Monday 12 December 2016

The PCG Christmas Gift Guide 2016 - Part 3

Welcome to part three of the 2016 PCG Gift Guide.

Browse through gorgeous gifts on offer from some of our talented Guild Members.
Created by The Candle Co Ltd
Divinely sweet and uplifting aroma of Strawberries, Coconut, Green Apples and heavenly smooth Vanilla. 
A compact size jar that throws a sophisticated scent that can re-awaken pleasant memories in your mind and at the same time, create amazing mood lighting in any room that you choose.  

Angel - Handmade Soy Wax Fragranced Jar Candle 
£2.95


Created by Alfie Moon Designs
For all the Crazy Cat Lady fans, our original cat design now features on a pretty compact mirror. The image is high quality on this 6cm x 6cm mirror, ideal for keeping in a handbag or pocket.

Crazy Cat Compact Mirror 
£6.50


Created by Woollygoods
Gorgeous Multi Colour Hexagon Baby Blanket.
100% Acrylic and hand crocheted.
Size 35" x 39" approx
 
http://woollygoods.com/?product=blanket-multi-colour-hexagon
Created by Annb Crafts 
Beautiful Angel Bookmarks.
£5.00







Created by Iain Byrne, Wildlife Artist
A wildlife art print of an English robin with berries in the snow. There is much folklore that surrounds robin's but they are most famous for their links with Christmas. 

£10.50
Created by Gran's Knits 'n' Bits
The perfect festive fashio accessory for your little one!
A hand knitted red hooded baby coat with white fur trim with single button fastening. 6-12 months.

£17.50

Monday 5 December 2016

The PCG Christmas Gift Guide 2016 - Part 2

Welcome to part two of the 2016 PCG Gift Guide.

Browse through gorgeous gifts on offer from some of our talented Guild Members.
Created by Spratt's Designs
Merry Christmas Wreath with Diamante berries Overlaid Glass Block with fairylights, creating twinkles of illuminated magic.
These blocks are perfect as a Christmas Decoration or an occasional light, as a nightlight for your home, or a gift for friends or family. Lovingly handmade to order in Worksop, Nottinghamshire and shipped across the entire UK.
Merry Christmas Wreath Illuminated LED Glass Block 
£22.00
Created by A.R.P Jewellery 
Natural and beautiful Amethyst designed and set into sterling silver stud earrings with butterflies. Ideal for women and children alike and for all occasions. 
Natural Amethyst stones set into a sterling silver stud earring. 
£17.50


Created by Gran's Knits n Bits
A hand knitted bear who sits 30cm tall (Alfred). Made with fluffy double knitting wool, felt and tapestry wool stuffed with polyester toy stuffing.

Other colours will be available soon. (baby pink, cream, azure, lilac, squirrel.

Hand knitted bear (Alfred)
 
£28.50 
Created by Iain Byrne, Wildlife Art.
A gorgeous wildlife art print of a badger. 

A Fine Art Badger Print
£10.50
Created by Charms By Joanna
A Wine Glass Charm goes around the stem of a glass, each one in the set is different either by colour or design. All you have to do is remember which charm you have around the stem of your glass and you will find your drink with ease.
£18.00
Created by Gert Lush Designs

Wish everyone a 'Gert Lush' Christmas with a doodle card. Each one features a print of a hand drawn doodle by Sharon Fielding.
Doodle Tree Christmas Card 
£2.00 



 

Thursday 1 December 2016

The PCG Christmas Gift Guide 2016 - Part 1

Welcome to part one of the 2016 PCG Gift Guide.

Browse through gorgeous gifts on offer from some of our talented Guild Members.

Created by Beadie Eyed Edie
Unique wearable art. This is a needle felted pendant with hand stitching, poppy field image set in a aged silver tone setting. The pendant is suspended from a sterling silver chain, 18 inches in length and the pendant is approximately 1 x 2 inches. Each pendant is your very own piece of artwork, with no two being the same due to the nature of the technique.

Needle Felted Poppy Field Pendant
£25.00


Created by Paperama
If you are looking for something special, a gift to celebrate a magical event, a statement piece of art then you are absolutely in the right place.
I specialise in Customised & Personalised Handmade Papercut Art, Keepsakes & Gifts that will really make someone's day - it might make them cry but that is a GREAT thing!
Each one of my papercuts are handcut, making each one totally unique.
A perfect gift from the heart when you can't quite find all the words!
Prices vary with each product. 


Created by Helenka White Design
Do you know someone who loves stationery? 
This seahorse journal has been handcrafted with polymer clay. It is a size A6 and has ruled ivory pages. Very unique and individual.

Seahorse Journal
£55.00



Created by AnnbCrafts
Handmade in Southampton, a vast selection of jewellery, bookmarks, cufflinks and gifts from stocking fillers to main presents. 

