Let Me Introduce You To...

This week I'd like to introduce you to somebody I know. Usually I find gorgeous shops online and share my finds, however this time (as it's their 2nd birthday this week!) I'm going to show you some beautiful jewellery I discovered right here in Sheffield.

This post is in no way sponsored or influenced. All opinions are my own and any quotes are taken directly from the people I'm writing about.

This week I'd like to introduce you to...

Mia Peony is a range of jewellery designed by the talented Magdalena. They feature a range of vintage images, artworks, local scenes, flower fairies, hot air balloons... and whatever else Magdalena finds inspiration from!

Magdalena - the designer behind Mia Peony

Magdalena is from Vienna, Austria where she was involved in 'different art and performance projects' before she decided to come to the UK as it's somewhere she'd always wanted to visit and live. Luckily for Sheffield this is where she chose to stay and started her jewellery design business in the city in 2012. At first her creations were for her or gifts for friends, but their popularity spread and she was soon selling them in various outlets around Sheffield and now in her native Vienna too.

The name Mia Peony was chosen as peonies have 'soft and dainty blossoms as well as its opulent appearance' which I think describes the jewellery perfectly. The images Magdalena chooses are often delicate but they're given a twist with a burst of colour and glossy finish to create eye catching pieces - just like their name sake flowers. 

The first range of Mia Peony's I saw were the vintage hot air balloons which are a core range which are instantly recognisable. As well as the images, I also love how the jewellery is available as separate parts so you can choose exactly what you'd like - you can choose a chain to go with your pendant, charms to fit on your bracelet and, an exciting new addition, rings and bracelets that you can 'pop' the image off and replace it with another!

Mia Peony's jewellery is made with either glass cabochons over the images chosen or with resin for 'a lighter look and wearing experience' which is particularly good for some of the chunkier bracelets which are surprisingly light and easy to wear. Some of the images are also works which are based on collaborations with other artists from the UK, Austria, Germany and Poland to create a fresh and continually developing feel to the jewellery. One of the latest of these was with Sheffield photographer Charlotte Newton who Magdalena worked with to turn her local photos into jewellery which has proved very popular - especially this Henderson's Relish factory image with the blue background below!

Mia Peony's new display at Étagère in Vienna

If you'd like to find out more about Mia Peony then visit Magdalena on Facebook.

Let Me Introduce You To...

This week I found another shop through the Upcycle UK team on Etsy, it's a great place to find lots of crafters who make new treasures from old objects. I love to look at all the different uses people come up with to make give still beautiful objects a new life.

This post is in no way sponsored or influenced. All opinions are my own and any quotes are taken directly from the people I'm writing about.

This week I'd like to introduce you to...

 

Little Dotty Designs has a simple ethos - 'to bring a smile to your face'. And that's exactly what finding lovely objects made with vintage pieces does for me! The shop is the work of Sam who makes jewellery and stationery (and one or two other things) with old toys, game pieces, books and other interesting items to create unique and fun pieces.

Sam likes to create her unique pieces as she believes 'we are each unique, and that is a wonderful thing' and her pieces let your individual side show. How many other people would you meet in a day wearing a Good Luck Bear necklace? I think these pieces would make great little windows into your personality, especially if worn with a more grown up outfit. Little Dotty Design's pieces let you 'treasure & rejoice in your individuality' and using items with memories of childhood attached to them let you do just that - it's a piece of your past that helped inform who you are.

As well as creating uniqueness, Little Dotty Design is also about upcycling and 'a careful & deliberate practice of seeing the beauty in items which would often be discarded', which is something I like to do in my own creations too. There are so many beautiful pieces around that lay hidden and forgotten about so it's wonderful to discover and use them afresh, whether for their original purpose or in a new way. Sam even likes to quote Confucius to help explain the use of vintage objects in her work: " Everything has its beauty but not everyone sees it", but Sam likes to work to bring the beauty to everyone's attention.

