Monday 4 November 2013

My First European Fair Trip.....Apeldoorn, Holland

Sometimes I really don't know where the days disappear too, I can't believe it is a month since I last posted but I have been to far flung parts.....well Holland! I have visited my first European fair and had a fabulous time. It was in Apeldoorn and is the biggest annual fair in the Netherlands. I persuaded my better half that it would be a lovely way to spend my birthday and we would get a whole weekend together. Amazingly he agreed to drive through the Chunnel stopping in Gent on the way and visiting our Dutch friends in Rotterdam on the way back.
I am a huge Tripadvisor fan and after looking through the reviews decided to stay somewhere completely different, and B&B called the Pegasus Hotel that was described as being very quirky and out of the ordinary. Well, it was definitely quirky. A Victorian house absolutely stuffed full of the owners treasured antiques and collections of all things Victoriana. It was completely different to the usual places we stay, I admit to being a bit of a boutique hotel with power shower girlie, and it was an experience I am glad we tried. My husband really liked it but I think that was because of the price!!
As you can see the B&B was in an absolutely stunning building and more or less completely original inside. There were a lot of these houses in Apeldoorn that I drooled over during our visit. 
The fair was very close by and was held over two days but I only attended on the Saturday as we were going to Rotterdam on the Sunday.
The fair was probably the same sort of size as Minatura in Birmingham with the same variety of stands. The difference I noticed almost at once were the amount of dogs at the show. They were in smart buggies, specially converted zimmers/walkers, on leads and in bags!! In fact wherever we went in Holland was exceptionally dog friendly unlike the UK where taking your dog into public places is practically impossible. 
There were also far more stands that sold furniture and accessories in kit form than I have found at UK shows. This certainly made items a lot cheaper to buy and there was quite a variety. I was hoping to buy a small house/shop kit in a Dutch style specifically for a future Christmas project and fell in love with this kit.
This of course is the finished article and I hope I can create something as equally stunning. I loved the shape of the roof and the fact that all the pieces fit snuggly into a bag you take away with you. This lady makes a variety of kits all of which you can see on her stand and when I tell you that this kit was 37.50 euros you can understand that it was a must buy item!! 
This will be a definite project for 2014 and will be filled with all things Santa, as I am a big Santa fan.
As you can see her stand was very busy and I had to wait awhile to get close enough to buy my kit.
 This was her Snow White kit.....
.......and her cottage in 1/24th scale. 
I was really, really tempted to bring another one home but I think my old man would have started to ask awkward questions as I had already sent him back to the car with these....
......come on, 10 euros each how is a girl supposed to resist such bargains!! More Christmas projects for 2014!!
The final purchase I am going to post today is this fabulous stack of cauldrons made by one of my favourite artisans Georgia Marfels. I had seen some in her Etsy shop so made my way to her stand hoping that I had found and answer to my Potage's Cauldron Shop problem. How fabulous are these? I couldn't have asked for a more perfect stack to sit outside the shop. They are all individually made so you can have a stack of any size. I think they sold very well so I was lucky to be able to get the height I wanted in a variety of sizes.
I am off to Olympia tomorrow for Spirit of Christmas Fair, ostensibly for present shopping but I will be on the look out for any tiny decorations that will find their way into my newly opened Christmas stash.

15 comments:

  1. Oh Janice I am groaning with envy. Your cauldrons are splendid but it is the prospect of lots of mini kits that is most 'green-eyed monster' making. In Ireland we have no miniature fairs or clubs. We have a couple of places selling Dolls Emporium but nothing else. At least in the UK you have some fairs and a lot of on-line outlets. But interesting furniture and accessory kits are extremely difficult to get. I think the low countries, Scandinavia and Germany are much better serviced for minis. So lucky you and I look forward to seeing how Diagon Alley progresses now with these fab cauldrons. (Just finished re-watching all 8 HP films last week). Mini hugs, Carol

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    1. Just a quickie before I go off to bed. I was really impressed by the kits of Jane Harrop and the Art of Mini. Lovely materials and interesting designs. They are both on the internet and I will show the bits I bought from them later this week.

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  2. Oh... Wow!!!!
    First of all, the B and B looks amazing! What fantastic inspiration in itself!
    The fair just looks like miniatura, but I'd absolutely live to experience a European fair.. They really do look wonderful!
    Absolutely love the little kit you've bought for your Christmas stall, love the roof shape and the little central window! It's going to look lovely dressed up!
    And 10 euros each for those stalls?!! What!?? That's crazy! I would certainly not have been able to pass those off either!
    What will those three ones become Janice or are you still thinking?
    Obviously love the cauldrons for Georgia, they are just perfect for Potage's!! I must definitely order some from her at some point in the future!!
    It looks like you've had a lovely time Janice, I hope one day I can make a European fair! They look magical!
    Can't wait to see your other purchases, especially close ups of those two lovely goblins!!
    Will look forward to seeing what you do with those stalls too :)
    Michael x

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    1. The B&B was definitely an experience! I am not totally sure what all the stalls will be yet. Still playing with ideas for two of them but I have decided on two of them...see the next post for clues!! I really enjoyed the fair although I did notice that quite a few of the stands had items by lots of different artists at incredibly inflated prices. They obviously by them at UK fairs. Now looking forward to Kensington!

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  3. What a great show. I'm totally envious. The kits look fabulous. I adore the snow white kit.

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    1. She was a really talented lady I only hope I can do her marvellous kit justice.

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  4. Looks like you've had great time. Oh I've never been on a miniature fair. Looks so much fun. I just started to drool after that Snow white house. So pretty. I can't wait to see your finished Santa piece. Much love and light
    Niina

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    1. Hi Nina, it was great fun I would really recommend a visit to any show no matter how small as you meet such lovely and inspirational people.

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  5. It sounds like a wonderful trip you had. Your hotel is very charming and very romantic. thanks for showing these lovely photos, one day, I also would like to visit this exhibition.
    Hugs and good luck with your new project.
    Wyrna

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    1. Hi Wyma, it was a lovely way to spend my birthday, lucky me!!

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  6. Hi Janice, I was there on the Saturday too. There is so much to see that I never even thought there would be other bloggers there, I was just too busy with only 3 hours at the show!
    Do you have the name of the lady selling the house kits or her website? The Santa house looks a bit like an Anton Pieck painting, very popular as Christmas cards when I was a little girl.
    I did notice the dogs in buggies too! Very odd I thought, but keeping them from getting trampled I suppose...

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    1. Hi Idske, I have put what details I have on the next post as a few people have asked, and I do so agree with you. I think that must have been why I was so drawn to it. I am sure I once sent cards out just like this many years ago.

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  7. What a great trip! You picked up some marvelous items at the show and I bet you will have a ball 'playing' with all your new stuff.

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    1. Hi John, I even had fun unpacking after this trip which is an absolute first.

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  8. Hi Janice! What a great adventure you had! Your purchases sound like they were both practical and fun and I can feel the excitement of this show just from all of your great photos! :D

    elizabeth

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