Pink Pink: August 2008

26.8.08

We Make Christmas Fair * Ei! Kumpel

It's going to be my first fair and it's going to be grand!!
The "We Make Christmas" fair will be held in London, on the 6th of December.
The Craft fair is taking place at the The American Church, 79A Tottenham Court Road, London.
You'll find a great variety of handmade items!
I know it's only August, but time goes by really fast and in the meanwhile you can meet the sellers you'll find at the fair and start your Santa Letter."
See you there!

Today's Seller: Ei! Kumpel

1. Your name and location?
My name is Margarida and I'm now living most of my time in Yeovil, Somerset and a tiny part in Aveiro, Portugal!

2. Shop/Brand name?
Ei! Kumpel: http://shop.eikumpel.com/
3. What's the story behind this name?
Well, do you remember an advertisement were a car was driven by Kermit the frog? The original ad is in German, and when Kermit stops the car he screams “Ei!!! Kumpel!! (…)”. When we (me and my boyfriend) saw this version of the ad, we were overwhelmed with such cuteness. It was remarkable and so funny that we started calling each other Ei! Kumpel. (Kumpel is the German word for friend or pal.)By the time we had to name the store it was pretty easy: Ei! Kumpel!!! Now lets make it remarkable! :)
You can see the ad here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoegebCYCpE
4. When did you start crafting?
I learned a lot of crafty techniques when I was very young, because my grandmother was a professional sewer and taught me a lot! But I only started to craft on a regular basis around 2 years ago.

5. Do you have a special place to craft?
Not really... I have a cabinet were I keep all my supplies but the table where I craft is also my computer table.
6. What's your favorite craft supplies shop?
I don't really have one favourite craft supplies shop... I like to browse several shops, in person and online and I also like to discover new supplies shops!

7. Your favorite piece?
Mr Comma (http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=9398517)! he makes me smile over and over again!

8. What are your expectations for the "We Make Christmas" fair?
I hope to meet new people, to sell some crafts and overall to have a great and different saturday in London! yay!

9. Have you started to worked for the fair yet?
I'm putting a lot of ideas on paper and I already designed some pieces. And some pieces are ready for the fair!

10. Leave us a little appetizer for the "We Make Christmas" Fair.
If you like original, fun and funky accessories and dolls come to the "We Make Christmas" Fair and make a visit to Ei! Kumpel's stall! They make wonderful and lovely gifts too!

We Make Christmas Fair * notes

1. Your name and location?
I’m Diane and I live in Hove, but am originally from Australia.

2. Shop/Brand name?
notes: http://www.notes.etsy.com

3. What's the story behind this name?
I decided to call the shop notes after a zine I’d written about my move to England,titled Notes to a Further Excuse, which is actually stolen from the adorable Jeffrey Brown graphic novel AEIOU (http://www.topshelfcomix.com/catalog.php?type=19&page=8).
4. When did you start crafting?
I guess I’ve always been a bit crafty, and started making things and sewing for myself when I was a teenager. Taking it that one step further and attempting to sell my wares has been more of a recent thing – I started selling on Etsy (in my spare time) just over a year ago, and have recently started doing the craft fair thing too!

5. Do you have a special place to craft?
No, but I wish I did! My sewing machine is currently sitting on a desk in the bedroom, and I have fabric and supplies put away in plastic storage boxes (in an attempt to be neat and tidy). When I grow up I want a real craft room!

6. What's your favorite craft supplies shop?
I try to buy as much fabric as I can locally (Fabric Land here in Brighton is a good, affordable option),but I also shop online when I’m looking for unique, hard to find fabrics.

7. Your favorite piece?
I’m quite proud of the clutch purses I’ve just started making, and am a slightly in love with the Tea Clutch and the Little Robots Clutch that are currently in my Etsy store.

8. What are your expectations for the 'We Make Christmas' fair?
I’m hoping to have a fun day and to meet lots of lovely people. I had a half stall at the previous We Make London fair,so hopefully this time round I’ll be less nervous and more prepared in terms of knowing what to expect, but I’m not holding my breath!

9. Have you started to work for the fair yet?
Not exactly, but I’m very productive when there is a deadline looming…

10. Leave us a little appetizer for the 'We Make Christmas' Fair
There will be lots of lovely handmade goodness on offer – plenty of colourful fabrics, tote bags in all different shapes and sizes, as well as clutch purses,coin purses, and possibly even some cushions. Come and say hi!

