Bubbly Shnooks - feature #49

Name: Michelle Clement from Bubbly Shnooks
Website links: Etsy | Blog | Twitter | Flickr

What do you make?
I make cute illustrated paper goods for my shop, Bubbly Shnooks, and am currently expanding my line to include crocheted goodies, soft dolls, and accessories. I also design a line of scrapbook paper for Sassafras Lass, as well as work in the local Vancouver animation industry as my ‘day job’, as well as making a lot of crafts just for fun: I love to scrapbook, embroider, sew, cross-stitch, and am currently addicted to crocheting!

What or who inspires you?
I’m really inspired by artists, crafters, and illustrators who have made their own little thriving indie businesses! Artists like Elsie Flannigan of Red Velvet Art, Susie Ghahremani of BoyGirlParty, and Emily Martin of The Black Apple, for example – those who make their own unique and adorable goodies and have remarkable branding & a smart sense for all things indie bizz. Chasing dreams really inspires me!

I’ve also always been really into the mix of aged vintage & bright colors, so thrift shops inspire me, as does the magazine aisle at a big book store. Scrapbook galleries, numerous crafty blogs, children’s book illustrations, and artists like Mary Blair, Dr. Suess, and Edward Gorey have my heart. Calgary’s own amazing ‘Uppercase Magazine’ is also an amazing resource! I find inspiration everywhere, really. The world around me inspires!



How did you get started?
I started scrapbooking when I was 12 at a beginner’s class with my mom, and everything’s kind of stemmed from there! (I’ve been sewing and drawing and journaling for as long as I can remember, too, of course). I got really into scrapbook products and goodies about 4-5 years back, and my love of drawing led me to doodle my own scrapbook paper tags, which then led to also making cards and art prints, and it’s grown out from there. The collage-inspired way I scrapbook has now also led me to designing lines of paper – where I use every crafty technique in my arsenal, from embroidery to dying paper to drawing to sewing. It all started with paper and has grown into a creative outlet that comes out in a wealth of forms!

What are your favourite materials to work with?
I love to work with heavy cardstock and walnut ink (a natural brown dye that ages paper in a lovely way). I’m also partial to my trusty HB pencil and plain old white paper for drawings, and Photoshop is vital for everything! Fabric is also a favorite – especially neutrals that I can dye and scrunch and make my own.



What is the hardest and your most favourite part of crafting?
The hardest part, for me, about crafting is following a project through from beginning to end without being distracted by a new idea/project – lol. I like to start them, but it takes me a long time to finish one thing, sometimes! My favorite part is that as well, though – it’s so inspiring and there are so many possibilities in and of itself, there’s always something new & fun to be made!



List 5 of your favourite links and why you like them
A Beautiful Mess: I love Elsie’s blog because it’s full of crafty/vintage/fashion/indie business goodness, always!

I Just Might Explode:
Kara is a thoughtful, inspiring, crafty girl who just moved to New York to go to art school – her adventures and wonderings always make me smile!

Vivienne McMaster:
Not only are Viv’s photos amazing, but her thoughts are so insightful & lovely to read.

Candi Mandi: Mandi’s adventures in fashion, thrifting, and home décor always inspire!

Danielle Thompson: Danielle’s design sense & love of vintage kitsch – not to mention her amazing photography, rocks!



Do you have any advice for those in the biz?
I would say that the most important thing when you’re creating anything or opening a shop is to make what you want to make and stay true to yourself, not to make something because it’s popular right now or that it’s what everybody else is doing. It can be discouraging at first, sometimes, feeling like you’re a black sheep of sorts, but once you spread the word and find your niche, you’ll be glad you stuck with something unique that you love to do. You’ll find that other people will love that about it, to!

Do you consider yourself an artist or a crafter?
Oh, this is a toughie. I’ve bantered over it with art school folk a few times, because it’s such a blurred line, now. I would like to say I’m a ‘maker’ – lol - aka, a crafter & artist all rolled into one. I think today that craft & art have joined forces – crafts are just as beautiful and inspiring during this handmade movement as art, is, to me.

