A taster of this sunday's fair in Leeds...

by Pilfered

by bear follows cat

by debbie greenaway

We have a host of established and new crafters for the fair this sunday, including the delightful Jenna from Pilfered who upcycles homewares, the wonderful bear follows cat by Phillipa, and new works by Debbie Greenaway!

...More previews to follow - keep watching the blog! Remember it's Leeds Corn Exchange 11am onwards this sunday!

our friends have a right shindig on!

The week after reetsweet, do not be sad and cry into your cupcakes and craft, just head down to Dock Street Market 12th June from 1-6pm for The Marvellous Tea Dance's Marvellous Sunday afternoon - it's 28 Dock Street just down from the Adelphi...

For for info go to their website or email angie on themarvellousteadancecompany@yahoo.co.uk to take part as a crafter!

this coming sunday @ leeds corn exchange: the main event! reetsweet!

Although the dust has barely settled upon our last mini event, we are delighted to be back at the corn exchange once again this coming sunday with our main reetsweet fair of the summer - june 5th from 11am to 4.30pm.

This fair features over 20 of the finest crafters from in and around leeds and as usual you can preview some of their work right here on the reetsweet blog (soon to be replaced by reetsweet.com coming soon)...





We are delighted to be including in the reetsweet selection on sunday Carrie-Ann Coupe...

"…there’s nothing quite like receiving a lovely handcrafted piece of stationery through the door. Here at Carrie-Ann Coupe you’ll find a selection of beautiful designs that will brighten up any day!

Passionate about creating a range of cards that are of the highest quality, each card is individually made and hand finished. Inspired by everyday life, combined with a love for the handmade, hand drawn and surface pattern my aim is to produce professional handmade cards that are refreshingly original, stylish and modern. I’m constantly producing new designs and other products throughout the year and we hope you enjoy my ever growing range as much as I enjoy making them for you!

You can also buy online via my website www.cacoupe.co.uk which is updated regularly with new items."

keeping it reetsweet @ shopkeepers

We had a great day at nation of shopkeepers with our mini fair on saturday, some great stalls, a lovely vibe and some amazing crafts on display... Check out the photo album here on facebook! The weather was a bit dodge so we stuck to inside on the balcony area and had balloons, mellow music, cake and everything from gorgeous prints by matt saunders, super kawaii pieces by katy kamikaze, toys by ryan stead and many many more.


Thank you to all our customers who came down on the day, nation for having us and of course all the talented stallholders who make reetsweet special!

come rain or shine @ nation of shopkeepers sat!

Tomorrow we roll! It's finally reetsweet @ nation of shopkeepers, whatever the weather we will be on the balcony from 12-5pm with art, crafts and cake.

You'll find prints from some amazing artists, cushions, other homewares, jewellery, toys, accessories and more...everything is one of a kind and a little bit different! See you there from 12! Free entry!

And don't forget, if you can't make it tomorrow, there's this next sunday! Our super duper massive fair @ the corn exchange....

O-M-G it's nearly nation time!

brilliant flyer by stephsayshello

I am very excited that it's only two days now until reetsweet @ nation of shopkeepers, for those of you with your heads in the sand, or you have been too busy knitting/dancing/drawing/traveling/any of the above...here's what you need to know...
Nation of shopkeepers is a cool little place in Leeds on Cookridge street (between the Leeds art gallery and Millenium Sq), it's very homely and equally well informed...it usually showcases the best new music loooong before the music press even get whiff of them. The XX played there when they were like 5 - they get every major new alternative act first. Added to this they do lovely food, have really friendly staff and a wicked courtyard and lots of comfy seats, it's basically dreamy.



So, this sat, if you know it or you don't, come down to the first 'Reetsweet @ nation' which is reetsweet's first mini - fair. It's a smaller affair than our main events, and is meant for new crafters and graduates so they have a starting point for growing their business, we'll be selling work, and be joined by the marvellous tea dance co with their very ace cakes! It's free to come, and crafts start at £1-£2, cakes from £2.20...the perfect way to start the crazy bank holiday weekend!

a bit more of what you fancy @ nation of shopkeepers this sat!!

