Where did that weekend go??

Well, I seemed to have gotten nothing done this weekend bar laundry and rest.  I know the resting has to be done, but there is quite a lot of grass growing and my house could be a lot cleaner!  Nevermind, I will have a shot at tidying tonight.  For now, I have to get going because our Craft Bootcamp is starting at 10am!  We are learning patchwork, crochet, dyeing, felting, and stitch.  Plenty to do for them!

I did get busy in my studio a bit this week.  It probably worked double-duty as therapy and I got four new scarves out of it.  I felted them with 19 micron merino and a small layer of silk and then did the design work at the prefelt stage.  I finished fulling and then dyed then.  Two I dyed as per normal and two I resist-dyed to see what texture I would get.  Very happy with all of them!

Now, I need to get myself in gear and get us out the door!  Will post more during the week....xx

Crafty Bootcamps from Handmade Sessions!

A Participant in the wood carving Session.

The Handmade Sessions/ Seisiúin Lámhdhéanta are open and teaching, but it's a bit of a learning curve, to say the least!  Lots of promotional material distributed all over the county, but it just takes time for people to know that you are there. Quite a lot more local people coming in for Sessions than visitors, which is surprising, but great news for the state of craft in the county!  


Monday we are getting started in our Crafty Bootcamp, a summer camp for 10-15 year olds in our venue in Dingle, Co Kerry.  Live from John St, we will be teaching felt, stitch, dyeing, crochet, patchwork, and drawing.  It will be a very busy week!  We have room for 12 students for the Monday through Friday camp. The fee will be €60 with materials included and I can give a small discount for multiple bookings.  We will run every week until the end of August, so that's what I will be up to for the duration of the summer!


I am excited, though!  Children from 10-15 years are generally very enthusiastic and well able to follow directions and get stuck into a project.  It's wonderful to spread enthusiasm for craft and show them how satisfying it is to create objects by hand, to say nothing of the fact that it will give them appreciation for the time and effort that goes into it!


Meanwhile, I am just grateful that the time of cleaning, dead spiders, and painting is over.  I don't mind spiders, but the sheer number of them was a bit unnerving.  

Minister for Arts, Heritage and
Gaeltacht Affairs,
Jimmy Deenihan, launching
Original Kerry.

The other milestone is that Original Kerry is launched!  The website is lovely and live, due in large part to the great efforts of Deirdre Johnston, the craft coordinator for the county.  Check it out at http://www.originalkerry.com/. Craft in Kerry is under original producers and "mixed craft," which is a little confusing, but we are there! There are Original Kerry gifts and the three new craft trails that have been established to show off the fantastic artisanal talent that our county boasts.  Most of the stops on the trail are interactive and allow for people to view craft being made.  Hop in the car and take a look at craft being developed--it's a great day out.  

Handmade Sessions

Crafty Boot Camp

Participants will learn craft technique in the following areas:

Felt—stitch a sampler, make a small handbag or pair of cuffs

Making a felted book cover...Crafty Bootcamp
will be felting, among other crafts

Stitch—embroider and embellish a felted & dyed piece; hand sew patchwork wall piece.

Dyeing—dye wool yarns for crochet, fabric for patchwork & merino for felting

Crochet—Learn to crochet a scarf, e.g. basic single and double crochet which can be adapted into larger projects

Patchwork-dye fabric and cut and sew a pattern for a small wall hanging

Drawing—learn to draw and keep a design & idea book

For more information on the Crafty Bootcamp, email handmadesessions@hotmail.com or ring 087-9111793.  Craft is for every day!

No Holidays This Easter!!

Life is zooming along lately, with me as a mostly willing participant.  I am tired, though.  I am cramming a lot into my days, but once we get past Holy Communion and into summer, things will slow down--roll on the end of June!

Fiona Crinnion's beautiful bracelet

Not that all my activities are drudgery.  I am really looking forward to Craft in Kerry's first Craft Fair that is coming up next Friday, April 29th from 10-6pm at An Díseart in Dingle, Co Kerry.  More of a showcase that just a run-of-the-mill craft fair, it will feature some of the fantastic diversity that Kerry's artisans have to offer.  In our dodgy economic times, it's important to remember that supporting handmade artisans means jobs to Ireland.  You can own quality, beautiful items that will last and make sure that Irish people stay employed.

