Category Archives: Inspiration

Inspiration

#craftblogclub – A Craft Community

I was so inspired by this article in the Guardian yesterday that I decided to use it as our topic for tonight’s tweetchat. The article looks at why ‘Make do and mend’ has become so popular and goes on to talk about the craft community. I really feel a part of the craft community thanks to #craftblogclub. Here are a few tweets from tonight’s chat.

@eyrea – #craftblogclub clothing quality has got so bad it’s making people think twice. I’ve had stuff rip first wear (to the office)!

@fizzijayne – we are in a make do and mend society now, people are watching their wallets lots of people are learning new skills

@hookstitch – plus it’s all the trendy thing to be doing and all

@daintyandIvory – This chat has introduced me to crafty bloggers and its great having people who I can ask for tips/advice!

@daintyandIvory – And it’s also thanks to this chat that I started a monthly craft swap on my blog!

@fizzijayne – I have lots of lovely new blogs to read since joining #craftblogclub and appreciate all hints and tips

@fizzijayne – my confidence with my blog has grown as well #craftblogclub

@Kay_O – It’s great to have other bloggers and crafters to chat to, not to mention the excuse to have a chill on a Tuesday eve!

@IcySedgwick – I ask questions. Still no comments. It’s really disheartening. #craftblogclub

@jet011 – I have no craft clubs in my area so this is brill, it is great to share ideas and has helped my confidence

@IcySedgwick – Blog hop could work. We all post about a theme & see what each other says about it

It’s great to read so many tweets about how #craftblogclub has boosted people’s confidence and that friendships are being built. It was highlighted that we could look at supporting one another more by commenting on posts. We are all limited by time, but it was agreed that if we read a blog post that has a positive impact or inspires us in anyway, it really is important to comment if you can. If you have any other thoughts on how we can develop as a group and continue to support one another please let us know. Either leave a comment here or tweet @craftblogclub.

We love #craftblogclub and we hope that you do too :)

craftblogclub-badge-291x300

Standard
Inspiration

Craft Shop Favourites – Old and New

We all have a favourite craft shop that we love and rely on for all our crafty needs. I have many as I have lived all over the UK and I am often traveling. I was particularly excited when I stumbled across the cutest craft shop earlier this month in the depths of Wales (more on this later). This prompted a decision to write a series of blogs about my favourite craft shops, old and new.  So please look out for my posts, as it might be about your fave craft shop or one that you will just have to go and visit!

 

cropped-02c.png

Standard
Inspiration, Sewing

Katie Gets Crafty Giveaway!

Imagine my surprise when the lovely folk over at Hobbycraft asked me if I would like to host a giveaway?! This will be the first giveaway from Katie Gets Crafty and I hope it won’t be the last. So here it is, the Sizzix Big Shot die cutting machine worth £74.99.

Image from www.hobbycraft.co.uk

Image from www.hobbycraft.co.uk

The Big Shot is a hand-driven roller machine that has enough power to cut through and emboss many different materials, including fabric! You can find out more and see it in action by watching this video tutorial.

I was totally amazed by all the different features and I am really excited to be giving one of these fantastic machines away.

Here’s how you enter!

1. Leave a comment below sharing why you want to win the Sizzix Big Shot die cutting machine and tell us what you intend to make with it.

2. Send me a tweet @katiegetscrafty and use the hashtag #KGCgiveaway

3. Like Katie Gets Crafty Facebook page and leave a comment on the giveaway post letting me know you would like to enter the giveaway.

Here’s the important stuff:

The giveaway will close on Sunday 18th May at 6pm and the winner will be picked at random. I will announce the winner on Monday 19th May.

Sorry but this giveaway is only open to UK residents.

Once the winner is announced they have 48 hours to email me at katie@katiegetscrafty.com with their address so that the cutter can be posted. If I haven’t received notification in that time another winner will be selected.

GOOD LUCK!

Standard
Inspiration

#craftblogclub – Blogging dos and don’ts

craftblogclub-badge-291x300

This evening I have had the pleasure of hosting another #craftblogclub. Our topic this evening was Blogging dos and don’ts. Here I have selected a few of my favourite comments from our chat to share with you.

@kay_o –  on blog comments ‘I always try to respond quickly to blog comments, and also hop over to see them if they blog too, and leave a comment there!’

@DaintyandIvory – on how often should we blog ‘I also think it helps if you blog about crafting wrongs, makes everyone realise not everything goes right!’

@rosetintedcraft – on grammer ‘I find it really helps to write a post, then come back to it the next day. Often find loads of mistakes!’

@fizzijayne – on word count ‘I read a book that suggested anything more than 250 is too many’

@i_heart_home – on blogging dos ‘Lots of photos, commenting on others blogs, regular updates without overloading, link parties, have fun!’

@i_heart_home – on blogging don’ts ‘Don’t rant, use bad language, slate other blogs, give too many personal details or beg for followers!’

