Deadline: October 2008 (RECEIVE)

Objects of Desire 2009
Chapel Gallery
Ormskirk, Lancashire
WHAT: Artists invited to submit work for selection in annual contemporary craft group exhibition.
WHO: Artists working in ceramic, glass, jewellery, textiles, metal, lighting, furniture etc.

Please send a c.v., artists statement and a selection of approximately 6 images via email (jpg’s), CD or prints to:

Ruth Owen, Gallery Officer,
Chapel Gallery
St. Helens Road
Ormskirk, Lancashire
L39 4QR
(email) ruth.owen@westlancsdc.gov.uk

Visit website for complete details: chapelgallery.org.uk/current_opportunities

Posted: April 27th, 2008 under Events.
Comments: none

I don’t know if I mentioned it before but before I started this crafty site of mine I worked on another site which was all about music (as well as one on snowboarding and skateboarding).

I would spend most nights at gigs or interviewing bands. This carried on for over 10 years but things have changed and only last month my hosts finally deleted the last remnants of the site from their server.

The site and my job (and just band-related things in general) took over my life and I went cold turkey for a long time, but this past week I have been enjoying trawling the internet for new bands and gigs to look forward to.

So (I know you’re people of fine tastes), tell me, what song is rocking your world right now?

Personally I can’t get enough of the new Death Cab song today..

Posted: April 25th, 2008 under Life stuff.
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Last weekend was full of stressful events and the swimathon of course (1hr 54mins! Pow!) so there was little chance for some quality alone time with Him Indoors. We did however manage to grab a quick half hour to head down to the Green to check another item off my 30/30 (the 30 things I want to do before my 30th this year) – fly a kite.

I can’t remember the last time I flew a kite, but HI was determined that we mark something off so we bought the cheapest kite imaginable and had a ball. Sure, it spent more time on the ground than soaring in the sky, but I loved it. So to celebrate, here’s this week’s theme Thursday…

The first item is an adorable Kite Pin by Deborah Sepos. I’m not usually a fan of brooches but this chunky porcelain pin is a different story. The hand painted design features a lovely kite with the added bonus of some bluebirds helping it on it’s way. The 24 carat gold edge and red ribbons add an extra element of classiness and it’d be a perfect accessory to wear with this season’s nautical colours. The pin measures approx 1 1/8″ x 1 1/2″ and comes with its own gift box.

The next item is a lovely red t-shirt with a kite design from Etsy seller Supastarr, a lovely husband and wife team from Ohio who run a fairtrade coffee shop by day and transform into crafty stars at night. The design is drawn by Caroline Wilson and features a character (who somehow reminds me of Lucy Campbell’s Molly) flying a kite. The shirt is a bargain $10 (before shipping) and is just one of the many great designs the pair have for sale. 

It’s all well and good having a kite brooch and a kite t-shirt but what about an actual kite? Given our cheapo kite both looked and flew like a ‘gay pride carrier bag’ (HI’s words, not mine), we decided we’d look into buying a proper kite such as those available from Dakokichidekalb. This classic box kite comes shipped in a tube for easy self-assembly and is made from white Tyvek, making it easily to personalise with markers or acrylic paint. So many ideas!

I knew I tempted fate earlier by bemoaning the fact I have far too many prints lying around shescrafty HQ and that I can buy no more, but that was before I stumbled across this amazing Kite themed print by Clever Bird. Not only is it the exact shade of green that I have been basing the bedroom transformation around, it’s also gorgeous and it’s pay day – that’s got to be a sign! Right?

Posted: April 24th, 2008 under Life stuff, Theme Thursdays.
Comments: none

The week is whipping by so fast that it’s already Thursday again and I’ve not updated all week. Me bad.

I’ll get today’s Theme Thursday up later but before then I get to indulge the crafty Bridezilla in me by going to the jewellers tonight to discuss designs for the engagement ring. Yup, I’m going bespoke ladies.

Him Indoors also bagged us a nice little refund on the sofa debacle and even got us some upholstery fabric thrown in to the bargain. Need to brush up on my (non-existent) upholstery skills and make us a matching chair now.

My Jack Long print from Tiny Showcase has arrived and is now sitting forlornly with all the other prints I have waiting to be framed (Asking For Trouble’s recent posts have inspired me to put ‘Get all prints framed and hung’ further up my To Do list). As well as that my package from the Sampler arrived (more details on that tomorrow) at last too! Yay!

