Merry Christmas

It's Christmas! Did anyone forget, he he.  We thought we would send a Christmas Message for you all.

So, we wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and hope that whoever you are with or without this Christmas you can create your own Happy time.

It can be a tough time of year for some and we think its important to remember that however you do Christmas, to take some time to rest and enjoy in the way you want to.

We will be taking a little break over the Christmas period and so we shall see you in 2018!  I am sure we will be about on social media though if you want to say hi!

Love
H & Sammy

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Make it: Silver Bracelets with ImpressArt

It's gift time for the Tutorial this week, with thanks to the people over at ImpressArt we are bringing you a couple of bracelet options for gift ideas for your friends or family.  These really are a great way to personalise something with song lyrics, favourite phrase or just plain a 'Love you' note.

Make it: Haberdashery Baubles

Its that time of year again, when we just have to share another fun bauble idea for your tree, it's becoming a bit of a tradition here that H gets to make a new bauble.  This year I thought I would go the fun Haberdashery way with some treats picked up from Sew Crafty

Make it: Tassel Earrings

I am super excited that statement earrings are a thing again, mostly because it means that I can get my DIY on! Tassels are first on my list and what all my friends will be getting in their stockings this Christmas so I thought I would get a head start. I made a few different pairs some with readymade mini tassels and some with DIY ones in colours couldn't get online. I picked up a few colours on Etsy from Pretty Pretty Beads and My Vintage Charms both based in the UK. They also have jewellery findings if you don't already have some in your crafty stash.

Makers Month: Adventures & Tea Parties


Hey there, well we are nearly at the end of our Makers Month and today we are chatting to the lovely Joanna from Adventures & Tea Parties about her instagram #ColourMyEveryday project she did for the first time this year.  We thought you lovely lot would like to find out more too and so we had a nosey around for you.

Makers Month: The Workbench shop


Hey there, so another week, another maker to treat you to for Makers Month.  This time we have a husband and wife team that make up the great The Workbench Shop.  They make products for designer/makers and people everywhere who want something beautiful made of wood mainly, but I am sure they could turn their hand to most things if asked! ha ha.  They also happen to be the wonderful human beings who bought Hello Sunshine up and so they are a family winning combo really!  Lets have a chat with Janet and Tony.

Makers Month: Stitchsperation


So for our second chat for Makers Month we sat down with the lovely Charlie from Stitchsperation.   Sammy has long been a fan of her work and we just can't get enough of it.  So bright, colourful and all kinds of different to the normal cross-stitch kits.  So lets have a chat and see if we can find out a little bit more.

Makers Month: Women who create


We are back with Makers Month for September and what a month of treats we have in store for you.  We are going to be chatting to some business folk and some makers who will of course impart their wisdom over to you guys.  Cos we all need some wisdom sometimes right?!?!  Here's me looking for the adult in the room!

The Secret is out ...

Well hello there, we have something very special for you today, we are launching our very own Pin!  Yay!

OMG! We are in an Actual Book

So, spoiler alert in the title there. This month the newest addition to the Mollie Makes book library is published and we were invited to create two exclusive projects to be featured. Alongside, some of our industry buddies we have two projects featured in Mollie Makes - How to Sew.  Goals right there people, goals!

Simple No-sew Pen roll

Hey there and for some of you welcome to the summer holidays!  I hear all the teachers breathe a sign of relief and the parents start with the 'what do you do on those rainy days?' thoughts.  Well hopefully we can help over the summer.  We know that less of you are inclined to be checking out the blog in August, but hopefully we can give you a few smaller projects that you can do alone or with the kids to keep you going, whether they are yours or you are helping to look after them.

Creative Meet-ups

Recently there has become a bit of a trend to meet-up with other creatives like you for some good old fashioned down time - and we like it. One thing that most creatives do is work by themselves a large part of the time.  They might be full-time working from home or doing a side-line hustle in creating their dream career, but whatever it is, they will most likely need to have a chat with some like-minded people along the way.

New in Handmade June

Here is your monthly round up of all the gorgeous handmade loveliness that has taken our fancy this month. We are lusting hard for these new offerings from our fave designer makers and this month we have some new additions to the maker party as well as new goodies from our mates.