(photo images courtesy of Bubbly Shnooks)

If you are interested in being featured, please send us an email at info(at)gotcraft(dot)com.

Check out our past features...
Yummy Yarn - feature #48
Cutesypoo Toys - feature #47
Locomotive Clothing - feature #46
Hand & Shadow - feature #45
Kove Handmade - feature #44
Sam Bradd - feature #43
Katrinshine - feature #42
Penelope Brown - feature #41
Laura Bucci Handmade - feature #40
Track and Field Designs - feature #39
Irit Sorokin Designs - feature #38
Clockwork Fantastica - feature #37
Divesin - feature #36
Flight Path Designs - feature #35
Plantscapes - feature #34
Olive - feature #33
Uncle Phil / Flipside - feature #32
Kim Werker - feature #31
Haiiku - feature #30
Smidgebox Designs - feature #29
heyday design - feature #28
Smeeta - feature #27
ACageyBee - feature #26
Maked - feature #25
Firefly Notes - feature #24
Florence Ann - feature #23
Him Creations - feature #22
Jenny Hart - feature #21
district thirty - feature #20
tinywarbler designs - feature #19
telly designs - feature #18
Cabin + Cub - feature #17
Rachel Hobson - feature #16
Green Couch Designs - feature #15
Tanis Alexis - feature #14
Sweetie Pie Press - feature #13
Fibre Manipulator - feature #12
Sam Made - feature #11
All Things Paper - feature #10
Owl + Pussycat - feature #9
Bliss in a teacup - feature #8
It's Your Life - feature #7
Faythe Levine - feature #6
Coco Cake Cupcakes - feature #5
pomomama design - feature #4
GroovyGlassGirl - feature #3
Bueno Style - feature #2
The Beautiful Project - feature #1

crafters helping crafters

The Sweetie Pie Press (aka Becky) is a one woman craft extravaganza that specializes in pin back buttons, secret message envelopes and crocheted goods.  Becky has been running self-produced multi-month craft tours of North America since 2006 and now needs your help to make her summer craft tour happen!

The 2011 tour will take The Sweetie Pie Press from coast to coast spanning just shy of four months. Tentative plans include stops in Austin, Atlanta, New Orleans, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Brooklyn, Providence, Pittsburgh, Columbus, Denver, Eureko, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Bisbee, Albuquerque, Lawrence, Des Moines, Milwaukee, Chicago, Detroit and Toronto. How do you know she's not just going on holiday? You can follow her adventures on the sweetie pie press blog which has been sharing touring encounters since 2008.

I first came across the sweetie pie press on the world wide web and was then told by a few (un-related) friends that I should meet her. I looked up her website, sent her an email and she was kind enough to participate in our featured artist series back in 2009. Funny enough, we spent four years at the same high school and had no idea! 

As a part of the DIY community, I am asking you to help another crafter. Watch the video above to learn why the tour is in danger of not happening this year. Share some handmade love. Pledge and receive rewards such as zines, pinback button sets, postcards and more... and, we are happy to announce that for every $1 you pledge, Got Craft will match it up to $1000.00. Got Craft? aims to bring together a community that fosters handmade and DIY culture by supporting events just like this. We believe in spreading handmade happiness and supporting artists in doing what they do best. 

The campaign runs from now until April 27, 2011 at 11:00 p.m. est, so don't delay. You can find the kickstarter page here. 

LHR :: things to do :: selvedge + makers market

(image found on @Craftzine.com by Selvedge)

I love Selvedge magazine and came across their event posting a few weeks ago over on decor8. After some snooping, I just realized that they have a brick and mortar store right here in London! Needless to say I know what my Saturday plans will be! First stop will be the Selvedge Spring Fair! With Amy Butler as one of the show sponsors, you know this will be a good one. Featuring 30 handmade designers and makers exhibiting a selection of lovely treats!

event: Selvedge Spring Fair

date: Saturday, April 2nd, 2011

time: 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

location: St. Augustine's Church Hall on the corner of Langdon Park Road and Hornsey Lane Gardens, N6 5QG.

cost: £2.50

For more information and directions by car and public transport, please visit their website. 

