Another Christmas fair season survived at Lost in a Book

 

Well that was a busy Christmas fair season, the thing with Christmas fairs is that they all come at once...

And what am I left with? Well apart from an aching back from lifting boxes of books in and out of the car, and a little flock of legless sheep - who are now destined to remain legless till after Christmas... very festive.

What I do have is a stock of books for my online bookshop, waiting to be posted out for that unique Christmas present. So, if you're too busy or too tired to hike around the shops, why not give yourself  an easy life and order online.

Oh yes, there'll be books too...

There was a time when getting ready for a fair meant a battle with the printer as I tried to pursued it to print another batch of bookmarks, but now I always seem to be doing emergency knitting...

This time it's the Basils that are in short supply, but I still have some finishing touches to add to my new Christmas garment... no, it's not a Christmas jumper - everyone's got one of those... I'll post a pic of it here after the weekend, but if you want to see what it is before then you'll have to come down to Skelton garden centre, York this weekend.

...oh yes, there'll be books too!

#LostinaBook 

Feeling like a swan - a knitting swan... desperately trying to keep up with my imagination

This is my calm before the storm, even though there seem to be a lot of storms going on around me.

My first Christmas fair of the season was a success, and I only had one minor scarf calamity... There was a time when a scarf was a big woolly creation to keep out the winter chill, but now it seems to have become the must have accessory for every fair, wrapped around at the last minute before battle commences.   

I am known for my scarf calamities, from dunking the scarf in my coffee as I talk to customers, to breaking a chain on my necklace... but I've been doing quite well recently, until, the addition of the Christmas hat!

The hat is obviously an accessory too far - I managed to knock it off with my scarf at the beginning, and again at the end as I was packing up...

How is one supposed to have spatial awareness of a springy hat on a headband? Maybe I'll get better at it as the season goes on - or just accept that hats and scarves as indoor accessories are going to cause trouble...

 

#LostinaBook

Lost in a Book 

Sheep... zzzz

I'm trying to be a bit better prepared this year to avert a sheep crisis... 

I have a little flock ready for the start of the Christmas fairs, they're already overflowing into the boxes of books, and there's more to come. 

I hope stocktaking doesn't send me to sleep - counting all those sheep... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

New in Lost in a Book's online shop... only one available

New in Lost in a Book's online bookshop Only one available!

Messing around with trucks...

 

  What's behind the shed door, with the chunky button door handle?  

 Drive along the road, and into the tunnel... or is it a cave?

 There's a handy pocket...Just use your imagination - it's a new story every time... 

Looking for a unique Christmas gift....?

The Christmas fair season may be over, or at least for me - but my books are all still available from my website.

And... I still have a couple of my Quiet / Busy books left. These unique cloth books were very popular at my fairs this season, and it seems it's not just the babies who like to stroke and feel at textures, people of all ages loved these books.
This one is available from my Etsy shop:

Lost in a Book at Christmas fairs

I had a lovely weekend at a Christmas fair in Haxby - everyone had turned out to socialise and do their Christmas shopping from local artists and crafters - I even came home with a tiny growing Christmas tree, which has taken up residence on my kitchen shelf to await some deccies...

So while everyone else is having a manic Monday, I'm having quite a chilled out one, plodding through the things that need to be done, before launching into preparations for my final weekend of Christmas fairs, in the Tithe Barn at Poppleton and Yorkshre Heart Vineyard.

There's some emergency knitting to be done as all my sheep and Basil's have gone to new homes - and if I have time I'll get another Christmas busy book made... and somewhere along the way I have Christmas cakes to make, and Christmas shopping to do...  arghh

Christmas fairs and book signings... and folding tables

So what else would an author be doing on a Wednesday morning, but trying to prise open a folding table...?

When I started writing I though that I would write my stories, and hand them over to someone else to do all the other mystical stuff that gets those stories into books and into the hands of readers everywhere. But little did I know that I was setting off on a journey that would find me illustrating my own books, publishing; and far from sending the books out into the world, I find myself taking them out there and doing book signings anywhere from a book shop to a swimming pool, and even a vineyard...

Then there's the props - an early ice breaker was handing out bookmarks - made at home on a temperamental printer, and then finding I needed a paper trimmer to cut them up...

I needed a table cloth to cover my table at fairs - and what about a banner with Lost in a Book printed on. That option proved very expensive, so I custom made a table cloth with Lost in a Book appliqued on.

Next came merchandising the books, by designing and knitted characters from the books - so far there are sheep, which have proved to be very popular with all age groups, and a more fun ice breaker than bookmarks... and cats - little ginger Basils roaming the table.

