Wednesday 14 December 2011

Some nice people from Vintage Brighton saw my stall at Art Junky




and contacted me about having one of my items in their Xmas Advent Calender.


My item, due to feature on the 13th (should I worry?) has come and gone now, but in their Twit-pic gallery one can still link to my Vintage Biker Couple Framed Ad. Here's the website gallery:


Here's their Twit-pic gallery. Check them out on Facebook and Twitter, too!

Saturday 26 November 2011

A Sweet little film made about the last Handmade and Bound 
at St. Bride's Nov 20:



(I am in it for a millisecond)

Sunday 16 October 2011

Markets and Fairs Gone and Coming Up - A Bit of a Story

It's mid-October and I've ended up taking a short break, for a couple of weeks, from markets and fairs. Goodness knows I've got enough happening over the weeks to come. I dabbled with the idea of doing one of those big traveling vintage fairs on the 15th, but got scared off by the high rates for tables, plus the huge quantity of the sellers packed into a huge hall. Do people really sell enough stuff at those to warrant the £65 table fee?
It's not that long ago I started on this market and fair lark, tho sometimes it feels like an age. Artists books got me going in the first place. After visiting the London Artists Book Fair in 2005, at the ICA, I determined I would be at the next one, and I was. VERY expensive, tho I didn't know any better at the time. So I launched myself as an artist into the public realm at the LAB 06. I loved it, and realised there was not only a seriously creative person in me, but also a serious trader.
So in a couple weeks time I'll be doing markets every weekend bar one till Mid December, starting with my favourite vintage market the last Saturday of this month, Can't Buy Me Love. Jet Payne, who runs it is so sweet and all the sellers are lovely. Can't Buy Me Love celebrated it's 1st Birthday back in June, and I've done most all of them.


The pic above is from the very first one, which my partner Aidan hosted for me, as I had something else on that day. It's a friendly and relaxed atmosphere, and if it gets quiet, we just try each other's stuff on and shoot the shit.



 We loved the Halloween themed market (above) last year. Any excuse to dress up a bit and act silly. Aidan loves donning a wig any chance he can get, and with those blue tinted round glasses...does he remind you of anyone?


On Nov 5-6th, I've got Art Junky, my absolutely fav fair, which got me started on this boutique concept of combining handmades with my vintage. My first one (above) was in Feb 2009 and I've done every one since. I made that huge drape from dozens of vintage scarves for an art market in Brixton, and found it slightly challenging getting it up on that small area of wall for Art Junky. It's about 10 metres long! Sometimes I ponder on it and wish I could think of something to make it into, so it doesn't languish in a bag. Art Junky's got a great vibe, it's in a cool town (Brighton), at a cool venue (Phoenix Gallery) and there's so many wonderful artists, makers, good food and music there. It's a real honour to be amongst them. I also always love to stop for Mexican food after.

The following weekend is my very own baby the Dandy Lion Market, on the 12th Nov. It will be six months old and I'm giving it a 'Spicy' theme in honour of autumn, cinnamon, chilli, pumpkins and squashes, nuts and seeds (which all kind of nod to my native land's Thanksgiving day). I'm really looking forward to seeing what French Made whips up specially for it.


Last month she made some glorious treats (above). So far, there are around 17 different stalls. I will be uploading their albums soon, so check into the facebook page to see who and what will be coming along. Starting with next month, I've got a few more stalls indoors for a while now, as not as many sellers are as prepared to deal with the elements in the courtyard and stables. Isn't this a country of market towns where stallholders trade at open outdoor markets on a weekly basis?

