Are you:
- a collector?
- looking for second-hand items?
- excited when you get a good deal?
- needing some new pieces of furniture?
- looking for something Swiss?
- interested in meeting new people?
Then why not sign-up to go “junking” with Lisa Cirieco-Ohlman, editor of Know-it-all passport and bargain-hunter extraordinaire? Junking is the term that Lisa affectionately calls her favorite pass-time/stress-reliever! She collects things that make her happy and she is especially proud when she gets a good bargain. Friends and clients that come to her home are are always amazed at the number and variety of things that she is able to find at bargain prices. Her collections are bought piece by piece but are now worth quite a lot, sometimes in monetary value and sometimes for sentimental reasons. Old furniture is given a new lease on life by refinishing or painting. Complete sets of dishes are used on special occasions - her fondue plates with Swiss scenes or sayings always bemuse her guests! Even baskets that have been tossed away look fabulous in her home after they have received a fresh coat of paint.
Given the huge number of requests we receive to post Christmas events on our website, we have decided, again, to compile a list of Christmas markets for you, and add a few of our own recommendations as well. This initial list includes just a few of the fairs coming up over the next couple of weeks - we will have many more to add over the coming days. If you have a favorite fair that you would like us to add, please send us an email with the details, including any flyers for us to post on our Events Calendar.
Christmas markets are a great place to go to get a flavor of the local customs and traditions of this region - and of course to buy unique, hand-crafted products to send as presents to your folks back home. Most of the markets provide food stalls offering local delicacies, including of course a welcome glass of mulled wine (otherwise known as vin chaud or glühwein). For the children, there are often many activities organized - and if they're lucky, Santa Claus may make a surprise visit!
Click on the name of the event to see more information on each listing. Since some of the information has been sourced from other websites, we recommend that you verify the time and location of any events that interest you before you set out – just in case the dates have changed.
10% discount for knowitall.ch readers on purchases made before 14 December 2014 (see below for conditions).
A new online fabric and haberdashery store has just been launched in Switzerland.
Set up by sewing enthusiast, Ana Olivera, Tissu & Co stocks a wide range of beautiful and stylish fabrics from some of the top brands in the world. The website also offers modern sewing patterns, sewing kits for beginners, and top quality sewing notions, many of which are difficult to source locally in Switzerland. Product descriptions are currently available in both French and English, with German to be added shortly.
Asked why she decided to set up a store in Switzerland, Ana told knowitall.ch, “I started sewing in my teens and by my mid twenties I was a very prolific sewist. However, I stopped for many years as my professional career and personal life became more demanding. A few years ago, I rediscovered my passion for sewing through the internet, sewing blogs and social media. But I quickly became frustrated as there were so many products that I just could not find where I live in Vaud, so I decided to create Tissu & Co!”
Donate your back-of-the-closet, luxury footwear and handbags and help make a difference to the lives of children with learning differences and special educational needs.
ASK – All Special Kids, a non-profit association providing essential support for local families of children with learning differences and special educational needs, has just teamed up with the Rush Pop Up fashion store, to create a unique charity shopping event in Geneva.
Called Viva Vintage!, the special shoe and bag sale will take place at the Nest Gallery in Geneva on Thursday, 18 December from 17h to 21h. In the days leading up to the event, both ASK and Rush are asking the general public to hand in once-loved, like-new luxury footware and handbags at various locations throughout Geneva. Click here to find a depot near you or contact event organizer and ASK board member, Cheryl Sanders, to arrange pick-up from your home or workplace.
Special discount for knowitall.ch readers on all orders before end 2014!
If you’re looking for something a little bit different to furnish your home, then you should take a look at some of the soft interior furnishings created by Susan Inglis, Creative Designer at The Purple Thistle.
Using Scottish fabrics such as Harris Tweed, mixed with a variety of different cottons, Susan has produced a range of beautifully hand-crafted products for the home with a decidedly Scottish twist to them. In addition to classic cushions decorated with well-known Scottish icons such as Scottie dogs and Highland cows, she supplies wedding favors, personal gifts and trendy accessories, also adorned with Scottish emblems such as thistles and stags, etc.
