Ilkley Arts Trail

Craiglands Hotel Ilkley

I've just found out that the venue I will be exhibiting at for the Ilkley Arts Trail will be the Craiglands Hotel in Ilkley. 
Although it's a bit off the main drag in Ilkley (it's on Cowpasture Road) The Craiglands is just a short/brisk walk from the train and bus station and there is plenty of parking. I am hoping for plenty of footfall and I will be there in person for most of the days of the Art Trail so please come and say hello.

I'm half looking forward to it, half anxious about it because, typical me, I don't have enough glass and I need to set aside some time to make some more. I do this at every show - so you think I would have learned by now! I have some new designs and colours in my head and, as I have just redecorated my studio, there is no excuse not to be productive.  I'll be posting more information about Craiglands next week - after I have had a visit there. 

Make Your Own Glass Dishes Workshop

The next Glass Fusing workshop at South Square Centre in Thornton, Bradford will be on Saturday 22nd September and students will have the opportunity to make their own fused glass dishes, using both Bullseye and float glass. 

This workshop is for all abilities so, if you have never cut glass before why not come along and give it a go? Students will make three glass dishes in different sizes:

1. float glass with copper inclusions

2. Bulleye glass trinket dish

3. Bullseye glass deep dish

You will have step by step guidance and help with your design if you need it. Class size is small, no more than eight students will be there and all equipment and materials will be provided. 

To find out more about this workshop and how to enrol by clicking HERE or emailing HERE. I hope you can make it. 

Got the decorating bug

Painted Stairs

I don't know why I have the decorating bug at the moment - might be something to do with browsing on Pinterest - but I have a few ideas and projects on the go. 

I have finally finished painting the stairs (we can't afford a carpet at the moment) which was a bit of a labour of love as getting that masking tape straight was a pain. Then everyone kept wanting to come up or down the stairs when the paint was drying and as for my battle with dog hair....

Hall table

I found this old table in a junk shop and paid a whopping £2 for it - bargain. It had a hideous green "leather" top and was badly scratched so I asked my carpenter neighbour to cut the back off it so that it could be fixed to the wall. Several coats of blue paint and a map of Paris has changed this tatty table into the perfect place for flowers. Also, now it is attached to the wall with mirror plates, the dog can't knock it over. 

Before

I'm ordering the lampshade from Lush Designs next week and then that's the hall finished. Meanwhile, I have plans for the living room....

Map of Paris

Count Down to Art in the Pen

Skipton Auction Mart

Only five days to go before Art in the Pen and I am in a panic. Will I have enough glass? Will my table display look OK? What will I forget to bring? (I always forget something).

So I have an empty animal pen to fill at Skipton Auction Mart and that is all it is - an animal pen. See above. It measures 2.7 X 3.3 metres and has a concrete base. I will also get a power point because the lighting there isn't so great. I am bringing a large trestle table that I have painted antique white because I am not going to bring a table cloth. I think my glass may look better on a hard surface rather than a soft one. This means all the "stuff" that I don't need will have to go back in the car because I can't hide it under a cloth. But I also need a small table to wrap glass so I am currently spray painting my daughter's dressing table antique white to match the big table. But what if I need more display? So I found this old table in a junk shop.....

Ugly old table

...and painted it antique white with a blue/grey stripe. 

Refurbished Table

Then there's my signage. I don't want/have a vinyl sign so I have framed two chalk boards and bought a white liquid chalk pen. Just summoning up the courage to write on them now. 

Framed chalk boards

And what about my labels? I hated my display when I was at Saltaire Arts Trail and was irritated by all the bits of card cluttering up my table as price tags. So I have painted some wooden hearts with chalk board paint and will place them next to the glass. 

Chalk board price labels

Now I need to sort out something to sit on, finish painting my display boxes, find the missing magnets (where did I put them)? and a million other things.....

To find out more about Art in the Pen please visit their website HERE

Glass fusing workshop - make dishes

Fused glass dish

Glass Fused Dishes - Glass Fusing Workshop at 
South Square Centre

Aimed at beginners and intermediate glass fusers, this workshop will take you through the processes and skills to create your own glass dishes.

Date:  Saturday 22nd September 2012

Costs: £50 (all materials and equipment provided)

Times: 10:00 to 15:00

Where: South Square Centre, Thornton Road,  Thornton Bradford BD13 3DL

Contact: Jfwhitehead@blueyonder.co.uk or call 07837471040

 What will the workshop cover?

Introduction to glass fusing including: cutting skills, technical know-how, working with coloured glass, designing and glass assembly.   You will be using best quality Bullseye glass from the USA and working in opal and transparent coloured glass.  Hand outs will be given on fusing schedules for future use. All glass will be fused off-site and returned to you.

Lunch: is by your own arrangement. There is an excellent vegetarian cafe at South Square and food is available at The New Inn, next door. There are also several sandwich shops in Thornton.  

Costs: Workshop fees are inclusive of VAT and your payment will secure your place. No deposits will be taken. Your glass will be fused off-site and you may collect it by arrangement from South Square Centre. Alternatively your glass will be returned by post. 

Refunds and cancellations: If you have made a payment but wish to cancel your full payment will be returned to you two weeks before the start of the workshop. However, we will not return payments after 10th September unless we can find a student to replace you.

How to pay: We accept payment by Paypal, BACS or cheque.