60 HOURS TO KICK OFF FOR MARKET NUMBER 2 !!

I've just been to watch the Fire Walk at the East Cheshire Hospice.  It's a long time since I've done one and it is just as exciting watching it as doing it.  Hopefully they have raised lots 'n' lots of money for the Hospice.  Well done to everyone who did it.  Here's a little picci!!

I think waiting to see if our next market is as well attended as the first one is a little bit like waiting to do the Fire Walk!  I've checked the weather, it's cloudy with a possible shower - praying the wind stays away!  We have done the same advertising - Local People Macclesfield; The Thread and Canalside Radio.  We are also in Bollington Live and the Macclesfield Express this time.  The Banners are going up first thing in the morning - bigger than last time!  We have some new traders - so fingers and toes are crossed that the day is as good as the 7th October was!!  Please come along and join in the fun!

We are still in need of more gazebos so that we can grow and grow.  If anyone has one we could borrow - we will take great care of it and make sure you get it back in the same condition.  We are hoping to buy some more to add to our small collection as soon as we can, in the meantime it is beg, steal and borrow!

The list of traders will be out tomorrow - we have had some new requests and if we can get a gazebo they will be able to join us.

Catch you tomorrow

Suze xx

NEXT MARKET - SUNDAY 2ND NOVEMBER

Phew!  It’s been a rush but we've done it and Market Number 2 is on its way this Sunday.

Gazebos are sorted (although we have been offered the loan of two from the Poachers Pub we still unfortunately don’t have enough to accommodate everyone) – so sorry if you didn't get space this time, we intend to invest in some new ones for the Market asap!!  The December Market will be the biggest yet and will with luck spread along the canalside under the tunnel!!

We have advertised in Local People Macclesfield again – unfortunately this is more for the December Market as it won’t hit most households until early next week.

We are in Bollington Live

We are in the What’s On pages of The Thread

Debra and I were given a small slot on the Canalside Radio – 102.8 last Sunday and Monday – if anyone heard us please let us know what it sounded like as we both missed the broadcasts.  But it should have helped get us on the MAP.

We have even been given a small mention in this week’s Macclesfield Express with a promise that if we send in photos again they will be printed next week – fingers crossed!  Mike will be out with his Camera again – so big smiles please.  If you don’t want your photo in the Macclesfield Express or any other media please let us know on the day!

Debra and I have been asked to take the Artisan Market to other venues over November and December, so catch us at:

• Winterfest in the Market Place, Macclesfield on 29^th November 

• Bollington Pre-School Christmas Fair, Water Street Centre on 13^th December 

Other events to put in your diary are:

Handforth Craft Fair – 8^th November

Tytherington High School Christmas Fair – 15^th November
Makers Day at the Heritage Centre Macclesfield - 22nd November

Treacle Market – 30^th November

Happy Valley Artisan Market – 7^th December (Yes US!)

Treacle Market – 21^st December

AND!!!

A BRAND NEW VENTURE – A Produce Market (an extravaganza – with amusements etc) at Adelphi Mill on 21^st December.  See Poster Below - this is the advert in Local People Macclesfield this month. This does clash with Treacle now that they have moved from the last Sunday in December to 21^st December.  But the area is big enough for both!!  

More on the extravaganza next week.

IF ANYONE HAS ANY CHRISTMAS FAIRS OR OTHER EVENTS THEY WOULD LIKE PUTTING ON THE LIST PLEASE LET ME KNOW.

See you all Sunday - I will put a list of expected Traders on here tomorrow xx

TWO WEEKS TO NEXT MARKET - 2ND NOVEMBER

HAPPY SUNDAY XX

TWO WEEKS TODAY AND IT'S OUR SECOND MARKET - PLEASE GET YOUR BOOKING FORM IN VERY QUICKLY.

Debra and I need to know who wants to attend from the first market so that we can invite new traders - we have hopefully secured more gazebos!!

