Jewelz on tour! with Hebe Media and Marketing Leeds

Some KitschenSink jewellery and accessories are being used as part of Leeds in Barcelona: A Creative Encounter.

They say:
A collective of Leeds’ creative talent will head to Barcelona this May as Marketing Leeds returns to the Spanish city to promote Leeds’ emerging creative economy and further strengthen the ties between the two cities.
Following on from the success of the original ‘Leeds in Barcelona’ event in 2010, Marketing Leeds is working with Leeds based company Hebe Media and one of Spain’s most influential fashion websites, LeLook, on ‘Leeds in Barcelona - a creative encounter’.  The event, which will take place from 20^th – 22^nd May, is being sponsored by Jet2.com.
The Leeds collective will include fashion designers, musicians and key influencers from the creative sector whose work will be used to showcase the city.  An audience of opinion formers from Barcelona will experience a snapshot of Leeds through a number of fashion shows and performances.

Hebe Media say: 
There are lots of opportunities for the talent involved in this project. There will be buyers, writers, tour-bookers, DJs, producers and others who will attend, so there are some great opportunities for new business and personal relationships to be formed. There will be international press including TV, radio, magazines, newspapers, bloggers, photographers and general opinion leaders who will get their first taste of Leeds during this event.

KitschenSink say:
OMG?! Seriously? 
KitschenSink also say:
I am honoured to be part of this project.  Anyone who knows me knows how into Leeds I am, and how committed I am to their independent scene - be it arts, shopping, bars, coffee houses, music and the rest... to be part of something that's promoting that in super-cool Barcelona... well, wowee!  I am super honoured to be starring alongside James Steward and Dominic Al-Samarraie who have been winning 'Best Local Designer' for a few years at Leeds Retail Therapy Awards, and featuring ICS and Back to Basics... what a recipe for success...


I also had a lot more to say in my video which will no doubt be posted on the Hebe Blog soon, and I'll link to it when it's up!  I met the Hebe guys and everyone else in the project on Monday at the super swanky Malmaison Hotel.  I was questioned several times by the staff  'what are you here for?', how very dare they...!  All the folks involved are really beautiful people (to look at and in spirit) - I wish I was joining them over there, I know it's going to be something really special. I can't wait to see their film and photos!

Keep an eye on the Hebe Media blog for interviews with everyone invovled: Dave Beer of 'Back to Basics' club night is up already :)  I wonder if subtitles will be required for the rest of the planet to understand our Yorkshire accents?

More on this to follow, no doubt!

xoxo 

A baby step towards a big goal

Got this, yesterday:

 

Naff photo taken with phone. I've decided to put the college course on the backburner, as last time it wasn;t that great and £200 is a lot to waste when I have a book, access to learning materials and friends in the know!

xoxo

Hello, 2011!

I'm so excited for another year of fun times with friends and family and KitschenSink! Here's a brief overview of my personal and professional goals...

♥ I want to save my money

I need to stop myself from ordering a take-away or buying a dress when that money could go towards a trip!

♥ I want to see more of the world

I'm tempted to see if anyone in NYC wants to do an apartment swap... probably not but worth a try...?

♥ I want to develop my creativity

I've enquired about an Adobe Illustrator course, let's hope there's spaces left! I've also ordered an 'Illustrator for Dummies book'.  I also want to develop my own drawing and illustration skills and journal more.

♥ I hope to continue to think positively

It's not always easy, but I've dumped a lot of negative influences and wear blinkers when I'm with those that I have no choice about being around.  If I'm unhappy about something, I make a change. Sometimes it can't happen over night, but if you don't make an attempt, you have no right to moan!

♥ I'd like to lose a few pounds

Yawnz. The problem is, there's nothing wrong with my self esteem. I'm happy with the way I look. But carrying around extra flabber isn't just about looks, it's about health too. I'm an 'average' dress size - 'average' in an ever expanding obese population, so 'average' isn't really OK. I'm going to do some fun exercise classes wearing harem trousers. Yeah, baby!

♥ I want KitschenSink to be my bigger picture

I'm going to work hard on my business this year. Maximum exposure, big sales, fun times. That is all.


So that's six ideals. They're not SMART objectives. SMARTS are SECRETS!  Eek, I'm so excited about the future!

Have you blogged your goals? Link me up!

xoxo

Triple surprise!

Three lovely surprises already this week!

1) Gok Wan is going to be at the Knitting and Stitching Show on Friday 26th November!We (exhibitors) have been invited to the Fashion Face-off filming with him and Brix. Very, very exciting!

Photo taken from Channel 4 site

2) The lovely Maartje of Tizzalicious has featured me in one of her Christmas Gift Guides. I'm really pleased because I'm a big fan of her guides and read them every year.

