Happy holidays and looking forward to a new year!

Happy holidays everyone, we hope you've had an awesome year filled to the brim with crafty magic!
This year has been an interesting one... not always great but filled with life lessons which we can take away and learn from. It's all part of life and our experiences make us stronger and more in tune with what we actually want to do with Craft Guerrilla.
And so we've decided that things need to evolve and change plus we need to bring you a lot more so we can still function within our selves and as part of the growing London craft community. Plus we need to keep Craft Guerrilla independent but self sufficient!!!

A lot more in the way of posts/content will be added so our beautiful blog becomes more of a resource, a place of learning and above all somewhere you'll want to explore and stay for a while.
More pages are being added including a resource page where you can find great people/companies who can help you on your crafty travels.
We want you to make, bake and take away something which is of value...and not just a blog which is a great read! Yes recipes and tutorials are good but we know that for example sometimes trying to take your craft to the next level can be a struggle. There seems to be a world of information out there but sometimes it's hard to see the wheat from the chaff!

Our blog is pretty much an extension of our zine and if you've read it you might have noticed that we don't just cover craft. Oh yes we love cake baking, cocktail making, DJ-ing and finding great new design talent! Oh yes we're keen craft magpies and love hunting out all those shiny nuggets of creative awesomeness.
Speaking of which we're also looking into adding to our "guerrilla shop" and feature more designer maker products direct to the buying public. It's still a way away but it's in the pipeline!!!

We've been so lucky to work with lots of seriously talented people... "OK Jo" of Soupa Creatives was one of them and she created this fab cover for us!

In the new year we will be adding to the blog so it's a bit more like our zine which by the way you can purchase in our Guerrilla shop on our web site.
Keep your peepers peeled because we're on a mission... so if you'd like to contribute get in touch!
Please send us an example of your writing and a short bio of yourself plus why you'd like to work with us. Also if you'd like to submit any craft tutorials, recipes or be part of our resources page let us know what you can offer.
Unfortunately writing content and tutorials is an unpaid position but it's a great opportunity to get your writing and projects out there under the Craft Guerrilla umbrella.

"Kanelbullar" ...my current obsession!

I love Swedish cakes and these are my current obsession...once you've tried making them you'll know why! They are super easy to make and most importantly they are delicious!
So without further ado here is the best ever recipe for Swedish "Kanelbullar" that I've ever found. They yield a large number so what I did was half the recipe though as it takes 1 egg I left it as it is IE 1 egg and it was fine...all other ingredients where halved and the result perfect!


"Kanelbullar"
Scandi Kitchen recipe:
Makes around 40 buns

For best result, don’t be stingy with the filling and don’t try to use low fat anything: whole milk, good quality butter... 

We also prefer using fresh yeast, but if you can’t get hold of any, you can use dried. NOTE:Replace fresh yeast with 2 x 7g sachets of the instant dry yeast – and add this to the flour/dry ingredients and NOT to the wet mix. 

If you are new to cinnamon buns, don’t worry: there is a lot of cinnamon in these – and ground cardamom. You can hold back a bit if you are not sure you’ll like it as strong as we do – but remember... they’re called Cinnamon Buns for a reason.

The dough
50 g fresh yeast
1000 g plain bread flour

85 g caster sugar
1 egg
150 g unsalted butter
500 ml whole milk
½ tsp salt
1 tsp ground cardamom (optional).

Filling
150g butter (nice and soft)
4-5 tsp ground cinnamon
85 g sugar (we like to use brown sugar)

Decoration
1 egg for brushing
Around 100 g of pearl sugar for decoration or drizzle over a thick icing sugar and water glaze...I actually prefer this to the pearl sugar!

 
This is how you do it
Melt the butter and add the liquid (milk) – check the temperature (should be between 37-46 degree Celsius for optimal yeast).  Add the yeast and stir.

Once the yeast has dissolved, add the egg, sugar, salt, cardamom and most of the flour (hold a bit back for kneading, about a large hand full). Work the dough until it stops sticking and has a shiny surface – probably around 10 minutes by hand. Keep kneading, it makes for a better bun.

Please the dough in a nice warm place for around 30 minutes or until doubled in size. Place the dough on a floured surface and work through the rest of the flour. I actually used a large floured melamine tray so to contain the mess!

