Handm@de - Oxford November 29th 2009

Handm@de Oxford - 2010

2010-06-08T10:22:00.000-07:00

There is good news, and there is bad news...

The good news is mine - I'm expecting my first baby!

The bad news? Its due towards the end of November - which is bad news for anyone wanting to visit or attend Handm@de Oxford 2010 since I've had to cancel the date that I had booked. I just didn't think that labour would mix too well with the running of a craft fair.

Rest easy though - I fully intend to run a Christmas fair towards the end of November next year. To be kept informed please sign up to the mailing list over on the website: http://handmadecraftfairs.co.uk/contact_us.html - we promise not to pass your details on to anyone else, and we will not spam you!

Handm@de Oxford 2009 - TODAY!

2009-11-28T01:00:00.000-08:00

Come along to Handm@de Oxford today (November 29th 2009) to see some of the areas most creative talent. You'll find some gorgeous gifts, as well as many things you'll want to keep all to yourself!

Visit the Handm@de website for information on other fairs or to sign up to our mailing list.

An A-Z of Exhibitors... "U" is for;

2009-11-25T06:00:00.000-08:00

The UK Street Team is collective of UK makers and sellers, dedicated to spreading the handmade word and promoting their work to as wide an audience as possible.

And that is the last in this series of an A-Z of exhibitors since I can't think of the V, W, X, Y or Z - sorry to disappoint anyone who was waiting to see if I'd manage!

An A-Z of Exhibitors... "T" is for;

2009-11-23T06:00:00.000-08:00

Takara Earrings Tickly Spider Tiger Buttery Tinderbox Designs
(no website)

Turned and Twisted Turvys
Twinkly Spangle
(Handm@des very own promo wrangler)

An A-Z of Exhibitors... "S" is for;

2009-11-22T06:00:00.000-08:00

Silver Queen Snapdragon Beads

(another of our organisers, and another Alice! This Alice is running Handm@de Cambridge, which will be in Cambridge Guildhall on December the 5th)Strikk Strikk

An A-Z of Exhibitors... "R" is for;

2009-11-20T06:00:00.000-08:00

Raspberry

(one of our fabulous organisers! Alice organises the Winchester events)

An A-Z of Exhibitors... "Q" is for;

2009-11-19T06:00:00.000-08:00

Quercus Silver

An A-Z of Exhibitors... "P" is for;

2009-11-17T06:00:00.000-08:00

Paperose
(no website)

Penny Dog Accessories

Pollys Dolly

Poor Robin

An A-Z of Exhibitors... "O" is for;

2009-11-16T06:00:00.000-08:00

Oddball & Sticks
(no image available)

An A-Z of Exhibitors... "N" is for;

2009-11-14T06:00:00.000-08:00

Namolio

An A-Z of Exhibitors... "M" is for;

2009-11-13T06:00:00.000-08:00

Magpie Nest
Miabelle Jewellery
MomentsbyMartha
(thats me... Handm@de Oxford organiser!)
Monda
Mr Tolley - Woodturner
(no website)

My Aphrodite
My Ehive
My Funny Bunny

An A-Z of Exhibitors... "L" is for;

2009-11-11T06:00:00.000-08:00

Little Button Nose

Louise Mitchel Love A Little Lovely Lilley Lucy Perkins

(no website)

Lush Lampwork

An A-Z of Exhibitors... "K" is for;

2009-11-10T06:00:00.001-08:00

Kate & Anna

An A-Z of Exhibitors... "J" is for;

2009-11-08T06:00:00.000-08:00

Joanna Marie Jewellery

(website not working)

Joe Hurry Creations Junky Chicken

An A-Z of Exhibitors... "I" is for;

2009-11-07T06:00:00.000-08:00

In a Pickle
(no website)

Meet the Maker - Little Button Nose

2009-11-06T06:00:00.000-08:00

Tell us a little about you

Hi My name is julie aka little button nose. When choosing my website name, my nickname from school came to mind as I wanted something that was quirky, a name people would remember and smile at...and yes I do have a very small nose!

Have you always been crafty, or is it something that you've picked up more recently?

I have been making things for many many years as I am at my happiest creating new and exciting things, it started with making presents for friends and then I decided to sell my products at craft fairs and recently I have started exhibiting at wedding fairs.

Have you been particularly influenced by any other artists or events?

I love Carolyn Gavin designs, her quirky illustrations and colour combinations are lovely and also I love Caroline Gardners greeting cards and associated products, I better not get started about how excited I get when I go to Paperchase in London!! A kid in a sweetie shop comes to mind!

What is your favourite piece?

ooooh thats a tough one. I had so much fun designing my notecards sets, using patterns and textures and experimenting with different colour combinations and I am very pleased with the simple yet effective way of packaging the cards, but I am very excited to launch my new range of canvas designs at Handm@de Oxford.

What other artists are you excited about seeing at Handm@de Oxford?

I am very excited to see EVERYONE at Handm@de Oxford, from looking at the blog and seeing everyones lovely products I think it may be best if I leave my wallet at home!

An A-Z of Exhibitors... "H" is for;

2009-11-05T06:00:00.000-08:00

Hannah Chan Hatastic Haven Glass
(no website)
Hodge Podge Arts

An A-Z of Exhibitors... "G" is for;

2009-11-04T06:00:00.000-08:00

Garnet Gem Tree, by Little Gem Trees

Meet the Makers - Quercus Silver

2009-11-03T06:00:00.000-08:00

Silver and Resin are married into wonderfully smooth and organic pieces by Su Trindle that you - well me at least - just want to run off with and possible try and eat, some of them look so... juicy! So over to Su to tell us all....
My name is Su Trindle and I work in silver, often adding resin, making modern, bold, jewellery. I was for many years a restless spirit, travelling and working round the world until I have eventually settled here in beautiful Bath with a lovely bloke and our 2 boys.

I think my inspiration was my grandmother, although I never met her . She worked as a jeweller in Birmingham's jewellery quarter and I was always fascinated by her work. Curiosity overcame me and a few of years ago I decided that I 'd do things properly. I took a deep breath and enrolled for a short silversmith course. And I loved it. The soldering, hammering, polishing, hot metal and alchemy of it all captivated me. I am still studying, now.

Last year after an innocent trip to the local flower show I came home with a shed. My lovely bloke made me a workbench, bought some tools and silver and said go on then, get on with it. So, I have. I've always sewn and quilted and generally stitched, I love colour and fabric. Adding resin and colour to my work is very exciting, helping define a new style for me.

My etsy shop is great, allowing me to develop ideas and boosting my confidence and business savvy. I think it helps focus my attention on making my pieces as good as they can be. I want my customers to be as proud of their jewellery as I am.

I can't wait to go to handm@de and see what everyone else does;

Strik Strik's knitted cushions, a great exampleof modern knitting.

HodgepodgeArts little porcelein bowls, so delicate and dramatic

Fabric Nations adorable retro dogs

Random Pearls of wisdom;

1. You'll never be lonely if you quilt on a bus

2: Children get more fun from the cardboard box than the contents

3. When you ask "what ya thinking" and he says "oh, nothing". He ain't lying

4. Never stop learning

An A-Z of Exhibitors... "F" is for;

2009-11-02T06:00:00.000-08:00

Fabric Nation

Funny Banana

An A-Z of Exhibitors... "E" is for;

2009-11-01T06:00:00.000-08:00

EdimArts

(website not working)

Edwina Simone

Elizabeth Hurst
(no website)

Emerald Frames

An A-Z of Exhibitors... "D" is for;

2009-10-31T06:00:00.000-07:00

Dressing Up Chest

Drew Burnett

Meet the Maker - The Cake Factory

2009-10-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

Hi - I'm Tina - married to scrummy hubby Tim with two gorgeous girls, Georgie 8 and Poppy 6 and two lovely step-children, Calum 16 and Jess 14. We live in a little hamlet 3 miles outside Woodstock, Oxfordshire with our absolutely gorgeous cocker spaniel Beanie who thinks he's human just like the rest of us!

