Thursday 23 June 2011

Good news, bad news...

OK, so not really bad news, and it's all mixed in with the good news, so here goes.

Firstly, in the last couple of weeks I have had two shows at Morley Town Hall.  I think maybe Morley isn't quite the audience for my products.  In two shows, so, what 9 hours?, I made a grand total of 4 sales.  The most recent show, on 18 June, I made absolutely none at all!  It didn't help matters that there was a demonstration on the steps of the town hall, so no-one could actually get into the building!  It was a bit disheartening, but hey ho, you win some you lose some I suppose.

Secondly, I have been offered a stand at Handmade At The Corn Exchange!! It's a whole weekend - 2 and 3 July - right in the centre of Leeds, at the Corn Exchange funnily enough, and I'M SOOOO EXCITED!!  I've been trying to get a stand at one of these shows for ages!  Hope to see you all there!!

Thirdly, this is goodbye to this particular blog, it's been short but sweet, and it's been fun.  I will be closing down this page because...

TA DAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Welcome to www.petitsbijouxjewellery.co.uk!! Yes, my very own website!  I'm excited about it! Please do take a peek!  It's the first time I've ever done this, so please do let me know any improvements or suggestions!  All my blog updates will be done through the new website from now on so please update your RSS subscriptions.

Sunday 5 June 2011

Ilkley... And Beyond!

Last Saturday found me up and about at an absurdly early hour for a weekend.  The things I do for my art...  But a chilled-out train ride later and I arrived in Ilkley.  It's a very cute little town.  Almost reminded me of the Cotswolds, for you southern reader-types.  Setting up my table on my own was easier than I thought it would be.  I was half expecting Jo (the organising lady) to send a rescue party for me as I got lost under my enormous table cloth.  The problems of being a bit wee, eh?

 

The awesome Katherine came to help later in the day and brought some yummy sarnies for lunch, and helped out with the tons of sales.  The picture pendants and earrings were very popular again, but I sold a lot more semi precious items this time around.  I also took a few commissions!!

There were some awesome artists there as well, so I had a lovely time scoping out their tables.  Teazle Handmade Handbags were gorgeous.  Her table was right opposite mine, and I was eyeing up this but in a fabulous teal/turquoise colour.  I had to stop myself as I have more than enough bags already!!

The lovely Lucy from George and Lilly was next to me, selling her cute handmade felted items, and doing a roaring trade in her try-it-yourself felting kits.  I'd seen her before at the Reetsweet fair at Leeds Corn Exchange, so it was nice to put a face to a name!


And Jennifer Duenas, who I'd met at Saltaire was also there, it was lovely to catch up with her again!

So all in all a successful day! (There was good cake too).

And so on to the next one...  A friend at work is taking part in the Round The Island Yacht Race, in aid of the Ellen Macarthur Cancer Trust (basically, who can sail round the Isle of Wight the fastest).  She has been making a few items of jewellery as favours for her forthcoming wedding and so she asked if I would help out with a jewellery sale at work.  Of course I said I would love to help out!  So last Tuesday, Julie, me and a couple of office WAGS set up our wares in one of the meeting rooms.  I had taken my camera to take a few snaps to show you, but what a muppet, I totally forgot and my camera lay in the bottom of my bag all day!!

By the end of the day we had raised almost £150, which will be matched by our bosses!

To find out more about the boat race, check this out:  www.roundtheisland.org.uk
And for the Ellen MacArthur trust: www.ellenmacarthurtrust.org

If you want to sponsor our mental brave colleagues you can click here!! charitiestrust.org

And finally, next stop... Morley!!  I had an e-mail from the organisers asking if I was still attending the show next weekend.  It's a good job they reminded me, as it wasn't in my diary! Oops!!

I have also secured a stand at the Wakefield Craft Market in August and September.  This is on a MUCH bigger scale than I have worked to previously, so it's going to be a huge challenge!  It will be on Union Street in the town centre on the 3rd Saturday of each month.  This time it's 2 tables, and as it's outside, I am having to re-think my display and layout (with help from my Dad!).  Not only does it have to be bigger, it also has to be easily transportable and fit into a suitcase, as I will be travelling on the train, but it also has to be wind-proof!!  Thinking hat is on!!!