Meet the stallholders...a quick cuppa with Eirlys Penn aka Scrapiana

Eirlys Penn is another one of our amazing traders who’ve been with us since the beginning. She lives in Bath, sells the most beautiful vintage haberdashery and also writes a very popular blog, Scrapiana.

Hi Eirlys, tell us all about yourself.

I sell vintage haberdashery, textiles and other individually selected items, some handmade from scrap fabric by yours truly.

Eirlys

When and why did you start doing this?

In truth, Scrapiana was the sand-lined safety exit for my unstoppable impulse to collect old sewing items. My proper day job is writing, and I’m just beginning to combine my knowledge of vintage sewing items, my ability to make, and my writing skills - a really exciting development. I blog about my collecting, making and selling at www.scrapiana.com

Where do you get your ideas/inspiration from?

I’m a probably a frustrated curator deep down, and there are a few museums which particularly inspire me. The Shaker sewing items in the American Museum (which has just re-opened for the season) are exquisite, especially the signature oval sewing box lined with unexpectedly vibrant, almost psychedelic fabric, and the collection of different sized, beautifully shaped thread bobbins. We’re also hugely lucky in Bath to have the Fashion Museum; their Behind-the-Scenes exhibition is well worth a nose round. But all hail to the mighty V&A! Last February half-term I took my sons to London for the Natural History Museum, but the monstrous queues circling right round the block persuaded even them that it wasn’t worth it, so we scooted over the road to the uncrowded V&A instead. There was ample amusement for the boys in the revolving door alone, but they actually found the exhibits themselves interesting (big surprise) and I was obviously in seventh heaven. I keep my eye on the museum’s free lunchtime talks list and their impressive array of courses.

At the moment, I have a soft spot for the early twentieth century when labels on cotton reels, darning threads, packets of pins etc tended to sport an understatedly elegant old-gold lettering; some nice examples are reproduced in this year’s V&A diary.

Have you been part of “It’s darling!” before?

Yes, I’ve been to all of them! Do I qualify for a loyalty badge? The organizers are very charming and helpful, and the traders are a really nice, friendly assortment too. And it’s wonderfully busy, otherwise I wouldn’t be there. I’m really excited that this one coincides with the Bath in Fashion festival.

What do you remember most about previous fairs?

Possibly talking to older visitors about their memories of darning. I sell old darning mushrooms (wood and Bakelite) and they evoke strong memories - not all good - of an era before the factory sock when girls were expected to mend Daddy’s holed ones. I’m all in favour of bringing back darning skills but think Daddy should really be capable of mending his own.

Are you doing anything special with your stall?

Yes, I’ll have lots of Mother’s Day goodies: special labels to sew into your textile gifts [see picture], teeny reels of ribbon and vintage ric-rac, covered buttons, old cotton reels which will slip happily into Mum’s sewing box. I also have vintage brooches, hankies and scarves, plus some Easter and general spring-time delights too, such as vintage children’s and natural history books and cross-stitch patterns featuring bunnies and birds.

Mother's Day label

Please finish this sentence: What I love most about Spring is…the Magnolia bursting into flower, and the bustling activity of nesting birds; a pair of blue-tits is nesting in an air vent just outside my office window and I keep catching sight of them bringing more material to line it. Nature is beautifully irrepressible.

Please finish this sentence too: What I need to buy most in spring is... Bird food! Those bird parents could do with our help.

What’s “It’s darling!” in your life?

I might have to say Mittens the cat [pictured with an eiderdown I’ll be selling] as your charity’s the Cats & Dogs Home. But at this time of year, the Magnolia stellata is really the star for me – a darling little pale pink Magnolia which is currently flowering in my garden. 

Mittens the cat and an eiderdown

I planted a tiny white Magnolia stellata in our London garden 16 years ago when my eldest was born. The lovely thing about these little trees is that they flower when still very small indeed, so are great value for money. When we moved (just after our second son was born, five years later) we uprooted the poor little tree and took it with us, so it became his birth tree too. Our new home was only round the corner, so we trundled the treasured specimen there in a wheelbarrow! – along with the well-rotted contents of the compost heap, which the new owners didn’t want. That was February, and the Magnolia still managed to flower that year. Sadly, it would have been utterly impractical to do another uprooting three years later when we moved to Bath, so we reluctantly left the little tree behind. I hope it’s putting on a good spring show still.

