Meet the stallholders....a quick cuppa with Faith Barber from Something Fabulous by Faith

Faith Barber has traded with us since the very first fair last July so we are very fond of her, especially as she lives and works in North London so has to travel a fair distance to us. Her company is called Something Fabulous by Faith.

Faith and her darling husband

 Hi Faith, please let everyone know what you do and what you've been up to

I design and make unique & limited edition luxury clothes and accessories made from gorgeous fabrics and in a rainbow of beautiful colours. Everything from simple zip purses and elegant handbags to elaborate corsages and gorgeous cover-ups. I am a freelance designer creating bespoke bridal & eveningwear and I found that lots of people liked my accessories but didn’t necessarily want to commission them, hence ‘Something Fabulous by Faith’, what you might call the ready-to-wear and made-to-order side of my business. I also design and make theatre costumes and I am the wardrobe mistress for Ballet Black (www.balletblack.co.uk). Dressing in a way that looks and feels right and enables the wearer to feel confident whatever the context works both on and off the stage, so I find everything that I do fits together perfectly.

Faith's beautiful purses

 Where do you get your ideas/inspiration from?

My inspiration varies although I am always drawn to beautiful things from any era. I am often drawn to the beauty of nature as well of design so in my creations you may notice elements from the pleating & draping on C18th gowns or maybe the suggestion of the petals of a flower.

Corsage

 What's been your experience of "It's Darling!"?

I have been at both of the previous fairs and I enjoyed them so much, received lots of good feedback and met so many great people, that I can’t wait to be there again. I also love Bath so any excuse to visit is fine by me!

Are you doing anything special with your stall?

I have some new bits and pieces for the Spring including some sculptural silk hairclips in variety of colours as well as some soft poppy inspired corsages which can also be worn in the hair; and, as always, plenty of things to add a touch of colour to any outfit.

One of Faith's new sculptural hairclips

What I love most about Spring is...that feeling of resurgence, hope and vitality that comes with the lengthening days, buds pushing open and evidence of life where previously there seemed to be none. There’s nothing like a bit of spring sunshine and blossom to make me smile even on a hard day. It’s the magic of possibility.

What I need to buy most in Spring is....a length of light bright fabric to make a new cheerful dress.

For more about Faith go to www.faithbarber.com or follow her on Twitter: @faithbarber

Her online shop is coming very soon! somethingfabulousbyfaith.bigcartel.com

Meet the stallholders...tea and cake with Sarah Hill from Freda and Me

Lots of our stallholders travel from all over the country to "It's darling!" and Sarah Hill is no exception. She lives in Derbyshire with her husband, two sons and her kitten and makes vintage fashion and home accessories under the name of Freda and Me. She has shops on Etsy and Folksy and will be at The Guildhall on Saturday 11th December.

The glamorous Sarah Hill

Hi Sarah, what's your favourite tea and cake combo? 

I like a coffee and walnut cake with a normal cup of tea. Although a young lady I know makes the most delicious cupcakes. 

When and why did you start doing Freda and Me? 

I've always loved to sew and make things, but having started a family I didn't find much time for creativity. Then last year with my children older and at school, and surrounded by beautiful fabrics, button, lace and other gorgeous items inherited from my grandma, Freda, I started making again. I started with bags and moved on to the corsages and it went from there. I don't have another proper job as such but I do lots of other things with school and at the moment I'm choreographing the chorus in the local Chapel Players Pantomime. I do my creating when ever I can and find it keeps me sane.

Wow! Cool clutch and purse from Freda and Me

Where do you get your ideas from? 

As I use vintage and secondhand fabrics etc. I find the materials usually inspire me themselves as they are all so different and beautiful. When I see something I like, a piece of material for example,I start imagining what I could do with it and usually get an excited feeling. I do also have a penchant for fashion magazines from which I gauge current trends. However I don't like to be too dictated by trends as Freda and Me is about being unique.

Sarah's accessories are contemporary vintage

Why did you want to be part of “It’s darling!”? 

 A friend sent me a link to the Facebook page for the first fair. I couldn't make it then but I loved the idea of the fair and I really liked the way the fair was promoted. I'm therefore really pleased to be part of the Christmas event.

Something to snuggle up to

Describe your ideal Christmas day...

Christmas has always been such a big thing in our family, my husband likes to have the where and who with arranged in July. I love Christmas at home with a big really tree with lots of gifts underneath. The children open some presents when we get up and then start to play. We then start to prepare the meal and await our guests. Before we sit down about four o'clock we hopefully get a walk in. Then as the sun sets we light all the candles and sit down to eat. A three course meal with all the trimmings and a good wine. After food we will sit around open more gifts and then play a family game. By the time it's bedtime I'm tired with blissful happiness.

One for the Christmas list

 What’s “It’s darling!” in your life? 

My two boys. Sorry husband Nick you are a close second with the kitten snapping at your heels.

 Sarah's darling sons

For more of Sarah's work go to http://www.etsy.com/shop/fredaandme or

www.folksy.com/shops/fredaandme. 

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