Sharing beautiful objects is more than just selling for Sam, 'it is not just a transaction, but rather, a gift from me to you'. Obvious care and thought goes into each piece and it's this gift of artistic ideas and rescuing of treasures that comes with the pieces.

You can discover more about Little Dotty Designs here:

Shop on Etsy
On Facebook

Let Me Introduce You To...

This week I'm going to do something a little different with this post. Instead of introducing you to just one creator, I'd like to show you a range of talented people all under one roof in one shop. That shop is Bird's Yard in Sheffield city centre and is a collection of local designers and unique handpicked items.

There are lots of small businesses based in the shop, and obviously there isn't room in one post to feature all of them, so this is just a small selection. Obviously if you visit the shop you'll be able to discover them all! You'll find it on Chapel Walk in the city centre or click the logo below to go to their Facebook page.

This post is in no way sponsored or influenced. All opinions are my own and any quotes are taken directly from the people I'm writing about.

 

Little Denim

Little Denim, as the name suggests, is a range of pieces created using 'discarded clothing' that 'is still beautiful and very useable'. The aim is to 'transform it into other interesting things' and that's certainly what happens! On the shelves in Bird's Yard you'll find lots of interesting and often unique pieces.

Imogen's Imagination

Imogen's Imagination 'originated with burlesque roots' with the talented owner and maker Sophie's 'desire to have a new hat to wear to every burlesque night I attended and not having the funds to do so!'. The range has since developed to include a whole array of headwear and hair accessories 'to meet your needs whatever the occasion'.

You Earth Ash

You Earth Ash is a range of stunning jewellery made using 'ethically sourced semi-precious stones from Southern Brazil'. As well as making each piece unique and individual, the stones also have 'healing qualities' associated with them which are labeled next to the jewellery and add to the fun when choosing the piece you want!

Our Tiny Bees

Our Tiny Bees is a range of delicious smelling skincare made with British honey. They create 'effective skin care using the beneficial qualities of honey and beeswax' that's 'both good for you and good for British bees'. There's a whole range of their lovely products to try in Bird's Yards with information about each product to help you decide which to buy. Their honey lip balm is a favourite of mine for soothing sore lips, and leaves a little taste of honey too!

Let Me Introduce You To...

There are a number of reasons I was drawn to the shop I'm going to share with you this week. Firstly it was the use of vintage paper and old books; then I noticed a splash of pink across the top; then I realised it was a fellow flamingo!

This post is in no way sponsored or influenced. All opinions are my own and any quotes are taken directly from the people I'm writing about.

This week I'd like to introduce you to...



Frances Flamingo is a collection of upcycled and vintage treasure all of which are unique. It's the work of Beckie who at first 'only sold vintage items' but felt she 'was missing out on beautiful items' because they were damaged and not what she wanted to offer her customers. One day however she saw 'someone using old comics to découpage furniture' and a new idea was born.

Beckie decided to use the decoupaging technique not only to rescue old papers, but also to bring a new lease of life to the vintage furniture and other items that she would previously passed on because of the damage. One of her favourite items to do this with is old suitcases which 'are scratched but the integrity of the case is still intact' and turn them into unique objects to be loved again. What's great about this method is you can make pieces that mean something special for the recipient too; for her friends' wedding Beckie 'used an old book called Kon-Tiki by Thor Heyerdahl to line the inside of the case' as they love to travel.

As well as using original old papers, Beckie likes using 'new vintage looking paper and other modern prints' to create stylish pieces of decor. Her framed prints and wall art have a unique vintage appeal to them but are made more available because of this and would mix well with any vintage pieces of furniture they are in the same room with. Although there is something special about old paper too; Beckie likes to 'feel like I've given something that was loved enough to last until now a new lease of life!'

Beckie also has some great advice about having a go at this technique yourself:

"Go on and give it try, rather that throwing out your children's furniture and the books they have drawn in, make something that they will cherish!"

Find Beckie's shop on Etsy

Let Me Introduce You To....

