Corris Uchaf, Wales
corris
Children’s Day
Aug 22nd
Monday 23-Aug-2010 is Children’s Day at Bumble Bee Quilting.
The shop will be buzzing to the happy sound of young ‘uns beavering away, being creative and learning something about needlework and quilting whilst they are about it.
We hope to demonstrate basic design techniques, colour matching and the processes involved in putting it all together so that they can take something away with them that they have made.
It will not be a “heavy” day, but bright and fun although hopefully something will have been learnt come the end of it.
It’s an opportunity for the kids to get together, enjoy each other’s company and have fun with colour and cotton.
If you are in the Corris area and you want to join in the rampage — then just turn up. All are welcome.
A round to it
Aug 19th
I sometimes look for and read through other quilting blogs. I say only sometimes as there is a time constraint, and it’s not because I am either arrogant or ignorant …. (I hope)
But, the thing that most strikes me about many of these blogs is the length and number of blogposts, and number of words and links and the quantity of usually excellent photographs or videos.
Makes me feel quite useless in this respect ( sob 
)
So the questions I ask myself about these fine wordsmiths – do they write all day maybe even professionally, or are they quilters or quilting teachers who can also construct excellent articles, or are they better at time management than !? Or perhaps its a combination of at least two of these suggestions.
I run my own craft shop full-time, so blogging is just an incidental when I have a spare couple of minutes. But I’ve said before that I’ll try and take more relevant photos. As you’ve guessed, I’ve mainly failed in this respect.
But, I will try harder and I will get around to it
A couple of days
Aug 18th
And a couple of busy ones at that. Its been hell for leather in the shop. Lots of visitors, some new and some long-standing. But I enjoyed speaking and working with all, thanks ….
I’ve not done much yet to mend the quilt top I mentioned before here, but I have taken some time to look over all the completed squares and maybe it’s not quite as drastic as I thought earlier. Won’t really know till I start unpicking in earnest.
But I haven’t been entirely idle, nor spent all the time in frivolity with my visitors.
We have seen quite a few people of all ages having a go with needlefelting, either by machine or by hand, and crafting their own designs with felt and nothing more except some exceptional imagination and creativity.
I have also been busy making fabric items for a charity fair, to be held sometime before Christmas. I have made several Welsh themed cushion covers, some fabric Christmas decorations, and quite a few cake or pastry covers with different but seasonal motifs. Hopefully the fair will raise a bundle for their charity. When I have more details, I’ll share them. But for the two days I have been joined again by Hazel – and some fun but creative time we’ve had as well..
Tea Time now ……
Gardening today
Aug 15th
Or at least for most of the day so far. I did manage to spend an hour in the shop pressing some of the squares I am making for the new quilt top.
Since then though the day has been too nice and sunny in Snowdonia, so I have spent the time outside in the garden. Makes a pleasant change.
We have an old bath, so have sunk that in the ground to create a bog garden to be filled with water lilies and other boggy plants. As we live on a steep hillside we need to face the font of it with a small slate wall to hide it, and that’s the next job.
There are plenty of natural boggy areas in all the streams running of the foothills of Cadair Idris, but this one will be different and a bit of a feature. Hopefully.
We can then level the rest of the area and grass it (lawn would be too posh a word in this rural and damp environment) so that we have somewhere to sit and maybe even build a BarBQ as well.
Back quilting tomorrow and preparing for some joint work later in the week, just needed to take advantage of the weather and get some exercise whilst still being creative albeit in a different environment.
Corris Show
Aug 9th
It is the Corris Show on Sat 4th September 2010
The usual type of village show including veg, fruit & flowers, and handicrafts.
I’m thinking of putting an entry into the handicrafts section. But, I’m also thinking that I should stay away from all the fabric sections, most especially patchwork and quilting. That just would not be fair.
So, I’m thinking of making a flower in an oasis mounted in a glass eggcup.
Can see it in my mind’s eye and I have all the ingredients (except for the eggcup which I hope to borrow from someone), just need the time and patience!
We’ll see – but anyway, if you are in or around Corris in Sat 4 Sept 2010 and want to pay our local school a visit you will be pleasantly surprised instead to find our local show.
Hope to see you then, just don’t forget to say hello ….
I return
Jul 27th
I had a FAB holiday – surrounded by all my family either during the week or at the weekend. And also managed to catch up with some “old” friends, old as in longstanding NOT as in advancing years they’ll be no doubt pleased to hear.
Spent much of it in or by the swimmingpool and/or looking after my little granddaughter. A real pleasure which also allowed Mum, hubby and the elder girls to spend some quality time together.
So. I’m now back in the shop and there’s so much to do. Some work has been done in the past week – not to the standard or thoroughness I’d have liked to have seen – but beggars can’t be choosers and I am very much more experienced. So a sort of thanks to my nobbly assistant 
I’ve now managed to complete my second working day in the shop. Yesterday was a gradual re acclimatisation day, with many interesting and very welcome visitors to the shop. Just can’t help but be inspired by other people’s knowledge and enthusiasm.
Today, I’ve spent mainly looking at circular design and stitching techniques with a small class (of one other) – great fun.
I’ve still to complete the count of all the fat quarters returned from Carno – so glad to hear that they had a successful weekend, such a shame I had to miss it and the ladies this year.
So, the stock control is all over the place at the moment, I might get round to it tomorrow, but for now the Athletics bekons me towards the TV and an evening of sporting excellence (I hope)
Till, tomorrow then ….
My week in the shop
Jul 25th
Well, I have now completed my week in the shop covering for Jane’s holiday.
First off, I hope that she and her family had a brilliant week, and that they return fully refreshed and recharged.
Secondly, for those who have never run a small shop before Wowee it is hard work. And I did no designing or sewing or quilting as Jane would have done. I did cut some fabrics from the bolt into fat quarters and then bag them. I did label those bags until the label gun broke in my hand. I did deliver several boxes of fabrics to Carno. Else, I did little but for the visitors we had to the shop in Corris Uchaf.
Many Thanks to them, it would have been very lonely without them.
To all those who drove past wrapped up in rugs and blankets to escape the summer chill — drop in next time we have some very exclusive alternatives to said wraps in the form of quilts of all sizes.
For all those who have ordered from our online fabric shop here these will be dispatched tomorrow as I said in my confirmation emails.
All that remains for me to do now is to collect the unsold fabrics from Carno later today.
But, if you are in the northern part of Powys do not forget to visit Carno and/or Llanidloes for their quilting exhibitions – you will find, I’m sure, very few more agreeable ways of spending a Sunday.
Meanwhile, thanks again to all my visitors this week – till the next time, as Jane returns tomorrow so normal business and quilting restarts then.
Corris Beer Festival
Feb 19th
As its the Corris Beer Festival this weekend, and we know that you would rather be there than quilting (for shame), we shall be closed on 20 and 21 February 2010
Sorry about that – but its for your own benefit, but so that you don’t damage yourself with a needle having sampled some rather fine ales at the Braich Goch Bunkhouse in Corris
Details of the beer festival can be found here — enjoy and drink responsibly.
