Crafty resolutions

Since my Christmas stocking project last week, my fingers have been getting all twitchy to do more crafty/stitchy things.  So I just created this treasury of DIY craft kits over on Etsy, which is full of crafty ideas for inspiration – but also the materials necessary to get started straight away.  As procrastinators will agree, not having the necessary materials to hand is the best excuse not to begin a new project, so these kits leave you with no excuses!

Being totally honest, the packaging often attracts me just as much as the projects themselves, and is often just as original.  The DIY Instant Comfort Boxes by Kim Welling are a case in point; although I also have a huge soft spot for Pupurin’s Little Kitty Kit.  Those with a mildly sick sense of humour (who me?) may enjoy the 1/2 splat kit (must click to discover what this is, although the title is quite accurate!); while any embroiderers looking for a creative challenge should take a look at the wonderful Crafting Shelves kit from This Tiny Existence.  Well, take a look at the whole treasury: there are all kinds of craft kits from all kinds of crafters so hopefully something will inspire you!

My own crafty plans for the new year include a return to weaving, thanks to my lovely hubby buying me ‘The Ultimate Bead Loom’ from Fred Aldous for Christmas.  I’ve already constructed it (yes, I did in fact sit & construct it on Christmas morning), but the next stage is on hold while I figure out whether I’ll be using beads or yarn, and what I actually want to make.  My current impulse is to make a big mess of colour…  But what I love about this loom is the fact that it can just sit on a worksurface in front of me and the weaving area is (sloped) upright so that I don’t have to bend over it as I work.  I love using bead looms for small-scale weaving, but most have a horizontal working surface which my back does not enjoy.  :(  I will let you know how I get on as and when any projects emerge.

Besides that, I have a freshly acquired small stash of funky fabrics and wool felts that I am itching to play with, and lots of ideas in mind.  I can’t resist all the patterns, and the combinations of colours; and after my stocking project, I really got a feel for having a needle in my hand again.  My mother has claimed the unenviable task of teaching me to use a sewing machine, but this will be another slow-burner due to not living in the same city, not to mention my reluctance mainly concerning the noise of the thing.   I really just prefer having space to hear my own thoughts, but then again, I’m generally very good at tuning out sounds from the real world that attempt to permeate my inner world (how dare they!), so maybe I can tune out the sewing machine, too…  Again, I will keep you posted.

So, how about you?  Any crafty plans and/or resolutions for the new year?
Please share & inspire/motivate the rest of us!

A last-minute Christmas craft project

Yesterday – my last day off before Christmas – I had fully intended to get into the festive spirit by (finally) putting up our tree, and wrapping presents.  I failed.  Why did I fail?  Because instead I was inspired by a project I saw recently by friend & blanket stitcher extraordinaire, Britta Jarvis: mini stockings (shown right).  Suddenly I decided that that was what I really needed to do, in order to start feeling Christmassy.  (I think it was the thought of the stocking fillers I have for my parents & sister, combined with the realisation that stocking fillers without a stocking aren’t even really fillers…!)

Britta’s stockings were made of felt & – as implied earlier – beautifully blanket stitched around the edges.  But as this was a completely off-the-cuff decision on my part (definitely no time for shopping!), of necessity my stockings were made from whatever materials I already had to hand.  Luckily, although under normal circumstances I will tell anyone who will listen that I cannot sew & have a hate-hate relationship with my sewing machine, I am powerless to resist pretty fabrics & hoard them, anyway..  Thus, no festive colours whatsoever, but I think I like them all the more for that!  And although I did begin by attempting a blanket stitch edging on Stocking #1, I very quickly unpicked after realising my non-proficiency in terms of seamstressing meant that I would do far better to work concealed seams, instead…

Stocking #1 has both sides cut from a tea towel, with no attempt made on my part to align the pattern in any way – as clearly seen!  I drew a rough stocking shape freehand onto the reverse of the fabric, then flipped it over & drew around it for a matching reverse side.  I might have done better to do a quick google search for a stocking pattern to trace (the ‘neck’ of this first one came out a little narrow), but I just wanted to get on with the project, so I decided not to worry about it.  The open end of the stocking, I hemmed the edges using a very primitive running stitch – yes, it could have been neater, but it was good enough for me.

Stocking #2 is made from a thinner fabric, so to avoid flimsiness, I opted for a sturdy craft felt for the reverse side.  Brown would probably have been better, but orange was the best match available from my stash.  I tried to make the neck slightly wider this time, and the body slightly fuller (must remember actual gifts need to fit inside!) .

I think Stocking #3 shows positive results from my little learning curve, with proportions far more convincingly stocking-y.  The body is less rounded, yet has far smoother curves at toe and heel – guess that’s what happens with practise! Each of the stockings is approx. 7″ tall, but the widest point of Stocking #1 is 5″ across, compared with 6″ across Stocking #3 – it’s amazing how much difference such a small measurement can make to the overall look.  I must confess, I’m kind of in love with Stocking #3, which is why I was motivated to actually take pictures before we parted company…

As a finishing touch, I used an off-cut from each piece of fabric used  to make a matching badge, which I then pinned to the heel of Stockings #2 & #3 (& the toe of Stocking #1) to brighten up the plain reverse side.  The badges are removable, but I think they look kinda cool.

