Weekend

I've had a nice weekend - I got a lot of work done in my studio, and sources of inspiration have been coming thick and fast. On Saturday morning, we went out for brekkie at Starr's Bakery, which is a really lovely little place. Then, we wandered down to the Dartmouth Farmer's Market, which was buzzing. Normally, I'm not so crazy about the Dartmouth market, preferring the one in Halifax, but there was a really nice group of crafters there this weekend, as well as loads of lovely veggies - guess it's just that time of year. The best thing was that there was an artist's boardwalk outside along the water. Lots of artists had tables set up selling their work. I bought the two little paintings of apples above, which the artist has mounted as fridge magnets. They are the nicest fridge magnets I have ever seen. I have a real weakness for paintings of fruit. After the markets, we went to the library, where I got loads of books and magazines, as well as some books on tape to listen to while I work in the studio. One of the magazines I got was Country Home, which had a nice article about Danny Seo. I really like his design aesthetic, and the way he uses natural and recycled materials. It's a bit like my own aesthetic, except that he designs this way out of concern for the planet, while I am just cheap. I might have to get one (all?) of his books - they look really cool. One of the great things in his house was his use of branches, which I also love. I am planning to have my booth at the markets be quite "branch-y", a kind of cherry blossom woodland winter theme that incorporates birds. Not sure how I'm going to pull it all off, but I've started by getting the basket on the right. I love the way that it's reminscent of a nest, and the black colour makes my books pop. So, I've got lots of ideas running through my head, and I'm thinking of working on a few new products - if I get the time. I'd better go and get started...