Lockdown 3 - we can only direct you to our online sites
The British Craft House and Folksy
Also Instagram forkemporium1 and Facebook @forkemporium
February 19th '21. At this time of year we are quiet before the seasons starts in late March. It would normally be a time of building up stock, replenishing the shops who sell our jewellery and going somewhere sunny for a week. As it is we have stock which now needs event stalls, nice chats about the history of old silver plated forks & spoons that languish in cupboards, attics and garages throughout the land. Repeated several times in different places and sometimes two at once.
Normally we would be in a panic to book events before all the spaces went, tossing up between two known good venues and debating whether we really ever want to put up a gazebo in rainy or windy weather ever again. In the early days an expensive event like a Horse Trials was a gamble, wondering if we would cover the entrance fee and, further away, whether a hotel was justified compared to driving back and forth but 9/10 times it worked out just fine.
.2020 brought a pause to such decision making.
Monday 22nd may shed some light on how to proceed but we imagine there will be a flurry of announcements and invitations. Maybe not, there are many still nervous about mixing in crowds of enthusiasts. Hopefully the jab programme has an end in sight. One paper today said all over 40s may be done by April.
Father Christmas brought us another adopt a donkey mascot, Walter, best friend of Timothy who has been a remote mascot of the Fork Emporium for a few years now. They live near Sidmouth, Devon in blissful retirement and complete indifference to the cutlery bending drilling and shaping which sends them the odd pound or two of carrots.
The human family can be viewed with Facebook video messenger, Zoom, Teams, Google Meets and WhatsApp video. What would it have been like 20 years ago in such times? Suspect it would have been seen as a nasty 'flu but we'll never know.
On the British Craft House we are required to publish a Privacy Policy and GPDR notice. As it seems this is an EU requirement which hasn't been ditched we have a statement and link here at the back end of this website.
https://www.forkemporium.com/gpdr--privacy-policy.html
Walter
Timothy
A big thank you to all our customers, shops and outlets. 2020 is not over and it seems it will spill over into 2021 with Tier 4 on our horizon; tantamount to Lockdown 3. We'll be boosting the inventory on The British Craft House and Folksy. Markets and Fairs may return but we usually hibernate now until March when the new season gets going again. We look forward to saying - 'sorry about the interruption.' As normal in the meantime we are happy to turn your old tarnished silver plated (and sometimes sterling silver) cutlery into something beautiful.
Christmas is diminished for many this year. We intend to get together with the family as soon as the coast is clear. While online sales have been welcome, a far bigger range and reach than our old VW Transporter, we look forward to the face to face side of market stalls, marquees and outdoor events and seeing you all. You can find us on Facebook and Instagram so watch out for us there and on our Events page on the website. We normally go to some lovely places, old halls, Sandringham, Burghley House, cathedrals and so on. Worth a visit.
So, Merry Christmas and a much happier New Year to all.
The Deli Hut at Oakham Business Park did well in spite of Lockdown. We had a good Peterborough Cathedral. They had to reduce the number of stalls but we took similar to last year. The online sites are doing well and we're hoping Tier 3 doesn't upset the shops. Bourne needed a top up by the 6th so well done The Craft Centre. Virtual markets have proved a disappointment so next year we'll be hoping for a better plan.
Here at Chris’s fork Emporium we upcycle vintage and antique cutlery into beautiful handmade cutlery jewellery and decorations 🥄🍴#forkemporium #tbch #tbchseller #sendsomelove #tbchdirect #handmadejewelry #upcycledcutlery #repurposedcutlery #shopsmall #shopindie #shopsafe #elycathedralchristmasmarket #cornexchangecafeandshops #shopstamford #stamfordhandmade #handmadewithlove #craftcentrebourne #peterboroughcathedralchristmasmarket — in Stamford, Lincolnshire.
