cuppa tea and cake

An apology made up for with a new product!

2011-10-30T16:53:00.000Z

Wow i've been quiet haven't I? I really must apologise. My full time job has kept me unbelievably busy and rendered me entirely inept when I come home from work.

I'm a lecturer you see and the first half term from early September til October is so manic with getting to know new students, writing new projects and lessons, ordering materials, pastoral care etc and on top of that I am in charge of our in class support team which involves a lot of admin work and people management which i've never done before so I have not had chance to think of other things.

Luckily half term arrived, finally and i've been busy planning for our I Make Fun Stuff Festive Market on Sunday 20th November and have made a few new things.

I haven't named this line yet, there are currently necklaces featuring a combination of items including skirts, shirts, blazers, satchels, brogues and blouses and there are matching badges. I might make earrings of the more simple items in time. They will be exclusively released at the St Peter's Street Festive Market in Ipswich on Sunday 20th November and on the shops after that.

Clutter City Autumnal Affair

2011-08-29T11:51:00.000+01:00

Come say hi! I'll be selling my wares at the Clutter City Autumnal Affair in Norwich on Saturday 3rd September.

As well as stalls they have food, live music and drop in crochet lessons so what more could you want?

I'm jolly excited i'll tell you that!

New Stockist! The Made in The Shade Maisonette

2011-08-29T11:48:00.000+01:00

I am very excited to have been asked by the lovely Clare and Carrie of The Maisonette if I would like to have my work sold in their beautiful shop. I didn't have to think twice considering I had admired their shop for a while but hadn't found the courage to approach them myself.

I was absolutely delighted to receive their email and cannot wait to find out how things go there in a few months time. So people of Glasgow, you can now purchase selected items from the Cuppa Tea and Cake range at The Maisonette.

Check out their website too it is so beautiful.

Images from The Maisonette Facebook Page

Freelance Commission for After Noon Cakes

2011-08-12T10:49:00.000+01:00

For a while now I have been working on a project for a company called After Noon who make and deliver delicious cakes and baked goods. Chris and Meg asked me to design a logo, labels for boxes and business cards in an illustrative style that would fit with their homely, creative ethos and really communicate the feeling and message they wanted to convey. That kind of warm, sunny, dewey, golden light feeling of childhood memories and comforting food.

And so with that in mind, a colour palette, sketches and lots of Adobe Illustrator I came up with the results below and with a few tweeks they became just what Chris and Meg were looking for, PHEW! This being creative on demand malarky is really rather hard. However I must say how proud I am of the work and happy I am that they feel like a bit of me and a bit of After Noon combined, I guess that's why they asked me! *warm glowy proud feeling*

We did three colourways. A light blue with yellow text, a duck egg green with teal text and a mustard with dusky blue text. I've only posted one as I don't want to go mad with pictures, so I picked my personal favourite, the mustard colourway.

Business Card Front (top) and Back (bottom)

Circular Label Design

Logo Design

Chris and Meg chose a doily style design which they wanted to update so it didn't feel a bit "overly traditional" and maybe smacked too much of old ladies but still held onto that feeling of homeliness and comfort. We decided on colours which moved away from that more "lace doily, old lady" feeling to keep the design contemporary but remain illustrative and obviously hand drawn.

You can find out about After Noon on their facebook page and they will soon be opening their website. There are lots of photos of their scrumptious treats on the facebook page and Meg regularly posts what she's baking that day, making a particular effort on "Pudding Fridays", my poor thunder thighs can't take it! I've got to stop talking about cake!

20% OFF! Cuppa Tea and Cake Etsy Shop

2011-08-04T13:55:00.000+01:00

BICYCLE! BICYCLE! I want to ride my bicycle, I want to ride my bike!....

I'm having a Summer (haha!) sale to celebrate my new Bicycle screen printed range. 20% off everything in my Etsy shop using the coupon code BICYCLE at the checkout.

Go on! Knock yourself out!

Vintage Bicycle Greetings Card

2011-07-27T10:37:00.000+01:00

NEW! In the shops. Screenprinted vintage bicycle greetings cards on Hairy Manilla card (isn't that the best name!) They match the new tote bags don't you know, this range is expanding!

Etsy and Folksy

Ever Increasing Circles

2011-07-25T12:22:00.000+01:00

For a couple of days last week I hung out with my friend, and talented surface pattern designer and illustrator Sarah Wade. She does a lot of work from home and as i'm off from work for the summer holidays we decided to stop acting like loners and work together.

It was great, annoyingly for me I didn't have any work I could do at hers on the agenda, all my current plans were for screen printing. So i packed a bag with my favourite materials (blog post about those beauties coming soon) thinking I would pass the time some how and off I went.

Well luck has it that i did do some work i'm really really pleased with. The colourful and patterned circles you see above and below.

I plan for them to be mounted in large white frames, rows and rows of them! Until then, there will be more and more and more! And hopefully some screen printed designs based on them too. Exciting!

Vintage Bicycle Print

2011-07-25T12:12:00.000+01:00

New vintage bicycle illustration screen printed onto calico tote bag.

Currently available in black but I can do pretty much any other colour you would like on request.

Look out for postcards and greetings cards coming soon too!

Available in Etsy and Folksy shops now.

St Peter's Street Summer Market

2011-06-29T21:10:00.000+01:00

On Sunday we held our fifth market as I Make Fun Stuff and it was out third street market held on St Peter's Street in Ipswich. It was a perfect day for it, the sun was out and warm and crowds flocked to The Saints to buy handmade goods from talented local sellers.

It was a fantastic success and we can't thank our stallholders, customers, visitors, friends and supporters enough. Every one of you made it the fabulous day that it was, we love doing this and want to continue to promote, improve, develop and make our town a better place to live.

Here are some photos of the day and the stalls, more will shortly be up on our flickr page.

Visit I Make Fun Stuff for more information on our sellers and their wares

Goodies!

2011-06-29T14:55:00.000+01:00

Now that pictures seem to be working in my posts again I can finally show you a couple of goodies I got recently, I say recently, not all that recently but blogger has been working against me!

So I did a great swap with the fabulous Nikki McWilliams. I bought her Wooden Custard Cream Brooch a few months ago and I really love it so when she suggested swapping one of my Crystal Form Totes for something from her shop it just HAD to be the Digestive Biscuit Brooch.

The other beautiful thing there in that picture is my brooch from No Milk Today. This is really up my geometric street right now! These shapes are top of my love list. You can find my jewellery from Eva in her etsy shop, I will definitely be going back for more!

Clutter City Summer Fete

2011-06-27T15:33:00.001+01:00

This weekend I will be selling my wares at the fabulous Clutter City Summer Fete. I've never had a stall at Clutter City but I have visited and bought goodies before so i'm very excited, I know how good it is!

Running your own markets is fabulous and all but going to visit other's in different towns is so exciting because you meet new people and see new things you want to buy! That's not to say I don't buy stacks of things at our I Make Fun Stuff markets, more on that soon!

Come down and have a lovely hot dog and buy some stuff and make some new friends

Wallpaper Rose Giveaway

2011-06-22T11:22:00.001+01:00

Louise of the lovely blog Wallpaper Rose asked me if I would donate something to her First Birthday Giveaway which you can enter via her blog.

She asked for one of my Wooden Wool Badges so off it went to be added to the massive pile of fantastic goodies you could win just by popping over there and following the instructions. Here are a few of the lovely goodies...

Map Puzzle Badges by What Katie Found

Daschund Brooch by Oh My Clumsy Heart

Frances tea necklace by Wallpaper Rose

So off you pop!

p.s. apologies for no photos, blogger won't upload them for some reason so I will add some when it plays ball.

p.p.s YAY! Photos are back!

Typewriter Totes

2011-06-10T11:38:00.000+01:00

New in the shops this week are these typewriter totes. I currently have them listed in purple and green but I can print them in any colour imaginable so if you would like one in a custom colour just drop me a line.

Fully heat fixed these bag have long handles so perfect to sling over your shoulder and keep your shopping, books, lunch, paperwork in.

Find them here on Folksy and Etsy

New Stockist!

2011-05-26T15:35:00.000+01:00

Glaswegian friends! You can now buy Cuppa Tea and Cake products in The Shop of Interest... at 1058 Argyle Street

I'm very lucky to be stocked in this fabulous little shop. They have a large amount of products including the newest addition to my range, the wooden kaleidoscope badges. I hope Chris and I will get to pay Scotland a visit soon, I know he wants to and we've made so many friends up north via the power of twitter.

One day I will have a vintage car....

2011-05-02T11:10:00.000+01:00

Every year the Ipswich Transport Museum hold a Vintage Car Rally which starts in Christchurch Park, they then leave to rally over to Felixstowe and spend the afternoon sunning themselves on the front by the sea. This year was the 41st run and the second we've been to.

