The Crafty Tea Break

A Vlog test

2010-10-16T11:42:00.002+01:00

Knit Vlog Test from TomatoTea (Katrina) on Vimeo.

Decided to try out Vloging. I kind of like it.

Don't worry, there's no talking in this video. Just super fast knitting.
Time lapse is certainly one of my favourite film techniques, showing an event that takes a lot of time in just a few minutes.
Planning on doing this for as many crafty projects as possible, hoping that it will keep me inspired and let me see how far I have come with projects and finish them!

Its been a while, but heres something I made earlier....

2010-07-02T13:10:00.013+01:00

Hi.

Remember me?

Too much has been going on, so i'll just jump right back into blogging.

Starting with a little make.

Today, I needed to make some shortbread and chocolate chip cookies for my Niece's birthday party this Sunday. Unfortunately the main ingredient for the cookies was missing - chocolate chips! Now for some reason, I was under the impression these would be easy to find and reasonably priced at my local supermarket.

Nope. £1.49 for 100g. Or am I behind on the times when it comes to pricing?

Anyway, I put the price down to the packaging because although it wasn't fancy, the chocolate chips were in quite a sturdy little container. Not just loose in a bag which is what I normally plump for.

But having baked the cookies and tidyed up, I thought the little tube would make a nice container instead of just chucking it in the recycling. Being the crafty, hording type, I LOVE any form of storage. So I decided to pretty it up, and this is what I did:

What you need:

Container to cover
Fabric or paper you wish to cover your container with
PVA Glue
Brush
Scissors
Fabric Pen or Pencil
Ruler
String or Tape Measure

1. First of all, you need to find out the circumference of your container. This is where the string (or yarn in my case. Being a knitter there's loads of this lying around) comes in handy. Of course, if you have a tape measure, you could just use that. Wrap it loosely around your container and have it overlap by say half an inch and cut.

2. Measure your bit of string and take note of the measurement.

3. Next, measure the height of your container.

4. Using these measurements, mark out on your fabric or paper the circumference measurement and height measurement to make a rectangle. I used a fading fabric pen here.

5. Cut this out as neatly and precisely as you can. Probably easier to do with paper as fabric has a mind of its own. Or it does when I cut it.

6. Apply PVA Glue to your tube, taking note to apply liberally around the top and bottom edges and where your overlap will be.

7. Apply your fabric or paper to your container, adjusting it so it covers all of the tube.

And there you have it. A nice little tube to pop in anything you like. You could even decorate the lid by drawing around the base and cutting out some pretty paper or fabric to fit into the top.

Pretty simple, but simply pretty. And useful too.

WIP Wed Thurs Friday

2010-03-26T18:08:00.006Z

Neckerchiefs!

I love 'em.

Here are the finished ones from the last WIP blog posts. These will go on to OOAK tomorrow morning.

Heres another in progress knit up in Noro Silk Garden. Yum!

Old paper has been torn up to be made into another recycled journal and buttons have been sewn onto hair snaps for myself.

In other news, OOAK are looking to interview UK crafters for their blog so do get in contact if you fancy a bit of free exposure.

WIP Wednesday

2010-03-17T09:58:00.008Z

Seeing as I have a huge collection of buttons, i thought it best to use them for something! Although not entirely original, I've been making button hair slides which is actually quite addictive and good fun.

I was given a spark of inspiration from a friend of mine. She sewed buttons on to canvases in the shape of a heart in her friends favourite colours. Being a button maniac, i thought, why not cover a whole canvas in buttons?

I've been making neckerchiefs ready for this winter. I've got so much hand dyed yarn laying around, I thought i'd knit up a ball to see what it looks like. This yarn is called Hot Treacle :D

In other news, i've been beavering away working on www.ooakhandmade.co.uk with a friend of mine. Its a small collective of UK artisans selling their work in one place. It opens up for business this Saturday, so if you have time, i'd really appreciate you guys having look and giving any feedback!

Holy smokes! She posted something!

2010-03-10T12:51:00.003Z

Well, its been a while, hasn’t it?

Apologies to everyone who follows and reads this blog. I am still making and in fact blogging, but have neglected The Crafty Tea Break for far too long.

Usually, this is where i’d type about what i’ve been doing and why I haven’t been blogging.

But i’m not going to do that.

Instead, i’m just going to post pictures and get right back to it!

Ps - Happy Belated 2010!

Etsy Treasury

2009-11-20T11:13:00.004Z

Just popping in to post about a treasury I've been included in! Its always amazing to be featured amongst talented crafters. I always feel out of place when included in such things and this feature is particularly beautiful!

Art on Coriandr

2009-11-05T10:00:00.002Z

Art is an inspiring thing. It can spark your imagination, revive memories, evoke emotions and more. Here are a few pieces found on Coriandr.

Andrewsarchus - Urbanimal

Matryoska - Tiny Pretty Things

Woodland Feast - Sweetart

Owl in a teacup - Sparklehen

Autumn Thistle 2008 - Theshyone

Autumn on Coriandr

2009-10-29T10:00:00.000Z

After a hiatus, Coriandr features are back! Autumn is well and truly here now in the northern hemisphere and Coriandr is full of handmade items that are not only inspired by this season, but represent its beautiful colours too.

Orange Crush Button Charm Bracelet - MrsGibson

A perfect bracelet for button and autumn fans alike.

Bronze Oak Fallen Leaf Brooch - Mrs Toad Designs

As the owner of a custom made brooch from Katherine, I definitely recommend this one. Its a stunning piece of art that you can wear.

Handmade Notebook - Creativesque

A note book is an essential item for anyone, so why not fill this one with its 100% recycled pages full of ideas, pictures and sketches to inspire you?

Carnelian Silver Cuff Bracelet - alibalijewellery

This stunning bracelet looks good enough to eat, as the carnelian stones remind me of toffee!

Cute Red Felted Tub - Snowdrops And Daisies

This felted crocheted tub is perfect for keeping small, important items safe. The deep red makes a beautiful bold statement.

A Yarnie Offer!

2009-10-22T08:11:00.007+01:00

After some brainstorming and some advice from the ever wonderful Lottie, I've come up with an offer that knitters and crocheters will love.

Or at least I hope so!

I've decided to reward loyal customers who buy yarn (hand spun or hand dyed - no samplers i'm afraid!) from TomatoTea with a 10% discount on their next yarn, if they take a picture of the finished project they have made with their previous purchase and allow me to blog their efforts!

So not only do you have an incentive to finish your projects with TomatoTea yarn to get a discount off of your next yarn, you get some exposure too!

So how does this work? Well, if you have already bought some yarn from me, all you need to do is send me a nice, clear picture of your finished item that you have made with the yarn and allow me permission to blog about it. Then next time you buy some yarn, either on Coriandr or Etsy, just pop the name of the yarn you used for your project in the 'message to seller' box. I'll cross check this and you'll be refunded 10% off of your yarn purchase through PayPal after full payment is received. (or i'll adjust the amount owed if paying by cheque).

For example, Lottie purchased 'Violent Violet' from Coriandr and has kindly sent in some pictures of her project and allow me to blog about them in an earlier post.

Now when she goes to order another skein, all she has to do is enter 'Violent Violet' in the 'Message to Seller' box on either Coriandr or Etsy to get a 10% refund through PayPal. If she sends me another picture of what she makes with the new yarn, she can do this again, quoting the new yarn she bought.

Please note that this is a 'yarn for yarn' offer, by which I mean, if you have bought one yarn and followed the directions above, you'll get 10% off of another single yarn. If you have bought two and sent a picture of each yarn in its finished state, you get 10% off of your next two yarns, and so on. This offer applies to all yarn available in my shops, hand dyed or hand spun with the exception of samplers. Be sure to use the same user name each time you purchase, otherwise I may not be able to match up what you have bought!

As for yarn sent as a gift to someone else, if the buyer wishes to get a discount, just be sure to get a picture from the recipient and permission for me to blog about their finished project.
If the recipient of the gifted yarn wishes to get a discount, they must ask the person who bought it for them to contact me, quote the yarn bought and the recipients user name for either Etsy or Coriandr. The recipient still needs to send me a picture of the finished project and again give me permission to blog about it!
Please note, the buyer and the recipient can not both receive a discount. Priority goes to the buyer first, so be sure to ask them if its okay!

I hope I haven't made this too confusing! Any questions feel free to ask!

Poll: Which Picture Makes The Best Listing Image?

2009-10-12T09:39:00.004+01:00

I'm in need of your assistance everyone!

I can't decide which picture to use as the main listing image when listing my yarns on Etsy and Coriandr. It's hard to decide which is more likely to draw a potential customer in to have a closer look. I tend to photograph all my yarns in 5 set ways but choosing one as the main image is difficult! Any comments are appreciated too :) Thanks for voting!

1. End of Skein 2. Whole Skein 3. Perspective Skein 4. Loose Skein 5. Yarn Cake
Created with fd's Flickr Toys

Violent Spinach

2009-10-04T19:35:00.006+01:00

A while ago, I sold my very first hand spun yarns, two of which went to the lovely Lottie. She has very kindly sent pictures through of what she has created with the yarns and has allowed me to show everyone what TomatoTea hand spun looks like when knit up. Its a silly thing to say, but i felt so proud when she showed me!

Lottie bought Violent Violet and made a cabled panel for a blanket project.

At the time, she was slightly disappointed that someone had beaten her to Super Spinach, another hand spun skein she was interested in.

Ironically, the other buyer was her good friend Frantasm who had actually bought the yarn for Lottie as a late birthday gift!

Lottie has knit the yarn in a lovely simple garter stitch square, which i think really shows off Super Spinach quite nicely.

Lottie has been brilliant and I hope to provide her with more hand spun in the future! Please check out Lotties Coriandr Shop for awesome recycled, knitted and woven goodness.

...and breathe....

2009-10-02T07:59:00.007+01:00

Phew.

As much as I love having a proper job again, it sure does eat away lots of time! Its been way to long since I last posted an update for TomatoTea. So here's a run down of whats been happening.

First of all, we had an amazing week down in Cornwall at the beginning of September. The weather behaved and we had some wonderful days out.

Secondly, as mentioned I have been working my socks off in the bookshop. I've been put in charge of the Arts section - which includes crafts! I'm hoping to stock that section to breaking point in time for Christmas and get more people crafting!

And finally, i've still found pieces of time to make! I took some knitting to Cornwall and made a colourful array of neck warmers, ready for autumn and winter. I love this design as it can be worn by guys or gals and its toasty warm but not bulky like a scarf. It keeps the wind out of the opening in your winter jackets!

I've also been carding, spinning and dyeing so look out for some new additions to Coriandr and Etsy.

Yes, thats right, i've reopened my Etsy shop in time for Autumn and Winter. I'm still keen on Coriandr, in that it will always be my first 'port of call', however I promised myself last year that I would make a real go of the colder period in 2009 and I'm hoping Etsy will help me do that :)

Thats it from me for now, i'll post some pictures of crafty progress during the week! Have a great weekend!

Getting Away For A Week

2009-09-05T09:23:00.004+01:00

Phew! It's been a busy one this week as I finally got back into work and did ~~some~~ lots of overtime Monday to Friday. I forgot how much it takes out of you.

But we're now off for a week to Watergate Bay, Cornwall for a much needed getaway. More so for my partner than me! He hasn't been away for at least a couple of years and this will do him lots of good :)

So first of all, no giveaway this month. I'll do a double whammy in December instead!

Secondly, no Coriandr features this Thursday the 10th.

And thirdly, of course any orders you place at my shop will not be posted until I return which will be Sunday the 13th!

I'll be back with lots of pictures and hopefully some tales to tell. Have a great week everyone!

Bath Time on Coriandr

2009-09-03T10:00:00.009+01:00

This week I was looking out for soapy items on Coriandr. Now, there are people out there who like getting soaps for Christmas, but I have to say I'm not one of them. I'd rather they just stuck with a card and not worried as commercially made soaps always make my skin feel horrid after using them. However, handmade soaps are a different story. I find these are a lot kinder to your skin, especially if they are made from the right ingredients! So here's what I found over on Coriandr:

Black Raspberry Vanilla Natural Soap - Saffronbarr

This soap looks good enough to eat. I bet it smells fantastic too.

