Truly scrumptious biggest handmade and vintage fair

The fair is going to be a two day spectacular of crafts, vintage, entertainment and music with craft workshops, a vintage tearoom and lots of handmade goodness.

A two day spectacular of crafts, vintage, entertainment and music with craft workshops, a vintage tearoom and lots of handmade goodness. There will be over a 100 stalls selling the northwest's finest gifts, clothes, toys, accessories, food, art, cards, homewares, antiques..., collectables and much more. We are lucky enough to have two performances on the sunday from the very lovely burlesque performer Kitty Koko.https://www.facebook.com/KittyKokoUK We shall be having various bands performing over the weekend including the very special and amazing Kirsty Almeida https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=815834520, the talented Laura Catlow https://www.facebook.com/lauracatlowmusic the lovely vintage duo Goodnight Astor https://www.facebook.com/goodnightastor

We shall be having various bands performing over the weekend on the stage and tea and cakes served on vintage china all in the beautiful art deco surroundings of the Pavilion theatre at the Winter Gardens situated in the middle of Blackpool town centre 23rd June 10am - 5pm and 24th June 2012 10pm - 4pm Free entry

https://www.facebook.com/#!/events/344605302224954/

Olympic rules - pah!!

Seriously crafters read this, now we are NOT allowed to use the words London and 2012 together in our creations, the words gold and silver are off limits too, obviously invented by power hungry greedy tw*ts this list is bonkers. I can understand logos not being copied ( who would want to anyway!?) but words come on, next we won't be able to use the union jack!!

http://ukhandmade.ning.com/forum/topics/the-do-s-mostly-don-ts-of-the-olympics-trademark?xg_source=facebookshare

Whats the world coming too?

Lovely Bits and Pieces posed the question on a social networking site about finding it worrying these days to put any photos of your work on the net, she said "all us crafters have load of designs and ideas, and some are very similar to others based on things we have seen when out and about, but sometimes ideas overlap, its a hard situation, here's hoping the crafting community doesn't start falling apart"

This made me think, with all the media coverage of the latest cases of copying, this whole thing about pinterest's T&C's not being moral and being sued for sharing ( has any case happened so far?) has things gone too far?, are we all getting too paranoid?, I love the net and all the diversity it brings but it makes me wonder if we couldn't share our ideas and photos on line how much of this would disappear, I wouldn't know what someone in another town had made unless that person had a shop or I knew them in real life. I think you have to question your beliefs about humans and the way in which everyone is scrutinised and made to feel like they have done wrong when they are genuine.

I think people are overreacting with all this coverage at the moment, agreed copying is awful, the Tatty Devine case is justified, as is some of the other blatant copying going on and this must be tackled and reported and shared. But I often have ideas, I draw them or talk about them and even make them and then lo and behold weeks later I see a similar/same thing in a magazine or on line. I know I have not copied but if the designer in the magazine or on line saw what I had designed or made I could be accused of copying, it's a shame that such a lovely community is becoming paranoid and has this "sue" mindset.

I went to a ladies shop the other day and her workspace was awesome, I asked if I could take a photo to put on my blog and asked if she wanted to be in the picture, she declined, I took all her details to share them on my blog I then was about to take a photo of her makes and she got quite bolshy and told me not to as I might copy her designs, I asked if she has a website (she does) so if anyone wanted to copy they could just go on there, its madness, I didn't blog about her and deleted my photos, I was surprised by her reaction, I thought I was doing her a favour spreading the word and recommending her work to my friends on line, to bring her more custom, how wrong could I be!

I think that in a world where an enormous amount of things have been made it is hard to find new ideas, it is rare nowadays that I am truly in awe of something someone has made because for the most part in one way or another I have seen the same things again and again.

The other more scientific part of this not considered is your long term memory which holds millions of bit of information, ideas and images, maybe you saw something briefly without even realising, it lodged in your memory without you being aware of it and then a time later you start designing, without knowing this memory comes back to you and you believe you have thought of it.

This is not meant to be a get out clause for copying someones work, its just another angle. Unfortunately people are scared and worried about saying and doing the right thing, not actually speaking from the heart in case it causes controversy, I am not one of those people, I say it how I think it is, if you don't agree, that's perfectly OK, share you opinions on my comment box, I would love to hear what you all think about this whether you agree or not, don't be shy and cautious, take the step and be bold!

Our saturday entertainment line up so far....

On the saturday we have some fabulous acts:

At 11am on the theatrical horsehoe pavilion stage we have Goodnight Astor. This duo present to you a unique mix of pop, jazz and dark cabaret, bringing you through the case and illuminating the answers. The girls have been writing and performing music for the past three years, up and down the UK, loving nothing better than being on stage, and putting on a good show.

