WRONGO!?

Yikes!  This must be all too familiar to those of you who take the trouble to read this blog but...I AM starting to panic about Christmas!

I was lucky enough to have a blinding day in Winchester last December and was foolishly expecting similar interest and enthusiasm from post-Christmas events...WRONGO!

I am still relatively new to this 'game' and the penny has certainly taken it's own sweet time to drop very slowly, but equally heavily, onto (and into) my head!  My makes are 'arty' - created with and from love - and as such they are not 'essential' but they ARE life-enhancing.  They are beautiful and tactile, of the earth and the sea and up cycled to the 'nth degree! 

At the end of the day...I love what I do and take pride in my creations.  If others do too?  All the better!!!

101 Days!

Oh crikey!  I can't believe I am starting to work/think towards Christmas already!  101 days to go and it feels like I have a million and one things to do.

 

I have some adorable Pooh Bear winter scenes which I've decoupaged onto some wooden hearts and am also creating decoupaged Christmas decorations to add to my collection.

 

I'm still working on trying to display my wares so that they are shown at their best - less is more and all that!  Trouble is, I find it really hard to do minimalism - it's not really my thing!  TTFN.

Just when I thought 'I'd' nailed it...

Phew!  It's been a long old day today.  We were up with the lark and in Bath shortly after 8 o' clock this morning.  By we I mean me and my 2 daughters (Daisy and Grace - 8 and 5 respectively).

 

I had packed the car the day before while my 'helpers' were off swimming with Daddy - lucky things.  I was pretty pleased with myself, I can tell you, since my initial load was a mere four boxes and the trestle table.  Piece of cake...or so I thought!  Hang on a minute!  What about the chairs (I needed 3 this time), the snacks (for me and my helpers), the bag of things to do when we're not selling stuff (which we, hopefully won't need!), the kids' things to sell (old dresses etc) for pocket money, my 'all-important' trolley (it's a lifesaver!), coats, wipes (you never know, but if you don't take them...), the hessian hanging board and the hammer?  These were all unceremoniously chucked in on top of the four, neatly packed, boxes - my smug "organised" self was very swiftly eating humble pie.  I am sure I will get it right one day!

 

Organisation and efficiency aside, we managed to unload the car and set up the stall in plenty of time.  Daisy and Grace were keen to help with the display and worked beautifully together with just the odd bit of input from me.

Lots of lovely comments and lots of people taking leaflets and cards.  I could really have done with more sales and sincerely hope November and December offer a more profitable outcome!  On the plus side Daisy and Grace had an absolute ball and took a variety of pictures of their favourite stalls around the market - I'll post the less blurry ones later on this week.  In the meantime, I will try and fathom out the perfect packing technique for my market forays - I think a list may be in order next time...



WHAM BAM! September 8th 2013!

Okay, so I'm unashamedly self-promoting my next Bath Artisan Market appearance - next Sunday 8th September 2013 - be there, share the date and venue.  Come and buy some gorgeous gifts and things.  Stock up for Christmas and wow at all the handmade and crafted items for sale.  Click on the link below to find out more...

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If you can't make the market you can always visit my Etsy shop (see the link on the right) where I have (for sale) a comprehensive selection of my wares.

Markets aside, I have been extremely idle throughout this glorious summer- no apologies, I have spent the time with family and friends re-charging and enjoying life, remembering why we all work so hard in the first place!  It is only today that reality has struck - it is now September and I have 3 Bath Artisan Markets (September, November, December) and one Winchester Handmade Christmas Fair (1st December).  Yikes!  Given the success of last year's Winchester (indoor = nice and cosy) Fair, I feel I may need to make some extra items.  I have been gathering bits and pieces for my decoupage makes and my lovely friends have been collecting shells and bits of driftwood from across the globe - I am always incredibly grateful for these extra materials and am looking forward to creating some unique pieces in the next month or so.

Today, though, I have turned my hand to making a couple of fantastic (I kid you not!) Christmas decorative stars from some up-cycled wrapping paper that I managed to salvage from one of daughter's birthday presents (she had to open that particular present extremely carefully - under my watch - so that not a shred of it was ripped or torn).  I hope the picture below demonstrates the beauty and funky potential the paper promises - if all goes well, the stars will be on sale this coming weekend!

