Life's Big Canvas

Valentine giveaway

2012-02-10T10:14:00.000-08:00

I've decided to do a very quick giveaway - for the next 24 hours, any comment on this blog gets you an entry into a draw to win this necklace.

You can also tweet or share the link on facebook for another entry - that's three possible entries.

GOOD LUCK!

Blog and Buy sale

2012-02-09T03:38:00.000-08:00

I hadn't heard of Blog and Buy until last month, when two of my suppliers posted about their stalls. I followed the links and found a lovely little site, with online stalls. My two suppliers are people I trust (Finest Imaginary and Crown and Glory) and for £15 a month, it seemed great value.

So I paid up, and then was customarily flaky and forgot to send a couple of details - I got a nice, polite email from Blog and Buy requesting what I'd forgotten, and then they put together the whole stall for me, using the links, images and blurb provided. It's being hosted for the whole month by them, and they regularly tweet.

It's bringing traffic to my site, and I'm meeting lovely new creatives I hadn't met before. So I'm recommending it to anyone who's umming and aahing.

The whole February showcase is here - I'm Stall 17, and if you fancy tweeting about it, or liking it on facebook, there are tremendously handy buttons to do just that right on the page.

Apply for March here

WHAT DO WE WANT? INDEPENDENTS! WHEN DO WE WANT THEM? NOW!

2012-02-06T07:23:00.000-08:00

Guest blogger Jane Wynn of Wildheart gives us her opinion on the Mary Portas review.

In December 2011, Mary Portas (dubbed by some “Minister for Shops”) published ‘The Portas
Review’, a 55 page report which is summarised in 28 key recommendations. A mixed bag of
suggestions, some which are basic common sense like making better use of empty units, and
some which may cause a few ruffled feathers in certain places, in particular regarding betting
shops and out of town shopping centres.

I was saddened but not surprised to see that in the media interest following this publication
that Rochdale was featured. I was born and spent the first 18 years of my life there and have
been a regular visitor over the years so know the place quite well. I have memories of the old
covered market and can recall the building of the first new shopping centre that replaced it. The
old development was a lovely place, which included an arcade of small shop units, full of lively,
interesting independent traders. One I remember in particular, called ‘Duggies’, sold all kinds of
everything and was a family business which included his wife and the banter between these two
was often rich and hilarious. The building of the first shopping centre at the bottom of Yorkshire
St (the main shopping thoroughfare) started a ripple effect of new development along that street,
seeing many of smaller traders in the area crushed out of being and replaced with more retail
chains. People celebrated when the Body Shop opened up in Rochdale - this reaction only
eclipsed by the public outcry when McDonalds decided to close its town centre unit last year.

I used to live in the Midlands and got to know Birmingham’s shopping areas quite well.
Birmingham used to have a fantastic little shopping mecca, known as the Oasis, in the city centre
underneath one of the markets. Accessed by dimly lit stairways, the basement was full of small
retail units, jostling and often overflowing into each other, where rock fans, punks, Goths, et
al, could find everything they could ever need to satisfy their hunger for the alternative. All run
by small independent traders, many of them makers and designers, it wasn’t just the things to
buy that brought us in week after week, it was their knowledge and passion for their market and
products that made it a great place to shop. The place was refurbished many years ago, with the
higher rates meaning that many of the smaller traders couldn’t afford it anymore and they sadly
disappeared.

I think the Portas Review makes many good points when it comes to sole traders, small
businesses and markets, if managed with a view to the traders and their customer base. The right
kind of independent shops will bring the people back and go a long way to help revitalise our city
centres. In many cases, they’re supporting local people in their own business which will have a
big impact on the local economy. For some, it’s giving new designers and makers an opportunity
to launch themselves on the market and start building a customer base. My memories and
personal experience tell me that shopping with independent traders is a much more rewarding
experience for customers, often having that personal touch that is missing in the homogenised
atmosphere of some of big shops. There may be larger shopping centres available to us now but I
feel choices have become increasingly limited over the years, with the same formula and products
rolled out by retail chains over countless high streets across the UK. It’s all getting a bit too 1984-
ish for my liking and, unless we really do want a proletariat society, something needs to be done
before it’s too late.

February plans - update

2012-02-05T09:49:00.000-08:00

My daily blogging has gone from bad to non-existant. However, I'm now all over Twitter, because I learnt how to use it properly. It's meant that I'm not really using Facebook, so I'm waiting for the Facebook media bootcamp so I can use those two properly. HOWEVER, I have found Instagram, so even though Frooly has gone bankrupt, I still have the same amount of pointless online accounts.

When is someone going to do a bootcamp about blogging? I definitely need one.

February Plans

2012-01-23T03:57:00.000-08:00

I know my daily blogging is going badly. Never mind. I also know I said I'd be more personal and try not to talk about the business so much. Never mind.

Ok, so February is looking good. I've already got my stock ready for Valentine's shoppers, so now I'm stepping up a gear, and these are the things I have planned to promote the business.

1. Advertising on a website which has viewers I think who will like my jewellery.

2. Having a stall at an online fair - this went badly last time, but I have a week to get my website up to scratch, and this online fair is much better read and promoted. You get what you pay for.

3. I've booked myself on a Social Media Bootcamp, and am overhauling my social media sites. Currently I have the following accounts
a. facebook
b. twitter
c. instagram
d. pinterest
e. google+
f. linked in
g. flickr
h. tumblr
i. blogspot - this thing here
j. Live journal
This is ridiculous, because I don't use any of them that effectively. I'm also a bit rubbish at getting them all working together properly. I often have things I say on one place showing up on another, without me realising. I had a particularly bad day where everything I posted on facebook went on twitter, and then everything on twitter went on facebook, and so we had a very strange loop effect going on.

4. I also use the following selling sites as well as my own website
a. ebay
b. folksy
c. etsy
d. misi
e. frooly
f. amazon
This is also useless, because the only place I sell anything is eBay, when I'm retiring jewellery. I can't decide whether to close the other accounts or not.

5. I also plan to finally get my catalogue printed for in the actual shop, so customers can have a flick through and learn about the artists.

What do you think? Good plans for February?

2012-01-19T11:05:00.000-08:00

I'm blogging twice today, mainly because I have a spare five minutes, and also because I feel I have something to blog about. Today after talking to people at work, I realised how far I've come. They didn't believe there was ever a time I didn't want to leave the house or talk to anyone. Believe me, there was. Without the shop, I'm not sure self-employment would have ever got off the ground, because I wouldn't have had any confidence in myself or any of my abilities.

To illustrate how much I've changed, here's a blogpost I wrote in October 2008. It made me cry reading it again, because I can't believe that's me.

"I'VE BEEN UP SINCE 5AM AND THIS IS WHAT I HAVE BEEN THINKING

"I DON'T WANT TO GO TO SPALDING ON THURSDAY, MY DAD DOESN'T MAKE ME FEEL GREAT ABOUT MYSELF, STILL AT LEAST WE'RE STAYING IN A HOTEL, IF I CAN JUST MAKE IT TO SATURDAY. OH THEN ON SUNDAY WE'RE HAVING SUNDAY LUNCH WITH PETE, AND SIMON AND JO WILL BE THERE WITH GRACE, SO IF I CAN JUST MAKE IT TO SUNDAY NIGHT......."

SCRATCHING ARM

"SUNDAY IS MUM'S BIRTHDAY. IF I CAN MAKE IT TO MONDAY I'LL BE OK. THEN NEXT WEEK I'M NOT LOOKING AFTER IAN, I CAN DO WHAT I LIKE, AND I'M GOING TO VISIT KATIE. THEN IF I CAN MAKE IT PAST THE WEEKEND I'LL BE OK. SATURDAY IS STEVE COOGAN. WHERE IS IT AGAIN? WHERE ARE WE GOING TO PARK? THEN SUNDAY IT'S A MEAL WITH PREGNANT FRIEND, I CAN MAKE IT PAST THAT"

MORE ARM SCRATCHING

"THEN AFTER THAT IT'S MONDAY AND I'M BACK AT WORK. WHAT IF I CAN'T GO BACK TO WORK? WHAT IF I HAVE TO STOP WORK? WHAT AM I GOING TO DO IF I DON'T HAVE A JOB? I'VE GOT MY LOAN TO PAY. I NEED TO WORK. IF I CAN'T WORK IAN WILL HAVE TO SUPPORT ME. I DON'T DESERVE TO BE ALIVE"

GET UP AND GO TO BATHROOM, HAVE A DIG AROUND IN BATHROOM DRAWER, GO BACK TO BED

REMEMBER PACT I HAVE WITH BETTIE. GET OUT OF BED, MAKE BREAKFAST, GO BACK TO BED

"REMEMBER THE GOOD THINGS ABOUT LIFE. IT'S CHRISTMAS SOON, AND WE'RE GOING TO ELLIOT'S. LAST TIME WE WENT TO ELLIOT'S I BROKE THAT PLATE THAT NICOLA'S GOD DAUGHTER MADE HER. NOW DON'T START THAT, SHE SAID IT WAS FINE. WELL YES BUT YOU WOULD SAY IT WAS FINE IF SOMETHING GOT BROKEN OF YOURS, BUT YOU'D STILL BE UPSET INSIDE. YOU MADE HER FEEL LIKE THAT YOU'RE A BAD PERSON. YOU'RE ALWAYS BREAKING THINGS. REMEMBER WHEN YOU BROKE SARAH'S TAP? THEY HAD TO PAY £100 TO GET THAT FIXED AND WOULDN'T ACCEPT ANY MONEY AND NOW HE'S LOST HIS JOB. SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP THAT ISN'T BECAUSE OF THAT £100 AND THAT WAS 5 YEARS AGO. YOU HAVEN'T SEEN HER FOR AGES THOUGH, YOU'RE A TERRIBLE FRIEND, SHE MIGHT NEED YOU, SHE'S OFTEN DEPRESSED IN DECEMBER, AND WHERE ARE YOU? HIDING AT HOME, SKIVING FROM WORK. YOU HAVEN'T SEEN ANYONE IN AGES, YOU NEED TO GET IN TOUCH WITH PEOPLE AND GET BACK TO NORMAL."

FORCE MYSELF TO GET UP AND HAVE A SHOWER. SHAVE MY ARMS, CATCH A NAIL ON THE RAZOR, PULL FINGERNAIL OFF.

"IT'S FIONA'S BIRTHDAY TODAY. YOU CAN'T FEEL LIKE THIS TODAY. IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU ALL THE BLOODY TIME. IT'S SARAH'S BIRTHDAY SOON AS WELL, DON'T FORGET. YOU PROBABLY WILL, SHE REMEMBERED YOURS.I HOPE FIONA LIKES HER PRESENT. WHAT IF SHE DOESN'T? WHAT IF IT DOESN'T ARRIVE? IT'S A SPECIAL BIRTHDAY AND SHE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PUT UP WITH MY PARANOIA TODAY. I WON'T BUG HER ABOUT IF IT'S ARRIVED. WELL, MAYBE ONCE."

GO AND GET 'HOT FUZZ' AND TURN COMPUTER ON - BLANKS OUT THE SOUND OF MY BRAIN, AS BRAIN THINKING ABOUT THE RECIPE BOOK I'M WRITING

IAN CALLS THROUGH AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR. BRAIN STARTS GOING AGAIN. THS TIME I SAY IT OUT LOUD TO IAN, AND EVENTUALLY START CRYING WHEN I GET TO THE BIT ABOUT HOW I'D BE BETTER OFF DEAD.

MAKE BREAKFAST FOR IAN. WHILE KETTLE BOILS EAT PACKET OF BISCUITS.

AFTER BREAKFAST WATCH 'HOT FUZZ' AGAIN WITH IAN AS I DIDN'T REALLY PAY ATTENTION EARLIER AND IAN WANTS TO WATCH IT AGAIN. "

On a plus note, I'm definitely having my hair cut like this again.

OOps

2012-01-19T05:21:00.000-08:00

I can't help but notice my daily blogging has started rather badly. I did Monday, and then totally missed Tuesday and Wednesday. I put the blame for this firmly at the door of my wholesaler, who sent out my new stock really very quickly indeed, so I've been making stuff for two days.

Here are what I've done with the dolls I found in my studio. I owe a massive debt to Margeaux Lange, obviously, but I like to think I've switched it up by clustering beads onto them.

I don't like this one much. It's too derivative

I much prefer this one. I like the way the lashes are actually hairy.

The leftover arms, which I don't think I've blogged about. Took me hours to hack them all off, and burn a hole through the top of all of them and then wire it all together. It's like teeth. I could have just strung on, but I wanted the movement.

My favourite one, by a mile

New leaf and all that

2012-01-16T08:09:00.000-08:00

I've decided to try and use this blog as more of an actual blog, rather than somewhere to randomly now and again post links to stuff. I've been enjoying my friend Katie's blog, as it's very like having her chatting to me, which I wish happened much more often than it does (being as we live an hour's drive apart, and I am useless on the telephone). I also love to write, and need more practice doing so.

I've also decided that I need to be more positive on my blog. I only seem to write about my business, or when I'm having a bad time. I never write about the nice things in my life, so my new leaf I'm turning is to write a blogpost every day. In reality this might mean a blogpost every week instead, but as my dentist says when I complain that flossing my teeth makes me vomit, let's aim for once a day and see what happens.

So, for my first blogpost, I'd like to talk about my wonderful husband. You may know some things about him already, either from Facebook, my article on quadriplegia, or from me telling you (endlessly) about how wonderful he is.

I met Ian in 1994, when I moved from Spalding to Lancaster to volunteer at the University. I looked after Wendy, and Ian was looked after by Tina and Paul. All the volunteers used to get together, and I became friendly with Tina. At the time, I knew about 4 people in Lancaster, who I met through the theatre group* - I still know them all through Facebook and 3 of them came to my wedding (as well as Wendy of course).

So I went round to Tina's flat, and met Paul, Ian and Pete (who had the fourth flat in the block). As soon as I saw Ian, I KNEW. People talk about love at first sight, and it sounds pansified to me - I wouldn't know how else to describe it though. I just knew we'd be together forever. It took a long time to do anything about it, because I was only 19, and it seemed an amazingly big thing to devote my life to someone with a disability. After 6 months of spending time with the 4 of them, I sent him a letter saying I liked him, and a bag of mini eggs, and he responded with a letter saying he liked me as well, and a Mr Men book.

In 1999, we'd been going out for 4 years, even though we hadn't lived in the same town for 3 of them, and I don't even remember talking about moving in - I think we both just knew I'd be moving in after my degree. In the April, I went to visit him, and he gave me one of those massive Kinder** Easter eggs which were around then. I opened it to find a small box. Let's forget for one moment that I said 'What the hell's this?' and felt ripped off by Kinder, and just focus on the fact that it had a beautiful ring inside. Ian had got his brother to carefully open the egg, put in the ring, and repackage it so it looked like it hadn't been touched.

We've been married 10 years, and I can't imagine not being with him. We don't really argue, just bicker about small things, and have been told more than once we have our own language, which I take as a compliment. I come home and ask him if he's missed me, and every day he says, 'I always miss you when you're not here.' I've never gone to bed without kissing him goodnight (unless we've been apart, which has probably happened about four times since I moved to Leeds). I know when he's going to speak before he does, and he knows when I'm about to fall asleep, just by our breathing. He's the funniest person I've ever met, he says I'm the kindest.

Here's to you, Mr McGenn.

