Category Archives: featured designers
Featured Interview: Ivy Dean Designs
Meet: Helen Clark of Ivy Dean Designs
What are you inspired by?
Where can people buy your work?
What goals do you have for the future?
Colour: Black – my entire wardrobe is full of it!
Animal: Horse – such solid, loyal companions.
Season: Spring – so full of new hope (and better weather to get out on my motorbike).
Person: My Dad! He’s my hero.
Food: Oooh, how do I choose? I suppose it would have to be freshly baked bread (with lots of butter).
Website: I am biased but it would have to be my Folksy shop – www.ivydeandesigns.folksy.com
Featured Interview: Wellydog Gallery
What are you inspired by? Do you have a work space or studio? What is it like? What advice would you offer to someone thinking about turning their craft/art into a business? 
How do you promote your work? 
A few of your favourites (just for fun)….
Animal: Swans, I love how graceful they are in the air but how that all changes when they land and they are clumsy and funny, they always make me smile.
Season: Spring, the colours are amazing, things start to come to life and the light makes everything so beautifully intense and bright.
Person: The lovely and supportive Mr Wellydog, who has been by my side for 30 years.
Food: Chips and chocolate… but not together.
Featured Interview: Mog’s Togs
I’ve always been fairly crafty, I get it from my Mum! I’ve tried my hand at lots of different things over the years – my drawers are full of polymer clay, embroidery floss, sewing and bead supplies!
Mog’s Togs was born in 2010 when we rehomed two rescue cats, Mia (a rather silly tortie) and Lila (sleek, black, and generally disapproves of everything). When they were first allowed outside they lost so many safety collars, we couldn’t keep up with replacing them. I didn’t want them to go out without any identification so I sewed some from scrap fabric. After making the first few, I had so many ideas about designs and fabrics that I wanted to carry on with it, so I decided to see if other cat owners would like them as much as I did.
I’ve overtaken our 3rd bedroom and keep referring to it as “my room” which really bugs my husband! I sit up there in the evenings, sewing and listening to podcasts on my Iphone, usually with a cat asleep under my chair. It’s an absolute tip at the moment as we are trying to work out how best to store my supplies – so no way am I showing you a full photo but this gives you an idea!
Work out costs and prices properly from the start, and don’t spend too much cash on supplies early on (says the girl with drawers and drawers of ribbons and fat quarters of fabric!). Try and come up with a strong brand that people will remember; this is really important if you only sell online. Finally, if like me you’re juggling a day job as well, prioritise tasks and try to be honest with yourself about what you can achieve in your evenings and weekends, to avoid getting overloaded. There’s no harm in having a wish list though!
Colour: At the moment, turquoise. It changes all the time!
Animal: Cats, of course!
Season: Spring, especially now I’ve got my own garden.
Person: My lovely husband who is so supportive of Mog’s Togs. I also should add my brother as he’s given me so much fantastic business and marketing advice.
Food: Deep-Fried Crispy Shredded Chilli Beef from the Chinese takeaway! Mmm.
Website: www.craftster.com for crafting inspiration, www.ihavecat.com for cat fun and www.petforums.co.uk for great pet advice!
Featured Interview – That Fuzzy Feeling
How long have you been making your work and how did it all begin?
I’ve been making felt for about three years now. It started when my partner bought me a starter kit to help me pass the time whilst I was recovering from an operation – I loved it and have been hooked on feltmaking ever since! I only opened my Folksy shop at the end of October 2010 so I am still very new to selling my work.
What processes & techniques do you use in your work?
For some pieces I use the traditional wet felting method, which involves applying hot water, soap and plenty of elbow grease to felt the wool fibres. I incorporate a resist into this process to make seamless, three-dimensional vessels, bowls and bags. (see photo of one of my seaside vessels which was made using this process). I make my owls, brooches and little ‘nest’ bowls using a different method which involves the use of a special barbed needle. This locks the fibres together to create felt and is very time consuming but oddly relaxing, too! (see photos of owl and bowl) . Some of my work, for example my flowery felt bowl, combines both of these methods at different stages of the process.
What are you inspired by?
