the Victorian Arts & Crafts Shop in Poulton-le-Fylde

We shopped in Poulton-le-Fylde this week and as I needed some bits & pieces popped into this great little shop in the Market Hall.  I'm always mesmerised by controlled chaos and couldn't resist embarassing myself by asking to photograph the button & thread displays. The staff were very kind, probably feeling sorry for 'the Everpresent' who was patiently smiling, watching my antics. I also noticed how busy the shop was and of how friendly the interactions between staff and customers were. I'm old enough to remember when this was how most shops were, of how at home you were made to feel and of how great the service and advice was.  Of course I also have my favourite internet shops for supplies and goods but oh it was nice to touch things and look through all the stock. The variety of wool was staggering. So thank you Victorian Arts and Crafts, we really could do with more like you.

an excellent source of products for handmakers and crafts people

I needed a bit of  heavy weight black cotton strapping (plus cotton cord and snips) and was shocked to find that my mail order would be over £70 from a London company.

I literally said out loud words that more politley translated as Good Grief!

I was so fed up of the prices of some of the well known makings 'hardware' suppliers (especially one with the initials M & W and when searching, happily found this company!

http://truetrim.com/shop/catalog and they are part of http://www.supplydivision.co.uk/

The same supplies costs changed from £74.00 to £24.00.What a wonderful find and I hope it is useful to you too. They sell quite a few things from eyelets to bias binding, beading thread to corsetry/bodice products, quality snips to button covering equipment so enjoy!

come in Number 3, your time is up....

this delapidated lake boat is sat on the sea front at Lytham St Annes, Lancashire

it caught my eye with its ruination, it had been used as a planter but even the plants had given up

plenty of rust and lichen growth

this rusty three has decided that I should form a photo collection of unexpected numbers

Ait seems quite resilient though, even fire has not had much destroyed it

but the most captivating feature for me is of how the flaking paint has taken on its own identity and is now impersonating a seascape

perhaps its trying to emulate the seasape it actually looks at..........

Textile Art from the Sea, a sea urchin memory

I had a wander on the beach the other day and found a sea urchin skeleton, virtually intact but oh so fragile. I'm ashamed to say I didn't have my camera with me but was able to do some quick sketches and then some work in my sketchbook one home again. I then felt compelled to try and recreate it in textile, using wire to make the frame I then stitched torn pices of raw calico onto the frame with black embroidery cotton. It's about the size of a large satsuma and I find myself  handing it quite often and I'm feeling a slight compulsion to make a sea of my own out of hundreds of them. Thankfully though it doesn't smell like the real thing.....

for another piece of Textile Art from the Sea go to May 13 2011 below......