One of my most loved venues is Blackbrook House for two reasons…it’s where I got married and it’s also where I held the first fabulousplaces.co.uk Christmas Market!  I’m delighted to announce that they are holding a Christmas Fayre on Sunday 27th November from 11am to 5pm.

The event will bring together a wonderful selection of food and gift stalls and much more.  The perfect way to spend a winter’s day.

Click here to read about the Christmas Market I held there in 2009 to give you an idea of what to expect!

For full information about the venue and finding your way there please click here.

A big thank you to everyone who visited the 2011 kick start event from fabulousplaces.co.uk!  The evening was a great success with lots of great stalls selling delicious food, gifts, homes accessories and flowers.

A special thank you to all the places and makers who joined us to sell their fabulous products and the wonderful staff at Blackbrook House.  Exhibitors at the event were:

Lavender grey, Little Walton Bank,  Tineke Floral Design, Cameo Cupcakes, Quirky Cookies & Cakes, Ribbon, Elf Designs, Tattered Rose, Darby & Joan, Lucy Sheeran Designs, Just Lily Jewellery, Bow Boutique, RosaRibbons, HWR Designs, Bittersweet Chocolates and Jamie at Home.

The next event from fabulousplaces.co.uk is the Food & Gift Festival at The Roundhouse on Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd July 2011.  There will be over 75 handpicked stalls selling delicious food and fabulous things for you and your home.

Deb

I’m super pleased to be holding an event at one of my most favourite venues…Blackbrook House!  If you came along to the fabulousplaces.co.uk Summer Fete and Christmas Market in 2009 at Blackbrook I’m sure you’ll agree that it’s a gorgeous venue and driven by a passion for amazing food and service like no other.

The evening will offer you an opportunity to enjoy some Blackbrook hospitality whilst broswing over 20 fabulous stalls.  Entry is free and doors open at 6.30pm.  You’ll be offered the opportunity to enjoy a bite to eat and a glass of something lovely in the Blackbrook restaurant.  The event will be the perfect introduction to Spring and also offer you an exclusive opportunity to browse new products from the fabulousplaces.co.uk places and makers!

Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions about the event.  If you would like to be kept up to date with event information please join the club and you’ll receive email updates…don’t worry, your email will be kept safe with us and we only send emails when there’s lots of fabulous news to tell you!

I am delighted to announce that the next fabulousplaces.co.uk event will be taking place on the evening of Thursday 4th March at the stunning Blackbrook House nr Belper.

Indulgence Evening
An exclusive evening of shopping, demonstrations & indulgence
Thursday 4th March 2010 (7-10pm)
Blackbrook House nr Belper, Derbyshire
Tickets are £5 each (event is free to Derbyshire Card holders)
Click here to get your ticket

Guests will receive a drink, mini cupcake & goody bag on arrival.  There will be a selection of fabulous places and producers to browse and there will be demonstrations being held throughout the evening.  Blackbrook House will also be holding cheese and wine tasting.  With the event being so close to Mothers Day, it will be the perfect opportunity to find something special for Mum.  Even better…why not take your Mum with you for a treat.

The event will be supporting the Wirksworth Rotary Club Aquabox Scheme, which sends vital resources and water filtering units to locations of natural disasters like the recent Haiti earthquake.  Proceeds from the entry ticket and raffle will be donated to the charity.

Exhibitors include:

Quirky Cookies & Cakes
Cocomine Chocolates
Lucy Sheeran Cards
Anney Grace Jewellery
Cameo Cupcakes
Housley & Co
Blossom Tree
Jamie Oliver Home & Giftware
Ribbon
Hearts & Homespun
Nina Carolyn Jewellery
Carol Cummins (handmade home accessories)
Lavender grey
Jack Rabbits
Eco Eco
Raggedy Homespun Crafts
Bow at the Printworks 

More fabulous businesses added daily…

Click here to get your ticket to the Indulgence Evening
Click here to get your Derbyshire Card.  If you are already a Derbyshire Card holder please click here to let us know you will be attending.

