A nice day out in St. Ives
29 Apr 2012 3 Comments
in Great Places, Interesting stuff, Jolly Good Tags: days out, St Ives, things to do
Biba and I had an unexpected Saturday all to ourselves this weekend so we decided to have a proper day out to St. Ives (yes I know it’s only 7 miles away and I know I needed to visit our little shop there but it still counts!)
We took the train from Penzance which is my favourite way to go. You skip the nightmare of parking and the view from the window is amazing as you curve round the bay. You can spot herons, egrets, oystercatchers and plenty more in the Hayle estuary. Biba was more fascinated by the other passengers though- especially one dressed up as Yoda! (now don’t forget your light sabre said his mum as he got off the train!)
The estuary quickly opens out to the beautiful golden sands of St. Ives Bay and then through the trees and St. Ives is suddenly there bathed in sunlight and surrounded by glistening sea (well it was this Saturday anyway!)
We had a tasty lunch at Cafe Art which is the cafe at the entrance to the Drill Hall where our little shop is. Great coffee and very reasonably priced lunch, nice people and a programme of art exhibitions and events (including knitting group on Tuesdays which sounds fun) and a quirky hotch potch of tables and chairs.
Then a bimble along the sea front where we saw a seal catching then teasing a fish – very David Attenborough! And on to Barbara Hepworth’s garden which I hadn’t visited for years. It was just the same. A beautiful oasis right slap bang in the middle of the bustling town. Biba loved climbing on and touching the sculptures and really enjoyed drawing a postcard for Barbara (part of their garden trail,for kids) I was able to sit and draw quietly for a good 20 minutes whist she pottered about (and yes 20 minutes is good going!)
A spot of shopping afterwards to buy presents. Though it’s a very touristy town it has some fab clothes shops, books shop, gift shops and galleries and some great kids shops too so, unless its really chocca, it’s a great town for a spot of shopping.
Then ice creams and home, chuff chuffing back round the bay full of sea air and tired out…lovely
Barbara Hepworth’s workshop
Browsing the British Craft Trade Fair catalogue
22 Apr 2012 1 Comment
in Crafty Friends, General, Gossip, Interesting stuff, Jolly Good Tags: British Craft, trade fairs
My partner, Jeweller Justin Duance made his way back from a a successful show at the British Craft Trade fair in Harrogate this week (he won a prize for excellence in jewellery which is really exciting!). The show is the biggest trade show for exclusively handmade products in the UK and it’s where, back in 2004, the stitching whirl wind that is Poppy Treffry was launched!
I was definitely a bit jealous of his trip as I love Harrogate and love the buzz of the show when us crafters are finally allowed out of our workshops, allowed to wear our best clothes without getting covered in clay/fluff/sawdust/ etc and able to step back and look at what we’ve made because we’ve actually stopped making for a few days!
So I’ve made up for not going by having a good old browse of the catalogue and I’ve put together a little collection of my favourites below….
Jessica Hogarth has some fantastic designs on her website http://www.jessicahogarth.com/ I love the houses prints.
I’d never seen Jade Devall’s work before but it’s really cute with some lovely drawing. I love this bicycle mug and quite a few other things on her site too! http://www.jadedevalldesigns.co.uk/
Kirsten Jones was another new one for me. Her drawings are gorgeous. From her site it looks like they are actually really big. She also runs weekend workshops aboard a beautifully restored old boat more details on her website http://www.kirstenjones.co.uk/
Treefall design are twitter buddies of ours and they had a gorgeous stand at last years Country Living Christmas. They have a curious and quirky collection of products which I love! http://www.treefalldesigns.co.uk/
I love these mugs and love the company name ‘Death By Tea’ – ace! I couldn’t get their website to work (probably an ipad/flash thing) but found out a little more on their Facebook page
I’ve known Becky Crow’s work since I first exhibited at the fair 8 years ago and it just gets better and better, more intricate and enticing. You can see all her collections on her website http://www.beckycrow.co.uk/
Rachel Eardley is another artist whose work I’ve admired for a long time. Her current collection includes jewellery, textiles and lithograph prints like the map above. Her website is really pretty too…http://www.racheleardley.com/
Twiggd are a new one on me but I had fun browsing their site and their lovely wooden creations I love the brooches and the furniture!
http://www.twiggd.co.uk/
And of course Justin Duance my feller! www.justind.co.uk
The new camera earns its keep!
01 Apr 2012 1 Comment
in General, Gossip, Jolly Good Tags: cornwall, new products, Photography, Poppy Treffry
Just a little blog this evening as it’s been a long and lovely weekend and I may have had a glass of wine or two with my roast!
This week was a very busy one at work with big orders going out to America, designing a new summer range for Fortnums and a new website due to go live next week!
