COUNTRY Living Magazine Christmas Fair is back at SEC, Glasgow, from 21- 24 November 2019.
Over 350 of the UK’s finest designers, makers and boutique businesses will gather together under one roof to offer unique gifts, decorations, crafts, food and drinks and inspired interior ideas, to help bring that magical Christmas sparkle to every home.
Watch. Learn. Try.
There are lots for visitors to learn and try at two informative theatre areas.
The Country Living Kitchen, sponsored by Stoves, will bring together some of the country’s finest food and drink producers. Hear from top chefs and cooking professionals as they prepare tempting seasonal festive dishes, using delicious, fresh ingredients.
Presenters will include Jasmine McDonagh of Scotia Spice, Lauren Shields, patisserie chef at Tennent’s Training Academy, Karon Grieve of Larder Love who will make festive treats, Iain Pirrie of Edinburgh School of Food and Drink and Bob McDonald from Burren Balsamics and Anthony Gallant from Tennent’s Training Academy will present a Festival Cocktail Masterclass. Shelia Jones of Mrs Jones Cakes will also be running festive cake demonstrations and John Quigley from Red Onion returns with ideas for Christmas canapes. Paul Kelly’s turkey masterclass on Saturday and Sunday morning is not to be missed
The Country Living Crafting Workshops will give visitors the chance to create something special to take home. There will be a varied daily hands-on programme from gin tasting to block printing – workshop tutors will guide visitors as they create original items. Advance booking available.
Experts will guide visitors in sessions including How to Make A Christmas Wreath, Hand Dye a Christmas Napkin, Block Printing Christmas Stationery and a Gin Tasting Masterclass. Tickets can be booked in advance, prices start from £8 each.
Over 350 exhibitors
Visitors can source beautiful decorations and original gifts from gorgeous garlands and beautiful baubles, to glassware, scented candles and stylish cards. Arts and craft lovers can pick up haberdashery, ribbons, fabrics, sewing kits and craft essentials – everything required to get seriously creative this Christmas.
This is also the ideal place to find that unique Christmas outfit with a stunning collection of evening and designer daywear available, as well as beautiful accessories including bags, purses and jewellery. There will be gifts galore for the kids including handmade traditional wooden toys, beautifully-made soft toys, chunky knitwear, cosy pyjamas, pretty party dresses, bright wellies and hundreds of other items ready to be wrapped and placed under the tree this Christmas.
Exhibitors include:
Avva Scottish Gins
Mumpreneur, Jill Brown, set up Moray Distillery Ltd in 2015. Jill had previous experience with a liqueur company and took the next step in to distilling and launched her first gin, Avva, in 2016, a year before her first baby, Jessica, arrived.
Gin experts have taken notice and Jill’s products have won a number of awards including a prestigious GOLD medal in this year’s International Wine & Spirits Competition (IWSC) for Avva Navy Strength Gin (57.2%).
Avva Gin reflects Moray’s rich history in both culture and distilling. The name, Avva, means respected grandmother, and the brand features a label which draws influence from the iconic Elgin cathedral.
It wasn’t until after Jill had launched Avva that she discovered she was making it with the first Scottish made gin still named Jessie Jean, a bespoke 250l copper still which was made by Speyside Copper Works, Elgin.
Jill and her team will be bringing their newly launched Avva Pink Scottish Gin, a delicate balance of strawberries and raspberries and the award winning Another award SILVER medal Cask Finish Gin, matured in six months in a bourbon cask. They will also have a range of gift sets including a new 5cl trio pack containing the three core gins of Avva Scottish Gin, Navy Strength and Pink Gin.
The Birlinn Yarn Company
Based in Isle of Berneray in the Outer Hebrides, The Birlinn Yarn produces beautiful yarn from pedigree Hebridean sheep.
Meg Rodger started The Birlinn Yarn Company in 2015, following a couple of years trialling small batches of yarn.
Meg says: “This showed me that there was an opportunity to value the wool produced from our expanding flock of Hebridean sheep, for its purity in source and artisanal qualities.
“As the business has grown, we now buy fleece from several crofters within the Outer Hebrides who share the same values in animal husbandry and sustainability. By working with them, we are supporting the traditional Hebridean crofting way of life that has existed in these islands for generations.
“People buying our yarn and products appreciate that we are small-scale, care for our sheep and our fragile island ecology. We are now developing our product range, taking inspiration from the Norse and Hebridean heritage of the islands and our sheep, combined with a contemporary twist.
“Our island environment, culture, community and simple way of life are very important to us as a family. Values that we hope we can share with you through our products.”
Isabel Haines
Isabel Haines has a passion for traditional brands fostered over a lifetime and growing up in rural France.
