Great news, I got a phone call today and learnt that I have been accepted for ‘Craft in the Classroom’. I am going to be teamed up with a National School in Ballinamore, Co. Leitrim (a very rural area for those of you not familar with the Irish countryside) which is brilliant, Alan’s father is actually from the area and his uncle still lives on the edge of town overlooking the canal. Alan owns a small derelict cottage a couple of miles from Ballinamore and we have been stripping it out in preparation for a major restoration job on a budget, is there such a thing?? Anyway, as soon as I know some more details I will contact Alan’s aunt and uncle and book my bed, they run an excellent farmhouse B&B specialising in providing accomodation for keen fishermen and women.
Last night I staged a MAJOR battle with my sewing machine, I might even go so far as to say that I HATE the thing! Two pieces of beautiful nuno felt later and I vowed that it would never see the light of day again. I ruined the felt; my intention initially had been to sew some simple lined diary covers (for the 10 2009 diaries waiting in my studio) but after I wrecked the first piece I ammended my plan to some nuno wrist cuffs I had seen a pattern for in a great American quilting magazine. No go. More felt ruined. I am now going to forget about sewing totally except for some easy beading, instead I am going to ask my friend Remmy to line a couple of bags if necessary and concentrate on making things that need NO stitches!
I have put some more images up on Flickr this morning but the battery on my camera is on charge again, I have nearly worn the poor thing out. As soon as it is charged fully I will be able to load the images to my Etsy shop, for some reason they need to go directly from the camera and not from the web and that seems to be using a huge lot of battery power. If you want to check out some of the items on Flickr I can say that the nuno scarfs will range in price from E30 (frothy neckpiece) to E60 (bronze nuno felted scarf) and the brooches and necklaces from E12 (pink and orange brooch) to E40 (reversible necklace). To order any of these pieces before I put them up on my Etsy shop please email me directly, I would be happy just to charge you whatever it costs to post them instead of the Etsy charges but you would need to let me know asap!
Nicola Brown Fine Art Textiles 
Hi Nicola,
I’m enjoying reading of your activities on your blog.
I see you’re coming to Ballinamore. If you’ve time to meet up for a coffee, let me know. Or if you want to call out here (7 miles from Ballinamore) let me know.
It would be great to see you, but if you don’t have time, – I know the way it is.
Good luck with all and I hope to see you.
Jan
Congraulations! How wonderful to get into the Craft in the Classroom…You must be so excited and proud! As to your sewing machine, I think that it is the time to get a new one.LOL
I am in the middle of a move, Nioola. We finally found the home that we want to stay in all our days…also in Dunfanaghy, and in a much quieter spot near the sea. I am bombarded with things to do with the move and also for the holidays. If I survive it, I am sure that the first night in our new home will be so exciting.
Micki
Congratulations Nicola! I’m so happy for you, and for those children to have such a wonderful teacher.
Sorry to hear about the “wrestling match” with your sewing machine. Those machines seem to have a mind of their own! I know that’s frustrating to have spent all that time making your beautiful nuno felts, and then to have them devoured by your machine. I gave up on my sewing machine long ago…Poor thing it’s just sitting in a corner, as it should be, all by itself.
Thanks again for your e-mails…What a wonderful way to start the day! Your fun spirit and lively personality come right through. Wish we lived closer…I’d love to meet you in person.
Take care,
Dawn Edwards
feltsoright.com
Hello Nicola if this works it will b my first blog… yipeeeee
Great to hear u got placed in a school and what a place…. I hope we can link up when ur down there.
Dont give up on the sewing machine….. its great when u get the hang of it. tell u what we can exchange tips me with sew and u with computer.
Talk 2 u soon Eileen……….. and if this works thanks to Cathy for setting me up.
Thanks to you all for your encouraging comments! In response…… Jan, would love to meet for a coffee when I am up, the process starts sometime at the beginning of February ….. Micki, you must be delighted to have found a permanant home at last, best of luck with the move and mind your ankle …. Dawn, it is a new machine and I hate it! Would love to meet if you ever come to Ireland …. Eileen, I am amazed to get a comment from you although I am not sure how my own picture has attached to your name, welcome to the world of blogging!!
Hi Nichola, well done on Craft in the Classroom, it’s good fun teaching kids but totally chaotic. I haven’t had much time for anything lately I seem to be working at one thing or another all the time. A bit like you, not enough hours in the day. My sons 21st on Sunday so Jon and I are off to Cork pick up mum on the way and take Tom to dinner. Just waiting for the guys to come and put a stove into the sunroom, my god don’t I need it. It’s been soooo cold. Good luck with everything love Polly x
I was wondering if you had started on Crafts in the Classroom yet?
I saw you have a profile on Practice.ie, http://practice.ie/members/nicola-brown
I was wondering if you’d like to list the details of the project there?
http://practice.ie/node/add/project
It’s funny what Polly says above about it being “chaotic” in the classroom. I think it can depend how ‘into the flow’ the kids are at any point.
I interviewed a teacher who worked on a project with kids about linen, at the artist working with them was doing stitching. The kids were fully engrossed in the activity. The teacher was surprised actually that the boys were better stitchers than the girls! The girls tended to chat more, and get distracted, and the boys could concentrate and really get into it.
I hope your project is going well. I’d love to hear more about it.
I’ve been working with Kids’ Own since 2000, but just recently I’m starting to work on Practice.ie in earnest (yay, funding!) If you have any questions or need help you can email me or find me over there, one day a week.