SPARK PLUGS.

We are delighted to announce that we are the proud receivers of a Crafts Council 'Spark Plug Award'. This means that we are becoming curators.
It is all due to Mr. Trevor Pitt, who in coming all the way from Birmingham to deliver his 'Soft Bench in a Hard Landscape', stopped for a cup of tea, looked around and suggested I applied for the award.
Taking everything Trevor says seriously, I wrote all weekend, as the deadline was only 3 days away. Ella Gibbs drove over to have dinner and read what I wrote and the Spark Plugs failed on her car. The AA man said that was pot luck, and that they weren't earthed. He had to come out twice, so I hoped my application would be successful. With about 5 hours to go, Louise gathered images and fixed the printer, Trevor juggled the English and I hand delivered the envolope.
Trevor was right, Louise and I are developing a show, which we are passionate about. I shall write more about it in due course.

BUST CRAFTACULAR.

Please come and visit us and lots of other crafty people at the BUST CRAFTACULAR st York Hall this Saturday. We will be near the bar, ready to help you with any knitting or crochet enquiries, and there is a free Prick Your Finger goody bag for the early birds. See you there!
For more info go to http://www.bust.com/craftacular/About-London.html

POSTCODE SOCKS.

Serious second sock syndrome with this pair! I started them during the Men's Wimbledon Semi - Final and finished last weekend.
The postcode socks are incredably warm, in Wensleydale 4 ply, and contain postcodes of my loved ones, so should I ever be washed up or lost on an adventure, I shall be returned to somewhere familiar.
The second sock was harder, because after my family, there are so many postcodes and places and loved ones to choose from.

KIKI BEDDING.

Thank you to Bev, who brought us this wonderful package in Spain.
'Kiki, Pelo Especial Para Nidos' is luxury bedding for baby chicks.
It is just rough goat hair sold in a beautiful packet.
Genius.
Why can't all packets of things be this cool.
Bev has a shop on Columbia road, and she makes fabulous clothes, and witty bits and bobs. Do pop in if you are passing.

FORTUNE TELLING.

Today we told fortunes in our house made of old coats, at the Art Worker's Guild Christmas fair. We have never been fortune tellers before, but it seemed to work. We wrote of good things that could happen, and household tips. The Brothers were then asked to sit on a tin bath in our tent, which was lit with a torch, and then we spun a Chinese wicker hat, containing all the folded papers. The customer picked a paper and we discussed its relevance. There were some freaky co-incidences. It's suprising the belief that people put into this ancient ritual.
Many were warned of moth attack, blocked drains, and hidden abilities to sing, which will hopefully now be worked on over the holiday period.
If you are an art worker and want to apply to be a brother, let me know. Next year's lecture program is very good and I can take up to two guests and propose new members. Lectures are every second Thursday.

SUPPORT THE CHILDREN BEHIND OUR COTTON. PLEASE GIVE GENEROUSLY.

Aketsun Loveable, our artist in residence, is collecting money for our favourite charity,
The Environmental Justice Foundation.
EJF highten the awareness of the true cost of cotton.

"More than 3/4 of cotton output is accounted for by developing countries" - John Baffes, Senior economist at the World Bank.

Those countries are forced to live with deadly chemicals on the fields, which cause serious illnesses and birth defects. Child labor is common. Water is short.

Cotton fields drink loads of water and in Uzbekistan the Aral Sea has been drained to 15% of its former volume. The draining has uncovered 40,000Km square of the sea floor. An area the equivalent to 6 million soccer pitches. The area now takes the form of dry mud flats, contaminated with salt and pesticide residues. The winds carry huge dust clouds to poison the neighbouring regions, and the local climate has changed.

The true cost of cotton is too high to explain here, but it might be worth noting that North America and Europe account for 45% of global cotton product consumption, despite being home to just 13% of the world population.

Our Christmas tree is decorated in pictures from the EJF literature, and Katherine E Hamnett postcards saying 'SAVE THE FUTURE'. Aketsun Loveable is offering little wind up and whistling plastic toys, (great for bath time) for which we suggest a donation of £2.
We have collected over £50 already, but there are enough plastic toys to hit our target of £100.
Please donate generously next time you visit!
Thanks!

Thanks to EJF for the photos.

THE ULD PIXIE STRIKES BACK.

Our Zara, The Uld Pixie, who works here on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, has been busy knitting Christmas gifts.
You could buy an Angelic Sheep to put on your Christmas tree year after year, or why not purchase a Mince Pie Tape measure to check the difference of waist circumference before and after the Christmas meal?
Beautifully made, and reasonably priced.