Ivybridge Artisan Market will be celebrating its tenth birthday on Saturday, May 2 upstairs in Stowford Hall at The Watermark.

It was started on the demise of the 'Farmer's 'market in Ivybridge.

The manager of the Watermark at the time, Jonathan was approached for a venue and helped with the start up.

The market operates on the first Saturday of the month from 9.30am to 1pm except in January and August.

Local author Stephanie Austen will open the market, sign books and will be accompanied by another local author, Helen Dixon.

Formerly a teacher then an artist, astrologer and dabbler in antiques, Stephanie’s first crime novel, Dead in Devon, was set in Ashburton and centred on its heroine Juno Brown who has since appeared in eight more novels most recently, Murdered in Devon.

All make their products at home and the ethos of the market is to give a platform for 'make at home artisans', some of whom have moved on to bigger things from the market base.

David, who once made wood-turned pens for the G7 summit from his garden shed, now has a workshop and supplies a range of customers.

Hannah, who provided her own art work for printed tea towels of local interest, and other items, now has a workshop at Mountbatten a third artisan, Denise, has sold her products to America.

There are now two regular bakers, Meg who does cakes, savouries and gluten free products and Jan who makes American-style cookies.

There could soon be an artisan bread maker.

From preserves, paintings, bags, jewellery, decorated plant pots, plants, and other artistic products, there is a great mix of quality original goods on sale.

The market is always welcoming and the artisans are always willing to exchange ideas with one another and their customers.