Natural Handmade Goat's Milk Soap - Everything4Bathtime

A soap made from Goats milk which is extra mosturising with a scent of sweet oranges. Sounds wonderful!

Honey Almond & Lavender Handmade Soap - Indie Cafe Lounge

Another soap that looks good enough to eat! This one has a scent of Almond and Lavender.

Brown and Yellow Flower Soap Dish - Pennydog

This dish is the perfect place to keep your soap. Made in resin with a lovely piece of retro fabric embedded inside.

Natural Oak Impressed Ceramic Dish - CharlotteCeramics

And this soap dish has been impressed with a piece of bark for texture, which has then been highlighted using different glazes. Truly stunning!

KUBE

2009-09-02T08:00:00.005+01:00

Just a quick post before I pop off to work to show you guys Nicole and I's afternoon at the KUBE gallery in Poole last Saturday.

I was pleasantly surprised at filling up this table! Its nearly 2 meters long! Nicole came to the rescue though, and let me use some of her table space :)

Nicole's comic frames and mirrors look fantastic! They are mini works of art in their own right.

Trades are Fantastic!

2009-08-29T07:08:00.009+01:00

Last week, I blogged about my mishaps with Andean plying and showed you a picture of the lost fibres which I didn't know what to do with.

Well I'm really pleased to say they have been sent to Catherine, who will be making good use of the stuff :)

Of course, Catherine being the wonderful and lovely gal that she is, didn't want to receive them with out giving something in return. I felt extremely jammy in asking her for a custom brooch, but my goodness she did it!

Its so so cute and awesome! It arrived all packaged up nice and safely, in a neat little star bag. This is one lady who knows how to present and package her goods!

So, I can say with the upmost confidence that if you would like a custom brooch from Mrs Toad Designs, do it. You will not be disappointed!

And as a quick note, i'll be in Poole this morning at the KUBE gallery selling my wares! If you're in the area between 11am and 2pm, do pop by and say hi!

In the Garden with Coriandr

2009-08-27T10:00:00.008+01:00

As the last weeks of the Summer are upon us and Autumn begins to draw near, I thought I'd make this weeks theme be set around the garden.

Delicate Fuchsia Giclee Print - AlexandraAshby

I love Fuchsias. We have a few of these in our garden and I think Alexandra has captured this one beautifully. The other thing I love about Fuchsias is that they attract...

Amigurumi Bee - RainbowGrrrl

...these little guys! This sweet Amigurumi Bee has been hand crocheted by RainbowGrrrl and can be modified in to a key chain if you wish.

Mustard - Collaged Brooch - Zoeest

I love Zoe's brooches. They are such a unique design and its a really clever and stunning use of collage.

Butterfly Buttons - RedRobinDesigns

I have bought some of Robin's buttons and I can tell you, they are beautiful! This set of three would finish off a knitted garment or they could be used for scrap booking.

Whopper Giant Slug - LullabyLily

Who would have thought a slug could look so adorable and cute? This giant slug would love a friend to look after her.

Can't Find The Yarn? Dye Your Own!

2009-08-25T20:49:00.004+01:00

Or more correctly, if you can't find the right yarn in your stash, dye some of your stock instead.

Recently inspired by Monty Knits who reminded me of the awesomeness of Double Knitting, I wanted to attempt to make my own scarf design and I wanted some grey or cream yarn and some blue, plus they needed to be long enough to make a scarf. However most of my stash consists of one ball of this and one ball of that or a packet of that colour but not of another... etc.

Anyway, in the end I remembered I stocked up on some undyed Blue Faced Leicester which fit the bill with one colour and so I dyed another ball in the blue I was after.... I may start doing this more often. Its definitely cheaper and this BFL feels really lovely too. So look out for future photos of that project!

In spinning news, Three more skeins up for grabs in the shape of two full skeins and one sampler, spun up from the dyed fibre I posted a few days ago. Still working through that stash!

"Garden Zest" - English 56's Wool

"Peaches and Cream" - British Massam Wool

"Peaches and Cream Sampler" - British Massam Wool

These will be up on Coriandr in the next few days!

A Tale of Andean Plying...

2009-08-22T10:45:00.002+01:00

It sounds really sad, but i have only just got over this:

This is some plying that went horribly, horribly wrong about 2 weeks ago. I've tried this technique of Andean plying before and although it was a little tricky, I did manage with tangles and things and made Violent Violet. I tried to be clever and made a makeshift Andean plying tool similar to this by using a book and a lolly stick. It's fine when its on the book, all tensioned nicely but when you slip it onto your wrist, all that tension disappears and so tangles and snarls appear.
Lesson learnt. Don't do it. Its more hassle than spinning two singles. And, the worst part of it is I hand carded all of the fibre. Merino, Soya bean and Angelina. And wasted it. Not only that, it seriously killed my crafting mojo for a few weeks. I was afraid of bodging something up again.

However there is a small happy ending to this story.

I did manage to ply 25 meters of it. Its available in my shop as a sampler.

I also bit the bullet and got back into spinning a couple of days ago.

I'm so glad I did. This has to be the BEST yarn I have spun yet. It is super squooshy and soft and pretty damn even too. 133 meters of worsted yumminess. Its up for grabs in my shop along with a 13m sampler.

Dyeing Spree

2009-08-21T09:00:00.003+01:00

Just a quick post to show the fruits of my labor Wednesday morning. The red/orange fibres are Massam tops, the rest are English Superwash tops - i'll be testing the super wash element after they've been spun up!

At the Beach with Coriandr

2009-08-20T10:00:00.002+01:00

Its the summer holidays and the sun seems to have come out to play, so a summery beach five from Coriandr this week seemed appropriate!

Beach Huts Card - Charlotte Macey

This simple card has been hand drawn and painted - meaning each one is unique and a piece of art in it's own right.

Scented Sailboat - Leilalou

A sweet plush sail boat filled with lavender and rose for a refreshing scent.

Kids Crab Organic Tee - WEEclothing

An organic cotton t-shirt for your littluns with a felt crab sticthed on to the front.

Vanilla Ice Cream Cone Brooch - Mrs Toad Designs

This brooch is a cool feast for the eyes! Made with felt and with stitched details, will add interest to any bag, scarf or jacket!

Crest the Wave Whale - LullabyLily
What adventures would you take this little chap on? He can't wait to explore the world!

And The Winner Of The August Giveaway Is...

2009-08-16T16:52:00.003+01:00

...the author of comment number 7, Pickled Weasel! I'll contact you shortly for your address!

For those who weren't as lucky this time, don't worry! There's still more skeins to give away, so check back again in September for the next one :) Thanks for taking part!

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle on Coriandr

2009-08-13T10:00:00.009+01:00

This weeks five from Coriandr all have an eco theme as we are all trying to "make do and mend" or perhaps reuse old items to make them into something new so they can be loved again.

Gift Tags Made From Recycled Maps - milomade

Old, outdated road atlases become awesome looking, unique gift tags! A wonderful example of reusing and they can still be recycled after use too.

Recycled Denim Teddy - Ling Designs

These sweet bears have be made from unused denim in light and dark shades. Each one is stiched by had and they they all have such a lovely character.

Spiderman Comicbook Photoframe - Hearts and Skulls

Not only is the comic thats been used to decorate the frame recycled, but the so is the frame itself! Great gift for a bloke, especially those that like comics and Spiderman!

Inma - Katcha

A stylish bag made from old inner tubes and a car seat belt. Definitely a conversation piece!

Vintage Floral Hand Screenprinted Cards - LMoon

These beautifully detailed floral cards have been hand screen printed on to recycled card. One day I hope that all paper and card will be from recycled sources!

Sold

2009-08-09T15:24:00.003+01:00

Not only have I just sold my first hand spun but my second and third too! *Michael McIntrye style "Woo Hoooooo!"* Please excuse my boasting :(

I honestly never thought this day would come. I really hope the recipients like their yarn and I hope that they will share what they create so I can show you guys too!

Time for Tea on Coriandr

2009-08-06T10:34:00.011+01:00

In the hope of raising the profile of Coriandr and having enjoyed my time on the Coriandr Express featuring the beautiful work of other sellers, I've jumped on the 'Blog Feature' bandwagon. I'll be doing this every week by searching through the Coriandr listings to find five items related to my keyword for the day.

As a lover of Tea and yes, with it being part of my shop name, I thought it would be an appropriate place to start!

Daffodil Tea Cosy - Purls of Wizzdom

A lovely, bright tea cosy for your teapot. This will certainly be a big boost in the Winter months, reminding you what Spring has to offer.

Cup of Tea Kawaii Plush Pin - Cute Designs

Show your love of tea with this adorable little tea cup brooch!

Teapot Charm Necklace - Kitty Ballistic

A lovely simple, elegant necklace which will surely show your pride as a tea drinker.

London Tealight Candle - Flurogoddess

This could be one of the longest lasting cups of tea! Available with a variety of scents including or course, white tea.

Fairy Cake Bunting - Nickynackynoo

If you're having a tea party, don't forget the cakes! This bunting would make a lovely decoration for such a party, or a child's room.

August Giveaway

2009-08-01T10:15:00.001+01:00

Its the first of the month again, so you know what that means!

More hand dyed yarn is up for grabs and this months yarn has been naturally dyed... with stinging nettles! This particular skein was used to exhaust the stinging nettle dye bath and it came up in this very subtle pale yellow and brown combo, reminds me of a milky caramel colour. The much brighter yellow will be up for grabs in a future giveaway :D

Anyhoo, as usual, there is approximately 72 meters of this 50% wool, 50% nylon blend yarn and all you have to do to be in with a chance of winning is to comment on this post. Be sure to comment before Friday 14th August, and as usual, please only comment once! I'll use the random number generator on Random.org to determine the winner on the 15th.

What could you do with this yarn? Well, you could make a hat or a scarfette, a purse, a brooch or use it within another project. There is so much you can do with one skein! Last months winner, Kelly made this cute kids gnome hat with hers. What would you make?

TomatoTea Website

2009-07-29T12:17:00.002+01:00

Just a quick post to let you know the site (TomatoTea.net) will be down for the day. I've had to do some juggling with accounts through Mr Site and I am as yet unable to connect through FTP. Hopefully this is just some database issue that just needs 'refreshing' so I can access it later.

Hopefully it should be back up tomorrow morning, 12pm at the latest!

End of the Line: Part 2

2009-07-25T10:00:00.002+01:00

I would like to say a HUGE thank you to all the sellers on the Coriandr Express! You have all done a fantastic job and I would like to think I have made a few new friends on this journey! Here are the second half of the sellers on the Express:

Snapdragon Beads
Alices' beadwork amazes me. The colour combinations she chooses are wonderful and i love how she utilises each circle of beads in to different types of jewellery.

FruteJuce
Alison has an array of crafty skills which are present in her shop! My favourites however are the free motion machine embroidered baby and kids clothes.

CeeGeeJewellery
The jewellery at CeeGee is beautiful and made using only the highest quality findings and beads. Mostly one off designs, you can be sure of finding something unique!

Lej Jewellery
Not only does Joanne make lovely, affordable jewellery, she also makes handmade gifts such as bookmarks, sun catchers and cuff links.

Lottie Lodge
We should all take a page out of Lotties' book! Her stationery sets are made from out of date and otherwise useless annuals, exam papers and books. Recycling and reusing is the main theme in Lotties' shop but you will also find hand knitting and crochet too!

Tiny Pretty Things
Molly is one heck of and illustrator and artist! She makes beautiful one of a kind mini works of art on packaging card, making them eco friendly too!

Sweet Treat
Debbie specialises in making new pieces of jewellery from vintage beads and components. Old becomes new in this shop!

Heart and Soil Baskets
This is the shop that made me join Coriandr! Hen has an amazing talent and skill which is unfortunately becoming sparse here in the UK. I'm saving up for a Bread Basket to display my yarns in!

Ruby Spirit Designs
I've said it before and i'll say it again, I have no idea what it is about this shop, but it draws you in to have a closer look at all the awesome jewellery which are one of a kind.
10% off all items until the end of July!!