Sometimes I think I should have just moved to Bethnal Green since I seem to be there every weekend and this Saturday will be no different. My second stop of the day will be at the Designers Makers Market. This Saturday kicks off their weekly market showcasing 50+ designers and makers working with various mediums including ceramics, paper goods and textiles. 

event: Designers Makers Market

date: Every Saturday from April 2nd to September 24th, 2011

time: 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

location: The Triangle, Warburton Road, London E8 3RG

cost: free

For more information and travel details, please visit their website here.

YVR :: things to do :: waldorf school + nifty for fifty

photo credit: Ella Pedersen

One of our past Got Craft vendors, little red caboose, is organizing a spring market at her son's school. A perfect place to stop in and fill your childrens, or those young at heart, Easter baskets with handmade items created by the parents, faculty and alumni of the Vancouver Waldorf School. For those of you venturing from afar, make a day of it and enjoy North Vancouver, Lynn Canyon, Capilano Suspension Bridge and Maplewood Farm. For more information, please visit their events calender here.

event: The Vancouver Waldorf School Spring Craft Market
date: Sunday, April 3, 2011
time: 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
location: 2725 St. Christophers Road, North Vancouver (in Lynn Valley)

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Over 20 Vancouver designers will be gathering under one roof to sell everything from dresses to shirts, shoes and accessories, all for $50 or less! Organizer Melissa from adhesif clothing promises that there will be a plethora of "one of a kind" treasures as well as vintage clothing and accessories. Make sure to check out past and present Got Craft vendors Billy Would Designs, BuenoStyle, Flightpath Designs, Poodlebreath, TOODLEBUNNY and Raven's Rest Studio.


event: 4th Annual Nifty for Fifty
date: Sunday, April 3, 2011
time: 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
location: Heritage Hall - 3102 Main Street, Vancouver
For more information, visit the adhesif clothing blog here.

got craft ♥'s etsy

Got Craft? is tickled pink to announce Etsy as one of our sponsors! We first had the chance to meet the Etsy team when they were in Vancouver almost two years ago and are pleased to say that Got Craft is the first craft fair in Canada to have their support. Talk about a long courtship! 

What is Etsy? In their words...

Our mission is to enable people to make a living making things, and to reconnect makers with buyers. 

Our vision is to build a new economy and present a better choice:

Buy, Sell, and Live Handmade

artist images from left to right: top - banoo, the beautiful project, sam made; middle - a cagey bee, little bird designs; bottom - kukubee, cabin + cub, buenostyle

inspire :: GhostPatrol

(found via Lushlee)

Australian artists Ghostpatrol are well known for his fine ink drawings, street-art, commissioned murals and soft sculptures. Referencing child nostalgia and pop culture, he uses these pencil crayons not as a tool, but as a canvas. You can see more of his work here.

LHR :: day trip :: vintage furniture flea

The Vintage Furniture Flea event is hosted by Judy's Affordable Vintage Fair, UK's #1 vintage fair and produced by a former personal shopper for Selfridges. Vintage clothing in London is very popular, but I like to try my clothes on before purchasing and you don't always get that opportunity at these type of events. Vintage clothing also tends to be small and the fabric is sometimes a bit stifling with the use of polyester, so needless to say, I'm not usually the first in line when it comes to vintage clothing events.

Of course, when it comes to furniture and homewares, that is a whole new ball park. Homewares from the 1950's to the 1970s? 45 hand picked stalls? I will be there! This was definitely one of the best selections of vintage furniture that I have seen since I have arrived. A lot of it was quite affordable and I highly recommend paying the extra £1 for early access. It was packed! 

Here's my bounty. Can't wait to visit again. I have decided that I want one of these cupboards for the kitchen (or somewhere). Saw one at the market, but it was already sold.

got craft? :: spring 2011 :: it's coming!

design and illustration by the Beautiful Project

It's that time of year again! The Spring Got Craft? event is just around the corner and this year, we are turning 5 years old! Hip hip hip hooray! Thank you to all of our lovely vendors, sponsors and attendees. We started 5 years ago brand spanking new to the handmade community and just started tacking some pieces of paper with pull tabs at local coffee shops asking if anybody wanted to join our fair and here we are now!