Photograph by Gary Crozier

* as a sidenote, I joined this group because in 1994, the only thing I'd really done creatively was acting at school
** I used to collect Kinder egg toys, and displayed them on a shelving unit my Dad made specially.

How I do my accounts - a possibly helpful, possibly patronising, blogpost

2012-01-03T08:50:00.000-08:00

I've been told this might be useful, so I'll have a go at writing it. It might not work in any way at all, because you can't see me waving my hands around and pointing at things on the screen.

Basically, keeping track of your business expenditure isn't only necessary for your self-assessment, it's also vital so you know if you're making a profit month on month. You don't need to get a fancy accounting programme, and if you're just starting out, you don't need an accountant yet.

I use a spreadsheet in Open Office, which is a free version of Office. Each page of the spreadsheet is a month, which I split into outgoings at the top, and incomings at the bottom. I always put outgoings as a 'minus' amount, and incomings as a 'plus' amount.

This screenshot, I hasten to add, does not involve real figures. It's just to give you a flavour of what sort of things get entered.

Then there are two columns for cash/cheque etc, and what I bought or sold. Then there are two more columns for 'cash' and 'bank account' – 'Cash' in this instance includes stuff I pay for with my own personal account as well as physical cash taken in the shop.

I use the functions to add everything up for me. There is a total for everything going out in both cash and bank columns, and a total for everything coming in in whatever form.

I also add up all the cash transactions to get a running cash total, and all the bank account transactions so I know how much should be in the business account. This lets me see how much cash should be in the money tin, and in my bank account, which is extremely important.

The best thing about having it set up like this for a whole month is that I can have the same outgoings I know I have every month copied over to a new sheet at the start of every month, and the functions automatically let me know how much turnover I need to make. The functions also calculate every time I log in how much profit or loss I'm making, and allows me to plan how I'll make more turnover.

Each month I then have two figures – one IN and one OUT. I can work out from that how much profit or loss I've made. If it's better than last month, I'm happy. Self-assessment forms only ask for 2 figures – how much you've spent, and how much you've taken. So as long as you have those two figures at the end of the tax year, you'll be golden. Luckily because I use this method, I have the 12 figures at the end of March already, and can just add them up and put them into the self-assessment form.

Obviously, this all depends on keeping track of everything. Luckily as the spreadsheet is on the computer and most of my transactions are online, I just put the amount into the spreadsheet straight away. Anything done offline, like the cheque for postage or cash purchases, I try and remember to put it in the next time I'm online. I guess if you're not as OCD as I am, you could probably just save up your receipts, and enter them all in once a week, or even once a month, but then you miss out on seeing how your profit and loss is going for that month.

So - was that helpful? Or am I teaching people to suck eggs?

My jewellery box - part one: necklaces

2012-01-02T07:40:00.000-08:00

I've been meaning to do this blogpost for a while, but finally, with a new year, I tidied my bedroom. In the process I found mangled jewellery in a terrible state that I wouldn't allow my shop to get into - so why do I allow my own jewellery box to get like this?! Tangled chains, some pendants without chains at all.

I had no idea that I had so much jewellery. I think this is due to the fact that I like to support every independent maker I can, so if I like a piece of handmade jewellery, I usually buy it without much thought, or better still swap something of mine for it.

I've photographed all my necklaces, as this is my absolute favourite item of jewellery, and have grouped them into rather random categories. I own, and make, more necklaces than anything, and usually this is all the jewellery I wear. I don't wear many rings, earrings etc, as I worry too much about looking like Pat Butcher.

These are all the pendants I have without chains - I've probably broken the chains, or merely removed them so they stop getting tangled. I was delighted to find these, as I thought I'd lost my goldfish heart and jammy dodger.

Made by
goldfish bowl - can't remember
russian doll - Plastic Bat
the rest are Peach Nia

This is the first piece of jewellery I made for myself. I've yet to wear it. I just liked how the lobster has what looks like a moustache

My necklace watches - when I photograph the rest of my jewellery you'll see I also have 2 wristwatches. I never wear any sort of watch.

Guitar watch - Claire's accessories
Cherry watch - somewhere online

A loosely related selection - items which are really old, I don't wear much, but I'll never get rid of.

Left to right:
Tokidoki ghost star
vintage wooden owl - dad gave me a stack of broken jewellery and I found these three shapes in it, and rebuilt the owl.
octopus - I've had this about 8 years now, and I never cease to be amazed at how popular this little octopus charm is. Regretsy have a whole thread about it.
Glass tile - I mentioned online I liked this, so Fiona bought it for me. The ribbon it's on is a bit rubbish, which is why I don't wear it much, cause I'm paranoid it'll break. Why don't I just replace it with chain? Because I only just thought of doing it...
Cupcake - Claudia got me this years ago - the chain is all tangled, but I really should untangle it and wear it again.

These are all made by indie designers
Left to right
gold jawbone - Sweet Delirium
Buttons - Paul Tipper
cupcake - Dinky Pretty Things
Paintbrush - zinc white - this is made from one of Ian's old paintbrushes
Lego skeleton - Tilly Mint
sprinkle heart - someone on Etsy about 10 years ago
charm necklace - made by Ron for my birthday about 8 years ago

These are together because they're all little necklaces - I said it was random
Left to right
scented gingerbread house - Plastic bat
little girl - gift from Rowan
dragonfly - gift from Fiona
Strumpet water bottle - from Shottle Bop

Name necklaces
left to right
'shitbag' - someone on TSUK a few years ago
red horror pesky - freebie from Punky Pin
purple pesky - Tatty Devine
Cupcake heart Pesky - Clutterfly
beaded pesky - can't remember, it's about 15 years old

Photographed together because people don't expect me to wear them - I don't usually wear hearts or flowers, but I love these wooden ones from Miss Selfridge and the black heart is one of the first things Ian's mum's bought for me.

These three are all together because they're more like decorations in my room.
Left to right
Stone is from Hornsea beach
Flowers are by Nanny May, and a gift from Katie. If I ever have longer hair again, I'm going to wear it as a hairband, because it's a slightly weird fit on my neck - or if I ever have less chins I'll wear it as a necklace again.

These are all my laser cut things.

Big owl, gin bottle and lollipop necklace - Tatty Devine
Fox and Luchador - Finest Imaginary
Pow - Kitschen Sink
cupcake - Medusa Bijoux

These are all things I've made for myself.

On the left is a necklace Katie got for me, which I love so much I made a similar one with wooden and orange beads. I still wear the spotty one more often.

Coming soon - the rest of my jewellery...

Leeds Debacle

2011-12-22T10:06:00.000-08:00

An article I wrote has been published in issue 6 of The Leeds Debacle. They edited it a bit, mainly due to length, and the fact there's another article about Garry Speed, but here's the unedited version for you.

"

You just never know

On Sunday 27^th November, Gary Speed, Wales and Leeds United legend, hanged himself in his garage. It's led to much speculation about why he did it – obviously. He was young, at only 42, and seemed to have everything you could want. A loving wife, two children, a flourishing career as Wales manager and a television pundit. I'd never heard of him having an affair or marriage problems, unlike many other footballers, and no one has revealed he had a drug or alcohol addiction. It's a tragedy, and for anyone worried, this piece of writing isn't going to undermine that.

The overwhelming feelings are that he had so much to live for, and we all watched him on television the day before, and he seemed fine. At these times, for me, the media simplifies things a little too much, and shows its ignorance of depression. It may be a cliché, but it's impossible to tell from someone's outer what is going on inside.

I'd been trying to write a piece on depression for this issue of The Debacle, and was finding it hard to come up with an angle which didn't sound like I was after sympathy for how I was then, or applause for how I am now. Since being diagnosed with depression, I've been trying to explain what it's like; I'm not ashamed of having mental health problems, but I do find it infuriating. Some people have similar experiences, so that's easy. What's difficult is trying to explain to people that I haven't suddenly started feeling like this – I've been feeling like this for years, but just tried to shut it out, forget about it or otherwise ignore it.

Everything finally came to a head just over 3 years ago. I was about to turn 33, and my home-life wasn't going quite as I'd expected. I'd wanted children by the age of 30, but they seemed to be getting further and further away. I'd hoped I'd be able to stop working and be a full-time mum, possibly a child-minder. We were thrown off the adoption register because it was taking too long for me to lose another half a stone on top of the eight I'd already lost, and it made me give up on children.

Instead I threw myself into my work, and then realised that I hated my job. I tried to leave by demanding a pay-rise I was sure would be refused, and instead I got it. Things started getting even more stressful, until finally I was having a meeting with two colleagues, and the whole left hand side of my body went numb. I suggested to someone I was going to hand in my notice, and a few people said that if I left, then they would as well, as it would be unbearable without me there. At the time, I felt like I just couldn't be responsible for everyone leaving, and so I would have to find another way to stop working there.

Now I get to the point of this - this is what depression does to you. I went home, and decided if I couldn't leave my job, then I would have to kill myself. Notice the wording – there was no doubt in my mind at that point in time. It was my only way out.

I planned my suicide over the next two months; I arranged a couple of days travelling round visiting people around the country so that no one at work would miss me, and my husband wouldn't suspect anything. I went to Newark with a load of pills and even made it to the car park of the hotel I decided to stay at. In the end, my desire to see the friends I'd arranged to visit was too much, and I thought that if I still wanted to, I could always stop on the way home instead.

Obviously I never did it. I drove home two days later, went to see the doctor, and told my husband what I'd nearly done. I can't remember how I told him, but I remember the shock in his face. To clarify, my husband and I are close – I tell him everything, and we spend a lot of time together. He knew about the numbness at work, he knew I was stressed, but the fact I might want to be dead was a surprise. He asked if I was unhappy with him, and I had to try and explain that it wasn't about being happy or unhappy, more the opposite – just not being able to feel anything about anything any more.

If I'd have managed to kill myself in Newark, whether on the way there or back - then what would people have said? I hadn't told anyone in those two months how I was feeling. Perhaps there would have been discussions similar to those about Speed's appearance on Football Focus - “I saw her yesterday, and she seemed fine,” or maybe even people thinking I'd had everything to live for – a good home, a loving husband, a secure job. I remember hearing that the night before he tried to kill himself, Stephen Fry attended a party, and spent the whole night chatting freely, and laughing and joking with everyone.

In conclusion, we may think we know someone's life. We may see them, and think they have it all, and therefore they must be happy. They may seem fine, jolly even. But depression isn't anything to do with how happy you are, in the same way that weather takes no notice of whether you're working - sometimes it's just about trying to enjoy your day off in a thunderstorm."

eBay sale

2011-12-09T14:58:00.000-08:00

Just a quick reminder that a lot of items are on clearance on ebay at the moment

click here to grab a bargain before tomorrow lunchtime

Tomorrow and Sunday we'll be at Leeds Gallery with mainly new stuff, including made from scratch silver-plated wire rings from the new Edwin range.

An apology giveaway

2011-12-07T05:29:00.000-08:00

I'm so sorry about being too sad to open the shop today. To make up for it, here's a competition/giveaway to enter

Comment below, and tell me the best thing about your mum - the best will win the following.

It's a bronze heart shaped padlock kilt-pin, from the Millie Mellifera range.

Competition closes Friday at mid-day, and I'll be announcing the winner on here in the evening.

CRAFTFest weekend!

2011-11-25T04:58:00.000-08:00

Craft Fest is an exception to not doing more craft fairs - this is because it's a craft fair from your own home!

Check out all the stalls here

My stall is here - but if you buy anything on the website, and use the code CRAFTFEST you'll get 10% off anyway - BUT it'll only work on 26th and 27th November!

Why I'm not doing any more fairs

2011-11-21T09:50:00.000-08:00

This might sound like a melodramatic announcement, but part of why I'm making a concious decision on this, and writing about it on my blog, is because I might forget that I made this decision, and book another fair, and then get annoyed.

I started doing craft fairs about 2 and a half years ago. I did a small craft fair at a church selling paintings. I did this fair to get me out of the house and see what people not in my group of friends and family thought to my paintings. I sold 3, got my photo in the paper, and got myself a stockist. The more I did, the more I realised this was not a normal occurrence, and I also needed smaller stuff to sell on stalls.

Getting more stockists, I realised % of sales given to different stockists differs wildly, from 10% to 70% just in the Yorkshire area. This means if you start stocking in other people's shops, you have to have a wholesale price which allows you to still make a profit at whichever % the shop charges.

As I got less and less naive about business, it seemed the difference between hobbyists selling their stuff at craft fairs, and wanting to sell your crafts as a business, is also a massively wide gap. I've done too many fairs which turn out to be glorified car boot sales, and people don't want to spend more than a quid on something.

What I'm trying to say is that most people selling at craft fairs who don't do it as a business sell their items basically at wholesale price to customers. I know I was before I started being stocked elsewhere. Something I could sell at a craft fair for £5 and make a profit needed to be sold at £10 in a shop.

So then you open your own shop, and you stock your own stuff as well as other people's. It took me a couple of months to realise that you have to sell your item not at the wholesale price, but as if you were being stocked elsewhere. Having a shop has overheads you wouldn't believe (unless you've opened one yourself of course).

I haven't done a fair for a while, because of time constraints, in some cases because I'm a dope and have forgotten it's on or forgotten to buy petrol, or in a couple of cases had a migraine. The last event I did I shared a table at a Vintage Fair with two other people; the table cost £45 for the day, and people were being charged £3 to get in. Consequently it was ill attended, I lost money (and I got a speeding ticket on the way home). Despite this, I knew I had to get back into events for Christmas because it's good promotion for the shop.

Yesterday I went to Glasshoughton to do the 'Xmas Craft Fair'. It was superbly organised to the last detail, and I have no complaints about the organisation (particularly as it was the lady's first fair), or about the centre, which was clean, friendly and had ample parking. It was well publicised, free for the public, and busy constantly.

So, why am I grumbling?

Recently, due to the economy no doubt, people have been setting up their own businesses from home left, right and centre. This is awesome, and I applaud them for it. Top culprits are Avon, Usbourne Books, Phoenix Cards, Partylite Candles and women who somehow manage to get themselves a Country Baskets card. I have nothing against any of these obviously - my issue is that they are NOT crafts.

I've been to a few fairs where one or two of these have shown up. Sometimes it's been billed as a craft fair, and I'm annoyed with the organiser, but it seems more normal now to advertise things as 'markets' or just 'fairs' without any prefix. For example, last summer I did 4 out of 5 of the Pannier Markets at which an occasional Phoenix or CB woman turned up, but due to the large area of space, and the naming of the event as a 'market', it wasn't a big deal.

Yesterday's event was a bit of a last straw moment. There were three rooms of stalls. One room was small, dark, and had 4 or 5 stalls, all of which were handmade crafts - I know because I talked to them. The cafe also had some stalls in it - I didn't get to see all of them, but they looked pretty much crafty. My room, which had about 15 stalls, had the following in it
- Avon
- Partylite
- someone selling some sort of slimming meal (I don't know what it involved, because she offended me by suggesting when I walked past holding a mince pie that I could be eating something more healthy, no doubt meaning her sawdust gloop)
- someone selling children's books and toys they'd bought in
- someone selling sweets they'd bought in
- someone selling aftershave they'd bought in

I'd been very careful to select items which I'd made by hand due to the name of the fair. I also wanted to sell everything at the same price as I sell in the shop, because I've learnt about pricing my items properly, perceived value, and the fact that customers aren't stupid.

