Don’t Look Back in Anger

So I’m thinking … all those promises that we made to ourselves last New Year – can we look back and think that we did what we said we would do?

Did you stick to your word ? Did you do things for a little while and then maybe you ‘diversified’ your plans ( I don’t like to say failed!) Did you do anything memorable that wasn’t planned? Did life throw you a big fat snowball in the face that you had to deal with… and despite the odds you’re still here to tell the tale!

Looking back , What did you do in 2012 that was worth saying – “YES, I DID THAT” ?

Well here’s my reflective moment -

  • I said that I’d start doing some interviews with inspiring and creative people for the DappledSky site, I did that!
  • I said I’d do a creative share project – and in February I co-ordinated “Made to Exchange” on DappledSky, which was a challenge in some respects and rewarding in many other ways with international participants.
  • I said that I’d put my own creative plans into action and that I’d put my own creations into a fair or show of some kind. Well – I made some more of my characters, I wrote stories for them and I did some private commissions too. I dabbled in the local Pop-up Emporium, showcasing some of my brooches. Two of my characters were selected by Craftspace and MadeByHandOnline for the brilliant Unit Twelve Craft Open exhibition in November and I also showed my brooches and three figures at two great craft exhibitions locally in November and December. I didn’t sell any characters ( they are expensive) but I enjoyed making them and I’ve had more ideas on how to move them forward into other areas but I’d still like to get them into some galleries.

Here are some faces from DappledSky.com since it started …

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On a more personal level…

  • My husband and I had a wonderful anniversary holiday and I’ll never forget being on the island of Simi, eating gorgeous food, sat next to crystal blue waters. I thought I’d died and gone to heaven.
  • I ended one full-time job and started a new part-time job – which came with the challenge of re-learning how you use Windows and other programmes I’d not touched for years.
  • I’ve met lots of new people and made new friends.

Not too bad! … I plan to keep this creative stone rolling for 2013 and see if it can gather some speed. I’ve been asked if I’d like to curate and exhibition and will start to discuss that in the new year. Next year I need to get the house sorted and get the studio room back into action. I want to make more leisure use of our camper van and have lots more fab homegrown holidays in the British summer sunshine …. now that plan might be a little more difficult to orchestrate!

What plans are you hatching for 2013?

Pop Pop Pop! Call for Submissions.

Calling crafters, artists, makers, foody folk and vintage sellers, in and around the Newcastle-under-Lyme area  - and beyond … Here is a great opportunity to get a stall in a pre-christmas Pop up Emporium in Newcastle Under Lyme.

Denise O’ Sullivan-Dunn has organised lots of successful Pop Up Emporium events over the last few years, around Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire and across the Midlands. These events always have a good attendance of vintage sellers and a mix of handmade artists and crafters in there too, plus a few food stalls.

Denise is organising something quite big for Saturday 27th October 2012. She has three venues at her disposal in the town, to create three distinct Pop Up Emporiums, each with it’s own theme. There will also be a performance stage in the town, creating a great trail around the town for you to be part of and something fantastic for customers to enjoy. It is all part of a Newcastle Under Lyme council organised charity event called Paint the Town Pink, donating some funds from organisation of these events towards a breast cancer charity.

There will be lots of local publicity plus web-based promotion, plus … all selected makers will get a free advert here on DappledSky.com from October – January 2013, by having your logo and website placed in the DappledSky Directory.

If you are interested in this opportunity you need to read this link http://www.popupemporium.com and download the application forms when you get to the Pop Up site.

If you are a vintage seller or maker and want to get onboard with Pop Up Emporium before the  Paint the Town Pink event in October, there will also be other Pop Up Emporium events running in Lancaster Building in the market square, Newcastle-under-Lyme, plus some more events in November and December too ( these will be in one venue compared to the bigger three-venue event on 27th October.)

  • Saturday 29th September 2012 - Vintage, handmade and musicians  in Lancaster Building
  • Saturday 27th October 2012  - 3 great venues for Paint the Town Pink, including a handmade art and craft gallery,  vintage stalls, food outlet  in Lancaster Building and two venues in Merrial street, plus a music performance stage in town too.
  • Friday 16th November 2012 (This is also the 10th Anniversary of the Food Market … so it will be a good day to be in town and eat some nice things too!)  Vintage, handmade and musicians  in Lancaster Building.
  • Saturday 24th November 2012 - Christmas fun and frollicks with vintage, handmade and musicians in  Lancaster Building
  • Friday 7th & 8th December 2012 - Christmas fun and frollicks with vintage, handmade and musicians in  Lancaster Building

All the application forms and information can be found on the Pop Up Emporium website. Any enquiries just contact Denise via the Pop Up website.