Open for business...

Finally after almost two years in the making we've managed to get our on line shop started! We'll be adding to it as we go along so make sure to stop by frequently.
Because we like to keep things fresh we'll be adding to it and refreshing our stock whenever something catches our little beady guerrilla eye... plus with so much designer maker talent in our fine city we'll showcase lots of new upcoming designers to keep you lot buying hand made!

In our new web boutique you can find beautacious adornments for yourselves, your homes and your walls, a plethora of gifts to give plus a few crafty bits and pieces to get you making too.
So go on... pop by, have a browse, sit back, enjoy a cupper and do some shopping if you fancy!

Visit our boutique by clicking  here  don't forget to tell all your friends!

Hope you like what we've done and... happy shopping!

X

Debbie


 

Knit some Christmas cheer...

The good people of the Waltham Forest Adopt team have come up with a very crafty bit of campaigning... "Close Knit Family" is part of the very clever campaign to bring awareness to adoption.
So if you can knit and fancy doing your bit then get making! We love this project and we'll be clacking our needles to make a few too... though I think we definitely need a pet dog and a cat to finish off the family!

"As part of  the campaign we are asking people to get involved and raise awareness of the importance of adoption by knitting dolls that we will distribute to local children."

To make the dolls please follow the guide pattern:

Please have your dolls ready by Friday December the 13th and hand in or post to:

FREEPOST RRGL-ZXTL-GZXZ
Close Knit Family
Waltham Forest Strategy and Communications
Waltham Forest Town Hall
Forest Road
Walthamstow E17 4JF

For further info, to down load the pattern and/or if you're interested in adoption then please visit the Borough Of Waltham Forest web site...

 

We wish you a crafty Christmas!

Here's some of our top hand made gift ideas chosen for craft aficionados and for those yet to be glamoured by hand made magic!

There's so much out there to entice you to part with your money but you know us we want to make this world a more hand made friendly one so yeah... we hope we can dangle the proverbial carrot -a hand made carrot of course!- to get you gifting your friends and loved ones with some fine, original and fabulous designer maker products.
We've found lots of great gift ideas for lovers of cute, for edgy rockers, for girlie girls and even something for those "difficult to buy for" boys!

Our beady eyes have been on the internet trawling through sites, blogs and web shops to find the best of  the best...

So please... take a peep and make someone's Christmas a very merry and crafty hand made one!


Cute...

Hey foxy! Fox scarf by Donna Wilson©

Beautiful hand made toys -and they're not just for kids- by Annapavlovna©

A little bird house for your soul... by Alice Ellis-Hayle ©

Edgy...

Tattooed Lumber Jack by Mimi Kirchner©

No need to get inked... swallow necklace by EllyMental©

Temporary Tattoos by The Aviary ©

Girlie...

And for a bit of relaxing... Eye Pillow by Margaret's Blanket©

Beautifully chic hand made underwear by Charm & Laundry©

Keeping rosy... heart studs by Wychbury Designs©

Boys...

Beardy Man Plate Donna Wilson©

Leather key fob at A Platform©

T-shirt by Ocular©

Late nights at The William Morris Gallery...

Last week we had the pleasure of hosting a very special Craft Night for the William Morris Gallery, part of their "Lates" and to coincide with the Giles Deacon exhibition. Because of the fashion connection we came up with a few fun and fabulous projects for our guests to make!

The William Morris Gallery! ©photo by Sanna King

From clip on bow ties, cross stitch wooden brooches to pom pom head bands... they came, they made, they drank and they also danced!
For further WMG events please visit their web site...  www.wmgallery.org.uk

Making some pom pom head bands! ©Anna Kassman McKerrell

Cute!

Crafters looking serious... though I think they were just concentrating on their projects!

Cross stitch brooch and a very happy and accomplished crafter!

As part of the "lates" the gallery hosts events like these which also had a DJ... the music was awesome BTW!

I love how everyone really made amazing stuff...

Busy hands...

Ta dah... and a beautiful bow tie was made...

And a pretty cross stitch geometric design brooch too!

Plus we had our sewing expert Nicola Hughes teaching guests how to sew on zips!

And finally even the boys got in on the action. Suits you sir... suits you!

Thank you to everyone that came to make, the William Morris Gallery, Rebecca, all the gallery volunteers, the DJ, the CG helpers Hannah and Nicola as well as the very lovely Coats Crafts UK for their endless and generous sponsorship! We salute you!!!

We're looking for the next Crafty Superstars!

As Christmas quickly approaches we're on the hunt for some more designer maker talent! If you make beautacious hand made items then drop us a line... however we do curate stock for our concession space so not everything will be chosen though we will consider all entries!

Applying is simple...

