Folksy Seller Interview 'Tait Gallery'

Heres the fourth Installment in my Weekly Feature *Folksy Seller Interviews* Get to know your faourite Folksy sellers and find new favourites!


Folksy Shop: Tait Gallery

How Long have you been on Folksy? About a year
Describe what you create: I make small ceramic gifts and handthrown pots.
How did you get into your craft? I have just completed 8 years at art school starting from scratch and working up to an MA in Contemporary fine art that I finished this month. I first learned about ceramics during my foundation year in 2003 but i haven't had the chance to use clay again until I set up my own pottery (really a draughty garage with squirrels nesting in the roof) about a year ago.

What inspires you? My Fine art practice is quite complex in its motivation. My ceramics are concieved in a simple format and then enhanced each time I make new ones with different ideas, patterns and designs. My handthrown bowls range from the humerous to the purely decorative. I'll be listing more of them over the coming months in my folksy and etsy shops.


Which item for sale in your Folksy shop is your favourite? My customers are drawn towards the bride and groom ceramics and the necklaces are also very popular. I prefer the 'may contain nuts' bowls and I'm very fond of the pi dish as well.

What makes you unique? I've never seen anything like some of my pieces. I design in response to things my custmers ask for and these things enhance the range of pieces I make. I'm currently making 80 ceramic placecards for a wedding in August. The bride wanted a bird theme so I made ceramic doves which are now available as a bride and groom set in my Folksy shop.

If you won the Lottery how would you spend your millions? I'd convert the garage into a real workshop with glass sliding doors and a kiln that fires to stoneware temperatures. I'd also buy a new winter coat.


If you would like to see more of Tait Gallerys Wonderful Ceramics visit http://www.folksy.com/shops/taitgallery

Folksy Friday 'Birthdays'

My Folksy Friday theme this week is 'Birthdays' as it's the 1st April today and starts off my busiest month of the year for family and friends birthdays and my own birthday :)

I've hand picked my favourite creations from  http://www.folksy.com/  that i think would make lovely birthday presents

I'm sure there is a gift suitable for every friend or family member on folksy as there really is something for everyone on there and handmade creations to suit all budgets!

(If you would like to purchase or view any of the featured folksy sellers items simply click on the photo you like to be taken to their shop)





Scrabble birthday card only £1.50 from KerryLouDesign

 
 


Super Star Girls Crayon Roll

 


Super Star Boys Crayon Roll

 

 Both Crayon rolls are from Little Miss Sew for just £6.50 each



Black & White Evening bag from BagsbyDesign 



A Stunning Sandblasted leaves vase from Bex By Design only £12



A Pink Shell Squares & Circles Jewellery set from me just £12.50



I love this Handbag Mirror from Lilly's Night Garden and it's only £6.50

Folksy Seller Interview 'MrsJones'

This is the third installment in a New weekly Feature **Folksy Seller Interviews** Find out about your favourite folksy sellers and discover new favourites!



Name: Emma Jones

Folksy shop: mrsjoneshandmadejewellery

How long have you been on Folksy? About a month

Describe what you create: I created mainly beaded jewellery. Just can’t resist beads in all their shapes and sizes!

How did you get into your craft? I wanted to make jewellery that I couldn’t find in the shops, and after starting off making a few elastic bracelets the bug really hit me and the rest is history!

What inspires you? I get inspiration often from the beads themselves. When I buy the beads, I already have an idea in my head what the end result will be. I put the beads on a white tray and just add something or take something away until I am happy with it. I love the texture of things too, so that plays an important role.

Favourite item in your shop? Green shell heart bracelet – pretty, tactile and very wearable. Am actually contemplating making a duplicate for myself.

What makes you unique? Igive excellent customer service and am always happy to adjust something for a customer to suit, where possible. I also offer face to face customers a colour matching service and I was asked to make colour matched earrings for a bride who had a pretty but unusual dress!


What would you spend your millions on if you won the Lottery?
After giving a generous sum to each of my children’s schools, I would set myself up a workshop . My husband is always complaining about treading on small beads and bits of wire!

If you would like to see more of Emmas lovely creations visit her at http://folksy.com/shops/mrsjoneshandmadejewellery

Folksy Seller Interview 'The Oak Tree'

This is the second installment in a New weekly Feature **Folksy Seller Interviews** Find out about your favourite folksy sellers and discover new favourites!


Name: Natasha Lee

Folksy Shop: The Oak Tree

How Long have you been on Folksy? About 1 month

Describe what you create:
I create all kinds of jewellery, mainly using beads. I take my inspiration from nature and anything vintage. I tend to use lots of glass pearls and funky charms.
How did you get into your craft?
I first discovered jewellery making when I was planning my wedding. I had seen some fairy bead keyrings in a local bead shop and as all our tables were named after Autumn Flower Fairies I thought they would be perfect. Then I looked at the price. So I decided to have a go at making them myself and got the beading bug. Since then I have created jewellery for friends and family.