Aprons are (another) of the items that I have more of than anyone would every possibly need. There's something about a pretty apron that I just can't resist. I think it's to do with them being a bit like a costume that you can put on and transform yourself into a character in a world where baking cakes is all you have to do! And I think that's why the more ornate and decorative an apron, the more I like it - which lead me to this week's post.

This post is in no way sponsored or influenced. All opinions are my own and any quotes are taken directly from the people I'm writing about. Please note all images are copyright protected by Creative Chics, I have their permission to use them but please don't copy them.

This week I'd like to introduce you to...



Creative Chics are indeed a group of creative women who have pooled their creativity to create fabulous aprons. They base their designs on vintage styles and add modern twists of colours and fabrics. I love looking through their shop at all the different style aprons and daydreaming about what type of person would wear them and what their kitchen would be like!

The Chics started as Debbie and her mum Freda (or 'mom'! They are from the USA!) and as they were 'struggling to keep up with demand' they invited three other family members and friends to join them. All the women  'have very different taste in fabrics and colors' and use these differences along with their shared passion to create an interesting range of styles and looks.

Like many creative businesses, Creative Chics started as a hobby, and as with many hobbies the best way to support it was to turn it into a business. This also meant there were lots of excuses to make aprons to satisfy their 'insatiable appetite for collecting beautiful fabrics'. Starting as a hobby also means a great deal of enthusiasm as it's a skill you truly love using and this clearly comes across in the fun designs too. The Chics are 'like children, excited to get out of bed every morning' ready to put their 'creative ideas together' and this clearly shines through in the range of different styles and colours.

Anyone who's read any sewing related posts on my blog before will know that I'm not a natural when it comes to using a needle and thread - and no matter how many times sewing machines are explained to me, I still don't understand them! I have attempted making my own (half) apron before which was okay but knowing how much work that took me makes me admire the work of the Creative Chics even more; not only do they have great creative vision and an eye for fabrics, they are also talented enough to put it all together!

Find out more about Creative Chics

Visit their Etsy shop
Find them on Facebook
Follow them on Twitter

Let Me Introduce You To...

There are two things I find it difficult to resist buying (okay, there's more than two, but these are the top two): old paper and jewellery. So when I find them combined I just can't help taking a closer look.

This post is in no way sponsored or influenced. All opinions are my own and any quotes are taken directly from the people I'm writing about.

This week I'd like to introduce you to...





Left Brain Right Brain (as the name suggests) is an interesting mix of styles, concepts and ideas. It's based on the notion that 'people are predominantly, left brained or right brained, organized thinkers, or free spirits' but combines the two to mix science (left) and art (right) to create wonderful pieces of jewellery.

This interesting and unique jewellery is the work of Heidi who herself has combined both her scientific and artistic sides to create 'scientific artwork that (she) would be proud to wear'. She has a background in science and education, with a PhD in neuroscience, and has taken this love of the details and textbooks and combined it with jewellery making to create pieces 'for the science geek or guru'.

Anyone who's seen my own work will know that I love to salvage and rescue old books saving the vintage images to reuse in interesting ways, and that's something that's definitely appealing about Left Brain Right Brain's jewellery. The thought of a text that has had it's place in social history still being used today, for me, keeps the past alive and is a glimpse into past ideas and thinking; sometimes it's amazing to see what has (and hasn't) changed!

Heidi likes to think of her creations as 'conversation starters' and they'll certainly be useful if you want to chat to someone 'whose life revolves around pi'. They're a statement of intellect as well as a fashion item and show that geek chic is something that can be done in a stylish way. Luckily as she lives in a little town which 'is flourishing with vintage and antique shops', Heidi will be able to keep creating these unique pieces.

Striking up a conversation about your jewellery can also make you sound very educated as many pieces have a mini science lesson attached to them (which are much more interesting than the ones I remember from school) to entertain your friends with. The story behind this pendant in particular is an interesting read!

Pendant £8.67 Left Brain Right Brain

So whether you're dominated by your scientific left brain or your creative right brain, you'll find something to satisfy it in Heidi's jewellery!