I love vintage cars, if I was better off I would have a normal runabout car and a vintage one for pootling about in the summer with the top down. I'm particularly keen on that little cream chap at the top, the Frog Eyed Sprite. Look at his happy little face!

My good friend Flo has always loved these dinky little fellows. You don't realise quite how tiny they are until you see them in the flesh. I don't think Chris with his long legs could get into one of these! I'd love to have a little test drive of one though. These was a woman looking at the engine who repeatedly told her husband that they can run on only 2 cylinders, so there's a factoid for the day!

I also love the text you find on vintage buses. Here is a few pictures of my favourites. Maybe i'll get myself an old bus or coach for the summer holidays too!

Finally, here's a picture of me looking a bit windswept and getting in the way at a crucial moment...

Necklaces too, i've been playing with power tools!

2011-04-14T12:25:00.000+01:00

Hello all, i've been really enjoying myself this past week. I'm on Easter holidays from work and have had a To Do list as long both arms and one leg but amongst all that I have distracted myself by drilling holes in wood.

So now I am pleased to present the Wooden Kaleidoscope Necklace! Available in the usual places...

Folksy and Etsy

Working with wood

2011-04-08T16:25:00.001+01:00

I've wanted to create things from wood for a while but without the right equipment its not that easy!

A while ago I made some stripy A5 pieces using markers, masking tape and stickers and then went on to cut hexagonal crystal shapes out of them. I was really happy with them and could see potential for the triangles i'd cut out so went about trying to mount them onto wood.

The only real problem I had was getting the shapes cut out of the ply without having to use a junior hacksaw and take forever to do it. Luckily a friend stepped in and cut these babies out for me so now I would like to present...

the Hexagon Brooch! Clever name huh?

I carefully chose the triangles to put together and have varnished these chaps several times to protect them from wear and tear. The first one is in my online shops now.

Folksy and Etsy. Please let me know what you think!

New Foiled Crystal Forms

2011-03-14T17:48:00.000Z

Lovely new screen printed and foiled things! A tote and a cushion cover. These will shortly be available in the shops, links to which are down the side of the page.

If you want to know more about foiling please see my previous post or feel free to email me.

A little glimpse into my day job

2011-03-06T14:51:00.000Z

I work at my local college full time as a Lecturer and a Learning Support Assistant. Each job has their trials and tribulations as most of them do but luckily for me I really enjoy my job and get to be creative when i'm doing it.

For my next 3 week illustration workshop we will be designing and making zines and so i've made a project brief for my group in the form of a zine. It can be difficult to wade through lots of words for some students and I think just saying it all out loud just isn't enough so I often go for a very visual approach backed up by laying out the lesson each week at the start of every session.

Here is my zine project brief, broken down into weeks and with a big long list of fantastic contemporary illustrators for my group to research.

I hope my students appreciate the hard work i've put in for them! Haha! It was really good fun to tell the truth!

New Products! Crystal Forms

2011-03-05T14:38:00.000Z

I have recently been working on a new line of products based on crystal forms. I've been messing about really with a pattern I really like to see if I like the results. And so far the answer is YES! So i've popped a few in the shop to see if other people agree.

I really love the brooch at the top and also the screen printed fabric all the items here are photographed on. I have made it into a cushion cover but haven't had the fine weather needed to photograph it. You can see bits of it here and more in the previous post too.

All these items are available in the shop and there may be some alternative designs too as i'm still messing about and enjoying it.

Links to the shops are down the side of the page!!

Adventures in Foil

2011-02-27T11:28:00.000Z

I have recently been working with heat transfer foil. You apply a glue, which you can use with a paint brush straight on to fabric or card or paper if you wish, or you can screen print it. I have also used it with Bondaweb so I thought I would share with you all my results as I know a lot of people screen print i'm sure you would be as excited by the idea of foiling your work as much as I am.

So I have been experimenting with using Bondaweb and the glue screenprinted. I have also been trying to find the best temperature for my iron to get the perfect finish, the perfect surface and the perfect amount of time to apply the heat for. I have now perfected that (what an exciting breakthrough that was) so now I shall share with you the results.

Firstly here is Bondaweb applied to the fabric and then the foil ironed on top with a piece of A4 printer paper between the foil and the iron.

As you can see you get quite a grainy effect because the Bondaweb itself is quite fibrous. This sample has also been washed at 40 degrees inside a pillow case. The print became more bitty and worn away.

Secondly is screen printed glue with foil ironed on top, on top of a woven surface (not intentional I was using a woven rug to protect the table but it had the effect of giving the foil a texture)

Here you can clearly see the effect the woven rug had on the result. Don't iron on a textured surface people! More on that later! This sample has also been washed at 40 degrees inside a pillow case and again the print degraded slightly.

At this point I started working on a new print design based on crystal forms and wanted to use an irridescent foil that looks like oil on water to compliment the mint green and lilac I used in the prints.

Here is where the breakthrough came. I screen printed the glue on using a paper stencil. Left it to dry completely. I then used a piece of floor lino (smooth side up) that I use for screen printing on, put the fabric on that, then the foil shiny side up, the A4 piece of paper and set my iron to just below the hottest setting. I ironed the foil, always moving, for 30 seconds and then let it all cool.

Et voila! Super smooth super nice heat transfered foil. I am beyond happy with this. The only thing I would say in terms of washing it is gentle hand wash only, this stuff does not like your washing machine! Here it is printed onto a cushion cover which wouldn't need washing very often.

If you are interested in this process leave me a comment as i'm thinking of getting more of this foil in the future.

A Cross Blog Giveaway!

2011-02-24T11:27:00.001Z

The fabulous Katie of What Katie Found and I have joined forces to offer our blog readers and twitter followers the chance to win some goodies.

Katie asked for people to donate items to a giveaway, I offered one each of my wooden brooches and answered some probing questions and there we have it, one interview about yours truly and a chance to win some fancy accessories for free, nothing, not a sausage!

If you would like to be in with a chance of winning either or even both of the brooches you just need to be a follower on Katie's blog and this one too. For an extra entry, follow us both on twitter. Then all you need to do is leave a comment on What Katie Found and voila, your name is in the pot!

I wonder if Katie will let me get Milly to pick the winner again!

What a beaut!

2011-02-18T20:35:00.000Z

I just had to show you this beautiful thing. I'm lucky enough to have a friend who buys and does up vintage furniture. And so I've been lucky enough to make this beaut my own. I have no idea where it is going to go. I don't really think we have room to put it anywhere but the spare room. But it will live there and be used for product photos until it's time has come. Ooo I love it so much i made it my iPhone background hehe! More pics to come when it's home with me.

Larry The Downing Street Cat

2011-02-15T19:22:00.000Z

NEW! Little tea badges

2011-02-08T21:12:00.000Z

These cute little pin badges are the latest edition to my online shops.

Folksy and Etsy

They come in a pack of four, one of each badge and they are all original designs by me.

They have vintage style polka dot backgrounds and feature illustrations and phrases, of course about tea!

A bargain at just £1.50 a set.

Publicised!

2011-02-08T21:07:00.000Z

Several months ago I received an email from Inside Crochet magazine asking if they could feature my Crochet Lover badge in their magazine. Of course I said yes and duly sent off an image for them to use.

So here we are, several months later in issue 13. Now unfortunately i wasn't made aware of that my badge was in that issue when it was on the shelf, so you'll have to do with this picture from my complimentary issue.

Never the less it is very exciting for me to have my work featured in such a fun magazine! If you like crochet I suggest you take a peek at it next time you're at your local newsagents as there are lots of cute projects to do and there is always handmade products featured in their "Things We Love" section.

Wooden Teacup Brooches!

2011-01-30T11:12:00.001Z

I've had these in for a while but it has been so dull and horrible here (at least on the weekends when I can take photos) that I haven't been able to get any decent shots until now.

Finally this weekend there is just enough light to get these shots and get these beauties in the online shops!

So if you want one they are on the Etsy and Folksy shops at a mere £5 each.

Stay tuned for some new little button badges at a bargainous £1.50. If I can get a decent shot!! Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Folksy Friday: Prints!

2011-01-21T09:46:00.002Z

It's been a while since I last did a Folksy Friday. With Christmas and New Year and going back to work after a few weeks off i've hardly had time to think. Now i'm back in the swing of things and have some exciting new products to add to the shop, once the packaging has been designed so keep an eye out for those tea lovers!

Spring Girl 2 - Original screen print by Lil Sonny Sky

Barn Owl screen print by Ruby Kate McLelland

Teacake Cottage Print by Nikki Made

Fox - screen print by All Cats Are Grey

Metro 8 x 10 print by The Delicate Flower

Owl Time by Snorkus

Mini Sale!

2011-01-09T13:21:00.001Z

Happy New Year everyone! Here we are in 2011 and I don't really feel like i've got started yet. My first week back at work was quite relaxed, I wonder if I would have got going better if i'd been straight in at the deep end, anyway, it was surprisingly tiring after 2 weeks off.

