Pics from the craft market

Friday night was Craftzilla, a craft market run by Alt Shift Craft in the City Library in town where people could sell their wares.

Opening was for 6pm through to 9pm.

Of course you can tell which table was mine. 

Lots of lovely lavender bags for sale, I almost sold right out of them! I can't believe just how much people still enjoy lavender.

Butterfly wishes bunting, looked very pretty, but didn't sell, will be listing it in my Etsy store soon.

I'm not sure that people here are ready for buntings yet. 

There were a few around, and people picked them up often enough, but they just didn't seem to know what to do with them? 

More of Nathalie's suspender clips on price cards. I'm not totally sure why, 

but I could always sell the price cards!

Fabric hoops sold well too.

The fabric pins and hair clips got a good sort through by shoppers. 

A few pins on cards too, to add some variety to my table proved popular.

And of course there were some of these cheeky Santas.

Just because.

And standing at my table I faced the small platform where different entertainers came and played.  It was lovely to watch the different ones, but sometimes it got a bit loud.

And that was the market. 

I tried to keep my table not so cluttered, so that people could see what was on it.

I do tend to try and get as much onto the table as possible, but I think it looks a little better when it's not so cluttered.

When you're out looking at craft markets, or if you have a table yourself, 

how do you fill your table?

Do you have just a few of each thing and replace as it sells?

Do you put as much out as possible, and keep shifting things around as they sell?

Do you like looking at the things on a packed table?

Or do you like to see things spread out?

Let me know what you think.

Hope you're having a lovely weekend.

Carole x

Thankful for...

Carole :)

fabric fabric everywhere.....

brooches in the making

getting ready for the next craft market

friday 9th dec    

6 to 9pm 

palmy city library

Carole :)

A fine gardening weekend

I was thrilled to be able to get out and spend some time in the garden over the weekend. 

It was a funny weekend, it was scorching hot, then it rained, then we had an earthquake, a 5.7, then it was still and hot.

My vege garden is looking good at the moment. I like to go out in the evenings when it's starting to cool down. Water, pull weeds and collect strawberries. The lettuces are all looking lovely, we'll be having lots of salads

Various members of the family like to help.  (or sit and watch)

The blackbirds love the strawberries and have all taken lessons in the art of negotiating bird netting.

I'm picking 2 1/2 pound of strawberries every 2nd day. We eat them every day and I'm freezing them for puddings and jam making in winter.

I still have a little space in my vege garden, but I'm not sure what to plant in it. 

May be I'll put some carrot seed in?

Carole :)

Fighting my way thru the mess

I guess you all know how much I love to create a good mess? After the country fair last weekend I decided that my sewing room was seriously in need of some tidying. There was no space on either the tables or the floor!

I felt so much better after a few dedicated hours to cleaning. 

I think the best thing about cleaning up messes is that it makes room to create more! LOL

Hope you're all having a nice weekend!

Carole :)

Remember these?

Well those of you who tried to guess what they were might have noticed in the previous post that there was a pic of them?

That's right, they belong to the Santa's.

And we have one very clever winner, Mrs A
who guessed correctly, so I'll be sending you out the lovely fabric.

Meantime I need to seriously clean up my sewing room.

Carole :)

A gorgeous country fair

Friday night was blustery and grim and I wondered how I was going to cope with a fly-away gazebo while collecting lavender bags from the lawn.

But Saturday morning it was a little tamer and as we worked to get our buntings hung and the table looking nice the wind disappeared and the sun popped out now and again. 

Everyone was busy presenting their wares and making tempting displays of goods, from home interior

items inside the homestead, to cakes and books, baby clothes and jams, plants and quilts.

Traci and I were allocated a spot down on the bottom garden, right opposite Hester Guy's Cafe which made the best coffee by the way.

It was a lovely sheltered spot with a lovely old water fountain, with tables and chairs scattered round. People came and sat and ate club sandwiches and cakes and drank home made lemonade.

Once again my lavender bags were a best seller and I was pleased I had made extra so I could refill my hat case.

Twice during the day Hester Guy gave a talk and a demonstration to anyone who wanted to sit and listen. She had loads of tips for serving food to guests and catering for your guests at home. She also advised serving lots of small amounts of food before the main, then a small main, and a light desert. 

She also said that after only one glass of alcohol no one will appreciate the effort you've put into making your meal.

I thought she was a very interesting, down-to-earth cook.

She visited our table too and told us we had a lovely display and noticed the smell of lavender which wafted round our table.

I had wondered it people would be able to smell it out doors, but almost everyone commented on it.

Traci even sold lavender bags to a few men.

There were loads of nooks and crannies in the garden, and it is not surprising to learn it is hired out as a wedding venue.

New season's Santa's graced the table, some looked a little drunk, I don't think they were used to the bright sun!

Our gazebo looked lovely with all the different buntings fluttering in the breeze. 

Everyone commented on them. It was lovely to meet so many people, and some had even found my blog and popped in to say hello.

Pins for sale in ice cream sundae dishes.

Fabric brooches caught in the sunlight. 

Thanks Traci for helping me out. And to my friend Lynette who always comes by and takes a photo of me for the record! 

I think you might find some more photos on Lynette's blog....

Hope you're all enjoying your weekend too!

Carole :)

making plain bags pretty

Just taking the plain edge off brown paper bags.

Carole :)

a few more lavender bags

Fabric all cut out ready to sew.

Pretty little bags waiting to be filled.

Carole :)

A few buntings to hang around my table

Have to have a few strings of bunting around my table.

Think they'll look pretty fluttering in the breeze.

Carole :)

6th Annual Country Christmas Gift Fair

This coming Saturday 26th Nov I am having a table at the Country Christmas Gift Fair. 

If you are going to be in Palmerston North on Saturday it's well worth visiting. The last two years I went along to shop there were hundreds of people popping in and out.

It is held in the gardens of Caroline's Creative Interiors between 10am and 4pm. 

Poppies Bookshop will be there with their lovely selection of books and Hester Guy will set up a cafe and have a selection of yummy things to eat and drink. She will also hold two demonstrations of Creative Christmas ideas at 11.30am and 2.00pm.

What makes this market special is that this homestead used to belong to my great grandmother. My grandmother grew up here. There used to be a tennis court where the fountain is now. 

The grounds are beautiful and the old home is beautifully cared for. 

I will be down in this sheltered oval with the cafe and the tables and chairs. 

I've got a wee gazebo to put up over my table, but am keeping my fingers crossed it's not showery and blowy. I haven't had a table out of doors before.

There are lots of lovely nooks in the large developed garden. 

It must be amazing to live here.

There is going to be a lovely selection of Christmas gifts.

Caroline's Creative Interiors,

613 Fitzherbert East Road,

(between Aokautere and the Gorge)

10.00am to 4.00pm

Free Admission

Pop in and say hi if you are visiting!

Carole :)

sewing for the fair

I have another fair coming up next weekend, I have been sewing like there's no tomorrow. 

Or trying to.

Stamped calico.

Ready for sewing.

-Carole :)

A bit of exercise and fresh air

After what has seemed an eternity of sewing and ripping and hand stitching 

I felt the need to get out and get some fresh air and exercise.

What better place to go to than the beach.

Foxton.

A grey windy day, warm jackets, an excited dog.

Where the river meets the open sea

I love the textures

And when the wind blows 

all sign of life vanishes and new patterns are formed and discoveries are made

I used to play here as a child, 

these sand hills kept me healthy and happy and I knew every inch of them

they are full of memories

and today they leave me feeling refreshed and ready to start the stitching and cutting and compiling processes all over again :)

Carole  x