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

IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS

Hi everyone

Exciting, isn't it?  Less than two weeks to go to Christmas Day.  So much still to do before then - I have only written two cards and have about 40+ to write and post and apparently today is the busiest day for the Post Office, so perhaps I should help out and leave mine for one more day.  Nearly all presents have been bought, but none wrapped.  Must get them done this week or it will be Christmas 2012 before I get my act together!

It has been a busy week - both work-wise, socially and planning.  Things I have made during the week have pointed me in the direction for how my business will go in 2012.  I won't give up making cards as I really enjoy that part of my work, but I do know that cards are not enough to sustain a small business - so there will be some additions to the Christmas Pie Crafts range next year.

Spent Thursday with a friend - went to her gym and I managed to burn up 72 calories, then we had lunch!  Went to the Wisley Victorian themed event on Saturday with another friend - very surprised at how quiet it was.  Those of you that know Wisley, know they have a fabulous gift shop as well as the plant centre.  All very quiet - perhaps a sign of the times?

It's Handmade Monday - I am sure there are more Mondays in the week these days coz it comes around very quickly.  I never seem to be ready for it and despite planning to write my blog and photograph my makes ready for posting on Sunday evening, think I have only managed that about twice.  My make this week is the wreath I mentioned in my last post (courtesy of RoseMadeMe tutorial).  I made my wreath in red and white striped material and added a few red and white baubles.  I may have overdone the material quantity but like nature I abhor a vacuum, so had to fill in any spaces I could see.  I like it and it fits in with the Christmas red and white theme in my porch.  Well it will when my white Christmas tree arrives!  It was supposed to be delivered on Saturday, but sadly it wasn't.  Perhaps today...................

A mini-blog post today as have loads to do.  I still have cards to make, as well as loads to write, parcels to wrap (and two pressies still to buy), housework ready for the Saturday get-together here.  Hope you all have a great day and I will be back on Wednesday with my mid-week post.  Don;t forget to check out the other Handmade Monday bloggers - great things to see and read about.

Jill

CAKES, CAKES AND MORE CAKES

Hi everyone

I did my last Christmas Fair on Saturday and Father Christmas was there too - with his 'busiest day' looming, I am amazed he finds the time to be in so many places this month.  Mind you, he does have 11 months to get ready for his one-day-a-year-job - I couldn't his job though.  All that lugging around of great sacks of parcels, stopping at millions of homes, in and out of the sleigh (constantly thinking 'have I locked it?), exposed to the elements (you would think sleighs these days would be enclosed) and at the end of the night getting home to find there is still one present left in the sack and the home it should have been delivered to is half-way across the world.  Decision time: do I deliver it now, leave it for next year or pop it in the post?  Too much to cope with in one night - think I will stick to what I know best.

I won 12 gorgeous cup-cakes in the Christmas Fair's raffle - very tempting, but I am trying really hard to avoid sweet things, but I could see they were calling me when I went to the prize table to collect them.  However, I decided to hang out until Christmas for sweet things (I wish) and as we have cake-loving neighbours, they shared in my win.

Last week was a busy week in Christmas Pie Crafts: a card order plus getting ready for Saturday's event and also producing some stock specifically for my wall at Bourne Mill.  I want to have a sort out of my stock there and move things around - I remember one of the centre's traders saying to me that moving the stock around is a good sales tactic - it works too.

A busy week this week too (work-wise and me-wise) - have a card to make, plus promised myself  this year we will send our own Christmas cards out early (normally it is a last minute thing), out for lunch with friends today and off for a Spa Day with a friend on Thursday - no pamper treatments booked as I have my toes painted regularly at a local salon, but I know lots and lots of talking will take place.

Handmade Monday is here again and frightening to realise that there are only 2 more before Christmas  .  My 'show' today is a card I recently made for a specific order.  I have blotted out the words/names on the front as the card has not yet been posted by my customer.  The card is a step design and I have used papers from the Popular Crafts magazine website.  I used the larger printout for the background and then cut out several snow-covered trees to add to the front section.  It isn't a great photograph - found it tricky to photograph something that in effect is 3-D but I hope you like it.  Don't forget to visit the other blogs taking part in Handmade Monday - lots of lovely crafty goodies and great blog posts too.

Must get back to card-making - one order to complete this morning and I want to get it into the post before I meet up with my friends at lunch-time.  Enjoy the week everyone, I will be back on Wednesday with my mid-week blog post.

Jill

24 DAYS AND COUNTING

Hi everyone

Many thanks to everyone who posted on my Handmade Monday blog - very interesting and helpful comments about selling at fairs.

Not long before 'the day' when we will be getting up before the sparrows, wondering if we have got enough food the feed the two armies we think are arriving and thinking 'I hope that turkey is defrosted'.  I love Christmas, although it seems we all spend such a long time planning, shopping and cooking for the Big Day that when it arrives we are all shattered.  Still, it is good fun and a great excuse to abandon the diet.  We love this time of year because we get to see friends and family that we may not have managed to see during the year .

