Where has the summer gone!

I can't believe it's been nearly two months since I wrote a blog post! The summer has flown by and as our mini makers and their parents think about getting back to school I want to hang on to the last few weeks of the summer.  It has been a fantastic few months helped massively by the general good weather….well except for the Hen weekend in the UK when we got very wet at Newmarket races. 

We have hit some pretty incredible milestones this summer. The biggest being our 1st birthday which we celebrated in great style. It was a beautifully sunny day as it has been on the 1st of August for the last few years.  We had a brilliant party which was helped hugely by the presence of West Mayo Brewery. We raised €600 for Cystic Fibrosis West with tea, coffee, cake and beer, I was touched by people's generosity and their help with cakes, prizes etc
Tom was on hand being a very good husband and seemed not to mind that once again our wedding anniversary was overshadowed by my small but expanding business. He had been working hard to get everything ready and I am very grateful. 

Oh yes and we have expanded. We now have a furniture and vintage room upstairs and a new workshop and store room. Our challenge now is to paint furniture fast enough as this has proved very popular so far. 

However my proudest moment over the summer was at the Erris Agricultural Fair. I was very proud of how the dogs behaved but was delighted to see one of our mini makers had entered her apron from the sewing class in the show and won 1st prize. Well done to her and all the other. 

We had lots of our makers in doing what they do best and showing off their crafts and we had a great day at the Heritage Fair and Fair Day. 

Wow after all that surely it must be time to put my feet up….well for 5 mins anyway. I am currently working on our course schedule for the autumn. You're going to love it!

Make your own memories

When I think about all the places I've travelled sometimes its hard to remember all the details. I love collecting little bits along the way and these things bring back memories that really capture the essence of a place. Some of the mosttreasured  souvenirs that I have are things that remind me of an experience I had that the photographs just can't convey.

I have a some wool from a sheep that I sheered in New Zealand and a small bit of woven cloth I made with some women in Tonga. A picture that I helped the little boy paint at the homestay in Samoa. I love to keep my battered guide books and travel souvenirs and reminisce and if you do the same you’ll know the power of objects to evoke a time and place. 

Crafting is a great way for you to make some of your own treasured possessions that you can bring back from the road, and remind you of the amazing experiences behind them.

That's why we came up with our 'Give it a go' sessions in our workshop. And it's not just for the tourists. It's a great way to spend time with loved ones or celebrate a special occasion. 

We have something for everyone from glass painting to embroidery. 

Being kind to myself.

Well last week was again busy busy busy. But by the end of the week instead of feeling invigorated I felt a bit flat. I do a lot of thinking (often at the expense of sleeping) about the business and I love that it keeps my brain active. So why last week did I feel so flat?

Well when you have your own business it's simply the way that you have to turn your hand to anything. I was manager, painter and decorator, marketeer, planner, cleaner, shop rearranger, supply manager, accountant and web developer.

My favourite part of the week was the 1.5 hours on Thursday evening with the sewing class but the one thing I wasn't last week was maker.  

You can escape for a while painting the wall but there is no creativity in it! I'm happiest when I'm being creative. 

I can be doing anything and an idea pops into my head. It generally kicks around there for a while until I get chance to do a bit of research. After a lot of surfing the net and thinking about how to make it I get down to it. Sometimes I like the product as soon as its finished and other times I can't decide if it works. 

For the ones I'm not sure about I will do more research.... which means leaving the product on the counter or the table. No comments is feedback in itself and any comments spark a conversation. 

I might then make changes and make it again. 

It doesn't have to be a long process but sometimes the creativity can be as simple as planning the window or the shop display or how to show a product. 

So while Tom is away this week on the other end of the spectrum doing a science exam I'm going to be kind to myself and create.....

It's all go at the co-op

It's a silly expression, maybe it's from an old advert or something, my dad used to say it sometimes when things were really busy….and boy have we been busy.

It feels like it's been non stop since we got back from our holiday and this is suppose to be our quiet time!  And I suppose you are wondering what we are at……

Well the most exciting this is we've been working on the rest of the building and 'phase 2' is almost complete. As you've passed you may have seen or heard the workmen hard at it. They will be gone this week and then we will be hard at it getting it ready to open. The room downstairs will give us more space to display our wares and space for the drop in sessions that are really taking off lately. (More on that next week) As news of the shop has spread we have had more crafters approach us and now stock over 30 regular suppliers from around Mayo. It's great to see the talent that is out there and we are delighted to be able to give them a chance to showcase and sell their work. 

We've done a bit of work on our upstairs workshop and that will hopefully be complete this week as well. We are now one of only 11 stockists of the amazing Autentico chalk paint. I've been waiting for this to be available in Ireland and now it is I didn't hang about. And the furniture seems to be flying out quicker that we can paint it so we have dedicated space to create our masterpieces. So you can come up and see what we are working on next. 

The other project that is underway is our new website. It's still work in progress but should be 'live' by the end of the month with some of our lovely products and we will be adding m more as we go along. 

I haven't been doing all this alone. We were recently joined by Mollie Henry who is working full time in the shop. She is bringing her creative talents to help us as we embark on all our new adventures. She did the new 'Made in Mayo' window packed with all the great stuff crafted round the county. 

Our Holiday courses for Easter were fully booked for the two weeks. It was great to have the sunshine for the two weeks and we had a bit of fun outside in the back yard. We are busy trying to get some new courses for the Autumn to get your creative juices flowing in ways you never knew possible!