Beyond our stallholders, there will be craft demonstrations featuring our Handmade Sessions, the boy's of Scoil Ioghnad Rís selling handmade bird boxes/houses, face painting for the kids, and a lot more.  Nationwide will be there filming us, so there should be something for everyone.  All on the grounds of the former convent.

We are *hoping* for a fine day and so the convent gardens should be spectacular.  They are going to be redesigning them into the Tree of Life garden which can be seen here http://www.diseart.ie/visitor/gardens.html.  I am sure the Monsignor would appreciate all interest!

So, lots of events in our short week next week:

• Wednesday, April 27th Felting Workshop 1-4pm @ An Díseart in Dingle, Co Kerry.  Email sharon1_crandall@hotmail.com or 087-9111793 for details.  Limited spaces.

• Friday, April 29th Craft in Kerry Craft Fair 10-6pm @ An Díseart in Dingle, Co Kerry

Bluebell Eco Candles

Felting Workshop

Life-transforming ideas have always come to me through books. --bell hooks

Learn the easy and transformative process of felting, one of the oldest textiles in the world.  With wool, warm water, and a little soap and energy, you can create all kinds of wonderful items.  We will focus on the process of making felt and then felt book covers that can be used as journals, sketchbooks, or photo albums.  Materials provided on the day, but space is limited so please book in advance.  All abilities welcome, but preferably age 14 and up. 087-9111793.

Time:         Wednesday, April 27^th 1-4pm, at An Díseart (next to St Mary’s Church)

Price:          €25, plus materials fee €5

Sharon Crandall is a textile artist based in West Kerry.  She enjoys making things with her hands and crochets, embroiders, quilts, and makes jewellery.  Four years ago she discovered felting and Zing! wool and natural fibres became a passion.

Sharon Crandall, Chiarraí Creations; chairperson, Craft in Kerry; member, Craft Council of Ireland; member, Feltmakers Ireland. http://www.etsy.com/shop/kerryfelter http://kerryfelter.blogspot.com/

http://craftinkerry.blogspot.com/

A Pox Upon Your Houses...

Newly framed piece on the way to Killarney!

Where have I been?  Why so silent?  My young son got the chicken pox this week.  Not plain old chicken pox, but a rather hard dose so I have been up at the wrong times of the night for the wrong reasons, running soda baths, visiting A&E, rubbing lotion on spots, checking fevers, hugging gently, and silently cursing chicken pox.  Thankfully no new spots today, so we are on the way to shoving them out the door, thanks for calling, bye now!!

What have I got done this week?  Precious little.  Hard to feel creative when you are so tired that even coffee isn't appealing.  I dropped off my last few pieces to the framer to get ready for Killarney, so they are in my possession and ready to head over.  Not as thrilling as I originally envisioned since I just want to get them there and go on to salvaging the train wreck of a week.  No time to celebrate as I have so much coming at me next week that if I don't clean my house today then there will be no chance of getting it done for another week.

I have been able to do some things by phone and Craft in Kerry is building up to be quite a great group.  Fantastic people that I have met so far and so enthusiastic about the work we are doing.  The craft fair is all set to go and we are planning a trip to Dublin to promote our summer craft sessions to tour operators.  A premises is being looked into and so there will be a flurry of activity to get ready, as Failte Ireland hasn't given a lot of notice.  Spring is in the air, but so is change!

Mixed media collage with embroidery, water soluble
fabric, beading, organza, Wensleydale

La, La, La, La, La or I Can't Hear You Valentine's Day....

Book cover: resist felted and ready for stitching...

I really dislike Valentine's Day.  I think I always have.  Not because I don't have a boyfriend/husband, but because I don't believe in one day to tell people that you love them; you have to do it all year round.  I used to have a roommate when I lived in Boston who taught English to male prison inmates.  She was an attorney by trade and she told me once that inmates hate Valentine's Day and that they would do anything to avoid it, often getting put back in jail.  She used to force them to write out letters to their wives/girlfriends/children to atone for bad behavior, but it got me thinking: how bad is a holiday if it forces men to commit crimes to avoid it???  No patience for it really or the artificial, saccharine sweetness of it.  Why does an expensive gift or an engagement ring prove they love you, when surely the handmade card or dinner shows more thoughtfulness? 

