An Amazing day!

For many people learning craft skills form their mum, nana or aunty are no longer an option. The pressures of leaving home to look for employment in far away cities/countries is a common reality and so the family unit becomes more disperse which can mean that passing down ancient craft knowledge is something they can no longer tap into quickly and directly.

image © http://cphpost.dk

Fortunately there is an alternative! "The Amazings" - I'm sure you've heard all about it already, they are creating quite a buzz!- is just that... a web site where learning and passing down skills through the generations is encouraged!

You can sign up and buy on line classes from elders who are experts in many fields. Not only do they have years of experience but they are still practising and making beautiful craft.
You might think it's all about dated crafts like doilies and crocheted tea cosies but you'll be glad to hear that it's far from that... these elders are truly in tune with today's modern craft trends, are engaged with technology and ready to collaborate with new designers. And collaborate we did! I had the privilege of  working with Sue Pearl, a fab felter with a huge heart, an amazing eye for colour and an awe inspiring Juke Box collection! I have worked with needle felting and used felt as a material for a long time but I had never actually made the stuff.

Me and Sue making beautiful felt!

We started off the day as strangers but by the end of the class I felt a huge affinity and craft crush for Sue plus now I can make my own felt too! She is quite an inspiring teacher!
If I could chose a surrogate family member she'd be at the top of my list! She reminded me so much of my great aunt Lila both in a physical sense but also in her humour, wit and love for craft.
We laughed, we made some awesome things that afternoon and I for one think that there is still so much to learn from our elders.
Having this on line resource is both practical and a stroke of genius. To begin with; and I have to admit this; I was sceptical at how that human contact we get from craft making would translate into a pre filmed tutorial but... it works! Having watched a couple of The Amazings on line tutorials I can say that it's... erm, Amazing! You can pause, rewind and watch over as many times as you need to. It's fab and the personalities of the elders shine through so each class is engaging, interesting  and endearing plus by having the option to contact the tutors leaves you feeling like you are being lead by a caring expert hand!
So if you would like to see more or even sign up to the class then visit The Amazings web site:
https://www.theamazings.com/online_activities/21

A special thank you to Claire Hair for the amazing hair cut and styling... she is a phenomenal hair magician! For hair and beauty appointments please call: 07963057210

Craft Guerrilla & Mrs. Bear's Presents...

As summer has definitely left us we're in the mood to sort out our wardrobes! So what better way is there then to get a whole new cozy look by joining us at a massive Swish?

 

Mrs. Bear's is the amazing wardrobe mistress and she'll be rocking up at Old Spitalfields market to bring you a whole lotta fashion love and we'll be there bringing the crafty element to the shindig.

a happy swisher!

  Choose from a selection of fashion based craft kits that'll help you add a bit of crafty magic to your "swishing swag" -Try saying that quickly- as will our amazing seamstress Nicola who'll be on hand with advice on how to up-cycle and revamp your fab new wardrobe! 
 

Our gorgeous Nicola... a seamstress with a talent for remaking and up-cycling!

 We're so happy to collaborate with Mrs. Bear's & Old Spitalfields Market to bring you a brilliant "Up-Cycled" themed event so bring along your unwanted clothes and apparel -must be clean and in good condition- and prepare yourself to kit yourself out in beautacious clobber! Check out the Mrs. Bear's web site for further info, rules and event details: www.mrsbears.co.uk

Browse the rails and find your perfect Autumn wears!

Date:
Saturday the 28th of September
Time:
from 12 pm.  to 4 pm.
Location:
Old Spitalfields Market

Brushfield Street,
Spitalfields, London
E1 6AA

www.oldspitalfieldsmarket.co


 

Throwing shapes-Tutorial!

Hello, my name is Karen and, with my partner Tim, I run Creative Biscuit Ceramics Café in South Woodford. When not doing freelance writing or sewing up little dresses and kid’s paraphernalia under the guise of Crème Anglaise, I like to potter and paint in the café (as well as doing slightly less fun stuff like the accounts). However this was a fun week when not only did I get to do some printing with CG, but they asked me to write this guest blog too. How utterly lovely…

 

There have been some fantastic collaborations over the years. Aerosmith and Run DMC, Kate Moss and Topshop, Alexander McQueen and Damien Hirst, Timmy Mallet and Bombalurina (OK, maybe not such a great example).
Last week we ( I have my Creative Biscuit hat on today, and a fine hat it is too even if I do say so myself) took part in a collaboration with the fantastic Craft Guerrilla to create some geometric printed tiles and we were pretty pleased with the results!



