Stockport Zine Fair 2025

Saturday the 14th of June was the first Stockport Zine Fair, run by PippyMakesZines! I met her at Barnsley Zine Fair back in February 2024 and followed her and her sister on Instagram. Her sister Lolah lives in Sheffield and dresses in like a goth Lolita style which I really love, so I'm always happy to see her. So when I saw Pippy was doing a zine fair in Stockport I applied for a table and was happy to get one. From our house it's only about an hour to Stockport so it's ideal. 

We set off about 8.15. I was driving because Lee has been having some problems with his knee which makes driving painful. We managed to find Merseyway shopping centre and parked on the top for all day. We went down in the lift and the Stockroom, where the fair was being held, was just near where we came out. We went in and found our table as well as a whole information pack for traders which was really thoughtful and really helped!

We got set up and the fair opened at 10am. There was a steady flow of people all day, it was really busy! I had a ton of conversations with people about what zines are, what I write, the type of zines I like to read, and so on. I traded with a woman maybe a little older than me who had really cool designs of stuff, and with a youngish person who was SO happy to trade with me. I will ALWAYS trade - I love it, it gets my zines into more hands, and it gets me more zines that I might not otherwise have had a chance to read. It's just so lovely. 

Kirsty and Vicky were also trading, Kirsty sells their own zines and Vicky has a distro and sells zines by a bunch of people, so it was nice to catch up with both of them. Jane Claire Bradley attended as a buyer; she was one of the organisers of Grrrl Con which I went to twice in 2016 and 2017 so it was lovely to see her and I happened to have a Grrrl Con 2017 zine that I made that I gave her. 

At lunchtime Lee went out to get lunch for us. I ended up with an egg sandwich and a veggie sausage roll from Pound Bakery; Lee got a jacket potato from a van in the precinct. He also told me that there was a donut van right outside the Stockroom so we decided we would go there when the fair finished. 

I started a new cross stitch - I have been working on other crafts but as we were about to go on holiday I needed something that was more portable than the lace making I've been doing. This is a kit from Caterpillar Cross Stitch that I have had for a while but hadn't started. I love those first new stitches on a brand new piece of cloth. 

The fair finished at 3 and we got packed up. Then we headed downstairs and out into the precinct. We walked to Zizzi to have something savoury. We weren't extremely hungry so we shared a margherita pizza, some fries, and some courgette fries. It was just enough for us. Then we went back to the donut stall and had donuts, ice cream, and chocolate sauce. It was delicious! 

We set off home about 5pm; Lee drove this time. We got home just before 6 and rested for a bit - we had had a very difficult week so we needed it. Then I just watched some crap TV before bed. My last photo is of everything I bought, traded, or was given. The purple post it note was given to me by a small child and while I'm not entirely sure what it's meant to be, I love it! I am going to stick it in my journal soon!

The first few stitches of my new cross stitch, I will try to remember to post it when it's finished!

My stall all set up - we sold out of quite a few things!

Donuts in the sunshine - it was spitting with rain a bit too but we managed to escape it

And here's everything I got - well, I say I, really this was between Lee and I

Afternoon Out at Elsecar

On the 8th of June I didn't plan on doing anything as I had had a busy week, but Lee was a bit down because he had been working really had, so he suggested that we went to Elsecar Heritage Centre. That was fine by me, so we got dressed and headed out. When we got there it was obvious that something was happening as it was really busy. But we managed to get a parking space easily and headed in. It was an outdoor market and it was really good! I'm glad we went. I picked up some wax melts, we bought pies to eat later, and we got some presents too. 

We went into the antiques centre and I saw a tanzanite and diamond ring and it was just my size and absolutely gorgeous, and just £39. I got 10% off it and was really pleased! 

Then it was lunchtime and I was hungry, so we looked at what food was available and decided to sit in the pub part and order food from an outdoor stall there. They didn't have tons of veggie choice but they had a falafel and spinach burger so I got that. It took a while to come but it was delicious when it did! It rained a bit so a bit of us got wet but we were under an umbrella. Lee got a chicken kebab and really enjoyed it, so it was worth it. 