Well better get back to it. I'll tell you more about our Phase 3 next week and the new extended drop in sessions.  

  

I'm up for grabs!

I'm going to talk about a subject that's a bit taboo but I'm just gonna go for it anyway. I'm talking politics.

One of the big difference I found is that in Ireland people actually vote. In England there is a huge amount of apathy around elections especially local ones. However, for the first time probably since I turned 18, I feel that this election can't pass me by without my contribution. And why the change?...well because I feel it's the first time that the outcome could directly affect me.

I was introduced to one of the prospective candidates with the mention of my family connection as if to imply my vote was all bit cast. On the contrary, my vote is very much open. I would say my vote, my husbands and a few if my friends have no pre party allegances. And so the question I have for those that want my vote is simply 'What are you going to do for Belmullet?'

This beautiful remote community is bubbling under with potential. I believe what happens over the next few years could make the difference between thriving or simply surviving. Decisions made could put it at the forefront or leaving it so far behind it can never catch up.

Fibre optics, tourism and supporting business are the things that will generate jobs, bring families home and set it up for a bright future.

Sometimes I feel like we've been here only a few minutes but its enough time to really care about what happens where we llive and try and make a difference in my own small way. 

So my vote is up for grabs and it will go to......

Earth Day

Earth Day is an annual event, celebrated on April 22, on which events are held worldwide to demonstrate support for environmental protection. It was first celebrated in 1970, and is now coordinated globally and celebrated in more than 192 countries each year.

It's a good time to think about doing our bit for the environment and for my part I've got a great little project planned. There is a great space at the back of the shop which is a lovely little sun trap. I have had plans in my head to give it a new lease of life using completely recycled materials. So every Saturday morning starting in May between 10-12 I will be running a free workshop that will get you crafting and give you great ideas on how to recycle and reuse lots of everyday items. 

All the family can come along and get involved. Watch this space for more details….in the meantime here are my 10 ten tips for things to do my bit….

1. Give it away don't throw it away - use the new Belmullet Freecycle or your local one to pass on your unwanted items. Click here: Belmullet Freecycle Facebook Page

2. Paint it Eco - Oil based paints release hydrocarbon fumes. 

3. Save Water - use an old bin or drum to collect rain water and water the garden or wash the car with it. (Will help save money with our new water metres as well) 

4. Bag for life - get yourself a bag that you will love to take shopping with you so you don't need to use plastic bags. 

5. Leave the car at home - with this fab weather get on your bike or walk round town….it will also help get back that bikini body for the summer ahem!

6. Think reusable when you drink - buying bottled water is a major use of plastic and a waste of money and don't forget the huge increase in disposable coffee cups. Buy a travel cup and/or a reusable water canteen. They are much better for your health and much better for the environment than plastic bottles.  

7. Slip into something more healthy - The WWF claims that chemicals used on clothes to keep them wrinkle free can be toxic to the environment and linked to health concerns. Switch no natural fabrics, wool, linen, cotton etc

8. Go old school - when doing the cleaning go back to some of the old methods. By using things like vinegar on the windows can cut out a lot of unhealthy chemicals in modern cleaning materials. 

9. Recycle - try and reduce waste but when you can't make sure you recycle as much as possible. Try and switch to products that use refills and reduce packaging.

10. Upcycle - it's all the trend at the moment but it's a great way to reduce waste. Pinterest is a great way to get ideas for what to do. 

It's all about the craft

What a lovely week it has been the spring sun and the april showers have been out in abundance this week. 

The sun coming in the window however, was showing up my sea splashed windows, cobwebs and a lot of dust. So my day off is planned for a bit of a spring clean despite the stormy weather I woke up to. Before I started I just had a little flick through Facebook and discovered that today is World Health Day (7th April) and the theme this year is 'small organisms that carry diseases'.  I was silly enough to click on a link to the article about household bugs which has left me a little grossed out. 

I guess the point of it was how to make your home healthier, and as we live in a clean environment and we have access to great healthcare, its easy to become complacent about being healthy. 

I always think that I need to make some changes to be more healthy and it is suppose to take just 28 days to develop a new habit but I'm not sure its as easy as that. I'm stuck in what the Greeks called 'akrasia': deciding on the best course of action, then doing something else. The reasons why - partly I seem to go in fits and bursts which usually coincide with the hubby's shifts. Trying to juggle the house, the dogs and the shop mean that healthy goes out the window and just get fed is an achievement. 

I remember my training from Boots about people who wanted to quit smoking. The success of it very much depended on the reasons why. Those people that had a reason, a wedding, a new baby, were more likely to succeed. They needed a strong reason to quit. 

It's logical that actions and habits, both good and bad, are in response to needs. I might resolve to eat better and be more healthy but if I'm having to go to the take away because I'm short of time I need to address the issue of not having time. Which brings me back  full circle to my new years resolution of being more organised!!!

Exercising, Eating right, avoiding sunlight, cutting carbs, getting enough sleep the list can be endless. I know there are lots of small things I can do to improve my own health. 
In reality I am interested in those small things that take no more than a minute or two. And I suppose that's what good health is all about - a collection of small efforts that yield big payoffs.

Changing a habit is hard but I guess once changed it frees the mind of the struggle with yourself. Once my mind is freed of this it can then be focused on more pressing matters like what I'm going to make next. So I need to be more healthy to make more crafts!