Well what a high this weekend has been !! It's no secret that this weekend has been a bit of an event for me ( and my Studio Buddie Lucy ) .
After deciding to do our first Open Studio event some 8 weeks ago it was soon upon us . My goodness me it has been very hard work ( 7 days a week and working two jobs ), stressful , tiring , exciting and much much more all rolled into one but you know something , it's all been worth it !
What an amazingly exhilarating day Saturday was but it has all built up and gathered pace over the last several weeks .
Firstly there has been a lot of buying and acquiring of furniture to fit out our studio and I have been in much need of my D.I.Y skills . I love the challenge of flat pack furniture , no really I do !!
I have been doing lots of sewing and have sooooo enjoyed making my new Angels they have been great fun to make . Some days I have just simply sat and played with fabric combinations , colour and embellishment .
This was Thursday morning , my fab hubby called in to bring me some postcards and greeting cards I had ordered from moo.com . I had wanted just a small batch to see what they were like and what sort of response they would get from people , a bit of an experiment . I was quite pleased with most of them .
Friday morning was a major flurry of activity and organising , it was great fun arranging stock and setting the scene . We were also getting excited about Friday evening and our preview party . We bought flowers and I cut some fresh ones from my garden to add more colour to Coopers . My roses are so beautiful at the moment .
Lucy's felt ball garland .
Twigs , paper pom poms and hearts very artistically arranged ! All in soft muted colours which I lurve !
Then Lucy hung some Yarndale bunting drawing people into the studio .
I continued to arrange , tweak , organise and prettify .
We wanted the space to say a bit of what were about as individual , but also what the space is about and what we hope to use it for in the future.
It was a late night on Friday I didn't get home until after midnight and was back down at the studio for 8.30 am .
To be truthful I was a bit nervous about what the day would bring , as soon as we opened the door at 10am we had people in soaking up the creative vibe . We soon got packed out , to the rafters at some points and I never met such a crowd of , patient , courteous , friendly , enthusiastic creative people . I encourage some people who were not too shy to get their projects out and sit at our table and have a drink and chill and crochet . The support we received was outstanding people had travelled from all over the country . We had people from London , Exceter , Nottingham , Liverpool , Wakefield , Huddersfield , Whitby, Scotland and our only two men of the day ( Knitter and crocheter) were from Leeds ,you guys were a delight to meet . I could go on with where people came from . It was really quite overwhelming , in a good way we didn't stop all day , we chatted and I sold some of my lovely handmade items . I had two cups of cold coffee and a box of Strepsils ( I had a very sore throat ) and no lunch and my feet had swollen by the end of the day , which was quite funny as I had to change into my flip flops to work home and my feet just looked weird.. But I was on such a high it has taken until today to sort of calm down . There was a real buzz of excitement on Saturday and we feel the people who visited really enjoyed them selves . This event has really given my very young business a real boast which I am truly grateful for that and really appreciate people supporting what I am trying to do .
We received lots of good luck wishes and well done messages , we both received gifts from people who follow our blogs and one lady and her delightful daughter nearly made me cry with their kindness and generosity. ( I will be doing a little post later this week about this as this post is getting nearly as long as War and Peace ).
On reflection this morning all I could think was I can't wait for the next Open Studio event , I loved it!!
All there is left to say now is a big
THANK YOU
X
I'm so glad it went well! You're fab Tracy xxxxxx
ReplyDeleteWOW. Beautifully written Tracy, you are such a sweet, lovely, amazing, talented person. Very super happy to call you my friend.
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I so enjoyed my visit to your studio on Saturday and have been looking forward to this post. I'm so pleased that you had such a terrific response to your first open studio day -it's really well deserved, you are a true inspiration. See you on Friday. Liz x
ReplyDeleteVery pleased it went well; but not surprised! If only I'd known someone was coming from Devon (Exeter) I could've got a lift! :)
ReplyDeleteWow !!! as i have said on Lucy's blog you have done a great job. I love ♥ your studio, i sooo wish i had something so lush :)
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed it, my friend and I loved it. Can't wait for your workshops.
