Friday 16 November 2012

Kitschen Sink Christmas Tour

If you'd like to check out the goods before you buy - here's where I will be on the lead up to Christmas...

November:

Saturday 17 November: Albion Place Market, Leeds (between WH Smith and Urban Outfitters)

Tuesday 20th November: Leeds University Fair Trade and Craft Fair, Parkinson Building

Saturday 24th November: Albion Place Market, Leeds (between WH Smith and Urban Outfitters)

December:

Saturday 1st December: Reetsweet's Christmas Fair, Corn Exchange, Leeds

Thursday 6th and Friday 7th December: Leeds University Union Christmas Fair - Student Union Foyer, Leeds

Saturday 8th December: Albion Place Market, Leeds (between WH Smith and Urban Outfitters)

Sunday 9th December: TBC

Saturday 15th December: Albion Place Market, Leeds (between WH Smith and Urban Outfitters)

Sunday 16th December: Bust Christmas Craftacular, York Hall, Bethnal Green

Saturday 22nd December: Albion Place Market, Leeds (between WH Smith and Urban Outfitters)

Sunday 23rd December: TBC


xoxo

Colourful Kitschy Funky Fun...



Tuesday 13 November 2012

FAQs: 7 Tips for Outdoor Craft Fair Survival (Winter edition)

Craft fairs, markets and shopping events are a great way of promoting your brand on a budget, getting feedback from your customers and, of course, selling your product face to face.  But outdoor markets and fairs bring their own challenges - some you might not even think of before the event.  Here's my seven top tips for getting to the end of the day without a drama or frost bite:

Acrylic cardigan, pegged down products and cling-filmed pitch sides are just a few of my Winter market survival tips

♥ Wear wool not cotton, and layer up
This goes for socks, hats, scarves and your cardigan. It's going to be cold, and cotton keeps you cool, so make sure your knitwear is either wool or acrylic. Even if it looks thickly knit, cotton won't keep you warm when the temperatures plummet!

♥ Take your door mat
Yeah, you heard right. A scrap of carpet to stand on will help to keep your feet warmer behind your pitch!

♥ Get a money belt
The outdoor market I sell at is in Leeds City Centre on a busy shopping street where shoppers have access behind the pitches.  Don't leave a cash tin unattended, get yourself a money belt that constantly strapped to you.

♥ Bring a big Thermos flask
I just upgraded from 0.5l to a full litre. I'm a tea fiend anyway but hot drinks will help keep you warm and satisfied.  Buying lots of coffee from the shops adds up.

♥ Get some battery operated lights
It's starts falling dark shortly after 3pm now.  I am the envy of the market traders with my rechargable LED bar lights from Clas Olsen.  You saw them here first...

♥ Build a den with cling film
Don't forget if you have a metal frame pitch to take some cling film to wrap around the sides to create a wind and rain break.

♥ ...then pin or peg stuff down
Even when the wides of your pitch has been wrapped up wind might still take off your lighter things! I use pins to hold things down, and something tie elastic to my table then use clothes pegs to hold them.  To stop your table cloth taking off, get some of these super strong spring clamps.

♥ Bring as much stock as you can manage
Keep surplus stock under your table.  Certainly at the city centre you go through lots, so keep topping up your display as you sell.

So there's 7 tips for winter fair survival - let me know how it goes!


xoxo

Colourful Kitschy Funky Fun...



Friday 2 November 2012

That was October...

Apologies for the prolonged leave of absence! I've been up to all sorts - this was October:

I kicked off the month with a photo shoot with Leeds Roller Dolls to promote our new collaboration. See the full set!


One of my customers wore her name necklace on the local news - here is Lizzie promoting her underwater exhibition. Her necklace says 'Lawless'. You can buy your own in the online shop - they make great Christmas gifts!


I found out I was accepted to sell at BUST London Craftacular on 16th December at York Hall in Bethnal Green. It's freakin awesome and the hippest craft fair that exisits in the actual world, so you should come along if you can make it.



I took part in Leeds Digital Fashion Week by writing a few blog posts: read a post about me by Hebe writer Stacey.




I spent three days in Edinburgh for my best pal's hen weekend. My vintage dress went down a real treat!



I visited Amsterdam for a weekend - it's a beautiful city. We went to a huge flea market then realised we had no cash, so sadly I couldn't buy these lovely dolls!



I went for a delicious burger at Brooklyn bar in Leeds - including several cocktails! Also a delicious Persian kebab and ordered far too much food!

We launched the Leeds Roller Dolls collaborative collection, and I also had a stall at their last home bout of the season.

I saw my favourite band live, Everything Everything. They were awesome, you can watch their latest video here.



xoxo

Colourful Kitschy Funky Fun...