It may be the impending craftathon known as Christmas or just a coincidence but this weekend is packed full of great crafting events here in Glasgow.

First up there is Made In The Shade’s return to the Lighthouse .

Secondly there is Crafts for Scotland and Hobbycrafts at the SECC .

Or, there is Say No To Plastic charity vintage sale at Oran Mor.

And, for those of you wishing to go further afield, there is The Great Nothern Contemporary Craft Fair down in Manchester.

Posted: October 24th, 2008 under Events, Uncategorized.
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There’s no doubting that Etsy is the daddy of online options to buy and sell hand-crafted goods but recently Europe and the UK have presented us with a host of new options. The latest of these is My Ehive.

I haven’t had much of a chance to give it a decent testing but on first glance it seems to have all the features you’d need plus a couple of nice extra touches. I’ll let you know how I get on.

Posted: October 15th, 2008 under Site stuff.
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My frugalness has been the butt of many jokes in the past but thanks to the current credit crisis and using my craftiness to repurpose things I think I’m slowly but surely proving it’s no bad habit.

My projects are small fry compared with those of other more experienced crafters but I’m still tempted to send a couple over as suggestions for the Call for Entry for inclusion in 1000 ideas for Creative Reuse over at Extreme Craft.

ExtremeCraft just inked a contract with Quarry Publishing to write the next book in their “1000″ series.  They’ll be writing 1000 Ideas for Creative Reuse, a book filled with 1000 (you read right) examples of craft, art and design made out of repurposed, reused and recycled materials.  The book will be bristling with amazing contributions from artists and crafters around the world.  What do you make out of reused stuff?  They want to hear about it!  Here are some of the categories they’re looking for:

• Paper Craft– Consigning paper to the recycling bin is a shame. Do you make interesting things out of paper?
• Art– Does your art involve clever reuse of materials in installation, sculpture, collage, painting or other media?
• Jewelry and accessories– Their definition here is very broad—they’re looking for all kinds of personal adornment, handbags, belts, hats, etc.
• Clothing– They’re seeking all kinds of clothing mash-ups, stitch-ups, and makeovers.
• Fiber and fabric- How about renovated soft goods made from recycled or vintage linens, quilts, fabrics, fibers, sweaters, yarns, rugs?
• Housewares and furnishings– They’re looking for repurposed furniture, ceramics, serving dishes, utensils and miscellaneous home goods.
• Houses, interiors, and environments– Is your living space made of reused materials? Have you made a visionary environment out of recycled materials?
• GeekCraft and ManCraft– Do you make repurposed items with geek appeal? What about traditionally “manly” items such such as grills, antler furniture and armchair go-karts?
• UnClassifiable– They are encouraging the submission of work that doesn’t fit into any of the above boxes.

The Call for Entries is hot off the presses.  Download it today for image guidelines and more information.  The deadline on this puppy is January 5, 2009, but early submissions are HIGHLY encouraged.  They’ll be adding more information to this page as it becomes available.  In the meantime, feel free to email them with your questions!  All of the information is in the call for entries.

Posted: October 13th, 2008 under Books, Competitions.
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One of my aims for 2008 was to get myself going on the online shop front and, while I’ve still to finish getting some stock together and listed, I have started a store at both Folksy and Etsy.

In a great piece of fortunate timing The Storque at Etsy just recently published a wonderful How To guide to Selling. Great for beginners like me or old hands looking to bump up their sales.

Posted: October 12th, 2008 under Site stuff, Tutorials.
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So, I’m afraid yesterday was my first official miss since signing up for Blogtoberfest. The really annoying thing is I was convinced I actually had posted but I must of got caught up in something and forgot to come back and post. Bah!

Things are pretty manic around here just now but the most exciting event (sad but true) is tomorrow’s trip to get storage units and a second desk for our pottering/craft room. I think I may be placing a little too much faith in inanimate objects abilities to streamline my life but, hey, it may just work.

 The other good thing is that the necessary clearout to get the room in working order means I’ll be having a wee giveaway on the site next week so stay tuned for that.

Posted: October 11th, 2008 under Competitions, Life stuff.
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Let’s get one thing straight – I love mail. Obviously not your bills, takeaway menus and bank statements but lovely letters, packages and the like lift my mood like nothing else. One of my favourite times of day is pushing open my front door and waiting to hear if there’s any mail on the mat.

