Meet the Seller - Dorset Team Christmas Fair - Soph Kinsley from Indie Willow Dorset

Name: Soph Kinsley

Shop Name: Indie Willow Dorset

Shop Link: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/IndieWillowDorset

Located in: Bournemouth Dorset

Sells: Fair trade small leather goods and scarves.

Maker's Story:

In January 2015 I made the decision that I was going to create my own craft business, something I had wanted to do from when I was a teenager.

Whenever I had the opportunity I would draw designs for leather goods at my kitchen table in Dorset. I would then methodically make each design up as a prototype in card to check they worked and would be really usable! 

Fair Trade is an essential part of the Indie Willow Dorset ethos . When you buy our products you are buying handmade goods from artisans who hand craft each individual item using age old traditional techniques. In an age when everyone wants a bargain it is a sad fact that 'bargains' can often be to the detriment of the people making them. 

Buying our products ensures that our Indian artisans receive an exceptionally good wage to enable them to support their families. It affords them honest and fair working hours, it affords them excellent working conditions and prevents them from spending unholy hours slumped over a machine earning peanuts for their exceptional skills.

Dorset Team Christmas Fair: Soph from Indie Willow Dorset will be selling Fair Trade leather goods and scarves  at the Dorset Team Christmas Fair on Saturday 3rd December at the Allendale Centre in Wimborne.

Please come along, meet Soph and our other makers and sellers.

Doors open at 10am and close at 4pm and it is free entry.

For more information please see our Facebook event page or blog post

Meet the Seller - Dorset Team Christmas Fair - Gemma from Gemma Bullen Design

Name: Gemma

Shop Name: Gemma Bullen Design

Shop Link: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/GemmaBullenDesign

Located in: Lymington

Sells: Beautiful self-designed papercuts and homewares.

Maker's Story: 
Gemma is a designer and paper-cutter based in Dorset. She first began experimenting with the technique of paper cutting whilst studying textiles at university - she found that the technique really suited her style of design and allowed her to interpret each subject in a unique way.

Each of Gemma's pieces is designed digitally then cut using a scalpel and a steady hand! As well as original papercuts, she also produces art prints and a variety of other goodies such as mugs, tealight holders and cushions. Gemma can also work from a photo to produce a unique papercut just for you!
 

Dorset Team Christmas Fair: Gemma will be selling her beautiful, unique designs at the Dorset Team Christmas Fair on Saturday 3rd December at the Allendale Centre in Wimborne.

 

Please come along, meet Gemma and our other makers and sellers.

Doors open at 10am and close at 4pm and it is free entry.

For more information please see our Facebook event page or blog post

Meet the Seller - Dorset Team Christmas Fair - Frankie from Frankie and the Buttons

Name: Frankie

Shop Name: Frankie and the Buttons

Shop Link: http://frankieandthebuttons.etsy.com

Located in: Poole

Sells: Button jewellery and quirky gifts

Maker's Story: "Frankie And The Buttons has grown out of my enthusiasm for funky bright jewellery, being creative and upcycling. I love how unique and quirky jewellery can act as ice breakers, make people smile and start conversations - I find button jewellery is perfect for this. Many of my items are made from vintage buttons collected by my thrifty grandmothers, a lovely way to give beautiful buttons a new life."

Dorset Team Christmas Fair: Frankie will be selling her unique button jewellery at the Dorset Team Christmas Fair on Saturday 3rd December at the Allendale Centre in Wimborne.

Please come along, meet Frankie and our other makers and sellers.

Doors open at 10am and close at 4pm and it is free entry.

For more information please see our Facebook event page or blog post

Gorgeous Greens: Treasury Tuesday Themes and Twitter Chat Recap and New Theme

Hello lovelies! It's that time again in the week! Treasury Tuesday theme time and Twitter Chat!

Last week's Treasury Tuesday theme was Afternoon Tea and there were some lovely treasuries created. In case you still aren't sure what a treasury is or what one even looks like, here's a link to an example by our own Rachel of TheDorothyDays. One treasury a week is featured on the blog so why not go ahead and make one this week with the theme Gorgeous Greens? You could be featured! Don't forget to post your treasury link to the forum thread on Etsy and also share it on twitter and other social media with the hashtag #dorsetteam for sharing around social media.

