WMC Christmas Fair preparations. Messy studio. This weekend!

Last preparations for the Christmas Fair at Wales Millennium Centre this weekend. 

My studio shed may never recover. It's going to take several days to tidy up!

Last night I was making the last few seed packets, to hold my poetry collection

 Blue Moon at the Map Shop.

 I was watched by my lovely flying horse ornament, which changes colour and is rather beautiful.

Wales Millennium Centre Christmas Fair

11am - 8pm

November 20th, December 1st

December 7th, December 8th

https://www.wmc.org.uk/Productions/2013-2014/Other/178793/

The Print Shed, Madley. Christmas Exhibition

Here's a really nice flyer, made for me, for the Print Shed Christmas Open Studio event in Madley.

I was so pleased to see the image of my hand sewn silk Christmas cards!

I am contributing a range of lovely gifts, as well as some home made truffles and of course freshly baked gingerbread men.

3 knitted Santas in a boat

I have been knitting Santa finger puppets to feature on collage finger puppet Christmas cards.
The collage is going to have Santa happily agreeing to endorse Coke while still wearing his favourite clothes - the modern image of Santa is often thought to be the invention of artist Haddon Sundblom in his Christmas soft drink adverts, starting in 1931.

In fact, Santa as we know him was created and standardised in the 1860s, when artist Thomas Nast made a series of pictures for Harper Magazine. Santa was protrayed as a jovial chap in red and white, with a toy workshop. The idea for writing to Santa also came from Thomas Nast. Until then, Santa had appeared in a number of different guises.
Anyway, I knitted three Santas and stood them in my open glasses case, and it immediately changed into a rather lovely boat.

I saw three Santas come sailing in...
Photos of the finished Santa collage cards to follow.

robins, bluebirds and fingerprints

I have been making some fingerprint robin Christmas cards, to add to my stock of cards for fairs. Here are the Twelve Robins of Christmas.

Fingerprint robins are great.

I also made some Twelve Bluebirds of Happiness cards.

Bluebirds are equally satisfying.

The idea came from a fantastic book, brilliant design, printed on beautiful paper, one of the most high quality craft books ever.

 Also planned are the Twelve Snowmen of Winter, and something apocalyptic to do with blackbirds.

Merry Christmas - Dancing Trees

Merry Christmas from Francesca and the Dancing Trees

Santa's Stressful Day

  I am Mrs Santa Claus, tellling the story  
 Santa's Stressful Day, helped by the elves of the Brass Ensemble of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.

I wrote the story, and Gareth Wood wrote the music, and the work had its premiere on 28th November. 

Five performances, before the toughest audiences of all - small children!

Here I am with the Head of Elves, Kevin Price, who
conducted the  piece.

And here's the full ensemble.