Little Birds Market, this coming Sunday!

You'll find me upstairs at Sloan's on Sunday for the next Little Birds Market - look! There are my hand-stitched cards in the flyer!

If you can't make it on Sunday (come in through the entrance in Argyle Arcade, you'll find me there from 12-5pm), you can always pick up a set of cards from my Etsy shop.

Ooh, have a look at Cuteable!  My cards were featured there yesterday as well.

We Make London

I have such mobility envy at the moment! Quite apart from tonight's trip to Dundee I really wanted to make this evening, I'd hoped to hop on a train to London before the baby arrived but circumstances have conspired against me. I would really have liked to pop along to some of the great crafty events taking place this summer, and We Make London in particular caught my eye.

On Saturday 26 June, at Chelsea Town Hall, Etsy will be sponsoring this showcase of nearly 50 indie crafters and maker. Answers on a Postcard regular, Hatastic!, will be there, alongside the long-admired Laurafallulah (she of the exquisite flowers), star knitter Strikk (cable cushions to die for) and some new to me artists like ILikeSleeping and boutique of postable pressies, Love Post.

Of course, all of the exhibitors have a web presence so I can always indulge myself at home instead. Those of you in the area, I'd encourage you to check it out on my behalf!

Find me tomorrow at Benmore Botanic Garden

Photo by Trekearth.com

Here’s a quick reminder that I’ll be at the craft fair in the lovely surroundings of the Argyll peninsula this Sunday afternoon. It really is a lovely part of the countryside, and frankly, they had me at homemade preserves. It sounds like a wonderful day out, so I’m glad to be sharing a stall with Asking For Trouble so we each get a chance to explore the grounds, and the rest of the stalls on offer.

Here are all the details:

Benmore Open Day & Craft Fair
Benmore Botanic Garden
Free entry to Garden all day, regular trips aboard the Benmore Explorer, guided tours of the garden including the restored Benmore Fernery, Chainsaw Carving and a marquee shall host Tombola, Preserves, Cake & Candy Stall and our annual Craft Fair.

Date: 9 May 2010
Time: 12:00-17:00

More info: http://www.gardens-of-argyll.co.uk/events/benmore-open-day-craft-fair

p.s. if like me, you are scared of driving onto the ferry across to Dunoon, you can also go overland around the peninsula, which takes roughly the same amount of time, but maybe a little more gas and no pesky ferry fare to worry about. Don’t forget to call in at the highly-recommended Inver Cottage on your way home for a delicious and locally-sourced dinner.

Lots of news!

What a busy weekend! We got the keys to our new house on Friday, so I was pretty quiet over the weekend while I cleaned and prepped our new kitchen/diner/living space for painting. Mr P had the luxury of going up the ladders and getting up close and personal with the paint can. In the midst of all the activity, I managed to distribute subscription copies of the latest issue of Answers on a Postcard, which is available for purchase in the zines section of my Etsy shop. Contributors, as ever, can get a copy by clicking here.

I had a good response to my blog contest and now have a collection of new questions to ask contributors. I’ll be writing out to you once I’m all set up in my new attic craft room. Pictures to follow sometime in June when we officially move in, I want to get it just so before I share some photos! The lucky winner of the contest is Bronwyn, with her excellent question "what's your favourite tool/material/supply and how do you use it"

Thank you to everyone who took part, both posting on the blog and by emailing me directly. Bronwyn is a local crafter based in Glasgow and a fellow Glasgow Craft Mafia member. She makes some lovely things from found objects under the temptingly tasty name of Rhubarb Crumble and I’m always envious that she has managed to whip her sewing machine into serious good shape. If you’re already here, I know you’ll appreciate her upcycled treasures, so have a look at her shop on Folksy, and her tutorial-packed blog, too:

Commiserations to Marceline but all is not lost as she wins the pleasure of my company this weekend when we drive out to the countryside to set up stall at a craft fair in the beautiful Botanic Garden at Benmore, on the Argyll Peninsula. If you can’t make it (or want to make a shopping list before you set out), visit Asking for Trouble and Girl Industries to stock up online. Marceline is a huge supporter of the Answers on a Postcard zine and has copies available in her shop. She's currently running a special offer, too, so take a look. Also, now the Icelandic ash cloud is rearing it's gritty grey head again, take a look at the selection of products on Zazzle.com which Marceline has designed. I have a tote bag on its way to me as we speak!

