WOYWW 129

STEP INTO CHRISTMAS,
LET'S JOIN TOGETHER,
WE CAN WATCH THE SNOW FALL FOREVER AND EVER...
EAT, DRINK AND BE MERRY
COME ALONG WITH ME,
STEP INTO CHRISTMAS,
THE ADMISSION'S FREE!
Except it wasn't at the Christmas fair I did on Sunday! The Private girls' school that was running the fair sure knew how to charge..for the table hire, rail space, electric point, admission... I did quite well there but didn't enjoy it and won't be there next year!! Thank goodness Julia came for the last hour to help me pack up and keep my sanity - cheers matey, owe you for that :)
Anyhow, this is what my table looked like..
I was probably the only stall with everything handmade, most of the others had bought-in stuff - very nice stuff admittedly, but it was the wrong venue for me. I tend to do well in country shows. Still, nothing ventured, nothing gained etc!
Right... here's what my desk looked like on Monday eve. A customer at Shopkeeper Gal's place wanted another desk tidy as a prezzy and said it had to be pinks and greens. So this is my selection, just making a final choice.  I might even *takes deep breath* use another button...shock horror!!
The pinks were all part of a fat quarter bundle from Fabricland in Salisbury, one of my favourite shops.
Isn't it funny how some fabrics can look really boring on the roll? I bought some new doggy fabric recently because there's a lot of dog owners needing Christmas presents, aren't there?? I only bought 2 metres because I wasn't sure about it. But which were the first two items I sold at the fair? Yup, you guessed.  When it was made up into something, with a nice spotty lining, the fabric looked so much better - weird!!
Last time I was down in Winchester, I bought this gorgeous Christmas fabric to make table runners. I already had the green snowflake print which I used for the borders. I managed to make three - I won't be upset if I get left with one!!
And finally, I HATE having my photo taken. But my naughty DH snapped one of me setting up part of my stall...
Now that's not too bad. partly cos my face is mostly obscured!!  Maybe that's what I should do in the future :D

Have a great crafting week!
                                     





55 comments:

Dragon said...

Shame about the fayre cos your table looked just splendid.. snooty bitches I expect so you don't need them!!! Your work seems to be progressing well
Love and light
Frankie
xx

Sunshine Girl said...

Oooh you tinker I am going to be singing Elton John songs all day now! Love your stall and your story reminds me that years a friend and I did a "Craft Fair" which turn out to be a jumble sale and we had all our handmade items on our stall! Oh how we laughed. Have a great day shopping (see us WOYWWers know everything - scary isnt it!). Thanks for sharing. Sunshine Girl – No 19

jude said...

These days craft fairs arent like they used to be .Then they were hand made items .Theses days as you say lovely stuff bought from wholesalers and then just sold onfor twice the price.Me you cant beat a handmade gift.Hope the rest if your doing go better.You'd do well here in Norfolk at Sandrigham craft fairs i used to do them everything was homemade ouldnt allow market stall produce as such!
Have fab wednesday pop by as i have candy up for grabs hugs judex 18

Annie said...

Hi, I'm just doing a quick whizz round a few desks while I eat my breaky and before my little grandees arrive [I've got 4 of them coming this morning now :-) ].
Your life sounds as busy as mine at the mo. I really love the look of your craft stalls and all the wonderful things you have made for them. Good luck with sales. :-)
Hugs,
A x

Helen said...

Your table at the fair looks fantastic! Shame it wasn't one you enjoyed... love all the fabric you find!
Helen, 8

Neil said...

Hi there. Thanks for letting us peek into your creative space this week. It's always inspiring seeing where and how we create! Hope the rest of your week goes very well for you. Your stall looked great, pity that it wasn't a fun as it could be. Still I hope you at least covered your costs.
Neil #31

Jacqueline said...

Wow! Your table looks fantastic!!! Such a shame that you didn't enjoy it as much as you would have liked. Sometimes we just have to try and give it a go to see what happens. You know where you do best so that's a plus!

Thanks fir sharing your lovely creations.

Happy WOYWW

Jackie x

CRAFTY WOMBLE said...

