TWO sisters have teamed up to create a Spring Fair to highlight local arts and crafts businesses.
Natalie Cox and Nicola Jameson have created The Hive, based in Abercarn, providing ideas and inspiration for craftspeople.
They currently do not have a physical space due to the pandemic and are growing their online presence. In December, they held a Christmas market online where vendors signed up and were promoted on social media and people were able to purchase their goods.
Nicola Jameson (L) and Natalie Cox (R) of The Hive, Abercarn, in their previous space in Cardiff
“After the first event, we had lots of positive feedback, with many vendors telling us that they had a good fortnight of sales, and even more saying that their social media followings had increased, hopefully leading to future sales.”
The pair had always planned to do more and are running a Spring Fair in March – which people are able to apply to take part in by emailing thehivewales@gmail.com by the end of January.
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The journal craft kits from The Hive
“When we do have a physical space, we will run markets and workshops in person, so this seemed like a natural alternative.
“We thought a Spring Fair, tied in with International Women’s Day and Mother’s Day, seemed like great timing.”
Some of the crochet headbands made by Nicola Jameson of The Hive
There will be a £10 entry for the fair. 50 per cent of this will go to Welsh Women’s Aid with the rest used to publicise the event and businesses online.
Both sisters have their own small craft businesses. Ms Cox runs hers – making notebooks and journals – alongside her full-time job, while Ms Jameson’s is modern and colourful crochet which she runs alongside her daughter’s home learning.
They would attend physical markets together and have stalls next to each other and their longing to return to markets is what inspired their online ones. But they also wanted to improve on previous online markets they had seen – so are also doing giveaways, a vendors directory, gift guides for Christmas and more.
This weekend, The Hive is launching a craft bullet journal kit. Next month, they will be releasing a crochet headband kit, with a new kit for a different craft launching each month.
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