Touristy frolics in Grasmere and Keswick

Last week I had a welcome opportunity to play tourist for a few days! We visited Grasmere one day and Keswick the next. I received many treats! Read on to see the wonderful things I came home with.

First stop in Grasmere - a lovely cuppa at Mathildes and a browse in the Heaton Cooper Gallery

 

Supercute globe necklace from The Red Gecko

A visit to the Wordsworth graves and Daffodil Garden

Beautiful books from Sam Read Bookseller and Grasmere Gather

Next stop Keswick and an excellent seed bead haul in Oxfam!

I love the Keswick Moot Hall!

So glad to find this silver music ring at Soraya Vintage's market stall (I had one in the 90's!) 

So happy Magpie at Maysons is still there! It doesn't look any different than it did in the 90's! (Who misses the 90's?!!) 

Then the next day at Bowness Glebe market we saw the lovely Natasha from Soraya again and I got these beautiful earrings. 

It was fun to be an honorary tourist in the Lake District! It was wonderful to spend time with two special people and be treated to so many gorgeous things. You know who you are and I appreciate you 😍😍

Picture perfect: Lakeside Sunset

 

I love the Windermere Lake Cruises webcams - I get so much inspiration from them. This sunset at Lakeside is simply begging me to transform it into a bead loom pattern!

An uplifting sight

What a wonderful scene to happen upon during my walk.

Lucky to be in Lakeland

How lucky I am to live by England's largest lake. With nature and beauty all around, it surely is a feast for the eyes and tonic for the spirit. Artist's eyes often find beauty in the unconventional. For example the old Shepherds Aquarius building on the left is considered an eyesore by some, but I like it very much!

I admit it is in need of a coat of paint compared to this photo from a family album circa 1988.

Though the large slate sign remains, the chandlery shop, bar, disco, restaurant and coffee shop are long gone. With just the woollen shop in business, what wonderful studio spaces the vacant units would make! How I would love to sit bead looming on the top floor, looking out across the lake watching the steamers go by. Ah, maybe one day...

Back to reality, here we are looking north across Windermere from Bowness. From left to right we see Belle Isle, Claife Heights, Steel Fell, Loughrigg, Fairfield, Dove Crag, Wansfel, Red Screes, and Stony Cove Pike. This scene never fails to inspire and rejuvenate my soul. Click the image to enlarge, then dive right in.

Welcome to the Story of my Loom...

Hello, and welcome to my blog.

I'm Katrina, a bead artist based in the English Lake District.

I learned to weave glass seed beads over twenty years ago when my sister brought home a wooden bead loom from the Riverside Craft Centre in Kendal.

We shared that one loom for a while, then my Mum bought me one of my own. I now own eight looms!

I look forward to sharing with you the magic and beauty of Lakeland.

I hope you will visit again soon.

Best wishes,

Katrina