I guess I've always erred on the side of arty crafty but never really put it to good use. Not until I had my children that is and started making their birthday cakes. It all grew from there - I absolutely love designing and creating cakes that are uniquely special to someone. It's a challenge and enormous fun and hopefully puts a smile on people's faces! Christmas is always special and I love decorating these cakes, hopefully creating a bit of sparkle, not to mention scrumptious to eat!

An A-Z of Exhibitors... "C" is for;

2009-10-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

The Cake Factory

Chi Chi Moi

Cloudhopping
Coco Crafts

Meet the Maker - Hodge Podge Arts

2009-10-27T06:00:00.000-07:00

Tell us a little about you

My name is Karen Turner, creator of HodgePodgeArts. I am married to Martin and have 3 children and a very lazy lurcher called Archie. I am based in Brackley, Northamptonshire.

Have you always been crafty, or is it something that you've picked up more recently?

Although I originally trained as a nurse over 25 years ago I have always had an interest in art. I have been creative in some way all my life but it was when I visited a Jackson Pollock exhibition in 1999 and was blown away by the sheer energy and life in his paintings that I decided to take my interest in art much more seriously. Since then I have completed various art courses including 'Preparation For Fine Art' and an 'Art and Design Foundation' course where I gained a distinction. I am currently studying for a BA (Hons) Design Crafts degree at Oxford and Cherwell college and will be showing my work at New Designers, London , in 2010.

Have you been particularly influenced by any other artists or events?

I have a long list of Artists and crafts people who I admire or have influenced my work in some way over the years. I visit New Designers show most years and have just been to see the first part of "Origin", came out of there with my head buzzing full of ideas!! waaaay too many for my poor ole head to cope with! :-) but I love going to art exhibitons, craft fairs and galleries of all descriptions. Etsy and the Handm@de fairs have been fantastic. They have built up my confidence as well as introducing me to lots of other wonderful like minded people.

What is your favourite piece?

My favourite ceramic piece of work that I have made so far is an installation piece I did as part of my degree course this year. It is called "Forgotten" and is about the decline in family values and families no longer sitting around the table to eat their meals together. The table has been laid out but only one person has sat down to eat. The whole piece is meant to look as if it has been left for years to deteriorate, abandoned.

What other artists are you excited about seeing at Handm@de Oxford?

Oohhh I love seeing all of them!! They are all so fabby!
I love looking at all the jewellery makers as it is something I can't do myself but I also love chatting to other ceramic artists/potters about ideas, making processes etc as there is always so much to learn.

An A-Z of Exhibitors... "B" is for;

2009-10-25T06:00:00.000-07:00

Barbara Goodbun

Beads By Sam

Belflair Chocolates

Blue Fish Handmade

Button Moon

An A-Z of Exhibitors... "A" is for;

2009-10-23T06:00:00.000-07:00

Acorn Attic

Alex Fendryk

Alison Pilkington

Meet the Maker - MiaBelle Jewellery

2009-10-21T06:00:00.000-07:00

Tell us a little about you

Hi I'm Belinda, I live in Staffordshire with my husband and son. I'm originally from Australia and have been living in the UK for 7 years. I run Mia Belle Jewellery and sell on a number of different UK & global sites. I also sell brass jewellery findings & stampings on Etsy, my store is The Brass Charm Co. Lastly I run Shop Handmade UK, a directory of UK based designer / makers now with over 1100 designers listed.

Have you always been crafty, or is it something that you've picked up more recently?

Yes, crafting and making started when I was about 10yrs old. I would make fabric lavender sachets and sell them on consignment at a local craft & gift shop. My mother has always been a crafty person so it just rubbed off on me and crafting was something we always did. It was later in my teens when my mother moved into making bridal headwear using Swarovski crystal that I started making jewellery.

Have you been particularly influenced by any other artists or events?

I wouldn't say I'm influenced by just one artist, I think seeing the vast amount of talent we have in the UK is inspiration itself. Seeing the different materials & techniques designers use is interesting and it does make you think outside the box. Recently my mother visited from Australia and she has been working with silver art clay so I started to test a few designs out and I hope to bring some of these to Handm@de Oxford.

What is your favourite piece?

I really like my Flora Gold Earrings. I love gold and the handmade hoops compliment the gorgeous Czech glass flowers. They are a stunning green with gold flecks on them.

What other artists are you excited about seeing at Handm@de Oxford?

I'm really keen to see Pennydog Jewellery & Quercus Silver, both who work with resin but in such very different ways. I'm also keen to see all of Hatastics' designs as I've seen Chloe's hair clips and they are gorgeous.

Gift Ideas - Food!

2009-10-19T06:00:00.000-07:00

Christmas isn't Christmas without plenty of delicious food!

At the moment we have 2 food sellers on our list - both were with us last year too, and both were mentioned several times in the days after the 2008 fair, by visitors and exhibitors alike.

Above: Sand Art Cookie Jars by Caroline of 'In A Pickle'
Below: Chocolate Selection by Mervi of 'Belflair Chocolates'

Joe Hurry Creations

2009-10-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

Joe Hurry Creations is a new addition to our list of sellers - as I was adding the link to the list to the right of the blog I carried on and checked out his shop... only to find this card which made me giggle;

Meet the Maker - PennyDog Accessories

2009-10-15T12:21:00.000-07:00

This week we're chatting to Kerry of PennyDog Accessories. Kerry is returning to Oxford this year with her gorgeous resin jewellery and accessories.

1) Where does the name PennyDog come from? Its quite unusual!

PennyDog came about when I adopted a greyhound- Penny- and I wanted to donate money through my craft to rehoming more ex-racers by donating to the Retired Greyhound Trust.

2) How long have you been making resin jewellery? It looks like it takes a lot of time and effort to create.

It actually doesn’t take that long at all as it’s made in batches and there’s a lot of waiting around for it to cure. I’ve been making jewellery for over 10 years since I sold it to my teachers at school during lessons! I’ve tried various mediums including Precious Metal Clay, polymer clay, beadweaving, etc. Resin has been something I’ve worked with for coming up to 18 months now so it looks like I’m sticking with it this time!

3) Are you exhibiting anywhere else in the next few months?

I am setting up a workshop/gallery space due to launch on 1st November so a lot of my time before then is being devoted to the set up of that and filling orders from my stockists for Christmas. However there are a few big fairs, about 5 weekend days in a row over November, my details are over here!

4) If you had to choose one thing to buy at Handm@de Oxford, what would it be?

I already have a beautiful crochet necklace from Blue Fish Handmade, so I think it will have to be a vintage fabric doggy from Fabric Nation, I’ve had my eye on one for ages!

Gift Ideas - Home Furnishings

2009-09-20T13:25:00.000-07:00

In the first of the 2009 series of Gift Ideas we're looking at some of the amazing home furnishings that our exhibitors have to offer.

First up is this magazine rack by Kate and Anna. These ladies produce some stunning furniture - simple, a little bit retro and seriously lovely.

Next we have a couple of pieces of wall art, very different to one another. Louise Mitchel creates digital images with a real sense of movement, and Steph (of Handmade Heaven) creates artwork from fused glass.

Robert is the woodturning half of Turned and Twisted, creating varies wooden items including gorgeous pot pourri containers from all sorts of different woods.

And last, but by no means least, is Hodge Podge Arts. Karen creates decorative ceramic pieces, from spoons to buttons to bowls and wallhangings. This little bowl really caught my eye.

Meet the Maker - Emerald Frames

2009-09-05T12:27:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the latest in the series of Meet the Maker posts. This week, we've spoken to Cath Friend of Emerald Frames. Cath also joined us in July at Handm@de Winchester where her frames really went down a storm!

Tell us a little about you.
Hi there. I'm Cath Friend, a picture framer from Buckinghamshire and I am really looking forward to the handm@de fair in Oxford!! I attended the handm@de fair in Winchester and had a wonderful day, met loads of lovely fellow crafters and sold lots of my little reclaimed frames. I am really happy to supply an ECO product for the fair, as ethical and handmade is a good product for the heart and the planet.

Have you always been crafty, or is it something that you've picked up more recently?
I have always been a bit crafty (no pun intended!) but have framed professionally for the last five years. This is my first year out on my own as a full time picture framer and I'm loving it!

