah ??... White how you think a Xmas can be ? If I give you to much info I spoil the surprise and I have to get them out by September at the Lace Convention :) :)
Hope my Santa will come by Saturday when my over 20 kg of thread will arrive in the pack which I send from holiday.
Then will be my husband's surprise which by magic transform a skein in balls.
Will keep in touch and maybe I will make'it with some pics of my lovely threads, can't wait is actually better than Santa


Happy crafting all
Hugs
Renata

New kits on the go

I really have just very little time for blogging or FB or anything else for this matter.
I am under big rush and pressure to prepare new kits for the embroidery up coming  workshop at The Constant Knitter .

 

Now on the top of this one I have done another one a bit more advance and I am well in the progress for the a bit one 

 Just a sneak peak before is going to be framed . Lovely warm colors and full of different stitches so plenty experience to get too.

This is just a small part so the big part is to finish the Xmas kits for the lace classes.

Will show you just a bit here too . And just so to give you an hint this lace will be presented as Xmas threes decorations .

Now... would you like to see more of  the kits? You would be very welcome to our classes .

Happy crafting all
Hugs
Renata