'Meet the Maker' #4 - A Crafty Conversation with...

... Laura from made by lolly x

Welcome to your 'Meet the Maker' crafty conversation! Can I get you a drink? Tea, Coffee, Soft Drink... Something Stronger?!  

Thank you - a glass of red wine would be lovely!

Would you like some cake?

I don't usually say no, but at the minute I have a bit of an addiction to wasabi flavour things.
You don't happen to have any wasapeas do you? In fact, could I have both?

Sit down, make yourself comfortable! Time for introductions... What's your name,where do you come from and what do you do? 

 My name's Laura, I originally come from 'darn sarf' (Ashford in Kent) and I currently run a small business called made by lolly x as well as working part time out in the real world for a charity called Family Action.

According to my official 'blurb' I create 'beautiful colour themed collections of contemporary accessories - all made from folded felt' but I am quite happy to have a go at most things and am a bit handy at making personalised keepsake books, travel journals and baby books.

So... are you Yorkshire born and bred? 

No! Sorry... I'm either a Kentish Maid or a Maid of Kent - but I'm really not sure which it is (apparently it depends which side of the Medway you were born)

What's the earliest thing you can ever remember making, was it any good and have you still got it? 

I remember making a pencil holder made out of clay in the shape of a duck billed platypus at infant school. Unfortunately I think my Mum still has it!

What have you made most recently? (and do you like it!?)  

I've been trialling lots of different ways of folding felt to create my folded felt flowers. The newest one came into being at a quiet moment at a craft fair when I was idly twisting felt. Half an hour and a few stitches later I had created a felt rose. Much softer and less structured than my usual pieces - but I love it! 

What are your 5 craft cupboard essentials?  

A3 self healing cutting mat, Rotary Cutter, Metal Ruler, Sizzix machine, Felt! 

What music do you like to listen to while you make? Do you prefer to 'Get on Down' or 'Boogie on Up?  

I know it doesn't really go with the image... 

(I'm well known for using pinks, purples, flowers, felt, buttons)

...but I like to rock out! 

I don't always listen to music when I'm creating but if I do I tend to put a bit of Planet Rock on the DAB radio! I love Pink Floyd, Smashing Pumpkins and Pearl Jam. In my quieter moments I'm a bit partial to Martha Wainwright and Nick Drake

If I gave you £250 to spend on craft supplies and equipment what would you buy? 

Not particularly a craft item - but I have my heart set on a Samsung netbook! 

(Specifically model NF110!)

If there was any change left over - it would have to be more felt!

Other than your own, name a shop, website or blog that you really love:  

The dots and spots blog - it's probably the only blog I follow that I read every single post (except for thoughtsbylolly.blogspot.com and yorkshiremade.blogspot.com of course!)

And now for the quick fire round!

What's your favourite craft magazine?

I really like the new magazines Oh Comely and Handmade Living

What online craft site do you prefer? 

Folksy

What is your favourite part of the designing/making/selling process?

Coming up with the original ideas. I have quite a short attention span so making lots of the same thing can get really boring! I just love the 'ding' lightbulb moment when you realise that something might just work... but I hate having them on the way to work so I have to wait the whole day before I can get home and experiment!

Other than the products you make currently, if you were to dabble in a completely different discipline or handmade craft/art, what would you choose to have a go at?

I'd love to be able to take a-ma-zing photographs. I really enjoy the composition of a picture and love the way it can be something really quick and snappy or something you have to wait patiently for just the right moment (seagulls rarely sit still long enough to get so close as this!) But...  I know absolutely nothing about the technical side of things and don't even own a camera! All my product photos and all my holiday snaps are taken using my mobile phone! 

And finally...

What question would you like to ask the next person who features in 'Meet the Maker...'?  

What do you want to be when you grow up?

Where can we find out more about you and your work?

www.madebylolly.folksy.com
www.madebylolly.etsy.com
www.thoughtsbylolly.blogspot.com

www.facebook.com/madebylolly

and I'm also on Twitter at @madebylolly

A Yorkshire holiday, through and through!

I've been on my hols!

... And I have had an absolutely fabulous time touring across Yorkshire! Such a nice time in fact, that I thought it might be nice to share it with you all!

