Well it was a busy first day.
This is what my stand looks like
And this
It was so busy that I didn't really get a chance to get away from the stand, apart from for the craft workshops.
It is just as well that I have this lovely stand to look onto
This is the work of Ondine Smith whose embroidered tweeds I have admired for many years - she turns out to be a smiley friendly person too which is always a relief!
This week sees the beginning of the Country Living Magazine Christmas Fair at the SECC in Glasgow.
It is the biggest Fair that we attend and is an exciting week out. This year - in a vain attempt to cut down the work involved - I am on a tiny stand just by "Breeze House" (whatever that is!)
Twice a day I am also going to be hosting workshops making heart shaped wreaths from dogwood. The numbers are limited to 15 in each workshop and I think it is a first come first served kind of thing. There are other workshops run by Jane Means, Austin Roses and Jan Constantine.
It is all a bit daunting - not least working out how I am going to transport the 2,400 stems of dogwood sitting in the drive.
I am alo providing "flowers" for the Country Living Pavilion - basically the area where the magazine staff meet and greet, show off the Country living Collection and sell subscriptions. I am limiting myself to what is in the garden here, rather than rushing off to the flower wholesalers, as I think that is much more what Country Living is meant to be about. Seemed like a good idea at the time.
There we go - another daunting thing! Must dash;
If anyone is visiting please come and say "Hi"
J x
Earlier this year the jeweller Alicia MacInnes and friends opened a beautiful craft gallery next to the Woollen Mill in Aberfoyle - it was a gorgeous space, very un-wood cabin like and I have blogged about it before. The enteprise was called Cabin Collective.
Now they have the chance to move into the Main Street and this weekend (Friday evening to Sunday) they are showcasing their new space with a special offer of 10% off everything and some mulled wine and mince pies to get you into the festive spirit.
I think it is a great opportunity to have a look round and do some early Christmas shopping in a very beautiful gallery.
Yesterday we woke to heavy frost.
The garden transformed into a winter wonderland.
It was amazing with frosty trees, a bit of snow on the far off hills, and mist in the glen.
And the details weren't bad either.
Today is a day of frantic sewing to get orders out the door.
Jane x
This week has been very exciting as the December issue of Red magazine was published.
And there we are
The photos are absolutely beautiful; they show up the airstream, my wreaths and the embroidered pieces really well in a gorgeous golden light.
The feature is about how we shall be opening up the airstream caravan as a temporary Christmas shop on Fridays 10-30 - 3.30; 27th November; 4th, 11th, 18th december.
Bring wellies!
With the clocks going back at the weekend we are suddenly into winter. It doesn't help that the rain does't seem to have stopped for the last week and the path from the house to the workshop is under water in several places - everyone knows that they need to bring wellies to work now.
With the glowering clouds it seems that it is dark from mid afternoon.
And yet . . . .
walking in the dark from the house to the cabin after tea or back to the house once I've packed up for the night . . . well it is one of the most beautiful times of day.
There is a road across from the house - you can see the tops of lorries driving along it - but at about 7pm the hum of the road gives way to the swoosh of the river running through the glen.
Standing in the light of the full moon, listening to the water, watching the barn owl swoop about looking for mice. swell its pretty much as good as it gets.
And sometimes I even have company.
With the clocks going back at the weekend we are suddenly into winter. It doesn't help that the rain does't seem to have stopped for the last week and the path from the house to the workshop is under water in several places - everyone knows that they need to bring wellies to work now.
With the glowering clouds it seems that it is dark from mid afternoon.
And yet . . . .
walking in the dark from the house to the cabin after tea or back to the house once I've packed up for the night . . . well it is one of the most beautiful times of day.
There is a road across from the house - you can see the tops of lorries driving along it - but at about 7pm the hum of the road gives way to the swoosh of the river running through the glen.
Standing in the light of the full moon, listening to the water, watching the barn owl swoop about looking for mice. swell its pretty much as good as it gets.
And sometimes I even have company.
The main topic of conversation between small on-line businesses at the moment is what to do about the postal strike.
Recommendations about couriers - good and bad - are whizzing round the internet along with a great deal of despondency and panic.
I can completely understand the worry - my retail web sales had begun to build with organised people buying their Christmas presents - since the strikes on-line retail sales are down by 3/4.
It worries me though how quick we are to go from "lets save our local post offices" to " lets find an alternative to posties".
It isn't actually the performance of the postal service that I am worried about - it is customer confidence. Believe me - if you order your Christmas presents from a small craft business now you will get them by Christmas even if the maker has to deliver by hand. Thats just the kind of people who run small businesses - they care about the customer.
For the meantime - if it makes customers any more confident - the Snapdragon policy is that all retail orders over £40 will be sent via our lovely couriers and any small orders will be held off until a day after active strike. (Tuesday in this case). If this isn't good enough get in touch add we can add a bit of postage costs onto the order and send by courier.
But please do keep ordering from mail order businesses - I shall be highlighting some of my favourites here when I get time.
Now - back to the sewing machine - camper-van bottle openers this morning I think!
Its lovely when halloween falls on a Saturday.
We shall actually be able to have a lovely meal together - lighting up out temporary dining area with lanterns and candles - without having to fit around Brownies, horse riding or guitar.
I am so looking forward to it.
These pumpkin badges are now all sold out - but I did save a couple for the girls.
There is a give away on my facebook fan page - and one more day to sign up as a "fan" and get entered into the draw for a button badge of your choice.
As regular readers will recall . . . when we went on holiday this summer, all our chooks went broody and by mid July we were over-run with very cute babies.
Now those babies are growing up and the next month we shall have to separate off most of the cockerels to prevent extreme violence.
Some we will eat, there is no getting away from it and it is better (much better) than buying chicken from the supermarket. You really appreciate a bird you have plucked yourself.
However, in amongst the mix of cockerels we have 4 pure breed Light Sussex. they will grow up to look like this.
Stunning birds. I would much rather re-home them - so if anyone has a dowdy little flock of hens and want some glamour . . .
Free to a good home, buyer must collect. Email me on snapdragonjane@googlemail.com or leave a comment.
