Creative Crafting Magazine June 2012 by Creative Crafting

interviews

Projects

Your items

CREATIVE 1

features

JUNE

2012

ISSUE 17

You are busy with your business, Working hard we know. You deserve a little trophy,

#COW Coming on Thursday 14th June to a Twitter account

Three ladies of the grass. Creative, zany and of course, we have a little class.

Daisy is the one for you. She really is artistic,

An accolade to show. So here we are to help you,

If your business is creative,

And so good with colour too. Fabulous, Unique Badges to be won every week! Collect all three and receive the special Herd Award! www.cow-awards.com

So tweet us with your item/site,

Now Bessie is outstanding and prim and proper, so, If your business is quite classy She is the way to go.

We will check them out and see.

Then there is me, I am Cow Pat

Then award a little cameo,

And I am just a loon.

Yes, of the girls we three.

Yes, it is true, that was me who jumped over the moon

I go for the unusual ,the zany and bizarre, So I will check out all your details I really am a star. We know it is a little silly But let’s just have some fun Then you can tell your friends and neighbours Yes, it is a cow I have won!

‘The Green Grass Girls’ www.twitter.com/#!/CowAwards www.facebook.com/TheCowAwards

THE TEAM Editor and Ad Sales - Anna (The Crystal Lady)

CREATIVE

thecrystallady@creative-crafting.com Technical Editor - Avril (Sprinkles Sparkles) sprinks@creative-crafting.com Proof Reading- Martina (Sparrow Primitives)

FEATURE WRITERS

Welcome to our June 2012 Issue. Issue 17! It will be our 3rd Birthday in October! So much to look forward to. The Diamond Jubilee is almost upon us, what crafty fun that has been to prepare for. Not forgetting the Olympic Games in London during July. What a business year it is proving to be.

Tina - In the Garden Tracey - Wowthankyou Claire - Elderberry Arts Jim- James Kath Guitars Sally - The Bead Bounty Jamie - Mr X Stitch Silvia - SlowLane Handmade Flick - Perfect Patchwork Samantha - Vintage Rose Angie - Chez Hippo Kerri-Ann - Imagine Design Create

The fourth CRAFTfest event will be happening from 9th - 16th June so donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss out on that one. It is the biggest one yet with 181 virtual craft stalls open 24 hours a day for an entire week. This issue welcomes back some of our regular favourites and introduces us to some new writers who will be joining us for future issues. We welcome Flick from Perfect Patchwork who will be providing us with some wonderful needlework projects and Sally-Jo from The Bead Bounty who is our newest jewellery project writer. Jim, Tracey, Jamie, Claire, Silvia and Tina are of course with us again. We are also announcing the fabulous new Cow Awards! Yes, you heard me right! You can win a cow! 3 in fact, every week from 14th June. Visit the Cow Awards website for more information about #COW. Remember, if you would like a hard copy of this issue, look out for the links on our website. It is paid for by the page, but worth it if you would like to hold onto and read a hard copy! The magazine is printed by HP Magcloud. If you would like to submit an article, get in touch at articles@creative-crafting.com. We would love to hear from you! The Creative Crafting Team

Organisers of

www.creative-crafting.com www.creative-connections.ning.com

AvAnna

Publications

~ Raising the profile of the crafting community ~ Your Creative Team

Anna - Editor Avril - Technical Editor 3

Visit our site using your mobile QR APP!

Get in touch! We always love to hear of your crafting experiences and read your feedback for Creative Crafting. Email us at: articles@creative-crafting.com

CREATIVE

There’s a new herd in town! The Crafting Worlds answer to #SBS has arrived!! It’s time to Win a COW! #COW

Crystal Magic The Crystal Lady discovers some beautiful handcrafted Garnet creations.

A Year in Sante Fe Part Check in with James and Maritza and find out how life has been treating them in Sante Fe

11 Twittering on and on and on

Tracey from Wow Thank You asks a selection of crafters their opinions on using the Twitter Social Network.

16 Coin Pearl & Seed Bead Necklace and

Earrings with Crystal Rondelles Sally-Jo from The Bead Bounty has a beautiful project for us.

20 An Interview with The Bead Bounty It’s time to meet Sally-Jo and find out what makes inspires her to create her beautiful beads.

24 ‘Perfect’ Creations designed for you Flick from Perfect Patchwork starts her regular feature with an Embellished Book Cover project.

28 An Interview with Oakwood Soaperie Ceri introduces us to the fascinating world of Soap Making.

31 Millie-Mae and Mummy make ….

A Recycled CD Disco Ball Sun Catcher

34 Little Hippo Presents …

Crafts can sell - Just add a Hippo!

36 Tina in the Garden

Tina is back with us in the Garden and is welcoming some warm weather.

40 In the spotlight with Mr X Stitch This issue Jamie is introducing Marshall Thompson.

42 A Very Berry Charm Bracelet

Another fabulous beading project by Claire from Elderberry Arts

45 An Interview with Lazy Daisy Glass

Meet award winning Kat and her craft business.

49 Recipes from the Slowlane Silvia is with us again. This issue she shares her recipe for Rhubarb Chutney.

50 Vintage Rose

Find out about a ‘crafty’ little idea of ‘Rent a shelf’.

52 Inspiring the next generation to get creative Get crafting with your children with the help of ‘Imagine, Design, Create’.

54 Crafters Directory

Become a part of a WONDERFUL COMMUNITY

Customise your OWN PROFILE PAGE

UPLOAD PHOTOS AND VIDEOS to promote your creations

Promote your business and NETWORK

Hosts of Join in on the FUN IN THE FORUM

CRAFT fest Take part in ONLINE CRAFT FAIRS

CHAT

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www.creative-connections.ning.com

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Spend time in our CHAT ROOM and host your own CHAT EVENTS

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Do you own a small craft business? Are you fed up of friends and customers thinking it is just a hobby? Join us now and receive your unique registration number, certificate and badges for your website to show just how serious you are about being a working crafter. Help us to elevate the status of handmade gifts and take advantage of special Guild Discounts from craft suppliers.

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Garnet was the stone of heroes who had to deal with difficult tasks and trials to prove their courage. Warriors in the Middle Ages had garnet set in their shields and sword hilts to protect themselves and bring luck, wealth and blessings. ● Mentally - Stone of Crisis, self-confidence, strength of character. ● Physically - works with: the immune system and circulation. Regeneration in the body. ● Chakra: Base, Heart, purifies and energizes all.

Garnet Promise Ring FernandoJewelry www.etsy.com/shop/FernandoJewelry

$330

Garnet Sterling Silver Earrings Glitzy Gecko www.folksy.com/shops/GlitzyGecko

£12.00

Victorian Steampunk Necklace Garnet Sterling Silver Pendant Wiresculptress www.artfire.com/ext/shop/studio/Wiresculptress

£214.97 Green Garnet Luxury IandFDesigns www.etsy.com/shop/IandFDesigns

$52 If you would like more information about Crystal Healing Jewellery, you can contact The Crystal Lady at: thecrystallady@mysticearth.co.uk or visit http://www.mysticearth.co.uk 7

c i g a M l Crysta

A Year in Sante Fe Part 5

or those who may not have read our previous articles, we moved to our final resting place, so to speak, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. New Mexico is NOT a part of the country of Mexico, but if you were blindfolded and dropped here, you probably wouldn’t know the difference. In fact, so many people even in the United States, think that New Mexico is part of Old Mexico that they had to put “USA” on the license plates here. We’re not a highly educated bunch.