My week long holiday started last Friday in the less than glamorous town of Goldthorpe. But never fear I was here for a reason! First we scouted the charity shops for bargains and found some excellent books and vinyl to buy but then, drumroll please... I went on my first ever visit to Waltons of Goldthorpe! This shop is literally packed to the rafters with fabulous fabric and is an absolute wonderland for anybody who works with textiles and I would definitely recommend a visit!

Saturday and Sunday was taken up with a two day craft fair at Beighton Lifestyle Centre in South Yorkshire where I was joined by my Yorkshire Made friends Nanny May and Our Little Craft Company as well as new friends Dack Images and Spire Face Painting.

Then after a good nights sleep and a bit of hasty packing we headed further north to the city of York for a spot of shopping. The Other Half visited practically every secondhand book shop in the city and bought a total of 10 books, but I got my own back by ensuring we visited every single charity shop too! We had lunch at a lovely little cafe called Picallilli's where I had a totally yummy freshly made beef and mustard  baguette!

York Minster

However the highlight this part of my trip was visiting the fabulous Gift Gallery York!

I had heard talk of this shop on the Folksy forums for a long time, but had never managed to go - until this week! This beautiful shop situated right on The Shambles (the most unusual and historic shopping street I've ever seen!) only stocks handmade items. And wow what a choice! I saw items from pants and paper, noodlebubble as well as Sheffield's Kettle of Fish, and that's just the few names I can remember. It is a lovely shop and I would well recommend a visit!

Spring Swallow Wooden Box by Kettle of Fish

The following day we headed even further North over the moors towards the village of Goathland which is apparently famous for being where they filmed a lot of scenes for Heartbeat - but we didn't stop (can't say I've ever been a fan of Heartbeat to be perfectly honest!) We were headed to the romantically named 'La Rosa'- Campsite Exraordinaire and were not disappointed! This certainly was an unusual, magical and memorable place full of all things cool and kitsch! (You can read more about it here)

After an evening spent around the fire and a night spent in 'Elvis' we headed towards the coast and to Whitby. This was our first ever visit and again we were not disappointed! We found...

Unusual tea rooms...

...some very good cake...

...wonderful views and fresh sea air...

...and the most amazing hotel!

 And of course we had fish and chips for tea!

Next on our Yorkshire tour was the city of Leeds for another 'first' 

- our first ever trip to the opera! 

We went to see Das Rheingold staged by Opera North in Leeds Town Hall and for the third time this holiday I was not disappointed! The opera was sung in German but was accompanied throughout by plot summaries and subtitles in English played on TV screens. Although not a full 'dramatic' presentation the performers were in helpful costumes (the giants had the distinct aura of the Kray twins and the trickster Loge looked just a little bit like Jeremy Kyle!) And the BBC were recording the whole event live!

Next morning we just had enough time to pop into the reetsweet event Handmade at the Corn Exchange, followed by a browse round the The Craft Centre and Design Gallery before finishing off with a well earned bowl of soup in the magnificent Tiled Hall Cafe. 

Then before you knew it, it was time to travel back home, 

come back down to earth with a bump and go back to work... 

...until the next holiday!

I'd love it if you could share your favourite places to go in Yorkshire so I can start to plan my next adventure!

Just leave a comment below

Laura x

'Meet The Maker' #3 - A Crafty Conversation with...

...Jemma from Nanny May! 

Welcome to your 'Meet the Maker' crafty conversation! Can I get you a drink? Tea, Coffee, Soft Drink... Something Stronger?!  

Always a trusty cup of tea, two sweeteners, and a good old custard cream to get the ball rolling, now doesn't everybody feel much more comfortable? Good, let's crack on!
(Though I shan't deny I'm supping a mojito right now hehe)

edit - we must confess that Jemma answered these questions at 11 o'clock at night and she doesn't usually drink mojito's at 11 o'clock in the morning!

Would you like some cake?  