We went round the rest of the centre and the rest of the market stalls but didn't pick up much else. Lee went into the record shop while I sat outside. We should have picked up coffee for the way home but forgot. 

We got home about 4pm and Lee took this photo of me in my handmade dress that I picked up at the clothes swap in May. I had been wearing it the previous day in Penistone, too, but didn't get a photo. It was comfortable all weekend! I had a long nap which I must have really needed, but I'm glad we had gone out after all. 

The ring that I bought, I love the colour of the stones

Here we are waiting for food

And my gorgeous dress when we got home!

Day Out in Penistone

On the 7th of June I had plans with Sam in Penistone. I had seen that there was a special screening of Cabaret which we love, so we had booked that ages ago. Then it turned out that The Salt Path was out at the same time and screening earlier in the day. Some of my book club were going, so I arranged to meet them for lunch first and then meet Sam at the cinema. 

About nine of us went to The Loft for lunch. I've been before but it was a really long time ago. I had cheese on toast with Henderson's Relish. It was very cheesy! I also had a huge latte. By the time we had finished there, it was close to 2pm so I hotfooted it down to the cinema to meet Sam. We went in and got our seats. 

We read the book for book club a couple of years ago (my review here) so a few of us were intrigued to see the film. I got quite a lot out of it having read the book - there were times when I knew what would happen and so on. It looked stunning, the scenery of the south west is gorgeous, and it was nice to see places I've been like in Minehead and Porlock Weir. Jason Isaacs and Gillian Anderson both looked great and I thought the wardrobe and make up were great. The sound was annoying at times because of the wind and they mumbled a lot. Gillian's accent left a lot to be desired, but over all I liked the film. But Sam hasn't read the book and she didn't get as much out of the film as me. But we were both glad to have seen it. 

We walked up to The Vault where Sam had booked us a table for food. I had focaccia with oil and vinegar, Brie bites with chilli dip, and fries with parmesan and truffle oil. I had a Hugo cocktail to start off with. Then I had an espresso martini with my pudding, which was a brownie with ice cream. When we had finished that we still had some time before Cabaret so we popped downstairs to the bar down there, which is sold as a speakeasy. I'm not really sure it has that vibe, but it is cute. I had a pornstar martini. 

We went back down to the cinema for 7.30. It was much less busy than The Salt Path, but still a good number. I love Cabaret but hadn't seen it in forever so there was loads of it I had forgotten. It was nice to see it on the big screen. It finished about 10pm and there wasn't a train for Sam until after 11pm so I didn't want to leave her in Penistone just yet, so we walked up to the Spreadeagle for a drink. I've never been in but it's nice inside. There was a boxing match on (with a lad that is from Barnsley apparently so clearly the locals were invested) so we ended up watching some of that. Lee picked me up about ten to eleven and we got home and went to bed!

What a lovely day - I'm not sure I've ever done two cinema screenings in one day before but it was fun to see both films. Penistone Paramount is a really cute little cinema, really old school style like the one we had in Wakefield when I was little. They have an intermission in the middle of the film which is cute too. 

Pride flags in full flight outside the cinema

Hugo cocktail, it was really nice

Focaccia and oil, I didn't get a photo of the rest of my food, oops!

My espresso martini and Sam's pornstar martini 

Dessert

This cute sign was in the loo

Cocktails downstairs in the speakeasy. They do a bottomless brunch so Sam and Jac and I will have to go down there one day

The intermission in Cabaret, so cute

And the poster up in the hallway. I don't know why it says Cabaret was the 50th anniversary screening when it wasn't - the film was released in 1972! But never mind eh

Films of the Month - May

I watched eleven films in May which wasn't a lot actually. I didn't watch any until the 8th of May, for one reason or another, and then I had a ten day gap mid month. I guess I was just busy! But here's what I did see:

I've never seen Starter for Ten even though I love James McAvoy, so when I saw it on iPlayer I watched it. It's cute, I liked it

The BBC also recommended this to me so I gave it a go. Patrick Kielty was better than I thought. It's the kind of slow, melancholic film that I sometimes really like

Lee and I watched The Wedding Singer while we were away in Withernsea. I absolutely love it and always have, so it was nice to see it again as I haven't for ages