TomatoTea
And then there's me. You know what I do: hand knit, crochet, dye and spin yarn :)
10% off all yarn until the end of July!!

End of the Line: Part 1

2009-07-24T10:00:00.005+01:00

What a super 10 weeks it has been! The Coriandr Express riders are now promoting the last VIP (No prizes for guessing who that is ;)) and so I thought I would use my days to promote them back. Here are the first 10 from the Express:

Dig The Earth
Kev's shop is chock full of lovely, bold and colourful cards, each printed locally on recycled card and packed in biodegradable packaging too. Don't forget to check out his hand drawn mirrors!

Blue Fish Handmade
Izabela's shop is full of her own crocheted designs. They are so delicate and beautiful. Just what every lady needs!

Handmaid
Julie prints her own fabric and uses her own designs to make them into beautiful accessories.

Kitty Ballistic
I adore Helen's felt creations. Not only do they look amazing but she brings each one to life in her descriptions. Helen also makes wonderful jewellery!

Pirate Pixie Crew
Arrrgh me hearties! Buy a hat from Lynne and sign yourself up to join the Pirate Pixie Crew! Each of Lynne's accessories are either Crocheted or Knit by hand and are available for kids and adults alike!

Creativesque
Stacey-Ann makes super jazzy stationery ranging from gift tags to mini envelopes and also creates mini works of art using watercolours!

Nic's Knots
Nic's shop is a haven for those who can never have too many bags. From diddy bags for the kids, to knitting project bags and pouches, there's lots of choice and if you fancy something in a different fabric, Nic will happily accept custom orders!

Mrs Toad Designs
Catherine is a master at making pretty little brooches out of felt. She also designs and makes beaded jewellery!

Chaotic Fusions
Debbie makes the most amazing dichroic glass pendants. She makes them all in her own studio with her trusty kiln.

Myfuroshiki
Mich and Olivas' shop brings you Furoshiki, the eco friendly way to wrap your gifts! No scissors, no tape just folding and knotting! These fabric squares can also be made in to an array of different bags!

July Giveaway: Follow Up

2009-07-23T10:00:00.001+01:00

I have another exciting giveaway project to show everyone! July's winner, Kelly knit up this super cute Gnomey Hat, from Hello Yarn.

What would you do with next months yarn if you won? :D

Coriandr Express: Ruby Spirit Designs

2009-07-21T10:00:00.004+01:00

This is the penultimate VIP on the Coriandr Express! Can you believe it? Todays VIP is that of Ruby Spirit Designs. Vintage beads and components become newly loved modern pieces of jewellery!

There's something about Tracy's shop that just draws you in. Be it the fantastic photography, the colours, the components or the complete items themselves, you really can't help but look a little closer...

My favourite items in the shop are these pins. As shown, they come in an array of different colours and, as with all items in Tracy's shop, are one of a kind. These will brighten up any outfit, bag, scarf or hat.

This delicate bracelet would be a great addition to a summer outfit. The turquoise and scarlet colours work so well together, emphasising and bouncing off of each other. This is a clasp-less bracelet, which is genius as some can be darn fiddly.

This bracelet is AMAZING. The colours are simply beautiful and the title, "Summer Pudding" is very fitting! Look at all the beads and charms! Its jam packed with loveliness and you can be sure of owning a unique piece, as Tracy makes each one slightly different so they all have their own appeal.

To find out more about Ruby Spirit Designs, take a look at the Coriandr Express Blog for an interview with the lady herself! You can also check out Tracy's blog and twitter for instant updates!

Coriandr Express: Sweet Treat

2009-07-19T12:00:00.002+01:00

Its another small trip back in time to see the start of this weeks Coriandr Express VIP, Sweet Treat!

Sweet Treat is a Coriandr Shop owned by Debbie who loves to create jewellery using the vintage beads and findings she collects as well as using new components too. With this in mind you can be sure that using vintage beads makes each piece from Debbie unique and one of a kind. Debbie has a blog and a twitter account, so you can keep right up to date with whats happening with Sweet Treat!

Here are my favourite picks from her Coriandr shop:

Coriandr Express: Tiny Pretty Things

2009-07-18T11:32:00.008+01:00

Today, we'll be going back in time to last weeks Coriandr Express VIP, Tiny Pretty Things.

As the shop name suggests, this shop is full of tiny pretty works of art by Molly McCausland. Her illustrations have so much character packed into a tiny space.

The mini works of art in particular are eco friendly, as they are drawn on to recycled and reclaimed packaging card. This card gives them a wonderful texture and the coloured pencils Molly uses stand out well against the grey card.

There are a couple of gouache paintings that are in this shop too. I really like the paired sets. "From The Sky" and "From The Sea" fill my imagination with stories about the two octopi, their possible creation and how they rule the sea and the sky. I am seriously tempted to by the set for my Nephew and new Niece for their room.

The other pair of paintings also takes me back to my childhood roots. These are super bright and colourful and the birdies are happily singing their songs.

Molly has a blog whcih she updates from time to time with new illustrations which really inspire the imagination! She also has a DeviantArt page with a gallery full of her illustrations and art!

Coriandr Express: Heart and Soil Baskets

2009-07-16T22:05:00.009+01:00

Yikes, i've been on a bit of a hiatus from the online world and missed out on blogging two riders on the Coriandr Express! Massive apologies to the sellers. Instead of back tracking, i'm starting with our current VIP, Heart and Soil, however blog posts about Tiny Pretty Things and Sweet Treat will be posted in the next few days!

This has to be one of the most unique shops on Coriandr. The craftmanship (or should that be craftladyship?) of these baskets is truly breathtaking.

Each basket is made by hand by Hen using Somerset Willow. This is one of my favourites as it would be wonderful to display hand spun and hand dyed yarns in - especially at shows and craft fairs. Definitely on my list of wants!

The texture on this one is beautiful. It would be hard to resit going foraging with this on your arm! This would suit my Mum as she is always uses a far to small bowl to pick her herbs and salad from her garden.

We all talk about reusing carrier bags for our shopping and such. Why not be unique and show your support for basketry by using this handsome example for your groceries!

To find out more on Hen and her uber basketry skills, read the interview on the Coriandr Express Blog. You can also check out Hens' blog and twitter for WIPs and instant updates!

And The Winner Of The July Giveaway Is...

2009-07-09T16:48:00.001+01:00

...the author of comment number 7, Kelly! I'll be contacting you shortly to obtain your address.

Theres still 10 more skeins up for grabs! Come back at the beginning of August for the next giveaway!

Apologies for my lack of blogging and general presence online. Things should be running more smoothly soon!

Coriandr Express: lottielodge

2009-07-08T10:47:00.007+01:00

Today we are exploring the shop of Lottie Lodge! Knitting and recycling ahoy!

I adore this shop. I am constantly going back and looking at my 3 favourite items. Lottie is very much into recycling and reusing, and boy does she do it well! I think we all need to take a leaf out of Lotties' book :)

Having received some business cards in a swap with Lottie in one of her upcycled envelopes, I immediately fell in love! Currently in my favourites, I am soon hoping to treat myself to some of her upcycled stationery, particularly the 'Dictionary' set as it features some cool vintage images!

Lottie is a wizz at tablet weaving! Look at this beautiful band! As stated in her listing, this would be great as a bag strap or, if you purchased a smaller length a beautiful bookmark. Lottie has recently made a green band and this can be seen on her blog.

So this last favourite is not strictly an item, but it is a knitting pattern i'm very much interested in! Think of all the cool characters you could knit with a base like this! Fantastic :D

Find out more about Lottie over on the Coriandr Express Blog. Keep up to date with her and her projects on her blog and get instant updates on Twitter!

Coriandr Express: Lej Jewellery

2009-07-03T13:29:00.006+01:00

Its been a jewellery filled week on the Coriandr Express!

Jo's shop on coriandr is filled with lovely bracelets, necklaces and earrings. You'd be forgiven for thinking this is all she makes however. Card making and cross stitch are also on her list of skills and projects involving these can been seen on her blog.

Here are 3 of my favorites from Jo's shop, click on any of the pictures for more information on them:

This shell bracelet reminds me of caramel! The natural colours are lovely

"This little piggy went to market, this little piggy stayed at home". Hehe, these are adorable!

Finally, this necklace would be great for a steampunk lover.

Keep up to date with Jo instantly through Twitter and don't forget to check out her blog for WIP's and updates!

July Giveaway

2009-07-01T13:00:00.002+01:00

Its a new month, so its time for another yarn giveaway! Lynne of PiratePixieCrew won the first month, and made this awesome hat to auction off for charity! Keep an eye on the Autonomous Artisans Blog for updates regarding the auction.

This months yarn is in contrast to this crazy hot weather we're having (down here in Dorset, at least!). Blues and purples are the theme this month - what will you make? :D

This particular skein is 1 of 2 I called "Ocean Purple"... no cool story behind this name, its just random! There's over 72 meters of this 50% wool, 50% nylon blend which will knit up nicely on 4.5mm to 5.5 mm needles or alternatively a 5-6mm hook!

All you need to do is comment on this post for a chance to win :) On the 8th July, i'll use the random number generator on Random.org to pick a comment and the author of the comment will win! Huzzah! :D And please, only comment once!

Coriandr Express: CeeGee Jewellery

2009-07-01T11:27:00.009+01:00

Delicate jewellery is where the train has stopped today.

CeeGee Jewellery uses only the highest quality beads, gemstones and findings so you can be assured of a beautiful item that will last. Most of CeeGee's designs are made in limited numbers and there are also some one of a kind pieces to choose from as well.

Each design is so simple, yet elegant. This is my favourite bracelet from the Coriandr shop. These beads are so beautiful, they remind me of shells and creatures beneath the sea. The silver is so delicate next to the beads, a great contrast.

Wouldn't these stunning earrings make the most wonderful Silver Wedding Anniversary present?

I couldn't resist featuring this awesomely cute necklace. This sweet cupcake pendant includes the silver chain, so the recipient can wear it right away!

To celebrate being a VIP on the Coriandr Express, CeeGee Jewellery is offering a very special 10% off of all the items in her Coriandr shop! This offer ends on July 6th, so be sure not to miss out on this opportunity.

Keep up to date with this seller through her blog or opt for quick instant updates through Twitter. If you're on Facebook, why not become a fan?

A round up of the last week...

2009-06-28T20:20:00.000+01:00

Its been a rather hectic week.

The biggest event was leaving the Boscombe Underground. I'd always been indecisive about the whole thing. Yes, it was exciting and great to have a share in the stall and an opportunity to sell my own bits, but it didn't really work out on a few levels. It was a fantastic experience though, would have been perfect if it was just a weekend thing.

Anyway, there's Winchester next week. Now that certainly has crept up fast. I'm not sure if i'm looking forward to it or if i'm apprehensive. I definitely do not feel ready but at least i'll be going with my buddy, Nicole of Hearts and Skulls. Do go over to her blog and say 'Hi' btw! She's new on the blog scene but has been crafting for many years.

So. What have I been up to?

Bargain Hunting! Inspired by Bex, Nicole and I went to a Car Boot last weekend and I snapped up 2 lots of buttons. All these for £3. JOY!

Dyeing! I think this will be my last batch of 'colour experiments' for a while. The past experiments were a bit nuts, but the yarns turned out better than i expected!

Spinning! After a too long a hiatus I spun Shepards Delight, which will be up on Coriandr some time next week. Also, if its still with me it'll be on show, with the rest of my yarns, at Winchester :D

Also spun up some more natural BFL tops. Thick and thin art style.

Next week will involve gearing up for Winchester and waiting on some packages in the post. Oh, and quite possibly melting as we're heading for temperatures of 30˚C in the shade. Joy...

Coriandr Express: FruteJuce

2009-06-27T14:53:00.007+01:00

For a fabulous array of handmade goodies, FruteJuce is sure to quench your thirst!

Alison is the lovely lady behind FruteJuce which is a fantastic shop. There's bound to be something to suit your gift giving needs - or perhaps something to treat yourself with, as there are lots of different items here.

