A Handmade Fair.....

...a fabulous weekend!

So i have just about recovered from the delight that was The Handmade Fair at Hampton Court.
An event for crafters, do-ers, learners, shoppers and more!  Set in beautiful parkland:

As an exhibitor, yes there were challenges getting in and setting up but hey, this is just part of the charm of a brand new show! I know it will be better next time as the staff and organisers were so very lovely and helpful and apologetic for the issues. The people we met were just lovely, friendly and interesting with so many crafts and clever sewing on show.

The other stallholders were amazing - such a group of talented people in one area - the place positively fizzled and popped with inspiration. 

As for the fabulous Ms Allsopp herself - well she was just charming and worked so very hard - on her feet all day, meeting, interviewing, crafting and smiling!

The fabuous Ms Allsopp

A happy Customer

Busy Stand with lovely folk

So all in all - a great show i would recommend a visit to all next year - i have signed up already!


Onto the next show which just happens to be the Cake & Bake Show - yey - Cake!
Our last ever show at Earls Court before it is transformed.....not sure how i feel about that, it is a beautiful building and i have worked at and visited shows there for almost 20 years on and off.

Talking about Cake - have you see the new Bakes and Cakes show in Islington this October? Brought to us by the fab BBC Good Food Show team, it looks like it will be amazing. Paul and Mary will be there along with lots and lots of top notch baking supremos - i cannot wait!

There are still a few tickets left: www.bbcgoodfoodbakesandcakesshow.com
and an offer:
"Save 20% on tickets to the BBC Good Food Bakes & Cakes Show!  All you need to do is quote the code 20WEB1 when you book your tickets."

Bargain!  We will be exhibiting with lots of lovely new baking goodies - some new exciting ranges - more stunning vintage china and cutlery - plus some fabulous gifts for the Baker in your life!

And so, off i must go and get ready for these shows.......but finally, i usually end with a little upbeat message - today is a little different i am afraid.

Yesterday we lost a beloved family friend who passed away peacefully in his sleep - he will be greatly missed and his sense of humour will always be with us - so to finish i would like to quote him and his now infamous phrase that always has us chuckling.....(please read this in a Scottish accent!!!)

is that a pudding......or a Meringue?

                                                                                                 Jim x

 Ta ta for now 
Melissa xxx

At last...

...i am moving to the countryside !

Finally we are moving - just a few years in the planning but this time next week we will be settling into out new home in the beautiful Cambridgeshire countryside.

We are renting this stunning Coach House - a complete change to the views of urban South East London!

not the whole house....just the closest half up to the garage door!

Enough about our new HQ.....what a couple of weeks we have had at both the Wealden Times Midsummer Fair and BBC Good Food Summer.

First up was the Midsummer Fair in lovely Hole Park, Benenden, Kent - always a beautiful fair - so many pretty, unique and just gorgeous items to buy from very talented crafts folk and store owners.
I had a few minutes to take a peek around and took some of these pooch pics as there was a bountiful number of perfect pooches scattered around - real and not!

the best smelling pooch ever!

Amazing ironwork......

just loved these statues

Onwards towards Birmingham and the BBC Good Food Show Summer (inc gardeners World Live) - i love this event! So many nice stallholders, customers and food!

It was great to catch up and snaffle more fabulous Gower Cottage Brownies (www.gowercottagebrownies.co.uk) mmmmmmmm - so delicious! And Kate is just as crackers as we are - so always a chortle-fest on the stand!

We met MasterChef winner Mat Follas - what a lovely chap, along with his assistant chef Katy who was also just lovely. 

mini milk bottles soon to be in his restaurant.....

 And here was my lunch from the show - this is the reason he is a MasterChef! just delicious......catch him on the MasterChef street food bus at a food festival near you!  www.matfollas.com

Queenie Scallops with steamed rice

The beautiful Lisa Faulkner paid a couple of visits to the stand - added to her collection of Piquot Ware (soon to be seen in her newest book coming out soon!) Not only a fabulous actress and an amazing chef but a truly lovely lady! 

Her books are just brilliant - check her website out here: www.lisafaulkner.co.uk


So, next up is the Kitsch and Stitch fair in Cranbrook next weekend (Saturday 5th July) - www.kitschandstitchfair.blogspot.co.uk  i just love this fair - haven't been able to come along to this event for a wee while - so am really looking forward to catching up with some old friends and lovely customers!