After a few minutes, it was easy to see I wasn't going to sell anything. The centre is a kind of local community meeting place, and everyone was looking for small, cheap items they could allow their children to buy after they'd been to the Santa's Grotto. I shuffled things around, and found a few things I could afford to make £1 (baskets full of stuff for £1 seem to work well when children are involved).

There were a couple of good things about the fair. As I said, the organisation was good, there was a very sweet bunch of old ladies who meet at the centre for a knitting group who were selling their hand knitted toys and stuff, and two amazing chefs with a big load of pickles.

But all in all, it was a bad event for me. Everyone wanted to buy sweets, and as the children were the main customer the lady next door with books and toys did a roaring trade. Good for her, and for the pickle chefs who ran out of their jars of lovely jams. At the end of the day, it wasn't a craft fair. No one else seemed to have made their own stuff, and anyone that had was selling them at a very low price (as I was 2 and a half years ago) because it was their hobby.

This makes me sound really arrogant - but I'm really not trying to be. It was disheartening not being able to sell a necklace for £3 to someone who was trying to barter me down to a quid, when I've had no problem selling the same necklace for £5 in the shop. If it wasn't for the stand of earrings at £1 a pair (only priced as such because I've had them for a while) I wouldn't have sold anything.

So I have an evening event in December at a burlesque night, which I'm going to attend because it's going to be a good show, and then a three day fair at an art gallery in Leeds - after that, I'm not doing any more. I'll keep my shop as my base, continue to meet the public in there, whilst using it as a kind of studio base as well. Fingers crossed I won't regret this.

Rebuttal

2011-11-16T02:22:00.000-08:00

Just a quick blog post, as I'm getting slightly annoyed about commenting on the Bird's Yard blog and saying the same thing over and over.

As you all know, we've been slogging away at this shop. It's an uphill struggled some days, because we're in a position which is slightly out of the way - it's not a street which people walk down. We have feedback from customers saying that now they've found us, they'll be back - and they come back, again and again. Some people don't - maybe there just isn't anything for them,, maybe they don't like the staff, whatever.

Anyway, so we had a meeting the other week between all the shop owners. The shop's owner told us she'd had permission from the landlord to put banners up on the boardings at the end of the street. From our shop, we can look up the road and see the main town centre - we talked about how if people just knew where we were, they might come and see us, and some of those people might like us.

We got a few quotes, and found one which was affordable. We talked about the risks - we'd had a banner up there before which had been drawn on, but it had been up there for a while before this happened. We knew they'd probably get drawn on, or ripped down, but we thought the potential advertising before this happened would be worth the £25, and if they weren't damaged or lost, then we could use them again.

A friend helped us design the banners after we sent him advertising images, and they were all sent off to print. I went to Bradford in rush hour traffic on Friday evening to pick them up. On Saturday morning, Michelle and Craig hammered them all up on the boardings, and we admired them. On Sunday morning, when 3 were missing, I felt like I'd been punched in the stomach. All that work, and they never even lasted a day.

So for anyone who thinks we were naive, or we should have expected it - we did expect it, we just didn't expect it that quickly.

Then when 4 more went missing, I became angry. We all know people do stupid things, but why does that mean we should put up with it! It's theft, pure and simple. I rang the police, and they didn't think we were petty. They agreed to look at the CCTV footage for us. We wrote the blog for us yesterday because we thought that someone, somewhere, knows something about this, and we were hoping we could get some help tracking them down. They're probably in a student kitchen, I agree, so maybe someone will see the post and get in touch.

This comment was the one I read this morning at 6am, and why I deleted my other comments. I'd like to reply to each point in turn here.

People have things stolen every day.

That doesn't make it right

You pointed out that your shop has been open a year and due to the loss of these posters your dont think you will last another year?

The loss of these banners will not be what kills the business. But unless we start getting new customers in, then yes, we might have to close. The same customers returning again and again is how we've managed to stay open for 15 months. To continue, we need more regulars.

Surely that means that you shouldnt be in business because after a year, and winning the awards you mentioned you should surely be making a profit and be in a good place

Show me a company in profit after a year of trading. Any business expert will tell you it takes at least 3 years to actually be turning a profit.

Also,if you have won so many awards then why arent lots of people in your shop all the time? Surely this would set off an alarm in your head and show that when people visit your shop they dont like it so they arent returning or bringing friends? Which is why your struggling?

Not everyone who comes in the shop will like it, but a lot of them do, and they bring their friends in. We're doing something right. Every retail business is struggling. We've tried all sorts of things to get new people, like holding events, giveaways, flyering in the town centre (which we have a flyer pass for), and this steadily increases our numbers.

Making a big song and dance about the loss of some posters is not productive. Maybe spend the time cleaning the shop and looking at ways of been positive and bringing people in instead of going for the sympathy vote

I disagree with this, but only because I know the truth. One person wrote a blogpost, and we've all shared it. It took no time at all out of our day. Life in the shop went on as usual, and that means making the shop appealling, comfortable and doing some promotional work.

I can tell you yesterday what everyone in the shop was doing - if you have any suggestions about what else we should have done, I'd like to hear it.
- On the ground floor, they were changing the window display, redressing the mannequins, and cleaning and tidying the shop.
- I was polishing and tidying my shop, and sending out online orders. I was also putting together goody bags for the Twitter winners, and making a gift voucher to be used as a giveaway at a school fete. I also painted my window frames.
- Mighty Baby owner Michaela was putting out new stock, as well as flyering in the town centre. She also cleaned the staff toilet
- Upstairs, Lisa was putting out her winter collection, whilst Aisha was cleaning the carpet and stock-taking.
- Inbetween day long appointments, Rohey the hairdresser was flyering over at the wig shop. She also cleaned the customer toilet
- Finally, Anna was putting up the Christmas decorations, as well as trying to organise a card machine so customers don't have to keep going to the cash machine, and picking up lunch for everyone.

No one in that building sits around doing nothing - even if we look like we are when you come in, you've probably caught us inbetween jobs. If you come in and the shop is untidy, it's probably because we're in the middle of getting ready for a photo shoot, fashion show or craft fair to raise awareness of the shop. There's no excuse if it's dirty, obviously, but we all do our best.

Anyway, I'm rambling, and it probably seems like I'm going for that sympathy vote again. I think the point I'm trying to make is that the post about the banners being stolen wasn't written as a sympathy vote - it was written for information.

If there are any more questions, I'll gladly answer - I'm not the official spokeperson, but I care about the shop, and I'm online a lot.

Competitions on Facebook

2011-11-10T06:23:00.000-08:00

So, following on from my last post on using Facebook as a promotional tool, I've been doing some more research. I've run Facebook competitions, but it appears I've been breaking Facebook rules, and I bet lots of you have too, without realising it.

Facebook have a whole page on promotions on Facebook, available here, but in case you're lazy, here's the basics.

Promotions on Facebook basically CANNOT use any Facebook functionality. So you cannot ask fans to tag themselves, comment on something, check in somewhere, 'like' something, etc, to enter the competition. So those competitions where the picture with the most 'likes' is the winner? Totally against Facebook's rules.

You also cannot tell people they've won the competition through Facebook, either by tagging them in posts, sending them a private message etc.

You must also make sure your fans know they are giving information to YOU and not to Facebook, and that the competition is not affiliated with Facebook in any way. This seems obvious, but I've never said this in a competition either.

So how CAN people enter? And how can you let people know who's won?

Facebook allows entries via any apps which connect with Facebook. Now, I'm quite good with html and stuff, what with my brother being a programmer, and I can't work out exactly how to write one, and I have neither the time or the inclination, so I'm guessing most of the people reading (crafty so and sos as you are) probably won't be able to either.

So how else can I have a promotion?

The best, and most used way, is definitely to have a blogpost running the competition. Blogs are a great free promotional tool, and allow a lot more scope for promotion. A great example of this are these posts by my friends Kim and Peach - both give you more than one way of entering, and you don't have to break Facebook's rules to enter either competition (you have the option to 'like' Peach's page, but the main way of entering is via a comment on the blog)

Posting about a competition you're holding off-site is, of course, totally fine with Facebook. It also gets round the whole 'this competition isn't affiliated with...' and 'this information is being given to...' bore-fest. Your blog followers should know who they're giving information to, and if they're not totally braindead, they know you're not affiliated with Facebook. As far as I can tell, Twitter don't mind you posting links to competitions off-site either, so go ahead and post on both sites. (as a side-note, I know nothing about Twitter, but that is next on my list for working out what works, what doesn't, what people hate, and most importantly the rules given by the site itself.)

So why is all this important? Well, a friend of mine found out why this week. You break their rules, they'll find out. Notice how Facebook knows what you're posting about, and tells you who else is posting about this? They no doubt have a mechanism in the programming which tells them everyone posting about 'enter my competition' and checks them all out. This is a big business, we're all small businesses, and no matter how insignificant we seem, they're on top of us all.

If you're a burlesque dancer, you'll probably know exactly what I mean. If you have your stage name as your profile name, you're in danger of getting deleted. If you have a photo of you wearing pasties (that's right, showing ABSOLUTELY nothing more, and considerably less, than you'd find in many men's magazines and newspapers, and your photos will probably get deleted.

In a nutshell, if your page gets deleted, there's very little you can do to get it back. You lose all your fans, all your photos, everything. Plus if it's your profile which gets deleted, then ANY fanpages of which you are the only admin will also be lost. (as a sidenote, I recommended having two admins on any fanpage last time I spoke about Facebook, and I stand by this!)

So from now on, all competitions will be held on here, and I'll also be taking a tip from Kim and incorporating a competition into an interesting article instead of just saying 'enter my competition' - as usual I'm learning all the time, and I'd hate to see any other small businesses lose their fanpage through ignorance.

N.B. Facebook's definition of a competition, and of a sweepstakes - "By “contest” or “competition” we mean a promotion that includes a prize of monetary value and a winner determined on the basis of skill (i.e., through judging based on specific criteria). By “sweepstakes” we mean a promotion that includes a prize of monetary value and a winner selected on the basis of chance."

How I come up with a character

2011-11-07T05:28:00.000-08:00

I've been asked a few times how I come up with a character for my jewellery ranges, and I've never been able to tell them. Not because I'm keeping my cards close to my chest, but because I honestly don't know. I know Apis Mellifera arrived in my head during a car journey the day after watching The Prestige for the millionth time. I tend to think a lot anyway, but when driving, there is nothing for me to do but think. I arrive at my destination, and immediately start scribbling things down.

I'd already decided to do something with a doctor, because I'd seen an amazing necklace by Galibardy shaped like a stethoscope. So, on a long drive, I started thinking about Nicolai Tesla, and what other experiments he might have done. In the film he transports the main character from one place to another – I began to imagine he might have managed to transport other friends through time. So a time travelling doctor, who finds work as a magician, was the start of the Mellifera dynasty.

The introduction of a wife gave me scope for children, and as Scott agreed, the children would no doubt be twins. I've always had a thing for twins, not in a sexual way, which is partly why I fell in love with my husband (shallow?). So what were the children going to be like?

The first thing that happened was that someone accidentally called my friend Claudia 'Calusa'. This sounded like someones name, possibly a daughter. Apis had been named purely because I was drawing a lot of bees at the time, and Apis Mellifera is Latin for honey bee, whilst Millie was named after a woman at work who gave me a lot of buttons.

After that, all in the same week, Ian saved a photo of 'the northern lights' to the laptop, we watched QI with Professor Brian Cox, and I started drawing with wire for an exhibition in December. The wire loops and spirals started to look like planetary paths, especially when combined with large spherical beads which looked like planets. I imagined a softly spoken astronomer, describing the paths of planets with enthusiasm. Could he be Calusa Mellifera?

Everything kicked off this morning. Looking online Calusa is actually a Native American tribe, and so it was no longer right. So what to call him? I searched for 'astronomy' on Google images, and found photos of the Andromeda galaxy, which is a spiral, and references to Edwin Hubble, who Claudia's cat is named after – so the astronomer just had to be Edwin.

Now there was a name, and an occupation. As Apis and Millie were married in the 1920s, he'd be born around then, meaning by the time he was working, it would be about the 1950s. This is awesome, because I've been wanting to do something 50s related for ages, and was even annoyed with myself for making Apis travel forward to the 1920s instead of the 1950s.

So now comes the gathering of inspiration. I travel through the internet, following links, finding things out, and saving any picture which appeals to me. This morning, I followed a link from Edwin Hubble, and after reading about the doppler effect, somehow ended up looking at pictures of swans, as well as galaxies, spiral and otherwise, and planetary orbits. Somehow the two sorts of shapes complemented each other.

Finally, I thought about colour. I've been using this amazing chartreuse green wire for wire drawing, so I looked online to see why it's so named. It turns out the story behind chartreuse is better than anything I could come up with.

Chartreuse is named after a liqueur, which has been distilled since the 1740s by Carthusian monks. It gets its colour from the chlorophyll in the 130 herbs it contains. The monks started distilling it in 1605 after a mysterious manuscript was found by Marshal Francois Annibal d'Estrees (an employee of the French king Henry IV) with the recipe for an elixir said to promote a long life. It is still distilled now, in the same distillery as Genepi, a liqueur similar to absinthe.

So all the elements I need for a collection are in place. Now, like a liqueur, it ferments inside my head for a bit while I'm messing around with the photos I've saved, until suddenly, there's a rounding off story which brings it all together.

NAME – Edwin Mellifera

OCCUPATION – astronomy professor

TIME PERIOD – 1950s (particularly space race)

SHAPES – spirals, coils, swans

COLOURS - chartreuse

HISTORY – IE how it ties in with Apis

“In 1929, Millie finally fell pregnant. Due to the unforeseen time shifts created by Apis travelling forward, there were slight mutations, and the pregnancy was a multiple birth. In the 1920s, it was much more difficult for women to cope with prolonged labour, but Millie pulled through, although the babies were weak.

With his medical background, Apis developed a medical tonic using herbs, which was fed to both twins from the age of 6 months. He believed it would make them strong and live longer, but all he managed to do was further mutate his own children. The guilt he felt was what caused him to give up trying to live in the time period he had travelled to, and he began his long struggle trying to travel back to his own time.

Edwin's mutations were primarily positive. His tremendous intellect led him to Cambridge university in1948, where he studied Astrophysics, and he contributed to the 'space race', although on the side of the Russians, due to his father's background. He worked for Sergei Korolev on Object D, and assisted Gargarin in being the first cosmonaut.”

Here's the album of images

This week - meet the designers!

2011-11-06T06:33:00.000-08:00

Starting today, I'm going to introduce you to all the designers in my shop! There are so many of us in here now, I want to take some time with each one.

Today, obviously, I'll start with me. I'm an artist, I started painting 3 years ago, but I've always made stuff. I really flourished at college doing an access course in art, when I finally got to grips with sculpture. Now I make small enough sculptures to fit on jewellery. In an ideal world, I'd make my living from selling my odd little wire sculptures, handsewn recycled toys and paintings, but instead I'm focused at the moment on making things people would like to wear, and gifts they'd like to give other people.

Whilst I love making jewellery, I get a buzz off running my shop, and having new and exciting designers, as well as the best in the business. I like finding new quirky things I just know people will love.

Life's Big Canvas CRAFTFest Stall

2011-10-31T09:43:00.000-07:00

Today has been BUSY - I've been updating the website and getting my album ready for CraftFest - a two day long online craft stall! Have a look, join in if you have a business, and get ready for Christmas craft fair shopping from the comfort of your sofa!