 

Given that every year I fully intend to make my own Christmas cards but never actually manage it, I’m very proud of myself for actually managing to do something handmade this year!  It only took a couple of hours to complete all 3 stockings, and that was including any minor mishaps needing to be recovered along the way.  I’m sure anyone more proficient with a needle (or sewing machine) could whip these up far more quickly than I, but the experience has nonetheless left me feeling quite positive (& indeed slightly inspired) about future handmade projects.  Felt plus fabric is definitely a successful combination.

Hmm, suddenly I am feeling the need to collect felt in a wide array of colours…
No hang on, I do still need to put up that tree & wrap presents…!

Christmas/New Year special offer!

There was only one logical thing I could choose to offer for a special
New Year deal*: it’s the No New News diary (/notebook/zine)!

The perfect accompaniment for any pocket or handbag, The No New News Diary not only provides you with pages you can date according to your needs (any day, any year), but also essential note-taking space and snippets to read from the last 4 issues of the Enchanted Times Mini zine.

The diary is on special offer until the end of January.
Not only that, but if you add the word STAMPED! in the ‘message to seller’ box (or in a separate convo after purchase), I will also throw in a FREE mini-sheet of
Fast-As-You-Can CoCo stamps (/envelope seals).

Festive greetings & a happy solstice to one and all!

*Offer applies to orders placed through both Etsy and Folksy TangleStores 

Mini notecards

My free sample of Moo business cards came through and I was really happy with them.  As explained in my previous post, I used some illustrations from a forgotten ‘picture book’ by Walter Crane –  but as these ones are ‘just for me’, I also had a batch made up using my Enchanted Times faux ad designs, with similar lined/notecard reverse.  I’m undecided exactly what I will do with the ET minis, at the moment, but I do like them.  I normally print up my own business cards, but my home printer can’t cope with thicker cardstock, so I really do notice the difference in quality with these…

Bazaar bestsellers!

Following a week consisting almost exclusively of upcycled postage stamp badge sales, it was interesting at the (very quiet) craft fair yesterday, This is Bazaar, to find that my bestseller of the day by far was my brand new Truth-Be-Told Mirrors.  These proved very popular as stocking fillers & Secret Santa gifts, with several people unable to decide between the 2 designs, White Liar and Bold as Brass.  In celebration of this success, I have added a new twin-set of mirrors so that you don’t have to make that difficult decision (I’m so selfless!), and can explore the duality of your nature with impunity.  Or give one to a friend (with a sense of humour).  Or give one to an enemy (sense of humour optional)…

One of the best things about being a vendor at This is Bazaar is seeing all the other cool stuff that local creative types are making (This is Bazaar is always very good at highlighting quirky and original makers rather than traditional/cutesy crafts).

Here are a few of my favourites:

the gorgeous mosaics of Julie Vernon.  Yes, I fell for the bird motifs again – I couldn’t find a pic online, but what I really fell in love with were some bird mosaic ‘pebbles’.  I say pebbles in inverted commas as the term feels slightly insubstantial for items which were large/heavy enough to use as very sturdy paperweights…;

the chunky and colourful resin & silver jewellery by Natonia Pickup.  We had a good long chat & I discovered Natonia also dabbles in bookbinding (amongst other things), so I’m holding out to see some unique hand-bound books at the next Bazaar…

…and I also had an interesting conversation with my ‘next door’ vendor, Steve Brown of Rusty Spoons.  He writes comics(/graphic novels) by creating characters based on emotions & I felt like I got a great deal when I traded an Enchanted Times Mini for the Vanity mini comic! (In retrospect, I think my subconscious decided I should choose this one because of the mirror connection…)  The mini comic is produced on top quality glossy paper for vibrant colour reproduction, but just as importantly, it’s really a great story.  It made me laugh, but the stories are definitely on the darker side, so don’t say you haven’t been warned!  I can highly recommend the Rusty Spoons book, for a compilation of 13 tales which has rather wonderfully been reviewed as “delightfully devoid of hope”.  Love it!

TangleClub December Update

It’s been a busy old month in Tangledom!   This month’s posts have mostly been with regard to new shop items added, and since I last posted, still more new stuff has occurred – the latest addition being 2 different Truth-Be-Told Pocket Mirrors (choose from ‘Bold as Brass’ or ‘White Liar’, depending on how honest a reflection you prefer!).

The latest TangleClub Freebie is a printable mini-zine notebook of Dates to Remember (both A4 & letter-size versions available), inspired by the Art Nouveau poster (c. 1899) by Kolomon Moser shown left.  What can I say, I’m just a sucker for diaries…  The approaching end-of-year brings it out in me.

If you are not currently a member of the TangleClub but want to share the monthly freebie-ness,  click here for all current membership options, and remember, if you spend £5 or more in the TangleStore or TangleStore UK you will qualify for TangleClub Basic membership absolutely free!

