KushKush Giveaway Winner

Hello lovelies!!

The draw for this little guy happened last week; he's been very naughty refusing to hop into the envelope all week!  (nothing to do with me working lots and falling asleep as soon as I get home...)

*drumroll*

The winner is:
Heather J (rav:lotsofhermies)


Not to worry if you weren't uber-lucky this time, you can still go have a wee nosey at the KushKush etsy shop!!


xxx

Cuppa & Cake with Victoria from Little Wren Pottery

Sticking to local supplies and traditional techniques, these little pieces really have stolen my heart.  Every item is produced by Victoria at her home in Yorkshire, inspired by natural shades & changing seasons in the countryside.  You can read lots more about the production of them in the 'About' section of Little Wren Pottery.  

Victoria opened her etsy store in 2009.  Having studied design at the University of Dundee, she was taught pottery by her father - culminating in the beautiful handcrafted items she produces.

1. I have to admit, I stumbled across your store because of your gorgeous yarn bowls, do you knit very much yourself?

I do knit, I've been a knitter for longer than I've been a potter and I actually started making yarn bowls because I wanted one. I love cabling and mostly making jumpers even though it takes a long time.

I think the favourite garment I've made was from a free pattern at knitty.com called beatnik. It's a really easy pattern to follow with beautiful shaping. I keep thinking about knitting another in a different colour!

2. When did you begin to create such brilliant pottery, and when did this become an online store?

I started throwing in 2008 mainly thanks to my Dad who was a potter himself. I started selling in 2009 on Etsy and doing a few events. Pottery is an odd medium to work in, it really rewards repetition and constant daily practise.

Since I started my shop I've seen my skills grow and develop pushed in part by custom requests. Collaborating with buyers often results in surprising new works. I was a bit nervous about selling online and it is a challenging marketplace but you never know unless you put yourself out there!

3. There are teeny frogs in coffee mugs!! Do you make any other animal themed goodies?

I do like to use animals and other natural symbols in my pieces. You can find snails and butterflies on yarn bowls but I think my favourite are the mice.

The mice are so cute and I love it when people 'discover' them for the first time on pots. We used to have a little mouse that lived in our garden, my dad named him Michael! The mice work best on mugs and I like to leave them unglazed to stand out more against the colour of the pot.


4. What's your favourite item to make - and why?

My favourites have to also be one of the most challenging; plates. Each plate takes 2 kilos of clay to throw but at the end of the session looking over your work is just satisfying. Especially when they're all in a row together looking like part of the same family of pieces.



5. Will we see you at any craft fairs or events in the coming year?

Events are tricky for me it takes a long time to build up enough stock so I'm not able to do them often. I don't currently have any plans to do an even but if I can squeeze one in before Christmas I will do. The best thing is to keep an eye on the blog where I'll usually announce it beforehand.

Victoria posts on a brilliant blog, which you can find here at littlewrenpottery.co.uk.  Everything from creative ideas, stunning pictures from countryside wanders and yummy looking recipies!

You can also find her on facebook & twitter.  And, of course, have a nosey at the etsy store.

Have you got any ceramics or pottery you adore?  I've already nabbed a gorgeous yarn bowl from Little Wren Pottery, and am so tempted by the dinner sets!  This little shop miiiight even have inspired me to take a pottery class here in Glasgow! (whenever I can find a day off...)

x

Easter Stitch Marker Sale!

Yey for bunnies and chocolate eggs :D.  For one day only, there's 20% off all stitch markers in my etsy store!

Just use the code OWLPRINTPANDAEASTER at the checkout for your discount :)

Edinburgh Yarn Festival

Whew!!  What a crazy day!  From arriving at 8am, I don't think I had a chance to look at my watch until around 4pm.  The queue down the street was so long, all those poor people waiting out in the rain!