My wife, Maritza, is a jeweler and has become quite a skilled silversmith. She makes southwest jewelry with silver and turquoise as well as folk art jewelry in the “Day Of The Dead” style, which, if you aren’t familiar, is from Mexico (the Old one not the new one. I know, it gets confusing).

We also purchased a house at the same time we were opening the store because we just didn’t have enough stress and chaos in our lives. So now I think you’re up to date with our progress.

Since the last article things have been sort of quiet. In terms of running a In the last issue I explained how we business “sort of quiet” is NOT a good just rented a new storefront. The thing. My guitar business and front room of this three-room building Maritza’s jewelry business, aside from is where Maritza has put a gallery with the obvious, are completely different her jewelry and art from other local animals. The jewelry business is all This series of articles is about our artists. The back two rooms are about people wandering off the street experiences of moving to Santa Fe to where I make and restore fine guitars. with pockets full of money and making try to make a living being artists. spontaneous purchases for things they People in Santa Fe fall into three want or plan to give as gifts. So categories: Native born Santa Fean, passersby are essential for Maritza’s Old hippie with no place left to live the side of the business. For the guitar hippie style and burned-out exbusiness, nobody is going to corporate employees. We are the spontaneously wander in and buy a latter. After thirty years as a six-thousand-dollar guitar. My corporate computer programmer, my clientele is more intentional and brain looks like a mixture of cottage responds to advertisements in cheese and spam, so the only obvious magazines, online or they see the sign choice was to move to Santa Fe and on the building and remember me make guitars for a living. when they need something fixed. 8

The problem we’re having is that access to my shop is through Maritza’s gallery. Imagine this scenario: as a child you beg and beg for a pony. Finally one day your father walks through the front door with a pony in tow. You go crazy with excitement that you finally got your pony. But then he just passes through the room into the backyard and has the pony start plowing a garden. No pony for you. That’s how Maritza feels at least six times a day. People walk in, say hello to her, then pass right through into my shop. She said she feels like my receptionist. I feel sorry for her but….

over four-thousand dollars. Last night we got to soak in the tub for the first time. I still feel cranky, guess it doesn’t work for men.

circus. People can see that we’re there, but they must hate us or something. I promise we shower every day, so it’s not that. Don’t know what it is. I think I need to buy one of Back to the store. So the old adage those huge hooks they used to use in “Location Location Location” is quite Vaudeville to pull acts off of the stage true. The store we rent is right on the and I’ll swipe tourists from the periphery of the art district here; the sidewalk. Hmmm, not a bad idea. equivalent of the top row of seats in the coliseum. We figured that we may On the guitar side of things I’ve been not have the best seats, but at least doing really well with repairs and we’re in the stadium. We’ll spend an restorations. However, we moved entire Saturday with not one person here so that I can make guitars, not walking into the store, but when we just fix them. But I’m appreciative of drive half a mile into town it is littered the business and hope that at least with pedestrians shopping like crazy; some of the repair customers buy a it’s like we’re invisible. We have so guitar from me sooner or later. But many signs in front of the store that I’m really hoping for sooner because we’re starting to look like a cheap the rent needs to be paid!

Tourist season hasn’t really kicked in yet; we have about three more weeks. From what we’ve been told the tourists will be swarming like bees in no time and we won’t be able to keep up with jim@kathguitars.com them. I have some doubts about this maritza@lalunaranchwear.com phenomenon but have faith that God won’t let us go broke, which, by the Seriously we WANT you to email us, so do it! Do it now!!!! way is pretty darn close to happening.

James Kath Guitars

On a side note, we just drained our bank account remodeling the bathroom of our new house. The people that lived here before were both in wheelchairs, so the bathroom shower was large enough to park a London taxi and there was no bathtub at all, just the shower. Maritza, as do most women, she assures me, needs to soak in a bathtub from time to time in order to keep from getting cranky. That was good enough reason for me so we hired two guys to gut the bathroom and rebuild it. Well, I’m not supposed to use curse words in these articles so I won’t, but I would if I could. Four weeks. FOUR WEEKS and four thousand dollars later we have a bathroom. Of course we had to fire/sack them two weeks into the project because it was obvious they had no clue what they were doing. But they were very good at taking money. Maritza and I just finished the past two weeks tiling, grouting, painting and grumbling about having to do work that we paid someone else to do. I’m not a totally idiot, just a partial one, so I didn’t pay them the full amount, but it still cost 9

into the spotlight with

www.cow-awards.com 10

ow can you make social networking work for you? Are you on Twitter? Do you follow celebrities on Twitter? Or do you just use Twitter to rave at the world? No matter what you might think of Twitter, it is now universally acknowledged as a brilliant marketing tool. Although it cannot use embedded images, Twitter has the simple ability to promote a message succinctly and efficiently within just 140 characters. There are some who tweet about what they have had for dinner or what their journey home from work was like, but obviously Twitter is worth a lot more than that and as a direct marketing application it can be very effective. There are some companies who use Twitter in an automated fashion with applications such as HootSuite to promote their brands or send out newsfeeds, but simple repetition of ‘buy brand X here’ just simply does not cut it anymore and tweets have to be more sophisticated or offer some added value. Examples of this are personalities tweeting from exhibitions or craft fairs about their experiences and prize draw competitions. Many WowThankYou sellers make use of Twitter in their marketing and here we look at their experiences. Susan Bonnar of Dottie Designs is a real Twitter aficionado and swears by it. She has recently attained the ‘Sunday Small Business’ award, which is a scheme run by Theo Paphitis of Dragons’ Den fame, giving recognition to a few lucky small businesses who tweet him on Sunday evenings using the #SBS hash tag. Susan maintains that this is a wonderful networking tool and she has made a huge number of contacts by her messages being retweeted and the subsequent media attention. Susan explained “

” Laura of Laura Felicity has had similar experiences with Twitter and reckons it is a great tool for contacting potential customers and journalists. Laura says “

” She believes it is also a great way of making friends and sharing experiences and advice as being a small designer maker can be quite a lonely existence. She added “ ” Kelly Giles of Crafts from the Heath agrees with Laura in that Twitter has introduced her to some fantastic friends and also some useful contacts for her business. If she ever needs advice on aspects of business or marketing she always feels she can tweet some trusted friends. Kelly says “

” Jan Gibson of Quirky Quartz has only been on Twitter for about six months and already prefers it to Facebook as she finds it more receptive with better feedback and more users willing to re-tweet and share words and images. Jan told us, “

” Claire Ogden of Claire Ogden Designs simply adores Twitter and could not do without it in her new role as the ‘wedding guru’. “

”

Val Williams of SlickSilver Jewellery uses Twitter only for business purposes to raise her profile and follow galleries, designers and other crafters who might be interested in her products. She likes the camaraderie of the Twitterati and sees them as a virtual set of colleagues that she can bounce ideas off. Val explains “

” Val also warns against the use of preset tweets, which although useful are easily found out. “

” Val’s final advice is to keep tweets chatty and don’t get hung up on the hard sell as Twitter people don’t like it and see far too much of it on Twitter. By keeping the tweets light and chatty she has had lots of sales to followers.

