The Forty Hall Farm Shop has many lovely items on sale. Many food items on sale are grown on the grounds of Forty Hall and many craft items are made by local crafts people like me!
Keep your eyes open for my new leather and fabric range; they will be on sale in the shop very soon.
Beautiful African fabrics are on display in Bruce Castle’s current exhibition for Black History Month. I am very pleased that some of my leather and African textile products are also on display in this exhibition in Haringey.
The exhibition explores the symbolism of head – wraps and the African fabrics associated with them. I have explored my own use of the colours in African fabrics and the ways in which I use them to compliment different leathers.
This informative exhibition opened on 15th September 2016. It is well worth a visit.
Meloleather perforated black purse on sale at the Christmas craft fair
Christmas is almost here!
I am very excited to be participating in this year’s Designer Craft Fair in Southgate on Sunday 17th November.
Please see www.openstudios.uk.com for more details and visit me at the fair:
DESIGNER CRAFT ART FAIR
SUNDAY 17 NOVEMBER 2013 10am-6pm
St Monica’s Parish Centre, Canon House,
6 Cannon Hill, Southgate N14 7HG
I will also be at the CROUCH END CHRISTMAS CRAFT FAIR on Saturday 14th December 2013. More details will follow.
Meloleather black Afro comb
Side view of case displaying my Afro combs
Meloleather Afro combs in display case
An exhibition in association with the Fitzwilliam Museum (Cambridge University) has been curated at Bruce Castle Museum. Included are three Afro combs I have covered with leather and my own Afro comb memories.
This exhibition is on until February 2014. Bruce Castle is open from Wednesday to Sunday, 1pm – 5pm. Please visit this exhibition and let me know what you think of my combs.
Bruce Castle Museum
Lordship Lane, London N17 8NU
020 8808 8772
Best leather wishes,
Melonie x
Meloleather gold and red Afro comb
Blockbuster pop up shop in Southgate
The Creative Exchange Sign Enfield
I am now a part of the Creative Exchange group based in North London. It has been wonderful to meet so many other creative people and to be a part of their Pop-Up Shop at Blockbuster. Work from members of Creative Exchange is displayed in this vacant store. It is also rotated frequently.
Meloleather Keyrings on a Keyring Tree
Watch this space! There will be a lot more activity at Blockbuster as we all prepare for the Christmas Fair.
Southgate Tube Station
Many thanks to the people who attended the Personalised Leather Book Workshop last Saturday at Hornsey Vale Community Centre. I was so proud of the creative books you made and the encouragement you gave to each other. Well done!
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I have now completed the Bible cover I was asked to make using black cow hide leather and red thread.
When creating a Bible cover, sometimes it is as difficult to simplify the design as it is to make it quite intricate. The lady who asked for this cover wanted something simple. The simplest
technique would have been to use the natural beauty of leather, carefully positioning its irregularities to make a feature of them and adding nothing to the surface.
However, I love manipulating the surface of leather and I employ different techniques to do so. The following link is from an leather accessories website that gives a very simple explanation of the differences in some leathers.
http://www.maxwellscottbags.com/italian-leather-blog/2011/08/differences-in-animal-leather/
There are only a few days left until the Personalised Leather Book workshop.
Many thanks to the people who have reserved a place already. There are a few spaces left. If you would like to attend, please let me know as it helps me to prepare the letters you need for your initials.
When: Saturday 3rd August 2013
Where: Hornsey Vale Community Centre
60 Mayfield Road
London N8 9LP
Time: 11:00am – 2:00pm
Costs: £30 per person
Requirements: This workshop is suitable for anyone who can sew using simple running stitch. All children must be accompanied by a paying adult.
For many years now, I have admired the many beautiful patterns in the African fabrics friends of mine wore on a daily basis.
The colour and pattern you find in these beautiful textiles is one of the sources of inspiration for my leather work; wherever possible, I line my purses and cover my books with distinct African fabrics.
This inspiration worked very well during Black History Month when I ran bookmaking workshops using African fabrics. It’s also nice to see that others are using Africa as a source of inspiration too. The July/August 2013 issue of Selvedge, a magazine which focuses on textiles, has a feature on African textiles and the history that forged some of them. Take a look if you get the chance.
Art in Action is an annual craft event that takes place in the beautiful setting of Oxfordshire countryside.
I was so fortunate to have the opportunity to attend with a good crafting friend of mine. It was a real priviledge to see so many talented artists, some of whom were demonstrating their skills on site. This included weavers, glass blowers, bee keepers, silversmiths, blacksmiths,
potters . . .
Each art and craft discipline had its own dedicated tent. There was so much to see; we hardly scratched the surface!
If you get the opportunity to attend this event, I would highly recommend it.
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| Child counting the cartridges on this interesting deer. |
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| Each art and craft discipline was housed in its own tent. Many artists sold their work in the market place area. |
