Month: July 2025

In a world which feels like it’s changing at dizzying speeds, rooting ourselves in some long-held traditions and restoring our sense of place can be a welcome anchor. Harvest is one such tradition, and as it is deeply connected with the land and reflects regional customs and culture, it is especially grounding. Harvest Festival celebrations have been a part of the rural calendar for centuries.

Harvest is the culmination of the agricultural calendar, and in pre-industrialised times, it involved a season of intense physical work from sunrise until sunset. Wheat was cut using scythes and threshed by hand; it was weather-dependent, and the success of the wheat crop and hence the availability and price of bread the following year was affected both by the fickle vagaries of our climate and by a range of diseases or animal infestations.

As well as the wheat harvest, hay needed to be cut and stored in the dry for winter animal fodder, apples, pears and plums needed to be picked and the wonderful array of vegetables gathered in.

In days before refrigeration, all these had to be preserved, and women would be up from dawn to dusk bottling, pickling, making jams and jellies, salting pork and clamping potatoes. Wood was chopped for winter warmth and cooking, honey from bees extracted and jarred and eggs preserved in a variety of ways. This intense period of work reached its culmination in some well-earned and often raucous celebrations, with dancing, music and an abundance of good food and freely flowing drink (beer or cider, depending on the region).

This event generally took place on a day near the Harvest Moon, the full moon closest to the autumn equinox. (The Harvest Moon usually appears in September, hanging like a large orange ball, low in the sky). Communities would gather together, often in a big barn owned by the landlord lord, and the merry-making began. In the nineteenth century, it was a central part of the year.

Although the bringing in of the harvest has been celebrated since pagan times, the actual harvest festival service held in parish churches only dates back to Victorian times. Since then, Harvest Festival has been firmly established, with generations of children from local church primary schools joining the congregation to deck their ancient buildings with flowers, vegetables, sheaves of corn and a Harvest loaf.

With such a rich heritage, it is not surprising that traditional harvest crafts are not only holding their space, but that new ones are being added each year to the selection. Harvest-themed crafts to make and sell are therefore well worth an investigation. Can you adapt your craft in any way to sell around this time of year?

The classic harvest craft is the corn dolly. This name was only given to it in the twentieth century; prior to that, they were known as harvest tokens, harvest trophies, or by their regional name. Initially, they may have been made from the final handful of corn stalks as weary labourers twisted them together, sometimes into amorphous shapes and sometimes into shapes specific to the region, eg crowns in Worcestershire and hand bells in Cambridgeshire.

In time, they became more refined, with techniques used by straw plaiters (hat makers) and decorative ideas adapted from rope makers. By the twentieth century, these evolved into crafts to make and sell, and such was their popularity that there was also a burgeoning number of workshops to pass on this traditional skill to others.

Nowadays, the appetite for harvest crafts and home decorations has increased even more. Awareness of the rhythms of the countryside has been highlighted by TV series such as the immensely popular Clarkson’s Farm. Our medieval churches are still bountifully decorated with the fruits of the harvest, especially in rural areas, but in addition, harvest is being brought into suburban and city homes as increasing numbers of people look to mark the season with harvest-themed garlands and decorations. This is an opportunity to give your creativity full rein, as you produce your own rich and varied range of harvest designs.

Popular crafts to make and sell around this time of year include garlands and wreaths. These might feature apples, pumpkins, autumn leaves or a selection of nuts and berries. Fabric, felt, or yarn can all be used to create stunning garlands which can be strung over mantelpieces or between shelves; dried fruit and flowers can be combined to fashion glorious wreaths for front doors which will welcome any visitor or family member coming home after a long day.

Soft furnishings too can be adapted to a harvest vibe, using a rich palette of orange, red, bronze and gold. An extra cushion or a warm throw will add to a cosy atmosphere as the nights draw in and the days become cooler. While Harvest Homes are still celebrated in many rural villages or towns, this does not have to be the prerogative of our country kinsmen. A harvest supper can just as easily be held at home and is a great opportunity to invite neighbours and friends for a simple meal using delicious homegrown or local ingredients. With the rest of the house decorated, some stunning harvest-themed crockery is all that is needed to complete the tablescape.

Harvest encapsulates so much that is both good about our British history and heritage and also essential to our continued wellbeing; without good food, we would be in a sorry state. So, let your imagination free and celebrate this long-held and delightful festival with a new range of crafts to make and sell.