Find more photos like this on Creative Connections

Opportunities within the shop!

2011-10-17T04:46:00.000-07:00

So as we creep ever closer to Christmas, I find myself looking for help in the shop. I'm open 6 days a week, all of which I need to cover now I'm not sharing.

Every Friday a wonderful lady called Shelly works for me - in return she has space in my shop selling her monster toys and accessories under the name The Monster Project. It occurred to me there might be other people out there who might like the opportunity to volunteer within the shop, and in return have some space selling items.

So, in order to do this, you must live in Leeds, or be prepared to travel to Leeds for at least one day a month. The shop is really close to the bus station, about 2 minutes walk, and only about 5-10 minutes from the train station. Unfortunately I cannot guarantee car parking, but there are secure car parks nearby, they're just expensive. In return I will give you space for your items, and we come to an agreement about how much commission/rent I take depending on how many hours you are happy to work.

It's great experience if you want to go into self-employment but are unsure about whether it will work. I started by doing something similar on the ground floor of Bird's Yard, working every week in the shop, and learning how to deal with customers, and see what they would like to buy. I can also give advice on pricing your items, packaging, branding, selling online and so on.

If you wish to just volunteer and don't sell items, that's fine too! As a thank you, I'll give you credit towards spending in the shop. I cannot pay anyone, as that will mean I'm an employer, and throws up a whole load of awkwardness.

Please email me at chloemcgenn@gmail.com and we can have a chat, or if you're close enough, pop in and visit me in Bird's Yard. I'm there every Tuesday to Thursday, for definite, but it might be best to email me first to check.

Thanks!

20 random things about my mum

2011-10-10T07:18:00.000-07:00

This is copied from my journal of March 2007. It's probably too confusing to add stuff now, another four years later, in bold, but let's have a go

------------------------------------------------------------------------

"going through my diary, i found this bit of writing about mum, and thought i'd share it, partly as
Margi said she wanted to see more stories in my journal, and i think this sort of qualifies - anything in italics i'm adding today as i'm typing it up. i wrote this not long after she died, i don't really know why. a lot of it relates to my dad as well to be honest."

20 random thoughts about my mother

1. She always discouraged me from buying things when there were hundreds on the rack.
I can't decide if she'd have liked primark or not, as she loved a bargain, but would have hated the racks and racks all the same.
She would have loved Bird's Yard, of this I am certain.

2. She would never buy anything if she thought she could make it herself. She'd often say 'I could make that' and go and do just that.

3. She loved a lot of music i did, and when she didn't it was usually for a reason like, 'that sounds too tinny' because it was a dodgy demo of someone I was having to review.

4. She once superglued my brother's hair into dreadlocks

5. She used to help me dye my hair and never batted an eyelid no matter what the colour

6. She was unbelievably bright - if she'd gone to university she would have excelled. She often complained that where she worked she was wasted.

7. Her feet were tiny - a size 3 in fact
8. She always let me make my own mistakes. whilst dad would often say, 'I told you so', mum would never judge before or after the event.

9. She (well and my dad as well) let me listen to stuff no one else's parents would have let them, or had even heard of. I distinctly remember one Christmas giving them a list of really obscure vinyl, and they managed to find a clear 12 inch by revolting cocks (their cover of d'ya think I'm sexy) with baby oil floating in the plastic outer sleeve. I hadn't even asked for that, they just thought I'd like it.

10. Mum always understood boys who are friends aren't necessarily trying to get into your pants, even if I was trying to get into theirs... (e.g. DS - gawd, I haven't thought about him in a long time)

11. She gave me lifts to and from loads of places before I could drive

12. I was allowed to go to concerts and stay out all night a long time before my friends - this is probably because I never betrayed her trust. I never slept around, and I never took hard drugs (of course, I conveniently forgot here that I used to sleep in my car, but there we go)
13. She understood why I don't want to look like everyone else

14. She only ever tried to make me lose weight for my health. I can't remember her ever criticising the way I looked, even when i weighed 24 stone. she'd ALWAYS focus on the effect on my health.

15. She was really sarcastic and dry, but laughed at the most ridiculous things. I will always remember her reaction to Baby's Day Out (she would have LOVED Mousehunt...)
16. I often think she'd like films when I see them. for example she would have loved The prestige
17. She always taught me to get the nasty things out of the way so you can enjoy the nice things. For example, we always cleaned the house on Saturday morning so we could go and shop in the afternoon
18. She made sure I knew how to cook and clean and so on by making me do it. A lot of my friends at uni had no idea how to do anything for themselves, which i found really odd, as I'd always done everything for myself from a young age. I'm really grateful for that every day
19. She would have been totally fine if any of us had been gay. In fact, I think she would have been proud. She often told my brother that she wouldn't mind if he came out as long as he was happy. (He didn't have many girlfriends when he was a teenager)
20. She didn't blink an eye when I rang her from Moulton and asked her to pick me up as TS had thrown me out. She never asked what happened, but I told her anyway. (sorry if you don't know what I'm on about here - I don't know if I've ever talked about it on here except to get morose when I was drunk one evening, and I probably talked about TS in relation to him looking like Richard Beckinsale...)

Winning! A sort of 'What I wore today' post

2011-10-03T08:50:00.000-07:00

I won the award for Best Jewellery - in Leeds, I hasten to add, not the UK. It was unexpected, and all a bit ridiculous. I wore a pineapple covered dress, matching sunglasses, a hat based on a pineapple, and the most ludicrous shoes you've seen in your life.

giving the speech - something like 'I don't know what to say, but thanks' and then I mentioned Bird's Yard

the shoes - I'm having trouble walking today

The hat - made by Melissa Dawson of Parlour Millinery, who was also up for Best Local Designer. Bo Carter with the orange jacket won this category. I'll probably talk more about her another day

Michelle with her award for Best Vintage, and me with my award - you can see the jewellery I chose better in this. Recycled blue multi chain necklace, vintage metal button bracelet and dragonfly earrings

New shop

2011-10-02T07:26:00.000-07:00

I moved into a new space! I have a window, nice floors and white walls, and it's all MINE!

I loved sharing with all the people I shared with, but having my own space, and now having to rely on the other side of the shop being occupied is a lovely feeling. It means working more hours, but I've got offers of volunteers, so fingers crossed I won't be working every hour of the day and night. Although, if I do, being self-employed is the best feeling ever

If you want to see around the shop, here's a YouTube clip

Assembly is in the eye of the beholder

2011-09-09T06:11:00.001-07:00

The argument currently going on on Folksy at the moment could not have come at a more opportune moment for me. This week I was short-listed for best jewellery in the Leeds Retail Awards, in no small part due to my hammering away on Facebook to my fan-page asking them to vote for me, and my mother-ship*, Bird's Yard. I was asking for a short-list position as my SHOP Life's Big Canvas, rather than my jewellery brand.

Perhaps I should step back a bit here – when I took up painting again 3 years ago, I never in a million years expected to become self-employed. I started selling cards with prints of my paintings on, and booked myself a stall at a local craft fair. I was asked for the name of my business, and not being able to make decisions, or think much about anything, I asked online what I should be named. Bel Smith quoted me the infamous Danny Kaye quote – 'Like is like a big canvas, throw all the paint you can on it' – I loved the joyousness of this phrase, and I've always been a believer in 'more is more' in many ways. Between us, Bel and I decided 'Life's Big Canvas' should be my brand name.

How I went from painting to making jewellery isn't important here – what is important is that my brand is Life's Big Canvas, my shop is called Life's Big Canvas, but my jewellery comes under different ranges. My latest one was Dr Mellifera, a range of jewellery created using themes of time machines, Victoriana, magicians and doctors, and has been called Steampunk Lite.

So, back to the retail awards... Life's Big Canvas was short-listed for best jewellery. In my head, this is the same as H Samuel being short-listed – yes, they have 'own brand' jewellery, but they also stock stuff made by other designers. Similarly, I have my own branded jewellery, but I also stock other people's jewellery – Galibardy and Clutterfly being the most well known.

Then my brain stopped working properly. It's well documented that I've had mental health issues, I'm not ashamed of it, and I'll talk about it if I think I need to. In this instance, it seems important to this ramble. I was up against a fellow jeweller in the jewellery category, but they were also in best designer. It made me freak out a bit – I hadn't considered that asking people to vote for me for best jewellery was sort of the same thing as asking people to vote for ME as best jewellery designer. To me, it was nominating the whole LBC shop, and all the designers in it.

I have absolutely no confidence in myself – the thought that people might think I was being big-headed enough to think I deserved to be best jewellery designer seemed laughable. My own brand of jewellery was nowhere near as good as my colleague's. Someone I know asked people to vote for this brand, and whilst I wasn't upset they'd asked people to vote for them instead of me, it cemented the whole idea that people would think I was up my own arse thinking I was an amazing designer. (The fact my brain then went bonkers and started telling me that the whole awards ceremony had been set up so that I would be exposed as a fake in front of the whole of Leeds is irrelevant, but amusing.)

What's this got to do with Folksy? You said it was an opportune time, but you're rambling on about some awards using thinly veiled gestures towards colleagues.

And now how I got from painting to jewellery DOES become important. I do not see myself as a jewellery designer, I see myself as a 3D artist. I always have, since I met Gary Fixter (a college tutor) who told me I was a sculptor. I paint, I make soft sculptures, and I make stuff out of metal wire and recycled stuff. I have a thing for small versions of big things, and big versions of small things (because I have perceptual dyslexia) and I also like making things that look like other things – I did a whole project on different sized cakes made from different media.

The point is I made jewellery out of my sculptures when my sculptures became small enough to become jewellery. I started selling my jewellery when people started buying it.

Stop going on about art – what's this got to do with Folksy!

Currently on Folksy there is I believe what is called a 'shitstorm' going on because they have changed, or according to Folksy admin, are 'reinforcing' their terms and conditions on what can and cannot be sold. It seems to be jewellery that is mainly affected, which has obviously affected many of my colleagues and friends.

Folksy want to stop 'assemblers' from selling on Folksy. An assembler seems to be defined as someone who buys everything to make their jewellery, and then just puts it together – a jewellery designer presumably makes everything from scratch.

When I first heard about this, I was pleased – I'm sick of seeing people on Folksy, Etsy, eBay and Facebook calling themselves jewellery designers who've just bought a bracelet kit and put it together. I've had a jewellery magazine before which has promised a 'how to' make something, and it turns out you buy the 'steampunk' bracelet kit, and then use pliers. This kind of assembling annoys me.

I have a good friend, named here as Moll to keep her anonymous, who makes jewellery. She buys and selects charms, and puts them together with an eye for detail and makes beautiful jewellery. I particularly like the names she gives her pieces, the care she take over her photographs, and the descriptions she writes. Whilst she doesn't make beads or charms, she does not simply 'bung something on a chain'. She asked admin if these new 'reinforcements' would mean she couldn't sell, and they said that this is exactly what it would mean.

Folksy is a business – it's just gone over the threshold for VAT, so they're making money. Moll pays her fees, Folksy takes a % of what she makes from selling, so she has helped them to make money. Now they've started being holier than thou about what is sold. As a business, you sometimes cannot do this. Principles sometimes have to take a back-seat.

For example, I sell scrabble tile rings in my shop. My colleagues know that they are not my favourite thing to sell. I do not think my idea is clever, it's definitely not original, and I sell them as my 'bread and butter' as I call it. I made a scrabble bracelet to go with a range about a girl called Judy, and people asked if I could make a ring – people want to buy a scrabble tile ring, so I provide one. However, if I was talking about my artistic life, I probably wouldn't bring up those bloody scrabble rings.

So, whose side are you on; the assemblers or the designers?

To answer this, we need to decide what an assembler is. Going back a few steps – is an assembler someone who buys everything and puts it together?

Are you including those talented designers who make original design laser cut necklaces in this group then? Decent laser cutters are expensive - someone who painstakingly designs their own pendant using a graphic program, but then gets someone else to cut it is, in my eyes, a designer. But they haven't made that pendant from scratch, and they probably haven't plated the chain themselves.

What about those people who DO own a laser cutter, and do make their own pendants from scratch, but copy the designs from other more successful designers like Tatty Devine? I've seen loads of people doing this on eBay, and it infuriates me. But they're making the pendant from scratch, so aren't they even MORE of a designer than someone who gets their laser cutting somewhere else?

Someone who blows their own glass to make beads is definitely an artisan – but if they just string them together does this make them a designer? Someone who buys in beads and weaves them to a pattern of their own drawing over hours is surely a designer, even if they haven't made their own beads.

You see? It's not as clear cut as it seems. Some of the jewellery in my shop is 'assembled' but it sells – it's 'bread and butter' and keeps my shop open. Some of the jewellery I make myself takes much more thought and time than others. To me, sticking a scrabble tile onto a ring isn't a design, but if I have a beautiful vintage button I think would make a nice ring, and I just stick the button on the ring, it doesn't make me more of a designer, and yet it seems within my principles.

Folksy, once again, is a business. Maybe they should accept the fees given to them by whoever wishes to pay them – if they want to just stock what they believe are artists, then they shouldn't charge anyone to sell on there.

* thanks to RG for coining this phrase in conjunction with BY, which I now cannot get out of my head.

EDIT TO ADD - Folksy's blog - http://blog.folksy.com/2011/09/06/whats-happening-at-folksy-september-2011

- it does actually have the original design/majority handmade argument on this blog - I had read the forum this morning, and was having a conversation with myself, as I tend to do on my blog.

Happy first birthday Bird's Yard!

2011-08-06T06:42:00.000-07:00

Although I missed the party, I saw the before and after. Everyone pulled together like a proper community, and we all had a part to play.

Loads of independent people around Leeds got involved, including Sunshine Bakery, who brought along immense cupcakes I have been hearing about for days, Baracoa, a new bar around the corner from us who brought alcohol, and a man dressed in silver on stilts who is in many many photos, and I have no idea where he came from. Penny Sweets and Ambelina Dreamer organised some burlesque, with Morning Star compering, Meilyn belly danced, and Jo Jo from Capital even sang!

Here are my favourite photos from Facebook, taken by Agne Zubyte, a wonderful new addition to the shop, whose talents seem endless.

Olly, a barman from Baby Jupiter, and husband of Freja who makes 'Dinky Pretty Things' was on hand serving drinks, but here he is just chilling.

Jade is the daughter of another designer who sells handmade cosmetics. She painted feathers on all of the shop people, and did Michelle's amazing face, below.

Here is Agne herself with cupcakes from Sunshine Bakery

Agne's business partner Else did some swing dancing too, I love this photo of them.

Here is the metallic stilt man.

Meilyn, the gorgeous bellydancer.

Michelle, worse for wear perhaps after all the long island iced tea.

Beautiful Penny Sweets, putting on a good show for the crowds at the end of the night.

End of the night.

Facebook promotion for your small business

2011-07-22T06:44:00.000-07:00

I'm not claiming to be an expert on this, but I posted a status about the following, and it seemed to be well received advice. It turns out Facebook have changed the way they'd like small businesses and companies to interact with their fans and customers, but haven't made this obvious.

There are three main ways to interact with customers on Facebook, and as I'm often asked which is the best way to go, here are the pros and cons of each. If there are terms you don't understand, I've explained them at the end in a glossary to avoid patronising those that know, and alienating those that don't.

N.B. I'm going to be using Joined at the Print, a pop-up shop in Leeds, as an example in this article. This is only because they have a group, a place and a profile, and as a pop-up shop they are no longer open, so it felt the fairest way to use examples without using someone who is currently still trading.

