This morning after the school run I spent a delicious hour at the little café where I have my studio. It's just the loveliest place to sit in a pool of Autumn sunshine, drink a very, very good coffee and listen to the banter of the beautiful ladies who work there. I sat and let it all happen around me, the chat and laughter, the baking and cooking, the familiar sounds and smells of the coffee making rituals, the customers coming and going with snippets of conversation. I just love it, I love café life so much. It's warm and friendly, comforting and welcoming.
I sat and sipped my latté and pondered over my week. I thought about the many decisions I've been making, about the ticks on my lengthy to-do list that've been happening slowly but surely, about the very many things still shouting for my attention. Emails. Invoices. Project specs. Blog posts. And then I went up to my studio and played with colour and lost myself for a while in it's pleasures.
I've got a lot of writing to do for Yarndale during the next week or so, a series of blog posts to tell the story of the festival this year. I've made a start tonight with the first post, you can read about it over on the Yarndale blog if you like. I've also got a surprise to share with you all re the Mandalas, something I've been working on during the past month with J which I hope will be ready by the weekend. I really hope you're going to like it.
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EDIT :: The Yarndale posts mentioned above will be written by me during this next week, but will appear on the Yarndale blog. That way those who wish to read them can do so, and those who don't wish to read them don't have to bother. Now please can we STOP arguing?
coopers-yarnsdale
just may "cross the pond" and come next year
oxxooxoxxo crafty mema
Posted by: crafty mena | November 06, 2014 at 02:27 PM
We loved visiting Coopers last year and this. It is a very special place, nearly as special as you.
Megx
Posted by: Meg | November 06, 2014 at 01:50 PM
I love your new profile picture on the blog Lucy! It's bright and cheerful just like you!
Posted by: Thelma | November 06, 2014 at 01:30 PM
Lucy, about that pumpkin pie: was reading a magazine in the airport yesterday which told me that the pumpkins one buys for carving make rather tasteless pies. Better to buy one which is meant to be eaten, or just buy canned pumpkin (which kind of defeats the purpose, right?).
I am loving those little color-play clothespins! Great idea!
Mary G in Chicago
Posted by: Mary G | November 06, 2014 at 01:22 PM
Forgot to say; Love the new photo of you! :))
Posted by: Angela-Southern USA | November 06, 2014 at 01:18 PM
Cooper's sounds like a wonderful place to enjoy! So wish we had something like that here. A wonderful read on Yarndale blog, WAY to go Sheila and the rest! Your pegs and the type set tray on display at Yarndale inspire this.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/craftygal/15549368202/ Have a great one Lucy!
Posted by: Angela-Southern USA | November 06, 2014 at 01:00 PM
I never get the chance to just sit with a good coffee. Sounds like a really good way to spend an hour.
Posted by: Gillian | November 06, 2014 at 12:39 PM
Love your Blog Lucy - old style and now new style. The picture of the cafe and your 'latte' just made my day. All those yarn colors make me want to get right down to work in my sewing room. Thanks, for just being you!
Posted by: Sigi G | November 06, 2014 at 12:14 PM
I visited Coopers this year when we came to Yarndale. I think the latte was THE BEST I have ever had, and I have had many cups of latte. The ladies in there are lovely. We parked in the car park nearby and when we were heading back to the car we called in as they were closing; as we only wanted coffee they let us have coffee and ginger cake to perk us up before we drove home. I have since recommended the place to everyone I know!
