Emma Hardicker at Country Living Fair 2013

Since I last saw Emma Hardicker at the Country Living Spring Fair 2012, she's been busy with new projects. Her fabrics are now available to buy by the metre from her website in the 'daffodil' or 'spring' prints in three colourways: grey, olive and teal. These fabrics can be used to upholster furniture, or other home projects. Lampshades and cushions are also available.

Spring is on its way: crocuses

daffodils

Rose Cottage Boxes at Country Living Fair 2013

I've blogged about Rose Cottage Boxes before (here and here), and they continue to be one of the best finds at the Country Living Fair each season: hand made, well made, useful, beautiful, and a great example of cottage industry.
Boxe are available in five sizes which are suitable for a range of uses including stationnery bits and bobs, crafting and sewing bits and pieces, and treasure (the latter for those aged 9 and under), and some bespoke pieces of furniture such as chairs, spice drawers and bird boxes.

Easter hares, new for this season, and Regal Indigo

fish!

Country Living Spring Fair 2013 - top pick: Linen Lawn

I can always find fantastic British designer-makers at Country Living Fair, and my top pick for Spring 2013 is Linen Lawn, founded by Margaret Appleby All the dresses and shirts are designed in house, and handmade from Liberty fabrics.
The Country Living Fair is still on today at the Islington Design Centre - nearest tube Angel. It closes today, Sunday 24th March, at 3pm.

Country Living Spring Fair 2013

 

The Country Living Magazine Spring Fair 2013 is on from today, until 24th March, at the Business Design Centre in Islington. 

I've been a few times to the Country Living Fair and found some great British Designer Makers, such as Whinberry & Antler, Rose Cottage Boxes and 88 and a half (blogged about here).

Nearest tube Angel which is a 3 minute walk from the Business Design Centre. 

 

Country Living Fair - top picks: Rose Cottage Boxes, Poppy's story book dresses, Whinberry & Antler,

Some of my favourites from the Country Living Fair - last day today, finishes at 3pm, so get yourself along to the Islington Business Design Centre.

Rose Cottage Boxes - handmade boxes decorated with florals, traditional and modern

 Whinberry & Antler - cushions, homeware and fabric with beautiful illustrations by Jacinta

 Story book dresses from Poppy

Sheepskin mittens and hats made by 88 and half

Whinberry & Antler - at Country Living Christmas Fair

I've just taken a peek at Whinberry & Antler's blog and I discovered these beautiful creatures: fox, owl, field mouse and red squirrel, which will adorn Whinberry & Antler's products at the Country Living Christmas Fair this year (have a look at the hedgehog, badger, deer and hare blogged about here). Designs are by Jacinta Ingham, the talent behind Whinberry & Antler - her blog tells more about the processes she uses, starting with sketches, then an etching on a copper plate, and then silk screen printing the products with her designs.

If you can't make it to the Fair, W&A's homewares, cushions and fabrics can be bought on their website.

Country Living Fair Spring 2012 - Top Picks - Wolfram Lohr

Last but not least, my final top pick from Country Living Fair Spring 2012: Wolfram Lohr, bag makers who are based in Brighton and Hove. Most of their leather is vegetable tanned, which ages beautifully. Bags and purses are stitched with coloured thread, and often lined in contrasting coloured leather.

Maretta shoulder bag (if is also had a long cross-body strap too, I would have snapped it up)

tote bag - I like that tomato red one on the far left

bags, purses, and handbags

iPad cover with strap

Romney Marsh Wools: Top Pick at Country Living Fair and Selvedge Fair - Spring 2012

This hand and body lotion from Romney Marsh Wools is the best that I have found. Ever. It contains lanolin, also known as wool fat which helps the sheep's fleece to shed water, which is soothing, moisturising and - very important for me - not greasy. It just sinks into the skin, and it smells absolutely delicious too.

I first came across this fantastic lotion at the Selvedge Fair last year when Katrina from Romney Marsh Wools persuaded me to try it. I visited their stand again at the Country Living Spring Fair last weekend where I stocked up on more of their lotion (now used by all the family as it is good for eczema which the kids are prone to) - and I was so pleased to see them at the Selvedge Spring Fair 2012 yesterday when I found out a bit more about Romney Marsh Wools.

Located near Aldington on the Romney Marsh in Kent, the family run farm has been farming Romney Sheep for six generations - they currently have 1000 ewes...think of all those lambs at Easter! Traditionally, Romney sheep have been bred for their meat and their wool - the fleece is a creamy colour and used in knitwear, yarn and cloth. Romney Marsh Wools take their fleeces to traditional weavers who hand process, spin and weave the yarn into rugs and throw - see pics below.

