Meet the stallholders: Tea and Cake with… Emma McDougall & Jane Symonds of Dufflebobble Crafts

This mother and daughter craft powerhouse live in Wiltshire and, as Emma explains, they they “enjoy making beautiful home and personal gifts from gorgeous fabrics.” Currently they make doorstops, brooches, fabric rings and bunting, plus they have a specialist range of wedding bunting and toast glass sets too. They sell mostly on the internet and at fairs around the country and will be at "It's darling!" on Saturday 11th December.

Look for the Dufflebobble Crafts' logo

HI Emma. What’s your favourite cake? And kind of tea?

Love breakfast tea in a pot, well-stewed, and mums amazing brownies (she won’t give up the recipe sorry its a secret apparently), If I’m out and about I love a good wedge of carrot cake and an espresso! 

When and why did you start Dufflebobble Crafts?

When my mum Jane was made redundant and I was on maternity leave, we both discovered a passion for Amy Butler fabrics and the crafty side of us came out!

Gorgeous hair-slide by Dufflebobble Crafts

Where do you get your ideas/inspiration from?

We love kitsch and Cath Kidston-eque fabrics so we are often found hovering around shops that sells these types of things, gathering inspiration.

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

The idea of being part of "It's Darling" is just 'Darling' to us. We started chatting to the lovely organisers on Facebook and were asked to join the fun. The feeling of 'It's Darling'! and the creative people behind the idea seem to have the same passion for similar crafts as we do, so it seemed perfect to join the "It's Darling!" festivities. 

Something to brighten up the season

Are you doing anything special with your stall for the fair?

We have personalised bunting so you will be able to spot us in the crowd, and for this fair we will be showcasing a range of fascinators and corsages made from fabric flowers, just perfect for the festive season.

Cute bunting

Describe your ideal Christmas day...

Me, my husband and my two daughters are still in our jammys at 11am, opening our stockings, wearing silly hats and the room is awash with wrapping paper and ribbon. Round to mum’s for lunch and the girls have the biggest smiles on their faces. As long as everyone is happy that has to be the best feeling and the whole point of the day for us. 

Please finish this sentence: Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without….

Half a Guinness at the local! 

 What’s “It’s darling!” in your life?

My beautiful babies are simply darling (of course!), the cat’s not bad either! 

Emma's darling daughters

To find out more about Dufflebobble Crafts click here, visit their shop on Folsky or email Dufflebobble@gmail.com

Meet the stallholders...tea and cake with Gabrielle Treanor from The Green Gables

Gabrielle

Gabrielle makes gifts, accessories, homewares and art with a vintage feel and, she says, “a lot of love.” She lives in a little village in Surrey so she'll be coming quite a way on Saturday 11th December only.

Nice to meet you Gabrielle. What kind of tea are we having today?

A friend recently suggested I try Assam tea and I'm a total convert. I love most cakes but my favourite is Victoria sandwich although I can't have it without the buttercream, that just makes it perfect! My ideal tea party is cake served on a vintage glass stand with a silver teapot, mismatching cups and saucers and my friends having a gossip and a giggle.

Gabrielle loves bunting 

Sounds perfect. Tell us a little more about what you do.

I launched The Green Gables in July of this year. I work part-time as the deputy editor at First News, the newspaper for children and work on The Green Gables the rest of my waking time. Although writing is a creative occupation, I wanted to do something more hands-on creative and explore my love of handmade and vintage.

Beautiful bead decoration by Gabrielle

Where do you get your ideas and inspiration from?

I love all things vintage – post-war up to the 1960s is my favourite period - and the look, feel and general culture of those times inspire me. Bunting plays a huge part in my designs as although it evokes images of British tea parties and village fetes, it can also dress up a space for any occasion and just bring a bit of prettiness to the world! I live in a rural area of the country that is hilly and beautiful and I feel this gorgeous natural environment also influences me.

Gabrielle's unique paper bunting

Do you have anything special on your stall for Christmas?

My products work well as gifts but I will be bringing a few special Christmas themed items including Christmas cards and decorations.

Love these graphic Christmas cards

Describe your ideal Christmas day…

It begins with a champagne cocktail for breakfast, then watching my nieces and nephews opening and playing with the presents. Lunch just appears so that no-one had to spend hours in the kitchen away from the family, I'd wear my bridal tiara instead of a cracker hat, take the dog for a walk on crunchy virgin snow through the fields and finish off in front of a roaring fire with stuffing sandwiches (I don't eat meat so no turkey for me). And pots of tea, mmm…

Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without….

The movie It's a Wonderful Life. My husband and I have a tradition that we always watch it with a big bowl of popcorn and glasses of White Russians on the Sunday before Christmas. I love the movie so much I even make and sell an art print using the quote 'Every time a bell rings an angel gets its wings'!

Print inspired by Gabrielle's favourite Christmas film

What’s “It’s darling!” in your life?

It would have to be bunting! Fabric bunting, paper bunting, bunting on bags, on cushions, even as art, the list goes on! Bunting – it's darling!

Bunting is darling to Gabrielle

For more information about Gabrielle, her bunting and all, visit www.thegreengables.co.uk

Meet the stallholders: 60 seconds with.....Suzanne Lenihan aka Mrs Stokes' Mum

Suzanne Lenihan is calling her stall  "Mrs Stokes's Mother". It's true after all and she is bringing her gorgeous array of handmade cushion covers, bunting, lavender/rose bags and various other household soft furnishing items. She lives by the seaside in glorious Hayling Island in Hampshire and has been making things "since the children were small."

Suzanne in her lovely sunny garden by the sea

1. Why did you want to be part of "It's darling!" Did Mrs Stokes bribe you?

Ha, ha, no, it's because I thought it was such a good idea - aren't we all a little bored going around the same shops, selling the same things in every town we go to? There are so many talented crafts people out there but it's not always easy for them to find the right places to show their work.

2. What's your passion?

My family - my wonderful husband John, beautiful daughters Cathy and Emma, their fantastic husbands Jai and Owen and not forgetting our utterly delightful granddaughter Erin. My passion apart from my family is circle dancing ( which is not line dancing)

Suzanne made this bunting especially for "It's darling!"

3) Have you any special offers for "It's darling!"

I'm selling bags of assorted coloured beads for craft projects at 40p a bag

4) What's your three second wisdom - life or craft advice?

Love what you're doing/making, go back and fix any mistakes because even if nobody else notices it you'll always know that it's there. And stop when you get tired because that always the time that things go wrong.

Beautiful handmade cushions

5) What's your desert island surival kit?

Hand cream, BBC Radio 7 and a soft pillow.

To contact Suzanne please email her.