Hand printing on ceramics can be a tricky business because the type of paint we use (Gare Fun Strokes , fact fans) doesn’t particularly like staying on most surfaces without a slightly messy fight. However, we believe Ms Craft Guerrilla AKA Debbie Daniel has found a nifty way of defeating the Gare, with this handy little tutorial.



Rather than using lino the key seems to be printing with craft foam, which not only holds the paint better, but is a darn sight cheaper. You can get it from Hobby Craft – although always remember other smaller independent craft foam suppliers are available!
So how do you do it? Here goes…

• Cut your craft foam into the shape you would like – we went for a simple triangle shape as you can see above.

• Cut two or even three of the same shape so you can build it up to a good thickness.

• Get a small square of wood (we got ours free from a local timber yard who were happy to give it away rather than stick it on the rubbish pile) and take your chosen foam shape and draw a pencil outline around it in the middle of the wood – This will help you know exactly where you are printing on the ceramic and help you line up your next shape.

• Then, on the other side of the wood, use a strong adhesive to glue your foam to the wood.

 You are now ready to print. Exciting!
 

Apply a thin layer of paint to the stamp with a sponge – not a brush as it’s tricky to get it as even and thin enough – and get stamping on your unglazed bisque. There are no rules. Do it as few or as many times as you like, change colours. Go crazy. Well, as crazy as you can with a delicate ceramic.



When you are done marvel at your handiwork and get it glazed and in the kiln. Wait 72 hours and then impress your friends with your super modern and funky geometric tile.



Admittedly this can’t be done at home, unless you have a kiln of course, but then I don’t imagine you have a double coffee machine at home and quick access to Tim’s brownie, so it’s probably best to come to Creative Biscuit to give it a go. You could also use the same technique with different paint to print on all kinds of things.

X
Karen

 
** Creative Biscuit is a family run ceramics café in South Woodford, London. We -Craft Guerrilla- love this kind of crafty business and we'd love to recommend them to you all! It's a creative place where you can buy designer maker gifts or make your own. 
They run a host of workshops from ceramic painting, kids craft workshops, hen do's and parties all with a crafty theme... or just pop in for a hot cupper & cake! Plus they also sell a ceramics D.I.Y. take away painting set so you can host your own house party and bring it back to be fired! How awesome is that? If you'd like to book please contact Karen or Tim via their Face Book page! **




 

Something for the weekend...check out Cat Boy and his travelling circus!

Something for the weekend....

The bears and circus animals have settled in at Blackduke & Cashman. You can find them nesting in between high quality hand picked mid century furniture and amongst adorable hand made gifts! This collaboration is one based on a love for  beautiful design and tapping in on local talent. This friendly trio -Black Duke & Cashman, Cat Boy and Craft Guerrilla- are proud to present the best of the best in art, design and hand made goods!

Pop by on the weekend and see the exhibition which will be on until the beginning of September (from 3rd of August to 1st of September )... though please don't feed the bears!

Black Duke & Cashman/Craft Guerrilla : 83 Grove Road Walthamstow London E17 9BU
Open:
Friday 12 pm to 6pm
Saturday and Sunday 11 am to 6 pm
Or by appointment please email: info@blackdukeandcashman.com 

How to get there:
Tube Victoria Line North Bound to Walthamstow Central
Train: From London Liverpool Street toward Chingford get off at Walthamstow Central
From town on the bus: 48, 56 or 55






 

Lemon ripple ice cream!

Well as it's still summer and the weather's feeling glorious we really wanted to post another ice cream recipe! Not that I need much convincing but I have to say that I'd never thought that I would make my own ice cream with such diligence!
The idea of having an ice cream maker at first made me think that it would become just another gadget sitting in the back of the cupboard... but far from it.
By having a little machine it's made it possible to experiment -as well as follow a few recipes- and it has been so much fun making up my own flavours. And one of my all time favourite -apart from chocolate of course- is lemon!
 Lemon is one of those flavours that you either love or hate. It's divisive but what you can't get away from is the cleansing and refreshing quality of lemons especially after a hearty meal so... this is just the tonic after a big eat! Though of course you can eat it on it's own and skip the meal entirely!

For this recipe I've added yogurt to the cream (a 50/50 split) as I wanted it to be less fatty then others made with just full double cream but it's still smooth, rich and packed full of flavour.
You can't see it in the photo but there's a "vein" of lemon curd running through it and lots of zesty lemon which looks inviting and yummy! A jolly, bright, mellow yellow treat for all...

Ah Lemons... use the best quality ones you can find/afford. Preferably Sicilian lemons would have been used but these are run of the mill veg market fodder but the ice cream still tasted amazing! I'm going to try this recipe again when I visit my mum as she has an amazing organic lemon tree in the garden...

