Local Craft Fairs

I went to a local craft fair on Saturday and was pleasantly surprised by the goodies on offer, perfect gift ideas that were very reasonably priced. Most were hand made and by buying from them I was supporting local small businesses.

So what did I buy, first up was this gorgeous button broach. Was thinking of giving it to my mum but I love it so much I might keep for myself.

Next were these quite frankly gorgeous gift tags, the lady was selling them at 25p each but said I could have the whole bundle for £1. There are about 30 in total and they are beautiful, think I might buy some brown wrapping paper and pretty ribbon to make them look simple and gorgeous.

And finally to make Christmas eve that little bit extra special some reindeer food, never done this before but since my son is really in to Christmas this year I thought I would give it a try. A fab little poem and bag containing 'food' will be perfect for spreading Christmas excitement.

So this year if you can make it to a local craft fair I highly recommend it, some great bargains to be had whilst supporting local businesses.

Buying local tastes great!

I recently bought some braising steak from a local butchers and it was the best I have ever had, without a doubt going to our local butchers is the best.

They offer local, good quality meat and although it is a little more expensive than the supermarket the quality is worth it.

I turned the braising steak I bought into stews and curry, the lamb shoulder into a roast dinner and a tagine and the chicken breasts are so big from there that you only need one to feed two of you.

Beef Stew made with Braising Steak, just melts in your mouth!

My favourite dinner of all time, slow roast lamb with a caper and mint gravy!

The range of sausages are beyond comprehension and with the butchers comes knowledge and extras that you simply don't get from a supermarket.

For instance if we buy a piece of beef for a Sunday roast you can ask for a bit of extra fat to roast on top, this leaves it tasting amazing and juicy.

You can ask for a cut of meat you don't find in supermarkets, for example beef skirt is perfect for fajitas.

I go by the philosophy of buying the most expensive meat we can afford and that the cheap cuts are usually the tasty ones, from neck to skirt to shoulder and braising.

If you can find a recipe that cooks the meat slowly then you are always onto a winner, it's all about the cooking and slow cookers are great for cheap buts of meat as well as being great for busy mums who work.

If you can, try and use local butchers. It makes me sad to see so few of them now days, that goes for bakers and green grocers too. I love the sense of community they offer which can be seen when in places like France, where the local Boulangerie is such a lovely experience, open from early in the morning till late at night and such a sense of community.

Sad trip down memory lane, support your local shops.

I was doing my usual charity shop visiting in the town where I grew up and decided to look around the market, a once thriving market place that I remember visiting with my mum.

But now it is only a third of the size it used to be and this makes me so sad, I remember exactly what used to be there and where it was, there was the 'shoe man' and the 'egg lady'.

It pains me that my children will never get the sense of excitement I did from this and makes me more determined than ever to continue supporting local businesses.

This Christmas I am going to try and buy items from local and smaller businesses either via shops on the high street or on-line shopping.

So many people have lost their livelihoods in the recession and due to the building of large and 'cheaper' supermarkets who although bring jobs just don't offer the same personal service and experience I remember enjoying as a child.

I know it is probably too late now but maybe not, so next time your stuck for something to do on a Saturday morning why not take a trip to your local town and support the local businesses.