Friday 12 March 2010

Friday Snippets! ;-)

Recently, I bought some fabric pieces and in the pack were some odd, little pieces which I wasn't expecting!

At times like this, one's little heart skips a beat and one's little cheeks become quite flushed with excitement ! (This appears to be happening a lot to me, just lately..LOL ;-)



These are such lovely pieces , depicting playful, Maytime scenes.




But there was not much of it and so I just used some tiny pieces with the maypole scenes and I've kept the rest for another time.

I made some little folders in which to put some crayons and a couple of mini notepads....for four lucky children at the V&H fair on May 1st.
How apt, I thought!


And then I suddenly remembered the tablecloth!


It's funny how you can simply stumble across things when you are not really looking for them!



Take these napkins for instance.. guaranteed to cheer you up, that's for sure.








And everything is 'coming up roses' in the vintage fabric department! These are the new additions to my shop, today.



We've a busy weekend!
Not only is it Mothering Sunday but also a 'certain someone's' birthday on the same day!
On Saturday, for his birthday treat (!) he is going to the Flea Market at the Exeter Livestock Market!
I'm looking forward to that... and especially to seeing Lizzie (The Washerwoman) with all her wares!
Must remember the camera for that one!
But of course the REAL treat for Mr S will be on Sunday,when he gets his goodies!
I hope he enjoys opening them all ...BUT most of all the one with all the string around it!
LOL!

And on that note...have a great weekend everyone!

p.s. Winners of my last giveaway will be announced on Monday.

Tuesday 9 March 2010

You copycat!!!


Now here' s an interesting subject and something which has probably affected
 all of us, at some time, in our lives!!
And it's one for huge debate!!

***

The Subject : Copying someone else's work or idea!




Last year, it happened to me on more than one occasion and I was mildly irritated. However, at the time I was not feeling that well. Had I been well, I might've merely been flattered and thought no more of it.


Nevertheless, around about the same time, I knew of many instances whereby someone had copied another's work . I even knew of instances where friendships became very strained because of it.




BUT HEY!...Put yourself on the world wide web... and your work is there for all to see ( and copy!)
It's not just craft work..it is also ideas ...original ideas which are then snitched by others and passed off as their own brill ideas.

Anyway, back to last year!
My good friend, who is a writer, said:
' Sal, why don't you write an article about this?'
So I did...and then I became rather unwell.
And the article remained in draft form...until now!





I've decided to roll it out, in order to, hopefully, promote some useful discussion.
And so, may I present to you, my article, written last summer . It's interspersed with a few funnies (copied from the internet!!! LOL!!) to break up the lengthy text!

Grab yourself a cuppa!
When you've read it, I'd love your views about the subject.

*******************************

Artist or copycat? Creator or cheat?

********************************
I have always believed that, in life, there are two types of people :
 those who are imaginative and those who are not.
There are those who create in so many different ways, (writers, musicians, artists ,crafters) and there are those who would not know creativity if it jumped up and bit them on the nose!
It might not be their fault; they might be made that way i.e. it's in their genes, i.e. they might have had the creativity drummed out of them at school (it does happen, frequently) or they might just be plain lazy and find it easier to simply copy others.




Of course, when we are born, we learn by imitating. It's a natural learning process. It's something that we encourage our babies to do all the time and we heap on the praise when they succeed. So it's hardly surprising that they grow up thinking it perfectly fine to copy others.




But when does the imitating stop? Well,with some people, never!
And is it a bad thing anyway? Sadly, in the eyes of many, it is.
I will explain.

In recent years, a new kind of community has rapidly grown. It's an online community, a wonderful community known as the blogging community.
Bloggers are a fascinating crowd who live all over the world and obviously have varying interests. This has resulted in this massive community sorting themselves into unique 'sets', depending on their interests. And it is the 'set' of 'crafting/vintage bloggers' to which I loosely belong.


Ah! The Crafty Bloggers! It almost sounds like a new rock group, don't you think? I rather like the name and I've enjoyed being part of this community for almost two years. I've met new people, joined in with two vintage and handmade fairs, and so the whole experience of blogging has restored my faith in the human race. Or so I thought, until recently.

In history, many groups of artists have emerged, be it the Romantics, the Impressionists, the Pre Raphaelite Brotherhood, etc. But now, ladies and gents’, allow me to introduce you to the new kids on the block. Drum roll, please, for ...


The Copycats!


You know the sort.
You have a brilliant idea. You spend your time thinking of the idea, you gather together your materials - having spent your well earned money - and you create to your heart’s content, carefully, until you are happy with your finished product. Then you step back, observe your original design, pat yourself on the back for truly believing that here is something both original and unique. You photograph it for other bloggers to enjoy and then go to bed, quite satisfied.

But horror of horrors!
In a flash, the demons strike and you find that 'cheap imitation copies' are being passed off as 'all my own work' on A.N.Other's blog.
You think I jest?
Without any exaggeration this is what is happening within the community to which I belong.
I am not talking about an isolated incident either. It's a regular occurrence.
The Copycats are out in their droves, it seems, either copying, exactly, the unique art of others or , failing that, slightly altering it in some way.

