Introducing fellow Lilac CraftFest Stallholders!

If you haven't heard about CRAFTfest then you really are missing a trick.  The next CRAFTfest is scheduled to run from 1st - 8th Sept 2012. 

CRAFTfest is an online virtual craft fair bringing buyers and sellers of beautiful handcrafted items together.  No need to worry that the great British weather may spoil the event as buyers can browse to their hearts content from the comfort of their own home!

Sellers each have their own virtual stall which showcases all the beautiful items they have for sale.  During the run up to CRAFTfest and the week it is on there is a huge amount of online (and some offline) advertising and promotion inviting people to come and browse and find some incredible and truly unique items.

Sellers at CRAFTfest are divided into teams, each with their very own team leader.  The idea is to be able to provide help and support to fellow team members, and to increase and encourage cross promotion ensuring that all stalls get maximum exposure.  Whatever team you are allocated to, there is no denying an incredible team spirit and comaraderie and a chance to meet some really lovely like minded people who simply love crafting!.

I have joined the Lilac group for this CRAFTfest and I have been getting to know my fellow team members.  Here is just a taster of what the Lilac team have in store for Sept 2012 CraftFest!

Handmade in Keswick
Lu makes contemporary mixed media art, some of which feature on handmade sketchbooks, notebooks and journals.  Her work is quirky and unique and the books make beautiful little gifts and definitely well worth a look!

Scent Cosmetics
A tag team made up of Carla and Garreth who between them create, make and sell incredible soaps.  They specialise in fruit soaps, novelty, soaps, luxury soaps and gift soaps. Soaps that make you go, "ooooh" and... "aaaaah". Hopefully soaps that you will want to buy in abundance for yourself and everyone you know! 

Because of Annie
Because of Annie began in 2011 and creates beautiful and unique pieces of jewellery.  Using
Swarovski crystals and semi precious stones as well as simple wire wrapping. The latest range is jewellery made using real pressed flowers set in crystal resin, an extremely painstaking process which  results in gorgeous unique pieces.

Hingston Designs
A lovely range of unique and one of a kind interior textiles and artworks that are printed from original illustrations and drawings.  The designs are mainly digitally printed; this means drawings can directly be transferred onto fabric. The Hingston range includes cushions, paintings, prints, notebooks and one off personalised items.

This is just some of the talent and beautiful goods you can expect to see at CRAFTfest.  I shall be Blogging about lots more stalls over the next few weeks!

Super cool tile coasters

Has another week really passed us by so quickly?  Where did it go! Well for me, (aside from my normal day job) I have been spending my evenings replenishing my stock of tile coasters. I had quite a few sales last week of my Blue and White Tile Coasters! I must admit they are lovely, but I wanted to experiment with some other designs.

Blue and White Tile Coasters

So after much rummaging around in one of my many boxes of craft goodies I found some other fabulous designs to use!

Check out my ‘Afternoon Tea Coasters’ which are patterned with gorgeous tea cup and saucers. I am a massive fan of tea cups and saucers! Tea always tastes better out of a proper tea cup – not that I have time to make a proper pot of tea these days! It tends to be a PG tips pyramid in a mug with a tiny dash of skimmed milk and nice and strong! The tea bag must NOT be squeezed and the teaspoon used must not be double dipped into someone else’s coffee or tea with sugar and then dipped in to my tea. Not that I am fussy about my tea!

But enough about tea, I also found some brightly coloured birdy patterns that are just so cute!

Birdy Coasters

I have also tried something a bit different this week with my Blackboard coasters. These coasters are uber cool and can be written on in chalk and then wiped clean. A great way for writing fun messages or keeping track of your drink! My hubby loved the photoshoot I did for these products as I did actually have to request that he had a beer so I could use it as a prop in my photos – there were no complaints from him! Although my complaint was what happened to Tania’s wine?? Tonight I think it will make an appearance!

Fellow Folksy sellers

For those of you that read my previous Blog about Pinterest you'll know I have become some kind of serial Pinterester!  While creating my latest board (Pretty in Pink), I came across such lovely items that I ended up having a good nose around on Folksy and found some wonderful shops that I thought I'd share with you! So in no particular order, here goes....

Evie and Rose

I was struck by the beautiful  pink Felt Flower Hydrangea headband



EvieandRose make and sell handcrafted hair accessories for little girls, both young and old!  Each creation is made from a felt mix and adorned with various embellishments. They have a wide variety of designs and it is well worth a look!

Annette's Allsorts

A beautiful cushion decorated in assorted pink ribbon caught my eye!

Annette's Allsorts offers Bespoke and Unique handmade items for your home.  From bunting and pin boards, to cushions, doorstops and pegbags.  The shop is filled with delightful items and I am very impressed by the crisp and clear way they photograph their items.

