Dorset Team Christmas Fair - Times to Treasure

Our Dorset Team Christmas Fair is THIS WEEKEND (Saturday 1^stand Sunday 2^ndDecember) in the Allendale Centre, Wimborne. Entry to the event is free. 

Each week in the lead up to the fair we have been meeting different stallholders who will be selling at the event. 

Grainne

This week we meet Poole based jewellery maker and designer Grainne who runs her shop, Times To Treasure Uk. 

Grainne specialises in making her jewellery from silver clay but also uses sheet silver and wire and traditional silver smithing techniques.

Grainne's garden studio

She works from her beautiful garden studio in Poole and says that her "shop is constantly evolving and new items are being added all the time. Many of my creations are one of a kind design and unique."

What inspires Grainne? She says, "I take my inspiration from the beautiful Jurassic coast and the Dorset countryside and hedgerows. "

Grainne won a 'Made in Dorset' award in 2014 which she is really proud of. In 2016 she also completed her level 1&2 diploma in silver clay and teaches both classes and workshops.

Come and meet Grainne, see her beautiful handmade jewellery and meet our 60+ other stallholders at the Dorset Team Christmas Fair on both Saturday 1^stand Sunday 2^ndDecember. 

More information can be found on our Facebook event page here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1994393970585608/

We hope to see you there! Entry is FREE

Dorset Team Christmas Fair - Terri Peay

Not long now until the Dorset Team Christmas Fair which is taking place on Saturday 1^stand Sunday 2^ndDecember in the Allendale Centre, Wimborne. 

Each week we are going to be meeting a different stallholder who will be selling at the event. 

Terri Peay

This week we meet Terri Peay who runs her shop of the same name and sells handcrafted illustrated homewares, proudly designed and made in Dorset.

Terri is based in Weymouth in the beautiful rolling hills of Dorset.

She says "I draw inspiration from the serene landscape and its creatures. Through hand illustration, I create homewares & gifts with love, laughter and life at the heart of their design. All of my products are proudly designed, printed and crafted in the U.K and mainly feature British animals. "

Terri's products are hugely popular and have been featured in the past in both Vogue and Country Living Magazine.

Come and meet Terri and our 60+ other stallholders at the Dorset Team Christmas Fair on both Saturday 1^stand Sunday 2^ndDecember. 

More information can be found on our Facebook event page here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1994393970585608/

Dorset Team Christmas Fair - Charlotte Miller

The countdown is on to the Dorset Team Christmas Fair which is taking place on Saturday 1^stand Sunday 2^ndDecember in the Allendale Centre, Wimborne. 

Each week we are going to be meeting a different stallholder who will be selling at the event. 

This week we meet Charlotte of Charlotte Miller Ceramics. Charlotte is a Bournemouth based ceramicist that makes budgies and other small animals in hats and knitwear! 

Charlotte with some of her creations

Her anthropomorphic, whimsical budgie sculptures are both endearing and nostalgic, whilst her range of quirky tableware is a tribute to the eccentric and the kitsch.

As a child, Charlotte became a keen social observer, trawling around car-boot sales with her Dad collecting curios, mid-century kitsch and seaside postcards. Amused by seeing the closeness of people and their pets, she alighted on the idea of melding the two.  Thus, Brian the budgie was born out of the chance meeting of an Elvis lover and his budgerigar.

Before establishing her own pottery studio, Charlotte taught for many years as ceramics tutor on youth, community and degree courses. Through engaging with a wide demographic of students from children to the elderly, her empathy and fondness for people began to feed into her work.

Charlotte in her studio 

Charlotte has a broad technical language in ceramics, allowing her to accurately satirise traditional homely and domestic clay idioms. This results in the fresh and witty social commentary of her aesthetically resolved art works.

Charlotte’s love of print making and sculpture has led her to develop a range of work that concentrates on form as well as illustrative and textured surfaces. Both are influenced by her degree in Contemporary Crafts, where she studied both textiles and ceramics. Charlotte also has a PGCE and teaches ceramics classes from her studio in Bournemouth.

The budgies and other creatures are created by using a combination of press molding and hand sculpting techniques. She uses a stoneware body with underglaze, engobe, earthenware glaze, decal and lustre decoration. All these are made from her Bournemouth studio.