Tracy Griffin and Sandra Dowse of Pickle Pie Creations have seen the other side of Twitter when it can all go horribly wrong. They were gradually building up followers and feeding their Facebook updates through to Twitter. Having reached about 300 followers a customer offered them the use of a service to instantly find them 1,000 followers in exchange for one of their prints. Unfortunately this did not work out quite as expected and resulted in their Twitter account being blocked for aggressive following. Be warned. There are companies on the Internet that will offer you instant followers but Twitter is wise to this and will suspend your account, sometimes permanently. For Tracy and Sandra there was a happy ending. Twitter did eventually relent and unblock their account but they are now just collecting followers in an organic natural fashion and making it work for them too. Tracy says, “

” Twitter can be a great marketing tool and fun as well. You get to talk to loads of new people with different ideas and experience in addition to spreading the word about your work. It is all about building followers and trust there are no short cuts here you definitely need to put the hours in. Giving everyone the hard sell all the time is just a big turn off on Twitter; I know this for a fact as I have ‘ghost written’ tweets for some companies who just load them up on HootSuite and expect the earth. Twitter is personal and although short automated campaigns are useful you need to be there to respond and re-tweet to get the best out of it. If you happen to be online on Sunday evenings, don’t forget to send your #sbs tweet to @theopaphitis – for the sake of a moment of your time you could be one his chosen small businesses to re-tweet and you’ll gain lots of new followers! Also, keep your eyes open for other networking/brand-building opportunities on Twitter – a celebrity endorsement, or even a reply from one generates positive attention; and also keep your eyes peeled closer to home too as there’s a rumour that a new, fun, twitter-based networking venture is soon to be launched. A new mooover in the market - you herd it here first! Happy Tweeting! x

If you have missed any of Traceys regular articles in our magazines you can browse our back issues on our site. www.creative-crafting.com

Written By The Bead Bounty

2 x 60 inches of thin strong fishing line (make sure that 4 strands will go through your coin pearls as the holes on pearls are often quite small) 22 x 6mm Crystal Rondelles 12 x 12mm Coin Pearl 10g of size 11 seed beads 2 x calottes with loop for attaching clasp Toggle Clasp 2 x 2.5 inch Head Pin (make sure that they will fit through the hole of the coin pearls) 2 x Shepherds Hook Earring Wire I have added 2 x 4mm jump rings to the picture in case the calottes you are using have a closed loop. If the calottes are the same as the ones I have used, the jump rings are not required. Clear Nail Varnish or Glue

Flat Nosed Pliers Round Nosed Pliers Side Cutter Pliers

Creating the Necklace

Step 1. Thread both strands of fishing line through a seed bead and tie it at the centre so that you have 4 equal lengths of thread to work with.

Step 2. Thread the four strands through the Calotte and close it over the seed bead securing it in place.

Step 3. Thread 20 seed beads on each individual strand

Step 4. Bring all 4 strands together and thread on a Crystal Rondelle and a Coin Pearl. Divide the threads into two and tie a knot.

Step 6. Add the last Crystal Rondelle and thread 20 Seed Beads onto each strand and

Step 7. Take 2 strands, add a Seed Bead and tie a knot to secure the Calotte. Now add a dab of Glue or Nail Varnish to the knot for extra strength. Close the Calotte and trim off excess thread with Side Cutter Pliers.

thread them through the 2nd Calotte.

Step 5. Add the next Crystal Rondelle and repeat steps 3 and 4 until you have added 10 Coin Pearls

To create the plaited effect, start at one end of the necklace, make a gap in the Seed Bead strands, 2 strands at either side and pass the Toggle through the gap, twice, first plait. Going in the same direction each time, repeat the process until you reach the other end of the necklace.

Step 8. Add the Toggle Clasp

Creating the Earrings

Step 1. Take a Head Pin and thread on 1 x Seed Bead, 1 x Coin Pearl, 1 x Crystal Rondelle and 10 x Seed Beads

Step 2. Using a pair of Flat Nosed Pliers, bend the wire to a right angle and cut it to approximately 6 – 8 mm.

Step 4. Open the loop sideways and add it to the hook

Step 3. Take the Round Nosed Pliers and turn a loop for the earring to hang from the Shepherds hook

MOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Step 5. Repeat points 1 – 4 for the second earring #COW

Tell us about the lady behind The Bead Bounty

schools in Scarborough and Folkestone. I finally left school and went to Hello, my name is Sally-Jo and I live in Catering College in Birmingham, where the beautiful North East of England in I qualified as a Chef and went on to a seaside town close to the North York run a very successful catering business Moors National Park. until an aggressive take over saw it I have just celebrated my big 50 and off. have been happily married to my I am a practicing Christian and belong gorgeous husband Ian, for 27 years. to a Bible believing church in Redcar, We have two extremely talented where I live. children. Christopher, our son, is 25 and a music When did you first start creating your designs and why producer. He also teaches music technology at a local College. Our daughter, Sarah-Jo, is 24, has Over the years I have tried just about been married for nearly 2 years to her every craft going, from crochet to cake lovely husband Tim and is in her final decorating and cross-stitch to card year doing a costume design degree. making. I even had a pottery She also doubles as a Legal Secretary workshop at one point. but is going on to do teacher training after Uni. I spent years stringing beads and I was born in the North East of using all kinds of jewellery supplies England but spent many years of my from Wire to Thread and every kind of childhood in Nigeria, West Africa, Bead from Semi-Precious to Glass. travelling back and forth to boarding

When I launched The Bead Bounty 4 years ago, I started by selling seed beads and other jewellery and jewellery making supplies for people to learn the craft themselves. I also designed pieces for which I wrote the patterns and produced the kits and taught Bead weaving and jewellery making techniques to a group of ladies in my hometown. After about 3 years I discovered the Art of Lamp work and have not looked back. There are many mass produced beads available so to be able to produce my own, one off creations, is a never ending source of joy and pleasure to me.

For those of you who are familiar with Catherine Tate, I am referring to the sketch where she offers to do things for which she has no credentials The upshot was, that seventeen and a half hours later, some very sore fingers and a new skill to add to my repertoire, I had created a gold coloured, three and a half inch tall Tiara, adorned with Pearls and Swarovski Crystals fit for a Queen. The customer was delighted with it and, as I am sure you will understand, so was I.

Other than your crafting, what else do you like to do?

I love to write worship songs with my husband. We have written many songs over the years and it is wonderful to hear them being sung by the Congregation of the Church we attend. My husband plays the guitar and I sing. Our Son and Daughter are also part of the Worship team. Chris plays Bass Guitar and Sarah-Jo sings. We sometimes refer to ourselves as “The Von Trapps” and as I went to a Convent Boarding School and the Nuns never knew what to do with me, you could say there are similarities to Maria. OOH! I feel a song coming on. ‘What are we going to do about’, I am sure they changed the name to Maria so I could not sue, Lol. If you had to choose your favourite from your creations which one would it be? I have two actually, is that allowed? And strangely enough neither of them include my Lamp Work beads. That one is number three and I think I would be pushing my luck The first, I like to call my “Catherine Tate” moment. A lady came to my stall asking if I made Tiara’s I had done a lot of Wire Work in the past, but never a Tiara, so I said “I can do that”

The Second, I like to call my “Gob Smacked Moment” I used to attend a Local Craft Fair where I sold my Seed Beads and Jewellery. I always like to work at my stall as it inspires conversation and confidence from the customer. I was making a Christmas Bauble cover to turn into a kit for people to make themselves. Week after week a lady would come to the stall and ask me to make her one and I would explain that it would be a kit that she could purchase once I had written the pattern and Photographed the finished item. I finally had the kit for sale and she came again to ask me to make her one. I sold her two of the kits that came in at £12 each because of the amount of beads supplied. Having bought the kits she asked again if I would make her one. I said “No” because it would be an outrageous price. She asked how much (now bear in mind, these things take two days to make and to be honest I was all Baubled out) I said “£75” Her response was immediate ……… ”Will you make me one?” 21

I told her that as she had bought the kits I would do it for £60 Her response……….”Brilliant, can you do me two, no, do me three.”