1.Having a 'business' profile

Making a profile for your business might seem like a good idea, and sometimes it certainly is. If you are a singular performer, e.g. a burlesque dancer, solo-ist, artist or similar, then it can certainly make sense to have profile similar to your personal profile, but just with your business name.

What isn't a good idea, in my opinion, is having a profile named after your business. For an example, there is a profile named Joinedattheprint Leeds.

PROS

People can easily 'tag' you, in both photos and updates – tagging in updates and comments is an interesting development on Facebook. If you tag someone, then anyone reading the comment can easily click the tag and see who or what you are talking about.

If someone interacts with you, you always get a notification of some kind.

You can easily get messages sent to you – there is a clear message button on the right hand side.

You appear in people's news feed.

It's easy for people to see where your photos are stored (on the left hand side, there is a link labelled 'Photos')

CONS

You can only tag people who you are friends with – if you want to tag someone who hasn't accepted your friend request, you can't tag them.

You need a different email address.

The profile might get deleted by Facebook when they realise you are not a real person.

You cannot advertise yourself on Facebook or update fans en mass.

Fans cannot come along and just casually 'like' you – they have to request friendship, which might take time for you to accept, and they may just get bored waiting.

Profiles have a cap – this means you can only be friends with a limited amount of people.

SOLUTION

Don't have a business profile if you can help it - I do have a business profile, but I use it merely to interact with people I don't know very well. I don't use it to promote my business. It's also helpful as I can have both my personal profile and business profile as admins on pages, which is priceless when a fanpage is deleted (more on this later).

2. Having a group

Groups on Facebook have changed almost beyond recognition. They are, to be blunt, a pain in the backside. Old groups did not look much different to profiles, but now they have made it so you have little to no interaction with your fans and customers. For example of what the new group looks like, go to the Joined at the Print group.

PROS

I honestly couldn't find one

CONS

There is no 'like' button at the top of the page.

People have to request to join it, even if it's an 'open' group. This makes fans and customers feel uncomfortable. The only time this isn't an issue is if you're selling some sort of adult item, such as lingerie, sex toys, fetish wear, in which case people will be glad of the perceived anonymity.

When you set a group it, it asks who you would like to add to the group. You might think this will email a recommendation to your friends – it doesn't, it adds them to the group immediately, without asking them if they want to be a member. On my business profile, I keep getting added to groups, and even when it's something I'm interested in, it really annoys me! I like to choose what I want to be a part of.

You won't appear in people's news feeds.

You won't always receive an email notification. The only notification you'll get is either at the top of Facebook, where you can see in the picture it says '6', or on the left hand side, where you can see next to 'Birds Yard – Sho...' it says '3'. You can change this setting so you receive an email when someone posts in the group, but as it seems the default setting is for not to receive an email, and you want customers to see what YOU are writing, not the other way round, this doesn't really help.

You cannot 'tag' a group – this is probably the biggest issue. There are a few people inside Bird's Yard, and we have a combination of groups, pages and profiles between us. If I want to tag someone's business, and they only have a group, I can't, meaning I can't advertise for them. If I take a photo, and they only have a group, I can't tag their business in the photo, and if someone was looking and thought they liked that item, they would have to ask where it was from, instead of just following the 'tag'.

You cannot connect a group to a place, so people cannot 'check into' your business.

SOLUTION

Use groups merely for talking to friends and colleagues. We have a Bird's Yard group where all the shop owners can chat about stuff, and this is what groups are tailor made for, in my opinion. I also have one for research (in the picture you can see it – 'LBC Research Group').

3.Having a 'page'

These used to be 'fanpages' but now are so much more. They're like a profile, as they have photos, status updates, and can be tagged, but have the added advantage of having 'fans' rather than friends.

For an example, here once again is Joined at the Print. This page has not had much done to it, as it was set-up almost by accident by myself just as the shop was closing!

If you want to see a page which is more active, then mine is here.

PROS

As you can see above, a page looks a lot like a profile. To see it like this, you have to click on 'like'. It's quick and easy to interact with the page, but also quick and easy to stop interacting (you can simply click on 'unlike' at the bottom left. It's definitely more of a choice whether you want to 'like' the page, and 'liking' something is a lot more customer friendly than requesting friendship, or asking to join.

You should get email notifications – at first I didn't, but then realised this was because they were all in my spam folder. If you don't get email notifications, you can click on 'notifications' on the right hand side, and easily see who has interacted with your page.

It's easy to see where photos and information are – they are all on the left hand side underneath the profile picture.

As well as the usual photos, you can also add many other Facebook apps. If you sell stuff, there are links to add your ebay, etsy and folksy shops, which means you can direct customers easily so they can make purchases.

You can create events – and then update all your fans about it at once. Much better than inviting all your friends individually!

One of my favourite things is 'Use Facebook as page' – on my page you can see it there on the right hand side below 'admins'. Clicking on this means you become your business – it's hard to describe what I mean without you doing it, but it basically means your business page becomes like a business profile. Anything you 'like' or comment on, you do so as your business. This is fantastic if you don't want people to know about your profile, as you don't need to disclose who you really are.

You can connect your page to a place – then when people check-in, they do so at your business, and everything is easily together in one place.

You appear in news feeds, can be tagged in comments, updates and (usually) photos.

There is no 'cap' on how many people can like you.

CONS

If your profile is deleted, and you only have one admin, then your page is also deleted. Harsh isn't it? This is why it's a good idea to have two admins (as you can see on my page).

It's hard to get messages sent to you without disclosing who you really are. There is an app to create a 'contact form' on your page, but as there are only so many apps visible (you can see the others by clicking 'more', but customers tend to be lazy!) I like to have the most important ones at the top.

SOLUTION

Get a page. Seriously. In my opinion, it's the only way that makes sense.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

GLOSSARY

'App' - (in this case) small piece of programming that Facebook allows you to add to your page which gives little links for customers to follow.

'Check-in' – a new feature available on Smartphones. Basically, opening Facebook on a Smartphone utilises the GPS, and allows you to say where you are. It's quite a good way of getting new customers, as when people go to 'check-in' they can see what's nearby, so if you have a 'place' on Facebook, you might just find people pop-in after seeing they are near you.

'Friends' – you can request friendship with other profiles on Facebook. If they do not accept your friendship, it just means you can't really interact with them.

'Group' – old style groups looked very similar to pages, new style groups appear on the left of your homepage. They are either 'open', 'closed', or 'secret' and are really best used as a way to communicate with colleagues and friends.

'Like' – A small link underneath comments and updates. Clicking on this link does a few things. It means you will received notifications of all comments which appear, but it also means that you have 'interacted; with this, and boosts it up the news feed.
This can also refer to a box at the top of a Facebook 'page'. Clicking like on a page means you get to see all content on that page, as well as being able to tag the page in comments and status updates.

'News feed' – clicking on 'home' shows your news feed, which has various settings. The best setting to have is 'Most recent' or 'Top news'. Most recent literally shows them in chronological order, and Top news shows the updates which have been most interacted with.

'Notification' – this is an email sent to tell you someone has interacted with you on Facebook. It could be that someone has commented after you or on an update you 'liked', they have posted in a group you are a member of, or they have sent a message, etc.
This could also refer to the notifications link on the right hand side of a 'page' belonging to you.

'Page' – these used to be called 'Fanpages' and are what people 'Like' on Facebook. It looks almost exactly like a personal profile.

'Place' – these are what people use to 'check-in' at on Smartphones. They are basically a 'page' with an address.

'Profile' – this is probably what you already have on Facebook – a page named after you, with photos of you, where you interact with friends.

'Tag' – if you type @ on Facebook in a status update or comment, you can then choose to 'tag' people on your friend list. For example, if someone wanted to tag me, they'd type '@p', and all their friends whose names being with P would then appear. Simply clicking on the correct name inserts the 'tag' into whatever you're writing.
It can also refer to tagging someone in a photograph.

Meet the artist - Carla De Azevedo

2011-07-18T05:48:00.000-07:00

I'm characteristically bad at interviews, so you'll have to excuse me. Carla and I interviewed each other at work; whilst she had prepared questions and seemed to have thought a lot about interviewing me, I got a copy of Fab annual 1976, and used some questions out of it, as well as having a little chat, and randomly making notes. It's an interview technique I like to call 'crap'.

Carla is 22, and I first came across her brand Maus Haus when she moved onto a shelf at Bird's Yard. I was taken with the neatness of her sewn badges and purses, particularly the ones printed with photographs. As she came in the shop more, I found out she was a photographer, and the photographs printed onto the material were her own. We talked about her doing a photo shoot for me, and in doing so, I was really fascinated by the ideas she came up with. Carla seems quiet and shy when you first meet her, but underneath her tiny frame are layers upon layers of talents and experiences. After doing a couple of fairs with her, she's obviously perfectly suited to retail; as she says herself 'I like being helpful, and sending customers away happy.'

I talked to Carla about how she had started her business. She'd worked for a debt collection agency previously, and had found it too stressful being mean to people on the phone. She had to make the decision, as she says, 'whether to be nice and jobless, or a horrible person'. She quit, and began to 'make stuff'. The first thing she was commissioned to make was a purple furry bag at the age of 14, with linked kilt pins for a handle, so she started to make accessories. Her first stall was in Bradford, and it led to her meeting people who gave her opportunities to sell her items in shops.

She came across Bird's Yard through Factory 4, a screen printing workshop in Leeds, who also had a pop-up shop inside the Yard. She loved the shop, and began renting a shelf, but would also often pop in to see what else was going on, and got involved in lots of side events (such as the West Yorkshire Playhouse Vintage Fair, where I first got to know her properly) and photo shoots using clothing and props from the shop.

After finishing her university degree, she didn't relish the idea of getting another office job, and decided that she'd go self-employed. Knowing there were shops to rent inside Bird's Yard, she took the plunge, and expanded from one shelf into her own shop, 'Nouveau' on the top floor. As well as Maus Haus, she would be bringing in other designers she had met and worked with, and had grand designs on having photography exhibitions in the corridor. Even though it's only just been open a month, she sees it as an 'exciting and creative space', and I can already see it evolving every week.

As well as this potted history, I also asked a few questions. Take from them what you can.

Where have all the flowers gone?

Holmfirth Art Market. I tried to build a garden on my stall, as there was a prize for the best stall, and the theme was the garden. It went wrong because I didn't have room for the flowers, and then the train station was evacuated (NB I've written evaporated, but I'm assuming this is what you meant). I lost anyway, the winner brought a real tree with her!

Is handwriting a key to character?

If it is I'm a really messy person. But it's not really my fault as I'm left handed.

Your wardrobe includes?

Giant black fairy wings, hooded cloak, tutu, ladybird deely boppers and a black corset from Grin I bought myself as a treat after working all Christmas as Merrie England Cafe.

What's the first thing you remember making?

I started by cutting up doll clothes, and then made stuff with textiles. I thought it was cheaper than buying them, cause I didn't price my time. Even now the balance between covering costs and not ripping customers off is hard to hit.

Who do you admire?

Leigh Shepherd - she makes my stuff look amateurish

Nicky Dilaston - I met her at an artist book fair, and it made me think I'd like to also do a fair. Eventually things came full circle as I did a fair with her!

Wychbury - everything is so nicely packaged, with great attention to detail. Her sewing themed display was amazing.

Peas or cheese?

Always cheese. I love cheese and hate peas, especially the idea of pease porridge. Maybe that's split peas...I'm just put off the whole pea family.

What's your best seller?

My grey and black stripy purses. They're more 'me' so I'm probably more enthusiastic about them.

Well, I'd better get one of those then...

I asked Carla to make me a bag, as I'm sick of having to dig through a massive canvas bag just because it has a good strap. The bag she made me is so soft, but as it's lined it's also really strong. The strap is exactly the length I wanted, and despite her saying how it wasn't right, it's perfectly finished, like everything she makes. I just had to buy the matching purse to go with it! This purse is like a tardis - it looks very small, but fits absolutely tons inside it. Just like Carla herself.

This bag is just the right size for my iPad, and has a front pocket for my stylus.

Beautiful turquoise lining and matching zip - this is what she thought wasn't neat enough! Look at it! It's beautiful.

The purse has matching lining.

Deceptively small - this purse shape was invented by Carla herself, and is perfect for using as a purse or make-up bag.

Nearly a year of Bird's Yard!

2011-07-14T13:44:00.000-07:00

It's our birthday party soon, and everyone in the shop was asked to write something about our experiences in the shop. Here is what I wrote, just thought you might be interested.

I'm Chloe, often known as Pesky, and the following is a short bit about myself, and my involvement with Bird's Yard.

I'm the offspring of a mother who would often say 'we could make that,' and a father who hoarded second hand stuff in his garage (a sort of charitable Delboy). I began my creative life as a teenager, making my own clothes out of duvet covers and writing fanzines about imaginary bands I created with my brothers. This led to eventually producing my own 'zine, Pocket, in which I interviewed and reviewed real bands, asking them inciteful questions such as 'Peas or cheese?'.

After brief stints as a bingo caller, behavioural therapist, dental receptionist and one of those people who put stickers on oranges, I found my true calling as an artist. I started by selling animal paintings, and then progressed to greeting cards, toys and finally one-off wearable art creations (or jewellery as some people might prefer it).

A chance encounter with Michelle Walton gave me the opportunity to stock my art inside Bird's Yard. I first saw the shop when it was a shell, and watched as it grew into an amazing creative hub. The way the shop works is unique; I rented a small cabinet downstairs, and worked one day a week. Lots of similar places don't allow you to work inside them, and without this experience, I would not have gained any of the wonderful advice and mentoring that Michelle gave me.

My jewellery sold very well, and I eventually made the decision to expand into a half shop on the first floor. The arrangement allows me to work half a week, which is perfect as I have a husband at home who I am a carer for. It's a very flexible, community driven shop, and we all help one another.

After 9 months, I have a regular customer base, and as I use the shop as a studio, visitors get the chance to have any jewellery modified, repaired or custom-made. Socialising with customers, showing them the love we all have for our products, whether we've made them ourselves or sourced them, is the most rewarding thing in the world, and without Bird's Yard, I would not be as fulfilled as I am.

Competition - win the last copy of my children's book!!

2011-06-27T06:51:00.000-07:00

Comment (or reblog, tweet, whatever, as long as you comment here as well) on this blogpost to enter the competition! One entry per person, will be based on comments on this blog only.

if you want, I'll sign it or put a message in it. Or I can leave it blank....

New stuff coming to the shop!

2011-06-19T03:24:00.000-07:00

We've had a major reshuffle in the shop, and have some lovely new goodies coming in from these three creatives!

Clutterfly Jewellery

You've probably seen these, and asked where the wearer has got them! I have a selection of single, double and mini hearts coming to the shop!

I have a custom one in this style which says 'Pesky' which gets LOTS of attention!

Arcanum Accessories

I loved their latex rose range so much, I asked Jo to send over some hairclips - the shop is currently in a hair accessory drought!

Crown and Glory

Also making a return are Crown and Glory - their butterfly clips were wildly popular last year just before Christmas, so I've asked Sophie to send over some more for our new regulars!

Competition time!

2011-06-17T03:15:00.000-07:00

So here's another competition for you! I'm giving away a goodie bag, because I have a big bargain box at the shop!