9 November. 2020 perseveres in being tedious. We'd normally be doing 30+ fairs and events during the year and supplying several shops. Thankfully so far we are not affected with virus symptoms and our nearest and dearest (touch wood) are OK. That people are determined to get on with it and get ready for Xmas is starting to show in increasing online sales. Online, apart from being in the warm at this time of year, was not the way we originally wanted to go but it has definitely extended our reach beyond the old Fork VW van.. Meeting the customers, letting them try the things on and telling and hearing tales of Grandma's silver service and odd spoons and forks is far more fun. People are very nice and complimentary online but that personal, face to face contact is something we miss and look forward to revisiting in 2021. On this page, if you look at the menu bar to the left of News you'll see "Lockdown purchase" - self explanatory but we are always contactable by Facebook messaging and contact forms littered about the site.
We will be supplying "Little Blue" in Oundle very soon, a lovely arty crafty shop in a lovely old market town nearby. Also, just before lockdown we left some items with The Deli Hut in Oakham and will be helping them add to the catering atmosphere with some of our decorations and framed cutlery once the light goes green again. For now they will be doing takeaway. Sadly Pearl & Ruby in 2021 will not be operating out of their emporium in Spalding but will still represent us in their new freelance enterprise.
We will be supplying "Little Blue" in Oundle very soon, a lovely arty crafty shop in a lovely old market town nearby. Also, just before lockdown we left some items with The Deli Hut in Oakham and will be helping them add to the catering atmosphere with some of our decorations and framed cutlery once the light goes green again. For now they will be doing takeaway. Sadly Pearl & Ruby in 2021 will not be operating out of their emporium in Spalding but will still represent us in their new freelance enterprise.
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A click takes you to the BCH web page. First visit make take a few seconds to load
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Click on each image for full size
Gift cards large and small with either Xmas spoon decoration or fun earrings
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Don't forget Tiroir a Couverts and other pages here
1st October - Many traditional seasonal fairs have thrown their hands up in the air and Stamford & Bourne Christmas Lights markets are cancelled. We hope to add to these events below but are pinning hopes on online business like The British Craft House [TBCH] mentioned below to fill the gaps. We'd like a couple more gift shops ideally - see Where to shop above. September was quieter than August - our best performing outlets being the Stamford Corn Exchange Cafe & Shops and Created by Hand, Strelley, Notts. Bourne, Spalding, Wales and France should pick up soon but the re emergence of you-know-what is apparently keeping gift shopping numbers low.
https://www.facebook.com/pg/forkemporium/posts/?ref=page_internal www.facebook.com/pg/forkemporium/posts/?ref=page_internal
PETERBOROUGH CATHEDRAL NOVEMBER - SEE EVENTS PAGE
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Pedddle, Folksy and the British Craft House are coming along nicely. Also revisited Instagram https://www.instagram.com/forkemporium/ and https://www.pinterest.co.uk/7cceeaa0/chriss-fork-emporium/ |
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New Pinterest page
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Original Pinterest page for inspirations and fork emporium historical images
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CREATED BY HAND OPENING THIS WEEKEND JULY 4TH
June 1st 2020 Hover Mouse over or Click for full size - numbered L-R 1-11
May 28th
Stamford Corn Exchange is reopening 15th June for shopping. https://www.facebook.com/stamfordcornexchangecafeandshops/ The Cafe probably later in July. There'll be restricted numbers, much the same as other shops, and a marked in /out route on the floor. At the moment 2 metres or 6 feet apart please until we hear different advice. Hand sanitizer available. As for the Fork Emporium, Sarah has revisited the Summer theme and a whole fresh batch of items can be seen.
Also Bourne Craft Centre https://www.facebook.com/thecraftcentrebourne/ will be open the same day. Small shop so only one in at a time for now. Pearl & Ruby Spalding https://www.facebook.com/pearlandrubyspalding/ will have their guidance on their social media pages.