What is it that you enjoy about your work? The thing I love most about what I do is when I have made a bespoke piece of jewellery and the customer’s face lights up when they see it, or when someone buys my beads to make their own jewellery and I get to see the finished piece. There is nothing like it. To be given the order in the first place is an honour but then to see the joy it brings, well, that is priceless. I was given an order from a guy who wanted to surprise his wife with some jewellery to go with the dress he had bought her for the prom. He sent me a small picture of the fabric and I made a necklace and bracelet in the colours. She was delighted with them. Another lady was head of the Yellow team at work and asked me to make her a bracelet that she could wear on team day. Once again, a very happy customer. I do love the fact that I am not restricted and can turn my hand to most of the jewellery that my customers ask me for. It is wonderful.

What is your biggest crafting achievement, and why? I had a call from a local museum one day asking if I could provide some jewellery for a new cabinet that they were soon to be taking delivery of. They asked if I could take along a selection of my pieces for them to have a look at. I gathered up about 15 pieces of jewellery that I had made with bought in products and as a last minute thought as I was leaving the house, I grabbed a bracelet that I had made with my own Lamp Work beads. The bracelet had already been sold but I thought it would give them an idea of what I could offer. The lady in the shop went through all of the jewellery and dismissed them all one after another as not her cup of tea until all that was left for her to look at was my lamp work bracelet. At this point I was not holding out any hope. She opened the box and said, “This is it, I want this. Can you make a whole range of jewellery like this for a week on Thursday?” I had yet another Catherine Tate moment and announced, “I can do that” As it turned out, there had been a Saxon Princess’s grave found in a dig in a town just up the road from us (the only Saxon Royalty to be found in

England to date) and the exhibition was to open on the Thursday in question. The bracelet was a perfect match for the colour of the main piece in the exhibition, a Gold and Garnet pendant. I called the jewellery “The Princess Collection” as my name means Princess from the Hebrew Sarah.

When they get that, they often become really animated about my products because they then realise that they are getting a one off original that no one else can own. I remember being at a Swanky Craft event once and spent ages explaining to a lady how the beads were made to which she finally responded “So, do you make the beads yourself then” Where does your inspiration come from?

If you could change one thing about what you do, what would it be? People’s perception of what I do. Often folk do not realise that I make the beads from scratch using fire and glass. 22

There are so many things that inspire me really. It could be a plant, a colour, a picture, a feeling. I adore the beauty of God’s Creation, the Sky the Sea, flowers. There is inspiration everywhere you look and living where I live, I am spoilt with incredible scenery to get the creative juices flowing. I also often have a look at the endless tutorials on “you tube” as I find them extremely helpful. Recently I had a creative block and the lovely Lorraine, from Lorraine Dowdle Creations, was a great help to me, thanks Lorraine.

Has any person helped or supported you more than any other? This is such an easy question to answer. My lovely husband Ian has been a rock to me all of our married life. He has always supported my craft endeavours, of which there have been many over the past 27 years (I even had a pottery workshop in the garage at one point, with pots at various stages of production all over the house, so he truly has put up with me and is a real blessing). At present, I could not run The Bead Bounty without him, as he does all bookkeeping for me (something I am not good at) He also puts up with me when it comes to doing stuff on the computer as I think it is quite possible that I could break the World Wide Web without his help. I can also say that my family has been a great support to me as well. My kids and my sister have helped me a great deal and my mum and dad are always willing to step up when I need a hand - be it for lifts or simply flying The Bead Bounty Banner. I must also give Anna form Creative Connections a mention here because she puts up with all sorts of computer abuse from me. Thanks Anna and the rest of the CC team. My friend Dei has also been there when I have needed her too.

http://www.gmcgee-photography.com/ Greg McGee Photography

the results and he seemed to be too (though he had to be as that was his job, wink, wink) I, however, had different ideas and asked him if he would allow me just to observe. It was amazing to see his skill and I am sure I learned more by allowing him just to do his thing, as he used techniques that I am sure he would not have used otherwise. Tell us a random fact about yourself! I am a fainter There I have said it.

Do you have a favourite website?

It is not something I plan, or am proud of and it is usually when I have had a shock of some sort, but On a recent trip to South Africa, I was privileged to spend the day with all the same, it can be very inconvenient yet mildly amusing. Lamp work Bead Artist Johan de I remember when I was about 15. Lange from glass and fire in I had just had a bath and was about Pretoria. to sit at my dressing table mirror to http://www.glassandfire.co.za do my hair. I pulled the chair forward to get closer (when I say it I love revisiting their web site, not was a chair it was actually a only for inspiration but also to remind myself of the awesome time washing basket with a hinged lid) My finger went under the lid by the I had watching a master at work. hinge and I sat down with my full The idea was that Johan would make a bead and then I would make weight, squashing my finger flat. Of course I fainted! You would have. the same bead with him giving me It hurt!………………a lot. instruction. I made the first two beads and was very pleased with

Feeling rather sorry for myself when I came to, I went down the stairs to tell my Dad that I had sat on my finger and fainted. I can still hear him laughing now. I do have many stories I could tell you about my fainting episodes and one in particular is epic but you will have to keep your eye on my Blog for them. www.thebeadbounty.blogspot.com

Perfect

creations designed for youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

This can to be used to cover any book, such as a diary, address book, note book etc, but it is best to choose a book with a slightly rigid cover. Designed to fit a standard A5 book.

Lightweight fabric for inside Lightweight wadding/batting Pretty Fabric for inside and pockets Random scraps of coordinating fabrics Beads (optional) Embroidery Threads Small embellishments (optional) Ribbon (optional) General sewing thread Âź inch bias binding Piece of fabric to coordinate with top and lining fabrics.

Step 1 .Take a large sheet of paper, open out book and draw around it, allowing an extra Â˝ inch at top and bottom of book, and Âž inch at front and back edges. (Seam allowance allowed = Âź inch; allow slightly more if you prefer a larger seam allowance.) Step 2. Once you have your basic rectangle randomly draw diagonal lines across it, or copy the picture from here. Make sure all the lines are straight (not curved) otherwise you will struggle later on. It is a good idea to number them in the order they will be used.

Step 3. Take a piece of Bondaweb, place over your drawing and trace the shapes and number to match. Once traced, cut them out to make pattern pieces (be aware that the pattern on the finished item will be in reverse). Select a number of coordinating scraps and lay them out in an order that is pleasing to the eye. Iron the pattern pieces to the REVERSE of the scrap fabrics and cut them out. Step 4. Cut a piece of lightweight fabric and lightweight wadding/batting to the same measurements as your finished drawing. Step 5. Layer these. They can be pinned, tacked or basted using basting spray (my preferred method). With the fabric right side up, peel off the backing from the Bondaweb pieces and arrange in order. Iron in place.

Step 6. Cover each fabric join in bias tape (starting with the shortest lines, so that raw edges are covered) and baste, or iron if using self adhesive type; machine or hand sew in place. It is better to do these one at a time to ensure they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t move. Step 7. Embroider and embellish as desired.

Step 8. Cut a piece of the pretty fabric the same size as your drawing for the inside; baste to the wadding/batting (this hides all the underneath stitching) Step 9. Measure the cover of your book, add 1/2inch to measurements, and cut 2 pieces of fabric to those measurements; fold in half and press. Add these to the ends of the 3 piece layer (on the inside), with the fold towards the centre.