The hall was lovely, but so busy with people!  I think people were getting lost just wandering around in the crowd :D

I had such a brilliant day, met two lovely podcaster ladies who I've spoken to online - it's so nice to put a face to a name!!   (and a voice in these cases!) with Aimee from KnitSpinCake and Louise from CaithnessCraft.  Hillarious situations arising where I can hear people I know, but have no idea who I'm looking for!    I was rather excited through the whole day, and after narrowly dodging knocking my charm-hanging tree over to hug Louise, loudly invented the 'Dangerhug'.  Cause odd things pop into your head when you get over-excited... clearly...

Many, many, many great conversations with lovely ladies from ravelry, a man buying charms for miniature sculptures he makes (how cool!), questions for interviews and visits from friends with much-needed food packages - there was a 30 minute wait for cups of tea in the cafe :o

I know a few people couldn't find me at the festival yesterday!!  So I have spent the day re-organizing and photographing over 60 different sets of stitch markers to pop them up on etsy!

Feel free to pick and mix, just contact me on etsy with your 5 charms and the numbers I've given them on etsy, and I shall make up a little baggie for you!!  It's 80p postage to the UK.

Some of my favourites:

Were you at the festival?

What did you buy?!

Cuppa & Cake with... Karen, from When Adam Met Eve

Hello Lovelies!

After showing you all those amazing little earrings in the "11 Perfect little Earrings" feature, I couldn't help but drop by and chat with the amazing curator and artist behind When Adam Met Eve.  

Karen lives in Perth, Western Australia. She's a self taught crafter with a background in graphic design; often described as quirky and with a love for animals and nature, this probably translates into some of the jewellery she designs! Karen pleads guilty to impulse purchasing - which she claims has probably led to designing jewellery as a means to curb her spending on costume jewellery. 

She has some lovely items (with some lovely pictures!) for sale in her etsy store, here are my favourites:

EEeeeeep They are so cute.  I should stop 'eep'ing.  I 'eep' far too often.

1. Such cute earrings! When did you start making these little beauties, and how did it all begin?

I started making jewellery around April last year mainly because I am a self confessed shopaholic and by chance I saw laser cut earrings on a random google search and loved the idea so thought I would give it a go. So my very first pair I created was the little boy and girl from my logo. Once I saw them made up, I got a little carried away and started doing different designs and it just kept growing and growing from there. Once I had about 20 different pairs of earrings I thought it may be worthwhile to see how I would do selling at markets and online but couldn't just sell earrings so got into making necklaces also.  . 

2. I love the foxes, no the squirrels, no the bambi! Oh my goodness I just spotted pandas... Ahh there's so much choice, what's your favourite item in your shop?

Its hard to say what my favourite are as I am constantly designing new earrings which then become my favourite. A lot of the pieces are inspired by nature with almost any animal you can think of. I also like the idea of it being asymmetrical so many of the pieces will be different on each ear lobe - ie a dog and a cat or a squirrel with an acorn. 

When I design the different pieces I am often thinking of a friend of family member that would like it so each different piece is inspired by different people around me. For instance with the necklace range, the travel ones were inspired by my sister who has the travel bug and has recently left for South America. The little bottle was added so I could write her a message that she could read while on her travels.

3. Your Cuppa & Cake of choice?

Hmm I love a good latte or hot chocolate with marshmallows on the side and carrot cake! But if I eat mud cake the I must have a glass of cold milk on the side (its pretty embarrassing when I am at a restaurant ordering a glass of milk with my chocolate cake) 

4. What is your crafting space like? 

Most of the time its an organised mess! I have attached a picture. The two top shots are what it looks like when its nice and clean but it ends up looking more like the bottom image by the end of it.

5. Where are you when you're not making such pretty pieces of jewellery?

I am a graphic designer normally so if I'm not making jewellery then im designing corporate identities, wedding invitations, designing ads etc for different businesses. 

I'm so in love with all of these earrings.  I may have to bag myself a few pairs.  Do you have a favourite item of jewellery?  Where did it come from?

:D x