Speaking of Asking For Trouble, some of you may have noticed Marceline’s wonderful work here in the shape of our crafty new banner. I have to admit I was a bit worried about the clashing of two crafty minds but it all worked out fine and I’d recommend her skills to any of you looking for a friendly, affordable and professional designer.

More later peeps.

Posted: April 24th, 2008 under Life stuff, Site stuff.
Comments: none

I’m lady who loves her laptop. Well, actually I don’t because I don’t have one that fits my needs. I have a lovely ibook that isn’t wireless and drives me mad, anotehr laptop riddled with Office issues and a battery that lasts approx 12mins just now and now I have a new work laptop.

So, what better excuse to prowl Etsy in search of a lovely laptop bag.

The first bag the I took a shine to was this lovely fresh Asian Cherry Blossom Print Design laptop tote bag from Janine King Designs. I have been loving the bursts of cherry blossom in the local park over the past month and mourning the loss of the pretty pastel petals since they fell so think some everlasting cherry blossom would be the perfect solution to having the joys of spring on your arm all year round. With plenty pockets and available in a wide range of fabrics it’s certainly a contender.

Speaking of a wide range of fabrics, Etsy seller Stilleto has a brilliant range of fabrics to pick from if you order one of their laptop messenger bags. There are over 30 different fabrics to choose from and the bags are currently on sale for a very reasonable $29 for bags for up to 15″ laptops (contact for 17″).  Each bag also has the required pockets for necessities like mouse, charger, cables etc. The problem is just which wonderful fabric to choose. I hate decisions!

The problem with lighter fabrics is that they get dirty very easily (Miss Crafty is officially a mucky pup) so I set out to find a black bag that wasn’t too plain or boring. Enter this laptop messenger bag from Nonpareils. Bright, bold geometric shapes on a black background make this a nice combination of smart yet interesting. Not too wacky for work but not on the first train to dullsville. Mucho important you see. But we still have one more pick…

I realise that the crafty world is stuffed full of typewriter images and fonts to the point where it’s lost it’s appeal for me but there’s something about the thought of carrying my laptop in a bag with a typewriter on it that really appeals to me. The pale polka dot fabric may be lacking in practicality but there’s international shipping and seller Track and Field Designs can also produce bags for bigger laptops if this one (for 14″ laptops) is a bit small for yours.

Posted: April 17th, 2008 under Theme Thursdays.
Comments: none

The Museum of London is holding another late-night crafty event from 6-9pm on May 1st.
Inspired by the theme of ideas and innovation for Museums and Galleries month, Museum of London is hosting a night of crazy creative play. There will be knitting needles, moustache making, badge building and plenty more to keep those imaginative finger tips occupied! And that’s not all – there’s also the chance to take part in an inspired short film or follow comedians around the galleries. We’ve got the experts in to make sure people take home a fantastic creation that they will treasure…Stitch and Bitch London, Cast Off and I Knit London will be curating a knitting corner full of tips, patterns, ideas and help for beginners. Our Bartlett will be ensuring people make moustaches as fine as those sported by the Londoners of yesteryear and Galia, from Craft Night at Notting Hill Arts Club, will be offering the chance to make pipecleaner animals – perhaps you’ll be inspired by those of the prehistoric kind in the London Before London gallery? Don’t forget to add a handmade plasticine pigeon to Howard’s plasticine cityscape and make badges with Zoe and Laura in the corner.

Article from Craft Zine.