Magnolia stellata

For more details about Eirlys and her work go to www.scrapiana.com, email eirlys@scrapiana.com or telephone  07769 655073

Meet the stallholders....a quick cuppa with Rebecca Collett from Rose Cottage Boxes

Becky from Bath runs Rose Cottage Boxes and has been trading with us since the first fair.

Rose Cottage Boxes

 Hi Becky, tell everyone about what you do

I make sustainable wooden 'useful' boxes covered in stunningly beautiful patterned tissue papers, skillfully applied by hand using a 17^th century french decoupage tecnique. Each box is painted with complimentary colours inside and covered in a deep, glossy varnish.  There are 6 different sizes to house things such as sewing kits, crafts, jewellery, make up, stationary, medical kits etc. They are also wonderful for keepsakes, memories, letters and photos for weddings, births and birthdays!

Useful as a sewing box

When and why did you start doing this?

I am a mother of two young boys. They inspired me in so many ways. Teaching them creativity spurred me to keep following my own dreams.

Rose Cottage Chair

Where do you get your ideas/inspiration from?

My ideas and inspiration are quite intuitive, following a gut feeling as well as being realistic and practical with what I sell. I enjoy mixing it up and taking parts from all our past eras. I love anything unique and different.

Take your pick

 Are you doing anything special with your stall?

I will have some lovely new spring/summer designs and some older stock will be in a worthwhile sale.

Covered drawers

 Please finish this sentence: What I love most about Spring is…the sunshine of course because it makes everyone happier!!

What I need to buy most in Spring is...some Pledge and a duster to start the cleaning...

What’s darling! in your life?

My wonderful sons, Solomon and Atticus and my house rabbits, Luigi and Loopy Lou

Butterflies make anyone happy

For more info go to www.rosecottageboxes.com, email welcome@rosecottageboxes.com

Or call  07885564969

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 Hannah Daw from Iris Accessories

Hannah was another one of our original stallholders who lives in Gipsy Hill, London. She makes jewellery under the name Iris Accessories. We loved having her and are so pleased she's going to be with us on Saturday 11th.

For those who don't know, please tell us what do you make.

I make vintage button silver bracelets, necklaces and belts from vintage buckles

When and why did you start doing this? 

I started my business in April and was inspired by a course I did at Central St Martin’s and beautiful buttons of course!

Where do you get your ideas/inspiration from? 

I get my ideas from bold designs and colours, whether it be buildings or fabric swatches! I love the 50s

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

"It’s darling!" is an energetic, creative fair where interesting and diverse artists come together, so I love being part of it. I sold in July and loved it, especially the atmosphere.

Are you doing anything special with your stall? 

 I have now started making necklaces which is very exciting and am selling little kid’s bracelets – perfect for stocking fillers!

Describe your ideal Christmas day...

I would be in my new home with my whole family, wearing a glam dress and red lipstick, with a glass of bubbly from the off! There would be lots of drinking and eating with a lovely walk in the park to finish off

What’s your favourite cake? And kind of tea? 

Lemon cupcakes with Earl Grey

What would you say “It’s darling!” about in your life? And can you send a pic if poss? 

Here's my Christmas tree that I have just decorated with the sparkly lights on!

For more about Hannah go to www.irisdesigns.org or email info@irisdesigns.org

Meet the stallholders...tea and cake with Eirlys Penn from Scrapiana

Back in July we held our very first "It's darling!" and Eirlys was one of the traders who put her faith in us and took a stall. We were immensely grateful to her, as we were to all the original stallholders and are very pleased that many of them have booked again.  Here's what she has to say.

Tomato pincushions

Hello, for those of us who don't know you already, please introduce yourself.

I’m Eirlys Penn, and I live in Larkhall on the East side of the city of Bath. My stall, and my blog are called Scrapiana.  I sell a cornucopia of vintage haberdashery and related items: buttons, wooden cotton reels, embroidery thread, red-and-white baker’s twine, packets

of bias binding, old belt buckles, ric-rac, etc. But I’m also an enthusiastic upcycler, making new things from discarded scraps etc. This Christmas, for example, I’ve been making lavender heart ornaments from worn-out woollen blankets, and lucky tomato pincushions from other textile scraps (above). Haberdashery fridge magnets are my latest thing – I’ve been having lots of fun making those out of buttons and giant snap fasteners!