I am not going to spoil it by revealing all the artists coming to show and sell at nation of shopkeepers this saturday, but here's a bit more to tickle your craft fancy. We will definitely be joined by ryan stead aka ryanimals! And as if that's not enough...pictured above is work by bianca prince, lover of hats and maker of all manner of headwear!

robotic love... with debbie greenaway

If you are working on sat - and won't be able to make it to our mini fair @nation of shopkeepers, then bob down to our june 5th event (a big fair!) at the corn exchange - featuring this lovely lady's work:




"Hello everyone. My name is Debbie, I am an illustrator and printmaker. living and working in my hometown of Huddersfield. I was last at ReetSweet in February and am very pleased to be joining ReetSweet again for it's June Fair.





Since the last fair, I have started to create a screen-printing work area at home so that i can print more which is very exciting! I have been printing out lion themed birthday cards and a bright new purse design. I am continuing to work on more colourful illustrations and hope to have some new things to show and tell on the 5th June!"

More of the reetsweet @ nation preview : sat 28th may

Reetsweet is very proud and excited to be hosting it's first mini fair at nation of shopkeepers leeds on sat 28th May, featuring...
Claire Bellia (pic of her lovely self above and her prints and brooches), this is Claire's 2nd fair with us - she produces gorgeous wooden brooches and accesssories, along with a range of charming prints!...

...Claire is an image and craft maker living in Leeds. She brings to you her growing jewelry brand 'Lady Coppice', which see's her producing one of a kind, pretty wooden brooches with a vintage feel.

Paintbrushes and inks are the beginnings of all Claire's creations, however this branches out through exploration in printmaking, woodburning (pyrography), pattern, wallpaper and poster design. Final outcomes are always done through traditional mediums, feeling personal and unique. This and the playful humour within her images are what shops and clients enjoy about her work.

Her latest project is a series of brooches which tell a story. Named 'Ages of Womanhood', telling the story of a young girl who grows up to be obsessed with her appearance, then falling in love for it to fall apart and find herself indignant towards men...'

Then we are delighted to finally be able to showcase Derrian Bradder, aka Lilybones, who creates a full range of handmade crafts, from earrings to hand printed shoes! Yey!

..." 'Lily Bones’ was born from a love of all things creative as well as the need to bring affordable, innovative design to a wider target audience. Run by one graphics student (Derrian)from Leeds college of Art and often helped out by good fellow creative friends, we create handmade and upcycled ‘stuff’ using anything we can get our hands on, including mass-produced products, found objects and modified buttons. Our quirky jewellery and accessories will make the ultimate statement!


Influenced by attending many vintage and crafts fairs, we often take inspiration from these events and try to incorporate themes into our designs. We are always trying out new ideas and welcome any commissions. Our stuff looks good enough to eat, but we wouldn’t advise that! We are based in Leeds mainly but aim to sell at vintage and craft fairs in and around Yorkshire, we will add dates when we have them! We love what we do and we hope you do too! "










Check out our further previews in the next few days x

next week!

Free entry on sat 28th May, from 12pm to 5pm, we bring you the very best local crafters in the lovely surroundings of nation of shopkeepers, 25 Cookridge Street, Leeds LS2 3AG, just round the corner from Leeds College of Art...be there, or be bored!

reetsweet prettiness to prettify your prettiness...

We all need something to make us ladies feel special, and a great accessory is always a must! At our June 5th reetsweet @ the corn exchange, here are just a few exhibitors who may be able to help you... We have Maneggi, aka Nikki, who makes intricate statement necklaces...







We also have Kim from Finest Imaginary with her fun laser cuts...