We Make Christmas Fair * Dainty Pretty Things

1. Your name and location?
Mary Mcdermott, Dagenham, Essex

2. Shop/Brand name?
Etsy Dainty Pretty Things and
Folksy Dainty Pretty Things

3.What's the story behind this name?
I was sitting down with my sister trying to come up with a name. We through about all kinds of suggestions but none of them I liked or felt right. Eventually my sister said well in a few words what kind of jewellery do you make. Which my reply was ‘well dainty pretty things really’. To which we both said together Dainty Pretty Things.

4. When did you start crafting?
I’ve always been making things since a child. Then all through my school years I always enjoyed subjects like Art, Design and Technology far more than any other subject. Then for my GCSE final project I made a door curtain out of all kinds of metal work, wire flowers, anodised aluminium discs, copper and brass shapes. This was the main point where I really enjoyed working with metal. I achieved an A* for my subject and even had officials from the borough wanting to come to my school to see my work. I then automatically made my decision to study Design and Technolgy and Art as my two A Level subjects. One of my tutors used to be a jeweller before she was a teacher so I got introduced to all kinds of jewellery techniques. So from then onwards Jewellery has been my passion.

5. Do you have a special place to craft?
I would love to have my own workshop. But I really love working at home. I work best when I’m in a quiet, relaxed atmosphere so what best than being at home.

6. What's your favorite craft supplies shop?
Its got to be the supply shops in Hatton Garden, the heart of London’s jewellery making. My favorite shop is Bellore, they have beautiful gemstones and unusual silver components.

7. Your favorite piece?
My favorite piece is not a piece I would ever sell. It was a piece made for my City and Guilds exam. I love it and to me it represents the work and new skills learnt while making it. So really no amount of money could replace that for me.

8. What are your expectations for the "We Make Christmas" fair?
As one of the organizers I’m expecting it to be fantastic. Lots of great sellers, lots of people browsing and buying. Making it another great We Make event.

9. Have you started to worked for the fair yet?
I already have some stock. But over the next few months I will be making things especially for the fair. Trying out some new ideas.

10. Leave us a little appetizer for the "We Make Christmas" Fair...
I will be bringing everything from my etsy shop and lots of new pieces too. Here are a few

24.8.08

We Make Christmas*Black Rose Creations

1. Your name and location?
Valerie living in London (Central - my place and South East at my boyfriends) I am originally from Sheffield in SouthYorkshire.

2. Shop/Brand name?
Black Rose Creations

3. What's the story behind this name?
Black Rose was the name I chose and used when I did psychic email readings for www.crystal.green.co.uk (for just over a year ago upto January of this year). It seemed apt then, to use this name for my creative endeavours. I will be using Black Rose again when I establish my own website and advertise my own readings. The origins Black because I am of dark skin (Jamaican parentage) and rose is my favourite flower. Also a black rose is said to signify new beginnings, changes, creativity, etc. Which resonates with what I'm doing in terms of my creativity and the stuff on my website and my working towards fulfilling my own goals and ambitions.

4. When did you start crafting?
I've been crafting for years on and off. I've done different things (i.e. sewing and knitting from pre-teen days). Salt dough modelling was my passion for over 10 years. These past couple of years I've been more into fabric, embellishments, buttons and more buttons, crystals, herbs and knitting.

5. Do you have a special place to craft?
I am in the process of moving in with my boyfriend and the spare room is slowly turning into my 'studio' (when I can get him to clear his tools out and other paraphernalia), but at the moment the large coffee table in the living room is currently being used by me as my work space (as and when) - to the (slight) chagrin of my boyfriend Mark who keeps finding sewing needles and pins in the pile of the rug or my scissors left on the new leather sofa (plus he is not that enamoured of the smell of my herbs and essential oils which I mix up in the kitchen). Oh, and sometimes I knit in bed :)

6. What's your favorite craft supplies shop?
I love John Lewis and little shops that sell fabric and notions etc , market stalls for buttons and embellishments and I love art supply shops, but since joining Etsy, I have bought quite a lot of fabric, yarn, embellishments and buttons from fellow Etsian sellers and I buy from Ebay too. Also as I'm becoming more conscious of recyling, I look at what I can do with fabric scraps that I've accumulated, or old clothes in excellent condition that I can perhaps cut up or remove buttons from for reuse.