Send an email with a few images of your work -or a web site/web shop which stocks your makes- and we'll see if it fits in with what we're after. We do have a certain aesthetic which we like to keep to and it must fit in with the overall feel of our products plus all products needs to be top quality, well made, original hand made items!

Please note that we will only consider hand made items and not mass produced or work which belongs to someone else. No agents please!

So what are we after?
We'd love some more art work... illustrations, zines and posters as well as paper cuts and even hand printed wall paper!
Ceramics, home wares including soft furnishings and lampshades!
Paper goods... greeting cards, hand printed wrapping paper, gift tags etc!
Gifts for the kids... knitted/crocheted hats & scarf sets, toys, wooden dollies etc! *No clothing. Please read below.
Christmas ornaments... from baubles to garlands to bespoke fabric packaging!
Man friendly stock... wallets, messenger bags, key fobs, diaries, note books, grooming products and everything a modern gent would like to receive in his Christmas stocking! No cufflinks please...we have plenty of these!

*Unfortunately we're not able to stock clothing or shoes as our concession space is small and this type of stock needs a lot of storage space as we'd need to cater for all sizes!

Also no more jewellery unless it's so special and unusual that we'd be falling over ourselves to buy it! If you're not sure just send us photos anyway.

This opportunity is available to UK based designer makers only. Our concession space operates on a 50/50 sales split on commission and on a sale or return basis only. For further details please e-mail: craftguerrilla@yahoo.com

Movember

As chiclets we don't have the awesome pleasure of having extensive fury facial furniture though I'm sure we know at least a gent or two who do!
As November comes around once again we're reminded of "Movember". Well I'm partial to a bearded male so I quite like that so many men folk take up the challenge to grow a tasche in the name of charity.
So if you have a mustachioed dude in your life here's a simple recipe for a moustache pomade which if you're lucky he'll keep over the holidays so will also make a brilliant customisable X-mas gift!

The king of tasches Salvador Dali!

Moustache Pomade/ Wax

Ingredients:

Beeswax
Petroleum jelly
Coconut oil/shea butter
Essential oils -I quite like Rosemary or Bergamot but be kind...don't over do it with the scent as it will sit under the chaps nose all day!

Directions

Mix equal quantities of petroleum jelly and beeswax and melt in a double boiler. Now add coconut oil or shea butter (half in quantity of petroleum jelly or beeswax) to the mixture and heat until it melts completely. For an appealing fragrance, add few drops of essential oil once the mixture cools.

Top tip: Pour the wax in nice containers and for a personolised touch print your own labels.

I quite like these labels pictured below and something along similar vintage lines will do perfectly!

 

Image courtesy of RexOrganics. Please do not copy, we are only showing you an example of a label which we like the look of. Be inspired but don't copy!!!

How to Use Moustache Wax?

The first step before applying the wax is to blow-dry the hair completely. After the moustache wax has cooled down, rub your fingertips lightly over the surface of the coagulated wax. Don't dip your finger into the wax container, as excess of wax may result in a greasy moustache. When your fingertips are lightly coated with wax, put them against the hair you want to shape. To spread the wax evenly, slightly run your fingers against the hair in the same direction as the hair grows naturally. After applying, shape and style the moustache with your fingers. Apply more wax if necessary, and to remove, wash the applied area with mild soap and rinse well with lukewarm water.

Applying excess of wax may give a messy or greasy look to the moustache, therefore, be careful while applying and remove the extras with cotton. The aforementioned moustache wax recipes will not only shape or tame an unruly moustache, eyebrows or other facial hair, but they also help to strengthen the hair by coating it with tough, shiny and protective covering.

Recipe from: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/moustache-wax-recipe.html

Of course there's a reference to facial hair... Cream Swlabr!

Friday's Craft Crush...

OK so it's more then just a Friday thing... this craft crush goes way beyond and I for one will be embracing it for the whole of the season for this craft is not just a one day thing!
Oh no...with the colder weather heading our way embracing all things woolly is something we really rather enjoy!
Now that the nights are drawing in, and lets face it the telly is pretty bleak, here's your chance to get knitting your very own home accessories and personal wears... and  it's not all about knitted bed socks, chunky throws, men in beards wearing Aran Jumpers -though we quite enjoy these too!- it goes beyond that.
And if you can't knit... don't worry, submit to the knit by either signing up to a stitch & bitch night, visiting your local yarn shop or getting your nanna to show you how but failing that check out You Tube for online tutorials! 

Below are a few of our top picks of things you might want to make.
Oh yeah and to look at too... the man in the beard well... he's a gift. Take it. Enjoy!

URCHIN POUF by Christien Meindertsma

For a book packed with projects "Make it your own" by Anna Alicia.

This is so wrong that it's right!photo by HelloYarn©

Hair Bow tutorial by squeakyswing©

Not sure who this handsome chap is but... look he looks pretty good in a jumper plus he's got a beard! Bliss!