Gosh a veritable feast of loveliness! Hope you have a lovely shopping time. I am currently internet shopping for Christmas although I do enjoy a rummage through the town once the lights are on and no year is complete without at least one visit to the Birmingham Christmas market :). Mostly window shopping this year with the large amount of making going on!

sandra de said...

I love seeing pics of everyone. Great photo and very sweet xmas ornaments. Your stall looked fantastic and I love the doggy bag.

JoZart Designs said...

Peek a boo! I could see you because one of my gnomes just moved the vase over!!! Fantastic stall with so many quality products. I love to see hand made goods at craft fairs...... it's just not craft otherwise.
Love JoZarty x
I can't find a collective noun for those pesky gnomes so now you've got me thinking!

Sunshine Girl said...

Let me know if you cant get any Union Jack material - I have some plain material with small flags on - cant remember where I got it from but if you get stuck I will do a search and find out for you (bought it at the Malvern Quilt show in May) - have fun!

Polly Polkadot said...

The stall looks fab. I prefer fabric on a roll to those funny folded in half flat square roll things (do you know the ones I mean?), but I love the FQ when they select the colours for you - saves loads of time!

Ann B said...

Wow! your stall looks fantastic - I would h ave bought the lot if I'd been there.
Ann B
#35

Karen said...

Beautiful stall you have there, I'd love to browse amongst all those goodies and spend loads of pennies too! Just passing though, can't stay for long...enjoy WOYWW!

SueH said...

Aww, that’s a lovely photo of you Jan and it’s always nice to put a face to a name. I should really update the photo on my profile because it was taken five years ago and I’ve gone completely White now….ho, hum.

I know the school obviously wanted to make a bit out of the fair too but I think they can get a little greedy at times. Never the less, your table at the fair looked beautiful. It was so colourful and such a lot of work has gone into everything that you’ve made so you should feel proud of yourself.
Fingers crossed that the next one is a little more profitable for you thought.

Happy Crafting!
Sue (#27)
x

okienurse said...

I am sad to hear that the fair charges were high. That is the same thing that is happening here and less of the stuff being sold is actually handmade. Here's to the good old days where a craft fair meant hand made! Have a great week and thanks for sharing. Vickie #64

voodoo vixen said...

Your table looks lovely all set up, shame the school decided to get a bit grippy for the dosh!! I went to a RC boarding school and they charged us for everything... an aspirin... band aid... so nothing has changed!! Love the dog fabric and your runner is lovely!!

Lisa-Jane said...

Hello lovely lady! I've missed you all. Your stall looks totally fabulous and I especially like the hearts on the twigs - beautiful! I hope you made lots of pennies so that you can shop for more yummy fabric. It all looks so inviting. I bet there are loads of schools that would love your stuff, I know ours would. Say, what are you doing on 2nd December?..... ;-)

famfa said...

Wow your table looks fab. Lovely fabrics. Lovely makes. Lovely picture of you hiding in the tree with the hanging hearts. Don't know the song this week. I'm not on Mr. Linky today as can't do it from IPad.

Sylvia/LittleTreasures said...

Your fair table looks lovely..and great photos today, I too like the putting a face with the name. Thank your DH...it is a good pic. Disappointment is not fun, kinda waste of day but things have changed, not all for the better either. Enjoy your day out and about and Happy WOYWW

Debs Willis said...

Ooooh that song makes me feel all Christmassy!

Your stall looked great, but know what you mean about picking the right venue. I did one last year for a charity, and most of the stalls seemed to have second hand goods, or were tomobola or cakes - not so great!

Happy WOYWW

Debs x

Hettie said...

Right. So when we meet you will be carrying a bundle of twigs yes? That way I will recognise you.
As for the expense of your stall I am feeling the same way about next Friday's. What is even more annoying it is only for 2 1/2 hours on a Friday! Not much hope there!! Hey Ho! It is for a friend and Cancer Research so could hardly say no could I.
Glad you like my Haaaarndbaaargs!! They are flippin'fiddly but look effective.

JoZart Designs said...