Have you been particularly influenced by any other artists or events? I love the huge amount of diversity and talent out there currently. I could spend all day just surfing through blogs, online craft sites and visiting fairs. The quality and workmanship of others is amazing...

What is your favourite piece? My favourite piece changes on a daily basis, however as all my frames are unique and individual, the are often quite different too. By using reclaimed and recycled products, I have to design around what materials I have available, which drives my designs and each completed frame.

What other artists are you excited about seeing at Handm@de Oxford? I love Monda-Loves and although I was nearby her in Winchester I left without buying any goodies. I had my eye on a pink stripey cat that I'm hoping to bring home from Oxford! Also I love Raspberrys bags and Tickly Spiders Perpetual Calendars - aren't they great and good value for money too? I am of course also very interested to see the photography from Drew Burnett, as pictures and art is my world, so I'll be checking them out too!

Meet the Maker - Hatastic

2009-06-01T11:27:00.000-07:00

This week we say 'Hi' to Chloe of Hatastic. I'm really looking forward to meeting Chloe first at Winchester and then again at the Oxford fair, she makes some beautiful fascinators - I especially love this one in pale pinks...

What got you into crafting?
I've always had a keen interest in making things. Usually it comes about when I want something a little bit different, either in my house, or to wear and either I can't find it, or when I do its too expensive for my budget, so I make it instead!

Tell us something about yourself that people might not know?
I was Young Clothes Show Designer of the Year when I was 16.

What is the best thing about making jewellery/ceramics/your craft
discipline?
The satisfaction and thrill of having made something and it gets noticed and complimented on is the best. Before I started selling my hats, people used to come up to me and asked where I hat bought my hat! Wish I had had some business cards then!

Who would you like to see dressed up in one of your pieces?
Ooo it would have to be people like Erin O'Connor, Alison Goldfrapp, Roisin Murphy, Bjork and even Lady Gaga! C'mon - you know you want to...

If you have anything you would like to say about your craft, taking part in Handm@de etc, please let me know.
Having only begun my business in March in this year, so much has happened! I have a 10 piece order, two commissions for bespoke pieces and next week a very exciting meeting to provide a service making bespoke headdresses for an ethical wedding dress service. But I have to say the buzz started with my application to attend my very first craft fair with Handm@de. I can't wait to see first hand what people say about my current collection!

Only 7 tables left...

2009-04-15T14:19:00.000-07:00

With a little over 7 months to go untill the fair, we now only have 7 tables left.

We're full for Jewellery and Textiles - unless your product is totally unique and unlike anything already offered of course!

We would love to have a baker, or a confectioner, maybe a couple more card makers, a potter or two would be good... get in touch - handmadeoxford@gmail.com

Meet the Maker - Beads By Sam

2009-04-08T14:24:00.000-07:00

Your work has beading, crochet, and delicate detail. How long have you been making jewelry and crafting?
The first time I did anything crafty was when I made 150 wedding gifts for my wedding 4 years ago. I was not a crafty person but I did love craft products. Then I have started to make bead jewellery since January 2008.

What made you open your etsy shop?
I started to make bead jewellery after being introduced to it by my friend Jenny who makes gorgeous necklaces and rings. I have since found making bead jewellery a great therapy for stress relief and a great way to spend my free time. I feel good when I wear my own necklaces and even better when people comment on how nice they look! Friends and family suggested that I start selling the jewellery once they found out that I made them myself. That’s how it all started.

How did you come up with your Etsy shop name?
I wanted a simple shop name that was easy to remember. I used my nickname along with what the shop was about and so ‘Beads By Sam’ was born.

Your jewelry is quite unique. I love how your creations seem organic- the beads do not seem so far removed from their natural state. Is nature an influence on your work? What are your inspirations?
Yes, nature definitely influences my work. I personally love the look and feel of natural materials. Last year I went to an amazing resort in Thailand where everything was made from natural materials. It was a great inspiration. I have also tried to find a way to keep myself busy in my free time and be happy in what I am doing. I have found happiness in making bead jewellery.
What would you like to tell people about your shop?
I hope you will enjoy my jewellery as much as I enjoy making them.

Handm@de Cambridge

2009-04-06T10:54:00.000-07:00

Saturday saw Handm@de Cambridge set up in the Guildhall. Some 43 stalls, with a lovely mix of items up for sale - including ceramics by Lauren Denny, wooden bowls and pens by Turned & Twisted, not to mention some stunning art, lovely jewellery and fabulous fabric goodies!

The word had gotten around, with a bit of a queue of people waiting at 11 when the doors opened. No doubt they were after one of the fab goody bags that we had put together. Over the course of the day we had just over 600 visitors, a wonderful turnout especially in the current economic climate. One of our visitors was Etsy's International Development person, Liz. A lovely lady! Another visitor of note (we think... no-one is absolutely sure!) was Rory McGrath... I didn't notice, but then I have the observational skills of a blind, deaf non-observational thing! There were great comments from stallholders and visitors alike, with many commenting on how much they liked that we had made a decision not to accept resellers.

I had a great day, and am now looking forward to Winchester on July 5th.

Bag Packing, Promos and Cambridge

2009-04-01T14:41:00.000-07:00

I spent Sunday at Katies house along with Deepa (the lovely lady in charge of the Cambridge Handm@de) and helped along by Alan, Katies new 8 week old kitten.
We opened a few packages that had arrived in the last few days, stamped and filled over 200 goody bags ready to hand out on Saturday.
Below are a few examples of the absolutely fabulous samples that are in the bags - from (left to right, top to bottom) Dan Jackson, Lazy Giraffe, Raspberry, Zoe Sharp, Jennys Textiles, Chalk Hill Studio, Fabric Nation, the Chown Jewels and Coco Crafts.

Haven't sent anything in yet? Don't worry - you can still send things in for the Winchester and Oxford fairs. You can also now be added to a mailing list for info on upcoming fairs.

Handm@de Cambridge, the first Handm@de fair of the year, will be on Saturday April 4th (yes, thats this weekend).
The doors will be open from 11 until 5, with a huge variety of stalls, from jewellery to textiles, from art to ceramics, from paper goods to turned wood - check out the list of exhibitors over on the blog.

Hope to see you all there.

Promos - Final call for Cambridge

2009-03-24T05:47:00.000-07:00

With Cambridge now less than a fortnight away I thought that a little reminder was in order. Deepa and I will be making our way to Katies this weekend to stamp and fill all of the goody bags that will be given away at the Cambridge fair... so if you do want to send us anything (freebies, promos, business cards) to pop inside them then you need to get them in the post as soon as you can!

More details can be found here. Check out this little lot of goodies that we've already got piled up and waiting to be bagged!

You can also send us things to give to the Blue Cross raffle... remember to include a business card so that those that don't win your item can look you up once they get home!

Meet the Maker: MagpieNest

2009-03-09T13:12:00.000-07:00

In the very first of the 2009 series of Meet the Maker features we look to MagpieNest and her stunning jewellery - modern, stylish and gorgeous!

Why MagpieNest?

Actually, it was my friend’s idea – she thought it would be a good name for a jewellery shop because surely a magpie keeps shiny things in its nest! It’s fun and it’s a bit different :-) Sally has her own business selling designer tea towels made by exciting British artists – you can see them at www.todryfor.com. I love the name of the site. I think she just has a talent for a good name!!

Why make stuff?

I can’t really imagine not making stuff – I grew up in a very creative family. My mom is an artist (www.mariekedewaard .co.uk) and so my sister and I always had access to paint, paper, glue, crayons…basically any art supply you can think of! One project I remember really well was when my sister and I were in our phase of being fascinated by dinosaurs – my mom helped us fashion a big dinosaur out of chicken wire and then we covered it with white plaster so we had our very own dinosaur – what a brilliant project! I wish I had a photo of it, but sadly I don’t! So my mom paints, my sister is knitting fiend extraordinaire, my dad is very into photography, my grandmother sews tapestries, my aunt is a tailor, my other aunt is an excellent interior designer, etc…so it runs in the family!

What’s your favourite piece of your jewellery?

