The Stafford Heights' Markets...

These markets are held on the first Saturday of the month, in the Stafford Heights Baptist church. These markets are small, and over the years I've got to know most of the stallholders pretty well. Most months I go to the markets with my friend Pamela and we have a lovely couple of hours browsing, chatting, buying goodies  and then we sit and have a cuppa together in the church courtyard.
Last Saturday, I decided that I would buy some small gift type items that I could give to K4BN as part of the September challenge. I certainly wasn't disappointed by the lovely variety of items for sale on the various stalls. Firstly here are  photos of some of the stalls and stallholders...

The canteen with a 'proper' coffee machine :-)

These ladies were selling hair clips and headbands

Trish and her husband have been coming to the markets with beautiful machine embroidered items and patchwork and quilting crafts for a number of years...

And here is my friend Kath! Kath also attends Sisters of Stitch with me.

Beryl and Val; Beryl has lovely handsewn items, many of which feature cross stitch designs. Val always has a variety of handmade items, including knitting...

Val's stall

My friend Erica; teacher by day and designer of jewellery when school is out ;-)

This is Margaret's (Erica's mum) part of the stall, with her beautiful heirloom sewing.  Years ago I worked with Margaret.

I bought some little gift bags with 'roses' inside whose petals were made of  'soap paper' sheets from this stallholder

Another former teacher...Jenny, whose specialty is handmade cards

Margaret

Lynn, who didn't want her photo taken...beautiful handmade items

Now these are the items that I bought to swell the stash of Christmas gift items for K4BN...

Cute little children's bags...

A pair of baby slippers from Kath

Men's hankies folded to look like shirts (oops saw that I've left the price on)

2 little 'cat' gift bags and 2 organza bags with the 'soap' paper roses

2 little felt gift pouches; something will be slipped into each them (maybe a Santa choc) closer to Christmas

2 headbands

4 little knitted teddies

A cupcake and a chocolate sponge roll made of face washers.

Now I've mentioned my friends Erica and Margaret...when they heard that my parish is having a Twilight Fair in a few weeks, they asked if I would like a donation...and then Margaret very generously gave me a large number of her beautiful handmade cards. Erica gave me 2 of her necklaces, as well as 3 other necklaces and a bracelet that had been given to her to sell. What wonderful friends they are!