Monday, 16 October 2017

The First of the Christmas Craft Fairs

THIS company

have a ton of lovely stuff crammed into this building.  The lady started by just supplying flower arranging stuff. She worked out of a port-a-cabin based  on a farm, then they grew and grew. There are just two problems, when anybody is standing looking at stuff on the shelves there is no room to squeeze by and some things are a bit pricey - but that's probably just me being tightfisted !

Anyway, when I went there a few weeks ago because I'd run out of jam jars, I picked up a leaflet about their Christmas Fair and thought I'd go and have a look.

They had a big marquee up for the stalls

I'm afraid I'm not very helpful to crafters as I tend to look around and think either
1. I could do it myself
2. Everything looks a bit tacky......not a fan of knitted cakes!
3. Everything is too expensive (and before anyone says it, I know the amount of hours that goes into to handmade)
or 4. I could find this somewhere secondhand!

I rather liked the Christmas bunting hanging on the front of the stall in the centre but, oddly, they didn't have anything similar for sale, just bunting where all the triangles were made of the same material rather than mixed fabrics......... bit boring.

Then I went into the shop- it's just such a treasure trove that it's overwhelming. This is their Christmas room

Everything you ever needed to decorate or make anything you can think of!


and the above is a view down one of the aisles. They also have a room full of ribbon, another room full of everything you need for sugar-craft and cake making, a massive range of stuff for weddings and tons of bits for flower arranging and every thing you can think of for packaging anything! Luckily they don't stock many card making bits, but even without that it would be very simple to spend several hundred pounds.
I didn't! Just something for the Halloween and then the Christmas mantle-piece..............under £5..

Thanks for comments on Saturday and hello to more new followers - Welcome.

Back Tomorrow
Sue


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29 comments:

  1. Cathy16 October 2017 at 06:45

    When it comes to craft markets I'm exactly the same - Those same four thoughts rattle round my brain as well lol ~ Cathy

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  2. Jules16 October 2017 at 06:59

    Same here Sue! I often think the same about just crafting something myself, although I often don't bother in the end.
    The shop looks jam packed with all sorts. Are you going to let us see what you bought? 😉 X

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    1. Sue in Suffolk16 October 2017 at 16:35

      They'll be on the mantle-piece later in the year.

      Delete
  3. Unknown16 October 2017 at 08:19

    Wow what a lot of craft making stuff. My daughter in Ireland makes Christmas Bunting with different fabrics.

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  4. Poppypatchwork16 October 2017 at 08:28

    I am much the same as you when I see craft items, I know I can make items, I did make a load of bunting last year. Our tree ornaments have built up over years, many have history behind them, which makes putting the tree up so enjoyable. I don't like to shop where everything is crammed together.

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  5. Living Alone in Your 60's16 October 2017 at 08:36

    Because I craft I go looking for ideas and definitely not to buy which I feel guilty about.

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  6. Lanniesmum16 October 2017 at 08:58

    What a display, Sue! We were in very wet lakes last week and took refuge in the big garden centre at Ambleside. Lovely lunch and then onto the Christmas displays-what a variety. As it hosts bus tour groups, the stuff was flying off the shelves quicker than it could be put on. I have just finished 4 sets of bunting for a friend's charity with 15 double side pennants and 4 metres of bias tape. Cost to me was about £10 per set and she'll be lucky to get £5. Thank goodness I'm stashbusting otherwise I wouldn't do it!! Catriona

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  7. Louise Houghton16 October 2017 at 09:09

    Oh Sue I love a good craft fair but I'm with you. The kind of crafts I like I can make most of, though I'm not the best seamstress in the world by any stretch so I adapt to my ability. I make what I like and it normally comes out ok. I used to take part in quite a lot of craft events selling baked items and paper craft but found you never got your money back for the papercraft items in relation to how much time you spent making them.

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    1. Sue in Suffolk16 October 2017 at 16:49

      I used to sell papercraft and cross stitch cards along with our secondhand books and at The WI Country Market. Just to get the materials cost back really.