The first items that really catch my eyes are these totally awesome free motion embroidered t-shirts and vests for kids. These scream modern design in my mind as they are simple yet so eye catching. You're sure to have people comment if you kids are wearing these. If you don't have any kids then no worries! Alison will be happy to make up adult sized free motion t-shirts!

Not only is Alison skilled at free motion machine embroidery, she is also adept at hand embroidery. This apple is so detailed. It would look lovely on any fridge or family magnetic notice board.

Finally, i would like to talk about the purses Alison makes. Not only does she make square zipped pouches from funky fabric, but she also makes these adorable Russian Doll coin purses! So sweet, these would be great for girls and ladies alike.

To keep up to date with all things Frute Juce, be sure to follow Alisons Blog. Or for those into micro blogging, follow along on Twitter. For those on Facebook, become a fan!

Coriandr Express: Snapdragon Beads

2009-06-23T08:47:00.005+01:00

The current Coriandr Express VIP is Snapdragon Beads!

I adore this shop. The beautiful macro photography, the colours, the amazing workmanship. Its so easy to be drawn in by the loveliness. Alice makes brooches, hair grips, pendants and earrings out of simple beads, but makes them into extraordinary designs. I think for this blog, i'll let the pictures speak for themselves. Theres nothing i can say to make these pieces more stunning.

If you love Alices work as much as I do then become a fan on Facebook, follow her updates on Twitter and keep up to date with her work on her Blog.

Coriandr Express: myfuroshiki

2009-06-19T08:58:00.009+01:00

For eco-friendly wrapping, look no further than myfuroshiki!

Mich and Olivia's shop is so beautiful. All those wonderful patterned fabrics, there's sure to be something suitable for you to wrap your special gifts in!

Furoshiki are a really simple way of wrapping your gifts. You don't need any scissors or sticky tape. Just a furoshiki square and the ability to knot!

These fabric squares can be used to wrap gifts again and again, meaning less impact on the environment as theres no waste! One of the best things about using furoshiki is that wrapping those difficult odd shapped objects with heaps of paper and sticky tape is a thing of the past. No matter the shape, your gift will look beautiful in one of their beautiful printed fabric squares!

Furoshiki aren't just for wrapping gifts. They also make wonderful bags! Just think, its like having multiple bags in one as you can fold and tie them in different styles to suit your needs!

If you love MyFuroshiki and would like to find out more, check out their blog - loads of tips for using furoshiki, become a fan on Facebook and follow their updates on Twitter!

June Giveaway: Follow Up

2009-06-18T17:53:00.004+01:00

I just wanted to share this awesome hat Lynne made with the yarn she won from this months giveaway:

Lynne wants to sell the hat and donate the money to the Macmillan Fund :)

I'll keep you posted on where this hat will be sold, sounds like it could be in for a bidding war on eBay! Lets hope this raises loads of pennies for Macmillan!!

Coriandr Express: Debbs Elliman

2009-06-17T08:40:00.008+01:00

Debbs Elliman Is the next VIP on the Coriandr express!
Debbs shop is like a treasure trove! There are so many beautiful pieces of glass and jewellery that there'll be something to suit all tastes!

It was quite difficult to pick a favourite piece, but this one for me stands out that little more! Its most likely due to the soft, earthy tones in this piece and the intricate work of wrapping the wire around the leaf. All this at such a great price, too!

I think these glass buttons that Debbs fuses herself in her own studio, would finish off a turquoise or black caplet beautifully.

Glass and Jewellery is not all that Debbs can do! Look at this awesome Owl Tote bag for only £5! She used stamps and fabric paints to create this cute little scene. So sweet and a great gift for the eco-firendly owl-lover in your life :D

Debbs can be found on Twitter and writes on her blog regularly!

Thanks for reading :)

Coriandr Express: Mrs Toad Designs

2009-06-13T08:26:00.001+01:00

Our latest stop on the Express is the work from the very talented, Mrs Toad Designs!

Catherine has an eye for all things cute and sweet! Her shop predominately is based of felt textiles, including pincushions and lovely little brooches.

I love the stitching detail on these cupcake brooches, particularly this one with the starry detail on the casing!

Look at all these felt cakes makes me hungry! But just think, wonderful, yummy cakes with out the calories!

Cupcakes and sweets made of felt aren't the only talent this lady possesses. Se also make wonderful jewellery!

I wish i were the type of person to wear earrings, as i think these are beautiful. The hand beaded centers look like silvery snowflakes or flowers. Really nice and delicate, these would make a lovely gift for that someone special.

Keep up to date with Catherine and 'Mrs Toad Designs', through her blog! :D

Coriandr Express: Nicsknots

2009-06-12T07:55:00.004+01:00

This blog post is over 2 days late, but i just had to write about Nic's wonderful shop!

This shop is a knitters and crocheters dream. Nic makes these wonderful bags for you to keep your projects in.

This design with the sheep fabric is perfect for yarnaholics! The drawstring on these bags is perfect for knitting/crocheting on the go - your yarn wont roll around all over the place or get tangled :)

In addition to project bags, Nic also makes these awesome Needle rolls, great for keeping your needles and hooks all in one tidy, organised place! I really love this 'Love Hearts' fabric, its got a cool retro feel about it!

Another must have for any knitter or crocheter is a notions case. These are ideal for keeping all you accessories in, such as stitch markers, darning needles, a tape measure, stitch holders... the list goes on as every knitter and crocheter knows :D This one will match up nicely with the project bag too - a great gift idea for the knitter or crocheter in your life!

Don't forget the kids! The little girl in your life, whether she be your daughter, granddaughter or niece would love one of these!

To find out more about Nicsknots, be sure to check out her website, or perhaps follow her updates on Twitter. If you are smitten with Nic's bags like me, become a fan on Facebook!

And The Winner Of The June Giveaway Is...

2009-06-08T20:58:00.003+01:00

...the author of comment number 2, Autonomous Artisans! I'll contact you shortly for your address, Lynne!

For those who weren't as lucky this time, don't worry! There's still 11 skeins to give away, so check back again in July for the next one :) Thanks for taking part!

Am I Dreaming?

2009-06-08T18:21:00.003+01:00

Apologies to everyone, particularly those involved with the Coriandr Express for my hiatus the past week or so, its been a very busy week and I am now glad to reveal why.

I was given the chance last Monday to take part in a new alternative market called the "Boscombe Underground". It was really short notice and so i've been busy preparing stock and buying tables, bookcases and what not to display on!

The market started trading on Saturday the 6th June and was officially opened by the Bournemouth Mayor.

I'm sharing a stall with 2 lovely ladies who run Charlie Moo's and Ollie's Closet. I'm sharing my third with a friend of mine and we have started a network for handmade artists in the south called "oOak Tree". We sell under this name at the market and want to help other local handmade artists sell their work at the BU too.

As you can see, my stock for Coriandr is there hence why it is currently empty!! I think i will put the hand spun and hand dyed yarn back online, i honestly can't see people buying it there.

I gave up my cleaning job for this and it's like a dream come true. We've all made sales and i honestly hope that things can only get better for us!

So if you're ever in the Bournemouth area, please come and visit to say 'hi!' - I would love to meet you :)

Coriandr Express: Creativesque

2009-06-06T20:08:00.008+01:00

Todays stop on the Coriandr Express is with Creativesque!

Between looking after her two kiddies, Stacey-Ann is a very talented illustrator. Her work can vary widely and I really like this about her pieces as they are all individual with their own stories to tell.

As well as selling her artwork, Stacey-Ann also produces her illustrations on book marks, gift tags and other useful stationery items - these can be found in her Coriandr Shop!

Although more aimed towards children, I think this car bookmark would be a great Fathers Day gift for a Dad who loves reading but is into motors. Its very whimsical and cute!

Illustration is not the only talent this lovey lady has. She makes good use of paper and in this case, old books to make other nifty stationery items. These mini envelopes from a Robinson Crusoe book would look great in a journal. Or perhaps a treasure hunt for the kids to hide clues in!

There are some really lovely items in Stacey-Ann's shop. Well worth a look!

If you'd like to know more about Stacey-Ann's work, why not check out her website?

Coriandr Express: Pirate Pixie Crew

2009-06-02T07:43:00.000+01:00

Batten down the hatches! The next stop is the Pirate Pixie Crew!

As a knitter and crocheter myself, I love this shop! The reason I got into those crafts is because of people like Lynne making the most awesome hats ever. I love hats. They can show a persons personality through them, particularly the more zany ones :D

Although this particular one is for a child, my favourite hat in the shop is the pixie style ones. Fun and unconventional, you don't see many people wearing this style at all. I must confess that the main reason i like this style is because it reminds me of Link's hats he wears in the "Legend of Zelda" games. But then he is pixie like, so its all very fitting! If you like this hat but would like an adult sized one, just contact Lynne and i'm sure she can cook one up for you!

Did i mention yet that i like hats? This slouchy style is very much the in thing at the moment and i'm pretty sure that the style will continue through this winter too. This particular crochet example would look wonderful on a young lady. The colours would really warm up a cold day.

Hats and other accessories to keep you warm aren't the only items on offer at the Pirate Pixie Crew store. How about this hair tie with dreadlocks so you can have funky hair without the worry of loosing you job? Or for a bit of fun, or maybe a fancy dress party, this polka dot eye patch?

There is a great story behind the 'Pirate Pixie Crew" that will appeal to young and old! When you buy a hat, you get a membership card to certify that you are a part of the crew. Find out more about the captain and crew on the website and the in the Captains log! You can also become a fan of the crew on Facebook!

June Giveaway

2009-06-01T08:01:00.000+01:00

Now that June has arrived I wanted to get some monthly giveaways going! This month will be this totally shocking hand dyed yarn!

The yarn was from a batch which was rescued from being thrown away about a year ago. Using the yarns in that batch I dyed to my hearts content, playing with all kinds of dyes and colours :D I wanted to share this with you guys so i am now going to be giving away one skein a month!

This particular skein is 1 of 2 I called "Pear Drop", as it reminded me of the sweets of the same name! Theres over 72 meters of this 50% wool, 50% nylon blend which will knit up nicely on 4.5mm to 5.5 mm needles or alternatively a 5-6mm hook!

All you need to do is comment on this post for a chance to win :) On the 8th June, i'll use a random number generator to pick a comment and the author of the comment will win! Huzzah! :D And please, only comment once!

Craft 365: Week 6

2009-05-31T15:58:00.003+01:00

Day 36 ~ Day 37 ~ Day 38 ~ Day 39 ~ Day 40 ~ Day 41 ~ Day 42

Created with fd's Flickr Toys.

A week of spinning, pretty much! There is one thing that troubles me and thats how much to charge. I've been "umming" and "ahhhing" between 10 pence, 12 pence and 15 pence a meter, which in fairness seems to be the going rate. But for the longer skeins it seems perhaps a bit high? But after all the work that has gone into them it seems right, these do take a good day to spin up! However, is there anyone willing to pay £20 for 168 meters of 3 ply, hand dyed yarn, especially in these times where people are being so careful with their money?

Coriandr Express: Kitty Ballistic

2009-05-30T09:08:00.006+01:00

The Coriandr Express has arrived again and today i'd like to tell you a little bit about our VIP.

Helen of Kitty Ballistic is a Brit who now lives and works in the beautiful country of Holland. She is a fantastic artisan who loves to create jewellery from beads she finds that either remind her of flowers or sweets! She only uses beads that are fun and bright to look at and this is so clear in her Coriandr Shop.

These earrings are just one of my favourite items in Helen's shop. I think one of the reasons i love them so much the the brilliant macro photo of them. You can clearly see the beautiful green swirls on them and the lovely silver heishi beads that have been used to complete them!

Jewellery is not the only passion Helen has. Meet Christine, the sweet felt aubergine - I wonder if Helen intended for the name to rhyme? Its just so fitting! Once you read the absolutely wonderful description for Christine, you can't help but fall in love with her. It seems odd to say this, but I felt completely drawn in by Christines gaze, even though she is an inanimate object! Thats great photography for you. I'm sure someone will snap up Christine in no time and she'll be whisked away to look lovingly at her new owner!