Cut the dough in half and roll out each piece in a rectangular shape, around 30 cm long and 12-15 wide. Butter the whole piece liberally and dust over with the cinnamon and sugar. Roll each piece lengthways so that you end up with a long sausage looking roll. Cut 2 cm big bites and place them carefully on baking trays (take care to keep them separated as they will rise).  

Let the buns rest for another 30 minutes until doubled in size.  You should get between 34-40 buns out of this batch.

Brush gently with egg and pour over a bit of pearl sugar on each bun and then bake in the over on 220 degrees (fan oven) for about 8-10 minutes (turn the heat down a bit half way if you feel they are getting too brown). Let them cool down under a clean tea towel – this will stop them going dry immediately.

If you are using an icing sugar glaze (which I've been told the Norwegians prefer) allow the buns to cool before drizzling!

Enjoy!!!

PS You can always freeze them and defrost by gently heating in the oven as they are best served warm. 

If you make a whole batch I doubt you'll have any left over but freezing is great especially if you need to have them on hand for a quick sugar rush! 

NOTE:
I found fresh yeast in the Polish shops. Very inexpensive (about 40p per pack and you'll get at least 2 servings from it) and it's great quality.

It's never FELT so good...

Needle felting is both a relaxing and a creative craft form loved by many and misunderstood by some. Contrary to belief it's not just for making beads or components for other projects nor is it all about naff poorly made dust collectors. I've seen a few of those but in general the majority of needle felting I've seen has been pretty amazing!

Amazing dogs felted by Gai: http://www.gaizymaimake.co.uk/gallery/

Mushrooms: http://kathrynivy.com/patterns/free/myriad-mushrooms/

Milo & Ben: http://www.etsy.com/shop/MiloandBen?ref=seller_info

So it's "relaxing" you ask? It's much more then that...I believe this discipline can help you release your inner sculpture or sculptress!
Yes, it does help reduce stress as there's a lot of stabbing but I see it as a form of sculpting and not just in the way you create the 3D pieces but also in the method used, in the squeezing, forming with your fingers and building up of the piece. In a way it's a bit like clay yet softer and drier...plus a lot less messy!

There is a massive array of roving, lots of colours, textures and types. That's what you call the main material...it's also used to make yarn so it's pretty much the wool before it's been spun!
I use a lot of the "basic" roving though I have used the heavier stuff which is made form different type of wool. Just like in knitting yard you'll have different types and weights: angora, sheep wool etc.
Sourcing your materials is easy as there are quite a few on line retailers. I've used Forest Fibers which are really helpful and will be happy to guide any novices if you ring them for advice. There are also different needle gauges. This blog post was an invaluable resource: http://sarastexturecrafts.wordpress.com/2009/12/19/dry-needle-felting-needle-gauge-choice/

Wool-in-legends: http://www.etsy.com/shop/woolinlegends?ref=seller_info

I discovered needle feting because of Charlotte Haines-Lyon who's a master and an artist. I watched in amazement as she took a hand full of what looked like candy floss and then made it into an actual 3D object. I was hooked (pardon the pun)! She's one clever lady and she's also an inspiring teacher. Because of her I started experimented with felting and have gone from making simple shapes like mustaches to more intricate birds and even miniature cat portraits made form cat fur... Now, now don't judge cat fur is actually cleaner then sheep fleece and yes these portraits were made from the actual cat's hair! Cats, especially Persians are great for harvesting fur and just like angora which is rabbit fur it's a really great material to felt.

Below is a little bird I made for a workshop back in August... If you'd like to make one we have a few kits ready to purchase. £6.50 includes all materials, illustrated instructions and postage (UK only. Please contact us for international postage when ordering).
Email us your order via our address...

For basic instructions on how to get started on needle felting visit:
http://www.themagiconions.com/2011/02/tutorial-needle-felted-toadstool.html 

Otherwise search for online tutorials on "You Tube" as there are quite a few!




Here's a fun felting with cat fur book which I absolutely love...

By Kaori Tsutaya

And my own cat fur felting experience...

The beautiful Jassie Mo and her mini self

Watch out Selfridges you have competition!