Blaring music, vibrant colours, thrilling rides and clouds of pink, sticky candy floss. Many of us are familiar with the headache-inducing characteristics of a modern-day fair. For others, locally produced food and drink, regional crafts, and home-grown music alongside toned-down fairground rides might make up their annual fair experiences. Although the two versions have apparently taken different evolutionary paths, they do have many common roots. So, next time you or your children are whizzing down a helter-skelter or trying your luck with Hook a Duck, take a moment to think back to the origins of our much-loved UK institution – the annual fair. 

Many of our annual fairs have their origins way back in the twelfth century, as Charter Fairs. These were simply fairs which were allowed to take place by virtue of the consent of the King. These days, we need to apply to the local council if we want to close a road for a festival or fair, but nine hundred years ago, it was the King himself who gave permission for a fair to take place, by none other than a royal charter. These began as local gatherings and soon became a place for trade guilds to congregate and sell their wares. 

In the days before clocks were readily available to tell the time, the Church calendar was an important way of navigating the year. Thus, saints’ days were often chosen as the date on which to hold a fair. Holy days (Christmas and Easter) were preceded by a fast (Advent and Lent) and ended in celebrations of feasting, dancing and merrymaking. Some fairs became well known for specific products, e.g. woollen fairs, wool being a building block of mediaeval wealth, and some were linked in with the rural calendar, e.g. blessing or harvesting the crops, such as the St Andrew’s Lammas Fair. Over two thousand charters were given during the reigns of Kings John and Henry III alone, and similar charters were given to the people of Scotland by Scottish kings.  It would be interesting to find out if the origins of your annual fair date back to one of these.  

These Charter Fairs began life as small events which enabled local trading, but their popularity grew over time and throughout the heart of the Middle Ages, they became bustling fairs, lasting several days and welcoming farmers, tavern keepers, fairground attractions, craftsmen and circus performers. Some became renowned all over Europe and the Near East, and merchants travelled from far and wide to trade and enjoy the general revelry. The largest of these was Stourbridge Fair, in Cambridge, which ran from 1211 all the way through to 1933. Stourbridge Fair was patronised by authors and poets alike and, from its humble origins as a small fete at a leper chapel, reached the dizzying heights of being the greatest Fair in the world, according to Daniel Defoe. 

Another Fair which attracted many overseas visitors was Scarborough Fair, as referenced in the popular ballad. It lasted for over a month in late summer, and although its glory faded before that of Stourbridge was, nevertheless a huge and bustling cauldron of trade, enterprise and entertainment. Scarborough still holds an annual Fair which is now a celebration of local arts and crafts, music and food. 

Annual fairs are a part of the rich tapestry of our British history and culture. Many of us grew up attending a local fair, and still today many young people look forward to the fair coming to town, and there is much anticipation as rides are set up, folk from neighbouring towns flock in, and children save their pennies to spend on a fun day of entertainment which happens only once a year. Some of these events have now diversified into craft fairs, with stalls from many local craft businesses promoting and selling their unique and stunningly crafted products. If you are just starting a fledgling crafting business, maybe you could consider getting a spot at one of these. If so, it’s useful to be aware beforehand of some craft fair rules and regulations. 

Most of the craft fair rules and regulations pertaining to the event you attend will be the responsibility of the organiser, such as obtaining any permits required and informing you as a stall holder of their contact details and what will be provided within the booking fee. However, you will probably be asked to have the correct public and product liability insurance in place and be requested to provide proof of this. While public and product liability insurance is not a legal requirement, it is called for by most fair or market organisers, and it is good practice to have it in place anyway. Public liability insurance covers you for any claims made against you for harm or damage by a member of the public. For example, slipping on the edge of a tablecloth or tripping over a cable. Product liability insurance covers you for any claims made that harm has been caused by one of your products. Even if it is not your fault, the insurance will still cover legal and compensation costs. 

You will need to complete an appropriate risk assessment beforehand, and this, in addition to all the regulations you adhere to, which are specific to your products, should mean that accidents do not happen. However, the whole purpose of public and product liability insurance is that it covers you for the unforeseen. We’re a family-run business and communicate with each of our customers directly…no long call waits to speak to an anonymous call handler. So, drop us a line or pick up the phone, and either Sam or Naomi will be here to answer your questions and hear about your business. 

