Dorset Team Spring Fair 2018

Looking forward to the Dorset Team Spring Fair 2018!

There are going to be 60 stalls selling handmade, vintage and crafting supplies run by local makers and sellers.

If you are local, please put the date in your diary and come along to the event!

Film Friday - Glimmer of Hope

Hi everyone,

I thought I would share with you all this beautiful animation which I found called 'Lueur d' espoir' which translates as "Glimmer of Hope" for my Film Friday this week. The animation is by artist Damien Tran 

Hope you have all had a fantastic week so far and enjoy your weekend!

The Dorothy Days 

Lueur d’espoir

Dorset Team Christmas Fair 2017 - Allendale Centre, Wimborne - Free Entry

As we approach November, don't forget to put the date for the Dorset Team Christmas Fair 2017 in your diary. It is going to be a fantastic, festive day out and the perfect place to pick up some really unique Christmas gifts this year whilst also supporting local makers and sellers. 

The fair is FREE ENTRY and this year, for the first time, the fair will be running over two days which means even more stalls to visit! 

It makes a lovely day out as not only is there all the stalls but also a lovely cafe which overlooks the river so you can shop until you drop and then stop in for a cake and tea!

Etsy Made Local; Dorset Team Christmas Fair 2017

Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd December

Wimborne Allendale Centre

FREE ENTRY

10am - 4pm 

Find out more information about the event over on the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/events/380837568923443/

1 week until the start of my Etsy Educators - Create your creative business in 31 days course

There is just over a week until the start of my "Create your creative business in 31 days" course which will help you to start a creative business on Etsy.com.

The course is suitable for anyone who wants to sell their handmade, vintage or craft supplies products from those wanting to make this a full time job to those who would like to do it as a hobby.

The course will cover:

-Naming your shop
-Opening an Etsy shop
-Getting your first item listed
-Shop photography
-Shipping and packaging
-Getting your products found in search
-Optimising your shop

etc

The course is online as a series of two webinars and there will also be a dedicated support forum which you can use throughout the month to connect with other pupils and gain further support. During the webinars you will see me on screen and then my presentation slides and be able to hear me talking through step by step how to set up your shop and how to optimise your shop.

I have been selected and trained by Etsy UK to run this course.

Link to buy tickets for my course can be found here: https://events.genndi.com/register/169105139238466171/e18b11d7dc

and further information on the course can also be found here: https://www.facebook.com/events/744715042402281

Hope that you might join me and set up your Etsy shop this October.

Etsy Educators - Courses to help you start your creative business on Etsy.com

Hey everyone,

I have some really exciting news to share with you all. If you follow me on social media, you might have seen that last week I took a rather mysterious trip to London but couldn't say where I was going! I can now reveal that I was in London at the Etsy UK office to take part in their Etsy Educators programme where I have been selected and trained along with 8 other sellers to become an Etsy educator. Pretty exciting right!?

What is the Etsy Educators programme?

The Etsy Educators programme is taking 9 experienced Etsy sellers and giving them the resources and training to run their own educational course for new sellers. Each of us will be writing our own course and drawing on our experiences as seasoned Etsy sellers to help others to launch their creative businesses on Etsy.com. The courses will take place in October and range from 1 day courses to month long programmes.

My course

I have decided to run my course online as a programme to help you set up a shop in 31 days called "Create your creative business in 31 days" which will run during October.

The course will include two webinars with a live chat box which means you can watch me talk and go through what you need to set up a shop and ask any questions you have there and then. You will also have access to a dedicated online support forum where you can connect with others taking the course and receive support from me and at the end of the month (October) you should be able to launch your Etsy shop which is just in time to reach the Christmas rush.

You can find more information about my course including my booking form HERE

Etsy Educators courses around the U.K 

There will be 9 different courses taking place across the U.K by Etsy Educators. They vary from in person events to online events. Here you can find out more:

Jilly - Dundee - 22nd October - Book here
Rose - Leeds - Various Dates - Book here
Ruth - Manchester - TBC
Christina -  Oxfordshire - 7th October - Book here
Becka - Liverpool - 21st October - Book here
Sarah Jane - South Wales - 7th October - Book here
Nikki - Online workshop - October - Register here
Claire - Cambridge - 14th October - Book here
Me - Online course - October - Book here

Who are the courses suitable for?

Those looking to start their creative business on Etsy.com and don't currently have an Etsy shop. If you are interested in taking a more advanced course, please register your interest with Etsy here.

Thanks for reading. Please help us to spread the word about these events by sharing on your social media or with anyone who you think might be interested in setting up a creative business on Etsy in time for the Christmas rush.