So I am starting the new year on Cuppa Tea And Cake with a small sale of products I want to get rid of and start a fresh.

So the Jam and Marmalade totes and knitter totes in all colours are now only £3 in the shops. Folksy and Etsy

I have also updated the shops a little with some new earrings. I plan to keep making new items this year to keep the shops fresh and exciting.

First up is a new brooch, i've sent the design off today so hopefully it won't be too long before there are some rather lovely new brooches available. I can't wait to get these! Top secret until they arrive though so keep checking back.

Christmas Milly

2010-12-30T09:16:00.001Z

I had to post these pictures of Milly before the whole Christmas season is over. I apologise for the quality of the photos, they were taken using my iphone on the spur of the moment, as those of you who have cats can understand!

She took a great liking to our Christmas tree, it was her new favourite hang out and as our tree had several bell ornaments on it you could always hear when she had climbed in it again. I had to reattach branches numerous times and rearrange the tinsel as well as constantly tell her to stop chewing the branches; and light bulbs :S on occassion.

Sadly her new toy was taken down yesterday due to my not being able to moan at her about chewing it anymore and she fought the decision all the way!

She climbed into it and attacked us while we removed ornaments, helped remove some of the branches for us (haha!) and stayed in it as it slowly became more and more bare of baubles and branches.

We had a wonderfully quiet Christmas just the three of us, lots of tasty food and relaxing with some good telly too! I'll miss our pretty and very colourful tree until next year and I know Milly will too!

Snow Snow Snow!

2010-12-21T10:23:00.000Z

Firstly, I apologise for the light quality of these photos, it was very cloudy on Sunday so they aren't as great as they could be, but I wanted to share a little of our lovely Sunday with you.

Firstly is a picture of Milly's first venture into the snow! She didn't really go outside during our first two weeks of heavy snow, she didn't seem to keen. But on Sunday Chris and I decided to go out and build a snowman, or, as you can see a Snotoro! (for those who haven't seen My Neighbour Totoro by Studio Ghibli, he is a large cat/bear tree spirit)

Milly was bouncing round the garden, pouncing on the snow and running through our glass cold frame that is missing two panels. Unfortunately she misjudged her route once and ran into the side, luckily she was okay so we didn't feel bad for laughing at her. Poor little fluff!

Later on we went out to our local pub The Brewery Tap and sat by the fire with good friends, eating cake, playing Scrabble and toasting marshmallows. It was a wonderful way to spend a Sunday evening.

Folksy Friday: Clocks

2010-12-03T09:00:00.002Z

This week's very cold and snowy Folksy Friday is about Clocks. I can't explain why, it just came to me this morning and as i'm such a fan of jewellery and accessories I pictured in my mind pocket watch necklaces. So here is my collection of Folksy products on the theme of clocks....

Cuckoo Clock brooch by Flonightingale

Vintage Clock Ring by Ruby Spirit Designs

"She Waiting for You in the Garden of Love" Limited Edition New and Vintage Charm Necklace by Emily Loves Vintage

Owl clock by Longarms

Pocket Watch Felt Brooch by Kaela Mills

Knitted Watch by Little Peche

The Saints Festive Street Fair: The Photos!

2010-11-28T15:43:00.007Z

What an absolutely fantastic day it was!

Apologies for taking a week to post photos, we were absolutely wrecked by the time we got home at 5:30 (we'd been on site since 7:20) and then going straight to work on Monday after such a manic weekend really left me tired all week. So thank you for your patience.

Here are some photos of the fantastic stalls and sellers who joined us last Sunday for a slightly chilly but otherwise fine day! What a fine event it was. We were blessed with good weather, no rain, hardly any wind and not too cold either. It couldn't have been better. Thank god we didn't do it this weekend!

As usual my eyes glazed over with excitement at the sight of all the wonderful handmade and vintage goodies and my wallet took a bashing, but let me tell you it was definitely worth it.

Everyone seemed to have a fantastic time, we were busy selling right from the off with a steady stream of customers all day made all the more festive by the Hot Chestnut stall and Ipswich Hospital Band playing Christmas Carols. We hope everyone enjoyed themselves and will join us again next time as we value our stallholders very much. They are all super talented people who make or find gorgeous items.

Next market will be an indoor event in March and we may have another different project in the pipeline so keep checking the website for news on that. Also the website is in the process of being remade to include interviews, reviews, news and a calendar of events so keep a look out at

www.imakefunstuff.co.uk

Happy Birthday To Me!

2010-11-28T10:31:00.003Z

The day before the Saints Festive Street Fair was my birthday. That sounds like pretty bad organising but my birthday isn't usually much of a big deal, sadly, the weather is always rubbish so we can't really go anywhere so it's usually a rather small affair. What's worse is I had a bad cold and felt rubbish all day along with doing last minute jobs ready for the market.

The best part of my day was 7:00am when I woke up, got lots of loving rubs from Milly and cuddles from Chris and a fantastic array of presents!

Above is some pictures of a few of my goodies. The pea pod necklace (by Eclectic Eccentricity) was from Chris' brother and sister in law, the lion and raindrop badges (by Debbie Greenaway) were from Chris and the Vixen necklace (by Joanna Rutter) was from my Mum and Dad.

I was also lucky enough to get a huge stack of books, always a very gratefully received present! I got the V&A Fifties pattern book, Handmade Graphics, V&A Horrockses Fashions exhibition catalogue, The Ultimate Guide to Running Your Own Freelance Business, How to Sell Your Crafts, Locally, Globally and Online and the Illustration Contemporary Sourcebook. I've been so busy i've only managed to look at one properly but I will be making stacks of time this week as there is no more market organising to do!

Folksy Friday: Saints Festive Street Fair

2010-11-19T09:11:00.000Z

This week it's an extra special Folksy Friday because each of the makers who's work I have featured have a stall at the Saints Festive Street Fair on St Peter's Street in Ipswich on Sunday. I am so very excited because I get to choose all the stalls and so I want to buy things from ALL of them!! My bank balance won't take it and neither will Chris' patience. It is going to be super special, just please don't rain!

Tape Measure Brooch by Canny Belle
Crown Badge by Kluck
Echino Small Lampshade by Sacha and Elisabeth
Ceramic Panda Brooch by Hoot
Cream Teas Tote by Cuppa Tea And Cake

Saints Festive Street Fair

2010-11-17T13:07:00.002Z

It's here! It's here! It has finally come around and we are gearing up for a fantastic day on Sunday!

We have a fantastic range of stalls offering vintage and handmade products so if you love old stuff or you love handmade, unique new stuff come and see us, i'm sure it's going to be a fantastic day.

Keep your fingers crossed for no rain for us! I'll post loads of pictures after the event.

Folksy Friday: Hellos

2010-11-12T16:19:00.004Z

I love Handmade Hellos. By that I mean handmade postcards and cards, but in this case I mean hellos that have been handmade! Look at these, what a great way to say hello and make new friends!

Chit Chat Earrings by Canny Belle

You're My Favourite Hello Necklace by Joanna Rutter

Hello Bag by Lucy Player

‘Hello' Greetings Cards pack x 3 by P.Noo Industries

Talking Ring by Joelleabelle

Hand-stamped Notebook - Bread Slice by Asking For Trouble

The Great Lost Kettle Hunt!

2010-11-09T11:42:00.001Z

I had an interesting email yesterday from Russell Hobbs. Okay not the REAL Russell Hobbs but from the

company asking me if I can help them find a long lost kettle. A bit odd you might th

ink and I must say I was surprised when I saw the title but they need help solving a little problem!

The Russell Hobbs K1 kettle was the first to turn itself off when it boiled. Unfortunately the company no longer has a working model and so they are looking for people who have one to post images of their K1 on the flickr group or tweet at Russell Hobbs with a picture of it. Every single picture will recieve 10% discount off a Russell Hobbs purchase and they promise that one lucky owner will win the full Russell Hobbs

Heritage Collection

Here is a picture of the K1 so you best go root through your attic, those boxes you never unpacked when you moved, your mum's attic, or your grannys or Nana's or Auntie's! You could be in for a surprise and some free kitcheny goodies!

Folksy Friday: A nice warm cup of....

2010-11-04T11:51:00.013Z

So this week I have decided to do my Folksy Friday about hot drinks, I know there are a lot on this theme, but I have been asked to help Russell Hobbs find a 1955 K1 kettle as they no longer have one in working order (see next post) And so I shall run with a theme and here comes this week's 6 items about tea, coffee, hot chocolate, herbal tea, hot ribena, honey and lemon..... hot drinks! Lovely!

