A Delightful Shop and a Delightful Workshop

I love any excuse to visit Jane Keenan's shop!

It's a hidden gem, tucked away in the quaint and quiet village of Maud, nestled in the Buchan countryside, a pleasant half hour drive north of my Aberdeenshire home.

It's packed with gifts, jewellery and homewares.  

If I need to buy a present, I know exactly where to go.

Jane trained as a textile designer and her screen printed artworks grace her lampshades and cushions making the shop colourful and joyous.  Framed screen prints also adorn the walls.

Fragrance abounds in the hand poured candles and diffusers Jane makes, along with the hand creams she creates, all beautifully packaged with her graphic signature branding.

As if this wasn't enough to hasten your visit, the shop is also a stockist for Frenchic Paint, an environmentally friendly chalk and mineral paint, ideal for upcycling furniture with minimal prep.  Ideal for a beginner like me!

With a studio upstairs, the shop is also an ideal venue for classes and workshops.  

Earlier this month, I attended a very pleasant morning of painting and decoupage along with five other ladies, each of us decorating a three drawer, desk-top unit.  We began by sanding the existing surface to provide a key for the paint which can be applied directly with no need for undercoat.

Choosing a paint colour was fun!  I went for the rich, deep blue green, Steel Teal.

Several coats were required to give good coverage.  Luckily the paint dried pretty quickly.

The only photo I have of Jane herself!

In between coats, we all choose a coordinating decoupage paper from the gorgeous array on offer.

Jane's easy-to-use templates allowed me to accurately cut my drawer fronts from the multicoloured dotty tissue paper I'd picked.

Once the drawer fronts received a lick of neutral surface coat, I applied the decoupage paper with Mod Podge, a versatile adhesive, sealant and varnish.  I also painted my drawer handles with Plum Pudding paint.

To speed up drying, the drawer fronts enjoyed a wee toast in front of the heater!

Then all that remained was to varnish the outer cabinet and touch up any bits I'd missed.

Here's the final reveal of my completed cabinet -

And a photo op of all the finished cabinets produced that day.  Aren't they lovely?

This certainly won't be my last time using Frenchic Paint, or trying decoupage, thanks to Jane's encouragement and her very enjoyable and welcoming workshop.

I'm thrilled with my little cabinet and can't wait to fill it up!

Find out more, and visit Jane Keenan Design for yourself or browse her online shop.

Casting around for a new craft

 I've just attended my first in-person craft workshop in a very long time!

Here's my workstation set up at the Acrylic Resin Casting Workshop.  It was organised and run by Lynne of Snap Crackle and Pip at H1 in Aberdeen, a studio space for creatives off Anderson Drive.

Having created beautiful stained glass pieces for many years, Lynne branched out into resin casting during lockdown.  The array of sample pieces on display for us to peruse on arrival was inspiring.  

I especially liked her soap dishes.

The samples are made from Jesmonite, a relatively new material developed in the 1980's as an eco-friendly alternative to cast concrete.  The brainchild of building technologist Peter Hawkins, Jesmonite is now widely used in architecture and manufacture as well as in the craft sector.  

The addition of coloured pigments let's the creative imagination run wild!  

Lynne explained the components of Jesmonite, a base powder and water based acrylic resin which must be mixed together swiftly and smoothly then poured into the silicon mould provided.  Coloured drops are added to all or part of the mix.  Lynne had weighed out what we needed to create our first piece, a trinket dish.  I chose the stone coloured coade pigment and marbled some drops of terracotta through it.

As much as possible of the Jesmonite is scraped into the mould which is then nudged gently to rid it of any unwanted air bubbles.

And then we had to wait for 25 minutes.  Under half an hour and our resin pieces would be set.  So speedy!  Plenty of time to get the kettle on and admire the underside of each others work.

Trinket trays in the making by Zoe, Kirsten, Carol and Christine

The really fun part comes when it's time to ease the trinket dish out of its mould.

Zoe and Kirsten's finished trays are pictured together, then Carol's, Christine's and my own

Some colours are bold and some are more subtle - but everyone had made an original piece of Jesmonite and we oohed and aahed at each others creations.

There was time for us all to make a second piece and we looked again at the display table for inspiration.  I liked Lynne's soap dishes and chose to make one for myself, deciding on a monochrome colour scheme.  Lynne knows the precise amounts of resin and powder which each mould requires and measured them out accordingly.

I marbled the black pigment through the natural colour of the Jesmonite.  And waited.  

There's no way of knowing how it will look after it's set which is certainly part of the fun of this workshop.

And here it is.  In all it's monochrome marble loveliness.

One of the great pleasures of being part of a class is seeing what everyone else makes.  

