Oxfordshire Craft Show at Blenheim Palace UK

[John B]

Bank holiday weekend, August 23, 24, 25, at Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, OX20 1PX.

Another opportunity to join in, £200 prize money for the competition,this competition is open to all, newcomers welcome.
The competition is to make something floral in two hours.

Forging demonstrations as well as the live competition, Ironwork on display and for sale and many other family attractions and other rural crafts at the show

[John B]

Hopefully the weather will improve for this show, its like November with light nights at the moment,

[Bentiron1946]

OK John, Just what are "light nights"? Doesn't appear to be something I have come across in Arizona except when you can see all the stars because of a power outage. Whatever they are I do hope that your weather conditions improve. We are having thunder storms and glad to have them. My rain gauge has a total of 5.4 inches for the year.

[John B]

Light Nights (Not skinny blokes dressed in armour sitting on a horse)

I'll try to explain, In what this year we laughingly call Summer, in July, the daylight hours are long, apprx 4am (sunrise) to 11pm (sunset).

In November, Winter, the sunrise and daylight starts at about 8am and it starts to go dark at about 4pm,so the daylight hours are short, hence we have dark nights

This year we have had a surfeit of rain and cold when we should be having sun and warmth, so its similar to what we would expect in November.

So, it's like November with light nights.

Today has been quite pleasant however and we have just completed an 'Animal Heads' course here in Devon, so I'll attach a couple of pics now, to save you asking for them later, 'cos I know you like pictures, even if they aren't very good ones, sorry about that.

The Cattle head was a rescue job, after the rams head's horns burnt off in the fire, (Old blacksmiths proverb; If it's a cock up, feature it, or Don't waste what you have spent time on when with a bit of thought, it can be used for something else!)

[Bentiron1946]

I like the heads. Nice work, are they yours? Light nights, I get it now. Well I get so tired of sunlight in the summer. Sun up about 6:45am and sunset about 7:15pm and it gets to about 105F by the time the sun is gone and at 10:30pm at night it is still in the triple digits. Its not all bad by the time October comes around the weather is like spring until it gets cold in January and then starts warming up in March but by May we're getting back into the triple digits again. Eagerly looking forward to the light nights.

[John B]

Bit hot out there for me, I sweat enough here, I should be like a Whippet (Skinny little greyhound/racing dog), instead I'm more like an hippo, Can't understand it, still it's insulation for the colder weather.

No, the heads aren't mine, they were made by students attending the animal heads course, and were their first attempts, some were experienced and for others their first or second time with hot metal.

The tutor demonstrates to them how to do it, step by step, then they make their own version, and the tutors keep an eye on them as they are making theirs, so if they have any problems or don't remember or understand why things happen they can be helped to sort them out.

There are usually up to 12 students with 1 or 2 tutors, (Max 6 to a tutor) each on an individual forge.

If tools are required, we show them how to make them too, and if they make them on the course, they get to take them home with them.

One tutor takes the lead, and the other supports and helps where needed, teas, coffee, bacon sandwiches etc, you know, the important stuff.

Aristotle had it right when he said "What we have to learn to do, we learn by doing" so thats our philosophy also.

All our tutors are either working or retired blacksmiths that give their time free and put back into the craft, we do pay their travelling expenses and overnight accommodation, but thats all, the rest of the income from the course fees goes to pay for the forge building, materials and fuel. Now we have nearly paid for the main part, we are raising funds to build a toilet and shower block to be built onto the rear of the existing building.

Here are some more pictures of items made by students on previous courses sorry if they are blurred, The letter opener was a lady's first attempt at a toasting fork, unfortunately the intended twist in the centre burnt through (as they do) and so it was converted into a letter opener. The owl was a previous animal heads course, the others are figurines course and toolmaking courses. hope they are of interest.