Forgot to answer your ?
The wool for the red hat is Araucania and I bought it in Stash. At £12.99 a hank. It's really expensive (I only knit natural yarns) but I found another fab wool barn with great bargain prices this week..Black Sheep Wools and they do online sales. I bought £5.99 a ball pure wool for £2.99!! Check it out.
www.blacksheepwools.com

Anonymous said...

Oh those entrepreneurial private school girls! Still, you live and learn. Love your stall LO though, looks so pretty and festive. I have a number of table runner that I look forward to putting out seasonally. Of course, I completely forgot the Fall one this year for some reason, still, means I can put the Christmas one out earlier! Short week this week, due to Thanksgiving, I'm thankful for that at least!!

Hugs
Brenda 82

Deb said...

YOur photo is lovely! I dislike having mine taken too so I do understand! Your stall looks amazing and so much better to have everything handmade, yours would have been the only stall I was hovering over! Love the doggy bags, no wonder they sold!
Happy WOYWW! Have a great day! Debxx #95

Julia Dunnit said...

I can see you!! Well, by the time I got to you, most of the stuff I can see on the stall had been sold, so you did do well, well done mate.

Angie said...

Your stall looked amazing ...JD obviously thought you did well ... I would think parents at a private achool would appreciate the work. Mind you I bet they were all distant and not very friendly.

Cathy said...

Wow looks like a fab stall, and sounds like you did well ... good on you.
Happy WOYWW
Hugs
Cathy xx #3

Inkypinkycraft said...

Wow what wonderful fabric and a lovely stall, wish o could sew?!! Oh well some people arent meant to I think!!! Happy woyww trace x

fairy thoughts said...

lots of lovely craftyness here, the stall looks great. it's a shame some venues feel the need to charge so much.... but rail space is just mean, I don't blame you for not going next year I hope someone from there reads your blog
happy woyww
janet

Tracey FK said...

that stall looks just beautiful and full of fabulous things... you should be showing off your beautiful smiling creative goodness not hiding behind that tree thingy xx

Neet said...

Lovely to be able to put a face to the name now Jan. Gosh, that sounds like CHA where they charge for every little thing for the vendors (then they wonder why it is going down hill - CHA that is). Anyway your stall looked a treat and I bet you put the others to shame.
Happy crafting - Hugs, Neet #12 x

Elizabeth said...

Hi Jan, your stall was lovely ... I'm sorry the fair was such a disappointment. I like the table runner. Have a great week. Elizabeth x #81

Morti said...

Dunno why you don't like have your photo taken Mrs - you're actually very pretty! Tsk. You certainly don't look your age.

Grr - don't you just HATE places that charge exorbitant fees for tables and all the extras? Or places that give out a phone number and then no-one answers the darned thing so you can't book? Yup, that's the one I've had lately! An Etsy store is starting to look very attractive!

Thanks for the words of support. I had a lap 20 years ago for the same thing, and I remember the aftermath well! ROFL...

Oh, and yes, Erasure are still going - in fact they brought out a new single on Monday just gone. And they still sound just the same...

VonnyK said...

Your stall looks great, really colourful.

Pam said...

Been there done that. I used to do an annual craft fair in Honolulu and then started doing the math. That organizer used to make 250K US for that darn fair! She was always eating manapua when you'd ask her a question. Hmpfh. Isn't there a place for venture and gain? You can be proud of your booth, your work and your friends. That's for sure. And that table runner - TDF!

Shaz in Oz.CalligraphyCards said...

ha Jan love the comment at the bottom, with instructions on how to take a pickie of you! but glad you did well at the fair even if you did not enjoy the way it was run etc. does spoil it though! great things thoguh and no wonder they sell so well would love to pop along to your stall any day Shaz in Oz.x

Sarah said...

Your fabulous colours and patterns brighten up any dreary day...that's a downer on the costs and a bit anti-handmade protocol methinks... Rail space - did you have to stand on one leg too? Your stall and work looks truly wonderful and very tempting. Glad I know that piccy is you otherwise I have thought someone was nicking your wares...
Thanks for sharing a little of your life and desk! Sarah at 14

Lisa-Jane said...