If you've ever read a Yorkshire Made blog post you'll know we like cake, lots. And in fact a craft/selling event rule has transpired that of all the stallholders, some you know, some you don't, at least one of those will be selling something delicious, it's a no brainer really... and makes an already great day incredible! (Of course I'm saying this after whipping a creme brulee from the grill half cooked because it looked too darn delicious to wait that extra 4 minutes!)

Sit down, make yourself comfortable! Time for introductions... What's your name,where do you come from and what do you do?  

My name is Jemma, from a lovely leafy green part of Sheffield, and I am the face (and sore hands) behind Nanny May... I make 100% handmade textile jewellery, accessories and homewares in reclaimed and contemporary fabrics. My favourite thing to make is padded flowers, they're just so cute... and bouncy!

So... are you Yorkshire born and bred?  

From the small town of Elsecar in Barnsley, I've found myself in Sheffield after years of dotting around different places. It's home to the best tea ever, and quite frankly, who would turn down one of those. Though I have been known to allow my tastebuds stray and have the occasional cream and jam scone... Devon? Cornwall? I'll let that debate continue without me!

What's the earliest thing you can ever remember making, was it any good and have you still got it? 

I made lots as a little girl, having a Nan who would rather set her own house on fire rather than pass up a chance to show me the ins and outs of handmade crafts... a favourite of mine was a peg doll, where I vaguely remember a woollen pom pom making an appearance (don't ask me how/where), though my most useful was a huge lump of stone from a school trip with a duck I'd painted on it then varnished, it still helpfully props doors open at my mom's house, so I guess it was ok?

What have you made most recently? (and do you like it!?)  

Just finished making a flower chain necklace. I like it a lot, mainly because after strapping my fingers up with plasters to stop the flower making/thread yanking/pain continuum (and it makes me look a little bit like old school Michael Jackson), I've made a successful necklace with a fraction of the usual discomfort... and it also looks pretty cute too, all pinks, and blues and creams :)

What are your 5 craft cupboard essentials?  

I HAVE to have my super super strong button thread/topstich... to make my flowers needs brute force and the namby pamby 50p thread just doesn't quite hack it...
So that's my number one:
2. Fluff- as well as keeping my back warm when carrying it in my rucksack on the journey home, it makes the puffs and flowers possible.
3. Sewing machine- obvious but definitely an essential.
4. Ribbon- could never get my head around the fiddlyness of metal clasps!
5. Proper dressmaking scissors- I spent at least a year using regular poundland ones before one day cracking and getting a pair, the difference is beyond words when it comes to cutting fabrics out.

What music do you like to listen to while you make? Do you prefer to 'Get on Down' or 'Boogie on Up?  

A rather painful topic, dear to my heart, this one. I recently attacked my 13 year old JVC boomblaster with a set of screw drivers, trying to fix a problem that was never there. Subsequently, it is now broken beyond repair. After years of it being my faithful, cooking, cleaning, drinking and making buddy, it's done for.

Back in the glory days when I wasn't resorting to the tinny wails of my laptop's speakers, I'd crack a bit of Gomez on if it was going to be an 8hr making sesh, weird Japanese pop for chilled out stuff like felt ball making... right through to hard acid trance house type stuff (I'm rubbish with genres) for when I really had to get a wriggle on and make like crazy!

If I gave you £250 to spend on craft supplies and equipment what would you buy?  

A lot of fluff and strong thread... Closely followed by plenty of fabrics in every colour. It's surprising that I'm short of the stuff, but someone says they want something making in a mauve fabric, and what are the chances I don't have it! Patterns and tartans, aye- (gratefully supplied by second hand shops, kind donations and outfits from my own wardrobe which have been laughed out of public display), the rest always gets the better of me. And we all know that going 'shopping' for one particular making item turns into a military style pursuit of all things pretty and not necessarily essential... of COURSE I need that fifteenth sewing machine!

Other than your own, name a shop, website or blog that you really love:  

For blogs it has to be the Etsy one

On my to-do blog reading list- Frooly... they had a cracking one about how to make a DIY lightbox recently, which I still need to sit and have a play with.

And now for the quick fire round!

What's your favourite craft magazine? 
 
Umm...I'm ashamed I'm not a regular buyer of craft magazines, usually just the handmade craft books I can get from Waterstones on my monthly book-buying binge!