I would like to say a big thank you to the following businesses for supporting this event:
Blackbrook House, Belper
Dorset Cereals
Teapigs
Cameo Cupcakes
Quirky Cookies & Cakes

**UPDATE**
I am delighted to announce that the next fabulousplaces.co.uk event will be taking place on the evening of Thursday 4th March at the stunning Blackbrook House nr Belper.

Indulgence Evening
Shopping, demonstrations & indulgence
Thursday 4th March 2010
Blackbrook House nr Belper, Derbyshire
Tickets are £5 each (event is free to Derbyshire Card holders)
Click here to get your ticket

Guests will receive a drink, mini cupcake & goody bag on arrival.  There will be a selection of fabulous places and producers to browse and there will be demonstrations being held throughout the evening.  Blackbrook House will also be holding cheese and wine tasting.  With the event being so close to Mothers Day, it will be the perfect opportunity to find something special for Mum.  Even better…why not take your Mum with you for a treat.

The event will be supporting the Wirksworth Rotary Club Aquabox Scheme, which sends vital resources and water filtering units to locations of natural disasters like the recent Haiti earthquake.  Proceeds from the entry ticket and raffle will be donated to the charity.

Exhibitors include:

Quirky Cookies & Cakes
Cocomine Chocolates
Lucy Sheeran Cards
Anney Grace Jewellery
Cameo Cupcakes
Housley & Co
Blossom Tree
Jamie Oliver Home & Giftware
Ribbon
Hearts & Homespun
Nina Carolyn Jewellery
Carol Cummins (handmade home accessories)
Lavender grey
Jack Rabbits
Eco Eco

More fabulous businesses added daily…

Click here to get your ticket to the Indulgence Evening
Click here to get your Derbyshire Card.  If you are already a Derbyshire Card holder please click here to let us know you will be attending.

I would like to say a big thank you to the following businesses for supporting this event:
Blackbrook House, Belper
Dorset Cereals
Teapigs
Cameo Cupcakes
Quirky Cookies & Cakes

The fabulousplaces.co.uk Christmas Market is here!  We’ll be taking over the stunning Blackbrook House on Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd November 2009 from 11am – 5pm.  All the stalls and food are all indoors, should it decide to to rain!

Click here to see the event preview email sent out recently.

The event will be the perfect way to start the festive season.  There will be something for all the family, from face painting and craft corner to an outdoor German-style market and stunning Derbyshire food and gifts.

To browse the list of exhibitors please click here.  Only places and producers featured on the fabulousplaces.co.uk website will be attending, so you know you’ll be tempted by the array of food and gifts on offer!  Jewellery, gifts, Christmas decorations, food, cards and gift wrap, cupcakes, festive flowers and so much more!

There will also be a tombola and raffle, both of which will be supporting the Dog Trust.

You will also be given the opportunity to purchase your fabulousplaces.co.uk Derbyshire Card.  The Derbyshire Card will be launched by fabulousplaces.co.uk and will offer lots of special offers and promotions at many of the places and producers featured on the website and also give you exclusive invitation to fabulousplaces.co.uk special events which will be held throughout the year.

Useful Information:

-  Please note: not all the standholders will have card transaction machines. The nearest
cash machines are in nearby Belper.
-  Entry and parking is free.
-  For directions to Blackbrook House in Derbyshire please click here.

See you there…it’s going to be fabulous!

Deb

I was excited to get my hands on a copy of the new book from Jack Rabbits.  Written by the owner, Amelia Horne, the book, Forty Nine; A refreshing approach to everyday foods, brings together everything we love about Jack Rabbits.

Forty Nine is designed to offer a structure to the meals you eat, the ingredients you use and to simplify mealtimes.  This book is a must for your Christmas stocking list!

It’s fantastic to see a fabulous place publish a book and what I love is that it’s stylishly designed, visually pleasing to flick through, inspirational and a great addition to my cook book shelf!  The book is just £10 and you can purchase your copy of Jack Rabbits on Queen Street in Derby.  For more information about Jack Rabbits please click here.

Amelia will be selling the book at the upcoming fabulousplaces.co.uk Christmas Market at Blackbrook House (nr Belper) on Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd November 2009 (11am – 5pm).  For full information please click here.

