3 month update – doubt anyone will read it, but if you’re here, crack open the bucket of icecream, tissues and tiny violins – it’s a long, sad and depressing episode!
Goblin Town – August
It’s been a long time – did Goblin Town at the beginning of September, and then got really ill – rather, was ill before leaving but couldn’t let it stop me. As a result I was wiped out physically for over a month… but that aside – Goblin Town was amazing! Managed to fit the Beastie, a stall, stock and a bell tent in the van. Was a little weird sleeping under canvas instead of in the van, but waking to the smell of canvas and leather, on a bed of furs is the best way! Especially when it’s early, the sun’s already shining, and you can hear musicians already up and playing – gotta love a penny whistle!
The atmosphere was amazing. Shenanegins from chilren and other creatures young and old – and for once in my life I backed the winners!
Many thanks to the Pirate King, Melnissian, Hurdie Gurdie and ummm… the lovely creature with a tail that helped me errect my lodgingd for the weekend!
Being a “sole trader” we stayed at the tent for most of the weekend, but we enjoyed Goblin Ball, fire jugglers and Humm Bugg’s music in the evenings.
New Workshop
It took two weeks (whilst ill) to unpack the van after I got back… since I was running out of room in the leather workshop I had to clear space in my new workshop in order unpack the van. I’d like to say it was done by the end of September, but there’s still a few bits to move, and I finally unpacked the stall boards and put them away last week I still need to get rid of a Triumph Sprint, but there’s much more space, and drier storage in this workshop – and the bike doubles as a great holder for a roll of leather!
I miss the fire in the old workshop, but for the extra room and storage space it was well worth the effort!
Bully Ban
My next “drama”, just as I was beginning to recover physically, was the news that the government would like to kill my best friend. I thought it was a joke and a bunch of media hype to start with, but I saw enough of it to make me do my researcch…
My best friend is an XL American Bully. No doubt about it – I’ve seen papers to prove it. Not that that was the reason I got her – that story is longer than for this blog (there’s a draft in progress) but I can’t argue with what I know she is, even though the ridiculous law being pushed through describes a ‘type’ to be mass culled.
Not only does this mean that since September I’ve been living with the daily fear that the ****s in charge are wanting to kill my Beastie, but the laws also say that she has to wear a face nappy / hanibal lecter cage when out in public. Do you remember laws about having to wear face nappies after the government made £million deals with companies despite the science proving that they were ineffective (along with other more permanent, damaging and equally ineffective solutions). I didn’t like it. Neither does she.
…Equals shattered dreams
This means a fight and coersion and much stress whenever we want to leave the house. Imagine having to insist when your 50kg wriggling, hyperactive 2 year old really doesn’t want to put shoes on before leaving the house…
This destroys my business plans going forward. I put a lot of time and effort into this website, and slaving at the social media hamster wheel, but my biggest income last year was from actually attending events. And to be fair, being at events, demonstrating my trade, with my best friend at my side is by far the absolute best part of my job.
My plan was to hibernate and work away making stock during the long darks, and come out in time to sell in the spring and summer.
I haven’t really blogged about my other health issues, but let’s just say that I don’t go too many places without my best friend. I struggle to get out at all, but the thought of making her wear that hanible lecter mask all day just so I can man a stall with my best friend… just makes me sob. And the fact that she is more comfortable without it makes it unfair to put it on her all day to say the least. Add to that, thanks to media hype and an overreactive nanny state government seen as pulic enemy number 1…
So that’s it – “That’s all folks” for the forseeable future – can’t imagine that “Ravn” and her battle beast will ever see the light of day again, or that Reckless Rosie and her faithful companion will have the stand they were looking forward to at next year’s Pirate Festivals – or anywhere, for that matter
So yep – I’ve been out of action for the last 3 months – trying to recover from physical and mental and undiagnosed other ailments, and grieving the loss of the future that we will never have.
Repairs and some custom work
Shortly before Goblin Town I was asked to do a custom job. The customer wanted a leather belt and braces to hang archery equipment from, and was keen to get some wolf imagary on there.
Once the new workshop was usable and I was on the mend I was able to dye the straps and designed a “Coat of Arms” type shield that I was able to get a decent sized carving on.
There’s a “How I made this” video on Youtube, although as it was assembled and finished with the customer present and she took it away with her the video ends with the dying!
I managed to finish the belt I was carving at Goblin Town, pictured here with the straps for the braces and the project below:
I picked up an interesting local job – the customer had a belt she liked and requested I replace the original leather straps. Some headscratching, cutting, stropping, dying and hammering followed. I think the customer was pleased “I may well be back for more”.
I also had a couple of pouches to do in time for Christmas – pictured below with the belt
As a result I now have many more hours video editing to do – at least I can do that in the relative warmth of the house! This one will be from start to finish, and will be the longest making video I’ve done. The trailer is ready – keep an eye on my social media page for a heads up when it’s about ready! In the meantime, enjoy some of the photos of the work in progress (because IONOS will only let me embed videos from other sources, and not upload my own!)
Leave a Reply