So, on that note, I thought I would PRETEND it wasn't nearly Valentine's Day and felt my way through it.  Since I have books on the brain, I decided to make a cover for my really horrible looking diary that I bought to organize myself.  I like to write in books and I like to read books, so don't try and convert me into using a Blackberry or a Kindle; won't work.  Kindles don't smell like aged paper and there is no pleasure in eagerly turning it's pages.  I imagine it also doesn't relax you as much looking at a screen as reading a proper book would.  I know it's probably convenient to put 40 books into one Kindle, but I am really not a convenient person.

Front cover with a bit of quick machine stitching and a few beads

I measured my diary and cut out a piece of foam underlay to suit and went gathering my fibres.  Since I would be using the cover for the year, I wanted something nice and girly and fun.  Purple!  Found some nice dyed silk pieces from last September and flipped some on there, as well.  Felted in the usual way and I ended up with the above photo.  I then machine stitched a quick design and sewed a few beads in the centre for a flower design.

I will be more specific with the next book cover in terms of design.  This one I wanted to work on the actual felting process.  I need to play with another size and perhaps some bamboo fibres....

I did felt two small pieces on Thursday.  One will be for two matching cuffs in natural tones.  I used natural merino and some black alpaca and silk mix that has a lovely silvery glint to it.  I buried some silk cocoon pods into it to give it textures.  And I felted some more pieces that can be cut up and resist dyed with the soy wax again.  Love playing with my dyes!  I can't wait until the weather is warmer and I can do dye days and really hang everything out on the line again...

Meanwhile, the only good thing about Valentine's Day is the selection of good chocolate...

Where Did January Go...?

I usually find that January and February are the dullest months of the year, but that was before I decided to start a Scouts troupe and a craft guild simultaneously while working, cranking out new stuff from my studio, and cleaning (hah!) my house.  Some of those things are going well and some things are falling down the rabbit hole.  Scouts and the craft guild are going great!  House is okay, not bad, but studio is not going well at all....In desperation, I moved a load of stuff back over, to tempt myself into taking up camp and getting stuck in again, but it was freezing and so I unpacked the boxes and hightailed it out of there.  I will be heading back tomorrow, but it won't be for long periods of time until the weather warms up some.  It's just hard to stick -5 with no heat, especially when sewing requires sitting for lengths of time and felting is a wet process that would leave me with even colder hands.  My right arm has also been giving me some grief, something about tendonitis, so I've had to take it easy.  Never a dull moment.

Make a beautiful felted book cover?

We had our first meeting for the craft guild, changed the name to Craft in Kerry due to Google search engines, and are off to a flying start!  We have our first event, a craft fair, scheduled for Friday, April, 29th at An Díseart in Dingle from 10-4pm.  We will have craft demonstrations and try to give it a real family atmosphere, given that two festivals will be taking place at the same time.  We have our next meeting scheduled for Monday, February 21st in the Carlton Hotel in Tralee at 7:30p.m.  Lots to discuss!  Details for membership to finalize, publicity ideas, logo's hopefully will be ready to vote on, and we have an interview on Radio Kerry to get ready for!  Weeshie Fogarty rang me and said he would be delighted to give us an hour's interview on his "In Conversation with..." show on Wednesday nights from 6-7:00pm.  Our slot isn't until March 30th, but we need the time to get press packs ready, start a blog, decide which five members are doing the interview, and get him some background info on our coming events.  Meanwhile, Nationwide was in contact and they are coming to Dingle to film us for the craft fair, so it's time to get organized!  I did get a Facebook, page up and running, so you can look us up under http://www.facebook.com/KateOConor?ref=ts#!/pages/Craft-in-Kerry/172314459478834.

I'm also teaching a felting workshop during the Feile.  It took me awhile to decide on what to concentrate on since by the end of April it will be warmer and a new winter hat will be at the back of everyone's mind.  So, this is what I came up with...

*********************************************************************************************

Life-transforming ideas have always come to me through books. --bell hooks

Learn the easy and transformative process of felting, one of the oldest textiles in the world. With wool, warm water, and a little soap and energy, you can create all kinds of wonderful items. We will focus on the process of making felt and then felt book covers that can be used as journals, sketchbooks, or photo albums. They make a wonderful gift, but you may want to keep it for yourself! Materials provided on the day, but please book in advance. All abilities welcome, but preferably age 14 and up. 087-9111793.

Time: Wednesday, April 27th 1-4pm
Price: €20, plus materials fee

Sharon Crandall is a textile artist based in West Kerry. She enjoys making things with her hands and crochets, embroiders, quilts, and makes jewellery. Four years ago she discovered felting and Zing! wool and natural fibres became a passion.