As my stuff expanded and got heavier, I invested in a crate on wheels, which has made my life so much easier, and I don't arrive staggering under the weight of books and bags...

And now, for the fairs where they don't have enough tables, or charge extra for them, I have my own fold up table. It's heavier than expected - just as well, as it is sturdy enough for lots of books - I wonder if I can balance it on wheelie create...

Lost in a Book gets festive - because babies need books too

Getting festive: Christmas Quiet / Busy book

 The new festive busy book has a Christmas tree on the cover.

 ...and a furry Rudolf with a shiny button red nose.

 There's a snowman and a Christmas stocking - bursting with glossy ribbons...

 A Christmas pudding that's a flap - hiding a secret...

 All bound up in a soft book by Lost in a Book. Because babies need books too.

Busy books, sheep - and what is a Basil...?

I'm heading towards another trip to the craft shop - threads are running out in some colours, and all the cream coloured 'sheep' wool is used up - so what about the odd black sheep creeping into the flock...
My tables at book signings have definitely become more fun with little woolly characters roaming about among the books, and the quiet / busy books are a big success too.

...and I haven't even posted a photo of the knitted Basil's yet... what is a Basil  you might ask... ? Well I'll try and catch up on some pics tomorrow, but if you can't wait till then, take a look in my bookshop

Christmas fairs, book signings and sunny days in Yorkshire

The Santa hat was on on Saturday for the first Christmas fair of the season - I even had a mince pie to get me in the spirit...

What a beautiful start to the day - parking by the river...

Nov 1st and not a cloud in the sky in Wetherby

I've got quite a full table 

Still no sheepdog to keep those sheep in order, but there is something new coming soon...

Christmas Book Signings start this weekend...

Lost in a Book is going mobile for the festive season. Out and about at Christmas fairs encouraging more and more people to get lost in a book.

It all kicks off this Saturday 1st November at Wetherby Town Hall with the first book signing of the season, so come along and pick up a book, or a sheep... or a book and a sheep...

And what's new from Lost in a Book...? 

Quiet / Busy Books

New from Lost in a Book - some very special 

books for babies. 

 

      

 

Christmas book signings 2014 

• Sat 1st Nov 10am - 3pm Wetherby Town Hall - Charity Christmas Craft and Gift Fair in aid of children's heart surgery fund.
• Thurs 27th Nov 7 - 9pm Knavesmire Primary School - Christmas Shopping Evening
• Sat 30th & Sun 31st Nov Haxby Memorial Hall - Christmas Fair
• Sat 6th Dec 10am - 4.30pm  Tithe Barn Nehter Poppleton Christmas Fair
• Sun 7th Dec 12 noon - 6pm Yorkshire Heart Vineyard Christmas Fair 

Christmas Quiet / Busy Book

Getting festive: Christmas Quiet / Busy book, one only available in my Bookshop

 I made an xmas pudding - but not the sort you can eat. The pudding is a flap with a secret underneath...

 Lift the flap and find a mouse, with a cord for a tail.

 Meet Rudolf, with his shiny red button nose...

 Lots of textures here, with a felt snowman, Christmas tree - and ribbons - who can resist the feel of satin ribbon...?

 You can tie the ribbon in a bow... if you want to...

 Colour and pattern contrast. Christmas stocking and a pocket.

Back cover, with Lost in a Book label.

Christmas quiet / busy book

I made a Christmas pudding yesterday - but not the sort you can eat...

This is the front cover of my first Christmas quiet / busy book. The pudding is a flap - can anyone guess what might be under the flap? I'll post more pictures later, because this book isn't quite finished. I ran out of time and inspiration for the last page yesterday,  and I also need to go shopping for a few bits and bobs in festive colours...

Christmas Fairs and Book Signings - York 2014

Christmas fairs and book signings: Lost in a Book

• Sat 1st Nov 10am - 3pm Wetherby Town Hall - Charity Christmas Craft and Gift Fair in aid of children's heart surgery fund.
• Thurs 27th Nov 7 - 9pm Knavesmire Primary School - Christmas Shopping Evening
• Sat 30th & Sun 31st Nov Haxby Memorial Hall - Christmas Fair
• Sat 6th Dec 10am - 4.30pm  Tithe Barn Nehter Poppleton Christmas Fair
• Sun 7th Dec 12 noon - 6pm Yorkshire Heart Vineyard Christmas Fair 

...there'll be books, there'll be sheep - and a few other things yet to be made...