There are lots to do at our next show including a complimentary D.I.Y. lounge hosted by Spool of Thread to make your own projects, tasty treats by Bake Sale Baking Co. and The Gluten Free Epicurean and veggie pakoras by Varinicey parked outside. DJ Duff will be providing the tunes and of course, over 55 handmade artists including our friends Maker Faire Vancouver, Collage Collage and Barefoot Contessa (selling their own handmade goods)!

Oh! If you haven't heard, we are beyond thrilled to have Etsy sign on as a new sponsor < insert cartwheels and sparklers > . This has been in the works for almost two years and according to my research, we are the first handmade market in Canada to have their support. Yippee!

Here are the details... See y'all there!

event: Got Craft? spring edition
date: Sunday, May 8th, 2011
time: 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
location: Royal Canadian Legion - 2205 Commercial Drive (at East 6th Avenue), Vancouver
cost: $3.00 (kids 10 and under are free)

For more information or to apply to our holiday show (December 4th, 2011), please visit our website here.

(please note that the event is located on the second floor with no wheelchair access. we are doing our best to find a new venue. suggestions are welcome and can be sent to info at gotcraft dot com)

Yummy Yarn - feature #48

Name: Yummy Yarn by Kirsten Zerbinis
Website links: Etsy Shop

What do you make?
I make hand dyed fibre for spinning and felting, and handspun yarn. They're one of a kind, beautiful supplies for artisans and crafters.

What or who inspires you?
I'm inspired by the materials. I've been knitting for so long, and I continue to be amazed and inspired by the combinations and possibilities of what seem like small variations - stitch, material, type of yarn, technique. And lately, I've been on a project to support biodiversity. So many fiberistas seem to be stuck on mainly just one sort of sheep, the Merino. It's not that merino isn't a perfectly lovely fibre, but it's like being able to buy only one sort of tomato in the grocery store, or one type of bread. What has inspired me lately has been the project to stretch myself as a spinner and learn how to bring out the best in a lot of different types of fibre, and then bring a range of interesting and wonderful materials to crafters, something they really can't get in a lot of yarn stores. (Not to underrate yarn stores! Several local ones carry my yarn!)

How did you get started?
I got started as a pro because I had moved to a new city with a new baby, and my previous career - college English teacher - was largely closed to me unless I wanted to put my baby in daycare. I didn't. I started the business as just a little thing, just a little attempt at doing something I'd always loved but never thought could be a 'real' job. Three years later, here I am running a profitable business that lets me still be a mostly stay at home parent to my two girls.

It's been so interesting to see how one thing has led to another. I opened an online store for the handspun yarn, and then I did the Farmer's Market that summer. The Farmer's Market let me meet a lot of local crafters, and I was asked to do a demo at an arts centre. That demo led to me teaching there. Teaching there led to me teaching all over the place, and through that I keep getting inspired to make new things, develop my skills still further, see what else I can set my hand to.

photo credit: Kim Werker

What are your favourite materials to work with?
Wool. Actually, even more specifically, wool with personality, wool with body. Can I go ahead and say that I just don't really like merino? I find it kind of lifeless and boring. I love the pillowy bounce of Falkland, the shape and structure of Shetland, the silky hand of BFL. I get cold, man, and I want to knit stuff that has substance.


List 5 of your favourite links and why you like them
Ravelry: It's the spinning knitter's best friend. I love that I can just plug a bunch of constraints into their search engine -- yardage, gauge, preferred project type -- and it will spit out dozens of projects that fit. No more sitting there with a skein of yarn trying to pull an idea out of your own head, now you can plug into the hive mind!

Etsy: It's Etsy, dude. It's like regular, but without the sore feet and the greasy, uneasy feeling that your'e contributing to evil just by being there (or is that just me?). I love love love seeing what thousands of crafters accomplish when they all put their stuff up together.