For those shielding, vulnerable, isolating or wary of shopping we have started an online page with https://folksy.com/shops/forkemporium It is attracting some interest but no sales yet so please have a look and let us know your comments. Only half a dozen bracelets for now. Sizes are described and as usual a potted history where possible. We're always aware people like to try things on so we're not going overboard with online until we start getting interest so please share on Facebook and Instagram.
All fairs and events seem to be cancelled but Sandringham Game & Country still a possibility. Burghley House is closed to the public until next year, the Horse Trials cancelled and their plans for the Xmas craft event not known. We were not attending this year but we've had a few enquiries as to why we missed last year.
Stamford Corn Exchange is reopening 15th June for shopping. https://www.facebook.com/stamfordcornexchangecafeandshops/ The Cafe probably later in July. There'll be restricted numbers, much the same as other shops, and a marked in /out route on the floor. At the moment 2 metres or 6 feet apart please until we hear different advice. Hand sanitizer available. As for the Fork Emporium, Sarah has revisited the Summer theme and a whole fresh batch of items can be seen.
Also Bourne Craft Centre https://www.facebook.com/thecraftcentrebourne/ will be open the same day. Small shop so only one in at a time for now. Pearl & Ruby Spalding https://www.facebook.com/pearlandrubyspalding/ will have their guidance on their social media pages.
For those shielding, vulnerable, isolating or wary of shopping we have started an online page with https://folksy.com/shops/forkemporium It is attracting some interest but no sales yet so please have a look and let us know your comments. Only half a dozen bracelets for now. Sizes are described and as usual a potted history where possible. We're always aware people like to try things on so we're not going overboard with online until we start getting interest so please share on Facebook and Instagram.
All fairs and events seem to be cancelled but Sandringham Game & Country still a possibility. Burghley House is closed to the public until next year, the Horse Trials cancelled and their plans for the Xmas craft event not known. We were not attending this year but we've had a few enquiries as to why we missed last year.
May 13th
Over two months since our Milton Keynes weekend, our last but one outing. Traders there then were saying they were down 50% on previous years. John Lewis and Next were empty and Boots were selling out of cold medicines. The evening people still flooded out and packed the bars and restaurants. It must be a ghost town now.
Sarah's been getting in spoons and forks from ebay. They seem to have gone up and we are missing our bulk buying trips out to Antiques and other markets. They are very cash orientated so I imagine they are suffering.
I have added extra workshop space to the log cabin workshop in defiance of Sarah who dislikes my 'Steptoe's Yard' ambitions. It's a bit untidy yet but she'll come round. We bought a home welder with the idea of...well you'll see and I sure wasn't going to do it in the cold, wet and dark!
If you scroll down below you'll see I was thinking about online. A friend Louise from Samfire Handmade Greeting Cards and Gifts
suggested we try Folksy so there are four items there with details etc, a list we will soon add to.
[A list to which we will soon add? - nah!}
Doing it in a sloppy haphazard way is not an option and we are reminded why we didn't do online before.
We imagined in serious times that cutlery jewellery is probably not a number one priority but we've been looking at The Great Return with a view to Xmas and, because we haven't been driving poor spoons through our Fork abbattoir, we are down to our last few dozen. We made over a thousand last year! Popped on Facebook we've sold a few so perhaps people need cheering up and are feeling like a bit of retail therapy!
So far, Sandringham Game & Country Show is still on but who knows? Please keep an eye on Facebook CFE and hope to see you soon!
Over two months since our Milton Keynes weekend, our last but one outing. Traders there then were saying they were down 50% on previous years. John Lewis and Next were empty and Boots were selling out of cold medicines. The evening people still flooded out and packed the bars and restaurants. It must be a ghost town now.
Sarah's been getting in spoons and forks from ebay. They seem to have gone up and we are missing our bulk buying trips out to Antiques and other markets. They are very cash orientated so I imagine they are suffering.
I have added extra workshop space to the log cabin workshop in defiance of Sarah who dislikes my 'Steptoe's Yard' ambitions. It's a bit untidy yet but she'll come round. We bought a home welder with the idea of...well you'll see and I sure wasn't going to do it in the cold, wet and dark!
