Archive for EVENTS

18 Jan 2012
BUSINESS • DAISYCHAINBABY • EVENTS • GUEST BLOGS

GUEST POST: Silke from Dakini Leathercraft

One of the many things I love about trading at markets, especially our regular Duckpond Market, is the opportunity we have had over the years to meet some truly amazing people. Sometimes as we make the monthly pilgrimage from SE London to NW London third Sunday of every month, it’s only the warm and welcoming atmosphere of the market that gets us out of bed! Our fellow marketeers are friendly, supportive and incredibly talented, and I’m thrilled that Silke, another Duckpond regular, has agreed to write a guest post for us! Silke trades as Dakini Leathercrafts, making all her own products to sell and as you can see from the images below, she has quite some skill. Over to Silke:

Click here to visit Dakini Leathercraft

Handmade Kindle cases by Silke of Dakini Leathercraft

I started my business by accident! I began making handbags after being inspired by a family relation. The thing is when you make products you have to either give them away or sell them.  I soon realised that my hobby was costing me money which I needed to recoup if I wanted to continue.  From that my business grew and today I’m still designing and making new products specific to orders from my clients.

I work with Vegetable Tan Leather as well as other, softer leathers in the form of suede, calf, Italian leather and upholstery leather.

Primarily I make handbags, although I do make other, smaller leather products including leather (veg tan) belts, kindle cases, iPad cases, folders and much more. I am always looking for new ways in which to use leather in new products. I’ve recently starting using hair-on calf/cow skin which looks lush! (sorry no other word for it!)

I gain inspirations from fashion markets, seeing what’s trendy at the moment and recreating that in my work. There are endless handbags wandering the markets so I have plenty of inspiration seeing what potential customers carry with them, drawing quick sketches of the ideas I like so that I can recreate or include in my own designs.

As I personalise my products I usually get specifications from customers who provide me with additional inspiration and designs. At the end of the day, its all about what the customer wants and I do my best to ensure that they are satisfied with the outcome as well as the knowledge that what they are getting is a one off, personalised design!

Click here to visit Dakini Leathercraft

Handmade bag by Silke of Dakini Leathercraft

I would definitely recommend hot-footing it over to Silke’s website Dakini Leathercraft, and you can also keep up to date with her activity via Facebook. Thank you so much to Silke for guest posting for us and here’s to many more in 2012!

Follow DaisychainBaby on Facebook and Twitter. If you want to guestpost for us, email linsATdaisychainbabyDOTcoDOTuk. Our clearance section lives here

 

Lins | One comment
20 Aug 2011
DAISYCHAINBABY • EVENTS • PERSONAL

The great legging debate.

“You’re dumped!” he shouted at me above the din of the early 90s disco music. “Why?” I asked, on the verge of tears. “He doesn’t like your leggings!” And so came to an end my first secondary school romance. I was 11 and it had lasted a week. I can still remember those leggings and clearly something about the whole mortifying experience has stuck in my mind. But he had a point – surely no-one apart from little girls and super models wear leggings? Society would certainly have us believe that they are for a very limited demographic, although I’m sure most of us have a pair of leggings (or other suitably unflattering pair of comfy trousers) that we opt to keep behind closed doors.

Fast forward 20 years and leggings are still very much a part of my life, but now I sell them instead of wear them. I tend to keep a steady supply online and at markets because they’re such staple items and fairly inexpensive, and the current trend tends to be wearing them under skirts and dresses rather than just t-shirts. At today’s market, I was pleasantly surprised when a lady and her partner came over with their little boy in a pushchair, and she picked up two pairs of leggings – for her son. She showed them to her partner, who incidentally was one of the biggest, butchest men I have ever seen. He nodded his approval, and the leggings were sold. So granted, most men approve anything for a quiet life, but you can count on it that leggings are a suitably controversial topic and most men would normally furiously shake their heads with a “my boy isn’t wearing those” caveman grunt. This isn’t the first time we’ve sold leggings for a boy, but it IS very rare and it is normally always our non-UK customers who do the purchasing. Customers from other countries seem to be so much more laid back about it than we are, opting for comfort over gender stereotyping.

