We're all mad here -all the best people are!

This is what is going on in my studio today, making Alice inspired canvases and cards ready for the stall I'm sharing with JuJu Kuchoo at Miller Park this Saturday. 

It is part of The mad hatters herbal tea party -

"Be ready for a day of love, fun, tea and music. This 1 day festival is gearing up to be a action packed and glorious day. From Theatre, Music, Circus and Fitness, a whole range of fantastic events will be bringing in the sunshine and all the party atmosphere!

We have Live Music, Circus, Stalls and more!

Thing's to do, watch & hear!

Cirque Du Alice, the Contemporary Magical Urban Circus.
Catch our breath taking circus performances throughout the day, every hour. Bringing in the arts of Aerial, Acrobatics, Acro-Balancing and Fire! These shows will leave you breathless!"

 If you want to come tickets are available on the gate (donation), bring a blanket and a picnic.

It's boiling today, the sun is coming through the big window so going to have a lunch break and eat some coconut ice, then I'm going to make skirts and dresses this afternoon for the fair.

 It was 32 degrees here yesterday, really unusual for Blackpool. I don't cope well in the heat and just want to be fanned!

Hope you are having a wonderful day

Love Dotty xx

Today I had an epiphany

Today I had an epiphany whilst I was on the beach

As I felt the warm sun on my back, Nahko and Medicine for the People playing in my ears, the beautiful blue sky above with the calm almost still sea as far as I could see and to my left the snowy mountain tops of the lake district, 

I realised in this world, in this space and time I am tiny, I am a little spec in the universe, my worries are irrelevant, they are totally nonsense, I felt the presence of god, I felt the power of love for all the earth, 

I felt so enlightened and overcome with emotion, I cried, I was so happy, I need not worry about trivial things, I know I am supported, I know there is a bigger picture, I know great miracles will happen. ‪#‎grateful‬ ‪#‎blessed‬

Love Dotty xx

Showzam 2016 Blackpool's annual festival of Circus and Outdoor Street Arts

Showzam

Blackpool's annual festival of Circus and Outdoor Street Arts

I had an amazing time volunteering at Showzam 2016 in Blackpool's beautiful Winter Gardens. So many great acts this year and the carnival ball on Saturday night was the best one yet, it really was fabulous.

 Barada street 

  We was charmed by the masters of the multitask as Richard (UK) and Juri (Kyrgyzstan) bring a playful blend of music, acrobatics, humour and the highest level of poetic elegance. We laughed, cried and cheered for these beautiful idiots in an intimate, impressive and uniquely hilarious award winning show.

 Illusions Delusions Delight and Glory by Barnard, Hicks & Jones

A conflagration of wonderment & other worldliness. Performances of the fantastic, acts of the awesome and feats of fearless ferocity. Brought to you by a super group of sideshow sensations and myserious marvels, presented within the faded grandeur of The Pavilion Theatre. Freaks, geeks, curiosities, charlatans, magicins, physicians, acrobats and musicians

Cock-Tales by PasParTouT

 A magnificently feathered and musical poultry trio play animal/human scenes throughout the audience. The puffed up, vain quarrelsom cock, the nagging mother hen and to top it all the rickety stewing chicken- this comical feathered gathering holds up a mirror to the audience in a odd-natured and humorous way.

STX by Close Act

An impetuous platoon of black characters move through the streets in a curious combination of strict discipline and frantic behaviour. Whispering drums or loud beats, they give a collective call of expressive freedom, a paradoxical paradise, the ultimate aim of these daring rebels.

 

The Horsemen by Les Goulus

Three elegant horse riders inspired by the 'French Attitude' demonstrate their training to prepar for the next Olympic Games. Representing a caricatured imag of the French people as seen by others they are arrgant, self-assured and almost unpleasant. At the end of the show they ask the question 'don't you know that we now live in Europe?'

There were many more acts on but it was super busy and I had public to help so didn't get everyones photo.

Another hilarious day as a volunteer at Showzam, that's my son Adam on the right and the bearded lady was chasing my youngest son hence my laughing! Thanks to Claire Walmsley for another brilliant capture, check out her photography page.

Highlight of my february so far. We are off to the circus on Friday as part of Showzam, so I am very excited about that because ever since I was tiny I wanted to be a clown in the circus!

