The arty and crafty bit of the blog: Part 2

I was getting very frustrated with the crafty magazines on the shelves of WH Smiths.  All the projects that they suggested, well, they didn't look very handmade. 

      Everything seemed to be cut out by these machines you buy, do you know the ones I mean? Supposed handmade cards, well, they all looked too perfect.  I like things to look handmade, a little crooked, a touch imperfect.  

     And then, there are the plastic envelopes they come in; enclosing all those supposed tempting freebies (what can we give away that won't cost more than tuppence per customer?).  I never find those tempting, not at all.

     Optimistically, a few months back, I stood again in front of the shelves of magazines in Tescos.  Something caught my eye.  Down on the bottom shelf.  It was a pretty looking cover; not a plastic envelope to be seen.  But it did have something attached to the front.  I peered down at the title ... .Mollie Makes .... mmm, interesting.  I picked it up.  

     The little attachment was a paper envelope; intriguing.  It had this lovely picture of three felt rings shaped like roses.

Inside the envelope was just enough felt to make these rings; the instructions were included in the magazine ... sooo tempting.  I started to flick through the pages .... oh yes, now this is more like it!  So many lovely, lovely things to make.  AND, articles about all these talented people who are crafting beautiful things with style and skill (not cutting out bits of card!).  

     I missed the first edition but have bought every one since.  Mollie Makes is my favourite magazine; I love it!  I look forward to the next edition appearing on the shelves.  You will see so many of the things appearing on my blog are credited to this magazine.

The latest edition's little paper envelope had three colours of embroidery thread, a small piece of linen and three self-covering buttons.   There was a double page of little pictures that could be embroidered.  I chose three of them and decorated my buttons.  

I'm so proud of them!

I have a favourite cardigan, all wooly and clever knitting, a present from Chris.  It is the same colour as the linen.  I wanted to replace the rather boring horn buttons but the buttonholes are too small to fit these.  So, instead, I have sewn them in between the buttonholes so that the cardigan now looks like it has two types of button.  

I can't believe how well the linen goes with my cardi.  Each button only took me about an hour each to make, very satisfying and quite lovely!

The wonderful (and interesting) world of Etsy: Part 2

You'll remember from my last posting that Etsy have a long list of things that you they suggest you do to make your shop successful.  I found this list quite daunting at first but have decided to attack it in a logical manner and just work through it.
     My banner (you will notice) now has a description of what I will be selling above and below the title.  (Cool, huh?  ... Go on, admit it, you're impressed!).  However it does not include any pictures of pieces I'm selling which is a further recommendation.  In all honesty, I am rebelling.  I like the picture.  I want to keep it.  I think it is distinctive and gives a feel for what my world is like.  One day, my straw hat may be the equivalent of Tilda's lovely dolls or Tif's bunny rabbit with a croche'ed cape.  So, for the moment it is staying.  
   
Next, is the photos of your products.  Having put my one piece of Mytton on the site, I have found out that the pictures are all wrong.  Yes, they show the picture very clearly.  Yes, they show the detail.  However, they do not tick all the boxes for a good set of pictures if you want something to sell.  Out comes the camera, and off I disappear with my tureen to be a bit creative.

Hint #1  Experiment ... Play with backgrounds and angles.

I think its worked well.  I thought that their idea of messing about with a background would detract from the plate but, actually this piece of tapestry works really well (about to be used for infinity scarves and put on Etsy!) bringing out the very traditional style of the piece.  I think the gold placemat works well too, showing the gilding detail beautifully.

Hint #2 Keep product in context
    Thoroughly enjoyed playing around with this idea ...

Hint #3 Answer questions
    This is the detail.  I've tried to show as much of the intricate painting on the side of the piece.  I've kept the original shot showing the ceramic mark on the bottom.

All in all, I'm really chuffed with this.  I think the new photos certainly show the piece in a lovely way. 

    The lesson learned is that Etsy's advice is worth listening too (obviously!) and there is a lot on there showing the way.  However, I also think that we shouldn't be too obsessed with it.  Slowly, slowly, catchee monkey :) and I will try to have a successful site that is still very much "My Ditsy World".

Right, the light is going and I'd like to try and get a couple more pieces of vintage ceramics onto Etsy.  Armed with my new techniques, I'm looking forward to this!

