weekly challenge, but more chatting tbh - part 5!

[lucykate]

ready, steady, go...!

LOVE THOSE SHOES, GM!!

me me me me me me me me to go to stitch and craft (when is it?)
I think I went to it in Manc and it was a bit naff, but I like a trip out to the big smoke

LK - it just seems so petty, none of us have ever had any problems here, have we? sigh

Oh lovely GM, I was thinking if we get enough of us together, we could try getting a group discount or something. Last years was really good, although I have to say there was so much there, that it was a bit overwhelming to say the least.

All the dates and places are here, I can pretty much travel anywhere, (get free rail travel, so not an expense I have to worry about).

ok, ban broken for one moment to say...yep, I am up for stitch show, ally pally one was fab last year and would be easist for me to get to...

(do you all think beadyboy may be going through "the change" - seems very hormonal to me - last word on subject - promise)

back to work now, virtual mouth zipped tight until tonight [zipped face emoticon]

i am def going to the festival of quilts mid august at the nec, and would also do ally pally, only takes about 1 hour and a half to get to london by train from here

Well, have got to go but if we get a rough idea of numbers and then perhaps we'll sort out where, when, what. Obviously we'll give it a few days so that everyone who wants to go, gets a chance to check in.

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ranting, which show is it you mean, is it the knitting & stitching in october?, the only stitch & craft one i can see isn't until march next year, or am i looking in the wrong place?

Hello folks, have now blogged my knitting project! Don't fall over yourselves with excitement now

I am thinking it's knitting and stitching after checking twisted thread, so I am deffo in. It was really good last year in harrogate.

Dior - I think we went to the same show in diff places. Blimey it was awful, lots and lots of complete rubbish and it was full of very old ladies.

i went to the nec one last year but would rather go to the ally pally one this time round.

if i get it on the calendar early enough i can book dh for childminding duties.

my house smells lovely, the bread in the bread maker is cooking, hmmmmmm!

miaou, love your bag!

lk, I love the fish, but couldn't bear to put any kind of criticism on your blog ... but, it just seems to lack the "personality" of for eg your owls or the lovely cat ... somehow the eyes seem a little dull, or maybe it's because it has no smile? that said, I like the shape etc and I think my comments are more to do with the fact that it has a different personality to your other stuff, not because it doesn't work ... hth!

PS - if you look on my flickr account you'll see I've upgraded to pro now, and snuck in a set of some of my cross-stitch designs - I'm really unsure what to do about them; I need to re-purchase the program I used to create them and then convert them into downloadable PDFs in order to sell them - plus design covers, instructions etc. I've already decided I'm not going to sell them as kits. But I really don't know whether to sell them at all, it's a lot of effort if cross-stitch has declined in popularity as much as I think it has. Any thoughts welcome.

actually, miaou, those comments are really helpful. i'm beginning to hit a stage where things need to change direction slightly. i have plans, but none of those can happen without the work itself being right. i know i love making softies, i also like working small, the choice i need to sort out in my head is between a style that is cute or do i go down the more realistic route? at the moment, the fish, is neither one or the other, i'm at a crossroads. the choice has to be made based on commerciality really, but the danger of the cute, is the crossover with the toy market, which i want to avoid, and the danger of the realistic is am i actually able to pull that off well, or will it look like i'm trying too hard.

i should blog all that really shouldn't i, i find it an interesting subject to talk about.

Oh phew, glad it was helpful. It's hard to crit someone else's work but at the same time it's hard to stand back from your own stuff at times isn't it?

I'm reaching a similar point - organising my flickr account really brought home to me how many different things I dabble in, and I am in danger of becoming a "jack of all trades, master of none". I need to decide on a direction and run with it, or at least separate what I do more, I think. I definitely don't have any kind of "identity" to my stuff just now!

I have just finished part one of the two parts of my kitchen swap, but obviously can't blog it ...

have blogged all of that now.

well, the soffitts etc are nearly done, our house is now birds nest (and all the other nasties associated with birds nests) free!, they finish off tomorrow, then move on to the windows on thursday.

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ok am trying to desperatly catch up on everything from today... why is it when I'm at home on the computer nobody is about, and when I'm out all hell breaks loose with loads of posts and things..

I want to go too... if everyone else is going I want to go.even if my knitting skills are bad and my stitching is non-existant.. . will have to sort it out with DH if I'm allowed as we are supposed to be going to Paris for a few days sometime in October but DH hasn't decided when or told me what dates he has free in the work diary.

dior- thanks for the comment, love the purple bracelet on your blog..

Lk- I like the fish, its diffrent from your normal things, more of a contemporary feel than an "Arts and crafts movement" feel.. if that means anything to anyone but my addled brain. I love the color and fabric, and the shape, I would say he either needs to be more "stitchy and colourful" or tone down the blanket stitch to be simple and modern and a cool little fishie.. vs a happy cheeky fishie like how your owls, cats, and dogs are cheeky and lovely... I don't know if my wittering is of any help or hinderence I just htought I would put my two cents in... I love all your stuff though and I'm sure you will find the path that you need to be on. ..

will have to figure out my path sometime I suppose... but I have got into quite a happy place with my book page paintings.. but I always doubt myself..

meri - stop doubting ya bugger!!!

I have sent an email round - apologies if you don't get it; it means I don't have your email address! Email me on jill at usernamecrafts dot com (take out username and put in miaou - just trying to cut down on spam!) and I'll copy you in.

And Meri - I think we all doubt ourselves - most crafters are perfectionists who can always see where they could improve on what they have made!

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slap - stop it Meri

LK - I'm with Miaou - something is missing with Mr Fish, but I can't quite put my finger on it

And btw - Nbg is having a swap on her blog - it's for the kids, go see and sign up!!!