Well, that's enough rambling for now. I have more of this story to tell, but wish to go and watch the rest of the Witches of Eastwick on telly! See ya later! x

Monday 19 September 2011



Related to the Bookmarks lX, Infiltrating the Library system, there is a wonderful review of a random selection of them by Laine Farley on the Biblio Buffet blog. I was included, which is wonderful, and you can read the full review here. Read more on my blog hereBOOKMARKS lX, A project with the University of West England's Centre for Fine Print Research (CFPR)

Friday 16 September 2011

Something new for the Caterham Vintage & Art Fair tomorrow



Usually, I design a whole table arrangement in my front room for each market or fair I do, but space and energy are in short supply, so I'm just rounding everything up in tune with a colour scheme I've chosen. I'm also sourcing lots of stuff from my recently acquired booty brought all the way home from the USA in August. Here is a little example of something I will have on my table: 2 vintage Mexican handmade decorative birds displayed inside a cute vintage green metal bird cage. I made and added the old green brocade covered base.

Thursday 15 September 2011

French Made: Dandy Lion market No 4



Fantastic blog post by French Made: Dandy Lion market No 4: "Last Saturday, I brought my delectables to The Dandy Lion market at The Boogaloo , hosted by the lovely Leslie from Leslieworks . My ...

Friday 2 September 2011

BOOKMARKS lX, A project with the University of West England's Centre for Fine Print Research (CFPR)




100 Years: A collection of people at each age from 1 to 100. 100 Bookmarks demarking 100 years of a human life span. The series is about repetition and finality, but also of hope.
As an ongoing fascination, obsession even, with aging and death, I though it would be a revealing exercise finding and documenting human beings at each stage in life, at each age.
Youth is so shortlived. Out of 100 years, a good 80% is lived as an adult. 50% would be considered a time of decline.
I experienced mixed emotions searching for and documenting strangers of every age between 1 and 100, in intimate settings. It was intriguing looking at young children and seeing how much difference there was in just one, or 2 years. I was a little anxious when looking for youngsters and worried I might come across a peadophile site. I was disconcerted to find young women under 18 trying to pass off as being older in alluring poses. After about age 24, most images were linked to matchmaking sites. From the matchmaking sites, most of the 24 to 50 year olds were predominantly women. After around 50 they were mostly men linked to high earnings statistics. At 65, suddenly most of the image links became graphs and statistics about aging, retirement, illness and death. It was much harder to find an ordinary, picture of a still living older person.
It was an informative foray. I discovered people I forgot about, learned of deaths, achievements and saw some things I'd rather not have. I found myself being very discerning about who I selected. I avoided celebrities and well known people. I did not choose pictures from obituaries, nor of those with a focus on an illness. I left out criminals and any who were in the news due to any kind of suffering. I wanted to capture people still alive at their respective ages, and in reasonable health. If there were many choices (which there usually was not) I would go for the most youthful looking in their age group. I wanted to maintain an upbeat slant to the portrayals, applying a sense of hope that we all have a chance to live a long life. After 70, nearly all the photos were of people who had died. Or, on the flip side, they were men, and a few women defying age with regimes and super fit bodies. What's interesting, is that after age 80, more living people appear again because of how amazing it is they're still around. I tried to vary all selections with regard to sex and race. The images have been lightened to help retain anononimity. I have included myself as a mystery addition to the collection, as a way of acknowledging my own place in the life-time-continuum.

Sunday 8 May 2011

A New Concept in Craft Fairs


No sooner have I finished one project when a new one dangles itself before my eyes. An opportunity to organise a craft fair under the banner of a monthly market I've been doing for nearly a year now, Can't Buy Me Love. Jet was asked by the manager of the Boogaloo, the main venue for her market, if she wanted to cover all the Saturday market spots, so she asked me if I wanted to do a craft market. Of course I do! I've been going on about how there aren't enough craft fairs in London, and there is definitely a shortage of unusual ones, for which I hope to fill a small gap.