I jumped at the chance of producing a Christmas guide in Polly’s List.  Polly’s List, created by the lovely Carol Dixon, is the first directory for mums of primary ages little ones in the Derby area.  The publication is an invaluable handbag sized guide covering everything from after school and childcare to days out and parties.  Polly’s List also includes fabulous features on shopping, beauty and health and wellbeing.  As soon as I had browsed the first edition, I knew I had to be involved!

My feature, Deb’s Fabulous Christmas, gives you some great recommendations for places to visit during the Christmas season and also a selection of Derbyshire’s fabulous producers giving you some great inspiration for Christmas shopping!  The feature also advertises the upcoming fabulousplaces.co.uk Christmas Market at Blackbrook House on Sat 21st and Sun 22nd November.  For full information please click here.

For more information about Polly’s List please click here.

I don’t like to wish away time, but I can’t tell you how much I’m looking forward to the Christmas Market!  The planning is going great and there will be a wonderful selection of places and producers from the fabulousplaces.co.uk website.  There will be something for all the family and will be a fabulous start to the festive season!

Christmas Market
Saturday 21st & Sunday 22nd November 2009
11-5pm
Blackbrook House, Belper, Derbyshire

Here are the fabulous places and producers attending to date:

Quirky Cookies & Cakes – novelty cookies, biscotti & much more
eco eco – ethical & eco friendly gifts for home & garden
Studio 61 Gallery Boutique – ceramics, bath & body, cards & more
the loaf – amazing artisan bread & festive handmade food.
Anney Grace Jewellery – handmade unique jewellery
The Blossom Tree - festive flowers & fresh door wreaths
The Beetroot Tree – hand crafted gifts and art
Housley & Co – handmade cushions pictures, bags & more
Bow at the printworks – home accessories & gifts
Vintage & Cake – homemade cakes
Elaine Lim-Newton – East Asian inspired ceramics
Lavender grey – home accessories & gifts
I Should Cocoa – artisan chocolate gifts
Jack Rabbits – gorgeous home cooked food
HWR Designs – handmade textile accessories
Havoc Jewellery – handmade jewellery
Usborne Books – fab books for little ones
Bluebells Dairy & Farm Shop

Blackbrook House will also be offering an outdoor German-style food market with hot offerings. You will also be able to preorder your Christmas Tree.

As with the Summer Fete, there will also be lots to keep the little ones entertained, from face painting to craft corner.

The Christmas Market is all about the fabulous independent places and producers featured on the website, so you can be rest assured that the quality and array of products on display will be the best Derbyshire has to offer.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.

What a day!  It began very early for me and with the early start came the rain and lots of it! Luckily it decided to move on around 10.50am just as the doors opened and the visitors arrived.  I was so surprised by the number of visitors…many more than anticipated, but how fantastic! I’m delighted that so many people came along to support Derbyshire’s most fabulous places and producers and rightly so…..I’m sure you’ll agree, they’re fabulous and together put on quite a spread of goodies for us!!

I would like to say thank you to Blackbrook House for providing such a stunning venue!  Also, a huge thank you to all the visitors and exhibitors. I would like to say a special thank you to my friend, Lucy, for helping me throughout the day…what would I have done without you!!

Below are some photos from the event, but if you would like to browse all the photos please click here.

The lovely loaf chaps from Crich…taken a few moments before completely selling out of bread! Â )

Lots of delicious food on the Fresh Basil stall:

Lovely home accessories from the Bottlekiln:

The Summer Fete was the second event I have organised and I hope to organise many more.  I would love to receive your feedback as my aim is to make every event as enjoyable as possible and ensure there is something for everyone.  To help me when I’m planning the next event I’m asking for your feedback and in return I’m offering you the chance to WIN a tin of Best of British cookies from the fabulous Quirky Cookies & Cakes!  Click here to complete the feedback form, I promise it’s short and shouldn’t take more than a few minutes!

Well, now I’m on to planning the Christmas themed event, but that’s all I’ll say about that….afterall, we’re still in July and mentioning Christmas feels wrong!!

Bye for now! 

Debs