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Craft Fair Reviews: Part 1- Artisans in the Palm House (Liverpool)

Lost In The Wood, Palm House
Over the last month, I've discovered two splendid craft fairs in the North West, Artisans in the Palm House (Liverpool) & Vintage in the Vale (Flintshire). It was both my first time attending and participating in these events. So, here's a brief, potted & very subjective guide to each.

Artisans in the Palm House is set in the stunning venue of the delightful Palm House, Sefton Park, Liverpool. Despite almost being conscripted into a marathon on the way there by a smug sports official in high-vis tabard, it turned out to be a fabulous, extremely well- organised day spent with lovely makers & an enthusiastic public in this beautiful Victorian glass house. At this point I'm going to tentatively confess that I, until fairly recently, had a mild but longstanding prejudice against Liverpool/ Merseyside which was possibly based only on the accents, the overblown Beatles legacy and the fact it wasn't Manchester (my old studenty home). I credit both Stuart Maconie (DJ & fab writer) through his book 'Pies And Prejudice' and a couple of recent trips to the area (where people were generally extremely warm & helpful) with overturning my uncharitable & inaccurate impressions.

Restored vintage prams (& Big Ted)
Back to the fair, there was a good selection of artists, makers & food stalls and pleasingly, several of those unscripted, random elements which add to the atmosphere of the event such as the restored
Gerty the Giraffe
vintage pram people (the mildly disturbing sight of various people pushing doll/ teddy filled vintage prams around the park was explained by a friendly pram restorer); a yarn-bombed giraffe nibbling on leaves in the Palm House; my neighbour being a very entertaining artisan tea seller who could inform me not only about the provenance of Russian Caravan tea but also the finer points of being a Hollyoaks extra.


Since time, and presumably your patience by now is finite, here's a quick glimpse of some my favourite makers:
Bunty Bombshell, bespoke handmade vintage inspired hats, headpieces and accessories with a playful edge designed by Valerie Smith. Bafflingly, I didn't take any photos of her pretty stand on the day so I've borrowed a pic from her Facebook page.
Bunty Bomshell's Bonnets
 Crispy Couture, fashion & accessories principally made from recycled material by Lorraine Dickinson. The purses and clutches made from sweet and champagne wrappers are colourful, effective and made me happy to see them. Who wouldn't want a jelly tots purse?!


Crispy Couture, I don't remember 'Vice Versa'
The Way To Blue, a North Wales comrade, Sarah Middleton always creates a beautiful stall, her enchanting cyanotpes looked especially effective underneath a complementary glorious blue sky.
The Way To Blue
Roy Lewis Mechanical Artist, inventive recycling of old motorbike & other mechanical bits. I was very taken with the stag head made principally from pieces of an old record player!
Music loving stag by Roy Lewis
 Harry Me ,  Sadly,  there's no photo but they make gorgeous handmade baby & toddler clothes & cute 'fun stuff'. Also Finspired, maker of many pretty things (more about them in the next post)

Parched Tea Bar (of course!)
Parched Tea Bar looking tropical
My hubbie enthusiastically reports their macha, a premium Japanese green tea, (guaranteed pre-Fukushima, although maybe the post-version has an added frisson). Watch out for Marcy's appearences at various foodie & crafty fairs in the North West and throwing meaningful looks at the camera on popular tv shows.

I admit I am still a little tormented by the thought of all the amazing looking pies & cakes on offer, seen but never tasted (see RosieMcKay's blog review of the event, it'll  make you drool), although the fresh stone baked pizza provided significant comfort. I also didn't manage much roaming about (too busy inside) and was sidetracked by the prams & pizza when I ventured outside so missed presumably intriguing stalls out there too. The next Artisans event is on Easter Monday, I can't be there but lots of fab makers will be. I'm delighted to be making the next one on Sunday 18th May.  
Next post: Vintage in the Vale (Flintshire)...
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