I made it to MADE.

(They should definitely sell t-shirts and totes with this on, or have mini craft sessions called "i made it at MADE")!

Anyway..I made it to MADE! 

So..like a 22 year-old child in a sweet shop, I shopped, got over-excited, and saw more beautiful things than my eyes knew what to do with!! 

I also spoke to, looked at, and -inevitably- bought work by some very kind and talented craftspeople, who made the experience sweeter still. So as promised, here is my personal run-down of some of my favourite work -and people- from Made 11. A BIG thank you to everyone who took the time to talk to me, and allowed me to take photos of their stalls. 

Angela Davies -

  ..a textile and book artist whose beautifully wrapped mini-book I still can't bring myself to open! Angela's work is very subtle, beautiful, and tactile featuring many delicate prints and fabric elements. Her "little books for little notes" bear a motif of a butterfly to symbolise the fragility and fleetingness of thoughts and memories -as with butterflies.

(please click on her name and visit her website).

Cardigan-

..bright, quirky knitwears, and incredibly-made, funny crocheted pieces. These photos don't at all do justice to the quality and skill of the work, so PLEASE check her website too. As you can see I was rather taken by the scarf-wearing seagulls! Also see the site and Kate's twitter for further examples of work, and her original take on some classic British condiments.

Marion Brandis

..I've always had a lot of love for anyone with the patience and skill to make proper mosaics, and Marion Brandis does this BIG style! Her work adorns the walls,floors and benches of hospitals and public parks up and down the country, and you can see further examples of it via her website here.

Lara Sparks

..I also have a long-standing love of machine embroidery (and crockery, but more on that later!). For this reason, and for the fuzzy nostalgia her work produces, I love the work of Lara Sparks. For more perfectly balanced, and brilliantly detailed British-inspired work, take a look at her website.

Belen Gomez

..at some point in the future, I would LOVE to see my work on crockery, and looking as brilliant and natural there as these. Belen also has lovely illustrated greetings cards which can be purchased via her website. (And she sells under the name "Chalk and Cheese"..what a great name?!).

  

Finally, I'd like to direct your attention to:

Joanna Corney -http://joannacorney.co.uk/

Martha Mitchell Design -http://marthamdesign.com/

Rosemary Rose -http://rosemary-rose.co.uk/

Linda Miller -http://www.lindamillerembroideries.co.uk/

(as seen on Kirsties Handmade Britain!)and

Sew Girl -http://sewgirl.co.uk/ (who has a particularly nice "little England" DIY stitch kit).

These are all extremely talented and nice people, who took the time to tell me about what they make, and to just be generally lovely! Please take the time to follow them on Twitter or to browse their sites or shops!

I am reading...

Newest magazine discovery.... Mollie Makes...mMMmmmmmMMmmm!!

With the tag lines "living and loving handmade" and "for people who love the crafty life" it was never a question of IF i would buy it..more a question of when (straight away when I saw it.. if you're wondering! :P). Living up to high expectations, I am about to embark on making the "flower felt kit" that came with this months edition -YEY!- maybe spilling over into a "crafternoon" (adding to favourite words list, courtesy of Mollies Makes :P). 

In my eyes and on my shelves Mollie Makes is not so much a rival to Oh Comely (the original craft magazine fetish :P) as its partner in crafty crime! I like to think that when i'm out of the house they sit on the shelf together and conspire ways to seduce my money and bring me into an even craftier life :P. The best bit of this is that they needn't really bother, as to quote Jerry Maguire, they had me from hello.  


Happy crafting! :)