Posted: April 15th, 2008 under Events.
Comments: none

0400 – It’s no use, I still can’t sleep and having checked my mobile for the time I realise there’s not much need now. I always get like this when I have to be up early for something I can’t afford to miss. I wish my brain had an off switch and spend the next half hour cursing BMIbaby and their damn cancelled flights
0430 – Him Indoors sits up and checks his phone. He realises I’m also awake and tells me one of his friends has text to tell us to keep a date in June free for their wedding (I immediately get a case of the green-eye monster – why does she get to get married so quickly and more importantly be free from wedding stress by the end of the summer!).
0435 – Don’t want to wake the rest of casa HI so make do with a quick wash of my pits in the sink and haul on my stinky clothes to go for the bus. Realise I’m a bit too early so snuggle up to HI for a bit before he comes down with me to let me out.
0505 – Say goodbye and then look at my watch. How the hell did that happen?! It’s 0505 and the bus is due at 0513. Delirious with lack of sleep I attempt to run to the bus stop a couple of streets away. Get there and think if I had anything in my stomach to puke up right now I probably would. The electronic bus sign says next airport bus not till 0543!! I thought they were every half hour just now, only every hour till 4am? In a panic I text HI the situation, not that he can do anything to help, I just need to panic at someone.
0517 – A big beautiful blue skylink bus appears round the corner and I hop on and do my best to stop my head clattering against the window every time I nod off. Then again, my bird’s nest hair could do with the flattening.
0550 – The airport is the busiest I have ever seen it and the queue for security must have at least 200 people in it right now. I check the departure board and see there are 12 flights leaving in the next hour. Joy.
0640 – Flight due to take off in 10 mins time but we’re missing one passenger who is supposed to be sitting next to me. I wonder if the mystery passenger gets on will I be able to restrain myself from beating them senseless for delaying me further? They eventually get left behind and we take off as I try to find some remotely comfortable position in which to try and sleep.
0800 – We land and, judging by the looks I’m getting from the suited and booted business folk on my flight, I look as rough as a badgers arse and therefore decide I have to go home and shower/eat/die before any thoughts of going to work can enter my head.
0812 – By some stroke of luck I managed to get a bus just as it was about to leave and spend the entire journey trying do decide what kind of fried delight I will have on my way to work later on to wake me up. Decide to be super frugal and buy rolls, milk and some salad and dinner things from Tesco on Ingram St on walk to flat.
0840 – Ahh bugger, afore-mentioned luck has run out and the Tesco is closed for what looks like refurb so I instead grab some heftily marked up rolls and milk from Box Of Delights in the Merchant City and hoof home.
0850 – Bung bacon under grill and grab a speedy shower while trying to work out what the hell I can wear now that I have been moved up to the managers floor at work. Push clothing options to one side of my mind and scoot to the kitchen to begin frying an egg in just my towel (while I thank my lucky stars no one can see in the kitchen window). Slather the rolls in Lurpak (it’s a Lurpak day for sure) in an attempt to soften them (they are bread bricks) and then realise no point eating in my towel and grab the first highly creased semi-smart things I can find out the wardrobe and put them on before tucking in.
0915 – Successfully manage to get bacon fat, melted butter and egg yolk on my blouse during the scoff-fest that is my breakfast and then (before the motivation leaves me) I gulp down a mug of tea and head up to the train station to get a train over to work.
0930 – Look at phone to see how long till next train and see a missed call from Him Indoors mere minutes before. I call him back and am instantly soothed to hear his voice. He says he’s proud of me for not caving in and spending the day in bed and catching up with stuff and says I’ll feel better for it in the long run (not proving to be true just yet).
0955 – Dash into work to find that the usual 0930 meeting was cancelled and that, quite frankly, no one has noticed I’m nearly 2 hours late! Throw a bit of a strop and sit down to see if my mailbox can bring any joy.
1120 – Armed with gross plastic brew tea from the vending machine I try and work out a plan for the day now that I am here and discover I can’t really get on with anything because they failed to connect my new desk to the network and failed to load all the software I need on my new laptop.Genius. So, take laptop to a connected desk and begin this post, read my RSS feeds and try to get some last minute sponsors for my swim of doom this Sunday *shudder*
1205 – Have been playing at working but am seriously getting nowhere. I usually take my lunch at 12 but am still full from the fatfest breakfast. Think some fresh air may wake me up but looks like rain is brewing. Trying to decide if I want to got to the shop where I saw some super cheap glass lanterns on Friday as have spent all weekend thinking about how I could use them as table settings for the wedding.
1230 – Must escape. No work I can do and nobody seeming to care about getting me the connection or software I need (been 3 days now).
1320 – Return from Sainsbury’s with various fruits in an attempt to be relatively healthy and stave off any impending illness before the mighty swim. Know that tonight’s final training session will have to wait until tomorrow given the state I’m in and instead try to mentally jig about my week and try and find a way to get everything I want done and still get sleep/not drown on Sunday. Try calling my brother to see if (as my mum has informed me) he intends staying at shescrafty HQ from Sunday – Tuesday! No answer but would like to know (I’m a ‘need to know’ kinda gal).
1600 – Having spent the afternoon trying to get the various things I need to do my job successfully sorted and failing spectacularly I figure there’s no point working back my hours tonight so finish at 4pm as usual.
1615 – Pop into the shop and find they still have what I want to use for my table settings so buy half of them on the way home (and also managed to smash a mug with my backpack – oops) and just hope they’ll have enough left tomorrow.
1630 – Go into sainsbury’s to get some salad for dinner tonight and call Him Indoors to see if he’s had any luck sorting out M&S today (they STILL haven’t arranged new sofa delivery and we paid for it on NOVEMBER 6^th!!). He says they’re still messing him about and I am thankful he’s taken that stress off my plate.
1730 – Eventually collapse on the couch and try the free popcorn I got sent through the post. Unfortunately it’s butter flavour and tastes rank so will no doubt have to get up and make dinner soon as I’m starving.
1800 – A quick fridge raid later and I settle down to catch up with Dirty Sexy Money and Brothers & Sisters on 4OD.
1910 – Call Him Indoors earlier than usual tonight and find out the replacement couches should be delivered this weekend (we’ll see!) before I put some Union Of Knives (release the new album already guys!) and try and get on with a post for here.
2000 – So tired and so many things I should be doing but the flat is so sunny and hot that I just want to go to bed and kip the night away.
2040 – Refused to let myself go to bed until I at least got a very belated post up on here but now that I have it up. It’s mug of tea and off to bed to read a chapter of my book (The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney) for next week’s book group.