I love making things with really clean lines – I like the sculptures of Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth and I like to think I get a bit of those bold, strong, clean lines into my designs. My favourite items to make are rings and my current favourite is the one above, made with silver and an 18k gold ball, which I’ve been perfecting for about a year.

What handmade stuff do you have your eyes on?

Lots of things, but let me limit myself to two who are also based in Reading, Berks...I really like the elegant, modern look of ceramics by Lauren – in particular this vase, and I've already got some fabulous gloves from knithappens over on Etsy.

Facebook

2009-03-01T11:29:00.000-08:00

Handm@de have gone all internet savvy with a faceboo k page... so, help us to spread the word and join us there!

Click on the links on the righthand side of the Handm@de Craft Fairs page, and you'll see this years 3 events listed - Cambridge, Winchester & Oxford...

The Handm@de Philosophy

2009-02-23T11:08:00.000-08:00

Everything at Handm@de is exactly that, and by supporting Handm@de you are supporting local artists and crafters.

Oxford, with its thiving local suburbs and their communities, already has a great place to shop if you're looking for local produce - The Covered Market - which is open 6 days a week. With gift shops, cafes, clothing and food shops it covers a decent sized area - you can easily spend a couple of hours browsing and enjoying the atmosphere.

Images kindly supplied by Andrew Murray and Candy Pop

Have you been on holiday, and thought ‘I wish there was something like this near me?’ or been in an art gallery and thought ‘why can’t I afford to buy something original?’. Maybe you have thought ‘Someone should do that!’

Well, this is precisely what a group of four online sellers of arts and crafts thought when they heard about ‘We Make’ - a non-profit craft fair in central London. The only difference was that they decided to take action!

Their only link to each other was through selling online at Etsy – an American site dedicated to allowing individuals the world over to sell their handmade goods.

“While online selling is a great way to showcase my products to a worldwide audience, the various handmade sites are still building their reputations and aren’t yet very well known. This makes shows where the customer can pick up, touch & try on my items a far more valuable exercise” said one of the women behind Handm@de, “somehow this makes the product more real, more tangible – and as such finding a good, central and affordable fair is the small scale crafters equivalent of finding the holy grail”.

All too often fairs fall into one of two types, those that are very small, poorly advertised and well hidden in the depths of a village school, or those in Stately Homes, Castles and marquees. The latter often need a commitment of 3 or 4 days, and charge you hundreds of pounds to get damp for said days! Of course, other fairs similar to Handm@de are out there – you just need to know where to look.

After a few discussions and investigations into venues and their locations they hit upon the Town Hall in Oxford. Oxford is a truly beautiful historic city, with great shopping set amongst some of the most stunning architecture around – attracting hordes of tourists and locals alike. The Town Hall is set just off of the main shopping area and is, put simply, stunning both inside and out.

A lot of effort and hard work later, the day was a roaring success. They had expected around 400 to 500 people to have a wander around, but word had got around and there was a queue when the doors opened, after 1300 people had made their way through the doors they stopped counting!

61 stall holders took part, and covered a wide variety of art and craft disciplines, from felt-making, silversmiths, ceramists, photographers and jewellery makers. No re-selling is allowed at a Handm@de fair, all stall holders are the designers and creators of the goods they sell, this is the single most important thing about this project, and what makes it special. The Handm@de principle will help to enable local artists to show their products to a new and exciting audience, whilst nurturing a culture that is both green and supportive of local industry.

This year, the organising group has grown somewhat – with 8 people now behind the ‘Handm@de’ name. As have the number of fairs planned.
This year they have spread out and there will be 3 fairs, at Cambridge Guildhall on 4th April, Winchester Guildhall on 5th July, and Oxford Town Hall on 29th November. All of the events are of a similar nature to the original – they’re all in spectacular buildings in central locations, they’re all in cities that attract plenty of tourists as well as locals and students, and of course they’re all being arranged out of the goodness of the organisers hearts since they won’t make a penny of profit!

For shops, ideas and farmers markets local to Oxford check out these sites!

...and the first Promo to arrive is from...

2009-02-13T04:13:00.001-08:00

The Weird Bug Lady!

She has sent us 5 keychains, and a whole stack of super bright business cards... these will be divided over all 3 craft fairs for maximum exposure.

You can check out her amazing insects over here.

Applications OPEN!

2009-02-11T12:59:00.000-08:00

We are now accepting applications for the Oxford craft fair.

This will be held on Sunday 29th November 2009 at the Town Hall.

For more information and an application form please email us at HandmadeOxford@gmail.com and be sure to keep checking the main website for details on all 3 fairs... http://www.handmadecraftfairs.co.uk/

Apologies

2009-02-01T13:29:00.000-08:00

To anyone confused by the random post about my boring, lazy life this morning. I accidentally posted it to the wrong blog that I have rights to post too - silly!

Sorry!!

Twinklyspangle (Katie)

2009 Date Announced

2009-01-30T00:00:00.000-08:00

I've gone ahead and done it...

The 2009 Handm@de Oxford will be held on Sunday 29th November at the Town Hall.

The application process is not yet open, however, you can register your interest by emailing us at handmadeoxford@gmail.com - and we'll send you an application form just as soon as applications open up!

Press Release... for all to see!

2009-01-29T07:32:00.001-08:00

When people go food shopping they often look at where the vegetables were grown, where the chicken was raised, and now people are realising that they can do this with gifts, clothes, homewares etc by buying Handm@de.
Everything at Handm@de is exactly that, and by supporting Handm@de you are supporting local artists and crafters.

Have you been on holiday, and thought 'I wish there was something like this near me?' or been in an art gallery and thought 'why can't I afford to buy something original?'. Maybe you have thought 'Someone should do that!'

Well, this is precisely what a group of four online sellers of arts and crafts thought when they heard about 'We Make' - a non-profit craft fair in central London. The only difference was that they decided to take action!
Their only link to each other was through selling online at etsy.com – an American site dedicated to allowing individuals the world over to sell their handmade goods.

"While online selling is a great way to showcase my products to a worldwide audience, the various handmade sites are still building their reputations and aren't yet very well known. This makes shows where the customer can pick up, touch & try on my items a far more valuable exercise" said one of the women behind Handm@de, "somehow this makes the product more real, more tangible – and as such finding a good, central and affordable fair is the small scale crafters equivalent of finding the holy grail".

All too often fairs fall into one of two types, those that are very small, poorly advertised and well hidden in the depths of a village school, or those in Stately Homes, Castles and marquees. The latter often need a commitment of 3 or 4 days, and charge you hundreds of pounds to get damp for said days! Of course, other fairs similar to Handm@de are out there – you just need to know where to look.

After a few discussions and investigations into venues and their locations they hit upon the Town Hall in Oxford. Oxford is a truly beautiful historic city, with great shopping set amongst some of the most stunning architecture around – attracting hordes of tourists and locals alike. The Town Hall is set just off of the main shopping area and is, put simply, stunning both inside and out.

A lot of effort and hard work later, the day was a roaring success. They had expected around 400 to 500 people to have a wander around, but word had got around and there was a queue when the doors opened, after 1300 people had made their way through the doors they stopped counting!

61 stall holders took part, and covered a wide variety of art and craft disciplines, from felt-making, silversmiths, ceramists, photographers and jewellery makers. No re-selling is allowed at a Handm@de fair, all stall holders are the designers and creators of the goods they sell, this is the single most important thing about this project, and what makes it special. The Handm@de principle will help to enable local artists to show their products to a new and exciting audience, whilst nurturing a culture that is both green and supportive of local industry.

This year, the organising group has grown somewhat – with 8 people now behind the 'Handm@de' name. As have the number of fairs planned.
This year they have spread out and there will be 3 fairs, at Cambridge Guildhall on 4th April, Winchester Guildhall on 5th July, and Oxford Town Hall on 29th November. All of the events are of a similar nature to the original – they're all in spectacular buildings in central locations, they're all in cities that attract plenty of tourists as well as locals and students, and of course they're all being arranged out of the goodness of the organisers hearts since they won't make a penny of profit!

For more information visit www.handmadecraftfairs.co.uk,

Upcoming Events

2008-12-15T04:36:00.000-08:00

Following on from the success of Handm@de in Oxford we've decided to roll the format out to new places!