Sounds amazing! Now who is in this picture?

It's a picture of me (left) with an old college friend, Kate, in New York a couple of years ago. I managed to do a trawl of the historic textile and millinery districts of the city during that visit (Wow!). Kate is an antiquarian bookseller and years ago she gave me one of my treasured old sewing textbooks; eerily, it had been inscribed by someone bearing exactly the same name as me, back in the 1930s. I have an obscure Welsh name, and have never actually met another Eirlys, let alone one with the same surname too. So how spooky is that? I also sell old sewing books, sewing and knitting patterns, so do look out for those on my stall.

Why did you start Scrapiana?

I’ve never had any trouble attracting bric-a-brac,  especially sewing-related, and I did the first "It’s Darling!" in July, partly to clear the decks slightly, partly to gauge the response and see what people liked. I really enjoyed it, and the response was lovely, though my decks remain remarkably cluttered, but that’s another story.

My day job is quite solitary (I’m locked away writing most of the time) but I love meeting people and nattering; my first jobs were ALL interfacing with the public and press (I was a salesperson, receptionist, then press officer for a couple of publishers) and that was perhaps too far the other way for me. Writing, making things, then frantically interfacing with the public on high days and holidays is about the right mix for me.

What inspires you?

In terms of making things, there are some favourite blogs I follow; people like English sewing author Ruth Singer, and Americans Mimi Kirchner and Lisa Brainerd (two hugely creative American crafters). If you pinned me down on an era, I might have to say early-mid-20th century. I find any vintage of cotton reel and button interesting, though darning ephemera

(cards of darning yarn), especially from the 1930s, is currently catching my eye. I also love the Singer sewing machines of the mid-20th century, especially the celery-white 221Ks made in Scotland in the 1960s (below). 

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

July was great! There was a nice mix of other stalls, and the stall-holders were lovely. I originally heard about it via Twitter (I think I was somehow following @mrsstokeschina and caught her tweet).

Are you doing anything special with your stall? 

YES! Lavender scrap wool hearts.  If you catch me at a quiet moment I’ll show you how to make your own. I’ve blogged about them here.

Describe your ideal Christmas day 

If I had my way, I wouldn’t get out of my pjs! I love just watching the boys open their gifts, while admiring the tree - hopefully bedecked with a few shiny buttons, cotton reels, lavender hearts and gingerbread cookies! A glass of something bubbly wouldn’t go amiss.

Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without….

Singing! There has to be a lot of music in my Christmas: give me a burst of Handel’s Messiah and my cup runneth over. I sing in a church choir, and I really value its quiet companionship throughout the year. Christmas kind of falls into place for me around that activity. Oh, and gingerbread cookies. I make vast amounts every year.

Then there’s the excitement of late Christmas Eve trying to get everything done and wrapped and swig the sherry and munch Santa’s mince pie so that the kids are fooled, and listen to Carols from Kings, and watch It’s a Wonderful Life, and read The Night Before Christmas and The Velveteen Rabbit (‘There was once a velveteen rabbit, and in the beginning he was really splendid…he had real thread whiskers, and his ears were pink sateen.’) and stay up WAY too late trying to make everything magical.

What’s your favourite cake? And kind of tea? 

New York cheesecake (is that cheating?) or lemon drizzle cake (I have a very good recipe c/o Sophie Grigson). Lapsang Souchong is probably my favourite tea: the smokiness is almost as good as a log fire in the depths of winter, and it makes me feel like I’m drinking something slightly illicit when I’m really being very good and abstemious. Earl Grey comes a close second. Favourite café? I like Bloomsbury, Shoon and can’t wait to try the

new Patisserie Valerie, conveniently opposite the Guildhall, all in Bath. It takes me

back to when I worked near Soho; I don’t think I ever went in (publishers don’t pay well), but used to press my nose up to the window. I love the exquisite arrangements of gateaux, and the soft lighting.

What would you say “It’s darling!” about in your life? 

