We have a new stall! A shabby chic one. That makes 4 different types or craft events we can exhibit . Jewellery stall, general handicrafts, hand made choc/sweet stall and a shabby chic one. Sometimes, if they are GOOD craft fairs, they won't duplicate the crafts there. We've booked events where they say NO jewellery stalls needed. We've found far too many of these stalls at the events, ( sometimes a quarter of the stalls are jewellery) and hand made card stalls too. we stopped taking our handmade cards because there were already lots of card stalls exhibiting, so it's a good idea to have different craft ideas.
The definition of shabby chic :
Shabby chic items are often heavily painted through the years, with many layers showing through obviously time-worn areas. The style is imitated in faux painting using glaze or by painting then rubbing and sanding away the top coat to show the wood or base coats. Fabrics tend to be cottons and linens, with linen being particularly popular, inspired by old French linens. Whites and worn or bleached out pastels are favorite colours. Fabric is often stained with tea to give it the look of old fabric. Bleached and faded are terms often applied to the style. The essence of today's shabby chic style is vintage and antique furniture with the original aged paint, or painted white (or another soft pastel color) and distressed at the corners by sanding. Antique pieces such as pie safes and jelly cupboards are popular in shabby chic decor.
Popular decor items are pillows made of vintage bark cloth fabric, vintage linens, chenille bedspreads, vintage chandeliers, and anything with roses on it. It is a soft, relaxed feminine romantic way of decorating that looks comfortable and inviting. Also called cottage style.
Doesn't that sound cosy? We visit car-boots, charity shops ( we are big believers in charity shops, you're supporting worthwhile causes as well as getting bargains! ) and buy up old pitchers, candlesticks etc, and revamp them. Also buy GORGEOUS designer cottage fabrics and make cushions, peg bags, scented hearts, little birds, shabby chic dolls. Take a look at these photos:
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| Originally plain black candlesticks - now look ! |
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| Originally a plain scruffy set, but revamped with cream, pink and pale green paint, add a pretty label and voile la!! |
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| Was a plain black candlestick, , add a wooden hen, cornstalk and country fabric bow! |
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| Cheated a bit here, it was a NEW wooden tea caddy, but a bit TOO plain, now it's has a bit of interest. |
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| Decorated candles sell well ! |
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| Old unloved brown bookcase - a bit of TLC, paint, shabby chic paper and lace - much prettier ! |
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| My shabby chic dolly! |
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| Re-worked clothes pegs.. how pretty! |
This was quite a big event, spread throughout the community centre and grounds. Bit chilly, so we were glad we had a table INDOORS ! It was a large round table, and we were used to rectangular ones, so it looked a bit different. This was the first event that had helpers taking our boxes in for us, and lots of offers throughout the morning as we set up. This was the first time the string of lights were on the table too. Very pretty effect.
