Creative Colonies 2015 – Sunday, 8th November, 1.30-4.30pm

Updated 17th October  Our popular annual community event, highlighting the creative talent of many Stockbridge Colonies residents will be held on Sunday, 8th November from 1.30 to 4.30pm – and we can all buy their creations too!

Most sellers set up shop in their living room, displaying balloons outside to mark their participation but maybe the weather will be as mild as last year and some can sell in the garden!  Several of the favourite artists based in the Colonies will be selling again this year so you’ll find all sorts of beautiful artwork as well as hand-made jewellery, interesting photographs, cards, candles, needlework and textile crafts, hand-made books, poetry written and published by our resident professional published poets… photos of the sellers and their wares can be seen in the Creative Colonies 2014 album on our Stockbridge Colonies Facebook page.  This is the perfect opportunity for truly local shopping and for commissions to be taken.  For shoppers, it is an ideal afternoon for enjoyable, stress-free, interesting early Christmas shopping as well as the opportunity to meet other Colonies residents over a cuppa and home baking!  Here is what will be where (starting from the west end):

23 Rintoul Place ~ Book Art – old books & maps turned into sculptures, ornaments & hangings, autumn & Christmas decorations made from natural materials (paper, straw, felt, cones & dried fruit)

21 Colville Place ~ mounted mixed media pieces, a few pieces on board and canvas, and cards with envelopes.

17 Balmoral Place ~ candles, framed photographs and cards, textile accessories, lavender bags, button art, notebooks, handmade designer silver and gold jewellery… and cakes!

9 Dunrobin Place ~ colourful paintings and cards – landscapes, seascapes, flowers (and a seasonal robin!)    https://clarearbuthnott.wordpress.com/  and Colonies postcards

29 Teviotdale Place ~ Handmade books, origami lights, cards, bookart. Tea, coffee and biscuits too!  www.hazelldesignsbooks.co.uk

4 Teviotdale Place ~ Handmade designer silver jewellery and hand drawn accessories – new designs for Christmas! www.alexissouthamjewellery.com

23 Avondale Place ~ Candles and Christmas cards and all sorts of interesting creations!

10 Bell Place ~ Award-winning Mariscat Press – exciting poetry in affordable, beautifully produced editions, by poets such as Jackie Kay, Douglas Dunn, Stewart Conn, Edinburgh Makar Christine De Luca, Glasgow Poet Laureate Jim Carruth and Colonies resident Diana Hendry – www.mariscatpress.com

If you are a Stockbridge Colonies resident and would like to sell your own creations at this event, please email coloniesgrapevine@gmail.com with a bit of information about your wares and your address – if you have photos of your creations, then we can post them on Facebook.  If you don’t have enough to sell on your own, then you could share a ‘shop’ with a friend and/or neighbour or contact the Grapevine to be put in touch with a potential partner for the afternoon.  The cost of participation for each seller is just £10 which ensures that your address and merchandise will be included in the local marketing and advertising and you’ll also be given a seller’s pack including balloons to display on the day. So if you’d like to buy some truly unique local artefacts, please save the date and spread the word!