Craft fair.

Grey again today but no rain and not too cold.

Good news, I found the gift I spent so much time looking for. I'd realised that while I was searching I hadn't come across any of the decorations for the small indoor driftwood tree either. That gave me something bigger to look for and when I located the box in the high cupboard above the coat cupboard there too was the gift. 

This morning I walked down to the craft fair which this year was being held in the Community Hall. The much larger space made it possible for more local artists to show their work. I had a wonderful time looking around but only bought a small straw decoration. There were plenty of things that I liked but I simply have nowhere to display anything at the moment. As it is I still have a lot of beautiful glassware and ceramics packed away that I would love to display. I was looking for presents but it is so hard to know what other people would like. It would be such a shame to buy something that I think is special only for it to be hidden away in the back of a cupboard so in the end I didn't buy any presents. Maybe when the possible recpients come to visit we can look through the photos so that I can get a feel of what they like.

I do like this artist's work especially the matt porcelain she uses. I bought one of the little white and green hens last year but the shelf it's on is already crowded.

I bought my straw star from this young couple who had made a varied selection of basketwork items.

Some really interesting ceramics. What caught my eye were the organic and fantasy inspired flowers. Maybe next year if we have more shelf space.

This lady's work makes me want to get out my felting wools and make something, possibly a moon hare.

There were a couple of stalls showcasing turned wood items.

More basketry, on a bigger scale this time.

While I prefer original artwork I was tempted by the prints, my favourites being the sheep and the chicken. The artist uses a mix of watercolours, inks and pastels to great effect.

Not the best of photos I'm afraid but this guy makes amazing pendants, earrings and rings from old spoons and forks.

There were loads of other stalls selling; jewellery, pictures and prints, printed shopping bags, beeswax soaps and candles, wall hangings, Christmas decorations and stall after stall of beautiful cards. I met and had conversations with a couple of people I knew and chatted to the stallholders when I asked them if it was okay to take photographs.

The straw star reminded me of traditional Lithuanian Christmas decorations. You need nimble fingers and good eyesight to make them.

I walked back along the beach (no group walk today due to people being busy) enjoying the wild waves. Back home I quickly painted a final coat on the shelf and then went out to work in the front garden. I got more soil weeded and shifted into the dumpy bag and finished off by digging up the stump of a bush that was sticking out by the paving. I don't know how many times it has nearly tripped me up so I was glad to see it gone.