2 days to Christmas

If all this talk of Buying Handmade for Christmas has inspired you, there are lots of places on the web now where you can purchase direct from the maker all year round for birthdays, anniversarys, thank yous, or just to treat yourself.  If you have a creative hand, you can even set up your own shop!

Handmade Pledge Badge from buyhandmade.org

• You know about Folksy already (all UK makers, some selling worldwide, in £ GB pounds)
• there is also Etsy (worldwide makers, some selling worldwide, in $ US dollars)
• and Zibbet (in $ US dollars)
• and Misi (mostly UK sellers, some selling worldwide, in £ GB pounds)
• and MyEhive (mostly UK sellers, in £ GB pounds, $ US dollars, and Euros)
• and of course you can buy direct from the maker face to face at local Craft Markets and Fairs
• and more…

If you have any recommendations of where to find quality handmade, please let us know and leave a comment…

(Original Minnie is not responsible for the content of other websites).

15 days to Christmas

How cute and festive are these?  Some more handmade gifts I found at Belton House Christmas Market last month, made by Heart and Country.

 

What I found handmade at Belton Xmas Market - Decorations by Heart and Country

Their new website is due to be up and running any day now, so if you are quick you may be able to order in time for Christmas…

(Original Minnie is not responsible for the content of other websites).

17 days to Christmas

I told you that at the Belton House Christmas Market I attended last month, I was buying handmade Christmas gifts, as well as selling some.

Well, I thought I would show you a few of my favourites over the next few days…

What I found handmade at Belton Xmas Market - Printed tea towels by The Colegrave Printworks

 

I thought these printed textiles by The Colegrave Printworks were lovely, and they had cute printed tshirts and fabric bags too.  All the prints beginning as original illustrations.

At the moment they don’t have a website, but as soon as they do, I will add a link.

 

 

23 days to Christmas

Just a quick reminder to let you know that I will be at my final Festive event of 2010 this weekend at the Fineshade Wood Festive Fair.

Fineshade Wood Festive Fair 2010 leaflet

Located in the beautiful Rockingham Forest, just outside the stunning town of Stamford, it will be a two day event of quality local crafters/makers, local food stalls, Christmas trees for sale, a few festive tipples, and of course the Fineshade Cafe for a warming cuppa.

Come long for some festive spirit and gift hunting – if you have signed up to the handmade pledge for Christmas, this is the perfect opportunity to find some quality handmade gifts, made by local makers/artisans.

Hope to see you there…

For more info, check out my Events page, or email me.

Belton House Christmas Market review

OK, I know it was a couple of weeks ago now, but better late than never!

Even though I was nervous beforehand about it being outside (and cold!), I really enjoyed the weekend, and met some lovely people (public and other sellers), and there was a festive spirit in the air.

YUM! What I found Handmade at Belton Xmas Market - cakes by Kate Elizabeth's Cupcakes

On the stall next to me were the friendly duo of Kate and Kate – one bakes yummy cupcakes using local organic flour, and one is a designer/dressmaker making textile goodies including pretty aprons, belts and corsages.  Take a look at their websites at KateElizabeth’sCupcakes and ThePartyFrock.

The organisers and volunteers did a great job, especially the plentiful cups of tea were very welcome!  With just a bit of rain on the Sunday, I think we were really lucky with the elements too – especially looking out of the window now at the snow!

I also did some shopping myself over the weekend, finding some great handmade gifts for Christmas – more of that to come next month…

Belton House Christmas Market

Find some Festive Spirit and Gifts

Don’t forget you can come and see Original Minnie at the Christmas Food and Craft Market this weekend at the stunning National Trust property “Belton House“, near Grantham in Lincolnshire.

There will be lots going on with many independent craft, artisan, and food stalls, plus festive music and a traditional Mummers’ play.   The Belton House restaurant, gift shop, and attractive grounds will also be open.

Open on Saturday AND Sunday, 11am – 4pm.  Come along!

For more info, get in touch or take a look at my Events page.

Sunset

OVER BLIGHTY…

Sunset over the fields of Blighty

So, it doesn’t always rain in good ol’ Blighty, as this little piccie proves…

It was a quick snapshot I took overlooking the fields, on my way home from a craft fair earlier this month.  The colours were a warm glow, but you can never quite capture these things on a camera can you?…  I can’t anyway   😉

Ain’t nature brilliant?

I’ve been sewing and stamping

NEW CREATIONS

Getting ready for the double event weekend thats just gone, I was manically sewing new ‘felt bib’ necklaces – using reclaimed felt for their backings, and vintage/reclaimed buttons to embelish, finished with co-ordinating new ribbon. They are a new experiment for me – what do you think?

Grey felt bib necklace © Original Minnie

Pink felt bib necklace © Original Minnie

I also want to expand my stationery range, so have sourced some simple, cute little notepads (made from recycled paper/card of course) which I’ve then embellished with tags (also recycled), and then hand stamped little messages onto them.  Simple but effective.

I’m also developing a ‘basic’ range of cards which are simpler to make and don’t have inserts (unlike my other cards), so will be that bit more affordable – I will update my Folksy shop, so keep checking to see the new designs…

'HOPE' Notepad © Original Minnie

Quick Weekend Report Part 2

DOUBLE WHAMMY EVENT WEEKEND

… on Sunday I was at Arts and Crafts for Spring at Woodhall Spa, in Lincolnshire.  The venue was very picturesque – Petwood Hotel has massive gardens surrounding it. (It actually has much prettier bits of the garden – this was just a quick snap, as I was on my way home.)

Gardens at Petwood Hotel

© Original Minnie

It was built in Victorian times in a tudor style, but I think you can also see a Victorian Gothic influence on the stunning main entrance.

Entrance to Petwood Hotel

© Original Minnie

Its actually got more history than your average craft venue – it was used as the base for the Dambusters squadron in 2ndWW!

Bouncing Bomb prototype at Petwood Hotel

© Original Minnie

Anyway, back to the crafts, I had a lovely sunny spot next to the window to display some of my new designs – I will post more about them soon.

My stall ‘ready to start’ the day

© Original Minnie

There were lots of friendly stallholders there of course including Gingham Heart Crafts, Donna Evans, and DaisyFleur.

Now I’m thinking ahead to where the next event will be……?

(Original Minnie is not responsible for the content of other websites)

Quick Weekend Report Part 1

DOUBLE WHAMMY EVENT WEEKEND

I created some new necklaces and stationery for the whammy weekend, including this hand stamped ‘dont forget’ recycled notepad

© Original Minnie

So, on Saturday I was in Leicester at Fabrika Independant Arts Centre, (a few doors down from Primark).  It’s an interesting building project – The Arts Organisation in Leicester is re-developing it at the moment – the room we were in, is to be a public Gallery space apparently.  Some parts of the building are still being painted and spruced up, but with a cafe there already, and plans for a monthly craft market, I think it’s somewhere to be put on the radar…  I am not familiar with Leicester, so I intend to go back some time to properly explore…

The event was organised by Wood Jewellery who works with an amazing range of naturally colourful woods – think much more than just ‘brown’.  I also met some lovely stallholders including Adelina Lucas who recycles scraps of fabric and plastic bags into attractive gifts and accessories, and Bee Designs who makes beautiful stationery, and whom was also at the craft event I did the next day – it’s a small world!

(Original Minnie is not responsible for the content of other websites)