Step 10. Cut 2 pieces of fabric 2 inch wide and the same length as the drawing, and 2 pieces of fabric 2 inch wide and 1.5 inch wider than the drawing, press in half width ways. Step 11. Match raw edges of longer narrow strip to top and bottom of embellished piece and machine in place; fold towards the inside and stitch down by hand.

Step 12. Baste length of ribbon to centre of the inside of the embellished piece (to act as book mark) – optional Match raw edges of narrow strip to last 2 sides of the embellished piece, leaving ¾ inch at each end machine in place; fold over ends and hand stitch in place.

Step 13. Slide book cover into pockets, and hey presto a boring book has become very pretty!

Perfect

creations designed for you’

Kits are available to purchase from www.perfectpatchwork.co.uk

Meet the lady behind the Oakwood Soaperie and discover her inspirations and love for her craft. Tell us about the lady behind Oakwood Soaperie I’m Ceri, I’m 38 and live with my Hubby and rescue cat in the North East of England...and I LOVE to make soap. I’ve always been creative and Art and Textiles were my most favourite classes at school...I was actually the ONLY person in my year who took textiles at A ‘Level, fortunately my teacher was equally as passionate so decided to run the class anyway even though there was only me. I went on to do a foundation Degree in Art and a BA Honours degree in Fashion Design at Newcastle Polytechnic (as it was then – now Northumbria

University). After qualifying I found employment at local bookshops and worked my way up the ranks. I enjoyed this work but it never really satisfied me as I had little creative outlet, so I started making custom club wear and corsets for local design led boutique’s and I held stalls at music festivals selling my clothing. I dabbled with this for a few years then moved on to making bathing products and moisturising balms for friends and family. I have always loved Lush, even from the very early ‘Cosmetics to Go’ days and loved to read their catalogues. I became fascinated with their product write ups and descriptions of how natural ingredients benefited the skin

as well as one’s well being. I bought some basic aromatherapy books and read them from cover to cover. It was around this time that I decided I really wanted to develop my own business incorporating natural ingredients, making them all myself. The more I was reading, the more I found I wanted to learn so I decided to undertake a distance learning Diploma in the study of essential oils. I completed this after about a year or so, whilst working full time. After that I spend a LONG time researching, developing recipes and testing them out on myself and willing friends and family. Meanwhile I was also researching the legal and business side of my venture too,

reading up on EU Cosmetic labelling, Cosmetic Safety Assessments and Trading Standards guidelines regarding natural cosmetics and soaps. I also took a series of Business Link workshops to build a foundation for my business to grow from. I finally launched Oakwood Soaperie in October 2010. I now sell via my own website (www.oakwoodsoaperie.co.uk) my two Internet shops on Folksy (http://folksy.com/shops/OakwoodSoa perie) and WowThankyou (http://www.wowthankyou.co.uk/oak wood-soaperie/) and also from The Handmade Emporium (http://www.thehandmadeemporium. com/) as well as at local craft fairs around the North East. I’m delighted to have just secured my first retail outlet at The Allendale Forge Studio’s gift shop. (http://www.allendaleforgestudios.co. uk/) This is situated right in rural Northumberland in a small village with a very art and craft focused clientele, it’s very exciting times and I’m absolutely delighted to be given the opportunity to be amongst such a wonderful community of artists.

What is it that you enjoy about your work? If I confess, I see it more as feeding an addiction rather than work. I feel a bit lost if I’m not making a new batch or placing an order for ingredients, or standing behind my stall at a market chatting to customers about my soaps and bath products… it feel right and it makes me very happy. There is nothing better than someone coming back to me to say how much they have enjoyed using something I have made, or how happy someone was to receive some as a gift from them. What is your biggest crafting achievement, and why? Up until a week or so ago, I’d have said becoming a featured seller on both Folksy and Wowthankyou. Now, it has to be having my first permanent retail space at Allendale Forge Studios. It may only be 2m high by 1m wide but it is full of my products that are selling directly to the public in a beautiful gift shop attached to an artist’s studios.

When did first begin creating your designs, and why? I am constantly having new ideas and my range changes all the time, I began designing my core range of 100% Natural ingredient soaps back in the Spring of 2010. I wanted to have a solid range of 10 or so pure soaps fragranced with essential oils only and coloured with roots, herbs, spices and natural extracts. I felt this would be the backbone to my full range. While I keep all my soaps very natural, I do sometimes get drawn away in a magpie like fashion by cosmetic grade colours and fragrance oils..I’m sure many a natural soaper would confess the same ;) There are so many endless combinations and it is sooo fun to play...

and Scotland but one too many broken bones later, he’s quite happy to trundle along at my slower pace out along the riverside for a good long stretch. If you had to choose your favourite from your creations which one would it be? Ohh that’s difficult… it’s changing all the time. I’d say it’s usually my latest creation… until I have another new idea. Where does your inspiration come from? I get a lot of inspiration from my surroundings and also from the properties of oils or botanicals I chose to include. Sometimes a beautiful colour combination will give me some inspiration, sometimes it will come from discovering a new pouring method for soap or a new combination of ingredients I’m trying out. Basically it can come from anywhere, I just have to keep my eyes and my mind open to new ideas.

Peppermint & Rosemary Salt Bar

Other than your crafting, what else do you like to do? I love photography too. We are lucky enough to live very close to rural Northumbria… a quick car journey and we can be up on the moorlands and hills or out along the dramatic North East coastline, the camera is never far away. I also love to go mountain biking with my hubby at the weekends. He used to be very adventurous and ride up hill and down dale all over the North East 29

Hearth Spring Fair 2011

Lemongrass salt and Black Pepper Spa Bar

If you could change one thing about what you do, what would it be? I’d like to have more confidence, sometimes this holds me back from taking a leap into something new and really going for it. Apart from that, I’d say I was ten times happier now than 5 years ago before I was doing what I’m doing now. Do you have a favourite website? Apart from Folksy and Wowthankyou (and my own of course) it has to be ‘From Nature with Love’. (http://www.fromnaturewithlove.c om/). This website is packed with information about all kinds of natural ingredients from around the World. It has loads of recipe ideas, a blog, a bookshop, workshops, basically everything a soap making addict could want.

Black Cafe Butter Bar

Buttered Rose Heart Soaps

Has any person helped or supported you more than any other?

It was during my Fashion Design degree, I was on work placement for 6 months at Paul Harnden Shoemaker’s. (http://agnautacout Ohh, this has to be my hubby, Phil and ure.com/2012/02/0 my Mum and Dad.. He and my mum 5/paul-harndenhelp out at my craft stalls. He helps shoemakers). Paul’s with IT issues, keeps my caffeine designs are very levels up and generally keeps historically encouraging me in everything I do. He influenced, he uses will soon be building me a rather fab no modern wire soap cutter so I can save time machinery, making with cutting up my soap loaves. everything by hand in limited numbers. My Mum and Dad are always full of At the time his shoes and boots were encouragement and are vigilant selling in New York, Milan etc for followers of my blog… sometimes it’s between £6oo -£800, they are now the only way then know what’s going for around £1500 I believe. happening around here I’ve so little The cottage was on a bleak hillside free time. with pine forests all around. I slept above the workshop and listened to Tell us a random fact about wild cats prowling around the cottage yourself! most nights. This was a time I’ll never forget as it I used to be a shoemaker’s apprentice made me realise that if you are in a cottage in the wilds of passionate about what you love to do, Aberdeenshire. others will be too. Convention is yesterday’s news, always follow your heart… rewards will come in time.

