A FANDABBYDOOZY TIME

Hi everyone

A little late with my weekend post - so tired following the three-day event I attended and getting ready for it.

Friday and Saturday were brilliant sales days for me (although one stall holder said it was quieter this Friday than for the same day during last year's event).  The talk was that Friday is normally quiet, Saturday is busy but Sunday is mega-busy.  Well, the Friday and Saturday sessions were very busy, as was Sunday - but very strange my takings on Sunday were half of what I took on Friday and a little less than half of what I took on Saturday.  My thoughts had gone along the lines of Friday would attract the usual Friday shoppers, ladies who lunch, retired people and after 3.00 pm mums and children.  Saturday morning might be a mix of age groups, but after the supermarket shop had been completed, families would visit in the afternoon.  I assumed it would be everyone, no matter what age, on Sunday.  In addition to the Christmas Event, there was also a Farmer's Market in the car park and just over the road from Secretts the village hall was hosting an Antiques Fair.

Here are some photographs of my stand:

 

The good thing for me was that (apart from those pesky Phoenix Cards people) I was the only stall selling cards.  As has often proved to be the case, my mini cards and my 'slightly bigger mini cards' sold very well.  This time around I also make up packs of five different, same theme, 'bigger mini cards' and these also sold well - sop well in fact that I had to spend Saturday evening making more!

I had lots of lovely visits from friends, old and new, and they each bought something from me which was even nicer.  My sister, Anne, helped me out on Friday afternoon - she also helped the local economy by doing quite a bit of shopping at the event.

I worked flat-out for most of the week prior to the event and made some more fabric wreaths - here are photographs of some of them:

This one is made from a roll of my lovely red ribbon - the ribbon is edged with gold and I made two; the second one had strips of green ribbon inserted throughout.

This is made from pillar-box red satin.  I wasn't too sure if it was Christmas red, so decided to add a different decoration (which sadly you cannot see in the photograph): red jewel hearts

As often the photograph doesn't do the item justice   This is made of a deep rich red velvet ribbon (of course), which I wrapped around the circle.  I added a cinnamon stick, fir cone, long decorative pepper and a bay leaf, which I tied to the top of the ring.

I was very pleased to receive another order for a wreath, this time in red gingham.  My customer wanted a Scandinavian type ring, so a new type of Christmas ring for me.

The lovely thing about crafts events (and I am sure other types of events) is the friendship offered by other stallholders.  The stall  holder to my right made the most beautiful baby bibs - not just ordinary ones, but some were made to look like little jacket/short fronts and had a tie; others were made out of such gorgeous fabric.  The Woodie opposite me had some beautiful work and this was his first event, rather nerve-racking for him - a nice person who shared his red wine with us (now that's what a call a friendly smallholder).

When Secretts sent out the invoice for the final payment, they also included details of after-event Christmas Marquee days.  Stallholders were offered days from 24 November to 24 December at a very good price and I decided to give it a whirl and have booked 8 days.  I had planned not to attend any more events after the Priors Field School one I am doing this coming Saturday, but the offer from Secretts was very good and I know the stall holders taking part, so it should be good fund as well as, hopefully financially successful.

Today has been catch-up time, although I did meet up with a couple of friends for lunch, which was nice especially as one placed an order with me for an unusual Christmas Tree Decoration - thank you Sue.  Before lunch I 'delivered' Spot, the lovely apricot and grey kitten I have been fostering, to a Woking Cats Protection colleague who was taking her to her new home.  Now catching up with emails, orders, makes for next weekend, etc.

Don't forget to visit the other Handmade Monday bloggers - lots of lovely blogs to read and I know it will take me a time to catch up with them this week, so my apologies all but I will get there I promise.

A big thank you to my last guest blogger of the year, Claire from Ashtead and Tadworth Card Making and Craft Workshops.  It is a great read and also really nice to know where that odd toilet roll search on my blog originated from.  Many thanks Claire for being a guest blogger.

No Friday guest blogger this week - unless anyway would like to take part.  It will return in the new year though, so contact me if you would like to get the ball rolling in January.

Have a good week everyone.  I will be back on Wednesday with my usual mid-week post.

Jill