Armed with all you need to know about craft fair rules and regulations and with a stunning collection of handmade products to sell, we hope you can book a spot at a local or regional fair soon and be a part of the rich heritage of the medieval Charter Fairs. 

August Bank Holiday. What does this conjure up in your mind? Maybe a sunny day on the beach complete with sandy sandwiches, rock pooling with fishing nets, sand castle competitions and a fish and chip supper while watching the tide come in and gently but inescapably wash away your sandy creations. Or perhaps a day filled with all the fun of the fair; stomach churning rides, giant pink candy floss and the exhilaration of people, music and excitement. Or possibly a quiet day rambling through some local woodland with good conversation, a picnic lunch and maybe winding up with a pub supper.

Or, do you have memories of rainy bank holidays? When events which have been much prepared and anticipated are reduced to squelching, soggy occasions? Or perhaps of hot hours cooped up with tetchy children in a car while crawling along our main roads at a snail’s pace.

Bank holidays originated in the Victorian era to enable all banks to close for business on the same day. Before this, banks could offer their staff a holiday and close on whatever day it suited them; this led to some problems with financial transactions when they all closed on different days. The August bank holiday was originally taken on the first Monday of August, but since the 1970s it has been on the last Monday for England, Wales and Northern Ireland while remaining on the first Monday for Scotland.

At a time when we generally have a far greater holiday allowance than when bank holidays were first introduced and when most of our high street banks have closed down in deference to internet banking, does the great British institution of the August Bank Holiday still serve a purpose? In our opinion, the answer is a resounding yes! In fact, most countries have more bank holidays than we do, and Scotland and Northern Ireland have marginally more than England and Wales. We could argue that in our 24/7 culture, the concept of a holiday when most people will be off work is even more important.

It is good to rest, to play, to have fun and to laugh. A bank holiday is a great time to ring-fence a day to get together with family and friends and plan to do something which you would not usually make the time to do. It’s also important to fill our minds and souls with beauty and those things which will inspire us, such as books, music, art and nature. There are numerous such events on over the August bank holiday, so maybe it could be the time to treat yourself to a visit to an exhibition, an outdoor concert or theatre, or simply a nature trail in some beautiful countryside.

Bank holidays usually see a wide range of events at historic buildings or gardens, whether they be privately run or part of a charity such as the National Trust or English Heritage. These are great for all the family, with children and adults alike enjoying activities such re re-enactment events, pop-up Farmers’ Markets, vintage car shows or outdoor live music. It’s a great time for crafters, too, with fairs and markets being held in many towns and villages across the land. So, why not book yourself a table at one of them and start creating some easy to make crafts that sell.

Whatever your specialist craft, it’s worth bearing in mind that a fair amount of your customer base over the bank holiday will be families with children. It could therefore be a good idea to pitch your products at the lower end of the budget range, focusing on easy to make crafts which sell well in addition to some more time-consuming and thus pricier products.

Bank holiday weekend craft fairs can have a festival vibe and holiday feel to them as relaxed customers browse your wares, carefree with a bonus day away from the mundane routine of work. Hopefully, this will overflow into their spending! You too can enjoy the day, free from worries of any unforeseen mishaps, with a little extra planning beforehand.

Any regulars at craft fairs will be able to give you a tried and tested list of things to do beforehand and to bring with you on the day. From selecting a backdrop colour theme for your table and displays to bringing some extra safety pins, from ascertaining the distance between where you can park your car and where you set up to arranging to bring a helper along with you, there are numerous tasks, big and small which will ensure you have a smooth run and hence can enjoy yourself too.

Another important consideration is ensuring you have the correct craft insurance for the day. Public liability insurance covers you for any claim made by a member of the public against you or a member of your team for damage to self or property. Product liability covers you for claims made for damage by one of your products. Even if this is not your fault, the insurance will still cover you, thus enabling you to have complete peace of mind.

While you may think the types of mishaps which lead to claims being made could be avoided with proper risk assessments and safety checks, the whole point is that they are generally completely unforeseen and hence unavoidable. This is why we sometimes call these insurances our ‘sleep easy’ products. As a family business, we communicate directly with each of our customers, so pick up the phone or drop us a line and either Sam or Naomi will be keen to hear of your craft fair plans.

