Those of you who know me, will already know that I’m not a fan of the cold hard faceless sell but am a huge fan of the personal touch! And that’s partly why The Supermums Craft Fair works so well because when you buy something from a stall, you’re not buying from a large corporation, you’re buying from a small business who cares! Behind every stall is a person and I have always encouraged them to come out and say hello in their descriptions and now I have taken it that one step further with this fabulous feature so you can get to know them even better!
Each week a stall holder from the super duper website will be chosen to become…yes you guessed it… Stall Holder Of The Week! This award is given to someone who has been seen out and about networking their stall and generally being an absolute star! And this week the award goes to…. drum roll please…
The lovely Sam from Nimmy’s Jewellery! Congratulations on being the latest stall holder of the week Sam! So let’s start off with the most important thing of all… Let’s talk about you! Aw thank you! I literally have not long stopped jumping around like a nutter after receiving the amazing news that I was stall holder of the week!! I’ve had a tough few months (well almost a year) and this really made it for me, so thank you :) Erm, ok….I’m not very good at talking about myself but will have a bashioso….so here goes. I’m 33, live in Cardiff (or Caerdydd for the welshies) and have done for 14 years now. I live with my boyfriend and 3 cats, yep 3! My hobbies, well, making jewellery was a hobbie but has become more than that (hooray!) so we will discount that one. I love to sing…have been singing since I was a little person and it has always stuck with me. I did my degree in music and majored in opera singing and after an 8 year “gap” I have recently taken it up again! I also love to play the piano (I’m no concert pianist but just love writing stuff and trying to do my grades which is interesting). I also love to run. I ran the London marathon last year for a charity very close to my heart and I have got a place for the London marathon next year as well which is scary and exciting!! Oh, one more thing - I love words. I love learning new words and occasionally reading the dictionary. I even make up words and one day maybe a new dictionary could be created. My favourite is combining words. A bit like a spoonerism I suppose. I came up with specialended the other day (special and splendid combined) but after a chat with one of my lovely crafter friends (she will know who she is) we decided that one was best used after the watershed. Oh blimey, that is probably enough. It’s funny how when you start talking you can just ramble on and forget you are still talking haha. Feel free to cut this to a one sentence answer haha. So I will stop. Now. Next question please question master? Haha
Next question coming up… once I stop laughing at the answer to the first one… pulling myself together now….. <coughs and puts sensible interviewer voice on again> So tell us… Nimmy’s Jewellery… what’s the reason behind the name? Ohhhh I had a feeling you may ask me about this. Well, basically my name is Nimmy to all my family. I am Sam/Samantha/Sammy to my friends but don’t ask me where it exactly came from. I think maybe I couldn’t say my name properly or something when I was little haha. So it’s always stuck and seemed the perfect choice to me. Now my customers are becoming more like friends and some have started calling me Nimmy it’s great!! 
So tell us Nimmy, how long have you been running your own business and why…. Oooo good question (you are very good with your questions!) well, my jewellery business is linked to my health (which sounds really weird). I started having severe allergic reactions 7 years ago - it’s called anaphalaxis. So my throat swells up and I generally react to lots of things which is mega annoying. Anyway, when it first happened I was signed off work for a long time and was REALLY bored!! I had always made things for my friends and myself and am obsessed with jewellery haha so I thought this would be the perfect time to make even more! I started to let people know and a few friends came over one night for a couple of hours and I was £250 better off! So I thought to myself, this is definitely something worth pursuing!! Sorry, have I answered the question? What was the question? Oh yeah so properly about 18 months, but it’s been in the background calling my name since 2007 haha! Hope that answers the question….
It does answer the question but you’re not making this interview easy for me as I keep having to take breaks to recover from laughing at your answers! Moving on… I love in your stall description that you think you must have been a magpie in a previous life… tell us more! Hahaha yeah. I don’t actually believe in reincarnation or anything, but if it was the case, a magpie I could definitely relate to. I have a lot of respect for them and always salute them when I see one!! (Just to be on the safe side haha). I am obsessed with everything that sparkles and can’t walk past a jewellery shop without gazing at all the pretty things so yep, a magpie it is!! Probably not the best thing in the animal kingdom to compare oneself to, but I’ve never gone with the norm haha.