Posted by: Ali whale | November 06, 2014 at 12:11 PM
what a lovely post to read on a cold grey Devonshire day, have just taken a boiled fruit cake out of my oven and it smells wonderful, and drinking a cuppa teas while reading your blog and the comments so in a way I am in my own little coopers ie my front room. cant wait to hear what your doing with the mandelas
Posted by: ann clements | November 06, 2014 at 11:48 AM
Lovely to have you back again Lucy and hope all that gorgeous colour is making you feel much better. I can't wait to hear about this years Yarndale - I missed it due to flu :-(
Posted by: curvywitch | November 06, 2014 at 11:13 AM
Your picture of the cafe window sums up where everybody would like to be as the weather gets colder - somewhere warm and comforting with a hot drink to wrap your hands around and time spent doing what makes us happiest. *happy sigh* xx
Posted by: Winwick Mum | November 06, 2014 at 10:56 AM
I like the cut of your jib Lucy! You're a fab role model in many ways and your positive attitude is very uplifting :-) I have wonderful memories of my visit to Coopers earlier this year, and second Joy's cry of "best scones ever!" I'm so looking forward to reading your upcoming posts re the mandalas and whatever else is happening in attic 24 land. I think that your idea of putting yarn around pegs for colour design (aka play :-) ) is great, I'll definitely be having a go. Sending lots of love to you and your lovely family, Jo xxx p.s - I'm off to read your Yarndale post too, yaaay two posts in one day!!
Posted by: Jo Navin | November 06, 2014 at 10:53 AM
Fabulous; so not only is Yarndale a great showcase for designers and yarn producers, it's a grand day out for crafty types and brings visitors to Skipton and surrounding areas, but it has also raised lots of money for deserving charities. Big pat on the back to the organisers!
Posted by: Rachell | November 06, 2014 at 10:47 AM
How many posts these days, such a gift! Thank you for taking time to write your blog, I absolutely love it. It's great to have you back. XXXX
Posted by: Elena | November 06, 2014 at 10:30 AM
Pleased to hear you had a little bit of 'me' time Lucy X
Posted by: Penny | November 06, 2014 at 10:27 AM
Sitting in pools of Autumn sunshine is one of my favourite things! And I love eavesdropping and collecting other people's snippets!
Look forward to the mandala surprise!
Posted by: Claire | November 06, 2014 at 10:18 AM
Those sample pegs are genius. I never hang onto ball bands so I never know what colour the wools in my stash actually are! A little sample on a peg or even a card - why didn't I think of that?!
Posted by: dottycookie | November 06, 2014 at 10:08 AM
Sorry, meant to say I sent it on Monday so it should arrive yesterday or today xxx
Posted by: Kathryn O'Sullivan-Brown | November 06, 2014 at 10:07 AM
Lucy, I have popped a parcel in the post to you, to the address you gave for sending the mandalas. It's a PO box, so I just thought I'd give you a heads up as the contents won't last more than a few days! Xxx
Posted by: Kathryn O'Sullivan-Brown | November 06, 2014 at 10:06 AM
Sounds like a perfect morning of pondering and chilling out. a perfect break in an otherwise very busy-sounding week. Enjoy
Posted by: Teresa at knitbakecultivate | November 06, 2014 at 10:05 AM
A sunny morning in a warm cafe sounds blissful. I love all the colours neatly wound onto their pegs. No doubt you have a little project in mind. Wishing you a good weekend Lucy. CJ xx
Posted by: CJ | November 06, 2014 at 09:53 AM
Just wish we a had a lovely coffee shop like "Coopers" in my local town and a Lucy type craft workshop above it!!! Does the name "Coopers" mean anything special?
Posted by: Rae | November 06, 2014 at 09:24 AM
Lucy, I wondered if we might do a communal blog list - invite everyone who blogged about Yarndale to post a link to their blog post on the comments section of your first Yarndale write up.
That way those who couldn't attend get your perspective and a sense of what it was like to be a visitor. And those of us who did go can enjoy other people's perspectives too.
What do you think?
Posted by: Jay | November 06, 2014 at 08:28 AM
Great to have you back and clever you with picking those flowers we have a beautiful frost this morning"you have made me look and appreciate my surroundings again " and I live in a beautiful market town in the south east of England. My phone gallery is filling up thank you Lucy.
Posted by: heidijo | November 06, 2014 at 08:17 AM