Over to you Martha...
Having participated in just 1 craft fair before, you may ask why I decided to pull together a team to create Handm@de. I love the way that the crafting community help each other out - offer advice and support when individuals are felling the strain or seeking new challenges. This was my inspiration for Handm@de. I wanted us to be able to offer and event that is in a central location, in a beautiful setting - and one that does not cost the earth for our sellers to exhibit at.
Buying handmade is an ethos that I support as often as I can. Owning unique pieces, and being able to give gifts and cards that I come across everyday in the handmade world will have been made with love and the creator will have enjoyed making them.
I think my love of crafting and creating has been inherited from generations past - I remember making woolly bobbles in front of the fire at my Granparents' house, ready to turn into toys to taunt the cat with. Making skirts and paper quills, cross stitch and glass painting are all things I remember doing with Mum, both as a child and later as a teenager. I will forever be grateful to them for instilling in me a love of making and doing and creating things both useful and decorative.
Nowadays my hand is turned to jewellery... often chunky - sometimes delicate. Most of my pieces are one of a kind, altho some may be similar to each other. They tend to be created as and when inspiration hits... Which can be sporadic! I tend to buy beads without a real idea of what I'll do with them, just knowing that how they look or feel will inspire me to make something lovely - a necklace, a pair of earrings or a bangle! Currently my favourite items are probably the 2 SQUARE earrings, which are gorgeous tiger ebony wood squares which a cube of sponge coral suspended in the middle... quite chunky and funky, but still feminine!
| Etsy Buy Handmade momentsbymartha |
There are some great sellers around. My Favourite UK sellers include Tina Mammoser whose paintings for the English coast are stunning - I'm really looking forward to seeing these upclose and person personal at Handm@de.
Amanda Sainsbury makes some amazing machine knitted trims, buttons and beads... I've yet to buy from her, but will do as soon as the right project comes around!
On the subject of buttons, I’m in love with Nikki Raimes shop (aka CreamRose) who sells such cute little fabric covered buttons – turned into bobby pins, hair bands and rings… of course you can buy the buttons too!
Outside of the UK there are some real stunners about – from Brooklyn, ReSurface’s lamps are stunning, Alisa Burke in San Diego makes some truly unique canvas bags and purses, Frances Pamela Angus makes some delicious looking stained glass items that would look amazing in any window.
| Etsy Buy Handmade thehappycrafter |
I’m so excited about the Handm@de fair – so many new artists to discover, and just in time for Christmas too! If you do come along be sure to introduce yourself, I’m Becci aka MomentsByMartha. Nice to meet you.
4 comments:
Yay! Becci, your earrings completely rock. I can't wait to buy you out at the fair :)
Aw, thanks so much for mentioning me. :) Can't wait to see some of these things in person in Oxford. :)
I love Resurface's shop too - and thank you for the mention!!!!
Pam
Thanks for the mention! I wish I was going now.
:)
Post a Comment