Aidan presented the name Dandelion after a cool market he used to go to in his punk days in Dublin. It  started in 1970 and finished in 1979. I liked the name immediately, but twisted the spelling, creating a double meaning, initially something wild and natural, but also suggesting a place with a quirky flair and boldness. I find myself wanting to re-create something along similar lines, too. There is a bit of punk, goth, mod, rocker, grunger, etc in me and most of the craft fairs I see don't touch on any of those styles. I want to appeal more to men, who seem to have been ignored, left out of the loop at all the retro, nostalgic affairs that are great, but, come on, what's in it it for them (other than the gorgeous, sexy young women preening about in naughty 40's maids outfits and such? I also want to get more young people appreciating the efforts of handmade, a bit of literature, some healthy food. So, let's see what happens. I have a lot of work ahead of me. Anyone have any good ideas, suggestions, or proposals throw them my way!

Monday 2 May 2011

BABE: The best one yet.

I did the return journey by train from London to Bristol on Saturday and Sunday, which was a novel thing for me! I also experienced a big learning curve organising my first shared table at the event, with the Facebook group, Artist Book Collective. I expected a good 20-30 people out of a possible 480 to take part, but in the end it was just the 8 of us. But, what a wonderful group of eight we were. The women who took part, Charlotte A Morgan, Kathryn Des Forges, Lina Avramidou, Rosie Kearton, Rose Davies, Caroline Griffiths with Laura Sheldon, and Louise Atkinson all made lovely books and the 3 of those, Rose, Caroline and Rosie who came along to help and support were fantastic. What fun to meet such lovely people.

The fair itself was also excellent, with a diverse range of artists making quality work. I enjoyed seeing and chatting with old aquaintances and friends. And making some new ones, too! The Arnolfini looked after us very well and there was a fun interactive event called World Atlas of Bristol. I joined unwittingly after I clocked the badge being given away. I always like a badge. I was given a sheet of paper with a random country printed on it which I had to draw from my memory, or imagination, if memory failed! The results were all pinned up in their categories on a long wall. Some were quite exacting, but most were funny. I mean what do you expect from a bunch of artists, illustrators, and afficionados? A book or 2 will be made from the results, I was told.
Sales weren't amazing. It was yet another bank holiday weekend, (after what seemed like a month of them). There was a good flow of people on Saturday, but surprisingly fewer on the Sunday. I wonder if the poster couldn't have been a bit more eye-catching. As always, tho it was nice to be in Bristol itself, take a break and sit on the harbor wall in the sunshine, watch the people, motorbikes and boats. 

Wednesday 6 April 2011

Introducing my new etsy shop


I finally managed to open a second etsy shop, which is no mean feat, considering you have to open a new email account. Once opened you have to sign in and out of 4 accounts if you want to catch up on activity in the 2 shops, plus any communication associated with the 2 shops, namely 2 email accounts. My word. I thought I already spent too much time up here, and now look...

Anyway, I'm quite happy with the look and feel of my new microniche shop, and it has already received lots of views and and inclusion in a treasury!

Thursday 31 March 2011

Lots of new applique hoops in my etsy shop

Having made and listed a few new applique hoops, namely the new silhouette ones, I got inspired to also add some more that I hadn't got around to listing. 








It's mad making art, making crafts, collecting vintage and designing a new table arrangement for every market. Not to mention all the photographing, blogging, networking and marketing, etc. I hope it will all stand me in good stead for that lovely shop I hope to have in the not too distant future!

Saturday 26 March 2011

New Rock & Roll Boy Girl Hoops and a great day at Can't Buy Me Love market



Just had a brilliant day at the Can't Buy Me Love market today. It was featured in Time Out and, for me, that proved to have a very positive effect. I sold 3 of my hoops, 2 of which were brand new! I've now listed my other 2 on etsy. The woman who bought my 3 hoops has a shop and if you read this, I didn't get your name, or the name of your shop, and sure wish I did! So, please let me know how my items went and how your shop is going! Seems like a few people are now doing what I started doing 2 years ago, which is selling crafts with vintage. My shop will too come, and soon! Here's some pics of my new Rock & Roll Boy and Girl hoops. Below are the ones bought today. I will be making more as I have a few fairs coming up.




These are the contrasting ones, which I have listed on etsy