Handm@de Cambridge: April 4th - Applications open!
Email: handmadefairs@gmail.com for details and application forms.
Web: http://handmadecambridge.blogspot.com

Handm@de Winchester: July 5th

Handm@de Oxford: End of November/Beginning of December

We've been careful to select cities/towns that do have a central shopping area, and that have a decent number of both locals and tourists. All of these events are in central locations - generally the guildhall or equivalent, and always at weekends!

Come along to Handm@de tomorrow

2008-11-08T01:00:00.000-08:00

The day is almost upon us, and I for one am very very excited.

The variety of sellers is amazing, with an eclectic mix of the traditional and the ultra modern - from painted canvas to stained glass, from jewellery to bags, and toys to clothes. You'll find something for everyone!

The doors open at 11, with free goody bags to the first few visitors, - hope to see you there.

Meet the Makers - Nic Dyche of TwigArt

2008-11-07T09:45:00.000-08:00

TwigArt represents all the crafts that I enjoy and practice.

I first started in crafts through painting (mainly Oil and Acrylic) and got hooked! Most of the work I do now concentrates on small inks drawings, stained glass, silversmithing and photography although I'm still partial to flicking a bit of the oil paint around when the inspiration takes me.

Recently the greater emphasise has been on the stained glass, designing panels to create individual pieces. I especially love glass because each piece is so different in quality and character to the next and I love seeing how these come together.

I often try to mix media to bring in unexpected elements, playing on texture and quality as much as expectation. Some of the glass pieces will reflect this to greater and lesser degrees but it is something that I employ more regularly on my paintings.

Photography is a renewed interest (having studied it many years ago) and supports my love of travel. Many of the images come from day trips out in the UK or longer trips to Europe and America.

Although I largely create pieces through the images and colours found on my travels I am happy to undertake commissioned pieces.

Gift Ideas - Those Troublesome Teens

2008-11-06T01:00:00.000-08:00

I don't know about you but it seems that buying for the teenagers in my family is the hardest thing I've ever had to do, and I've studied Thermodynamics so I know of what I speak!

This year however, after close observation of what seems to become a more and more baffling age group, I present some gift ideas from some of the amazingly creative makers who will be at Handm@de.

Cloudhopping's Skinny Minnie scarf I can already imagine on one of my ultra-hip cousins.

MyAphrodite's recent foray into mixed media has, I feel, put her on to a winner. In fact, I'd like to have her China Red pendant for myself! With its bold colours and striking silver centre-piece it is bound to be a firm favourite. And what's more, this pendant is ideal for a guy as well!

Odd Ball and Sticks' lovely bobbled iPod cover is another gift idea which would be great for either a boy or girl and is sure to get them to at least pop *one* ear bud out to mumble their thanks ;-)

Resin jewellery is very popular and this clever resin and teal dye bangle from PennyDog is both funky and classic.

Gift Ideas – Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend

2008-11-05T01:00:00.000-08:00

With bags coming in a close second.

Several of our stallholders work with textiles, and as you can guess a few of them make bags. Bags in all shapes and sizes, different materials, different colours... in fact, probably a bag to suit all tastes imaginable.

Here are 5 of the ones I like best...

Raspberry makes some amazing tote bags – perfect for popping to the shops with!

This over the shoulder bag by CaraJane has such a beautiful shape – love it.

StitchyWooWoos bags are really well made – this one has such rich reds.

For the evening this clutch by Cloudhopping would brighten up any outfit.

Last, but by no means least, is this stunning retro bag by Yunisacs.

Meet the Makers - Lindsey Bird of Blue Cricket

2008-11-04T11:11:00.000-08:00

Today's Maker is Lindsey of Blue Cricket whose love of paper leads to the creation of lovely cards for all occasions.

Hello, I'm Lindsey. I have lived in Northamptonshire for 11 years now after moving from London. I trained as a silversmith and still work in the jewellery world. My big weakness is paper! Can't resist it!

I started making my own cards about 12 years ago. I have a few retail outlets and personal buyers and have started doing craft fairs. I love the whole design process and the arrival at a finished piece. I also do special commission cards which I particularly enjoy.You can find me at www.bluecricket.etsy.com

Etsy
Buy Handmade
bluecricket

Gift Ideas - For the Young Ones

2008-11-04T01:00:00.000-08:00

The toy department of stores is the best place to be! And the toys at handm@de shouldn’t be a disappointment... bright colours, and fun shapes – I’m looking forward to seeing what arrives with our sellers!

I just love the brightness of Mondas leggy monsters – very funky, and perfect for boys or girls.

This pair of booties look so snug, and the colours Jezzabell has used remind me of coastal walks. Beautiful.

The shape and the colours in this hairband are very girly – ChiChiMoi has excelled!

For the crafty child, how about one of these kits by LoveALittle?

I can vouch for the quality of Namolios toys, from stuffed elephants to rag dolls – all made from great quality linens.

Gift Ideas – Secret Santa

2008-11-03T01:00:00.000-08:00

With that time of year fast approaching, and the inevitable secret santa gifts doing the rounds at work it is certainly worth considering handmade products. There are quite a lot around that fit within the £5 to £15 price range – from soaps to purses and jewellery.

Here are a few that have caught my eye...

Top row, left to right: Upcycled Notebook by Paperleaf; Chocolate covered Ginger by Belflair; Corsage by PinkFlapJacks
Bottom row, left to right: Cube Coin Purse by YuniSacs; Warm & Wake Soap by PureSoaps; Splodge shrink plastic bracelet by TwinklySpangle

Gift Ideas – to Treasure Forever

2008-11-02T13:00:00.000-08:00

Sometimes we want to get our friends or family something that they’ll treasure forever, something that will last a lifetime or longer. Here is a small selection of items that our stallholders may bring with them.

The fairies that Lily Grace Originals produce are so delicate, all hand sewn and painted – not a toy, rather something to sit on a shelf and keep watch over her ward.

Tina Mammosers paintings of the English Coast are simply breathtaking.

Commissions are gladly taken by Paul of Buckingham Pottery, this vase is just one of the many examples of one off work.

Or, for the young family or doting Grandparents why not ask Designs By Dotty to recreate a childs drawing in stitched canvas? Very unique, and will last for far longer than the originals!

Gift Ideas – Glass

2008-11-02T01:00:00.000-07:00

I love the feel of glass... but am more than a little clumsy so its not often to be found in our house. This doesn’t stop me admiring work as stunning as this though...

These latticework bowls by Handmade Heaven are beautiful, custom made in the colours that you want it’ll fit into any home beautifully.

A tiny little paisley curl, created by SnapDragon Beads, glass beads all lovingly stitched together onto a brooch back. These brooches will make any outfit ‘pop’.

Julie of Lush Lampwork sells some of the most amazing beads I’ve seen. These ‘Wonka’ beads are a riot of colour and fun.

Something smaller might be found at Mark Langfords stall. These Christmas decorations will add a touch of class to your tree.

And for those of you like me, clumsy, there is always resin! A lighter weight option that doesn’t break as easily as glass... this pendant by Teasel is very pretty.

Gift Ideas – with which to beautify your home

2008-11-01T01:00:00.000-07:00

I’m going to skip the introduction here – as these stunning items speak for themselves.

Buckingham Pottery’s range of handthrown porcelain pieces is amazing. The colours and the shapes are perfection! I love the green and grey hues in this dessert bowl.

I’d heard of teapot cosies, but never boiled egg cosies... these tiny little warmers by CaraJane are so sweet!

HodgePodgeArts makes a whole range of art for your home – these alchemists bottles are gorgeous.

What home would be complete without a few cushions? I particularly like the colours in these ones by LittleChook.

Gift Ideas – Bath and Beauty

2008-10-31T01:00:00.000-07:00

I don’t know about you, but one of my favourite things is choosing a new soap... the colours and the scents and the texture of the bar. Handmade soap for me is a relatively recent discovery – the sheer number of different scents available is wonderful, and that they seem less drying than most shop bought ones has made for several positive experiences.

The PureSoaps Blue Marmalade Soap Company, makes soaps that look good enough to eat as well as a whole range of hard shampoos and other skin products. All are vegetarian, with many being vegan. This Heather and Honey soap sounds divine.

