Not me.  My car.  This afternoon.  In fact, what a great day all round!

This morning, I drove over to the art room at Long Eaton to see if the kiln fairies had been kind to the Sunday class.  They were, and I hope everybody who took the class will be pleased with the results.  Mind you, it was so cold, that when I put the kiln shelves back in the boot of the car, I noticed some glass in a box had ice on it!  

A visit to the studio next, to find Rachel had a roaring fire going, too the point the stove was actually glowing hot… unfortunately, after a warm by the fire, it was all hands on deck (well, me and Rachel, as that was all who was there) after a pipe burst and we had water everywhere.  Don’t panic!  Oh, yeah, and the toilets were frozen…. 

After this, I had to call at the exhaust repair centre, to get a bracket replaced – quick job, five minutes in and out.  Or it would have been if I hadn’t got stuck with wheels-a-spinning, trying to get back up the road out of the place… oh the embarrassment…. I have to say, I was glad to get home tonight!

Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day!

The reason I was up in Rowsley, before the weather got really bad last week, is because I am shadowing Rachel Carter as an artist in residence for the Bolsover Project.  We’re weaving willow spheres (something new to me and thoroughly enjoyable) with community groups there.  The spheres are then going to be part of the Bolsover Lantern Parade on Saturday.  I am helping Rachel with the work, although I am not sure I will be able to get to Bolsover on Saturday to see them lit up in all their glory, as my son is playing in a band on Saturday night, and it’s hardly the weather for racing around…

I hope I remember to take my camera with me tomorrow up to the Peak District, even if the snow is melting, it should still be spectacular scenery….

Well, last Friday saw a heavy snowfall, and I didn’t know if I could get to Kedleston Hall – I struggled to get out the end of my road, never mind across Derby.

But oh my, the grounds were beautiful when I got there. I forgot to take my camera with me, so I had to resort to my mobile to take a few snaps.

This one was on the lane as I drove down to the Lodge entrance.  As the sun was melting the ice on these bushes, it twinkled, although I am not sure if you can see that with such a device!

This was a view down over the grounds, and yes, the roads (yes, there is a road there somewhere under the snow) were a slippy as they look!

On Tuesday, before it got worse, we went up to Rowsley, near Bakewell.  I am shadowing a local artist, Rachel Carter, in a community project.  The views through Matlock were amazing, sadly, although I remembered about my camera this time, I forgot to charge the batteries.  And I couldn’t use my phone as the battery on that was getting low too!  I hoped to be able to capture the beauty another day, but we haven’t been able to get up there ever since.

Sadly, the Christmas Craft exhibition at Strutts Society this Saturday has had to be cancelled, as some makers couldn’t make it, and with the added pressure of difficult car park conditions, extra visitors and the threat of more snow and freezing temperatures, the organisers have regretfully had to cancel.  It is a shame, I was looking forward to meeting Simon Groom and getting my Blue Peter badge.

We ARE however, running the glass fusing workshop on Sunday, yippee!

I’ve never been here, and it looks magnificent!  I hope I get a chance to get a look-see at some point…

The Craft Fair is on 11am to 3pm on Saturday and Sunday 27th/28th November, and I will be the “smoking room” which is next to Caesars Hall.  If you’re coming by public transport, there are free buses from Derby bus station.  Craft demonstrations will be on throughout the event, and apparently there will be a barrel organ playing Christmas tunes, it’s close enough to December now to start hearing them! 

Must remember to make myself some Handmade in Derbyshire labels, as this is something they’re promoting for the event, and it was a suggestion made at our open studio too, so it will be worth me doing that I think.

Christmas decorations were popular at the weekend, but as each event is always different, I need a good range of goods, so off to the studio for me to do a bit more making!