Dust if you must!

Last weekend was pretty busy starting with a trip to see Hamlet at the Crucible in Sheffield. With John Simm, John Nettles and Barbara Flynn it promised to be a good night and although it has had mixed reviews I enjoyed it. If you're in the area it's worth a visit.



On Saturday I went to a vintage fair at Lincoln and managed to find some lovely barkcloth (separate barkcloth post coming to a screen near you soon!). On Sunday I went to the studio of Hope and Elvis for one of her workshops. I've been to these before and always have a great time. I do wonder whether its because I give myself permission to sew and craft for a day whereas at home I always seem too busy.




Hope and Elvis is the name of Louise Presley's business. I always like to have a wander round her studio looking at her treasures. I like the way she displays her moulds on sheets of music



and love to look at her evolving inspiration board



I covet this 50s cupboard...



Louise has made part of her studio into a shop where you can buy extra supplies from her huge stash of fabrics, old toys, patterns etc. Apparently her home is in the November edition of Homes and Antiques - looking forward to seeing whether her home contains as many blasts from the past.



The purpose of the days was to make corsages or brooches and I had intended to learn some basic jewellery techniques but once I saw Louise's lovely fabrics I'm afraid I reverted to type and got stuck in! We had lots of ideas to inspire us







Ane these are the results of my endeavours.







Next thing on my wish list is an old typewriter - great fun for adding bits of text to things with their less than perfect fonts...

As the workshop finished at 4 I still had time to visit the Cleo Mussi exhibition in the nearby Harley Gallery.



Last time she had pieces for sale at this gallery they were around £95. I wish I'd pushed the boat out then. Now they are 5 times as much. Perhaps it was as well there was a little red dot by my favourite - it clearly wasn't to be!

On the way home I was feeling guilty that the house hadnt been cleaned when this little gem came onto the radio and has become my new philosophy...

Dust if you must

Dust if you must, but wouldn't it be better,
to paint a picture or write a letter,
bake a cake or plant a seed,
ponder the difference between want and need?

Dust if you must, but there's not much time,
with rivers to swim and mountains to climb,
music to hear and books to read, friends to
cherish and life to lead.

Dust if you must, but the world's out there
With the sun in your eyes, the wind in your hair,
A flutter of snow, a shower of rain.
This day will not come around again.

Dust if you must, but bear in mind,
old age will come and it's not kind.
And when you go - and go you must -
You, yourself, will make more dust!