PurpleSparkle makes soap amongst other things, including candles (some shaped as cupcakes!), bath melts, bath bombes and body treats. This ‘Always and Forever’ bath bombe looks amazing with the dried roses attached.

One of these already taken your fancy? Why not display it on one of HandmadeHeavens stunning square dishes... just at home in the bathroom holding soap as on the coffee table containing nuts!

Meet the Makers - Kate of Paperleaf

2008-10-30T01:00:00.001-07:00

The latest in our series of 'Meet the Makers' features brings you Kate of Paperleaf - an amazing online store selling some of the most beautiful printed stationary I've seen!

I'm Kate, originally from Staffordshire but now living in Oxford where I'm studying for my PhD in medical engineering. I have always loved crafts since I was young, when I used to make barbie doll outfits on my mum's old sewing machine. Fast forward 20 years and I made my wedding dress this summer on that same old machine, perhaps my most ambitious (or insane, depending on how you look at it) crafty endeavour to date!

I started PaperLeaf, my fledgling stationery business, around 6 months ago after I became seriously addicted to Gocco, a crazy screenprinting technique from Japan. The only possible justification for making hundreds of cards was to start selling them, so here I am! All of my cards are made from post-consumer waste recycled material and packaged in clear bags made from corn starch which is biodegradable and compostable. I also take custom orders for wedding invitations which I adore!

I love the global indie craft scene that has emerged over the past few years. The handmade movement fits in perfectly with the increase in social conscience and environmental awareness at the start of the 21st century, and events such as Handm@de Oxford just go to show that we can make a difference! This year I've signed up to the handmade pledge and hope to buy most, if not all of my Christmas presents from online craft communities and events such as Handm@de Oxford.

You can find my stationery at Folksy (£), Etsy ($) and DaWanda (EUR). Visit my blog for more information about me.

Gift Ideas - Jewelled Delights

2008-10-29T01:00:00.000-07:00

I love jewellery – I covet it and then hoard it once its mine! It can transform a plain simple (and oftentimes cheap) outfit, making it look a million dollars. It can change your look from workwear to glitzy glam in the flick of an eye... and we have some real stunners coming to handm@de. I can’t wait.

Quercus Silver uses resin and silver to create some truly beautiful pieces. The smooth curve of these silver cufflinks is wonderful.

Lush Lampwork makes her own beads, selling them individually and as already formed pieces of wearable art. I love the colours in this pendant.

Moments By Martha makes chunky jewellery using semi-precious stones. These ‘Strawberry Milk’ earrings are one of her favourite items.

Myaphrodites silverwork is stunning. The undulations of this bracelet are set off by the hues of blues and greens contained within the labradorite stones.

PennyDog’s resin jewellery is gorgeous. I love the simplicity of this fabric flower forever suspended here.

Silverqueens pieces are amazing. These Gold and Silver earrings have an ethnic, almost tribal feel to them.

Gift Ideas - from wool they're made

2008-10-28T01:00:00.000-07:00

Our exhibitors will be bringing with them a whole range of items that started their lives as wool. With the cold weather drawing in scarves and gloves are a must – but there are so many other things that humble wool can be used for...crochet and knitting create some gorgeous items... unspun wool can be felted for decorations or clothing... and felt can be made into jewellery and toys.

Here are just a few of my favourites...

1. Earrings - SnappySausage 2. Felted Bear - Jezzabell 3. Cuff - Cloudhopping 4. Necklet - GreenWeeds 5. Felt Plush - Monda 6. Pincushions - Raspberry 7. Teapot Cosy - ChiChiMoi 8. Knitting Kits - Cafe Knits 9. Scarf - Made For You, by Shamu 10. Knitted Figures - Cakeyvoice

Raffle Prize Donation!

2008-10-27T12:12:00.000-07:00

Hey, everyone. Katie (twinklyspangle) here. hope you are all getting excited about the fair! Now, I have been beavering away trying to get some fabulous raffle prizes, and the company I work for, Siblu Holidays has agreed to donate a holiday!

The prize is a 7 night stay between 4th of April & the 30th of June, in our Esprit+ accommodation, at any of our Siblu owned parcs across France. We have parcs in Brittany, Normandy, all along the west coast of France and in the south too. All our parcs make excellent family holiday destinations, and the prize includes a Dover- Calais ferry crossing aswell.

So, if you fancy winning yourself and up to 6 people a great break in France, you can have a lot at the company website here, start planning where you'd like to go, and enter the Helen And Douglas House raffle on the day!

Gift Ideas – art to adorn your home

2008-10-27T01:00:00.000-07:00

We’ve got some amazing artists coming to handm@de this year – from the more traditional acrylic on canvas, to glass art as well as textile and printed artworks.

Here is a selection of my favourites...

Steph from HandmadeHeaven produces some stunning Fused Glass Art. These panels are beautiful.

These ‘Milly Molly’ Dollys by Sally of StitchyWooWoo aren’t for playing with – made from rich silks they’ll last for years.

Gorgeous paintings of the English Coast are amongst the repertoire of Tina, aka the Cycling Artist.

Mark Langfords Stained Glass is beautiful and so vivid.

Paul of BarkArt creates amazing images from natural resources. This is one of my many favourites!

Ginette produces screenprints that evoke a sense of times gone by.

Bag Packing - Take 2

2008-10-26T05:00:00.000-07:00

On Thursday a couple of us got together and had a go at sorting out the promo items that have arrived since the last time!

They look amazing... and we now have 250 bags ready to give out to our visitors. Thanks to all who have sent in their freebies.

Becci and Katie packing the AMAZING bags!

And a selection of the items in them...

Gift Ideas - Stocking Stuffers, £5 and under

2008-10-25T05:00:00.000-07:00

If you’re anything like me then this is about the time of year that you start to look for those small things that will nestle in amongst satsumas, nuts and sugar mice.

I’ve had a quick rummage through the websites of some of our sellers, and found a few items that might be suitable for under £5...

These hairclips by PoorRobin would be stunning on big or little girls!

These “bling” hair bands by SnapDragonBeads are fabulous!

How about a pencil case from YuniSacs – only a little over £5

This gorgeous red brooch by PollysDolly would be an amazing stocking stuffer for my Mum...

...and this ‘outdoors’ soap from PureSoaps would be great for Dad

For little ones, maybe this finger puppet by LoveaLittle would do the job

...or maybe this stuffed toy by Monda - or why not both?

For teenage girls there are always these gorgeous shrink plastic studs by TwinklySpangle (also known as KeepsakeKatie)

If you treat your canine companions to a stocking then why not include one of StitchyWooWoos doggy toys?

Gift Ideas - Grub

2008-10-24T05:00:00.000-07:00

As we all know, Christmas isn’t complete without a whole range of food... from the traditional turkey or goose, to Christmas cake & Christmas pudding – all the way to that mahoosive box of chocolates that will be picked through until just the manky ones remain.

Although their food might have to be eaten a little while before Christmas (through necessity or temptation) it will be worth noting that we have 3 sellers of edible delights coming along to Handm@de.

Bunny and the Baker
Makes some gorgeous looking cookies as well as beautifully decorated cupcakes – not to mention brownies. Based in Cheltenham they will also take commissions for wedding cakes etc.

Belflair
I can vouch for the deliciousness of these handmade chocolates. Chocolate heaven. Seriously.

Caroline Tilling
Makes and sells rather unique ‘Sand Art’cookie jars in which the ingredients for cookies and other delectable edibles are layered – just like those sand art jars you get in tourist hotspots the world over!

And then you could display your cupcakes, cookies or chocolate on one of these fabulous vintage plate Cake Stands from Let Them Eat Cake.

Gift Ideas – the extras!

2008-10-23T13:36:00.000-07:00

As the first in the series of Gift Ideas I thought I’d start at the end... with the wrapping, the cards, the tags... all those little bits that go to making the gift look amazing in the days leading up to the unwrapping!

This is my favourite part of Christmas. I really enjoy wrapping presents and the beautification process, getting them to look as good as I can – my family have gotten so used to the ‘faffy’ bits that they’d moan like billy-o if I stopped. But I shan’t. Because I love it.