Price range £5 - £40





Created by K.D Jewellery
The infinity symbol is a never ending loop used often as a representation of forever - the perfect symbol to illustrate the ever-lasting love of a couple or the friendships of those closest to you! These gorgeous, versatile bracelets are handmade using traditional macramé techniques, these designs are comfortable yet durable - a perfect matching jewellery set suitable for everyday-wear. 
Matching Macramé Infinity Bracelets £9.00
https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/450704020/couples-infinity-bracelets-couples?ref=shop_home_active_22

Created by Pitter Patter Tiny Feet Knitting Emporium
This is a your Elf on a Shelf Elf  - stands 12 inches tall and is perfect for your family for the Elf on a Shelf Tradition in your home.
He will come with a letter of Hello introducing him to your child as well as an Adoption Certificate which I can personalise for you

The Elf on a Shelf
£7.50
https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/493983367/elf-on-the-shelf-style-elf
 
 Look out for further parts to our Christmas Gift Guide showcasing great gift ideas from our Guild Members.


Monday 21 November 2016

SAPPHIRE SUPERSTARS! Fran's Crafts, Gert Lush Designs

Welcome to another batch of PCG 

Sapphire Superstars!

Today we are featuring:
 
Fran's Crafts
Gert Lush Designs





Fran's Crafts
Member No: 030214521
Owned by: Frances Hancock
UK
Hand Decorated Clocks, Decorated Wooden Shapes and Handmade Cards.
 
Gert Lush Designs
Member No: 040913490
Owned by: Sharon Fielding
UK
Wirework & Fused Glass Jewellery, Bags, Fabric Creations & Artwork.
 
 
 


Monday 14 November 2016

SAPPHIRE SUPERSTARS! Creative Memories, Custom Hair Accessories, Elegance By Sue, Emmarose Crafts, Feel Good Crafts, Fire-Drake

Welcome to another batch of PCG 

Sapphire Superstars!

Today we are featuring:
 
Creative Memories
Custom Hair Accessories
Elegance By Sue
Emmarose Crafts
Feel Good Crafts
Fire-Drake


Creative Memories
Member No: 210215671
Owned by: Fiona Adams
Warwickshire, UK
Framed prints, jewellery.
 
 
 
 
 
Custom Hair Accessories
Member No: 171114640
Owned by: Irina Dobrovolska
UK
One-off design millinery, bridal hair accessories and jewellery. All our collection are totally handmade including hat blocking.
 
 
 
Elegance By Sue
Member No: 030214522
Owned by: Sue Matthews
UK
Handmade, bespoke jewellery.
 
 
 
 
 
Emmarose Crafts
Member No: 150413429
Owned by: Sandra Rowland
UK
Patterns & kits for knitting, sewing, quilting, and crochet.
 
 
 
 
Feel Good Crafts
Member No: 261015728
Owned by: Nicole Hellyer
Surrey, UK
Market place helping and supporting people with chronic conditions sell handmade craft products.
 
 
 
 
Fire-Drake
Member No: 240216739
Owned by: Chris Helm
Herefordshire, UK
Hand made silver, gold filled and gold jewellery.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Monday 7 November 2016

SAPPHIRE SUPERSTARS! - Wiccan Wonders Jewellery, Blackberry Wedding Designs, Brig's Crafts, Cherishthememory, Cola Creations, Cotswold Characters

Welcome to another batch of PCG 

Sapphire Superstars!

Today we are featuring:
 
Wiccan Wonders Jewellery
Blackberry Wedding Designs
Brig's Crafts
Cherishthememory
Cola Creations
Cotswold Characters
 
 
Wiccan Wonders Jewellery
Member No: 211016785
Owned by: Teri Winter
Hampshire, UK
Handcrafted Crystal and Silver Jewellery.
 
 
 
 
 
Blackberry Wedding Designs
Member No: 090114508
Owned by: Rosemary Anne Tryhornr
UK
Personalised wooden wedding horseshoes,hearts, spoons, rolling pins etc.
 
 
 
 
Brig's Crafts
Member No: 050314540
Owned by: Brigitte Louise Featherstone
UK
Fabric hand-made goods for the home and giftware.
 
 
 
 
 
Cherishthememory
Member No: 050215666
Owned by: Karen Low
UK
Unique Gifts & Cards for all occasions.
 
 
 
 
 
Cola Creations
Member No: 280414560
Owned by: Tania Walker
UK
Hand crafted gifts and homeware.
 
 
 
 
 
Cotswold Characters
Member No: 190215669
Owned by: Laura Barton
Gloucestershire, UK
Unique, high quality hand sculpted models made in polymer clay.
 
