Sunday, April 4, 2010

A Walk through the Cottage on Fair Day Part One.

As you arrive at the Cottage, the very first thing you are welcomed by is the ever friendly girls from the Tea Room, ready to make you cuppa with a plate of something yummy to get the energy levels up for what lays ahead.
First room of the Cottage you enter is the Atrium, a lovely high ceilinged room, the silversmiths tables lay before you, the Atrium walls are loaded with a great array of different style paintings.
It was just before opening, Silversmith Leader Irene was casting a last critical eye over her work, making sure everything was just so and beautifully displayed.
The Silversmith group has added another string to their bow, now working in gold as well as using large and beautifully set stones.
More on Silversmiths and Painting later, I'm impatient to see the Patchwork girls display, so dash past the Raffle table, past the Caligraphy display, sadly no pics of Caligraphy - copyright issues.  A quick glimpse at the wonderful work that the Spinners and Weavers group do, Leader Dorothy and her helper both declining, with much laughter, to be photographed 'yet again'.
Such an an array of beautifully knitted bags, headwear of all styles, dolls and doll clothes, beautifully worked brooches, shawls, scarfs.............
wraps, bed jackets, felted bags, booties, baby bonnets and baby wear - the little knitted jump suits are divine.

Scooted past Pam, all set and ready at the Needlwork Cashiers table, with a range of the ever so tasty chutneys and jams that she makes to raise cottage funds.  This is a year long project of Pam's and she has been doing it for quite a few of them, getting produce donations from members and friends.
Turned hard left to the Patchwork room..................oh! what a vibrant and beautiful kaleidoscope of designs and colour greet the eyes.
To the left this beautiful tessellated quilt
hanging on the wall behind it, a block quilt with curved piecing.
On the wall to the right, these lovelies, beautiful butterfly quilt and Lorraine H's mirrored quilt using those lovely oriental prints.
A better view of the throw below them, machine embroidered butterflies and applique.
 
The room is an L shape, so there is always a surprise around the corners,
The walls were hung with such a variety of beautiful and beautifully worked quilts
the tables were groaning under more smaller quilts, baby throws, toys and cushions

There were lovely patch-worked heat bags, table runners, wall hangings of all sizes and styles
The cutest little bags full of easter eggs, teddies as wall hangings or the cuddly kind, botanical print cushions, and more bags than you could imagine, it always amazes me just how many of these are made for every fair, not only our group, but any group that works with fiber.  And they sell......hoo boy..... how they sell, they just walk out the door, often stuffed full of other goodies.
A beautifully soft 4 Patch and 1 patch combined quilt of pink roses, next to a striking quilt with the sharpest points, go on, click to enlarge and check it out, not a point out of place!, pot mitts, map bags, gift bags, trivets more cushions including the softest chenille cushion, soft colours and lovely to cuddle into.  Yep, I gave it a tinsy test drive, and a lovely colour wash cushion.

Found these Babushka style dolls nestled amongst the kiddies quilts on a table.
Table runners and more gift bags, garden gloves and that lovely colour wash cushion, with a lovely fresh blue and white cushion in front.
More of the cushions, a lovely Toile quilt, so many differently designed quilts and even a few Christmas designs for those who want to get going for Christmas in July
And lastly, these lovelies, a beautiful pictorial quilt, table runner,  quilt as you go and others.
And so on through to the Fabric Artists section, for an aladdin's cave of beautiful jewel coloured silks in all manner of guises.
Leader Lyn, on the right and her lovely helper, took time from their last minute preparations  to pose by these fabulous pieces,
Two softly flowing tops with such an array of goodies on the table below, there are cute little chickens to pop around your home, silk jewelry, bags, journal covers, scarves both on the table and hanging on the board by the tops.
More of those beautiful scarves and wraps.
Luscious painted and quilted tote, purses, wallets and beaded journal cover.
Beaded, floral and appliqued evening bags.
This gold stenciled Tote with the fringe is just stunning

More fabulous clothing, bags, totes, glasses cases, bookmarks and gifts.

More, more, more of everything, the cute kitties and chickens would be just lovely sitting by the bedside, or maybe on a table runner.

And so back down into the main room of the Cottage to view the stunning needlework being offered for sale.
These stunning framed works, bridal horseshoes, a lovely gift set of Tissue case, covered note book and lavender bag, gift sets of face washer and soap.
Ever so feminine embroidered nighties of all sizes, more tissue covers and lingerie bags
Coat hangers, booties, both felt and knitted, pram mobiles, baby toys, coat hangers, bed roll cushion, keepsake boxes and hand towels, wonderful ribbon rose cushions.
Embroidered Bunny Rugs, stitched quilt cover, no wonder this happy shopper has such a beautiful smile
The beautiful lilly thread paining was a tutorial that Helen taught the girls, some framed theirs, Helen did other flowers and framed hers in a vertical frame, I'm told it is stunning, and one of the girls turned hers into this beautiful tote.
How special would your guests feel being presented with this lovely hand towel and washer to use.
The lovely work done by Porcelain Painters, Lace and Tapestry, Machine Embroiders Pottery, Painters, more of the beautiful jewelry from Silversmiths and Carol with the Plants are on the post labeled as the Fair Day Continuation.  Just scroll down to the next section or post.

