Meet the stallholders: 60 seconds with.....Christine from Ginger and Pep

Christine Leech is a magazine art director by day,  and “Ginger and Pep” the rest of the time. She makes charm bracelets, cushions, other fabric goodies, “and’, she says, “anything that takes my fancy really. ” Based in London, she doesn’t have a website or blog yet, so come to The Guildhall on the 17th to have a look at her fabulous handmade wares. Time to get to know her...

Pretty arty

 1. So Christine, how long have you been doing what you do?

Well I started early,  I won my first craft certificate (for Best Hemmed Hankerchief) at the Village Flower and Produce Show when I was six, then when I was 13 I started selling felt animals and Fimo clowns with my sister at the school craft fair, and now I can't seem to stop.

2. Why did you start?

a)  When I was young I was always seeing things I wanted in shops, mum would comment on how easy it would be to make, so we often went home and did just that

b) Inspired by my mother and grandmothers to turn the odd bits of fabric, lonely buttons and stray sequins I was always collecting into something gorgeous

c) There was nothing to watch on telly

3. What's your inspiration?

I'm like a magpie when it comes to anything that looks like it could become something else, I bring it home, store it away and wait for inspiration to strike. And if it sparkles so much the better.

Christine has been making felt animals since she was 13

4. Why did you want to be part of "It's darling!"

To support my friend Mrs Stokes on her new inspiring business venture and to come back to Bath where I went to college. Also to make some space in my bedroom by selling some the things I can't seem to stop making.

Buy yourself one of Christine's unique charm bracelets at It's darling!
 

5. What's your ultimate three second wisdom - life or crafting advice!

"Curtsy while you're thinking what to say, it saves time"  (from Alice in Wonderland)

6. What three things would you want to be stranded on a desert island with?

A solar powered ipad with an unlimited audio book library, I think the dulcet tones of Stephen Fry reading Robinson Crusoe would inspire me. Liberty (the shop), whenever I need 10 minutes time-out a little wander through this shop recharges my batteries, and just think of the amazing tent you could make from their haberdashery and fabric floor.   Eversuchalotof cheese (and if there was a pineapple tree on the island I'd be in heaven)

 Cute as custard Ginger and Pep cushions

7. What in your life would you say is "It's Darling!" and can we have a picture of that?

My house. I'd send you a pic but the burglars might track it down.

It's Darling Fair - Giveaway!

It's officially high summer, and nearly July - and time for our first 'It's Darling!' fair!

To celebrate, and help spread the word, we're having a giveaway! Here are the goodies that you could win...





A pretty trio from Mrs Stokes Vintage China, Bell Fine Bone China 'Old Country Spray', a vintage embroidered tray cloth, two nostalgia postcards, a handpoured lavender soy candle in a vintage Balmoral China coffee cup from Purple Sparkle Crafts and a handmade lavender sachet made from Cath Kidston fabric.



To be in with a chance to win our Darling goodies, simply spread the word about the 'It's Darling!' fair and our giveaway! Post on your own blog, tweet on twitter, or link to us on your facebook page. Leave us a comment and you will receive one entry for each bit of promotion about the giveaway and the fair that you do. So for example, if you tweet, leave us a comment with a link to the tweet, and you will get one entry. If you write a blog post, leave us a comment with a link to your blog post and you will receive a second entry. And don't forget to become a follower so you can keep up with our 'It's Darling!' updates! The giveaway is open to UK Darlings only please.



We will pick a winner at 9pm on Thursday 1st July, using the random number generator. Don't forget to leave your contact details so we can let you know if you are the lucky winner!

Becky and Cath :-)

Meet the stallholders: 60 seconds with.....Eiryls from Scrapiana

Eirlys Penn lives in Bath and sells vintage haberdashery (Sylko cotton reels, cards of old buttons, bias binding, zips etc), some vintage household linens, and related handmade lovelies such as pincushions. Eiryls is a professional writer too which you can see from her beautifully worded interview. Naturally she blogs - hers is called “Scrapiana” which is the same name as her work.
 

1, Hi Eirlys, how long have you been doing what you do?
Scrapiana is, ironically, brand spanking new!  Before that (and on the margin of it still) I'm a writer; I can be also be found at www.writingpenn.com

2. When did you first fall in love with haberdashery? 
My passion for collecting vintage threads, buttons etc began many years ago. I adore old sewing items, probably because of that archetypal knee-high experience of sifting through my mother's sewing box; I can still visualise the red satin strawberry emery she used to sharpen her needles, and I loved the solid weight of the old wooden cotton reels, and their fabulous typography. The deep shine of an old mother-of-pearl button or buckle still takes my breath away. But there comes a time in every button- glutton's life when they need to de-stash. Or start a museum. So selling Scrapiana vintage haberdashery was the next logical step. I've also begun hiring out items to a craft publisher, which is a terrible encouragement to my inner magpie.