I Love Tea Mug by Quite Contrary Crafts

Coffee Set Print by Tea and Ceremony

Mocha 'Coffee Beans' Cosy by Charlotte Macey Textiles

Cheeky Emoticon Coffee Cup Cosy by Mouthy Mitts

Bone China "A Cup of Tea Solves Everything" Mug by Nikki Handmade

Little Teacup Pin, pink by Lupin Handmade

Folksy Friday: Winter warmers

2010-10-29T09:50:00.003+01:00

This week my Folksy Friday is about being warm. I've been at home all week as it's half term so i've been catching up on my making and spreadsheets and documents and i've gotta say it's been pretty chilly. Now I don't mind that, I love wrapping up in warm clothes and turning the heating on, i especially love buying new knitwear, hats, scarves, gloves, wooly headbands all get thumbs up in my book.

So here is this week's 6 winter warmers...

Big Softie - Chunky Barley Corn Wool Scarf by Miss Frekkles

Lingonberry Mittens by Hattie's Heritage Handknits

Issy Bobble Band in Navy and Cream and The Slipped Pom Pom Hat in Cream by Dolly Knits

Super Chunky Knit Bobble Cowl. By Oh Knit!

Lime Green Cabled Gloves by Moocow

Beautiful Laser Cutting.....

2010-10-28T11:27:00.007+01:00

I had to order some more wooden wool badges after sending lots off to stockists and selling a few too. Lucky me! I also needed some for the upcoming I Make Fun Stuff "Saints Festive Street Fair"

I love how they arrive, smelling of burnt wood and all still sitting in the original piece of beech ply. Just like a jigsaw puzzle, i'm loath to pop them out really. So I took lots of photographs instead.

There is only one of these badges left in the shops at the moment so I will relist them soon as that one is sold.

Oh Comely Magazine

2010-10-25T10:48:00.004+01:00

Well lookie here! There is my large polka dot bunting in this month's issue of Oh Comely Magazine.

What's that you say? You haven't heard of it? Well you should go find it! It's a magazine that when you read it, is like having a chat with your friends about all the things you love, music, art, literature and lovely handmade things. Which is why i'm lucky enough to have my bunting featured in the "pretty lovely" section.

You can buy it in WHSmith and several independent shops too such as LoveOne in Ipswich and Cherry Cherry in Norwich.

New Stockist! The Spider And The Fly

2010-10-25T10:33:00.002+01:00

I wanted to show you these cute little parcels before I send them off to my new stockist up in Edinburgh.

I am very excited to announce that my products will soon be able to buy in The Spider and The Fly. As soon as i've sent these parcels and the other pile of goodies I need to wrap up and drop off at the Post Office that is!

A selection of my totes, badges, necklaces and earrings will be there in an assortment of colours. My newest product, the Wooden Wool Badge will be available to buy there too.

I wish I could visit buy Edinburgh is such a long long way from Suffolk!

Folksy Friday: Flowers

2010-10-21T20:41:00.003+01:00

Hi all. I'm sorry it's been a bit quiet here this week. I have been so busy at work but the good news is I have also been busy with orders. It has been very exciting this last few weeks I love getting orders and knowing people love what i'm making.

Luckily for us all it is half term next week and I will be busy making ready for the next I Make Fun Stuff market on Sunday 21st November in Ipswich. So I should have lots of photographs to show you all.

This week's theme is flowers, it's getting very cold and frosty out so I thought I would post some lovely permanent flowers as most of the ones in my garden died back ages ago! Just for the record I am loving the cold weather, I put my favourite Winter coat on for the first time yesterday, it was great!

Here are today's six beauties....

Simply Rosie Necklace by Lonely Hearts

Flowers and Glasses Necklace by Chiyo

Ex Large Standard Lampshade in Candy Flowers Stone by The Old Lamp Shed

Candlesticks - Olive & Folky Flowers by Loglike

Little Purple Flower Tiara by Blue Duck Jewellery

The Spring Festival - Trio of Silver, Burgundy and Green Floral and Rhinestone Bobby Pins by Penny Masquerade

Folksy Friday: Nautical

2010-10-14T13:29:00.007+01:00

This week's theme is Nautical! I like a bit of nautical inspired goodness, i've got a large amount of stripy tops and I occassionally have a jaunt around the hornpipe. Only joking! This theme has been in fashion for a few years now and last I saw it wasn't on it's way out yet!

So here are some beautiful products inspired by adventure on the high seas...

Nautical Brass Marine Lamp Necklace by Sweetest Things

Textile Ship Brooch by Gracie's Garden Bazaar

Anchors Away..He's Off! Nautical New and Vintage Necklace by Emily Loves Vintage

Ahoy! Sailor Set of 10 Notecards & Envelopes by Senor Picklesworth

Seagull Felt Brooch by Kaela Mills

Rustic Hand Printed Anchor and Oars Cushion in New England Blues by Helkat Design

It's National Wool Week!

2010-10-12T20:32:00.012+01:00

Firstly, apologies for the lack of posts recently. No Folksy Friday or Showcase Sunday as I had a migraine that lasted for days! Boo! But now lets get onto this post....

Folksy are celebrating National Wool Week by heaving wooly based products as their featured items this week. I am lucky enough to have my Knitter Badge on the front page so I am going to post my four favourite woolly things from Folksy.

Pink Knitted Bow by The Funky Beau
Fairisle Red Long Winter Socks by Legyviel in Rivendell
Fairisle Double Wrap Cowl by Miss Frekkles
Fairisle Knit Cushion by Handmaid

Makers Online

2010-10-03T15:06:00.005+01:00

You can now buy my products on the wonderful website Makers Online. I was honoured to be asked to stock this excellent website promoting craft makers and artists making things that are new and original. Something I think is very important, especially these days when the high street is flooded with goods made cheaply and sold cheaply too.

Buying handmade is so exciting as you know who made it and that they have an extraordinary passion for what they do. And as a buyer you end up with something entirely unique as most of the time each item is made by hand. That is the epitomy of cool to me!

Showcase Sunday: Print For Love of Wood

2010-10-03T08:52:00.005+01:00

Back to the Showcase Sunday after a short break due to excessive busyness (is that a word?!) This week my Showcase Sunday featured shop is Print For Love of Wood

I bought a print off them last Christmas for my partner and I and really loved their work. Now I see that their shop is full of new and different things and so I had to wave my flag for them.

Look at this wonderful Owl print, made from a vintage linocut found in an antiques shop. I love the almost recycled nature of this and the fact it is still being used decades on. Printmaking is a technique I fell in love with years ago when I was a student and I think that's why I love this shop so much. The shop profile describes how all the work is printed using an antique printing press and using inks often bought from printers that are closing down and is if that wasn't eco enough, everything is printed on recycled paper stock.How's that for sustainable huh?

Print For Love of Wood is stocked with a great range of beautiful letterpress and linocut products but by far my favourite is the print that led me to finding the shop last Christmas.

I used the picture of the print in my previous post so here is a close up picture of the linocut used for printing the image.

My print hangs in my workroom where I do most of my printing and other work. It completely sums up how I feel when things are going well and i'm bursting with ideas, desperate to print something.

NEW! Wooden Knitting Badges

2010-10-02T10:00:00.002+01:00

The latest edition to my Folksy and Etsy shops is these laser cut ball of wool brooches.

Laser cut from 3mm Beech Ply with a copper brooch pin on the reverse. Available for £4

Things that have happened....

2010-10-01T21:58:00.001+01:00

The above image is from the wonderful people Print For Love Of Wood. They have a great shop on Folksy, i bought the above print for Chris and I last Christmas and it really sums up my feelings when I'm experiencing a purple patch. It is also a taster of my Showcase Sunday.

I have decided I'd like to do a little summary of my week because I do such a wide variety of things and because we are slowly building up to the next street market and the launch of the new I Make Fun Stuff website.

On Monday I answered the beckon call of many of my 60 students, they have a variety of requests from moving groups to missing ID cards. The notes page of my diary is not big enough! And i was given some lovely Cath Kidston mugs (I actually need more mugs. Yes. I do)

On Tuesday I taught my little rapscallions all morning and then had a meeting with Cathy from Loveone to finalize the plans for the Saints Festive Street Fair. Very exciting! It is great to have emerged from the piles of red tape and be ready to accept applications. Email imakefunstuff@googlemail.com if you want to apply for a stall.

Wednesday was a ridiculously long day which started with an absent lecturer and a task which involved lots of materials we need to hunt and gather. After long explanations the students understood their task and noisily and messily got on with it. By the time i got home at 6:00 I was wrecked and had to miss knitting club :(

Yesterday was a day filled with maths and english and a whole after noon of rowdy and self involved performing arts students constantly talking and not paying attention. I was appalled at their bad manners but luckily they calmed down eventually. We then turned our brains on and headed out to The Brewery Tap's Quiz Night. 107 questions on a variety of topics and a really tough Extreme Trivia round. We've come second twice but didn't manage to place this time after a ridiculously hard quiz! Great company and good fun though.