3) I have been invited to be interviewed for the local radio. More on that soon, so you can tune in on-line.


Happy day xoxo

London... again

As soon as I heard about the Lady Luck Rules OK Trade Secrets seminar, I knew I had to go.  I have been spending a lot of time getting to know business ropes but all the sources are so generic. Craft business books are always so USA-centric. This seemed perfect.

I know a few folks wanted me to tell them what I learned there. Sorry, no can do. So please don't ask me any questions as I'd hate to seem ignorant, but they shall go ignored... Leona spent seven years building up a business and if anyone should make anything from it, it's her. So if you want to know anything, there's still a couple of dates left! Book a ticket :)

What I will say is that Leona is lovely, clearly very intelligent. enterprising and can spot gaps in the market and has fun realising her ambitions.  It was really inspiring and definitely well worth me travelling down for the night from Leeds!

I stopped with Samantha and it was great to catch up! We stayed up late talking all things creative and she cooked me some delicious vegetarian faire that was so good I went straight to the supermarket when I got home to stock up on Quorn and Linda McCartney related products. And sweet potatoes. Yum! I also took the tube on my own for the first time too! Just two stops mind, because Marco drove me to the station! But I feel like I have come of age or something... haha!

xoxo

To Etsy or not to Etsy? That is the question...

There are pros and cons.

My cons being:

• There's a lot of people on there
• It's all in dollars
• I just don't know if it's worth me listing anything (and paying to do so) if it's just going to get buried amongst a load of sh*t.

My pros being:

• There's some really great stuff there
• There's teams to help promote each other
• They have a mahoosive client base (good sales-wise and networking-wise)
• My more recent work (comic bubble hearts) have not debuted there... I am interested to get a reaction.
• I feel as though I 'should' be there. Cos anyone who is anyone in the independent design game is there.

Hmm. Any thoughts, anyone?

xoxo

Christmas gifts and personal new year's resolutions

Santa visited again today.  How exciting! I got my gifts from my not-so-secret Santa, Jen! We all know who is buying for who, but we draw names from a proverbial hat, just so we buy one good gift rather than gifts for nine.

This is what I got, effin ace!

Cath Kidston, Sew! Ideal for when I get around to buying my Christmas sewing machine!

And the Harajuku Lovers, Love fragrance

I'm super chuffed, she really excelled. Love!!

I have been thinking about new year's resolutions. I don't think I made any last year. Sometimes I think if you want to change something in your life, you don't have to wait until the first day of the year.  But then I think 'what better time to start!'.

The first thing I decided was that I'd stop buying eggs from battery hens. I'm going to mainly buy organic from now on. I used to, but then got really skint.

Secondly I decided I'd buy more t-shirts. I have started already, by purchasing a t-shirt I saw on my cousin. She kindly let me in on where she got it from and it was a bargain!

Queen T, Play.com

My third started that I was 'giving up men - til around March'. A BFF asked what I could possibly gain from such a resolution,

'I need a rest', being my response.

'So, when we go out for my birthday and you look hot and boys talk to you, what are you going to do?'. I had clearly not been thorough in my thinking.  I'm not rude...

So I decided that it would instead be 'I'm going to play the field, HARD' as recently I have just been generally playing it 'friendly'.

I discussed this with a colleague, and we have agreed that it should be tweaked to 'play the field hard, but keeping clear of men who have a penchant for Cath Kidston and/or curtains, wear golden boots or are called Paul'.  There's been A LOT of Pauls.

I'll be sure to keep you updated on those... O_o

What are YOUR new year's resolutions?

xoxo

Awesome find... and a bit about how my stall's gonna look

As you're probably aware, this year I am making a big effort to get lots of things just right (see the 'Taking over the World' labelled posts).  I'm getting pretty stressed, and waking up with the bedside lamp on (means I had a nightmare and hallucinated) seems to have recurred most nights this week. It doesn't mean I'm not enjoying it, just maybe that I should slow down.

Anyway.  Check out this fabric I have got as a tablecloth!! This was a doubly awesome find on eBay. The double bit was because the seller lived in the 'ford, not just that, but literally 5 minutes up the road, opposite my friend's! So no postage cost, yesssssssssssssss!

This will just drape off the table (hopefully) to the floor, and the top of the table will be covered in black fabric.  I think it'll look really cool.  Especially when you take into account how the prices, product and company information is displayed - here's a couple of examples:

And then there's the cherries, anchor, lots of comic boxes.... oooh I hope it all looks top notch!

By the next one, I hope to have the re-branded display cards. This time I am just using up old ones, but they still look good!

