About | Amanda's Emporium

My Story

I started in 2006 with a pasting table, a few knitted scarves, and a box of bears that needed new homes. The plan was simple: make things I liked, sell them at local fairs, and see what happened.

What happened was that people kept coming back. They'd ask about the bears, handy crafts, or a bag, and stay for a chat. The stall grew, the bears multiplied, and the craft fairs became a regular part of my year.

These days I attend fairs and markets across Surrey, Hampshire, Berkshire, and beyond. The pasting table has been replaced, but the idea is the same: good things, made by hand, sold face to face.

The Bear Rescue

I find bears at car boot sales, charity shops, and sometimes in boxes left at the end of someone's drive. Most of them are a bit grubby. Some are missing an eye or have a wobbly ear. All of them deserve better than a bin bag.

Every bear gets a proper clean, a check-over, and a photograph for the website. I give each one a name and write up where I found them. Then they come to the stall and wait for someone to take them home.

Some bears find new families straight away. Others take a bit longer. I keep them all until the right person comes along.

Meet the bears

What I Make

I sew, crochet, and knit. Bags, blankets, scarves, cushions, little bits for the home. Everything is made by hand, usually at the kitchen table or in front of the telly. I use good materials and take my time.

The range changes with the seasons. More knitted and crocheted bits in winter, sewn bags and blankets all year round. If something sells well, I make more. If I get bored of making it, I stop.

I also make things for babies and children. Soft toys, taggy blankets, little bits and pieces that make good gifts. Nothing mass-produced, nothing from a factory.

See what I make

At the Market

My stall is the one with the bears. You can usually spot it from a few pitches away. There are bears on the table, bears on the shelves, and often a bear sitting on my lap or in a backpack on my back.

I like a chat. Come and have a look, ask about a bear, or just say hello. No pressure to buy anything. I'm there most weekends between spring and Christmas, at fairs across the south of England.

Find me at an event

By the Numbers

I've been at this since 2006. Here's how it's gone so far.

Bears rescued: 307
Bears rehomed: 291
Events attended: 107
Going since: 2006