Christmas Pie Crafts is getting Christmasy - I know that the name of my business gives the impression that it is Christmas all year round.  Falling snow has been added to the blog and there may be other little seasonal bits added over the next 2 - 3 weeks.  Christmas is a great time to release my inner child.

Lots of people I know will be putting their Christmas tree up today - a little too early for us.  We have given up having a tree inside as Jazz and Daisy feel the need to conquer the tree and remove most of the decorations - we don't mind, but some bits are not exactly cat-friendly.  So, we have one in our porch and one shut away in the conservatory - they can see them but from a safe distance.  Christmas card writing this week - mammoth task and for many years something we seem to leave until the last minute!  This year, we have decided to get them done and posted reasonably early - watch this space though, as the best laid plans, etc, etc.

My last event of this year takes place on Saturday, 3 December:

Addlestone Pre-School Christmas Fair (2.00 pm - 4.00pm) at Brook Hall, Brox Road, Ottershaw, Surrey, KT16 0HG

If you live in the area, please do come along - I understand Father Christmas is visiting this fair.

Enjoy the rest of the week everyone.  I will be back with my HM post on Monday.

Jill

ALL WORK AND NO PLAY

Hello everyone

I keep referring to it, and it is a typical British habit, but this weather is very odd.  Foggy every day but so warm - perhaps the fog blanket is preventing the cold air getting through although it is very sunny while I am writing this post.

A busy, busy week so far - lots of events taking place over the next few days and I am really working hard to create new stock. The events Christmas Pie Crafts is taking part in between now and my next post are:

24 November 2011: A Pamper Evening (7.00 pm - 10.00 pm), The Jolly Farmer, Binsted Road, Blacknest, Alton, Hants, GU34 4QD

26 November 2011: Prior's Field Christmas Fair (11.00 am - 3.30 pm), Prior's Field School, Priorsfield Road, Godalming, Surrey, GU7 2RH

27 November 2011: Rydes Hill Preparatory School Christmas Fayre (2.00 pm - 4.30 pm) at Rydes Hill Preparatory School, Rydes Hill House, Aldershot Road, Guildford, GU2 8BP

As always, if you are in the area of any of these events, it would be great to see you.

A few weeks ago I mentioned that I had been picked as a 'winner' in Karen Clark's (Beads by Design) 300th blog post celebration.  I received my prize today and the goodies are gorgeous - especially nice is the Mary & Joseph ornament because I did like this when I saw it on Karen's blog.  Here are pictures of my wins - do check out Karen's website, she does make beautiful things.

 

I am really looking forward to next month.  I have one event booked in December and then I should have time to plan for next year, but more important is that I will have time to get ready for Christmas and catch up with friends and family.  Have various friends 'get-togethers' organised, which will be good fun, so looking forward to them, as well as another Pamper Day with a good friend  (in reality it is more likely to be a talk-the-hind-leg-off-of-a-donkey-day).


Have to get back to the card-making - so many cards to make so little time.  Great fun, though.


I hope you all enjoy the rest of the week - I will be back with my usual Sunday/Monday post.


Jill

END OF SUMMER

Hi everyone

The clocks have gone back, we have gained some daylight in the morning, but lost it in the evening.  I don't know about you, but I don't mind getting up in the dark, as I much prefer lighter evenings if I had the choice.  Winters are long enough as it is, and getting dark at 4.00 pm is not much fun.  But, the good news is that Christmas is on its way and it is a lovely time of year.

It's Handmade Monday - please someone tell me where the time goes, because it only seems a day or two since the last one.  Not that I mind, as it is a great opportunity to visit some fantastic blogs.  I hope you visited the ones last week that gave tutorials on making a fabric wreath and gift bags - both really lovely and on my list of things to-do.

My 'make' this week is an A4 Christmas card.  I used the Nitwit Village decoupage for this, but added my own touch.  I ripped around the edge of a blue A4 piece of card to resemble sky and added some fluffy-looking clouds to the scene - these were also torn from white card.  I like making big cards because there is a lot more space to be creative.

I really enjoyed the event in Godalming yesterday.  I met up with some crafters from previous events, which was good as well as one from the event Caroline and I organised in the Normandy Village Hall.  She was very disappointed to hear that we did not have any others planned as she felt there was definitely a need for craft-only events in this area.  Yesterday's event was very well attended and lots of lovely things were on sale.  I was very pleased with my sales, and also very embarrassed when 2 people said 'do you have a website?'.  Very red-faced I had to say its on its way.  Well done Loretta, a very well organised event and I am looking forward to your next one.

