Workshop & Fair Updates

Hiya

Well, I promised I would be back with an update on my needle felting workshop and also the fairs I did at the weekend - sorry it's so late ! I have to blame it on the fact that Sam has now broken up for the school holidays and also the fact that my little madam has been up to all sorts of tricks including squeezing bottles of paint all over my friend's rug, drawing on our sitting room carpet with crayons and last but not least helping herself to my friend's hayfever and imodium tablets which resulted in us spending a morning at A&E being "observed" ! Fortunately, she was fine (as was my friend's son who was also in on the act), and only suffered from a little hyperactivity (what ?? more than normal ?)

But, back to Blooming Felt business !!

I held my very first needle felting workshop on the 30th June in the local village hall and, after panicking slightly that I wasn't going to get enough people, was really pleased when I had a last minute flurry of bookings. I'd got Mum to make some cakes (because I'm rubbish at cake making) to serve with tea and coffee during the break and after spending nearly an hour setting up, sat very quietly (secretly panicking) and waiting for my pupils to arrive ! And much to my relief, they all came and were very excited at the prospect of learning a completely new craft that they had never seen before !

After explaining about felting in general and then showing the ladies the different types of wool, I did a demonstration before letting them choose their own wool to work with and setting them loose with their felting needles.

It got to "break time" and no-one wanted to stop as they were all getting quite engrossed in their own projects, so unfortunately not many of the cakes were eaten (but Sam & Gracie did alright out of it). After a few quick slurps of tea and coffee, they were back at it again and I was amazed at the different ideas that they all came up with.

Everyone did really well and after the workshop finished, spent lots of money on supplies and books for themselves. All were very keen to attend future workshops and I'm now thinking of running a sort of club that meets on a monthly basis so that they can all get together regularly to felt and chat ! All in all, a very worthwhile event, especially as a couple of the pupils work at a local special needs school and have said that they'll be booking me to teach a few classes in the Autumn term.

Last Saturday saw me attending a summer fayre for a local pre-school. And I couldn't believe it ... I didn't sell a single thing !! That's the first time that has ever happened to me and I was ever so slightly stunned !!

But never mind, Sunday was the Little Baddow Village Fete and I was much more hopeful for sales at this event. Unfortunately the weather wasn't on our side at all and gazebos were taking off left, right and centre. Then it started raining and that, combined with the fact that the wind was blowing directly down the field towards me, resulted in half of my items disappearing off the end of my table and the ones that did manage to stay put, getting soaking wet ! I spent half of the day covering everything up with the table cloth, but never mind, everyone was extremely complimentary about all of my goodies and trade was brisk (with lots more enquiries about needle felting workshops).

Look - you can't even see all the loveliness on my stall :o(

I was amazed at the amount of people that turned out for the event, I've been told that a good few hundred people attended the Fete and I think the scarecrows had a lot to do with that - here are a few pictures of the best ones ! There were over 70 scarecrows entered into the parade / competition and it was such a lovely thing to see. Sadly, the event appears to be a one-off, but I'm sure that as it was so popular, it will happen again in the not too distant future !

As I haven't yet managed to add them to my website (hopefully, this evening though) I thought I'd post a few pics of my teeny tiny strawberry & cupcake button earrings. The cupcakes are available in different colours and will be shown on the website. If you fancy treating yourself, they'll be priced at £2.50 per pair. Also, fabric covered drawing pins / pushpins / thumbtacks (whatever you like to call them) - a set of 10, either strawberries or cupcakes, complete with a little tin to store them in - priced at £5.00 per set.


That's it from me for the time being. My blog posts will be less regular over the next few weeks because of the school holidays and also the fact that we go away for a couple of weeks next week (yay !) Let's hope the weather in Devon & Cornwall is better than it has been recently.

I'm also hoping to have some very exciting news on a new range of felty goodies for the website - stick with me and all will be revealed very soon !

Sarah x

Lazy Days and Giveaways !!

What a lovely day I've had !!

This morning was spent sitting in the hairdressers being pampered, followed by a little bit of retail therapy (well, buying Sam new school shorts & trousers from M&S in their "Back to School" promotion - I wouldn't mind, but he hasn't even broken up for the holidays yet !!).

This afternoon I sat here

and watched this

whilst doing this !!

