Adventures in Craftland
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Cirencester Corn Hall
Cirencester is a very pretty little market town that holds a market in their Corn Hall every week. Our last Christmas Market was a table in this beautiful location.
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Pineapple pop-up
So, having finally made it to the last week before Christmas, the time had come to set up my pop up all for myself. This event had been in the diary since the beginning of December, so one of the longest anticipated events in our calendar. Despite this, and despite several planning sessions, I had not actually worked out what the heck I was going to do. Keep in mind that, until now, I had filled exactly one table by myself, and that had been a card table. Plus, the frames I had desperately needed at the end of November had still not arrived, so I had about six purses…
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Round 3 part 2 – Douai Pavilion
Douai Pavilion, Woolhampton, is the bar/club house/uniform shop set on the playing fields opposite the beautiful Douai Abbey. This year, with the pavilion under energetic new management was the first year that the location had hosted a Christmas market.
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Pineapple pop-up
Cirencester Corn Hall
Round 2: Newbury Artisan Market 26-Nov-2017
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Third time lucky? Old Baising 02-Dec
So, this Christmas fayre took place in a beautiful location; the Tudor Great Barn in Old Baising. This event was much bigger than my village fayre, with expected footfall of around 650 people, two choirs and a Tudor court reenactment - you could even go sit on Henry VIII's lap and get a present as though he was Father Christmas.
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Between The Shows – Supply Issues
So, having been so successful at the two shows I’ve attended, I did a quick stock check to find that I had run out of almost everything! I have three flip lock purse frames left, and three custom orders to fill, so while i can get on with filling those orders, I cannot make any more stock. I have ordered more, but the estimated delivery date is as late as December 21st, so that will be fun. I am also close to the end of the anti-fraud lining, so I’ve had to order more of that, too. Again, that may not arrive until Christmas, not that it makes much difference…
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Round 2: Newbury Artisan Market 26-Nov-2017
I didn’t quite get things right in time for the second fayre at which I sold my purses, either. The first hurdle was that, having agreed to it, I realised that I was actually out of town for the event. Fortunately my craft fayre buddy was more than happy to take my stock along to pad out her stall. So, while I was out drinking Glühwein in Liverpool with the fam, Ali was freezing her butt off in Newbury, selling my purses for me. Because she’s a gem. I did better on the stock front this time – I finished everything that I started, and even put together some marketing for my purses…
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My First Craft Fayre
On Friday, November 17th I attended my very first craft fayre as a vendor. It was only a small event - just Christmas fayre for the village I grew up in, but it was a huge leap on the road to becoming a proper artisan crafter. I can't say I went in with no idea of what to expect - I've attended my fair share of these things, and I've been conned into manning stalls before - but i hugely underestimated how much work it would be. I'm not sure I was entirely successful, but I certainly learnt a lot.
