Ascot, Crikey at Killerton, candles & a new website!

July 3, 2014 by sam

Well Saturday is nearly here and I’m madly making candles for Selina Lake’s Handmade & Vintage Summer Fete and book signing in Guildford, 11am – 5pm. I’m honoured & excited to be asked to stall there (mainly due to my friend Kitty who gave her one of my candles last year & she loved it!) Kitty will be there too, serving the all important teas and coffees – come and say hi (especially to her – she’s nuts!)

We managed a family trip to North Devon where we visited a wonderful Sculpture Park and Art Hotel (Broomhill House near Barnstaple) I (obviously) loved this teacup! Difficult to find something that suits us all now and doesn’t involve shopping as girls are 16 and 12, but this ticked all the boxes!

We had our own Ascot Ladies Day round at a friends house & the sun shone, bets were placed, the BBQ was lit and plenty of Pimms was drunk! The cheapest charity shop outfit was supposed to win a bottle of fizz BUT Mel drank it all.

Killerton weekend was fantastic, again the sun shone down on us, I sold loads of candles & had a stall next to Kelly Rowe from Blueberry Hill Vintage we had such a giggle!

PP has been messing around with the website, still not done but looks much better and easier to navigate, fresh candle deliveries have gone off to The Crafted Emporium in Dartmouth Market Square, Good Golly Miss Molly (in Bunyip Beads, Fore Street, Exeter) and Honeysuckle Homes Interiors, Castle Circus, Torquay. Must dash off now though to get some candles made for the big day on Saturday x

Christmas Candle Craziness…..and new hair!

December 2, 2013 by sam

Oh blimey, it’s been ages since I’ve done a blogpost but it’s that crazy time of year again and as I couldn’t start building up my Christmas stock during the Summer I started off on the backfoot…..

this is my stall at Crikey it’s vintage in Exeter on November 16th where I practically sold out! Thankfully I had Helene helping me that day as I was a tad hungover!

These beautiful dolls were for sale on the stall opposite mine, made by a talented Russian lady, each one was intricately decorated with a handpainted face and its own character. It was her first fair and she deservedly did really well (I bought four!)

This is an order ready to post to my lovely friend Kitty who gave one of my candles to her friend (the stylist Selina Lake) who consequently mentioned it on her facebook page which resulted in an Etsy order – yay! Thanks Kitty! Check out her NOTHS shop, she makes fab cards…www.notonthehighstreet.com/kittys

Above is a selection of pretty candles I made for Christmas, all now sold! I had nine fairs during November and sold 245 candles – wow! I’m off to Ashburton in a minute to discuss stocking The Vintage Emporium and drop off an order, then back home for more candle making in preparation for my last fair on Saturday 7th December at The Guildhall, Plymouth.

Before The Carriage House fair in North Devon on Thursday evening we had to pop into Illfracombe to see Damien Hirst‘s “Verity” which now adorns the harbour, and very impressive she is too! I even had time for a radical new haircut…..what d’you think?

Sick of being sick!

November 16, 2012 by sam

AAaarrggghhhh….my busiest time of year and I’m sick of being sick! At least I work at home and have been able to potter around making candles (at a greatly reduced pace though!)

You may remember that I did some candles in unwanted Cath Kidston stuff that I had hanging around the house, well they are back for Christmas by popular demand (more pix on my facebook page) I have been cracking on with my orders….

These are for my postie who knocked with parcels the other day while I was making creme brulee candles…”what are you cooking?” he asked and then ordered four! Bless him.

I have been messing around with candles in 1950’s pottery, as vintage teacup candles seem to be popping up everywhere now and I don’t like to be doing the same as everyone else (unlike some people in Birmingham I could mention!) The trouble with programmes like Kirstie & her vintage home, is that things become more expensive and increasingly difficult to source. I am fortunate to have lots of vintage contacts now though, having been doing the shows for the last few years. They often let me know if they have jelly moulds etc. Don’t think I could survive without them now! Thanks gals!

My lovely friend Emma is organising this Christmas Craft Fair in North Devon on 29th November, it is in the Carriage House of a friends property and sounds lush (haven’t seen it yet) There will be various artists and makers, mulled wine and mince pies plus lots of festive goodies if you want to shop handmade and local this Christmas!

I have just found out that I am doing another local fair on the evening of November 27th, 7pm at The Crab Shack, Teignmouth (on the back beach by The Ship Inn) this is in aid of a fishermans charity. There will be lots of local goodies including driftwood & my candles…more info to follow..

I am in Portscatho on Sunday 10am – 3pm at The Memorial Hall. This is always a fab day out run by the artist Jane Winton and Gertie, who runs the gorgeous shop “The Sea Garden” in Portscatho village. Free entry, great local crafts, vintage homewares and yummy cakes!

I’m getting quite excited about Christmas now and hoping I’ll be lurgy-free….. I made my Guinness Christmas pud during the week and have my Christmas cake fruit soaking in Cherry Brandy in the fridge – yum! Today I’m making Amaretto candles, the whole house stinks and it’s making me feel extremely hungry. I should be trying to shift a few pounds in the run-up to festive over indulgence but I’m too ill & have already nearly finished the jumbo tin of Celebrations I bought for the hol’s and told the kids to leave alone! Fortunately MadMen 5 dropped through the letter box the other day so I have had Don Draper etc. for company and I’m reading a great book “The Woman Who Went To Bed For A Year” very encouraging, think I may take a leaf out of her book! Can’t wait for The Killing III on Saturday night too but for now I had better go and make some candles x