Artisans, Food Traders and a Brilliant Day Out
This weekend, I headed to the Yorkshire Festival at Manvers Lake, proudly organised by Bobby Dazzler Events, for a fantastic day of handmade shopping, live entertainment and plenty of sunshine.
Set against the beautiful lakeside, the festival offered something for everyone. With over 85 artisan and food traders, live music and entertainment, incredible street food, a licensed bar, children's fairground rides and a dog-friendly atmosphere, it's easy to see why so many people came along to enjoy the day.
I spent the day showcasing my collection of hand-burned pyrography gifts, from personalised keepsakes to home décor and jewellery, while chatting to visitors about the art of wood burning. It was lovely meeting so many people who had never seen pyrography before and sharing a little insight into how each piece is created.
I was also encouraging visitors to come along to one of my local pyrography workshops, where complete beginners can learn the relaxing art of wood burning and create their own unique chopping board to take home.
This market was made even better because my lovely friend Helene came along to help on the ConnieFlower stand. Between welcoming customers and chatting about all things creative, we managed to enjoy a few delicious treats while taking in the beautiful lakeside surroundings. Market days are always busy, but they're even better when you can share them with good company.
It was also such a lovely surprise to see my wonderful friends Mat and Iain, who popped by to say hello and treated themselves to a few ConnieFlower goodies. Thank you both so much for your continued support – it genuinely means the world to this little business.
Speaking of goodies... if you ever spot The Cookie Smith at an event, do yourself a favour and grab a cookie. Oh. My. Goodness. They were absolutely enormous and ridiculously tasty. Definitely one of the highlights of the day! (Didn't get a photo because it went straight into my mouth haha!)
Not everything went entirely to plan though... somewhere between setting up, chatting and packing away, I managed to lose one of my earrings! It was actually the very first pair I'd ever made, so it was a little sad to see one disappear. But, every cloud has a silver lining. At least I can make another pair... and who knows, maybe they'll turn out even better than the originals! Sometimes handmade businesses come with little stories like these, and thankfully, this is one I can happily remake.
A huge thank you goes to Tom and Nikki from Bobby Dazzler Events, who did such an amazing job looking after both traders and visitors. Their organisation and friendly support helped make the whole event run so smoothly.
Thank you so much to everyone who stopped by my stall, had a chat, made a purchase or picked up a leaflet. Every conversation and every bit of support helps my small business continue doing what I love.
If you missed me at the Yorkshire Festival, don't worry! You can find ConnieFlower next at Renishaw Hall on Sunday 30th August, where I'll be bringing along plenty more handmade pyrography gifts, give you an opportunity to discuss a personalised gift and provide you with information about my upcoming wood burning workshops.
I hope to see you there!