For this recipe you'll need:
An ice cream maker; fear not if you haven't got one you can slightly adapt it so it can go directly to the freezer! I'll add the directions as we go along...
zest and juice of 2 lemons
100g of icing sugar
300ml of double cream -for straight to the freezer use whipping cream-
300ml of honey Greek style yogurt
3 tbsp of lemon curd

The ice cream maker method:
In a large bowl which all the ingredients together. Add to your ice cream maker and leave to thicken. In mine it took circa 30 minutes but please refer to your maker's manual.
Right at the end add the curd just so it ripples but doesn't  mix in completely. Transfer to a freezer safe container.

The freezer method:Whisk the whipping cream until it forms soft peaks. Add the sugar, lemon zest and juice to the yogurt and mix well. Take a small amount of your yogurt mix and add to the whipped cream so it's incorporated. Now gently fold the remaining yogurt making sure not to knock out too much of the air from the whipped cream.
Add the curd and mix just so it ripples but doesn't  mix in completely. Transfer to a freezer safe container.
Leave for at least 4 hours to set. Remove a few minutes before serving.

It's also a great base for smoothies and shakes... add fresh berries and whiz to make a refreshing summer drink or spooned over home made meringues with a generous sprinkling of flaked toasted almonds for a gorgeous desert...

We'd love to know what you think and if you've tried this recipe let us know.
Share your ideas, tips or how you've adapted this recipe to create your own in the comment section below... we'd love to try your recipes too!!!

Amanartis... if you haven't heard about it yet then you are missing a trick!

We are so excited about our friend Amma's new venture! She's one formidable chica and even though she's just become a mum and is a fabulous working designer maker she still found time -and the energy- to kick start an amazing new project in Watford.
So if you'd like to know more about Amma Gyan and Amanartis read on as she explains to us the idea behind the project...

How did it all come about?
Like most ideas it came from the need to find space myself. I'd been working in a studio that was owned by JJB however when they closed we all had to move out. So back to the home studio I went. However since moving to Watford I had made it my goal to get to know the creative scene and find out what was happening. This led me to becoming friends with the local arts development officer, who in trying to solve my studio issue introduced to me the building. It's grade II listed so has lots and character but it wasn't right for me with no lift access and I have a very small baby. So I thought about for a while and decided that although it wasn't right for me it had to be right for someone else and surely I wasn't the only person in the same situation. So there it happened I decided if i can't find a studio space in Watford, I'll start one up.

The stunning Amanartis premises...

We love people who D.I.Y. their own opportunities! So what's the aim behind the project?
To provide creatives with a base to work from where their business can grow by networking, exhibiting and collaborating with other artists and designers.
Provide business support and mentoring for creative start ups. Offer guidance for design graduates on turning their craft into a business.
Supporting local artists in providing them with a venue to exhibit and sell their work.
Provide work experience for students who wish to gain experience in the creative sector.
Establish a creative destination for design and craft lovers to come and purchase beautiful, unique, quality items.
To offer designer makers from all over the country a reputable venue in which to raise their profile and gain recognition for making and selling quality goods.
To provide a launch pad for design graduates to exhibit and sell their work.
To grow a loyal and discerning customer base.
To offer benefits to our members from associated partners.

A well appointed board room for conducting meeting...

One of the work space which will be available...

I hear you're planning a design fair too?
Launching in October 2013 is a new exciting event for hand made lovers in Herts.
Amanartis design fair will host 20 of some of the best design led makers in the country hosted in the beautiful grade II listed school hall.
Each designer will be chosen for their creativity, ingenuity and style broadening the concept of hand made and crafts.
The aim of the event is to not only showcase and sell beautiful unique items to the public but also to act as a place for designer makers to network and grow their business. If you think this is the venue for you then... please contact us for an application form!

Wow, that sounds amazing! Any last bit of advice for any budding creatives who want to make their hand made business a success?
I feel it's important to take yourself seriously, don't be shy, say your amazing, you may not believe but after a while you will because you are.
I'm still making bags and jewellery so I'm extremely busy especially as I'm also preparing for Hertfordshire Arts Open Studio in Sept.

A fully equipped modern kitchen...

...and a light, modern studio space!

Amma Gyan is the creative director behind Wear Me a hand made Leather goods company specialising in jewellery and quality hand made leather bags! We're so proud of our Amma and we wish her lots of luck... though I have a feeling she won't need it as she's one smart little cookie!

For further info please contact Amma via the Amanartis Face Book page:
www.facebook.com/Amanartis.studios
or via email: ammagyan@wear-me.co.uk

 

D.I.Y. Beauty... get ready for summer!