Today’s Creations!

www.oakwoodsoaperie.co.uk www.folksy.com/shops/OakwoodSoaperie www.wowthankyou.co.uk/oakwood-soaperie www.oakwoodsoaperie.blogspot.com Tweet @oakwoodsoaperie www.facebook.com/OakwoodSoaperie#!/pages/ Oakwood-Soaperie/179777858722194

Written By WowThankYou

Millie-Mae & Mummy Makes … … Recycled CD Disco Ball Sun catcher!

This issue we decided to make something that makes full use of the gorgeous springtime sun. Unfortunately we haven’t seen much of the sun this year, but we live in hope! Millie-Mae is 5½ years old and the daughter of Tracey Kifford, founder of www.wowthankyou.co.uk

Balls – we used polystyrene craft ones and an old toy ball Clear-drying Glue and glue sticks Scissors String Old CDs/DVDs Silver foil An egg cup Small eyelet hooks Bowl of hot water

NB: For best results, the disco ball sun catchers take several days to complete as the glue needs to dry fully.

Step 1. – place 2-3 old CDs/DVDs into a bowl of very hot water and leave to soak and soften while you make preparations. Start by dabbing a little glue on the end of an eyelet hook and pierce into the ball.

Step 4. Starting at the top of the ball, dab a little glue on the matt side of the shard, taking care not to get glue on the mirror side. Mosaic the shards around the ball, placing them as close to the others as possible.

Step 2. Then, tightly wrap the ball in silver foil. This works especially well when making with children as any gaps between the silver ‘mirror’ shards will go undetected. Once fully covered in foil, place on an egg cup to stabilise.

Step 3. fish out the CDs and with a sharp pair of scissors, snip them into small pieces. Even having soaked the CDs they are still very hard to cut, so be careful.

Step 5. Once half the ball has been covered leave overnight to dry/set. The following day, carefully turn the ball upside down and reposition over the egg cup. Repeat yesterday’s procedure and cover the remaining ball. When done, leave again – overnight preferably – to dry. Take some string, cut it and thread it through the eyelet.

Step 6. Gather a collection of differently-sized disco balls and hang them where the sun can catch them. Then wait for an amazing natural light show!

We were lucky enough to complete our sun catchers on a rare sunny day â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the disco light effect that filled the room was incredible! Very very effective! You must try it!

Crafts can sell – just add a Hippo! F

rom the making shed at the bottom of the garden Ange and Paul looked at the presents they had made for friends and family, and thought ‘what if we tried to sell some too?’. So, in July 2011 Chez Hippo appeared in the craft world. The web sales kept picking up, customer feedback was always good and they began getting requests for more pieces. When Ange’s teaching contract finished in December they decided to really have a go at making a business out of their idea, but realised it wouldn’t be that simple. Many businesses, especially craft businesses, start and fail all the time. There are many fabulously talented people that have struggled to make their work pay so they realised they needed to look at it slightly differently. A cunning plan was hatched - Little Hippo Presents was taking shape. The idea was simple, open a shop but ask other local makers to come in with them. As a former community worker Ange was used to setting up social enterprises and charities and the intention is that Little Hippo Presents will eventually gain charitable status to continue trading as a not for profit shop. 34

This doesn’t mean the sellers don’t get paid for what they sell, it just means the shop as a whole doesn’t make a profit. The other local crafters selling at the shop have now become Hippo-ettes and their numbers are growing all the time. The sense of support and community they bring with them has been so valuable in shaping Little Hippo. One of the clauses in the Hippo-ette sellers agreement is that you must agree to drink tea and natter on the porch while crafting which gives you an idea of their ethos! Another thing that Ange and Paul are very committed to is keeping crafting alive and evolving. It is very difficult to find retail outlets to sell handcrafted work and this is why they decided to do it themselves. What they would love to do in time is set up Little Hippos around the country, bringing together artists and crafters to create their own place on the High Street. If you would like to get involved or pop along to the Purple Shed you can find the Hippos at www.chezhippo.co.uk or you can email ange@chezhippo.co.uk. They are not saying it will be easy, but crafters have to start somewhere and this is the first step on hopefully a long journey with lots of Hippo-ettes and new friends!

Tina in the Garden

i! Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m Tina,

Welcome to The Garden. My, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a little chilly and wet today. Come in. Leave the umbrella in that urn thing I have by the door and hang your macs on the hooks there. The kettle has boiled so letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s enjoy our tea and maybe a biscuit. There should be some in the tin on the table and I will bring you up to date on what has been happening in The Garden. I arrived back from the U.S. and spring had come, or maybe it was summer - it was so glorious. But it was so dry the poor plants just dried up and the beautiful spring bulbs did not last long at all. The camellias did not last long either. Then boy, it turned cold! I was wishing for some of the Florida weather I had taken for granted. The winds in the garden were really cold and very strong. A tree fell in the wood leaving my better half with yet another job. The cold wind burnt some of the blossoms and turned them brown.

But as always in nature when the rain came, and it did come, the stream was full to overflowing, and the garden became lovely and green. We had a few odd days of sun and it looks wonderful again. Just look at all the new growth around the seat! I will have a job to squeeze on to take a rest. The flowers, especially the bluebells, are beautiful again, although there are not as many as last year because it was so dry earlier. I know that you are familiar with them from previous years, the Iris too, but these photographs show them from a different angle, along with the wallflowers.

Just look at this beautiful Spurge! There are so many shades of green in one flower they are one of my favourites. They just self seed and grow anywhere, although they are very good at placing themselves in good positions - better than I could, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m sure.

The wild flowers are making themselves at home in the wood and they have also made a good job of arranging themselves.

As for the bog - I think it looks rather good, don’t you? All new and crisp.

Here is a tester. What do you think is under this part of the garden? I don’t imagine you could guess. Though maybe you could. It’s a septic tank, yes really! When we arrived at the house, the previous owner had just had a new tank fitted. No, we do not have regular drains, but that’s just fine. They had dug a very large hole in order to install it, leaving a very large pile of earth and stones which did not look too good. However, if you plant the type of plants which we have in The Garden, they just multiply and over the years

this is the end result. Well maybe there was rather a lot of digging and planting in the beginning as my better half just pointed out, but it sure was worth it! Here is a nice sunny photo of the woodland. It really cheers you up on a grey day.

Oh yes, I nearly forgot to tell you about the pond. I have not done anything with it at the moment as the water actually appears to be clearing and I do not want to disturb any little creatures which may be in there, although I am not too hopeful on that score, but you just never know.

Periwinkle

Rhododendron

Aquilegia

Silver Plant

Here are photos of a few of the flowers performing now in The Garden, and more appear every day. Remember the silver plant from last year? It made it yet again through the winter! It is longest living annual I have ever had, long may it continue to return. The rain does appear to have stopped, but it is still very wet outside and my plants do tend to hang over the paths and soak you a little. Perhaps next time we can actually be in The Garden and not just look at photographs and view it through the windows. Thank you for visiting with me in The Garden once again. I do so enjoy your visits and I am so happy and grateful to be home in this wonderful garden. Bye for now and see you in the next issue. Your green fingered friend,

P.S. I have cows too! #COW

Tina

A view with a Moo and the Moo has a view!

