Thame 2015

The list of stand holders is complete and the table plan will soon be up on the website.  Regulars will already be able to work out where every thing is.

I seem to have been able to advertise the fair more widely this year. Probably because I had to cancel skiing to be here for Felicity after her hysterectomy. She is doing well and should be able to be around for the fair on the 21st February. There also seems to be more sites with an events page looking for events to advertise, which makes it easier.

Hazel Dowd has had to pull out this year, as she is awaiting a knee operation. However, this has allowed us to bring in some artisans who were on our waiting list. We think we have a good and varied range of stall holders this year, with an excellent mix of regulars and new faces.

Well I keep checking to see what I have not done or missed, so if you notice any thing that needs doing, please let me know. Some potential visitors told me there were no entry prices on the web site, so I was able to correct that. 

Adults £3.50, Children £1.50, under fives free.

A Happy 2015

 Well we are already five days into 2015. We can look forward to the Thame Fair in February and a General Election in May. Is it going to be a year of surprises, a booming economy with miniatures stuff flying off the stands, or is everyone going to be cautious and waiting to see what happens?

It is difficult to read, but some good cheer would not go amiss. Politicians do not seem to do good cheer, so it is up to the rest of us to keep smiling and make the best of whatever the outcome may be.

From our perspective we are concentrating on making sure the fair is as successful as we can make it. Nearly all the arrangements are in place, tickets are on their way, and we are about to do some more local advertising. Something always get missed or rearranged, but it will be right on the day.

Lets hope the fair weekend is a good one.

 

Mouse House Minatures

HAPPY CHRISTMAS

I am afraid the blog has taken a back seat with the Christmas preparations. This has been added to by the work being done on the front of our house, no lights in the front garden this year as they would be in the builders way.

The dogs were all trimmed and washed for Christmas, but the wet, well manured fields have sorted that out, and they stink like compost heaps. Needless to say they do not care one bit. It will probably be a bath before the day.

We have checked and checked again that we have everything ready for February, but we never take anything for granted after the last two years experience. We hope you are all ready, both for Christmas and the fair and that Black Friday, manic Monday, mad Friday and panic Saturday have passed you by, and you can glide into Christmas day without too much fuss and worry.

We wish you all

            A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND A PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR

Is the Miniature Scene Changing?

We had a very enjoyable day at Kensington last Saturday. It was good to see James Hemsley of Trigger Pond looking so well after having to withdraw from Thame last year through illness. We are looking forward to seeing him back at Thame in 2015.

We also enjoyed some of the European visitors work and looked at how the different cultural influences came through in style, presentation and content. These exhibitors are at the top end of the miniature scene and that is why they come to Kensington, but it also must be worth their while to do so.

This then raises the question, is the miniature scene changing? Quite a few fairs have closed or downsized over the last two or three years, and the reason must be that they have become or are not financially viable any longer. This may be because the organisers have allowed the quality of the fairs to be watered down, or it may be that the buying public have become more discerning, or it may be just that the buying habits of miniaturists have changed. Whatever it is, there does seem to be a shift in the way things are going, so it will be interesting to see how things go at Thame in 2015.

Accommodation for Thame

We have added a list of accommodation in and around the Thame area. This is not a definitive list and is really a list to add to. We will be happy to include other names if you know of any guest houses, hotels or B & Bs, that are available.

Time marches on  relentlessly, and it will soon be Christmas and then the fair. There is much still to do and we hope the weather stays mild and dry so that we have a good turn out of visitors. Only one of us is able to drive at the moment, so tasks that would normally get divided up are not. The dogs have had to get used to a different system for their walks, but we seem to have managed that, and they as all dogs, would rather have a walk than not.

Thame fair raffle. If you have a picture of 
any of the raffle prizes for 2015 could you 
send them to us so we can put them onto the website. Stuff for the charity tables can be collected locally if you want to clear a space for Christmas.

A Handy Challenge

I did not realise how many things you need two hands for. Just doing the many tasks that we take for granted, having only one operational hand makes these tasks much harder. I have total respect for those that have to deal with this on a daily basis.

This great big bandage is all for an operation to straighten out my little finger. Just as well it was done now as it would have made it difficult to go skiing, and to sort out the tables and the electrics for the fair.The end result should let me get my diving gloves on more easily as well, which will be good. Holidays are on hold for the moment.

Although the stand holders table numbers reads 47 on the website, we actually have 44. Our website manager is about to deal with this.

It is interesting for us that we have less double tables and more single tables booked than in previous years. Once I am hand mobile again, I will play with the floor plan and see how much space we have extra. 

After looking at the feedback from last year and discussing the various options available, and assessing the possible outcome of moving the charity tables to the small hall, we have decided to leave them as they were last year. The flow seemed better and there were fewer bottle necks than in previous years. Any thoughts you have on this, please let us know through the usual channels.

Hopefully by Tuesday evening I will have a smaller and more useful dressing on my hand. It might make walking the dogs less of a challenge on Wednesday.

SMALL FAIR, BIG IMPACT.

The Flower Lady

Miniature Scene has been added to the list of exhibitors. Paul produces a range of fires and stoves, as well as fireplaces. We now have 44 stand holders.

Looking at the list of exhibitors for 2015, there is a really good range of interesting  things for the visitors to look at and buy. We advertise that we have some of the best British artisans at the fair, and looking at the potential quality of the stand holders and their work, we feel justified in saying this. For a small fair, the quality and range of things on offer is outstanding.

Please bring us your unwanted miniatures for the charity tables. All items can be dropped off or we can collect locally or arrange a pick up point.

Even if you do not do facebook, just go to the page and and like it. More likes moves the page up the google ranking.