Artisans & Markets

On Saturday there was an Artisan Market in the Village Hall across the road from my house, which I've spent the last couple of months organising. It was the second one I have organised (the first being before Christmas) and I loved every single minute of the planning.

Organising stuff is something I've always been part of. When I left college I worked voluntarily for an Arts Centre (see previous post) running the galleries and studios. It was fab but I had to go get a proper job eventually to actually earn some money. Then after a series of temp jobs I ended up as a Conference and Banqueting Co-ordinator for a hotel organising weddings and parties and conferences and the like. It was fab but then I ended up getting pregnant and having a baby. Then I went to work in a Theatre bar and restaurant organising people and functions. It was fab but then we moved to Devon. So, I've always been an organiser. And I LOVE it. I love organising parties, and functions, and events, and people and everything. It's a shame my house and business is so unorganised, but on the whole I am a bloody great organiser.

Anna Rayment (www.annarayment.co.uk)

Kindred Rose (www.kindredrose.co.uk)

Little Burrow Designs (folksy.com/shops/LittleBurrowDesigns)

So... I organised an Artisan Market. It was running alongside a village festival which included food, drink, music, stalls and various fun stuff. It was exciting and the first of its kind up here on our lovely little hill. I contacted some of my lovely crafty friends and producers and got them involved. I put up posters everywhere, I promoted it through a facebook page (here) and generally got 'on the case'. 

Dottie Doodle (folksy.com/shops/dottiedoodle)

Treespeake (www.treespeake.co.uk)

Revintage Jewelry (revintagejewellery.com)

Up early on Saturday (4am to be exact, worrying about everything and also suffering from hideous headache and sore throat), setting up the hall, flowers in vases, signs up, stallholders being directed, kettle on, cakes cut, meeting and greeting, it was great! The hall looked fab, the stalls looked great, and there was a real buzz about the place.

Frandie Macaron (www.frandiemacaron.co.uk)

Ross Prints (www.etsy.com/shop/RossPrints)

Just Claire Doorstops (facebook.com)

Everyone had a great day, we did loads of networking, chatting, drooling over each others bits and bobs, bouncing ideas off each other and generally having fun. However, the turnout was not as good as I'd hoped. At Christmas it was SO busy throughout the whole day, all the stallholders did really well and it was a massive success. However, having one on a bank holiday weekend at the start of a half term probably wasn't the best plan. But, it was a great day and we had lots of fun, and made some new friends. I came away inspired again. (Which as you know from my previous post hasn't been the case recently.)

Vintage Rose (www.vintagerose.co.uk)

The festival went on throughout the afternoon and the evening and was just wonderful. 

Live music playing while the sun set and we drank local bitter and laughed and chatted with friends. 

Overall, a beautiful day.

So, to summarise, I want to do it again. I want to be organising again. More markets, more stuff, more creativity. I've decided I need to surround myself with it all as it is something I adore doing. I just need to figure out how. So... watch this space!