Find out more:

Shop for jewellery

Let Me Introduce You To...

Bags and purses are something I believe it's impossible to have too many of... unless you have so many that you literally can't get into your house, but I don't have that many...yet.

I particularly like the classic purse frame and the satisfying 'snap' it gives when you close it. I also love modern, colourful fabrics and with this week's shop I get to see both.

This post is in no way sponsored or influenced. All opinions are my own and any quotes are taken directly from the people I'm writing about.

This week I'd like to introduce you to...



Octopurse is the wonderful creation of Daphne and is based in Belgium. She designs and makes all her items herself and is involved in every aspect of the process, as this fantastic photo proves!

In Octopurse's shop you can find all kinds of fun accessories made with some 'colorful japanese and US fabrics' in a whole range of colours (so you can have an excuse to get one to go with every outfit!). Daphne first made some purses a few years ago as teacher gifts but as she says her 'fingers have never stopped moving' since and her hobby has turned into a business.

Add caption

I'm always drawn to bright and unique fabrics and I think Daphne matches the patterns and her designs really well to get the most out of them. Whether it's featuring a picture or element of the pattern in how she cuts the fabric or choosing the frame/fabric combination, all her items look fun, fresh and well designed. 

I also love an element of mixing old and new and some of Octopurses pieces do this too. The classic purse frame has a recognisably vintage style bringing associations of glamour and style, but the fabric choices bring it right up to date to make it fit with modern outfits too. Daphne has 'done many tests to find the best shapes and a great "puffy touch" which all adds to the charm of her pieces.

And it's not just purses you'll find, Octopurse also offers clutch bags, phone covers, card holders and magnets.

My favourite fabrics have to be animal patterns:

Find out more about Octopurse:

Facebook
Shop on Etsy
Website

My Favourite UK Crafter of the Week - illustrated stationery, prints and accessories

Stationery. Something I just can't resist! I have a huge collection of notebooks, pencils, erasers, novelty paperclips, post it notes, rulers... the list goes on and on (as does the space it takes up in my house). So whenever I see a hint of stationery anywhere I always have to look, and with my favourite crafter this week I looked quite a few times at their unique creations (and also discovered some other treats too).

As usual, this post is in no way sponsored or influenced. The crafter featured is genuinely a favourite of mine; all quotes are the crafter's own and the opinions are mine. So, with this in mind this week's UK Crafter of the Week is...

Vivid Please

Vivid Please are the wonderful creations of Vicky and David who together combine their skills to produce quirky and fun stationery, jewellery and home accessories. Vicky does 'most of the illustrations', David is a 'technical design wizard' and when their ideas meet it's gorgeous and cute items like this typewriter notebook which result.

Typewriter Moleskine Customised Notebook by Vivid Please £4.50

There's a strong sense of fun in all the items in Vivid Please's shop, which isn't surprising as Vicky and David started working together because of 'a similar sense of humour and a love of all things odd'. Their first creations were made just to amuse themselves and share with each other at the advertising agency where they worked but soon caught the attention of their colleagues who wanted some for themselves! This made them realise they 'weren't the only ones who liked quirky things' and so started to make items to sell opening their online shop.

Geek Engraved Pencils Set by Vivid Please £3.00

Vivid Please 'believe that a good design should not just fit into one category' and so you can find their clever ideas in all kinds of guises including some wonderful brooches (another thing I have far more than I need of!), iPhone cases, mirrors, cards and prints. Between them Vicky and David have a 'fine art and graphic design background' both of which clearly come through in this cute deer brooch which is hand painted and has a modern graphic feel to it too.

Hand Painted Deer Brooch by Vivid Please £10.00

Another element of Vivid Please's work I find appealing is its friendly and comforting style. Based in Scotland where it 'rains a lot', Vicky and David like to find a 'cozy nook' to create in and this idea of being warm and cosy translates into their work too, especially home accessories such as this Mac N Cheese print. Not only is this the best comfort food there is (I've tried a lot, I know my comfort foods!) but the style reflects the relaxed and happy nature that clearly comes through from their fun partnership.