@kay_o – my fave comment of the night! ‘at the end of the day it’s YOUR blog, your rules’

So there! Be proud of your blog and have fun :)

Standard
Inspiration

Very Inspiring Blogger Award Nomination

Last Thursday I had the lovely surprise of being nominated for the ‘Very Inspiring Blogger Award’ by Amanda at Gift Frippery. Thank you so very much Amanda. It really has made me smile and it is so very kind. It is my hope to inspire others with my blog and so hopefully this means I am doing something right!

15a - Blog

Here are the rules of being nominated for the ‘Very Inspiring Blogger Award’:

  1. Thank the person who nominated you and provide a link to their blog.
  2. Nominate other bloggers and let them know. Provide a link in your post.
  3. Write 7 facts about yourself.
  4. Display the Very Inspiring Blog badge on your blog post and blog.

Here are my nominations. I love following these blogs and I’m sure you will too.

First up is Laura over @madepeachy at www.madepeachy.com I just love reading Laura’s blog as it is so fresh and always full of lovely posts about life, style and crafts.

My second nomination is @nicwood77 over at www.craftedchic.co.uk. Nicola seems to always be making beautiful things and so I am always inspired when visiting her blog.

Please do check out these fab blogs. I know you will enjoy them as much as I do.

Finally here are the 7 facts about myself:

1. I am a big football fan and I am very proud to say my team are Leicester City. Oh yes the champions! Can’t wait to watch the boys on MOTD next season.

15b - LCFC

 2. I love dogs! I can’t pass a dog without saying hello to it. I hope to have one of my own someday.

15c - Dogs

3. Growing up I had singing lessons and even got my grade 8!

4. Walking – I’m a big fan of the outdoors and love a good walk. To date my favorite place for walking has to be the Lake District. I’ve had many lovely holidays there and hope to have more.

5. I met Peter André!

15e - Peter

6. My nickname growing up was Piglet. This was thanks to my sister who thought I looked like piglet as a baby. Big sisters are so kind like that :)

15f - Piglet

7. I love tuk tuks! In 2011 we went on a family holiday to Sri Lanka for my sisters wedding. It was amazing. The country and the people are just beautiful. We would get around by traveling in a tuk tuk. I just love the name and they are so much fun to travel around in.

15g - tuk tuk

So there it is. Thanks again to Amanda for nominating me for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award.

Standard
Inspiration, Sewing

Spring Clean Gift Swap #craftblogclub

If you are a regular visitor of my blog you will be aware that I co-host #craftblogclub – a tweet chat for craft bloggers and lovers that takes place every Tuesday 7-8:30pm. I love #craftblogclub. It’s so much fun chatting with other crafty types and sharing tips and generally helping one another in our quest for crafty perfection. One of my favourite things has to be our challenges. This month’s challenge was ‘Spring Clean Gift Swap’ – make a gift using only products and materials you already have or by finishing off an old project you’ve left. The lovely Emma from @livepeachy paired everyone up that wanted to take part and then we were off. I was teamed up with @sal_strawbs. I checked out Sally’s website before making my Spring Clean Gift to make sure I was making something she would really like. I could see that crochet is her passion and so I dug deep into my fabric stash and made a crochet hook case. I was really pleased with it and even more pleased when I received this tweet ‘@katiegetscrafty I received your parcel this morning and I LOVE it! Thanks so much. #craftblogclub’

We were set the task of making sure the recipient received their parcel in time for Easter. Well, I was away over Easter and so I was REALLY excited to return home to find my parcel had arrived! I was as excited as I was at Christmas for our #craftblogclub Secret Santa. Receiving a handmade gift and knowing that it was made especially for you is so exciting! Maybe its something that only a fellow crafter can appreciate but I really do value the time and energy that people put into making their own gifts.

So here it is. Check out my fab bag from the lovely Sally!

Had to take a pic of the wrapping paper! How did you know I love Music too! :)

Had to take a pic of the wrapping paper!

14b - Spring Clean Bag

The spots are inside too!

The spots are inside too!

I love the spots – it’s so bright and cheery, especially on a wet and miserable day like today. I used it at the supermarket this afternoon and it even put a smile on the cashier! And so I would like to Thank You Sally for my bag. I will make use of it and enjoy doing so.

Standard
Inspiration

My Craft Space

It wasn’t until our most recent move that I realised how important a craft space was to me. For the first two weeks in our new place I was feeling frustrated and it wasn’t until I sorted all my craft materials that I became settled. Like many of you, I would love a dedicated craft room. This month’s issue of Sew Home & Style has a lovely article on creating your dream craft room and it is my dream one day to have something like this… 13a - Sew Good things come to those who wait. Until then I am more than content with the space I have created. I have divided our lounge into two, with a snug area for the sofa and TV and the other half is my craft space! With the help of my fiancé we built two bookcases to store everything. I also have a beautiful Lloyd Loom ottoman to store larger pieces of materials, wadding etc. Our dining table (now craft table – dinner on our laps is fine!) is positioned next to the double doors letting in lots of natural light. 13. Ottoman I have added a few personal touches with a framed cross stitch by my nan, a beautiful drawing from the lovely @layoutlines and our engagement present from our very dear friend @twoducksdisco. These really do inspire me when I am working.