We also watched Toy Story because it's a classic but didn't require either of us to really pay much attention to it

Jac and I watched the Rocky Horror Picture Show virtually together just after I had seen it live, because I hadn't seen it in forever and wanted to

And then the day after I watched The Perks of Being A Wallflower because of the Rocky Horror part of it. It's a pretty good film, I quite like it. I loved the book but it's a really long time since I read it

Lee and I watched Monsters Inc one Friday evening as we both love it

I don't remember ever seeing the Godfather Part III in total before. There were loads of things that happened in the film that I utterly don't remember, so I'm really not sure if I have or not. It's fine. Not amazing, but fine

I managed to find the Road Diary of Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band, and it was glorious. It was such a brilliant look into the band and into Bruce's history and into his shows and the fandom. It was brilliant. Plus it had footage from Sunderland 2024 when it was absolutely throwing it down just before he came on stage. I was there!

I watched Almost Famous because I just love it so much

Finally I watched Judy, the biography of Judy Garland. I have seen it before but didn't remember a lot of it. It's fine, I'm not sure Renee was brilliant for the role but she was okay

Afternoon Out in York

On the second of June I went to York for the afternoon to see Jacqui. First of all I went to craft club, and then I ran errands and picked up some lunch, and then I went home and ate my sandwich sitting on the bed talking to Katniss, and then my mum arrived to take me to the train station in Barnsley. Lee works in Sheffield on Mondays so couldn't take me. So I had asked my mum to. She wasn't well - ongoing issues with post mastectomy stuff - so my stepdad was driving. They dropped me off at the station and I got on a train to Wakefield Kirkgate which was stupid because they could have taken me there! But I thought I was changing in Leeds. Never mind. I then got on a train to York. 

At York, at 2.30ish, I left the station and walked left to go under the city walls. I had decided to walk into town even though I knew it was quite a long way for me; I took it steadily and I stopped a couple of times but I was fine. I walked all the way to the Minster, across Lendal bridge. 

I went into the Red House antiques centre and I think I looked at every piece of jewellery they had! But I didn't get anything. Then I stopped outside the Minster for a few minutes. It was warm, although not too sunny. I walked along High Petergate, stopping in a couple of shops. Outside Shared Earth an American woman stopped me to say that she liked my walking stick - it is white with pretty watercolour flowers on it. She had a cane herself and we had a nice chat about the ergonomic handle I have on mine and how it really helps my hand to not hurt. It was a nice conversation! 

I walked up Stonegate and went into a few shops there. I went into an antiques place there and was taken with a tourmaline and white topaz pendant on a silver necklace. I had Christmas money left over still so I bought it for just under £60. It's lovely, I've worn it twice since. By this time Jac had finished work and was sitting in Evil Eye waiting for me. 

It's an iconic cocktail bar for me; it was there when I was at York St John twenty years ago. I haven't been in absolutely forever so had suggested it to Jac. I had a Constantine to start off with which is a classic. Then I had an Evil Sunrise which was also nice. 

We had planned to eat in a restaurant called Coto which was Vietnamese, but it was closed. So we went round to Pho instead. The food was fine but the place itself was a bit odd. But not to worry, we had a good time anyway. I had a Pride cocktail which was a bit peachy and a bit minty - no ideal what made it Pride themed but it's June so fuck it! 

I had walked a really long way by this and was feeling pretty sore. I had used some kinesioogy tape on my feet and I think it really helped - I'll be using it again. But I don't think I could have made it all the way back to the station, so Jac and I looked for a bus but the road was shut, so we jumped in a taxi instead. It dropped me at the station and then took her home. I got myself a drink for the journey home. Lee ended up picking me up at Wakefield Kirkgate because otherwise I would have had to wait for nearly an hour before I had got back to Barnsley, so it made sense to. 

It was a lovely afternoon! 

Just as I left the station, this is part of the city walls

The river Ouse from Lendal Bridge

Looking up at the Minster from a seat just outside. There were people around, honestly!