The Dorothy Days Xx

New products for summer - The Dorothy Days

Hi everyone,

It has been such a long time since I last blogged (January....eek!). My blog has taken a bit of a back seat this year as I have been concentrating on building my Instagram account  and also making new products for my shop.

At the start of this year, I was busy making lots of knitted hats and this summer I have been concentrating on making lots of summer jewellery and products.

I thought I would share with you all today some of my favourite new products in my Etsy shop.

I hope that you will like them too.

First up are these beautiful butterfly wing earrings. I thought these would be perfect for summer with a floaty floral dress or would look great at a wedding or summer prom.

I also experimented with my new range with some new product photography and I am really pleased with how it has turned out.

Find my butterfly earrings here: https://www.etsy.com/thedorothydays/listing/526088896/white-butterfly-earrings-bridesmaid

My latest listing are these lovely "Thank You" tags with flag shaped detail. I thought they would be perfect for using at a wedding as favour tags or for a bridal shower or baby shower. They come in packs of 10 tags and would add a vintage/rustic look to an event. 

Find them in my Etsy shop here: https://www.etsy.com/thedorothydays/listing/542235751/wedding-thank-you-tags-kraft-paper

I was really excited to get this vintage boat print listed in my shop as it is the largest vintage print that I have had for sale in my shop so far and makes quite an impact. The colours in this print are really beautiful and it is in great condition. Would be great for adding a nautical element to a room. 

Just one of these available as it is a vintage piece. You can find it here: https://www.etsy.com/thedorothydays/listing/538881409/boat-print-for-framing-nautical-home

I have listed a series of beautiful vintage postcards. I think this one is my favourite of the postcards I have listed so far. The postcard hasn't been used so could either be framed and displayed or used as a greetings card or, if you are feeling really creative, could also be used in a crafting project. 

Find the postcard in my Etsy shop here: https://www.etsy.com/thedorothydays/listing/539294017/vintage-postcard-from-royal-mail-british

I have been selling my tassel key rings for a while so this isn't a new product but I have recently brought out some new colours including this beautiful purple keyring/ keychain. 

Perfect for helping you to identify your keys!

Find it over in my shop here: https://www.etsy.com/thedorothydays/listing/526540762/purple-tassel-keyring-new-car-gift-new

Thanks so much for reading and I really hope that you all like my new products. Thank you for all your support and purchases recently. 

The Dorothy Days Xx

Film Friday - Casse- Croute - A short nature animation

This week's film is a fun but also beautiful animation by directing duo Burcu Sankur and Geoffrey Godet called Casse-croûte which they describe as A little journey through a forest full of creatures looking for a snack.


Casse-croûte from Burcu & Geoffrey on Vimeo.

Hope you enjoy this film and thanks for reading my blog!

The Dorothy Days Xx

Short Film Friday - Gabriel - An inspirational short film about athlete Gabriel Neris

Hooray for Friday! Hope you all had a fantastic week and that you are looking forward to the weekend.

For this week's Film Friday I wanted to share with you all a film called Gabriel which is a short film about 16-year-old Gabriel Neris, a determined para-athelete, on his way to competing at Tokyo 2020. He was made famous after he completed a 100m race, even though his prosthesis had fallen off.


GABRIEL from Pudim on Vimeo.
Gabriel Neris is a 16 years old para-athlete who's not afraid of pursuing his dreams.

He got famous after losing his prothesis in the middle of a 100m competition in São Paulo, Brazil.
Even under a lot of pain, he made a way to reach the finish line.

This film dives inside Gabriel's life and background, leading us through his fellings and motivations.

Directors: Douglas Bernardt and Squarehead
Director of Photography: Lucas D. Oliveira

Produced by Stink São Paulo
Hope that you enjoy the film, it is beautiful shot and produced and is also a really inspirational story.

Have a great weekend 

The Dorothy Days Xx

P.S - For last week's Film Friday post please click HERE

Film Friday - Power Hungry

Happy Friday everyone!

I am trying to blog more regularly in 2017 and one of my favourite features on my blog last year was my Film Friday feature where I shared interesting films that I found that week. I had a lot of fun watching all these short films and sharing them with you all so it was a feature that I was really keen to continue in 2017. I find that watching the films is a fun way to take 5 minutes out of my day to do something different and take a bit of a break from the work I am doing and I hope that you will also find the same. I have some really great short films to share with you all over the coming weeks!

For my first Film Friday of the year I am sharing Power Hungry by Benjy Brooke. Benjy is a director, animator and illustrator, currently working out of Ithaca, NY. 

Enjoy!
Power Hungry from Benjy Brooke on Vimeo.

Thanks for watching!

The Dorothy Days X

For all of you wedding planning in 2017....!