Living Crafts: There aren't many crafts magazines I read, but I love this one. It's full of ideas for crafts to do for the home and with kids, but it's very wool based. There is almost no plastic lacing or glitter involved, but instead there's a focus on natural materials, simple and elegant ideas.

Um, I'm kind of out of links. I actually don't spend a ton of time online. I don't blog; I don't read blogs. Sorry, I am rarely the source of linky goodness.


Do you have any advice for those in the biz?
There's nothing wrong with being in the biz for the biz aspect. I think sometimes there's a stigma about talking about money, profit margins, and return on investment. I've heard people say that they don't really expect to make a profit, that they're just doing this 'for fun,' and it always makes me sad that they think handcrafts is somehow not important. Making stuff is important - important enough that a talented, hardworking artisan should be willing and able to
make a living doing it.


Do you consider yourself an artist or a crafter?
I call myself an artisan. For me, an artist is someone with some sort of semiotic content in their work - something they're trying to say. My work says "isn't this a lovely combination of reds?" There's no message. And yet, to say "crafter", there's been a bit of an abuse of the term going on. People still think about gluing bits of synthetic lace to lampshades, painting snowmen onto ornaments. Artisan, for me, captures the idea that what I'm doing is one of a kind, unique to my technique and my ideas. That what I'm doing is small scale, and not reproducible by mass production.

(photo images courtesy of Yummy Yarn)

If you are interested in being featured, please send us an email at info(at)gotcraft(dot)com.

Check out our past features...
Cutesypoo Toys - feature #47
Locomotive Clothing - feature #46
Hand & Shadow - feature #45
Kove Handmade - feature #44
Sam Bradd - feature #43
Katrinshine - feature #42
Penelope Brown - feature #41
Laura Bucci Handmade - feature #40
Track and Field Designs - feature #39
Irit Sorokin Designs - feature #38
Clockwork Fantastica - feature #37
Divesin - feature #36
Flight Path Designs - feature #35
Plantscapes - feature #34
Olive - feature #33
Uncle Phil / Flipside - feature #32
Kim Werker - feature #31
Haiiku - feature #30
Smidgebox Designs - feature #29
heyday design - feature #28
Smeeta - feature #27
ACageyBee - feature #26
Maked - feature #25
Firefly Notes - feature #24
Florence Ann - feature #23
Him Creations - feature #22
Jenny Hart - feature #21
district thirty - feature #20
tinywarbler designs - feature #19
telly designs - feature #18
Cabin + Cub - feature #17
Rachel Hobson - feature #16
Green Couch Designs - feature #15
Tanis Alexis - feature #14
Sweetie Pie Press - feature #13
Fibre Manipulator - feature #12
Sam Made - feature #11
All Things Paper - feature #10
Owl + Pussycat - feature #9
Bliss in a teacup - feature #8
It's Your Life - feature #7
Faythe Levine - feature #6
Coco Cake Cupcakes - feature #5
pomomama design - feature #4
GroovyGlassGirl - feature #3
Bueno Style - feature #2
The Beautiful Project - feature #1

LHR :: things to do :: the hive

** london, uk edition **

The Robin Collective has transformed a derelict shop on Leather Lane into a pop-up sunny garden with flowering plants, artificial sunshine and a giant walk-in bee hive complete with real honey bees! There is plenty of things to do at the Hive including honey tasting, talks, food and drinks including Royal Jelly Jellies, Bee Venom Cocktails and the honey based beer, Wells Waggle Dance (a honey-based ale named after the performance a bee gives to alert the hive to a source of nectar). Etsy UK in collaboration with the East London Craft Guerrilla will be bringing some ace workshops to the event including beeswax candles on Tuesday, March 22nd and bee balm making on Wednesday, March 23rd with Violet Iris.

Workshops, talks and courses start at 6:30pm each evening and an Etsy UK craft fair is taking place on March 27th from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Please visit their website for full details here.

Bee there or bee square! 56-58 Leather Lane Market, London EC1N 7TJ from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. daily.

