The Adventure! With Pictures!!!

Here are some pictures from my holiday for you all to enjoy. The holiday began with a night in London before getting the Eurostar to Paris. We spent four nights in Paris and visited/saw Montmatre, the Moulin Rouge, the Amelie Cafe, Notre Dame, the Shakespeare and Company bookshop, the David Lynch window displays at Galeries Lafayette department store, the Palace of Versailles and the Jardins des Plantes (botanical gardens). After our four days were up we then got the TGV from Paris to Irun where we caught an overnight sleeper train to Lisbon. We then caught a connecting train from Lisbon to Faro. In Faro we met up with some of my boyfriend's family and stayed with them in a gorgeous villa complete with pool in Quintas de Lago for six days. During our time there we visited Albufeira, Silves and a beautiful Portugeuse nature reserve (the name of which escapes me). We ate our body weight in barbequed food, went for evening walks on the beach and celebrated my boyfriend's grandma's birthday. After the six days were up the family returned home and my boyfriend and I went on to Lisbon. Whilst I'd been to Paris and the Algarve before, Lisbon was completely new to me and I really didn't know what to expect, but I have to say I absolutely loved it. We spent four days there and during that time we went to the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum - set in the most beautiful parkland, complete with outdoor beds! - the Lisbon Oceanarium where I saw and fell in love with sea otters, the beautiful Baixa area of the city complete with bright yellow trams and stunning architecture and the Marionette Museum. When our time in Lisbon was at an end, we boarded another overnight sleeper train to Hendaye. We then caught a connecting TGV back up to Paris where we spent a final night (in a hotel with a stunning view of the Eiffel Tower) before getting the eurostar back to London. It was a fantastic adventure and I'll never forget it.

All Hands on Deck

I have booked a stall at a Dragon Boat Festival at Clarence Dock in Leeds this Saturday (27th June, see http://www.brewerywharf.net/events/first-event for more details) and am very nervous as I have never done a fair as big as this before. A few hundred customers I can cope with, a few thousand I'm not so sure! I've been madly making jewellery in an effort to get as much done as I possibly can. I'm convinced I'm going to sell out of everything (even though deep down I know this is VERY unlikely). It's all going to be very exciting. I just hope the weather doesn't fail me. I'm even more excited because my new and improved Alice in Wonderland range is going to be unveiled. I know I said this would be here at Christmas but it has taken a while to get it right. I apologise profusely for the delay.

In other news:
- There aren't going to be any indoor markets at The Loft until September. Sad face :( This means I'm going to have to resort to going to a load of outdoor fairs and possibly getting all my jewels rained on/blown away. Fun! But on the plus side it will mean that I get to go to lots of exciting new fairs and meet lots of lovely new people.
- I'm about to send a jewellery package out to The Projeto Gallery in Silsden in Keighly (http://www.projetogallery.com), so my pieces should be available to purchase from there in the next week or so.
- I'll also be doing the Waterfront festival on July 11th. If you want to have an amazing day, get yourself down there and join in with all the fun things that will no doubt be going on.
- I've been asked to do a temporary exhibition at Armley Mills Industrial Museum. Excitement! This exhibition aims to show the public how objects that have been made primarily for a practical purpose are often designed in a way that reflects prevailing art movements popular either at the time of or preceding their creation. It should be finished by the end of July so if you're in the area, pop in and take a peek :)

Phew. I'm finished now...promise. xx

What a Whilrwind

So my life right now is pretty hectic. I've just finished a wholesale order for an online boutique (http://www.mylittleboutique.com), I'm trying to get items made to go in a gallery and I'm in the process of making prototype jewellery for a vintage wedding in California. On top of that I have a craft fair on Sunday at the Loft in Leeds to prepare for (fantastic place and people, come along if you're in the area), my etsy shops to maintain and museums to volunteer at. A hell of a lot is going on in Sarah Land right now. I've hardly had time for a social life let alone blogging! So sorry friends and followers. I promise I'll be better in future.

Anyhoo, here is a new piece of jewellery for you to look at that I just listed on etsy. Watch this space because more jewellery will be added this week. Also, another craft fair related post filled with tips is on its way....

In other news:
My parents borrowed a broody hen from a farmer to sit on our chickens' eggs. Chicklets will be here in T-20 days! Hurrah!
I added a new poll to the blog in order to carry out a bit of market research. Favourite colours please!
I also added Pacman (see bottom right hand corner). DISCLAIMER: SARAH OF RUBY ROUGE JEWELLERY FAME CANNOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF PLAYING PACMAN. THOSE WHO BECOME HIGHLY ADDICTED SHOULD SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION.