ALF @ London Bloggers

 

I joined the London Bloggers group last summer, to help myself out of the Brexit Blues and to connect with other possibly like-minded people, although my experience of life is that like minded people probably don't exist.

After some encounters online with other London Bloggers I was really looking forward to an evening out and to meeting a few of them in real life. April 25th 2017 was a cool spring evening, there was even sleet at one point, but by the time we reached the newly improved Tottenham Court Road Tube Station the weather was pleasant and sparkling.

After a pizza in posh pizza place, Vico, Amy and I made our way to the Seven Dials, Covent Garden, where the mysterious pub, the Escapologist, awaited us. We headed down the stairs to the underground bar, past the surreal mock Victorian artwork. On enquiry about the London Bloggers group we were directed to a hidden door behind a large cryptic painting, very Harry Potter.

Once inside the starry ceilinged, plush, lower basement area we proceeded to have a really good evening, meeting, among others, Abbi, organiser of the event and ex-pat, Filipino Food blogger and Elle, a fitness blogger who runs the London Bloggers group. 

 

We also met the lovely people behind Fourfits, Passionate Zoe, Page to Stage Reviews and Edward's noneedforpostcards blog. Mollie brought fitness promotional goodies with her and I had made 'Promote the Vote' cards, which all went down very well.

  

 
The Escapologist was a lovely venue for this special event and Amy and I really enjoyed the atmosphere and company, not to mention the prosecco, the passion fruit cocktails and the death by chocolate pizza.

At many social events these days it is rude to be on your smart phone engaging in social media, but the group mostly knows each other because of social media, so it all felt quite natural. I learnt something about Instagram, Twitter and hashtags which hopefully will be really useful in the future.

The evening ended with a promise of future events, karaoke or a picnic perhaps, we shall see.

Pictures for an exhibition

Amy was a talented artist as a small child and continues to be an artistic teenager. These are a few of the artworks she has created in recent years. You can find more of her pieces on her Amythestjasmine Pinterest channel.

A craft fair and a concert

Sunday 2nd April 2017 was an unusually busy day. It began at 2 am with seeing my dauther off for a school trip to Pompeii.
 

After a brief sleep, mum and I headed out of the house for the Easter 'Load of Hay Market' Craft Fair in South Ruislip. This was the tenth outing for my craft stall so I wanted it to be special. The day did not disappoint.

        

The Star Heart Cafe was in good company; the other craft stalls included paintings, jewellery, ethical leather goods, face painting, cloth bags, woodwork and African fashion. The South Ruislip community centre is a special place, old fashioned and light with a stage, green curtains, painted wood and a lot of pot plants set in a pleasant park. It was also a really lovely spring day.

The craft fair was quite popular, with people coming and going all day, a few of the customers were my friends and former colleagues and I had good conversations with all of them. My stall had some considerable success. I sold quite a few cards and also items from each of my other product lines. I sold a purple brooch card to a very appreciative young woman and a gadget pouch for a hearing device. I sold a couple of lavender scenters and notecards. I sold a book of my 'Still Life' poetry to a lovely lady called Carmel who wanted me to sign it for her. I sold a Star Heart Doll with blond hair and a lilac dress for a little girl called Sophie Amber. I'm really pleased I took part in this event, it was a very positive experience.

There were only two hours between the craft fair and the concert, barely enough time for a cup of tea.

The music evening at St Mary's was varied and enjoyable. I was last on, after various singers, violinists, a recorder player, an organist, three poets and other piano players preparing for exams. I have no exam to prepare for so I just play what I want, though I am contemplating Jazz Piano Grade 5. This evening I played two pieces by Einaudi, Ombre and I Giorni, they went down very well, mum said they were very smooth and relaxing.

          

After the concert we retreated to the pub across the road for a jacket potato and a half pint of guinness each and to reflect on a very rewarding day of activities.

Doll Accessories

I make my Star Heart Dolls using a range of different needlework techniques including sewing, embroidery, knitting, crochet, ribbon and feltwork. A work colleague showed me how to crochet in 2011 and since then I have been producing small crochet flowers which I use to put on my doll's hair and knitted shawls. I learnt how to knit when I was seven and went back to it as an adult after watching 'Kirstie's Homemade Home'. I knit my dolls' hair and knickers and knit triangles which I use as their shawls. After watching 'Kirstie's Handmade Christmas' I realised what a lovely material felt was and now use it to make the dolls their shoes. I did use it to try to make bags for my dolls, but decided that knitted bags were more successful.