These felt fortune cookies would make lovely party favours! Helen can even personalise the fortune for you if you'd like them specific to your guests! The would also, as Helen suggests in the description, make a lovely Valentines gift - great for leaving on your Valentines desk or to send in the post to them!

Helen is a wonderful person, very friendly and lots of fun! If you're on Twitter, I would really recommend following her tweets! She shares some really wonderful links. Also, be sure to visit her blog. And if you like her work, why not become a fan on Facebook!

Crafty Twitter Tips

2009-05-28T14:44:00.012+01:00

Twitter is one of the fastest growing and probably one of the most used social networking sites out there today. Although more of a micro blogging tool, it is quite possibly the fastest way to get your message out there to your followers.

For people who make and sell their items online, it is a great tool to let your fans and followers know what is going on for your business. Its a quick and easy way to let them know about promotions, new lines of stock and promoting others users too!

I use twitter whenever i am online and i find it is an extremely useful tool for my small craft business. I just wanted to share with you what I believe works and what doesn't in the world of Tweeting for crafters. There are no hard and fast rules, these are simply guidelines to help you get started!

1) Register a Twitter username that connects to your business. Use it only for your business, try to refrain from Tweeting anything personal. Your family and friends might be interested in what you had for dinner or what music you're listening to, but your customers won't! Setup a seperate personal account for things like that if you wish!

2) Do not Tweet the hard sell. Nobody likes this, unless of course you can make it sound exciting or make it relevant to whats happening today. For example, perhaps it is raining all over the country and you sell handmade umbrellas. Tweeting something light-hearted like:

Ugh, look at this weather! Don't leave home without a brolly! [link]

will more likely get someone to click on your link rather than just Tweeting a link on its own. Do not trick people into clicking on links which are nothing to do with what you Tweeted about either - they will stop following you and possibly even block you.

3) Remember, you only have 140 characters for a Tweet! Use URL shortening sites for links so you can get a nice Tweet in with your link. I personally like bit.ly because not only is it one shortest URL 'shortening' sites, it lets you know how many people have clicked that particular link. If other users have also shortened the same link, you'll get the same short URL, which is nice as you can see the total number of clicks of everyone who has used the URL!

4) When replying to Tweets, remember that anyone who follows the both of you will be able to read it too. So if you want a more private conversation use something more suitable like an Instant Messenger or email. If its just a quick private message use 'd' in front of their user name eg:

d TomatoTea [private-message-here]

will send me a private Tweet that no one else can see.

5) Where possible, Tweet about others. If you love someones work, let your followers know about it. They will be grateful that you aren't always Tweeting about yourself and that you are sharing cool and relevant links.

6) Retweeting is your friend. If someone you follow has Tweeted something interesting that you think your followers would like, Retweet it. The Retweet etiquette goes something along the lines of:

RT @username-who-tweeted-something-interesting [their-tweet]

However, don't over do it. if you are constantly Retweeting and not coming up with your own Tweets, people may think you are either a spam bot or that you're on commission! Retweet your own Tweets if you feel it is appropriate to - no one likes to read the same thing over and over!

7) There is no rule in the world of Twitter that says if someone follows you, you have to follow them back. This goes both ways, so don't follow a bus load of people in the hopes that they'll follow you back - most of the time they won't, and even if they do, they will probably ignore your tweets if they don't like the same things as you. If someone follows you and you see that they have interesting Tweets or have similar interests, then by all means reciprocate. You will find that there are Twitter users out there who will follow you just to get you to follow them back, and if you do they usually then stop following you. Twitter is not a popularity contest - you want your followers to be interested in what you are Tweeting, because they will most likely help you spread the word, more so if you help them. It's a two way street.

8) Expanding on the above, try not to follow too many people. Any more than 100 perhaps 200 and the important Tweets you are interested in will get buried. It might be worth setting up another account for following celebrities or anything not related to your business that you are interested in.

9) Fill out your profile and upload a picture. You only have 160 characters, so it doesn't need to be anything major. Something along the lines of:

I make fimo buttons!

is enough for people to be intrigued. If you have a website, blog, shop any URL that links to more information about you, then stick that in the relevant box too. And the picture doesn't need to be anything fancy, it can be of you or your logo - something relevant! Doing these things is more likely to get you followers than leaving it blank.

10) Finally, use Twitter tools such as TwitterFox or TweetDeck to enhance your Twitter experience! These keep you up to date with Tweets while you're online (and logged into them). They make it easy for you to Tweet, reply, Reweet, and Direct Message your followers/followees! There are plenty of other Twitter tools out there, so find one that suits you.

Well, I do hope this helps you with your crafty Twittering! Remember, this is simply a guide of what i have found works for me on Twitter. Find what works for you and you could be the next big thing!

Coriandr Express: Handmaid

2009-05-27T07:47:00.006+01:00

Our latest stop on the Coriandr Express is that of Julie Mills.

Julie has a huge passion for textiles and studied Fashion Design at Northumbria University. She specialises in print and embroidery and this is clear in her products.

There are a lot of fans of these super cute Bird Scarves, available in Pink and Blue. I really love this print as the birds look like they are kissing! The colours are bright and cheery and the best part about them if they are perfect to wear all year round. Because they are made from silk satin they are light enough to wear on the cooler, windier days of summer but warm enough for those colder months too!

If you like the bird print, which i should add is designed by Julie herself, but want to spend a little less then I would recommend the delicious dinky clasp purses!

Any girl would be very happy to receive one of these as a gift! Fully lined with hand dyed silk satin this would make a wonderful present.

Not only does Julie design and print her own designs of fabrics, she machine and hand knits too!

There is a wonderful selection of purses and scarves over in Julies' Coriandr Shop. Be sure to have a peep and if you like them, be sure to let your friends know about it - this is one designer not to be missed.

Craft 365: Week 5

2009-05-24T21:59:00.006+01:00

Day 29 ~ Day 30 ~ Day 31 ~ Day 32 ~ Day 33 ~ Day 34 ~ Day 35
Created with fd's Flickr Toys.
Not sure what to make of this week. I guess the highlight was the neck warmer and crochet birdie order I got from Etsy - that really took me by surprise! The purple knit purse needs finishing and I think I'll knit up some other colours and see how their fair :)

Listed a few more things on Coriandr and bought some things too! Not just Dig The Earth's cards but some other goodies! Can't wait to show you, I think they are great but for now, I will keep it under wraps :D

The first week of the Coriandr Express seemed like a great success, with Dig The Earth and Bluefish Handmade. Doing this is really opening my eyes to the handmade community out there, it really is fantastic. I'm looking forward to promoting each of the sellers on the train and hoping to make some new friends along the way :D

Coriandr Express: Bluefish Handmade

2009-05-23T10:47:00.007+01:00

Our next VIP on the train is the very talented crocheter, Izabela of Bluefish handmade!

When people think of crochet, it usually conjures up images of loud, bright acrylic granny square blankets thrown over a couch or in a pets bed. However, you will never look at crochet the same again when you see Izabelas work. You can see there is a lot of love going into her work as it is very delicate and intricate. Pastel colours are very prominent in her items and this works so well for what she creates. This is very true of the Flower Corsages she makes, so beautiful and elegant.

On of my favourite items in her shop are these wonderful, lacy gloves:

These would look wondeful, as Izabela suggests, with a wedding outfit or to dress up an evening outfit. Theres something about lace that really makes a girl feel special and graceful.

If you love Bluefish Handmade, become a fan on Facebook :)

Izabela has a special offer on until the 13th of June, exclusive for her Coriandr shop. Check out the Coriandr Express blog to find out more - you won't want to miss out!

Coriandr Express: DigTheEarth Day 3

2009-05-20T13:35:00.007+01:00

Today, i wanted to show you how brilliant Dig The Earth's customer service is.

For a start, i ordered a custom POP! birthday card on Monday morning. I received an email from Kev thanking me for my order and that he would make and send it asap :)

Well, for a custom card to come within a couple of days, i think thats amazing. The packaging is very professional too! All printed nicely with one of his designs on the side :) There was a piece of cardboard in there to make sure the card did not get bent either!

And the card, well see for yourself:

And theres even a thank you note.

Hows that for customer service?

Remember, Kevin's cards are HALF PRICE in his Coriandr shop until the end of May. Do not miss out on this wonderful seller!

Coriandr Express: DigTheEarth Day 2

2009-05-19T12:42:00.008+01:00

In todays post, i want to tell you a little bit more about Dig The Earth.

The great thing about his cards are that there are printed on 100% recycled card. He gets his cards printed locally, thus cutting the carbon miles down, as well as helping his local businesses. The packaging is made from corn starch which is biodegradable, breaking down into just water and Carbon Dioxide.

These cards are very green and at these great prices there really is no reason to buy, especially with his cards being half price in his Coriandr Shop until the end of May! Don't miss out on this offer!

Not only does Kevin sell bright and funky cards, he hand decorates mirrors.

I particularly like this one. Now please note, all these circles have been drawn BY HAND. I have no idea how long this would have taken him - but it is a work of art. I think it would make a fantastic gift coupled with this card:

Tomorrow is the last day VIP day for Dig The Earth, so we want to make it go out with a bang :D Stay tuned for the last installment!

Coriandr Express: DigTheEarth Day 1

2009-05-18T07:31:00.007+01:00

Today is the big day! The train has left and the first VIP is DigTheEarth.

If you need a unique and jazzy card for a Birthday, Anniversary or just something to say "Hi", this is the place to find it!

I personally have my eye on the POP! Birthday card. My Dads 60th is coming up and as a family, its something we want to shout about :D

These cards are really good value too. £2 for a card? You'd pay more than that in normal card shop, especially for lovely cards like his. And only an extra 75p to have a customised one, like the POP! Birthday card! Not only that, but if you buy 3 or 5 cards, he gives a pretty nice discount! There really is no excuse!

AND to really put the icing on the cake, he is offering his cards for HALF PRICE during May in his Coriandr Shop. You really shouldn't pass up this offer :D

Want to find out more about this fantastic seller? Head on over to the Coriandr Express Blog and see what the other train riders are saying! I'll be posting more tomorrow and Wednesday! So stay tuned here as well! :)

Craft 365: Week 4 / Coriandr Express

2009-05-16T08:45:00.003+01:00

Day 22 ~ Day 23 ~ Day 24 ~ Day 25 ~ Day 26 ~ Day 27 ~ Day 28

Created with fd's Flickr Toys.

Another week which started so well and ended badly. Its my own fault for loosing my footing on some stairs at work though :/ I have never felt physically sick due to pain before. Yet this morning i feel fine.

Anyhoo.

I'm getting closer to dedicating myself to Coriandr. I'm slowing moving items from Artfire at the moment, my subscription ends June 6th so that'll be the first to go. The bits n bobs at Etsy and Folksy will take longer to transport - i want to get my listings worth out of them!!

I've joined in with a fantastic idea on Coriandr to help promote sellers (including me :o ) and Coridanr itself. Its called the 'Coriandr Express' and involves about 20 coriandr sellers. Every 3 days (we rest on a Sunday :)) a VIP from the train is picked and the other sellers promote the socks off of them by blogging, tweeting etc about them and what they do. Its such a fantastic idea and is being organised and run by Lynne of the PixiePirateCrew, who also writes for and organises Autonomous Artisans! She already has a blog up and running for the Coriandr Express which will also be used for promoting the VIP as well as Coriandr and with over 20 people promoting it, news, in theory, should travel fast :o. I volunteered to set up a Twitter account to help plug this even more with some micro Blogging!
If all goes well and more people wish to be a part of this, more trains may be set up to accomidate everyone!

So all aboard this Monday as thats when the train leaves and the very first VIP gets some kick ass promotion :D

A really big decision about selling online...

2009-05-14T18:27:00.005+01:00

I have a feeling this may burn a few bridges but all in all I think it will work, because I want it to.

Selling online is tough, you have to promote yourself continuously in order to get your work even seen. There's nothing wrong with that, thats how the handmade world works. However if you have more than one shop to promote, you're not making it easy for yourself.

Currently, I sell on Etsy, Folksy and Artfire.