Having had a look around the shops of our stationers I’ve found some stunning cards, and really can’t wait to see what Christmas offerings they have on November 9th. Bluecricket, CaraJane, JenniferAnn and Paperleaf all sell on etsy (the online marketplace for all things handmade), and make some of the loveliest creations I’ve seen in some time.

White Tree by BlueCricket - $5 each

Happy Birthday Stitched Card with Cupcake Dress by Jennifer Ann Designs - $3.75 each

Watering the Flowers Card by CaraJane - $3 each

Screenprinted Christmas Cards by PaperLeaf - $8 for 5

Goodie Bags!

2008-10-18T03:37:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, the fair is approaching, and I, for one, STILL need to get my banner sorted and make some more stock and ARRG! So much left to do. I thought some of my like to see some more of the gorgeousness I have received in the last few weeks for the promotional bags. They really are going to be swell, and each has so much stuff in, they'll be a real treat for the lucky first 200 in the door :)
1. In magic alice's giftbags, 2. lilygraceoriginals.etsy.com, 3. bluecricket.etsy.com, 4. Oddballandsticks.etsy.com, 5. oblinaknits.etsy.com, 6. Close up of kittyanydots print, 7. Littleshopofsparkles, 8. span1.etsy.com, 9. Kitschycoo.co.uk, 10. cyre.etsy.com, 11. http://www.blogger.com/, 12. Suzyloves.etsy.com, 13. ksickles.etsy.com, 14. Pinkflapjacks, 15. clairepayne, 16. cloudhopping.etsy.com

I still have four or five more packages to photograph. If you don't see yourself here, it doesn't mean I haven't received your bits! Don't forget as well, a lot of the earlier stuff we received is already in the huge box of bags currently in residence in my hallway. I would like to say a HUGE thank you to everyone who has contributed. The bags are going to be a great talking point. I've been looking at all this stuff for weeks and I still want to snaffle one. I really hope they do the job and bring lots more people through Etsy and Folksy, to our shops! We have received over 3,000 individual items, cards, flyers and various bits and bobs.

Just a couple of notes, the layout has now been fully confirmed with the venue, hop on over to the Flickr Group and check out who you'll be next to, or if you are coming to shop, plan who you can't wait to see!

A few things from our sellers!

2008-10-07T15:58:00.000-07:00

Flyers now available

2008-09-27T06:23:00.000-07:00

I had a lovely surprise this morning when a big box of 2000 flyers was delivered about 4 days sooner than expected.

They look fabulous, all shiny and bright – hopefully they’ll do their job and get people coming through the door. All we need to do with them now is get them into locations where people are likely to pick them up. This afternoon I’ll be doing a quick round of Banbury – coffee shops, The Mill arts centre, the library etc! I might duck out to some of the Cotswolds villages tomorrow...

If you know of somewhere that we should leave some flyers or display a poster then please let us know, or ask us to send some out to you... you can contact us at OxfordCraft@gmail.com.

...and the last stall has gone...

2008-09-24T09:48:00.000-07:00

...well ladies and gentlemen, thats the last stall taken and I for one am very very glad. I'm also very excited! With just under 7 weeks until the fair there is still much to be done.

For those who have missed the opportunity to exhibit you can still contact us at OxfordCraft@gmail.com to be added to a reserve list or for details on how you can contribute to the promotional bags that will be handed out to visitors, and contain a mixture of coupons, business cards and small samples. We'll be accepting items from everyone who wants this exposure right up to the end of October.

Meet the Makers - Victoria of PinkFlapJacks...

2008-09-23T14:12:00.000-07:00

Latest in our line up of Meet the Maker pieces is Victoria of PinkFlapJacks. Victoria sees the beauty in items others have discarded, often reusing materials in her pieces... or perhaps just using up the bits and bobs left over from her husband’s furniture projects.

So, here is a little information from Victoria about herself, her craft and how she got here...

I live here in central Oxford, but am originally from little old Wales, in the middle of the mountains where the entertainment and shopping facilities are in short supply so as children we were constantly making things out of things!

My mum's chant was: "only boring people are bored; go and make something!"

In all the different places I've lived, I've always been making something. When I lived in Ireland I was an arts and crafts teacher so that was lots of paint and general papery messes...I did the same in Scotland, leaving a trail of glitter in the school corridors. In my family home there's always been a sewing machine on the go and a workshop or a workroom set up somewhere for experiments! I've often made my own jewellery and clothes and am always on the lookout for unusual funky things to wear...I also lived in Bolivia for awhile and there were lots of people there on hippy trails who showed me new ways of making necklaces and things...also it was an excellent place for picking up cheap fabric and supplies...

As the world in general has become more focused on recycling and ethically made products so have I...I usually go to charity shops or junk sales and buy old clothes and bags, and sometimes jewellery; to cut up and refurbish into something I can sell or give away to friends as a gift...
I find it really difficult to compete with the large and far cheaper shops but am ever trying to find new ways to sell my handmade things...

When I'm making something with my sewing machine or some new jewellery experiment I can completely zone out and lose track of time altogether...which is what the Dalai Lama recommends!!

Anyway now I'm in Oxford with my lovely ginger husband who works as an antique furniture restorer stroke skateboarder stroke great pasta sauce creator!

Other stuff I love doing involves lots of activeness like snowboarding or swimming in the river or dancing madly...

I love reading too and wish I had more time to write about something interesting! Such as why pink is such a nice colour full of variety and how delicious different types of flapjacks can be...

I also have an ever growing button collection which I keep in a groovy glass jar - I think it’s meant for spaghetti...red cross bargain...

Butterflies and fresh flowers are lovely...xx

Just 7 weeks to go!

2008-09-22T04:36:00.000-07:00

With just under 7 weeks to go until the Fair we've suddenly found ourselves getting busier. Each exhibitor should expect to receive an information pack over the next week or so. This contains a lot of important information so please make sure you have a good read through!

Flyers and Posters have been designed - and will be making an appearance around Oxford and the surrounding area over the next month. If you know of somewhere to display a poster, or to leave a small pile of flyers then please contact us at OxfordCraft@gmail.com and we'll either send some out to you or try to get them there ourselves.

We're all very excited by the people that will be exhibiting, and the enormous range of items that will be on show at the fair. Check out the links on the right here to see a few of them!

Almost all of the stalls have been taken now, with just 3 to go!

Promotional Bags - Update

2008-09-11T03:24:00.001-07:00

With just under two months to go until Handm@de things are beginning to get even busier behind the scenes. For the last few weeks Katie, our promo goodies' wrangler has been seeing less of her living room as more and more fabulous items have poured in. And yesterday Becci(MomentsByMartha), Jane (Lovealittle) and myself with baby in tow descended upon her flat for a busy day of sorting out the promotional bags.

Here, we had all the excitement of seeing what's been sent in so far!

Every one had a job, even the little ones... Here is Amelia seeing how many bags I had tagged...

And Ramsey making sure that Becci's hole punching was up to snuff!

And here are the completed bags, there are alot of them! Each one filled with great promo items, business cards, flyers and coupons!

But don't worry if you haven't yet sent anything, we are still accepting items to go in the bags! Just pop on over to the Flickr Group to get the low down on sending your items.

Meet the Makers - Jane Lloyd of Lovealittle

2008-09-06T07:19:00.000-07:00

Today's Maker in the hot seat is Jane Lloyd of Lovealittle. Not only does Jane have the market all sewn up (intended pun I'm afraid) for Tetra Pouches for carrying about useful things like mooncups and other essentials but she also makes adorable gingerbread men finger puppets (we have one and it is a hit with my 5 month old), Waldorf dolls and more besides!

So over to Jane to tell us why she's looking forward to November and Handm@de...

I was excited to be a part of the Wemake London.

It was inspiring to meet the lovely faces behind the Etsy stores and a fun day. Everything inspired except the location as the venue was a little off the beaten track.

I met Becci from "Moments by Martha" for whom I'd just made some promotional lavender bags. She was wanting to plan an Oxford sale before Christmas. I offered my help, mainly for ideas and we haven't looked back. Handm@de promises to be truly inspirational for all concerned.