Well, I know it’s a bit of a cliché, but I find that the colours and forms of nature often inspire me. For example, my little bowls are very nest-like (although slightly more colourful than your average bird would make!), and many of my bowls and vessels are inspired by the colours and textures of the coast. I am also drawn to the rich, vibrant colours of India, and my travels in this part of the world have definitely influenced the colour combinations that I use in some of my work.
Do you have a work space or studio? Hmm, well sort of – but it doubles up as my office for my other existence as a university lecturer! This means that piles of textbooks and marking have to compete for space with all my lovely wool fibres and silks.
What is it like? Basically a big old wooden desk in a little box room. The best thing about the room is that it has a huge sash window that overlooks the garden. In the summer I have the window wide open and work to the sound of the birds singing. Of course, when I’m using the wet felting method I need to be near a sink, so I have to take over the kitchen!
Where can people buy your work?
You can buy my work from my Folksy shop at http://www.folksy.com/shops/
How do you promote your work?
I’m really not good at this part! When I opened my shop in October 2010 I didn’t have a clue about online promotion. However, I now have a blog and a rather lonely and neglected Facebook page which you are all very welcome to visit!
What goals do you have for the future?
At the moment I am quite happy with how things are going. My felt creations have sold quite well, and provide a very welcome supplement to my income. In the future I would like my craft to become my main income, and to perhaps make use of my teaching background to offer felt making classes and workshops to children and adults. 
What advice would you offer to someone thinking about turning their craft/art into a business?
I’m not sure if I’m in a position to offer advice on this yet…but all I can say is it’s really important to keep hold of the passion you have for your craft. I think that artists and craftspeople who keep their passion are more likely to be successful as it fuels their work, even when times are difficult.
A few of your favourites (just for fun)….
Colour: Green
Animal: Elephant Season: Summer
Person: Tony, my partner
Food: South Indian veggie food, especially masala dosa.
Website:
Oh that’s really tricky! I suppose, in terms of my craft, that my favourite website is the one run by the International Feltmakers Association http://www.feltmakers.com/ . It has a gallery going back several years with some amazing photos that really showcase the beauty and versatility of felt.
Find more from That Fuzzy Feeling here: Shop: http://www.folksy.com/shops/ Blog: http://thatfuzzyfeelingsblog. Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/ 
Featured Interview – Careford Creations
How long have you been making your work and how did it all begin?
I started taking photos when I got my first camera for my 9th birthday. I used up a whole roll of film on the short journey taking my friend home from my party and haven’t stopped taking photos since! My other main craft is polymer clay, which I discovered when I was about 11 or 12 and rediscovered a few years ago. Careford Creations sells photos and various polymer clay items, while Folk of the Forest combines photography and polymer clay to create a whole fairytale experience.
What processes & techniques do you use in your work?
I use a lot of styles and techniques in my photography. I particularly enjoy macro photography; it’s fascinating to capture something that can’t be seen with the naked eye – to see all the detail on everyday household objects is amazing! This is the light reflected in a CD:
What are you inspired by?
Everything! I may see colours or textures in everyday objects, or food, nature, on television, in a magazine, when I’m travelling… and think that would be great to photograph. For my forest folk, it’s all about going back to my childhood and remembering what it was like to invent magical worlds. I’ve always loved stories about little people and hidden places and I just have to immerse myself in those feelings again to have a wonderful time creating a whole new world. It’s so much fun to make up the characters’ personalities, their likes and dislikes and so on, their houses, hobbies…
Do you have a work space or studio? What is it like?
http://www.folksy.com/shops/
http://www.folksy.com/shops/
http://www.redbubble.com/
In the Gift Gallery, on Shambles in York.
At various craft fairs in and around North London and Hertfordshire.
How do you promote your work?
Chatting in the Folksy forums, blogging, Facebook, and telling friends about my business.
In some ways I’d like to make enough from this to not have another job, but I also kind of miss teaching, despite it being very exhausting! I think I’ll go back to the classroom when my children are a little older and hopefully carry on with my craft business in my spare time. Hmm… I may be dreaming about that spare time!
What advice would you offer to someone thinking about turning their craft/art into a business? Don’t underestimate how much work in involved. You have to constantly promote and get yourself known. Sometimes it can feel as though that side of things takes over from actually creating. However, it’s so rewarding when someone is prepared to part with their hard-earned cash for something you’ve lovingly made. And it’s wonderful when you get lovely feedback.