True, i haven't been promoting much. But i'm really not one to blow my own horn, especially if it means doing it 3 times as much! There are pros and cons to each of these online market places, be it too many products and sellers to really get noticed, a not so modern interface or a new-ish market place. Selling in different currencies seems like a good idea, but im thinking now that its not. I'm sure now that i only want to sell in good ol' £GBP because then there's absolutely no confusion in having to juggle exchange rates. I want to primarily reach fellow Britons, with a clean, smart looking interface. I want to promote UK sellers and i want to promote a UK market place.

One shop. One currency. One lot of promotions.

Coriandr.

I haven't been there that long, and i haven't really explored its potential fully so why would I jump off the deep end head first into the unknown? Because so many sellers love it there. Its creator, Mathew really listens to what the sellers want. The interface is clean, as are the menus and catagories. I've signed up to be apart of the 'Coriandr Express' which is a member run promotional 'tool' which i think is fantastic, not only for the members of Coriandr but Coriandr its self! It is these things that have made me come to this decision. That and a EUROPE shipping option. The ONLY place i know of that has done this.

I don't have time to look after three shops. I don't want myself spread so thin over the internet. I want my items in one awesome place.

So in the coming weeks, expect a complete re-haul of TomatoTea - because i am totally dedicated to Coriandr.

Craft 365: Week 3 / PIF

2009-05-09T09:22:00.009+01:00

Day 15 ~ Day 16 ~ Day 17 ~ Day 18 ~ Day 19 ~ Day 20 ~ Day 21
Created with fd's Flickr Toys.

Its been a slow week craft wise. It started off well with the dyeing but due to my own impatience, it sagged. However, on Friday you can see that something did arrive! I spent the afternoon building it and have had a play on it and I LOVE it. So watch this space for fiber related goodies.

Pay It Forward

The PIF folks have been chosen!! I'll be contacting the following people for their addresses so I can send them their goodies :)

Blackberry Crafts
ScrappinrenCreations
Audrey

Thanks to the people who took part!

I'm thinking of doing more giveaways, perhaps once a month at the beginning of each month, so watch out when June comes along :)

Craft 365: Week 2

2009-05-02T10:51:00.004+01:00

Day 8 ~ Day 9 ~ Day 10 ~ Day 11 ~ Day 12 ~ Day 13 ~ Day 14

Created with fd's Flickr Toys.

Loads of scarfettes (i want to call them "scafLettes" for some reason. Perhaps i'll stick with "neck warmers" in future!) made this week, photographed and ready for listing. Even though its the complete wrong time of the year. Ah well.

The Pay It Forward 'event' is still open for participants til May 7th! Be sure to comment to be included.

Pay It Forward!

2009-04-30T16:56:00.011+01:00

This lovely assortment of goodies came from the wonderful Bex! A super cool purse, a cute button bracelet and a lovely handmade card detailing how each item came to be!

To quote from Bex's Blog:

"For those who don't know, it goes like this - the first three people to leave a comment will receive a hand made gift from me. The only thing you have to do is participate and carry on the gift giving to three more people...as soon as you have left a comment do a "pay it forward post" on your blog and continue the giving."

I'm going to mix things up a little though. Instead of the first three people to comment, i'll pick three people who comment at random with either a random number generator or physically writting names down and picking them out of a hat (commenting more than once doesn't increase your chances :P). Also, please please please continue the PIF chain by posting on your own blog! If you don't get picked, but still want to do a PIF, by all means please do! Share the love :) Closing date for comments entered is next week (7th May 2009)

No idea what will be made, depends on who gets picked i suppose. I'll try to suit the gifts to the people who'll be receiving them :)

New Style Coin Purse

2009-04-27T17:59:00.008+01:00

I say new, in which i mean different to the other style I've sewn. Its been done before many many times, its not my design and i used this tutorial on Flickr as a base. You can see the zip is in the middle and that the same fabric is used through out but it wasn't too difficult to work out what I wanted to do.

The grey one was my first try. Its wonky, it has untidy edges. and turned out a little smaller than i anticipated! But all in all it worked out great and the blue one is the proof of the pudding. A lot neater and tidier, inside and out - no raw edges showing. And bigger, even though i used the same amount of fabric. Not sure how that happened. Practice i suppose!

Anyways, like i said, not new by any means and they are quicker to whip up than the other style I have done. What do you think?

Craft 365: Week 1

2009-04-24T21:00:00.007+01:00

I hopped on to the Craft 365 bandwagon last week in the hopes of making sure I get at least one little crafty thing done a day. Taking photos for the year will be interesting too. I think this will make a great project, and for anyone considering it, its not as hard to do as you may think! Take the leap and do a 365 Project on Flickr :)

1. Blank 2. Blank 3. Day 1 4. Day 2 5. Day 3 6. Day 4 7. Day 5 8. Day 6 9. Day 7

... i wonder how long this will last.

I also pondered about spicing up the blog a bit. Seeing as i haven't blogged since the 10th, i'm guessing i need some structure here... Looks like Fridays will be 365 Day. I'm thinking of blogging my favourite knit and crochet stitches, just for fun. Guess i can try it for a while and see how it goes. Oh and i must feature more people - share the love . The genius and talent of crafters and makers out there...

Watch this space I guess :)

Lastest Stash Haul...

2009-04-10T18:51:00.003+01:00

...I went a bit nuts as my local fabric shop. But with 15% off for Easter, I couldn't say no...

Screen Printing: At Last!

2009-04-02T17:01:00.003+01:00

Hooray hooray! After may failed attempts at screen printing through last year, I have finally conquered it!

...and i have no idea what to do with these eco shopping bags now! I'm thinking to give them away free to people who spend over £20 (not including P&P!) in one of my stores and at Winchester in July.

The brown bag was a (very bad) tester for the bags i'll be using at the fair to those who buy something at my stall (free of course!). I'll get and print some smaller ones too :)

I can't believe it's nearly time for Cambridge Handm@de already :o Blackberry Crafts will be there, so be sure to stop off and buy some wonderful hand knit fingerless gloves! Spring may be here, but there's still a nip about!

Good luck to everyone taking part! If last years oxford is anything to go by, it should be awesome!

Chicken Dog

2009-03-28T17:26:00.005Z

Thats right. Chicken dog!

How cool is this guy? I spotted this after listing a new purse on Folksy and wow he's funky! I think any child (or adult ;) ) would love this as it has such character and imagination.

If only my nephews were a little older, I'd snap this up for a birthday or Christmas present (I'm one of those very odd people who does their Christmas shopping early).

Anyhoo, just thought i'd share :)

New stuff for March

2009-03-26T20:45:00.003Z

...well the end of it. Better late than never!

First up, these little birdie keyrings! So much fun to make, each one like a mini amigurumi in a sense. I love adding their little beaks at the end, really brings out their character.

As I make them to order, customers can choose their own colour combination of bird colour and beak :D Only drawback is they do take some time to make... I should really learn to time myself when making things, the main problem is I usually make things in batches! These can be ordered through Folksy or ArtFire (the awesome alternative to Etsy).

Next up, the long awaited second batch of Felt Coin Purses (loads more pics on Flickr).

Again, these will slowly be added over the next few days to Folksy and ArtFire.

DaWanda

2009-03-21T17:04:00.003Z

I hate having to do stuff like this but sometimes its for the best.
Anyways, I wanted to announce that I am no longer trading on DaWanda.

The main reason is due to the fact I want to be able to evenly spread my stock across any online shops I trade through, so that buyers have a good choice where ever they decide to buy. I was mostly only selling supplies on there, so it makes sense as I had little to no interest shown in my own stock.

Supplies are still available through Etsy. I may or may not add some to Folksy - let me know if you're interested :)

More crafty related posts due next week... and still tweaking the business cards!! Thanks to everyone who has commented already :)

Business Cards

2009-03-18T12:35:00.010Z

I've recently updated the 'font' and logo of TomatoTea and I need your help! First of all, what do you think of the new font and logo?

Secondly... I got a bit carried away making business card designs...these are just a few of many.

Some I like, others not so much but I won't tell you which. If you could just leave a comment either here or on Flickr to which ones you like, which catch your eye, what can be improved, I would be MOST grateful!!

Handm@de: Winchester

2009-03-15T10:14:00.002Z

TomatoTea will be Exhibiting at Handm@de in the Winchester Guildhall on Sunday July 5th! I'm super excited.... and really really scared! Is anyone else doing the Handm@de craft fairs? Drop me a line, it would be great to meet you :D

Very Quick Update!

2009-03-02T16:49:00.002Z

Hi all!

Just to let you know I'm extending my absence from the internet world for another week so i can organise...everything XD

I'll be adding 2 more backdated New Zealand blog entries too, as i was at a loss for a decent connection the last 2 weeks of the holiday!

Tata til March 10th!

New Zealand: Volume Five

2009-02-28T10:34:00.001Z

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19th Feb: After a massive 390 kilometer (about 242 miles) drive from the Coromandel to the south of Northlands and staying in the small town Dargaville, we drove (lol) up to Waipoua Forest to see the Kauri trees.
Now these can grow to be massive. The Photo's just don't do these guys any justice. The only way to see how bog these guys are is too look at my speck of a Dad:

And that one isnt the biggest. The biggest one you can't fit in the photo, at least not to give it the justice it deserves. But here are the 'Four Sisters':

Saw some great scenery while continuing up the Northlands, heading for Manganoui.

20th: Total washout today :/ But it was still an interesting day as we went to Butlers Point to learn about the Whaling in the museum there.

No pictures of the muesum as they weren't allowed. Well, they were I guess as the other people in the group were taking them. I just took a picture of this tree really. I thought it was cool.

Anyway.

21st: Today was our trip to Ninety Mile Beach and Cape Reinga, the northen most point of NZ. One hell of a trip. You have to do it.

One of the stops was at Rarawa Beach. Now this photo does not show the true colour of the sand, as it was white. Just like flour, really :)

And this next picture shows the most wonderful place to have lunch. EVER. Tapotupota Bay.

The light house at Cape Reinga. And where the Tasman Sea and Pacific Ocean collide!

Tobogganing down the giant sand dunes at Te Paki!

And finally, Nintey Mile Beach.

22nd: Headed down to Pahia for the last few nights of our holiday. For the rest of the evening, we visited the Waitangi Treaty Grounds.

We also drove up Mount Bledisloe, which tells us that London is 7833 miles beneath it:

23rd: Headed out on a cruise of the Bay of Islands.

We went through the 'Hole in the Rock' and saw a pod of dolphins.

24th: Went to KeriKeri for some much needed shopping. Well, I wanted to buy a new carry on bag for the trip home as I didnt think I would be able to get everthing in my suitcase! (So glad I did, i was spot on for the weight of my suitcase at the aiport - PHEW)

25th: Took the Paihia ferry to Russell to do a little exploring.

And to sample a Burger Ice Cream. Oh yes. Very fatty, but very YUMMY.

Took a stroll in the evening on the Waitangi track to the Mangrove swamps. We saw some Pukeko!

These Mangrove trees have their roots sticking straight up out of the ground, so that when high tide comes in, they don't drown!

26th: Last morning today. Said goodbye to Pahia and went for a quick visit to Whangeri before heading through Auckland to the hotel near the airport.

And that was our adventure :)

New Zealand: Volume Four

2009-02-18T09:39:00.007Z

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7th + 8th Feb: OMG it was so frigging hot in Rotorua. I swear it must have been 30 degrees or more. Unfortunately, we chose to go to Wai-O-Tapu on the 8th. You can't predict the weather, but to a Thermal Park on the hottest day isn't exactly good. But what the hell, it was bloody beautiful there :)

Here you can see 'Devils Bath'. Yes. Illuminous green :D So much brighter in real life. For the sciencey folks, its this colour due to the mineral elements Sulphur and Ferrous Salts. The next photo is of the Alum Cliffs with a 700 year old acid lake next to it.

I loved the mud pools. Probably due to the sound more than anything else. Yes, i am that childish but the random way the mud popped up was awesome. And the guyser behind me is Lady Knox! Its set off at 10am everyday witht he help of a few grams of soap :)

9th: Headed towards Lake Taupo today and on the way, stopped to take a look at and stroll by the Huka Falls.