It is interesting to observe people's views of handmade items.  At yesterday's event I had a basket of birthday and thank you cards at £1.50 each - I was amazed when one 'potential' customer asked the price and when I advised her £1.50, she put them back in the basket and moved off without saying anything.  Isn't it strange how people will pay £2, £3 or more in a supermarket for a mass-produced, non-personalised card without a second thought, but with a one-off handmade card they balk at the price?  Sometimes being a crafter can be a little disheartening, but thank goodness the majority of people respect the hard work that goes into our craft.

I am off to put my feet up and plan for this week's event - I had kidded myself that I wouldn't make any stock as I have loads.  The problem is there are always ideas buzzing around in my head for new cards, so just have to get on with the card-making and make the ideas a reality.

Don't forget to come along to the event I am at this week if you are in the Guildford area:  2 November, 7.00 pm - 9.30 pm, The Holly Lodge Christmas Shopping & Pamper Evening, Stratford Road, Ash Vale, Surrey, GU12 5PX.

Hope you a great week - don't forget co check out the other Handmade Monday crafters and I will be back on Thursday with my usual mid-week post.

Jill

WEDNESDAY'S THOUGHTS

Hi everyone

I started the week with BIG plans to sort out my work-room - guess what?  All I can say is that I planned to get around to it, and I have!  Look top right of my blog.

Hasn't the weather been wonderful these last few days?  Sad that it seems to have gone back to what we expect of Autumn now, but great while it lasted.  I have read numerous posts on Facebook and Twitter that snow is forecast for the end of this month - I hope  not.  I don't mind snow (well, when looking out of the window at it), but would prefer to have some more summery weather first please.  After such a  disappointing summer, I think we need some more gorgeous autumnal weather to set us up for winter.

Yesterday was World Animal Day.  To celebrate Jazz and Daisy had a packet of Dreamies - they can eat those treats faster than I can finish a bar of chocolate!

I have joined in with the Wow Me Wednesday blog hopping event today - you must check out the amazing makes on the blogs that take part is this great event.  So many gorgeous Halloween goodies.

As well as being industrious (well, sort of) in the clearing-up area, I have also been busy making cards - in fact I made 20 on Monday.  I decided September was my 'getting out of the habit of having a stressful job month' and now back to planet earth and need to get on with making my business successful.  My plan was to make some inexpensive Christmas cards in packs of 5 to sell at my forth-coming events.  I will pack them into a handmade envelope and think they will look pretty nifty and, I hope, prove to be very popular.  Here are some pics of a few that I have completed:

The cards are 5" x 5" 300 gsm and the papers are from a Christmas card-stock pack.  I have cut it into either squares, long strips, triangles or curves.  Added stock greetings toppers, and some jewels too.

It is not long until my first event of the season - 19 October at the Wyke School. Don't forget to come along and give them your support if you are in the area, and of course also buy some of my Christmas cards.

Enjoy the rest of the week everyone, I hope the temperature doesn't drop too much.  I will be back with my usual Sunday post.

Jill

WEDNESDAY'S WORDS

Hi everyone

Is it winter already?  What a horrible day yesterday was: rain, wind, cold.  I had really been hoping that September would bring an Indian summer and I just don't want to believe that the warm and sunny days are a thing of the past.  How long until Spring?  Weather really hasn't improved much today - wet, windy and chilly.

On top of yesterday's grotty weather, we also had a power-cut for about 3 hours.  Great fun - well not really because it was pretty dark and wet at the time.  Glad when it came back on as card-making in the dark may sound romantic, but it is pretty hard going.  Hard to believe, just as I had finished the last sentence, the power failed again!  Someone has got it in for my blog, so I had better get writing and posting pretty quickly before it happens again.

I have been fairly busy crafting: made some cards, also worked on new ideas and promotional material.  I will reveal all after my first event, and also everything will be in my website (yes, you know the one, the one that has been in production since time began).  Here are a few of this week's makes - they are from my small card (5" x 5") range.

Jazz and Daisy haven't been very happy about the weather either.  Jazz sat on the window sill looking forlornly through the blinds, hoping the rain would stop so he could go outside - no doubt to catch something with four legs and a long tall and bring it in for us!  It is very kind of him to think that he has to give us presents, but I would really prefer something other than a  mouse.  Daisy also sitting on the window sill, but asking the question 'who is prettier, me or this pot of roses?'  Definitely not a difficult decision - both very pretty, but Daisy wins hands-down.  Well, enough cat-talk, as much as I like to talk about them I think it is time to get back to work.

A big thank you to my blog followers for their comments on my last post - I love to receive their messages and know that as busy crafters finding the time is often not possible (er, that's really about me feeling guilty for not posting on other people's blogs as much as I would like to).

Don't forget I am still collecting and looking for contributions to the Craft Event blog on 21 September - so either add a comment on the blog or email me.  All comments and contributions will be acknowledged and I will also add your website or blog address - just let me know which one you would prefer)

Enjoy the rest of the week everyone - I will be back posting on Sunday.  Let's home the weather is drier and warmer by then.

Jill