A few of your favourites (just for fun)…. Colour: Yellow Animal: Pandas Season: Really like all of them, but probably spring if I had to choose. Person: Can I have two?? My son and daughter. Food: Ooh, tough one! I love food! Think I’ll have to go with a traditional roast beef dinner. Website: Wow, hard to pick just one, but obviously Folksy. And I love Etsy too. There is so much advice on there for starting your own business. On another topic, I like VirtualTourist.com which I’ve been a member of for over 10 years I think!
Thanks for interviewing me Charlotte, it’s been fun 
Featured Interview – Inspiral Silver
Meet: Sally of Inspiral Silver
How long have you been making your work and how did it all begin?
Well I have always been an arty / crafty person, loved making things, painting things, etc but I started making jewellery as a hobby when I was a teenager. A bead shop opened in the town where I lived (Spellbound Beads,
I was quite content with bead work, making things for myself and occasionally friends and family…but then I saw a brochure for art courses at my local college. The one that caught my eye was silversmithing. My dad had done a course when he was my age, and loved it, so I thought I’d give it a shot. Once again I was hooked, and haven’t looked back since!
Jewellery making is a hobby for me. Sadly I have a full time (boring) job to pay the bills etc, but I love to create things in my spare time. I only opened my Folksy shop in November, so am still getting to grips with selling and promotion, but I’m loving every minute.
I also love painting and drawing, and am considering selling some of my work on Folksy too. Watch this space!
What processes & techniques do you use in your work?
I work with sterling silver at the moment, mixing in gemstones and buttons for detail. I hope to start experimenting with copper as well soon.
Most of my current work is made from silver wire which has been shaped by hand / with basic tools to create unique pieces of jewellery. I also add colour and interest with beads and buttons, usually gemstone. I love creating texture and sparkle on my pieces, mostly by hammering the work. I am also starting to make some pieces from silver sheet to create more ‘solid’ pieces.
A lot of my skills have been developed through trial and error. I’m more of a ‘do first think later’ type person, and love trying out new ideas and techniques to see what effects I get.
What are you inspired by?
Anything and everything! Pretty much all of my work features spirals or swirls. I look for shapes in nature, art, doodles and turn them into jewellery designs. I am also inspired by techniques, if that makes sense. If I see a technique that I love, I try it out and go from there. My ideas process is very fluid, and can develop from anywhere, to anything!
Do you have a work space or studio? What is it like?
Sadly I don’t have a dedicated work space at the moment. I have a large box of tools and other bits & bobs, which I spread out on any available surface (often the floor!). I would love to get a proper work bench, and I think my family would too so that I stop making so much mess. One day…
Where can people buy your work? At the moment I only sell through Folksy http://www.folksy.com/shops/inspiralsilver
How do you promote your work?
Through Folksy and Facebook at the moment. I am currently setting up a website and blog, and am hoping they will help with promotion. Also thinking of getting some business cards, as you never know when you might meet a potential customer!
What goals do you have for the future?
Short term, list all of the items I have made recently, including my new ‘Love Hearts’ range. Longer term, get the website & blog up and running, and work on promoting my shop / items more. I also aim to approach local outlets and publications, and perhaps some national ones, with a view to getting my items featured. Ultimately, I would love to do this full time but I’m not sure I will be able to!
What advice would you offer to someone thinking about turning their craft/art into a business?
Do as much research as you can! I’m still starting out myself, so am still finding out useful info and ideas. Listen to people’s advice, whoever they are – people’s opinions are important. You don’t always have to do what they suggest, but I find it always helps to get an ‘outside’ view. I have taken advice from family, friends, and the Folksy community of course!
I also think that getting your ‘brand’ sorted is very important. Again I am still in the process of this, but hope to come up with a recognisable ‘image’ soon.
And promotion…very important if you want to make it more than just a hobby. Talk to people…at work, at home, on your blog, on the forums. Never underestimate the power of word-of-mouth.
A few of your favourites (just for fun)….
Colour: Purple
Animal: Cat…we have two barmy ones!
Season: Spring. I love the explosion of colour.
Person: My lovely fiancé. Still can’t believe my luck that I found him
Food: Chocolate (cliché I know)
Website: Folksy! I wish I were rich so I could buy all the lovely items.