Let's Talk about: Now Blog Conference

Well, hello there! and how are you doing this week?  It has been a bit of a slog over the last few weeks for us with the weather and just time!  Where do the days go I want to know!  I thought that all this extra daylight should help make it feel like there are extra hours in the day, not so much!  

New in HandMade May

New in Handmade is back, we had a little break but we are back to fill you in on our fave new releases from our maker friends.  First up is this fun Happy Place Print print by ElistonButton, we love Rachel's colourful prints! May is getting us all a bit wedding happy round here, H always has loads to attend, if you are getting married these awesome Bride to Be Bags by Puptart are a perfect hen party accessory and the latest gorgeous YAY cake topper from Rachel Emma Studio is the epitome of wedding chic. We missed out on seeing the girls from Frilly Industries when they were at Pulse in London recently but we made sure to keep an eye on their shop as we knew something wonderful was coming, we LOVE these Snow Globe Necklaces girls!!

Accidental Dairy Free treats



Something a little different for you today.  Sure we love our crafts but along the way we need to eat and knowing what treats to keep you going are a winner for us.

Make it: Embroidered Palm Leaf Trainers

I have seen a bunch of gorgeous embroidered trainers and shoes around this season and you know I love a bit of embroidery. I don't normally wear a lot of floral prints in my wardrobe so I hadn't been able to find a pair that worked well with my everyday outfits. So I found a pair of plain trainers and sorted out some that would. I embroidered this pair of basic trainers with some simple green palm leaves. Here is how you can make some too.

Live it: Our Handmade Fair Mollie Mash-up Adventure


What a weekend we have just had!  In a flurry of craft related goodness we went up to Warwickshire for The Handmade Fair at Ragley Hall.  This wasn't just a visit to see some of our favourite crafters though, we were up against Fran from Fall for DIY on the Mollie Makes Mash-up stage. eeeeek.  We were also in great company as the Lovely Mr X Stitch had been involved in Fridays Mash-up and Chinelo Bally & Lauren Guthrie from the Sewing Bee were part of Saturdays Mash-up.

Make it: Business Card Holder

Well hello there and welcome to another tutorial, just a small one today and it was inspired by last weeks National Stationery Week.  Something I have been meaning to do for a long while was to sort out all the business cards I pick up at all the craft fairs we go to.  I love to be able to go through the cards when looking for designers/makers to talk to for the blog and of course for present inspiration for my friends and family.

Live it: H's Hong Kong Adventure


Well hello there!  It's been a couple of weeks since I mentioned my creative crisis and mentioned I was going on holiday.  For those who know me in real life, I have been away for a couple of weeks to Hong Kong!  You know, just the average destination! ha ha.

A little bit of creative crisis


Hey all, long time.  You may have noticed a small silence on here of late, sorry about that.  With Sammy very busy with Sewing Quarter TV and me busy at The Lightbox, there has been a little less productivity of late.

But something which has also hit me hard is some confidence in my own creativity.  Working everyday making for the workshops I deliver for the adults and children means that I have lots of ideas running around in my head, but for some reason, the execution just doesn't seem to be following.

I have been painting, making and creating over the last few months at work and things just don't seem to come out how I imagine them.  My imagination is way better than my abilities perhaps.  There really is nothing worse as someone who has always been creative, than to find out that its all not just working out the way that you want.  I have even attempted to make several things over the last few months which I have done just because, so that I could take the pressure off perhaps - nope that didn't work.

Now this is not a pity party and I am definitely not looking for any compliments, I just wanted to write down how I feel and so if someone else out there is thinking the same, then there is also me who hears you!  Now, I know that there are lots of people out there who are much better at making then me and also those who struggle to get any creative thoughts and so I guess I should be happy that I am still having the ideas.  I think that the execution part is always something I have struggled with, even at uni, the lovely Sammy made a couple of my model pieces for my final work - as I couldn't quite get them right.


Or maybe it is just more down to the materials I am using, I seem to be ok at papercutting, but even a submission rejection resulted in me spiraling even more down the 'I can't make anything, hole'. Most Paper based creativity seems to be ok.  But the sewing part is a struggle, simple things are fine, I can make a Christmas stocking or travel wallet fine, but as the last few weeks prove, a animal shape I cannot do.

