Cut-offs and cards

Nuada Accessories have sent some business cards for the goodie bags. (you will have to keep an eye on my other blog if you want to see what I ordered form there!) I was really pleased with my purchase and am happy to recommend a look at the shop.

I have had a measure up at the Guildhall and have started to look at a table plan. Places are filling up and I think I will make the 11th of June a provisional cut off date for stallholder sign up. If you have a form kicking around that is waiting to be posted to me, please do send it. I will keep a short reserve list so if you miss the deadline but are happy to be 'on-call' do please get in touch.

I am looking for more stall holders to take part in the profile interview. It will be me next otherwise!! I could also do with some help making a button for the blog, I have a jpeg of the logo if anyone can help. Thanks xxx

Badge-rd to death

I have been given some leaflets by my Embroiderers Guild branch secretary to display at the 'do'. I am a big fan of my local guild, they have excellent speakers, a fab bring and buy table and a residential weekend which is always a hoot. The guild itself produces two excellent embroidery magazines, holds a massive collection of textiles and aims to promote embroidery t one and all. If you are a keen stitcher looking up your local guild might open up loads of possibilities for learning new skills and making new friendships for you too.

I have also received these beauties from Swirly. I am sorry to say that Swirly actually wore out her badge machine making these for the Makers, Do-ers and Helpers. I think these are just lovely and I hope they make us all fell special and proud and like we belong to something great and good and well crafted on July 11th. I hope we can stand together and hold our heads high and raise our glasses to HANDMADE. I have to go now, I'm welling up!

Crafty weekend

'Oh I do like to be beside the seaside...' especially when there are handmade goodies on sale! Come along to a Craft & Gift Fair taking place in Whitstable on Saturday 30th May at St Mary's Hall / Umbrella Community Centre, Oxford Street.
From 10.00am till 4.30pm you will be able to buy some quirky and totally original items, handmade by crafters and artists to really add something special to a home or as a gift.
There will be everything from jewellery, bags, barge art, cards, seaside decorations, ceramics, stained glass, photographic prints and yummy homemade cakes to name just a few! Organised by Helen from Simply H, please see her blog www.simplyhdesigns.blogspot.com or website www.simplyhdesigns.co.uk for further information.

Hopefully Helen might be having a stall at the 'do' meanwhile if you fancy a trip to the seaside next weeknd why not pop along to her fair in Whitstable?

Back tomorrow with the contents of the latest package.

Search no more- for a brilliant craft publisher!

So, as you know I have been working on the goodie bags for the do, trying to get a really good mixture of relevant items I haven't phoned loads of big companies, I wasn't sure I'd have any joy and the ethos for the event is very much local and handmade. I did however contact Search Press. Their brochure dropped out of a magazine and whilst I was flicking through it getting all excited I remembered that they are a Kent company. Anyway I bit the bullet and picked up the phone; Would they like to send me 60 brochures- Yes, would I like a coupon in them-Yes please! Would I like to send them more details of the event?-Sure thing. Would I like some books to have as maybe a raffle prize?-Ummmm YES!!! Would I like them to put the word out amongst their authors and see if anyone wants to do a demo/book signing-Ummm Yes please, thank you very much, that would be lovely, gush, gush, giggle, gush!

Honestly they have been amazing and just look at what we now have prizes for our colouring competition; I will be printing off sheets with an outline of the Makey 'do' logo for adults and children to colour, decorate, draw a background for, generally go wild all over. The best from each category will then be the logo for the next Makey 'do' summer event. The colouring competition will be free to enter and I would encourage anyone in the area to drop in and have a go. If you have time on your hands I really would highly recommend a visit to the Search Press website. The books are excellent and the site also has a forum, competition and free monthly projects and printable designs. I think it's a fantastic resource. This months printable is from a book of Aboriginal designs so anyone doing school projects (groan!!!) might want to keep an eye on this page!

Too, too cute!

Three more parcels to share with you, literally! I was blown away by the class of these labels and pegs from Magenpie. The work that Magenpie sells on her Etsy and Folksy shops is equally unusual and well crafted. I am definitely tempted by the large key fobs as I am a real key worrier!

Next up these cute clutch of owls stamped on the back of all these different sample cards, just ready to send as a really individual little note. More of Creative Cards paperwork can be found here all with a really funky feel and a personality which means the cards almost choose themselves for an individual. (if you know what I mean!!)

Finally a parcel from Treaclezoo. I had hoped Treaclezoo might be there in person at the 'do' but she is otherwise engaged. Seeing her work 'in the felt' has made me want to see her whole stall even more! Check out the winking ravioli!

