Second Weekend Approaching

Didn't get to post these last week due to frantic tidying and setting up right up until half an hour before the Private View (as always). We had a great first weekend with plenty of visitors and sales so we have some new pictures on the walls to fill gaps. We're open again this weekend and next weekend 11am-5pm Saturday and Sunday so please come along and see us. Here's a taster of what awaits:

Beautifully soft and colourful hand knits from Bluebell Roebuck

Handpainted scarves from Daubs and Dashes - each one unique

A selection of wreaths by Alexis Rayner

Collages by Vicky Scott (prints and originals)

Jewellery by Helen Chong

A selection of Ruth Mullan's Christmas decorations

Cards for Christmas and other occasions by Vicky Ramsey

Del Thorpe's original drawing from books he has illustrated

Copperfoil doves by Ruth Mullan

Watercolours by Margaret McGregor Betts

Leonor Berdichevsky's pictures

Photography by Bluebell Roebuck

Doesn't Time Fly?

I can't believe it's now only 23 days until the Open House begins. Now is when things really start getting a bit frantic. I've spent the day mounting photos and bottling up fruit liqueurs so at least I feel like I've actually done something constructive with my day. The flyers arrived yesterday so I need to start getting them out. Please come along to see our work - all the same artists as May but with lots of new art and crafts to look at.

Last weekend of the Christmas Open Houses 2014

It has been a fantastic Open House so far this Christmas with so many visitors last Sunday we had to send out for more supplies to make the mulled wine.

Gaps are starting to appear as are red "sold" stickers but we still have plenty for you to look at.

Many thanks to all of you who have come so far but if you haven't (or if you want to return), we are open tomorrow and Sunday between 11am and 5pm. After that, I'm afraid you'll have to wait until we open again in May as I need to get the house back to approaching normal before Christmas.

 Alexis Rayner

 Del Thorpe

Vicky Scott

Winter Night by Leonor Berdichevsky

Watching the Sunset by Leonor Berdichevsky (sold but more prints can be ordered)

Helen Chong

Mark Charlton

Private View

I've been a bit slack writing this blog over the last couple of weeks - trying to get everything finished and set up has taken a lot of time and brain space.

We had our Private View tonight which, as always, was great fun. A good excuse to meet up with people. It was lovely to have such fantastic feedback on how the house is looking. If you were one of those who came along, thank you for making the effort to spend the evening with us.

No pictures for this entry as I have to rely on my phone taking pictures for immediate posting - I've never had a digital camera as I love the anticipation of waiting for a film to be developed - and it doesn't like taking pictures after dark. I will try to take some pictures tomorrow morning and post again then.

Just about washed all the wine glasses and got the recycling ready for tomorrow so off to bed now. If you're in the area, please visit us tomorrow and maybe also call in to the last Kitty in the City fundraising fair before Christmas - just round the corner from us at St Philips Church in Richardson Road, Hove.

Helen Chong and Uranium Glass

Helen has been interested in all things vintage since childhood. In her loft you will find her collection of Pedigree Sindy dolls and clothes, her mum’s old Corona typewriter, and a much-loved toy Vulcan sewing machine. 

More recently, Helen received a treasure box full of vintage family jewellery. Among its contents was a pair of luminous green glass earrings, and research revealed that they were made from uranium glass (sometimes called vaseline glass). 

Uranium glass varies in colour and is fluorescent when exposed to sunlight. It also glows under ultraviolet light (i.e. it glows in the dark) so is perfect for the party season. It is not harmful or dangerous to wear; in fact, many people believe wearing uranium glass jewellery can have healing properties. 

Inspired by her original vintage acquisition, Helen now sources vintage uranium glass beads and combines them with sterling silver to make exquisite earrings and necklaces.

Helen Chong

I've known Helen for years now and asked her to join the Open House last Christmas as I love the gorgeous handcrafts she produces in her limited hours between being a psychology teacher and looking after her children. Utilising her knowledge of children and psychology, Helen created the Worry Bean, a small creature that works on the same principle as Guatemalan worry people. Children tell their problems to the Worry Bean; vocalisation of the anxiety diminishes it.

More recently, Helen has been sourcing vintage charms and creating beautiful jewellery with them. Her necklaces proved very popular at the May Open House. Each item is unique and they are very reasonably priced so perfect as gifts. Many of the charms are sterling silver; the necklace in the bottom picture features a vermeil gold heart charm.

10 weeks to go!

Amid this gorgeous sunny weather, believe it or not, just 10 weeks to go until the start of the Brighton Christmas Open Houses. I've got all my guest artists signed up (Del Thorpe, Alexis Rayner, Vicky Scott, Margaret McGregor Betts, Ruth Mullan, Leonor Berdichevsky, Mark Charlton and Helen Chong), now I've just to get on with making my own stuff.

I've been taking advantage of the late summer sun and spent the week painting silk in the garden to make into scarves. The knitting will have to wait until cooler days.

Keep checking back as I'm aiming to post every few days with plenty of examples of work by all of us showing at Christmas. In the meantime, here's one of my favourite photos - Brighton Beach in Winter.