Tis the silly season. I'm chasing my tail getting all my galleries stocked up as well as preparing for upcoming special events.

First up is 'Sparkle Day' at my sisters shop and my parents Antique Studio in Coleraine, N.Ireland. More details here 

December 1st and 2nd I'm doing Open Studios again. It was a real success last year - so much so we're opening for two days this year.
Come join us for a glass of fizz and homebaked treats. I will have a range of work on show - there will be 15% off current work as well as an array of previous collections greatly reduced - so  grab a bargain for you or a loved one.

I'm also very much looking forward to my final trip of the year down to London to take part in the Primrose Hill Designers Sale on Saturday 8th December. More details here 

I'm doing both the Christmas Dazzle Exhibitions this year - London National Theatre and Manchester Royal Exchange Theatre, both going strong.  CAA and Gill Wing are well stocked up with my other stockists following suit asap.

Above are images from my stand at 'Made London', which was a great show. What a lovely bunch the organisers were, a joy to work with.
Customers comments about this new show and venue were extremely positive - many likening it to the old 'Chelsea Craft Show' days.

This time next week I'll be starting my journey down to London via the good old train. Should be fun - I'll have the contents of a small house! I do love a challenge! Gone are the cushy days when my parents would drive over to Edinburgh from Northern Ireland, pack the car in the early hours of the morning and wake up at the crack of dawn to drive us all down to do Chelsea Crafts Fair.

The show I'm doing is Made London. I'm really looking forward to it. I'll have lots of new work as well as some old favourites. There are lots of familiar exhibitors from the old Chelsea days. It should be a great show!  The venue is really beautiful - One Marylebone. Click here for 2 for 1 ticket offer!

As a special treat to my customers - with every purchase you will receive a ticket to entered into a draw to win 'Supreme Deer' Brooch/ necklace above.

Enamel range now available from Damson Jewellery, Seek and Adore and directly by e-mailing grainne@grainnemorton.co.uk

 9 x Butterfly Bracelet 'adored' by BBC Homes and Antiques Magazine Editor Angela Linforth on Seek and Adores website.  See here.

Multi Butterfly necklace also  'adored' on Seek and Adore,  by Kate Humble. See here.

Seek and Adore offering 10% with code 'TREASURE'.

Highland Holidays! - scroll down throw photos - to start at end! This post is a bit Topsy Turvy!

     Stunning Victorian Viaduct which we scambled up to - sadly missed train going over it, but did see it coming into station.

   Mr. O V. excited at stream train pulling up.

    Railway Museum.

     T on Harry Potters Broom (He's not here to remind me of actual name!)

    View from Carriage Cafe

     Fabulous Dining Car. Just perfect for lunch.

     Stunning Church doors.

     Views from church.

    Flowers left over from a wedding - the reception had been at the hotel just before we arrived in a Marquee overlooking the loch.

     Really beautiful, crumbly interior of Church. Glenfinnan is tiny - couldn't even call it a village, yet it had this stunning Church. 

     Found these little stone sculptures. Kids, adults or drunken wedding guests?

     View from hotel.

     Great typewriter on first floor hall.

     Hotel foyer. So cosy.

     Hotel exterior.

     Camp at night!

     Dinner time.

     Camp kitchen.

     Fab cafe at Loch Morlich beach. Great homebaking!

     Loch Morlich beach is ridiculously beautiful. Forest, mountains, sand and sea - sun - an ickle bit!

     Stream a few meters from camp. Beautifully noisy at night.

     Forget getting dressed. Fishing in jammies.

     Boys who sew. Quick bit of stitching before socializing took over.

Not long back from family trip from Highlands.

Four days camping at the wonderful Rothiemurchus site.

Above was our stunning views from camp. Awesome - even with midges (not so awesome).

The weather up north was surprisingly really good. Yes we had a bit of rain (the last 24 hours torrential - not such fun when camping!) but it was really warm.

After four days bumming around campsite, taking in local stunning walks, we headed to Glenfinnan, staying at the Glenfinnan  House Hotel, which was a real treat after camping.

The hotel was perfect. Really shabby and rundown  with the most wonderful smell of burning logs throughout the hotel. The rooms were less quaint in that they were had been done up and lacked personality, like the rest of the house. They were extremely comfortable though and had a huge bathroom with spa bath which the kids loved. The hotel didn't issue keys for rooms unless you wanted one which was a great freedom.

Glenfinnan is a stunning place to stay for a couple of days with lots of history, and we just wondered around on foot finding so many things to do including the stunning Glenfinnan Station Museum and wonderful Dining Car which was right up our street and served the most delicious homemade food - really unexpected.

When we were there we noticed a Sleeping Car - which I have only just realised you can actually stay in! Boys were also really excited as part of the Harry Potter movie ' Chambers of Secrets was filmed here.

A wonderful break!

 

I've been meaning to write about this for so long, I got prompted yesterday when lovely jeweller Zoe Duthie posted an image of my shoe brooch on Twitter.

I first made the shoe brooch a very long time ago. Everyone I ever made always sold - I now make them to order.

Last year I was at my sisters when I spied this brooch. I did a double take - it looked so familiar - but not!
Where did you get that? Sis said 'Topshop'. WHAT!!!!

The size of the Topshop brooch is much bigger. It is made from mirrored perspex and has the image printed on. The ribbon is horrible synthetic cheap and nasty.

The shoe brooch I made used an original image of a shoe taken from a really obscure piece of ephemera I collected - not saying exactly what in case I do ever pursue this. It is set in silver and has a much more precious feel to it.

Its the fact the Topshop actually copied the print of the shoe - probably from my website that is so appalling.

This seems to happen just so much, and without designers even knowing at times. It will be interesting to find out the outcome of Tatty Devine necklace - that was blatantly copied by Claires accessories.

It's funny because a few years ago Topshop were selling bright blue butterfly necklaces - my sister pointed this out to me as did a few others that they were very close to what I was doing. I didn't see it as copying. I thought it was just coincidence - butterflies are in nature - can you really accuse someone of copying when using them. Prehaps I was being too naive!

Last day Treasure, Somerset House, London. Show closes at  6pm.
If you can't make it Seek and Adore are offering 10% of your first order of my work with code 'TREASURE' .