What online craft site do you prefer? 

Folksy
 

What is your favourite part of the designing/making/selling process? 
 

Selling online and at fairs

And finally...

What question would you like to ask the next person who features in 'Meet the Maker...'?  

Other than the products you make currently, if you were to dabble in a completely different disclipline or handmade craft/art, what would you choose to have a go at?

Where can we find out more about you and your work?

I'm online on both Folksy and Etsy and my own website, though I'll admit that there's not a huge amount of stuff in the shops as I've been doing a lot of events recently and the turnaround time between finishing making a product and potentially selling it is so minimal that getting them online first is something I'm not so great at... website's due to get a huge overhaul in the coming months, so keep an eye out. I more often post pics of new stock on Facebook, and I'll occasionally 'tweet'.

So, here's the links:-

www.folksy.com/shops/nannymayjewellery
www.etsy.com/shop/NannyMayJewellery
www.facebook.com/nannymaymakes
www.nannymaymakes.blogspot.com
www.nannymay.co.uk
@nannymaymakes

I also do quite a few selling events, which is my favourite way of interacting with people, so to see where I'm going to be, pop along to the Facebook page which is where most of my event details are posted.

'Meet The Maker' #2 - A Crafty Conversation with...

 

...Sally from Our Little Craft Company

No, don't worry you're not seeing double after having one too many G&T's with 'Our Lisa' -  today we are talking to her sister and partner in Our Little Craft Company 'Our Sally'.... so Sally it's over to you!

 

Welcome to your 'Meet the Maker' crafty conversation! Can I get you a drink? Tea, Coffee, Soft Drink... Something Stronger?!

Large Vodka Tonic please or a chilled glass of Champagne or Sauvignon Blanc - oh go on then - all three please!

Would you like some cake?  

I won't lie...butterfly buns with butter cream are one of my favourite weaknesses

Sit down, make yourself comfortable! Time for introductions... What's your name,where do you come from and what do you do?  

Sally Kay Kelly from Conisbrough and I help my sister run Our Little Craft Company. I work full time as a secretary in a residential school for children with severely challenging behaviours and most of my spare time is spent sewing and appliquéing (is that a word?)and getting ready for showing at craft fairs at the weekends.

Our Sally (left) with Our Lisa (right)

So... are you Yorkshire born and bred?  

Definitely! I was born in my nanan & grandad's front room on Gardens Lane, Conisbrough, South Yorkshire.

What's the earliest thing you can ever remember making, was it any good and have you still got it? 

My nanan taught me to knit when I was little but I didn't keep any of the 20 inch long "scarves" that I made; mainly because they varied vastly in width from about 3 inches to 8 inches depending on how many stitches I dropped and regained by accident. When my daughters were little I loved knitting cardigans and outfits for them - the more complicated the pattern the better to keep my attention from drifting. I couldn't knit for grown ups though as I lost interest before I finished.

What have you made most recently? (and do you like it!?)  

I have been using up scraps of material to make little brooches to decorate our Ibiza Bags, which are really cute and I do like them. I have also just cut out some mini yorkshire shopper bags for kiddies out of some curtain material we have had for a long while which we just knew would come in for something one day...like you do. I will be sewing these up tonight and I'm hoping I will like these too.

What are your 5 craft cupboard essentials?  

Needle Threader - couldn't be without it for some of the small needles I use for hand sewing.

Little dinky scissors - will not use my teeth under any circumstances to break thread.

Gutterman's Thread Colour 829 - which is a cream/neutral colour that can be used universally.

Lots of buttons - how does anyone live without "lots of buttons"!

Jute String - I just love it! I use it for the letter ladders, for heart scenties, for tying up parcels and fastening our goodies to the craft stall so that we show them off to their best advantage`

What music do you like to listen to while you make? Do you prefer to 'Get on Down' or 'Boogie on Up?  

Oh god - I'm useless with music - I'd probably know both of them if you sang them to me but I never recognise a title! I like to think I can boogie with best of them so I shall pick "Boogie on Up" I tend to listen to Radio 2 and Radio 7 - does that give you an insight into my personality?