If you scroll down below you'll see I was thinking about online. A friend Louise from Samfire Handmade Greeting Cards and Gifts
suggested we try Folksy so there are four items there with details etc, a list we will soon add to.
[A list to which we will soon add? - nah!}
Doing it in a sloppy haphazard way is not an option and we are reminded why we didn't do online before.
We imagined in serious times that cutlery jewellery is probably not a number one priority but we've been looking at The Great Return with a view to Xmas and, because we haven't been driving poor spoons through our Fork abbattoir, we are down to our last few dozen. We made over a thousand last year! Popped on Facebook we've sold a few so perhaps people need cheering up and are feeling like a bit of retail therapy!
So far, Sandringham Game & Country Show is still on but who knows? Please keep an eye on Facebook CFE and hope to see you soon!
April 5th
All shops closed down mostly from the beginning of the lockdown. All fairs cancelled or postponed until at least September. No surprise, we imagine most people have more priorities and concerns now. Still not sure about online for that reason (see March 14th below) The log cabin is extended now so wooden things and new projects can be done out of the rain. Mainly done on sunny warm days before. Sarah has a lot of stock ready for the, fingers crossed, eventual rush / return to normality and for once has the leisure to be super creative again. She's been shopping for our elderly neighbour and her own parents and volunteered for the NHS Help group. I'm advised to stay at home; for the protection of greedy shopkeepers, clustering teenagers and those who don't heed the distancing advice. My folks, with hindsight, wisely exited this arena years ago and I view my grandchildren through a video app which seems as far away as if I were on Mars or the International Space Station. Still, it won't matter if we never sell a single item again if it means our customers and families, past present and future, survive this dreadful time in one piece.
All shops closed down mostly from the beginning of the lockdown. All fairs cancelled or postponed until at least September. No surprise, we imagine most people have more priorities and concerns now. Still not sure about online for that reason (see March 14th below) The log cabin is extended now so wooden things and new projects can be done out of the rain. Mainly done on sunny warm days before. Sarah has a lot of stock ready for the, fingers crossed, eventual rush / return to normality and for once has the leisure to be super creative again. She's been shopping for our elderly neighbour and her own parents and volunteered for the NHS Help group. I'm advised to stay at home; for the protection of greedy shopkeepers, clustering teenagers and those who don't heed the distancing advice. My folks, with hindsight, wisely exited this arena years ago and I view my grandchildren through a video app which seems as far away as if I were on Mars or the International Space Station. Still, it won't matter if we never sell a single item again if it means our customers and families, past present and future, survive this dreadful time in one piece.
March 18th
Had some cancellations so nothing until April 18th in Stamford on the Meadows. Shops are still going for now. <<>>
March 14th 2020
In view of current events we are thinking of additionally offering our things online via a shopping page. Problem is people need to try things on and they have a bewildering variety of wrist and finger sizes so the to and fro of posting back and forth seems frustrating on all sides. We can offer a ring sizer but there are many online jewellers already offering one. A ring needs to go over the knuckle but still fit snugly. Bracelets need to be a loose fit but not so loose they fall down over the hand too far nor so tight the magnetic catch pops open. A loose fit measurement with a tailors tape measure or a piece of string following these guidelines should be OK. If there's enough demand we can try it.
As for the hygiene side, if we actually get customers at our stalls, we are in a contact situation. At the outset we can steam the jewellery but it will eventually be handled as a trading day goes by. We have sanitizer gel on our side of the counter and will provide some customer side. Looking into an autoclave, a steamer used in hairdressers for combs, scissors etc but there is not always 240V AC so would need to be battery powered.
Contactless card payments would be appreciated on all sides but we'll never turn away a cash sale! Notes and coins can be sanitized too!
