Meet the seller - Dorset Team Christmas Fair - Carara Designs UK

Name: Cara

Shop Name: Carara Designs UK

Shop Link: www.CararaDesignsUK.etsy.com

Located in: Bournemouth

Sells: Handmade handbags, childrens tepees and gifts and homewares

Maker's Story: I started my company over 12 years ago and work from home on the south coast in my little shed often with my toy poodle Lucia. I design and make handbags, children tepees and home wares.

My designs have a distinctive style from my use of vintage, remnant and salveged fabrics including tapestries and embroideries. My favourite part of designing is adding the embellishments, I use old buttons, vintage lace, brooches, broken jewellery, and anything else I have collected in my various tins that I think may come in useful one day!

I use a range of techniques my favourite being hand and machine embroidery, appliqué, patchwork and I always design and cut my own patterns often cutting straight from the cloth. I am completely self taught it has been a case of trial and error over the years but now have a confidence in my ability and work and because I rarley use a pattern it adds to the individuality of each piece I produce which is my whole ethos of unique one-off design.

Dorset Team Christmas Fair: Cara will be selling bags, teepees, gifts and homewares at the Dorset Team Christmas Fair on Saturday 3rd December at the Allendale Centre in Wimborne.

Please come along, meet Cara and our other makers and sellers.

Doors open at 10am and close at 4pm and it is free entry.

For more information please see our Facebook event page or blog post

Meet the Sellers - Dorset Team Christmas Fair - Caroline from Buttons And Bits

Names : Caroline Pass
Shop Name: Buttons And Bits
Shop Link: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/buttonsnbits
Located in: Sturminster Newton, Dorset.
Sells: Buttons And Bits creates necklaces and bracelets from various different buttons and beads, some sourced from other artisans.  

Makers Story: 

"Button and Bits started with the re discovery of two huge Button tins from my Mum, Grandma and probably Great Grandma.
From that day on my love of buttons and beads has grown into a passion for creating one of a kind pieces of jewellery from buttons, beads and alsorts of other bits, new and old. Many of the pieces I make feature handmade components from some of the many talented Artisans I have discovered." 

Dorset Team Christmas Fair: Caroline from Buttons And Bits will be selling her beautiful jewellery at the Dorset Team Christmas Fair on Saturday 3rd December at the Allendale Centre in Wimborne.

Please come along and meet Caroline and our other makers and sellers.

Doors open at 10am and close at 4pm and it is free entry.

For more information please see our Facebook event page or blog post.

Backstage Pass

Meet the Seller - Dorset Team Christmas Fair - Blooming Vintage Craft

Name: Jenny and Ian

Shop Name: Blooming Vintage Craft

Shop Link: www.bloomingvintagecraft.etsy.com

Located in: Bournemouth

Sells: Handcrafted journals sketchbooks, photo albums and scrapbooks with a vintage twist!

Maker's Story: Blooming Vintage Craft is run by Jenny and Ian who started their Etsy shop in 2013. They say...."We're a married couple living by the sea who love creating hand-crafted journals and sketchbooks. We both work in the digital industry and enjoy indulging in traditional crafting in our spare time. Everything on sale is handmade by us, in our little craft room in Bournemouth."

Dorset Team Christmas Fair: Jenny and Ian will be selling their handmade stationery at the Dorset Team Christmas Fair on Saturday 3rd December at the Allendale Centre in Wimborne.

Please come along, meet Jenny and Ian and our other makers and sellers.

Doors open at 10am and close at 4pm and it is free entry.

For more information please see our Facebook event page or blog post

Backstage Pass

Meet the seller - Dorset Team Christmas Fair - Laura - Bahru Boutique

Name: Laura

Shop Name: Bahru

Shop Link: http://www.bahru.etsy.com

Located in: Poole

Sells: Jewellery and gifts for the wild at heart!

Maker's Story: I'm inspired by the woods, the seas and the things in between!

Living in the great Dorset countryside, I can't help but be inspired by the nature surrounding me, and that I have grown up with. British wildlife and summertime is at the heart of my designs, featuring dragonflies, honey bees, frogs, starfish and seahorses to name a few. I also design jewellery with summer music festivals and travel in mind, featuring bells, feathers and boho charms. I began making jewellery when I worked in a craft shop age 16, now at 26 I have my own business making and designing jewellery that I love to wear, and I hope you do to! I work from my home on beautiful Portland here in Dorset (UK). Portland is very unique and only connected to the mainland by a section of the mighty 17 mile long Jurassic Chesil beach! It's no end of inspiration for marine inspired jewellery, and very popular with locals and tourists alike in the neighbouring harbour town of Weymouth.