Milly seems to have made two kitty friends whilst playing in the garden for the first time this week. One black and white cat and one grey and white cat who's very fluffy with big furry trousers. She wouldn't come in she was having so much fun!

More videos of her soon. And some doodles too.

Folksy Friday: Pattern

2010-10-01T14:56:00.012+01:00

This week my Folksy Friday is about pattern. I've been creating patterns this morning whilst at work and pouring over my pattern books for inspiration. I've found it on Folksy too... and here is where....

Leather iphone/itouch case by Beautiful Skin

Teal Owl Pattern scarf by Bonbi Forest

Tea Towel - Cornish Ware / Whisk and Spoon – Blue by Linen Prints

Biscuits - Hand Printed Greetings Cards by Lovelittle

Long Above The Knee Socks by Legyviel In Rivendell

Fantail Bird Brooch by Lovely Pigeon

Giveaway Winner!!!

2010-09-24T19:44:00.003+01:00

The giveaway ended last night with 28 entries. Tonight I wrote all the names out on little pieces of paper and out them in a lovely red enamel mug. Milly then had the pleasure of picking the winner....

And the winner is....

Congratulations orangebirdstudio!
Email me at cuppateaandcake@googlemail.com to tell me what freebie you'd like from my shop and your address.

Thank you all for entering and following my blog!

Folksy Friday: Birds

2010-09-24T13:43:00.005+01:00

Sorry for the fact this week's Folksy Friday is actually on Sunday, I had a migraine for three days so couldn't bear to look at the computer on Thursday evening or Friday. But I hate to fall from tradition and so I am Folksy Fridaying anyway!

This week's theme is Birds. I love birds and am trying to come up with some birdie type images for my own product range. Also we let Milly out for the first time this weekend and she is spending lots of time looking at birds!

Flying Birds Button Brooch by Flying Away

Love Birds Print by I Love Tea and Ceremony

Birds of a feather ceramic wall art duo with vintage lace texture by Prince Design UK

Chirpy Little Birds Mug by Julia Smith

Grey Flocking Birds Tights by Tights For Sore Eyes

3 Birds at The Airport Necklace by Reworkd Workshop

Folksy Friday: Necklaces

2010-09-16T14:04:00.007+01:00

This week's theme is Necklaces. Yes I know it's vague but I love necklaces so here is a selction of six fabulous necklaces I want from awesome Folksy sellers.

Short but sweet!

Science Beaker or Flask Necklace by Finest Imaginary

Moth Necklace by Niche Handmade

Big Yellow Owl Necklace by Wollies

Walnut Bird on Branch Necklace by Lost At Sea

Summer Owl Necklace by Rose and Raven

Pendant: Dove Heart by Teasemade

Giveaway!

2010-09-16T13:34:00.007+01:00

To celebrate my blog followers reaching 100 (106 by the time i'm writing this!) I am having a giveaway!

All you have to do is comment on this blog post and your name will be entered into the draw to win any one item you want from my shop!

That's right, you can choose ANY one thing you want from my shop!

You have until Midnight next Thursday 23rd September to enter and i'll do the draw the following Friday.

Good luck! And thank you to everyone who has followed my blog and helped me reach 106!

Halfpenny Home's Humble Jumble

2010-09-16T11:37:00.003+01:00

Our friends at Halfpenny Home are holding a Jumble Sale this Saturday in Needham Market!!

From 11 - 4 at The Ark, which i'm told is the Town Hall you can root through other people's junk to find some treasures.

I'll be there so sharpen your elbows as i'm on the hunt!!

We've been on a jolly!

2010-09-15T16:46:00.011+01:00

Today i've been on a trip to the seaside! My day job is the greatest. I'm a lecturer and LSA in Art and Design so I get to teach lovely students all about the things I love and get to go on fantastic research and drawing trips like our trip to Aldeburgh and Snape Maltings today.

We had a great time collecting beach debris as inspiration for our next four week project on found objects. I took loads of photos of the beach, mainly fishing boats and equipment related to them. I love the worn paintwork and clash of colours on the plastic boxes. There were colourful nets strewn around in plastic crates, rusty old bits of metal and blackboards with fish prices scrawled on them all weather worn and beautiful.

I hope the students appreciated the day as much as we did and took as many pictures as they possibly could. We're only in the first week of term so they may be needing some encouragement to fill their boots with inspiration!

Showcase Sunday: Sarah Waterhouse

2010-09-12T17:00:00.004+01:00

The seller I have chosen for my Showcase Sunday this week is the excellent Sarah Waterhouse.

Firstly I have to say that a lot of Sarah's products that she has small numbers of are 20% off in her shop at the moment to make way for her Autumn line of products, so you can grab yourself a bargain and get excited about new things to come too!
I really love Sarah's products and the two big reasons are her colour choices and her gorgeous illustrations.

Also, as I said in my Folksy Friday, I love the way people package their products. I love the jute string around the tea towels and her tags which match everything so perfectly. If you read this blog often you will know how much I love matching branding and colour schemes. And look Sarah's tags match her shop banner, which matches her website which matches her blog. Love it!

The other thing that is really important and that Sarah does so well and simply is her product shots, a clean white background gives a great minimalist look to show off the product at it's best and the lighting is perfect, I am very jealous I must admit! I am still battling to get the ultimate photographs of my products.

Most of all Sarah's products and her site inspire me to keep pushing my work further and encourage me to work harder to make my shop the best it can be. I admire it greatly, it is definitely in my Top Five Folksy shops!!

Folksy Friday: Packaging and Post

2010-09-09T21:09:00.010+01:00

I love packaging, when you order a handmade product you often find the maker pays as much attention to packaging the it product as they do to making the product itself. I love parcelling up my orders to make it as exciting as possible when my buyers receive their goods and I love when I've ordered something that arrives in a beautiful package.

After receiving my lovely necklaces from Lucie Ellen this week in a lovely envelope made from a page of a vintage children's book and seeing other people's lovely deliveries in the many blogs I read I have decided to feature 6 beautiful packaging products from Folksy sellers.

New School Card by Rebecca Lancaster Designs

Postcards/Notecards by Rachael Taylor Designs

Assorted Set of Six Gift Tags by Gooseberry Moon

Gift Wrap Set by Asking For Trouble

Chenille Pom Pom Ribbon by Dizzy Izzy Supplies

Recycled Map Envelopes by Junky Chicken

Lucie Ellen Necklaces

2010-09-07T17:21:00.004+01:00

What a reason to be cheerful! I have 2 new Lucie Ellen necklaces to add to my collection. I just have to decide which one to wear first.

You can see in the back of the picture the little envelope they came in, it's made of what looks like an old page from a children's book, sometimes the packaging adds to the excitement of buying handmade goods. I know I make a lot of effort when packing my orders to send to customers.

As you can see from the second picture Milly couldn't help but get in on the photo shoot. But who could blame her, look how cute she is! She wants to help with everything, and frequently tries to help me screen print, little kitty paws don't make good textural patterns on new tea towels!

Make sure you go check out Lucie Ellen's Etsy and watch out for news on the latest street fair. The Saints Festive Street Fair as Lucie Ellen is bound to be there!

For The Love Of Knitting!

2010-09-04T11:12:00.002+01:00

For some time now i've been making my Knitter Badges and have found them to be really popular. Especially because, as one customer said "where else can you buy badges about knitting?" what a coo for me!

So as I was making a badge up for a customer who wanted a specific colour the penny dropped, why not make really cute little wool earrings?!

So here they are! In any colour in the colour range but I have purple and pink ones good to go on the Folksy and Etsy pages.

Don't you just love knitting?!

Folksy Friday: Leaves

2010-09-03T08:40:00.002+01:00

This week, in celebration of Autumn being on it's way (don't hit me!) my theme is leaves!

I know so many people really love Summer and I like it too, in moderation!! I love Autumn, the way the trees change colour, the gorgeous Autumnal light, wrapping up a bit warmer, wearing more layers (for me it is all about layers) and cosying up in bed without overheating! So here goes, your six Autumnal products...

Copper Bird with Leaf Wing by Ali Bali

Retro Leaf Rubber Stamp by Skulls And Cross Buns

Huggers To G0! Leaves by Sugar & Rhubarb

Little Birdy Card (Recycled) by Nina Rowan Paper Boutique

Spring Wrens - Hand Pulled Original Gocco Print

by Dee Beale Original Hand Pulled Prints

Forever Print by Bonbi Forest

Showcase Sunday: Vintage Princess

2010-08-29T10:22:00.002+01:00

For this weeks's Showcase Sunday I have decided to continue my wedding theme, as that theme is ruling my weekend too! Post wedding BBQ today, hope the weather holds!! So i have picked one of the sellers who's item I featured in my Folksy Friday this week. Vintage Princess Shop

I love the design of Amber's selection of digital and letterpress invitations, cards and bookmarks. The colour schemes work beautifully and you get matching envelopes and address labels or stickers with all of her products. This matching collection of goodies all in the same design and colours makes me very happy!

