Tablecloths and Tiaras....

Or rather hats. We went on a crafty day out with Chorley Contemporary Crafters (www.chorleycontemporarycrafters.blogspot.com ).  We visited the Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair http://www.greatnorthernevents.co.uk/ and I met a Milliner for the very first time in my life, an actual real life Milliner I suppose they do exist but you never see them when browsing the hat section at Debenhams. She was a lovely lady wearing one of her own fabulous creations and selling for herself.  www.hatelier.co.uk

She was keen to have us try on several of her creations including one very reminiscent of SJP in the first SATC film with the ‘actual’ bird on her head. Though I never did check if it was a real of fake bird. K and I of course suited every single one we tried. Down to skill of the hats?....probably.

There was a lovely girl who made ribbon necklaces, of which our group bought several (link to follow), a stall filled with stunningly lovely teasets with an Alice in Wonderland inspired design, my favourite www.denisemoloney.co.uk . 

Plus another gorgeous stall of ceramics/pottery run by two girls who had arrived that morning with a full welsh dresser in tow. www.theartsalon.co.uk

click on pic and you can read the text

And a fabulously funny set of canvases displaying wire worker bees with a corporate twist, both K and I had visited this room separately but apparently fixed upon all the same things.

Making these ceramic boats and huts is apparently a dangerous sport,
including burning sawdust and molten copper.

Lastly the ladies who knit, beautiful modern scarves and shawls, K tried a few which looked great but unintentionally insulted them by likening one particular scarf to a tablecloth her gran owned....oops.  Of course she meant it as a compliment, it had a timeless vintage look, with lacy pattern knitted in a gorgeous delicate pale green wool and was the one that actually suited K the best.  They were still kind enough to pose for a picture, unfortunately we didn’t get one of the scarf due to our acute embarrassment. www.debbiebryan.co.uk

Next we visited Manchester Craft and Design Centre (http://www.craftanddesign.com/)

There is a gorgeous cafe slap bang in the middle of the action, a really calm comfortable atmosphere, tonnes of light flooding in from the glass roof above, varying style shops/studios over two floors all packed with handmade loveliness and  it is just the most green eyed monster inducing place ever.  Being a lover of quirky facades dating back to a youthful visit to Port Meirion (from which I now own a lovely set of cups and saucers) and cute crafty shops, I felt this place ticked every box on my ‘to be coveted’ list.  It was a cross between the crafty  atmosphere of Heskin Hall in Eccleston Lancashire http://www.heskinfarmersmarket.co.uk/ and the lovely facade style of the New Orleans link to the food court in the Trafford Centre.  

Oops everyone sat waiting for us to move onto Fred Aldous
(if I'd had any cash with me I'd have happily stayed here all afternoon,
perhaps I'll return next month or in December when it will be all decked out with baubles etc.)

Right off to dream my dreams.

Dolly Daydream

K arranged our stall this time and I wasn’t allowed to see it until Sunday. V.exciting.  I knew the basics and had received a text earlier in the week to say she was dressing up as a doll and I was free to do likewise!  Luckily I had just the outfit ... as you do.

So eyeliner and out of date facepaint in-situ and off I tripped on Sunday morning to see our lovely stall, and lovely it was too don’t you think.

'What do you see?
You people gazing at me.
You see a doll on a music box that's wound by a key'  
SING ALONG
(if only I knew how to add background music to our blog)

The winner of our theme competition was Lesley McGuire x

Several children asked was this my real hair as they coloured in dolls house pics and stuck pumpkins and bats to cards on the free craft table.  More to come next time (4 December, same time, same place).

The Coach House is a lovely canvas for our stalls and this time we were in the upper room which although a bit more of an effort for visitors to get to (via lift or spiral stairs) it is a gorgeous room and I feel more photogenic than the colder white walls downstairs. I could live very happily in a place like this (contented sigh). Anyway here are a few shots from the day, including my favourite stall which had to be Helen Pickup’s with her vibrant and eye catching items.

For more pics check out Chorley Contemporary Crafters blog, where there are also links to many of our stalls own websites.

One last thing before I go – I am pondering whether to buy littlest petal a dress in one of these fabrics but cannot decide, any thoughts?

With that I leave you with this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AnkLKjVXXk&feature=like-suggest&list=UL
XxNikxX