I have a bit of a thing for old scissors: buttonhole scissors and pinking shears especially, and you’ll find some on my stall. A while back, I managed to get hold of an old-fashioned pinking machine, the sort pre-scissor which you mount onto a table edge and work with a crank-handle. Singer used to make one as a sewing-machine attachment, but that’s another story. I love this one because it’s quite small and dainty, and it takes an ordinary piece

of card and turns it into a beautifully flute-edged thing. Now, THAT’S what I call ‘It’s Darling!’…

To find  out more about Eirlys go to www.scrapiana.com or email eirlys@scrapiana.com

Meet the stallholders....tea and cake with Claire Weeks from Random Vintage

Claire Weeks, from Cardiff is the genius behind “Random Vintage” jewellery range. She is one of our original traders who was with us for the very first fair in July and has two collections of handmade trinkets - Random Vintage & Random Vintage Repeatables – and her own real-life shop.

Reindeer decoration

Hello again Claire. Tell us about your favourite tea and cake.

Well, I love baking cakes and I have to say my favourite is one that I make (slightly egotistical me thinks) - an apple and walnut cake with cream cheese icing and caramel frosting - yum. My favourite tea is Earl Grey and they make a mean pot of Earl Grey in ‘The Plan’ café in Cardiff, which very conveniently is directly opposite our shop.

Gorgeous earrings

Delish! So, let’s hear all about your wonderful work.

I have two jewellery collections, Random Vintage & Random Vintage Repeatables. For the Random Vintage collection I make one-off individual pieces using worn and loved vintage items such as brooches, charms, rosarys, religious relics, old lockets and earrings, I mix these with beautiful precious and semi-precious stones, vintage beads and rhinestones to make unique statement pieces. The Random Vintage Repeatables collection uses a mixture of new 'vintage' style items to create fun, quirky, wearable and affordable pieces.

I also make vintage style decorations and headbands.

Beautiful birds

When did you start your business?

Random Vintage started about two and a half years ago. It started as a hobby but now it’s pretty much full time as three friends and I have opened a shop in the centre of Cardiff, called  A Vintage Affair and now I’m constantly making to keep up with the sales in the shop and the website. I’m either making in the shop or making at home, it’s pretty full on at the moment, hence the reason for only doing one Christmas Fair, and it’s going to be a good one!

Time please

Where does your inspiration come from?

My initial inspiration came from a box of  my grandmother’s old broken costume jewellery.  It seemed such a shame to waste them and chuck them away, so I had the idea of making new pieces out of the old damaged jewellery as I wanted to bring them back to life in a modern more wearable style. . The more Random Vintage has developed the more passionate I’ve become about recycling and re-using unwanted or unloved vintage items and giving them a new lease of life.

I visit a lot of antiques fairs and flea markets looking for vintage pieces to incorporate into my work, these shows can be very inspiring, seeing the different colour combinations, different textures, and seeing how jewellery styles have changed over time. I also look at old books and fairy stories and try to create pieces with a theme in mind.

Necklace

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

I was lucky enough to have a stall at ‘It’s Darling’ in July and had a brilliant time, Cath and Becky had done such a brilliant job! I had a great day and met lots of lovely people (customers and stallholders) , the selection of stands was eclectic with beautiful products and fab displays, so I can’t wait for the Christmas fair as I plan to get a good bit of Christmas shopping done!

Bracelets

Will you be doing anything special with your stall?

For the stall I’m planning a winter wonderland theme (though on a very small scale) with pewters and whites, some greenery and maybe even a bit of snow. I’ve also got some new decorations that I’m making up and some quirky Christmas wreaths.

Describe your perfect Christmas day...

An ideal Christmas day would be at home with my family, eating and drinking and being very merry whilst wearing my ‘new’ black lace and pink satin 1950’s prom dress, gorgeous.

Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without . . . a chocolate orange

Pocket watch necklace

Finally, what in your life would you call “It’s darling!”?

My little cousins are pretty darling.

To find out more about Claire visit her website,www.randomvintage.co.uk

Email her -  info@randomvintage.co.uk, ring her on 07711 65 66 40

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Random-Vintage/393614897603

twitter - http://twitter.com/RandomVintage