 
 

Tuesday 1 November 2016

Meet a Member - Spratt's Designs

 
Hello I'm Sarah Spratt (Saz) owner and creator at Spratt's Designs, my own little company that I set up in 2014, with the aim to sell my creations that get made from sparks in my imagination, all bundled up with oodles of my love.  I live in a small town called Worksop which sits on the top of Nottinghamshire to the right of Sheffield as you look on a map, where I am lucky to have a wonderful man in my life who I married in 2004, and with us lives our Cat called Bob who we rescued as an unwanted adult in 2003, but honestly this is his house and we are his servants who annoyingly do other things besides just serving him.

So how did I end up here, running my own business?  Well……I have always had a strong artistic side, which with my big imagination made me far more creative than academic.  My artistic side lead me to take a degree in Stage Management & Technical Theatre where I would love to be set free on Set Designs, Prop Making and Scenery Painting, and for a long time this was my career.  Injury led me to have to take a different path, and for a long time I stepped away from my artistic side and went into training, first with medical devices and then training clinicians on using clinical systems, it was during this time my artistic side only came out for my own makes or gifts for friends and family. My health though couldn't keep up and eventually I was medically retired.  It was then that I was nudged by those friends and family to sell my creations to a wider audience and so Spratt's Designs was born.  Here I tied together all my artistic loves, Spratt's Designs would be for the graphic work I did for people, Spratt's Photography would pull together all the photography I work on and Spratt's Prints & Crafts for all my many crafting creations.  All of these creative outlets are pulled together by my special Spratt Fairy Logo that has been with me since 2004 and was drawn in Loving Memory of my Mother.

The best thing about having a background in Theatre is it allows me to have the skills to work with a wide range of crafting mediums, so one day I can be working with Vinyl images on Glass Blocks or adding Diamante's to a MDF Dragon and then the next I can be working with Glass Beads cascading from a Watering Can or stretching a personalised Canvas Word-Art onto a frame.  Being a mixed-media creator does however lead to a very eclectic collection of Arts & Crafts and have had customers sometimes feel overwhelmed when trying to choose from such a large range, but this is when I love to spend time with them and chatting about their ideas, some of my greatest creations have come from a spark of imagination from something a customer has said in passing.  There is also nothing better than a customer coming back and telling you how much better their order was than they imagined it would be.  Feedback makes any crafter puff up with pride; it's also what helps keep us going, well it does keep me going that's for sure.

Being disabled limits my freedom, so my house has become my crafting studio, it's a good job we don't have any children as I think they may have been moved into the garden shed by now as I have taken over the house.   I have to have a clean room for all the printers, required for the large Stretched Canvas Work to the small inserts for Keyrings.  Then there is the messy room, full of spray paints and glitters, as well as stock stored all over the other rooms.  I'm lucky to have a loving husband who doesn't mind glitter in his socks; however Bob Cat I'm sure doesn't appreciate going out all sparkly, I think it ruins his street cred.  My husband is wonderful, not only has he set up a link to my PC so that on bad days I can still work from bed, but he is also my assistant doing the heavy work that would stop me from certain creations.  He is also the one that can put up with me turning on the lights at 3am when a new idea has come to me, or losing his weekends to the occasional craft fair and stocking up my displays in the shops I'm in, as a crafter normal working hours don't exist.

Now I'd  like to say crafting is all roses and light, but like any designer there is a collection of 'fails' that I have, ideas that have not made the grade to become products for me to sell, and a book full of ideas waiting for me to have the time or equipment to make them.  Like any artist we will pick holes in any creation wanting to always be the perfectionist, and it can be terribly frustrating, but I also look at it as quality control, if I can advertise it then I am happy for it to leave this home and go up in someone else's home.  The hard part comes with promoting, not only does it take time, but I find that part of it is selling myself, something I'm not very good at.  I'm lucky I have had wonderful feedback from people and that helps me keep putting myself out there and I also have a little elf helper on social media who really makes a big difference too.  Becoming a member of the Professional Crafters Guild was a huge step though, it was the point of me letting people know I work hard at this, I am proud of what I make and you can put your trust in me, and in return the guild was there for me for support and to help me to grow.

Currently sell my work via Etsy, Facebook, my Website, a lovely couple of shops where I rent shelf space (one here in Worksop and one in Holmfirth) and direct to customers, I will be at the Yorkshire Wildlife Park Christmas Fair this year again with my products, I count myself to be lucky to be a crafter, I have found a way to challenge my imagination and feel proud to have made customers happy with the creations I have made them.

Right I better get back to it, the Cat is tapping his paw and if I don't get back to work he'll make me stay back.


Spratt’s Designs PCG Feature Page

www.spratt-designs.co.uk
www.etsy.com/uk/shop/SprattPrints
www.facebook.com/sprattsdesigns