Farm Yard @ Bird's Yard

On Saturday 24th May Bird's Yard in Sheffield city centre held a new event - Farm Yard @ Bird's Yard. For those of you who don't know, Bird's Yard is a shop that sells lots of local designers' work as well as unique pieces and now the downstairs has been turned into an event space where their first market was held at the weekend.

I sell some work in the shop and offered to help organise the event (I love organising!) inviting lots of delicious local food stalls and talented musicians to take part. Although the weather was against us (Chapel Walk where the shop is was more live a river than a pavement) everyone who braved the torrents loved it!

Here's what happened...

Cupcake Time even made some farmyard themed cupcakes!

 

And Hollow Meadow Flowers brought a true farmyard touch with their locally farm grown flowers...

There was also face painting and glitter tattoos from Dreams and Screams and food art from Michael Borkowsky (and if you happen to be in Sheffield on Monday they'll be there again!)

All Good Stuff in Sheffield

A couple of weeks ago I shared the news about All Good Stuff opening on Arundel Street in Sheffield and added some photos of the artists whose work would be available there. Well, now it's formally opened I've been back to take a look myself and I couldn't help but take my own photos to share with you!

There are lots of beautifully handcrafted and produced gifts, art, jewellery and more from a range of talented makers all connected with Sheffield and Yorkshire. It was nice to see some familiar items there from some of my favourite local makers but there was also a great variety of (new to me) work to discover. Here are some things I found...

All Good Stuff at Butcher Works, Arundel Street, Sheffield city centre

Opening Hours:
Tues - Sat 10.30 - 5.00

All Good Stuff on Facebook

Farm Yard @ Bird's Yard 24th May - a Sneak Preview

On the 24th May Bird's Yard is hosting it's first market in its new downstairs event space. The popular city centre shop in Sheffield will be transformed into a farmyard complete with farmers market, live folk music and hay bales!

Here's a little preview of what you'll find there as well as special offers in the shop...

These are just a few of the wonderful treats on offer... join us on the day to to see them all!

Farm Yard @ Bird's Yard

24th May 12-4

Bird's Yard, Chapel Walk, Sheffield

Fun With Felting

Felting is something that always looks fun and there are some amazing creations out there, but it's never something I've tried before. Until today! Sue from Apple Harvest very kindly invited me to play with her wools and show me how to make a flower. This is what we got up to...

Lots of gorgeous colours to play with!

Some of the 'tools' needed - hot soapy water, bubble wrap and a rolling pin

You have to keep rolling and turning the wool until it 'knits' together. It was also useful to use the end of the rolling pin to bash the flower too! One it's holding itself together, we rinsed the flowers in cold water then pinched them together and put them on a radiator to dry.

This red flower was my first attempt and didn't turn out quite as flower like as I was hoping! I was happier with this purple and pink creation though...

But Sue's creations are what you really need to see to show you how it's done...

5 Upcycling Tutorials Using Various Materials

As my mum keeps telling me, 'upcycling' has been around for years (even though 'back then we didn't call it upcycling, it was just something we had to do', usually followed by how lucky me and brother were when we were children!). Now though the emphasis is on creativity as well as necessity and there are lots of great ideas out there about how to upcycle.

Paper is my favourite material to work with, but here are some other wonderful ways to re-use and upcycle...

Pencils

This tutorial from Design Mom shows you how to create this fun and colourful jewellery from old pencils. Perfect for using up those last bits of pencil crayons that are too short to get in the pencil sharpener! 
 

 

Tin Cans

There are always plenty of tin cans around, but instead of putting them in the recycling bin what about making a colourful bird feeder for your garden? This tutorial can be found at We Made That.

Zips

A fashionable idea for when a zip on a garment breaks - turn it into a ring! Useful DIY shows you how.

Toy Animals

A very clever (and fun way) to use toy plastic animals from Thinking Closet. One they've finished been played with you can turn them into place card holders. They could also be used as note or photo holders too. I'd try to match the animal to the guest!

  

Glass Jars

There are lots of great ideas around for using old Mason jars but I particularly love this one from All Things Heart and Home. Here a string of LED lights are used to make a chandelier effect.

Now I've got my inspirations I'm off to rummage through some things that would be otherwise thrown away and get making!