 Some shortcuts to the latest TangleStore additions (click on an image to be taken directly to the relevant listings):

 

TAB Project Update

It might seem as though I have forgotten about
The Achievement Badge Project since its launch, but I haven’t!  Although I must concede that I have definitely been running a little behind…
I have caught up, though, and have to say how very cool the latest batch of entries is, with achievements ranging from map-reading without getting lost to being accepted onto an Open University course at age 14 (wow, Adel Wilson – congratulations! – preview above right) to ‘not being perfect but being normal’.

The  Gallery  has been updated today (current total 11 entries) but is only available to those who have joined the project, so start thinking about what you have achieved this year – however minor or major – and design a badge to
reward yourself.  You deserve it!

The closing date for the TAB Project is December 31st, 2011.

Don’t forget, TangleClubbers can claim 1 free entry (see August Archive freebie), and downloadable entry forms for everybody else can be found on the
TAB Project page.

More new TangleStuff!

I just added these cute mini Machin pouches to the Etsy Store (I know I was waxing lyrical about Folksy in my earlier post, but these are one-offs, so I can only post them in one place): the bags are printed with scans of used Machin postage stamps and contain a(n almost matching) button badge made from – you guessed it! – an upcycled Machin postage stamp.

There’s something kind of fascinating about capturing a unique fragment of ephemeral history in one of these badges; and the drawstring bags are tiny (6.5 x 9cm) but surely begging to be re-used!  I’m not currently sure if I will be making any more, so if you think they would make a cute stocking stuffer, now is the time…

Wow – that was tedious! (But kind of interesting, too.)

Folksy (that’s the Etsy of the UK) has very recently undergone something of a makeover.  Now I’ve got over the initial surprise at the change in appearance, I think I’m decided it’s quite a clean and funky new look.  What’s tedious about that? Nothing!  The tedious part is that alongside the makeover there have been all kinds of tweaks to product listings – so there I was earlier today, wondering what I would do with my evening – and now here it is, gone!  I have been into each of my listings to add minor extra details such as materials used, colours (not especially relevant to most of my stuff), my location (um, could that be made a fixed field, please?) etc.  Yes, those were the tedious bits, and it took forever going into each listing to change everything.  But the interesting addition they have made is a huge space for each listing headed ‘inspiration’ .  This sits just next to the product description beneath the photo on the item page, so there is the appearance of columns (yes, like a newspaper; yes, that’s one reason why I like it).  Hmm.  Yes, it was probably this which took up my evening…

I found it interesting that when I was pinpointing the inspiration for a particular project, I found that in some cases I was providing information that I wouldn’t have included under the product description.  I doubt anything I’ve written will be the deciding factor for somebody browsing the store (sarcasm alert: ”oh, I must buy this now – she says it was based on a project she took part in!  Wow!”); but on a personal level, I’m always interested in the ideas behind projects, and an item with a story is always more interesting to me than one without.  And also on a personal level, it was a bit of a trip down memory lane figuring out what was my jumping off point or starting brief for some of the older projects.  I’d totally forgotten some things until I set my mind to it.

So anyway, if you’re like me & curious about where an idea began, take a browse around the Folksy TangleStore*, and while you might not learn anything earth-shattering, you might learn a few ir/relevant and/or random extra details that you otherwise might never have known.

I apologise for the overuse of the word ‘interesting’ (& its derivatives) in this post…

P.S.  If you are not in the UK & feeling excluded by all this Folksy talk, don’t!  I’ve decided to go through & add the international shipping option to all the Folksy listings, so they will soon be available to you, too.  Give me another couple of days, though, because I don’t think I can face all that editing again tonight… :S

Moo! (another special offer!)

Just wanted to share this special offer from moo.com, of which I have recently partaken.  I have ordered from them previously, but have only just discovered they are offering sample sets of 10 business cards, absolutely FREE!  You can have them made with up to 10 different designs (either your own designs, or from a wide range of stock designs) and completely customise the reverse however you like, too.
If you don’t need actual business cards, think what else they could be used for – swap cards, gift tags (’tis the season quite soon, y’know!), mini notecards, enclosure cards, etc…  (I should mention, the free cards do come with moo.com branding, but you can ‘upgrade’ to remove the branding for a small charge – it’s still a very good deal for what you get in return!)

I recently came across these awesome illustrations by Walter Crane, & had been mulling over a project I could use them for.  With that in mind, I decided to spurn the ‘business’ for once, and make up my Moo sample set as mini notecards for my personal correspondence, instead.  These ‘knights’ are so much cooler than Cicely Mary Barker’s Flower Fairies, don’t you think?!  I found a vintage leafy border design to head & tail the lined reverse of the cards & I already can’t wait for them to arrive!  I will post again to share the results, once they do.

I usually do all my printing at home, so it feels a bit decadent (& also a bit like cheating) to have someone else do it for me!  But I was so pleased with the results of the fairy tale design flat notecards that I think I will have to sub-contract printing for selected future items, also.  Handmade is awesome, but there are simply some materials & finishes that it just isn’t possible to replicate using a basic home printer.  The professional finish really seems to work nicely with (especially) the Enchanted Times-related designs…