Welcome back, crafting family! It is lovely to see you all here at Fran’s Friends.

We have had a bit of thunder and lightning this morning, so it felt like the perfect excuse to stay indoors, get cosy in the craft room, and dive right into my preparations for the Vancouver Island Exhibition (VIEX). Because my table was such a wonderful success last year, the organisers asked me back to promote my website, and I am absolutely thrilled.

I have been a busy bee getting my booth ready for the autumn craft fair, and I wanted to share all my creative flare and progress with you. Grab a cuppa, and let me show you what I have been making!

The Memory Apron Makeover

I wanted something truly special to wear at the fair to promote the Fran’s Friends website. I dug out an old apron that my son made when he was in grade 8 for his home economics class. It holds so many precious memories, and I knew it would be the perfect base.

To make it my own, I took a trip to Staples and bought some of their brilliant printable canvas fabric. You just pop it right into your computer printer, and the possibilities are endless! I printed out an AI picture of myself and used HeatnBond to attach it securely to the front of the apron. I was slightly worried the printer ink might bleed, but the HeatnBond worked beautifully and made the backing nice and sturdy.

To tie it all together, I printed three of my logos onto the canvas fabric and turned them into lovely hearts. I attached these to pieces of blue felt, again using HeatnBond, and placed two on the pockets and one right near the top of the apron. Finally, I added some sweet little buttons at the top, covering small discs with blue felt just like you would make a yo yo. It ties all the blues together flawlessly, and I cannot wait to wear it!

Zero Waste Crafting and Clever Labels

Printable fabric is absolutely brilliant but not the cheapest material, so I made sure not to waste a single scrap!

With the offcuts, I made adorable little discs that double up as fridge magnets. I printed my logo, my card details, and even a working QR code that sends people straight to my website. It is such a clever and fun way to pass out your details.

For my physical craft projects at the fair, I cut out a bunch of labels from card stock using pinking shears around the edges to give them that lovely decorative trim. It is a fantastic way to professionally present and label everything you are selling at an autumn fair.

Canvas Bag Revival

I had a spare canvas bag that I really wanted to use, but it was covered in distracting writing. To give it a new lease on life, I decided to cover the old text completely.

I printed a large version of my heart logo on the computer fabric, attached it to a piece of felt, and machine stitched two or three rows all the way around the edge. To make it nice and firm, I added a couple of extra layers of iron on woolly stabiliser fabric underneath. I then took some upholstery piping and framed the heart shape perfectly.

This beautiful patch will be placed right onto the canvas bag to hide the writing. I think I might finish it off later with a lovely tassel or a lapel pin at the bottom just to bring it all together. It was such an easy upcycling project! I might even add some more heart logos or other embellishments to the other side.

A Digital Display

I wanted a way to showcase all my beautiful projects that I simply cannot bring with me to the fair. My son came up with a brilliant idea: a digital photo frame!

It was a bit of an investment, but it is going to be incredibly well worth it because I can use it so frequently. I am going to load it up with my website address and categorise my photos into sections. Visitors to my table will be able to watch a constant slideshow featuring my home decor, my “keeping Christmas alive” pieces, and all of my special soft sculptures. The frame will run the entire time, proudly displaying the full range of my digital portfolio.

Looking Ahead

Promoting yourself can sometimes feel a bit daunting—I am not always the best at it! But I want the Fran’s Friends website to take a massive leap forward this year, and I am putting my heart into these preparations. I even have an idea to find a baseball cap and add one of my printed logo hearts to it so I can be completely kitted out for the fair.

The printable printer fabric has been an absolute revelation, and you can truly take it the distance. You can add it to doormats, bags, clothing, and anything else you can dream up.

I am going to get back to being busy working away and getting organised for the fair. Thank you all so much for reading and sharing in my crafting journey.

Bye for now, and remember—all the love is sewn right in!