Featured maker - Becki from Poppybead

Another featured maker on the blog today. This time it's Becki from Poppybead. I know lots of you crafty sorts out there do lots of clever things with wool and her lovely stitch markers might just come in handy! 

On that subject, I need to learn to crochet so I can make a baby blanket for a friend by September?? Bearing in mind I was rubbish at knitting I'm not sure whether it will be a competely futile waste of time to even try. What do you think? Any tips? Anyhow, in the meantime over to Becki.....

Tell us a bit about yourself - (where do you live, what's your name etc..)

I live in Birmingham but am originally from London and my name is Becki

What do you make? 

Beaded jewellery & stitch markers.

Why do you use that medium?

I just love how pretty and unique beads can be.

When/ how did you start crafting?

I did an adult education course about 6-7 years ago and just kept beading.  Then started making cards as well as knitting and crochet.

When did you start selling your stuff - where do you sell?

I started selling my stuff at the end of January this year online at www.poppybead.co.uk  Nearly all my friends and colleagues have had beaded gifts from me and kept saying I should set up a website.

Do you also have a day job, or is this your main job? 

I do have a day job and crafting is at the other end of the spectrum from the day job.

What do you love about your medium, what do you hate?

The variation of beads and colours always keeps me looking for more beads.  Not enough actual bead shops in the West Midlands and getting glue on my fingers.

Where do you get your inspiration from?  

Everywhere, my friends, shops, magazines, strangers with lovely jewellery, nature literally everywhere

What is your favourite music to craft to?

I like to listen all types of music from Beverly Knight to Kings of Leon, but love Motown and soul.

What is your favourite piece of your own?

I have a few favourite pieces but would say my oldest would be a red suede thong necklace and slightly newer would be a turquoise piece that just stands out.

Where do you do your crafting?

 At home, craft evenings, side of a Basketball court (I also officiate basketball games), and I knit on public transport.

Thanks for taking part Becki

Featured maker - Pumpkin Sputnik (and a GIVEAWAY!)

Ok I'll admit it. I have a thing for notebooks. I think that maybe they make me feel organised. I have loads of them, but I still want more. And the more gorgeous they are the less likely I am to want to write in them. Is it just me? (Really?)

Anyway, when I was browsing Folksy recently I saw these breathtakingly beautiful notebooks on Folksy (yes, I know, I'm gushing. Okay so I like stationery) and I couldn't wait to show you.

Emma who runs Pumpkin Sputnik has very kindly agreed to do an interview for the blog, AND has offered ....wait for it....not one, but two notebooks for a giveaway!!!!

Excited is an understatement. I just wish I could enter! Plus she also likes Sigur Ros, best thing out of Iceland since The Sugarcubes.

Read on, giveaway details at the bottom..... but in the meantime over to Emma....

************************

Hi, my name is Emma Wilson and I live just outside Glasgow.

I make notebooks, sketchbooks and cards printed with my photographic designs of trees, plants and flowers. I’ve always loved stationery and used to make my own notebooks and sketchbooks while at art school.

I began making the notebooks back in 2005 when my youngest child went to school, I had been a jewellery designer-maker before I had children and studied at Gray’s School of Art in Aberdeen for my degree in 3D Design.

Making stationery was something I was able to do at home while looking after my two children and meant I could indulge in my love for photography and Photoshop. My designs are influenced by my surroundings here in Scotland. Trees and flowers feature heavily and in particular my last two collections have featured Hydrangeas – my favourite flowers.

I began selling my work at local craft markets in Glasgow and online on Etsy, I now sell through Folksy and Big Cartel and various shops and galleries around the country.

I have some new designs in the pipeline, some new photographic designs and some completely graphic designs inspired by school books. I also taught myself to crochet last year and am hoping to have more time for that this year.