What inspires you?
Anything vintage, the outdoors, anything pretty!

Which item for sale in your Folksy shop is your favourite?
Ohh thats a tricky one I think at the moment it has to be the Butterfly and Pearl Necklace.

What makes you unique?
As I am doing this as a hobby most of my items are £5 or under. I still use good quality items but I simply don't make much, if any profit.


If you won the Lottery how would you spend your millions?
As I have just passed my driving test I would definatly buy myself a car so I didn't have to borrow my husbands all the time!
 
If you would like to see more of Natashas creations visit her at http://www.folksy.com/shops/Natashamarie

Folksy Friday 'Gifts for Mum'

My Folksy Friday theme this week is 'Gifts for Mum' as it's mothers day in a couple of weeks (Sunday 3rd April)

Heres my favourite creations found whilst browsing the wonders of handmade gifts on http://www.folksy.com/

I'm sure there is a gift suitable for every Mum on folksy as there really is something for everyone on there and something in all price ranges!

(If you would like to purchase or view any of the featured folksy sellers items simply click on the photo you like to be taken to their shop)



A Lovely Gift Set from HandmadebyLilli & you can choose any fragrance!



A Mothers Day Photo Frame from Imperfections



A Sweet card for Mum from Allys Stationary




A Funky Coin Purse from MoodyCowDesigns



A Swarovski & Rose Quartz Gift Set from my shop

Folksy Seller Interview 'Crafty People'

This is the first in a New weekly Feature  **Folksy Seller Interviews** Find out about your favourite folksy sellers and discover new favourites!

Name: Carol

Folksy Shop: Crafty People

How Long have you been on Folksy? Since December 2010

Describe what you create: Anything knitted or crocheted but mainly baby items.

How did you get into your craft? Knitting & Crochet have been my hobby and now, my business, for many years. My Mum, her Mum, and her three sisters all knit as do my my female cousins, my Aunt on my Dad's side of the family, and some of my friends. I have grown up with knitting so it was only natural that i would become a knitter too.

I remember my Mum teaching me how to knit. I had these horrid blue plastic needles and some yellow yarn, which, in those days, i called wool. I was making a scarf for teddy, just garter stitch for now. Mum casted the stitches on for me as she taught me this at a later stage. Mum always had to do the first couple stitches of each row for me as i always dropped the first stitch. It was going along fine until, out in the garden one afternoon, i noticed somehow i had a length of yarn going across the front of the knitting. I had no idea what i had done but thought 'if i cut that off, Mum won't know I've gone wrong'. I did cut it off and guess what happened, yep, a gaping big hole in teddy's scarf. It was hardly going to keep him warm now!

Anyway, that was over 30 years ago. Since then, Mum had taught me a lot more and i have learned through trial and error and books/internet.

What inspires you? Nothing as such, i just make what i personally like which is normally pretty, frilly items as i'm a girly girl

Which item for sale in your Folksy shop is your favourite? My heart shaped baby shawl. It's the 1st time i've made one of these and i'm really pleased with how it has turned out.

What makes you unique? I do not write patterns myself but i do update old ones, adding lace, ribbons or using multi coloured yarns. I think knitting has a bit of an 'out of date' image to it, i try to make items that mothers of today would still love to dress their babies in.

If you won the Lottery how would you spend your millions? Firstly, my Dad is just about to turn 64 and is still working full time, i would give him enough to give up work, do his house up and get the workshop he's wanted for years in the garden. Then i would treat Mum and Dad to a well earned holiday, wherever they wanted to go. I would buy my 2 brothers a house each and buy a house for me and hubby. Nothing flash, just a nice sized family home since we are currently renting. I would still craft but me and hubby would give up full time employment.

Carol

If you would like to see more of Carols wonderful creations visit her at http://www.folksy.com/shops/yarncreations

Folksy Friday 'Sunshine'

My Folksy Friday picks for this week are inspired by the Gorgeous weather we've been having in Cornwall!

It's been really nice looking out the window and seeing Sunshine instead of the gloomy rain, admittedly its still quite cold out but feeling the sun on your skin instead of getting soaking wet has been nice and makes me think summer is slowly on its way :)

Here are some lovely creations i found on Folksy which reminded me of the Sun and Summer, hope you like them as much as i do

 (If you would like to find out more about the creators or purchase the items simply click on the photos)





A Hot Pink Shell Jewellery Set from my shop, perfect for wearing to the beach



A Funky Bright way to carry your make-up around from BooBooCraft




I'd Love to get myself some of these lemonade heart soaps from s o a p a l i c i o u s



I just love this Happy Sun card from the Crafty Mushroom



I'm tempted to get myself one of Arabella's Seaside Tote bags to take to the beach



These Ribbon Flowers from ffflowers are amazing and would brighten up any room!