Sunday 28 February 2010

It's here! February's Answers on a Postcard zine now on sale!


This month's issue has contributions from 23 crafters, including yours truly, from all over the place, and all kinds of crafty disciplines. Well, with the exception of bath and beauty people, so if that's you, get signed up to answer some questions. Just drop me an email to the address on the right, or convo me via my Etsy shop.


If you're a contributor, you can get your copy via this listing, just make sure to specify if it's issue one or two you're after - if you don't leave me a message, I'm sending issue two!


Everyone else, head to the special listing right here. If you prefer to shop in pounds sterling, remember you can pick up a copy from http://www.askingfortrouble.org/


Feedback on this issue so far (from subscription holders) has been very good, and the theme of the issue is crafting rituals, hear all about the routines and processes we go through when we settle down for a bit of crafting.


Friday 26 February 2010

Stockists round up


Although I'm all about my zine project at the moment, I'm sure loyal readers might remember that I make a few other crafty bits and pieces besides. I have a range of stockists and try to ensure that my range of products is broad, yet organised enough, so that I can offer different outlets the opportunity to host different types of my work.

For example, I love to focus on supplies in my etsy shop, and the base theme for that issue is participating in and supporting others to take up the process of upcycling, as well as all kinds of general craftiness. There are products for paper workers, knitters, seamstresses and the kind of people like me who enjoy a little bit of everything.

So you'll find supplies like plarn for eco-friendly knitters, and hand-punched paper hearts (a by-product from my envelope-making). You can find my envelopes ready to buy in a 4 x 4 inch (10 x 10cm) format, and available on request in a 5 x 5 inch format - this is the perfect size for CDs or DVDs. I've been known to use my envelopes for keeping my PC back-ups organised and dust-free at home, and I've completed several custom orders for wedding photographers to distribute copies of their finished products. They also keep my mix-tape CDs from getting too bashed up in my car. The 4 x 4 inch envelopes are perfect for keeping my crafting supplies organised when I'm sending out mixed orders to customers, and smaller envelopes from my range help keep business cards and thank you notes together in larger packages, too.




So far, I have a limited presence on folksy.com, where I'll be focusing mainly on gift wrap and tags for special occasions. I also regularly destash supplies over on the dreaded eBay, where I'm known as Kippersmum.




If bricks and mortar is more your thing, you can find me at my local independent fashion emporium, Rachael Albert boutique at DeCourcey's arcade in Glasgow's trendy West End. I'm honoured to have my knitwear (gloves and baby jumpers) stocked alongside that of Flossy and Dossy. I find that knitwear does so much better when the customer can smoosh and stroke it, and I also make sure to carry a stash of fingerless gloves with me every time I take part in a craft market, too. No matter what the weather!

For a full range of dinky little treats, in pounds sterling, hop over to The Oriental Magpie. I'm in good company there, with goodies from Hungry Designs and Laura Baillie, too.

A limited range of stock (to be expanded later this year) can be found at new Scottish venture Vertiline in Love.

And just to come full circle, I have a new stockist for my zines. Over at Asking for Trouble, Marceline is expanding the range of zines in her shop with guest publications as well as two new self-penned zines, and the entire Answers on a Postcard series as it progresses.



Happy shopping, however you choose to do it!

Wednesday 24 February 2010

Replacement knitting


My friend (and bridesmaid) Jenn is off to live in Nepal again soon, and was hoping to take with her the shrug I made to match her bridesmaid dress last summer. So in preparations for setting off, she popped it in the washing machine and forgot that hot water and agitation is NOT the best friend of animal fibres.



So here I go, making her a new one in her signature colour of hot pink to match the legwarmers and gloves I also put together for her last year. I think I'll be making one great big clothing care label to go with it, before I'm able to give it to her in person next weekend at our friend Sarah's wedding.


Jenn on the left, and Sarah on the right. Photograph by Malin Widstrand.

Tuesday 23 February 2010

February's Answers on a Postcard is on its way


With 23 contributors for February, and much less of my waffley musings this time around, don't miss out on your copy which goes on sale on Sunday.

Contributors click here for a discounted copy. If you'd like to contribute to a future edition, email me (look up there, on your right) for the list of questions and get involved!

If you're a subscriber, your copy will be on its way on Thursday afternoon!

Small print: the copy above has been printed in colour because I couldn't get my printer to just do black and white. Your copy will be printed in black and white, sorry if this is misleading.

Saturday 20 February 2010

Pay it forward - The Other Mousie


I set my deadline for the PIF project to be the end of last year, but oops, I just didn't make it. I'm pleased to let you know I'm trying to get things finished and in the post now, so if you haven't received yours yet, don't worry, it's nearly there.


In the meantime, here's a little teaser so you can see something suitably mousie and definitely upcycled for Sarah of The Other Mousie, and do stop by her latest creative venture, Cirque de Chaussettes.


My main excuse for the delay on this one was that I knew what I wanted to make but had to wait for my green handbag to become past its best so I could upcycle it into something new!

Thursday 11 February 2010

Honeymoon memories




This lovely post by textile genius Alicia Paulson on her Posie Gets Cozy blog has brought back some wonderful memories of our stay at Timberline Lodge last year. Only the other day I was chatting to Claire of Miso Funky about Timberline over Twitter - we didn't have anywhere near as much snow as in Alicia's photos (or in the Kubrick film, The Shining, for which Timberline was used as an external location) back in September.