At 1pm on the stage I am honoured to announce, the amazing and incredibly talented Kirsty Almeida

in 2010 the Guardian described her as "mystical folkie to jazzy chanteuse and soul belter, this newbie sounds like several singers in one cute package".

Since then the manchester based singer has released 5 albums and special limited edition singles, her newest single Cool down rewind will be available in a couple of weeks. She has also  written and recorded five songs for the movie Albatross which hits UK cinemas in October last year. Her single 'If You Can't Make Me Happy' features after the enchanting title sequence Kirsty composed. She goes on a European tour in March.

At 4pm we will be listening to the guitar playing acoustic, folk, indie, punk chic Laura Catlow.

Stewart Darkin of Blend Magazine said "She produces such poignant, funny, and at all times, delicate vignettes of modern life.. Just once, you might be able to say that, yes, you were there at the very beginning. The name's Laura Catlow and you heard it here first." She has been featured in Diva magazine, NME online and The Guardian.

All photos belong to the people who took them not me x

Introducing the marvelous Mrs Marmalade

There is the most wonderful lady sewing away in Blackpool, she makes the most adorable pincushions with kitsch trinkets on top and gorgeous patchwork quilts that make you think of home, her designs are bright, cheerful and unique just like her, as a stallholder and a good friend I asked her about her crafting:

She said "The joy of homemade has always charmed me - reworking vintage loveliness into "new" and finding lost treasures appeals to the Mrs Marmalade in me. Making quilts is a pleasure I have been making baby and dolly quilts for 10 years and just can't stop :O] x!"

 Always on the look out for unusual finds she scours charity shops and boot sales looking for interesting pieces to add to her wonderful kitsch collection of trinkets .

She takes pieces of vintage and retro fabric and turns them into the most lovely fun

items for your home, she explains she was a late starter, just a decade of making and a dreadful sewing student at school she is only too happy to sew and make in place of everyday busyness, she is most happiest sewing, creating and reading blogs!

Her displays at craft fairs make you instantly smile, so cheerful and full of colour, she would love nothing more than to give up the day job and craft full time, she has got a keen eye and a natural flair for putting colours and fabrics together.

I asked her if she had three wishes what would they be?

Three wishes ........
1. Wear glasses that stay on my nose ! :o]
2. Remember to put felt tip lids back on ! :o]
3. .... and not to behave too starstruck ..... Oh My Gosh .... Dottie Angel :O] x !!
Joking aside, I really only need happy and healthy and my family and friends for my dreams to come true xxxxxxxx

When she isn't at home she spends time walking Walter the adorable family dog and being generous to her friends by finding just the right things she knows we like.

Lately she has made some gorgeous dresses for the girls at Children of Watamu, since the year 2000 the charity has been very hard working in Watamu in many ways, The Happy House opened in March 2010. It is home to children who have been orphaned, abandoned, and in some cases cruelly abused. It is a Happy home for children. When you stand outside you hear laughter and singing. When you come inside you see happy, healthy, smiling faces

Here are two of the girls wearing Mrs Marmalade's latest fashion range, she is also busy making bunting for the shelter charity shop and trying out new patterns to add to her range of crafty makes.

Her life motto is "Work hard and be nice to people :O]"

You can find her on facebook where it would make her day if you "like" her page and folksy where she sells her peg dolls and quilts x

Introducing Littleowll

I would like you all to say a big hello to Mary from Littleowll, Mary studied textiles and art and design at college and has now opened her brilliant etsy shop to sell her crafty makes. She has a passion for cats and shoes and would love to meet up with other crafters from the Longridge area of Preston.

"Mary, who inspires you?"

 "Cath Kidston I would say when I saw her stuff when we were doing a project at college I was like WOW I would love to do that"

"what type of crafting do you like to do most"

"Well I did textiles at college for 2 years so mainly interior textiles like cushions and bits and bobs for homes.. and I have just started doing the jewelry side of things.

             "is there any kind of craft you would love to be able to do"

               "I would love to do proper jewelry making like with silver and things"

 "if you could have 3 wishes what would they be, remember dream big"

"I would love to be able to make my crafting into a career and have lots of cats and possibly be able to work with animals like conservation or something"

                                                   You can find Mary's designs on Etsy

                         Go on spoil yourself and help out a new crafter, much love Dotty x

cool site to share

How awesome are these word clouds made from your blog, you can make your own for free really easily here