Football Crazy

OK hands up I'm not actually football crazy but I'm really excited about our new image. It's of an impromptu game taking place between language students in a local park (Parker's Piece, Cambridge for anyone who is interested).

Like the cricket match t shirt it spans the width of the chest and is quite subtle as the people are so small. I took the image a few years ago and found it erroneously shoved in the wrong photo album which reminded me to get cracking with the artwork.

Woodbridge Vintage and Contemporary Fair

Just a quick reminder we'll be at Woodbridge for the Retro and Modern fair tomorrow. We'll also have our regular pitch at Cambridge All Saints market.

Be there and be on the Square!

We're very much looking forward to the next Woodbridge Retro and Modern Fair on September 17th - we'll get to see the lovely people of Suffolk and nose around the stalls ourselves.

Vegetarian Friendly

Anyone familiar with our market stalls will know that they are full of colourful leather products which draw all sorts of customers in for a browse. For a long time we have had requests from vegetarians for non leather products. We wanted to come up with something really good so it has taken us a while but they're finally here - printed fabric pencil cases. They're fully lined and zip close.

If you're the type of person who likes to have one big wallet containing everything they could handle that task and could also take a pair of glasses or a camera.

Vegetarian purses coming very soon.

shoe making

I have always wanted to make my own shoes, so I did a one day shoe making course with green shoes in Buckfastleigh.
The green shoes creation are the black shoes on the left, my efforts of making my own shoe pattern and putting a shoe together are on the right.

However, it seems that my lasts (the things that give the shoe its shape) are a bit slender for my plates. So, I am in the process of making my own.

The green one is professionally made and the white one is my half finished home made last. Shoes will follow - given time.

Return to Paypal and August news

Hi there, apologies for so few blog entries recently.

Just to let you know what we've been up to. We have just tweaked our website (again) hopefully we've ironed out a few of the niggles. We've gone back to Paypal but are more than happy to send out Google Checkout payments if requested. If you find a gremlin on the website please let us know. I don't think we ever spot them all. The little one pictured above is more of a monkey than a gremlin.

We've also added a few more products to the website such as these kids t shirts. After this we're looking towards Christmas and getting out a new autumn collection. We're both full of ideas so hope to get something out in the near future.

Ed is getting excited about shoe making - but I'm not sure how long it'll take to develop a saleable version. I'll let him tell you about that.

Cambridge Open Studios

Visited some Open studios today which was great. We are thinking of participating next year.

In addition to great art you get to see some gorgeous houses and villages. I visited Paul Abbott's Cervantesesque workshop in Swaffham Prior in the shadow of one windmill and just 100m away from the next.

...and then 12 come at the same time

We have just sent off a parcel of work to the millenium gallery in Sheffield.

So if you happen to be near the winter gardens in the centre of town we strongly recommend a visit.

The Big Mix Festival, Spitalfields - This Saturday

As well as our regular Sunday we are also trading at Spitalfields this Saturday as part of The Big Mix Festival. It should be a great event with enough to do for the whole day.

For any Cambridge visitors sorry but we won't be at Cambridge this Saturday we'll be back next week.

See her in Japan - Naomi Avsec

Our friend Naomi Avsec does the most amazing embroidery (and great pictures too). She has an exhibition coming up from 23rd July - 28th August at the Paul Smith SPACE GALLERY, 5-46-14 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo which is really exciting. If you're in the area she's also demonstrating her embroidery with her trusty Janome sewing machine on Saturday and Sunday August 20 & 21.

My friend who's a cellist always has to book her cello it's own seat, I asked what the protocol was for sewing machines travelling to Japan - apparently she can borrow one when she's out there.

Halting in Holt - Pick n Mix makers market

If you happen to be in North Norfolk tomorrow do drop into the Picknmix makers market at the Church Hall where we'll be trading. We always like a day out in Norfolk and all the family will be coming along - can't wait to browse around the stalls.

national portrait gallery comission

Here are some bags we have made for he National portrait gallery which are being sold in their shop over the period of the BP national portrait awards in London ( 16th June - 18th Sept)

http://www.npg.org.uk/index.php?id=6757

So if you are in town, take a look. Admission is free and the gallery is open 10 -6.

Progress report

We had a few unexpected problems with the outbuilding, so are now proceeding at a more leisurely pace. It was watertight within 7 days but not completed.

Our new focus is upgrading the website, progress is much slower. We want it to be more personal.


Here is a sneak preview of a new kids t shirt image - our children are just 6 months old and we've already put them to work - albeit if 'work' involves lying on a playmat smiling.

Build a workshop in 7 days - Day 4 & 5

Progress at the end of day 5, the inside clad.

The windows and doors are on and it's fully insulated for winter.

Build a workshop in 7 days - Day 3

Today was the external cladding and we now have what looks like a relatively water tight building - ignoring the lack of doors. It gets a bit less photographically impressive from here on in, things like insulation, wiring and cladding the inside but we're pleased with progress so far.

Build a workshop in 7 days - Day 2

After a break of 3 days (2 days working on the Stabo stall and the weekly day of rest) back to the workshop project.

Above is our progress at the end of day 2, below is how we got there.

Build a workshop in 7 days - Day 1

After lots of head scratching and cups of tea, progress at the end of day 1.

Build a workshop in 7 days

We want another workshop but don't have much time or money.

So we've set ourselves a week (not including the weekend). We've already laid the slab/foundations, planned it out and acquired the materials - bought, salvaged and scrounged.

So the week is pure building time.

Follow our progress in the blog.

These photos show where we're starting from. The slab, the Poppy red roof and piles of materials covered by tarpaulins.

From Impington to Ipswich

We're looking forward to joining Deben Events again on Sunday 15 May in Ipswich. Fancy a day out in Ipswich, see you there!

Woodbridge Vintage and Contemporary Fair

We're looking forwards to going back to Woodbridge on Easter Saturday.

Box clever

Visitors to the Upmarket and Cambridge Market Stalls may notice an image makeover. Ed and our friend Jonathan spent a week working really hard to build these portable boxes. Where we can store our stock and display it.

New images for spring

Ed working on the new screens for our next collection. Hopefully some of the products will reach the stalls and website this week.

Naomi Avsec and Spoon

Back when Upmarket started we made friends with Naomi who also had a stall. An artist and embroiderer, she left the market a while ago and has gone onto to do all sorts of exciting things.

I caught up with her this week which prompted me to take a look at her website. Her work is absolutely gorgeous check it out at Ilovespoon.co.uk and naomiavsec.co.uk.

Stabo Sale starts tomorrow

After much digging in the attic, looking through drawers and labelling up we have arranged a collection of sale stock. The sale is at our Spitalfields stall and should last a couple of weeks.

Our new logo

We’ve been debating possible logos for ages. We both love blackbirds, the maniacs of the garden, for the crazy way they career around at knee height. So after much debate we thought it made sense to use the blackbird image we already use.

Pictured is my hand and label we are using for scarves.