Our Twitter Chat last week, for those of you who were unable to attend, was a social chat. We had a blast getting to know one another, those of us who participated, and it was lovely to just connect on a different level other than just tips and tricks for our Etsy shops. It is just as important to make personal connections with fellow sellers and also with customers as it is to help each other out with tips about selling on our preferred platform. Personal relations are vital to making our businesses flow. My favourite question of last week's chat was 'What is the story behind the name for your shop?" Our answers ranged from being inspired by poetry, to being inspired by names of the past, to realising just who we were making things for and finding inspiration in that (as KnittedbyAuntyEmma did), to finding inspiration in your cultural identity as was the case for our very own MissPajuCraft who originally hails from Venezuela.

All in all, we had a lovely time getting to know one another and more friendships were formed as a result. This week's Twitter Chat theme is: Selling at Events.

If you have done so in the past, are considering doing so and even if you've never sold at an event this Twitter chat is worth checking out and getting in on. I am certain that the veterans of the team who have had lots of experience in this will be most helpful in giving us pointers, helping us know what things are do's and don'ts of selling at events and will be open to discussion on things that are just not easy to wrap our heads around.

So, just to remind you one last time of the themes and schedules for today:

Treasury Tuesday: Gorgeous Greens and you have all day to make yours.
Twitter Chat: Selling at Events; be sure to get on Twitter for 7:30pm and that you are following @DorsetTeam and use #dorsetteam hashtag when replying to questions so everyone can interact.

Look forward to seeing you on there and to seeing your treasuries!

Cheers!

Nadia
WalksInBeautyPaperie

Meet the Sellers - Dorset Team Christmas Fair - Jules from Dorset Made

Names : Jules
Shop Name: Dorset Made
Shop Link: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/dorsetmade
Located in: Wimborne
Sells: Unique hand sewn gifts using hand embroidery, freehand machine embroidery and quilting.

All designs are created by us but we can always make to commission or personalise our existing items! We've made bags, wall hangings, hoop framed embroideries, cards, quilts, cushions, tea and mug cosies..the list goes on!

Makers Story: 

I love making items that mean something to people; I have taken great enjoyment in watching the smile on my friends' and family's faces when they open a pressie that has been made with them in mind. I have made children's quilts, cushions, mug warmers and all sorts for my special people and I thought that it would be fun to offer these type of items to others to share, hence the start of Dorset Made! 

Dorset Team Christmas Fair: Jules from Dorset Made will be selling her beautiful work at the Dorset Team Christmas Fair on Saturday 3rd December at the Allendale Centre in Wimborne.

Please come along and meet Jules and our other makers and sellers. Doors open at 10am and close at 4pm and it is free entry.

For more information please see our Facebook event page or blog post.

Meet the Seller - Dorset Team Christmas Fair – Ali Lewis from Dorset Hodgepodge

Name: Ali Lewis

Shop Name: Dorset Hodgepodge

Shop Link: www.etsy.com/shop/DorsetHodgepodge

Located in: Weymouth

Sells: Handmade cards, notepads, packaging and gifts

Maker's Story: On a dark and stormy night, lit only by candlelight, I realised I didn't have a birthday card for a friend. So to work I went and produced probably the world's most hideous card. The friend accepted my offer with a smile, and promptly deleted me from their friends list... OK, so actually I can't remember my very first card and this is entirely made up, but the card probably was hideous!

In all seriousness, I've always been able to look at things and see how they are made (craft wise here, I can't look at a car and make one out of odds and sods!), and I began making things and giving them away as gifts. The cries of joy (OK, you caught me in another fabrication, more just a quick thank you) led to people telling me I should really look into selling my things.

So on the dawn of my first craft fair, I was apprehensive... Did I have enough stock? Would people like my things? Would I make any money? Was I asking too many questions???? I did OK, and subsequent craft fairs well and truly confirmed to me that I was not yet cut out for the craft fair game! But my determined streak means I will be trying again this Christmas.