      Delete
  8. The Weaver of Grass16 October 2017 at 10:19

    Sue, as far as Craft Fairs are concerned, you have more or less summed them up for me.

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  9. Rachel Phillips16 October 2017 at 11:40

    I sat at a stall for a friend of mine as a favour. It was very depessing.

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  10. Sheila16 October 2017 at 12:05

    I would hate to be doing craft fairs these days as most people that visit are just looking for ideas they can copy.
    It must be quite soul destroying for the stall holders listening to people saying "ohh I could make that myself for a lot less". Well yes maybe they could but do they have to stand and say it in front of the poor person who has slogged their guts out to make the stock they are showing.
    I do have to question though why anyone would want or need a knitted cake...lol.
    Hugs-x-

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  11. galant16 October 2017 at 12:51

    I'm totally with you on these craft things, Sue. I find such things are usually nice for the crafters to make but do I want them in my home? No matter how well some things are executed, I just don't want knitted fruit and veg on a shelf. As The Weaver of Grass says, you have summed them up for me, too.
    Margaret P
    www.margaretpowling.com

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  12. Barbara M.16 October 2017 at 14:51

    I love Christmas, but that shop has Too. Much. Stuff.

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  13. Lilly's Mom16 October 2017 at 15:51

    I love to create things; especially knitted items. I buy high end yarn at discount prices. So if people think it's expensive, it's basically the cost of the yarn without the labor. Many people have a livelihood with these cottage crafts and they're so nice compared to the cheap items we get imported from China.

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    1. Sue in Suffolk16 October 2017 at 16:51

      Yes, much nicer than new junk. I feel guilty for not buying craft items from the makers

      Delete
  14. Sue16 October 2017 at 16:22

    I'm exactly the same at craft fairs and at most of the stalls on a Farmers Market.

    That shop has its aisles much too close together ... I think it would put me off looking if I had to constantly squidge in to let folk pass.

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  15. justjill16 October 2017 at 16:39

    How would I get through with the chariot?! I would be straight out of the door. Similar to all you crafters when I retired and began to look at art exhibitions I thought I could do better than that....Not sure I did but I enjoy it.

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    1. Sue in Suffolk16 October 2017 at 16:54

      Your paintings are brilliant, love the lighthouse ones,hope you sell loads at the exhibition. I don't count artwork as things I don't buy as I will buy original paintings if I see something I love

      Delete
  16. Anonymous16 October 2017 at 16:49

    If only people would make more for themselves. Keep on crafting everybody!
    I'm afraid that huge pile of Christmas stuff does nothing for me. It's far too early and what about all those people (and children) who can't afford anything? Commercial Christmas opportunities are rammed down our throats at every available opportunity. No wonder the true spirit of Christmas is disappearing. And with that I will return to sewing my pile of To Be Finished by Christmas presents!

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    1. Sue in Suffolk16 October 2017 at 16:57

      I think they start early because they are wholesalers mainly selling to people who are making things to sell on. Well done for sewing Christmas presents. Lots of mine will be home made but cooked rather than sewn!

      Delete
  17. Anonymous16 October 2017 at 23:19

    I usually find if I go to a craft fair that there are only one or two stalls that stand out and I would buy from. Some craft fairs even seem to have stalls where they 'buy in' items to sell.
    I nearly always make my friends presents at Christmas because I enjoy making them and they love receiving them. We just give modest gifts - the best things come in small packages! That shop is a bit overwhelming - good for a rummage but I have mixed feelings as a lot of it may eventually end up in landfill and that would be sad.

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  18. John Going Gently16 October 2017 at 23:22

    I hate these places

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  19. Sharon18 October 2017 at 12:56

    That's the problem with craft faires - I'm thinking the same as you!

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  20. Lisa25 October 2017 at 20:09

    That looks like the kind of place you pop into for five minutes and come out of a couple of hours later!
    Lisa x

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