Swindon in the Past Lane

Yet another talented craftswoman who will be at the Women's Exhibition and Craft Sale November 12 at the Christ Church Community Centre. Visit the Swindon Suffragette facebook page for more information. Seller number twelve is Dappled Dandy, with upcycled items for the home such as frames and trays, handmade candles in vintage glassware and upcycled furniture, who says: Inspired by 30 years of designing and creating a home for the family, I have now developed into upcycling furniture, and creating one-off pieces, for the home. Using a range of self-taught decorating techniques, I turn old, unwanted pieces into something new and unique, but without losing their individual style. These are pieces I would love in my own home and would be honoured for others to want them in theirs. You can see more by searching facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Dappled-Dandy-1130329263657344/

For more information about the Women's Exhibition and Craft Sale visit the facebook page Swindon Suffragette. Poppy Seed Kitchen is our tenth seller providing handmade, bespoke wooden height charts; relaxation gift sets; delicate clay butterfly artwork, and personalised work. Sammi told us: I started Poppy Seed Kitchen after having my first daughter, Poppy, and wanted to spend as much time as I could at home. I left my job in Clinical Trials, moved to Swindon and started Poppy Seed Kitchen as more of hobby than anything else. It’s now become more than a hobby and I love creating bespoke items for families all over the UK and coming up with new and exciting ideas. But more importantly, it has given me the opportunity to take control of my own life and given me a bit of ‘me’ time back. If you can’t make our sale you can buy through etsy: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/PoppySeedKitchen…

Latest update on the Women's Exhibition and Craft Sale taking place at Christ Church Community Centre on November 12. The ninth person joining us is Marilyn Trew who will be selling paintings, crafts, decorated stones, plaques and greetings cards. She most recently exhibited her work as part of the Swindon Open Studios. Marilyn says: My inspiration comes from nature, I love colour and form. I like to experiment with different techniques just to test myself! I live in Wiltshire with my husband and I like gardening, reading, walking and seeing other creative folk at work. To see some of her work please visit her website: http://www.marilyntrewart.com/ Stop press: Marilyn may also have some Edith New portraits painted by members of an art class she supports.

So what is The Big Draw? It's  the world's biggest drawing festival from The Campaign for Drawing and on Wednesday it came to the Swindon Museum and Art Gallery courtesy of the artists from Artsite.  Whilst in the art gallery I took the opportunity to talk to the conservators working on more than 30 paintings by Kate Tryon, an American devotee of Richard Jefferies. I was interested to learn that many of the frames were originally gilded but sometime in their history they had been painted over. A similar story to some of the portraits in Lydiard House whose frames received a coat of white paint, which has since turned grey from the smoke from open fires. I very much enjoyed the ceramic exhibition From Where I'm Standing inspired by the Swindon Museum and Art Gallery collection. I found the work by Keith Varney reminiscent of Edmund de Waal's only to be told that SM&AG holds work by this prestigious ceramicist too. Is there no limit to the treasures contained in A...

Our Women's Exhibition and Craft Sale takes place at Christ Church Community Centre on November 12. For more details visit Swindon Suffragette . Here is a brief profile of one of the sellers who is taking part. Witchy Crafty, our eighth seller says: This is the first time that I have ever tried to sell items that I have made. I have been producing art and crochet items for many years now so many in fact that I need to sell some. If my items prove to be popular then I will look into selling more. I’ve lived in Swindon and the Swindon area for over 30 years now. I have three children and am a reasonably active feminist. She will be selling arts and crafts crochet, tea cup candles, jewellery and original art works so do look out for her stall on the 12th November.

Our seventh seller is ‘Crafted by Ruth’ and she will be selling crafts, jewellery, decoupage items and paintings. Ruth says: I started painting on retiring from work a little over 3 years ago although sewing and beading is something I have always enjoyed. The decoupage items have increased over time and is very relaxing. Ruth recently took part in the Swindon Open Studios and exhibited her work at Willows Counselling Service on Prospect Place alongside Marilyn Trew and Lisa Lane where they saw more than 60 art-lovers come through their doors on the first Saturday. You can see some examples of Ruth’s artwork here  http://community.saa.co.uk/art/artist/23980874.html… For more information about the Women's Exhibition and Craft Sale see Swindon Suffragette.

If you have a sweet tooth you’ll want to check out Ceri’s Cupcakes, our sixth seller. We asked Ceri about her motivation and experience: I have two passions in life; cars and cakes (apart from my gorgeous family of course!). I have come to the realisation that I will unfortunately never be a racing car driver so I have decided to concentrate on baking and decorating cupcakes instead (much to the annoyance of my waistline!). I gave up my career as a Showroom Manager at a local sports car dealership after giving birth to my beautiful daughter Leah in May 2015. I really wanted to be with her as much as possible and returning to work full time was really not as appealing as spending all day with my little girl, watching as she develops into a bright, inquisitive child who seems to learn and develop new skills every day. I thought long and hard about what I could do to try and bring in some extra pennies and then one day I went to my local WI meeting where we had a cupcake decorating d...