Something that really made me smile over Christmas was that the amount of searches in my shop for wedding items dramatically went up which means that lots of you got engaged over the Christmas break! How exciting. Congratulations!

We had an engagement over the Christmas break in our family too and the bride-to-be has already been using Pinterest as a way to start planning her big day. 

Over the last few years my Wedding Pinterest board has grown and become quite popular. It is my absolute favourite board on my Pinterest account so today I thought I would share it with you all and hope that if you got engaged over Christmas or that you are planning a wedding this year, that it might prove useful! I try to keep it regularly updated so new pins are being added all the time.

The Dorothy Days X

Happy New Year! - Quote for the Year for 2017

Hey everyone,

Happy 2017!! Been seeing lots of bloggers that I follow post up on Twitter recently sharing their really lovely year review posts or posts on New Year's resolutions but seems as my resolution is to blog more regularly and it is 9pm at night as I write this I thought I would do something easier different and frantically write save my resolution/ year review post for later in the month.

Monday normally is my motivation Monday/ inspiration post so today I thought I would share with you all what I feel should be my quote of the year for 2017.....


*drum roll*





Here's to a wonderful 2017!

The Dorothy Days Xx

Gifts for Him from Dorset Team Christmas Fair Stallholders

Hi everyone,

Very excited that it is less that 2 weeks to go until the Dorset Team Christmas Fair 2016 and also just over 1 month until Christmas!

I always find my boyfriend really difficult to buy presents for. He loves films and music but if there is something he wants to listen to or watch he will normally buy it as quickly as he can when it is released. He is quite difficult to buy clothes for, doesn't like stereotypically 'man stuff' etc so aside from buying him gin or packs of socks (!!) I struggle for inspiration with products on the high street so normally try instead to get him something really different from Etsy.

I have managed to buy some really lovely and unique gifts from there including a handmade leather bag last Christmas and an architecture drawing for his birthday.

I am putting together this Gifts for Him gift guide to give inspiration for anyone else who struggles to know what to buy for the man in their life! All of the following sellers have online shops which I will link but if you are local to Dorset, you can also come along on the 3rd December to browse their stalls at the Dorset Team Christmas Fair.


1) Map print cushion

I love this map print cushion by Bahru Boutique. Perfect for those of you who have wanderlust!


2) Embroidered hoop art

A modern twist on a vintage sampler. This embroidery hoop is a great way to easily add interest to a room. Find it HERE in Studio Pickles.

3) Art Print

Limited edition Giclée print of 'The Needles', created by Maxine Walter.

4) Notebook

For notes, doodles, ideas, drawings and more...! Notepad by Gemma Bullen Designs 

5) Bike Card

For guys who love cycling...(or just cool cards!). This fixy bike card is by Dorset artist Sarah Lovell 

Thanks for reading and hope to see some of you at the Dorset Team Christmas Fair this year!

Some of my favourite things from the Dorset Team Christmas Fair 2016

With less than 1 month to go to the Dorset Team Christmas Fair  I wanted to share with you all the makers that I am really looking forward to seeing at the event.

I am hoping to buy as many gifts as possible from local makers this year as it means I can get some really unique gifts that the recipient will really treasure and at the same time support local businesses, something that is so important.

If you are local, please do come along to the event, there are 70 different stalls so a great selection of different crafts and products and many sellers are bringing along fair exclusives. Many sellers are also taking part in a Buy and Collect promotion where you can purchase online in advance of the event and collect free of charge on the day. Find out more here: http://dorsetteam.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/buy-and-collect-at-dorset-team.html

I love these cards by Katie Rewse from Sea Blue Designs. I wish my hand writing was that beautiful...!

New for 2016 is Love from Hetty & Dave run by Zoe. How cute are these bee necklaces?!

I normally visit Lynn's stall to see her incredible beaded jewellery but this year I am really excited to also see her new collection of hand stamped vintage cutlery some of which have been made into plant labels and others which have been made into beautiful wind chimes. Find Lynn's shop here

Beautiful pendant necklaces by Little Vagaries  each has been hand painted!

Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without a sparkly glitter bow! I bought one of these last year in gold and love wearing it especially around Christmas time Add some glitter to your Christmas...!

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Dorset- Etsy Made Local curated by Etsy Made Local on Etsy

Thanks for reading and hope to see you there!! 

Craft Tutorial: How to make a basic (but very cool!) small table

Hi everyone,

I have been really loving the whole industrial look recently and have seen some really cool things that people have been making out of piping, tubing and other industrial materials.