Featured Interview – HanconWhite
My name is Claire White and my business name is Hancon White, I was born a Hancon and married a White so it seemed an obvious choice for the brand. Currently I make cushions, aprons and peg-bags, with a range of appliquéd tote bags coming soon.
How long have you been making your work and how did it all begin?
My mum has always sewn and her mum is a knitter so I suppose it was always in my blood. I did a textiles GCSE (many years ago!) but I didn’t think at the time that it was something I could make a living from. I was given a sewing machine for my birthday last year and I got the bug again. Since having the girls, I’m spending a lot more time at home and by chatting to other Mums, I realised that the products we wanted weren’t available in the fabrics / colourways we wanted – so, with help from my mum, I dusted off my skills and set to making!
What processes and techniques do you use in your work?
It’s me and my sewing machine so I’m quite low maintenance in that respect – I’ve been playing around with appliqué recently so expect to see some appliquéd items in the shop soon…
What are you inspired by?
I tend to work backwards – I will find a fabric that I cannot resist and then find something to make with it. I’ve quite a collection building up and am brimming with ideas for it all…I just need to remember to write them all down…
Do you have a workspace or studio?
I’d love to say that I have a light and airy converted loft space for my studio (a girl can dream!) – in reality, however, it’s my sewing machine on the dining table when the kids aren’t around!
Where can people buy your work?
I set up my shop (www.hanconwhite.folksy.com) on Folksy in November 2010. I also plan to hold mini-shopping events at my home in the future.
How do you promote your work?
To be honest, not well enough at the moment! I’m on Twitter (@hanconwhite) and have my own website (www.hanconwhite.com) and you can sometimes find me on the forums on Folksy. I have some lovely business cards that languish in my handbag as I’m very bad at handing them out! Something for me to work on in 2011…
What goals do you have for the future?
Once my youngest starts school I’ll have a lot more time for sewing and I’d love to expand my range further. I’d like to design and print my own fabrics eventually and to have a retail space would be amazing!
What advice would you offer to someone thinking about turning their craft/art into a business?
I don’t feel particularly qualified to answer this one as I’m still a bit of a new girl myself but I think the most important thing is to promote yourself as much as you can and not sell yourself short. Ultimately – go for it!
A few of your favourites… (just for fun!)
Colour: Purple
Animal: Giraffe
Season: Spring
Person: I’m going to cheat and say my 2 girls
Food: At the moment butternut squash risotto but this changes daily!
Website: Ooh that’s a hard one but I’m going to say Pinterest.com – I could (and often do!) spend hours on here… You can follow my Pinterest boards here.
~
Thank you for taking part in my interviews Claire, I love the subtle fabrics you use in your work. Looking forward to seeing your new range of tote bags soon!
Featured Interview – Lilly’s Night Garden
Meet: Dawn Jones -
I developed my current style (if I can call it that as it sounds very grand!) after going on a workshop last July run by Sheena Douglas. An old friend of mine treated me as a birthday and Christmas present and I’ve never looked back! Never having seen Create and Craft TV, I actually had no idea who Sheena Douglas was but she was very good and introduced me to alcohol inks and distress inks which are used in most of the items in my folksy shop.
I am now a huge fan of both alcohol inks and distress inks and I love coming up with unusual backgrounds to form the basis of anything from cards to mouse mats to notebooks and, most recently, jewellery.
Alcohol inks look great on glossy card, giving a marble-effect and distress inks are incredibly versatile as they can be used on their own or mixed with water to give an effect similar to watercolour paints.
I’ve recently rediscovered marbling and quiliing and have just started to try to find ways to incorporate them with the other techniques.
What are you inspired by?That’s a hard one to be honest! Nature and wildlife have got to be my biggest inspirations I would say. I also love
Do you have a work space or studio? What is it like?I wish! My workspace is either the kitchen table (a pain as everything lives in the spare room so it all has to come downstairs and be put away again!!) or the floor of the spare room. I’d love to have a three bedroom house one day to be able to have a proper spare room and a craft room!
On Folksy and I also have recently started selling my cards in an independent shop in
I get involved in the daily listing clubs on Folksy which I find is a fantastic way to get noticed and also just try to be as active as possible on the Folksy forums – when time allows. Other than that, all my cards have a sticker on the back with my Folksy shop website address just in case the receipient fancies a look!