Artkore Mosaics is the fifth seller at the Women’s Exhibition and Craft Sale on 12th November and Lynette told us the following: I have been making mosaics for around 15 years, mainly working on larger pieces but I also like making smaller quirky items to sell at craft fairs. I enjoy making themed teapots which I can also personalise for people. I belong to an arts charity organisation Artsite where I rent my studio (in the Shoebox theatre building). The Swindon Suffragette  team are thrilled to have our very own Artkore Mosaics teapot which we will be displaying on the day. To find out more, including how to commission work, search facebook or check the website:  www.artkoremosaics.co.uk For more information about the Women's Exhibition and Craft Sale visit Swindon Suffragette

Another update on the Women's Exhibition and Craft Sale November 12, Christ Church Community Centre. The fourth person joining us is international bestselling author Nicola Cornick. Nicola is a writer and historian and since the publication of her first Regency romance in 1998 she has been shortlisted four times for the US Romance Writers of America RITA Award and twice for the UK Romantic Novelists Association Romance Prize. Nicola also acts as a guide and historian for the National Trust at Ashdown House and is a speaker on the history of Ashdown and the Craven family.  She is Awards Organiser for the Romantic Novelists' Association and a mentor for their New Writers' Scheme, which critiques manuscripts for aspiring authors, and she has run several courses and workshops on creative writing. She also acts as a history consultant for TV and radio and loves the excitement of historical research as well as the friendships that the romance writing community has brought h...

This weekend we will be revealing our poster for the Women’s Exhibition and Craft Sale and in the Votes for Women newspaper published on April 2, 1909 the WSPU were doing the same. ‘A preliminary poster is being prepared, and will be ready as soon as this week’s Votes for Women is in the hands of the readers. The poster, which is 40 ins by 30 ins, is being printed in the colours, and will, it is hoped, be found very useful. Will all who are working for the Exhibition, or who are interested in it in any way, write for a supply of these posters in order that they may be exhibited wherever possible to make the Exhibition known. As this is a preliminary poster, it is important to get it out quickly.’ ‘In connection with the WSPU, a drum and fife band has been recently organised. The services of an instructor have been secured and about twenty members are in training. There is still room for more recruits, who should be able to give Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday evenings to pract...

Another update on the Women's Exhibition and Craft Sale November 12 Christ Church Community Centre. For more information visit the Swindon Suffragette facebook page. Our second seller is Cynara Jewellery and owner Rosie Leather told us the following about herself and her jewellery. I learnt silversmithing whilst living in north India in 2014 and I now work with many different materials including precious and semi-precious metals, epoxy resin and clay in my home studio in Swindon. In the past 18 months I have developed a style that is based on natural forms and textures. I enjoy recreating and capturing organic textures; playing with contr ast to present them in an original way. For example in my collection of brooches, I have set foraged seaweed from the wild Jurassic coast in clear epoxy resin. The resin frames and accentuates the coarseness of the seaweed, whilst making it more vibrant and wearable. In my metalwork, I hand forge rings, pendants and earrings from sterling...

We are now on countdown to our Women's Exhibition and Craft Sale on November 12 at the Christ Church Community Centre. For more information visit the Swindon Suffragette facebook page. In no particular order we start our list of sellers with White Flower Lei - luxurious soaps handmade using exquisite, extravagant ingredients. White Flower Lei soaps are hand made by Virginia Hey, the award nominated Australian actress, perhaps most beloved as Zhaan in sci-fi series Farscape, currently living in Swindon. Throughout her adult life, Virginia has pursued her passion for studying natural therapies reiki, nutrition, and homeopathy; as well as perfume and soap de sign. With White Flower Lei Virginia offers a unique sensual experience for the connoisseur of finest perfumed products; handmade soaps with the all-important vegan qualities that consumers crave. Her hand crafted soaps evoke an essence of elegance and natural beauty, to delight and pamper, still, add bliss and well-being ...

You will soon be seeing our beautiful poster (designed by Swindon Heritage editor Graham Carter) round town, advertising the Women's Exhibition and Craft Sale on November 12. And in March 1909 members of the WSPU were busy organising their Women's Exhibition too. ‘Just before her arrest and imprisonment for taking part in the deputation to the Prime Minister on February 24, Mrs Pethick Lawrence was at work on a beautiful piece of embroidery in the colours intended for the Woman’s Exhibition. And Mrs Pankhurst, having a long railway journey before her between two meetings, considered what she could do for the Exhibition, and, following Mrs Lawrence’s example, also plied her needle at embroidery. With the leaders of the movement thus filling in every spare moment in working for the cause they have so much at heart, it is not surprising that the rank and file follow suit. And at the present moment, with one of its leaders and many brave comrades in prison, and, in co...