Come and meet Charlotte and our 60+ other stallholders at the Dorset Team Christmas Fair on both Saturday 1^stand Sunday 2^ndDecember. 

More information can be found on our Facebook event page here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1994393970585608/

Dorset Team Christmas Fair - Bark and Banter

The countdown is on to the Dorset Team Christmas Fair which is taking place on Saturday 1^stand Sunday 2^ndDecember in the Allendale Centre, Wimborne. 

Each week we are going to be meeting a different stallholder who will be selling at the event. 

This week we meet Caz Brown of Bark and Banter who sells leather handbags, accessories and dog collars. 

Caz has been a creator all of her life. She spent her early days with her grandmother, who was a gown maker, in her workroom making small bags out of scraps of fabric. Later she moved into jewellery design and learnt how to silversmith and make her own glass beads. 

Caz says her business and use of leather “started because I couldn't find a suitably grand collar for my Great Dane Ruby.” So she enrolled on a weekend course for traditional hand sewing leather skills and became hooked. 

“The smell, the feel, the look of leather, along with its tactile nature is something I have grown to love. It continues to move and change over time with age, and use only enhances its beauty. 

Over the last three years the yearn to make bags returned, and I started to design and create my own range of bags that are just that little bit different. I was always taught as a child that "beauty comes form within" and with that in mind my bags are lined with beautiful fabrics and vintage prints ( some preserved from my grandmothers era!) and my aim is that they are as beautiful on the inside as they are on the outside. “

Come and meet Caz and our 60+ other stallholders at the Dorset Team Christmas Fair on both Saturday 1^stand Sunday 2^ndDecember. 

More information can be found on our Facebook event page here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1994393970585608/

1 month to go until the Etsy Made Local: Dorset Team Christmas Fair 2018! - Wimborne

Our Etsy Made Local: Dorset Team Christmas Fair is now just 1 month away!

It is going to be a brilliant weekend with over 60 stallholder each day at the fair selling a range of handmade, vintage and craft supply products.

After the success last year of a two day event, this year we are returning for the entire weekend and will be across two rooms in the Allendale Centre, Wimborne.

Here is a sneak preview of some of the products which will be heading to the Christmas Fair 

Dorset Team Christmas Fair 2018 - SAS Creative

Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd of December will be our Dorset Team Christmas Fair. It is going to be a wonderful weekend with stalls from local makers, designers, vintage sellers and craft suppliers. 

The fair is taking place at the Allendale Centre in Wimborne and entry is FREE

Each week we are meeting different stall holders who will be at the fair and this week our featured stallholder is Samantha from SAS Creative who sells original papercut and paper cutting templates for those who want to give it a go! 

Samantha was born in Dorset and originally from Wimborne. She studied at the AUB and has over 14 years studio experience. She says " I found my love of paper cutting back in 2012. After the birth of our daughter I wanted to pursue my passion which enabled me to work for myself. I love designing new paper cuts and selling my products"

3 things about Samantha....!

1) She is inspired by the New Forest 

2) She is a heavy tea drinker 

and 3) she has a passion for colour 

Come and meet Samantha and see her beautiful work at the Dorset Team Christmas Fair which is taking place on 1st and 2nd December at the Allendale Centre, Wimborne. Entry is FREE and there will be two rooms full of local makers and sellers. 

Please find more information about the event here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1994393970585608/

Dorset Team Christmas Fair - Kate Osman Glass

The Dorset Team Christmas Fair is fast approaching...! It is going to be a fantastic, festive weekend with stalls by local makers and sellers who all also sell their wares on Etsy.com. 

The fair has been running for a number of years and last year was the first year in which we ran the fair for two days. It was a great success so this year the fair will also be a two day event with some returning stallholders for each day and some stallholders who are coming one day only. 

This is a great place to come if you are looking for a fun day out and some really unique Christmas gifts. There will be something for every one and every budget. 

Kate Osman

For the last few weeks we have been meeting different stallholders who will be at the fair and today we meet Kate from Kate Osman Glass who....you guessed it...sells glass products! 

Kate is based in Stallbridge, Dorset and makes products from glass she has recycled from land and sea such as old greenhouse glass. She reclaims their and transforms it into something beautiful, recycling at its very best!

