As you might have guessed from the title, I had my first fair on Monday night.
I read up on lots of blogs about how one should set up a stall – This blog by a fellow Etsian is full of top tips.
So here I am, just setting up…
Snowdrops and Daisies Stall - photo is a bit fuzzy... it wasn't me 
I had a really good time, a few good chats with potential customers, several business cards dished out and a lot of interest in my ‘cute’ items which was a real confidence boost. Unfortunately it was a school fundraiser shopping night rather than a craft fair so the customers were not spending, I didn’t see anyone walking around with purchases they made, and several of the stalls seemed to have made no sales. Though the raffle stall was popular.
I have my next fair on the evening of the 9th December in Jubilee hall, Lesmahagow – come along and say hi if you are in the area. I am really looking forward to it.
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In my real life presently I am having my house fully re-modeled, you can read a little more about it if you like in my other blog
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Snowdrops x
Hi there avid readers, of whom I think there must be at least one….
I was due to post up this interview a few weeks ago, but other things in life got in the way, which happens all together to often.
So this latest interview in my series of chats to likeminded crafters and artists. I want to say hello and welcome to Jo, from ‘Islay Bower’s Vintage Thingummies’ and, more recently, ‘Islay Makes’.
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Vintage Art Nouveau floral design genuine silver giant buttons, set of three - By Islaybower @ Etsy
How did you come up with your shop name?
I came up with the name for my shop by thinking long and hard about my target market, my process… No, sorry. I used my middle name (my dad was entrusted with picking it, he loves Islay whisky, ta da!) and my mother’s maiden name. Vintage Thingummies really was the only phrase to describe the assortment of bits and bobs I sell, so that was easy. Islay Makes was spawned when I got my confidence with Thingummies – I’ve always made stuff from the vintage goodies I collect, but was really nervous about selling them until a friend asked to buy some of my bunting and I figured it couldn’t be all that bad.
What is your favourite item to make and why?
I’ve been making loads of stuff for the new store, but I think my favourite is bunting. I’ve been experimenting with some mini bunting made from vintage Liberty of London fabrics, the first batch of which I am far too in love with to sell – it’s a combination of two of my three most favouritest things ever! (that’s bunting ands Liberty fabric, for those of you who weren’t paying attention). Incidentally, my other most favouritest thing is buttons. If you look at Vintage Thingummies you’ll get a tiny insight into how far my love of buttons extends.
Vintage 1950s giant blue buttons, pair - by Islaybower @ Etsy
Can you share with me a little bit about the methods you use.
I make a variety of things, usually homeware/home decor orientated, depending on what fabric/trims/buttons/anything else I’ve got in front of me. I spent a few hours on the weekend salvaging the usable bits of a 1920s tapestry to make pincushions from, I make quite a lot of cushion covers from scraps of pretty fabric, and I recently knit a load of saved-from-a-charity-shop cotton yarn into dishcloths. Anything textile-ey and salvaged I can usually find a use for.
Salvaged and upcycled pincushion made from vintage tartan tapestry - by Islaymakes @ Etsy
What do you love most about your craft?
I love love love spending time pottering around, trying new things, seeing what patterns and colours look nice together, poring over a suitcase full of junk from a car boot sale on the off chance of finding the perfect buttons. I’m really passionate about the environment too, and I love having the opportunity to save a few things from landfill, and hopefully giving them an entirely new lease of life.
What do you find most challanging about your craft?
Most of my time is taken up looking after my 14 month old son, who is shamefully unsupportive of my desire to spend more than about six seconds a day crafting, but is otherwise very rewarding.
I gave up my old day job to look after him, live a more simple life with him and my fiance (we grow veg, bake bread, and hope to be relatively self sufficient in five years) and hopefully make a bit of extra money from Etsy, and I don’t for a moment regret giving up my old life for our current one. I love it when people ask me how hard it is juggling all the things I do now as well as being terribly terribly poor, and I sometimes sense they’re a bit disappointed when I rave about it for the next 20 minutes!
I’m not good at sitting still doing nothing, so free time in the evenings when I feel I have to keep my poor fiancé company is usually spent knitting (socks. I like knitting socks. Good for those short on patience). Or I bake. Luckily, my third favourite downtime activity is walking, so I’m not as enormous as I might otherwise be.
Vintage 1920s-30s Art Deco blue glass buttons, set of 12 - By Islaybower @ Etsy
Do you have anything special in your shops for the holiday season?
My most festive thing is in my Islay makes store, and it’s my Merry Christmas bunting. I am so excited about it. I’m already working on mini Christmas bunting (I already mentioned that, didn’t I? I’m a little over excited by it), just the right size for hanging over the fireplace.
Merry Christmas cotton bunting, upcycled vintage fabrics - by Islaymakes @ Etsy
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I’d like to thank Jo for joining me for our little chat.
I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did… I’ll scuttle off now to look at some of those amazing buttons…
Enjoy
Snowdrops x
Hi Folks,
Just a short post for some pics of a few things I have been working on in the last week.
- Snow White Organic Felted Bowl – by Snowdrops and Daisies @ Etsy
- Organic Felted Bowl with Purple Ring – by Snowdrops and Daisies @ Etsy
- Hidden Purple Organic Felted Bowl – by Snowdrops and Daisies @ Etsy
Enjoy
Snowdrops x