Carols Crafts

These pink cake slices look good enough to eat!


A range of delightful items in Carols crafts - from cake and strawberry earrings, to mini cupcake keyrings, all made from Polymer clay.  An intriguing use of a pasta machine to make polymer clay beads!

I hope you've enjoyed looking at my selected sellers!  These ladies and their shops are just some of the beautiful handmade items I found on Folksy, there are heaps more shops I'm yet to have a nose in!

Thanks

Tania xxx

Stamping - my new favourite thing!

Who knew stamping could be so simple and so much fun??  I've always shied away from the stamping section in Hobbycraft, I'm not entirely sure why - perhaps it was the potential cost, perhaps it was lack of inspiration or perhaps (and most likely) it was because I've been busy experimenting with other crafts!  Either way I have a good friend of mine to thank for getting me in to 'Stamping' (thanks Linda!). 

A few weeks ago we met up for a 'card making morning' - really just a good excuse to while away a few hours gossiping and crafting!  She had with her a whole array of clear rubber stamps - well I'd never seen anything so exciting!  I just thought stamps came as those wooden blocks - I had no idea about clear stamps and acrylic blocks.  Well needless to say after a morning spent using her stamps, I headed off to Hobbycraft to pick up my own stash.  Luckily for me there was a sale on the inks and I managed to get some 'free' clear stamps in one of the crafting magazines.  (I have since made quite a collection of stamps thanks to all these freebies and a sale in Hobbycraft - in fact I have already managed to pick up some Christmas themed stamps ready for my Christmas cards!).

So, what does my kit consist of: a small acrylic block, and ink pad and stamp selection - that really is it!

Of course it hasn't all been just a case of stamping motifs on to cards.  I have been experimental and some cards came out better than others.  I think getting the composition of the motifs is key and some of my cards have been a bit 'overdone'.  Having said that, I have ended up with a few cards that I am very pleased with, and have made a few stationary sets that are now available to buy on WowThankyou.

Leaf motif cards - blank inside

Tree motif cards - blank inside

Flower and button cards - blank inside - coming to WOWTY soon!

So, my advice to any non stampers is to definitely give it a go!

Thanks for reading!

Tania xxx

A newbie on Pinterest!

As a newbie on Pinterest I am still getting to grips with how the whole thing works!  Thanks to various Blogs out there, (Allison's was really helpful! Beginners guide to Pinterest) I think I have got the basics and started off a board with the theme of Afternoon Tea - how very English!  I have to say it is a bit addictive and I spent quite some time browsing all the lovely 'Afternoon Tea' themed items on Folksy.  One thing I did find was the most fabulous assortment of tea cosies - and all so pretty!  One of my favourites has got to be the cake tea cosy!

I'm still learning about creating boards, pinning and repinning but am getting so much inspiration from looking at other people's items, pins and boards.  I think I can say I am becoming addicted to pinning!!  Perhaps I may have to start a Pinterest Anonymous soon??


I've also done boards about buttons and hearts.  Now what next??

Tania
xxxx

My very first Blog!

Well here it is!  My very fist Blog post.  The problem is, what do I write about first?  I suppose I should start off by explaining a bit about myself and my love of crafting.  I have always enjoyed making things and being creative.  Even from a young age I remember making my family gifts and cards for Christmas and Birthdays.  I even remember starting a business when I was 10 years old making stationary and book marks that I printed with my Whinnie the Pooh stamps! I once had this great idea that I was going to make myself a beautifully elegant long flowing skirt from one of my mum's bed sheets - needless to say this wasn't a success on so many levels!  Firstly my mother was a little cross that she lost a good bed sheet, secondly I was attempting to hand sew my creation and thirdly I remember trying to measure and cut out the design by lying on the sheet!!  I do remember having one sewing success when I was younger and managed to hand sew myself a patchwork skirt.  I was so very proud and how I wish I still had it now!
I have come a long way since then and have tried my hand at lots of different crafts, some successfully and some not quite so successfully!  Encouraged by my family and friends to do something a bit more serious with my hobby I decided to try and sell some of my items, and to my astonishment people actually started to buy them!!  And so ColaCreations was born!  The items I have for sale in my shops are so diverse as I am always trying my hand at new crafts; from peg memo magnets to candles, cards and jewellery - it really is an eclectic mix!  

Candle in a Tea Cup

Peg fridge magnets

The main places I sell my items are on Folksy and WOWThankyou. ColaCreations is featured on other craft selling sites, but I have decided only to focus on these sites for the moment.  I do have a full time job which means I have to slot my crafting time in when I can!

I have to say writing this Blog was so much easier and so much more fun than I thought it would be!!  So until next time!!  xxx