Dorset Team Christmas Fair: Laura will be selling jewellery and gifts at the Dorset Team Christmas Fair on Saturday 3rd December at the Allendale Centre in Wimborne.

Please come along, meet Laura and our other makers and sellers.

Doors open at 10am and close at 4pm and it is free entry.

For more information please see our Facebook event page or blog post

Meet The Seller - Dorset Team Christmas Fair - Sally from AtticLightHome

Name: Sally
Shop Name: AtticLightHome
Shop Link: AtticLightHome.etsy.com
Located in: Dorset
Sells: Clocks, chalk boards, coasters, greetings cards and fine art prints of my art work.

Maker's Story: Attic Light came about in June 2015 when Sally Davies and her daughter Erika Morgan began working together. Sally is a designer and artist who had been working on her photographic art since 2006 following a career in fashion design. However, Sally was becoming increasingly frustrated with juggling creating art and trying to keep the admin going. Erika has a 20 years experience in running events, marketing, intellectual property and web design so Sally enlisted her help. Together, they formed Attic Light and set about organising Sally's work and making it visible to a wider audience.

Dorset Team Christmas Fair: Sally will be selling Clocks and other goodies at the Dorset Team Christmas Fair on Saturday 3rd December at the Allendale Centre in Wimborne.

Please come along, meet Sally and our other makers and sellers.

Doors open at 10am and close at 4pm and it is free entry.

For more information please see our Facebook event page or blog post

Treasury Tuesday

The sea is calling me

Summertime beach themed picks from the #DorsetTeam www.facebook.com/dorsetteam

The Sea Is Calling Me Flair Buttons, Scrapbooking Flair Badges, Flat Back Flair, Beach Flair, Seaside Flair, Sea Flair, Pocket Scrapbooking HappyScatter £2.99	Original watercolour illustration mussel sea shell from a series set beach ocean SeasideStudiosUK £40.00	Boat cross stitch pattern, sailing counted cross stitch, sailboat, yacht, sea, lake, sun spring summer, easy, simple, printable chart, PDF ClimbingGoatDesigns £2.70	Dorset, beach photograph, life guard station, colour, original, mounted, digital print, sun, sea, summer EyeOnTheWallDesigns £18.00
Configuration Of Shapes III / Hand painted rocks Hand painted stones Handmade gift Sea stone Unique gift Miniature art. PetraMarGallery £15.00	toddler skirt, baby girl skirt, girls skirt, sea print skirt, something fishy, blue cotton skirt, 12-24 months, toddlers summer skirt, ooak JanJanCreations £16.00	Ocean Decal feat. under the sea creatures, Baby Wall Stickers, gender neutral nursery, toddler room decor, Summer finds, colorful design EnchantedInteriorsUK £124.95	Dark Blue sea glass OOAK handmade lampworked glass and silver bracelet amareargentum £65.00
Navy Sky Blue, Sea Green, White Stripe Nautical Sail Pattern, Cushion Pillow for Beach House decor style, decorative accent cushion pillow TheTinyBirdTextiles £20.00	Baby boy boots, in little sea whales, size 18 - 24 months - SALE SeaminglyPossible £11.20	Recycled Fused Glass Fish - Bespoke Order... KateOsmanGlass £45.00	Sealife Crayons, Kids Birthday Gift, Sealife Crayons Gift Boxed, Colouring Activities, Kids Craft, Sealife Ocean Party, Gift for Boy or Girl PeanutandGremlin £5.50
12 Wooden Fish Shaped Buttons TheSewingHutch £1.40	Stargazey Sky Digital Print Artwork LisaBerkshire £9.50	Home is Where the Waves Crash - Art Illustration Print Wall Art KatieRewse £12.00	Fused Glass Arc: Beach Huts MooniGooni £25.00

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Meet the Seller - Dorset Team Christmas Fair - Apple Crates

Shop Name: Apple Crates UK

Shop Link: http://applecratescouk.etsy.com/

Located in: Bournemouth

Sells: This company produce beautiful personalised rustic wooden boxes, apple crates and trays. Their crates can be used for special wedding displays, storage or they can even make your dog a beautiful bed!