Then there is also the fact that some days you just can't make anything, nothing goes right.  Then other days, you are hitting it out of the park when it comes to making.  I do love to experiment and try new things and I am lucky that due to my day job I can paint, create with clay or junk modelling, use pastels or draw at least once a week.  But sometimes its frustrating when you have to make something and it doesn't go right and then I have to show that to children or adults as a sample - when really I just want to throw it away.  Nothing like having to show something you are not happy with to really hit home how much you hate it.

So, after all that lovely ramble of getting my thoughts out there, how do you cope when it doesn't go right?  or you just can't seem to make it look how you want?  I am sure I am not alone, but being surrounded by beautifully creative people all the time, sometimes makes you feel that you might be the only one not getting it.

H,xxx


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New in Handmade February



So for our second instalment of New in Handmade we are sharing a three new treats for the month for you.  Just what you wanted to close to payday, right??!

Valentines DIY's to try



OK, ok so we might be a little late to the party, but if you happen to be at home today or have an hour before your partner gets home, we have put together a few of our quick and simple DIY's from our blog history for you.

A day in the life at The Lightbox

Hello there, so as we are in January - just and we are all about the new, we thought that we would share another new feature we are doing on the blog for this year.  Telling you a little bit about our other day job lives that you maybe don't see the rest of the time.

New In Handmade January 2017

We are launching a brand new monthly feature for you this year, we will be bringing you the best new handmade products from our fave makers every month. Hopefully, it will become a place you can come and find all the best newness from all over the maker community in one, link-filled post of joy.

January Spicy food post


What better way to kick off the January blues, than by getting your spice on and trying something new this winter.

Sew Crafty Sub Club 2017 with GillyMac Design

I don't normally share everything going on over in my online store Sew Crafty here on the blog but we are starting a fun new project that I thought might be of interest to our readers here so on this occasion I thought it made sense to let you guys in at the beginning. 

Introducing a brand new venture for Sew Crafty, in association with the fantastic GillyMac Designs

Make it: Disney inspired Mouse Ears


Our first tutorial of 2017 and its a nice simple one to get you back into the swing of things.  It also is inspired by all the Disney adventures I saw over the last few months of 2016.  Clearly Disney is still the place to go and so why not make your own ears, for your own adventures or even just to wear around the house!

Live it: Places and Spaces - The Design Museum

Something a little bit different for you today.  I wanted to share some places and spaces that either mean something to me, inspire me or relax me, so that maybe they might do the same for you, or we can share spaces and see what makes us more us.

The Design Museum has always been a favourite of mine and when the opportunity to work in collaboration with them for my Masters came up over ten years ago, I jumped at it.  It has just moved from its Shad Thames roots to its new home at the old Commonwealth building in High Street Kensington.  This had always been a favourite building of mine, since when I used to get the number 9 bus passed it when I used to live in Hammersmith.  I am so glad that the building is in use again and even better that it now houses one of my favourite museums.

When you walk in, it certainly makes you look up!  There is so much space!  Lots of open walkways and seating for visitors to sit up and stare.  Which is what I did!  There are some paying exhibition spaces and a free space that takes you through the story of design. Some people think that design is not something that they are a part of, think about or that includes them, but as the Design Museum says itself 'Design is everywhere and continues to transform the lives of everyone around the world through the partnership between the designer, the maker and the user'.

From your bed you woke up in, to your bowl you had cereal in and the car you went to work in this morning, everything incorporates design.  Without it, nothing would be the way it is, whether ergonomically designed for comfort, or aesthetically pleasing for fun.


The beauty of the building itself really does make the most of the design in it though.  It sets the scene and makes you feel comfortable.  As a museum and gallery goer/worker I feel my most comfortable in these spaces, but the Design Museum certainly lends itself to feeling relaxed and thoughtful.  I could happily spend an hour or two sitting on the benches looking around and people watching.

Is there a favourite Museum or Gallery that you guys like?  Anywhere that always gives you inspiration?

H,xxx

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Planners to try for 2017

Hello!!!

We are back!  A nice long break for us, which included lots of family time and both of us getting ill!  So that's always nice, hence the slightly longer absence from you guys!

How are you?  Did you have lots of fun and enjoy eating your way through the fridge?