this week i 'ave been mostly...... preparing for the first craft fair of the year

not a craft fair i was selling at though,
this was the first Warkton Village Craft Market of the year!

i organise this market with my friend Deanne Quirky Boots
in the gorgeous setting of Warkton, nr Kettering
and we LOVE it!

we used to panic every month, "have we done enough advertising?", "have we got the right stalls?", "have we got everything?"...
and with it still being a cold and dreary February day, we did wonder if it would be slightly too quiet, but soon after 10am people started trickling in, and it was pretty steady all morning!
by 2pm the cakes had nearly all run out!

our dream is finally coming to fruition,
a monthly handmade event that supports local artists and crafters, in a friendly environment
providing an alternative to high street shopping for visitors to come back every month and see different items

it really does have to be seen to be believed though - lots of people think "craft fair" they think granny knits and pocket money toys, not our market!
we strive for the best top quality stalls with lovely crafters who will help make the friendly atmosphere for the day,
everyone chats together and makes new crafty friends, and helps each other out with tips & supplier info.


like i said before, we LOVE it! and i hope it shows! :D
(photos from yesterday on Deanne's camera still - will post them soon!)

this week i 'ave been mostly...... taking time out

after finishing a stack of valentines day cards ready for posting on Saturday, I set about giving myself a bit of me time :)
lying on the sofa on friday night watching telly, I was very nearly falling asleep - so I got my crochet hook out and got a couple more squares for my blanket done :)

Then Saturday came around and I had a day of doing lots of lovely things - firstly was going to look round a craft fair a friend was organising - Little Gift Store - where there were lots of Warkton stallholders - so in true chatterbox style I had to renew my car parking ticket twice!
This is how Warkton looked from Kettering - all pretty in the snow - hope it warms up before this Saturdays market there!

And after all that me time, it was time to go out for the night with the boyfriend to see Sarah Millican!
I kinda billed it to him as our Valentines night out - even though I knew he probably wouldn't really appreciate her humour as much as if I was to take a girlfriend, but he laughed quite a bit and said afterwards that  it had been funny :)

the highlight for me was the woman sat in front who shouted out (after being asked why would you take spare pants when you go away for the weekend) "i've got a pair in my handbag right now!!"

We went for dinner beforehand too, to Little Tokyo in Leicester - very scrummy Japanese food - if you havent tried it yet, you really should!

Now, after such a busy Saturday I was going round to a friends house yesterday to have tea & cake and general girly chat....
but knowing that she has just got into sewing, I took a dress pattern round that a friend gave me years ago for my birthday-with some GORGEOUS fabric, and thought we could "have a look" at it, and just ponder actually making it....

this is what I came home with!
8 hours of trying to decipher an American dress pattern, 1 of those trying to work out one of the steps and why it wouldn't look like the picture,
lots of tea & cake later, we have made a DRESS! :D

so chuffed with myself and so thankful to lovely Lisa for helping make sense of a scary pattern!

what a lovely weekend! didn't really want it to end....

this week i 'ave been mostly...... making valentines cards

i am really enjoying the messages i'm being asked to write on peoples cards, and getting repeat orders from men who ordered one last year has really put a smile on my face :)

this is how my desk looked yesterday...

i've had to buy more little red buttons due to the high demand!
and i've also had to set a last order date for guaranteed delivery for Valentines Day
= 8th Feb (get your orders in quick!)

i can happily report orders have also picked up for heart earrings, and probably due to the snow last night I sold a beret today!

also this week, i 'ave been.....

• dreaming up new ideas
• getting home from work very tired and not wanting to do much
• trying to banish the winter blues 
• and eating a lot of cake

but now the snow is here my winter blues have gone! :)

this morning i am sitting in my armchair watching all the people out walking, or rather sliding in the snow, while i sit in my dressing gown knitting, and my boyfriend keeps me topped up with tea - perfect sunday if u ask me!

hope everyones enjoying the snow (if you were lucky enough)
happy sunday xxx