When the weather is dreary having a little bit of a colour infusion brings us warmth!
To inject a little colour into the week, our Featured Traders are the vibrant Upsydaisy Craft and Hayley Victory .
Find out more about these colourful stallholders in our Q&A session below:
Pedddle: Each of you have such unique products, with a beautiful colour palette. What are your inspirations?
Upsydaisy Craft: I’m a persistent doodler so I’ve always got a sketchbook to hand to keep all my doodles in one place. Sometimes these are patterns, shapes, words or the general ramblings of a biscuit lover! These then form some ideas for my ceramics. One of my main inspirations is just how weird and quirky British life can be! The biscuits are my main passion and I love how many stories I hear from customers saying they remind them of their grandparents, or they love to tell me how much they love or hate a bourbon! They started as a bit of a test to see if I could make them, and now I have a whole range with lots more planned…
Hayley Victory: My main influences are colourful florals and exotic plants, and I love saving colour palettes on Pinterest for inspiration. Although I do tend to use the same schemes on most of my creations, orange, teal and neon pink is my favourite colour combination.
Pedddle: What materials do you use most and why? Has anything inspired this?
Upsydaisy Craft: My work is all ceramic, which is either an earthenware clay for the jewellery or a stoneware clay for the pots. This makes them really sturdy for plantpots, jewellery, soap dishes and so on. I studied contemporary craft at uni and specialised in ceramics, and I just love how you can get a big lump of grey clay and make something from it. All the off cuts can be recycled, so there’s minimal wastage – something I’m really passionate about. I’m really lucky in that last year, when we brought a house in Sheffield, my husband built me a fantastic studio from scratch, so it keeps all my clay stuff in one place. I have lots of desk space, two kilns and a pottery wheel, which I’m looking forward to getting stuck into playing on in the summer!
Hayley Victory: I’ve used felt in crafting for as long as I can remember; making mini cushions, Christmas tree decorations and when I used to make embroidered hoops. It’s such a versatile material that doesn’t fray as easily as other textiles, and you can get it in so many different colours! I keep all the scraps and offcuts to use for tiny details, so nothing is wasted.
Pedddle: What are your plans for 2020? Are you launching anything new?
Upsydaisy Craft: My big make for 2020 will be a baby due in February! I’m finishing my day job at the end of January for a year, and hoping that once we’re in a routine I can get making more than ever. I have lots of ceramic workshops planned for later in the year too. I love teaching adults and children about the wonders of clay, so this is definitely something I’m super excited about. So you’ll have to keep an eye on my website for dates and venues!
Hayley Victory: I’m working on some statement floral necklaces using felt. Each one is unique and very colourful. I’m slowly teaching myself how to screen print, and hope to print some T-shirts this year too. I’d also like to get some of my patterns printed onto fabric. So many ideas, so little time!
Pedddle: What 3 things do you love most about your business?
Upsydaisy Craft: I love that essentially it’s just me and what I love making! It’s happy, biscuity and colourful, which probably also sums me up!
Hayley Victory: I love being my own boss, making all the decisions and having a cup of tea whenever I want. I think it’s crazy that people buy the things that I make, it absolutely fills my heart with joy. Being able to work from home in my pyjamas and hang out with my dog all day is just the best.
Pedddle: What is your best selling product and why do you think this is?
Upsydaisy Craft: I think this Spring time of year, my little daisy studs have to be the best sellers! They suit most people so they are a safe gift too. They are also probably one of the most fiddly things to make and glaze!
Hayley Victory: My best selling product is my felt hanging decorations. They’re quite unusual and the colours I use aren’t particularly Christmassy, so you could have them up all year if you wanted to.
Pedddle: What do you love most about selling at markets?
Upsydaisy Craft: I love meeting people, explaining my process of making, and reassuring people that everything really is handmade! It’s also great to take personalised orders from customers or at least give that as an option if people are unsure.
Hayley Victory: My favourite thing about markets is meeting customers and fellow creative business owners! I feel so nervous and anxious before a market, but everyone is always so lovely, you feel like part of a really supportive community.
Upsydaisy Craft and Hayley Victory are some of our most colourful stallholders. Their products are made with love and plenty of colour, to brighten up your home and bring a smile to your face.
You can find each of these stallholders and many more at https://pedddle.com/stalls/.