Goodnight!

Posted: April 14th, 2008 under Life stuff.
Comments: 2

So this particular Theme Thursday was selected about 3 weeks ago (actually, maybe more) and since then I have been trapped in a whirlwind of romance, stress and home repairs. Add to this the fact my flight back from Nottingham was cancelled last night and you have one very tired crafty lady trying to kill time at work (further explanation in today’s next post) and finally get this Etsy pick online.

I picked out these pretty dresses because there’s a couple of weddings I have been invited to this summer and figured my usual choice of black or black or black with a hint of pink wasn’t quite suitable.

That said, I just couldn’t resist this gorgeous black charleston dress from Delancy St. It may have been the wonderful pics, or just the fact that Miss Crafty can never have too many black dresses to choose from, but this really had to make the pick, summery or not. Like all of Delancy St’s wonderful vintage items, this dress perfectly gives that retro look while not looking like something your nan would head down the bingo in (unless you have an uber stylish gran of course!). In my beloved 1920s style this flapper dress is made in  Italy and features a silky lining below the rich knit of the overlay. If only it wasn’t black…

Skip ahead a couple of decades and check out this sexy cream wrap dress  with a lovely 1940s feel to it. From Etsy seller Rebecca Winters (who is selling her wares to help fund her travelling for her cookbook), it may not be made from the most suitable material for a summer wedding (rayon blend) but we’re talking Scotland’s summers here and there’s no denying a wrap dress is the perfect shape/shape to hide a multitude of sins and flatter the figures of most.

My next two picks are in a lovely pale yellow but the more I think about it I’m not sure it would look right against my paler than pale complexion (I feel I could resemble some kind of fried egg). Still, this beautifully simple sheath evening dress from vintage store Recycled and Wearable does look like a great way to get an elegant look with minimum effort. The high gathered waist and deep V neck make this dress have a hint of Hollywood glamour without the associated price tag and that’s got to be a good thing.

My final dress choice is perhaps a little too fussy for me but if you can’t wear lace to a wedding then when can you? And it’s got to be good for ventilation. Mmm, summer breezes! This pale yellow lace and chiffon maxi dress is from Etsy seller Skivvy Lulu Vintage and wonderfully captures the spirit of 60s fashion with it’s cute bows and volume. It’s probably a little too cute and girly for me but this week’s theme thursday has definitely shown me that it’s vintage only for me from now on, even if it does end up being black!

Posted: April 14th, 2008 under Theme Thursdays.
Comments: none

It typical timing I am off down to Nottingham this weekend to see Him Indoors so will be missing the John Lewis Warehouse Sale taking place in Glasgow on Saturday and Sunday.

I realise the prospect of cut price washing machines and bargain cookers is not particularly crafty but the sign did also mention the magic word ‘textiles’.

Their warehouse is located on Lister Street and will be open to Joe Public 10am-5pm on Saturday and 11am-4pm on Sunday. Happy hunting crafters and be sure and let me know if it’s worth checking out next time around.

Thankfully I’ll have my own crafty adventures this weekend thanks to a great little craft/design guide to Nottingham which appeared on Design*Sponge earlier this week. Perfect!

Posted: April 10th, 2008 under Events, Supplies.
Comments: none

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Posted: April 10th, 2008 under Competitions, Knitting/Crochet.
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