And you don't have to be getting married or having a baby shower to enjoy Amber's products, she does these cute little daschund notecards too, with matching envelopes and doggy stickers too!

One request from me, afternoon tea letterpress notecards please Amber! It's all about the tea and cake!!

Folksy Friday: Weddings

2010-08-26T19:10:00.017+01:00

This weekend we're busy with a fantastic wedding and so my theme this week is Weddings!

Don't you just love it when people get married? And the wedding we're attending will be especially lovely as the bride has designed all the wedding invitations, RSVPs, menus, table settings, decorations and placemats! She is a fantastically talented pattern designer, Sarah Wade
It will be a great day!

Here are today's 6 picks...

Wedding Flower Ball by by Abigale

Personalised Hand Cut Card by StoreyShop

Winter Wedding Fascinator by Maggie Cook

Peach Wedding Cupcake Toppers by Peach Blossom Parties

Afternoon Tea Letterpress Wedding Invitation by Vintage Princess

Vintage Airmail Wedding Invitations and RSVP by Artcadia

Mini Pen Totes on Folksy Front Page

2010-08-26T10:34:00.002+01:00

My Mini Pens Tote is on the front page of Folksy today!

It looks like they are doing a Back To School Theme ready for the end of the Summer holidays.

It's the end for me too as I have to go back to work with the students!

New Website!

2010-08-26T10:26:00.007+01:00

The new Cuppa Tea And Cake website is now live!!

Lots of new photographs and a little bit of blurb, hopefully it is easy to navigate and beautiful to see!

New Earrings

2010-08-25T09:48:00.004+01:00

New teacup earrings now in the Folksy and Etsy shops.

Super cute little studs hand drawn on plastic with surgical steel posts and scrolls.

AND they come pinned onto hand screen printed card speech bubbles for extra colour and excitement!

Showcase Sunday: Mengsel

2010-08-22T15:10:00.002+01:00

It's time for another Showcase Sunday, along with it being migraine Sunday for me but I will push on promoting my fellow sellers! This week my chosen Folksy seller is Mengsel.

As usual I have taken the time to find a seller who I think has it all, beautiful, well made products that are unique, a well designed shop and great product placement. Oh yes and I forgot, photographs that clearly show the products and give you a style to picture in your home as well.

From reading the Mengsel bio I have found out that it is the Dutch Afrikaans word for mixture. I love the story behind a name! And so do buyers, finding out a little bit about the person who makes the products you are going to buy and how they are made makes them all the more interesting.

Luzelle's style has a lovely Scandinavian feel to it which comes out through her designs, the colours she uses and also the settings for her photographs. This fresh, clean, white paint and wooden furniture compliments the products and almost makes the feel like a breath of fresh air. Which it must be said, handmade products definitely are after walking through your local department store or high street!

Mengsel's designs include crockery, chickens, robots, super 8 cameras and coffee pots. The mixture of homely and vintage/retro styles that I love and is also very "in" at the moment. I'm a big fan of product prints being available as art prints as well so you can have them on your wall as well as on your cushions!

Mengsel offers tea towels, cushions, pillow cases and prints too, some Scandinavian some just quirky and fun and all beautifully printed.

Don't forget to visit the Mengsel blog too!

Folksy Friday: Baggage

2010-08-20T13:02:00.015+01:00

This week's Folksy Friday theme is Baggage! Mainly because I love bags and purses and wallets and also because I need a little coin purse so where else would I look but Folksy!?

I love doing these Folksy Friday's because I end up adding so many cool shops to my favourites, it means I have some sellers I know I love to call upon when I need something for myself or for a gift!

Unfortunately it does tempt me to buy lots of things too, but that's why we love Folksy. Handmade goods you know are unique is a great way to satisfy your retail therapy needs!

Coffee Sack Shopper by Lucky Bird

Tashley Clutch Bag by nelli D

Hand printed glasses / sunglasses case by Sarah Waterhouse

Upcycled 13 inch brown flannel laptop case by Toggle

Comic Wallet by Kluck

Coral & Gold Coin Purse by Peppermint Twist

Showcase Sunday: Lucy Player

2010-08-15T11:42:00.002+01:00

Here Sunday is again, I have done my food shopping but annoyingly I still have the washing up to do! My least favourite job, I would rather iron than wash up! Anyway, before i succumb to the horrors of the washing up bowl here is my choice for this weeks' Showcase Sunday. I love Showcase Sunday!

This week I will be promoting the graphic talents of Lucy Player.

The thing about Lucy's products is they are perfectly simple and minimalistic, that is all you need. I love how her work is often just black line drawings on a cream background letting the artwork speak for itself, you don't need bright colours, gaudy slogans or careful stitched embroidery (not that I don't love that myself because we know I do!) in Lucy's work.

These postcards is where it really gets good for me, detailed illustrations of biscuits and teacups printed onto cards! Simple yet effective, and to me that is what Lucy's work, shop and website encompasses. Her product photographs are so suited to her work I just want to drink it all in, her shop is everything I want from a shop and will make me want to buy the products.

It also makes me want to keep taking product photographs to improve mine even more!

Visit the Lucy Player shop and you'll see what I mean.

Folksy Friday: Night

2010-08-13T08:58:00.003+01:00

Here we go with another Folksy Friday!

This week's theme is Night because of the spectacular Perseid meteor shower that happened over the UK last night. We had friends over so we lay on our picnic bench in the dark watching the shooting stars. The repeated shouts "Oooo I saw one!!" and "oops no that's an plane" was hilarious, we had a great night. So to inspire you into finding something twinkling and sparkling, here are this week's six items!

Night Time by Rabbit Portal

Bronze Cat Make Up Bag by Dee Hewitt

Black Bat & Full Moon Necklace by Ich bin…!

The Lonely Owl Necklace by Chasing Bella

Greeting Card, Cloudy Starry Night by It Belongs To Turtle

Small Star Studs by Buttercup Buttons

Cuppa Tea And Cake Shop Window!

2010-08-11T08:09:00.001+01:00

Yesterday I had the fun task of changing the window at LoveOne to a Cuppa Tea And Cake themed window.

It's actually quite difficult to dress a window, does it look right? What else can I add? What is the right shape/size/style to fill the gap? And then what to do with the stuff taken out of the window?! I might do a bit more fannying around with it today as i'm shopgirl again.

But for now, lookie at that!!

Showcase Sunday: Joanna Rutter

2010-08-07T22:30:00.001+01:00

Showcase Sunday is where a Folksy seller promotes the work of a fellow seller. I love showing people the talent we have going on over there on the UK craft marketplace. Folksy is a fantastic place to buy handmade products you can't get in high street stores only those excellent little independent shops we must all support.

My first Showcase Sunday Folksy Seller is Joanna Rutter.

Joanna makes gorgeous silver and wooden jewellery of foxes, birds and clouds to name a few of her subjects. Each piece is beautifully crafted and so well designed it's not a surprise the branding of her shop is equally eye catching. Joanna has made her shop a dream to visit, the bunting on her banner, the font she's used, her colour scheme and her perfectly shot photographs all give me the feeling I want when I visit a Folksy shop.

Please buy me one of these, Joanna's shop can be found here on Folksy.

Reasons To Be Cheerful: Part Two!

2010-08-07T17:29:00.005+01:00

I don't often blog about clothes, which really is a bit odd because I really am into clothes. I always have been, especially things that are a bit unusual, and of course vintage.

Today these two wonderful cardigans from River Island caught my eye in a very excited way! Which cheered me up as I was feeling a bit grumpy, mainly because the weather is disgusting at the moment. I don't mind warm, I don't mind rain but what I do not like is warm and wet and so humid you feel like hell!

YUK! Roll on the Autumn when I can start wearing more than one layer of clothes at once!

Sorry all you Summer lovers!!

Folksy Friday. Always Take The Weather With You

2010-07-30T08:23:00.013+01:00

It is typically British to make small talk with conversation about the weather, and we seem to be having a big variety of it at the moment! So for my first Folksy Friday I've picked a selection of products all with the common theme, the weather.

I must also add when making these lists of products to share with you all the only way I choose is if I want them myself. I want every one of these items, but as my bank balance can't take the hammering, maybe some of you will be inclined!

Thunderbolt & Lightening Necklace by KitschenSink

Umbrella, Felt Brooch by Lupin Handmade
Silver cloud with pendants raindrop necklace by TaniaCovo Designs
Rainbow Rainbow necklace by Owl Loves Panda
Double Cloud Pin by Lost At Sea
Right As Rain Screen Print by Lil Sonny Sky

Another cushion!

2010-07-28T15:36:00.002+01:00

Ta da!

Typewriter cushion number Two!

These are so much fun to make I want people to buy them so i can keep having fun making more.

