Snapdragon's garden

Tea towels - back for a short period

2009-12-08T21:08:53+00:00

One of the most popular things that I have ever made was a linen tea towel embroidered with poppy seed heads

They were elegant, washed brilliantly and sold out pretty quickly. When I went back to buy more linen I found that the price had rocketed and the search for alternative European made, reasonably priced linen proved very depressing. Do you know that most "Irish linen" is in fact made in China and then packed in Ireland?

In the end I bit the bullet, accepted that I can't afford to sell these to shops, and bought some more from my original supplier. They are beautiful quality, wash like a dream and I think are a super Christmas present. I haven't that many left and they aren't going to go on the website - but here is a "Buy it now" button for anyone who fancies doing their Christmas washing up in style.

Full moons

2009-12-03T21:44:04+00:00

On Monday night, walking back through the garden at about 10, lit by a wonderful full moon, shadows on the frosty lawn I thought - "what a wonderful night this would be for a fox".

On Tuesday morning I found that it had indeed been a wonderful night for whatever fox lurks in our woods.

The chicken pen was full of feathers, with horrible remains left of a light sussex cockerel. We are also missing 2 young mix cockerels and a black rock hen.

They get locked up at night but it had probably been about 5pm when I had got round to it - obviously too late. They must have been snatched while I sewed happily away on my machine.

Its part of keeping hens I suppose, but now I am constantly scanning the edges of the wood for something russetty amongst the bracken. katy pointed out that we had too many cockerels anyway.

How to make a dogwood heart

2009-12-01T15:52:36+00:00

In the Workroom - How to make a dogwood heart

Last month I led some workshops at the Country Living Fair in Glasgow making these pretty dogwood hearts. They were so successful that I decided to do a step by step here.

You need a wire frame.

Some stems of dgwood, willow or silver birch and 6 bits of thin wire.

Select 4 straightish pieces of dogwood and jam 2 on each side of square at the bottom of the wire frame.

Flatten the sticks against the frame and wire securely.

bend the sticks round the top and wire again so you get a heart shape.

Then use the rest of the dogwood to bind round and round the heart - jam the ends securely into the frame at the bottom and them wrap the sticks round. Be careful to keep the 2 sides even.

Keep going round and round until you have a chunky heart and can't see too much of the frame. If it turns triangular wait to the end and then force the top centre down to make a heart shape again.

I have a pack or two of the heart wire frames here and am happy to post them out.

They are £2.80 each including postage- SORRY - SOLD OUT

Lovely people, lovely things

2009-11-24T20:27:35+00:00

One of the wonderful things about attending fairs - both trade and retail - is the really interesting people you meet who are also manning stands. Of course there are some closeted, uncommunicative stand holders but on the whole people tend to be very chatty and helpful.

I think that this is particularly important if the fair is busy as you are pretty much stuck to your stand. Having people who will get coffee or mind the stall while you run to the loos makes the event so much cheerier.

This year at Country Living I was lucky to be surrounded by a really great bunch of people. Chief amongst whom was Ondine Smith who was opposite me and who it was a great thrill to meet as I am rather a fan.

Back in the mid 1990s, when I was living in Glasgow and writing a PhD on a designer of Edinburgh tea rooms, a friend bought me one of her cushions with its motif of off kilter teacups and tea pot. It was the first freehand machine embroidery I had seen and I was bowled over. I am sad to say that the cushion got lost in a house move but, as I always try to buy myself a treat each fair, I bought an embroidered picture from Ondine on a similar theme.

I love the contrast of the tweed and the lace. It is a beautiful piece. And as there is no chance of us moving ever again it will not get lost

Over the past five years or so, many textile artists have incorporated Ondine-style motifs into their work - I wonder how many people know the originals. If you get a chance to see her work, do.

At the Country Living Fair

2009-11-20T08:00:19+00:00

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!

Country Living Christmas Fair

2009-11-17T08:50:18+00:00

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

New shop in Aberfoyle

2009-11-12T08:51:27+00:00

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.

Winter wonderland

2009-11-10T08:24:21+00:00

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

Red magazine

2009-11-06T08:30:33+00:00

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!

Dark

2009-11-03T19:48:10+00:00

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.