calling all readers...

I just need your help with some ideas for my Nottingham Craft Mafia Team 'Propaganda' meeting tomorrow night. A bit late I know, but organisation at the moment is a bit thin on the ground. Okay, I will share with you a little of what our team is and what we are trying to do. The Craft Mafia in Nottingham has been on the go for nearly a year and we have been working lots on getting involved with events and organising our lovely shop etc. We decided to split into teams, shop team, events team and a kind of promotional/online/marketing/PR kind of team (all the above words we didn't like so decided on 'Propaganda, which we all kind of like.

So our aims are to raise the profile on NCM on land and online by spreading the word and getting recognised as a quality organisation for art/craft/design in the Midlands. Our team had an impromptu meeting a few weeks ago, came up with lots of great ideas, such as press packs, ideas for our blog and how to raise our profile in the area and with other UK Craft Mafias.

What I would like you to do, dear readers, is just help me out with any business links, marketing tips, blog posts, ideas, how-to's etc, that you can, which I can incorporate into my little pack. One example, we may have the opportunity to exhibit at a local outlet, but I haven't a clue on how to go about getting an exhibition together, not a clue where to start, although the prospect of getting involved with something like this is VERY exciting. So if anyone has any tips they can share I would be soooo pleased to hear from you.

watch this space, for how we get on....

By the way, as you can see from my picture for this post, I haven't been spending any time in the studio lately. hopefully I will have some new work and maybe some news to share in a week or so, I don't want to spill the beans in case I jinx things..... ooh, the suspense!!

Sold!!

Hey... see this.... I just sold it on Folksy and I'm really rather chuffed!! I'm also getting a new website soon, which I'm also rather chuffed about. I'm at work tomorrow though, and that I am NOT chuffed about.

I've added some cool new discoveries to my blog roll, check em out if you have a spare five mins.

And where did that week go?

I know, I can't believe it either, it's been nearly a week since my last post, and I don't know where the time has gone. It's been really hot too, so it has been warm enough to sit out and eat on an evening, and it seems I have had something to occupy me most nights this week, so it just seems that it has flown.

I was going to do a massive blurb about feeling too busy, over stretching yourself and making too many commitments, but I have just deleted it. Its too annoying to even write, never mind read, so I won't subject you to that today! I think I have just had too much going on in my head this week and feel like I need to get it out!! (Sue, shut up, you are doing it again!!) (that was the voice in my head in case you were wondering!!!)

Instead I will show you my new picture (as yet nameless, I'm thinking of calling it either 'Identity' or 'I am where I'm from' (deep or what??). Its on a bigger format than I usually do (A3) as I had a chat with someone last week who suggested working bigger.... so here you go, i've gone bigger!! Something I wouldn't have thought about, but maybe in this case bigger might be better!! Who knows? I'll tell you what though, bigger takes a lot longer, my right hand is aching now. (ooh, does that sound rude, it wasn't meant to!)

Make Tea Not War

Hannah and Belinda from our very own Nottingham Craft Mafia organised a tea party, which took place today in Sneinton. Lots of lovely talented designers, lots of cups of tea and lots of cake (including the biggest cupcake I have ever seen in my whole life!). I popped down for an hour with my sis, who was down to stay with me for the weekend, and we had tea, cake, chats and took some photos of all the gorgeous stalls. I think the event may even get into the local press!!

Debbie Bryan

Today, while out shopping in Nottingham, I had the chance to meet a lovely lady, Debbie Bryan, a designer/maker who has just opened up her own shop in a beautiful Edwardian (i think!) building in the Lace Market area of the city. She has collaborated with a group of carefully selected extremely talented local artists/designers and the end result is breathtaking, a beautifully designed and well thought out space, which comprises the shop area, selling Debbie Bryan studio collections; fashion accessories & haberdashery and the very best in craft, fashion homeware & design, and also a studio at the back, where she will be holding a series of workshops.

I for one, will def be going back to take some photos to show you all and hopefully will be attending the taster workshop in a couple of weeks time. I was also flattered to find out that she had seen some of my work too and had even bought some of my stitched cards. What a turn up for the books eh?

