Goodbye to the fairs

After 4 years of organising the handmade and vintage fairs it is time to hang up my shiny shoes, put away my polka dot dress and move onto a new type of fair. As my focus, interests and life has changed over the past few years I thought I would pass the fairs onto someone new. Thank you to all my amazing stallholders over the past 4 years, the entertainers and visitors too, without you it would not of been possible.

  As a popular events organiser and crafter I have written an eBook just for you in 12 sections from how to apply and secure a place at a good venue to how to use social media and propel your business forward. You will learn how to fill in risk assessments,how to brand your products, pricing formulas, ideas for setting up your stall for the best profit, how to research the best fairs, an essential checklist for attending fairs and much more, this guide is perfect for people just starting out and has helpful tips for regular stallholders too. If you would like a copy email me at craftyvintagefairs@hotmail.co.uk all for the bargain price of £6.99! 


You ca catch up with me on Facebook, on my website or read my latest ramblings on my other blog.

Now on my fourth event!!

Gosh I didn't realise how long its been since I posted on here, since the amazing event in June 2012 I have had fairs in October 2012 and December 2012 and am now organising the next one for March 2013. The year has flown by and myself and all my lovely stallholders have enjoyed fabulous times, I have made some brilliant new friends and learnt so much!.

The March event is going to be a two day spectacular of crafts, vintage, artisan food, collectibles, entertainment and music with craft workshops, a vintage hair and makeup makeover, 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 and much ...more..

We shall be having various performers over the weekend on the stage including the lovely Baxter Rhodes who has become a firm favourite and regular performer at the fairs, also Bill Orrick (shown in above picture) singer songwriter, who is also back after playing at previous fairs before, Laura Catlow, this guitarist and singer is coming back for her second time, a newcomer to the fair this year is Ricky Hunter who is a 40s wartime singer and trumpeter, we will have some street dancers, belly dancers, a young local lad who plays guitar and is just 14, Another new pretty face will be Jess Roberts who has just formed the band Flaws! with two other talented ladies. Jamie Brewer will be back too with his acoustic melodies.

Plus we will be serving tea and cakes 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 2nd March 10am - 5pm and 3rd March 2013 10pm - 5pm Free entry.

Photos used taken by Tom Holmes Photography

Oh I do like to be beside the seaside.....

We have a fantastic line up of entertainment both days at this weekends handmade and vintage fair at the Winter Gardens Blackpool, with FREE entry, over 120 stalls each day, a vintage makeover team, workshops and a face painter you would be mad to miss it!!

This is the girls from Goodnight Astor with their own tribute to the fair!!

Introducing The nosuch disco!

I am The Nosuch Disco! but you can call me Dave. I am an artist based in Stoke on Trent and I like to create colourful little characters!

You will probably already know me as the guy that made Waldo the Worm, its a jolly good read, so if you haven't already, then I suggest you pick him up today :).

Aside from that I am your average 16 year old boy trapped in the body of a 32 year old man. Just to clarify, I am 32. I love Queen, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, The Beatles and The Smiths. I always wanted to be the lead singer in a band, but i can't actually sing for toffee! so I have decided to just look like one, and if anyone asks I just tell them that I AM a singer in a band!

You can find Daves work here

Introducing Urban Vagabond

Welcome to Urban Vagabond where we mix old with the new! Some of the materials we use are vintage and pre-loved, therefore some variation is likely due to the nature of the products. All our products are lovingly created and handmade with care.

We are Val and Vikki, mother and daughter and have been crafting all our lives. Mum was taught all she knows by her Nan and passed it all on to me. Mum would make all our clothes and as a child and I would sit in my room making something and talk to the wall (my imaginary TV camera) and pretend I was on Why Don’t You!!

Our love of crafting comes from turning old into new. We particularly love old and vintage buttons and this is the thread which holds all our items together.
Lots of things inspire us but ultimately crafting is just who we are. We are always coming up with new ideas, but there aren’t enough hours in the day, as at the moment this is part time – but I have my dreams of a studio in St Ives to keep me going!

We are currently preparing for our first craft fair which is exciting and terrifying in equal amounts, but having decided that this is the year to put ourselves out there we are doing it in style by showing our wares at the Truly Scrumptious Vintage and Handmade Craft Fair, and if we don’t sell anything it will be a great experience and lovely to meet other crafters.

As relatively new sellers in this market place, bar the odd commission over the years, this crafting community is a lovely place to be. Everybody has been so supportive, friendly and helpful and are always there to spur us on and provide us with confidence.

urban vagabond - Folksy

urban vagabond -Facebook

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/

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