Today I wanted to share with you all this wonderful tutorial on how to make your very own industrial style table. The tutorial is really quick and easy but the finished result is really effective. I love that the design is versatile so you can also switch from tall bed side table height table to a coffee table just by tipping the table and changing the wooden board.

How to Make a Little Table

Thanks for reading!

The Dorothy Days 

Dorset Team Christmas Fair 2016

For those of you local to Dorset, please be sure to put Saturday 3rd December in your diary for the Dorset Team Christmas Fair!

For the third year running, the Dorset Team will be returning to the Allendale Centre in Wimborne for their annual Christmas Fair. There will be 70+ stalls and the fair will offer a fabulous selection of locally made art and craft. There will be something for everyone at the fair, from handmade clothing and accessories, to ceramics, woodwork, artwork, jewellery and homewares, all of which have been made locally. For those of you who are creative minded, many sellers will also be selling crafting supplies and DIY crafting kits, perfect if you would like to make your own Christmas gifts this year. This is also a brilliant opportunity to speak to local independent entrepreneurs in the area and perhaps get inspired to start up your own shop.

The event coincides with Small Business Saturday which is all about supporting small local businesses. You will find some really unique gifts here which you won't find on the high street.

Entry to the event is FREE 

For more information and a sneak preview of seller's items please see the Dorset Team Christmas Fair Event Page: www.facebook.com/events/866031100155674/

Film Friday - Miniature T-Shirt Printing Rig

Hello everyone!

I love seeing and hearing about other people's creativity so thought I would look for something on this theme when I was thinking of what to share with you all today for Film Friday.

Then I came across this....! So very clever and actually works really well!

Miniature T-Shirt Printing Rig from Colossal on Vimeo.

Enjoy and happy Friday :)

The Dorothy Days Xx

Film Friday - Flight of the Pigeon

Hi everyone,

I am heading off to New York next week for the Etsy Seller's Advisory Board so this film seemed fitting for my Film Friday because it is set in New York.

The first few lines of the film also summed up my feelings (or lack of!) for pigeons but I found it really beautiful how the artist Duke Riley talks about taking time to look at the world around you.

This film totally shifts your perspective from viewing pigeons as mundane, ugly and something you ignore to a creature of beauty, resilience and intelligence.

The film is beautifully shot and watching them fly is somewhat mesmerising.



Flight of the Pigeon from NewYorker on Vimeo.


The Dorothy Days Xx

Featured Product - Acorn Necklace by The Dorothy Days

My featured product for this week is this handmade acorn necklace, it is perfect for the Autumn months and looks beautiful worn by itself or as part of a collection of layered necklaces.

The acorn is really small and cute so can be worn under a jumper when you need to layer up!

You can view my acorn necklace in my online shop by clicking HERE, I am also offering an exclusive discount for blog readers of 10% off in my Etsy shop (which includes 10% off this acorn necklace). All you have to do is put the coupon code BLOGLOVE10 into the checkout to receive your discount.

Enjoy!

The Dorothy Days Xx


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Film Friday - Portraits in the Whitney Collection

Hello everyone,

I hope that you have all had a wonderful week. As you might know, I have recently started blogging again after a long long break. Really excited to get going again. I was looking back over my blog and deciding which features to keep and continue and which to not continue and come up with new ideas. The Film Friday feature that I used to fun was one of my favourite features on my blog so was one I couldn't wait to bring back.

Often when life gets busy and you are constantly on the go it is difficult to find time to sit down and just enjoy something without doing anything else or thinking of anything else. I think this is such an important thing to do. For me, watching a short film/ clip does just that, it takes just 5 minutes out of your day to think of something new and exciting and to just relax and stop for a bit.

I hope that you get the same feeling by watching the videos which I will be posting over the next few weeks.

This one I thought was particularly beautiful. It was from a series that the Whitney museum did and here, artist Martha Wilson discusses John Coplan's work as well as her own.


Human Interest: Martha Wilson on John Coplans from Whitney Museum of American Art on Vimeo.

"Everyone is here in their bodies until they are no longer alive...I think that's one of my goals as well, to try to be honest, to try to be unafraid of looking at what's really there" - Martha Wilson

Thanks for reading

The Dorothy Days Xx

Happy September

Hello everyone,

Happy September :). Can't believe that the Autumn is here already, I love this time of year but also will be sad to say goodbye to summer.

As I went to write this post I checked when I last blogged and realised I haven't blogged since April ....eek! I have been super busy lately so the months have passed by but hope to get back into blogging again this Autumn so watch this space :) !!

Thank you for your continued support over on my other social media pages and of course everyone who has purchased from me lately. I had a really busy August in terms of sales, views and custom orders so thank you all so much.

Hope September is a great month for you all.

The Dorothy Days Xx
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