In Evil Eye. Definitely visit if you're in York

Evil Sunrise

Pride punch in Pho

Of course I got what I always get - summer rolls with peanut sauce

And tofu curry with rice

Martha Wainwright in Leeds

On the first of June Sam and I had tickets to see Martha Wainwright in Leeds. We absolutely love her and have seen her a number of times over the years, although we couldn't remember exactly the last time we had seen her. It was the 20th anniversary of her debut album, because we are all old as fuck these days, so she was playing the album in its entirety. We bought tickets back in November and it felt like forever away, but now it's June which just seems crackers, we're nearly halfway through the year!

Sam and I decided to meet at Zaap to eat first. It's a Thai restaurant at the bottom of the Grand Arcade and I've been past it a hundred times but have never been in. I know that Sam had been before though and she said it was good. I drove to Leeds and parked just down from Zaap because I know it's a decent car park and would be fine late on too. I was a bit early so I walked up and got us a table in Zaap. Sam arrived not too long afterwards. 

I had a frozen lemonade which was slushy and delicious. To start with we shared vegetable spring rolls and deep fried tofu with chilli sauce. They were both nice but the tofu needed a bit of seasoning on it as it was a bit dull. Then I had tofu paneang curry with rice which was spicy and delicious. So good! I really liked it.

We then walked up to the City Varieties Hall where Martha was playing. It wasn't quite open as we were early, so we went in the pub next door. Then we also had a drink in the theatre itself before we took our seats. Martha came on just after 7.30 and played about half of the album in an hour or so. She always has interesting stories to tell. Her band were good and included her cousin Lily Lanken. After an hour there was an interval. I popped to the loo but we didn't move otherwise. 

Martha came back on by herself at first. She played a new song, which was great, and a cover of a Rufus Wainwright song (her brother, if you didn't know) which was good. Then she played the rest of the album and finished off with Bloody Mother Fucking Asshole (a song about her dad, Loudon Wainwright III). She finished at 9.30 so it was still light when we left the theatre! I was home by 10.10pm which was perfect! 

It was a good night, I enjoyed myself.

Starters

And my amazing curry

And the stage before Martha and her band came on. It was more like a theatre show than a gig because you couldn't really take photos while she was on. We were on the third row, right in the middle, so had a brilliant view

A Gorgeous Dress from a Clothes Swap

On the 28th of May I headed to Sheffield to see Lolly because we had a date at Costco planned! She is a member and I really wanted to go, so we set it up. I set off to Laura's about 10.45 and went in when I got there. Franklin was off because it was half term, and Gary had just come in too, so it was nice to see both of them. Lolly and Franklin and I set off to Costco together. It was busy! I guess because the kids were off. 

I was determined to not buy too much rubbish, but I did also want a blender if there was one. I got one for £30! I also got some rice crackers, wine gums, cat food, a Victoria sponge, some San Pellegrino, and some mango lassi. The cat food wasn't much cheaper than it usually is, but at least we've got a stock of it now. Everything else was cheaper. 

Laura ordered a cheese pizza and a mango smoothie each, and we put everything in the car while the pizza was cooking. Then we headed back to Laura's to eat. The pizza was nice - warm and cheesy and delicious. The smoothie was nice too! We then split the two cakes we had bought so we had half each of chocolate fudge and Victoria sponge, and split some cookies we bought too. Over twenty years ago my dad had a Costco card and we used to buy the fudge cakes and slice them up and freeze them, and when you microwave them from the freezer they're all melted and delicious. We also used to buy cases of fizzy pop which I would take to college. I would have bought some, but they didn't have any caffeine free Pepsi or Coke. But I came in under £90 which was good to be honest!

I sat chatting to Laura for a bit but before I left I got her to take a photo of my dress. I picked it up at the clothes swap in Manchester a couple of weeks previously. It had a label on it that said handmade and I really liked it. I wasn't sure it would fit, but tried it on over the dress I was wearing and it seemed to be fine. I thought it might be a bit low on the neckline, in which case I would have worn a cami underneath it, but it actually isn't.

It is a gorgeous swishy fabric, with a really cute little pattern. It has pockets! It is also a really good length on me and I will wear it without tights over the summer too. I can't believe someone was giving it away but I really love it and am so glad I picked it up!

The pattern is palm trees, surfboards, and little boats. I love it

And here I am in Converse and tights are per usual