Yes, this was the venue for the official book launch of Selina Lake's "Pretty Pastel Style" with most excitingly, its accompanying fair. The entrance foyer had been beautifully decorated.
Oooh and there was the bike, the promised raffle prize, adorned with stunning David Austin roses.
The fair and book signing was being held in the upper hall and the staircase led us enticingly upstairs.
The hall was a very pretty room in its own right but even more so when filled with lovely-looking stalls.
I was delighted by the beautiful makes of Lucinda and her company Sesame and Lilly.
She has used pretty vintage fabrics and trims to super effect.
A lot of her work was beautifully detailed and you needed to look close to see all the dinky beads and stitches.
This contrasted with the goodies next door, lovely handmade items crafted from wood with painted details in pretty colours by Anna Wiscombe.
Peach Blossom has some very pretty paper products including those covetable stripey paper straws, glassine envelopes and doilies. I love a doily!
I was taken with these pretty painted egg cups on the stall of MiaFleur.
They also had some original vintage pieces, some of which had quirky touches added, like these lace-trimmed tea towels.
Next door, I was very pleased to see Nicky Grace and her gorgeous handmade items, as I loved the images of Nicky's home in the book.
Lovely cheery colours on a rather un-Springlike day.
I then found beautiful flowers and pretty objects, courtesy of Love Lane Vintage (I understand you can find these two sisters on Facebook and Twitter but I will leave that to you as I cannot find my way round those sites!)
I came home with a pretty posy like the one pictured, it smelled divine because of the petite paperwhites tucked within it. The ladies are running a country brocante in Sussex in April (I imagine you shall find details on Facebook).
At this time, I felt it was time to refuel so headed for ...
What delights awaited me. Again, I was impressed by all the effort the ladies had gone to to make it look so lovely. There were pretty tablecloths and more gorgeous roses on each table and piles of teetering vintage china. I even found a friend serving the teas!
Cakey Bakes had a fab display groaning with yummy things to eat and drink (I can vouch for the chocolate orange cupcake).
There was also an utterly amazing cakey display made specially for the event! Yes, those books are made of icing.
Ladies were sat with Yvonne of Yvestown learning to crochet and there was the opportunity to enter the draw to win that pretty bike.
Back in the main hall, there were a few stalls remaining over which to swoon.
I also chatted with the folks from Plastikote who had brought out a new range of very prettily coloured spray paints. Thank goodness, this feels like one product I've been waiting for.
The things they'd made and sprayed looked fab and thanks to them giving me some cans of paint to try, I shall get back to you and let you know how that goes. (I was told you can find Plastikote on Facebook and they will happily answer any of your queries there.)
I've saved one of my favourites until last.
You may recall that in my post the other day, I showed you an embroidery in a hoop that I had been working on. This was inspired by a photograph in Selina's book of a gorgeous original item made by Vicky Trainor whom I was lucky enough to meet today.
Vicky and her friend were delightfully chatty and the stand looked beautiful, both the handmade and vintage items. You can find Vicky at The Linen Garden and drool over all the beautiful things she makes there.
(To the lady who enquired following my post the other day, yes I started my piece with a bit of salvaged embroidered teacloth and then appliqued and embroidered onto that.)
So, all in all, a really lovely day. I just wished there were even more lovely stalls to prolong the experience! A huge amount of effort had obviously gone into decorating the venue and it was lovely for me to see so many makers who were new to me. Without a doubt, this fair had the friendliest stall holders, they really were a delight to chat with. I also bumped into some fellow Instagrammers and had a lovely natter with them, too.
I was tempted, of course, by many things but was fairly restrained (whoever organised three fairs in one week did not take into account my budget!)
I arrived home happy and tired, to find that a certain furry ginger striped somebody was in exactly the same spot as when I left him!
Who can blame him! Have a super weekend. X
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