A selection of feedsack patchwork shapes that

were cut by Eiryls' grandmother in the Great Depression.

 3. What's the ethos behind what you do?
I hope to save these beautiful, old, often overlooked items from the oblivion of landfill; not just sewing-related things, but other items which can be turned to new account: for instance, I make up bias binding from old clothing (I'm making up some lovely stuff at the moment from an old Liberty lawn skirt with an unfortunate, indelible ink stain which makes it unwearable), and laundry and gift bags from old sheeting. Most things can be re-used, and the challenge if figuring out how. Even half a diamante buckle (with the odd stone missing) can become a beautiful necklace just by adding a length of ribbon.

4. Why did you want to be part of "It's darling!"? 
Vintage and handmade are my twin interests so when they came packaged up together and tied in a big pink bow by "It's darling!" I didn't have to think long at all.

A tomato pin cushion

5. Any personal details you care to share? Partner, kids, hobbies, guilty pleasures?
I have a husband and two sons who just about tolerate my magpie tendencies. My career is so chequered it makes gingham look plain; I've been a book publicist, a waste campaigner (well, anti-waste campaigner), a writer, and also trained in soft furnishings. My guilty pleasures include chilli-chocolate, charity-shopping, browsing in second-hand bookshops, singing (not well!), hanging laundry on the line (I know, I should be ashamed. It's the old clothes pegs, you see), late-night tandem-cycling beside the Kennet & Avon canal, and smelling roses in other people's gardens. What a hell-raiser!

 6. Will you be offering any special offers at It's Darling and if so what? 
A free beeswax thread-saver with every purchase over £10.

Eiryls is a self-confessed "Button-Glutton." These are just for starters.

7. What's your piece of "three second wisdom" - life or crafting advice! 
Measure once, measure twice, measure once again, and only THEN cut!

"My guilty pleasures include  hanging laundry on the line (I know, I should be ashamed. It's the old clothes pegs, you see). 

What a hell-raiser!"

Don't worry, we all succumb to airing our dirty laundry in public at some point Eiryls.

8. What three things would you want to be stranded with on a desert island?
A bottle of chilled champagne, my husband, and a 1930s motor-yacht.

9. What in your life would you say is "It's darling!"? 
I'm compelled to say both my newborn sons' tiny fingers and toes, but they are relatively grown up now. So, it would have to be a set of tiny wooden reels of silk thread, designed for children's use, which turned up in a mixed box of cottons. They're so perfect and, I think, such a rare survival. The box only has 5 of the 6 original threads, but they are nonetheless utterly treasurable. And a card of 36 tiny mother-of-pearl glove buttons which I picked up in a French brocante years ago and framed. Oh, and the jauntily printed feedsack patchwork shapes cut by my grandmother in the Great Depression; she completed a lot of quilts but these were left over, all stacked up and ready to go.

A child's vintage sewing set

To find out more about Eirlys and her fantastic work, go to her blog http://scrapiana.com or email her at eirlys@scrapiana.com

Meet the stallholders: 60 seconds with....Faith from Something Fabulous by Faith

Say hello to Faith Barber from North London, who designs and makes unique and limited edition clothes and accessories including capes, shrugs, corsets, corsages, fascinators and bags. They are all made from luxury fabrics in a rainbow of beautiful colours. She also takes on bespoke designs, from the smallest corsage, to the biggest ballgown and, as she says, "everything in between."

Faith made her entire outfit (except the sparkler)

1. Hi Faith, tell us how you got started...

I've been an artist and designer at heart since I was young thing, and being a grown up hasn't changed me. I've only been earning money from my creativity since 2002, before then everything I did was for fun - a gift or as a favour to a friend (I first had a hand in making a wedding dress when I was 17). I have tried doing a 'proper job' at various times in my life but I decided that both my head and my heart had to be working together for me to really succeed in life. This is my first public event selling my clothes and accessories.

Treat yourself (and your man) to a handmade corset 

2. What inspires you?

Beauty, Individuality, Confidence, Happiness and Freedom; it can be something as simple as wild flowers growing in the cracks of the pavement or someone walking down the street with a smile and a swing in their step that triggers an idea in my mind. To be able to feel confident in one's appearance is really liberating and I love it when my creations assist someone to achieve that. I love things to feel good as well as look good which is why I mostly favour natural fabrics, and I'm a sucker when it comes to sparkle and things that change colour when they move!

Faith's dresses make you look and feel fabulous

3. Why did you want to be part of "It's darling!"?

I think it's important to be in the right place to get the right customers and 'It's darling' struck me as the kind of event I'd want to visit, so why not get involved with my own work?