Thanks so much for sending you three! Still more to come in the goodie bags, and another post in a couple of days with the contents of my biggest parcel yet!

Turner Rowe Designs, pleased to meet you!

Lets meet Jo, another very talented jeweller, and all round lovely person;

1) If you were a cake, what kind of cake would you be?
Lots of fairy cakes, decorated with different coloured fondant icing and sparkly dust!

2) What will you be doing at “A Makey ‘do’”?
I will be selling my hand made jewellery and demonstrating how to make simple earrings.

3) Fish and Chips or Curry?
Mmmm…depends on my mood, but right here, right now, I think curry – with naan bread!

4) Where else can your wares usually be found?
On my website http://www.turnerrowedesigns.com/ , I also do jewellery parties for a fun girlie night, where everyone gets to make a pair of earrings and the hostess receives a discount based on sales, oh, and don’t forget the silver clay workshops, wedding and craft fairs!

5) Do you usually hang out in Sandwich, or are you a visitor?

Well, I used to live in Worth and work at Pfizer, so hung around in Sandwich a fair bit but am now a visitor, as I have lots of friends locally.

6) Who is your all-time hero?
Charles Darwin – such a brilliant thinker!

7) Who got you started on your crafty journey?
I have always been interested in arts and crafts and have tried my hand at all sorts of things but the jewellery making has really overtaken me in the last couple of years and of course, as I am getting married soon, I wanted to make my own wedding jewellery and things have snowballed since then!

8) What colour draws you most?
Blues…..aqua and turquoise and of course, silver!

9) Where do you go for inspiration?
Inspiration tends to jump out at me at anytime – I just find myself making things and wondering how I got there!

10) Do you dunk?
Of course!


Whoop! Another dunker! I have Famous Shamus now confirmed as attending, a local character who makes 'dunkable cookies'- yummmm. I do love reading these interviews and do hope you find them interesting too, I am looking for my next willing stall holder to be profiled, otherwise it might be me!!! I have had three more gorgeous parcels containing goodie bag items and I have some photos to share later in the week.

I have a big decision to make regarding the budget for the 'do'- I have a quote from the East Kent Mercury for an Ad in the 'What's on' section which has a very good spread and readership. The cost is high and placing the ad would mean little left over for the free activities I was planning for local school children. I will put up a voting box on the blog, please do let me know our thoughts!

Flower fairytales

It may not be immediately clear from the photo but the lovely Hatastic has sent the sweetest floral hair clips for the goodie bags! These really are darling and I have a lovely mental image of big and little girls running around East Kent sporting these on July 11th. If you have a summer wedding and a good dose of panache do check out Hatastic fascinators, they are really special!

The other contribution comes from a Misi seller. Photo fairytales get creative with your photos and can put your children in new and exciting settings, (not literally un fortunately!) and your friends and families on the front of magazines. These would be lovely gifts so if you have a 40th or a 4th birthday that you are struggling to find something unique for do check out their website.

Thanks so much for these lovely contributions. I have lots more going on behind the scenes here, and a substantial 'to do' list. I am expecting a very exciting parcel next week and then can reveal more loveliness. Meanwhile watch this space over the next couple of days for another Maker profile.

Bespoke Silver Designs?- Tell us more!

Bespoke silver designs, made the traditional way, link by silver link. Gorgeous! I am amazed at how many wonderful crafts people have been on my doorstep for so long and I never even knew!

1. If you were a cake, what kind of cake would you be?
If I were a cake, I'd like to think I would be a Lemon Cheesecake,all light and creamy with a hidden tang. In reality however, I'm probably a fruit scone,that is, what you see is what you get. I think my friends and family probably see me as a Hot Cross Bun,especially when I am making something and it's not going according to plan.
2. What will you be doing at “A Makey ‘do’”?
At a Makey do I will be selling my handcrafted silver jewellery and a few silver gifts such as bookmarks. I make all my items using traditional methods. I make all my own links,join them together and solder them into chains. I
also make bangles,earrings and pendants.I am registered with the London Assay Office and have my own maker's mark. Making silver items originally started as a hobby, but I have recently started doing it as a way of making a living.
3. Fish and Chips or Curry?
Curry! Definitely. Every time.
4. Where else can your wares usually be found?
At craft fairs and I hold jewellery parties in people's homes.
5. Do you usually hang out in Sandwich, or are you a visitor?
Unfortunately, I don't often get to Sandwich, but I like it there, particularly along the river.
6. Who is your all-time hero?
Hmm, tough one that. Probably Martin Luther King, but I am rather partial to Robbie Williams.(Yum!).
7. Who got you started on your crafty journey?
My tutor. He has worked in the trade for over 30 years and taught silversmithing for approximately 8 years. I started as a complete novice with no previous experience and he showed unending patience. Also, my partner has given me loads of support and encouragement and believed in my ability even when I doubted it myself.
8. What colour draws you most?
That depends on my mood. I like the greens found in nature but I also like a deep, rich red..
9. Where do you go for inspiration?
Anywhere. I get ideas from the beach, from the woods, from wrapping paper. Inspiration is all around,you just have to open your eyes to see it.
10. Do you dunk?
No. I think it is wrong to corrupt a perfectly good cup of tea.