You'll get 15 randomly chosen items from the box posted to you for free. There are rings, earrings, necklaces, badges, all sorts of stuff!

All you need to do to enter is comment on this blog post. If you tweet about it, let me know, or if you post to facebook, tag the fan page over there - you get an entry every time you tell people about the competition!

facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/LifesBigCanvas

twitter account - http://twitter.com/#!/pesky33

Competition closes Sunday evening 9pm GMT

Competition time!

2011-04-22T12:37:00.000-07:00

Seeing as Facebook are getting all up my face about running giveaways on there, here's a giveaway for you! Just comment here to enter, and a random number will be chosen on Sunday night.

The winner will get a fully loaded gumball bracelet in your choice of colour! Available in red, orange, yellow, green, blue, pink or purple.

If you're not lucky enough to win one, these are available at Bird's Yard for £6 each, or 2 for £10. If you want to order one on the website, here is a link!

Two years of being self-employed

2011-04-21T14:37:00.001-07:00

Before 2009, I'd been swapping around jobs trying to find something I loved. I've always doodled, and made clothes and stuff for myself, and even while studying for my Psychology degree, I made a regular handmade 'zine with drawings, recipes and reviews.

I was practice manager in a dental surgery, and loved interacting with patients and staff, but didn't feel it satisfied my creative urges. Worries about money and love of the staff kept me working there despite this, until eventually a combination of stress and depression caused me to suffer a nervous breakdown in late 2008.

After a few months of changing medications and behavioural therapy, I became well enough (and penniless enough) to need to do something to change my life. I'd been painting while I was signed off with depression, so I decided to try and sell my paintings. I booked a craft fair in March at a local church hall, and sold 3. I carried on doing craft fairs, and it became apparent I needed to expand my stock to include smaller priced items, so I began printing my paintings onto cards. I used them to send to friends and family, and they got a good reaction. Soon I was taking my cards to people's houses when we visited them, and a couple of friends organised card parties where they invited their friends over to buy my cards.

I went back to college to do an access course in art, and excelled in the 3D part of the course, making forms out of recycled items, which eventually developed into soft toys and jewellery (or 'wearable art' I suppose) which were added to the stock at any fairs I went to. My jewellery seemed to go down well with children, as well as teenagers, and people my age who remembered the toys I was recycling. I began stocking my toys at a small gift shop in Whitby, and my recycled jewellery at an eco-boutique in Birmingham.

I was selling my stuff online well, and at craft fairs, and began wanting to interact with customers all the time. My mentor, the Leeds based artist Louise Atkinson, encouraged me that I could make a living as a self-employed artist, so I started searching for somewhere which allowed independent designers to sell their own wares, and couldn't find anything in the area.

I talked to a Business Link advisor about setting up such a shop and renting small areas to other designers, he mentioned Michelle Walton, and fate brought me to Bird's Yard in Leeds. One day last June, I went to visit a three storey art deco building, full of Tiffany lampshades and paint tins, and a red haired woman sweeping up sawdust. We talked, and had similar thoughts about independent designers getting a way to showcase the things they made, and Michelle told me of her love for vintage clothes. I showed Michelle my toys, cards, paintings and jewellery, and she showed me a little cabinet which she'd be renting at a reasonable weekly amount which I could afford using online sales. I saw it as a way to get my goods into the real world on a permanent basis.

Part of the deal was working in the shop for 3 hours a week, but I ended up going in much more often. Everyone who rented their own shops were enthusiastic, and encouraged me in display, pricing and research for my items. Speaking to customers also helped me to see what people liked and didn't like about my items, as well as talking to them about the other designers who I was becoming just as enthusiastic about. I spent time talking to Michelle about her plans, and I could see she had a passion for getting the shop the reputation it deserves. After a couple of months of being open, we had a huge launch event, with a party afterwards at The Loft. The shop was buzzing with people, and it was great to get everyone together.

After three months my little booth was more than paying for itself, and I felt it was time to rent a whole shop of my own. The first floor had a small furniture shop, so I agreed to rent half of it with the lady who owned it. I moved in all the stock I had at home, and put it on top of her furniture, hung up my paintings, and generally made myself at home. It was a different dynamic upstairs, but no less inspiring. Through a door off my shop were The Beating Arts collective, a group of young female artists and designers who work with lots of different materials, and were a constant source of information and amusement.

Unfortunately due to illness, the furniture seller had to leave shortly afterwards, but I was determined to stay in my little shop. A group of artists working together under the banner of Joined at the Print moved in to share the space, and we managed to cover the rent and the hours working in the shop. We had an amazing month just before Christmas, traditionally a good time in retail, which got us all through the January lull.

We now have what we consider to be the largest concentration of independent designers in Leeds. At the last count we had nearly 40 different people providing items for sale within the shop: vintage, reworked-vintage and handmade clothing for both men and women, three milliners, about 20 jewellery designers, homewares and aprons, toiletries, artwork and prints, and some amazing custom items such as hand etched hip flasks and leather belts. A hairdresser recently opened on the top floor, expanding the services we provide. Many of the people working in the shop have families and often bring their children with them: the whole shop has a co-operative feel, and we all pitch in watching each other's shops, entertaining children, and making cups of tea.

After 6 months, I'm still managing to stay afloat. Some days are better than others, but speaking with customers on a regular basis, getting to know regulars, and being constantly inspired by the other shop owners makes everything worthwhile. I used to have a regular wage coming in, but was uninspired and unhappy. Nowadays I might not be able to afford little treats and I wear clothes until they fall off, but I'm living a life I love, making things with my hands, speaking to people, and being constantly surprised by what each day throws at me.

Pick of upstairs at Bird's Yard

2010-10-28T05:33:00.000-07:00

The downstairs at Bird's Yard is so beautiful, many people don't realise the upstairs is just as amazing! We have two more floors of vintage, handmade, and alternative goodies. I went round the two floors this morning, and picked some of my favourites, which would make great presents or stocking fillers.

Kee Boutique

Keeley just finished making this dress yesterday, and it's perfect for a special New Year's Eve event. Something which is a departure from the ever present little black dress.

This cute vintage pussy bow neck dress is also in stock. I think it would look amazing on Christmas day, with some little pumps and thick tights. The velvet skirt looks so cosy.

Butterfly Attic

Perfect for curling up next to the fire, this vintage Parker Knoll rocking and reclining chair is only £20! The crochet blanket is also for sale, we have a whole selection of them upstairs.

Life's Big Canvas

Christmas is all about sweets - how about this limited edition plastic smarties necklace and bracelet? If you buy the necklace, the bracelet is half price. The fabric covered tailor's dummies are also for sale.

Ruby Soho

If you don't fancy something that garish, then pick up a pair of classier silver earrings. Only £3.50 a pair from Medusa Bijoux, inside Ruby Soho.

Also perfect for a present are these great patterned cushions by Daisy Cutter. They're only £7, so would be a perfect 'secret santa' gift, and at £10 for 2, you can afford to get one for yourself as well

The Beating Arts

If you're thinking everything is a bit girlie, don't panic! We're also catering for the men in your life. Beating Arts have these pictures for sale, perfect for framing.

If you want to send a card for the holiday period, but don't celebrate Christmas, then why not get one of these original cards? Only £2.50.

Factory 4

If screen printing is more your style, Factory 4 have loads of limited edition prints, such as this one below. Priced from just £15 each, and with more added all the time.

Also available is this huge bag - I think it would be great as a gift, or for just schlepping around presents over Christmas.

Rechord

And finally, even if your giftee doesn't need more CDs, there's plenty more goods for the musically minded in ReChord. All these framed photos are only £4, ideal for any pocket.

Also available, a selection of second hand books and DVDs, including the cult classic 'Modern Toss'

The Craft Collective, Otley

2010-09-19T06:42:00.000-07:00

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.

What's been going on at Pesky HQ

2010-09-18T07:13:00.000-07:00

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!

Bird's Yard - the ground floor

2010-09-14T10:07:00.000-07:00

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.

Stay Retro

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.

Ringlit

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.

Ages of Elegance

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 Hirst Couture Hats

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

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.

Life's Big Canvas

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 Dust

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.

New Retro

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.

Zinc White

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)

Wildheart Crafts

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.

Perfectly Imperfect Jewellery

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.

BirdShell

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.

-----------------------------------------

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

Birds Yard in detail - first floor

2010-08-27T07:22:00.000-07:00

Following on from yesterday, it's time to look at the first floor of Bird's Yard, which houses three superb and diverse shopping experiences.

Butterfly Attic

Tiffany Harper is without a doubt the sweetest, kindest hearted person I've ever met. She's also a bit bonkers, and has more mannequins than you would think was imaginable. All the mannequins in the shop are Tiff's, and they are also available for sale in Butterfly Attic, which takes up most of the first floor of the shop. Whenever I go upstairs, I always walk through the shop, even though you're able to get to the third floor without walking through. You'd be foolish not to though, as you never know what you're going to find.

As well as mannequin heads, torsos, legs, arms, and any combination of those you might want, you'll also find vintage furniture, has been altered, primped, decorated, or just cleaned up a bit. Cabinets overflow with all manner of stuff, including wigs, signs, mirrors, hats... it's just a lovely place to have a browse around. Everyone who works for Tiff is friendly, helpful, and always has a smile for you. If you haven't loved Bird's Yard before you go upstairs, this shop will make you love it.

The Beating Arts

Three talented artists, working under one banner. Joy Gilleard, Gemma Gilleard and Belinda Schofield produce a bewildering array of artefacts. This photograph doesn't really do the shop justice.

Firstly, along with ReChord, is the one where the men are going to want to go. The male mannequin at the Leeds Loves Shopping launch was styled by BA, and the look they created was well received by everyone who has seen it: male fit screen printed t-shirts, hand etched leather cuffs, and trilbys. They also produce ladies fit t-shirts and tote bags, so they cover a wide ground.

As well as clothing, the shop has large prints and cards, and much for sale gives 5% to the Haiti fund. By far my favourite part of the shop is the designer vinyl cabinet. I have to be careful not to get too close in case I accidently buy it all.

Beating Arts also provide wall design, such as that seen at Eiger Studios and City Bloc, and all three artists have provided graphic design, store design and photography for other stores in the building. It's a pleasure to work in the same building as this much talent.

Kee Boutique

Gorgeous Keely is delicate and pretty, and her clothing reflects her personality. Kee Boutique declares itself all things vintage, and provides vintage clothing, lovingly restored or restyled, as well as new clothing with a vintage styling.

The shop also includes jewellery, shoes and accessories to complete your outfit perfectly.Most excitingly (for me anyway) you get to see Keely sewing in her little shop/studio. Watching someone working, and actually making the clothes for sale, is surely the essence of independent shopping: you know slave labour hasn't provided your clothing, and you're supporting local designers at the same time.

(Photos courtesy of James Abbot Donnelly - with thanks)

Birds Yard in detail - top floor

2010-08-26T07:23:00.000-07:00

I feel for the people on the top floor. Some people get so sidetracked on their way up the stairs, that they often miss the very top floor of our beautiful building.

This space (at the moment) is dressed for impact. Mannequins from Butterfly Attic, dressed by Bird Shell and Daisy Cutter. This area is an amazing one, and I personally can't wait for a shop to move in, lovely as the mannequins are.

Ruby Soho Boutique

At the top of the stairs, you're greeted by this pink vision. Ruby Soho incorporates Daisy Cutter bespoke fashion design, and Medusa Bijoux jewellery.

Daisy herself is a popular burlesque performer, and as you might imagine creates outstanding pieces using outrageous fabrics. Day of the Dead, tattoo prints, pin-up girls and even parachutes provide the basis, with Daisy's unique vision adding the style.

Sarah creates jewellery as Medusa Bijoux, and they combine so well with Daisy's clothing, it's a match made in heaven. It's a little haven of twisted cuteness, especially her newest collection, which features sugar skulls, Victoriana images and beautiful cameos.

The girls themselves are always happy to chat, and have a love for what they do which isn't often seen (well, not outside Bird's Yard anyway).

Factory 4 Pop-up Shop

Factory 4 Workshop in Sheepscar is a fully fitted workshop for screen printing, woodworking and jewellery making. Members can go along and exercise their creativity at very low prices.

The pop-up shop at Bird's Yard is absolutely crammed full of products. Ten artists from the workshop have their items in stock; Joe Duffield, Jon Simmons, Tim Green, Elizabeth Chadwick, Laura Wellington, Paul Smith, Sallyanne McCrory, Marie Louise Dorrill, Emily Farncomb.

As well as a vast array of original screen prints of varying styles, the prints are also available on t-shirts and tote bags. Other clothing, such as stamp covered trilbys, can also be found. Finally, original furniture by Emily Farncombe can be seen in the flesh, including the most amazing chaise longue on the ground floor of the shop.

ReChord

Elliot has managed to fit an amazing amount of stock in his little shop, situated right at the back. It's worth finding for any muso, whether you prefer vinyl or CD.

Nina Simone sits happily alongside Peaches and Jimi Hendrix. Music related merchandise is also available, including properly vintage t-shirts (not the fake printed ones on the high street!) and record bags.

If you've got enough music, there are also music related books, some DVDs and even videos for those of us who still appreciate a VHS. Elliot is also a tattoo artist, and has some of his work displayed in the shop.

However, possibly the most special service provided is vinyl to CD transfer. A few places do this, but no one is as good value. £2 for an album transferred to CD? Show me somewhere else that cheap!

(Photos courtesy of James Abbot Donnelly - with thanks)

Bird's Yard and the burgeoning indie scene in Leeds

2010-08-24T07:34:00.000-07:00

Leeds has been needing a new shopping experience for a long time. After the Corn Exchange closed, doing a bit of mooching around looking at handmade and alternative items was always a bit of a treck. Yes, there's Joy in The Light, and Culture Vulture near Oxfam, and a few vintage shops remain around The Corn Exchange area - but there hasn't been a central location, an area like The Village in New York.

The Pannier Markets which started in April at Granary Wharf showcased the amazing amounts of talent in the city. From there, I found out about other workshop events - deserving mentions go to Fabrication for their craft workshops, and the talented Michelle Duxbury, who runs the website Craftsville and Dr Sketchy's anti-art classes.

So after not being able to find a decent craft supply shop in the real world, and meeting all the artisans at the market who couldn't afford their own shops, I was toying with the idea of opening a shop selling craft supplies and handmade items from locals. I mentioned it to a Business Link advisor, and he told me of someone called Michelle who was doing something similar in Leeds City Centre.

It doesn't seem 5 weeks ago that I met Michelle Walton, sweeping the floor in an empty shop in Kirkgate. Having previously owned Bird Shell (that amazing vintage dress shop in the arcade behind BHS) she has the business acumen and knowledge of her market. Amazingly driven, enthusiastic and hard-working, I had no doubt she'd come up with something truly unique. Of course, as she was offering space to rent, it would save me the headache of having to open a shop of my own, knowing, as I do, absolutely nothing about running a business.

Bird's Yard has now been open for three weeks, and I can't believe how quickly the time has flown! The shop is now open, with a vast array of artists and designs (who I'll be doing blog posts on individually - I thought Shell deserved her own post), and without Michelle, it wouldn't have happened. She had the vision, and she's made it happen. Not only has it taken over where The Corn Exchange left a gaping void, it's bringing new designers and artists to the fore, and giving them the attention they deserve.

