Hello from the West End Fair, Edinburgh!

Hello from the West End Fair, Edinburgh! It's my turn on the blog today, and so I thought I'd share a little of my day with you. Not just my day in fact, but my month - this fair runs from the 8th to the 30th August, every day from 11 - 6! Phew. Here are a few snaps from the show today...

My stall, looking (hopefully!) bright, colourful and cheery. 

Perhaps slightly less so, now you can see the weather....it's rather soggy! It was gorgeous sunshine yesterday, I promise - hopefully more of that to come.

My facing neighbour, Ulrike, who makes the most amazing felted artwork! Woolly Felted Design. 

Beautiful felted flower brooches

My diagonally-opposite neighbour - Jen Cunningham - an amazing silversmith who makes gorgeous landscape-inspired jewellery.


Edinburgh landscape cuff

Dark Skies Jewellery - I just love Diane's colours!

Helix Nebula pendant - see what I mean about the colours? 

Nameless Wonders - Karen makes the most awesome, quirky collectable animals! I have the cheekiest mole at home from her.

Blue tweed cat. HOW cute?!

Someone who really needs no introduction on this blog...

Can you see who it is? 

This artist doesn't just make lampwork beads for you and me to work with...

She also turns her own glass art into beautiful, colourful jewellery herself...

But don't worry, she's got beads on her stand as well!

Yep, it's Helen Chalmers. (Needless to say, I probably have almost as many Helen Chalmers lampwork beads on my stand as she does....)

If you are in Scotland and anywhere near Edinburgh, I hope you will pop along and visit us here at the West End Fair, behind St John's at the west end of Princes Street!

Rebecca is a Scottish jewellery designer; currently living in the capital city of Edinburgh. You can read more about her and her work at her blog, songbeads.blogspot.com and see more of her jewellery at songbead.etsy.com. She also has a supplies shop at thecuriousbeadshop.etsy.com.

Inside the Studio with Rebecca of Songbead

Welcome to Inside the Studio!

Each week one of our contributors gives you a sneak peek into their studio, creative process or inspirations. We ask a related question of our readers and hope you'll leave comments! As an incentive we offer a free prize each week to bribe you to use that keyboard. The following week we choose a random winner.

Congratulations Melissa of Bead Recipes!
You have won a Beads of Courage pewter Space Shuttle bead from Erin at Tesori Trovati. 

Please send Erin an email with your information.

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Hello there from Edinburgh, capital of beautiful Scotland! After a year in Belfast, I am now back - having come full circle - in my home city. It still feels like I am on holiday but I am sure that won't last!

This week's Inside the Studio is going to be a picture-heavy post. Why? Because I am spending very little time inside the 'studio' (otherwise known as whatever space I can eke out at my Mum's house; where we are currently staying whilst the dust settles from our move); instead you will find me up at the West End Fair, running every day from the 2nd - 24th August. Tired - me?! Just a little....but we are over the halfway point, and after a rainy start (come on August!!), the weather seems to have turned. 9 days to go - wish me luck! 

Take a tour round the fair with me...

Decorating and building the booth, version 1...wallpaper from B and Q, a hardware chain! House box frames discontinued from the supermarket, with wallpaper sample inlays...

Peeking out on day one....can you spot the umbrella?!

Phase one involved using some of my Kraft gift boxes for a display - good in a pinch!

Version two - I moved after the first week, allowing me more of a 'back stage' area...I also 'upgraded' my gift box display to some painted wooden flooring samples. Not the cheapest solution, but they are sturdy and will hopefully last...

Do you like my new Songbead sign?

A close up of some of my display...

Peeking out from my wee hut, hiding from the rain. Brr!

Earrings are always popular at summer events for me...

Some of the new jewellery, made specially for the West End Fair...

And some of my new 'double-dipped' handwoven beads, made during some of the slow rainy days at the beginning of the fair. What colours would you like to see these in? 

I hope you enjoyed this whistle-stop tour of my fair so far! 

This week, I am offering up a selection of my new double-dipped handwoven beads for you to use in your jewellery. They are not available to purchase right now so you will be getting an exclusive gift! 

My question to you is: 

What's your top craft fair tip? Display, preparation, organisation.....any aspect of taking part in a craft fair! I'd love to know. Leave your answer in the comments below to be in with a chance to win some of my beads. 

Rebecca is a Scottish jewellery designer, based in her country's capital, Edinburgh. You can read more about her and her work at her blog, songbeads.blogspot.com and see more of her jewellery at songbead.etsy.com. She also has a supplies shop at thecuriousbeadshop.etsy.com.