7. Your favorite piece?
I don't really have a favourite piece as such - but perhaps my art dolls because I give them a character as I'm working on them in stages and they take a bit of time to make. I'm also quite liking the wardrobe sachets I'm currently making and must make sure I make some for my own use (I just love the smell of dried herbs and essential oils and love work ing with then)! Also I must remember to wear one of my fabric brooches to work to show off and advertise :)

8. What are your expectations for the "We Make Christmas fair?
This will be the first craft fair I've done for a few years, so I feel like a novice all over again and a bit nervous and every now and again I have to tell the little thoughts pop up in my head -that everybody else will be selling fantastic stuff and no one will look at my crap things - to sod off and leave me alone. But generally, really, I'm quite excited about it all. It's a great venue and Tottenham Court Road is always busy so I'm sure there will be lots of people popping in out of curiosity as well as those that are coming intentionally because they have heard about it and love handmade unique things and want to purchase for themselves as well as do some Christmas shopping. I wish for lots and lots of sales for all of us selling that day!
For myself, I see this as a great opportunity to test the waters in terms of getting back into doing craft fairs and selling more of my creations. If it proves successful for me, then I will certainly do more of them next year. I was perhaps naive to think that selling online would be better, less time-consuming and easier, but, in many ways it isn't and I now realise, you need to be doing a variety of things to get your name out there and your products seen.

9. Have you started to worked for the fair yet?
Just! I've not got a great deal of stock (life sometimes gets in the way), so have quite a lot of work to do between now and December!

10. Leave us a little appetizer for the "We Make Christmas" Fair
Lots of ideas in my head but not sure just how much time I will be able to find to realise them. And I'm kicking msyelf for not yet started in familiarising myself with and using my sewing machine. So all my fabric creations are hand sewn. You can expect to see some of my wardrobe sachets, Missy Comfort Pillows, fabric brooches and maybe some knitted stuff and art dolls (if I find the time)!

We Make Christmas*Sheepshape Spinning

1. Your name and location?
Elizabeth Milner, London, UK, though originally from America

2. Shop/Brand name?
Sheepshape Spinning

3. What's the story behind this name?
I started on Etsy in 2007 not knowing what I wanted to focus on, so I called myself "Elizabeth's UK Craft Shop" to highlight that I was in the UK. During 2007 I learned to spin and absolutely fell in love with the craft. My husband is very interested in naval history and one day the term "shipshape" was mentioned while I was thinking about spinning, and in my head it became "sheepshape". I liked the sound of it and couldn't find any other shops using it, so I decided to adopt it. I'm still working on a logo though!

4. When did you start crafting?
The earliest craft I can remember doing is a latchhook of a kitten when I was about 8 years old. I enjoyed it but didn't have the attention span to finish the rather large kit. When I was about the same age my aunt taught me to crochet - but she only taught me the slip stitch, I think it was to keep me busy. It worked - I proceeded to slip stitch an entire skein of rainbow yarn. I must have thought it was a way to make thicker, stronger yarn!

5. Do you have a special place to craft?
I am very lucky to have the sole use of a small spare room in our house. It is completely chock-a-block with yarn and fibre, a spinning wheel, a rigid heddle loom, and all the associated clobber that goes with crafting. I have also taken over a small corner of the living room where my sewing machine lives. Dinner and crafting have to alternate, in that case.

6. What's your favorite craft supplies shop?
http://www.craftbits.co.uk/ has gotten a couple of orders out of me in the past few months! They ship really quickly and are very nice.

7. Your favorite piece?
My favourite so far among what I've made would be a knitted mouse doll.

8. What are your expectations for the "We Make Christmas" fair?
This is my first fair so I'm really trying to treat it as a learning experience, and if I make my expenses back then so much the better! I've already started to learn a lot about the life of a craft fair seller - for example, I realised yesterday that I ought to provide some way for customers to carry their purchases! So right now I'm looking for paper bags. And I need to get a cash box, too.

9. Have you started to worked for the fair yet?
Yes - I spent all of last weekend dyeing sock yarn and carding fibre, as well as working on some knitted items.

10. Leave us a little appetizer for the "We Make Christmas" Fair
You'll love this. Inspired by a toy that I had when I was younger, I am pleased to be making glow in the dark stuffed animals! They will be hand knitted from a combination of my handspun yarn and commercial glow-in-the-dark yarn and should be available in a variety of species - bears, cats, dogs, rabbits, sheep, mice, and possibly even monkeys. I will be bringing a "dark bag" and a strong torch so people can play with the glow-in-the-dark properties at the fair.

