Getting ready for Craft Fairs.

February turned into a busy month!   It was great to get lots of jobs completed, here are just a couple of pics.....

clerical tops for a soon to be ordained vicar friend.

new curtains for my living room!

I also continue to be busy doing crafts at my local parish church's Beacon Cafe.  These are some of the crafts we have done recently.....

safety pin brooches

stamping and chalking cards and adding ready made toppers.

 punched tissue paper shapes glued to glass tea light holders

 

The crafty corner at the cafe continues to grow as more and more of the visitors get brave enough to come and see what we are making.  It is a great atmosphere and I really enjoy meeting with regular attendees to the crafts as well as those that just like to come and do something when it particularly takes their fancy.  As a parish we do not charge for the drinks, cakes or crafts at the cafe, just asking that those that are able can make a donation towards the costs.  Here is a picture of the crafting in action...

The rest of my time (apart from when I swim up to 8000metres a week you know!) I have been busy getting ready for the start of this years craft fairs.  I have signed up again with Michelle at From the Craft Box it was a real pleasure doing the fairs through her last year and so I didn't hesitate to get myself booked in again.  So far I have got to thinking as far as April and so these are the dates I will be doing...

After such a successful end to last years craft fairs where I ended up with very little stock left (my folksy shop is looking pretty empty too) I have been busy making to replenish supplies.  My first market this coming Saturday is the day before Mothering Sunday, so I have got a selection of items suitable as gifts including fairtrade cotton brooches, luxury fairtrade wash cloths with organic soap and these teapots with their tea cosies...

I really enjoyed designing and making these and have a feeling there may be quite a few more appearing if I manage to get them from my head to my hook.

I also have lots of Easter goodies which will be at the next two markets, I had lots of stock left over from last year (having given lots to a shop to sell which they marked up with ridiculous prices and so didn't sell) so I haven't had to make much so far, though will have to see whether I will need to top up supplies after this Saturday.  Here are some of my Easter items.....

 baskets

 Pop open eggs to hide sweet treats.

 Hanging decorations.

Easter garlands.

There will also be a good range of children's toys and decorative pieces, here are some of those and where the patterns come from if you fancy having a go at making your own!

 Flutterbugs, my own design, pattern available here 

 

 Flossy dolls, my own design, pattern available here 

 Tiny tea sets in a drawstring bag, my own design, pattern available here

 

 These teddies are my own adaptation inspired by this design 

owls, an adaptation of this pattern found on pinterest 

I have also made a pile of little hair clip flowers which always sell well along with matching brooches.  All the crochet in the pictures is made using Debbie Bliss Eco-baby, fairtrade, organic cotton, the bee tea cosy also uses Sirdar Simply Recycled cotton yarn.  So I think I am about ready.  Over the next couple of days I just need to do my pricing list.  I have my cash float ready, I tend to organise this at the end of every craft fair to make banking the cash easier and me having another job to get change before the next one.  I wonder what else might fall off my hook before I get there on Saturday!

If you are new to this blog, then please do visit my facebook page, my pinterest page, my ravelry page and my shop. I love to find new designs to share!

Happy Crafting,   Jane x