SO check out her website and find out what she gets up to and have a look at her work.

photography in the garden

oooh, its a beautiful day, the sun is shining and I am off work for the day, and boy was I ready for a day off! I have been out with the dog first thing for a relaxing walk along the river and have spent the rest of the day making the most of the sunshine and photographing the remaining bird pictures to post on Etsy and Folksy. Todays postings can be found here and here

So now I am rather pleased with myself, and the fact I haven't spent the whole day procrastinating (one of my fave 'day-off' bad habits) and have actually done something constructive.

After a few weeks of feeling very demotivated, tired and stressed (caused in whole by the day job, I will add) I am now feeling a bit more back on track, with renewed enthusiasm. One of the posts I have read recently from Wendren at The Wren Design has contributed to my upswing I think, have a read, in fact have a read of the whole blog, its very inspirational. It made me think about how far I have come in the past few years, and instead of beating myself up for all the things I haven't done, or haven't had time to do, I should be giving myself a pat on the back for all the things I HAVE done.

Sneinton Tea Party: Make Tea not War

This is where I will be this Sunday, organised by a couple of the girls from Nottingham Craft Mafia, this is a little of what they had to say

'After a successful tea party at The Hermitage Centre last year, alongside the Sneinton Ladies Club - we're doing it all again! Big style.We would like to invite you to join us at our second annual event. On Sunday 28th June, tea and homemade cake will be served to raise money for charity whilst people can see the best that Nottingham has to offer creatively.We also need volunteers thoughtout the day and you shall be rewarded in kind as tea and cake shall once more feature heavily at the party. It’s what we need to get through each day!How you can help:Talk to us - get in touch as soon as possibleTell us about yourself - how do you think you can help?Spread the word – and let us do the same for your projectsGet involved – in whatever way you can'

Hope you can make it!!

Indie Quarter Feature

I have been lucky enough to be featured on Jenny Hudsons gorgeous blog, Indie Quarter. Not only that but I have been featured alongside one of my fave card designers Design Rocks. The sooziebee blog feature can be seen here Its a great blog showcasing some of the Great British talent and I'd just like to say Thankyou to Jenny for the mention.

Just a little bit about Indie Quarter to wet your appetites before you go and have a peek. This is what they are all about....

As the High Street is driven by multiples, it can be very difficult for independent designers to become established. The internet has become a real haven for small companies and lots of indie communities have started to pop up online. Indie Quarter gives them a no-cost way to promote themselves and show the world what they have to offer. The blog features designers from a wide variety of disciplines, with everything from up and coming fashion labels, ceramics and textile designers to contemporary art, photography and jewellery. There is also a selection of podcasts featuring interviews with independent designers and a regular Day in the Life of feature which follows designers through a typical day. Guest writers from PR companies and even CosmoGIRL’s fashion editor have ‘popped in’ to offer tips and advice to budding designers.
Indie Quarter is based in Manchester in the UK and is updated each week day. The blog was established in 2005 by Jenny and Richard Hudson of Vanilla Storm


If you are an independent designer / maker / artist / crafter and would like to be featured on Indie Quarter, please fill in the form on their Want to be Featured page.

Go Handmade, new magazine

Tonight, whilst browsing the Folksy Forums I found this new magazine called Go Handmade. Its full of gorgeous pictures, folksy sellers and beautiful goods and ideas. I can't work out how to put a picture of it on here so check out this link and have a peek for yourselves. Instead I have posted a picture of my newest addition to my Etsy and Folksy shops. Hope ya like!!

Gardeners World snaps

Here are a few of my fave pics i snapped at the Gardeners World Live show I went to on Thursday. I now wish I had taken more!! The colours were just amazing and I'm sure I will be using some of these to sample colours for new work. I have never really been drawn to foliage plants, always been more of a flower girl, but the foliage displays (like the fantastic swirly begonia leaves) were as stunning as some of the floral ones. It makes you realise that 'everything is beautiful, in its own way' ha!! Cue for a cheesy song!!