Sunday 14 December 2008

Fair Enough.

Well!
In view of all your lovely words of encouragement and support for the weekend I thought you might be interested to know I had a wonderful craft fair.
All the 'Tweets' went in the first hour on Saturday so in the evening (and into the early hours of the morning) I made 10 more and sold NONE today.
I don't know!
Here's my stall in the Whitworth Art Gallery.


enhanced by a very valuable painting by Gillian Ayres. (I hope she didn't mind my work in front of her work)


The stall thinned out considerably by Sunday afternoon. In fact I got everything that was left in two boxes.
The whole event was amazingly well organised by Sally of Manchester Craft mafia. It went without a hitch. The atmosphere was lovely especially on saturday when there was a brass band in the foyer playing Christmas Carols..(ooohh I DO love a brass band..sends shivers up me spine!)and a sort of mini farmers market with the fabulous aroma of mulled wine wafting through the gallery, and getting every one in the festive (spending) mood.

When you sit by a stall at a craft fair there are always moments you remember.

Today two lovely young men, brothers I think, after much deliberation about colour and practicality, bought a handbag for their mother for Christmas.

Another young man carrying a baby boy bought a little Tweed purse for the baby to give to his mother for Christmas.

I am very proud to say that the curator of textiles at the Gallery bought one of my Harris tweed handbags so I feel 'validated'.
I met fellow bloggers Sue of Mousenotebook.
Her beautiful table with its subtle cream and natural linen, aqua and brown made me feel vulgar and garish.

Guerilla Embroidery has been a favourite of mine for ages on flickr and I met her on Saturday and saw her lovely work.
Linda came and bought some things. Thank you Linda, and I met Paperfish too, and Ness Donnelly.

I shall be posting some pics of the remaining 'Tweets' tomorrow when I have made a dent in the ironing.And maybe putting some cuffs and bags on ETSY.

25 comments:

hippopip said...

Well done I am glad you had a sucessfull W/E.I can remember the days when I did craft shows and if you sold out of one thing and stayed up half the night making more you didnt sell them the next day,but you never know do you?

Linda B. said...

It really was a great afternoon - I went to the Great Northern in October, but much preferred the feel of this one.

I'm glad that the craft market went well for you, your stall looked really appealling. Thanks for the link, hope we meet again some day.

arlee said...

Glad it went so well :} These things are never predictable and i gave up because i was just TOO different from everyone else....

Anonymous said...

Please tell me the tweets are going on Etsy. : )

Michala Gyetvai (Kayla coo) said...

Hi Jackie,
I think your stall looks fantastic.
Its encouraging to know you did so well and that people are valuing unique hand made items.x

'fancypicnic' said...

Wowee - your stand looks fabulous; sounds like you had an amazing time!
No surprises you did so well...who can resist your wonderful work?!

Dot said...

Hi Jackie

I enjoyed reading this post and am glad you sold so many of your wares! I think I would have been in a big shopping mood if I had of smelt some of that mulled wine too :)

I will be eagerly awaiting your listings in Etsy. I saw a good friend of mine Jackie yesterday and showed her the lovely cuff I bought from you. And she is in love with your tweets and bullet bags.

You do such lovely stuff!

Dot xx

Victoria said...

So happy to hear that it all went so splendidly, though I am not a bit surprised! Your stand looks lovely! Congrats!

Threadspider said...

You must feel pleased and a little relieved that all your hard work met with such a rewarding weekend. Perhaps you could come further south next year....?
I've fallen in love with the Tweets and the velvet brooches and the handbags,so I can start my next year Christmas wish list now. Or perhaps I can sneak into Etsy when "he"'s not looking. : )

Aileen Clarke Crafts said...

Congratulations on a successful craft fair. There is nothing quite like getting out and meeting your customers is there.

I totally know what you mean by feeling garish next to those who keep their colour schemes subtle. But people still love a vibrant and colourful stall. And yours didn't look garish. Still looked tasteful : ) My stalls are always an eclectic mix of items and colours. But people are attracted by it. Aileen.

Swirlyarts said...

Oh fabulous! I was wondering how you'd got on last night. Congratulations on a good fair :) All that worrying was for nothing!

Guzzisue said...

so glad that it went well, can be so disheartening when it doesn't. love your use of tweed :-)

Linda Vincent said...

Jackie...your craft stall looked amazing and your work is exquisite. I'm so glad it went well for you. I'm going to keep popping back today to see what you put on etsy!
Linda xx

Gina said...

Well done you! Your stall looked fabulous - you deserved to be successful!

WendyCarole said...

It was great to meet you on Saturday. Your work is even more beautiful "in the flesh" I wish I could've bought more

Lindsey said...

The stall looks gorgeous. Wish I could've come and shopped. Please put some stuff on Folksy and/or etsy. I have friends who I need to buy prezzies for, plus I need to spend my takings from yesterday... om myself ;O)

Carol said...

Congratulations on your successful craft market, the pics look great. Thank you for your nice comment on my long ago blog. I've managed to write another post for Christmas and hope that in a couple of months I'll be back in action. Season's greetings from Australia.

Anonymous said...

I'm so pleased it went well your work is just great,wish I could have got there I'll just keep checking Etsy .Judith.

Mary Welsh Hubbard said...

Your stall looks AMAZING! Well done! I'm glad it was a big success for you. Everything looks so beautiful!

Magpie's Mumblings said...

I'm so happy that the fair went well for you! I love your little 'tweets' and simply can't understand why the buying crowd on Sunday didn't. No accounting for taste!!

Kitty said...

Had to laugh about the birds - I think most of us who have 'done' craft sales can relate! I had one particular design of cards which *whooooshed* off the table at one sale. I did loads of them for the next sale and only shifted a few! There's no rhyme or reason, is there?

So glad you had a happy and successful day. x

Julie said...

Congratulations Jackie on a great weekend. There is no way your work is vulgar!

I love Gillian Ayres work. I saw an exhibition of hers based on India some years ago and the work was fantastic, the paint was luscious, it was so thick it made me want to stick my hands in it and squelch it (even tho it was dry!)

hens teeth said...

Jackie, so pleased you did well. Your stand looked amazing. It strikes me the art work was 'in front' of the painting x

Anonymous said...

I'm sooooooooo Glad you had a good day at the fair ,so you should your stuff is outstanding .I adore the birds the are super duper cool ,no wonder they sold out in a morning .
love from sesga xx

Anonymous said...

I found you blog, how excited I am! I came to the fair at the week end, on sunday with one hour to go to closing time and I only had a fiver on me! So I couldn't buy one of your beautiful tweets!!

I really liked your stall, so colourful of those lovely winter hues!

I hope to have the chance to get a twitter all for myself next time ;)
Lorenza



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