This weekend I took a nice wander down to Clutter City at the Norwich Arts Centre. It was their first birthday, but sadly I wasn’t one of the first 100 people through the door so didn’t manage to pick up one of the free badges by illustrator Gemma Correll.

Unfortunately I am pretty bereft of cash at the moment so this was merely a browsing exercise, though many of the vendors also sell online so should I want to make a purchase before the next Clutter City date on 30th May I can pop along to their online shop. This was my first visit to Clutter City, despite it being a year old, I seem to have always been away or busy when it’s been on previously.

Everyone put such effort into decorating their stalls. The main hall (above) was a treasure trove  of stalls crowded with handmade goodies with brightly coloured balloons floating above. While the brighter, lighter corridor had a kitschy cute feeling with cupcakes from the Cambridge Cupcake Company and music from a gorgeous retro record player.

Some of my favourite stalls, which are definitely worth checking out in future were these innovative bags made from recycled ties from Made by Teapot and hair clips made from recycled shopping bags by Smith & Allison. It doesn’t look like Smith & Allisons website is up and running at the moment unfortunately.

I also loved these gorgeous cocktails hats, headpieces and fascinators, some hand knitted by Miss Blue Eyes.

All the vendors at Clutter City are asked to bring a small gift for the charity lucky dip, which is £2 a go, with all proceeds going to EACH. I pulled out some really cute pink and red wrapping with a ladybird stamp.

Which turned out to be an adorable pin cushion from etsy shop My Favourite.

Clutter City was a really great event, and I now really regret not having made it in the past. It’s great to be able to wander round so many fabulous handmade and crafty stalls and actually see the items in the flesh, it’s like a real life Etsy!

I will definitely be paying Clutter City a visit again, and next time I will be taking my pocket money with me to pick up some lovely handmade and local bits and pieces for my wardrobe or my home.

My pin cushion has found a place in my conservatory where I take my photographs for the Retro Chick shop. I always have pins to hand as it can help show off a sleeve, or the fullness of a skirt to best effect and this is a much easier way to keep them to hand than keeping them in the plastic wheel they came in like I did before!