Footfall is lower judging by the weekly market reports but could be seasonal. We went to an indoor mall recently to a fair we had never done before and reports from old hands said takings were down 50%. The visible number of general shoppers seemed busy enough and no masks were seen. Masks are for the infected to prevent sneezes and coughs spraying out over others. The mask material is not a close enough filter to stop a virus going through is the advice.
Advice from event organisers is they are not closed down yet. Gatherings of 500 will be OK and the outdoor events will be safer than indoor. As the weather improves the spread is likely to slow down too.
It looks like a difficult period for all in the short term not helped by the headlines and we hope it will blow over with minimum casualties. For now we will take sensible precautions to safeguard both sides of our table and hope to see you at the events on our Events 2020 page
Chris & Sarah
Had some cancellations so nothing until April 18th in Stamford on the Meadows. Shops are still going for now. <<>>
March 14th 2020
In view of current events we are thinking of additionally offering our things online via a shopping page. Problem is people need to try things on and they have a bewildering variety of wrist and finger sizes so the to and fro of posting back and forth seems frustrating on all sides. We can offer a ring sizer but there are many online jewellers already offering one. A ring needs to go over the knuckle but still fit snugly. Bracelets need to be a loose fit but not so loose they fall down over the hand too far nor so tight the magnetic catch pops open. A loose fit measurement with a tailors tape measure or a piece of string following these guidelines should be OK. If there's enough demand we can try it.
As for the hygiene side, if we actually get customers at our stalls, we are in a contact situation. At the outset we can steam the jewellery but it will eventually be handled as a trading day goes by. We have sanitizer gel on our side of the counter and will provide some customer side. Looking into an autoclave, a steamer used in hairdressers for combs, scissors etc but there is not always 240V AC so would need to be battery powered.
Contactless card payments would be appreciated on all sides but we'll never turn away a cash sale! Notes and coins can be sanitized too!
Footfall is lower judging by the weekly market reports but could be seasonal. We went to an indoor mall recently to a fair we had never done before and reports from old hands said takings were down 50%. The visible number of general shoppers seemed busy enough and no masks were seen. Masks are for the infected to prevent sneezes and coughs spraying out over others. The mask material is not a close enough filter to stop a virus going through is the advice.
Advice from event organisers is they are not closed down yet. Gatherings of 500 will be OK and the outdoor events will be safer than indoor. As the weather improves the spread is likely to slow down too.
It looks like a difficult period for all in the short term not helped by the headlines and we hope it will blow over with minimum casualties. For now we will take sensible precautions to safeguard both sides of our table and hope to see you at the events on our Events 2020 page
Chris & Sarah
Corn Exchange Window for Valentines
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Happy New Year !
For now we've changed the Corn Exchange Cafe & Shops cabinets around (two now!) and Cabinet two has sale items to browse. We've applied for Kelmarsh Country Show and Lamport Hall in March and April so watch the Events 2020 page! We will be restocking Bourne, Spalding and Strelley. Sadly the White Robin are leaving us but we hope to try the Antiques Store in Grantham again with a different format. We never found glass cabinets satisfactory, people don't seem to like reaching in, so hopefully some sort of vintage wooden arrangement like a dresser. We'll see! |
Spalding, Pearl & Ruby's first anniversary - congratulations!
Jason - cos he's a Transporter - not everybody gets it. D'arcy and Vince have been proposed but it's still open...!
Vintage cutlery themed display frames. Customised hooks - choose your own style - even send us your tarnished bits and pieces hiding in your attic, garage, that cupboard full of ghosts under the stairs or the old shed with the door that won't open for undergrowth.
Stamford Corn Exchange Theatre window and New cabinet display in the Cafe & Shops inside.
See March 2019 Bracelets for newly made >>>>
Xmas decorations still attracting interest
February antique and vintage bracelets. Scroll down for most recent new year builds. For rings and earrings >> go here
- Corn Exchange Stamford January Spring / Valentines cabinet display
Hover mouse over images for description. Click image and cycle through with arrows ><
