Festive greetings

Oooh dear - my blogging has slipped a little of late.  Last post 31st October???!!

Since the middle of November I've been super-busy making stock, doing markets and filling orders, but now I can relax (is 4.45pm too early for a glass of wine?) and wish you all a very HAPPY CHRISTMAS.

Shark Alley has had an amazing year and the response from all you lovely lot has been very much appreciated.  Onwards and upwards for 2012!

Otters - Where Are They Now?

And more importantly WHAT ARE THEY DOING?!  Are they being naughty?

I am extending an invitation to all Shark Alley Otter Owners to keep us posted on the activities of their little charges once they have left the cosy Shark Alley den.

Here's the sort of mayhem that has been occurring so far.

Hazel went to live with Poppy in London, where they discovered a shared love of dried apricots.

She's in safe hands as she enjoys a bit of dashboard surfing

Otis, Gourmand and Aristotle all went to live in France with Béatrice, which is terribly exciting as they went there in a plane.  They are now sleek, well-fed Parisian Otters who get to do a lot of travelling and fine dining.

Fish not good enough for you anymore, Otis?

Fuzzy #3 lives in Brighton and spent one summery evening enjoying a barbecue on the beach.
WOT NO FISH?

 He also got to witness a baptism!


28/12/11 Fuzzy#2 went to live in a wonderful old farmhouse in deepest Devon with Mary and Joe.  
Here he is engaging in some quality Christmas posing and sporting a particularly jolly festive bow.

May I be so bold as to suggest that you are looking a little portly, Fuzzy?  
Have you been at the mince pies?

1/1/12 This is Othello.  Here he is hanging out on New Year's Day with his friend Larry the lemur, who looks like a very splendid sort of chap.  Thanks to Steven Ball for this great shot.

25/5/12  I've just been sent some most excellent pictures of Charlton the otter, who's clearly been having a very exciting time.  Big thanks to Laura Miles who sent these in - they're absolutely brilliant.

Charlton saying farewell to his friends at Bellis Gallery, Brighton.

Charlton at Heathrow - I wonder where's he headed?  That's a big bag, Charlton.  I hope you have packed your travel pillow and a good magazine.

 

  Here he is enjoying a heritage tourism trail in the heart of Melbourne city centre.  It's winter in Australia so he's been looking for some woolly gloves to keep his paws warm.  Charlton likes staying close to the trendy spots on the waterfront and boasting about his travels to the local possums and echidnas.

More Shark Alley otter adventures are documented on Fuzzy Otter's very own blog here

 AWWW!

So if you want to send in some pictures of the things your otter is getting up to, the places where they like to spend time or even a cute little portrait of you and your otter just hanging out, we'd really, really love to see them!  (If you'd like to welcome one of the lovely little critters into your life, click here!)

Just post your pics on the Shark Alley Facebook page or go to the contact page on the Shark Alley website and email them over and I'll pop the best ones up on here.

The 'C' Word

It has started, hasn't it?  Creeping into shop displays and TV ads . . . ugh.  It takes all the fun and excitement away when it starts so soon.

Anyway, I have to bow to commercial pressure and get with it, especially as I have Christmas markets looming on the horizon.  To this end, I've been making these little tree decs.

 If you want to get your little mitts on one or more to dangle festively from your tree (or even door handles or bed frames to get year-round maximum use!), contact me via my website OR come and find me at one of the following events:

Stand 13 at SPARKLE Craft and Gourmet Food Fair, Landmark Arts Centre, Ferry Road, London TW11 9NN
6.00-8.30pm Friday 18th November and 10am-5pm Saturday 19th/Sunday 20th November
AND
The very fabulous CRAFTAGANZA, Fabrica Gallery, 40 Duke Street, Brighton, East Sussex BN1 1AG
11am-5pm  Saturday10th December
AND
MAKERS BOUTIQUE, Unitarian Church, New Road Brighton, BN1 1UF
SPECIAL LATE NIGHT SHOPPING EVENT 5.30-10.30 pm Thursday 8th December
11am-5pm Saturday 17th December.

More details nearer the time.



I've also been working on festive textile designs, which has been a bit like pulling teeth as I'm so out of practice, but they worked out OK in the end. My agent likes them too!  There's been interest from clients so fingers crossed for an actual sale soon.

Thames Festival pt II

Here are some pics from the Thames Festival.

It was extremely well attended and I met lots of lovely people, traders and customers alike.  Despite a few showers and the odd gust of wind, the weather behaved itself and it was fun to have a proper stall with a roof - like camping! 

Nocturnal Shark Alley.  Otters, isn't it past your bedtime?

Art shot

Big shout out to Mary and Julie of We Make London for making it all so easy, Louise Brooker of Edwyn UK for being a fab stall chum (and doing all those tea-runs!) and Paula Eastman of Feather Fancies and Michelle (and friend whose name I've forgotten - sorry!!) of Isolyn for being lovely neighbours.  Plus all the other super friendly and talented stall holders I met on the day, including Molly Moo & Jessica Too and Bumble & Earwig - LOVE those big animal heads!

THAMES FESTIVAL

I'm very excited to be part of the Craft Trail at this weekend's Thames Festival (10th-11th September 12pm -10pm).  It is London’s largest outdoor arts festival - a spectacular FREE event, which brings together Londoners of all ages and from all communities to celebrate their city and the River Thames.

I shall be having a stall as part of We Make London - there are quite a few crafty collectives taking part.  We shall be outside Southwark Crown Court near HMS Belfast - nice and handy for London Bridge Station direct from Brighton so I won't have to negotiate the Underground.  Yaaay!


Here are some links:
http://www.crafttrail.co.uk/
http://networkedblogs.com/msLve?ref=nf

And a map!

I'm quitting my jibber-jabber . . . and just posting some pics

Rare sunlit table

'Sew your own' kits

The bunting!  The bunting!

Shark Alley makes a rare foray outdoors

Hot diggety, that bunting sure looks groovy

Mar-kits

Two markets in two days this weekend!

On Saturday, it's Twist & Make at the Phoenix Gallery, Brighton (as mentioned in the latest edition of Mollie Makes - an excellent crafty lifestyle magazine) and then on Sunday, Always Uncommon at The Green Door, Brighton.  It's also Gay Pride here in Brighton this weekend!

I've also been hard at work making kits - sew your own bird and sew your own bear, based on the owl and otter keyrings I've made recently, so they will have their debut this weekend.