The arty and crafty bit of the blog

Having decided that I was done traveling and was going to stay in my home county for good, I started looking round for somewhere to live.
     I was on a limited budget and the level of rent was a major factor. I couldn't believe my luck when I found the perfect little place.  A two bedroom, end of terrace cottage in a small town in the middle of the Fens.  The house has the weirdest asymmetrical sloping roof; I'll get a picture to load up sometime soon to show you what I mean.
     The house is 150 years old but, it doesn't have any original features left; they've all been stripped. However, the rooms have loads of little odd corners, the ceilings are low and My lovely man has to duck to get in the bedroom door.  It has a little yard outside the back door separated from a length of grass by an old brick building.
     I couldn't understand why the rent was so low.  They told me it was because of the downstairs bathroom and the size of the kitchen (6ft x 6ft); I love the kitchen!


My lovely house has had its character buried by magnolia paint, artexed ceilings and wheat coloured carpets.  The whole house is exactly the same colour throughout. A limited budget and  rented accommodation meant I couldn't just go ahead and paint everything.  I have to take things slowly, adding bits and pieces at a time that show a bit more of my personality.


This was one of the first ....

I wanted somewhere to put the keys when I came through the back door.  If I don't put them somewhere special I can end up putting them anywhere.  I mean anywhere!  Have been known to find them hidden in the fridge before now.  
     We'd met up for lunch at the Fen, Autumn of last year.  We walked up to the butterfly trail.  There's a young woodland up there of silver birches.  If you walk away from the path, you can find little groves between the trees.  We brought a simple picnic with us and had a lovely time.  The photos were taken with the iphone.  I've always loved them.  I know they aren't beautifully crafted bits of photography but they show how much fun we have in each others company.  

    We had the frame lying around.  It was a cheapie from Wilko, just a dark surround.  Chris put the hooks in for me.  I painted it with a white acrylic.  I was expecting the paint wouldn't adhere to the frame but it worked quite well.  
    I couldn't decide how to decorate it.  Chris came up with the idea of covering it with torn bits of tissue paper.  Then, the following week, the same look was in the "Making" magazine!  You can't beat a bit of Decoupage


It still wasn't "Ditsy World" enough. I found the lovely glittery flowers in Hobbycraft, the perfect finishing touch. 

It has pride of place just inside the back door.  It makes me smile every time I see it.

The wonderful (and interesting) world of Etsy

Well, it's taken a while but, I've started working on my Etsy shop. http://www.etsy.com/shop/myditsyworld  


It's very easy to put that first piece up for sale but then, it gets interesting.  
     You see, you have to do all this additional stuff.  And then they say things like "to make your shop successful, you must do this".  Well, what choice do you have.  If nothing else, its the sheer challenge.  
     You start with your first listing.  I decided to put on a lovely piece of old dinnerware. 

The thing is, I wasn't sure how old it is.  My beloved loves a bit of research.  He couldn't resist the challenge.  Plus, there is always the thought in the back of your mind that you're favourite piece of china will turn out to be something very rare and quite valuable.  

And guess what?  Well, it might not be a clarice cliff but it turns out it is collectable.  
     The Myott company was set up in the 1930's.  They had a good customer base who raved about their art deco pieces.  Following this, they developed their dinnerware and this design is one of the best.
     The blue is soooo deep and the gilt, even after all this time, still adds a beautiful glint.  It looks so lovely in the middle of set table.  
     There is a collectors club and Myott dinner service was featured on one of those antique bargain programmes (you know the one I mean!) in August of this year.  
     Apparently, this is quite rare because it still has its lid.  Well, it may not be worth a fortune but, I'm afraid, the price has gone up from £10 to £25 all because of My Beloveds research.  


Pride.  The "My Ditsy World" Etsy Shop has something to sell. 
    But, that is not enough.  If your shop is going to be successful, it has to have a banner: it has to have shop policies: it has to have methods of payment: it has to have ...... *Sigh*.