I think it would be brilliant if we could have two rows of these instead of gazebos - with a big trailer for Shabby Chic Revive and Reuse (ha ha ):



Debra thinks it would be great to have wooden huts - especially for the December Market:



Let me know what you think would be good to use as an alternative to Gazebos xx

We are hoping to have a very large gazebo this time that will hold around 4/5 tables and I think it will make for a really good atmosphere.

There will be additional bunting which we hope to have all the way up Clarence Road.  If anyone has any bunting of their own they would prefer to use inside or outside their gazebo - please let me know that way I can utilise the gazebo bunting on the road.  Thank you xx

And money permitting we will have 2 huge banners instead of the small ones.  Look out for them - one at the Silk Road Roundabout and the other one at the bottom of Clarence Road itself.  We will reuse the small ones as well.

Debra and I are thinking twinkly lights for the next market to create a Christmasy feel - so get making some Christmas gifts to sell.

We are having a raffle again - so if anyone would like to offer a prize please contact me as soon as possible so that we can advertise it.

Oh and watch out for an article in the Macclesfield Express and also one in Local People Macclesfield.

Take Care

Suze xxxx

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, 

FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT 

WE ARE CELEBRATING TONIGHT!!

OUR LITTLE ACORN IS ALMOST A TREE - HA HA!!!!

WE COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT YOU - PLEASE KEEP LIKING US XX

Just finished baking a lemon drizzle cake for work tomorrow and thought I would just tune in to say hello and remind everyone looking for a stall to get their forms in quickly and I have just checked and we are just

49 “likes” away from 1000.

Wow … it’s so exciting and a big thank you to everyone for liking the blog. You know what is coming next I’m sure ha ha xx  - this is a plea to share the blog as much as possible with all your family and friends - and anyone you can think of and tell them to “like” it and better still why not follow us.  Thank you. 

I think when we reach the 1000 we should have a celebration, only not sure how to do it as the blog does not show who has liked.  And I know some of the “likes” have come from America, Canada, Sweden, Germany, Ireland and Austria so not sure how I could celebrate with those lovely people.  I will think of something though.  SO WATCH THIS SPACE! ☺☺ Any ideas - comment me back please xx

Also, if you have anything you want me to put on the blog, other than my ramblings and pushing for you all to get a stall on the market, please let me know.

As soon as Debra and I have everyone’s forms and we know who is coming, I will start putting pictures of the items for sale on here. Xx

I’ve just had a thought that I would offer a piece of my seaglass jewellery (I don’t usually give that away –so it would be special) to the first person to follow the blog – you will have to comment on the blog to let me know you have followed and the first person identified gets the jewellery.  Get following and commenting! – Let’s start a string of topics around Artists, Artisans and Crafters etc.

Take Care

Suze xx

I know I keep saying it, but the support of local people was overwhelming at our First Market and we didn’t want it going unnoticed so … with fingers crossed we should be on the Bollington Community Page of the Macclesfield Express in the next couple of weeks.  Debra and I sent our notice in last night, after receiving a wonderful quote from David Rutley MP.  We included some pictures too!!  Apologies that not all our wonderful Artisans could get a picture on the page.  At the next market we will take a Group Photo.  I have put some of the photos below and Debra has put quite a few on the Facebook Page.  If anyone has any photos they would like to share please send them in xx

The 2^nd November Happy Valley Artisan Market is going to be bigger and better – just can’t promise the weather … but I am working on it.

We are happy to report that some of our regulars are buying their own gazebos.  This leaves us space for more Artisans in the gazebos we have already begged and borrowed.  Plus we have been offered a much larger party size gazebo (at a cost of course) – if it fits in our space.  AND we are looking to buy two more.  AND we may be able to borrow two more …WOW, I haven’t counted the spaces available – but it’s a lot ha ha !! 

We are also thinking fairy lights and more bunting around the gazebos and up the road and on the bridge.  I’ll save the Christmas Tree until December’s Market though!

