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Chelsea Flower Show 2012
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Fresh back and happily reeling from the enthusiasm of the visitors to this year's Chelsea Flower Show sees me sitting outside at the garden table on the Monday after the show enjoying a leisurely breakfast in the sunshine before trying to ease my brain back into functioning for the necessary promised follow ups.
As we finished setting up our display, a perfect sunset settled over the showground for the champagne and canapés Monday Gala Night. Tuesday member's day dawned and with it, six consecutive days of sunshine, which after the so far disappointing weather for April and May, was hugely uplifting.
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Our Copper Poppies were again hugely Poppyular!
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Consequently, we enjoyed a non stop stream of visitors and regularly had crowds on our stand enthusing both our metal art work and barbecues, - with the barbecues, largely due to the perfect weather this year, requiring constant attendance, explanation and demonstrating.
A multitude of languages and charades needed attempted to explain the principle with a random memorable moment being my attempting to get across to a non English speaking Italian couple that the barbecue was made entirely from heavy gauge stainless steel by my quickly drawing a kitchen sink!
It is also, always rewarding to see our recent and old timer barbecue customers and to catch up with their news and feedback.
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Lots of chat and enthusiasm all round |
Our tree gate with chidren sitting underneath.
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Similarly, it's always appreciated when an old sign or weathervane customer makes the effort to pop in and say hello and let us know how their commission looks in situ. Some even bringing photographs or mobile phone photos to show us.
Included are some photos (click on the photos for a larger image) taken during the week showing us all hard at work (chatting!).
Our tree gate was also very popular and it shows how a pedestrian side entrance gate, with a little imagination can also be an eye catching tromp l'oeil style feature leading the eye through the design into the next area of garden. This year we had a couple of children sitting at the base of the trunk which of course can and will be modified to suit the family or interests of those who ordered one. |
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The second year of our using a big screen for video presentations and slide shows of previous one off commissions and videos of us actually at work in the forge or using our Ikon barbecue was again, surprisingly (to us) enlightening to those visitors who automatically assumed that we were just one of the many importers of pre-manufactured goods.
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Our Ikon BBQ - hand made, solid stainless steel sculptures. |
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BBQ interest was non stop.
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Rod finishing off a bottle with one of the Chelsea Pensioners.
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Our Diamond Jubilee village signs presentation was similarly well received and for those interested in seeing it again it is viewable on our new village signs website. However if you want a short film (with foot tapping music!) for presentation at your parish council or committee meeting, it is available by request on our free DVD.
Long may this weather continue (so long as it rains occasionally at night of course) so I can sit here outside and enjoyably catch up on the post Chelsea enquiries. However, all too soon my team and myself will getting back down to the hands on business of actually, designing, cutting, forging and welding, all those orders placed at the show + hopefully those following, down at our old forge in South East Kent. |
Wanda the Fish . |
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The lull before the storm. |
To all those who visited us, a big ‘Thank You', you made the week most enjoyable and we look forward to hearing from you again soon.
All the best
Rod, Carol, Josh and Sue
Black Forge Art.
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Black Forge Art.
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If you want more information or ideas, then do browse our websites, and if you can't find what you are looking for then please, feel free to informally contact us with your query and we'll try our best to help.
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BLACK FORGE ART
Owley Farm
Wittersham, Kent
TN30 7HJ
Tel: (+44)(0)1797 270073
Fax: (+44)(0)1797 270074 |
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