What are your tips for stall/market/fair/generic selling success? I'll feature them (and credit you) sometime next week!

xoxo

Taking over the world #1 update; Step #2; more ViNtAgE hEaRt CoMiC NeCkLaCeS

As I blogged here, my first step to taking over the world was getting the little jobs done that seem to take up so much time on an ad-hoc basis.  Last week I finished up making paper bags and bubble envelopes from fashion magazines.  I love Grazia best. The paper is a matte finish and feels more quality than others, plus the colours and imagery are gorgeous.  I have a few friends who subscribe and pass them onto me when they are done. I'd be lying if I said I didn't read them before I chopped them up!

Bubble envelopes

Paper bags (for markets)

I did consider using old comics for these, but they are quite hard to get hold of and may end up costing me in the long run, which isn't the idea.  Plus, I'm all for being known as a fashion brand more than a craft brand. I want to appeal to funky fashionistas as much as hippies (which you can get a fair bit of at craft fairs)... so I think this covers all eventualities. 

Step #2 of Taking over the world was visiting the Enterprise Show in Leeds last week.  It was OK.  Some of the seminars were really inspiring and I booked onto three of their (Business Link's) courses. I went on one last week about 'Increasing your online presence' which I can highly recommend.  Seems I am doing everything right except I don't have my own website yet... (a later step in the series, and it's underway! I'm so excited about that!).

Last but not least, here are a couple more of the ViNtAgE hEaRt CoMiC NeCkLaCeS I made in the last week.  These aren't going to be listed on Folksy or Etsy (although similar ones are available) because it's high time I sent Paula at Projeto some more stock.

Less of a comic, more a vintage porno, but these kind of images have previously sold very well.  I think it's great to promote sexy images of women with a bit of meat on em.

WhAt MaKeS MeN bLuSh? NeCkLaCe

ThE wRoNg KiNd oF LoVe NeCkLaCe

By the way, are you confused by my use of the word 'aren't'? I only realised on Yorkshire Day last summer that this is a word only really used in our dialect, but I say it alot. These days I am more conscious of it, but it's hard to change!

Fab Saturday xoxo

Taking over the world; Step #1

I've been having a little think about my long term goals ahead of the Leeds Enterprise Show tomorrow.  Cos like... I don't want to show up saying 'Yeah, so. I wanna make nice stuff and sell it'.  To be honest, I probably will say something to that effect.  But I thought it was high time I made some goals for the year and write down some steps to achieving those.

I won't say all my goals here. Mainly because I may wish to change them here and there. And if I don't acheive them I don't want to make myself look like a tit.

What I will tell you about, is each stage to acheiving my goals, and I'll do them one by one.

#1: Get lots of gift boxes, paper bags and envelopes ready (these are all made by hand using recycled magazines, comics and mailouts)

Gift boxes, check

I have turned a whole Beano annual into paper boxes. There's 44 here.  I will probably make another Victor annual into boxes then start on envelopes and bags.  It's kinda boring, but I can do it in front of the TV and when I hang out at friends.

What's the most boring job you have ever done?

xoxo

Fab, fab day & a feature!

Yesterday I held a stall at the Fairtrade Fair at the University of Leeds. It went really well!

The lockets are my most expensive item, I had four to sell and they all went - along with two girls who came to the stall early and said they couldn't choose which they liked best and they would come back later - only to find they were sold out!

So my aim for the next few weeks is to make up many, many more items in that style!

I also got some good leads, including a girl who thought the lockets would go down a treat at Burlesque parties. So I'm going to follow that up when I get more stock together!

I could really do with sorting my stall out so it's more three-dimensional, but keeping it compact and lightweight... not easy.

Also, many thanks to Ceri who featured me in her Style Eyes blog. Read the interview here.

Is it the weekend yet?

xoxo

Quick catch-up

I haven't blogged so much lately and for that I can only apologise. In the poetic words of Kellie Marie, my head's been in a spin and my feet haven't touched the ground. It's less to do with love and more to do with a crazy social life, hectic 9-5 and running a house on my own (it gets really untidy ya know).

So... Past: In terms of crafting, I have been sourcing new supplies (it takes longer than you think), drawing and designing a business card. I have also ordered some post cards... yipee. Also money got stolen from my bank, which is wack, cos I can;t use ebay til it's sorted.

Present: I am having a stall on Wednesday.. I'll say where after in case my stalker is reading (it's not a public one I can publicise anyway). I am quickly putting together my inventor and sorting out packaging etc.

Future: I am so excited about my new supplies and you should be too... resin is making a come back, starting with some simple designs, there is also going to be a winter theme ready for Christmas and whatever else holidays folks are celebrating. I was asked lasked year to make some Christmas/wintery themed stuff and I'm excited about this... there'll also be hearts and some other bits and pieces....