I loved working on the shop window and the best part of it was that I could pretty much do all sorts of experimental things and create something which I had in my mind for ages!
Fortunately the guys at Black Duke & Cashman have faith in me and let me loose in their beautiful shop...though the snow machines haven't been used like I had imagined but hey...we'll have snow soon enough!
Black Duke & Cashman formerly "Beyca Retro" has undergone a bit of a revamp...not only has it had a complete overhaul and a brand new name it now has a very lovely coffee bar which serves "Nude" coffee in the Aeropress coffee system. It also serves artisan baked cake on the weekend plus it has us there nestled amongst some gorgeous mid century furniture and home wares! As you know by now we left Wood Street and have a permanent concession space in this shop.
We love being there and we hope you can pop in and visit...
Here's our Christmas Window in the making...I think it deserves a visit especially at dusk so you can see it in it's fully glory...Selfridges you may be grand but our seasonal window is pretty awesome too!

Paper houses made from a template then laser cut! Check out our very fab MP Stella Creasy...I think she's pleased that she's featuring in our window installation!

two down and 100 left to fold and paste! That took some time but it was worth it!

Taking shape...paper house mobile! A series of paper houses strung on fishing wire onto a bamboo pole and proped up over the main shop window...

Love the reflection of the real houses onto the window with the floating miniature paper houses!

Light installation for the window made over an Ikea lamp...ready to add to the window to illuminate and cast some shadows. Check out the windows...looks like someone's in!

Paper cut provides the final touch and hey presto... a very simple seasonal message! Merry Christmas!!!

Swishing you a merry Christmas...

This December we'll be joining forces with SannaPanda & Friends in order to bring you a very special Christmas Swishing event.

We all have loads of garments we either no longer wear, fallen out of love with but can't part with or as I am ready to shamefully admit have never worn and probably never will because I bought it on a whim! We all have moments of madness!

So if you think there's no alternative other then sticking them in the recycling bag then think again...

Swishing is a great way to revive, refresh and boost your wardrobe and it won't cost you the earth! Literally it's a fantastic way to recycle so you are saving the planet!!!

At £1 an item you can drop off your unwanted clobber. We'll be receiving clothing from 6.30 pm to 7.30 pm. 

You'll then have half an hour to browse and try other people's cast off and then when we blow the whistle at 8 pm..."SWISH"... that's when you can grab your new fashion bounty.

It's that easy!

We accept:

Dresses (Vintage, home made and High Street)

Separates (tops/blouses/shirts/vests etc. - trousers/skirts/shorts/leggins etc.)

Jumpers and knitwear

Shoes/Boots

Hand bags, Belts, Hats and accessories including jewellery.

We do ask that everything you bring to be in a good wearable condition and clean.

*Sorry no underwear or socks!

When? 6th of December from 6.30 pm to 9 pm

Where? At the formidable Oak Studio in Hampstead Heath

Also you can grab a free cocktail (swishers only), buy some cake at "Cakes by Kath" baked goods stall and do some late shopping in the studio...there are so many gorgeous things in there!!!

Make Christmas a hand made fest...

Every time I see "those" Christmas  adverts on the telly...you know the ones...flashing lights, intoxicating music, fit inducing colour schematics screaming "HURRY CHRISTMAS IS ONLY X AMOUNT OF DAYS AWAY" I literally fight the vomit back in...
Ew, OK not a pretty image but imagine it with glitter and wool and all things that make the insides of a true crafter!!!
So Here are my tips for getting through the mayhem of Chrimble prep...
First, breath. Then...breath some more. We as a race never breath enough hence why we panic so much. We crafters are a sensitive bunch and think of this post as a gigantic "craft inhaler" and it's here to help you breath some creativity into your Christmas!
So lets start by making your life easier by choosing a few stress free, easy but effective projects which will both supply a bit of "make therapy" and provide you with something which has a use in the holiday season. Here are three that I'm currently working on...



*Try printing your own Christmas wrapping paper. It doesn't need to be expensive or complicated. Potato stamping is a cheaper alternative to stamp/lino carving so don't think straight off the mark that it's going to look like primary school art class fodder. Use brown parcel paper, make nice paper tags and even paper bows plus butchers string can make it extra pretty especially if you use the red & white stuff!

courtesy of "Ella's inspiration"

*Make your own table favours/decorations.  A lovely little gift idea and decoration which you can use as part of your table theme or use as an alternative advent calender. Plus you can use them for pretty packaging for smaller gifts too like earrings, brooches, cufflinks etc.