Ahhhhh - bliss :o)

Now, back to business - Monday sees me teaching my first needle felting workshop. I've had a last minute flurry of people registering so am now panicking that the room I've hired isn't actually going to be big enough. But never mind, at least we'll all get to know one another !

To celebrate the fact that people do actually want to learn how to needle felt (and to also show off my new line in fabric coveredness (??) ), I've decided to have a little freebie giveaway.

All you need to do is leave a comment on this post sometime this week and all of the comments will be put into a random number generator next Sunday and a winner will be picked.

And the prize ??

A pair of fabric covered strawberry button earrings. These earrings have been made by me (of course) and measure 24mm in diameter. The posts and butterflies are silver-plated and have been attached with a very strong glue, so there's no danger of you using losing these lovelies !!

Apologies for the fuzzy photos - that's what you get when you buy a £200 camera !! Buy cheap I say - they're so much better !!

And now I must go and prepare for Monday's workshop and pack up the rather large number of orders that have appeared through my website today.

I won't be posting on this blog again until next Sunday because I've got a very busy weekend next week - 2 fairs - so the pressure is on to produce lots more pairs of earrings !!

Enjoy your week and I'll look forward to seeing your comments.

Sarah x

Everything in the garden's looking rosy !!

Yes - everything in the garden is indeed looking rosy (I think that's the phrase??)

These are the roses on the arbour that leads from the pool to the pumphouse and the garages. Don't they look beautiful - and they smell absolutely gorgeous as well. They're really lovely old english roses and seem to get better and better every year (well, the last 2 years that we've been here anyway !)

Today, my button supplies finally arrived from the US. They had unfortunately got held up by customs and I had to pay a whopping £14.95 in charges. But they are fab and I can't wait to list them on the website and to start covering them myself. All being well, they'll be on the website tomorrow evening (or Wednesday at the latest).

I've also had some lovely fabric arrive from the US

As well as these - bracelets which I've yet to decide what to do with, and also earrings. Me thinks felt balls will be making an appearance.

I did my monthly craft fair on Saturday - very sloooooooow on the customer and sales front, but very positive on the needle felting workshop and also on a local village fete, which I have been struggling to get a table at due to 2 other local "felty people" already beating me to it.

One of the felty ladies came and introduced herself at the craft fair and was very complimentary about my goodies and said she would speak to the organisers of the fete and recommend that I had a table. The other person, I think I know, but their stuff is completely different to mine, both in style and price, so not really competition.

Another lady then came and introduced herself and asked whether I would be at the fete, I explained that sadly I was unable to secure a pitch, and she said that she had been told about me, which was why she was at the craft fair, and that her hubby was on the fete planning committee so she would try to get me a pitch. It's quite a prestigious event (in a very affluent area) and the craft tent has nearly 40 stands. She was also keen on attending my workshop as she teaches special needs children and was hoping to be able to go back to the school and pass on her newly acquired skills to the pupils.

So today, I first of all get a phonecall from one of the organisers of the village fete saying that they can now offer me a pitch - YAY !! And I then get a phonecall from the 2nd lady that I mentioned above, who booked 2 places on my needlefelting workshop !!

AND .... my Mum has just called from the US and says that my new range of needle felting kits have just been delivered to her, and she'll be bringing them back to the UK in 2 weeks !! I am VERY excited.

Hooray - so not only has today been a lovely day weatherwise, it has also been great on the business front !

I'm a happy bunny !!

Sarah x

It's Booked

No sign of my button supplies yet, so I decided it was time to do something about the needle felting workshop I have been thinking about organising.

After trying to book various venues, it became apparent that Joe Jingles, Yoga, Photography & Council Meetings take priority over little old me. Unable to book either of my first 2 choices of venue, I had to settle on a much smaller hall, well, room really. But worry not - the lady from the Parish Council was very kind and encouraging and has offered not to take a deposit from me for another 2 weeks, until I've had time to see if anyone actually wants to learn how to needle felt !

So I put together the flier below (apologies for the poor quality photo - my scanner has packed up ... again) and it has been posted on all of the Parish Noticeboards in the village where I'm holding the event, as well as surrounding villages. In the local Craft Centre, at Sainsburys, Tescos, in the village library, the village hall and I'll also have it displayed at the craft fair I'm doing on Saturday. Fingers crossed I'll get a few takers.

Hopefully the button supplies will arrive tomorrow and I can get some sets made up for the craft fair on Saturday.

Sarah x