Part Two of A Walk through the Cottage on Fair Day

Wendy and Yvonne, waiting for the doors to open, taking  the opportunity to look over this quilt as you go, with the alternate machine embroidered blocks.
Some closer looks at the beautifully worked variety of goodies these girls are selling from the cute 'Drool Rules!' bib to the memories boxes, colourful fridge magnets, table runners and wall hangings.

Some of the members did this sampler workshop at a local embroidery machine shop, creating these lovelies, some framed behind glass, some stretched onto a frame.
Wendy, being one of the patchwork group,  took the opportunity to show just where Crazy Patch is taking us, she has created a basket of beautiful little needle books. 'Crazy in a Hoop' she calls them.
Some have lace along the joining seams, some have rows of embroidery.  So pretty and femine.


A wonderful array of pieces, with some closer views following.

Machine embroidered 'Fairy Woodland' on a prettily dyed piece of fabric. 
Babushka Wall hanging, Black Embroidered Flapper wall hanging, stretched onto a frame, Table runner, hand towels, face washers, and a sewing journal, with a fave motto

A wonderful  tote, just the thing for a workshop, not only outside pockets, with lovely machine embroidery, but a fully zippered closure at the top.  Love the machine embroidered pin cushion on the end.



Marcia all set at the Sales table, not really hiding behind the bags and totes, just an illusion.......promise.

Porcelain Painters group had a wonderful display of goodies for sale, many new lines and a couple that are harder to come by too, such as this footed cake stand that Patsy painted with the black border and vibrant floral ring.
The darker blue on the mugs that this lady painted, (apologies will slot in her name when I find it)  really stood out against some of the more pastel designs.  forgot to ask, but I think they are traditonal Delft Ware patterns.
 There were lovely pastel designs, and some stronger designs too.
How cute are all the bunnies, little pill boxes, ring trays, jewelery containers and vases, but I think my fave (so hard to pick one) is the flapper on the square plate, just under the pair of cats.  Really lovely.

Margaret with some of her pieces, lovely soft colours and feathery brush strokes.

Denise and her helper (sorry, another name lost, will fix asap) from Lacemakers and Tapestry with some of the exquisite lace pieces this group creates.
Little jar or jug covers, booties, gift cards with tatting, doilies with tatted edgings, the cutest little pouches, just right for the 'tooth fairy', lingerie bags with lace inserts and edgings, beaded jug cover, and glorious linen handkerchiefs with lace edgings.

The delicate structure of the lace table centrepiece and doilies shows up beautifully against the dark background, there is even a lovely lace collar - top right hand corner - wouldn't you just love that on the neckline of a hand knitted jumper. Yum..
Unfortunately, I was only able to get permission from one Potter to photograph her pieces, it was wall to wall people in there........so busy, and the stuff was just walking out the door. But the few pieces I did get show just how wonderful the work is that our Pottery group does, Don't you just love the bird bath with permanent residents?




The Cottage is filling with visitors by now, and the first rush is on, those who come early come to buy, they are regulars and know just what they want, returning to their fave artists.
Painters, Shirley and Lyn are busily packaging up a sale of hand painted cards. While another customer makes a selection, just the hand coming in there for one of those little girl cards - or maybe it was the teddy on the line.

Julie showing just a small selection of the many, many canvases from the Painters Group that hang from the Atrium walls.

Silversmith Carolan, making a few last minute adjustments to her display.
As we finish our walk through the cottage, I'll leave you with these two views of Carolan's wearable art....as we continue outside the cottage to see what we can find.
We leave the cottage through the Tea Rooms and continue to the beginning of the tree lined pathway to Carol with her plants.
Carol has been 'doing the plants' for many a Fair, always in this idyllic location, everyone knows where to find her and she sells out early, while I took this pic those Strelitzia blooms walked away!

Outside the Cottage, the Fair continues, everywhere you look, tents stuffed full of goodies while the potters seat at the edge of our Tea Room is put to good use by a couple of husbands who are obviously really enjoying the shopping experience! and on the other side of this maze of sellers, the Memorial Hall is also jam packed with crafters and their offerings, you are met at the door by Lady Lioness President Maureen and helper Rita, selling raffle tickets to that great basket of goodies at a mere $1.00 a ticket.
A wonderful way to spend as much or as little time as you want on an Easter Saturday, so much to see, so much to buy, after all, not only are there Easter gifts to buy, but a year full of birthdays and other celebrations!
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