Northern Belles Crafts has lift off!

Have you ever spent hours looking through websites and search engines in search of information on Organised craft fairs, craft shops, retail outlets that might be interested in handmade goods or simply some where to buy supplies! I know I have and so has Sara @All about Eden, so this is our solution (Sara came up with the idea).

Both me and Sara are from Up North (Above Birmingham) and we both feel that sometimes a lot of focus is put on Down South crafts and there is not a lot of information for us up North folk!

So we have decided to put together a blog, with useful information on Funding/Grants available/Forums/Business links/Craft Fair Organisers/Craft Fair Insurance/How to display your item at craft fairs/People to help with logo design/Where to get your items printed.

We also want your feedback on fairs you have attended that you feel might be of use to fellow craft bloggers, with contact details for the organisers.

We are looking for people to contribute to the blog as me & Sara don't have all the information, so if your interested in joining let me know by leaving me a comment.

Don't be shy we need your support!

Have a good weekend!

(The Northern belles crafts will not be open until the 4th April)

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE, HAVE A GOOD WEEKEND!

You are a winner!

Just thought i would give you an update on how my Studio is looking. The inside needs a little work!!!!

Shame my studio has not been plastered on the outside yet!

My hubbo and Father in Law have worked really hard to make it water tight, but it has come to a stand still due to insufficient funds and a busy husband!

This is todays little haul plus 10 lavender hearts. I fell quite inspired as I cleaned out my office yesterday. My little dear has been exceptionally good to let me get on with this little lot, so I promised her we would go to my Dad's greenhouse to do some seed sowing.

COMPETITION TIME

Well I picked the winner out of my daughters Easter Bonnet and congratulations The World of Twiggypeastick. Just email me your address and I will send out Robin Hood and a little extra over the next few days!

Did'nt we do well!

Just a quick update on how my little dears Easter Party went. The tombola disappeared within 30 minutes, the cake stall took a little longer, but it had a bit of help from me! The Hook a Duck went down a treat with the kids, but poor Leanne who ran it got slightly wet and her nerves are tattered! The peg dolls, chocolate mold kits and sun catcher kits went really well all sold except one of the Robin Hood sets. I was really pleased with the Easter Egg treasure hunt, each child had to collect 4 egg shapes with their name on it out of 6 boxes scattered around the room and then take them to their teacher who then presented them with an Easter egg, kindly donated by my dad's company (thanks Dad). In all we managed to raise just short of £350 for the pre-school & a further £30 for Sport relief. Well chuffed, and the 3 teachers were really pleased as they did not have to lift a finger!

Forgot to take my camera! Sorry

Just had another thought if you leave me a comment, I will enter your name into my little dears Easter bonnet for the chance of winning the last Robin Hood peg doll and another little treat that I will make over the weekend. Please leave your comments by Monday Evening and I will do the draw then. This is a once in a life time opportunity as I may never make peg dolls again.

Have a good weekend!

Something for the kiddies!

You know when you agree to do something for your daughters Pre-school Easter Party, and then really regret it, well I do now! As the events/fundraising person for her school( very unlike me to agree to something, I felt pressurised). Her party is on Friday and I am busy putting crafts sets together, cooking cakes and arranging the 'Name Game'. This is two of todays creations a ballerina peg doll & a Robin Hood peg doll, I am quite pleased with them but they are quite time consuming to make up. I have just the instructions to complete.

Any way must go Hotel Babylon is on and it's so surreal!

Busy weekend!

1st of all I need to say a couple of thank you's. The 1 st picture is my little dear with the beautiful bunny that Natalie from 'Summer by the sea' made. We are doing our own little swap. Given i can not make a bunny Natalie is having one of my Aprons. I promised Natalie I would let her see a picture of the bunny (now named Bella) in her new home! I have to be truthful I have had to put Bella on a high shelve away from my little dear as she is loving her to death literally!

The next thank you is to Sara @ All about Eden, when she saw my little dear with her medal on, she kindly surprised us both with her own medal to keep with her initial on. She loves it! She even went to bed with it on, so thank you very much Sara.

I decided on Friday that I needed some items from Lakeland, rather than ordering it online I decided that a trip was in order. So on Saturday we hit Lincoln, we are really lucky that we only live 35 minutes away from this beautiful city. I used to spend a lot of time in & around Lincoln with my old job I love the place, as a city it is not intimidating at all and there is lots of beautiful shops unfortunately fro my bank balance! We had a lovely day!

We then spent Sunday at my friends house for Sunday lunch, she is 8 months pregnant and we made her cook a full Sunday roast, as we thought she could not cook! We were proven wrong! We were also joined by another friend and hubbo who are leaving for Australia in June, so its one of the last times we will see each other. It's really strange we all met at work, they both used to be my cashiers and they got promoted through the ranks and we all ended up been really good friends. We have all got married in the last 3 years and 2 of us have or are having children, and none of us work for the same company any more.

We received an invitation to Australia as well today which was fantastic, so we will have to seriously think about that one!

This is my 2 friends, Eve is the one with Charlies hand on her fat pregnant tummy! Bless her. We had a lovely day and it was great catching up! I have to say the men just got quietly drunk in the kitchen!

I have got lots to do this week, parcels to post, sewing to sew and I have my little dears Easter Party on Friday that I am organising, why oh why do I agree to these things!

Have a good week!

Darcie Bushall mark 2

Look at my little dear! She won dancer of the week at dancing last night (medal in hand). She was so very proud of herself as one of her school friends won it last week. I think its a really good idea, but it is a little 'PC' as I am sure each of the children will win it in turn! Must not mock though!

A big list of things to do today.

• Package up some aprons and peg bags for the local craft/gift shop.
• Make up some more lavender bags for the Mixmix shop in Southwell, she rang yesterday with another small order.
• Make up a mocha childs apron (you know who this one is for!)
• Cut out yet more aprons in prep for the fair.
• Make paper mice with little dear.
• Paint little dears nails (I did make a promise)

On top of that it is 'World book day' today so little dear has to get dressed up as her favourite book character, I am rather pleased though as she picked a Flower Fairy book, so that was very easy!

I feel a jumper coming on!

One of my ebay creations!

Well at last hubbo has sorted out the computer downloading problem! So here is the much talked about knitting. I have to say this photo was taken last week, and shame on me it has only grown by 2 more rows!

I am busy at the moment preparing for a craft fair at Stamford in Lincolnshire in May, I know I am a little early but I just want to be prepared. Also this week I sent off some of my smaller items to a boutique called MixMix in Southwell to see how they sell. The owner called me a friday to say 3 items had sold through word of mouth (they only arrived on Thursday). Also I plucked up the courage to ask the small craft shop that has a gift shop attached in my village if they would be interested in taking some of my stuff. She said bring it down during next week and they would be happy to start selling it. The down side that's its on Sale or return, but its a busy little shop with plenty of people in & out all day. I am only going to take some of my smaller items to start of with and see how it goes. I have also been using some of my Cath Kidston Fabric for some items for Ebay.

I know what your all thinking 2 posts in one day! And to think I was going to take a blogging break!

Happy Mothers Day!

I hope you are having the most wonderful day what ever you decide to do today! I am such a bad mother as I went to the gym after opening my presents and cards. And now I have peace and quiet as hubbo has taken little darling to his mothers, they will be there for the rest of the day. The perfect day in my opinion! Not very motherly but if you regularly read my blog you will know I am no mother earth!