If I gave you £250 to spend on craft supplies and equipment what would you buy?  

Probably treat myself to an overlocker.

Other than your own, name a shop, website or blog that you really love:  

Walton's Fabrics in Goldthorpe - an Aladdin's cave of fabrics...

ooohhh I get all goosebumpy thinking of their upstairs. 

And now for the quick fire round!

What's your favourite craft magazine?

No answer was given to this question! I wonder whether Sally was being enigmatic, or just couldn't decide...!

What online craft site do you prefer?

Folksy

What is your favourite part of the designing/making/selling process?

Making the items

Despite being a regular visitor to many of the craft fairs Our Little Craft Company attend, Voodoo George hasn't been mentioned by either Our Lisa or Our Sally in either of their interviews....

What is the hardest part of what you do? 

The hardest bit of what I do is finding the time!
However, when I make the letter ladders and the name banners, I spend the longest time laying everything out in every which way before I commit to the pattern and then I almost hold my breath in case it all goes catastrophically wrong.
When it all comes together it is like MAGIC!

And finally...

What question would you like to ask the next person who features in 'Meet the Maker...'?  

This is really boring but I wondered how Crafters had found out about 

Public Liability Insurance because when we started looking for this kind of insurance cover we were quoted some outrageous prices.

Where can we find out more about you and your work?

Website: www.ourlittlecraftcompany.co.uk
On Facebook - Our Little Craft Company
On twitter - @oursallykay & @ourlisa
email: sally@ourlittlecraftcompany.co.uk

'Meet The Maker' - A Crafty Conversation with...

 ...Lisa from Our Little Craft Company!

Welcome to your 'Meet the Maker' crafty conversation! Can I get you a drink? Tea, Coffee, Soft Drink... Something Stronger?!  

Now I do like a proper coffee from a proper coffee shop....but if the suns past the yard arm then I'll have a large g & t please!

Would you like some cake?  

Yes please, but home-made, can't stand shop spewed Kipling crap stuff, I am a cake snob of the highest order.

Sit down, make yourself comfortable! Time for introductions... What's your name,where do you come from and what do you do?  

Hi my name is Lisa, I'm from Conisbrough and I do sewing, wltm man or lady or even ladyman to buy all my stuff, for fun, friendship and sales beyond my wildest dreams!

So... are you Yorkshire born and bred?  

Yes, from good Yorkshire stock! I'm Trip Jacksons daughter and that's about as Yorkshire as you get!

What's the earliest thing you can ever remember making, was it any good and have you still got it?

That's really hard, I've always made stuff, I remember making teleport bracelets from plastic bottles which looked just like the Blakes Seven ones. They were ace and I wish I'd kept one but we played with them to death.

What have you made most recently? (and do you like it!?)  

The last thing I made was one of our Beach Bum bags, in black denim and a mustard yellow William Morris type print and yes it was one of those that I'd have been more than happy to keep if it hadn't sold on its first outing! A sort of Woohoo/boohoo! moment.
(I have a lot of those)

 

What are your 5 craft cupboard essentials?  

Coffee, iplayer, Janet (my trusty sewing machine), good scissors & a cheerful disposition!
Everything goes wrong twice if you're grumpy.

What music do you like to listen to while you make? Do you prefer to 'Get on Down' or 'Boogie on Up?  

This is boring I know, but I tend to listen to radio plays and comedy shows on iplayer rather than music all the time. So if the afternoon play is "get on down" I'm that and if The Mighty Boosh is "Boogie on up" then I am that. Although the song I can't get out of my head at the moment is "Telephone Man" by Meri Wilson, it's so saucy I love it!

If I gave you £250 to spend on craft supplies and equipment what would you buy?  

Don't tease, unless you're actually going to give me the cash then I think that making me ponder its use is torturous, to both me and Keith at Waltons of Goldthorpe and the boys of Barkers at Doncaster market who would probably get about half each! I'm a cloth hussy I've got men all over South Yorkshire tempting me with there fabric wares as it is, with £250 I'd be putty in their hands....are you trying to ruin me??