Maker's Story: "We love rustic, vintage style items and after returning from living in Spain for 10 years we were looking for a new venture. The idea to start making crates came about after seeing some old apple crates being used in a display in a florist window and I asked Paul, could you make me one of those? From starting out with regular wooden crates we soon expanded to different shapes and sizes, crate furniture, retail displays and adding personalisation and branding to our products. We love coming up with ideas and inspiration for new products and designs and continue to expand our range but what we love the most is seeing our crates being used in their new homes and customer feedback. It makes the hardwork, mounds of sawdust and long hours worthwhile."

All crates at Apple Crates UK are lovingly and individually made in their workshop in Dorset. If you can't wait for the fair, why not take a look at their Etsy page now and get an idea of all their wonderful items! For Christmas, Apple Crates produce their own Christmas Eve boxes which is perfect for a special gift for the family. For a sneak preview of their Christmas boxes please see their review section. I will certainly be heading to their stall to have a browse and hopefully pick up a special Christmas gift!

Dorset Team Christmas Fair: Apples Crates will be selling their vintage style crates at the Dorset Team Christmas Fair on Saturday 3rd December at the Allendale Centre in Wimborne.

Please come along, meet the makers behind Apple Crates and our other makers and sellers.

Doors open at 10am and close at 4pm and it is free entry.

For more information please see our Facebook event page or blog post

Meet the Seller - Dorset Team Christmas Fair - Nkolika from ArtbyNkolikaAnyabolu

Name: Nkolika Anyabolu

Shop Name: ArtbyNkolikaAnyabolu

Shop Link: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/ArtbyNkolikaAnyabolu

Located in: Poole, Dorset

Sells: African & nature inspired paintings and prints

Maker's Story: I am an artist and I love painting and creating with my hands. I am currently living in the picturesque English coast. Painting has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. It all started in elementary school, when I drew a beautiful palm tree during a lesson on plants. It looked so real the class teacher pinned it on the class wall for weeks.

Throughout my life I have explored with various media and techniques. I enjoy using oils and acrylics. I have lived in various different Countries and have enjoyed meeting different people from different cultures.

My inspiration comes from the people I have met (and continue to meet) in my day job as a medic, my African roots and from living by the sea. My subjects range from traditional to abstract. I always strive to capture my environment and the beauty that lies in everything that exists in nature. I am passionate about painting and my art is particularly aimed at turning the pain and suffering I come across as a medic into sources of peace and joy.

I've been selling originals and reproductions of my work online for quite a few years though I took a few years break due to a growing family. I am glad to be back and look forward to enjoying the experience. I am constantly pushing myself beyond the limit.

Dorset Team Christmas Fair: Nkolika will be selling her beautiful prints, cards and original paintings at the Dorset Team Christmas Fair on Saturday 3rd December at the Allendale Centre in Wimborne.

Please come along, meet and our other makers and sellers.

Doors open at 10am and close at 4pm and it is free entry.

For more information please see our Facebook event page or blog post

Meet the Seller - Dorset Team Christmas Fair - Lauren from Apulina

Name: Lauren

Shop Name: Apulina

Shop Link: http://apulina.etsy.com

Located in: Bournemouth

Sells: Needle Felt Animals and More

Maker's Story:

I started felting several years ago and didn't stop! I love working with wool, I use a variety of wools from different sheep breeds using a technique called needle felting to build up layers of wool to create three dimensional animals and art work such as pet portraits and cards for special occasions. I also love a challenge, so if you want something made in felt drop me a message! With felting you are only limited by your imagination. Even better is harnessing the ideas of the children whose drawings I make come to life in felt. Now they really do have some talent! I am also a trained teacher and teach needle felt classes. If you are in east Dorset and fancy learning how to needle felt then drop me a line. It is a great activity for hen parties, getting together for a natter, teenage parties etc.

Dorset Team Christmas Fair: Lauren will be selling her needle felted animals, cards and gifts at the Dorset Team Christmas Fair on Saturday 3rd December at the Allendale Centre in Wimborne.

Please come along, meet Lauren and our other makers and sellers.

Doors open at 10am and close at 4pm and it is free entry.

For more information please see our Facebook event page or blog post