May I ask all the lovely Artisans who were with us on the First Market to let me know if they are going to be with us this time around please?  We have had a huge amount of requests from local crafters for a stall and we would like to start thinking about the mix as soon as possible.  THANK YOU xx

Who can apply:

• Traders from the 1^st Market

• New Traders Welcome!!  Please email with details and photos of items

• Please apply again if you were unsuccessful with our First Market

So when is our SECOND Artisan Market at Clarence Mill? It is Sunday, 2^nd November 2014 – 10:00 am to 3:00 pm..  Please remember though, that all items must be handmade by the trader – or if you represent a group – that group members made them.

Again, it will be bring your own table and the cost will be the special price of £15 per table in a shared Gazebo.  Anyone wanting to have sole use of one of our Gazebos will have to pay £30.  We may have one or two tables to hire out if anyone is stuck and this will be at a prior arrangement and a nominal cost.

Any Trader from the 1^st Market, who has bought, stolen or borrowed a Gazebo can have a space on the 2nd November Market.  Sole Occupancy is £25 for the pitch; willing to share and it’s only £10 for the pitch.

Enjoy your Wednesday, take care

Suze x

WE DID IT – TOGETHER WE DID IT!!!!!  NOW LET’S DO IT AGAIN XX

When we started thinking about the Artisan Market, it was always about bringing together local artisans and showcasing the amazing local talent in and around the wonderful Bollington and other East Cheshire Areas.  How amazing was our first Market and all the wonderful support given to us by local people, visitors and the management and tenants/residents at Clarence Mill.

Well it was more that we could have dreamed of – the support was amazing, the traders were amazing and the weather was amazing.  We were encouraged to keep it going, so …. here we go again ….

We are on our way to our SECOND Artisan Market at Clarence Mill – 2^nd November 2014 – 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. and attached is the Trader Booking Form. Please get this back as soon as possible so that Debra and I can sort out the mix.  We want it to be just as successful as the first – but bigger and hopefully better.  Please remember though, that all items must be handmade by the trader.

Who can apply:

• Traders from the 1^st Market

• New Traders Welcome!!  Please email with details and photos of items

• Please apply again if you were unsuccessful with our First Market

We had a lack of Gazebos so had to turn people down.  We still have a lack of Gazebos, but are working on it!  And this is why we cannot guarantee places to anyone – maybe one day when we have managed to get enough Gazebos to fill the whole space.

If anyone has a Gazebo they can lend us – it has to be sturdy, pop-up and have sides … we would be so grateful and it means we can give more Traders a chance.

Again, it will be bring your own table and the cost will be the special price of £15 per table in a shared Gazebo.  Anyone wanting to have sole use of one of our Gazebos will have to pay £30.

Any Trader from the 1^st Market, who has bought, stolen or borrowed a Gazebo can have a space on the 2nd November Market.  Sole Occupancy is £25 for the pitch; willing to share and it’s only £10 for the pitch.

We will be heavily advertising again.  Debra already has the poster ready and I will be sorting out banners and notices soon.

Please hurry up with your applications and let’s get together to make the SECOND Market bigger and better than the first.

A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL FROM DEBRA AND ME.

Well didn’t we have a wonderful day weather-wise?  And didn’t we have a wonderful day on the Market?

Sunday was just amazing and we cannot say a big enough Thank You to Traders and people who came to support our enterprise. Debra and I knew that local people would support our local enterprise, the extent of that support just absolutely was out of this world and we are still in awe.  How do you say Thank You? 

Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you …. ad infinitum (as they say).  We are just so grateful for all the support given to us both.

Our Promise now is to get better and better each market.  With more and more choice from our wonderful local Artisans – we were approached by so many people wanting stalls – you are all amazing.

The Market is never going to be a money maker as we pay high amounts for advertising and want to invest in our own Market Stalls.  We started the concept on a very small shoestring and had to beg, steal and borrow Gazebos to start the Market – well we didn’t really steal any, people were very generous.  To grow the market we need to get more gazebos – so if anyone knows anyone who has any to kindly lend or donate please email us on happyvalleyartisans@gmail.com.