To name but two, but we also have quite a few newbies ranging from new card makers, printmakers, to a fabulous bag maker...all still to come in the next few weeks on the blog previews...always free entry we are at nation of shopkeepers on 28th may 12-5pm and at the corn exchange on sunday 5th june 11 to 4.30pm x

quote of the week by reetsweet

Having a bad day?...reetsweet's quote of the week, not that we've ever done quotes of the week before, but this just seems pretty good if you're struggling with your work, your money etc or fed up...

"your journey has molded you for the greater good, and it was exactly what it needed to be. don't think that you've lost time. it took each and every situation you have encountered to bring you to the now. and now is right on time."
-asha tyson

reetsweet @ nation of shopkeepers preview!

So, it's our first mini event at NATION OF SHOPKEEPERS on Saturday May 28th from 12pm to 5pm, this event is a chance for new and established local crafters to showcase and sell their works, alongside lovely music and cakes! We are really excited, so here we begin a short introduction to who's joining us there to exhibit...


New to reetsweet we have Matt Saunders aka RabbitPortal, Matt draws dreamy pictures and makes stunning prints. His work has recently caught my imagination even more as he has begun using pieces of wood to paint on and this adds a lovely texture and earthiness to his intricate and escapist style.






Reetsweet is also proud to introduce to you Katy Kamikaze, the kawaii princess! Katy uses japanese kawaii fabrics to create purses, bags and other small accessories. Everything is beautifully sewn together and has a bright and fun feel...





Kayliegh O'Mara has been to a few of reetsweet's bigger events, her quirky simple style of illustration has always been a huge hit at our fairs and we don't expect there to be much left at the end of the day on the 28th!...tea or coffee?








Lauren Holmes has long been one of Leeds' coolest alternative girls, with the best tats on the planet, we welcome her to reetsweet with her very special modern gothic accessories and some of her orginal photography...







...more to come in this preview! Keep checking back! And see you on May 28th at Nation of Shopkeepers!

memo helen joins reetsweet!

"Hello, I am Helen a.k.a Memo, I work as an illustrator and screen printer and am currently based in Leeds. I graduated in 2007 with a first class degree in Visual Studies at Norwich School of Art & Design. I'd say my main interests are screen printing and collecting. I draw the things I collect and turn them into screen printed zines and limited edition prints. I also print greetings cards, tote bags and brooches amongst other things. My favourite things include coffee, dogs and my big collection of old things- kitsch ornaments and homewares from the 1940s-60s. I like objects that have a history, new things are boring to me, uninteresting.




I regularly exhibit in shows across the UK, currently I have a number of prints on display at the Bowery in Leeds, alongside a mural I just painted there. At the moment I'm working on as number of exciting projects including a book cover design, a new card range and new prints for shows later this summer."

Helen will be appearing at the June show @ the corn exchange on sunday June 5th! Very excited!

a lazy saturday in leeds...

There's so many nice shops in Leeds, but how many of the independents are actually left now in the city centre? Mm, not many. Rather than continue to give money to big companies like topshop, or american apparel etc, why not try some handmade instead? At reetsweet's next fair in the lovely nation of shopkeepers, we will be offering you an afternoon of delights - cakes, food, some value for money craft stalls - and hopefully some sunshine! But whatever the weather - we will be giving away some reetsweet goodies and starting your May bank holiday with a bang - a crafty bang! More details here.

May 28th from 12pm to 5pm, free entry x

introducing bear follows cat

Phillipa from Bear Follows Cat creates intricate and original papercuts and screenprints, they have a a naive and dreamlike quality, full of animals, woods and wonder! This will be her first reetsweet on june 5th at the corn exchange but here are a few pictures to preview of her works. I will be adding more of here for you to see over the next few days...

reetsweet gets pilfered!

When Jenna got in touch regarding her range of goods she wanted to sell at the next reetsweet I was very taken with the bright fun colours and the green angle! She will be appearing at our main fair on sunday 5th June at the corn exchange. Jenna Greenwood takes discarded things and makes them treasure once more, upcycling unloved household items and giving them a new lease of life....one of a kind, this is Pilfered...