Click here for multistripe leggings by Pili Pala

Unisex?

So I posted the debate on to our Facebook page – leggings, for girls only, or boys too? The comments were fairly unanimous with a few broadminded exceptions. Leggings are too girly for boys, even little boys. Some cite their partners as not being happy about it, others that it’s a potential teasing/bullying topic which I do understand (although having been teased relentlessly through infant school because I had to wear glasses, I would argue that those children doing the bullying do so due to poor parenting rather than having a topic upon which to bully). So why is it that our European neighbours are so much more relaxed about these kind of things? Is social conformity less rigorous (after all, we all know examples of nations where lady shaving is almost frowned upon and everyone just gets on with it!)?

I would love to think that if I had children they would be raised in a free-spirited and independent way, but of course fully respecting the fact that they themselves may choose to conform along with their peers. I would want to rail against TV culture and commercial advertising, at the same time I do understand that once children reach a certain age they are almost entirely influenced by other children around them, as well as the dreaded capitalist behemoth. That’s why at DaisychainBaby we’ve opted only to take our ranges up to 5 years of age. That way, if a Mum wants to buy leggings (or tights!) for her son, she will be saluted and admired by me, albeit under my breath so no-one else knows I secretly approve…!

Follow DaisychainBaby on Facebook and Twitter. If you want to guestpost for us, email linsATdaisychainbabyDOTcoDOTuk. Our clearance section lives here

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25 Jun 2011
BUSINESS • DAISYCHAINBABY • EVENTS

Mortlake Summer Fair Festivities

I’ve got my feet up on the sofa and a glass of cider sitting on the floor which I take a little drink from every now and again. Zodiac is on the TV but I’m not really watching it properly – instead I’m chilling out after a busy day on the DaisychainBaby roadshow. Today’s destination was the Mortlake Summer Fair held in south-west London. An annual event to raise money for St Magdalen’s Catholic school, this is the first time we’ve attended in any capacity (stallholder or visitors) and as such weren’t really sure what to expect.

After our first year of trading where we drove the length and breadth of the country (or it felt that way anyway!) we’ve now got a good vibe for successful events and have our regulars each year, as well as dipping our toes in the odd new one here and there. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. Key things I always like to know before I agree to attend a new event as a Stallholder are how long the event has been running, how many people attend, where it’s being advertised and obviously how much it costs. Just because an event is cheap doesn’t mean it’s worth doing. An event held in a wealthy area doesn’t necessarily mean that the wealth is shared at your stand.

Today seemed like one we had to try – in a nice area, not too far from where live, not too pricy and the potential for the sun to finally come out in June! We arrived quite soon after set up time (one thing I love is an event which allows a lot of set up time!) and were shown to our pitch. It took place on a recreation field and the site was clearly marked out with pitch numbers which allowed plenty of space for our 3×3 gazebo. The only thing we had to worry about was the wind threatening to blow us away. So we put the gazebo up and drove the stakes into the ground to hold in place. And then put the sides up, and realise we had to bring the legs closer in so the sides would go all the way round. And put the stakes in again. And then decided that we only wanted a back to the gazebo and not sides all the way round. Sigh! Eventually we got there and managed to be set up just in time for kick off for midday.

Part of our windswept stall

Part of our windswept stall!

It’s clear that people in the area value this event and it was very well attended by lots of familes and – spaniels! More cocker and springer spaniels than we could shake a stick at (no pun intended!) which was brilliant because when we do eventually get round to having a dog, a springer it must be. We had a fair bit of early interest with people browsing – one of the lovely things about what we do is that people are always drawn to the stand because of all our bright colours, even if they have no children to buy for. Unfortunately I managed to forget our flyers so we weren’t able to give interested customers anything with our website detalls on apart from scribbled pieces of paper, but hopefully our huge banner with our name and website emblazoned across it leaves enough of an impression :)

Mr DCB pulling a face...

