May Fair

I hadn't set foot in a church since before Christmas. I miss churches, so it was really lovely setting up my craft stall in the URC Northwood Hills for their Christian Aid Coffee Morning. I was on my own this time and that was really nice too. It was a slow, quiet morning, but seeing as I mostly like slow, quiet times, I liked that aspect aswell. I was very pleased with my craft stall set up. I have a calmer mind now since doing mindfulness for over a year, so I think that helped. The cards and owl lavender scenters proved quite popular. The experience was so enjoyable I am looking forward to the chance to maybe coming here again, perhaps nearer Christmas.

  

   

   

Twiddle muffs for dementia patients

My hospital has been advertising for twiddle muffs and knitting for twiddle muffs for ages. I was going to attempt to make a twiddle muff myself, but I have been feeling too bogged down with life, so, instead, I decided to donate some spare knitting I did earlier in the decade, related to my dolls. I have been having a mega house clear out at the end of 2018, which has been both traumatic and therapeutic at the same time. Below are the fragments of knitting I am donating to the project.

Summer Crafts for St Mary's

 
 I've not had so much to do with the church, or my crafts, this year, but I still wanted to donate some of my lingering makes for the 2018 St Mary's Summer Fete.

    

On her 50th birthday my friend set me a craft challenge, to turn these three items into a selection of knitted purses and pouches. I'll see how I get on; watch this space, but don't hold your breath.

Craft stall @ URC Pinner

Saturday 17th June was a sweltering hot day in West London. Mum was otherwise engaged so my daughter, Amy, accompanied me to the United Reform Church, Eastcote, to take part in the charity coffee morning in support of the London Churches Refugee Fund.

The church charity coffee mornings support many good causes, near and far, like Trinity Homeless and the Food Bank. These and other local charities were at the forefront of my heart and mind following the Grenfell Tower Tragedy which happened earlier in the week.

Despite the very warm weather turnout was good, with lots of people coming along for a coffee and a chat. Several people stopped by my stall to say how beautiful it was and buy a few cards, including an off season Christmas Card. After a slow start business picked up. Amy managed to sell two of her Dream Box books. We also sold a new Still Life poetry book, a lavender tawny owl, a virtue brooch card and several more cards, mostly Get Well Soon and With Sympathy and items from my Passtimes collection. It was quite a successful end to a pleasant Summer's morning.

Crafts for the Spring and Summer

I spent some time over the past week working on my crafts for a fair and a coffee morning coming up in April and June, one in South Ruislip and the other at Eastcote URC, which is in support of the London Churches' Refugee Fund. My Star Heart Dolls got a bit of a makeover, I think the last three I worked on look quite chic.

 

I also worked on more lavender scenters; sleeping angels, matrouskas, virtuous hearts and flowers. 

My crochet poppies now include orange, pink and purple flowers, as well as the usual red.

I have also been sorting through my greetings cards. Below is a selection of cards inspired by love, which I hope to work more on in the future.

Endnote: I have been planning on giving up social media for lent. I have scheduled posts in advance, so my blog can still get updated. I have recently got on better with my SmartPhone, and have uploaded more pictures onto Instagram, but I think I'll be OK without it. Avoiding FaceBook will probably be more of a challenge. I was originally thinking of giving up Liquorice Allsorts.

Craft stall for Trinity Homeless

The chairty coffee morning for Trinity Homeless at the URC, Northwood Hills, was quieter than previous occasions. I was joined by both my mother and my daughter, so that made the occassion extra special.

      

The table was smaller than usual and I had brought new display items with me so it took a little longer to set my stall up. Amy helped a lot in this, arranging the dolls and the books very nicely. I was also given a smaller table which I used exclusively for my variety of cards.

We enjoyed a cup of tea and a chat and Amy took pictures of the church's interior which she thought might be useful for a life and death art project. Despite a slow start, interest in my crafts grew and in the end I sold over twenty cards, mostly Christmas cards, and about ten lavender scenters. The church was cleared and locked up very swiftly, but I was able to donate money to the homeless charity via a lady who took part in the Big Sleep Out.

This was my ninth craft stall since presenting my first one in a wine bar in Eastcote in 2013. I hope to branch out a little more for craft stall number ten and maybe go somewhere where my Star Heart Dolls might prove to be more popular.

Christmas crafts for Trinity Homeless

I'm taking part in a charity event for Trinity Homeless in December  at the URC Northwood Hills and these are some of the crafts I have been working on. As well as my old favourites like my fabric brooch cards, knitted gadget pouches, lavender scenters, ALF books and greeting cards, I also have new selections of Shepherd's Bush Star Heart dolls, lavender birds and digital collage cards.

The cards I have been working on include, by special request, 'Get Well Soon' and 'With Sympathy' cards. I have also worked on my Virtue Haiku cards, at the moment I have developed four cards for my favourite virtues; humility, kindness, patience and diligence. A virtue haiku card I feel I should work on is one for generosity.

I'm glad the next craft stall I do will be for a homeless charity, I've been a regular supporter of the London homeless charity St. Mungos for several years now and receive regular updates about the good work they do which is very humbling.

 

                    

Donations for a Summer Fete

Unfortunately I will miss the summer fete at St Mary's this year as I will be on holiday in North Wales. I enjoy Summer fetes, Christmas bazaars, Spring and Autumn Fairs as they are a good opportunity to create and showcase various ALF Creations as well as contribute to a good cause. This summer I am donating cards, lavender scenters and a large Star Heart Doll. I hope my doll goes to a good home, I call her 'Love', and a lot of love has gone into her.