My workspace

I'm pretty lucky in that I've got a spare bedroom in my flat which I could turn into my workshop, but as the property's rented I'm limited in what I can do with it so it tend to look a bit haphazard!

Another problem is that I live in an old style attic flat so the eaves of the roof mean I only have enough height for proper shelves, or to stand up properly, in the very middle of the room opposite my window. So to work around that I’ve got my t-shirt/hoodie production side of things all on low-level work surfaces, so I have to sit on the floor to work my heat press etc.

I’m on the lookout for more storage that fits the room and my needs – ideally something with loads of drawers so I can store away all my jewellery findings, beads, tools etc. And maybe has racks I can put all my sign and garment vinyl in…I think to get that I’d probably have to make it myself! So here’s what it looks like right now (excuse the mess please!):

I love my desk-my Dad made me it years ago and it's extra deep and has shelves and a drawer. It's currently stacked with jewellery findings, tools, markers & pens, tape etc. Stuff pinned up on the wall and board is info for projects I'm working on right now. You can just about see my shelves (in the tallest part of the room!) with a random assortment of books, fabric and works in progress.

My garment production area with heat press and some vinyls stacked behind. Underneath here is where the real mess is, packing materials (bubble wrap, mailing envelopes, boxes, bags, ribbon etc).

Another view of my desk with my wee craft robo cutting some vinyl ready for a t-shirt.

Three Folksy finds!

Since setting up my shop on the uk based handmade marketplace Folksy last month I've discovered a whole collection of talented crafty peole and developed quite a long wishlist of things I'd like to buy! So far I've restricted myself to three things that I saw and fell in love with...

My first purchase was this wee soap set from Bits N Bobs, they're so realistic! I had to justify this to myself as something I could buy and give as a gift to someone so I'm waiting for some birthdays to come round (hopefully not of anyone who reads my blog!). This seller also makes a really cute haribo style soap set and sent me a wee sample soap with my order which smells amazing!

The second thing I bought was this lovely necklace from Crafty Little Mia who makes a variety of things including button based jewellery, illustrations, fine silver jewellery as well as her own fabric designs. The necklace I bought has a wee button pendant on it made from fine silver clay which is a material you can mould and once fired, finished and polished has a higher silver content than sterling (around 99%). I love this necklace and it's going to get lots of wear!

Lastly, just today I bought this postcard set, it's from an illustrator called Elli Moody who I discovered though the Folksy forum. There was a thread on the forum with people recommending shops that they loved, I clicked and found this one and the chicken postcards just jumped out at me. I love the style of illustration used throughout the items in this shop and almost wish I was moving house so I could use her new address cards!


I think this is the one downside of setting my shop up - just finding so many things I want to buy and having to rein myself in constantly!

what to do....

I bought these beads a while ago and because I bought them online they turned out to be a lot bigger than I imagined in my head! I had bought them with the intention of making a bracelet but I'm thinking now that they're maybe a bit too chunky for this?

They're amathyst but have veins of varying colours through them too so vary from deep dark purple to light lilacs, whites and brown tones. 

I'm hoping someone has a bright idea to give me some inspiration! Leave me a comment with your suggestions...

Personalised pendants

I've been meaning to list these for a while now (since I had my giveaway) as there seemed to be a good response them. The basic idea is you can have a picture that means something to you made into a keepsake pendant. It is something that is quite popular in North America but I haven't seem much over in the UK, in fact I had to buy my supplies from the States so I hope they prove popular!

The pendants are approx an inch square and I finish the backs with fabric and a thick resin coat to proect the picture itself, make the bail secure and to give a water resistant glass-like finish to the back to match the glass tile front.

I'll need to see how the choice of necklace types goes down, it's hard when listing items to know how much information to include and whether to just do a standard item or give people choices. With this item because it is customised I'm hoping people appreciate the option of chain/necklace types and colours, so it is more personal to them. But it means that it requires a bit more interaction between me and the customer after their purchase so I'm sure I'll have to iron out how this works best.


Leave me a comment to let me know what you think and what you could see peole doing with these. Of my giveaway winners, one was on holiday so is looking out their photo for me now, the other I'm in the process of making her necklace, I'll post up a photo when it's done!
Anyway you can find my personalised necklaces in my shop (click here)

Packaging and promotion

This week I got some nice promotional goodies sent to me from Lady Umbrella, a new T-shirt brand that takes their promotion work very seriously. They sent me some stickers and also a pin badge (see below)










I first found these guys on a t-shirt makers forum over a year ago and so saw the thorough approach they took to setting up their company and working towards a launch date. They fully launched their line this February and have already been featured in National media and one of their t-shirts will be in a new feature length movie Booked Out. Their approach to promotion is very inspiring. Now that I've started selling more items I really want to get definate packaging and promotional materials designed and made...watch this space!