The other attendees kindly allowed me to photograph their work.

Christine and Kirsten made beautiful plant pots whilst Zoe made wee decorative cacti and a pyramid.

Carol made a beautifully marbled dish from a silicone mould Lynne created herself

All in all a very productive day!

Everyone left Lynne's workshop wearing big smiles.  It had been a lovely couple of hours and we were all very happy with what we'd made.  I can't recommend this workshop highly enough. 

Lynne sent us off with paper carriers.  Not only would they hold our precious makes, they also held resources to finish off our Jesmonite pieces at home.  The bags contained sandpaper to smooth any rough edges, varnish and an applicator plus thoughtfully provided stick-on surface protectors.

 

I've now completed these final steps and can put my soap dish...

and my trinket tray, into use.

A Holiday at Home

Just as well it wasn't going to be our year for an overseas trip.  

We'd already been talking about a holiday in Scotland before the current pandemic, possibly a break in the Borders, with golf aplenty for Geoff, and a craft workshop or two for me whilst he strode the fairways.  But Covid19 ensured that wasn't going to happen either.

Seeing empty workshops prompt craft tutors to stage their classes online, and dispatch boxes of materials by post for participants to complete in the comfort of their own homes, a kernel of an idea was forming that I could stage my own craft retreat.  For me.  At home.

Print by @by.eilidh

Enjoying some 'Me Time'.

Perhaps I need to back up and explain what the summer holidays are usually like for me.  My job in school library means I only work in term time, giving me 6 weeks off in July and August. Despite Coronavirus, I continued to work my part time hours, in a re-deployed role at home, from Easter onwards so was delighted when the last day of term arrived.  Geoff's job at sea means he may, or may not, be at home during this time but he's been ashore for the last six weeks and won't be back again before I return to school.  So that left me with three weeks home alone to fill.  But, like everyone else who isn't a key worker, I've been at home since the end of March, sometimes with Geoff for company and sometimes just me and the dog.  

I needed to do something special to feel like I'd had a holiday.  A holiday involving relaxation and crafts, but not my usual routine.

So for three days last week I did just that.  It took a bit of planning - but that was half the fun.  First, I thought about how I could create a sanctuary and set about making a spare bedroom into the ideal guest venue, installing fresh flowers, scented candles and mood lighting.  

Here's a wee video :

To truly be able to relax in my own house, I spent the two days prior to my retreat making sure my regular household chores and laundry were all up to date.  As someone who enjoys cooking, and makes most meals from scratch, I entrusted my dinners to Marks and Spencers ready meals which also ensured minimal washing up.

I let M&S take care of my lunches too, and chose foods I love but wouldn't normally buy.  Scotch egg and pork pie- you are my guilty pleasures!  Sunny days meant I could enjoy eating them outside.

Naturally, I managed to keep myself adequately hydrated too.  You'll note that I took the 'treat' part of 'retreat' very seriously! 

I kitted out the shower room with toiletries from Scottish Fine Soaps after drenching myself in the Sea Kelp range during a luxury mini-break at Foyers Lodge on the banks of Loch Ness last autumn.  The Au Lait Noir hand and body fragrance I chose is decadently delicious.

I factored in some home pampering too with a beauty mask for each evening.  It was a happy coincidence that my hairdresser rang during my retreat to say she'd had a cancellation and was able to offer me an appointment for my first professional haircut in 5 months.  I've saved you from the sight of me in my Simple Face Mask but did feel my radiance was boosted, exactly as promised!  The Superdrug Foot Mask left my feet feeling lovely and soft once I'd got over the initial disconcerting cold squidgy feeling.  In the end, I didn't use the Elvive self-heating hair mask I'd bought as I felt my hair was pampered enough by my own lovely hairdresser.

Each afternoon I enjoyed a different craft activity, thanks to the kits I'd purchased.

First up was the Pot Heads Postal Pottery Package from Peaceful Pots.

The brainchild of Bristol based community artist, Tasha Bee, the kit contained everything I needed to create my own handmade ceramic being, and even included a tiny live plant.  In fact, I was able to create two planters through judicious use of my clay.  Tasha's kits were created during lock-down with the specific purpose of allowing people to be creative whilst stuck at home and I really enjoyed the YouTube instructional video which made me feel like I was at a pottery class with Tasha herself.  I'm very proud of the wee pot heads I made.

On day two I made my own chocolates using the dark chocolate truffle making kit I bought from the award winning ethical chocolate business Cocoa Loco.  

As a self confessed chocoholic, these are a delicious little bites of chocolate heaven. 

Some for me - and some to share.