The Artisans at the first market were:

Shiela Cunningham	Framed Fine Art Paintings
Ann Fogg	Shabby Chic Furniture and Candles
Anna Barker	Walking Sticks; Driftwood and beaded Jewellery
Suzanne Gill	Sea Glass Jewellery; hand painted Glassware; Fused Glass
Jane Ewington	Porcelain White Nancy Pots and other gifts
Helen Dewhurst	Textile Artist
Fiona Reynolds	Polymer Clay Jewellery
Lisa Kirk	Handmade Quilts and Bunting with other gifts
Claire Whittingham	Handmade Goods by the Guides
Debra Tracey	Mosaics and Fused Glass
Helen Wright	Pottery animals and other gifts
Chris Connick	Framed Fine Art Paintings, cards and other items
Sandy Milsom	Hand Painted Silk items and cards

And not forgetting Alex from Bollington Balloons who came along and supported us in the morning.  I didn’t get chance to see him making the balloons but I did see a very large yellow octopus being floated on high.

All the items were of impeccable quality, original and unique. 

We would like to thank all the Traders for taking a deep breath and supporting us on our very first market – which was hugely successful, but could just as easily have not been. THANK YOU!!! XXX

Debra and I have decided to have a Star Trader at each Market.  The first Star Trader (yes I know it sounds like I stole it from the Great British Bake Off – but it does sound good ha ha xx) is Sheila Cunningham.  Sheila wins a bottle of wine for all the extras she did for us both at the Market.  Sheila and her husband turned up almost at the same time as me, to help put up all the Gazebos and then stayed on to help us take them down and tidy up.  I know that all our Traders went that extra bit on Sunday helping to make it very very special.  But Sheila almost beat me there in the morning and I turned up at 7:30 am.

The winner of the raffle prize of Jewellery was Lin and coincidently (we did pick blindly you have my word on that) lives at Clarence Mill.

The winner of the raffle prize of a Loom Band Kit was a young girl (we think it best not to put young people’s names on our blog) who belongs to the same pack as Claire and the Guides who had our Charity Stall and who came along to support them and the Market with her parents.

We have still to work through the Feedback Forms and I will get back to you on this asap.  Thank you for taking the time to fill in a form.

Our next step is to try and get some funding so that we can build and build on what we have started.

THANK YOU ALL

XXXXX

 Watch this space later in the week for more photos and more of our NEWS !

Well here we are on the penultimate day in the pouring rain and yes I have succumbed to looking at the weather forecast.  The Met Office say it is going to be cloudy tomorrow with a precipitation of <5% - I think that means there may be a little drizzle – not the heavy down pour we have today – I have had a discussion with the rain clouds and told them to stay away until after 5pm.  It does say though that it may be chilly so although we are in gazebos with shelter, it will pay to have many, many layers to wrap up warm with.  Rain or Shine, if you are visiting our market tomorrow, please do come into the Gazebos and shelter from whatever the weather throws at us.  We traders love to chat xx  

It is going to be all rush, rush, rush today for the traders and I have to admit to last minute panic of actually making something for my stall instead of last minute preparation for the market (I promise it will all be done – phew – skates are on). I have glass cooking in the oven; glass cooking in the microwave and yes you have guessed it … glass cooking in the kiln.  It is a hot house of glass here today.  And if that’s not enough glass cooking, Debra has offered me her kiln later … I’m really cooking on glass now!

