Souvenirs: the added benefits of buying local crafts wherever you are

As you read this you might have just returned from holiday or about to go in the next few weeks. If you are going to a foreign country, or indeed if you are staying in the UK, buy a souvenir made by local people, not the mass produced in a factory.

Since my early 20’s, when I first travelled to ‘Yugoslavia’ I have bought crafts made locally to take back with me, as presents or for myself.

30 years on and I am still enjoying my first kilim bought at a local market in Split. Every time I sit at the dining take it takes me back to that market square with my travel companions.

Nowadays, as well as buying for myself, I buy for Crafts of the World Online, and I still relish the thrill to find and support local craftsmen/women be this in China, Tunisia, Morocco, or wherever I happen to be at the time.

In Marrakech (Morocco) I now have my favourites:

A young man based in one of the souks, between the wool souk and the dyers one. He makes handbags, necklaces, slippers and hats with felt made with wool and sealing it together with the local ‘black soap’ and water. Layer by layer he creates a cloth, which he dyes with natural colours and creates unique pieces. I love his felt bags in bright colours and the ‘bubble necklaces’ which the females in his family embroider with colourful treads. 

Bubble necklaces

In a nearby square I go for the raffia shopping bags in any size, shape and colour.  In the square, as well as tourists, you can find lots of locals doing their shopping. One time I found some nice grass plates as well as the rectangular little shopping baskets that are so popular. The old woman in charge spoke Berber and some accented French; she wore a thick veil over her face and understanding her was a little difficult. But her eyes were very expressive. In a while we had agreed a price we were both happy with. Suddenly a young lad appeared from nowhere, came over and tried to charge me much more than what the lady and I had agreed. Needless to say the lad was verbally chastised both by both of us and we had such a giggle after!!!

Raffia Bags

Don’t be afraid to buy from the single craftsman on a street corner or square. They are small entrepreneurs. The women, especially, supplement their husbands’ wages, and you often see them with their young kids in tow. Try talking to them; ask how and where they make their craft. It will make what you buy all the more valuable for the memories you will have with you for a long time, often it will be even cheaper than if you bought something similar in a shop.

If you didn’t have space in your luggage to bring back a souvenir from your holiday, have a look at my website. You can easily find something that will be a perfect present or memory for you.

From October we will have a big SALE with lots of special offers, just in time for the Christmas shopping. An open weekend for you to come and browse will happen during the same month
(17^th and 18^th), so look out for it. If you are interested in an invite to the open weekend, send Anna an email and I will let you know details of the event.

This Blog was also published as an Editorial on Village Life magazine in September 2014.

Woburn Crafts Fair

It is all due to Ros, who is tirelessly organising the CCC - Crafts, Cake, a Cuppa fair once a month, as well as being a cat lover and a dab hand at painting them too!!
Yesterday (Sunday 17th February) saw the 1st event of 2013. And what a glorious day it was!
The sun was shining and temperatures reached 8 degrees C outside, inside the Woburn Village Hall temperatures were sizzling!

By 10.00am all stall holders had their displays ready and it was clear the room was filled with great talents.

Beautiful cards and paintings with attractive Watercolour-Flowers-Paintings were directly opposite me and delightful to look at; at my side great pin-boards in a range of backgrounds to suit every taste and mug warmers, an ideal present for Mother's Day by Just Quirky.

  

I managed a quick look around before the public started flowing in the hall and I was impressed.



My eye was caught by beautiful glass cake stands and the wood turning objects on the stall next to me.

  

Directly opposite the entrance the public was welcomed by a table full of butterflies.  What a show, colourful, local and exotic, smaller and larger ones and all made of ... paper. What a talent!

Of course you could top up your food reserves too.  Outside the Hall in the main part of the village, the Farmers Market, which runs the same 3rd Sunday of the month as the craft fair. Inside the hall lots of homemade preserves and local honey as well as olives; a table full of tasty cup-cakes, and let's not forget the coffee/tea shop, run by Ros' husband that offered warm drinks as well as a selection of sweet and savouries. You would not go hungry even if you tried!

 

If you like handbags you would have felt at home with 3 stalls displaying an array of handmade bags to suit all.  From denim to designer bags you were spoiled for choice and all at very reasonable prices.

With Spring approaching and Mother's day and Easter only a few weeks away you could find a present for your mum or a wee blanket for that new baby's arrival.

All in all Woburn and the CCC - Crafts, Cake, Cuppa Fair is a destination to keep in mind on the 3rd Sunday of the month as a place to keep amused and entertained all the family; and for those wanting a walk on the 'wild' side what better place than taking a walk on the Woburn Estate among deer or visit the Safari Park. 

 

On the history of BAG

Where do handbags originate from?

Types of Prehistoric bags

Handbags have been essential to mankind since prehistoric times to carry items and have been recorded in fashion history for a very long time.
The purpose of a bag is to carry precious or useful around even though the items have changed over time. We find mention of such an item first in written literature of the 14th century; however the Egyptian hieroglyphs papyrus show pouches carried around the waist. Bags were attached to "girdles", an item of female underwear, and fastened to the waist. The bags were enriched with Embroidery and jewels and demonstrated the social status of the wearer - the more elaborate the bag, the higher and richer the person that carried it.
In the 16th century, handbags became more practical and were made with the use of everyday materials, i.e. leather and fastener at the top with a drawstring. At the same time, travellers’ bags, made with cloth and larger than normal bags were made and were carried diagonally across the body. In the 17th century bags and small purses became more fashionable both for women and men. Embroidery was becoming fashionable among young girls and this saw the rise in beautiful stitched artwork used on handbags.
In the 18th century, women started to wear less underclothing. Wearing a purse could ruin the look of the clothes and ladies started carrying their handbags. These were called reticules.

Type of Reticule

Women had a different bag for every occasion and fashion magazine argued on the proper way to carry them. Reticules were used to carry rouge (lipstick), face powder, a fan, a small bottle of scent or perfume, visiting cards, smelling salts, dance/appointment card.
The term "handbag" was first used in the early 1900 and generally referred to a hand-held luggage bag usually carried by men. This inspired for new bags that became popular with women.
In the 1920's a fashion revolution saw shortening hemlines and lighter item of clothing. Bags no longer needed to match the outfit worn and it became fashionable for rich women to carry a doll dressed exactly like themselves, complete with matching bag.
With the 1940's clothing and handbags suffered the all around effect of the war. Metal frames, zips, leather, mirrors were all in short supply and manufacturers used plastic and wood instead. In the 1950's designer houses like Chanel and Louis Vuitton started to see a rise in importance and with the 1960's the hippy and youth culture overtook the old classical styles.

60's/70s bag

 

Is there future in the handbag?
Of course! Fashion fads, new textures, materials and perhaps shapes will come and go. Some of the ‘classics’ will stay, like the Chanels and the Louis Vuittons, however in my opinion the bag or handbag is here to stay whatever we will come to call it.

Leather or Saddle Bag