**********************************************************************************************
I know the workshop fee is very small, but it's really hard to fill workshops right now.  In the good old times, I could easily have charged €50 for the three hours.  Any thoughts???

Getting organized...

.There will be a meeting Monday, January 17th at 730pm at PAUL GEANEY'S to organized a handmade artisan guild, tentatively named KerryHandmade.  There's lots to discuss, including setting up a committee, grant possibilities, craft fairs, and workshops.  Since this is the Year of Craft there seems to be a rush to schedule lots of activities, but there is also the opportunity to promote Kerry crafts and get a bit of money to do it, too.

If you are in Kerry and you make handmade goods, please try to attend the meeting.  Not only will we be able to market together and save money, but we will also raise the profile of all handmade goods in Kerry.  Speaking of marketing, I am currently reading Un Marketing by Scott Stratten.  It was a recommended read by Etsy and I have to say it is worth every penny.  It kind of validates all the ideas that I have had about cold calling and how it does not work.  In a nutshell, people sell themselves as trusted individuals first before they ever sell a product.  Important to remember as a sole trader.  Do spend the money to buy the book because it makes so many valid points.

In the meantime, I have stressed the tendons in my right arm, so my felting and crocheting is very slow right now.  Not very convenient, but there you go.  I can use the sewing machine, so maybe I should concentrate on that for now.  There are lots of plans for this year, but it seems to be off to a very slow start!!  Is anyone else experiencing roadblocks???

That 'ol Kerry Magic...

I have been noticeably absent, but I return!! Rising from the Christmas ashes, I am ready to take on 2011.  We had a lovely two weeks off and really did nothing but eat, talk, read, and watch movies, but that was exactly what the doctor ordered.  December, as always, leaves me burned out and that two weeks of thinking and reading and nearly downright lazy time is what I needed to get myself focused on the new year. And I came to a few conclusions:

Dreaming of 2011??  I think so.

If I am to endure poverty and obscurity, WHY not in Kerry?  We have a house and friends and a life here, I have my studio.  It just seems overwhelming and financially devastating to start over again back in Seattle.  My wee little start into a textile career would be sucked away into the recession abyss and my training and struggling would be for a hobby, not a career.  Just can't face that.

If I am staying, then I am investing myself MORE and not less into Kerry.  I want to put Kerry on the map for handmade goods and crafts tourism.  First stop is KerryHandmade, a guild for handmade artists of all disciplines.  I am organizing a meeting for Monday, January 17 at 7:30pm at Benner's Hotel in Dingle, Co Kerry.  This meeting is for all handmade artisans throughout Kerry, so spread the word. We will be discussing the purpose of the group, how to get our message out, and a craft fair possibility during the Pan Celtic/Feile na Bealtaine on Friday, April 29th. There will also be workshop teaching possibilities throughout the Feile. If you make handmade goods, please plan on attending as this will be of great benefit to you! I have high hopes to get something going to really start branding areas of Kerry as centres of creativity --no, I wasn't going to say excellence!!  Come along and we will see how to get the ball rolling.

And my final thought for the New Year: felt my way through it!  My house is up in a heap since I had to move all home during The Freeze, but back it must now go and get cracking on developing clothing!  I will be teaching a felting workshop of undecided focus in April and I must plan that and shift into replenishing stock and PLAYING with wool and design and colour.  Certainly more dyeing :) 

As dreary as December felt, January is certainly looking up.  You can't keep a good optimist down!

Post-Christmas Slump OR Regathering My Thoughts...



Two books recommended on Etsy for marketing and,
I think, part of The Plan.



We have entered the post-Christmas slump, which is that delicious, drifting time of staying up late, sleeping in late, lazy breakfast and reading books.  Thank God for it because December always burns me out.  I have marketing books to read and lovely books of fiction to take my mind off the dreariness of winter.  I need it to recharge my batteries and focus on The Plan for 2011.  And in order to get to The Plan, I need to eat, sleep, and read and hibernate a bit to regather my creative energy.  I see on Facebook that friends were felting on Christmas Eve--how do they keep going???  I am always knackered by Christmas Eve and can just about manage making dinner before reaching for a medicinal glass (or three) or wine....