And following on from that Nimmy Magpie, just how big is your bead stash…. Oh Lordy Lordy lord….errr. It’s big. It started off as a few trays and a bag, then it increased to me using a massive cupboard in the lounge, then I had a spare room to myself and NOW my boyfriend has banished me to the attic so it is everywhere!! The trouble is, I can’t control myself. Every time I think up new ideas, I realise I need something else, not want, need haha. So I have one or two seed beads you might say haha.
If you ever did run out of beads, is there a type of craft that you don’t do now but would love to try out…. Oh yes! Good question! I would love to sew. I would love to make little animals and sparkly things for Christmas. I may have a bash at doing some little felt bits - do you need a sewing machine for that?? If not, I’m in!!
What is your favourite item on your stall right now and why… Oh I will have a look and let you know! Okaaay, this sounds like I love my stuff but it was a tricky one. I think it will have to be the gold leather bracelet with the gold clasp. It was a new style for me to try and it worked and I love it. I really want it for myself but can’t keep doing that haha.
I have to confess I am rather fond of that one too (but I am biased, I am rather fond of everything on your stall) Burning question and its one that every stall holder of the week must be asked… chocolate or wine… Now this is tricky. I love love love wine, but due to my silly allergies I can’t drink it sooooo it will have to be chocolate, but can I have vodka with it? Haha.
For once I am happy to take the wine off your hands, not just because you can’t drink it, but I’m trying to imagine how the rest of this chat would go if you’d had a drink! And talking about the rest of the chat….If you could only pick one stall to be your favourite on the website, which one would it be and why… Oh my giddys. Woooowy. There are loads of beautiful stalls. I love Twit Twoo Felts and Eller Creations and Lisa Lovely Things and Ali B with all her fluffy bits and many many more, but my all time fav is BLUEBIRDS AND DAISIES! Sarah is so talented and her work is really creative and different. I may have treated myself to the odd item and the quality of her work is second to none. Love the fact that her stall is so varied and there is always something new being created! I think that any small business is a reflection on the person and is very personal and it definitely shines through with this stall!! I will stop now before I embarrass the poor girl!
Don’t worry, I think Sarah will be okay with that ;) Well it’s been an absolute pleasure talking to you Nimmy Magpie, I haven’t laughed so much in ages! Just one more question before I let you go (and before I go and have a well needed lie down)…. What would you like the future to have in store for Nimmy’s Jewellery …. Well, I am still working full-time (when I am well) which is fine and I have amazing colleagues that I work with, but my dream would be to teach singing and for Nimmy’s jewellery to grow enough to pay my bills and for me to be a proper full (ish) time self employed person. I would also love my own place. A little shop or something which could be used for music as well and have a workshop oooowt back :) On the back of Nimmy’s Jewellery I do have another business plan that I am writing at the moment. Still on the jewellery lines but it hasn’t come to fruition yet so watch this space I guess!
As I’m sure you will agree, Sam was a fabulous choice for the stall holder of the week award! And f she ever gives up jewellery making I can see a bright future for her on the comedy circuit! Of course, there are so many other stalls who have been stars over the last week and they deserve a special mention too. Sadly I can’t pick all of them so each week I will pick just 4 and this week, in no particular order, special mentions are going out to….
Before you go…these are a few of my favourite things…. There are so many amazing and gorgeous products on the website, so many talented stall holders! Each week I will picking just a few of my favourites items to share with you and these are just some of them…. Why not take a little time and browse the site to find your own…
If you would like to meet some more stall holders then why not join the group Supermums Chatty Room on Facebook! Its a place for all stall holders to show off their stalls and get to know each other but everyone is welcome to come along and join in the fun. After all, what could be better than chatting and shopping with friends! And please do come back next week to see who has been chosen as the next… Stall Holder Of The Week…. xxx