Click here for tutorial

*Make your own perfume...
You know it's one of those gifts that you either love or hate! Personally I love getting perfume as a gift but it's very rare that I get one which I absolutely adore. The few times I have received those little bottles of magic "Eau de Moi" have been mainly because the gift giver knows me well and knows what scents I like! Basically they have gotten me down to a T which isn't easy.
So if you know someone who loves receiving perfume imagine how special they'll feel knowing  someone else gets them too and has gone to the trouble of creating a bespoke scent in their very own ready to wear eau de perfume!
Perfect for a truly special mate or to get your other half smelling just like you like...er, cinnamon rolls, single malt whiskey and sweet tobacco?! Oh well that's how I'd like my man to whiff!

Small Measures perfume tutorial

So crafty bambinos and bambinas we hope you find some sort of inspiration and if nothing else at least you've spent a few minutes thinking what you'd like to make for Christmas instead of focusing on your panicked breathing!!!

Hello East Sussex...

We're so proud of our sister armies and after announcing that Brighton Craft Guerrilla was ceasing to opperate we can now introduce you the new Brighton team!

We're stoked to have Sam on board with her magical crafty know how, enthusiasm and all round super duper creativity! It's a hard act to follow but we believe in Sam and know she'll do a fab job taking over where the last Brighton Craft Guerrilla left off. We love them too and after a few years of doing such a fantastic job we'll miss them dearly. Thank you Emma and gang for doing such great work and spreading the CG message. We salute you and wish you luck with everything you do in the future!

I'm excited beyond belief after hearing what Sam and Co. have in store for us...on line tutorials, craft swaps, craft meetings, classes, workshops...phew, these gals will have us packing our bags and moving down to Brighton soon if they keep up all this fabulous crafting!

So check them out,stop by their blog to say "hi", tell your friends, join them in Brighton if you can and show them your crafty appreciation!
http://brightoncraftguerrilla-craft-by-sea.blogspot.co.uk/

I'm so happy that we are able to share the Craft Guerrilla ethos beyond London so if you're interested in opening up* your own CG platoon drop us a line: craftguerrilla@yahoo.com

*please note that their is a criteria and a philosophy to follow so requests will be received and considered according to suitability!

This Christmas make it HAND MADE!

This Christmas make a conscientious effort to either make or buy hand made items! As a firm advocate for all things hand made I truly believe in the worth of buying more locally made/sourced items but also by doing this you are helping out the planet.
By thinking about where products come from and how they were produced you are making a positive, informed choice and it doesn't mean that cheap mass production will cease (though it would be nice!) I hope it will show the "big boys" on the High Street that we want change. The consumer's voice has never been so powerful so show them if you believe and want a change to a fairer and more environmentally friendly production process!
Not just a good move as you're helping your local economy but also it's a lovely way to show your family and friends that you care about them and the world we live in!!!
I'm not going to bore you with the intricate reasons why it's better to buy hand made...besides  I'm sure you know all about it anyway! Here are a few choice items that I love and a selection of projects I will be getting stuck into making for my loved ones...

Material World by Perri Lewis

the aviary

http://jillybird.co.uk/

Paper decoration tutorial

make your own cupcake to gift to your friends!

Make a circle scarf or leg warmers from an old jumper!

Feeling Inspired? Check out We Make London's new book!

New handmade design guide puts readers directly in touch with makers...

Readers of a new book, Inspired: London, A guide to handmade in London, will get an exclusive insight into over 150 handpicked designers, such as an embroidery designer who helped create Kate Middleton’s wedding dress, to a designer who created bespoke and exclusive cushions for Harrods and Selfridges.

Packed full of inspiring designs from clothing to art, and detailed information about their creators, this guide literally puts the reader in touch with the people that hand make products in London. The book closes the gap between the producer and the buyer, as the book contains contact details for every designer, so the reader can chat, make a commission or even meet up with the designer in their studio.

The guide was created by Mary McDermott, owner of We Make London, a series of regular craft events across the city, after she spotted a rise in the interest in handmade products in the UK.

Mary said: “While the enthusiasm for handmade products has increased in the past few years, I also noticed that customers actually wanted to know more about the designers than you can with online shopping. They wanted to have a personal experience and to know that the products they buy have been lovingly made locally. So we decided to put together a book that would allow customers to actually meet up with the designer.”

With products to suit every budget, this must-have guide for Londoners and visitors aims to support local businesses, which is now more important than ever in the current economy. As well as dedicating an entire page to the work of each designer, the book also has a directory of nearly 100 interesting organisations, suppliers, independent shops and designer-maker markets.