Mac N Cheese Illustrated Print by Vivid Please £12.00

With the present giving season coming up there are lots of great ideas from Vicky and David, so check out the links below!

To see more of Vivid Please's wonderful creations, take a look here:

Shop with Vivid Please
Vivid Please Blog
On Twitter
On Facebook

My Favourite UK Crafter of the Week - quirky dolls and decor from Cut and Tear

You know when you see something for the first time and instantly need to see more? That's exactly what happened when I saw one of Cut and Tear's retro paper dolls. I'd never seen any like them before so was intrigued to find out more. And I discovered a lot more beauties too!

As usual, this post is in no way sponsored or influenced. The crafter featured is genuinely a favourite of mine; all quotes are the crafter's own and the opinions are mine. So, with this in mind this week's UK Crafter of the Week is...

Cut and Tear 

I have to say something to start with. I've bent my own rules slightly to feature this week's crafter; although based in London for a long time, Kate (the crafter behind Cut and Tear) grew up in the Czech Republic and now lives and works in Munich. But I love her work so much I'm counting the years in the UK here!  And looking at her wonderful creations I'm sure you'll agree with me that it's okay and worth it, especially as she admits, "Craft wise, I belong to Britain and its uniquely quirky craft aesthetics."

Retro articulated swimmer doll £6.00 each Cut and Tear

Kate's beautiful paper dolls are based on her original drawings and designs. When I first saw them I loved them but then thought 'what are they for?'. Kate suggests using them as bookmarks (a wonderful image of the woman's head in her swimming cap poking out of the top of a book!) and I think they'd also make lovely original artwork in frames. As well as paper dolls, the lovely ladies are also transformed into different formats including brooches, dolls and magnets.

Mini brooch - Marie Antoinette £4.00 Cut and Tear

Working as an art teacher for over 15 years, Kate has built and shared her skills developing her style and range of products. Like many creative people, she started young with a "passion for craft" and was particularly inspired by her female relations who "were small geniuses that saved and transformed every scrap in reach." This has influenced her work today and she loves to use discarded materials and "stuff that no one needs or wants anymore" to make her original creations and pass on the idea of upcycling and making unique pieces to her students.

Eleonora comfort doll £20.00 Cut and Tear

A wonderful example of Kate's reusing of old objects is this unique idea for an advent calendar which is cased in an old DVD case. The string and pegs are ready to hang one house with a doll illustration on it each day. The packaging adds the element of upcycling and a joyful, quirky edge that all Cut and Tear's products offer; and for Kate "the joy is multiplied when in the process a material has been saved from a scrap heap."

Advent calendar garland £16.00 Cut and Tear

To find out more about Cut and Tear take a look here:

Cut and Tear's website
Shop on Etsy
Cut and Tear's blog
On Facebook

My Favourite UK Crafter of the Week - wonderfully illustrated accessories

I can't resist a cute illustration, especially when it's an animal - and even more when it's an animal that's dressed up! That's what drew me to this lovely shop where I discovered lots of drawings, both animals and others decorating a range of accessories. 

As usual, this post is in no way sponsored or influenced. The crafter featured is genuinely a favourite of mine; all quotes are the crafter's own and the opinions are mine. So, with this in mind this week's UK Crafter of the Week is...

Illustrated Goods By Zyzanna

All of these wonderful creations you're going to see are based on original drawings by Zyzanna - although she admits this isn't her real name, it's 'what I've been called by friends and family since I was 14'. I think this is a great name to reflect her work - it's original, different and fun! As I said above, I can't resist an animal that's dressed up and this is even more true when it comes to cats. Obviously, dressing up real animals isn't such a good idea (although I keep trying to get my brother to dress up his cat but for some reason he won't let me) so drawings are the best way to see this! This little kitty is all ready for winter in his chunky jumper.