Handmade corsages

4. What's your piece of "three second wisdom" - life or crafting advice!

To quote a favourite song: "No challenge should be faced without a little charm and a lot of style"

5. What three things would you want to be stranded on a desert island with?

A fat sketchbook, full pencil case and a sharp pocket knife because who knows what will need to drawn, written down or indeed cut or sharpened? I'm assuming that my Husband is also ending up on the same desert island with 3 things of his own....

A handmade bag

6. What in your life would you say is "It's darling!" and can we have a picture?

Sharing tea and cake with my friends after having had a productive baking session. Bliss! Here's a photo of a cake I made.

If we're really nice, maybe Faith will bring one of these to "It's darling!"on July 17th

To find out more about Faith's incredible work go to www.faithbarber.com twitter: @faithbarber

Meet the stallholders: 60 seconds with.....Hannah from Iris Accessories!

Hannah Daw has been working under the name of “Iris Accessories” for the past year and she makes silver bracelets with buttons, brooches and belts. She was one of Mrs Stokes’ first ever customers and lives in South London.

South London's finest, Hannah

1. Hi Hannah, tell us why you started Iris Accessories...

I am a graphic designer by day and I have always loved accessories, especially graphic pieces that are bold and that make you look really individual. I did a short course at London’s Central St Martins in using plastics, and then became really interested in the dynamic between plastic and more expensive materials (like silver). I like the idea you can create something stylish and precious but that can still make a statement and look very modern.

Hannah is offering 10% off her bracelets and brooches at "It's darling!"

2. What inspires you?

Bold colour and contrasting materials and making accessories that are modern but have longevity, something that you hold onto. With my accessories I like to use a "flash" of colour, for example using cream and black buttons with a bright coloured button that pops out. I like to use buttons that are sculptural and like mini objects in their own right. My brooches are inspired by the shape of hat-pins and the mechanism of the brooch itself is intended to be on show and part of the design. Silver and plastic is a great combination, enabling me to use bright colours and produce stylish designs that look good enough to dress up an outfit making a statement. I use mostly vintage materials, making the brooches and bracelets myself. My belts are very graphic and intended to be used as a centrepiece in an outfit. They are made by a women's charity in Brick Lane in East London for refugees.

Hannah's belts are made by a women's charity

3. Why did you want to be part of "It's darling!"
I think it is always exciting to be part of something new, especially when there is a shared creative vision.

4. Any personal details you care to share? Partner, kids, hobbies, guilty pleasures?
I am married to a New Zealander who always makes me embark on crazy expeditions, for example we have kayaked a marathon and have gone ice climbing together. My guilty pleasure is karaoke and I can be found singing at Lucky Voice most Wednesday nights!

"Look outside the normal realm for inspiration, for example if you're making jewellery don't look to other designs for ideas - look at buildings or shapes in nature"

We never thought of that! Good advice Hannah

5. Will you have any special offers at "It's darling!"?

There will be 10% off my bracelets and brooches.

Another of Hannah's incredible button bracelets

6. What's your piece of "three second wisdom" - life or crafting advice!
Look outside the normal realm for inspiration, for example if you're making jewellery don't look to other designs for ideas - look at buildings or shapes in nature

7. What three things would you want to be stranded on a desert island with?
All my Graham Greene novels, my iphone and my husband

A beautiful brooch

8. What in your life would you say is "It's darling!"
My flower boxes when they bloom in the summer!

To contact Hannah, or find out more go to www.irisdesigns.org or email her on info@irisdesigns.org. And of course she will be in the Guildhall on the 17th July!

Meet the stallholders: 60 seconds with.....Avril from Sprinkles Sparkles

Avril White is otherwise known as “Sprinks” and lives in Bath. She makes a variety of handmade jewellery and accessories under the name of “Sprinkles Sparkles” that she says, “won’t burden your purse!” She confesses she doesn’t do photos of herself so her identity will have to remain a secret until the 17th July...

One of Avril "Sprinkles Sparkles" White's fabulous bracelets

1. Hello Avril, how long have you been doing what you do?
I started dabbling with beads in 2006 and Sprinkles Sparkles was born in 2007, I started trading in 2008 to the public at craft fairs, and trade shows.

Avril's stall

2. Why did you start?
I became so ill a few years ago that I had to take time off work, so to pass the time I started making key rings, and handing them out to friends and relatives. That’s when my obsession with beads started. I would pop into my local bead shop and just buy everything I loved. That’s where it started becoming out of control!

3. What's your inspiration?
Window-shopping, books, and magazines, the Internet, friends… anywhere where there is jewellery and bright colours!

Avril loves bright colours

4. Why did you want to be part of "It's Darling!"?
It is rare to find such an exciting fair of vintage and handmade crafts that is aimed at crafters, not at boutiques and high street shops in Bath, so when I saw the opportunity to be able to exhibit my craft in the city, I jumped at the chance.