ReplyDeleteDelighted everything went so well for you both. Love your photos but would be nice to see a photo of the creators of the studio enjoying the open day. You have both done a power of work and deserve to have many happy days working away in the studio. All the best. Catherine xx
ReplyDeleteIt looks like the most delightful open event Tracy, I am so thrilled for you x
ReplyDeleteSorry I missed it - I was unwell. Glad it went SO well x
ReplyDeleteThe little room of Rachell
A beautiful place! I love your hares with their crochet jumpers :-)
ReplyDeleteI sure wish I could have been there!! Glad you and Lucy had such a wonderful day. I don't know you guys but I so enjoy both blogs.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, it must have been a huge amount of work, but it looks like it paid off and I wish I could have been there. I am coming up for Yarndale, and spending a week in Skipton - any chance of having a Open Studio or workshop I could come to? Pleeeease?
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely beautiful story Tracy and I was thinking of you all day and wishing I could be with you ...... every good wish and lots of love coming your way for a great success in the studio. I am still trying to decide over two of your beautiful hares and will be in touch with you soon with an order ...... xx lots of love Joy xx
ReplyDeleteThank you for the photos <3
ReplyDeleteWish I could have been there
Your Angels are beautiful, Good luck :o)
I'm really pleased for you, it looks and sounds amazing, from both yours and Lucy's point of view. I wish I could have gone!! Maybe next time eh? Good luck with giving up the school job and focusing more on your work- it is so beautiful you are bound to be a brilliant success!! Beth xxx
ReplyDeleteSo lovely! I just looked at all of Lucy's photos and now yours, and I'm drooling at the spread that Suzanne put out. Especially the cheeses! Good thing it's almost suppertime. :) Congratulations on the fabulous studio event!
ReplyDeleteI'm so pleased it went off with a bang . It takes some courage to leave a secure job and I wish you well in your new endeavour . At this point I would like to make a suggestion . I'm over in Australia so not likely to be popping by for a coffee and a chat,perhaps you could consider selling the patterns online for your angels,mice and hares ,just a thought ,maybe even a kit with fabric etc. I've just been making rabbits with a pattern bought from this site http://posie-rosy-little-things.myshopify.com/ .
ReplyDeleteHi.... Hola soy mexicana y mi nombre es Verónica, mi ingles no es muy bueno así que espero tu español sea mejor. Me encanta tu trabajo, sigo tu blog y tu página en facebook y adoro todo lo que haces, tu creatividad y el colorido de tu trabajo. Recibe una felicitación por tu estudio y un saludo desde México.
ReplyDeleteI am so happy for you and Lucy! How exciting and marvelous! Your work is exquisite. I could not sew a straight line if my depended on it, so your work is a marvel to me. I luv all your lil' creatures! All the best, MO
ReplyDeletehttp://moisbloggingit.blogspot.ca/
The studio looks amazing!
ReplyDeleteIt was a success!
Inge
It sounds very exciting and looks amazing! I wish I lived closer....
ReplyDeleteHow lovely, I hope to make the next one ...
ReplyDeleteLove Claire xx
sounds like you had an amazing day - I am so gutted I missed it! I'm really pleased it went so well for you, your studio looks amazing!
ReplyDeleteNikki x
The studio looks fantastic, and your handmade things are truly lovely. Congratulations on handing in your notice to follow your dream and work on your business full-time. I wish you every success. So glad that your open day went so very well, I feel tired just reading about it, but it sounds absolutely wonderful. You have achieved so much already, you should feel very proud of yourself.
ReplyDeleteCan't, wait for the next one and this time I will be coming on me own with my crochet! That way I can have a cuppa and look at every nook and cranny x It was an absolute pleasure visiting you both and catching some of the creative bug x Maybe just maybe one day I will get there too x
ReplyDeleteYou've both done a grand job with the studio - looks gorgeous. Wishing you all the best in your creative journey together. Can't wait for Yarndale! Will you be selling your creations there? - if you are I'll start saving now!! :-D x
ReplyDeleteCongrats Tracey! I wish I could haven been there, but I'm in the US :(
ReplyDeleteThanks for giving us a great views of the event with your photos and explanations!!