We hope you can head out this sunny bank holiday with a good stock of easy to make crafts that sell, some extra safety pins, a trusted colleague to help and the correct insurance in place. Have a great bank holiday fair!

Summer is the season for creativity. The days are long and the nights are warm and perfumed with a certain evocative scent that carries you away. A summer night can be a powerful springboard for creativity, especially when the Perseid meteor shower returns each July and August. As the skies fill with streaks of starlight, let your imagination light up with ideas for easy things to craft and sell.

Whether you’re a hobbyist dreaming of turning your passion into a business, or a seasoned maker looking for fresh inspiration, the stars above may offer more than just a beautiful show—they might even spark your next best-selling product!

Unforgettable Summer Nights and the Perseids

Warm summer evenings are tailor-made for romance, relaxation, and reflection. There’s barbecue in the air, children chasing around, and conversations stretching lazily into the night. Then, just overhead—if you’re lucky and far enough away from city lights—the Perseid meteor shower will begin its dazzling annual display.

The Perseids return every mid-July and intensify until they reach their peak between August 11th and 13th. They are one of the most famous and active meteor showers of the year, producing 50 to 70 meteors an hour in ideal conditions. If you’ve never experienced it, it’s like nature’s very own fireworks show—silent, beautiful, and completely free.

For crafters, it’s an event that brings both awe and ideas. The shimmering trails across the sky can inspire a range of summer-themed creations.

Easy Things to Craft and Sell – Inspired by the Night Sky

When you’re searching for easy things to craft and sell, you don’t need to look much further than your back garden during a Perseid viewing party. Whether you’re at a campsite, on the beach or simply lying on a blanket in the garden, the spectacle is going to be equally impressive!

Here are a few celestial-themed craft ideas that are not only simple to make but have real sales potential.

Galaxy candles – Swirl together purples, blues, and shimmering whites to create candles that mimic the night sky. Add a subtle lavender or nighttime breeze scent for an extra sensory touch.

Star map prints – Use free software to generate star maps for a particular date (like a wedding anniversary or birthday) and turn them into personalised wall art.

Glow-in-the-dark resin jewellery – Craft pendants or earrings that glow like a shooting star after sundown.

Meteor shower window art – Using beads, wire, and crystals, you can create window hangings that sparkle by day and remind viewers of shooting stars by night.

Each of these ideas falls under the umbrella of easy things to craft and sell, especially if you’re starting small at a local market or on platforms such as Etsy.

How to View the Perseids

If you want to take advantage of the Perseids for both enjoyment and artistic spark, here are a few things to remember:

You’ll need to get away from city lights. Rural back gardens, parks, lakesides, or even football pitches are great places to sit and watch.

You have to allow your eyes to adjust. It’s best to avoid bright lights for 20–30 minutes before you start watching.

Look up and stay still as meteors are fast – up to 37 miles per second. If you lie down on a blanket or in a deck chair, you’ll avoid neck strain and maximise your view.

Make sure that the weather conditions are right. Clear skies are a must. If August 11th -13th looks cloudy, try the night before or after—you’ll still see dozens of shooting stars an hour after midnight.

While you wait for the next streak of light, keep a sketchpad or notes app handy. Some of the best craft ideas come when you’re relaxed and inspired.

Protect What You Create

Of course, if you’re turning your stargazing inspiration into a side hustle, it’s important to protect your business, no matter how small. Craft fairs, online marketplaces, and shipping products all come with potential risks. That’s where craft insurance comes in.

At Craft Insurance, we offer affordable, tailored insurance for makers, crafters, and artists—whether you’re selling from your kitchen table or setting up booths at local markets. You’ve put time, effort, and heart into your creations. We make sure you’re covered so you can keep doing what you love, without the worry.

Easy Things to Craft and Sell—Your Summer Starters

Summer is short—but sweet—and there’s no better time to start experimenting with easy things to craft and sell. Use the Perseid meteor shower as a chance to dream big and start small. Even one or two product ideas can launch an entire craft business, especially if they reflect something people find meaningful, like the night sky.

So mark August 11 on your calendar, grab your favourite supplies and lay out under the stars, as you never know when the next flash of inspiration will streak across the sky. You’ll see one meteor a minute starting around midnight or 1 AM.

