Event: Sew Crafty

Location: Bank Cafe, Neilston Development Trust, 84 Main Street, Neilston. (Opposite the co-op) Click for map

Time: Wednesdays 9.30am – 11.30am

Price: Current price is £4.50 per class – with tea & biscuits thrown in.

Description: Weekly meeting to teach and help in sewing projects. Very sociable, no skills required. We provide all you need to get started (particularly sewing machines!) & there are bits & bobs you can buy as you need (bag handles, magnetic catches, cushion pads etc.).

Everyone learns at their own pace and makes whatever they want. There are lots of patterns and books avilable for you to use. The photocopier is also available to us at a small charge.

Contact: 0141 561 1201

Posted: September 30th, 2008 under Events.
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Well, it seems like sometimes even little ole me can have a decent brainwave! The Glasgow Craft Mafia have kindly taken up my suggestion of a pink party and will be getting their pink on at their social on October 5th (More details here). There’s also plans afoot for something similarly pink and charitable in December with some other crafty folks, so I’ll keep you posted if that comes to fruition.

In the meantime, I’ve started work on the above project which combines birds, my new doodle stitching trend and pink. Triple whammy!

Posted: September 29th, 2008 under Events, My Projects.
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I had a couple of pink t-shirts and an old grey dress I never wore so decided to use them to make a nice scarf for the approaching winter months. Personally I love it as it’s so soft and it means I didn’t have to throw out my Death From Above 1979 shirt I ruined by getting a stain down the front of (one advantage of being a mucky pup I guess! hehe).

Posted: September 27th, 2008 under My Projects.
Comments: 1

Good music, like-minded crafters and a bar. Excellent!

Posted: September 26th, 2008 under Events.
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The Affordable Art Fair returns to Battersea Park in October, bringing together 110 galleries from across the UK and overseas to exhibit contemporary art. All the artists on show will be different from the Spring Collection earlier this year.
The fair’s easy going atmosphere invites you to browse amongst the thousands of paintings, sculpture, photography and original prints – all priced under £3,000. For those of you looking to spot the next big thing, the Recent Graduates’ Exhibition showcases the diverse range of talent emerging from Britain’s art schools.

Our Education Programme offers a wide variety of free and informative activities which are suitable for all ages and abilities.  Working under the title ‘Me, Myself and I’ the printmaking, drawing and sculpture workshops will focus on self-portraiture.

Charlotte Hardy, our Artist in Residence, will be in the café covering the walls with whimsical illustrations of extravagant cakes and indulgent puddings.

A complimentary shuttle from Sloane Square ensures the fair is easy to get to. With a wine bar, café and children’s crèche, AAF is an art-buying opportunity not to be missed!

Book tickets for fast track entry.

Take a tour around the fair (it will take a moment to download).

Posted: September 24th, 2008 under Art/Illustration, Events.
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I have been swithering about the need for a veil for my wedding. I have always been firmly in the ‘no veil’ camp but lots of people say that it’s the veil that really adds the bride factor to the dress. I must admit that my initial decision to go for a non-traditional long simple art deco type gown has already gone out the window to be replaced with a bizarre desire to have a more wedding dress like wedding dress. So, will my veil feelings suffer a similar about-turn? Who knows!

All I do know is that I’m really loving the idea of something along the lines of this Deco inspired headband from Etsy seller Dori & Viv, the added bonus being they’re currently offering a free gift to their first 11 customers.

Posted: September 24th, 2008 under Fashion, Inspiration.
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There’s nothing like a child’s creativity to give you that warm feeling of ‘wow, they’re so imaginative’. As a kid I loved entering competitions and remember one particular evening being completely incredulous that I wasn’t the winner of a Blue Peter competition to design a save the polar bear t-shirt and equally stunned at not winning one on The Clothes Show too. Ahhhh, the arrogance of youth eh?

Well, it’s in your power to make some little artists day by voting for them at the Doodle 4 Google page. They’re actually pretty damn good.

Posted: September 24th, 2008 under Art/Illustration, Competitions.
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Made In The Shade II:  Goodbye to the dowdy craft fayre!  Hello to the design, neo-craft & vintage event of the season! 

Innovative shopping event ‘Made In The Shade‘ (a slang phrase, popular in the 1950s and synonymous with guaranteed success)  returns to The Lighthouse this Autumn on Saturday 25th October.  Taking place in both Gallery 5 and the Vitra Suite at The Lighthouse, Made In The Shade II will now play host to 50+ independent creative businesses from across the spectrum of craft and design disciplines and from across the UK.

At Made In The Shade this Autumn, customers can expect to find a fabulous range of truly unique and ethically produced products from the UK.  This time round,  visitors will also be treated to a new edition to the event;  The Made In The Shade Vintage Nook.

Textile designer Clare Nicolson’s  dolly birdies and vintage inspired fabric prints are known internationally and her homewares retail in high profile stores such as Liberty London,  but the birdies will flock to The Lighthouse on the 25th October!

1950s-style dressmaking mistress Wendy Richardson and her Flossy Dossy fashion range will also set up shop at Made In The Shade, offering Glasgow glamourpusses and timewarp wives the perfect oppoprtunity to indulge in some affordable retro frocks.

Nostalgic reclaim/upcycling lovers cannot fail to be enchanted by Feel Fuzzy.  Find handmade journals made from your favourite children’s books, wall hangings, accessories and vintage magazines at this super-cute stall!

Heidi Cannon of Bedcrumb Boutique makes a special appearance – travelling to the event all the way from Cumbria having just launched her online shop.  Heidi is a designer and collector who specialises in indulgent, vintage inspired items for the home;  think luxurious cushions and oddment teasets complete with their own recipe cards!

A carefully selected range of products by UK makers and designers will encourage customers to rethink their perception of ‘handmade’ in the Gallery 5.  Space-age jewellery comes from Aubeebop Designs; handknitted celebrities, cartoon characters and pop stars are available courtesy of mother/daughter pair Ding Dong Designs and leathersmith Corinne Robinson aka Dazed Dorothy adds a little additional glamour to the proceedings with her range of handmade, intricately adorned clutch bags and accessories.

Remember!  As a special treat,  free goody bags worth up to £30 containing handmade treats from exhibitors and other generous designers will be presented to early bird customers!  Come one, come all, come early!

Info:
www.wearemadeintheshade.com
www.myspace.com/wearemadeintheshade

in association with

www.thelighthouse.co.uk
www.creativeentrepreneurs.com

Made In The Shade Market
The Lighthouse, Mitchell Lane, G1 3NU
(Gallery 5 & Vitra Suite)
Saturday 25th October 2008
10.30am – 5pm
FREE

Posted: September 24th, 2008 under Events.
Comments: none

There’s always a great array of crafty downloads available at the Crafts Beautiful website and the lastest selection is no exception (I particularly like the Nov 08 backing papers pack. Very wintery and great for making a head start on your Xmas gifts and cards).

All you need to do is register with the site (free!) and they’re all yours, though please note they are for personal non-commercial use only!

Posted: September 23rd, 2008 under Supplies.
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Posted: September 23rd, 2008 under Events.
Comments: none