Inspired:London – A guide to Handmade in London will be launched on 10 and 11 November at Spitalfields market and is available to buy online for £12.99 via the We Make London Website http://wemakelondon.bigcartel.com/ and in selected bookshops.

BUT if you can't quite wait for the 10th of November pop down to Chelsea Old Town Hall on Sunday 4th November for the We Make Christmas Fair and meet the designers...
 

Browse and buy for the whole family from over 80 hand-picked exhibitors, selling a wide range of wares from Eco-friendly hand-crafted gifts ideas to jewellery, fashion, graphic / fine art, bath and body, toys and children's clothing. Shoppers will be able to relax in the cosy cafe with a selection of delicious homemade delights. 

Opening times are 11am-5pm. Entry is £2 and free for children
 

 

"Lençinhos dos namorados"...a stitched call out for exhibitors!

"Lençinhos dos namorados" is a very old Portuguese tradition which began by semi illiterate women embroidering hankies for their lovers some of which were fisherman.
These little tokens also served as good luck charms and as a constant reminder that their lady's love would be waiting for them upon their return while they worked on the stormy and harsh seas.
Filled with pretty, colourful images and designs they also featured spelling mistakes and grammatical errors which personally I think makes them utterly charming! These little pieces of linen are a true and pure account of someone's love for another and also served as a "sampler" to teach girls the basics of embroidery.

"our love will end when this dove takes flight" Please note that if it were translated with typos it might be something like this: "Our love wood end wen this dove takes flite"

And so here's what we propose...
As part of our next E17 Art Trail exhibition we'd like to invite embroiderers from all corners of the globe to send in their hankies for an exhibition which will take place in September 2013.
Please add a message on a hankie in your own language though we'll need a translation in English on a piece of paper so we can tell people what it says when we show it!

Criteria:
It needs to be a message of love though it doesn't need to have typos or spelling mistakes...we're just taking inspiration from these beautiful works of art! Make it as intricate or as simple as you like...
As long as it's passionate we welcome it.... plus we can dry our tears when we're overcome with emotion!!!
It can be a love letter to an unrequited love, a partner, a lost love, a family member, a pet or something more abstract like a city, a cocktail, a band or a anything which gives you that warm fuzzy feeling that you'd like to convey to the world. 
P.S. Free hand machine embroidery is also accepted!
If you'd like to read more (though you'll have to copy and paste the text to google translate...) visit:
http://www.aliancartesanal.pt/site/home.asp?pagina=scd

Deadline:
The deadline is Friday May the 31st 2013 so we can organize and get the show promoted.

We also hope to tour this exhibition so you'll need to give us permission to show your work under our banner but we'll send a release form to all contributors.
If you'd like to know more please email us for details...

Autumn Zine...

Here's a taster of what's to come! Because we LOVE Autumn and all things woody we're celebrating the new season in style with lots of forest inspired projects, illustration, recipes, cocktails and even a play list!

PLUS it's super green as it's only sold as a PDF so no trees have been harmed in the production of this issue so for a teeny tiny £1.50 you'll be able to feel like you've saved the planet just that little bit more then you usually do.
It will be available to purchase on our web site very soon...


If you'd like to pre order your ZINE please email us: craftguerrilla@yahoo.com
Here's  one of our top Autumn tunes from our play list...Enjoy!

Pump House Crafternoon!

On SUNDAY the 7th of October Craft Guerrilla will be hosting a CRAFTERNOON in the Pump House Gallery in Battersea part of the gallery's "Social Sundays".

You can find us recreating our CRAFTERNOON in the gallery from 1pm to 4 pm. Just follow the awesome vintage tunes!
It's free and it's a drop in session so no need to book....just bring your pretty selves, pick up a craft pack* then sit and make with us. You might also meet a few new crafty friends so be ready for a good old chat and some social crafting!

*A selection of packs have been carefully designed by Craft Guerrilla and our associates in order to offer participants fun and easy to follow projects which can be made on the spot but can also be taken away and confidently completed at home.
All projects are suitable for adults and children over the age of 6 (though some supervision may be needed).
Craft Guerrilla tutors will be on hand to guide anyone should they need assistance. Packs are suitable for novices and seasoned crafters.


