THE BEST THING ABOUT MEMORIES...

...IS MAKING THEM.

Oh my goodness gracious! Where have the past three years gone?

I guess I could say they've gone in a blur of creativity, learning, re-inventing and hard work. And to all intents and purposes they have!

Having spent the best part of five years guddling about in a burn in my wellies in all weathers to collect pottery, the sheen had kind of gone off that particular project and besides, my wellies kept splitting and the woman in the local charity shop was getting suspicious about my motives for buying more than average amounts of rubber footwear (it's a small town, people talk). Anyway, I decided it was time to diversify slightly and find a warmer pastime.

Through a process of elimination (I eliminated anything to do with cooking, baking, children or small rivers) I found myself drawn to glass and particularly the combination of photography and glass - which in a way, carries on from the idea of putting images onto pottery.

As with most things, my subconscious probably came into play with memories of my mother and her "family heirlooms" (everything my mum had in the house that was over 2 years old was deemed a family heirloom in a vain attempt to create an air of mystique around a Woolies vase). The only "heirlooms" I was interested in were the photographs and general ephemera which are integral to a family's history and these are what led me to preserve them in glass.

It's taken almost two years, lots of learning, cut fingers, trial and error, experiments, bubbles, cracks, disasters, frustration, money and the creation of a whole new studio (that's for another blog post...) but my customer base is growing along with my joy in taking other peoples' precious memories and making them a permanent thing which I hope some day will become a real "family heirloom".

More of my recent work can be found on my website www.elleandpea.co.uk

It's Cool To Be Vintage.........

I've always been a fan of vintage paraphernalia. I put that down to the fact that I was what my mother termed 'a late baby' - or, what my sister termed 'a mistake'. Anyhow whatever the reason for my conception I did have a lot of older relatives in comparison to my friends whose parents were in their 20s or 30s when they had children as opposed to my parents who fought in the War!

Vintage for me was gas masks, cast iron ranges, enamel soup pots and wally dugs. Things my Nana actually had in her house.

Imagine my dismay then to discover that vintage now includes things I used in MY day to day life! How did that happen? When did I become vintage?? Things crop up on Facebook all the time - AND I RECOGNISE THEM! I'm distraught.

However, sometimes things turn up which make me happy to be part of the vintage scene. One of these is the very talented Mentalembellisher who makes amazing, vintage inspired jewellery combining all sorts of bits and pieces, sometimes put together in a rather disturbing, but always eyecatching and tongue in cheek, way.

Famous for her Gourmet Killer Bees and rather raunchy photographs, embracing your vintage side always seems a bit more fun when you can wear a pair of acrobats in your ears!

She's not called Mental for nothing.........

I shall not let the enthusiasm wain.......

Did I tell you I'm doing an important Craft Fair? No, well I wouldn't have because I've only been here five minutes.....!

Anyway, I am!

I will be at the West End Fair - Venue 27 - St. John's Church, bottom of Lothian Road, Edinburgh (along with at least 100 other stalls!)

WestEndFair

I'm really excited to be PART of the Edinburgh Festival this year instead of just a casual bystander and I have been working flat out to build up my stock.

For the uninitiated I make these little pieces of art by dragging my husband and dog all over Edinburgh, the Lothians and Fife in Scotland to take photographs, collect pieces of broken seapottery (ie old broken bits of crockery which have at some point been tossed into the sea, battered about for years and spat out by the tide.....)and then do magical things with the ingredients to give you THE most unique little piece of Scottish history ever! Easy!

Anyway, it is now ALL over the house in various stages of gorgeousness and even the puppy is starting to ignore it (yes....result!). But the end is in sight and I hope to see you at the West End Fair from Thursday 9th August - Sunday 12th August!