My other job is being Mum to my two children and keeping my husband in clean clothes

I do love paper in all its forms, my main range is made with watercolour card and lovely creamy cartridge paper which is great for drawing on. The watercolour card has a gorgeous texture which complements the designs perfectly and I recently switched to linen cord to bind the books together which has a lovely quality to it. I can’t think of anything I don’t like about paper, I do get frustrated with my equipment though – my printer has a tendency to play up and my guillotine is currently broken “sigh”.

I usually listen to 6Music in the workroom, but often when I have a huge pile of paper to fold I put Sigur Ros on – the perfect music to work to.

The house we are in just now has a converted loft so I work up there, it’s a bit cold but at least it’s away from the rest of the house – and any distractions!

My favourite design at the moment is one of my new ones call Betty (see giveaway at the bottom), it has a bit of a vintage vibe to it and has lovely golden and blue hues. The best seller is probably Vintage Hydrangea though.

Thank you Emma!

Some wierd stuff going on with linking the pictures today so you'll just have to click on the links below to see the shops.... sorry 'bout that folks. 


Links:
www.pumpkinsputnik.com
www.folksy.com/shops/pumpkinsputnik
http://pumpkinsputnik.bigcartel.com/

So.... the GIVEAWAY bit...

Emma has offered 2 Pumpkin Sputnik notebooks to the lucky winner. An A5 and A6 size in her favourite design, Betty.

Here they are...

The giveaway is open until next Friday 4th May, midnight GMT. I will draw the name on Saturday.

All you need to do is comment below and let me know you'd like to enter and your name will go in the hat! Simple.

However,.....If you'd like to up your chances a bit you could do any or all of the following - just remember to come back and let me know!!

• One extra entry if you pop over and like the Pumpkin Sputnik facebook page,  http://www.facebook.com/pumpkinsputnikpapergoods

• One extra entry per tweet of the following  "Fab giveaway on the @bpearcedesigns blog http://www.redbirdjewellery.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/featured-maker-pumpkin-sputnik-and.html- pls RT!" But please max 1 tweet per day, we don't want to get all spammy now do we? While you're there why don't you follow Emma @pumpkinsputnik ( https://twitter.com/#!/pumpkinsputnik/)

• One extra entry if you blog about the giveaway and link to it on your blog. Post the link here in the comments so we can all come and check out your blogs too!
  
• Last but not least, one extra entry if you go and like my facebook page (let me know if you already do, and I'll include you too) http://www.facebook.com/RedBirdJewellery

Phew. Good luck. And please spread the word about this fantastic maker.

Featured crafter - Zoe from Scented Sweetpeas

Have you seen the Scented Sweetpeas blog? If you haven't you should - it's fab. It's a great mix of crafty exploits and tutorials, eco goodness and family life. Zoe from Scented Sweetpeas has very kindly agreed to be my featured crafter this week, and here she is...

(click on the pictures below to get more info on the items!!)
 
Tell us a bit about yourself
Well I am Zoe and I live in a friendly fenland village in Cambridgeshire.


What do you make?
Mainly felted things but anything I can give a go really. I find craft very relaxing and feel tense if I don't make something during the week.

Why do you use that medium?
Felt is such fun to work with, it is easy to cut, you can add anything to it and it is lovely and soft, what's not to like :-)

When/ how did you start crafting?
I started when I was a child and was always doing something arty, even at college I managed to get art and photography into my timetable. I stopped when the children were young (apart from kiddies crafts) but then made a new years resolution in 2009 to do more creative things for me and haven't stopped since.

When did you start selling your stuff - where do you sell?
That started late 2010 when I popped a photo of my little girl wearing some of my hairclips and got asked if I sold them. I sell items locally and via my blog and blogshop now.

Do you also have a day job, or is this your main job?
I work weekends at a hospital and stay at home in the week with my three children, I also run a couple of websites so I fit in creative stuff whenever I can.