Crafty hen parties Blackpool

 So after a long time of teaching people to sew I decided to add some strings to my bow of being self employed and am venturing into hen and birthday parties! I have taught quite a few craft workshops before, in fact I am off to a lovely farm in Dolphinholme tomorrow for a weekend of workshops, Saturday I am teaching ladies to make lavender bags and lavender wheat bags then staying over in the farms caravan (hoping there are no spiders) and on Sunday joining in with their biodynamic compost making course. Very exciting learning new skills which I can use on the allotment and eventually in Portugal.

 

So I made this poster for the hen parties and am hoping it should be lots of fun, it's a little bit scarey too venturing off in another direction but I am asking the universe to help me and send me lots of lovely ladies!

Trip to Blackpool

So my sister and my niece came to visit us from Cornwall today, it was lovely to catch up, we didn't see each other for about 18 years and only come together for our mums funeral, since then they have visited each year, it's great to have family. 

So this evening I acted like a tourist and we went to Blackpool promenade for a walk, on the side where the shops are full of rock and kiss me quick hats its busy, noisy, smelly and full of idiots getting wasted but cross the tram tracks to the newly refurbished sea front and its a different story, curvy steps lead down to the calm sea, the sun was shining brightly, it's peaceful and a lovely view, the distant sound of splashing and laughing fills the air, the sounds of the waves crashing on the shore, the smell of salt in the air. 

We sat and reminisced about childhood whilst the sun set. 

It's Blackpool I don't really see very often and it always astounds me how beautiful it is. 

Do you know Dotty has a shop?

Did you know I have an handmade and vintage shop in Blackpool?, its called Penny Lane.

You can find it at 28b King street, just around the corner from the Syndicate nightclub, 2 doors away from Junes fabrics (for the locals).
Its an eclectic mix of old and new, handmade, upcycled, vintage, retro, mod, boho, hippy, indian, kitsch and much more.

I sell clothes, furniture, natural bath and beauty products, handmade toys and gifts, accessories, artisan foods, records, vintage electricals and lots of unusual one off pieces.

Everything in my shop is for sale except the rails, Im open to swaps, offers and showcasing talent. Just pop in and have a chat.

I run a stitch and bitch class on Wednesdays and Saturdays, 12-4, its free of charge and includes free tea and coffee.

I will be having a heritage collection coming soon in time for summer where the clothes will be all 'Made in Britain', I think this is important to support our countries makers and designers.

I also have a naturals range including soap, bath bombs, fluoride free toothpaste, natracare natural sanitary towels and soy candles. There will be many more products being added to the range over the next few weeks too.

I also am pleased to say I stock Old Fatty Jones chutneys, jams and preserves. In the coming weeks I will also be stocking fine herbal teas.

I also have a vintage tearoom serving tea and coffee, I have rice milk too for non dairy drinkers and clipper decaff tea and coffee.

I am open tues-sat 11.30 - 4.30. I would love it if you came and said hello, please share with your friends too, there is nothing else like my shop in Blackpool and I would love your support.

Photos by Edwin Firminger hair and make up by Hazel Tyler location and clothes Penny Lane

Lovely day for the beach

In the gorgeous unusual sunshine we went to the beach, I've live in this seaside town of Blackpool for 36 years, when I was a kid we used to spend all summer on the beach but as I got older the visits dwindled and now we are lucky if we go twice a year. I'm guessing when you have something there you take it for granted really which is a massive shame because we had the nicest time. It was so relaxing listening to the noise of the sea and feeling the sun warm my face. At one point I even took my docs off and had a paddle, the water was so cold but really pleasant and refreshing. I would of loved to paddle more but with a bunkers puppy running round in circles and jumping up at me I thought it best not too, hope your having a fabulous week, make the most of the sun, this is probably our summer!!

Introducing Mrs Marmalade and a craft fair invite x

I'm not sure if any of my regular readers know that I am organising a weekend vintage and handcrafted fair in Blackpool 23rd -24th June and I have another blog promoting all the stall holders and anything crafty I may come across, here is a snippet from my other blog:

 

There is the most wonderful lady sewing away in Blackpool, she makes the most adorable pincushions with kitsch trinkets on top and gorgeous patchwork quilts that make you think of home, her designs are bright, cheerful and unique just like her, as a stallholder and a good friend I asked her about her crafting:

She said "The joy of homemade has always charmed me - reworking vintage loveliness into "new" and finding lost treasures appeals to the Mrs Marmalade in me. Making quilts is a pleasure I have been making baby and dolly quilts for 10 years and just can't stop :O] x!"