On the final day of my retreat I made a fabulous scented Rainbow Candle using the Rainbow in a box candle kit I purchased from Falkirk business, Candle Shack.  Again, everything was included in the kit.

The fun instructional accompanying video on YouTube guided me through the necessary steps to make this huge, stripey, fragrant candle.  

There's some waiting time whilst the layers set but it was another sunny day and I was able to sit in the garden and crochet, read my book or just relax and listen to the birdsong.  

And that's what a retreat is all about - giving yourself the gift of time for yourself.  If there happen to be holiday keepsakes, then that's a bonus!

I have a lot more to say about each of the craft kits and intend to make each one a blog post of its own.

Keeping my spirits up

I've had a go at making my own gin.

Before you are awed by my ingenuity at whipping up a home distillery whilst we're living in lock-down, I should point out that I was given a Kitchen Provisions Gin Kit for Christmas.

My old Dad, who was fond of a dram, liked to quote WC Fields, saying: "I always keep some whisky handy in case I see a snake...which I also keep handy"

The only requirement to make your own gin is that you possess a bottle of vodka which, handily, I did!  Everything else is included in the box so I was ready to get cracking.  

I'd like to impress you by pretending it was a really complex procedure but in reality, there's some simple measuring and pouring and err.... that's it.  Oh, I got to pick which botanicals I wanted from a choice of three deliciously scented sachets.  Then you just have to let the infusions work their magic for 12 hours.  Yes, whisky lovers, you read that right - wait 12 hours.  Not 12 years.

After some straining (that's filtering with a wee sieve, not me training for the Olympics) my very own gin was ready to drink.  If I had the chance to write the pretty label again I'd be more careful not to smudge it next time.

I'm quite partial to a gin, as our drinks cabinet can testify.  Some craft gin bottles are lovely too and making them into lamps, once their precious contents are consumed, has become quite popular.  I've tried lampshade making before (see this blog post).  When friends from Dumfries came to stay, and gifted me some delicious Hills and Harbour Gin from their native Galloway, we remarked at the time what a nice lamp the empty bottle would make.    

It's not just actual spirits keeping my spirits up -  crafty projects are just as vital to me and keep me buoyant.  I'm not a monogamous crafter - there's usually multiple items on the go.  Today I'm mid-way through knitting a shawl, a sock, a jumper, a bralette and I'm also crocheting a blanket.  Staying home by myself, with my husband offshore again, I've needed these diversions even more to help me feel settled through these troubling times.   A lack of craft supplies during lock-down is never going to be my problem, as I alluded to here , though even I was surprised and delighted when I discovered I had a lamp shade making kit from Dannells Needcraft lurking in the depths of my craft cupboard.  

Just like the Kitchen Provisions gin kit,  Dannells supply virtually everything you require.  This time I only had to supply the fabric.  Half the fun of embarking on a new project is sourcing just the right materials so I enjoyed rifling through my fabric box for a suitably sized rectangle.  Sometimes, however, the perfect materials just present themselves.  Like many others, I've been tidying cupboards during the enforced stay at home.  One victim of my wardrobe purge was en-route to the fabric stash after I decided I probably wasn't going to wear it but loved it too much to throw away.

It's a mohair scarf I bought from a charity shop a few years ago because I loved the vivid turquoise shades.  I aksed Google about the manufacturer and discovered that Glen Cree Mill, located in the town of Newton Stewart in the South West of Scotland, made mohair blankets and scarves, as well as some garments, under their own label and for prestigious clients like Liberty of London.  The distinctive logo shows a bell hop, laden with luggage, travelling rug over his arm, harking back to a grander era of holidays and voyages.  The mill sadly closed in 1986 and has subsequently been demolished.  Today Newton Stewart is the home of the Crafty Distillery which makes Hills and Harbour Gin.  Seems like these two were meant to be together.

Seeing the scarf beside the bottle, I knew I'd found my lampshade fabric.  

There's an excellent instructional video tutorial to accompany  Dannellls lampshade kits and soon I was sticking, trimming, sticking again and rolling to create my very own lampshade.  Rolling was tricky with my wee hands but the Hills and Harbour bottle proved to be an excellent pattern weight.  Perhaps the contestants on The Great British Sewing Bee should take note.

Dannells advise in their video tutorial against using certain materials and wool gets a mention in the tricky category so I was apprehensive how the mohair would behave during the final stage when the fabric has to be tidily tucked into the rolled edging.  

I needn't have worried, the nifty tool provided for the task did the job - and the lampshade was done.

Now I just need to decide where to put my new lamp.

Bedroom or dining room?

Hall or lounge?

Whilst sipping my homemade gin

Spirits up?  Bottoms up.  Cheers!