Some more of their skincare products: wool fat soaps, shampoo, hand wash using lanolin - preservative free and not tested on animals (baby blankets in foreground)

Scarves and throws made from Merino and Romney wool below

Natural sheep skin bootees for babies 

cushions and throws

Beeswax candles (beeswax from a local beekeeper) hand rolled by Katrina and her mum

Country Living Fair Spring 2012 - Top Picks - Betty Boyns

These fabrics by Betty Boyns caught my eye at the Country Living Spring 2012 Fair, most specifically the Star Burst fabric which is new for 2012: it has a 1950s look about it, with those spindly lines and dots, and its a nice alternative to polkadots (although I also quite fancy the green polkadot in the pic below).

Betty Boyns is a vintage and country inspired fabric and stationnery design company based in Cornwall - and I was lucky to meet the designer herself, Paula Nicholls, when I visited the Fair.  Paula has combined her arts training with her family heritage (her father and other family members were fabric dyers and block printers) and her love of the countryside to create a range of fabrics that would look good in a country or city home. And they are a very good price at £15 / metre (150cm wide), and the pinnies cost just £13.

Country Living Fair Spring 2012 - Top Picks - Rodgers & Rodgers

I have to tell you about Rodgers & Rodgers, who I made a beeline for when I visited the Country Living Spring Fair this weekend - and I was not the only one, their stall was humming like a hive (to continue the bee analogy). And for good reason: their jewellery made of semi-precious stones set in silver, oxidised silver and gold vermeil combines pretty and classic with that special quality that makes your friends go: ooo, where did you get that from?

I first discovered Rodgers & Rodgers at the Spirit of Spring Fair last Spring, and subsequently emailed them to find out if I could buy a semi-precious pendant to add to a necklace I have. I got a prompt reply - they were sure to have something I liked; and they were right.  Despite being very busy, they found me a selection of pendants to choose from, and were happy to advise on which colour and shape looked best.

Contact them via their website or Facebook page if you want to see more of their jewellery.

This photo does not do justice to their jewellery - but you get the idea, their stall is full of silver, gold vermeil and semi-precious stones you'll want to get your hands on, especially their rings that stack brilliantly.

My silver star from Hellkats (an LA based jeweller) and the Rodgers & Rodgers lemon topaz pendant

Country Living Fair Spring 2012 - Top Picks - Stockwell Ceramics

I spotted Stockwell Ceramics at Dulwich Picture Gallery last summer, so I was very happy to bump into them at the Country Living Fair.  They make ceramic buttons, as thin as corn chips and as smooth and flat as pennies, in a variety of shapes: star, oblongs, hearts, flowers and the more traditional round button shape. While buttons are their main business, they also make brooches and pendants. If you want to buy their wares, contact them directly via their website, or visit Ceramic Buttons which sells a range.

These are buttons from their original 'bright' collection - decorated with dots, dashes, spots and stripes

Good to know that their buttons are machine washable

Pendants and brooches - look at the lovely bluebirds, bottom right, decorated with designs inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement - they also make buttons with these decorations which were originally designed for the V & A.

Country Living Fair Spring 2012 - Top Picks - Emma Hardicker

I met a lot of British designer-makers at the Country Living Spring 2012 Fair - one of whom was the very sweet Emma Hardicker, a silkscreen artist, designer and printer. Not only do I like her designs, I was also impressed that her enthusiasm and friendliness was not waning on Saturday, which must have been the busiest day of the Fair - and she was happy for me to take take some snaps of her prints and artworks.

These fabrics designed by Emma  are new for Spring 2012 - my photo does not do this pattern justice; it is packed with tulips and lovely fritillaries, those flower that have that unusual chequer-board pattern on the petals.  Emma explained to me the printing technique that will be used to produce this fabric will give it that silk-screen printed look (Emma - you'd better correct me if I'm wrong!)

fantastic! a print of a London view and cushions in her Spring 2012 print

Country Living Fair Spring 2012 - Top Picks - Caurnie soap

It's always great to meet the designer-makers in person, which you can do at Country Living Fair - James Little, skilled soapmaker of Caurnie soaps, is knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the soap-making company established by his grandfather. Caurnie have been making soap by hand since 1922 in  Kirkintilloch  - they use pure vegan, chemical-free ingredients which are sourced locally. You can buy their products from their website, and also at BigBarn, the on-line farmer's market, as well as on Ebay. If you're in the area and you want to have a guided tour, contact them via their website - they are located just to the north east of Glasgow on the M80.

Look at the big knife for chopping soap! (middle top of photo). Their nettle soap (top right) does wonders for psoriasis and eczema - and its success in healing has a loyal fanbase.

Bog Myrtle soap!! (as you can tell I was excited to find this) it's got slightly antiseptic properties and is often used for insect repellant - which is music to my ears as I am attacked each summer by midges and mozzies. It smells very fresh, lighter than tea tree oil which has similar properties. The plant is native to nothern and western Europe, and parts of North America, and it times past was used for beer brewing before hops were used. 

Caurnie sell packs of 3 x 50g soaps: Herbal Calming contains chamomile, marigold and heather; Gardener's Hands contains contains marigold, mint and tea tree; and their pack of soaps perfect for a Kindness Appreciated contains orange, lime and lemongrass soaps. All so delicious you could eat them!