Taupo itself is wonderful. The town is pretty big, loads of shopping and the lake is massive! We met some locals:

And this next picture I believe is of 'Mount Doom' from Lord of the Rings. We sailed by on the way to look at some Maori rock carvings.

10th: Leaving Taupo and the rain behind, we headed for Naiper, stopping off to nose around Hastings too.

Both Hastings and Naiper have lovely Art Deco style buildings. This is due to an earthquake way back in the 30's which pretty much destroyed most of the buildings in the area. So the buildings were rebuilt in this style and they look beautiful. Here's hoping theres no more big earthquakes in this area for a long time.

11th - 15th: Arrived in Giborne today to meet our relatives! It was so great to see my great Uncle Dave and Great Aunt Sylvia and of course, Jessie their wonderful dog!

Had a great few days here. We went to see Captain Cook's monument and Young Nicks Statue.

16th: Next stop, Tauranga.

This is a beach in the Bay of Penty. Easily my most favourite of the holiday.

17th + 18th: Whitianga / Coromandel.

Erm. I don't have a lot to say about Whitianga. Nice little town. Pleasant surroundings. But I loved most of the Coromandel. Particularly walking on this beach:

Where we met Mr. Squid,

Coromandel Town itself was very quaint and beautiful. We had a great meal there after we did some exploring.

New Zealand: Volume Three

2009-02-06T01:25:00.004Z

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Eeep.

Its been a while since I've had the chance to blog. I won't go into too much detail. In fact, all the pictures for the blog (and more! :o ) can be found on my Flickr page.

Let's see...so Friday 30th we knew the weather wouldn't hold out for too long.

As you can see, we've had some mist and rain from Fox Glacier and while travelling to Greymouth...

and Punakaika (Pancake Rocks).

This is the chimney pot. The waves from the sea come rushing in and the spray seems to travel up and out!

..and heres a Weka waiting for some pancakes from the cafe XD

The weather soon cleared up as we got to our destination for the night in Motueka.

31st: We set off to explore the Farewell Spit. My goodness was it hot! It had to be near the 30's in the shade. But this didn't deter us from having a couple of nice strolls. Although, to be honest, Mum and I stayed and sat in the shade while Dad went to explore, hehe.

1st Feb: On towards Picton today, stopping at Nelson for a little stroll on the beach and a picnic somewhere on the 'Queen Charlotte Scenic Drive'. Kind of a travelling/chillout day before getting on the Ferry to the North Island tomorrow.

2nd: Early start... 5:20am to get up and ready to get the 8am Ferry to Wellington. I think I was a bit of a zombie :D Not many pictures as, strangely i felt a little sea sick. It wasn't a bad crossing, only a little choppy. I did however, spot a mini at the port. Huzzah! I've seen a few so I know I could get one if I wanted to live here :D

Met up with my Dad's cousin, Wendy. She put us up for a few nights so she could show us around Wellington. She has a wonderful house in Pouamata! And two lovely cats, Willis and Letta (shown here).

3rd: Wendy took us into Wellington and showed us around the Te Papa museum. I couldn't believe this place was free! We only had time for a couple of exhibits. I'm sure it would take a week to be able to explore the whole place and properly absorb all of the information on offer.

We also did some shopping, although we didn't actually spend any money... so i guess it was window shopping :) There were some lovely boutiques, selling local New Zealand crafts and goods and also crafts from around the world (Any one heard of boygirlparty? Her goods were in a shop called 'Madame Fancy Pants'! Awesome!)

After shopping, Wendy took us for a scenic drive on the Coast and we had some milkshakes at a cool surf cafe. Check out the stair rails XD

4th: A bit cloudier today but still in the mid 20's. Wendy took us to Nga Wamu, a lovely Nature reserve filled with awesome birds, like the Kea, White Faced Heron and fresh water eels. And ducks. Lots of ducks. They wanted our lunch!

Again, it rained on the way back to Wendy's where we chilled out for the rest of the afternoon and had fish and chips.

5th: We left Wellington today, so we had to say goodbye to Wendy, Keila and Sharon. (Thanks for having us, guys!!) But we had a long long long drive to Waitomo Caves. Stopped of at one or two places for a nose around, but not alot going on today.

6th: We went on a Glow worm tour with Spellbound today. These little guys are awesome and not really glow worms, but hey, it sounds better than nasty Gnats. Not many pictures of the glow worms themselves, our camera's aren't that great :/ But plenty of the other cave we explored, 'The Cave of the Spirit'.

We met Bernard, a Goat who decided to explore the cave, but didn't get very far :S

And Betsie, the cow.

And...Moa bones!

For those who aren't in the know, the Moa was a large bird, similar to that of the Emu and Ostrich. Unfortunately they were hunted to extinction.

After the tour of the caves, we had a little picnic for lunch and had a look in 'The Shearing Shed' which is filled with 350 Angora Rabbits! Here is 'Jezebel' waiting to be sheared. And yes, I bought some yarn. How could I resist?

..so much for not going in to detail.

I'll make it a bit lighter next time!

New Zealand: Volume Two

2009-01-29T19:55:00.005Z

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Queenstown was wonderful. The weather was extremely warm, high 20 degrees Celsius at the least i would imagine.

We went up the gondola.

Each view is so spectacular. I really can't get enough of this place.

Saying goodbye to Queenstown, we made our way to Wanaka. On the way we stopped of to have a look around the quaint Arrowtown.

When we arrived at Wanaka, we booked into a great place. We were right on the cliff top overlooking Lake Wanaka.

So far, this is the only place I have found a yarn shop, although i haven't been looking very hard. Anyway, after a bit of shopping and dinner we went to bed early to rest up for the big trip to Milford Sound in the morning.

Although i say I'm afraid of heights, you wouldn't think I was getting into a small plane like this! On the way there I was in the co-pilots seat!! I felt too silly to take a picture of the pilot...wish i did now, he was a nice bloke. Anyway, I'll let the pictures do the talking for the flight to Milford Sound.

After a soft landing we were at the boat terminal, boarding our little ship for a round trip of the Sound.

And boy, was it a nice day. Apparently it was only the second day without any rain this season. Not sure what we're doing right but i do hope the weather keeps up!

The trip couldn't really get any better – but it did.

Can you believe the dolphins were swimming right by the boat? Its like they were leading us :D So cool.

On the road again the following morning, on our way to Fox Glacier. I did some driving. I don't think my Dad likes not being in control of the car. But i'm sure he was glad he could relax (I use the term lightly) and look at the scenery without having to concentrate on the road. We stopped off to look at the blue pools. We had to cross a swing bridge!

But yeah. I've just woken up in Fox Glacier and we will shortly be heading of to Greymouth.

New Zealand: Volume One

2009-01-26T21:00:00.006Z

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Greetings from New Zealand everyone!

And wow.

Just wow. What a country. I fell in love with the place as soon as i set eyes on the land from the aeroplane. And that was when i really got excited, when i finally realised that i was on holiday half way around the world! The flights were long and hard, particularly Dubai to Sydney, but when you finally arrive, you forget all that. Its completely worth feeling like a battery hen for over 27 hours, because its just so breath taking. I can already say i feel at home.

On to pictures and such!

Well, we spent our first few days in Christchurch, third largest city in NZ. It doesn't feel like a city though, as its not all sky high buildings and its quite open. It also has the river Avon running through it and some nice small parks, loads of trees. Its really clean and feels really safe too. I'll let the pictures do the talking.

We met up with my Dads old work mate who emigrated here 3 years ago. They are doing really well and loving it here. They showed us around, took us on the Gondola just out side of town, up Mount Pleasant over looking Lyttleton Harbour. From here, we headed off for an early dinner at a place called 'She' which overlooked the harbour. Not only was the setting lovely, but the food! Who would have thought that chocolate would go with chicken salad, or lamb!? They knew what they were doing because it went perfectly. The deserts afterwards were even better! We all had a chocolate brownie with raspberry sauce. I really can't describe how delicious it was. I have never had such a wonderful meal.

On our last morning, we had an absolutely amazing punt on the river Avon. It was so peaceful and pretty – if you ever go to Christchurch, do it! You won't be disappointed.

After we packed up, we headed for our next destination – Twizel. On the way there, I did my first bit of driving. To those of you who drive automatics – you must be mad! I didn't feel like i was in control of the car at all! But i'm getting used to it, the more i do. Manuals are better though.
Anyhoo, we stopped off at Lake Tekapo. B-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l.

The pictures don't do this place justice. The Church is that of 'The Good Shepard'.

Moving on from here we arrived at Twizel, booking in to some nice chalets.

We drove to Mount Cook for some dinner. The cafe was in the most breathtaking of spots. It was fantastic to be so close to the mountains while enjoying dinner!

We are now on our way to Queenstown.

Skirt To Pouch In About An Hour.

2009-01-19T12:14:00.004Z

Lately, I've been inspired to recycle old clothes and either make them into something I would wear again or use the fabric to make something else. This isn't limited to the clothes I own, either. I like to go into the local charity shops and buy unwanted garments I can reuse for projects.

Take this skirt for example:

This cost me £3.20. You may be forgiven for thinking this is a lot, but when compared to say, Hobbycraft which do nice cotton prints for £5 per meter and up, it doesn't seem so bad. That and you're giving to charity and recycling. The fabric is nice quality too (plus, I salvaged the zip :D).

So, it took about half an hour to rip the three panels out, along with the zip. The rest of the time was the usual cutting, pinning pressing and sewing. Which brings me to the final product:

A snazzy pouch for my netbook cables and mouse to go into :D This will be so useful on holiday :)

I have loads left over which I'm hoping to use when I come home for new coin purse designs, along with some other charity shop finds which are waiting to be used!
So next time you go past a charity shop, think of all the things you could do with the fabric in there :)

Old WIPs...

2009-01-14T16:08:00.004Z

Its been a while since I've actually posted any projects I'm working on. Sorry, this is going to be a big post to make up for all the lost time :o

First up though, in light of my resolution to make TomatoTea more successful this year I have rearranged my bedroom to be more productive.

Uh, no before shot. I didn't think I'd blog about it to be honest! And the second picture is terrible, my room is quite dark, so it's hard to get the exposure right :( But you get the idea.

So on to the projects.

The majority are half made bags; knitted, crocheted and waiting for some lovely linning :) Heres some thumbs from Flickr:

I've also got 'Thermal' on the needles... and the knit picks gloss is staining them XD. Admittedly, I haven't got far with that one but I'm taking it to New Zealand in the hopes of getting it done.

Yes. That's right. DONE.

I just wish I could knit on the plane... I have 16+ hours to kill on the way there and back ;_;

Also, I'm in the middle of crocheting some baskets for my new 'Studio' (can I call it that if I sleep in there? XD). Parcel string is dead hard on the hands though. I need to work out if I'm making the most of the string by crocheting in the round (as shown) or if its more 'economical' to crochet back and forth. I'll get back to you guys on that one at a later date!

I think thats enough of an update for now.

Oh, and Happy New Year :)

Christmas Cards '08

2009-01-14T16:04:00.005Z

Its a little late, but I wanted to share the beautiful cards I received last Christmas from some friends over on deviantArt. Thanks guys - these are going in my keep sake box :D

Resolutions

2008-12-31T19:03:00.002Z

...umm.

Where did 2008 go!? Seriously, this year has suddenly flown by for me. Perhaps its due to looking forward to New Zealand so much that I have wished the time away. That or its working 9-5.30, Mon-Fri for I don't know how long now!

Eee, that reminds me. I finish on Friday. 2 days left. I don't know if I'm pleased or sad. I do like working in that shop, but I couldn't do it as a full time job, or at least I can't see myself doing it.

Which brings me to resolutions. Sort of.

I have to admit, I'm in the frame of mind of thinking "2009 doesn't start until March for me". So, I guess I'm thinking of when I'm back from New Zealand, that's when I want to make these 'changes' to my life... perhaps 'changes' is too strong a word.

Anyway, I'm babbling.

Here's my resolutions:

1) To make TomatoTea more successful.
2) Not to get so hung up about things being perfect (ie drawings and art - products HAVE to be perfect!).
3) To enjoy and make use of my holiday in New Zealand.