Winners, busts and new stock

My personalised pendant giveaway ended on saturday there so using a random number generator (http://www.random.org/) I drew the two winners and emailed them to let them know. The first winner got back to me right away and is looking out her picture for the pendant but I haven't heard back from winner number 2 yet so I think I'll give it till the end of next week then draw another winner if I still haven't heard. So if you're reading this winner number two email me back!

I'm indending too to make personalised pendants (i.e. with your own photo) available for sale. Because of the process they would have a turnaround of a week to 10 days. Is this something people would be interested in? Please leave me a comment with any thought you have.

I'm trying to develop my product photos as seeing as customers to my online shop can't physically pick up and inspect my pieces having good photos is very important. I've yet to work out how to get any good ones at all of my t-shirts or hoodies but I'm working on it! The jewellery is slightly easier because it's smaller but I've proved to myself I can't get good photos of it being worn (seeing as I'm not a contorsionist or professional photographer!) so I think my next project will be to try to make a display bust for necklaces at least. Rena Klingenberg gives a tutorial on her blog showing how to make a simple one like the picture above that I might try out (picture from Dana's Jewellery Design)

I've been listing some new items in my online shop and there's more to come, I managed to get some time to spend making new stuff and so have a batch of resin pieces that need finished. Before I get to much more up for sale I really want to concentrate on developing my logo and packagin material. Right now I'm trying out some different ways of packaging including gift boxes, mini customised cotton drawstring bags and pillow packs. I need to decided and settle for my packaging 'look'. Some items that I'll be listing in the next few weeks...

Personalised pendant giveaway!

My facebook fan page reached a milestone of 200 fans this weekend so to mark the occasion (if it can be called that!) I'm running a wee giveaway for two of my personalised photo pendants.

The winners just send me a digital copy of the picture they'd like on the pendant (it could be a photo, a drawing done by your child, anything that you like really) and I will produce a customised glass tile pendant with their choice of chain, ribbon, velvet or coloured silk necklace. You can see an example of the pendants below, these ones were made with fabric but the same process is used for pictures, they are about an inch square and made from crystal clear rounded glass tiles.

How to enter - to enter all you have to do is visit my shop (here), and then add your comment below telling me which item in the shop is your favourite.

There's a few ways you can comment here, beneath the comment box there's a drop down box entitled "comment as". If you have a google mail account you can select that, else you can select 'name & url' or 'anonymous'.

IMPORTANT - However you comment do it be sure to leave me your email address, or other form of contact so I can get in touch if you win!

Deadline - Comment before 12 noon on Sat 6th of March to enter, then I will select two winners using a random number generator site. Remember to leave me your details so I can get in touch if you win, and good luck!

I'm also planning to have some offers and discounts soon that are available exclusively to my facebook fans so visit my page here if you want to get involved.

Feature-tastic Week!

This week has been exciting so far - I noticed on Tuesday that I'd been featured in an Etsy treasury. Treasuries are small galleries that sellers make up to showcase items they like, usually with a theme. This treasury was made up by Missie Krissie who sells some beautiful delicate silver jewellery and the theme was 'Filigree' which is a metalworking style that produces items that almost resemble lace. My red suede heart bracelet was one of the items she featured in her picks (see below)!

Then, this morning I found out I my green and gold greyhound necklace has also been featured on Cutable, a site (curated by Swirlyarts) that features cute items and accesories found for sale online.

Also my little glass mice phone/bag charms are on the Craft Blog UK (an online resource for UK craft businesses) as part of a post about how to promote your business.

And finally, to prove things come in fours not threes, today I also found out that I am a featured designer on Charlette Hupfield Ceramics' website! Charlette is a talented ceramic artist who recently took part in the Handmade Olympics she has included my citrus cufflinks in her featured artist gallery (see below). Thanks again to all the people who featured my work this week, you rock!

First week on folksy and fabric

So my shop's been open a week and in that time I've made one online sale and six offline sales from people who'd seen the items on it, two of which were custom items (and one 'almost' sale to the US but the buyer disapeared and didn't complete payment!). So I'm happy with the start I've had! I'm still working hard to catch up with listing items, taking photos, updating facebook and twitter, trying out other online venues to sell and eventually I'll maybe get the time to make some more items. My first online sale was to a fellow folksy shop owner pussy galore who makes beautiful sock cats, check her out!

In the meantime I've discovered Spoonflower, a service that lets you get designs made into fabric, it's US based but looks great, hopefully in the future I'll be able to use it for a project. The way it works you upload your designs and then they'll print them for you but you can also sell your new fabrics to the public through the site, there is some really nice stuff on there, a wee showcase of some of my favourites is below:

This includes fabrics available from: craftylittlemia , renule , maile , petunias , bronhoffer , royal forest , cabinpressstudio , troismiettes and hlozik

Online shop is open!

I've only uploaded some items and will update it over the next few days but my Folksy shop is open. I've started out with some jewellery and accesories and will expand as I get stuff photographed and made.

Check it out and leave me a comment to let me know what you think! Online shop