Christmas Craft Fairs

Today is a very driech day and I am sitting in the foyer of the Birnham Hotel (near Dunkeld in Perthsire) during a quiet lull at a craft fair.

This is me now half way through the run of Christmas craft fairs.  Despite the recession the fairs are all going well.  People are perhaps cautious with their spending, but I think people are choosing to spend their limited funds on things which they know will be valued and will last.

The weather today is conducive to selling hats.  I have just had a friend from Inverness call at my stall and she says that they left Inverness in beautiful sunshine this morning, but here it is dull, grey,  drizzly and cold.   Various styles sold at this fair - Catriona, Morag, Callum, Angus and Mairi have all proved popular and I will have to make more of each before next weekend's craft fair at Eden Court in Inverness.

Top seller at this fair - and indeed the last two - are definitely Shetland Angels.  These are made with Shetland wool that I tie up with hand-spun Shetland yarn - and yes, I do the spinning myself too!  They have been fairly flying off the Christmas tree yesterday and today.

Two more Craft Fair events -

18th to 20th November - Eden Court Theatre, Inverness.
2pm to 9pm on the Friday and 10am to 5pm on the Saturday and Sunday.

25th to 27th November - Brodie Castle, Moray
10am to 4 pm all three days.

If you can't make it to the craft fairs you are welcome to call at my studio at Inchmore, just 6 miles out of Inverness on the old Beauly road.  And if you can't visit the Highlands at all, remember there is always the on-line shop.

Commuting to work

One of the downsides of my new studio is that I can't go to work in my pyjamas!  However, I am finding the commuting less trouble than I expected and on days like today it can be a real delight.
The weather has been very changeable recently and the temperature has been up and down like a yo-yo but today was warm - even at 7.30 in the morning.

The sun was just rising when I left the house and the sky looked as though it was on fire.

The reason for the early start is that I when I have to take the bus I have a choice of 7.40 or 9.30.  A lot of work to do at the moment as I had a really successful craft fair last weekend in Glasgow and sold out of some things - need to make more for this weekend's event at Strathpeffer Pavillion - Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th November, 11am to 4pm!

The bus was on time and almost empty so I was able to have my pick of seats.  I chose one that would allow me to take photographs along the way.  It is a bit tricky taking pictures on a bus that swings round corners at 60 miles an hour, but what follows is a selection of the more successful shots.

 

The end of the Caledonian Canal at Clachnaharry

 

Looking back towards the Kessock Bridge

 

Looking towards the north shore of the Beauly Firth

Next Craft Fair dates are as follows :

12th & 13th November - Birnham House Hotel, beside Dunkeld in Perthshire

18th to 20th November - Eden Court Theatre, Inverness

25th to 27th November - Brodie Castle near Forres, in Moray