Sunday 19 September 2010

The Craft Collective, Otley

I talked about the burgeoning Leeds indie scene the other week, so continuing on that theme, I decided to feature the new shop opened within the last few months by Jenie Pickard, also known as Lady Bea's Vintage Hive.





Situated in the small market town of Otley, just outside Leeds, this amazing shop features work by various local artists. Some you might recognise from Pannier Markets, local fashion shows, How Bizarre's market stall and Bird's Yard. Jenie has gathered together the cream of the crop in Leeds and surrounding areas, and created a real treasure trove of goodies.



Whatever your style or budget, you're bound to find something to suit. Prices start as low as £1, which for a one-off, hand-made item is rare.

Brands within the shop (to be edited later)

Ringlit  - reworked vintage clothing



Ages of Elegance - handmade clothing, accessories and homewares



Dot Dot Dee - jewellery





Life's Big Canvas - me - The Craft Collective is the exclusive stockist for my vintage eraser collection





Zinc White  - recycled typewriter and pencil jewellery



OOBBAA - runs The Stalls in Harrogate - handmade bags




Handmade with Love

Adorn Lovestorm - statement jewellery

Blue Shed Knits - hand knitted creations, including cupcakes, poodles and eggs


Lilly's hats

Gill Ford - photography

stained glass

Northern Star - infamous for her lego jewellery, and other kitschy items




The shop itself is gorgeous. When I went over, the theme was Alice in Wonderland, so the window was full of teacups, red hearts and watches. Inside the shop sits a massive tea table, with cups and saucers, knitted cakes and floral patterns everywhere.





The shop also features original artwork on the walls, painted by Matthew Dawson, whose tiger is a show stopper.

The basement is due to be fitted out so Jenie can feature even more of her favourite designers on display. We had a sneak peek, and there's even more great stuff downstairs just waiting to be flung around the shop!





Jenie is a real magpie, and has an eye for the unusual. She mixes kitschy jewellery with classy clothing, and sthe shop itself is like a gallery, with vintage bird cages housing knitted animals hung in old fireplaces, surrounded by shoes, jewellery and pillows.

Saturday 18 September 2010

What's been going on at Pesky HQ

SO, lots of exciting things are going on recently. Here are some bullet points

1. I moved some stock into The Craft Collective in Otley - a blogpost about Otley's wonderfulness will follow.

2. I've also been in Bird's Yard for about 6 weeks, and absolutely love working there. The people are nice, the shop is amazing, and I love getting feedback from customers, and meeting new people

3. Toys are continuing to sell well in Robin Hood's Bay.

4. Kim's tattoo studio, The Ink Station, will be expanding to include tattoo removal, piercing, nail artist, a new tattoo artist and jewellery collections - mainly my stuff! I'm really excited about this, as I don't have anything in that area yet.

5. I'm also going to be putting stuff in The Stalls shortly - it's a fairly new shop in Harrogate, similar to The Craft Collective. Natasha has asked for me to take in some toys.

6. College is going for a bit of a burton, as I'm so busy.

7. We joined East Street Arts, and Ian and I will have a studio in Barkston House in October.

PHEW! Think that should have caught everyone up!

Tuesday 14 September 2010

Bird's Yard - the ground floor

I'm sorry it took so long to do the ground floor. Every time I started doing it, a new artist or designer was moving in, and I didn't want to miss anyone out! Now it seems we're nearly at capacity, so what an enormous post this could turn out to be. To be fair, I've gone around the room, and done them in the order they appear as you walk around the shop.



Hollie has loads of different bits and pieces, which is just my sort of cubby. As well as gorgeous vintage and festival inspired waistcoats and hot pants, you'll also find sock moggies and bunnies, knitted octopuses and even some children's clothing made from vintage fabric.
Laura's beautiful clothing is restyled vintage finds, including these amazing scarf halter-neck tops, which have got a few people in a tizzy when they come into the shop! She changes stock very regularly, so if you like her clothing, be sure to pick it up while you can.



 
I'd seen Dawn's clothing around for months before finally meeting her, and it had always made me smile, and be wistful for bygone eras. Gorgeous handmade dresses from fabrics including chocolates, skulls, and candy. She also stocks some men's ties, lingerie and even a small amount of homewares. Dawn also runs Fabric-ation around the corner, where you can do workshops on making your own clothing.

Beth's fascinators and hats get a lot of attention from browsers at the shop. They are the definition of statement pieces - huge flowers, feathers, leather shapes and twisted fabrics. Whilst they may not be for every day wear, you can ask Beth to make you something stunning for a special occasion.


Smokey Rag tees and tote bags are beautifully printed with some really eye catching designs. I've yet to meet Diondra who runs the brand, but I'm impressed with the quality of her products.  




Obviously this is me. I love being a part of this unique experience, and so far have been doing pretty well. Have had some nice feedback from customers and staff, and it's helping my confidence.



Pixie also reworks vintage clothing, but in a totally different way to Ringlit. Her two tone dresses have been a best seller, but I particularly like her reworked denimpinafore dress, which I would be purchasing like a shot if it would fit me.

Aneet's collection of clothing, accessories and jewellery is both actual vintage, and vintage inspired. Her cute little gathered tops have been flying off the shelves, and her cute jewellery can be found in a nearby cabinet.






















Giving new meaning to the term recycled, Zine White use old typewriters and pencils to create fascinating jewellery. Although the brand has only been in the shop for about 3 weeks, it's made a fantastic impact, with the typewriter key rings so far have been the best sellers (mostly to people who work in the shop, admittedly)



Delicate, hand beaded jewellery, including the ever popular flag pins! These pieces are so light across your fingers, you'll want to play with them for hours. Again, Jane has only been in the shop a couple of weeks, but people have been beguiled by the butterflies in particular.


If you want to make a statement, you need to pick up one of Emily's belts or necklaces! Vintage, hammered and handmade items, all with one thing in common - they're bold, beautiful, and not for the faint hearted. This brand has just arrived in the shop, and I think it will cause an impact.




Ruth's jewellery is all sterling silver and handmade, but prices are amazing! Everything is less than £20, and  is superbly made. Lots of excellent ideas for gifts, and beautifully presented.

Bird's vintage clothing has been sourced from all over the place, and ranges in age from 20 to over 60 years old! Amazing vintage one-off pieces, separated into day and night wear. If you're after something truly unique for a special occasion, or even just something stunning for work, have a look around.

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Other notable mentions of people who we love at Bird's Yard

Taheed - The Boy Prefers Prada
Gary Crozier - beautiful digital manipulation of photographs
Anna Fur Laxis - burlesque performer
Leeds Loves Shopping