For further details visit:
http://pumphousegallery.org.uk/events/sunday-social-crafternoon
How to get there:
http://pumphousegallery.org.uk/visit-us/

Getting in the mood for Autumn....

Once the clocks change that's pretty much it! That's when I know there's no going back...it's official summer is  over and awaiting us are long, dark, cold nights! BUT it needn't be dreary, tedious or drab... in fact I love autumn and all the time it frees up for making all sorts of things.
When it's hot outside I rarely sit in and craft so the fresher weather is welcome....

So what projects will you be doing? Here are a few of my favourite winter nest ready makes...

granny squares top...nice and warm!!!

Make mittens from old jumpers!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Night lights to make it super cozy!

Ginger & coconut body scrub to remind you of summer during winter when you get the blues!

This year I will start my quilt!

 

Travel back in time! It's 1950 through the Red Door...

Unfortunately we haven't just discovered time travel but the good people of Red Door Studios are having an amazeballs event which will take you back to the good 'ol days... though I think I can safely say that neither I nor most of our readers were around in the 1950's but we can imagine what it was like!
Actually you won't have to imagine too hard as they've done up the main area to resemble a 1950's shop so you will be in essence a "time traveling shopper"!
Vintage/retro dressing up is welcome though not essential.

So pop by the studios for the "Homemaker Pop Up Sale" on the 15th and 16th of the month and grab yourself a bargain.
For a mere £2 entry fee find lots of vintage goodies, furniture, home wares and haberdashery which have been hand sourced and sorted to get you making, re using and recycling...
plus there's a vintage tea room,  a retro beauty boudoir a few craft demos, great music and lots of good clean fun!

Also they are still accepting sale items for the "Homemaker Pop-up Sale" as well as a few craft tutors to head a couple of vintage inspired craft demos.
Please feel free to pass the details onto others who might be interested in participating or contact the Creative Director directly on 07515 378 548 or reddoorstudios@ymail.com and a “Retro Seller Info. Pack” will be sent to you.

We say GOOD BYE to the Rose & Crown!

As from September we'll be wrapping up our D.I.Y. Craft Nights at the Rose & Crown Pub.
That's right the 13th of September will be our last! *Details to be announced soon!* https://www.facebook.com/events/508355005846200/

This year has been a tough one with lots of changes, new ventures which haven't worked, other exciting ones that have flourished... hence the need to manage our time in a wiser, more productive kind of way!
All this has pushed us not just into new avenues but also into thinking about our events. Fresh thinking is needed...
So we've thought long and hard about our craft nights and whether it's a good idea to keep going but it doesn't make sense especially as numbers of participants have been dwindling.
A few factors like lack of suitable lighting, too many similar events in the same venue (yes there are now 2 other "Stitch & Bitch" nights in the same pub!), the slow down in the economy etc. have prompted us to take this difficult decision. But we've been doing these craft nights in E17 for almost 5 years now so time for a change! Plus we can't offer our time or materials for free.

So it's time we take a break and come back in the near future stronger and with a different format but still as crafty as ever! We would like to remain in the local area but we're not afraid to travel. The craft gypsy caravan is packed and ready to hit the road!!!

Keep an eye out as we promise we're not ceasing to exist... we're just streamlining our events so they work for us and for our lovely patrons.
Rather then just keep doing them for the sake of it we basically need to regroup and get our Crafty Mojo back!

Thank you all at the Rose & Crown (we'll miss you!) and to all the crafty people who've made so much with us along the years...Thank you for your support and see you soon!

A Craft Guerrilla Crafter at the Black Heart Camden

*Please note that you can catch us in December at our Christmas Craft Emporium fair! Sign up to our mailing list to keep yourself updated on all our events and crafty adventures!!!

Promote your creative company with us!

You've probably noticed that we advertise other creatives on our blog and that's basically for two reasons:
one: we like advertising people which make gorgeous hand made products which we believe in and admire their talents.
two: it's a form of helping our self funded collective tick by!

We're not asking for huge amounts of money, after all we're not Donald Draper...and we're not setting up your advertising campaign for you but we would be happy to share our web traffic with creatives in exchange for a very affordable monthly fee!

