This Saturday, 16th July, is carnival day in Winwick, Warrington – let’s hope for some lovely sunshine to help proceedings go with a swing.

winwick carnival

If you’re interested in finding out more, visit the official carnival website here.  I’ll be there with my stall and there will all sorts of other things to see, buy and do.  If you need directions, you’ll find a map on the website too.

Maybe I’ll see you there if you live close enough!  If not, then you can enjoy a wander around my website whatever the weather!

P.S: There will be a few special offers to be had on the day!

blue skies

I’m really impressed with the prizes on offer to visitors at the Great British Craft Bazaar in Culcheth, Warrington.

One of these Craft Robos courtesy of Graphtec

craft robo

and a ring (of the winner’s choice) up to the value of £250 from Fat Cow Designs

titanium ring

are both being offered as prizes to vistors – you’ll find more info here.

Don’t miss out – all you need to do is pop along to the craft fair on 26th or 27th March for your chance to win.  You’ll also get the chance to browse lots of stalls, watch many of the makers in action and maybe even try out a few new skills yourself. 

Click the image below for all the details:

Every once in a while comes along something that looks exciting.  And I think this does: http://greatbritishcraftbazaar.com/

The Great British Craft Bazaar isn’t just another craft fair.  It’s aiming to offer the very best experience for anyone interested in handmade goods – so, as well as being able to buy gorgeous goodies from UK designer/makers, you’ll also be able to see demonstations of a variety of crafts and buy supplies for crafts too.

craft demonstrations

It’s being held on the last weekend in March (26th and 27th) in the new Culcheth High School building, which is on Warrington Road in Culcheth (WA3 5HH).  It’s a straight road from the East Lancs, and it’s easy to find from both the M6 and M62 too.  For any potential stallholders  who live some distance away, they’ve even negotiated a discount at a local hotel.

I know the organisers are already full for jewellery, but they still have vacancies for lots of other things – including craft supplies.  They’re specifically looking for card making suppliers, art materials suppliers and bead suppliers – and similar!  It’s a juried event, so you need to submit an application to them via their website, but that only serves in keeping the standards high, which can’t be a bad thing!

personalised campervan clock

My personalised campervan clocks are of course available at www.1stuniquegifts.co.uk – but as usual I plan to have some with me at the Great British Craft Bazaar.  I can of course personalise these (and other gifts!) while you wait at fairs.  I’m hoping to be doing some painting there, too! 

Might see you there!

Tweet

I’d quite like one of these bathroom door plaques for my own bathroom . . .

bathroom door plaque

But I’m waiting for a completed bathroom first!

unfinished bathroom

Anyone who’s followed this blog for a long while will know that the house we’re living in was described as “a project” by the agent who sold it to us (for local readers, that was the highly recommended www.courtyardpropertyconsultants.co.uk – a fab agency with a fresh approach, and no I don’t work for them!).

They weren’t wrong!

the bathroom as it was

The reason we bought the house wasn’t because we wanted a project – we wanted a home with the potential for a good-sized studio (for me to work in) in the garden – which is what we eventually got.  Well, almost . . .

Despite me getting my studio (more about that here: www.1stuniquegifts.co.uk/blog/creating-the-garden-studio ) the house remains slightly unfinished!  We ran out of money (as all renovators seem to do!) and I was setting up a business too – not the best of times to look for finance (or even rely on a steady income!) so we waited.

The only things that needed finishing were the bathroom and stairs/landing.  In the meantime, the downstairs hall has joined in with the unfinished look, as we had a flood from a waste pipe ( a saga I wouldn’t wish on anyone!).

We decided to finish the bathroom in October. Ha!  Bad decision.  The tiler hesitated about a date to start, being so close to Christmas, then (after what seemed like quite a variety of imaginative excuses) he failed to return a call.  We were already beginning to feel like stalkers, so gave up on that particular tiler.

After some more failed attempts at tracking down tilers, we went back to the (now retired!) builder who worked on the house when it was still a “project”.  He was available and vaguely willing. Yay!

Then more problems came along to delay him too (family illness, Christmas and a bad cold!!) (dare I say man flu?) and he started

mosaic around the sink

but we’re still waiting for the rest of the tiles to find their way onto the walls.

It may be a while yet as, although he can start back next week, we’re expecting to have a new baby in the house by then.  I hasten to add it’s not me who is pregnant, but my youngest daughter who lives with us at the moment.  This much-awaited little girl should’ve arrived on the 28th December – and we don’t particularly need a tiler taking up space in the bathroom with a new mum and new baby in the house.

It’ll get done one day!

Meanwhile, a separate loo should’ve been something we looked at as a priority when we renovated, rather than a “maybe one day” add-on.

toilet door plaque - reading room

I so-o-o look forward to the day when I can show you a completed bathroom!

And, in case you’re interested, the door plaques (all hand painted in the aforementioned studio!) are available here: www.1stuniquegifts.co.uk