Christmas Contemporary Art and Craft Fair at RHS Wisley until Sunday 30th November

We are doing a show at RHS Wisley with Craft in Focus. It's the highest quality show that we do and there are about 150 designer-maker exhibitors from all over the country.

It's on right now until this Sunday (30th November). Entry is free to RHS members and there's lots of car parking at the venue.

Jan is doing this one on her own and it's usually a busy show but that's how she prefers to do it. I just get in the way otherwise!

There's lots of new pictures, including Vienna as well as a few new ones of London, lots of bargains, especially smaller prints from £5.

You can also buy all 4 books for £20. My Lake District book Lake Light is going fast, we now have less than 40 copies from the 1500 print run. Once they are sold there will be no more, it's not being reprinted as I have too many new images still to publish, hence the 2 new landscape books that I'm currently working on.

Here are some photos of our stand at RHS Wisley that Jan took today, a bit more space than last year so things aren't as cramped, it will be easier for you to browse the prints and books.

RHS Wisley Christmas Contemporary Craft Fair 27th November to 1st December

We are exhibiting at the Craft in Focus Christmas Contemporary Craft show at RHS Wisley. Jan is doing it on her own to save my bad back which has taken a bit of a beating over the last few weeks. Unfortunately, Jan also hurt her back last week so she has to be careful too.

The show opens at 9am every day and closes at 6pm, except Thursday is 8pm and Sunday is 5pm. Entry is free to RHS members and £9 to everyone else but this includes entry to the gardens as well.

The photos of our stand were taken by Jan on her BlackBerry phone. As you can see it's quite a bit smaller than our last show, Ideal Home Christmas show at Earls Court, in fact it's less than half the size of our stand there! We have still packed a lot in and have several hundred darkroom prints for sale, the last few posters and all 4 books are on offer, with a very special price if you buy all 4.

For more information follow the link: www.craftinfocus.com

Christmas Travels Begin

That's it, my last Christmas order for framed photos has been delivered at a rendezvous with customer at the A50 services south of Derby. Now driving down M1 to spend Christmas with Jan's family in Harpenden.

Tuesday we fly from London Heathrow to Washington DC. The first stop on this years winter photo trip. Colorado, Wyoming and Utah follow for skiing and snowshoeing. Really looking forward to the break, it's been pretty full on through last 3 months. Lots of photography planned too, as you would expect, as well as the odd visit to a brew pub or two!

Happy Christmas and prosperous New Year to one and all.

Christmas Orders Finished

All Christmas orders are now printed. The last few will be shipped by Royal Mail Special Delivery or DHL on Monday. Have despatched quite a few since Thursday. It was quite busy this Christmas because we were away for 4 weeks the orders built up then more Christmas orders came in and it has taken until now to clear all of them.

Hope to find time to make the contact prints from the New Zealand trip soon so that I can see what I have.

Christmas Eve

Christmas is almost here and we have had a very busy time over the last few weeks. All orders needed for Christmas were shipped in good time, assuming postal services worked properly. Just 1 framed picture to deliver later today on our route to visit in-laws.

I walked to Buxton yesterday. It was a perfect day for winter walking with lots of sunshine, cold and 4 inches of snow drifting to 15 inches on the tops. It took a bit longer of course, 2 1/4 hours for the 6 miles.
It was dark on the way home after a day in the Gallery and a good test of my new head torch (my last walk in the dark 3 or so weeks ago was in heavy rain and cloud so thick the torch beam didn't reach the ground!).

Close to arriving at friends for lunch, near Northampton. Then on to in-laws later on.
Dave Butcher

Last Orders Shipped

All Christmas orders were shipped today, except for 60 x 50 cm prints which will go via DHL on Monday. If you ordered something keep an eye open for it. All prints have been shipped using Royal Mail Special Delivery which should arrive next working day but this seems to be delayed and is running at 2 or 3 days delivery times, according to customer feedback.

Seem to have picked up a chest infection, noticed for first time yesterday evening and a bit knocked out by it today while running a darkroom course. Hope I'm better tomorrow for running a landscape photo course. Ran photo course on Friday. Good winter conditions, light covering of snow and cold enough for icicles around waterfalls. Spectacular at times, shame it's not reliable enough to run regular winter photography courses in the Peak District.
Dave Butcher

Christmas Orders Printed

Thursday was a darkroom printing day and all Christmas orders are now printed and all but the last two FB prints are mounted and / or packed waiting to be shipped. I am running a course Friday to Sunday but Jan will be posting orders on Saturday after her return from Dublin. Framed pictures (3 orders, 4 pictures) will be available for collection from Sunday onwards.

Monday is another printing day and should see me finish printing the rest of the orders, 6 prints not needed for Christmas.
Dave Butcher

Last Orders

Went to the local post office today and checked the last posting dates to see how long I had to complete all the orders that I have received. Everything is well in hand, please be patient if you are waiting for an order.

Last day for Special Delivery is 23rd December. I use this for all hand prints from 30 x 24cm to 50 x 40cm. For larger prints I use DHL, who are similar. Last day for ordering photos is therefore Sunday 20th December because my last printing day before Christmas is Monday 21st December.

For everything else, that is books, posters and course bookings I use Royal Mail 1st Class delivery and the last posting date for this Monday 21st December. Please order before Monday 21st if you want it for Christmas. For last minute book purchases (panics!) please telephone me to pay £4 extra so that I can use Special Delivery for books.

If you are local to Briarwood in Derbyshire, or are prepared to travel here, then the last day to come here to choose a picture from stock or anything else is Wednesday 23rd December. Just call 01298 733771 or 07976 872679 to make sure we haven't popped out (to the post office for example!).

The bottom line is everything stops after Wednesday 23rd!

Happy shopping. Hope this helps. Dave Butcher.

Christmas Orders

Busy printing day today. Lots of Christmas orders completed. Still lots to do so printing tomorrow too. Maybe another 5 days for you to place a Christmas order with guaranteed delivery in time. After this I will do my best but may not be able to get to you by Christmas. If this is the case I can send a gift voucher to give on the day and the picture will follow after Christmas.