"Guilty pleasures? Buying too many clothes, shoes and bags..."

Avril, we sympathise 

5. Tell us a bit more about you.
I love to cross stitch, and have just started to teaching myself how to crochet, and learning how to make things with my new sewing machine. Guilty pleasures? It has to be buying too many clothes, shoes, and bags, that I don’t really need, oh, and eating too much chocolate!

6. Will you be offering any special offers at “It's Darling!”?
Yes, I will have a 10% off voucher available on Sprinkles Sparkles Online soon (www.sprinklessparkles.co.uk). Customers just need to print off and bring it to me at the fair.

Look for Avril's stall at the fair and bring along her discount voucher for 10% off

7. What's your piece of "three second wisdom" - life or crafting advice!
Don’t punish yourself. Eat chocolate… Enjoy it!

8. What three things would you want to be stranded on a desert island with?
I really dislike the hot weather and the sun, so I would have to take a hand fan, a sombrero, and a net to keep the insects away!

"Don’t punish yourself. Eat chocolate… Enjoy it!"

A little bit of life advice from Avril

9. What in your life would you say is "It's Darling!"?
My MacBook! Without it, I couldn’t run my business, or communicate with my friends online. Here’s a picture.

The most darling thing in Avril's life

Find out more about Avril and her work in the following ways:
Website: http://www.sprinklessparkles.co.uk
Blog: http://sprinklessparkles.blogspot.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sprinklessparklesjewellery
And of course come and meet her at "It's Darling!" at The Guildhall in Bath on July 17th.

Meet the stallholders: 60 seconds with.....Ellen from Shepherd's Moon!

Hello and welcome to our first meet and greet with one of our amazing stallholders who will be at "It's Darling!" We'll be featuring each one of them but to start, it's Ellen Roberts, a spinner, knitter and weaver from Newport in South Wales.

Ellen sells hand spun wool, hand knitted items out of hand spun wool, hand woven items, and felted items...Rumour has it she will be giving a spinning demonstration at the fair too - not to be missed! Let's find out more about her..

Ellen and her gorgeous son, Owain

1. So, Ellen, how long have you been involved with wool?
I have been in business since February 2007, but have been knitting and weaving most of my life. I learnt to spin over here in the UK. I don't mind letting everyone know that I am American... I met my ex-husband, Karl in the states while we were in welding school together... After eight years together, we moved over here to be with his family and to settle in and start our own... Although the married didn't stick past twelve years, I stayed with our lovely son Owain... I really love it over here and I am very close with Karl's family and he is still a big part of Owain's life... I don't regret anything because I wouldn't have what I do or know all the wonderful people I do if my life had been different...

2. Why did you start?
I always wanted to go into business for myself, and always enjoyed working with my hands... When I found myself a single mom, I decided I needed to do something that I can work around my son... I also love promoting what I do and hope that I actually have folks feeling like they learned something great after chatting with me at events...

Some of Ellen's fantastic work

3. What's your inspiration for what you do?
I love the idea of starting with hardly anything and turning it into something lovely... As far as inspiration, luckily I come from a family of creative women who have always encouraged those who are interested, in learning what they have to offer. There's a loom in my room was my grandmother's... It was built by my granddad out of rafters from an old dairy barn that a friend of his was tearing down...

Ellen's grandmother's loom

4. Why did you want to be part of "It's Darling!"
I had heard of "It's Darling!" through a friend of mine and had a look and thought that it was lovely and unique, a lovely place to spend a day and show my wares...

5. Tell us more about you.
I have a lovely son named Owain who is 5 and the center of my world, we have a cat named Lucky who we found at the RSPCA when Owain was interested in having a baby brother... I am lucky that my biz and my hobbies tie in together... However, I love mostly spending time with Owain and doing things together... Guilty pleasures would be the odd treat that Owain and I would share while we are off on one of our mini adventures... :-)

Owain

6. Will you be offering any special offers at It's Darling and if so what?
We will have some items on the stall that are under £20.

"I don't regret anything because I wouldn't have what I do, or know all the wonderful people I do, if my life had been different... "

Ellen's sane attitude to life

7. What's your piece of "three second wisdom" - life or crafting advice!
Always do your best, and your best will always get better... BUT don't sweat it if it doesn't always go your way...

One of Ellen's beautiful quilts

8. What three things would you want to be stranded on a desert island with?
Owain, Suncream, and a life time supply of ice cream in various flavors... (Variety is the spice of life!)

9. What in your life would you say is "It's Darling!" and can we have a picture of that?
My son and yes...

The most darling thing in Ellen's life

Contact Ellen at www.shepherdsmoon.co.uk where there is a link to her Facebook page too. Or come and meet her on July 17th at the Guildhall in Bath!