Rhubarb

I must start with a confession. I found this blog post really difficult to write!

Now, I'm not one that often suffers from writers block (I have my own blog too, and I manage to write something for that nearly every week), nor one of these people that is often lost for words (quite the opposite in fact!) but... never the less, not only did I find this particular post very difficult to write, I couldn't even think of a topic! I have the whole of Yorkshire, and all the lovely new followers of the Yorkshire Made FB page as my inspiration, and I was completely stuck!

But then, suddenly from nowhere, inspiration struck! I remember it clearly, and I expect the other half does too, as suddenly in the middle of watching a very tense footie match on the telly box I proclaim at the top of my voice...RHUBARB!

Now I know he thinks I have finally lost the plot, but I am very pleased with my choice as it links in with us on oh so many levels!


Last weeks blog post from Lisa was about a love triangle....

Yorkshire Forced Rhubarb is only grown in a very small area in North Yorkshire - called the Rhubarb Triangle!



Yorkshire Made likes to promote local sellers, suppliers and events....

Yorkshire Forced Rhubarb is, as the name suggests, locally grown! In fact it was awarded Protected Designation of Origin status in 2010 which means the name is legally protected and the growers receive European funding to promote the product.



Yorkshire Made likes a good party - especially if there is food (but more especially cake) involved....

The Wakefield Festival of Food, Drink and Rhubarb takes place on the 25th and 26th February!

 I also think there is something very special and fascinating about anything that is created in darkness and harvested by candlelight!

If you would like more information about the  

Wakefield Festival of Food, Drink and Rhubarb 

just click on the link.

For now, here's a snippet of info from the home page: 

The festival celebrates the traditional links with rhubarb growing in Wakefield, while offering the finest and tastiest regional produce and showcasing the most talented local chefs. The festival will include street entertainment, cookery demonstrations, walks, tours, a Deliciously Yorkshire market and visits to the rhubarb growers.

I do hope you'll forgive me for not writing a particularly art/craft/design focused post and will join me in a toast to Yorkshire Rhubarb and the spirit of Yorkshire Made! If any of you are visiting the Festival or have gone to see the rhubarb growing sheds already, I'd love to hear from you! I'm fascinated and would love to know more!

Laura x from Yorkshire Made

A crafty bit on the side!

Last week I was accused of having an affair! In a moment of blind panic I confessed I was having a bit of a  “thing” with Rufus Sewell, which surprised my other half as he had been referring to Yorkshire Made, obviously I kicked myself for letting slip about my illicit liaisons,  but was somewhat relieved that he seemed to be untroubled by this shocking revelation. (I later discovered that he thought I meant Rufus Hound and he’d planned to grow a handlebar moustache and win me back!)

In truth though, he is quite used to me sitting and sewing all night, while he plays PS3 but now I keep stealing his i pod to check for updates and to message new friends he finds it quite disturbing. The thing is I have to come clean, he’s right I m addicted!

When my sister and I first started Our Little Craft Company we only spoke to other crafty people at the events we attended and at the very beginning we were so nervous we only chatted to our immediate neighbours, but we soon realised that it’s not like the magic circle, almost everyone we’ve met has been friendly, helpful and an invaluable source of information with regards to other events, and sales opportunities.

We now think of these outings as social occasions and look forward to the creative buzz, idle gossip and compulsory cake tasting that follow; sales are much appreciated but are no longer the only measure of a successful fair.

 In fact its chance meetings at such events that have led to the formation of Yorkshire Made and we can already feel the enthusiasm and shared passion of so many other makers and creators out there! Never has Facebook been more in need of a “love” button, here are just a few of the treasures that I have discovered....this also doubles as a Birthday list if anyone’s stuck on what to get me!!

    

   

   

 Inspiration at the click of a mouse and it’s just the tip of the iceberg, so you can at least see why I’m always “working late” and how the afore mentioned accusation came about.

On the brightside he’s bought me a new phone as an early birthday gift so I can sew, surf and socialise without disturbing him, which is nice, although I’m hoping he still grows the moustache, I’ve always had a “thing” about Magnum!!

Lisa x

Stall season starts!