Another future aim is to get some better structure to my blog, I'll have specific days of the month where I'll blog about targets I set for myself, etc etc.

Anyways I'm off... glue must have dried by now.

Wish me luck for Wednesday

Hearts xoxox

Scores and Goals!

So it was the Staff Festival yesterday. I was fairly bummed out because the weather was awful, and last year (the first ever staff festival) it was glorious. We work on a really nice campus so when the sun is shining people can just get a pint and mill around and mooch the stalls.

Anyway, it went well, considering. And it was really nice to talk to some of the other staff who make stuff. There were some really good, quality products. It was a shame about the venue, it was in an arcade and the lighting wasn't right cracking. Here's a photo of my (half!) stall on the day:

Something really exciting happened (and some distressing moments which I won't go into here). I was approached by a staff lady from Artsmix Market. I have been to their outdoor events before, but never really considered holding a stall, reasons being: 1) Leeds is cold outside 2) Everything looks wowser professional 3) I'm scared. The lady explained that they are now going indoors to the Loft in Leeds. They are hoping to create an alternative to the now closed down Corn Exchange.

[History and opinion bit: Well for more proper history see my link above, but I have been enjoying the shooping experience the Corn Exchanged offered since c.1995, every shop was cutting edge, we'd giggle in the Condom Shop then schock ourselves at the clothes they sold in Grin (goth shop) then drool over amazing shoes in some other shop and buy beads from Yum Yum. On weekends they had stalls from other independant makers/deigners/artists. It really was the talking point when conversing about shopping in Leeds. They closed it down to make a food emporium. Twats. Read more about why it's closed down here. Going back 10 years or so, there always used to be reports of how every weekend, train loads of London folks were heading to Leeds for the weekend, for it's diverse shopping scene in a concentrated area and range of nightlife. Well... well done. Leeds is starting to look like every other highstreet in the UK]

So yeah... I'd really like to be involved in this. It's great netowrking opportunity and it feels great to be wanted! Something tells me I'm going to be very busy. So I have written some goals and really need to make a time plan too. I'm off work next week so...

Next weeks' targets:

• Make time plan
• Source orange Lego
• Source lime Lego
• Source pink Lego
• Source Lego plates (for a new design!)
• Photograph and list Lego jewellery on Etsy
• Get some listings on Folksy (repeats of Etsy)
• Source tie clips
• Order bracelet blanks
• Make - according to my time plan
• Pick up my curtains and hang them and tidy Making Room (new shelves!)

Phew...

Quit the day job?? I wish...

To quote the most intelligent and inspiring fictional character of all time, Mr Willy Wonka: 'We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of the dream'. Of course someone else said it before him but who cares?

No, I love my job in the sense that the money is fair, good even (although we'll always want more), the place is great, and everyone is really professional and nice. No complaints in that respect.

I just got addicted to these blogs about people who did a 9 to 5 then left them to work from home making stuff. Wiggity wack - sounds like, totally awesome! Etsy have strand called 'Quit your day job', and Indie Quarter have a section titled 'A day in the life of...'. I find the idea of working in my pyjamas quite exhilerating, and meeting friends for a coffee mid-morning a far-off fantasy. All my friends who work from home actually WORK as far as I am aware. Although I could probably persuade Jen to meet me for chinese food for lunch.

Quick touch down: here is a fruit of labour that is starting to come together. I tried out mixing acrylic with resin to colour it. It's not a bad effort. This is also what is setting on my window bottom. Layer number one. After Team Tea and Biscuit I'll add a coloured layer and upload tomorrow the outcome if I get chance.

Peace out x (This is purely silliness I don't actually say this in real life. Unless I am attempting to make someone laugh).

Goals and joys, home & away

Lucky you - I'm trying to keep my posts short and sweet.

My ultimate aim is to own a craft shop - as in what sells materials and so forth, but marketed to a funky indie crowd rather than those who knit teacosies (without irony) or make train models. Ideally, it would have a tea room area where I'd sell cup cakes with multi coloured sprinkles. I'd also like it to have some gallery/selling space for works made from supplies I sold, and some room for workshops. I'd have coffee morning and knit with the grannies.

Anyway recently I got taken to The Bowery in Headingley, Leeds. It's nice to see this is already going on, and fairly locally too. It doesn't sell crafting supplies but it does showcase some excellent local talent. I saw some gorgeous silver jewellery by Laura Creer I will purchase when I have some dollar, which will probably be in about 4 years time! I have hearted her in my etsy for the time being.

The Make Lounge in London also looks really cool, it's a bit far for me I think! Maybe when I visit Kate P when she comes home we'll take a trip there.

Today I am well chuffed because I am hearted as a seller and by items! Yay!

Bye :)