Benmore Open Day & Craft Fair
Benmore Botanic Garden
Free entry to Garden all day, regular trips aboard the Benmore Explorer, guided tours of the garden including the restored Benmore Fernery, Chainsaw Carving and a marquee shall host Tombola, Preserves, Cake & Candy Stall and our annual Craft Fair.

Date: 9 May 2010
Time: 12:00-17:00
More info

This is your last chance to shop Girl Industries in person this summer, as I’m having a baby! All being well, I’ll be back in time for the autumn market season in October, with all the new goodies I’ve been planning for ages, including some brilliant collaboration opportunities with some of my favourite crafters. I have to apologise in advance for any baby-themed shopping features over the next couple of months as I sloooooowly get sucked in to the lovely handmade and very much non-essential baby things on offer around the internets. Between the house move and the new arrival, I’ll be closing my shop periodically from now until September. If you have custom orders for envelopes, please let me know as soon as you can, so I can schedule them around my other commitments. And I’d like to reassure everyone that normal Answers on a Postcard service will continue as planned, with subscribers’ copies out on time and new issues uploaded to the shop every month as usual. Hurray!

Last minute market news!

I’m delighted to have been accepted as a vendor at this weekend’s Charity Spring Fayre in Bearsden. The charity in question is Concern Worldwide, and they have been doing sterling work in aid of the people of Haiti and Bangladesh, supporting the humanitarian relief effort in the aftermath of catastrophic natural disasters.

With homebaking, facepainting, crafts for kids, as well as hand crafted jewellery and gifts for sale, this promises to be a fun Saturday morning for everyone involved. Entry is a donation of £2.50 (adults) or 50p (kids) and this includes tea/coffee and a slice of cake. There will also be a raffle during the day, with prizes including a week’s accommodation in Nice and a night out in a top Glasgow restaurant with travel by limo. I’ll be there with a kid-friendly selection of my homewares, knits and gifts, and I’m wondering if I can get away with turning up to my bookbinding class in the afternoon with a tiger face on!

Come one, come all this Saturday morning from 10-12 at Bearsden Baptist Church, 14 Roman Road, Bearsden G61 2SL. If you can’t make it along on the day, you can also make a donation to this worthwhile cause at www.justgiving.com/charityspringfayre

And keep your eyes peeled for a Toyota-driving tiger loose in central Glasgow later on in the afternoon!

Market day

Today's the day - remember the clocks have gone forward!



If you forget, never fear, there's another Mafia event tomorrow - called Trade Secrets. Mafia members and local crafters alike will be getting together at Creation Studios to swap skills, tricks of the trade, and have a good old chinwag in this creative hotspot right in the heart of Glasgow. It's at 16 Trongate, just along from the old clock tower. It all kicks off at 7pm, and promises to be a fantastic evening! Click here for a taster of some of the kind of discussions we're hoping to have.

Remember, catch me at the Handmade Haven this Sunday.

It's my first market this year, and I'm looking forward to catching up with the other mafia members, and meeting some new vendors, too.

Hope to see you there!

Glasgow Craft Mafia Market in March

I'm so excited to be taking part in a market - as a vendor! - this month. I was so sad to step down from my organising post last month, but as those of you who follow me on Twitter will know, I'm in the process of moving house and it is not easy to do right now.

The Glasgow Craft Mafia has a Handmade Haven at Mono on Sunday 28 March, as well as a fantastic social event lined up for Monday 29 March at Creation Studios. Creation is a great hub for all sorts of well, creative, activities here in Glasgow. It offers practice and performance space to musicians, dancers, singers and its cafe area often hosts art exhibitions and other 'happenings'. We're aiming to bring crafts to the creative party, so you can come along and meet members here, too.

Creation is situated at 16 Trongate, in the Merchant City. It's a stone's throw from our friends at Mono, and metres away from the tollbooth clock at Glasgow Cross.

Looking forward to it already!

Markets are coming!

I won't be selling this weekend, but I will be popping in and out. There are lots of new sellers and some old favourites (see www.glasgowcraftmafia.com tomorrow for a full rundown), and lots and lots of lovely things to spoil your valentine with.

Hope to see you there!

Off to market today!

Come and meet me today at Inver Cottage at my last Glasgow Craft Mafia handmade haven of the year!

We'll be there from 12 until 5 and we'd love to see you.

I'll be closing the shop today while I'm away as I've taken my Christmas goodies with me, so please bear with me until around 7pm this evening (that's 2pm EST) and I'll get the shop updated. Then normal service will be resumed.

Hope you are having a fun weekend so far!

Etsyversary!

Happy Etsyversary to me!