Ok, let's go through this logically.  
     Let's start with the banner.  Well, I like my profile picture.  I think that will works well.  But, the point of a banner is that it is, well, banner shaped.  So I have to crop my picture.  
     I'm going to use good old powerpoint to create my banner.  Mmmmm, but it's not, is it?  See, I said to My Beloved "Where is the page setup?".  He reckons I can't get the hang of the new "Word" or the new "Powerpoint".  He is right.  But, I'm nothing if not determined.  
     However, after 20 minutes, determination was beginning to show signs of frustration.  Much harder banging of keys.  Little grumbles under the breath.  That sort of thing.  My beloved can spot computer frustration in his girlfriend from 20 paces.  He looked at me in that patient way saying "Alright sweetie? Can I help?".  
     Within 3 minutes, we have .... tadaaaaaah .....

Looking at it this morning, I think I want to add "vintage ceramics" and "Hand-made bits and bobs" above and below "My Ditsy World".  Gosh, aren't I getting clever?

   Next, I've got another lovely piece of dinnerware to put on and a couple of beautiful old teacups and saucers. 

   And I'll start working on those shop policies ....... wish me luck!

Just another day at the office

Well, I did say my blogging would be very erratic.  It does seem like ages since I wrote that first post.  


For those of you who don't know what I do, I work at a National Trust property looking after visiting schools and organising family events.  It's a countryside property so, it's all about getting outside and closer to nature.  


I have had a busy old week. 
      There's the Newmarket school who have asked to come and do a day based around sustainability on Wednesday; still working on that!  
      There's a pre-school playgroup who I'm working with to change their playground from a primary coloured, concreted nightmare into a natural place.  We're thinking of taking all the elements of the current building frame, replacing it with a grassy mound and having all the cool bits from the frame (slide, bridge, tunnel) built from the mound.  Difficult to explain.  JK (my absolutely wonderful full-time volunteer) is going to come up with an artists impression.  I'll load it when she's done.  
     I met with a lovely lady at the Institute of Astronomy; she has offered her expertise on a star search walk through Wicken in January.


Although said "artists impression" may be a while.  JK has been diagnosed with possible chicken pox.  
     As always, there is the internal battle that makes me a true Gemini.  
     Poor thing, I hope she gets through it as quickly as possible and doesn't scratch too much. 
     Bugger, workload just increased; still, better now than in December. You see, I don't want to be selfish, but that thought did cross my mind!  Does that make me a horrible person?   *Sigh*


One, absolute, piece of loveliness happened this week.  When I walked into said playgroup, one of the ladies pointed at me and said "Look, it's the leaf lady!".  This same lady had sent a lovely email saying what a wonderful time they had at the "Autumn Adventure" event.  
      We wanted to be able to have enough leaves for the kids to really play in.  But, because we are on a Fen, there aren't that many trees so, My beloved when off to Anglesey Abbey.  There he filled  12 black bags with leaves which we tipped into the middle of our willow tunnel.  
     It was interesting.  Some children were in there, no waiting.  Some had absolutely no idea what was going on.  I said "You are allowed to play" and had to show them how to throw leaves in the air.  
     We then decided that someone should get buried .... I wonder who that was?

Crumbs! I've got a blog!

The reason I've started this is because, some have said I should try selling some of the stuff I make.  I've registered with Etsy but, in all honesty, I'm not sure I'll have enough time.  My life is pretty chaotic with my full-time job (which I love) and my beloved other half.  But I thought you might like to follow my progress.  I know, doesn't sound very exciting but, you never know what life is going to throw at you.  It might be thrilling!  


I know the site is not terribly pretty at the moment (and I do like the things in my world to be pretty) but I'm guessing I'll figure it all out eventually.  


I have so many ideas of things I'd like to do with this blog.  I'd love to put up photos of some of the stuff I've made recently but, I have to wait until I have access to a camera.  


I guess there's a way to put links to my favourite places, where's that button?  oooh, there it is ... it's all very exciting ... are there smiley faces, I like those!  


So, the plan for the rest of the day .... 
*make my blog pretty,
*hoover as my sitting room carpet is covered with tassel trimmings from the knitted scarf I finished last night,
*pin the batting and backing to my lovely quilt, more on that later,
*load up my pretty teacups to the Etsy shop, my first ever attempt at selling something, eeek,
*sympathise with my beloved who is suffering from the cold I gave him, I mustn't laugh at his attempts to gain sympathy, I must be loving and kind.


Gosh, is that the time ......