#COW 39

Name: Marshall Thompson Medium: Cross stitch and woodworking

In the Spotlight with

mr x stitch

mrxstitch.com This issue we meet:

Marshall Thompson

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s your story? I am a self-taught problem solver with an art background. I was fortunate in college to be surrounded by challenging artist friends. We all motivated each other to keep pushing ourselves. In school I trained in many mediums, and I experimented applying techniques or approaches from one medium to another. My first stitch piece, Good/Bye, was back in 2000 as a sentimental piece in a final show for the art collective I was in, Good/Bad Art Collective. In 2008 I still had my original materials, and I was given my mother-in-lawâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s old cross stitch materials, so I began really stitching after seeing on old college friend, Johnny Murder, was embroidering (Manbroidering) in his drawing style. I was stitching for a few months before I found the SCS and Phat Quarter groups on Flickr. I found like-minded stitchy people on line and made new friends. My stitching work has progressed similar to my earlier art by pulling in elements or techniques from 40

unrelated mediums. I began making my own frames to save on costs and not to be bound by the size you can buy. Then I realized I can do whatever I want with the frame style or shape and that is when the frames began to play a bigger part in the stitch design. I like and enjoy the limitations of "the grid" in cross stitch that are not found in free form embroidery. Those limitations help to keep me creative and keep cross stitching fun. Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s your favourite piece of work thus far? A piece based on an illustration by my friend, Elisa Sassi (www.elisasassi.com). It was fun taking the movement in the image and applying it to the mat and frame. What do you find challenging?

Elisa Sassi

Composition. Having a well-balanced design. Making my own frames can help to complete that or open new design possibilities. Any advice for newbies? When you find you have made a mistake, do not settle and live with it. Fix it to make yourself happy. You will learn and grow from undoing and redoing your work.

Written By Elderberry Arts

y r r e B y

r e V Charm Bracelet 42

60 x 4 mm silver plated jump rings 56 x 6 mm green aluminium jump rings Silver plated lobster clasp and tag 14 x Berry beads in light and dark pink 7 x glass leaves Silver plated head pins 14 x 6 mm silver jump rings If you can buy the 4 mm ready closed then it will save you time closing them all later.

Step 1. Open a green ring and add 4 sliver rings. Close the green ring.

Step 4. Double the green ring as in step 2.

Step 6. Using two single 4mm rings attach the clasp and clasp tag.

Step 2. Now double the green ring by threading another through the 4 silver rings.

Step 3. Add 2 silver rings to a third green ring.Put this ring through 2 silver rings on the previously doubled green rings and close.

Step 5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 untill chain measures 7 inches long.

Step 7. Using the headpin create charms with the berry beads. The loops need to be big enough to attach to the double green rings of the chain. Step 8. Open the loops in the berry charms and attach them to the chain.

Step 9. Attach a 6 mm jump ring to each of the leaves.

Step 10. Attach the leaves using the remaining 6 mm jump rings.

Attach the first on the second ring from one end of the bracelet and then every four rings after. The final leaf attaches two rings from the other end of the bracelet.

The home of unusual and unique hand crafted jewellery designs. Specialising in creating one of a kind silver, glass and gemstone designs. Elderberry Arts is also home to an exclusive range of gay/lesbian and bisexual pride accessories.

www.elderberryarts.co.uk

Awarded Young Business of the Year 2011 by the Highlands Business Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Club. Lazy Daisy Glass was also commissioned to make the Awards. Tell us about the lady behind Lazy growing up. I also found that I needed a hobby! I thought I might go slightly mad living in a very rural Daisy Glass area if I didn't have anything else to I run my business from my own do. I invested my maternity money purpose built studio in rural in my first kiln, bought some books Banffshire, Scotland and I'm and started experimenting. And self-taught in the technique of kiln that's how it all started! formed glass (often referred to as When did you first begin creating fused glass). My career had been in office administration, working as a your designs, and why? PA to company directors, firstly in Cornwall (my homeland), moving to I have always been involved in some London in 1998 and finally to sort of craft, whether it be card Scotland in 2003. making, glass painting etc. I always On moving to Scotland I found a had an interest in stained glass, but local stained glass course and my main passion was fused glass. I continued for one year, until I was took a 2 hour workshop as an confident enough to start my hobby introduction to the craft and just from home. started experimenting at home. I I had a job as PA in local had some books which helped with government here in Moray, but initial designs and projects, while I decided to give up the 'office job' gained the confidence working with when I had our daughter in 2007. I glass. Now, I find I create a lot of was a mature mother, and wanted wave forms and use various blue to spend as much time with my shades I think this may stem from daughter as possible and watch her my childhood. Being a Cornish lass, 45

the sea seems to live within me, hence Trade Show in Harrogate and more my wave ideas. I just love the sea and local Scottish events. I get to meet a beach! huge array of talented makers and it's great to exchange knowledge and tips. What is it that you enjoy about your What is your biggest crafting work? achievement, and why? I am self-employed and work from home - I have the flexibility of looking Last year, I was approached by a after my daughter as well as running teacher to attend a local Spring Show. my business. It is the perfect One thing lead to another and before I combination. Also having my studio realised it, I was talking about working separate from the house allows me to with the school on an art project. leave it in a mess (which it often is), Between us, we came up with the idea shut the door and not have to worry of asking the school children (including about it. I can open the door the the nursery) to draw their own designs following day and just get back in to to be created in glass. The brief was to making and creating. Working in the think of their local area and draw what creative industry doesn't feel like it is a the village meant to them. A judging job (I'm still trying to convince my day was organised and designs were Business Bank Manager of that one chosen from the different classes. I though - he doesn't share the same then had to take the final designs back view!). I just love what I make and do to my studio and translate what was and have a huge sense of achievement on paper in to four glass wall art when I hear people comment on how pieces. The school then organised an they like my creations. I also get to evening with local council officials and travel around a little with my job, councillor to unveil the art. It was a selling at different shows. I have taken great project and very honoured to part in Country Living in Glasgow, the have been involved with it. I offered Royal Cornwall Show, British Craft my time free of charge and the PTA

paid for all materials used. From a business point of view, it gave me lots of publicity and a community project to add to my CV. More recently, I was chosen to represent Creative Scotland and Craft Scotland at the Visit Scotland Tourism Expo in Edinburgh. I had to submit a tender of what I planned to demonstrate at the event and was lucky enough to have been chosen, along with another maker. It gave me a chance to showcase my glass to a wider audience and share what I do to them too. It was a great experience.

Other than your crafting, what else do you like to do? Being self-employed, I work my hours in and around my daughter. I work many more hours now than when I did in the 'office job', but wouldn't change it! I have to say I do not have a lot of 'spare' time, but like to take my daughter to the park and go on local day trips to the beach. I find it difficult having that life/work balance and probably do not have enough 'me' time. However, once my daughter starts school in August, this will free up my days and then I'm hoping it will allow the evenings to be spent on nonwork things.

Where does your inspiration come

If you could change one thing about

from?

what you do, what would it be?

Initially, I would have said project books, just to gain experience, but If you had to choose your favourite now ideas just pop in to my head. I from your creations which one would it can often be sitting at a craft event, then have to sketch ideas down before be? I forget them. Sometimes they work, other times not. As stated earlier, I A difficult question. Sometimes I will think my inspiration comes from my really like a piece of art for a while, childhood, being brought up in then one day (being very critical of Cornwall, having spent so much time myself), I will look at the piece in a at the beach and in the sea. different light and decide not to like it. I now live in a very rural area and just I don't know why, it just happens. My have to look out of my studio door and favourite at the moment is my new see lots of rolling hills and countryside screen printed designs - the - this is great for just staring at. It is Hummingbird Curve is a current amazing what can pop in to your head favourite. I learnt the technique of when there is nothing more than hills screen printing in recent months and and forest around you. It definitely just love it. It allows me to add a new helps my mind and creative thoughts. dimension to my work. I have also recently created some whisky themed items and these were launched at the Visit Scotland Tourism Expo in Edinburgh last month. I really like these designs as they are so different.

