Since the last time we spoke I did numerous craft fairs with my good friend DOLLY JONES, they were a bit of a bust really. When I did well she didn't and vice versa and all in all we hardly ever did more than cover the cost of our stalls. The main issues with the fairs we did i think were that they were either in places that were only accessable by car or that there were just no people turning up.
The thing about craft fairs, especially in certain areas is that you have to be resillient and prepared for people to ask you how you made something, where you buy all your materials or even to pretend they are taking pictures of their kids in front of your stuff so they can copy it later on when they get home, this aspect is infuriating. Anyway after the demoralising experience of craft fairs in thanet we decided to call it a day.
Still! The artist in me cant let go that easy and I carried on collecting interesting bits of fabric, beads, other pretty things and eventually I started making again after a period of apathy.
Recently the turner centre opened in Margate, and to coincide with the opening a sunday Bazaar has been opened in Margate's Old town. I made enquiries and got a stall there, I cant do every sunday but I certainly try my best to get there when I can. Its nice to be part of something fresh and new, and even if it isnt a big money spinner at the moment, the potential is so glaringly obvious to me, I figure sticking it out now is an investment to say the least.
I wont tell you what my opinion of Margate has been up to this point but lets say I have come full circle and now I am totally in love with the place, particularly the Old Town area which is just Oozing charm with all the little retro kitsch shops and cafe's and bars. It's also nice to meet like minded people who are addicted to creating things. I cant say enough nice things about it... seriously. OK so maybe I havent even covered my stall on a couple of occasions, but actually its nice just hanging out there, and lots of people are taking my business cards and Ive had a lot of positive feedback. I am fully aware that this is a completely new venture and it will take time for people to become accustomed to it being a regular thing, but I am sure that by this time next year people will be fighting for a spot.
so anyway yadda yadda yadda, got bored with making the jewellery, theres just too much of it around and most of it is better than mine lol. So now Im back to making cushions, and also I finally started making my misery dolls, which was the dream all along. God I just cant be arsed with them haha, once I have made the blank doll and it gets to the dressing stage I am so into it, but its just that blank soulless doll, it really requires a lot of motivation on my part to make them. but hooray I sold one last week, my first one, in fact the first one I made out of the three I have on offer at the moment.
anyway Im going to upload some photos and then you can see what I have been up to :)
I made this using Alexander henry fabric with red polka dots and vintage green velvet and lace trim
I have so many scraps of pretty fabric left over and i was going to make bunting with it and then I decided that ... no one really buys bunting so I would use it to line pretty purses with. This one I painted a design on medium weight calico with acrylic paints and then finished iff with a laundry pen and added some sparkles, Im pretty pleased with it really
I wasnt sure what would go with this fabric really as its got very unusual colours in it, but then i fiound that pretty olive green polka dot and thought it needed livening up a bit with some pink pom poms, now I think its in my top 3 favourite cushions, alexander henry fabric again :)
I bought this cath kidston fabric about a year ago, and it was too small to do anything with turns out I had just enough to make 6 purses :)
How much do i love this fabric? ****LOADS, wow, when i saw it i was foaming at the mouth. funnily enough it seems to be men that really love this cushion
i do love alexander henry pin up designs, i think this is the aloha fabric, but dont quote me on that
This is one of my union jack cushions.. I like it :p
Misery loves Pin-up ... yeah shes got boobs! most of my others dont but she looked better with! her skirt is lined with green satin and shes got flowery bloomers on as well as black velvet shoes. sadly she is no longer with me :p but she went to a good home and I'm so pleased shes with a little girl who will appreciate her. Now I just need a better camera
Misery loves the gold rush. I love this dolly so much and im glad shes still with me, I bought the material for her dress over a year ago, its silk with black broiderie anglaise underneath it, she has lacy french knickers on and a pretty lace and silk hat on. Loosely based on Alma Garret from the show Deadwood, who just had the most amazing costimes ever and shes even got a bustle at the back.
she also has black velvet boots on . i love her!
Misery Loves Medieval times! my lovely medieval princess, she has a crown on now but i havent taken a picture of her with it, but alas i have yet to make her any knickers, my husband assured me they probably didnt wear knickers back then. black velvet boots too. I really need to take better pictures, maybe time to invest in a decent camera.
more of my hand painted purses, cherries mmmm
I had lots of scraps of dogtooth but it looked a bit dull on its own, so I added some red felt hearts, these were the first ones to sell!
i made my son a case for his kindle and had loads of this skull fabric left, again I liked feminising it a little bit
who doesnt love the mexican day of the dead! i decided to hand paint some pretty skull son canvas and make them into purses too, trying to get the detail small enough was the hard part but all in all I am happy with how they turned out!
more skulls!
even more skulls!
its ok im not gonna say it
another cushion I made with retro advertisments printed on fabric, i dont know the designer of this one
I get most of my fabrics through hours of trawling on ebay at FQ's this one was rather pretty i thought.
anyway I have things to do! talk to you in another year ha ha
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