My main job in all of this was getting our lifestyle photography ready for the new site. It’s a job that I still do for the company and I do really, really enjoy it once I get going. But it’s quite challenging gathering all the props, finding a location, making sure you have all the products ready and then waiting, waiting, waiting for the light to be just perfect!
So this weeks glorious sunshine came right on cue. As did our lovely work experience student Grace who was a very useful photography assistant and even did a bit of modelling…
Here are a few sneak previews of the shots that made it through. It’s amazing how many you have to take before you shoot the perfect one (it’s also amazing how many props we found in the back of Sara’s van!)
My Trip to New York and the Gift Fair
05 Feb 2012 Leave a Comment
in Crafty Friends, Great Places, Interesting stuff, Jolly Good Tags: British Craft, New York, NYIGF, Poppy Treffry, The Black Rabbit
So I’m finally recovered from the jet lag and reacquainted with my laptop so time for a Sunday evening blog all about my little trip to the Big Apple.
I travelled with my dear friend Lindsay from www.theblackrabbit.co.uk as we were both exhibiting at the New York International Gift fair www.nyigf.com with a group of other British Makers. Highlights of the outbound journey were probably the Gü pot on Virgin and watching Bridesmaids!
New York was bizarrely mild and I managed with only one or two layers most days – instead of the usual 6 or 7! The gift fair was massive and I only made it around a couple of halls during the last day (and managed to do a teensy bit of buying for the shop…pretty ribbon anyone?!). Below are some shots of my fellow Brits and a couple of the stands that really stood out in the hand made designer maker section and just a few of the many shots I took of New York by night!
After manning the stand for 9 hours every day there was only a little sight seeing (by which I mean shopping!) window but we packed it in and quickly erased any profits from the show on tasty dinners and $4 margaritas! (And we’re hoping there won’t be too many lasting ill effects from 6 days of no sunlight!)
Enjoy the pics….
My Stand…
note a little glimpse of our new printed cushions
And hanging out on The Black Rabbit’s stand
Ruth Tomlinson’s exquisite porcelain jewellery….
Annie Neill’s yummy socks…
The Black Rabbit’s ‘Bods’
Debbie Bryan’s lovely lace…
Katie Mawson’s soft and colourful knits… 
Tammy Child’s elegant silk organza bags and scarves…
Tania Clarke Hall’s funky leather jewellery…
Jacqueline Cullen’s stunning pieces in Whitby Jet, 18 carat gold and black diamonds…
And one of my favourite stands from the show Coral and Tusk….
And this stand was fun too…if you like pants…which I do! (reminded me of my final year’s collection on my degree)
And a wee bit of sightseeing….
In MOMA
In The Met
On Roosevelt Island
Took a fair few of these....
And just managed to squeeze in a trip to Anthropologie on 5th avenue….
Should maybe have bought something lighter!
A whole day of joyful stitching!
31 Jul 2011 3 Comments
in General, Interesting stuff, Jolly Good Tags: day courses, Poppy Treffry, Sewing, stitching, stitching courses
So last week my lovely new workshop played host to it’s first freehand machine embroidery day courses.
the singer sewing machines gleamed, the biscuits were melt in the mouth yum and lunch at Trereife was gorgeous!
But most importantly in between, nattering, drinking tea, getting a teeny bit competitive and mucking about with piles of yummy fabrics everyone managed to make either a bag or a tea cosy to take home with them!
Here are some photos of the courses so far….
a final action shot!
Holiday by the sea- Weymouth
21 Jul 2010 2 Comments
in General, Great Places, Interesting stuff, Jolly Good, Staff Tags: bucket and spade, Dorset, Poppy Treffry, seaside, Weymouth
So I escaped the studio as The Black Rabbit invited us to come and visit. We knew it would take an age to travel from Penzance to Margate so we decided to make a few stops on the way. First stop Weymouth Gateway to the Jurassic coast….
P, J and Biba’s big trip – part 3
30 Mar 2010 Leave a Comment
in Find us elsewhere, General, Great Places, Interesting stuff, Jolly Good
Just trying to catch up with myself as there seems to be no free wifi in Oz. I didn’t get a chance to tell you about our Ha Long bay trip. You may have seen the bay in the Top Gear Vietnam special. It’s incredibly beautiful and we had our own private wooden junk with two cute little en suite cabins and a chef. We mainly just cruised around the bay, lazing on the top deck (when the kids weren’t trying to throw themselves overboard!)
2 Floating tuck shop
It was very misty and atmospheric with delicately balanced rock pillars seeming to float on turquoise sea, hundreds of tiny islands teeming with Vietnamese boat life.. Fish farms, floating snack shops, noisy tugs, coracles, tourist cruise ships, floating bamboo dog cages, sailing boats and egrets all drifting quietly in and out of the mist.
prezzles..
Biba had her first birthday on board and Elsa and Ren surprised her with a lovely cake and that all important first candle to blow out. It was really special and we’ll remember it for ever even is she doesn’t!