Until then - it is packing, sorting, clearing up, and clearing out!!! 

Cue the Blur song: "She lives in a House, A very big* house in the Countreeeee"  (*actually a smallish house!!!)

See you soon, 
Melissa xxx

April...

Already?

Time definitely does fly - we are almost at the end of April enjoying some lovely sunshine and showers!

Coming up this weekend is the first BBC Good Food Show Spring in the beautiful town of Harrogate - very excited as i love the BBC shows!
Come along and say hello if you are coming along - we are in the Bakes and Cakes section on stand number L16. Visit www.bbcgoodfoodshowspring.com for more details if you fancy a day of food and fun!

We are also rather chuffed to be in the BBC Good Food Magazine (although i am without make up and hair do as it was a very busy day!) Bottom left picture....

It has been an exhausting few weeks....made longer and more difficult due to being poorly again (grrrrr) anyway i am back and fighting fit ready for the weekend.

Here are a few pictures from the last month of shows:

Finally.....i had the pleasure of trying the latest fashion trend for sparkly lips!! So here i am blowing everyone a little kiss....ta ta for now xxx

Sniffles....

...and snuggles!
I shall not whinge and whine especially with everything going on around the country at the moment but i have a stoopid headcold! Am sat here snuggling in the warm with my pampered pooch Mr Barney! cue indulgent picture of him.....

Perfect time however to catch up on emails, blog posts, updates and other computer based things i never seem to get the chance to finish.

So - the exhibition diary is now updated so far for this year - a couple more events in the pipeline but a fun packed year ahead!
February is always an annoying month....bad weather, lack of booting, hardly and cash and events to pay out for in advance......arghhhh to be rich! 

But March, now there is a month to get mad about.....kicking off with the fabulous MK Handmade and Vintage event at Centre:MK  - totally free to come along to, crammed and packed with amazing stalls - if you are in the area, come along and say hello! www.mk-handmade-and-vintage.co.uk


Then next on the tour is a scary one for us - The Ideal Home Show......yikes! 17 days on the trot at Earls Court....not sure if we will sink or swim but you have to try.......(panic!)

In the middle of that is the fabulous Country Living Spring Fair www.countrylivingfair.com - was not sure i could do both but  it will be a challenge and Mr Tim and i are going to have to work doubly hard along with the lovely Miss Charlotte who will be offering her vintage charm to the shenanigans!!

So i do have some free tickets for the Spring Fair if you wish....drop me an email and i will pop some in the post to you!

That takes us to the end of March....April is all about cake!!! More about that later.....

Right, back to sniffling and sneezing! 

Have a safe and hopefully dry weekend!

xxxx 

Welcome....

2014!

Well i can't believe i am posting in 2014 already - it hardly seems a minute since i was welcoming 2013....time flies when you are having vintage fun!

What a year 2013 was - my first ever BBC Good Food Show was fantastic - another two amazing Cake & Bake shows and the professional Cake International show completed my cake expeditions ....all fabulous and i met some wonderful people. 

A few photos of my food and cake show adventures.....

The gorgeous Lisa Faulkner and Mr John Torode - fabulous customers

Cake Stand anyone?

A lovely time meeting up with an old college pal!

We did have time for a spot of afternoon tea...

Strawberry jam anyone?

Of course i can't miss out my wonderful dad!

 

 

It wasn't all Cake though with a return to Kitsch and Stitch in Cranbrook and Vintage & Handmade in Centre MK, Discover Vintage in York and Ripley Castle, Spitalfields and more.....

Added to all that i still found time to be with my bestest friends at the birth of their fourth beautiful son Callan, have a couple of weeks in Fiji as my husband worked there (i was lucky enough to not work but lounge around like a princess!) set up a unit in Halstead Antiques Centre, saw my brother in law and his wife have a beautiful daughter Marleigh, set up another unit in Flax & Twine in the Shambles, York. Waved my baby girl niece off to University,  produce, design and costume a christmas winter wonderland show, saw my other best friend become engaged to the man of her dreams......ermmmmm and i think that is it :)

So....new years resolutions? mmmmmm i always break them so not really - other than the usual - eat less, exercise more...(especially in the light of a wedding in Greece in 4 months time!) and continue on my vintage quest.......more fabulous events to follow!

So adieu for now.....xxx