Mr DCB pulling a face...

Thankfully as the day progressed we did manage some healthy sales, including 3 of our brand new handmade dresses cleverly crafted by our fellow marketeers Lovely and Lovely. The dresses come in A-Line and reversible style and are simply stunning, and one-offs. This is the first event we’ve had them to display and so it was lovely to get all the positive feedback and sell some too! A separate post will follow on those as they need some dedication all to themselves! There were stacks of activites going on, including football shoot-out, coconut shy, bouncy castle, and a central arena displaying everything from judo to zumba! Entry was just £2 per person with all proceeds going to the school so a truly worthy cause, and even better were the fabulously priced refreshments – I was quick to snap up two chocolate fairy cakes for the grand total of 80p. We’re used to markets where a cup-cake costs £50 (yes, I do exaggerate, but not much!) so it’s fantastic to find such quality bargains. Our friends and fellow stallholders Mad Moo Toys were also in attendance which gave us the opportunity to chin-wag during the quiter times.

Bouncing on the bouncy castle

Bouncing on the bouncy castle

Overall, it was an enjoyable and profitable day – of course as a trader you always want to make more (which is probably a healthy attitude!) but it was worth doing and we’ll definitely be back next year with a better idea of how to display our products and the type of goods people might be interested in.

Lins | No comments
27 Apr 2011
DAISYCHAINBABY • EVENTS

Mess around on the river this BH weekend!

No sooner have the children headed off back to school after their lovely Easter breaks when up pops another Bank Holiday weekend and parents are left wondering what on earth to do for entertainment now?! Aside from THE big event this weekend (a little bird told me some low-key couple are getting spliced this Friday ;o) there is another HUGE event happening to celebrate the May Day Bank Holiday weekend which is the Little Venice Canalway Cavalcade. Now in its 18th year, the Cavalcade marks the start of the UK’s waterway festival season where up to 150 barges and boats converge on this section of London’s waterways located on the Regent’s Canal near the Paddington Basin. Running Saturday, Sunday and Monday there is a whole range of activities taking place from 10am to 6pm Saturday and Sunday, and 10am to 5pm Monday. Most importantly? All 3 days are free so you can come and go as you please.

Little Venice Boat Display

I’ve ben amazed how many parts of London I’ve discovered since running DaisychainBaby, and how many activities, festivals and events take place in areas I have never previously visited. We took part last year at the Little Venice festival with our stand and were amazed at how well attended the event was (even though the Sunday was a complete washout which resulted in Mr DCB having to buy me a complete set of new clothing including underwear!) We even saw Jude Law last year with a couple of his children which is I think so far our biggest celebrity spot whilst doing the DCB roadshow. The site is spread out around Warwick Avenue to the west, all the way along past Rembrand Gardens on the water and up to Sheldon Square by Paddington Basin. There are many and varied trade stands located around the site selling all manner of goodies from plants, books, jewellery, clothing, decorative canalware, toys and other gifts as well as many refreshment stands selling everything from cakes and coffee to hot food and real ale (something for Dads!) The site is easily accessible with plenty of toilet facilities so is very welcoming for families.

In addition to live music, guided walks in the area and displays put on by the participating boats, there are plenty of activities for children. There will be children’s craft workshops on all 3 days in the Entertainment Marquee and the Church Army are running events on Stone Wharf alongside their boat “Narrow Escape”. They will also be running the Teddy Bears Picnic at 3pm on Sunday in Rembrandt Gardens which is also the location for Punch and Judy shows and Bubble of Fun water-walking (what can we say – possibly a good idea to bring some dry clothes!!) On the Paddington Towpath, the “Floating Classroom” is moored under the Westway by Sheldon Square. They will be host to children’s arts and crafts to include giant bubble making as well as reptile and amphibian shows. There will also be the opportunity for children to try their hand at kayaking near Bishop’s Bridge thanks to the Pirate Club of Pirate Castle, Camden. There is also the opportunity to go onboard their narrowboat and find out what goes on at the Pirate Club.

