My plan was to blog much more but the start of this year didn’t go as planned with a lot of 
illness and lots of fear about These Two Hands as it was a really quiet time orders-wise too and I started to doubt myself. So to push myself out of hibernation, I set myself the challenge to get out there more face-to-face this year and show more people the collection in person!
I have always loved markets – I lived opposite Camden Market in London for years in my 20’s and spent every weekend there. I discovered many of the great makers I now stock through local fairs and craft markets, so I have hunted around for some markets to try that I think will suit the collection. I’m really excited to be at the ones below over summer and a few more to come hopefully too! If there are any other markets or fairs you know of that you think would work well for These Two Hands or if you would like me to take part in your event and run my craft workshops and/or have a stall, please get in touch and let me know!
Camp Quirky Festival 20-22 April 2018
We just got back from my first festival as These Two Hands and it was amazing! If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll already know that I recently went on a road trip to Cornwall to meet a few existing and new makers in a lovely old vintage camper van that we hired from Quirky Campers who are a brilliant Bristol-based company that hire out really unique campervans all over the UK. Our vintage van, Freya, was a gorgeous old van owned by two generations of travelling circus performers with a woodburner and we fell in love. I got chatting to Lindsay, the owner of Quirky Campers who I met researching The Extra Mile Guide book when I was looking for great companies to partner with, and she invited me to come to this festival on a farm in Nottinghamshire to talk about the book, have a stall and run some of my leaf printing workshops for kids. Charlie and I played an acoustic Light Falls Forward set on the Sunday too…it was a jam packed weekend
We hired this beautiful van called Blubelle to be our home for the festival and we met so many lovely people. The sun shone all weekend, we ate every meal outside and I had lots of great feedback on the collection. We’re now a bit obsessed with finding our own van to convert and I’m busy applying to other festivals! It really restored my confidence in what I’m doing and gave me new energy!
One of the makers who is part of my collection recommended this market to me as she thought it would suit These Two Hands perfectly. There is a fantastic makers scene happening in Clevedon, especially with the gorgeous Midgley Green shop which I will be popping in to while I’m there! The market takes place throughout the streets of Clevedon on the first Sunday of every month and features lots of fantastic local food and drink producers and makers. I will be there on Sunday 6th May and Sunday 3rd June and hopefully more dates in autumn too.
I’m so excited to have been accepted for the Arnos Vale Cemetery Spring Fair on Sunday 20th May. Arnos Vale is a beautiful place I often go to walk around and it always makes me feel calmer and happier.
They host two big craft fairs every year there full of fantastic locally made handcrafted designs, and local food and drink. My stall will be in the Anglican Chapel and the fair takes place from 10 till 4.
Bath has a brilliant market culture and is renowned for its Christmas Market in particular. 
This lovely artisan market has been going since 2012. There is a fortnightly indoor market on Sundays in Green Park Station and a monthly outdoor market that takes place in the green and peaceful Queens Square on the first Saturday of every month which is the one I’m doing. Saturdays are tricky for me to do markets as we run our kids music club every Saturday at the studio with nearly 100 kids learning music with us throughout the day, and my husband Charlie has to run that so can’t help me with the stall, but I really wanted to try out this market so I’ve drafted in some friends to help me. I will be there on Saturday 2nd June and 1st September from 10 till 4… keeping my fingers crossed for sunshine!
SpringFest, Brislington – 14th July 2018
I just found out I’ve been accepted for this great local fair too, back for its second year after a brilliant first festival last summer! It is a real community affair all about raising awareness of Brislington as an area to visit, and supporting local makers and producers with a food market on Sandy Park Road, a makers’ fair in St Cuthbert’s Church organised by the great Made in Bristol team, entertainment on the street, and lots more.
It’s going to be a really busy summer and I can’t wait to share These Two Hands and the stories all the makers I’m so lucky to have as part of the collection with everyone who visits my stall! I hope to meet lots of you in person over the next few months. Here’s to facing fears and getting out there!