Friday 10 July 2015

Five on Friday - Open Studios

By the skin of my teeth...  A Five on Friday post as I get ready for my first weekend of Open Studios. This will be my tenth year participating in Cambridge Open Studios and you would think I'd have it off pat by now... yeah, right! It is all left to the last minute as usual and many of the grander ideas and plans I hatch will never come to fruition. But these are a few of the things that have been happening:
 
1. Last minute work
 
 
No matter how much work I have to display, I am always compelled to make just one more thing at the last minute... and invariably you can guarantee that will be the one thing that does not sell!
 
2. Flower Brooches
 
 
I thought I had loads of these little brooches but when I opened up the case where they live I found my supplies were seriously diminished. So I've building up my stock all week. I hope I've enough to make a decent display
 
3. Fresh Flowers

 
I always like to have fresh flowers on display for Open Studios. The delphiniums were a birthday gift and I added the Scented Stocks today, feeling rather pleased that my flowers co-ordinate with the artwork on the wall behind them!
 
4. Prism Work
 
 
It was lovely to have sold one of my graffiti pieces that I made for Prism in June but the remaining five pieces (I know you can only see four in the picture) make an eye catching display that is new for Open Studio visitors.
 
5. A Pop Up Cafe
 
 
Every year I have grand ideas of holding a preview evening with cocktails and canapes... but that would mean being ready before Saturday morning and somehow that never seems to happen. So instead, this year I'm having a pop up cafe in the garden serving homemade cordials and cakes. Having spent the best part of today baking I think I'm completely losing my marbles...  like I don't have enough to do!
 
 
So if you want a slice of homemade Battenberg with a glass of Rhubarb and Rose cordial... you'd better get here early.
 
Open 11th/12th and 18th/19th July from 11 am until 6 pm
 
Joining in with Amy for Five on Friday

22 comments:

  1. Have fun Gina, I wish I lived a little nearer! :)
    V x

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  2. I will be there with you in spirit wishing you all the best and hoping that it goes really well, and that everyone buys everything!!!!! Those pieces you made for Prism certainly deserve to sell!!! Unless you cannot bear to part with them of course! The cake looks delicious! I am sure that everyone will enjoy it. I hope that you have a lot of fun in the studio meeting people and introducing them to your wonderful work! Thank you so much as always for joining in. Have a great weekend! xx

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  3. It sounds like the perfect way to while away an hour or two - if only I lived a bit nearer. I hope you have a great time with lots of interested visitors! x Jo

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  4. Bonkers! But why not? It's only once a year! Have a good weekend!

    (Does leftover battenburg go thru the post? Not that there'll be any leftovers) xx

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  5. Yours is going to be one of the best venues to visit and if I start walking now I might just make it in time!! Hope you have lots of visitors.

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  6. I'm with Iz - as in send the leftovers over to me to assist with the clearing up!

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  7. Gina, I typing this comment to you even as your first Open Studio day is well underway. I'm hoping that my good wishes for a wonderful day will reach you as the many visitors arrive.

    Great to see those flower brooches in full bloom...I know how much I enjoy wearing mine and telling folks about who made it!

    Tea in your garden will add another special Gina touch. xo

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  8. I hope it's going well for you today. Your flower brooches look lovely! I'd love to join you, especially for tea but I am too far away. I hope you have lots of people visiting. Barbara xx

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  9. Hope your open studio is going well and that you've had lots of visitors. :-)

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  10. I wish you great success with your open house! I would love a big slice of that cake! My goodness! :-) Beautiful items for sale.

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  11. I hope the first day went well. I can relate to several of the points you made especially making at the last minute and then not selling those items.
    I did not do Art Weeks this year, enjoyed seeing others instead.

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  12. Hope you have been having a wonderfully successful weekend - oh for a magic carpet or 'beam me up scotty', then I could join in. Cheers

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  13. Wishing you every success, I wish I lived a little nearer.

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  14. Hope you had a fab weekend with lots of (buying) visitors.
    The 'cafe' pictures remind me, I haven't made a Battenburg cake for ages. In fact, not in this lifetime,

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  15. I think we all get these great brainwaves to add ridiculously to our workload at the last minute ;) All of your pieces are so vibrant and well done, that I'm sure you will have no trouble making sales! And having a pop-up cafe too?! How I love that ;)
    Wendy

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  16. Just adding my good wishes for a successful Open Studios event. It must be do hard to prepare for as you have no idea of numbers or who might come! I hope there are lots of sales..... there will certainly be lots of cake by the look of it so bound to be a winning event!

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  17. Everything looks beautiful Gina -- I hope it all went well!!!

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  18. Hope the first Open Studio weekend went well (I'm sure it did). Bet the cake and cordial went down a treat, too.

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  19. Looks amazing. I couldn't begin to make your art work, but I do bake a lot, and know how time consuming it is. X

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  20. I do hope that it is all going well for you. x

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  21. Oh how I wish I could come along!!! I'm sure it will all go well, and the cakes look very yummy xx

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