Last week saw the opening of the brand-spanking-new Handmade co-op shop. It’s run by the same people who put on the Handmade Brighton art and craft fairs at Komedia, and I’m renting one of their retail spaces. They’ve got a fantastic variety of different types of work in there all by independent artists/designers/crafters, and they did a great job putting the whole place together for us.

It’s on St James street in Brighton, and open Tues-Sat 10am-6pm and Sun 11am-5pm.

That’s my space above.

While I was at my mum’s house I came across a tub of loads of novelty rubbers (or erasers, to avoid confusion for Americans). Apparently she bought them at a car boot sale years ago. There’s some really odd ones in here that just make my think “WHY!?”. I do love the stationary ones above though (the peg actually works like a normal one), the little record further down, and the detail in the cute wee pack of matches at the bottom.

Here’s some photos I took of the place where I do most of my work, back in January. It’s a little different now (and a whole lot lighter!) but I thought people might like to see them anyway.

Read the rest of this entry »

I’m throwing a give-away!

There are 3 different sets of prizes to be won. If you would like to enter just comment with your choice of print (see prints on offer here). Entries are open till April 26th, and winners will be drawn randomly from something hat shaped. International entries are also welcome!

For extra entries, you can:
- Become a fan on facebook
- Tweet, blog, or otherwise promote the giveaway

(Leave a comment telling me you’ve done any of these! You will get one extra entry for each)

First Prize:
♥ A 8×8 polaroid print of your choice
♥ A copy of each of my zines
♥ Some badges, magnets and stickers
♥ A set of 6 postcards
♥ & a felt moustache brooch and some sugary treats.

Second Prize:
♥ A 5×5 polaroid print of your choice
♥ Moustache and heart badges

Third Prize:
♥ A set of 6 postcards

Next Saturday (27th) I will be returning to the north for the first time in about 9 months do to Craft Candy’s Spring Fling craft fair. It’s at the Millennium Gallery in Sheffield, entrance is free and it’s open 10-4pm. I can’t wait to see Sheffield again <3

Thanks to zine events, trades and a big order from Marching Stars, my intake of zines has been way above average lately. These are just some of my favourites that I think are worth looking at.

Enthusiasm – issues 1-3 (enthusiasm.zine@gmail.com) This zine is full of people talking about any subject they’re enthusiastic about, in various formats. The issues aren’t themed, so it’s easy to find something you’ll enjoy reading about. This zine does live up to it’s title, and you end up reading about things you think you’d never be interested just because of the passion the writers have for it.  My favourites:  Positivity – seven pretty awesome things that don’t usually come up in normal conversation, which includes Rolf Harris and just photocopied paper, “Lesbians like stationary, so you will have someone to go round Staples with for hours on end. Pens not penis!” and Favourite Historical Crazies.

Sugar Paper: 20 things to make and do -  issues 1-3 (Myspace) Each zine has 20 guides of things to do, mainly focussing on crafts but with a few other subjects thrown in too. Packed full and a great mix of cut + paste layout and some really sweet original drawings.

Fanzine Ynfytyn # 10 (Etsy) This is by my friend Emma, so admittedly I’m going to be a bit biased.  I always enjoy her zines but this issue is especially fun to read. It’s an in depth write up of her trip to Ireland with Dolly & the Clothespegs – an 11 piece country band of which her boyfriend and other friends are members. There’s lots of nice details about Ireland, as well as the logistics and quirks of travelling, gigging, and sharing accommodation with a large group.

Counting Crows (Etsy) An illustrated poem with a hell of a lot of crows. Unusual and well executed, I like.

& others I loved: Fight Boredom! issues 1 & 3 (Etsy), Arty issue 20 – England (website), Fever issue 2 (website), and the Telegram Ma’am/Your Pretty Face is Going to Hell split.

The return of my thursday themes is brought to you by me hunting through pages and pages of vintage searches on Etsy. Teal is great, I need more of this colour in my life.

Things:

1. (middle) Lunch Box and Thermos Set ($22) 2. (top left, clockwise) Diner Style Insulated Coffee Server ($11.50) 3. 3 Yards of Lace ($2.85) 4. Postage Stamps ($4.50) 5. Bon Appetit Mugs ($15) 6. Pint Sized Thermos ($12) 7. 50s phone ($45) 8. Sweet Sweet Syrup ($10) 9. Luggage Set ($38) 10. Book Metal Holders ($sold) 11. Mushroom and Dragonfly Mugs ($7) 12. owl weight balance ($16) 13. 1950s Plastic Refrigerator Set ($16)

Clothes:

1. 70s Short Sleeve Dainty Dress ($22) 2. 1980s Nautical dress ($56) 3. The Polka Dot Lace Dress ($38) 4. Green Sweater ($12) 5. 1960s Color Block Dress ($69) 6. Silk Wiggle Dress ($44) 7. Flirty 1980s Small Bow Handbag ($10) 8. Fleur De Lis Jewelry Case ($19) 9. 80s MOCK CROC Handbag Purse ($20)

SX-70 sonar / 600 / dirty rollers

The 2nd Brighton Zinefest started their 4 days of events yesterday. Tomorrow I’ll be taking part in the fair, taking along lots of zines and a few other small bits (stickers/postcards/badges/cookies) too. Along with the stallholders there’s a bunch of workshops going on, in things like guerilla gardening and zine making. It’s taking place at the Hanover Community (33 Southover Street Brighton, BN2 9UD) from 1:30 to 5:30pm.

Details of all their events on their website.

I finally got my act together and made a zine out of the month of polaroids I took every day back in April 2009 while I did my Forever Analog project.

They’re on Etsy for £4/$6.3, or you can contact me to buy directly from me.