We have our school fair on the 2nd and I think your stuff would sell really well. However I like the idea of bimbling around the Christmas market in Winchester but I can only do Wednesdays. I still think your pictures are yummy on here :-)

dianneo said...

I love dachshunds so I often can't resist anything with a doxie on it. So I'm not surprised the dog bags sold first! Have a super week!

Twiglet said...

He he love the pic of you peeking out from behind a tree of hearts - your display looked lovely and I am glad you did well. The charges sounded a bit OTT. x Jo

Spyder said...

Oh my goodness look at all that sewing, I do sometimes wish I could sew! And the photo is fabulous too! Have a great week, HaPPy WoYWw!
((Lyn))

Shoshi said...

What a wonderful colourful display! The pretty bunting set it all off. I love the picture of you peeping out! No need to be camera shy - you look great!! Happy WOYWW, Shoshi #70

Mrs A. said...

Your craft table looked stunning. Glad you did well after all your hard work putting it all togther. Love the green and pink fabrics together. Hugs Mrs a.

donnalouiserodgers said...

i"m a stall holder get me out of here?

yup been there

Hell

on

Earth

I'm so glad you survived to tout your splendid wares in better settings...

dx

Bugged Designs said...

Your stall looked lovely, sorry to hear you didn't really enjoy it, but glad you still sold lots of stuff. Thanks for stopping by my page.

l00pyscraftcreations said...

Oh it looked lovely, and such a lot that you have made!! Sorry the Girls school, wasnt the right place, but you never know till you try do you

Thanks for popping over, I appreciate it, and yes I do eat and sleep lol, just not much!!

Happy WOYWW
Lou #41

Shoshi said...

Hi LLJ, me again! thanks for your comment on my blog. In answer to your question, you can either have a spoonful of the cordial neat, or better still, in a glass with hot water - it's delicious! My hubby saw her again today and she says she's going to make me up some more as I've finished the first lot! My darling hubby is dosing me up with lemsips which do help stop the coughing a bit, and soothes my still very sore throat. I think I'm getting addicted to lemsip. Shoshi #70

lisa said...

How lovely to see you in the flesh, so to speak!!! It's always nice to put a face to a name and you shouldn't be shy!!! Says she who never shows hers!!
Your stall looks gorgeous. It's always a bit of a gamble knowing what will be popular isn't it? Your hearts look beautiful. I had to sew all mine by hand, I am rubbish on the machine.
I wish we had the fabric shops you have, they are as a scarce as up here.
Thank you for your lovely comments and Happy WOYWW
Hugs Lisax #84

April said...

Nice to get a little peek of you as well as your desk :o) That dog fabric is great! I'm not suprised they sold straight away! Your stall looked lovely! shame you didn't enjoy the day, at least you know now though instead of always wondering! I find it hard to part with certain bits of my stash!! If I'm finding it really hard I use it on a card for my Mum as I know she will keep it up for months and then save it forever :o) x

Anonymous said...

What a lovely stall, it's a shame you didn't enjoy it but at least you did well. I really like the dog fabric especially the scottie dog with the spotted coat. Have a lovely day. Laura

Sherry said...

Your stall looks fab - really stands out, no wonder you did well. I love all the fabrics on this post (even the doggy one!) LOL at you having your photo taken - I thought you were hiding behind your display tree - that's definitely what I would have done as I too hate having my photo taken!

Thanks for already coming to see my desk :)

Scrappekatten said...

thank you for the comment on my blog. I will of course show the tablecloth when it is finished. you seems like a fabricaddict yourself.
Katarina AKA scrappekatten

fairy thoughts said...

thanks for your comment on my blog.
The ginko trees are on Andover road just past the cross road near the railway station. There were two and a beautiful golden colour, they even had fruit on which we took some off to try and grow (not that we have room in our garden) ... but remembering your pics from a few weeks ago you definately would have.
janet

Anonymous said...

Sorry to hear your stall didn't do so well, it looks so festive and has seriously tempted me to get back to my sewing machine. Thank you for sharing.

WOYWW 769

 WE'LL MEET AGAIN.... I'm going to take a break from blogging for a while - please don't worry, all is ok! - think I just need a...