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Monday 25 April 2016

U is for Uttoxeter


Told you I'd manage to get Flame Off somewhere else in the alphabet apart from F!


I spent a very wonderful 4 days in Uttoxeter from the 14th to the 17th of this month... and managed to keep up with the A to Z Challenge - I hope you're all suitably impressed!

I've wanted to attend for a while but I've had blogger clashes in previous years - so this time I was determined I'd be there!


Hotel booked, car packed and off I set, with a stop off on the way for a coffee to keep me awake, also because it's a favourite stop off in our bus on the way to a certain festival.

Once arrived I went for a wander around and took some pics, it was a lovely sunny evening and I settled in with a glass of wine ready for the first day.

Uttoxeter

On the Friday there were classes going on, and the event was just for those attending the classes, there were 3 different lampworking classes, 1 beginners glass blowing class and a beginners ceramics class.

Flame Off Classes

Saturday and Sunday were 2 full days of shopping, demos, having a go at glass blowing and lampworking and meeting lots and lots of lovely glass artists, traders and interesting people.

Flame Off - Saturday & Sunday

I had an amazing time, and for regular readers, I will be writing about this in a lot more detail after the A to Z is over, this is just your taster blog post!

I cannot recommend Flame Off highly enough, it's a great event and well worth a visit!

If you had the opportunity to attend, would you chat, watch, shop or have a go?

18 comments:

  1. Wow that's a lot of different supplies! There's something about craft supplies that makes my eyes light up and my need to buy come out, even when it isn't my craft!

    Given the fact that I can stab myself with a needle when I'm doing x-stitch, letting me near fire and molten glass would be a very bad idea, so I would definitely watch and shop and chat, but I would not have a go! ;P

    Glad you had fun :)

    Sophie
    Sophie's Thoughts & Fumbles | Wittegen Press | FB3X

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    1. Gorgeous supplies, I was quite restrained for me, but I kept going round and round the stalls just drinking it all in!

      Mars xx

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  2. Looks like you had a wonderful time. I am very impressed you kept up, I've been away for the weekend and am now totally behind :) If I mention that I can set my hair on fire just with a candle can you guess my answer about having a go? ;)
    Tasha
    Tasha's Thinkings | Wittegen Press | FB3X (AC)

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    1. Setting your hair on fire with a candle is quite impressive... I once had a housemate at Uni who set her hair on fire with a birthday cake full of candles, I put her out with a pillow whereupon she then stepped back into cake... it was quite the night!

      Mars xx

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  3. Looks like a fun and creative event, Mars! Did you learn some new strategies, tips or crafts? I guess I will have to read your next blog about the event to find out. :-) Impressive you kept up with the A-Z! Did you write a few blogs ahead of time? I sure wish I did, this has been an exhausting and time-consuming blogging month!!

    Liesbet @ Roaming About – A Life Less Ordinary

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    1. I took the beginners ceramics class so that was all completely new to me, my kiln will go to higher temps than I use for glass annealing or fusing so I have options, I really enjoyed the class, it was very relaxing and I found I quite liked the 3D modelling aspect, I also tried the glass blowing (with a lot of help, really I was just doing some basics) which I enjoyed - not something you can do yourself lol!

      I wrote 3 the blogs that needed to be published ahead of time, and made sure that the Mon/Tues were covered once I'd got back, to give me some breathing space. The week I got back was tough as were the comments but although it was close a few times there was a sense of achievement.

      A to Z is definitely a challenge, every year I say I'll do it in advance, every year I fail to. This year I've mostly used existing photos to make life easier, but today's post was lovely as it's all totally new photos!

      Still we are on the last stretch now and the end is in sight!

      Mars xx

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  4. Gosh, it looks like you had a great time and I''m sure you came away with lots of ideas! Yes, I am impressed that you kept up!

    @Kathleen01930
    Meet My Imaginary Friends
    #AtoZchallenge

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    1. Thanks, I took photos and made notes on the demos, and bought some stuff after seeing someone on the demo tables use it, I've got a course booked in June using different glass to what I normally work with so it was good seeing that being done in the demos, but scary as to how out of my depth I think I'll be!

      I really loved hearing the Guest Artists talk about their processes, both from the creative process and the technical aspects, they were all quite fabulous. I also met another blogger which I wasn't expecting so that was really marvellous!

      I'm impressed I kept up, but I think I'm still recovering physically from that lol.

      Mars xx

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  5. This is fantastic! Where do I sign up? Living on a boat, I don't wear a lot of jewelry (or use flames to melt glass) but I'm sold on the idea.

    Cheers, Stephanie

    http://www.svcambria.com/2016/04/under-weather.html

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    1. It's a new adventure so I think that would definitely appeal to you, lots of new things to learn and experience :)

      Mars xx

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  6. Oh, my! That looks like so much fun!! I would definitely shop and have a go and then probably shop some more (and then have another go)! :D

    Tracy (Black Boots, Long Legs)

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    1. I think you definitely would, and come loaded back with more equipment... they sell kilns there too :)

      You could have shown us how the ceramics were done too!

      Mars xx

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  7. I am totally impressed! Funnily enough, I always travel in April and manage to keep up, except this year - I've run a bit amok. I am not stressing over it though as there were other priorities to focus on. I didn't even know there was a place called Uttoxeter! Your photos are delightful! ♥ Mars!

    Love, Vidya
    VidyaSury.com

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    1. Thanks, I had a wonderful time there, I didn't really know it existed before Flame Off went there either!

      Mars xx

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  8. That's great travel in discovery and I thought it was just a name in the dictionary but fascinating that a place exist by it.

    https://vishalbheeroo.wordpress.com/2016/04/27/a-to-z-challenge-wajood-the-identity/

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    1. It was very handy for me, I was desperate to tell everyone how wonderful Flame Off was when I'd got back so I was REALLY glad it was held somewhere beginning with U!

      Mars xx

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  9. Away four days and you still kept up with the A-Z? That's a major accomplishment. Kudos! Uttoxeter looks like an interesting place.

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    1. Thanks! I actually met a few different friends who live locally (ish) and none of them had ever been to Uttoxeter, well they'd been to the racecourse but not the town. I think two of them have found a new curry house as a result!

      I really liked it, so hoping Flame Off remains there as it's home!

      Mars xx

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I love saying hi to people who've read my blog, or are just passing through via the A to Z, or anyone not a spam bot!

P.s. If you use an iPad/iPhone and are having trouble leaving a comment on Blogger, you might have better luck using a browser that's not the default iPad one... Then from the "Comment as" drop down menu choose Name/Url (you can leave URL field blank or add your web address) or Anonymous and (hopefully) away you go! Mars xx