Kate was a stallholder at last year's event and her stall was a popular one. We are really excited to see her return this year with new products.

She says "I am a glass artist, I love what I do and am passionate about re-using our dwindling resources - I only with glass I have recycled - mostly reclaimed glass, broken greenhouse glass, glass from picture frames and indeed pretty much any odd bits of glass I can recycle! My favourite finds are the fabulous gems of colour that you spot amongst the sand and pebbles at the seaside - the irresistible gleam and sparkle of Sea Glass! The wire within my work is mostly from my local car stereo repair shop, old wire looms from cars and scrap cast-offs from electricians. All of it needs to be stripped from the rubber casing before I can use it."

Cutting the recycled glass 

She works from her log cabin in the garden which says says is a delight in the summer but a little chilly in the winter months! Her two studio helpers are Brucelee and Miss Koko Chanel who are two little rescue dogs.

As Kate's work is made from recycled elements, it already has a beautiful history and story. She often can remember where the original piece of glass came from so if you are visiting her stall please do ask her!

Kate will be selling with us both on Saturday and Sunday so please do put the dates in your diary and we hope to see you there!

Event details:

Dorset Team Christmas Fair 2018
Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd December
Allendale Centre in Wimborne
BH21 1AS
10am - 4pm

FREE ENTRY

There will be 60 stalls each day with some returning stallholders and some stallholders which are selling with us for one day only. The fair is set over two rooms in the Allendale Centre.

More information about the event can be found on our Facebook event page here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1994393970585608/

Dorset Team Pinterest Board - Autumn

Happy Autumn everyone, as the leaves start to fall and the darker evenings begin we thought it would be a good time to share with you all our collection of beautiful products by Dorset Team members on the theme of Autumn.

All products on this board are by members of the Dorset Team on Etsy and are either handmade, vintage or crafting supplies. With a huge thank you to Jeni and Lynn for running the boards and to everyone who has been adding new products to them.

Dorset Team Christmas Fair - Endless Summer Silver

On December 1st and 2nd the Dorset Team will be running a big Christmas Fair at the Allendale Centre in Wimborne which will be full of local makers and sellers who are part of the Dorset Team and sell their wares on Etsy.com. The fair is on for 2 days and set over two rooms of the Allendale Centre. 

In the lead up to the event we will be sharing some of the makers and sellers who will be stallholders at the event. 

Today's featured stallholder is Sue from Endless Summer Silver  who is a jewellery maker based in Christchurch who sells handmade styling and eco silver jewellery sets with vintage surfite.

Sue works from her small workshop at home which is not far from the sea in Christchurch. 

She is currently working on a range which uses vintage Australian surfite. Surfite is the excess resin that layers up on a surfboard shapers workshop floor. When the colours come together on the floor, they make amazing combinations of patterns and colours and Sue uses this surfite in her jewellery.

She says " I love the fact that the surfite I use is vintage and that I am recycling something that would have otherwise gone to waste; as of 2018 all the silver that I purchase to make my jewellery is Eco silver and will come with a certificate of authenticity. Recycle ~ Reuse ~ Reduce"

Sue spends a lot of time at the beach and says when she is not at home creating pieces of jewellery she can be found walking on the beach with her workshop buddy, Buster, her 10 year old working cocker spaniel.

3 things you should know about Sue....

1. She grew up in Dorset by the sea and has eaten her fair share of sand sandwiches!

2. She says she is am happiest when at the beach and has recently taken up paddleboard yoga. 

3. She has been lucky enough to visit many countries but her favourite place in the world is Hengistbury Head, Dorset.

Please do put Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd of December in your diary for the Dorset Team Christmas Fair. Sue will be selling on Sunday only so if you want to come and see her, you will need to come on the Sunday (or why not come on both Saturday and Sunday!). There will be 60 stalls each day with some stallholders selling one day only like Sue and others selling for both the Saturday and Sunday.

The Allendale in Wimborne is super easy to get to and there are council run car parks surrounding the venue which make parking super easy.