A little more about me can be found at www.mumandworking.co.uk/Career-Focus/handmade-cards

Etsy
Buy Handmade
thehappycrafter

Meet the Makers - Kerry Wilkinson of PennyDog Accessories

2008-08-27T15:57:00.000-07:00

Today's Maker in the spotlight is Kerry Wilkinson, a resin artist, whose delightful pieces are rapidly causing her to stand out. She donates a portion of all her sales to the Retired Greyhound Trust, so not only are you supporting local, handmade work but also lovely retired dogs. You can visit her site at http://www.penny-dog.co.uk

I'm Kerry, I'm 22 and originally from Hull, though I now live and work in Leicestershire with my partner Alex and our dog Penny. I am constantly making new resin pieces and a few plastic, with a view to expanding to felt, acrylic and aluminium mediums when time allows!

I know there are several resin artists out there, so my main aim is to be different an stand out, creating wearable pieces to suit a wide range of people, even pieces that wouldn't look out of place worn in an office. I also create my own moulds, so I can offer people band rings and make
interesting shapes for pendants, earrings, etc, making it a bit more original!

I have decided recently to write a techniques book with tutorials and top tips that I have learned through experience that no other book currently offers. My proposal is currently under construction, but will keep you posted if you want to know more!

All my pieces are made supporting the Retired Greyhound Trust, which is a charity that has helped my dog when we adopted her. Penny was ten when we decided to give her a home, and as a retired greyhound, she qualified for veterinary treatment through the charity, including dental work, antibiotics and even a spot of cosmetic surgery! We couldn't have afforded the bills on our own, so this is my way of repaying them! I am also featured on their website, which I am very grateful for.

Meet the Makers - Steph Jones of Handmade Heaven

2008-08-23T05:30:00.000-07:00

As soon as I saw Steph's fabulous pieces I knew that having my husband with me at the craft fair was either going to be a good thing or a bad thing, perhaps both. Someone to restrain me or someone to fund my lack of restraint... Either way I have to say that there are a few pieces of hers that I am already drooling over and think would make great gifts for my in-laws.

So I shall just step back and continue work on my mental shopping list and let Steph take over...

My name's Steph and I'm a glass addict!! I'm a contemporary kiln-fused glass artist living and working in Cheltenham on the edge of the Cotswolds. Working under the name Handmade Heaven, I hand craft affordable 'artworks' for everyday use, showcase artwork for wall-mounting and display, gifts and 'wearable' art in the form of jewellery for men and women, with this range ever-expanding as I try new ideas and techniques.

Over my time working with glass, I've become something of a 'coaster-queen', producing unique, fun and funky designs in bold and bright colours. My work has been described as "sweets for the eyes", real eye-candy stuff, and it's funny how many people have a strange urge to eat my glassy products! They do have that quality of boiled sweets about them but I wouldn't recommend them for consumption!

I'm really looking forward to being part of the Handm@de event, nestling in amongst other home-grown talent for today.

Gift Ideas

2008-08-21T07:35:00.000-07:00

It may seem insanely early to be thinking about Christmas but often times, if you are anything like me, the choosing and purchasing of gifts, especially for family members, tends to run a little close to the wire; usually because I have no clue what to get, at least not off the top of my head.

In the run up to the Handm@de fair on the 9th of November we'll be asking you for your Christmas gift conundrums, such as what to get your cousin's boyfriend, and making suggestions from the wealth of lovely and useful items the designers who will be attending Handm@de have to offer.

Think of it as a Gift Agony Aunt column if you will ;-)

Meet the Makers - Becci Keith of Moments By Martha

2008-08-20T08:20:00.000-07:00

Today to kick off our Meet the Makers posts we hear from Becci Keith of Moments By Martha; a very talented Jewellery Designer who is the driving force behind the Handm@de fair.

Over to you Martha...

Having participated in just 1 craft fair before, you may ask why I decided to pull together a team to create Handm@de. I love the way that the crafting community help each other out - offer advice and support when individuals are felling the strain or seeking new challenges. This was my inspiration for Handm@de. I wanted us to be able to offer and event that is in a central location, in a beautiful setting - and one that does not cost the earth for our sellers to exhibit at.

Buying handmade is an ethos that I support as often as I can. Owning unique pieces, and being able to give gifts and cards that I come across everyday in the handmade world will have been made with love and the creator will have enjoyed making them.

I think my love of crafting and creating has been inherited from generations past - I remember making woolly bobbles in front of the fire at my Granparents' house, ready to turn into toys to taunt the cat with. Making skirts and paper quills, cross stitch and glass painting are all things I remember doing with Mum, both as a child and later as a teenager. I will forever be grateful to them for instilling in me a love of making and doing and creating things both useful and decorative.

Nowadays my hand is turned to jewellery... often chunky - sometimes delicate. Most of my pieces are one of a kind, altho some may be similar to each other. They tend to be created as and when inspiration hits... Which can be sporadic! I tend to buy beads without a real idea of what I'll do with them, just knowing that how they look or feel will inspire me to make something lovely - a necklace, a pair of earrings or a bangle! Currently my favourite items are probably the 2 SQUARE earrings, which are gorgeous tiger ebony wood squares which a cube of sponge coral suspended in the middle... quite chunky and funky, but still feminine!

Etsy
Buy Handmade
momentsbymartha

There are some great sellers around. My Favourite UK sellers include Tina Mammoser whose paintings for the English coast are stunning - I'm really looking forward to seeing these upclose and person personal at Handm@de.

Amanda Sainsbury makes some amazing machine knitted trims, buttons and beads... I've yet to buy from her, but will do as soon as the right project comes around!

On the subject of buttons, I’m in love with Nikki Raimes shop (aka CreamRose) who sells such cute little fabric covered buttons – turned into bobby pins, hair bands and rings… of course you can buy the buttons too!

Outside of the UK there are some real stunners about – from Brooklyn, ReSurface’s lamps are stunning, Alisa Burke in San Diego makes some truly unique canvas bags and purses, Frances Pamela Angus makes some delicious looking stained glass items that would look amazing in any window.

Etsy
Buy Handmade
thehappycrafter

I’m so excited about the Handm@de fair – so many new artists to discover, and just in time for Christmas too! If you do come along be sure to introduce yourself, I’m Becci aka MomentsByMartha. Nice to meet you.

Promotional Bags & Call for goodies

2008-08-18T05:05:00.000-07:00

The Handm@de craft fair might still be a few months off but things have been very busy behind the scenes for the last few weeks; taking bookings and now getting the promotional goodie bags together!

We will not be charging for the bags, which will all contain nifty goodies from various designer/makers, some who will be at the show and others who were otherwise unable to attend.

To whet your appetite here is a sneaky peek at a few of the promotional items that we have received...

We would like to thank everyone who has sent something so far and would also like to encourage other stall holders to send something in if they can, they are great publicity!

Also if you are unable to take a stall at this fair, then why not send along something anyway. It doesn't have to be much but we do stress quality over quantity.

Katie of TwinklySpangle is our goodie-bag wrangler and you can contact her at cakeadaykatie@hotmail.co.uk about sending in something.

Stalls Still Available!

2008-08-07T06:48:00.001-07:00

In the last 6 or so weeks we have had a fantastic response to the Handm@de Oxford fair and taken bookings for 43 out of the 58 tables.

We still do have the last few stalls to book. Prices are:

Half stall : £17.50

Half stall with insurance for this event only : £25.00

Full stall : £35.00

Full stall with insurance for this event only : £42.50

Currently we are not taking any more applications for jewellery but all other kinds of stall are still available - baked goods, potters, wood turners, etc!

For more information and for an application form please email OxfordCraft@googlemail.com

But please do so soon to avoid disappointment, the stalls are going fast!

Save the Date!

2008-07-25T07:58:00.000-07:00

The Handm@de craft fair will be held on the 9th of November 2008 at the Town Hall in Oxford. This is a wonderful venue and will feature independent designers with beautiful and unique wares.

Handm@de is the ideal solution to your Christmas gift buying conundrums this year.

Bookmark the site or sign up for the RSS feed to be kept up with news on the fair as wall as information about the designers who will be there.