I know these resolutions are kind of generalised. Particularly the first one - I need to define what 'more successful' means to me. I have an idea in my head, but its kinda fuzzy and this is where resolutions aren't usually kept.

Perhaps its a case of me not wanting to drone on about it here. That and probably laziness.

Anyhoo, I wish everyone a great 2009 :)

Why, Hallo thar.

2008-12-22T07:26:00.004Z

... yeah. Busy.

Its sort of crazy busy at work. Although, I expect this week to be the worst of it. Only 3 days. Well, and Friday :/ I hate working Boxing day. But I won't go on about that.

4 weeks on Wednesday until New Zealand. 8D I can't believe it!! I remember when it was 13 weeks and I was excited! I am really going to try and blog at least once a week while I'm there.

Anyhoo, here's a little look at what I have been up to lately. Although, this is only a small amount :o A fair few sales on Etsy/Dawanda too. Surprising seeing how people are being careful with their money and looking for bargains...

2008-11-17T08:10:00.003Z

OKAY! Quick post before i start work :)

I have never been so busy in my life. My goodness i'm glad the bookshop have now taken me on full-time now, even if it is only up until the new year. I'll be earning more because a) i'm doing a few more hours and b) because im not working 2 jobs i won't get taxed 22% and c) i should technically get my tax back that i paid last month... and possibly this month which will be like £300.

That's disgusting isn't it? Getting taxed 22% just because I had to work two jobs because i couldn't get any extra hours because of this whole recession business. It wasn't fair. I seriously think the hours should be added up from the two jobs and treated like one job. Besides, employers prefer part timers because they are cheaper :/

BAH!

Anyhoo. Besides working in shops, i have also been making stuff. Here's a quick preview of one of the many things i have been doing...

I'll be back later to tell you more. But for now, i need to get ready to go to work :o

Hope everyone is well!

2008-10-02T10:46:00.003+01:00

ACK.

Lack of updating again. But a lot has been going on!

I started my second part time job on 22nd September and i have very little time for things now. Particularly Mon-Wed as i start my morning job at 07.30, finish at 11.30, rush home for lunch and start at my afternoon job at 13.00, for another 4 hours of working minimum wage. Its not bad but its not ideal either. But as i announced over on dA im off to New Zealand for 5 weeks in January so i have something to work towards and it really helps me get through those 3 hard days. Thursday and Friday are okay, as i only have the afternoon job to go to, so my mornings are free. And of course, weekends but as we all know, those get eaten up very quickly.

I was also ill last Thursday for 4 days... so i've lost 8 hours pay but im hoping to make that up somewhere along the line when things get busier at Christmas. But my gosh i never want to feel that ill again, ever. I have never felt that sick. I'll spare you the details though ;)

On some positive notes, i was asked at my morning job to do a "photo shoot" tomorrow morning for advertising. Its a craft store so i'll be doing some knitting and i think there's some sort of 'story' or something that the marketing lady is going to write for it.
Uh, as you can see, i have no idea what its all about really. But im getting paid to do it and its a big help :)

Also, my sister-in-law had a 'Yummy Mummy' event and asked for me to show some of my stuff. Unfortunately, it was day i fell ill but luckily i had already printed some leaflets and got my stuff together ready for it so a friend picked it up and took it over for me. Good thing too, as a very nice lady is very interested in knitted toys for her shop! So wish me luck!

...and thats basically whats been going on. Theres loads of other things ive been up to, like making my own Niddy Noddy out of PVC piping and i spun and plied my first yarn...and i started dying yarn again, but this time using natural ingredents, such as tea, grapes and stinging nettles. But i think i will talk about that another time.

Well done and thank you if you read this far :)
I'll leave it there for now, i really hope everyone is doing well.

Oh, two more things. The awesome and sweet Sally bought me a 3 month subscription for dA and i will be making use of it this weekend and catch up with a lot of my friends over there :)
And finally the blog on tomatotea.net is now going to purely be for 'documenting' new products i add on the internet. Having a mirrored blog is silly i guess. And extra work.
Blah.

Phew! Thanks for ~~listening~~ reading!

Folksy

2008-09-15T17:52:00.002+01:00

Just signed up to Folksy.com, a UK based handmade, non-commercial online marketplace. Loving it already :D

I decided to list my purses on there for now - i may put a couple on DaWanda too. Not sure why im avoiding listing them on Etsy, i guess because listings get buried so quickly. That and Folksy is UK exclusive and listings are in good old GBP£.

...which leaves the question: what about pinkdoodle.com?

Well, its like i said to one of my online friends, Sally. Not much is happening over there. Yes its free (for now) but how long do we have to wait for a subdomain? Folksy already has this :o It cant be that hard, surely?

I also don’t want to be spread to thin over the internet. I think the three regional ones are where i will stay for now :)

...oh yeah. Green background and stuff. Much fresher i think :) How about you guys?

mirrored from tomatotea.net

Hmm...

2008-09-13T13:40:00.006+01:00

Musings follow, skip this bit if you don’t care for reading my train of thought :p

I feel lately I have been stretching myself too thinly with too many crafts. My problem is I love learning new things and new techniques and well, my ideas are all over the place. It needs to stop! XD So lets see, what have i tried...

1. Crochet
2. Knitting
3. Hand dyeing yarn
4. Jewellery Making
5. Sewing
6. Screen Printing
7. Sculpture
8. Making Fimo/Sculpey Charms

I have a feeling I’ve been to ‘broad’ with some of these craft types (Like sewing includes making lining for crochet bags but also plushies, which I'm not too keen on now days :/ ). But in any case i have highlighted the crafts i REALLY enjoy and get on with fine.

...And to me it seems like textiles is the answer. Not all aspects, but most i guess.

Its not that i didn’t enjoy making sculpey stuff, for example. However, there are loads of sculpey artisans out there that do a fantastic job with their handmade charms etc which i dont have the hands and patience for. I will probably try my hand at it again for my own personal use or gifts. Same with jewellery making. I have so many beads and findings stored away... but i know if i give it away/sell it, i’ll need something!!

I guess what i’m trying to figure out is where i need to concentrate my skills. More so for my future, something to base a small business on. And as sad as it sounds the 3 at the top get me excited. I love making a ball of yarn into SOMETHING, you know? And what’s more, if i hand dyed that yarn myself - even more exciting :D

The not so boring bit

Anyway.

I have been busy. I love being busy with stuff. Makes me feel like I'm actually doing something. By which I mean, not just sitting around watching tv or working or something. Oh, i know what i mean. I wont pile everything i’ve been doing into one post, otherwise the projects will get lost under my stupid “train of thought” essay thingy up there :)

Theres more photos on Flickr (just click one of the pictures).

Not sure where to list them though.... I may dip my toe further into the DaWanda pool. Or just share them out a bit.... or something.

mirrored from tomatotea.net

Christmas in August

2008-09-04T12:28:00.002+01:00

Way back in June, the Artisan Crafts Club over on deviantArt kicked off the ‘Christmas in August’ Event. Deviants who participated were given the name of another deviant to make a box and gift for. Kind of like a big artisan secret santa :D We knew who we made something for but we didn’t know who would be making something in return.

My deviant was ZyPressQ. I knew she liked making plushies so i put together a little treasure chest of supplies to make a couple. The chest was a paper mache box bought from a craft store and I ‘prettied’ it up by covering it in wood paper, gold pen and lined the inside too.

I have to admit i was worried when i didn’t receive a box in August, but my ‘gifter’ dropped me a note to let me know all is well and i was excited all over again :D

I received it yesterday....

OMG!!

I cannot tell you how happy i was when i opened it all up :D First of all i squeed with delight at the box itself.

I LOVE anything anyone makes of my character Maroon <3 And well i think what was inside the box (after i took it all out of the package and put it in there XD) will speak for itself :) Thank you Sally!!!!

Roxy Wrap FO

2008-09-01T15:55:00.003+01:00

Wow. I never thought i would finish this.

Whats more is that i LIKE it. I have really surprised myself :o I think i will be wearing this during Autumn/Winter.

Originally when i started it i liked it.... then i read some things around the internet about how most people dislike fancy yarns, and found blogs about “What not to Knit/Crochet” and it had me quaking in my boots!

But i persevered. I finished it. Mostly because i wanted to start on my new cotton cardigan and this had been laying around for well over 6 months.

But really. It fits. Its comfortable. Its warm - not hot. And I will wear it.

...Unlike my poor first project... *sigh* I LOVE that bolero. But its 100% wool. Too hot, not practical, a little on the small side... but never mind. It was my first clothing project and all in all that was a success too.

mirrored from tomatotea.net

WIPs and FOs

2008-08-24T13:40:00.001+01:00

Busy busy.

Heres a little look at what i’ve been up to :)

mirrored from tomatotea.net

YouTube Crafty Treat

2008-08-11T16:13:00.001+01:00

Its probably been seen by many before but I just had to share.

Some may say ‘Whats the point in that?”

I say, its a very creative mind at work. Think of the presentational opportunities for chefs (with hygienic gloves or something of course ;))!!

mirrored from tomatotea.net

Alive and Kicking

2008-08-10T13:48:00.004+01:00

A kick up the bum is in order i believe.

Consider it done.

Also.

tomatotea.net

Tell me what you think. I'll be mirroring posts from that blog over here too, just in case... something goes wrong.... cause its bound to really, isnt it?

Uhh, it might take some time to load. Or not. I dont really know. Which is quite helpful, dont you think? I think if you just navigate away from a page that seems to be taking forever and go back to it, it'll load. Or you may not have any trouble at all.

One can dream, anyway :)

Thank you, Nina :)

2008-07-14T16:47:00.002+01:00

Best surprise ever.

Big hugs for you!

Also... i may be getting back into sculpey :o I haven't touched my stash of the stuff for a long time now. But as i'm gearing towards supplies, i think i will make some charms. I have looked into buying some plastic/acrylic etc ones... but to be honest im not sure of the quality. Like the paint is all over the place and although they are cute, i just don think its good enough. So. Wish me luck.

...Still no joy for the screen printing either. The sun doesn't want to come out when i'm available to do it!! Doh.

2008-07-10T17:27:00.002+01:00

Available on: Etsy // DaWanda // PinkDoodle

Damn you, UK Weather!

2008-07-06T08:45:00.006+01:00

It hasn't rained properly for about 6 weeks.

Today, the day i would have liked to have exposed my screen for printing and it is absolutely tipping it down.

Sod's law or what?

And to top it all off, i have a cold or chest infection or something.

It's July for goodness sake. I feel like absolute sh..

:(

Last Thursday continued...

2008-07-04T07:59:00.004+01:00

I never got round to explaining the unpleasantness last Thursday (26th June).

After a great day out at Weymouth, i came back to find the post. I had been expecting a package and was a little disappointed it hadn't arrived but thought it would arrive the next day. Next thing i know, my Mum was watering the front garden and found some rubbish. She was about to throw it away when she saw my name and our address on there. It was the remains of a package - the contents had been half-inched :/

I cannot tell you how angry I am.

The postman is an idiot. Our regular one was on holiday - he would have done the right thing and taken it back to the sorting office. But no. On that particular day when i was expecting a £22 package, the new guy leaves it outside in plain view for someone to steal. Laziness. Pure and simple. I'll be writing a letter of complaint... not that anything will come of it. That postman needs to be physically told NOT to leave parcels outside someones house. Geez, he could have used his noggin and left it with one of the neighbors. Thats safer than leaving it outside.

Anyway. Unfortunatly the company have run out of stock of that item, are filling a compensation claim and giving me a refund. Its sad really as its not their fault at all. But this is sods law. I found somewhere else that stocks the stuff... its a little bit more expensive but never mind. The next two days im staying put - im not letting some idiots (most likely kids) nick something that:

a) Doesnt belong to them
and b) Something which they will not have known what it was for. Seriously - who steals photo emulsion... apart from a screen printer of course :p

Ah well. The main point is, im getting a refund :)

2008-06-29T17:36:00.003+01:00

Available on: Etsy // DaWanda // PinkDoodle