Opinions and reviews have been good, and last week Bird's Yard provided the goody bags at the Leeds Loves Shopping launch, which have also been well received. After seeing the shop, Louise Atkinson was inspired to create Independent Leeds, an interactive map showing areas of Leeds not usually seen and devoid of big brands.

I'm not a massive part this huge, thriving independent scene, but I hope I can provide some WD40 to help grease the bigger cogs.

Bird's Yard
83 Kirkgate
Leeds
LS2 7DJ

Facebook - Bird's Yard
Open - every day except Monday

(photo copyright James Abbott Donnelly)

Etsy's suggest shops feature comes up trumps!

2010-06-22T07:41:00.000-07:00

I decided to try the Etsy 'suggested shops' feature again, after the disastrous attempt last time (about 6 months ago) - seems like everything in life, the website gets to know you better the more you use it, and I found tons of stuff I loved and hadn't come across before. So this week's top 5 picks are all from the suggested shops.

1. Gustow Little Monster

Absolutely adorable little monsters, but I love the expression on this one the most. Look at him!

2. Monster Pet crochet pattern

My cats would never wear this. But I like that someone has managed to get monster hats onto their cat. I might just have to paint a cat wearing a hat now.

3. The Lonesome Accordionist print

This reminded me of a friend of mine called Claire, as she's called The Eternal Magpie and has just started playing the accordion. As good a reason as any I thought...

4. Nosferatu

I also liked the forest fox, but as he's been featured in a magazine already, I wanted to promote a lonelier animal. Look at his teeth - he's adorable.

5. Red acoustic guitar

Something out of the ordinary - I usually feature plushies and prints, but I loved these guitar sculptures so much! The size can be seen in this one (it's a penny in the soundhole and it's standing on a bent fork) and I'm a sucker for miniature versions.

Inspiration of the day - Beck Hansen

2010-06-21T09:25:00.000-07:00

I'm really sorry to gush, but words can't really explain how much I love Beck. Whilst looking for a Beck related image to get tattooed, I fell in love all over again after seeing him cover every song from the INXS album 'Kick' on Vimeo. I have literally wasted hours catching up on his website.

Record Club: INXS "Kick" from Beck Hansen on Vimeo.

If anyone has an idea for a Beck tattoo (which isn't his face) please share it with me.

Pannier Market picks

2010-06-13T05:22:00.000-07:00

The last pannier market was 2 weeks ago, and it's 2 weeks to the next one, so it seemed a good time to do my picks from the last one so you can get excited to come to the next one. I'm so gutted I'm going to miss the one in July, as this event is already shaping up to be a must-visit in Leeds.

The traders I talked about last month were still there last month, so I decided to pick up cards from people I hadn't seen before.

I Love Sesame

This company came round with free samples and it was a great PR exercise. We hadn't heard of them, and now all we want to do is order some sushi for delivery and have a world cup party. Pity it's in South Africa instead of Japan.

Swank

I was drawn to the lobster necklaces, I have to admit, but I chatted to Becky, and liked her ideas and vision.

Lady Bee's Vintage Hive

Jenny doesn't have a website, but she's always friendly, and always has exciting stuff going on. Reworked vintage items, jewellery, and always a beautifully displayed stall. She's on the right here (with Liz Rose of Blue Shed Knits who also trades at the market)

Two Magpies

A really nice range of recycled stuff, completely under-presented on the Misi site I'm afraid. It's well worth coming and having a look at the stall. I particularly liked the Mermaid (as pictured) - perhaps I'm getting a fetish for large acrylic shapes on chains? I also liked their rolled up map bracelets.

Nicole Mathison

This website doesn't seem to work, which is a shame, because she's also a recycling monster. Great rings with huge hula girls. Rather annoyingly her Twitter feed is also protected. Oh well.

Loubie Lou

It's a well established fact that I love Louise. So imagine how exciting it was to see her with her own stall, and to see her stuffed toys in real life.

I'm back!

2010-06-13T04:59:00.000-07:00

I'm back on this blog - the other one wasn't really fulfilling my needs. Weebly is great for a first go at a revenue website, but as it's free there's weebly ads on it, and I can't really do exactly what I want to it. I'm having a go at a Mr Site one next, onto which I'll be linking this blog.

New post coming in about an hour. Sorry for the spamming.

Spoonflower fabric - what we made

2010-02-23T07:09:00.000-08:00

Today is a day for rediscovering the sewing machine. This is mainly because Claudia made me an apron from my spoonflower fabric. Then we decided there must be a market for people who need wider aprons with longer straps. AM at college agreed, suggested fat aprons, but Claudia came up with AMPLE APRONS which is awesome in many senses of the word.

There was a scrap leftover, which is why the sewing machine came out - to make something from it. i decided on a headband, by sewing a long tube, turning it inside out, and then adding elastic. When my hair is longer, it'll look much better.

The LBC charity of the year - 2010

2010-02-22T08:50:00.001-08:00

Ok so last year, I was raising funds for MIND. I auctioned 2 painting on eBay (one sold, one didn't) and held a raffle to win another painting. I also pledged to donate 25% of profits from card sales in the nurses's office, craft fairs and card parties. Doing all this, I managed a slightly paltry £30 to donate to MIND. I wanted to raise £50, but I never quite made it there.

So anyway, 2010, and time for a new LBC charity of the year. This year, it's Ovacome, mainly because I got a leaflet about their new campaign this year. Good timing.

Ovacome is the Ovarian cancer charity. Anyone who doesn't know, my mother died of Ovarian cancer in 2003. She was diagnosed in 2002 with stage 4 cancer after 2 years of going to the doctor with symptoms which in hindsight are obvious. However, if you don't know the symptoms in order to recognise them, it's pretty difficult to mistake it for IBS, or pregnancy (if you're the right age). Unfortunately, it's also the fourth most common cancer in women, making it pretty rare, and it doesn't get as much press, meaning the symptoms are even less well known. We're told to check our breasts, and men are told to check their balls and get their prostate checked, and yet if you ask anyone what the symptoms of ovarian cancer are, they probably wouldn't have a clue.

So I'd like everyone to be aware of the signs and symptoms to watch out for. Ovacome have kindly come up with the following acronym to help with the symptoms (much like the recent FAST campaign for stroke awareness).

THE BEAT CAMPAIGN

B is for BLOATING - persistent, and doesn't come and go

E is for EATING - difficult eating, and feeling full more quickly

A is for ABDOMINAL - abdominal and pelvic pain felt most days

T is for TALK - to your doctor

So in 2010, I pledge to do at least 2 charity auctions on eBay (where 100% of the money goes directly to the charity), another charity raffle in march (Ovarian cancer awareness month) and also give a % of the profits from my card sales. I really want to get to £50 this year.

Mixed Media study

2010-02-16T08:22:00.001-08:00

Mixed Media study
Originally uploaded by peskychloe

Spoonflower fabrics

2010-02-03T09:09:00.000-08:00

There are five fabrics tagged 'kokeshi' on Spoonflower, and this one above I created with one of my paintings is one of them. the swatch came out incredibly, so I've started selling it, and I've bought a yard for myself to play with. I think it'd make a great skirt, personally.

Photography module - filling the frame/details

2010-01-31T07:35:00.000-08:00

I always thought I liked photography, but it appears now I'm learning how to do it, I'm having difficulties.

1. I get claustrophobic in the dark room

2. I get annoyed with people not leaving things tidy, particularly the tongs in the developing fluids

3. I can't stand people talking to me in the dark

4. I can't do it....

5. ... and other people can

Photography to me is a means to an end. However, I've been happy with some shots I've taken. we did research on 'filling the frame' and our project title is details. For me this has been using the macro setting and taking pictures of interesting textures.

That will do for photography I think. Back to making cakes out of plaster, foam and wood...

Life's Big Canvas 2010 calendar from Zazzle.com

2009-12-08T10:57:00.000-08:00

Life's Big Canvas 2010 calendar from Zazzle.com

Card Parties in Yorkshire area

2009-12-08T09:36:00.000-08:00

I am now booking card parties for 2010.

Usual times are

Monday evenings

Tuesday mornings

Thursday evenings

Friday afternoons

Saturdays

Sundays

I will come to your playgroup, church group as well as to your own home. Anyone who hosts a party gets a free bottle of wine as a thank you, as well as some free cards.

No minimum amount of guests required, and no hard sell! I don't give a big speech or anything, just bring my cards to you, and allow you to choose at your own leisure.

My handmade cards are unique, whimsical, and one of a kind, and priced from only 50p.

I can also bring supplies and do demonstrations on card making. I particularly enjoy working with children, and will happily come to children's parties and events.

Simply call 07843 735306 or email chloemcgenn@gmail.com

NB I have a current CRB check from 2 volunteering positions, both with Leeds City Council.

Another new book

2009-11-22T14:26:00.001-08:00

Pesky, 33 Chlo...

October 2008 - Nove...

By Chloe McGenn

Book Preview

This one is not for the faint hearted. It's collected memoirs from the last year.

use code HOLIDAY2 to get 20% off, and free shipping.

Zazzle - new products!

2009-11-22T08:48:00.001-08:00

I joined Zazzle purely so I could design my own shoes. Yes, I'm that shallow. I made 4 pairs yesterday, using cupcakes and chillis I've painted. Please have a look below!

New recipe book published today!

2009-11-07T07:15:00.000-08:00

Chloe's Kitsch...

Easy family favouri...

By Chloe McGenn

Book Preview

This is the Christmas gift I've been working on this year - it's taken 18 months of cooking, photographing and publishing, but it'll be in our friends' stockings this December. If you're looking for a present for someone for Christmas, then feel free to look at the book preview. It's 78 pages of recipes, tried and tested and bettered by myself, with some extra stories and stuff added in.

Me with The Glitter Girls

2009-11-06T11:59:00.001-08:00

photo
Originally uploaded by peskychloe

Not my absolute favourite crafters, but this is the only photo we took, and I like the fact she's captured my full 'nose-screwing' laugh.

Looking for Twitter followers?

2009-10-28T09:58:00.000-07:00

If you are, you could do a lot worse than joining Fast Followers. You earn credits by following others, and pay others with those credits to follow you. I'm selling advertising space on my Lifes Big Canvas twitter feed to help fund myself through art college (1 tweet in 10 will be an advert and some of the money goes to an art fund and to a cancer charity as well, so I'm hoping this doesn't annoy people!) Having more followers would definitely be of benefit, I'm sure.

Click here to see what it's all about

Crafty Image Emporium Cd Rom - CreateAndCraft

2009-09-03T01:49:00.001-07:00

Crafty Image Emporium Cd Rom - CreateAndCraft

Shared via AddThis

A4 Christmas card

2009-08-31T08:12:00.001-07:00

Big cards are going to be in this Christmas... Apparently. Cards are
going to be either massive or tiny. My Christmas cards so far have all
been A6 so I'm trying A4 as well as some A7. I'm well aware it's august.

Size

2009-08-31T05:37:00.000-07:00

Yeah it's huge!! That's it next to a DVD

Mofette in progress

2009-08-31T04:16:00.000-07:00

Craft clearout, as well as some good value canvases!

2009-08-24T10:16:00.000-07:00

http://shop.ebay.co.uk/merchant/peskychloe

I've been busy clearing out my craft stock, and have been listing it all with free postage! I've also added some canvases if you want to take a look and grab a bargain piece of art.

This is all because Tiddles needs all her teeth out :( It's been a month full of expense, as we had a wasp nest, punctured tyre and I'm registering for my college course on Friday! Some months just go like that don't they?

Pesky Party!

2009-08-18T07:21:00.001-07:00

It's the first Pesky Party tonight. I have a second one booked already for next Wednesday too! Ian said 'What if you sell them all tonight? You won't have time to make more before Wednesday?' - I said if I sold them all I'd be delighted as I have approximately £400 worth of cards :)

I'll let you know how it goes. Everyone who hears about it thinks it's a good idea, although I have more good ideas coming. I met the knitted food lady (Liz) at Crown Point, and she told me something a lady she knows does at christmas, so I think I may steal her idea.

and also...

2009-08-17T10:09:00.000-07:00

New kokeshi canvases. I love making these

Been away for a couple of days...

2009-08-17T10:03:00.000-07:00

it's the first Pesky Party tomorrow, so I've been busy making cards. Here are my favourites.

This is a Jolly Nation 3d decoupage cat, with a matching gift tag. I love the little bowl

This is a pocket card - I've popped a tag in it, but you can take the tag out, and use it for money or a gift token or something flat-ish - it sticks out from the card by a few mm, so it could even be jewellery

and my absolute favourite. This one has brass brads on the front with a gold tie to keep it closed. Then when opened, the x-men 3d picture pops out on paper I've folded into springs!!

Kokeshi Canvas

2009-08-07T10:23:00.001-07:00

Kokeshi Canvas
Originally uploaded by peskychloe

Thank you Bel for the huge goodie parcel! It inspired me to get on and
finish this as the little pearl buttons you sent were perfect for her
top. Will be in the mail on Monday!

Chloe
(pesky33)

(copied from personal blog)

Competition winner!!

2009-08-02T06:59:00.001-07:00

Is Zoe A! aka Lobster, Claws, whatever you know her as

She wins whichever painting she likes, or a commission for postage only.

Let me know what you'd like :)

(Winner was picked by Ian, sorry I don't have video proof, but you can trust me)

Big PIF sale on Etsy

2009-07-27T09:31:00.000-07:00

Lovely Bel (indirectly) reminded me about PIFs on Etsy (ie 'Pay It Forwards') where you sell your stuff at 20p only, with cheap or free postage. I have inactive listings, so I made them all into greeting card PIFS!

A random card picked for 20p, and postage is the same no matter how many you buy.

Fill your boots!

Card makers?

2009-07-26T23:27:00.001-07:00

Do any of you do card parties at friend's houses? I'm thinking of doing this, but just wondered if anyone else does it, and if so, how you go about it? Eg tax, national insurance etc.

So far I've made posters and invites to send to friends to give out to their guests. And that's as far as I've got. I'm not business minded at all...

Doohlong the Weinerarmer

2009-07-26T09:07:00.001-07:00

I'm not sure either of those are spelt right, but I finally sold my lovely painting on Etsy - it's going to be a birthday present too, so I'm going to wrap it and stick in a gift card.

Goodbye old friend!

In progress - mum

2009-07-22T01:38:00.001-07:00

First painting in oils since I gave up on them at A level. Infuriating!!

Strange Things Afoot at the Circle P

2009-07-16T01:36:00.000-07:00

I had my hair cut last night, and the usual thing happened - Vic was after some cards, so I part-paid for my haircut in cards.

My friends are more business minded about my work than I am, and we discussed how I probably wasn't going to do Partylite as I don't feel I can be a good seller of something I haven't made. Katie mentioned Phoenix Cards, which is a similar party night thing, andVic suggested I did card parties with my own cards instead, and it was like another lightbulb moment. Why haven't I done card parties yet??

So both Katie and Vic have booked a card party in the next couple of months. I'm going to give them a free gift as a thank you, and offer another party nearer Christmas. Whenever people see my cards they seem to buy 10, so if I see a couple of their friends I can hopefully clear a bit of stock.

Kaie also said that she'll show people the personalised paintings I did for her children, and I might be able to get commissions on one of those - if I do, I'll give Katie a percentage.

So if these two parties go well, it could be a possible outlet for my cards - going to people's houses, showing them the cards, selling them for a tiny profit, and perhaps getting some sort of business going. I'll need to see a small business advisor, but I'll wait and see how at least one goes.