'Oh, but the original creators should be so flattered. They should take it as a compliment!' I hear some of you shout.

Yes, we all know that famous phrase, 'Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.'
But this is no consolation for those marvellous, creative people, who have worked hard and designed and devised something new, only to find their work reproduced and, to rub salt into the wound, put up for sale!



Indeed, this is a massive subject for debate.
In the red corner, there are now those who are spitting mad about being copied.
And in the blue corner, there are those who are quite happy to 'snitch' to their hearts content!
Anyone in the red corner will understand where I'm coming from. As for the blues...!
Ultimately, this is leading to the breakdown of friendships within the bloggers world.

Furthermore, blogging for me (and I hope for most people), is actually a sharing and celebration of ideas.
The question is:

Do I want my own crafting ideas copied and given back to me wrapped in a different ribbon?
Of course not!

And so I ask this question: What do you think?
'Think' ...now there's another interesting word as generally I don't believe that those in the blue corner have been taught to think!
After all, if you copy continually, you don't need those thought processes.

Meanwhile, whilst you are preparing your 'original' (no copying others) answers, I'll leave you with this :

'It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation'. (Herman Melville)

;-)
As for me...I have some marking to be getting on with...



;-)

Sunday 7 March 2010

Honesty...and ...string's the thing ! ;-)



Somebody said to me, only very recently, that they liked my honesty on my blog!!

Well, here's me being very honest:

Taunton is a bit of a dump! LOL ;-)

Oh dear!
***
If anyone lives in Taunton, knows it well and loves it....I'm sorry!
If it's any consolation, I can be quite scathing about the town in which I live!

(I also withdraw my job application for a vacancy at the Somerset tourist board as I somehow doubt I will make it to the interview stage!)


Do you know , I have tried hard, over the years, to like Taunton.

It's such a quick train journey for us too.

But it always disappoints, apart from the County Stores , which is quite good for food bits and pieces.




It could also have been that the annual coach trip of the, 'National Society of Morons', which coincided with our trip to Taunton, put me in a 'not so good mood'!

I never like to grumble, moan or groan, especially on my blog but...

What is it with people who have no awareness, no respect for others and worse still, have no manners? DUH!


Sorry Taunton...you'll have to go into the same bin as Honiton...another place which many rave about but I always come home disappointed from there as well!!
;-)
***

So....the best bits about Taunton were... err umm.. quite difficult to capture on camera!
Which is why I am desperately trying to pad out this post with some humour , of sorts!

***

However, the walk from the railway station into the town centre is quite interesting ...lots of charity shops, a junk shop or two, a tiny antiques centre and a lovely flower shop.

We also found the most superb, old fashioned, gentlemen's outfitters, with very old fashioned, friendly service and the best, old fashioned stock of clothing for men that I have seen in a long time.
For Mr S, this was truly a pleasure.
So at least one of us got something from the trip!

I purchased a shirt and tie for him, as an extra birthday pressy. It was wrapped properly and thus he did not have to walk around with a daft, duffle bag, dangling on his back, as per last week!
***
Mr S has a birthday next Sunday. Never before has his birthday fallen on Mothering Sunday.

I can only hope that I do not get the presents muddled up!!

Otherwise, my dear mum will get a techno present which will completely flummox her, as with the name Apple and Mac on the box, she will think I have given her a packed lunch... LOL..

and not forgetting that shirt , which might pass as a night shirt...but is not her colour anyway.

Dear Mr S could find himself ponging of Lavender, for weeks.

Note to self...Must do the gifts tags asap!
***

Moving on...


Mr S failed somewhat dismally, yesterday...he only found a penny! One miserable, measly penny.
Another thumbs down for Taunton! Not enough coinage in the gutters!

(However, he did pick up 37 pence in Totnes, on Friday !!)
***

Ah now...here is a photo, from Taunton, especially for my sister.

Her husband is called Brian.

My dear Mr S, as some of you know, is called Terry.


The funny thing is that this barbers was closed and there was a notice on the door to say that one was ill and one was on holiday or something like that!!

I wonder!

Do Mr S and Mr SSH (Sister Snippets Hubby) really go where they say they go during weekdays?

Plus... there was an 'attraction' very close by and this is it...



If ever there was a shop designed to persuade Mr S to become interested in fabrics, this is it !!
So he says!
We giggled as we stood and took a photo, watched by some amused shoppers and Mr S remarked that he could actually achieve the very same look for me...if I so desired...

with a ball of string!

I will leave that to your imagination and I will move swiftly on.


For me, the highlights of the day (apart from the train ride and my football team going all the way to Darlington and winning! ) was this colourful, flower shop:


We do so love our Saturday outings but we do so love getting back home!

It was on our return home that I received a text telling me that Exeter was buzzing , there was music all over the place and that the city was alive!

You learn by your mistakes, eh?!
***

I have to dash!


I have a date with Mr S and .....a ball of string!
And I don't think we'll be doing Macrame!

Honest!!

;-)