This is the same colour scheme as I used on the new Typewriter Tea Towels so you can dry your washing with the tea towels and then go sit down on the cushion! With a cup of tea of course.

Shop Relaunch!! Free badge with purchases over £4

2010-07-27T15:39:00.004+01:00

The shop has been relaunched!!

NEW banner!

NEW photography!

NEW products!!

And FREE teacup badge with every order over £4!

How jolly exciting is that?! Let me know what you think of the newness of it all. But first, go visit...

Etsy

Folksy

How to wash up your Tea Cup

2010-07-26T12:35:00.003+01:00

After the big excitement of the typewriter cushions (I was excited anyway) and selling the first one! Thank you Nicola!! I have been printing fabric for another cushion and also printed these...

Tea Towels!

Essential for drying your prized teacups and saucers and cake plates of course, after snaffling a little afternoon something and sipping your favourite brew.

I've made two as a trial to see if they are popular and they will be added to the shops with the relaunch that will be happening very soon!

Just a few more photos to take, with the sun on my side, and we will be there.

I will be having a promotional offer to celebrate the shop's new look.

Sneaky Peaky

2010-07-23T16:16:00.003+01:00

This week I have been fighting the light in an effort to re-do my products images.

I'm trying to push my products more and having better photographs seems to make a difference to what people think of your shop.

In fact it is one of the major things that can turn someone on or off when looking at your work.

Without knowing it you've already had a sneak peak in the posts below but here are a few more for you to take a little lookie at.

There will be a celebratory shop relaunch to coincide with all the new pictures but if the sun doesn't come back it might be a little while away!!

This photography malarky is very difficult and really rather frustrating! Fingers crossed there will be some better light soon and we can all celebrate some new swish looking photos!

You want posts? You got em!!

2010-07-19T11:52:00.003+01:00

NEW NEW NEW!!

Wow have I been a busy bee lately!

The new tote bags from Cuppa Tea And Cake are hand printed totes with a glorious "Come For Tea" print in turquoise from an original drawing by ME!

I will be doing these totes in different colours but I hurt my arm moving a trunk yesterday and typically it's my printing arm *pout pout*

Snap those up and i'll do some more! Go Go Go!!!

Oh yeh by them here at Folksy and here at Etsy

Typewriter Cushion Number 2

2010-07-19T10:45:00.005+01:00

I did another one! And this one is for sale!

here on Folksy

I've had a really busy weekend printing and it's been fab. I'm really enjoying making these but I won't be doing a big run on them until I know people want them. Then I would happily be printing away all day long!

In other exciting news I got a new screen this morning so the next post will be pictures of my new line of bags in assorted colours.

Unfortunately the sun is being a bit too unruly for me to get pictures yet but I will do!

A Telling Off

2010-07-17T19:36:00.000+01:00

I got told off today. My friend Nicola over at Halfpenny Home said I don't blog enough. She's right. I know she's right because I've thought it myself! So hopefully it is made up for by this brightly coloured post!

Up there is the fabric for my latest "try out" project. Typewriter prints with an assortment of mono prints and cut stencils onto calico. The I made it into this..

I shall be trying out a new colour way so stay tuned for that.

I better post again before that though!

Reasons To Be Cheerful

2010-07-05T12:55:00.004+01:00

I've decided to start a weekly blog post called "Reasons To Be Cheerful". I'll post pictures of my reasons to be cheerful from the past week. It could be an exciting shopping find, someone's work I like, an image I've found, a blog I like or even some good news if I have some!

So the first Reason To Be Cheerful is....

This beautiful necklace I bought from Lucie Ellen
at the Saints Summer Street Fair last week. I have worn it loads since buying it and what's even better is that Lucie Ellen sells online and she does lots of other things you can buy! I am a big fan of her china coasters too which I will be buying for my house really soon.

There is also some good news to share, we have been in touch with the Ipswich Borough Council about the Saints Summer Street Fair and they were so pleased with the day that they want us to do it again! Yay!!

Stay tuned for more news!

The Saints Summer Street Fair

2010-06-28T10:22:00.008+01:00

Well what a day we had! And PHEW was it hot!! With my fair skin I am so surprised I didn't manage to get sunburnt it was a scorcher!!

Well we started the day very early to make sure all the market stalls were set up in the right places and all the stallholders were happy with their stalls. They were and so were we!

Our sellers always seem to be so clever with how they decorate their stall and display their products. I am always so excited to see how they show off the wonderful things they've made and it always suits what they make so well!

So we officially opened at 10am but when you're on a street it pretty much starts as soon as the first customer parts with their money! As far as I could tell that was pretty early because before we knew it the street was heaving with people and I was running around trying to sell raffle tickets for Joel Millerchip's fantastic paintings and signing people up to our mailing list.

I couldn't move around LoveOne for all the people in the shop, it was so busy and lots of people heading to the back garden to get a delicious cream tea from Simpson's Deli. They went down a storm let me tell you! And their brownies
went very well with my evening cup of tea.
So here are some pictures of the stalls and some of their holders.

Check out our facebook for more pics

Jack the Cat. Lucie Ellen. House of Ismay. Kluck and Jess Lucking.

Postcard Sets

2010-06-26T15:40:00.003+01:00

New in my shops are these postcard sets. I have four up for grabs at the moment. Two lots of 3 designs in each. £4 a pack.

I'm rather excited as I had them printed up with postcard backs too so you can send them to your friends!

The three designs say "Come For Tea" "I'm Just Having A Brew" and "Have You Heard The News?" all hand drawn by me professionally printed.

They're all in little cellophane packets too which I think is the post exciting part for me!

Visit the shops to take a closer look. Etsy and Folksy

Suffolk New College End of Year Show Part Two

2010-06-24T11:01:00.003+01:00

Next student to be featured in my top picks for the Suffolk New College End of Year Show posts is Benjamin Carr.

Ben uses a lot of images he has found and then works on top of them with paint, pen and ink to create a new piece of work with only parts of the previous image still present.

I particularly like his way of using different media and use of collage. His work feels spotaneous, making his sketchbooks interesting viewing because you can see that the marks come so naturally from his pen or paintbrush. What i'm trying to say is Ben's work is clearly born from passion and natural ability and actually not being able to stop making work!

Like Bryony Jones he was a finalist for the Drawing Prize and from these pieces you can see why! I especially love the way he has cut away the top layer of this piece to reveal the paper underneath and used repeat pattern, something I love to do in my own work.

Take a look at Ben's Website for more info, his blog and more work.

Ben was also featured on Brown Paper Bag recently.

Suffolk New College End of Year Show Part One

2010-06-23T19:07:00.003+01:00

Last night was the end of year show for the Pre-Degree Foundation Studies and National Diploma Year 2 students at Suffolk New College where I work.

This event proves to be incredibly inspiring and exciting every year because there really is some absolutely outstanding talent on show.

I always take lots of pictures of the work I am particularly keen on and so this year i've decided to blog about the work and the artists I put on my favourites list.

First up is Bryony Jones. Her work is inspired by a journey into space, she came up with designs and screen printed the images until she was happy with the outcome. She then printed a length of fabric with designs layered on top of each other and finally applied rainbow holographic heat transfer foil. Believe me this IS as exciting as it sounds.

As you can see from the photograph she has combined bright and neon colours with the beautiful foil and finally created a pair of hareem trousers and a jacket! For this project she won the award for best Fashion and Textiles project.

I also really loved Bryony's drawing class work for which she was a finalist for the Drawing Prize. I love Bryony's eye for colour and complete fearlessness when it comes to combining colour. It works so well and if you met her you could see her love for colour flows through her as well as her work.

I will highlight another one of this years' students later.

NEW!!!

2010-06-20T16:33:00.005+01:00

I've had rather a busy week looking after Milly while she settles in and making things too. So I have come up with some new products, new things always excite me and i'm constantly wanting to expand my product line so hopefully you'll like them and so will other people!

First up is the Pincushion Necklace. I've made many brooches like this and a necklace for myself but never made a necklace to sell. I get a lot of compliments when I wear mine so I thought i'd try one out in my shops and see how it goes.

Next is the Crochet Lover Badge. Available in all the same colours as the Knitter badges but for those who want to show their love for the other wool based activity! I often try to think of ways to expand my badge line to other hobbies and art based things, more on the way I hope!

And finally my favourite of the new additions. The Tea Cup Earrings! Unfortunately I can't model these for you as my ears have very large holes in them but I will try to get someone to do that for me soon. These will be available in all the Tea Cup Badge designs and probably the other random badge designs I conjure up.

Check out my Etsy or Folksy shops for these items. I will be adding them shortly.

Saints Summer Street Fair

2010-06-19T12:57:00.001+01:00

On Sunday 27th June St Peters Street in Ipswich will be hosting the first Saints Summer Street Fair as part of the Ip-Art festival. I Make Fun Stuff have gathered together local artists and makers to sell their wares and help prromote the independent shops and businesses on St Peters Street and St Nicholas Street. A thriving part of Ipswich town centre that is often neglected by shoppers using the main street.

