After a week of last minute making, cleaning, tidying, hanging, labelling, cleaning again (those spiders keep making cobwebs)... I still don't feel ready for Open Studios. But then I never do. I never feel I have enough work. I have recurring nightmares that people won't come and visit. Then I have nightmares that they will come and visit and hate everything.
I've been doing this for eight years now so you think I would learn that this never happens. On the whole there is a steady stream of lovely visitors who are kind and polite and sometimes even enthusiastic about my work. People like to chat and tell me about what they make and there are always inspiring conversations. (Only one year a lady complained about the quality of the lighting in my hall)
But it doesn't stop me reaching this feeling of desperation every year. To keep my mind off it there has been another last minute make - some citrus coloured bunting (Planet Penny yarn again... beautiful stuff!) decorated with daisies. When I saw crochet daisies on Facebook I knew I had to make bunting with daisies.... although someone I know said they looked like fried eggs! Fried egg bunting... lovely!
I may be taking a little blogging holiday for a while as immediately after Open Studios next weekend I'm off to Missenden Abbey to teach a week of Summer School. I may think I feel desperate now but I think I'll be totally bonkers by this time next week as I get all my stuff packed and ready. I can't really see blogging being a priority... I've got another workshop to teach and an Embroiderer's Guild function before then too! But I'll be back in August.