So all-in-all if you’re looking for something easy to get to, low cost, different AND educational then it’s well-worth a visit on one of the days, or all of them if you like it that much. If you DO come don’t forget to pay us a visit up on Warwick Crescent right above the South towpath. We’ll be housed in our white but slightly grubby gazebo, no doubt eating cake. Or chips. But definitely eating. We do that a lot :) Happy Holidays!

Follow DaisychainBaby on Facebook and Twitter. If you want to guestpost for us, email linsATdaisychainbabyDOTcoDOTuk. Our clearance section lives here

Lins | No comments
19 Feb 2011
BUSINESS • EVENTS • PERSONAL

The Changing Face of Markets

Today I’ve spent most of the day preparing for our monthly market, which is taking place tomorrow in Ruislip, as it does the third Sunday in every month. Getting ready mainly involves ironing a serious amount of baby clothes so they all look lovely hanging on our stall, and also printing equally serious amounts of price labels (although they still don’t seem to prevent people from asking how much something costs!) Whilst ironing away to distract myself from the interminable boredom (yep, ironing is my least favourite chore in the entire world), I thought about how markets have changed in recent years.

I spent some of my childhood growing up in Holt, Norfolk and some of it growing up in Newbury, Berkshire. Both originally market towns from centuries ago, although I can’t recall if Holt’s was still operational in the 1980s but Newbury’s certainly was in the 1990s. My parents were pretty much of the opinion that fruit and veg aside, it wasn’t worth wasting your 50p at the market because even if something did only cost 50p it was liable to break/fall apart within weeks and because I had no experience of big cities or even small cities, until I moved to London, I wasn’t aware of the significance of thriving market communities and that often trading has been in families for generations. I think they also suffered a certain amount in the 1980s as we were taught that ostentatious expressions of wealth were all that mattered and as capaitalism became rampant, everybody but everybody shopped in supermarkets. It was convenient for two parents who both worked to be able to get everything in one place and Tesco gradually began to take over the world.

Duckpond Market, Ruislip

Duckpond Market, Ruislip - 3rd Sunday every month

Running a business has taught me such an incredible amount – not just from an economics point of view (ahem, let’s forget about the ‘E’ I got in my Economics A-Level ;o) but about myself and most importantly about life. I don’t even pretend to be a market trader because I only do it once a month at present, and once a week during summer and autumn and my livelihood isn’t dependent upon it. Yet it’s still hard work – some events we go to we have to be on the road at 5.30am to get to wherever we’re going to set up and it’s exhausting. I never appreciated what was involved, especially for those who are heading off to collect their fresh produce at 4am with a full day’s work ahead of them, who have to be out no matter what in all weathers. Having been there myself and sat outside with nothing more than a canopy to protect me during torrential downpours or subzero temperatures, I now appreciate how soul-destroying it can be.

Yet at the same time for so many people for whom running a stall is their every day, there’s something about being part of that buzz that you just can’t find anywhere else. We love attending our monthly market for just that reason – the other traders are friendly and it creates a lovely community feeling. Plus, the nature of the goods being sold are in my opinion better than something you might find on the high street. Granted, this comes down to the organisers ensuring that only local or ethical products are sold, which of course is not the same at every market. Yet it does seem that here and there, high-end arts and craft markets are being resurrected and farmers markets are especially popular offering essential and luxury fresh produce. We’re also more concerned with where things come from – I know that I’m far more likely now to buy from a market if Ihave the opportunity to do so and certainly buy lots of pressies from Duckpond because everything there is just so wonderful! So if you’re still of the opinion that markets aren’t worth your time, think again. I know a fab one and thoroughly recommend you come and see for yourself!

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