Other than your own, name a shop, website or blog that you really love:  

Too hard, I can't think of one, I could probably do a top 50 of textiley ones alone!
But Sugar Alchemy make an absolute to die for cheesecake!

What's your favourite craft magazine?

Mollie Makes

What online craft site do you prefer? 
 
www.ourlittlecraftcompany.co.uk of course, can't believe its not an option..tut tut!

What is your favourite part of the designing/making/selling process?
Coming up with the original ideas, Shopping for supplies, Making the items, 

Selling online and at fairs, Networking or Other:

All of the above, I love it all I tell ya!

And finally...

What question would you like to ask the next person who features in 'Meet the Maker...'?  

What's the worst bit of what you do?

Where can we find out more about you and your work?

www.ourlittlecraftcompany.co.uk
on facebook
on twitter as @Ourlisa
& I also do the odd blog for Yorkshire Made don't ya know!

'Our Lisa and Our Sally'... we will be featuring an interview with Sally next week!

Introducing... The Printmakers

Little Miss Quarter

I'm not sure if you have noticed, but all of us Yorkshire Made lasses (as well as a lot of the people we know) are fabric freaks. We just can't help it - we are totally turned on by textiles! Whether it be fashion, accessories or homewares we just can't get enough of cloth!

Unfortunately this can sometimes mean we forget to include all of the other fabulous makers out there who work in other mediums - the potters, the silversmiths, the glassworkers, the woodturners... the list of crafts and the people who work in them is almost endless!

So today we start the first in a series of blog posts that will attempt to address the balance. Today I would like to introduce 'The Printmakers'

Doodley Boo

Modo Creative

Memo Helen

James Green - Printworks

Zebedee

An impossible to do list!

There is so much going on at the moment  that I thought this blog post should be a bit of shameless self promotion for all of us, because lets face it we’re all working our socks off this week in the run up to what looks like being  a fantastic  weekend. 

Now before I begin, we can only boast about what we know about so if you’re up to something else you think is just as relevant please post a comment so we all can share the glow of our collective Yorkshire pride!

 So in no particular order lets begin

If you fancy one of these fantastically jolly cushions made by Tree Fall Design you will find them and so much more at the Makers Fair, part of the Saltaire Arts Trail

I’ve been reading  some of the blogposts and following the panic filled tweets  of some of the makers at this event and the enthusiasm  and excitement generated is infectious! Its  in its fifth year and is a real celebration of Yorkshire Craft on from Saturday through till Monday, if you can get there do!

I would, but I shall at The White Arrow Music festival,

Now truth be told I’ve always been a bit more “Wock-a-chicka” than Rock chick, but none the less I shall be here with...

   Sally, Laura , Voodoo George and Jemma on Saturday in a giant Yorksire Made  Craft Marquee...(well a couple of gazebos strapped together , fighting the elements but looking fabulous!)

Then after our massive rock out on Saturday Our Little Craft Company  shall be relaxing in the sunshine with a more sedate set at The Cannon hall Craft Fair Sunday & Monday 10 till 4

But enough about us, if you can't get to these theres more

In Leeds, Reetsweet is at Nation of Shopkeepers

Beer, Music & craft stalls, does it get any better?

Also if you're around the Leeds area theres a

Gift Craft and Farmers market at Temple newsham, where you could treat yourself to something like this

made by the brilliant John Micheal, who, if you miss him there will be at the Wentworth Festival Craft fair ...Not that you really need an excuse to visit this beautiful little village cos its got some proper pubs in it, but add a splash of the arts and crafts and it is very hard to resist. For more details of whats on there

And thats not all, if you're in York be sure to pop in to this

for all your vintage, kitsch and handmade needs!

And if that wasn't enough to keep you busy, rumour has it some of the Pennine Artists and friends are camping out at the beautiful Stainborough Castle & Made by Lolly will be there too!

Not bad for one weekend in Yorkshire really and I know theres probably a tonne of otherstuff going on, it really is one of those weekends when I wish I was still Dr Who's assistant and then I could be at them all but since alas I can't be in two places at once can I ask any and all of you who visit any or all of these events to post some pics on the Yorkshire Made  facebook wall, it would be great to see what we missed!

Enjoy

Lisa x