I started selling items in my mum’s post office (and I still do), then through Facebook and now on Etsy. I'm taking it slow, enjoying the ride, I’ve taken breaks to have children, but I am determined that one day my dream of joining the circus will come to fruition... Oh, wait, wrong story!

Dorset Team Christmas Fair: Ali will be selling her cards, notebooks and other papercrafts at the Dorset Team Christmas Fair on Saturday 3rd December at the Allendale Centre in Wimborne.

Please come along and meet Ali and our other makers and sellers.

Doors open at 10am and close at 4pm. Entry is free.

For more information please see our Facebook event page or blog post 

Backstage Pass

Backstage Pass

Meet the Seller - Dorset Team Christmas Fair - Do a Little Dance

Name: Sojung Kim McCarthy

Shop Name: Do a little dance

Shop Link: https://doalittledance.etsy.com

Located in: Bournemouth

Sells: Embroidery hoop art, coin purses & other embroidered accessories

Maker's Story: Sojung Kim McCarthy is a Korean-born designer/ illustrator/ maker based in Bournemouth, Dorset. Madly obsessed about tea, coffee, furry animals and all things girly, Sojung makes crafts that reflect her passions. DoALittleDance is Sojung's bespoke brand of handmade gifts all designed and crafted by herself. It started as a way of using up the growing pile of fabrics she had accumulated, but she ended up hoarding even more materials along the way! Her dream is to keep creating crafts and drawings that make people happy.

Dorset Team Christmas Fair: Sojung Kim McCarthy will be selling her hoop art, coin purses and other embroidered accessories at the Dorset Team Christmas Fair on Saturday 3rd December at the Allendale Centre in Wimborne.

Please come along, meet her and our other makers and sellers.

Doors open at 10am and close at 4pm and it is free entry.

For more information please see our Facebook event page or blog post

Meet the Seller - Dorset Team Christmas Fair - Georgie from Beauxoxo

Name: Georgie

Shop Name: Beauxoxo

Shop Link: http://beauxoxo.etsy.com/

Located in: Dorset

Sells: Handmade hair accessories

Maker's Story: "As clichéd as it may sound, ever since I can remember I have been making things out of anything that I could get my crafty hands on, from endless drawings for my friends and family to decorating and painting old broken violins in my college days. Whilst at university I increasingly felt like a fashion student in a musician's body and I found myself spending more and more of my time 'honing my craft'.

Before long, I realised that there was an apparent lack of distinctive yet fun hair accessories available on the market at an affordable price; therefore, I began extensively researching the best ways to make hair accessories that oozed both of these qualities and, thus, Beauxoxo was born. I like to channel the idea that hair accessories, like pieces of jewellery, can transform a look and enhance personal style whilst also making fresh fashion trends accessible to those on a budget. In 2010, I began selling my pieces on a local level at markets and through 'I Love Crafty' in Bristol, before officially launching my international Etsy store in the same year. My business soon escalated when, in 2011, I was invited to attend and partake in the Clothes Show Live 2011. During the event, I was approached by Jamie Stevens, the X Factor hair stylist, who subsequently purchased a variety of my pieces for Little Mix to wear on the show. To my surprise, when the Final show aired, Perrie walked on stage flaunting one of my glitter bows. Since then, my business has boomed and there has been a real demand for my unique yet wearable hair accessories, turning what was once a part time sewing and crafty hobby into a full time dream job! I now create hair bows, flower crowns, wire headbands, turban headbands, chain headpiece, knitted headbands, bow headbands, glitter hair bow, dolly bows, butterfly hair clips, butterfly hair crowns, lace headbands, daisy headbands and so much more. All handcrafted by myself, Georgie, in my little Dorset studio, by the seaside in the south coast of England, UK. "

Dorset Team Christmas Fair: Georgie will be selling her handmade hair accessories at the Dorset Team Christmas Fair on Saturday 3rd December at the Allendale Centre in Wimborne.

Please come along, meet Georgie and our other makers and sellers.

Doors open at 10am and close at 4pm and it is free entry.

For more information please see our Facebook event page or blog post