Funky Christmas Star!



 

Keep it Simple Stupid!

A few days on from the Bath Artisan Market and I am feeling more positive than I did on Sunday.  Boy!  Was it chilly or what - it's the middle of May for Pete's sake!  Trade was slow but I did cover my costs and got some feedback and so hope to do better next month!


Lovely but, perhaps, a touch too busy?  I vow to be more 'organised' in future!

With June in mind (early June mind) I'm hoping the tourists will be out and the weather will be a whole lot more clement!  I will be creating a few more items - Pooh Bear, Dennis the Menace, and perhaps some vintage Peter and Jane pieces too.  Also working on 'point of sale' (POS) since I think my stall may be gorgeous but, perhaps, a touch too busy (like an advert wanting to squash too much in!) so that my dear clientele can actually see exactly what it is I have to offer!  I should be good at this (given my advertising background) but I am so close to it I do find it difficult to step back and take an objective stance!  I have, therefore, decided to have a few practise runs and invest in some POS shelves/staging - I hope it pays off!

What was is Sir Robert the Bruce said?  "If at first you don't succeed, try, try, and try again!".  Will do!

A Rain Day in Bath? Not at Green Park!

Well, today started out just peachy!  Glorious sunshine, barely a breath of wind and just a whisper of cloud on the horizon...it was not to last!

 

We arrived at Green Park, my daughter (Daisy) and I, a touch frazzled, having taken one too many wrong turns through the maze that is Bath!  I ended up mounting the pavement (deliberately) and unloading the car (Betty Flower) at the steps to the entrance of Green Park Station - I was desperate and frantic, "Challenge me for being such a rebel ... IF YOU DARE!" - nobody did!  My daughter was chilled and just going with the flow...she has been my leveller the whole day.

 

So, we get our stuff unpacked.  We stand and look at it.  Daisy gets the chairs set up (priorities)!  I look at it some more.  I realise I did not need to bring along a trestle table after all.  Daisy asks if it's time for a snack yet - it has just turned 9.00am.  We munch on some dried mango (tastes better than it sounds!).  We both look at the stall.  We look at each other.  We grin and blow each other a kiss and say "I love you!".  We finally get down to business and start setting up our stall.

Driftwood and Debris at BAM!

 

A blurry helper at rear of stall

 

The Vintage Hearts yielded loads of interest!

 

Bluebells from the garden added a freshness to the display and some glorious scent too!

The day was chilly and the weather went from fine to grey to grizzle and drizzle.  I gave out a few business cards and flyers and have already had a mention on another blog and 2 new 'likers' on my Facebook page.  I managed to cover my costs (just) and met a bunch of lovely fellow stall holders - ALL way more experienced than me but more than happy to share their knowledge and experience.  For me, it is a lovely way to spend the day (so long as my costs are covered) and any profit is a bonus.  My DH thinks I'm a nutcase but does his best to understand...and he spends his leisure time catching fish and putting them back!

 

That's by-the-by though, I was fired up enough to want to give it another go and feeling mildly confident about June.  The weather can surely only get better, can't it?!

Nostrils full of Paper Dust!

As usual, I have known for ages that I've got an upcoming market event and I have left it until the last minute to get my stock up to date and relevant for the time of year!  Christmas?  No problem - stars coming out of my ears.  Spring/Summer?  Uh Oh!

Not to worry.  Thanks to my, ever-patient, husband I now have a summer range of fridge magnets and bunting.  I have also experimented with matt varnish and I love, love, love it on the bunting and some of my new key-rings and magnets - the finish is great and the durability equally as strong; it also dries so much quicker than the gloss!

So, with just days to go, I have a table full of half-made products awaiting either a final layer of varnish or a jump-ring and key-ring attachment - or even a magnetic attachment.  Why do I put myself (and my poor family) through this stress?  I don't know!  But I do know that I enjoy the buzz of the day and meeting fellow crafters and artists who are trying to make their hobby pay. 

Here's to next Sunday at http://bathartisanmarket.com/our-next-market/ - hope to see you there!