Stall season starts!
So Christmas is out of the way and we’ve all taken time to burn off those new years eve calories, by slaving away making lovely handmade goodies that we hope one day someone will be a fan of and want to buy them from you. In an ideal world we would have all the time in the world to make, bake, sew, turn, sculpt and paint (to name but a few), with endless cups of tea as warming inspiration and the radio churning out classics we all know the words to, but don’t know who sung them.

But, alas, we all know deep down that unless we get a move on and get to events, craft fairs, fetes, crafty gatherings etc and start selling our wares that the ideal world gets oh so messed up with reality and before you know it; the cat’s not been fed, the last of the milk’s gone, and you’ve already missed the deadlines for those events you were desperate to get involved in!

I’m writing this T-minus 32 hours before my first event of the year, and I, like I’m sure many others out there, am feeling all too less than prepared. So you’ve lived the dream-like world of making the things that you get a thrill from seeing other people pick them up, and walk away with smiling with their purchase, but what about the rest of it?

I think anybody who makes things will agree with me that it’s the prep for events that can be the most stressful part of it. Like men can see shopping round Meadowhall on a Saturday a fate worse than death, getting yourself ready for an event can all too easily be a danger zone if you’re not prepared.

It’s the little things- picture this: you’re at an event, after having been lost on the motorway, you’ve no idea who’s going to be there because you forgot to check the advertising and you’ve got a sneaky feeling you’ve forgotten your pins to tack a sign on. Worst nightmare. But easily averted.

From experience (and that includes forgetting to take a cash float on more than one occasion), most situations are solvable, and nine times out of ten, making friends with your neighbours when setting up can be the magic solution, not to mention a great opportunity to make new friends.
Now, I’m not suggesting you ask to borrow £10 pound’s worth of 20 pence pieces before you even know the name of the stallholder next to you, that‘s just asking for trouble, but we’re all a friendly bunch of crafty comrades and all in exactly the same boat so remember one favour deserves another, and lending a few pins out to your neighbour will probably mean they’ll be happy to watch your stall while you go find that wondrous cup of tea that you’ve been hankering after since you got out the taxi!

So, here’s a quick list of things of the bare minimum you should be taking along with you…

Tablecloth: most places won’t let you do an event if your table isn’t covered, so that should be the first thing you pack when getting ready.

Business cards- we want people to know who you are so they can come back for more of your handmade goodies at a later date!

Change: essential for that first purchase of the day with a £20 note!

Notepad and pen: Great for writing orders, swapping contacts, keeping track of what has sold, or at worst a game of noughts and crosses with your neighbour!

Calculator

Bags: Something to put items in once someone has bought them from your stall.

And last but not least, a big friendly smile (cheesy but it’s true!)

It may seem like a given that these will automatically get packed up to go with you to an event, but I can personally think of at least 3 things from the above that I’ve forgotten in the past, including a time when I was on hands and knees begging a Christmas shop to let me buy some of their bags from them in sheer desperation… What I’ve learned from these ‘happenings’ is that you do your best to fix it, remember there’s a crowd of people dying to buy some beautiful things and a cup of tea solves everything!- the most important thing is that you enjoy what you’re doing and have fun!

So, with that, I shall leave this here, and want to wish everyone the best of luck with whatever events you have in the pipeline for 2011!

Jemma from Yorkshire Made
x
　

Windy day outside with your stall? These will save your life (and sanity)

Welcome to Yorkshire Made!

Hello and welcome to our new page! Glad you could join us!
Also well done for finding us so soon!

We are currently in the very early stages of setting up this blog, and are still making decisions about the design and layout - so don't be surprised if you see a few changes over the coming days and weeks!

We hope this blog and our accompanying FB page (www.facebook.com/yorkshiremade) will become a one-stop-shop for all Yorkshire based creative types. We have many ideas in the development stages, but we hope to include useful information, news, events, suppliers and eventually start to run special feature interviews where you can find out more about local craftspeople.

And that's just for starters!

We have lots and lots of ideas, but as this is a page for Yorkshire, not just us, we want to make sure we include as much of what you want too! Please feel free to 'Follow' us, become a FB fan, leave suggestions and comments under any of the blog posts or just send us an email!