Where do you get your inspiration from?
Everywhere really, magazines, nature, flikr and blogs. Sometimes I get too much inspiration - there aren't enough hours in the day :-)

What is your favourite music to craft to?
I usually listen to the radio or have cbeebies on in the background due to looking after little sweetpea (I often chuckle along to Peppa Pig :-)). If I do managed to get an album on I have quite an eclectic taste in music from Oribital to David Bowie. However chill out music is the best really to craft to I find.

What is your favourite piece of your own?
hhmmm I like the little Swift hairclip I made sweetpea. Little sweetpea loves them all , she is my main fan :-)

Where do you do your crafting (specially built studio - sofa??)
oohh I dream of a day when I can have one of those gorgeous garden studios but unfortunately the chickens live in our shed at the moment :-) I usually work at the dining table or on the sofa.

Lol  - that looks a bit like my desk!!
Thanks so much Zoe, for letting me feature you on the blog... I LOVE your stuff!!

Featured Crafter - Knit Frekkles

I met this fantastic knitter in the etsy listing club, and just love her work. She can't cast a stitch wrong as far as I'm concerned. I tried knitting once, failed miserably, and now leave it up to the mother in law to knit the girls jumpers as she's brilliant at it. I am so in awe of people who can knit.

Anyway, I caught up with Nichola aka Knit Frekkles and asked her a few questions... (click on the scarves to get more info from her etsy shop!)

Tell us a bit about yourself:
My Name is Nichola I was brought up in the countryside in the North East of England and now live in Manchester with my boyfriend.

What do you make?
I’m a knitter, and at the moment I make scarves but would like to move in to garments in the future.

Why do you use that medium?
I’ve always been good at Art for as long as I can remember. I discovered knitting at school but didn’t take it up seriously until my Degree in Textiles when I was 25 (wow that was 10 years ago!) I love to weave as well but a loom is harder to house, knitting needles store easily…although yarn sometimes gets out of control!

When did you start selling your stuff, where do you sell?
I only started selling in January this year; I’ve tried a few times but never plucked up the courage to take the plunge until now. I currently only sell through Etsy, although I hope to open up on Folksy soon for those Brits who don’t want to make currency conversions when they shop.

Do you also have a day job, or is this your main job?
Since childhood I’ve been sporty, you know the type, I was in every team at school, loved sports day and only slightly minded the airtex and knicker shorts. I joined a gym as soon as I left and shortly after the owners asked if I would like to train as a Fitness Trainer and Aerobics Instructor, I did and have been teaching ever since.

What do you love about your medium, what you hate?
I love creating fabric from thread. The story of knitting reaches further back in to history than we will ever be able to prove. I love that knitting is used in medicine to save lives, those same continuous loops make swimmers go faster, keep climbers warm, keeps us all in underwear…whats not to love!
I hate that one missed stitch and a whole garment can be gone, its completely infuriating.

Where do you get your inspiration from?
I find this hard to pin down. I find inspiration everywhere. It could be a book, a magazine, a film, a website or catwalk collection (I loose hours on Style.com - its a great site). Quite often it’s patterns and colours in the natural world.

What is your favorite music to work to?
Well call me weird but I don’t listen to music (other than when I’m teaching) I’m a film fan so I put them on in the background instead. I love a good thriller or period drama (doesn’t every girl) and I could watch Jaws, Pride and Prejudice or Sherlock Holmes every day…don’t get me started!

What is your favorite piece of your own?
The garment I’m most proud of is the garment I made for my MA. The dress told the story of Cinderella figuratively and literally. Embroidered words in Sheltandic overlay threads with the memory of Fairisle patterns still held within them, underneath is a  layer of metallic, satiny yarn turning a once traditional, practical, functional craft into Couture.
 
Where do you do your work?
I knit everywhere. Mainly in our front bedroom as it has the most light, Sometimes on the sofa, in the back yard, or even at work when its quiet (shhh)

Thanks Nichola for letting me be nosy and answering all my questions..... you make fantastic stuff!!!