YVR :: things to do :: books + monthly markets

illustration via calloohcallay

** vancouver, bc edition **

Collage Collage is holding their first ever book sale ever on Saturday, March 26th, 2011 from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m at 621 Kingsway Street, Vancouver (15th and Fraser Street). Having purchased lots of good reads for the little ones in our lives here, we know this sale is going to be a good one! All kinds of books will be on sale from 10 to 50% off including a recently arrived shipment of new titles. 

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Portobello West is kicking off their new season at the Creekside Community Recreation Center at the Olympic Village. Featuring 90 amazing artists and designers including many of our Got Craft vendors - BuenoStyle, a Cagey Bee, Abeego, Firefly Notes, Comiditas, Irit Sorokin Designs, Mena Dragonfly, The Rice Babies, Superfly Lullabies, Twig Prints and pomomama design to name a few.

Make sure you drop in and check out the two day season opener! For a full list of participating vendors, please visit their website here.

event: Portobello West

date: Saturday, March 26 and Sunday, March 27, 2011

time: 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

location: 1 Atheletes Way, Vancouver
cost: $2.00 (kids 12 and under are free)

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Blim! Blim! Blim! It's a double whammy Sunday with Blim happening at the Heritage Hall. Make sure to pick up a I heart Japan t-shirt designed by Lee Hutzulak. Shirts are $20 and all proceeds go to the Red Cross' earthquake relief in Japan. Can't make it to the show, but want a shirt? No problem. Visit Blim's etsy store here.

event: Blim Community Market
date: Sunday, March 27, 2011
time: 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
location: Heritage Hall - 3102 Main Street, Vancouver
cost: by donation

For more details, visit their facebook event here.

school's in session!

Having attended a similar session, I am so happy to announce that registration for Schoolhouse Craft has opened! In 2010, the Conference of Creative Entrepreneurs was hosted in Seattle, WA and the Seattle based organizers decided to continue hosting a conference for small business owners and creatives. They branched off and started Schoolhouse Craft to help small business owners and those in the crafty realm to express their creativity, take product photos, sell at brick and mortar shops, legalities of business, the world of craft fairs and more. 

Early bird registration runs until August 31st, so make sure to book your tickets here! 

event: Schoolhouse Craft

date: September 23rd to 25th, 2011

time: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

location: Phinney Neighborhood Center - 6532 Phinney Avenue N, Seattle

For those closer to San Francisco, make sure to check out the Conference of Creative Entrepreneurs West and if you are near Baltimore in October, check out the Summit of Awesome for extreme awesomeness!

inspire :: pentax art

Ever wonder what's inside your camera? Artist Todd McLellan went the distance and dissected old cameras to create some breathtaking pieces of art. See more of his work here.

things to do :: fabric + crafts

** vancouver, bc edition **

Mono is a succession of capsule series and projects which attempt to explore the spaces between art, craft, design and fashion. The work stands for more than just a cycle of endless products and seasons, it is a stand against the complacency within the fashion ideal. Designed in Vancouver by Heather Martin, each item is handcrafted locally and this Friday, they are opening their doors for a fabric sale - $3 to $15/meter!

event: fabric sale
date: Friday, March 18th, 2011
time: 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.
location: 207-339 Railway Street (at Gore Street), Vancouver

For more details, visit their facebook event page here.

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Chapel Arts presents the Sunday Bazaar Community Market the first Sunday of every month and they are currently accepting vendor applications! This is an un-juried market for vendors from all over the city to sell their unique creations. You can download an application here and check out their facebook page for full details. 

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Bloom is taking place this Sunday, March 20th, 2011 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Fort Langley Community Hall. In their words, "Shop Bloom in Fort Langley for unique, handmade goods by more than 40 independent artists, crafters and designers from around the Lower Mainland and beyond." For more information and a full list of vendors, visit their website here.