When I was younger I had quite a few penpals that have unfortunately fallen by the wayside over the years so what better time to find new ones? Enter the Letter Writers Alliance by Katie and Donovan of 16Sparrows. I was so excited I just had to join

Posted: October 9th, 2008 under Life stuff, Swaps.
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Following on from my pal Lisa’s post on her lovely site Pink World, I’ve decided to do the little 4 meme currently doing the rounds… (Feel free to add your own answers in the comments!)

4 things I did today:

• Spent far too much of my lunch hour reading nutritional info in Tesco’s and then plumped for Quavers and a Milky Way

• Spoke to my mum

• Kept my trousers up with a bent pin

• Researched Tokyo hotels online

4 things on my ‘to do’ list:

• Finish handmade Save The Date cards and get them posted

• Go pick up my vouchers for a float tank session

• Update my website

• Tidy the coffee table (or at least find its surface!)

4 of my guiltiest pleasures:

• Looking up houses for sale online and wishing I could buy them/looking at what they’re decorated like

• Don’t Tell The Bride

• Boiled eggs with toast soldiers

• Having my legs tickled while watching the telly

4 random facts about me:

• I’m a very fussy eater (no pizza, pasta, sauces, spices, rice, burgers,…you get the idea!)

• I have endometriosis – it’s literally a total pain >:/

• I get excited about stationery

• I’m a total job-hopper and still have no clue what to do with my life

Posted: October 8th, 2008 under Life stuff.
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Sometimes it’s a question of nobody knowing what’s best for you better than yourself and no better reason for a self-indulgent purchase than a birthday. So, with some birthday money and the dinstinct need for a pick-me-up I set about treating myself.

The first thing I bought was the most recent issue of The Pleiades (#17) zine. I already had an older issue in my favourite zines box but when I heard Miranda had resurrected the zine to write an issue about her feelings surrounding turning the big 3-0 I knew I had to get my hands on it. It arrived the other day and I have to admit that Miranda really knows how to do a per-zine well. Hopefully she’ll continue with The Pleiades now it’s back.

The next Etsy purchase was this adorable acorn necklace by SStargell. I was desperately looking for some acorn jewellery as my intended conker present from Him Indoors had to be shelved due to it unexpectedly incorporating a human nipple! (I kid ye not!) So, finding this lovely silver piece, wonderfully free from erogenous body parts, made my day and I was well chuffed when it arrived (beautifully boxed) last week too. It’s sure to be a staple in my autumn wardrobe as I have worn it ever day since I got it.

My BIG birthday gift (not from myself!) is a painting/portrait by amazing artist (and I’m sure he’ll be equally amazing as my bridesmaid) Adam Kerr. Unfortunately it’s not yet finished but I am very excited and will definitely post pics when I get it.

Posted: October 7th, 2008 under Inspiration, Jewellery, Life stuff.
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Congratulations to Dave, Derek, Dan and John, the brilliant team at Ponoko who have developed Photomake! A new way to turn your designs into real life, laser cut objects from photos or scans. If you have been wishing for your own designs check it out. They are offering a free test drive of Photomake. Be sure to read the FAQ.

Posted: October 6th, 2008 under Inspiration.
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Indie Fixx
Handmade Goods for Your Indie Shopping Fix
Call for Designers/Crafters

Submit your products
Indie Fixx is always looking for new indie designers/crafters to carry in the store. If you think your products would be a good fit, send an email with your business info, 3-5 product images and/or your url. All are welcome to submit, no matter how big or small your shop is or even if you don’t have a shop yet.

Visit website for complete details: IndieFixx.com

About the Shop
Jen Wallace created the Indie Fixx Shop in 2007 as an extension of her blog, Indie Fixx, with the goal of supporting and promoting independent design and small DIY business people. Jen chooses products from the practical to the whimsical and offers goods that appeal to those who are looking to shop off the beaten path. The inventory changes often and there are periodic sales and other promotions, so make sure to check back often.

About the Proprietress
Jen is the writer behind the curtain at Indie Fixx and puts together the monthly juried showcase of indie made goods called the Indie Fixx Galleria . She also has her own jewelry shop called Tilting Swiftly.

Posted: October 5th, 2008 under Uncategorized.
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