As designer makers we know how tough it is and how expensive it's become running a small creative company so...we'd like to open it up to you! By advertising with us you can get your company seen by a receptive audience.
Oh yes and by the way...we'd love to have Don on our team but he's a fictional character so instead we do have on our books a real life whiskey loving gal who'll be happy to help you create a banner, logo or help you launch your advertising campaign*
If you need some help with that side of your business E mail Debbie and she'll get you started: hello@craftguerrilla.com
*Please note that this is not a free service but fees are charged at very competitive rates!*

The CRITERIA for advertising with us:
Your company must be a small indie hand made company which sells products made by you or supplies which can be sold to designers.
We will not accept chain shops or high street companies that sell mass produced stuff!
We are after original, high quality designer makers which want to associate with us! After all we are promoting hand made so it needs to fit in with our philosophy.
Haberdashery and findings providers are a tricky one and we will only accept companies which are independent  and offer great quality products.

We also promote services like seamstresses, jewellers who offer repairs, illustrators, photographers etc. but you must be an independent and not be working under a larger corporate company!
Collectives and craft market organisers are also welcome to advertise though this is left at our discretion as we also feel we can only associate with others who share a similar ethos.

Here's an example?
We have previously advertised an indie company who sell wool but they also hand dye, spin and sell their own products which have been lovingly sourced from small local producers and transformed into usable wool products.
This is definitely the kind of company we like!!! They're not just making their materials they are also making a change in the way we see industry and production.

If you'd like to know more and find out about our monthly rates then please email us: craftguerrilla@yahoo.com

You can't keep a good Guerrilla down!

You can now find us in Walthamstow Village borders at the beautifully refurbished Beyca Retro. A spacious little shop jam packed with vintage furniture, collectables, art plus a cute little coffee bar serving "NUDE" coffee (that's a brand and not how we serve it!) and artisan baked cakes on the weekend.

Craft Guerrilla has it's own concession space stocking lots of hand made goods, greeting cards, illustrations and zines courtesy of our band of merry makers!
We're absolutely chuffed to be working with the Beyca boys and can't wait to see what this new partnership brings...we have so many great plans for the future with Boma and Tim!
 So if you fancy popping in we're normally there on Saturdays though the shop is open from Thursday to Sunday.

Psssssssssssssssst... a heads up: The furniture is amazing, lots of fab 1950's pieces at a snip compared to what you'd find in trendsville Hackney!!!

Where? Beyca Retro 83 Grove Rd, Walthamstow, London, E17 9BU
Opening hours: Thurs/Fri/Sat/Sun 10 am to 6pm
Web site: http://beycaretro.com/

Oh yes...our Zines are back!!!

After a little break - lets face it sometimes a break is just what is needed - The Craft Guerrilla Zine is back!
We were publishing them every 3 months but with so much to do this was another task that unfortunately got left behind! There is so much one woman can do but now we'll be opening up the opportunity to any creatives who'd like to produce a zine for us! You'd pretty much be given free reign but it needs to showcase CRAFT, ART, HAND MADE, MUSIC, CAKE and all things creative and generally following the existing format...you can even use it to plug your work and services though we will have the overall control of what's included or not as we need to keep things to our high standards. Please email us and send samples of your work if you'd like to guest produce the next zine which should be out in Autumn (September).

This edition was guest edited and written by Sanna of "Sannapanda & Friends".
Living in the UK sometimes is hard and not very summery even in Mid summer! Her lovely musings on Mid Summer and her Scandi upbringing are enough to make you long for balmy nights filled with cricket song, bare feet on long grass and sunshine seen through the trees!

Check out Sanna's web site for beautiful things and for inspiration! We heart you lady!!!

Available to purchase only as a PDF on our web shop mainly because we want to be as green as possible so we've decided to sell them as a file rather then print them on paper!
This way if you'd like to print out your own copy you can!!!

Behind THE RED DOOR...

The Red Door Studios are hosting a selection of "Jubalympic" sized events to tantalize and mesmerize the good people of London.
From Vintage/retro sales, group shows to photographic exhibitions...there's bound to be something for everyone!
Check out what our friends are up to in East Ham by popping along to this summer fiesta!

Celebrations kick off this Sunday...
Summer Exhibition 2012
Opening Event at Red Door Studios
Sunday 5th August at 1pm (Doors open 11am to 5pm)
Pop-up Cafe Open!

This opening event is to celebrate the 22 local artists who are exhibiting their artwork during our week-long Summer Exhibition – there will be refreshments, music and a few special guests to welcome the artists.

