Buying off the makers and supporting small businesses is very important to me. As someone who has sold at Farmers Markets and craft stalls I know how much work goes into the things that you produce to sell whether it be food items or other useable items, and to be able to sell directly to people who will appreciate your work is just about the best thing there is.
On Sunday we went to the Glasson Dock Artisan Market, we've called there quite a few times as Glasson Dock is a favourite place for us to visit to walk the dogs and have a Sunday morning coffee and sausage bun at the lovely little café there. We were quite put out that when we were on the narrowboat we were not allowed to cruise up to the Glasson Dock arm of the canal, so we were determined to visit soon after.
This time I might have been a bit free with my money, but I had needed only a bit of shopping this week so I had available cash to treat myself even if it was the end of the month and our accounts department had forgotten to pay us ... Alan are you listening!!
I bought all of the above. The thing inside the paper plates was a ready to cook Cheesy Garlic Bread, she was serving them hot at the fair but I had just eaten my sausage bun so I asked if she could make it up and I would cook it at home ... she did, and it was lovely for lunch later on.
I treated myself to four pies, it was the same guy I had been chatting to at the Morecambe Vegan Food Festival last month and his pies were gorgeous, all handmade and ready to be warmed up when you need them. So I have popped two into the freezer, one is for lunch today and one for my tea tomorrow.
I just could not resist this.
There was a whole stall of little houses made from recycled bits and bobs by a lovely lady. How to choose just one was the hardest thing of all, but for some reason this one won out.
And my new pride and joy.
Again I was chatting away to the girl who made it and all the other baskets, trays, willow bunting etc etc on the stall trying desperately to make my mind up what to buy. My heart was divided between two baskets but this one I could immediately think of a use for so it came home with me.
The little house fitted in so well on my little mantle shelf and looks at home already.
This photo reminds me that I need to re-pot that poor little plant, it's far too big for it's little glass jar now. It was an Aldi purchase at just £1.99 and I've had it for a couple of years now. Which goes to show you don't really need to splash a lot of cash to get something lovely that lasts for ages.
Sue xx
I love shopping with a basket. It's awkward to carry but somehow it makes me feel good.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't fit much shopping in this basket, although to be honest I did mange to fit all of the things I bought at the market into it so maybe I should shop less and use this. :-)
DeleteLove your wicker basket, I have a small collection acquired over time but nothing the shape of your new one.
ReplyDeleteLook forward to seeing how you will be using it.
All my baskets are completely different shapes now, I should do a blog post just about baskets ... I'm a bit of a basket-case ;-)
Deleteyes please a post about your baskets would be fascinating. Baskets and jugs are my weak spots, oh and books, oh so many books! I use my baskets for sewing projects, my 'current' crochet work done in front of the tv, dirty laundry basket, wet laundry to hang out basket. admin papers basket it almost makes me want to 'do' my admin as the basket is so lovely to handle! and of course shopping.
DeleteThose pies sound very tasty (not to mention the cheese and garlic bread - yum!) Love that little house and my first thought was I could make one like that! Yeah sure, in my "spare" time! Someone who sells at Fairs we go to has little wooden streets of houses made in a similar style, and they are lovely. What a useful basket too. It sounds like it was a lovely Fair to wander round.
ReplyDeleteThe garlic bread was very 'yum' and VERY garlicky just as I like. I hate it when the whole house smells of garlic and is full of promise and then bread you are eating doesn't taste of it at all ... very disappointing. Exactly that with the little house, I thought straight away 'oh I could make those', then immediately after 'but I won't'. I almost hope she WON'T be there next time, or I could end up with a housing estate ;-)
DeleteLovely basket and little house but is the book 'Grounding' any good?
ReplyDeleteI've only just started it as it's one of my three new books, but it seems very good up to now. It's easy to read with the chapters being divided into large paragraphs if you know what I mean, similar to diary entries almost. The subject matter is obviously right up our street.
DeleteThat basket is so beautifully made, just seeing the picture brings me joy.
ReplyDeleteIt is lovely isn't it, and not at all like the cheap mass produced ones that you see in some shops.
DeleteMy sister would love that little house (looks good on your shelf, by the way). She's made a whole little village in her garden, complete with little houses, bridges, gardens, trees and mini people - it's a work in progress.
ReplyDeleteI'm waiting for our Apple tree to get a bit bigger then I can add a fairy door to the trunk :-)
DeleteYour comment has me feeling all nostalgic, that little house is just how I used to draw them when I was young and I would imagine living in one just like it and the little basket, how lovely it reminds me too of being little and shopping with Mum back in the days when women mostly went shopping every day with their baskets. We have a small market here once a month , we have lived here for five years and I still haven't been, I must make the effort as they sell local produce. Those pies look scrummy, now sensible people would serve them with some veg on the side and a little gravy or maybe just on its own for lunch, but me, I would have a dollop of creamy mash and lashings of gravy so I am not sensible, actually in all things and its oh so much more fun. Your little shelf has some lovely things on it. x
ReplyDeleteYes, all my childhood drawn houses had the traditional four windows and a front door, i think that's why I fell for Jointers farm house when we first went to view it ... although it had one extra window.
DeleteOh yes, you really should make an effort to visit the market, even if you just buy the ingredients for one special meal, it would be a lovely time. I had the first pie with a salad and coleslaw for my lunch, but like you I do like some buttery mash and gravy with a pie. If I serve vegetables to be 'good' I tend to eat them all up first so that I can concentrate on the main event.
I would love every single thing you bought but the basket is my favourite! Catriona
ReplyDeleteIt is lovely isn't it, but I can't get the other one out of my head. If she and it are there next time I feel I might succumb.
DeleteSuch lovely things to have bought. The food looks so tempting and the little house is so sweet! Now I have basket envy too! It's a good feeling to buy direct from the maker and I know from when I did the craft fairs that it's a really nice feeling when someone buys something off you.
ReplyDeleteShe very generously took time to explain how she managed all the different colours of basket and stripes using just willow too, so it was very educational. I have only ever worked with brown willow myself and didn't know that much about it.
DeleteOoh the darling little house and the beautiful basket - both a work of art
ReplyDeleteAlison in Wales x
They really are aren't they, and bought off lovely people too.
DeleteHow i would love a market like those in England. The ones here in the States are nothing like that,at least the ones I have been to. The basket is a real beauty, and that little house! How clever and imaginative.
ReplyDeleteI think you need to search out lots of different Farmers Markets, until you find something similar, it's a good excuse for Sunday mornings out and about :-)
DeleteHaha, I always eat my veg first so that I can savour the star of the show! Eloise
ReplyDeleteHaha ... great minds think alike :-)
DeleteWhat a lovely basket. Beautiful work.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
It's so neatly done, I'm really pleased with it.
DeleteWhat I love about farmer's markets is that its shopping and socializing all in one. Nice buys.
ReplyDeleteIt is good to go back to the more 'old fashioned' sort of shopping where we used to go from shop to shop or stall to stall, actually chatting to the people behind the counter and to other customers. Modern supermarkets can sometimes mean that you go in, do your shopping and then pay and leave sometimes without the need or even occasion to talk to anyone.
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