Fair-ly Crafty!

So, today was very busy - getting ready for a craft fair, which is swiftly approaching. It's amazing how long it takes to photograph, label, price, wrap, display your handmade goods and get everything ready for the big day.

I have lots of small items, such as key chains and charms, which I am debating as to how to display. Is it best to put everything in a small basket to let people rumage or do they prefer to see everything laid out without having to touch your wares? Do you have a novel way of hanging your items?

In the meantime, I will leave you with another interesting website from the US called www.stampington.com They publish a whole host of inspiring creative publications and are worthy of checking out. My local Borders Book store stocks some of their publications. Highly recommended!

Published Again!

Thought you might be interested to see a glimpse of my latest project to feature in the July 2008 issue of Craft Stamper magazine. My work features over seven pages in the issue and features this elegant and useful project, as well as Fantasy Feathered Cards.

Visit here to see the issue and visit their website. Magazines are available from Hobbycraft stores if the issue is still in stock. Visit www.Hobbycraft.co.uk for your local store.

Go on...you know you want to!

* Please note all work featured on this site is copyrighted to me, the designer. Please do not copy for competitions or to submit to other magazines. You may create each of the projects for your own use only. Thank you.

Top five active crafting forums:

http://www.crafts-beautiful.com/site/index.php/forums/ The Crafts Beautiful/ Let’s Make Cards/ Quick and Crafty magazine forums

http://www.trimcraft.co.uk/forum/index.php The Trimcraft Community website has a very active informative forum.

http://www.etsy.com/forums_main.php The site to sell you handmade crafts has an extremely active forum and is great to chat with international crafters.

http://www.craftsforum.co.uk/ UK based crafting forum covering a whole variety of crafting topics.

http://forums.magmaker.co.uk/index.php?c=1 Parchment Craft and Making Cards magazine forums.

Limeade - Refreshingly Zingy Jewellery

Inspired by a refreshing fizzy drink, my latest beaded necklace and earring jewellery set is called "Limeade". I really enjoyed making this piece as it includes a variety of different shaped beads, along with my favourites...the very sparkly Swarovski Crystals!

Plus, it was my first opportunity to try my new soft box lighting cube for my shadow-free photography. I'm quite pleased with the results, but it may take a while to get used to different settings and lighting arrangements!

For further information about this jewellery set or to purchase it from my Etsy shop, please click here.

Any comments welcomed.

Lovely 'Inner Glow' Lilac Beaded Bracelet

One of my latest pieces is this 'Inner Glow' lilac bracelet that catches the light in an unusual way, so much so, that each bead appears to have an inner glow...I love these beads!

They prove very popular every time I wear my pieces, I usually get a comment from someone as the beads 'catch their eye!'

This bracelet is for sale on Etsy. Click here to view this piece.

Crafty Cover Girl

My work has been featured on the cover of Craft Stamper magazine - I'm a cover girl!
This was back in April 2008 and can be seen in a little more detail by clicking here. This was such a fun project to create. These cute paint pail's are available to decorate yourself from Crafts U Love. Visit http://www.craftsulove.co.uk

Sandy Necklace, Bracelet and Earring Set

Newly created and now available for sale in my shop.
Please click here to see the item.
Thank you for looking!

Beautiful Beads - I Won!

I am delighted say I was the winner in the latest Fira Marina bead giveaway competition and have won a unique and very beautiful handmade bead design exclusively by the very talented designer Rebecca Warner. I have been an admirer or her beads for sometime and regularly visit her blog, website, Etsy and Ebay pages. Her work is just beautiful! I look forward to seeing her wonderful creation very soon!

In the meantime, above are photos of her work. Visit her blog at: http://www.firamarina.blogspot.com
Visit her Etsy shop at: http://www.firamarina.etsy.com
Or Website at: http://www.firamarina.com

London Calling!

I am pleased to say my greetings card selling in my shop on Etsy has also been featured on another blog at www.ukhandmade.blogspot.com to see this card on Etsy please click here.

Thanks to my fellow artisans at UKhandmade for featuring my work!

10 Suggested Free Resource Sites for Crafters

http://www.teabagfolding.circleofcrafters.com – informative and instructional website for tea-bag folding, as well as lots of lovely tea-bag paper designs for you to print.

http://www.irisfolding.circleofcrafters.com/patternofthemonth.html - Iris folding patterns.

http://www.trimcraft.co.uk – hundreds of ideas for card making in their gallery submitted by members.

http://www.docrafts.co.uk – free card making and scrapbooking instructions.

http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/scrapbook%20paper.htm – free printable scrapbook papers.

http://www.imag-e-nation.com/free_printables.htm - free printable templates, background papers, pyramid decoupage and toppers.

http://www.verses4cards.co.uk/ - free verses for cards (please remember to credit the poet, if you use their work!)

http://www.ruthannzaroff.com/mirkwooddesigns/templates.htm - free templates for card making, crafts and a whole host of bags, boxes and 3D items – some wonderful examples!

http://www.craftideas.info/html/patterns.html - lots of free patterns and templates for all seasons and occasions.

http://www.creativecrafteruk.co.uk – of course! Here you will find lots of inspirational ideas and projects. Do keep checking back and subscribe to my free RSS feed, which will keep you posted of all the updates and goings on here at Creative Crafter UK.

Please remember on most of these sites, the free resources are for your own use only. Check each site individually for their copyright information and terms and conditions.

Please note: Not all of these sites are completely free and I cannot be held responsible should you click on a section that is not free. These are merely suggestions and should be visited entirely at your own risk!

If you know of any other great sites with free resources for crafters please feel free to share and leave a comment.

Organising A Craft Fair

Whilst ‘slaving’ over my recent jewellery creations, it crossed my mind about outlets for selling my pieces. www.Etsy.com is a fantastic website for this with reasonable selling fees and ease of use. The site attracts a lot of traffic from around the world and I cannot sing it’s praises enough. I am sure there are many other websites also devoted to the handmade product that offer equally as good service. If you know of others feel free to list them on my comments here.

However, online selling is all very well, but what about if you want to meet your customer and meet fellow artisans? Perhaps attending craft fairs are a good idea, but in my experience the cost of attendance is so much for stall holders that it can be so difficult to recoup your attendance fee. In my area (Dorset, UK) we have many larger craft fairs that are just too costly to attend, so I had been considering organising my own on a small scale, with reasonable rates to promote fellow individual crafters who simply cannot afford hefty fees.

With a Google search and a few enquiries, I’m finding it difficult to obtain information about this. Does anyone have any experience in running their own craft fair? Would you have details about insurances, health and safety cover and any other hidden details one may need to know in organising such an event. I have lots of ideas for marketing/ promoting the event and a few local venue options. Where did you find other stall holders? Did you have any issues when running your own craft fair?

Please leave your comments.

Thank you.

Aquatic Infusions

The latest in my range of handcrafted jewellery. This Turquoise Aquatic Infusions jewellery set has been made from glass beads and Swarovski crystals for their beauty and sparkle.

* Please note all jewellery designs are copyrighted to the designer. Please respect the laws of copyright - please do not copy these pieces or use the photos, without prior permission. For usage enquiries please contact me. Thank you.

Classic Copper

More sparkly creations, this time in classic copper colours. This necklace and earring set has been created from Swarovski crystals, glass beads and super holographic set stones. The perfect accessories to jazz up a neutral outfit and create an elegant finish. I'm loving these pieces and think I may have to keep them for myself! Now that's what I call selfish indulgence!

However, if you would like similar, I am accepting commissions. A range of colours are available.
I think I'll have to make myself a set of them all!