But I did get to do lots of knitting by the awesome three storey fireplace, and outside on the balcony, see chipmunks outside and have the best farmers market brunch and Bloody Mary ever.

Tuesday 9 February 2010

Shop news

I'm working on streamlining the shop and taking it back to the products I love to make, and that customers seem to like buying, of course. My recent appearance on the Lemondropstudio blog gave me some excellent feedback on the products I should be concentrating on - so I'm going to be working on a new game plan over the next couple of months.

To get the ball rolling, a few of my shop items are coming up to expire shortly, and I've decided not to list them again. You can work out which ones they are by going to the little drop down menu underneath the three featured items in my shop. Select 'least recently listed' and it'll show you what these are. Or click right here.

I really like the feature in Etsy shops that allows the shopkeeper to show their products in the order they choose - I'm getting to show my Valentine-themed hearts off at the moment. I'm hearing that quite a few shops have run out of their cards for this year. If you haven't managed to get hold of one yet, and want to make your own, you can do amazing things with a bag of my heart confetti, a geometric shape or stencil, a blank card and a bit of imagination. And glue. A lovely message inside will be the main thing your sweetheart cares about, anyway.

Ahhhh, love!

Tuesday 2 February 2010

A day in the life

Encouraged by Claire from Misofunky, via her blog, here's yesterday in minute detail. Skipping what happened in my day job. We don't have a blogging policy and I don't want to be the one who makes that happen. Not that anything bad, or indeed, of note, happened. I'm just not going there.

Enjoy the mundanity, now on with the show!

6.45 Phil's alarm goes off. I spring out of bed to run to the bathroom before he does. Then I doze back off under the covers with the Today programme while he gets ready for work.

7.15 I wake up from a stressful dream about none of my clothes fitting me, to find my lovely husband has run me a bath and made me a coffee. I'm not a morning person. He lets the cats into the bedroom and Clyde sits on my lap while I check my email and etsy shop on my iPod touch.

7.30 Husband leaves for Stirling, and he's in the car today. I tell him where I parked after coming back from the Handmade Haven yesterday and wince as the binmen scrape the flagstones in our back court. The cats aren't allowed out on bin day mornings (too many unlocked close doors and appealing hiding places) but Kipper is in his bed in the living room, and Clyde is happy enough curled up next to me.

7.45 I finish my coffee and hop in the bath. I have new shampoo, conditioner and face cleanser today. This makes me happy.

8.15 I'm out of the bath but not in my work clothes yet. The letter box flaps noisily and I can't decide if it's a knock or just the postman being heavy handed. I can't see anyone through the peephole so I stick my wet-hair head around the corner of the door. The postie finds it hilarious, but I'm waiting for my madebyhank bag to arrive, and my longarm stapler. I wouldn't want to miss either of them!

8.45 Hair dried, lunch packed and breakfast made, I kiss the cats and head out for the bus. I haven't renewed my bus pass due to weekend laziness, so I pay £1.35 to get into the centre of Glasgow, three miles away.

9.20 I arrive at work, log on to my pc and munch on my breakfast before heading to a meeting.

12.24 Time to catch up on a couple of blogs while I eat a bowl of Baxters Chicken Broth. It tastes good. I have a handful of cherries and blueberries while I discover that Cuteable is firewalled. Boo. I consider going to the bus station for a new bus pass but decide I'm not going outside until I have to, it's far too cold out there. I get back to work so I can leave before the bus station closes later.

12.46 Embark on a creative wallchart endeavour. I don't often get to use my cutting and sticking skills at work so I know I'm going to have a fun afternoon.

12.47 Remember that I have a meeting at 4pm, so I need to go for that bus pass. Cold or not, it's now or tomorrow and another wasted £1.35.

13.01 Oooh I'm glad I ventured out. Not only is the queue really short at the bus station, but I witness four policemen arresting a man on Argyle Street, then another man running out of a mountaineering store with four £200 jackets and two security guys chasing him down Buchanan Street. I also smell a lot of other people's chips, so I'm glad I had my soup first.

18.15 Finish work, the wallchart's looking good, but I'm starving hungry and have dry, tired eyes. A walk to the bus stop perks me up a bit, and I phone my friend Jen to wish her a happy birthday. Hope I can get home in time for Come Dine with Me on plus 1.

18.21 I do an imaginary wave to Marceline as I pass through her neighbourhood on the bus, and wonder if she's taking part in today's blogalong.

19.30 After dinner, tv and a quick call to the bank, today's craftiness can officially start. I do some admin to update my spreadsheet with the latest responses emailed in for my Answers on a Postcard zine series. I also print out some layouts to play with and finalise so I can meet my mailing deadline of Thursday.

20.45 Before Glee starts, I take a quick look at my etsy shop orders. The zine is turning into a success. I leave feedback for all the lovely buyers who have invested so far, and relist sold copies. I do a bit of a happy dance.

22.00 I watch the Cleveland Show after Glee, even though I've seen all of both episodes when I was on honeymoon. I'm knitting while I watch TV, so I still feel productive.

23.00 In bed with Radio 4 back on. One last roundup of the blogs I like, and a quick shuftie at my etsy shop. I've sold more zines.

23.10 I fall asleep with a smile on my face. And a certain lucky black cat on my toes.