And then, if you are looking to protect your crafts with reliable insurance, why not give us a call, and Sam or Naomi will guide you through our flexible plans designed just for creators like you? We believe that even a small side hustle deserves serious coverage.

National Book Lovers’ Day is fast approaching on August 9th, and with it comes the opportunity to create some gorgeous things to craft and sell, which book lovers will find hard to resist. In order to create a range of products which will truly catch the imagination of the book worms amongst us, it might help to understand a little of what lies behind the enduring appeal of books and reading.

A reading habit often starts in childhood, although sometimes it is as an adult that an individual discovers the rich depths and wild flights of imagination which can be discovered of books.

Most would agree that it’s important for children to read a range of literature, starting with picture books, through to a few classics in the teen years. However, it’s not just about passing exams that reading is good. It is through the pages of a book that we are both able to enter someone else’s world and see a reflection of ourselves and our own experiences. Through well-penned descriptions and exciting stories, we are able to travel the world, increasing our understanding and appreciation of cultures different from our own. We are also able to travel back through history and gain new insights into our current times through the lens of historical fiction.

Starting with picture books, children begin to learn language and concepts which will reinforce or add to their everyday life experiences. Although children are often expected to “move on” from picture books when their decoding skills allow, these can in fact remain a great source of delight for years. They allow a whole story to be told in one sitting, and the illustrations can be captivating in themselves: a picture gallery in our laps. Well-written and illustrated picture books can become family favourites, bringing back memories of past seasons of life.

Most children move on to easy readers. While this is good for their reading skills, and it is wonderful to see a child curled up in an easy chair, totally absorbed in a book, it’s still important to read to our children at this stage. We will always be able to read at least a level above that which their own decoding skills will allow, thus ensuring that rich language and a broad spread of concepts, genres and stories continue to fill their minds. For children who are dyslexic and struggle with reading, reading aloud is especially important. It is interesting to note that as adults, these children can have just as good, if not better, an understanding and use of language, than their non dyslexic contemporaries simply because they have listened to stories with excellent language and a wide range of concepts for much longer.

For a family who reads aloud, the benefits go far beyond the direct advantages of the content itself. It builds relationships, creates memories and can go towards building a shared culture with characters, concepts and even jokes in common. Reading aloud is often a great springboard for discussion, and many a good conversation can be had over a shared book. Combining a good read aloud with some delicious snacks and drinks will add to the power the story has to build connections and make memories.

If adults have had these foundations of reading in their formative years, they are likely to be avid readers. Some will veer towards nonfiction, while others enjoy immersing themselves in an exciting or character-rich story. While many read on Kindles, book sales still continue, and a screen simply can’t compare with the feel and smell of turning the pages of a freshly bought book. As hobbies go, reading is relatively low-cost, especially if there is a good library nearby. Rummaging through secondhand bookshops and charity shops is always enticing for book lovers, with many a bargain to be found.

Books can also be read while curled up on the sofa, while lying on a rug in the garden, while sitting on the beach … in fact, just about anywhere. This adds to the range of things to craft and sell for book lovers.

Bookish folk really love reading, and anything which will enhance this truly delightful hobby will be appreciated. Bookmarks may seem obvious, but if you have several books on the go, you will need several bookmarks. A handcrafted, totally unique bookmark will make a much-appreciated gift as it will remind the reader of the occasion on which they bought it, or the person who gifted it to them. Bookmarks can be made of card, but can also be felted, embroidered or even crafted out of a soft metal. For a book squirrel, a pair of bookends will make a beautiful and useful gift to help keep the growing home library in order. A robust tote bag with a book motif will always come in handy for library trips, and a small pencil case to go with it is useful when it comes to scribbling down the next book on the “to read” list.

Readers are often writers too, and a beautiful journal is always a cherished gift. Thinking more broadly, you might consider marketing cosy blankets to snuggle up in on a cold day with a good book, or a comfy cushion with a bookish theme for a favourite reading chair. On a similar thread, if you are a potter, what about a special mug for that hot cup of tea when settling down with a good book. Or you could combine with crafting friends and put together a bookish gift box, a mug, a selection of tea bags, a bookmark and a scented candle. Or maybe a journal, a bookmark and a pencil case. There are a number of things to buy and sell as National Book Lovers’ Day approaches, so let your own imagination run wild, have fun and let your creative juices flow!