Oh another non-dunker! I hope won't end up in the minority!

I have some more lovely goodies, some exciting news about a competition and another stall-holder interview to show you in the next couple of posts. I think it's all going to be very busy from here on in. Just for interest we now have 19 tables filled, which means plenty to show visitors- brilliant!

Bagfulls

Yet more lovelies for the goodie bags? Yep! It just keeps coming- what an excited 60 we will have on the big day! First off Nifty is offering free P&P with her flier. Get your very own Meerkat delivered for free?-sounds like a deal to me!


Next up Jolicious has sent these dear little bags with a gorgeous bag/phone charm inside, what a treat!

Looby crafts has been hard at work too. These labels are very very classy and all packaged up with a coupon. Very nice.

Another Misi seller up next, bookmarks from nspired stores. These are such a good idea, hopefully people will use them for a long time to come, and buy up some really lovely and unusual stone and wire jewelery

lauren ceramics has contributed a mystery! The beautiful business cards give a hint to what might be hiding inside.....I don't want to spoil the surprise for those lucky 60 but I would be thrilled to pin one of these to a jacket or hold something on the fridge door with something from a different envelope.

If you love handmade all of these artisans shops are well worth a visit.

In case any one is thinking...."but why give it away, surely the point is that people will buy things on the day?" For me the goodie bags serve several purposes;

'Free' advertising for any crafters who want it

Showcasing an even greater variety of work than we could fit in the hall on the day

To create a buzz on the day, making people feel really warm towards the event

Getting those bags with the Makey 'do' brand out into town to bring more people in

To encourage people to come to future events

There, that's why! I am always up for more contributions, just send them along before the end of June. Then I shall be opening a bottle of wine and putting those bags together and feeling like a cross between the Easter Bunny and Father Christmas!

Beardy lathe-ers

As I mentioned in the last post the next person to be officially signed up for the 'do' is........my Dad. Meet Larry, my own beardy lathe-er. Let's find out more;

1) If you were a cake, what kind of cake would you be?

A dough cake

2) What will you be doing at “A Makey ‘do’”?

Probably looking after the grandchildren!

(well if you're offering!)

3) Fish and Chips or Curry?

Fish and chips.

4) Where else can your wares usually be found?

Cluttering up the living room.

5) Do you usually hang out in Sandwich, or are you a visitor?

Frequent visitor.

6) Who is your all-time hero?

Eric Clapton

7) Who got you started on your crafty journey?

My brothers-in-law

8) What colour draws you most?

Anything that doesn't show the dirt.

9) Where do you go for inspiration?

Museums, magazines and china shops.

Do you dunk

All the time!

Thanks Dad. I think that sums you up, traditional, practical and a bit cheeky around the edges! Larry will be selling his dear little ring pots and dishes. The perfect packaging for all the lovely jewelery that will be available. He will also be bringing along some doorstops made by my brilliant Uncle Ben, (the dude in the hat)- I swear to you for Dorset these guys are fairly hair-free. And anyone who makes any jokes about the beardy family resemblance is off the guest list!

In other business I am having such fun with the goodie bags, I have loads to show you in the next post, but for this one how about these darling promotional cards from Raffique. Aren't they charming?

I am beginning to realise that the way to spread the word about the 'do' is to do just that. Talking to everyone about it is opening up so many possibilities. Yesterday I visited Quex Park Craft Barn and spoke to three lovely unit holders. All had different ideas about how they might want to be involved, from displaying posters in their windows to having a stall, to sending fliers. I thought I might ask the Hotel in town where we went for a rare glass of wine if they wanted to put some vouchers in the goodie bags and found that the receptionist was a Brownie leader who offered to give fliers to all her pack.....it just grows and grows! I would be very grateful if you could join me in wittering on about it to all your nearest and dearest too!