Cotswold Show & few fresh cuts!

I'm doing the last few bits and pieces in ready for the Cotswold Show in Cirencester park this weekend, 2nd & 3rd July...think I'm (almost) there! My last minute flap was finding tables for the occasion; luckily some lovely friends of ours got hold of a key for the church in the village and we snook in after dark and borrowed three! Phew! If you're around, do come and say hello, I love meeting everyone for a good natter at these events- I'll be in the rural craft tent...

I forgot to tell you about my smart new canvas aprons with everyone's favourite little fella hand printed onto, and made in the UK! Get them here in my Etsy store- they make great foodie presents, don't you think?

 www.stephaniecole.co.uk

I also couldn't wait to show you these, I LOVE them! Last weekend I finally got my brushes out and got a little obsessed with painting ships in different glass bottles on lovely tiny 5" canvases...most of my work looks at the seemingly mundane, everyday and (admittedly) a little naff, but still, a little piece of 'Britishness' and totally re-freshed! Hope you like them, I'm planning on getting some archive prints done of these a little bigger ready to pop into some frames. I'll keep you posted, email me if you'd like more details, for now here's a picture!

© Stephanie Cole 2011

I'd also like to leave you with this, found in the countryside lanes on the way back from a Lavinia's tea party-do, it just made us chuckle, what a strange entourage...! Happy weekend! x

Hello sunshine, Fresh Air & new bits...

Hello all! 

Had a really lovely weekend visiting Studland Bay in Dorset for a leisurely plod down the sand dunes, followed by cream tea on Brownsea Island surrounded by peacocks, red squirrels and deer!

 Sunday took me to Quenington's Fresh Air sculpture exhibition, which is set in the most beautiful gardens and really worth a visit (more tea and cake here too!) It is on for another week or so, so there's still time to visit if you havn't- each year is fantastic...

Nicola Ransom, Flight I

 Fiona Haines

 

Peter Garrard

The images above were from some of my favourites...though certainly not the biggest, most technical or expensive, it's always the simple, modest things which speak to me the most- things I can see in my own home- probably the reason I create the things that I make...

...Bringing me nicely onto some new bits! The Cotswold Sheep Society tea towels are now ready to buy here, along with some new Stratford-Upon-Avon design tea towels which you can get here or in The National Trust's newly opened 'Arter' store in the centre of Stratford, which is looking really lovely set in an old Tudor building.

 A quiet reminder that I will be at The Cotswold Show next weekend, 2nd-3rd July- do come and have a chat with me! Tickets can be bought for £8.00 in advance on their website. The event attracts 25,000 people with a Shetland pony Grand National, racing llamas, falconry and motorbike displays, food tents, hot air balloons and lots more. You can find me in the craft tent, come and say hello! x