Best wishes,
~Emmy
Well done. It looks like a very mazing couple of days. Goodluck with making this a full time job. I'm sure you will so really well!! Xo
ReplyDeleteGlad it went well. I would loved to have come but we had some family celebrations I had to be at. Maybe next time. Well done to you both. x
ReplyDeleteNo one has any pictures of people at this event. That would be nice to see. Surely there would be people who are happy for their faces to be seen? And where are pictures of yourselves, you and Lucy? We have seen your studio before so it would have been nice to see the pictures of people chatting and making etc. I'm a bit sad we can't see that to be honest. Your work is all beautiful, both Lucy's and your own and it would be nice to see people appreciating it all. I've been waiting for pictures of people enjoying the event but neither you or Lucy are showing any. Could you? Please?
ReplyDeleteMelanie
Hi Melanie , Oh boy do I wish I would have had a chance to pick up my camera and take some head shots , But I didn't even get chance to have anything to eat all day or drink the two coffees the kind ladies from down stairs sent up for me . Lucy and I have both said today that next time we will get someone to take some shots , we would like to see what it looks like with the place buzzing with people .It is a note to self moment .
DeleteBut I'm afraid on the day we literally were unable to take our attention away from the throng of fabulous people who in many cases had traveled a long way just to get chance to meet us and I can assure you if we had had chance to we would have photographed the people attending the event .
Sorry your felling sad about that aspect of the post !
Kind regards Tracy
Well done Tracey you have worked really hard. X
ReplyDeleteI wish I could have been there and I am so envious of your beautiful studio. It sounds like you have both worked incredibly hard and the results are wonderful!
ReplyDeleteTracey it has been lovely to follow you and Lucy on your journey for the studio and was really excited to read both of your blogs to see that it was such a great success! I would have loved to come along especially as you are both in such a gorgeous part of the country. Maybe one day. Well done!! xx
ReplyDeleteTracey, I've followed Lucy's blog for a while, only just discovering you and yours through your joint venture. I'm charmed and fascinated by the collective talent the two of you possess, and am almost envious of your studio space! It must be such a joy to simply BE there. Congratulations on your accomplishments, and best wishes for huge success to follow!
ReplyDeleteSharon in Alabama (USA)
Hi, lovely to put a voice to a person. We really enjoyed the day from Vicki and Val the latecomers from Woolfest (York). Lovely to meet you and good luck. x
ReplyDeleteHi Tracey, your photos are so clear and have a 'fresh' quality about them. What camera do you use? Sorry I know you're incredibly busy but I would really love to know. Many thanks, x
ReplyDeleteWishing you and Lucy every success in what is a truly beautiful adventure. I have loved following your progress and seeing all the hard work pay off. Well done.
ReplyDeleteHi Tracey, So SO So glad your opening was a success!!!Truly well deserved by both of you!!!From now on it can only get better and bigger!!!Have a great weekend!!!
ReplyDeleteLove
AMarie
I hope you have a few items left to put up in your shop. I have been dreaming of a bunny in a cute sweater;). Your work is so detailed and lovely. Congrats on your open house. I read your blog and Lucy's too and am so happy for you both.
ReplyDeleteEvery picture here is oh so delectable! I wish I lived close enough to drop in. If you start the workshops, I hope you and Lucy can figure out some way for us online folk to tag along.
ReplyDeleteI love how your post and photos are so different to Lucy's. Between the 2 of you, you give such great insight into the open day - which I would have loved to come to! Sounds like the 2 of you have been having a total blast. Good on you for increasing your prices - it's hard trying to balance customer and your own price expectations...! I don't suppose you have any of the angels left? I'd love to buy one for my Mom's birthday... Enjoy, Keri
ReplyDeleteJust a little request from me too to see if you have any pin tins left perchance? I can't imagine you so but I live locally so could bob in if they haven't all been snapped up! x
ReplyDeleteHi Kate ,there are a few pie tin pin cushion left , I wont be any where near the studio until the begining of August as I am full on wedding preparations for the end of July . Please email me on tracy2872@hotmail.co.uk and I will arrange to be at the studio for you to visit .
DeleteEnjoy the weekend Tracy .