Magical Mull: exploration and inspiration
Breathtaking scenery
We ended the month on the beautiful island of Mull. A place I had always wanted to visit, I wasn’t prepared for the jaw-dropping beauty of the landscape! It was absolutely stunning with breathtaking scenery, even when the weather was mizzly and grey, the natural beauty was incredible. Of course we had to visit Iona whilst we were there, and we were not disappointed. The sun even came out for us and it was just glorious.
With so much to see I took so many photos. Taking pictures is a huge part of my creative process as it allows me to store the memories and create a bank of colours, textures and landscapes which inspire me. In time they may feature in my weaving, felting, drawing or painting as I almost always draw my inspiration from the natural world.
Stunning skies
Given my focus on light and texture in the past few months, there was plenty on Mull to tick those boxes. The clouds, the sky, the sunlight, the rain, the waterfalls being blown upwards, it was all magnificent. The quality of light was extraordinary, I think because the air is so clear, no pollution to contend with, just good Scottish weather!
We visited lots of places where you could see the design work of Banjo Beale (from Interior Design Masters, SHOTY and Designing the Hebrides). We’re big fans of his work, so when I heard his dulcet tones in the charity shop I just had to say hello. He was an absolute sweetie (even if he did buy all the good baskets I had my eye on!).
In one episode of Designing the Hebrides, Banjo was helping to update the Iona Craft Shop. I particularly enjoyed this one as the craft shop specialises in woolen textiles and Banjo used a lot of vintage bobbins in the scheme which we saw when we visited. The only problem is, those were supposed to be my bobbins!
There’s a brilliant vintage shop in Glasgow called The Rustworks where I get my vintage bobbins to sell my homespun yarn on Etsy. The problem was, the last time I went in to get some, they were sold out! They had NEVER sold out before, I used to think I was the only person actually buying the bobbins, but no, SOMEONE had been in and bought them all, the guy told me. You can imagine my surprise when I saw Banjo with all of the bobbins (my bobbins) on the telly! It may have involved a few expletives and much laughter from those watching with me.
I got the closure I needed when I relayed my tale of woe to man himself, even if he thought it was hilarious and wasn’t in the least bit remorseful. (Happily my other supplier Paraphernalia 27 let me buy all their bobbins instead)
Must-see on Mull
There were so many amazing sights to see on Mull, we barely scratched the surface in our long weekend. We’re planning a return visit so that we can take in Ulva (and pop in to see Banjo and Ro at the Boathouse), visit Tobermory on a sunny day, explore the sculpture garden at Calgary Gallery and hunt for otters at every opportunity.
If you’ve never been to Mull you should definitely go and don’t miss my favourites:
Calgary Bay
Iona Abbey
Tobermory town