For more information about the event please see our Facebook event page https://www.facebook.com/events/1994393970585608/

Sneak preview of products for the Etsy Made Local: Dorset Team Christmas Fair 2018

As the colder weather is coming and darker Autumn evenings, our thoughts are turning to our Christmas Fair. If you haven't already, please put Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd December in your diary for the Etsy Made Local: Dorset Team Christmas Fair 2018 at the Allendale Centre in Wimborne.

It is going to be a fantastic, festive weekend with some of the best designer-makers, vintage sellers and craft suppliers from across Dorset all selling under one roof.

Entry to the fair is FREE and there will be a huge variety of different products.

More information about the event can be found on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1994393970585608/

To give you a taster....here is a sneak preview of some of the handmade items which will be making their way to the fair.

Dorset Team Christmas Fair - Heidi M Illustration

The countdown is on for the Dorset Team Christmas Fair. Each week we are meeting a different stallholder who will be at the event.

This week we are meeting Heidi from Heidi M Illustration who will be selling on the Sunday. Heidi is based in Bournemouth and is a full time artist and children's book illustrator. She sells storybook style portraits, greeting cards, prints, original watercolour artworks and clutch bags with her own illustrations. 

Heidi works from her studio in Bournemouth and uses the traditional methods of watercolour and ink to produce her illustrations.

'They say every picture tells a story, and that what I love to do with my illustrations, I like to create narrative with my inks and watercolours and bring a smile with my quirky, and funny greeting cards, custom portraits and artworks. I like to bring my personality into my work, and using traditional medias of a dip pen, inks and watercolours I pour my imagination, hopes and dreams into each piece. About me? Like the girl with red shoes who couldn't stop dancing, I can't stop drawing.'

The Dorset Team Christmas Fair is taking place on Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd December. Heidi will be selling on the Sunday only so if you want to come along to meet her and see her beautiful artwork please do put Sunday 2nd in your diary (or why not come on both Saturday and Sunday!?). Entry to the fair is FREE and there will be two rooms filled with stalls by local artists, makers, vintage sellers and craft suppliers. 

More information can be found over on our Facebook page here: http://facebook.com/events/1994393970585608/

Dorset Team Christmas Fair - Made by Powley

Each week until our Dorset Team Christmas Fair we are meeting a different stallholder who will be at the event. First up is Jan who is based in Bournemouth and runs her shop Made By Powley. 

Jan with some of her creations

Jan sells unique handmade ceramics which are contemporary in style and also incredibly functional and are designed to be used and enjoyed. 

She sells everything from ceramic planters to mugs and bowls.

In Jan's twenties she became a potter and owned a studio and a bricks and mortar shop with her best friend. She changed careers to IT but has returned to pottery a few years ago and this time has decided to set up her shop online as well as selling at events such as our Dorset Team Fair. 

She says ' my pottery style has changed, my shop is now virtual but my passion remains constant! Producing pottery gives me great joy. I hope that the items bring joy to their new owner when they are used daily.'

She says she loves to play with clay and when she is not making, she is thinking about making! 

The Dorset Team Christmas Fair will be on Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd of December and Jan will be selling on the Sunday. Please pop the date in your diary, it is going to be a really fun, festive weekend with lots of beautiful stalls to browse. 

The fair is taking place at the Allendale Centre in Wimborne from 10am - 4pm each day. Entry is FREE and the fair will be set over two rooms with 60+ stalls each day. 

For more information about the event and sneak previews from our stallholders please see our Facebook event page http://facebook.com/events/1994393970585608/

Etsy Made Local: Dorset Team Christmas Fair 2018 in Wimborne

We are so excited to announce that the Dorset Team will be returning to Wimborne for the Etsy Made Local: Dorset Team Christmas Fair 2018! 

We are back for the whole weekend (Saturday 1st AND Sunday 2nd) and going to be spread across the two rooms of the Allendale Centre in Wimborne with 60+ local makers, designers, vintage sellers and craft suppliers selling each day. 

It will be a lovely festive day out (or why not come both days?!) with lots of beautiful stalls to browse, a wonderful on site cafe serving hot and cold food and drinks all day and lots of really unique gift ideas. 

Please put the date in your diary and head to our Facebook event page to find out more information and sneak previews by our stallholders https://www.facebook.com/events/1994393970585608/

We hope to see you there!