Cutesypoo Toys - feature #47

Name: Cutesypoo Toys
Website links: Cutesypoo Toys | Blog

What do you make?
My husband and I make cartoons for a living and formed this company out of our love of toys. I just wanted to recreate the kind of toys that inspire kids, instead of the toys you just get from the toy store that are made in china, why not make one of a kind of toys that kids really fall in love with? Plus we always wanted to make our cartoons come to life and animating them is ok..but when a kid can hold and touch and hug a toy...then that is really something!! Most of the toys we make are custom printed with ecofriendly inks such as the cone gnomes, but recently we are making embroidered toys with our new embroidery machine such as our cutesypoo pillows and plush kitties. Of course, we always try to make out toys ultra cute!!

What or who inspires you?
Kawaii culture like Hello Kitty, I worked on the Pucca tv show and that was an influence, japanese zakka style magazines, friends, flickr..food! I think of food when i make toys ..like the colours i will ask myself ...does it look yummy enough to eat??



How did you get started?
I have been to japan twice and after i got back from the first trip there i started to try to sew my own toy bunny from a japanese felt book and when i did i was hooked! Funny thing is I tried hard not to create my own stuff because i am so creative at work I wanted to do a "mindless thing " while i relaxed in front of the tv at night ..but eventually I couldn't help myself when i started to draw something in my sketchbook i just HAD to make it!! The first thing i made was a plush coconut bun and i still have it.

What are your favourite materials to work with?
Cotton canvas, vintage scraps of fabric because it looks good and fleece and minky because it is easy to sew.

What is the hardest and your most favourite part of crafting?
Easy! My favourite is drawing up the ideas and also the satifaction of a completed project and my hardest is the whole part between that!!



List 5 of your favourite links and why you like them

My Daily 5 ( Crafting and non crafting in no particular order )

Flickr: Endless inspiration and wonderful comments help me stay in touch with the DIY community.

The Clothes Horse: I love fashion so much and she has the best style and things to say in general a really nice blog to follow.

Patchwork Pottery: A very talented friend i met through Flickr! She lives really close by as well so we like to craft and have tea when we can!

Must have cute: The lastest dose of Kawaii and cute.

My Paper Crane: She is the queen of plush food..nuff said!



Do you have any advice for those in the biz?
I know everyone says this but it's true! Stay true to what you are and what you want to create but also be realistic with your products and see what sells and do research by doing craft shows to see what people think of your stuff. In other words..don't just ask family and friends...



Do you consider yourself an artist or a crafter?
Artist...
I went through art training my whole life, this is probably a phase ...who knows? i could easily drop it all tomorrow and make comics ;D

(photo images courtesy of Cutesypoo Toys)

If you are interested in being featured, please send us an email at info(at)gotcraft(dot)com.

Check out our past features...
Locomotive Clothing - feature #46
Hand & Shadow - feature #45
Kove Handmade - feature #44
Sam Bradd - feature #43
Katrinshine - feature #42
Penelope Brown - feature #41
Laura Bucci Handmade - feature #40
Track and Field Designs - feature #39
Irit Sorokin Designs - feature #38
Clockwork Fantastica - feature #37
Divesin - feature #36
Flight Path Designs - feature #35
Plantscapes - feature #34
Olive - feature #33
Uncle Phil / Flipside - feature #32
Kim Werker - feature #31
Haiiku - feature #30
Smidgebox Designs - feature #29
heyday design - feature #28
Smeeta - feature #27
ACageyBee - feature #26
Maked - feature #25
Firefly Notes - feature #24
Florence Ann - feature #23
Him Creations - feature #22
Jenny Hart - feature #21
district thirty - feature #20
tinywarbler designs - feature #19
telly designs - feature #18
Cabin + Cub - feature #17
Rachel Hobson - feature #16
Green Couch Designs - feature #15
Tanis Alexis - feature #14
Sweetie Pie Press - feature #13
Fibre Manipulator - feature #12
Sam Made - feature #11
All Things Paper - feature #10
Owl + Pussycat - feature #9
Bliss in a teacup - feature #8
It's Your Life - feature #7
Faythe Levine - feature #6
Coco Cake Cupcakes - feature #5
pomomama design - feature #4
GroovyGlassGirl - feature #3
Bueno Style - feature #2
The Beautiful Project - feature #1