For now, I need to get my workspace reorganized and put back together.  I had to move most of my studio home because of the sub-zero weather and lack of heat and light in my studio, but my house is up in a HEAP that is driving me mad and it all has to go back before I flip out.  Usually, even in the worst mess I know where to locate things I need, but it has all gotten away from my like a large ball rolling down hill, getting larger and more dangers and faster as it hurtles towards disaster.  At least we are thawing and temperatures are up to normal. All that hunkering down by the fire and trying to stay warm was for the birds--I was only warm in bed and my son was always at me to get up and feed him.  No peace!

I suppose it's a natural time for focusing on plans for the New Year, although I do not do resolutions as such.  Goals to work towards...I need to get marketing and sales up for Etsy and get myself on Twitter.  I think I need to rethink Lámhdhéanta as it is not working--do I keep pushing to try and get the concept up and running or do I give it up???  I am personally thinking the concept will work, but the implementation needs tweaking.  And by that last comment I mean that I haven't a feckin clue how I am going to re-attack it.  It will come to me in a dream, most likely. 

As a goal for last year, I wanted to try and get nominated for the Irish Blog Awards, but I can't seem to find criteria for nomination.  I know the IBA ( are in March 2011, but that seems to be the only info I can find.  Anyone else know anything???

Does anyone else have any good goals/resolutions/common sense for the coming year????

All I want to do is stare at the tree like a cat...

December Panic in Dingle!!

Crocheted and felted lacy scarf: Merino, Mohair.

I have been procrastinating in my blog writing, but that's because we have been struggling with the cold weather and I have had to move almost everything home because there is no heat in my studio.  I put in two hours work there and was frozen.  Even my heating system at home isn't keeping my house terribly warm and the kitchen is too cold to be in by night.  I know it sounds boring to go on about the weather (though it is an Irish national pastime), BUT it seems to be having a big impact these days.  I am just relieved that we aren't having as much snow in Dingle as it is treacherous with the snow and ice.  And I feel truly sorry for my English friends as it is much worse there. 

I am in the middle of a mad week of projects.  I have cuffs to embellish and finish, a festive top to felt, a quilt to assemble and finish, fours hats to embellish, and felting more scarves.  This doesn't include getting ready for the craft fair on Sunday, felting with Fionn's class, and cleaning and decorating the house.  All go!! 

The craft fair at Benner's Hotel in Dingle should be wonderful.  The Dingle Chamber of Commerce and MFG are organizing a shopping day in Dingle, so come out if you have time (and the roads are very good our way) as there will be caroling, discounts in shops, and at 430pm there will be a Lantern Parade with all the school children in West Kerry.  They are having  a competition for the schools on who can make the best lanterns out of recycled materials.  Go Scoil Iognáid Rís!!! It should be a wonderful afternoon and no better weather for warm woollies!!

Now, back to the sewing machine and the cold kitchen!!

Cold Dingle Morning

We woke up this morning to a dusting of snow around Dingle and a considerable amount more in the mountains.  Winter is here!  And is there any better time for wool???  It's about 20 f/-4c today with the wind, so hopefully people will pick up some lovely warm gifts for Christmas.  Handmade and not made in China.

I felted two scarves yesterday.  What I call Ladder Scarves as they look like a ladder or spine when laid out.  The are long and flippy, which makes them hard to photograph.  In the photo to the right you can see the texture of the merino and silk together, very shiny when ironed and the merino is nice and soft to the skin.  I used natural merino and then over-dyed it twice to get the variegated tones.  You might need a much substantial scarf  today, but this is good for most weather days in Ireland. 

I am way behind on felting projects, which is about usual.  I have too much going on in my own life that is disrupting production!  There is going to be a great craft fair on in Dingle on Sunday, December 12th from 1-6pm at Benner's Hotel.  I am working on some more scarves that will be done by then and I have more hats coming.  You'd want your hat today! 

So much seems to be coloured by Ireland's disastrous financial situation.  Everyone seems to be so resigned and depressed, but they really can reject the loan and make the banks take the burden instead of adding generations of debt to each person in Ireland.  What makes matters a lot worse is that they are calling for austerity measures for us all and then you hear about €240,000 golden handshakes being given out and how they only two weeks ago voted a pay rise for themselves.  Austerity for all would be bad enough, but it isn't for all.  Morale is quite low.  The Irish news seems to be reporting that there isn't any other option, but calling an election before they finalized the loan is one thing the Irish people can do.  Otherwise, Ireland will be colonized all over again, this time with the banks.