The Festivals of Love

Life has been so busy these past few months I've fallen way behind with the blog but seem to be keeping on track with everything else!

I've been busy in life. Weddings galore this year.

Only a few weeks ago I went to my friends beautiful coastal, sunflower themed wedding.

I was fortunate enough to supply my third wedding with handmade flowers. This time I made boutonnieres for all the guests in cherry & wine red. How lovely does everyone look?

A few weeks ago Octo: The Moody Octopus, said bye bye to his temporary home at Liverpool Central Library.

Deflating his 42 inch head took an age but I didn't mind looking like an idiot lying on the library floor trying to deflate him. Love how many members of the public came to see if I was ok, thinking i’d had a fall!

Octo had a fabulous time at The Library, apparently he was very much loved by the cruise ship tours. He’ll be back again next month at a new home!

I've taken a big step back on the number of craft fairs I've been doing this year so a number of reasons but I could not resist the chance to work with the folks at Capstans Bazaar again especially for such a big festival in my home town. The Liverpool Loves; The People's Festival!

It was the HOTTEST day on the water front; we had the Liver Building as a backdrop one one side & the River Mersey on the other. Live music, local independent food vendors, pop up bars, Morning Gloryville; it was spectacular!



I'm super thrilled to announce that my next fair is going to be The Winter Arts Market in the beautiful Anglican Cathedral.

Me & the boy had a little jaunt to London for a much needed mini-break. 3 whole days work free...it was heaven but I did look forward to coming home with a head full of new ideas!



I've been on a fabulous photography course with the super talented Katy Munch, don't know if you can tell by my recent product shoots but I feel I learnt a valuable lesson or two!

My full Halloween range will be up by the end of this week; weather permitting! An I'm full steam ahead into the “festive” season - this & the joy of working full time too! I'm actually early for the first time in three years!

If anyone would like a commission on the run up to the end of the year may I suggest sooner rather than later! Last year I closed my books in November...handmade with love takes time!

The Crafty Side of The Independent Liverpool Festival...

Last weekend saw Independent Liverpool hold its first Festival & it sold out! 

Set in the wonder that is The Baltic Triangle, Constellations & the new Great Baltic Warehouse where full to the rafters of people enjoying the benefits of our fair cities local independent retailers.

I was also there! Sadly I was largely away from the gin VW bar & the prosecco trolley but I got to hang out with the most amazingly talented bunch in Constellations at the arts & craft fair!

Whilst I was showcasing lots of my new goodies (mega thanks to you purchases & admirers alike) I loved having a good old nose & chat with everyone else! 

This Material Culture where my neighbours for the weekend & great crafty pals so that was a pleasure as always! So where The Soap Empire & At What Cost (fellow Rex retailers in the original store too!) so I already felt right at home.

The best shop companion was in the form of Pip The Tiny Pup brought by Scott Duffey with his & Lucy's amazing prints! 

The guys from One Art where as fabulous as every bringing a huge selection of local artists together in pop up shops! If you haven't heard or seen their collective works, then you are really missing out! 

I bought my Mum some local honey from The Postcode Honey guys who offered free tasters from different areas! Can't get better than that!

In true me & Chelle style we supported our fellow local businesses by making it our mission to fill up on independent cake both days!

The food section was packed out all day & everyone seemed to be having an absolute ball.

La Meme Etoffe

As a stall holder we where looked after fantastically well with complimentary tea & coffee both mornings which was greatly appreciated. The guys from Independent Liverpool personally came round to speak to everyone & to see if we needed anything which was really good of them considering the size of the event.

It was an epic although tiring weekend but I can't wait for next year!

Wex who donates profits to the Whitechapel Centre! Amazing!

For those of you that are not Liverpool based I have good news! This weekend I'll be launching my Etsy shop finally! Sadly it's going to be later than I had previously hoped due to my lack of photography skills it's taking longer than expected but if you head over to my Facebook & Twitter pages there will be a discount code running for all of my likers & followers of 20% off on Saturday & Sunday as a massive thank you from me for all your continuing support!

Mini fruit

Mini sushi

Mini biscuits

Yeah they are mini!

Did you attend the festival? What did you think? 

The T175 Festival with Hemingway Design

The Transatlantic Mersey to Manhattan Festival or the T175 hit Liverpool in June & it was EPIC!

An estimated 250,00 people attended the weekend of vintage stall, street food, entertainment, classic cars, shopping, cake challenges & The Very Big Catwalk Guinness World Record Attempt!

I was there too! Did you see me? I was running crafty workshops in conjunction with The House of Hemingway Designs (I know! Check me out!) for the Vintage On The Dock event in the building next to the old Pier Masters House & what a weekend it was!

After a week of some serious wool winding & pompom maker cutting out - I should note here that I have a wonderful boyfriend who spent most of the week doing this for me - it was all crafty hands on deck! 

Sheet 1 of 4

Half way there...

However it was all so worth it as it was the biggest compliment of my little business adventure so far to hear that Wayne Hemingway is a fan of my brand! 

I went the extra mile for our decorations & designed some special nautical themed bunting especially for the event.

We made Pom-Pom whales, nautical bracelets & bunting! It was great to see young & old alike having a go at crafting!

Wonderful whales!

 My little sister came down from Leeds for the weekend to be my wonderful assistant!

Little sis

 We shared out space with Liverpool Community College who where making wonderful fabric headbands & pins! They also lent their fabulous eye for detail to decorating the outside of the building to make sure everyone could find us!

The Style Factory where also their doing vintage travel tags! It was such a pleasure to work along side such helpful & sociable team of people even when we where all so busy!

 Sadly I was too busy to get involved in the other workshops or to have the time to take some pictures of the rest of the festival but the Guinness World Record was broken for the most models on a catwalk (did you catch it on the news?) & you can see plenty of photographs of the event here.

 

Early morning coffee before the festivities 

Glorious weather on the Saturday

The staff where just fantastic! Even Mr. Wayne Hemingway himself popped by to ask if I needed anything. I regret not fan-girl-ing out & asking for a photograph but it didn't seem appropriate at the time. They even provided us with waterproofs when the weather turned on the Sunday!

What a difference a day makes...

All their hard work & effort paid off (no-one can control the weather) & I hope you had as much as a fantastic, although tiring (I had pompom cutters fingers by the end of it!) weekend as we did!

One part of our set up

Mini chest of wool

Bracelet making table

Pompom workshop

Proud pompom-ers

Mixing it up a bit

Getting creative

Unwinding afterwards after dinner