Since 2011, Isabel, who is based in Surrey, offers a stable of traditionally sustainably made lasting homewares and is making her debut in Scotland at Country Living Magazine Christmas Fair.
Isabel’s unique range of family owned brands include:
Durance traditionally-made soaps, handcrafted candles and home fragrances, men’s and women’s scent. Mostly grown within a few miles of the family’s factory in Provence they proudly showcase their passion for their heritage in ecologically and beautifully manufactured products.
Ubiquitous brand, Opinel, manufacture top quality steel kitchen and folding craft knives and garden tools. Affordable and practical, they are still making design classics in the same factory in the French alps for over 125 years.
Fine Bernard olive and beech wood boards, kitchenware and salt cellars, renowned for their super thin olivewood boards and swivel top salt cellars – often mimicked but nothing beats the original! Established in France 1892 – Made in Europe.
Kaweco pens and pencils made in Germany since 1883.
Redecker brushes from Germany. This family have been passionately making wooden household brushes for three generations – everything from feather dusters, nail and bath brushes, floor scrubbers, goat hair dusters, fly swats to clothes and hair brushes.
Renowned Glasgow designer, Joyce Young, will be exhibiting her new day dress collection Casual Chic, which feature matching faux fur collars and cuffs in brilliant colours and headbands. The perfect Christmas outfit.
www.joyceyoungcollections.co.uk
The Artful Bear will launch their brand new Arthur mohair ‘MAKE YOUR OWN’ Bear Making Kits (RRP £35), allowing crafters with a love for bears to experience bringing their very own little personality to life! These unique Christmas gifts are guaranteed to surprise and delight.
Demijohn is a European-style liquid deli. It sources and sells artisan spirits, liqueurs, oils, vinegars and whiskies, which are predominantly made in the UK by small producers. Customers are encouraged to taste before buying which inevitably leads to them learning about the products, where they come from and how they can be used. From there, the customer chooses the size and shape of bottle into which the liquid is poured, a personalised message added for free and then nicely gift wrapped. Demijohn prides itself on being an environmentally-friendly company as these glass bottles can be refilled as required. They will be launching three new products.
Chocolate & Coffee Cream Liqueur and two new Rums – a three year-old cask aged dark rum and a Scottish White rum, made in Dumfriesshire
Amanda Mercer is a ceramic designer and maker creating home ware and gifts from her little home studio in Cumbria. Each piece is individually handcrafted from porcelain created in her own personal style by using lace to imprint into the surfaces and the use of subtle colours, textures and shapes.
The perfect day out wouldn’t be complete without a glass of fizz. The Viking Cruise Champagne Bar is a great place to review purchases, plan the rest of the day’s shopping or just relax with a glass of Champagne.
For further information or to book tickets, call 0844 581 1385 or visit www.countrylivingfair.com
ENDS
For further media information / photography, please contact Jill Creighton.
Headline PR, jill@headlinepr.co.uk 07775 862552
Notes for editors:
To find out more, visit www.countrylivingfair.com #CLXmasFair
Opening times
Thurs 21 Nov 10am-5pm
Fri 22 Nov 10am-5pm
Sat 23 Nov 10am-5pm
Sun 24 Nov 10am-4pm
Tickets
Day and VIP tickets are available in advance and on the-door, starting at £19 for a standard adult advance ticket (subscriber discounts available). Details of all tickets can be found here:
www.countrylivingfair.com/ticket-prices
A VIP package is available, with prices from £60. VIP visitors will enjoy priority access to the fair and receive a goody bag full of wonderful treats and access to a private lounge offering complimentary tea and coffee and Prosecco throughout the day.
About Country Living Fairs
The Country Living Fair began nearly 30 years ago with a spring edition in London, and soon afterwards, a Christmas edition was launched. In 2004, a spring edition was launched in Glasgow, which was changed to a Christmas fair in 2008. The Glasgow show has grown significantly since its inception and now boasts over 350 exhibitors, and attracts over 17,000 visitors.
Country Living Christmas Fair showcases new and upcoming talent, providing designer-makers with a platform to showcase their goods to high-spending visitors, who travel from all over the country to visit. Visitors can choose from a selection of home and garden ware, arts and crafts, regional food and drink, and the latest fashion and accessories.
Case studies and photography
Various exhibitor case studies and photography are available on request.
Press Office at the event
Country Living will be operating a press office at The Fair on Thursday 21 November. Please contact Jill Creighton for more information.
Media contact:
Jill Creighton
Headline PR
07775 862552
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Headline PR contact details…
Contact: Jill Creighton
Email: jill@headlinepr.co.uk
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