Monday 13 April 2015

The Sarah Moore and friends pop up Spring fair ..... read all about this truly wonderful event!




The beautiful Spring came: And when nature
resumes her loveliness, the human soul is apt to 
revive also!

Harriet Ann Jacobs




Nestled in the South Downs is a beautiful old dairy farmhouse, owned by Sarah Moore and her husband.  The views are breathtaking and the barn in which this amazing  Spring pop-up fair was held was the perfect setting for such an event.

As you may remember from a previous blog, Sarah had told me about her vision for the fair and how she wanted it to flow, as if you had just walked into a large floral potting shed.  This was achieved beyond expectation!

This large barn with vaulted ceilings and two doors on both sides were open.  The first side for everyone to go in and out and the other side had all manner of vintage garden bits and some plants for sale.  There was bunting, fairy lights and little lamps to light up all the stunning displays of floral fabrics, laces, buttons, eiderdowns and blankets, china, kitchenalia and garden items and so much more.

As you walked through the doorway each persons stall flowed and seemed to merge, yet everyone had their own space: The visualisation of this talented lady had become reality.

The farmhouse, barn, stables and another building where Sarah has her personal workroom (stashed with the most beautiful and pretty fabrics I have to mention - Sarah did joke with me that I could look through and I could touch, but none where for sale!!! ) all surrounded the court yard.

The barn opened into each building where there was a temporary vintage cafe serving coffee and tea's and the most delicious of cakes - the scones were the best we had ever tasted.
All of which were served on all manner of vintage china and the tables were all covered with vintage embroidered tablecloths and had tiny lamps on.  There were pots of jam on the tables for the scones and even some very pretty vintage tablecloths pinned to the white washed walls for decoration and a homely feel.

Coming out of the tea room was a little passage way that led to Sarah's workroom which was host to some corsage making workshops....

In the courtyard its self there was a local craftsman making rose arches. Tee Pees, Besom brooms and trellises from hazel wood and all of this was for sale along with charcoal products including artist charcoal...

The stables in the courtyard were a temporary home to baby lambs with bottles of prepared milk for people to feed them! (how some of these did not come home with me is surprising believe me!)  A local farmer had them there for sale as well as a refrigerator full of meats and sausages to buy.

All the while Sarah's black Labrador puppy, Bramble, was wandering around on the lead with various people and loving the attention and fuss.

The large paddock had also been opened up for people to park, as well as enjoy the sun and have their picnics on - everything had been well thought out.

People had come form far and wide to attend this wonderful two day event, that they had opened up their family home for.

The fabrics that were on offer to buy were outstanding and had obviously been chosen with care along with all manner of other vintage treasures to tempt everybody.  People were walking around with arms full of goodies and smiles on their faces, vintage fabrics generally do this to those of us with a habit for them!

I myself bought two matching eiderdowns, some wonderful floral fabrics, mother of pearl buttons, some china and some most beautiful vintage embroidery threads, the colours are amazing and I feel I have chosen a great blended colour range.  I have a project in mind for these beauties.

The eiderdowns are for two single beds we have and another personal purchase is this most wonderful 1821 sampler.  I fell in love the instant I set eyes on it and it just had to come home with me and has taken pride of place with some others I have collected over the years. ( I bought some other bits and bobs and will show you all later in the week, when I photographed it all)

When we had said our goodbyes we went to the local pub that Sarah had recommended for lunch. The pub itself is really pretty both inside and out.  There is a huge open fire in the bar and a log burner in the restaurant.  The people who own the pub are both welcoming and friendly and their menu is extensive.
 Their home made pies ( of which there are many, such as venison, chicken and ham and steak) are served with fresh steamed vegetables and choice of potatoes along with jacket potatoes and a choice of many fillings and several different ploughman's but to name just a little of what is on offer at lunchtime, all of which are cooked and presented beautifully.  There is ample parking and plenty of seating outside with stunning views and flowers.

We had a wonderful day this really great two day event was such a success and I was thrilled to be able to attend it on the Saturday.

I would like to thank Sarah Moore and her family for all their hard work in organising such a beautiful vintage fair and to congratulate them on its true success!













For us it was then off to a 80th Birthday Party and to meet up with lots of my husbands family - On a personal note I would like to say to "Uncle Horace's two girls" it was such a pleasure to meet you both and to Karen, Julie and Mark who made us all very welcome and had worked very hard indeed, along with their respective partners to cook and make their Dads day the special event that is was, a
big thank you! .. He did say to me that you had all done him very proud!..


So after a really lovely weekend it is back to my writing and stitching room... I have some new vintage goodies to sort out and lots of stitching to get on with so have a wonderful day and as always..

Happy Stitching!

The Washerwoman .




4 comments:

  1. Thank you Sarah for some gorgeous pix of my stand. So glad that you enjoyed the event. It really was special wasn't it? x

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  2. It really was Liz ... truly outstanding!
    Now its the VB! what a lovely week! x

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  3. What a lovely day you had. That sounds like my sort of event.
    Teresa x

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    1. It was Teresa it really was such a beautiful setting and the fair held in the barn was stunning... Don't even get me started on the fabrics!!! ... I am pleased you enjoyed the read.

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