First illustration for collaboration with Katie

2009-07-15T10:12:00.000-07:00

Remember the cupcake cookies and chocolate turtles?

2009-07-13T02:12:00.001-07:00

Karma is alive and well in Leeds - writing about how wonderful sweeties are and then wondering if they would make it through the post might sound like begging, but I really didn't expect to get two lovely parcels of treats.

I feel I'm doing the chocolate turtle lady a disservice as I didn't get any photos - this is because I ate them all before I even thought about it. They were too delicious. Luckily I remembered this, and took photos of the cupcake cookies before I ate more than one.

Adorable Cupcake Cookies by TabbyCat13

They're just as beautiful in real life (even if I'm not, sheesh look at my eye bags...) - soft and buttery shortbread, not too sweet icing, and they lasted all of, oh two minutes?

Chewy Vanilla Caramel Pretzel Twisted Turtles by BlissCandies

Not my photo of the turtles obviously, but they did stay intact through the post. American chocolate isn't quite as sweet as ours, so on its own I'm not a huge fan - but stick something salty in it and it's perfect. Why don't they make chocolate pretzels in England? The combination of the caramel and the pretzel with the chocolate is really like nothing else you can get in the UK, and has caused me to think about experimenting with my usual peanut butter recipe.

Think this new table is big enough!

2009-07-09T09:17:00.000-07:00

Rise Above Bakery

2009-07-08T10:54:00.000-07:00

I got a delivery from Emma of Rise Above Bakery the other day, from my friend Sam. Emma bakes delicious cupcakes, and they're vegan! Whilst I'm not vegan myself, our carer is, and I can never give him anything I've cooked - even when I made a thai vegetable curry and thought I could let him have some, I remembered I'd added fish sauce!

Anyway, these cupcakes are beautiful, not only to look at, but the sponge is so moist, and the creamy inside is addictive. The way they came wrapped in tinfoil, it felt a little bit exciting and naughty (like an illegal drug) and I'll definitely be getting more in the future.

Order at http://riseabovebakery.livejournal.com

Greedy Pig

2009-07-07T13:08:00.001-07:00

Smug Sprout

2009-07-04T09:45:00.000-07:00

Has a new home! Darren from Big Paw Gifts sold him today at The Stalls craft fair at the town hall in Leeds. We went there on a whim (long story) and it was great seeing all the fantastic artists in Leeds. Darren even had an extra table with a lot of my paintings on it!

Apologies

2009-07-03T06:37:00.000-07:00

I wanted to apologise for the amount of advertising I've added to my site. Unfortunately earning 50p at a craft fair here and there, and selling a couple of cards every week to Claudia, doesn't really put food on the table.

I've only added things I believe are truly useful - for example, my brother is a regular subscriber to eMusic, and I used their free trial, and found it great for picking up obscure things.

I'll be monitoring what gets put on the site closely, and removing anything I consider to be out of order. Please let me know if you see anything which concerns you.

Win a Painting! 5 entries available!

2009-07-03T00:49:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's another competition!! This time entry is completely free.

This time, all you have to do is become a fan on my Facebook page. The competition ends on July 31st.

Click here to join - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lifes-Big-Canvas-Chloe-McGenn/54354552143

If you're already a fan, then firstly THANK YOU - secondly, you can still enter by the following means

1. write a blogpost about this competition and leave a message for me linking me to the blog post - if I haven't already written about you, this also means I will probably do a blog post to help promote your blog or shop

2. recommend me to a friend, and leave me their name here

You can also get extra entries by the following

1. following me on twitter - I follow everyone back who adds me on my business account

http://twitter.com/lifesbigcanvas

2. making me a contact on flickr and/or making one of my photos a fave - this is another way that I may blog about you, as I often feature my favourite photos on flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/peskychloe/

So that's a possible 5 entries per person :)

Yes, it's shameless self-promotion, but I'll repay the favour, and you could win a painting out of it, so hopefully everyone's happy. Also, every entrant to the raffle received freebies in the post, so I might be able to do this again as well!

Terms -

The painting won is one already painted, or a mixed media canvas already made - postage is free. If you do not like any of the art already available, then I will paint/make an 8" square canvas for you, but you will have to pay postage.

Winner will be picked at random from all facebook fans not currently joined, with entries given to current fans who blog about Life's Big Canvas, or who recommend us to a friend (please leave a comment here with either a link to your blog post, or your friend's name)

New stuff for craft fair

2009-06-24T03:47:00.000-07:00

Sold more paintings than expected so been busy over last couple of days!

Featured seller

2009-06-20T09:59:00.000-07:00

I just had to wax lyrical about servasgschaeft. I can't recall where exactly she popped up on my flickr from, but she's not only adorable, she makes the most AMAZING things. Here are my favourites from Flickr.

This awesome cake is a tiny brooch/necklace! It's available to buy on etsy. Look at the teeny tiny kiwi slices! I have no idea how you fimo modellers do this.

This is another little fimo cake, but look at the whipped cream! And the doll plate and fork. Oh and the banana!! I'm going to die from the adorable.

These are cupcakes. And they're vegan. I wish she lived in England!

Huge cakes made to look like lego. I am speechless.

This is her, wearing the nerd glasses she made from perler (assume it's like hama beads?) I am in love with her today. Seriously.

On her flickr photostream you can also find a pair of cupcakes which look like boobs, and a cupcake with a vagina piped on the top. Please please look through all her stuff.

Advertising Space available

2009-06-20T00:57:00.000-07:00

I currently have 5 FREE advertising slots on my blog. If you're not already a member of Project Wonderful and you have a site like this, I'd highly recommend it. There are lots of ways to show your ads for free on other sites, and you can offer free advertising spaces on your own site.

My favourite 5 cards I've made

2009-06-18T06:14:00.000-07:00

This is my favourite cat shape ever, and it works well in patterned paper too.

Stickers from Paperchase, and word stickers brought back from America by Claudia. Just seemed to work together.

Cupcakes were one of the first things I painted, and the first thing I made a paper collage out of too. You can't beat the simple shapes.

I bought these little coat hangers and thought they'd be perfect for card making. Cutting out tiny clothes is fiddly, so I haven't ended up making many of them!

Kizzy

2009-06-17T09:40:00.000-07:00

Edibles on Etsy

2009-06-17T06:19:00.000-07:00

I only realised today that Etsy has an edibles section! I've been picking through what's on offer, and here are my favourite edible items I've found so far. Feel free to recommend some more!

Featured seller - Chocolatecreators

Russian seller Chocolate Creators are fairly new to Etsy. I can't understand why they have only 1 sale, because their items are beautiful, original, and very reasonably priced.

Adorable Cupcake Cookies by TabbyCat13

Just as the name suggests, they are adorable, and you get a dozen for less than $2 each. I'm not sure they'd ship to the UK, but I had to feature them as they're so beautifully made.

Cupcakes in Jars by cupcakesinjars

Again, not sure about shipping to the UK, but what a fantastic idea! Surely they'd be easy to ship overseas? And just look at all the flavours, and the packaging!

Tootsie Roll wreath by auntiesideas

I keep meaning to make one of these, and fail miserably. They make many different flavoured candies into wreaths, but I like the colour scheme of this one, and the name of the sweets of course. We don't have them in the UK, so I'm imagining liquorice :)

Chewy Vanilla Caramel Pretzel Twisted Turtles by BlissCandies

I love chocolate coated pretzels, and they just don't sell them in the UK. I have to import them when my craving gets too much for me. These sound so delicious, I'm considering moving to the US, or failing that getting them shipped to a friend to pass on to me!

Chocolate and Gold Wire Necklace by wmahr

This necklace is REAL chocolate! It's expensive for one wear, but what a great attention seeking piece! They can use real beads for you if you like, but I thought this would be a great finale for this article.

If this has made you hungry, and you fancy something longer lasting, my 'coffee and bun' painting is available on Etsy or on eBay.

Cupcakes in a Row

2009-06-17T00:38:00.001-07:00

Cupcakes in a Row
Originally uploaded by peskychloe

I think I might have overdone the patterns on this. It's perhaps over the top. I had got two others cut out to do, but I don't want to waste the canvases if this is rubbish.

Darren's dog

2009-06-15T09:08:00.000-07:00

Shimmering Rabbit

2009-06-15T02:03:00.000-07:00

Etsy Yart Sale

2009-06-12T00:29:00.000-07:00

I love this idea! Until June 14th on Etsy, if you search for 'yart' you get a whole host of special offers!

YARD SALE + ART = YART SALE!

Every seller involved in the Yart Sale offers special offers like free shipping, freebies or buy one get one free etc - I've made a sale already, and my shop has had lots more views. Some people have got into the spirit of the Yart sale, while I feel some people are just using the tag/title to get more views, and offering little in value (usually by hiking up their shipping). I'll only be featuring those who are offering considerable savings on regular prices, or who offer free shipping on things which are expensive to post.

Click here to search on Etsy, with the results sorted from low price to high

I've been looking at what is on offer this morning, and here are my five favourite things, as well as one of mine.

Obviously first up is my vintage shoe - it's free shipping in the UK, and reduced shipping overseas. I painted this a while ago, and I really like it, I can't understand why it hasn't been snapped up yet!

Loving you by LUIZAVIZOLI

Ok, so this isn't cheap, but it's beautiful. I love the swirls in this lady's work, they look like buttons! I nearly didn't feature this, as she doesn't ship outside the US, but I couldn't resist the colours.

Handmade red plaid owl friend by JennyTheArtist

This little owl friend is 50% off, at a very reasonable $2, with decent priced shipping. He's really cute, so I hope he finds a new home.

Roll the Dice soap by sunbasilgarden

It's not often I get excited about handmade soap. I have tons of lush soap we haven't used, because I love liquid soap. However, these are amazing, so perfectly made, and they're vegan, AND they smell of liquorice. At a very reasonable $2 with international shipping, they get my vote.

Amigurumi Banana by davenevanxaviour

Ah,knitted food. The reason I found Etsy in the first place. Can't really say anything more, except they're adorable!

Upcycled Bottle Caps Candy Notebook by AprilAdriance

I'd never heard the term upcycling before Etsy, but I really love the idea of taking something which would otherwise be thrown away/recycled and using it for a new purpose. There are lots of upcycled journals on Etsy, but this is the cheapest in the Yart sale, so congrats!

Big Cartel

2009-06-07T09:49:00.001-07:00

Anyone else use Big Cartel? I'm trying out a shop there, and I don't know whether to pay $9.99 a month or not. It seems pretty cheap, and I could design it more, but then again, sales are slow, so is it worth it?

http://lifesbigcanvas.bigcartel.com

http://lifesbigcanvas.bigcartel.com/products.rss

Birthdays

2009-06-06T08:40:00.000-07:00

My birthday isn't until November, but I know exactly what I want this year. I want to have finished writing my book!

I'm currently condensing my whole personal blog including photos and paintings, to tell the story of my life while I was 33. It's my lucky number, and the one I always use along with Pesky for all my online nicknames.

I wasn't sure whether I'd make it to my 34th birthday, so it took me a while to start writing it. Now I know I'll be around, I've made a proper start on it.

Here's a sneak preview of the cover

Last year I didn't look forward to my birthday

But then my husband sent a barbershop quartet to work. Awesome!

This month's featured Etsyblogger

2009-06-06T08:34:00.000-07:00

Is LazyTCrochet

Green Apple Cloche

DROOOOL

Perfect seller - gives you all the details you need, beautiful items, and a great price, with shipping everywhere in the world!

I'll definitely be back, I particularly love this moustache coffee cosy!

Featured on 2 blogs today!

2009-06-01T00:52:00.000-07:00

We've been featured on 2 other blogs today!

Beautiful Becky featured me on her new blog about Uk Crafters - http://ukcrafters.blogspot.com/2009/05/peskychloe-featured-artist.html

This blog is an awesome idea, and to be one of the first featured was an absolute honour. Please support this blog if you care at all about Crafters in the UK.

My mixed media beach canvas was also featured on Cuteable this morning. I haven't seen this blog yet, but look forward to seeing more. She's also in Lancashire, so it's an even lovelier surprise.

http://cuteable.com/mix-up-monday-mixed-media/5732

Giveaway on lovelylittledeer!

2009-05-27T10:05:00.000-07:00

http://alovelylittledeer.blogspot.com/2009/05/applenoggin-interview-and-giveaway.html

Have a look here for a great interview with Applenoggin, and get a chance to win goodies!

I love Becky's interviews with crafty ladies - so far she's interviewed most of my heroes anyway! Can't wait to see who's next!

Scarab sketch

2009-05-27T01:03:00.001-07:00

Preparation for part 3 of my tattoo

Today's Etsy picks - Paper Patchwork

2009-05-24T14:31:00.001-07:00

I've been making my Paper Patchwork pictures all day today, and more or less finished five. It's my obsessional personality. I searched on Etsy to see if anyone was selling anything similar, without thinking 'I'll search for collage', as any normal person would. I searched for 'paper patchwork' and didn't find anything - I did find some other nice stuff instead though, so I decided to choose some for this week's picks.

Patchwork Washing

This is mine, obviously. I could see this in my head for days, but couldn't find any small pegs. Once I finally found some, I just did it straight away.

Life Is Like a Patchwork Quilt by Design4u

I think this is really lovely, and she ships internationally! Not enough Etsy sellers let you know they do this, and I'm often scouring the pages to see if they do. I'd love to see lots of different quotes on similar canvases.

Miss Kekoshi by mapetitepapeterie

It was hard to choose between this and The Patchwork Millipede. All of these delicate prints are really beautiful.

Patchwork Journal by brookiellen

I think these journals are perfect for gifts, and I really like the mixture of fabrics used. You can't beat cherries.

Sweet Patchwork Doll by pinkytoast

I chose this one because it's something I had in my head, and I would never do it as well as this. I really love the style of these prints which are available on mirrors and keyrings as well.

Patchwork cat Greeting Card by dailypaper

I chose this one as I love the mixture of red, black and white, and the really simple shapes used to create the cat. It's obvious what it is, and yet there's almost no features. It also gave me the idea that I might scan in my collages and use them to create cards myself!

Paper Patchwork

2009-05-21T05:15:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was productive - I got a few canvases and cards I'd been planning in my head finally finished. I'm really enjoying the slightly retro nature of these paper patchwork items. Somehow they remind me of old cartoons. I'm thinking of doing more involved pieces using vintage paraphenalia, but for now, I'm making stock for the 2 craft fairs which are coming up. I know that doesn't sound like a lot of fairs, but
it really is for me!

All photos can be clicked on and viewed bigger.

My favourite is this washing line. I used silver thread for the line, corrugated card for the poles, and real miniature pegs.

Beach scenes - one of these is for my nephew, but I enjoyed making it so much I made one to sell as well

Four small canvases I found, which were screaming out for cupcakes in different colours - Ian loves these

Two cupcakes

And while I'm here, a small painting I did from the flamingo photos

Psychedelic jacket

2009-05-19T07:33:00.001-07:00

Psychedelic jacket - complete
Originally uploaded by designbyclaire

It's karma baby
Send someone a whole big bunch of psychedelic material, and you get amazing clothes made for you in return.
Awesome!

Busy card making day!

2009-05-17T05:21:00.000-07:00

I made a different sort of teabag card yesterday with these adorable teapot shaped cards I found!

Inside

I also got a card which gave me this idea on how to use the coffee we always take from hotel rooms - upcycled indeed!

Sachet popping out

Back of sachet and poem