I’m hoping to continue coming up with new ideas for items to list in my shop. I’ll attempt decorating anything which can be decorated! For example, I’m considering having a go at some Oyster card holders. I’m also hoping to have a go at marbling on fabric and possibly a bit of lacemaking and flower pressing to be incorporated into my items in some way. I also want to keep practicing my drawing. I’ve had a go recently but definitely need a bit more practice!
What advice would you offer to someone thinking about turning their craft/art into a business?
I think perseverance would be the key thing. There’s so many talented artists out there, it can be difficult to get noticed. Also, I think it is important to try and keep it fun. I’ve learned the hard way that if you put too much pressure on yourself, crafting can become a chore and no longer a pleasure!
Colour:
An easy one – purple!Animal: Any one who knows me says I’m destined to become a crazy old cat lady…I also love big cats especially tigers and leopards and monkeys and big apes – especially gorillas. I love their wise old faces!
Person: I guess I should say my husband Stu – although sometimes he’s not my favourite person!! The person I’d most like to meet would probably be Louis Theroux or Stephen Fry.
Food: Anything hot and spicy – vegetable biryani in particular. With a nice bit of peshwari naan bread – lovely!
Website: Where would we be without YouTube??
Featured Interview: Swirlyarts
Meet: Lynsey Searle:
How long have you been making your work and how did it all begin?
What processes & techniques do you use in your work?
Because of the nature of my work the biggest influence on me are the materials I use. They mainly come from the scrapstore or charity shops so they are one offs which keeps me on my toes design wise – it’s tricky to get into a rut if your materials are changing all the time. That said it can be tricky to develop a line of products when the materials keep changing. Luckily people mainly know me for my chicken doorstopsand pincushions and also for my recycled stationery so I have built up my brand that way.
Also a blog is a great way of promting yourself so get one and don’t forget all the boring things like legal requirements, tax details etc. I know it’s boring but it really is essential that you get yourself acquainted with what you have to do legally. UK Crafts Forum is full of useful posts that will help out new businesses.
Featured Interview: Coco Crafts
Meet: Amy Neal
What processes and techniques do you use in your work?
What goals do you have for the future?
What advice would you offer to someone thinking about turning their craft/art into a business?
Featured Interview: Gimme That Thing
Meet: Amanda Robins
What are you inspired by?
Nature. Sounds corny and so many people claim it as their inspiration but it’s all around us, and each of us take a different bit of it and turn it into something. It’s the way nature throws unlikely colour combinations together that impresses me. Just visualise marine fish! With ceramics it’s more about shape for me.
Colour: Olive
Featured Interview: Dab and a Dash
After inheriting a brand new sewing machine 3 years ago I decided to put my notebook and fabric addiction together to make an art journal. I had so much fun that started to make them as gifts (after alot of encourgagement from friends and family and having far too many myself) decided to venture into selling them.
It all started from a very young age, the early attempts of a 4year old were pieces of scrap paper sellotaped together. As got older this technique has progressed.
I use recycled fabrics and remnants so each notebook is unique.
Some of my covers have (both machine and hand) stitched motifs. These are designed by myself: I draw a sketch, handcut it and use that as a template. The binding is stitched together using hemp cord.
A mess! It started life as the dining room but is now known as the craft room. On the worktop (dining table) I have a kitchen utensil holder which holds all my “importants tools” in one place. I do like to keep things visible I find if it gets put away it is forgotten about.
What are you inspired by?
I love colour and like to have bright happy things around to inspire me, but to be honest inspiration can be found in any and everything from an empty cup to a childs drawing.
When my son was 8 he made up a character called Bot and he has appeared in my shop.
Through Folksy, my blog, Facebook and word of mouth.
Aim to sell 50 notebooks by the end of 2011. Longterm I (husband included) would love to open a B&M craft related shop.
What advice would you offer to someone thinking about turning their craft/art into a business?
Have fun doing it.
Sell things you enjoy making and would buy yourself.
Take inspiration from people you admire.
Colour: Orange
Animal: Deer
Season: Autumn
Person: Charlie (from Charlie & Lola) reminds me of my son.
Food: sweetcorn
Website: Design Spong Online, and can I add a favourite blog: http://
