TODAY'S GUEST BLOGGER IS....

Hello There...

My names Emma Louise, I’m 21 years old and I live just outside of Manchester with my family and my lovely kitty cats Sasha and Susie. I’m currently going into my last year at Salford University studying Illustration. I’m new to the craft world and don’t have many crafts under my belt but so far I’ve made a variety of different things. From Sketchbooks to Headbands, Cards to ATC’s and a few bits in between.

Being creative has always been a passion but recently got enhanced when I decided to take it further and begin crafting. It’s pushed me further as a person and an Illustrator as I’m combining the two together and producing what I believe to be better work.

I first found my love of crafting after being asked to make Wedding Invitations but the couple didn’t want just your run of the mill invitations that could be mass produced they wanted bespoke, one off’s that nobody else will have had and they wanted 200 of them! I loved every minute of it. From start to finish and seeing the smile on the couple’s faces was the best feeling in the world. To know that I had contributed to the most special day of their lives made me feel fantastic.

That’s when I realised I wanted to make anything I possibly could to make people as happy as they where!

After deciding I wanted to get involved in more craft work I trawled the internet for little projects I could do and that’s when I came across the idea of making paper beads and making up bracelets. I started immediately!

Making the beads is great fun but hard work on your fingers after a while when rolling the paper into shape. Almost like friction burn but the outcome is worth it and I had friends and family requesting for their own bracelets. I haven’t sold many of these as personally I think people prefer more eccentric looking jewellery. For example polymer clay charms have taken over in all there cute and quirky little shapes and sizes.

Following on from my bracelets I went on a girly rampage and thought making headbands and clips would be something fun and could sell but yet wear myself and I already had all the equipment so I gave it a bash. I only made a few to start with and then a little flier came through the door saying that one of the local schools was having a craft fair and I jumped at the chance and got myself a stall. That was my chance to go mad and make anything and everything I rummaged through my crafts box and made a list of everything I could make to sell that included more headbands and clips along with more bracelets and even better a chance to print out some of my illustrations to try and sell. I got to work straight away!

I made up several headbands and several pairs of clips to sit alongside my bracelets, illustrations, cards and painting and invited my grandma to add some of her beautiful baby knitting to finish off my stall. Little did I know I was going to be put in a back room with 3 other great crafters and sellers for 5 hours to sell a blanket and 2 pair of clips!

I was gutted I put in all that hard work for the opportunity to get my work and crafts out there for nobody to seem interested. Thinking back on it though I got to have a good look around to see what others where selling and take note for if I decided on doing another fair. 

After that disheartening day I had a little break from crafting and concentrated more on my Illustrations and studies and where one door closed another one opened and that little break was where I came up with the best collection of prints and drawings I had ever done and with my new found energy and happiness for creating something that I was truly proud of I thought it was time to have another dip back into the crafting world and I’ve never left since!

Below are a few more pictures of crafts I’ve done

Notice board

Sketch book

ATC's

Thank you all for listening to me babble on about me, myself and my crafts and I hope to speak and swap tips with you all soon. If you have any questions for me then please comment or send me a message through any of these channels.....

Blogger - www.emmacrafts.blogspot.co.uk

Facebook - www.facebook.com/emmalouiseszostok

Twitter - @em_louiise

Email – emmalouiise_@live.co.uk

Thank you all again !

Emma Louise Szostok x