We Make Christmas*Moments By Martha

1. Your name and location?
I'm Becci, and live near Oxford - but am originally from the New Forest.

2. Shop/Brand name?
Moments By Martha : Here.

3. What's the story behind this name?
Martha is the cat... she is a proper cutie, and has given us so many lovely 'moments'! That and it was the only name I could think of at the time!

4. When did you start crafting?
I have always enjoyed making things! I think my love of crafting has been inherited from my Mum and my Gran - I remember making woolly bobbles in front of the fire at my Grandparents house, ready to turn into toys to taunt the cat with... making skirts and paper quills, cross stitch and glass painting are all things I remember doing with Mum, both as child and later as a teenager. I guess I started making my jewellery about 2 years ago, and decided to sell it just before Christmas last year...It is often chunky- but sometimes delicate. Most of my pieces are one of a kind, although some may be similar to each other. They tend to be created as and when inspiration hits... which can be sporadic! I tend to buy beads without a real idea of what I'll do with them, just knowing that how they look or feel will inspire me to make something lovely - a neclace, a pair of earrings or a bangle!

5. Do you have a special place to craft?
Yep - of course. Its on my lap in front of the telly, with a nice slice of cake and a cup of tea! I don't have a craft room, just an overflowing box to store my goodies in!

6. What's your favorite craft supplies shop?
All and any of them! I love picking things up and playing with them, although a lot of my beads come from the internet.

7. Your favorite piece (from your creations)?
Currently my favorite items are probably the "2 Square earrings", which have gorgeous tiger ebony wood squares with a cube of sponge coral suspended in the middle...quite chunky and funky, but still feminine.

8. What are your expectations for the "We Make Christmas" fair?
I'm hoping to see a good mixture of arts and crafts, with a nice modern, trendy vibe. Of course I'd love to sell my entire stock, but provided I cover my costs, meet some nice people and have a fun day then I don't mind.

9. Have you started to worked for the fair yet?
As most of my items are one of a kind I won't have a "stock" as such. Instead I'll bring everything that I've made, which should be plenty to fill a stall. I am also organising a craft fair in Oxford, the "handm@de", bext November 9th, check details here

10. Leave us a little appetizer fot the "We Make Christmas" fair.
I'll bring along just about everything that is in my shop!

20.8.08

We Make Christmas Fair * Flurogoddess

1. Your name and location?
Jennifer Fee, I currently live in North London, but I'm a Northern Girl at heart!

2. Shop/Brand name?
Flurogoddess

3. What's the story behind this name?
Heh! Well, I ride a motorbike and I'm always covered in Hi-Viz clothing, trousers, jackets, reflectors on my helmet – the WORKS! I was looking for a blog log-in name one day and thought about flurogoddess because I am fluorescent. And yes I know I spelled "flouro" wrong ;-)

4. When did you start crafting? Just recently – about a year ago I made my friend an everlasting birthday cake out of felt and then I decided to make lots more bits and bobs and in Easter this year I attended my first craft fair in Goathland.

5. Do you have a special place to craft?
No. I live in a hovel (1 room bedsit) and there is no room to swing a mouse, let alone a cat! I have half my stuff stocked up at home and half of my stuff at work. We're moving house soon, so I hope to be turning our spare room into a study.

6. What's your favorite craft supplies shop?
Er, for locality it would have to be Hobbycraft, but I love Fred Aldous online and they have really reasonable postage prices. I am going to visit next time I'm in Manchester!
7. Your favorite piece?
The next one I'm creating in my head! They are always the best!

8. What are your expectations for the "We Make Christmas" fair?
I hope it will be a really lovely and friendly time. I hope millions of people turn up and that everyone helps spread the word about We Make Christmas

9. Have you started to worked for the fair yet?
Oh yes! I have a million and one ideas pouring through my head at the moment! So much stuff I want to do, so little time!!!!

10. Leave us a little appetizer for the "We Make Christmas" Fair
Well I am hoping to feature eco-friendly Chrismas trees, some lovely stylish greetings cards, alternative decorations along side all my other usual goodies like my Tea-Light candles in vintage teacups, recycled notepads and some cute little plushies!