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Showing posts from December, 2013

Christmas Day crafting

Stuck for something to do with your family after the turkey's been picked to the bone and you're in the pre-Die Hard lull? Why not get handy with the glue and glitter and make some lovely festive items that you can add to your tree or house next year? I've scoured Pinterest to create a Christmas Crafts board , and here are some of my favourites, click on each one to be taken to the tutorials: I've also - very belatedly - found the Guardian's Christmas Crafters series . Why wasn't this flagged up more obviously? I particularly love this interview with Helen Noakes who makes adorable penguin earrings, amongst other treasures.

Press release: New jewellery collection for vintage-loving brides

ROMANTIC vintage has always been a huge trend for weddings, as jewellery designer Kat Dibbits has found. Her reworked vintage jewellery line, Made With Love, has proved so popular with brides that she has just introduced a special section for them into her online shop. Kat sells through the online marketplace Folksy, and her bridal collection features vintage brooches, earrings and bracelet links, reworked into new pieces using gorgeous stones and crystals in palettes of dusky pink, pale cream, lilac, gold and pastels. “Each piece is completely one of a kind,” says Kat of her whimsical creations. “I think that’s one reason why brides love the collection so much. Every woman wants her wedding day to be unique, and this is one way to help make that dream become a reality.” A far cry from the mass produced items found in High Street shops, Kat’s jewellery is painstakingly handcrafted, with some pieces taking several hours to complete. Brooch pins are snipped off and the back

Press update - lots of lovely features about my jewellery

There have been so many features about my jewellery in the run-up to this Christmas, I just wanted to share some of them with you. The biggest mention was in the Mirror's online piece about Cyber Monday deals . I managed to persuade the lovely journalist that she should support independent businesses by including me and she did! It was a crazy sales day for my Etsy store and I felt exhausted but elated by the end of it: There's been some great local support from Business Boom Bolton who ran a lovely piece on their website. I'd like to get more local press - I know when my local Twitter feed Horwich Gossip RT anything I post it leads to a huge spike in views for my shop. It really backs up my feeling that you should shop local wherever possible: Two fab blogs have also written pieces about me. I was included in the gorgeous Christmas Advent Calendar over on Dress With Press , and Pebble Zine ran a lovely interview with me about why we should buy British this C

Three hours on Photoshop

And look what I finally managed to make! More details about my events in January to follow soon...

On the twelfth day of Christmas...

"Twelve drummers drumming". It's the last day of my 12 days of Christmas Folksy finds! I'd love to see your Christmassy handmade items - whether they're ones you've made yourself or just things you love. Post in the comments below and I'll share my favourites  on my Facebook page  (where there is also a competition running to win a lovely necklace). For now, here are my favourite delectable drumming items: Brass band Russian dolls, £150 by Hole in my Pocket Tablet pouch, £10 by Pipdesigns Animal cufflinks, £21.95 by Urbaneye Cufflinks

On the eleventh day of Christmas...

My true love gave to me eleven pipers piping! There's sadly a dearth of bagpiping items on Folksy - perhaps Scottish independence will lead to a rush, but in the meantime my favourite find was this Lego bagpiper necklace: Scottish bagpiper necklace, £8 by Funky Gubbins However there were also some nice Pied Piper items that I wanted to share with you: Fairy tale paper cuts, £15 by Bramble Crafts Pied Piper Storybox, £49 by Storybox Online

On the tenth day of Christmas...

Lords aren't the only things that can go a-leapin', as this lovely selection of Folksy finds proves! Mulberry leaping hare cushion, £56.50 by Helkat Design Leaping Lion Card, £2.50 by Ketchup on Everything Leaping hare greetings card, £2.60 by Dog As Pony Leaping salmon sterling silver pendant, £23 by Nuada Accessories Christmas leaping reindeer cushion, £14 by The Makers Yard Sterling silver leaping hare pendant, £18 by Anna McDade Fox leaps Christmas card pack of five, £8.05 by Little Vagaries

On the ninth day of Christmas...

Today is "nine ladies dancing" and the idea of dance certainly inspires Folksy makers! In fact, this has been one of my favourite selections to choose. Dancing elephant poster, £10 from Shmoofy Poof Prints Let's Dance print, £12 by Lola's Room Dancing heart papier mache bowl, £15 by Reflections Dancing feet print, £12 by Violet May Fairytale silhouette cameo, £6 by The Mymble's Daughter Makeup bag, £11.95 by Katherine Thompson

On the eighth day of Christmas...

Maids-a-milking don't seem to be the subject for very many Folksy items, which I think is a shame, but I did manage to find these lovely themed Christmas cards... and a rather saucy pair of cufflinks! Christmas card, £2 by Mandarin Duck Craft Christmas card, £2.50 by A Farmer's Daughter Christmas card, £3.50 by Cutture London Vintage pinup cufflinks, £23.95 by Urbaneye Cufflinks

On the seventh day of Christmas...

Seven swans a-swimming! From WB Yeats to Swan Lake, swans have always captured our imagination, and these romantic pieces would make the perfect gift all year round... Sterling silver swan necklace, £35 by Jennie Swift Designs Swan feather necklace, £18 by The Autumn Orchard Embroidered swan cushion cover, £35 by Stitch City Swan mask, £2.50 by Lupin Handmade Perspex swan and cygnet brooch, £6.25 by Beverley J Clark

On the sixth day of Christmas...

Now this is the point where I start to forget the words. But of course it's geese-a-laying! What could be better than roast potatoes cooked in goose fat on the Christmas table? Lovely... Distinguished goose art print poster, £25 by Loopy Lolly Goose badge, £4.95 by Curly & Nibs Canadian goose painting, £250 by Jina Gelder Greylag goose acrylic necklace, £195 by Sally Ayling Christmas goose card, £2 by A Farmer's Daughter Inquisitive goose greeting card, £2.50 by Becky Garratt Greylag goose silver stud earrings, £24 by Sally Ayling

On the fifth day of Christmas...

Five goooooooold rings! It's everyone's favourite verse today, so I've picked out lots of lovely gold rings, and a quirky gocco print that sticks with the theme. Enjoy! Five gold rings, £125 by Dinah & Co Gold sapphire ring, £235 by Karen Johnson Gold tribal sparkles ring, £9.99 by Mirilli Silver and gold floral ring, £45 by Ali Bali Gold stripe ring, £68 by Jane Douglas Silver gold plated wave ring, £195 by David Ayling Gocco screenprint card, £2.25 by Paper Aeroplane