 Always on the look out for unusual finds she scours charity shops and boot sales looking for interesting pieces to add to her wonderful kitsch collection of trinkets .

She takes pieces of vintage and retro fabric and turns them into the most lovely fun

items for your home, she explains she was a late starter, just a decade of making and a dreadful sewing student at school she is only too happy to sew and make in place of everyday busyness, she is most happiest sewing, creating and reading blogs

 

If you want to carry on reading pop over and say hello at truly scrumptious fairs blog please x

my next big thing!

I have taken the plunge and gone and book one of Blackpool's greatest landmarks The winter gardens for a summer vintage and handmade craft fair!!

its going to be a two day spectacular of crafts, vintage, entertainment and music with craft workshops, a vintage tearoom and lots of handmade goodness.


There will be over a 100 stalls selling the northwest's finest gifts, clothes, toys, accessories, food, art, cards, homewares and much ...more. We are lucky enough to have two performances on the sunday from the very lovely burlesque performer Kitty Koko and I am so hounered to annouce that the amazing Kirsty Almeida will be performing too - how amazing is that.
We shall be having various bands performing over the weekend on the stage and tea and cakes served on vintage china all in the beautiful art deco surroundings of the Pavilion theatre at the Winter Gardens situated in the middle of Blackpool town centre 23rd June 10am - 5pm and 24th June 2012 10pm - 4pm Free entry.

Stalls are still available but going fast £25 for one day or £45 for the full weekend. We can set up from 8am and as it is a secure locked area you can leave your stalls set up overnight if you are doing a full weekend. You will get a table and 2 chairs with extra space around you if you want to bring rails, furniture etc, please let me know in advance of any requirements you have regarding this so I can accommodate you.

There are people coming from all over, Newcastle, Manchester, Liverpool, Cumbria, Yorkshire to name a few so if you want to have a stall but don't drive just get in touch Im trying to organise a lift share.

Any questions please feel free to ask, I know this is going to be an awesome event and can't wait to see you there. If you can will you share this link with your friends and followers, if you share it leave me a comment in the comment box on here or send me a message on facebook (Dotty D Lightful) with a link to where you have shared it and you will be entered into a prize draw to win some lovely handmade goodies x
https://www.facebook.com/events/274062292649467/

crafty catch up

Been super busy crafting, homeschooling, trying to keep warm and sleeping lately, each day whizzes by and before you know it it's bedtime again, I have tons of fairs coming up over the next few weeks so have been neglecting my blogs, so sorry readers for that normal service shall resume soon!,

This week we did a photoshoot for our local newspaper, its for ladies pamper night on 15th December in Blackpool at Cafe Dolce on Abingdon street, 7pm - 9pm if you live locally and dare brave the seaside weather pop down, the lady on the left, Anne does angel (oracle) cards and readings, me in the middle will be selling my sewn items and Fran the one on the right does amazing vintage clothes, there will be other stalls too and lots of cake :)

Hope to see you there xx

Super Duper fair

On Saturday I attended as a stall holder Blackpool's Super duper fair, it was awesome, 60 stalls all selling lovely handmade items and gifts, there were so truly talented folks around

 Here I am making a finger puppet for the children of watamu with Aunty socials pop up workshop

some lovely photos of my things by Mrs marmalade who sells gorgeous peg doll fairys, check out her folksy page, I met her at a fair in the summer and she is one of those ladies who I have been lucky enough to meet that makes me smile and is a truly lovely person.

I also met a lady who has the soapure website (great name isn't it), she hand makes soaps and lots of other lovely smelling things for your body and bath, all her products are totally chemical free and pure, I bought some things of her for presents but can't say what they are in case family members sneek a peek!, all I can say is the smell heavenly.

I finally got to meet cool crafting, if you haven't heard of them before they run crafty workshops and make lovely sewn items, I got some great buttons and ribbon of them.