Debra has made some really pretty fused glass pictures for her stall and is still busy making today, as I am sure are the other traders:

TRADERS –

We have a wonderful mix of Artisans for our first market and I have listed some of the items below.  Next week I am going to put together a little potted history and details of all our Traders, including the ones on the waiting list and others who are waiting to join our waiting list.  Thank you so much to all you Traders for your interest in our Market – I could have filled the stalls 3 times over and it was only lack of Gazebos that stopped us … so if anyone has a gazebo they no longer need or are happy to loan for future markets – please do get in touch (either comment on this blog or email happyvalleyartisans@gmail.com ).  Also get in touch if you wish to be added to our waiting list – we are changing the mix every month, so you will get a chance.  Forms for November will be out next week and places are on a first come, first serve basis.  The special rate of £15 per stall will continue over the next few months.  (A stall is half a gazebo, so allowing for browsers to actually come in and see your items for sale, the space allotted is 1 metre x 3 metres – you can of course book a whole gazebo to yourself for £30.00).

IF YOU ARE COMING ALONG TO BROWSE – YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SEE -

• Textile Art – beautifully embroidered framed “pictures” and other very clever items.
• Clay Art Jewellery – unusual and exclusive items for the discerning jewellery lover.
• Hand carved wooden items – these are amazing, I have my eye on a few pieces for Christmas Presents … oops now people know what they are getting off Santa.
• Have you ever had a piece of furniture that need a face lift (my whole house) – come and see some very loved items given a new lease of life.
• Two of Bollington’s finest artists are exhibiting with us tomorrow and you are able to purchase at the same time too! 
• I love patchwork and one of our traders creates some beautiful baby quilts, pillows and bunting for the Nursery and other areas of the home.
• There is some beautiful and quirky pottery and porcelain (just like the ladies who make them).
• Silk, Silk everywhere – hand painted silk items for you to wear and adorn your home.
• We will have a charity stall at every market.
• Then of course we must not forget Balloons – in all shapes and sizes
• And Debra and me!  Lots of glass in all shapes, sizes and forms – two artists in the same material, producing such varied items.

I personally cannot wait to see all the amazing items on sale and have a go at some of the crafts - yes some of our traders are demonstrating tomorrow.

Please do come along and browse in support of our Traders, Debra and me in our new venture, we cannot make it a success without you.  Don't forget our Raffle !!  

Market opens for Traders from 8:00 am (please come early and help set up Gazebos).

Market opens for Browsers from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm - don't forget parking will be limited at the back of the Mill, as all Gazebos will be at the front of the Mill.

I think this Mosaic from Debra (she doesn't know I have this photo - perhaps she will sue me for the copyright - ha ha!!) sums up our hope for the Market tomorrow and every month ....

Took Annual Leave from Work Today! 

Have a long list of jobs to do for the Market before Sunday – yes it’s nearly here … our first Happy Valley Artisan Market!!

Not for me the luxury of making items to sell – please come and see me at the market for a chat and to see my lovely decorated EMPTY stall!  Well I will have a hand-painted vase; a really pretty slumped pink dish and some other bits ‘n’ pieces and I do have Friday and Saturday still to make some items.  You will have to come and check to see if I managed to achieve all my plans! xx

BUT … I still have the bunting to finish for all the gazebos – and talking about gazebos I have finally found a home for 3 of them from Friday to Sunday morning – thanks to the wonderful George of the Lions.  He really has been a tower of strength and the king of the Gazebos.  Big Thank You to George.

AND … once the Banners arrive I will have to go out and hang them – Vistaprint let me down on delivery as they should have been here last week, then it was Tuesday and now it is … fingers crossed … TODAY!

We have been advertised widely within Bollington, Macclesfield and surrounding areas .. so hopefully we will have a big turnout to celebrate Bollington’s own Artisan Market.

Make sure you bring your brollies though as everyone keeps telling me it is going to rain. I am not going to check the weather forecast, I am just going to wait and see.  Ever the optimist I am praying for dry at least!

The Market opens to the public at 10:00 am and closes at 3:00 pm.  We have a wonderful mix of products and some traders will even let you have a go.  There will be lots to see and do!  And we are in gazebos - so if it does rain, come in and shelter and talk to the Traders.

I will give you an update on how things are going tomorrow and on Saturday I will list the Traders and some of their items.

Have a lovely Thursday xx