Remember the sale is still running over in my etsy shop - there's free shipping on handknits and handmade holidays items, buy one get one free on commercial and upcycled crafting supplies, and 20% off everything else, store-wide!

Stock up while you can, but more special offers are on their way from the 1st to the 5th of December.

I might see you all in person later on today, at the Glasgow Craft Mafia handmade haven. What a fab weekend of shopping!

Festive shopping

Would it disgust you to know I've completed my Christmas shopping? Admittedly, most of it happened completely by accident due to browsing at last month's Handmade Haven. But! I have picked up some fantastic things from Sarey Poppins.

Without giving the game away, look at this perfect idea for a Christmas pressie...

I even picked up a top tip, if you pop one of my lavender sachets inside, your bedding smells all dreamy and relaxing as it heats next to your hot water bottle.

And how about an unique and original little something from embroidery genius Angharad Jefferson?

I know a telly addict who'd love one of these...

I was asked to make a Christmas stocking for a little one I know, but thought that Rikrak has it all under control in her shop.

Wouldn't you love to wake up with one of these hanging on the mantelpiece...

You can find the perfect gift wrapping embellishments in my etsy and folksy shops, and watch this space for details of how to make your own! Or pick some up in person from the Girl Industries stall at the Dennistoun Craft Fair on Saturday 28th November, or at Inver Cottage with the Glasgow Craft Mafia on Saturday 5th December.

By popular request

After a bit of sewing, a whole lot of knitting and a little bit of driving, I can proudly announce that these adorable baby jumpers are now available at the Rachael Albert boutique at DeCourcey's in the West End of Glasgow. I'll also have them with me when I hit up Dennistoun Craft Fair on Saturday 28th November, and Inver Cottage on 5th December.

Most of the jumpers are made out of mum-friendly machine washable cotton and cotton blends - some with 100% organic cotton, and some even have a little bit of silk mixed in, too.

However... if there is one you absolutely feel you must have right now, please sign up for and log into Etsy, send me a message using the conversation feature, and I will list one just for you as a custom order for the bargain price of $25, including shipping to the UK.

From the left to the right, they are in sizes 0-3 months, 3-6 months and 6-9 months. All of them are limited editions, which mean that these are the only ones in existence, so when they are gone, they're gone!

New new new

Here's a sneak peek at a new line I’ll be sharing with you on Saturday, so make sure you come along to Invercottage to be the first to see! Over the last couple of months I’ve been spending a lot of time knitting in front of the TV, on trains, at home and away, even on the ferry from Victoria Island to Vancouver last week.

The result of all this activity is not only a more chilled out and relaxed crafter – I do love me a good, simple knit – but a plethora of gender-neutral yet stylish and modern baby sweaters to get the little ones through autumn, winter and into next spring. After my niece was born last May my sister turned to me with a request for anything but pink, and I was pleased to oblige. Now she’s a little bit bigger (my niece, not my sister) I’ve found myself a little bit addicted to making a few little knitted panels of an evening when my busy little head is too tired to do anything but relax in front of a good film. Or if I’m really tired, The Hills. Or as my followers on Twitter will have heard, Gossip Girl.

Any guilty viewing pleasures you’d care to share with me?

Catching up

Hello again! I'm glad to be home but I have a million and one things to catch up on. I'm back on the scene with a bang, though, as this weekend the Glasgow Craft Mafia sails out to the Cowal Peninsula for a market with a difference.

The excellent Invercottage restaurant is hosting a craft market against a backdrop of stunning scenery, delicious food and the cosiest fireside pints known to humanity! I hope you can join us there for a fun day full of crafty goodness. You can treat yourself or steal a march on your festive shopping - I know that most of the mafia members in attendance have been beavering away on new lines and ranges over the summer time.

You can find out more at the Mafia website, or come along and see for yourself. In the meantime I'll leave you with a snapshot of the spot itself. Stick your walking shoes and camera in your boot, along with your shopping bags, you can't beat a good Autumny stomp amongst the leaves with a hot chocolate by the fire afterwards!

What are you doing next weekend?

Another weekend is almost over... but fear not, another one just as good will be back in five short days!

Glasgow Craft Mafia Market at Mono on Sunday

I'll be calling in with my mum for some tea and cupcakes. Looking forward to seeing you there!

Hey hey, it's market day

See you at the Buff Club tomorrow, where I'll be crafting not selling, and at Mono on Sunday where I'll be selling and crafting! Yippee!

If you can't get to Glasgow but want to join in on a great new Craft Mafia competition, click here