A brief introduction to the TangleMail Newsletter

I used to write a lot of zines. What’s a zine? It’s just a handmade magazine, about whatever subject you like (like a blog, but in print form!)

Not fair! (A November special offer)

Pocket Notebook Collage #65

I have 2 more craft fairs coming up within the next 2 weeks, so I’ve had a busy few days preparing for the first of those (Saturday) – mostly packaging, packaging, packaging!  Of course, I’ve still found time to squeeze in a couple of new collages, as well (like this one, right). 😉  

Samples, samples, more samples…

I have FREE promos for you!  This month, I’ve been swapping bits & pieces with some other crafty types, and now have some great little tasters so that you can sample their wares.  How?  Simply place an order of £5 or more (excluding p&p) in the TangleStore, and I will throw in a free (randomly chosen) promo sampler with your order, while stocks last.  Spend over £10 and I’ll include one of each!  I only have a few, though, so it’s first come, first served…

Here’s a preview of the samples I have for you…

JaguarSnail – welcome!

This post is to welcome the zines of Britta Jarvis of JaguarSnail into the TangleCrafts fold. 🙂  Britta is a local artist & crafter who I met through a mutual friend, a couple of years ago.  We have since spent many a happy hour on the production line together and have discovered lots of common interests – the most obvious being zines, mail art, and a weakness for terrible puns…  We are currently scheming to bring you various collabrative projects (largely involving me harnessing Britta’s amazing – and speedy! – stamp-carving skills!).  In the meantime, 3 of Britta’s mini zines are now available in the TangleStore:

I Love Mail! – quite a maxi mini zine at 20 pages long, but standard mini zine dimensions.  It includes 8 things Britta loves about mail, an envelope tutorial, a postal poem, an interview with a Royal Mail postman, and more.  Illustrated throughout with Britta’s own sketches & doodles, this one is a limited edition in the current format so don’t miss out!

How to Make a Zine – an introduction for beginners.  If you’re tempted to write your own zine but don’t know where to start, this mini zine could be just what you’re looking for!  Lots of tips, guidance and inspiration, but the best bit about this mini zine is that it’s double-sided – open it out, and there’s a unique zine theme-picker on the reverse.  Twice the fun of an ‘ordinary’ mini zine squished into the same amount of space – genius!

A Collection of Experimental Poetry – This one does exactly what it says on the tin, and is a perfect example of Britta’s quirky nature.  These fun little poems are accompanied by original illustrations to make a unique addition to your zine collection.

Summer sale!

Just a quick note to alert you to the £1 Summer Sale just launched in the TangleStore – head over now to pick up a bargain (or two)!  Some of these items will be entirely discontinued once the sale ends, and some will revert to their original higher selling price, so don’t miss out.

Following on from the recent TangleWeed explosion, the ideas have been flowing fast & furious, so watch out for all-new lines coming soon, just as soon as time allows me to move a little further along the path of actualisation.  I’m getting there!  I’m going back to my TangleCrafts roots for one of these projects, but recycling an old idea by wrapping it up in a completely different concept.  Can’t wait till it’s ready to show you!

Another special offer for June can be found in the ETPrintworks Store which is currently offering the No New News Notebook (fairy tale zine, diary & notebook all-in-one) absolutely free when you spend £5 or more (excl. shipping)…

Project Dissimulation – first creations

As April is bowel cancer awareness month, I was keen to get the first issue of the Project Dissimulation zine completed in time for April – so keen that I managed to be finished early!  When I first put out a call for donations of bird-themed used postage stamps and artistamps, I didn’t really have a clear idea of what exactly I would do with them, although the title chosen for the project obviously lent itself to working with collective nouns (a dissimulation of birds being the traditional collective noun for a group of birds).  Once I sat down to get started, though, the idea shaped itself and the first zine was quickly born, as well as a series of badges.

Please click through to the TangleStore to support Project Dissimulation with a purchase – any profits from Project items sold will be donated to a bowel cancer research/awareness charity.

So far I have completed Volume I of the zine, a matching Project Dissimulation badge (I will create a new badge design for each issue, so they can be collected!), and bird badges made from upcycled postage stamps for anyone who would like a completely individual souvenir of the Project:

The first issue of the Project zine features a variety of collective nouns for birds, illustrated with selected used postage stamps which were donated to the Project.  I’m not sure yet how many zines there will be in total, but I will keep going as long as there are stamps to work with. 🙂  In addition to the current items available, there will soon be a one-off chance to buy a set of badges made from the actual stamps used to illustrate Volume I, as well as bird badges grouped by species.  As the Project progresses, I’m also planning envelope seals, address labels, postcards and mini-notecards – watch this space for updates & availability!

Project Dissimulation Store

If there are any bloggers out there reading this who would be willing to help spread the word with a mention of the Project (please feel free to ‘borrow’ any of the pics used in this post), I would really appreciate your help, too – the more people we can reach, the bigger difference we can make. 🙂

New Year, new house…

Well, I suppose the New Year just wouldn’t be the same if we didn’t have the prospect of moving house (again) on the horizon…  I did announce several months ago that we planned to be moving, but actually we had recently decided to stay put.  Never mind that, it’s all on again!  We managed 2 whole years at the current property (a record for us), but we have high hopes that the next one we will manage even longer.  Wish us luck, though, because by historic evidence, the property gods are clearly not on our side!

The TangleCrafts & E.T.Printworks stores (etc) will be closed throughout February, but back in March.  The packing ‘festivities’ do not need to begin in earnest quite yet, though, so please do take advantage of the coupon code NEWHOME at Etsy checkout, for a 25% discount until the end of this month.  (If you prefer to order through Folksy, drop me a line with or immediately following your order, and I will apply the discount retrospectively, as a Paypal refund.)  Your help in diminishing the quantities I will need to pack is truly much appreciated! 😉

Last minute stocking fillers

A little late in the day, I concede, but I have just added some festive colour-themed sets of Machin badges in the TangleStore & wanted to share the pretty pics…

If you want to chance a last-minute stocking filler arriving in time for ‘the big day’ I have some sets ready made-up & will be able to send out asap upon receipt of an order.

These sets of 3 are much better value than the singles usually available due to the combined postage cost.  I think I will look at re-packaging the singles into multi-sets, in the near future.

TangleClub March Update

All change!

The TangleClub has undergone another minor makeover, with a new design for membership cards.  Existing members will receive an updated card with any order placed; but the club discount code is the same, so you won’t miss out, if you don’t place a new order straight away!  The biggest change is that freebies will no longer be issued on a strictly monthly basis, BUT TangleClub Members will still have access to all the freebies in the TangleClub Archive, and new freebies WILL still be added, just at slightly more irregular intervals.  This is mostly to ensure that the free stuff shared is good stuff, and not just random stuff I have scrabbled to put together with a monthly deadline looming!

If you are not currently a member of the TangleClub but want to join us,  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!

So, what else is new?

We also have a brand new Offer of the Month: for March only you will receive a set of 3 Behind the Times badges when you place an order for the latest issue of the Enchanted Times (#4).  (But if you were quick off the mark & pre-ordered your copy of ET4, don’t worry, you don’t have to miss out!  The Behind the Times badge set is also available separately. 🙂 )

Anything else?

 There’s definitely still much more to come this month, so please check back for updates!

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!