The shops and cafes will be open so you can explore these unique places and stalls and find yourself some goodies and tasty food.

Fingers crosses the weather is good for us!!

The Royal Opera House likes tea

2010-06-19T08:06:00.001+01:00

Yesterday i had a phone call from my good fries Cathy at LoveOne. She had a man in the shop who was buying her out of my tea cup badges and wanted 15-20 more!! Luckily I was just on my way to the printers to pick up the posters for the Saints Summer Street Fair, which is 2 minutes down the road from the shop.

So off I popped, fresh posters in hand (more about those later) and tins full of badges. After a catch up about fair progress and a good gossip Will Tucket of The Royal Opera House returned to buy 34 tea cup badges and a tea cup necklace! It came to £94.99! All at once! Blam! Here you go! Crikey that was exciting.

I asked him why he wanted that many and he told us about the play he is showing at the new Jerwood Centre, Dance East at the Ipswich Waterfront. It's called "Pleasure's Progress: A tale of sex, wigs, wags and bawds". The tea cups were for his cast members and the necklace for his assistant as a little in joke. In the production the main female character is interrupted by her husband while in bed with her lover and asks him for a cup of tea to distract him! How appropriate my badges were for little favours. Sometimes your work is just in the right place at the right time!

Re-Opened Etsy Shop!

2010-06-17T10:01:00.001+01:00

Hang out the bunting I have good news!

I have re-opened my Etsy shop and stocked it full of stuff. In celebration every order for the next week gets a free badge, just state which one you want in the "message to seller" box when you order!

Yay! It's good news!

Cuppa Tea And Cake Etsy Shop

A new arrival

2010-06-14T12:37:00.000+01:00

This weekend we added a new member to our previously 2 person family. Her name is Milly.

I've had cats all my life so when Chris and I moved into our own home it was only a matter of time before we added a small feline bundle of fluff to the family. I must say our house really feels like a home now, I'm used to having an animal around to call on for strokes and attention, I used to live with a dog but those animal lovers out there will know there is a big differences between cats and dogs.

Milly settled in really fast, 30 seconds of hiding under a blanket and that was it, we were overwhelmed with purring and rubs with no limb left unattended! She has a lovely habit of rubbing you on the cheek, like a face butt really, very cute and she purrs like a trooper.

So now she's found her feet she's zipping round the house getting into all kinds of mischief and mewing most of the time. She doesn't like not being able to see what you're doing and has to be involved in everything. And when she does snooze, only a lap will do! She's lovely and very cute!

Yum!

2010-06-04T19:44:00.001+01:00

Cheese scone triumph.

Booty and Goodies!

2010-06-04T19:28:00.004+01:00

Goodness me, I do love vintage finds! We went to our local car boot on Sunday. I think my expectations were a bit high, I haven't been to one in years and I think I had forgotten how much tat people have to sell! Okay okay, I know, "one persons' trash is another persons' treasure" but really, there is so really not nice stuff. We were walking round and I saw a young girl walk past with carrier bags of what looked like interesting stuff and a couple of old leather bags. I said to Chris "I think she's got all the good stuff already" but I shouldn't speak too soon! I managed to get the little leather suitcase in the bottom picture for £3 and a big pile of stamps and embroidery transfers, also for £3. Lovely!

Then on Thursday my friend Cathy of LoveOne and I went out into the Suffolk countryside to find some old furniture for the shop. It was wonderful! We wandered round some shops selling vintage furniture and garden stuff, had a cup of tea and a cheese scone, or a cream tea and managed to get a few goodies. I got that lovely enameled jug with my gorgeous Lupins in that is sitting in our fireplace. Wow I love old stuff!! My eyes glaze over with excitement when it comes to vintage goodies and clothes and furniture. Happy happy days!

New beautiful prints

2010-05-23T21:09:00.010+01:00

I recently invested in my first permanent screen for printing one of my drawings. I've had it for a few weeks actually but hadn't got round to trying it out mainly because i've been in a bit of a creative black hole!

Luckily a good friend of mine Sarah Wade gave me some very good advice, "just draw she said, doodle and see what happens and don't worry whether it is good or bad". Well it worked! Also watching the great series Mad Men on dvd was quite inspiring too. So my brain woke up and so did my enthusiasm, so this afternoon I gave my new screen it's first try out. And oh my is it good!! Chris even gave a little gasp when I lifted it up to reveal the first print.

On the left is the results hanging on my washing line in the beautiful May sunshine. It was ruddy hot in Suffolk today I can tell you! Lucky really cos the fabric flew over itself but thankfully the print had dried.

I must also include a picture of the great squeegee holder my dad made for us. It's got different slots for different squeegees as I have some skinnier ones to use on my new screen as well as the big ones for traditional screens and it is so super handy! I really needed something to prop my squeegee on while i moved the screen and this is the supreme tool for doing it! Thanks Dad!

I'll be doing some more prints on this length of calico in different colours and probably different prints so i'll post pictures as I go along.

An experiment with a new way to make screens

2010-04-24T12:11:00.008+01:00

I drew this typewriter on Wednesday. After weeks of no idea of what to even draw let alone print or make it came as a huge relief to actually produce something I like and I can possibly print.

I usually make stencils to print my designs but have just discovered a new way of making reusable screens. You paint what you want to print onto a screen using Speedball Drawing Fluid and then coat the whole thing with Speedball Screen Filler. You then wash out the blue drawing fluid and bingo you have a permanent screen. I used to do a similar technique where you draw on the screen with oil pastels, coat it with gum arabic then wash out the oil pastel with white spirit.

The image did not come out perfectly. But then it wasn't going to was it? I rather like the hand drawn look to it and have plans of how to use this technique in the future. I only had a few blank bags to print on so there are only 3 available. But of course there will be more, because I can use the screen again!

Every cloud....

2010-04-13T21:05:00.002+01:00

I made this cloud brooch last night in a moment of inspiration. Yay! I have been lacking that massively as I said in my last post but picked up one of my favourite books and as always it sparked my imagination. I made Chris an anniversary card as it's our anniversary on Friday, four years together, woah!

Then I made this brooch, and very pleased I am with it too.
I plan to make some variations on the theme too if I don't keep breaking the little stars :S

Mini Bags

2010-04-11T17:29:00.004+01:00

Oooo these mini bags are so useful! I've done a few in this design before in different colours and they've been very popular.

They're so handy to put your lunch in or your book, or any other goodies! I use mine to pop my Persephone books in so I don't mark their lovely grey covers and I keep my graphic markers in one too as they are rather fat pens!

You can get them in my Folksy shop now.

In other news I am having a lovely Easter break but am rather frustrated by my lack of inspiration! Why is it that when I had no time to do things and I was tired from work I was desperate for more time, now i'm on holiday and I just can't seem to get the ideas going. So very annoying!!

I am eager to be creative and make things but I just cant get any ideas out. However I did make a lovely bag from some vintage fabric I had last week. Pictures to follow of that! I just HAD to make something. I am now on the hunt for some vintage 50s fabric so I can make cushions for our 40s/50s front room. No luck in the charity shops so far, keep your fingers crossed for me!

Come For Tea

2010-04-01T13:39:00.003+01:00

For a while now i've been wanting to turn some illustrations i've done into digital prints to sell.

I spent an evening learning how to make them into digital illustrations on Adobe Illustrator and discussed it with my friends at work, the graphics and digital art and design lecturers. They preferred the original drawing not the digital version and said it is more than fine to just scan the drawing into my computer, maybe clean it up a little and then get them printed.

I was anxious that the hand drawn look would not work when printed digitally but I was assured that isn't the case and the beauty of my drawings is that they look hand drawn.

So here is the finished result! I have 5 Come For Tea digital prints for sale in my Folksy shop. And if they go well, I may do some more designs!

Goodies

2010-03-30T20:09:00.007+01:00

I have had some wonderful finds recently in my local charity shops and at the I Make Fun Stuff Craft Market.

This bright red leather holdall was from my dear friend Wendy Ashby who had a stall at the market selling off all the things she's collected over the years! Had I been paid I would've bought so much more from her! I also bought a cut glass necklace and two teacups and a saucer which are sitting on my mantlepiece making

our front room look very much like the 1940s.

I got the beryl green teacups in a local charity shop, they were quite a find as I bought a pint jug the same from my friend Cathy's shop LoveOne a few weeks before and had been looking at this style of crockery on ebay. I popped in the charity shop one lunch time and found 11 teacups and saucers, 5 side plates and 5 bowls! All for £4! What a bargain.

And finally i got the granny blanket looking lovely on our old trunk and the rectangular dish in the above picture yesterday, more charity shop finds! I am really enjoying trawling for vintage goodies lately.

Happy days!