Cat in a knitted jumper shopping bag £10.00 Zyzanna

Not all of Zyzanna's creatures are dressed up though; some are just as nature intended such as the lovely barn owl brooch below. Zyzanna 'discovered what an amazing material shrinky plastic is' and has made lots of unique jewellery using it based on her original drawings. And this isn't the only brooch she makes; there are a range of different birds and even some lovely trees for them to be mixed with to create a lovely jewellery woodland. 

Barn owl brooch £7.50 Zyzanna

Zyzanna has always loved drawing as says it's something 'I seem to do ALL the time'. She's known since she was little that she wanted to be an artist and this childhood dream has come true having graduated in illustration from the Edinburgh College of Art and set up her own business. She originally drew pictures such as the one below and still sells them but realised she could also apply her beautiful drawings to other items to produce a whole range of accessories. 

Berry picking print £15.00 Zyzanna

Currently Zyzanna is based in 'rainy' Edinburgh and this has clearly influenced these earrings! (There's also some other lovely raindrop based jewellery in her shop too). I love the idea of having a set of three earrings to interchange and wear in your own style - they also come in different designs so swapping between the sets would create some interesting combinations too! 

Rain drop earrings £10.00 Zyzanna

To see more of Zyzanna's wonderful work take a look here:

Zyzanna'a website

Shop with Zyzanna 
Zyzanna's blog

Facebook

Twitter

My Favourite UK Crafter of the Week - for lots of little treats!

There are so many pretty items in this shop it's difficult not to spend a lot of time looking through them all! I've visited the site a number of times to look through all the lovely handmade items and can't helping oohing and aahhing over all the delightful treats.

As usual, this post is in no way sponsored or influenced. The crafter featured is genuinely a favourite of mine; all quotes are the crafter's own and the opinions are mine. So, with this in mind this week's UK Crafter of the Week is...

The Homemade Haven 

What I love most about this shop is all the little treasures and treats you can buy. Zoe, the crafter behind The Handmade Haven, says she's toyed with selling her crafts for a while 'doing the odd Christmas fair here and there' before starting to sell online too. The items she makes are exactly the kind that I'd stop to admire (and buy!) at a fair. These gorgeous clothes peg magnets come in lots of different colours and patterns but my favourite are these with maps on. I think they'd be ideal for holding photos of a holiday or trip.

Map magnet clothes pegs by The Homemade Haven £3.25

The main reason Zoe started selling her crafts was so she could 'stay at home as much as possible' with her 3 children. I think this homely feeling of family comes across in her pieces which offer a little bit of homemade and handcrafted. These fabric covered buttons are wonderful to add to your own crafts or decorate a bag or some clothing and give them a handmade feeling of their own. (Or if you're like me, hoard them with all the other hundreds of pretty buttons I just can't bear to use!)

Make Do and Mend fabric covered buttons by The Handmade Haven £2.50 for 5

As well as making accessories for the home and crafting, Zoe also makes a range of pretty things to decorate yourself too! She says she 'loves to make all sorts of things' including hair slides, button bobbles and these lovely fabric flower corsages. There are so many uses I can think of for these: decorate a bag, coat or hat; pin them to cushions in your home for a pretty little touch; pinning them on a makeup bag or pencil case for extra cuteness... well, lots of uses and reasons to buy them!

Fabric corsage brooch by The Handmade Haven £12.50

Zoe's also added a range of knitwear 'designed and made exclusively' by her to her shop. I love the design of this scarf for the upcoming winter. I don't usually like wearing scarves until it's really cold as I feel too bundled up in them, but this design is great to fill the gap in the neckline of a coat without all the crossing of layers or knotting to stay in place. Zoe has made her scarves in 'a flexible shape that offers mutliple ways to wear' so they can be useful to cover up wherever you've got a gap!

Hand knitted wool scarf and corsage set by The Handmade Haven £75

So, if you're looking for a little treat for yourself or the perfect stocking filler (not long now!) take a look in The Handmade Haven. 

To see more of The Handmade Haven's pretty creations take a look here:

The Handmade Haven's shop

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