My Craft Space

This is where I spend many hours – my craft space!

I am lucky to have a room pretty much dedicated to all my craft stuff, with my corner which has my computer, sewing machine, books, and many other bits and bobs! It is rarely tidy, as I am often working on a number of projects at one time (I take after my dad in this respect!). I have added the bookshelves only recently, and I love having them there, it is so useful! On the “washing lines” on the wall I have art that I have received in swaps on various mail-art sites.

I’m not looking forward to when I have to move out of this house into a smaller one, I love having my own craft room!

Where do you craft? What is your craft space like? I’d love to see where you craft! If you can, e-mail me a picture and short description, and I will add them to a gallery shortly.

Teddies For Tragedies

Do you knit or crochet , and want to put your skills to use, helping bring smiles to children all over the world? Teddies For Tragedies is a site which aims to bring together crafters who would like to make and donate teddies and charities who will accept and deliver these teddies where they are needed. The patterns for the teddies are on the website, along with the appropriate safety standards (make sure you sollow these!) and information about how to get in contact with the charities who deliver the teddies.

If you want to help with this scheme, please spread the word by posting about the site on your blog or website, or by making some teddies and sending them out into the world!

(Thanks to Four Good Corners for letting me know about this scheme!)

And The Winner Is...

The moment I know you've all been waiting for... time to announce the winner of the giveaway! The winning name was drawn out of a hat by my very helpful boyfriend, and the winner is... Kate! Congratulations!

The runner up, winning 25% off their next order with fearfulpenguin.com is Meghen!

Thank you to everyone who entered, and well done to the winners!

Feltpods!

If I ever manage to get myself an Ipod (yes, I am one of the few who are still pod-less!) one of this first things I would do is buy myself a feltpod from Strawberrykitten at Etsy. I love her feltpods so much, they are so fun and different! However, rather than me talk for pages about how cute the felt pods are (so adorable!), I thought I would let Sian who runs Strawberrykitten do the talking!

Tell me a bit about yourself!
I’m from sunny Doncaster, South Yorkshire. I currently work full time in a large bookshop (naming no names ;)) only creating work in my spare time, I do this in my large attic room which is usually a tip! I studied fine art at Sheffield University, only to realise 3 months in I didn’t want to be an artist I preferred craft. I’ve been making things ever since. I dabble in so many crafts, photography, card making, plush, quilting, weaving, felting etc etc but at the moment I’m concentrating on teaching myself jewellery making and my felt work, I’m also dipping back into photography again.

I love your unique IPod covers, what first gave you the idea to start making these?
I guess this particular range stemmed from me wanting a cool case for my IPod touch, I’ve always liked robots and I had a load of felt. So I gave it a go, the first attempt looked real bad compared to the final range, all big and floppy looking! From there I just thought about what animal or object sounded good with pod in its name, Podzilla, Ladypod etc. I really love my Feltpods!

What inspires you?
It sounds cliché but I really do get inspired by most things. I think I go through phases with my inspirations as I do with my day to day styles. At the moment I love really colourful work and find a lot of inspiration for this in modern interior design magazines and high street shops like the US urban outfitters. My taste really does vary though as I love really traditional art and design as well as quiet graphic work. I think because I dabble in so many crafts I can be inspired by so many things.

Do you think being in the UK has had any effect (positive or negative) on the experience of starting out as an indie seller, compared to, say, the US?
I’m not sure as I’m just starting out really, I guess the internet is where it’s at in this kind of business nowadays and Etsy although an amazing community, being based in the US I sometimes feel we don’t benefit from the face to face communities that Etsy clearly has. I would love it if we in the UK had an Etsy equivalent; I think it would open up opportunities to UK crafters.

What other website would you recommend?
I read so many blogs on a daily basis, one that I really love is www.mypapercrane.com I love her work and love reading about her life, I’m ever so jealous of her!

There are lots of different styles of felt pods in her Etsy shop, including robots and podzillas, but my absolute favourite has to be the Ladypod (shown, right) which I absolutely adore! I nearly want to buy an IPod just so I can buy this cover. Strawberrykitten also sells beautiful handmade silver rings, and will make custom feltpods on request.

It's Beautiful... and It's Free!

(to one lucky reader...)

I'm feeling quite generous this week, and you, dear readers, are the ones lucky enough to benefit from this! Yes, one happy reader will win this gorgeous matching necklace and bracelet set, made with aqua and black/white crackle glass beads.

Not only that, but one lucky runner up will win 25% off their next order with fearfulpenguin.com!

Want to know how you can win? Just click on the link below, and fill in the short entry form, and you will be entered into the draw. I will email the lucky winner for their address. Entries accepted until midnight GMT Wednesday 9th April. Good luck!

*** Giveaway now closed - thank you for looking! ***

Paint It Yourself!

I am experimenting with acrylic paints, and am pleased to show off my most recent finished painting, which is the one on the right above! Both paintings above have been done using a set where the picture is pre-printed onto the canvas, ready for you to paint the colour on with the acrylics - kind of like a grown up paint-by-numbers, without the numbers. I have found this a great way to get used to the paints, before experimenting with your own design. These were both fun to do, though I have to admit, the one on the left is still my favourite - the cakes look good enough to eat! It is also a good conversation starter, I have had many groups of people sat discussing which of the cakes they think looks best!

I like the look of this Cubist Pink canvas - I think my next project may be to try designing my own canvas, using this one as inspiration! I shall keep you posted.

Plastic Ain't My Bag!

Since the budget was announced, I have heard a few people complaining about the suggestion of charging for plastic carrier bags. I however, think this is a good idea - plastic carrier bags are such a waste, and the majority of the time, so unneccesary. People do not tend to reuse them, and those which do get reused break pretty easily as they are not designed to last long. So here are some longer lasting, more eco-friendly suggestions, based on bags I have bought and love!

The Co-op sell Fairtrade cotton bags - these are fairly big and really useful, and can be folded pretty small when not in use, so are handy to carry round.

Another handy bag is the Onya bag - these bags are made from the same material parachutes are made from and so are very strong, and they fold up into a small bag which can be attached to your keys or handbag, ensuring you can always have this bag with you for when you need it! I find this bag very useful, as I was never very good at remembering to take bags with me when going shopping - now I always have one!

Magic Number Three cafe in Saltaire sell these lovely bags which are huge, with straps long enough to carry over your shoulder. These bags are great for when you are doing a big shop, but do not fold down so are best for when you are planning to shop! (If anyone if interested in one of these bags and can't get to Saltaire, email me and I will arrange to buy and post one to you - the bags cost £3.50 (plus P&P if buying from me)).

Finally, the most recent bag I bought is the "Plastic Ain't My Bag" bag from We Are What We Do. This website is designed to inspire people to change the world using small actions, and I am loving exploring it so far!I would highly recommend everyone to check out the site, and to register and track your actions! If you do, please add me as a friend using the email address fearful_penguin@hotmail.com - it would be great to see how you are all getting on!

I hope this has inspired you to stop using plastic bags - in fact, I DARE you to!