13. Fox and Bird

I even spent an afternoon going through all my fabric and ironing it all. This means all my fat quarters are now neatly folded and displayed on a shelf. I know I am a saddo but I don’t care, this has made me very happy! I also got A LOT of enjoyment sorting all my buttons into jars. They add so much colour to my book case.

13. Fat Quarters

I love to finally have all my books on display rather than in boxes. I was very excited this week to welcome two new additions to the collection. Both books from the amazing The Great British Sewing Bee series are now brightening up my bookcase. Although I don’t intend for them to stay on the shelf as I am itching to start making my new wardrobe of handmade clothes. 13. Sewing Bee

 13. Books

All my bits and pieces are stored across three lovely sewing boxes. The cream one was a charity shop find and the red with white spots box was a leaving gift from my lovely friends. I also have an overspill of things in two very old tins from both my Nans. 13. Sewing boxes I am really pleased to share my new space with you. Now it’s time to start making :)

Standard
Inspiration

#craftblogclub – Are we creating a craft legacy?

Last night I hosted #craftblogclub and the topic that I set was inspired by my last blog ‘Are we creating a craft legacy through our blogs?’ I hope you were able to read this post. When writing this blog it made me really think about how we inspire with our craft and the legacy we hope to leave behind. I was really keen to discuss this idea with the group. I asked –

Who inspires you?

Who do you hope to inspire with your blog?

Do we worry about certain crafts/art forms being forgotten as new techniques come forward?

What message/legacy do we want to create with our blogs?

It was so great to get so many different thoughts on this. Some expressed a concern that a blog wouldn’t be around forever and so this is not a lasting legacy. One person suggested taking our blog posts and creating a book from them.

On inspiring others @Kay_O really hit the nail on the head tweeting ‘I blog about what I make, seeing the simplicity of the process could inspire others to try in the future! #craftblogclub’

@fizzijayne spoke of the importance of passing on our skills ‘crafts need to be passed down the generations by family, friends, teachers so these skills can go on #craftblogclub’

We ended the chat by sharing special items that we had made for loved ones. It was agreed that these heirlooms are the best way to leave a lasting legacy. @GiftFrippery and @_TheVilla both shared beautiful photos of heirlooms they had made for their daughters.

It was a great chat and thanks to everyone for taking part. I look forward to tweeting/chatting with you all at next weeks #craftblogclub.

Standard
Inspiration, Knitting & Crochet

Are we creating a craft legacy through our blogs?

Three weeks ago today my Nan passed away. My Nan was a creator in many ways having 5 children, 13 grandchildren and 17 great grandchildren. She adored her family and her football! My Nan was a keen knitter with the family benefiting from many lovingly made items. Her most popular creations were Jean Greenhowe knitted toys. She would find the perfect knitted friend for any occasion. A favourite of mine has to be the football octopus mascot. If only City could have a player with 8 legs!

 12a - Octopus

I asked my Dad if I could have a pair of my Nans knitting needles, as I like the thought of knitting something with them. When I visited my parents at the weekend I was presented with 2 boxes of needles and patterns to look through and 3 bags of wool. As I am sure many of you will have experienced, going through a loved ones belongings brings up many emotions. I had a few tears but I mostly had a smile on my face as I read the notes she had made on the patterns. She would scribble the lucky recipients name next to the pattern along with sizes and comments such as ‘just fits nice but next size up would be best’. One in particular really made me giggle as it was a ladies sweater pattern with my cousin Ian’s name next to it. When I see him next I will be asking if he still has it!

12b - Nans Things

As well as patterns, needles, buttons and wool there were two projects that she hadn’t finished, a half knitted Santa and a baby’s cardigan. Knitting was my first craft but since getting my sewing machine I haven’t picked up my needles as often. These will be the perfect excuse to get me knitting again as I would love to finish them for her.

Looking through my Nans knitting collection made me realise the legacy she has left behind. I will certainly remember her for her knitting and will treasure everything she made for me. I believe this is her crafting legacy, as one day I hope to pass on the treasured items as well as the craft of knitting. This got me thinking about the importance of my blog. Social media is so much about the present, the here and now and I have been treating my blog in a similar way. But as I think about my Nans knitting legacy, I realise that my blog is my legacy. As a craft blogger I am sharing my interests and craft that will hopefully inspire others. So when I now write my blogs I am going to think more about who and how am I wanting to inspire and what lasting thought do I want to leave the reader with?

When I think about my Nan she inspired me to make things for the people I love the most. As for a lasting thought, that has to be ‘live life to the full’.

12c - Me and Nan

Tonight I am the host for #craftblogclub from 7pm. This blog post has inspired tonight’s topic ‘Are we creating a craft legacy through our blogs?’ I hope you will all join me and share stories of who inspires you and how you are using your blog to inspire others. Plus, I would love to hear your thoughts on the importance of a craft legacy and are we already doing this through our blogs?

Standard