There is not a lot I would change, because I'm proud of the business I have created, but in the early days I should have gone to the likes of Business Gateway and sought professional business advice. I had never run my own business before and there are things I could have done differently, and more cost effectively!

Do you have a favourite website? Working in the creative industry, I am always looking at so many websites and there are so many gifted makers out there. It's great to view other sites for market research, even if it's to gain trend information. I try and keep an eye on market trends and read monthly trade magazines for this purpose. One maker I have come across recently is Johanna Basford, an illustrator working with pens and inks based in Aberdeen. She creates absolutely amazing work and just love her designs. Has any person helped or supported you more than any other? On a business level, Business Gateway gave me a grant two years ago, so I could attend the British Craft Trade Fair in Harrogate. It was a huge amount of money for the stand and they were very supportive of my business. They have also passed my details on to The Executive magazine, where I had a really good write up about my business. On a more personal one, my husband has been such a great help. Whenever, I attend large shows, it often means I'm away from home for a few days at a time. This means he has to take care of our daughter such as organising the nursery/childminder trips. Luckily he is also self-employed, otherwise I don't think I would be able to do what I do. He used to come along to the large shows and help set up. We used to make it a family weekend away (great for them enjoying themselves, I was always working!). I owe a lot to my husband. Tell us a random fact about yourself! When I lived in London, I met Tom Cruise, he was delightful (and gorgeous), oh, and I love Marmite.

www.lazydaisyglass.co.uk www.facebook.com/lazydaisyglass 48

Recipes the m o

Slowlane

The Slow Lane is getting ready for celebrations. This year, June is of course, the Jubilee Month and there will be plenty of celebrations throughout the country and not all of them will be Tea parties. With Father’s Day also this month there surely will be lots of Barbeques (if the weather allows). Do you take a gift for the Host/hostess? If you are invited to a BBQ, or having one yourself, why not try my Rhubarb Chutney as an accompaniment? It is great with Red Meats and Sausages.

450 g Rhubarb 350 g Onions 175 g Raisins 775 g Demarera Sugar ½ Liter Cider Vinegar 1 tbls Salt 1 tsp Cinnamon 1 tsp ground Ginger ½ tsp ground cloves 1 Pinch Cayenne pepper Step 1. Clean and chop the Rhubarb into chunks, slice the onions. Step 2. Add all the Ingredients to a large Pot and slowly bring to the boil. Step 3. Stir continuously until the Sugar is completely dissolved. Simmer for 2 -3 hours stirring occasionally. Step 4. When done immediately fill into warm sterilized Jars. The Chutney can be eaten as soon as it cooled but I recommend you keep it for a while so the flavours can develop fully.

Rhubarb Chutney

"What a great start to a new venture. We all should be proud of our British heritage and our handmade crafts, Vintage Rose is a great place to find both!"

n the 28th April , Vintage Rose,Selby, launched their ‘rent a shelf scheme’ with a fun filled party to welcome their first set of ‘renters’. Vintage Rose is a little cave of pretty treasures from 1940’s bed spreads to handmade baby toys and it has one aim- to brighten people’s day. Opened last year by a mother, Cheryl, and her two daughters, Sam, 26, and Sarah, 21Vintage Rose is always full of colourful and fun pieces to make you smile. By opening such a lively shop in Selby, it has proved challenging to keep the shelves stocked with unique pieces. Cheryl restores furniture and hand makes products, Sarah keeps the business in order and Sam runs the events and fairs as well as looking after her 6 month old daughter. “I hated having to buy in generic stock from suppliers” said Sarah. “It wasn’t what I wanted Vintage Rose to be about. I came up

with the idea to rent space to other crafters as a way to keep a constant stream of unique products but also to give small and online businesses a chance to see their loving made pieces in a real shop.” The difference with renting a shelf is that the crafters keep their profits, they have a space for advertising and they can take orders for bespoke pieces. “We wanted this scheme to be more than just ‘selling other’s stock’. We have created a renter’s club where the crafters help one another out with ideas, leafleting, social shout outs and fairs.” Most of the renters are Mummies who create their lovely pieces in their spare-time but want their hard work to be seen by the public. Sam, who organises Vintage Rose’s events says that “with times being hard, especially for little shops, it’s essential that we all pull together to keep British handmade products in production.”

Vintage Rose put out their first ‘rent a shelf’ advert on Twitter at the beginning of April and by the 28th they had seven renters signed up, with beautiful displays and a party to celebrate their work. Vintage Rose was ‘full to the brim’ with renters, customers and local businesses enjoying delicious cakes from www.treaclescakes.co.uk and face painting for the children by Ade- The Face Painting Fairy.

This is Not A Spoon

The first set of renters includes: This is Not A Spoon- ‘Hippy, Happy, Hoppy’ http://www.facebook.com/notaspoon Floandgrace- ‘Tweets and Hearts’ www.florenceandgrace.co.uk

Agathajane Floandgrace

Agathajane ‘Retro Nursery’ www.agathajane.co.uk Lucy Clayton’s Cushions ‘Colouring Book’ order through Vintage Rose Twink Craft- ‘Wonderland jewels’ flower earrings and button bracelets http://www.facebook.com/twinkcrafts

Lucy Clayton’s Cushions

Ade - The Face Painting Fairy ‘Face painting, wooden bespoke hearts and more’ http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ade-theFace-Painting-Fairy/212559035432262 Baby Mu- ‘Vintage Baby’ www.babymu.co.uk

Twink Craft Baby Mu

Vintage Rose, YO8 4PT Gallery Launch 28th April 2012 www.vintageroseselby.co.uk

Ade

Written by Kerri-Ann Lloyd

reative crafting is a big passion of mine, not only is it my business but it’s my hobby too. I’ve always been creative. I think I got it from my Nanna Sylvia who used to teach me how to knit and let me use her rose petals from the garden to make pretty pictures. I was lucky that my Nanna had the time and space to let me get creative at her house, as I know being a parent myself, it can sometimes be difficult for parents to enable this sort of thing at home for reasons such as space, time & cost of some arts & crafts equipment. This is why I have decided to make inspiring & encouraging children to get creative a new part of my ‘Imagine Design Create’ business. I’ve teamed up with a local play cafe called Shakees in my home town of Taunton, Somerset UK to offer creative workshops and birthday parties for children of all ages and abilities. I’ll be doing all sorts of crafts from simple things like collages & painting to jewellery making, cupcake decorating, sewing & model making. There are lots of great mess free, creative things you can do at home too. Why not try this great summertime creative activity at home with your children? All you need is a piece of paper (although this can be any colour you, have I find white works best) & a little tub.

My son Reuben, 16months old having fun with paint >

1. Take your child into your garden or to a local park to collect up little sticks, leaves & petals. 2. Grab your piece of paper & your tubs of bits and pieces. Sit outside in your garden or even still at the park and have fun creating different pictures. You could ask the children to make specific things like ‘a flower’ ‘a boat’ or let them experiment with shapes and patterns.

You don’t need to use glue or anything as it is fun to keep changing the pictures. When you have finished playing with the pieces they ca be popped into the compost bin & you can save your paper for next time! If you have children and would like to attend one of these new creative classes in Taunton or would like more cheap creative ideas for doing at home, please visit www.imaginedesigncreate.org.uk

Creative crafting Directory of Crafters

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