Fully Booked!

All spaces at the Creations Christmas Craft Fayre are now booked! The last two 'Meet the Stallholders' posts will be appearing soon. Sorry to disappoint anyone who was hoping to have a space - I am keeping a waiting list of names so if a space does become available I can let people know. Please do still come along to the fayre as a customer and say hello though!
From what I have seen so far, the crafters will have some lovely items for sale. We're hoping that it will be a really great event (and if it's successful I would like to organise more next year and perhaps include some of the crafters I couldn't fit in this time)!

Meet the stallholders...

Rachel Hopkins

Have you always been a 'crafty' person - how did you start making things to sell?

Even as a child I liked making things for Brownie competitions, and simply fiddling about with fabric at home. Work and taking care of my three children has slowed my projects down a little and in recent years my creativity has been mainly channelled through fancy dress costumes for various school projects and parties. With my youngest now at playgroup I thought I would use some of my spare time to start creating again.

Tell us a bit about what you make...

For this, my first ever craft fair, I have designed and made a range of decorative items to hang in the home, some with a Christmas theme and some to be used all year round. I am also busy creating a range of bunting for the home, garden or even beach hut. I am looking forward to meeting people at the craft fair and getting some feedback on my designs, do come a visit me there.

Meet the stallholders...

Jacqui Rowing

Have you always been a 'crafty' person - how did you start making things to sell?

As far back as I can remember I have always been interested in arts and crafts. I used to spend hours drawing and sketching as a child.

I practise my lifelong interest in art in various media. I am trained in bakery and sugar craft and have made a number of wedding cakes, including my own, and other celebration cakes using both the Australian method and more traditional royal icing styles. My decorative methods include painting directly onto the icing as well as constructing 3D models.

I enjoyed cross stitch for many years but painting is now my main art form. I do paint on canvas but wood is my favourite medium with themes inspired by the countryside. I have sold these crafts at a few local craft, school fairs and online with good feedback which has encouraged me to continue.

Tell us a bit about what you make...

In the last few years I have developed an interest in painting on wood. Its texture complements my designs which are often inspired by East Anglian flora and fauna. I hand paint my own designs on wooden items of various sizes, finishing each with a varnish to preserve the work.

Producing art on Birchwood lace bobbins is a new interest. Getting the requisite detail of a fruit, flower, bird or feather onto such a tinysurface is a very challenging proposition. I sell bobbins individually, in pairs or sets of four, usually according to a theme. I am always open to new subject ideas and commissions.

All my work is hand painted. I never use transfers etc. It therefore follows that everthing I make is unique. Even if I were to try to produce two truly identical designs there would be subtle differences between them. Very subtle perhaps, but present nevertheless.

Meet the stallholders...

Lisa Doonan from Miss Lily's

Have you always been a 'crafty' person - how did you start making things to sell?

I have always been quite creative and I first became interested in flowers when my mother did a flower arranging course, which I would often accompany her to.

It wasn't until I hit my 30's that I decided to change my visual merchandising career for floristry. I studied hard at Writtle College for 2 years to gain my professional floristry foundation degree with distinction. I have a passion for flowers and love each season for the variety of flowers and colours they deliver. Summer has to be my favourite with the arrival of peonies, delphiniums, stocks and hydrangeas but roses, in many colours, will always be one of my favourite flowers.

Tell us a bit about what you make...

My work can be varied from bridal bouquets to funerals, but I mainly focus my work on creating bridal flowers and table/ venue decorations for weddings and events throughout Essex. After the wedding season I often spend the winter making table decorations, gifts and wreaths for Christmas.

Links:

http://www.misslilys.co.uk/

Meet the stallholders...

Penny Myers

Have you always been a 'crafty' person - how did you start making things to sell?

I come from a long line of knitters and from an early age knitted and crocheted. At Christmas I would make something handmade for the grandmas and aunts presents. Then once babies of friends and relatives arrived it would be all systems go for baby blankets, knitted cardigans and 3D name letters!

Tell us a bit about what you make...

For the fayre I will be bringing along Christmas bunting, 3D decorations, crocheted baby blankets and buggy blankets, Aran style cardigans and children's dressing up pirates costumes.

Meet the stallholders...

Rebecca Brumstead

Have you always been a 'crafty' person - how did you start making things to sell?

I have always been crafty since I was a child, my Mum used to make all sorts of things with me and at the age of 7 she taught me to knit and do cross stitch. Cross stitch was the main thing I did until 8 years ago when I was pregnant with my first daughter and I took up card making which I then sold to friends and family. But as the years went by I noticed that there were a lot of people that made their own cards so I decided to find another craft. So a couple of years ago I got into jewellery making. And then last year I really got into beading, another craft my Mum introduced me to! In fact it was because of Mum asking me to look for something on the internet for her that I found the baubles, fell in love with them and decided to give them a go. I decided to start selling just to get back a little bit of what I spend on supplies, and to give my partner's credit card a bit of a rest!

Tell us a bit about what you make...

Mainly I make beaded bauble covers, which are all different shapes and sizes. I also do hair clips, childrens bracelets, earrings, mobile phone/ bag charms and other Christmas decorations. I have lots of ideas so there may be other items on the day. This is the first time I have actually done anything to sell them other than to friends and family. I always try to find something that isn't often seen and am always willing to try new designs.

Meet the stallholders...

Pauline Sfendilis

Have you always been a 'crafty' person - how did you start making things to sell?

I have always loved 'creating' things and was French knitting, making pom poms and knitting from a very early age. I married a Greek man in the early 70's and went to live in a Greek community where all the Greek ladies would sit around crocheting and it was a case of joining them or feeling very left out!

In those days it was table cloths, bed spreads and the like but these days I crochet bags, back packs, scarves and beanies (which I design myself) and jackets, tops and cardigans. About 9 months ago my son-in-law asked me to crochet him a scarf and a beanie, and after he had worn them to work a flood of orders came in from his work mates, and it really took off from then!

Meet the stallholders...

Sarah Miner
Have you always been a 'crafty' person - how did you start making things to sell?

I have always loved drawing. I originally left school to go to art college and study medical illustration, but the course folded and I ended up with a career in biological sciences. Since having the children I have gone back to my first love of art, as I can fit it around school runs etc! I love the outdoors and walking and just drawing the scenes which inspire me. I realised I should do more with my art when it was received very well at a school Christmas Fayre. My next milestone is to organise a web site to sell online.

Tell us a bit about what you make...

I produce mainly landscapes and seascapes of East Anglia and the Isle of Wight (where I grew up). I use colour pencil, a medium which suits me as it allows fine detail and beautiful colours through layering, although the pictures do take a long time to complete! I sell my work mainly as limited edition Giclee prints, in presentation mounts, sealed and ready to frame, but also take commissions.