Venue: Red Door Studios

On Masterman Road
Rear of 120 High street South
East Ham, London, E6 3HW

For further info visit the Red Door Studio Face Book Page!

The William Morris Gallery...out with the Chintz!

I can hardly believe it but the William Morris Gallery reopens tomorrow! I was lucky enough to go to the private view last week and what I saw was amazing! It's been a long time coming and lots of money has been spent on the regeneration bringing the community a long awaited gallery fit for international visitors as well as a much needed haven for all people in our borough.

The Walthamstow Tapestry on exhibition now!

Apart from the beautiful tapestry by Grayson Perry the gallery has been transformed beyond recognition! And yes I did get to meet him, though briefly, but I did manage to get his photo and have a quick word with him in front of the Walthamstow Tapestry. What a charming and talented man!

Grayson Perry!

A smart extension houses a large exhibition space (this is where the tapestry resides until the end of September) and the tea room/restaurant overlooking the gardens.
On the top floor of the main gallery work shop spaces have sprouted up in the eaves though these weren't open yet but we hear they will be in use to teach school children and members of the community all sorts of craft disciplines. That's a big thumbs up from us on that one!

detail of the tea room's chandeliers and musicians in the new extension overlooking the gardens.

Like a dormant chrysalis that's woken up into a gorgeous butterfly The Gallery is now a lovely airy, bright and beautiful exhibition, educational and meeting space!
Before the regeneration it was nice and homely, in fact sometimes it felt like you've wondered into someone's lounge but it was pretty dark and lifeless. It's almost like it was one of those creepy rooms people leave untouched after their loved one has died...but not anymore, what they've managed to bring to it with the regeneration is a bit of modernity, life and oh yes open windows which means lots of natural light!

a bust of William Morris greets visitors.

It's definitely not chrome and mirrors, that would just be naff... But dare I say that it looks a bit Scandi?! Let me elaborate... Scandi (as in Scandinavian) in the sense that it's bright and clean but with a bit more of design, thought and a welcoming warmth which was achieved through the use of natural materials, the colour pallet and the general flow that takes visitors from room to room.
The large chunky wooden chest of drawers and hanging industrial lights in the back exhibition room wouldn't look out of place in a Swedish café but they serve a purpose rather then compete with the existing Morris & Co. pieces. There's also a bit of technology too by way of touch screens and interactive pieces which are there for people to use and touch unlike before when it felt like you weren't even allowed to walk on the carpet. Obviously you were but it almost felt intrusive having people trampling on them.
The new display furniture and fittings sit harmoniously and if anything showcase even more Morris' work by quietly sitting in the background doing their job letting the Victorian Arts & Crafts pieces shine in a totally new light.

Morris pattern on ceramic tiles.

Back exhibition room looking bright! Love the wooden chests and floors.

Now the pieces seem to breath a different life from what they did in the late 19th and early 20th century, they look contemporary and wouldn't be out of place in today's Arts & Crafts homes. The modern Designer Maker is different from the Victorian one but it's nice to see that good design is timeless and I would happily use Morris's designs in my modern home. I for one was totally inspired by the flooring in one of the small gallery rooms and will now tear up the carpet and try my hand at floor pattern painting.

Lino floor in Morris Pattern (I hope it's Lino, I might be wrong but it's definitely not carpet!) It's inspired me to paint my floors!

William Morris was much more then just a craftsman, an artist, a print maker, a designer he was also a socialist, a poet, a humanist plus a husband and a father.
In fact he was a formidable force which has left a legacy which we should all be proud of!

Socialist banner. Morris was also a great socialist and a man of many layers, ideals and talents.

I am a long time fan and have lived just behind Lloyd Park so I know the gallery well as I have spent many an afternoon in there.
This was a long time ago when Craft Guerrilla was still just a little glimmer in my imagination but it was invaluable in my searching for inspiration and philosophy for the collective.
Morris was and still is one of my main "muses" and his ideals are one of the reasons why I started Craft Guerrilla.
Now it's come full circle...Craft Guerrilla were privileged to have been asked to curate a selection of Designer Maker items for the shop gallery. It's seams like we've also come home...
Thank you William Morris and hopefully one day there might be a Craft Guerrilla Gallery too!

Opens 2nd Of August 2012! For further information, opening times, exhibitions and details on how to get there please visit the WMG web site: www.wmgallery.org.uk