Thank you for all your good wishes for the fair I did in St Albans yesterday. Sadly it was a bit of a flop and I wasn't the only seller to not sell a single thing .... there were hundreds of people outside in the high street but the advertising was very weak and they just seemed to miss us up in the Old Town Hall. The visitors that did make it up the very steep old staircase were full of appreciative comments and some took my business card so the day was not totally wasted .... every opportunity to get to know people and showcase your makes has to be a good thing. I also made good progress on a crochet cushion cover while I sat there. I had a good spot with a lovely old fireplace behind me which of course I took advantage of. This is my daughter before she skanked off and left me because she was bored!!
When I was a child (BC before computers) and it was safe to play in the streets and wander up and down to friend's houses one of our favourite pastimes was bead swapping. Us girls would have an old sweet or biscuit tin and we would collect beads of all sorts and thought we were the greatest if we had big shiny onesMy next door neighbours were a childless elderly couple and I used to love going into their house as it was like Aladdin's Cave .... Mrs Robbins used to have a huge jewellery box with loads of costume pieces which she used to give me. I have had a guilty conscience ever since because we used to prise the pearls, paste, gems etc out of brooches and break up strings of beads to add to our tins. I think this is why I collect old pieces of jewellery now as this memory jangles in my head whenever I see vintage pieces.
Last Saturday I went along to a little church summer fair instead of the usual car boot and came home with this little lot all for a fiver. My darling daughter asked if I had been mugging old ladies again!!
This dainty little basket brooch is silver.
This bracelet has tiny little pieces of mosaic to form the flowers
This clover shaped brooch is so sparkly I couldn't get a clear photo .... I will take it to be tested at some point because it is such a quality piece
Did any of you have a bead tin or was I the only one guilty of this heinous crime against vintage jewellery ???
xx
:( about the craft fair - your stall looks lovely :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a great haul - love the flower basket brooch & bracelet best.
I used to borrow things from my Grandma to dress up in - some times it was costume stuff but occasionally her best 'real' pieces - and her fur coat!!
What a shame about sales.......... but like you said, you will have made contacts and met people.
ReplyDeleteI have a passion for brooches and love the flower basket one and am also dead jealous of you having that micro mosaic bracelet. What a scoop Debbie!!!!! :O)))))))))))))
So sorry you were disappointed with the fayre turnout but what a wonderful basket brooch and bracelet! xx
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about the poor turnout. Perhaps the sunny weather meant people wanted to be outside?
ReplyDeleteYes I remember us taking tobacco tins full of beads to school... perhaps it was a local thing then?
What a shame about the fayre it must have been the nice weather,its their loss as your stall looks great and l love your bounty well done.
ReplyDeleteHugs Pat
Sorry the fair was a bit of a flop. I love all the jewellery the got especially the basket brooch, very pretty.
ReplyDeleteI had a big old jewellery case full of necklaces and brooches. No idea what became of them, sadly.
ReplyDeleteYour stall looks very pretty, shame you didn't do well.
Shame about the fair, I know another blogger who did one yesterday and only sold two things. Must be very disappointing :(
ReplyDeleteLove the jewellery finds, it was all stickers at my school but I used to love poking about in the tin my Mum kept beads and things in!
Mel xxx
What a shame about the fair, unfortunately it is a story I've heard before, a case of poor publicity. I certainly had a little jewellery swap club when I was about 10 I think I still have a couple of my favourite pieces - shiny but worthless I'm afraid.
ReplyDeleteHow sad for you ..... and your daughter! But I did enjoy reading about your misspent childhood filling up your tin! Keep positive and look on to the NEXT fair and don't let it dishearten you.
ReplyDeleteGood wishes, Val