Living on a shoestring budget shouldn't mean that you need to go without a bit of pampering. Spas are wonderful but a bit too pricey for me at the moment as are expensive shop bought treatments but I'm in need of some TLC!
Many people think that more expensive means better... maybe so in some cases but not necessarily true when it comes to buying beauty and grooming products.
For a long time I've made my own face creams and other concoctions like hair rinses, hair masks, bath oils and so on mainly not out of necessity but because I wanted products which were purer and without additives or harsh chemicals.
And after this long hard winter we've just had my face is in dire need of attention!

Feeding your skin can be easily done with something as simple as mashing avocado, honey and essential oil together which makes a refreshing face mask or for tired hair rinsing your mane with a bottle of stout is a magical treat!
By rinsing your hair with stout in addition to adding B vitamins, the proteins found in malt and hops are said to repair damaged hair and boost the overall body of your neglected locks. Also the maltose and sucrose sugars in beer tighten the hair's cuticles so expect an enhanced shine like that of the wig of a Hollywood superstar... It's true!

Scrambling around in the Craft Guerrilla cupboards we found everything we needed and I'm sure you'll have some of this stuff in your homes too... Maybe not the green clay but I implore you that if you haven't some already to invest in it...it's a really good staple for so many treatments!

And because we love making our own so much here's the recipe for our latest home beauty fave... detoxing face mask! In the words of Mrs. Doyle "Go on, go on, go on" Give it a try!

Cupboard love! Inexpensive ingredients that you might have in your home...

A very important note: Because the clay draws out any impurities your face may go red and blotchy - mine did- so if you're planning a big date, job interview etc... do this at least 4 hours before your big meeting or preferably the day before!

Ingredients:
1 large heaped table spoon of fine green clay
Essential oil, you can use one suitable for your skin:
normal 1 to 3 drops of Lavender essential oil
greasy 1 to 3 drops of lemon or grapefruit essential oil
dry 1 to 3 drops of Mallow Leaf or Sandalwood essential oil
1/2 tsp of honey
1/2 tsp rose water
Pulp or gel of a freshly cut Aloe Vera leaf - if you have any available, we have a monster of a plant!- or a tea spoon of olive oil
distilled water

(NOTE: this will make a large amount so if you want to keep it for a week or so add one teaspoon of citric acid, a drop or two of vitamin E and store in the fridge... better still share with a girlfriend or a family member!)


Utensils you'll need:
1 wooden or plastic spoon (metal reacts with the clay therefore diluting the potency of the clay)
1 ceramic or plastic bowl
1 large soft bristled brush
1 soft brush to buff the skin prior to treatment

Here's how...
Mix all the ingredients together to form a silky and smooth paste which should resemble cake batter. Add the water a little at a time as you don't want it too runny.

*Extracting the Aloe Vera gel can be done by scrapping the inside of the tender leaf... it does resemble snot but it is absolutely amazing stuff!
Plus you can keep any unused leaves in the fridge as long as the cut part of the steam is covered with a paper towel or cling film. If you don't have an Aloe Vera plant you can use as stated previously olive oil instead!

Fresh Aloe Vera Gel extracted from leaves of a mature plant! Ours came from Spain as a little bub. It's now 18 years old and growing!

Scrape out the "gel" with a sharp knife...

Before you start treatment...
Massage your face with a soft brush (a baby's hair brush is awesome but a tooth brush you keep solely for your skin can be just as good) this will wake up your cells and get your system ready to receive the healing face mask!
Now you're ready to start the fun part...

This is the consistency you're aiming for...almost like melted chocolate or cake batter!

Apply enough clay to your face- paint it on generously- but avoid the eye and lip area. You should have an even coverage but don't be tempted to layer it on too thick!

Paint it on!

Leave to dry completely for about 10 to 15 minutes and wash off with warm water and pat dry. Make sure to not get any in your eyes...

Try not to speak or laugh... the lesser cracks the better!

Once completely clean and dry apply a light face cream or massage a bit of extra virgin cold pressed olive oil onto your newly invigorated skin! Also if your skin is a bit red you can apply some Aloe Vera gel which will calm down the redness.

For an extra bit of love get those cucumber slices on your eyes, sit back, relax and enjoy!

P.S.
My skin went super red -as you can see- but it was clear and glowing plus the redness went down pretty quickly... it had been a while since the last time I did a face mask so my skin was in terrible need of a "deep cleansing".
Your face shouldn't go red because of the clay but it's usually down to the toxins and/or can be hormonal.
It has been known that even people with normally "great" or "flawless" skin get breakouts after green clay face masks so don't fret... it's nothing bad or permanent it's just your skin getting rid of any horrible nasties from your body!