First Candle
Back from Ha Long bay to unpack, wash and pack again, sleep for our flight to Bangkok and then onto Sydney. A fond farewell to our Nam buddies and into the taxi. Once at Bangkok airport we settle in for our 5 hour wait, quite a lot of which is spent in the queue to check in with BA (bloody awful…), during which Biba squeals like a banshee constantly, does three poos, they tell us we have too much baggage and cant check it in, we have to repack at the check in desks, one bag explodes everywhere and it’s 30 degrees…..argh!
Once we’re through everything is much nicer Bangkok airport is actually quite amazing and Justin gets his burger king and I get to sleep on the floor next to an AC unit so everyone’s a winner!
In the Botanic Gardens
Is this cruel....
Until the flight…which is like the stuff of genuine nightmares, and goes on all night too! The first 2 or 3 hours pass peacefully enough – we waste this watching movies etc. Then all the other million children on the flight wake up and squeal and argue and jump about, one repeatedly kicks the back of Justin’s chair which turns out to be made of very thin nylon, when he sneaks onto the floor in desperate search of zeds another one pukes all over his seat, then Biba gets cracking with the squealing again. Some how the 10 hours pass and we drag our sorry asses into Sydders where our lovely pal Dave is waiting to take us home and put us to bed.
Lets poke a Koala in the bottom
Lets poke a wallaby in the eye
To get to Dave’s we have to take the Manly ferry, a fine old push me pull you boat that chugs away from Circular Quay right past the opera house with the harbour bridge in the background. The sky is screamingly blue, the sun is beaming down and it’s a gorgeous welcome to Oz…why would anyone leave!
On the Manly Ferry
P, J and Biba’s big trip Part 2
24 Mar 2010 Leave a Comment
in General, Great Places, Interesting stuff, Jolly Good
Buy some peanuts little girl
Hello from Oz! We had a fab time in Vietnam especially once the baby jet lag had sorted itself out – took about 5 days mind! We pottered round Hanoi, visiting the amazing fabric market where we bought lots of lovely florals and stripes to get tailored. It was jam packed with every fabric you could possibly want – why haven’t they got this in Newlyn? I loved it! I always thought I would struggle to find my style of fabrics in Asia but they were all there!
fabric market, Hanoi
Once we felt we’d caught up on the zeds we took an internal flight down to Hoi An which is around half way down Vietnam. It’s an historic trading town and has a mish mash of ancient Chinese, Japanese, Vietnemese and European architecture. Every other building is a temple or an assembly hall, a fancy bridge or a restored merchant’s house now open to the public. We bought our day pass and had fun visiting them all. (Whilst Biba either slept or was whisked away to be photographed by complete strangers!)
Streets of Hoi An
Shady Cafe, Hoi An
But mainly we went shopping! I got shoes made, Justin got two shirts made, Biba got three tops made (these people took less than 24 hours to make this stuff to measure!) We bought t shirts, pottery, coffee pots, magnets and last but not least a new bag to put it all in! (more soon on trouble at check in and BA’s very restrictive luggage policy!)
Giant Incence
Beach..
We also managed to nip to the beach in Hoi An – a beautiful, palm fringed white sandy spot with a couple of surfers, some fishermen expertly making their way through the waves in intricately woven coracles and a couple of shacks selling seafood. Biba did end up looking like she was actually made of sand though…
Coracles on the beach
Hoi An's old Port
Once back from Hoi An we had to un pack, wash and pack again for our trip to Ha Long bay – but the babe is squealing right now so that will have to wait….
Friday Shopping Treats
05 Mar 2010 1 Comment
Oh what a fabulous day! It’s St Piran’s, the sun is shining, it’s a Friday – and shopping treats just arrived in the post. A huge thank you to the lovely Laurie and co at Anorak for sending through shopping so quickly and thought I’d share with you the lovely things purchased, a beautiful seagulls tablecloth (Far quieter than the real things!) and a lovely boaty toiletry bag – no longer will toothbrush and all be in a carrier bag! So again, Happy days and Happy weekend all
Kirsty, Phil and the tea cosy
01 Jul 2009 4 Comments
in General, Gossip, Interesting stuff, Jolly Good, Staff
Don’t get me wrong, I love my work here in the studio, but when Kirsty and Phil from Relocation,Relocation, want to come and view your house you just have to get the day off! So here I am in the studio, on not my normal working day and what could be the last of the sunny days!! I’m not bitter though and I did manage to get a tea cosy in prime position in the kitchen for the film crew (just next to the cooker). Phil has a very firm ( quite manly) handshake and Kirsty had the biggest sun hat I had ever seen (only she could have pulled this off so well). Both were lovely as were all the crew, I think they all quite liked in down here in the sunshine. So look out in about 6 months time for a cornish episode of Relocation, Relocation to see us on the little screen!
Jess
(Production and dispatch manager)
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