Creative Spotlight - Jill @ Kiln Fired Art

It's only when you really start to explore the wonderful versatitiy of using a kiln, you come across some wonderful, fresh, inspiring ideas and art from some of the finest designers in the UK.

Jill, has a versatile approach to working with the kiln, with such a wide portfolio of what actually can be done!

From slumping memorabilia as keeps sakes ...

champagne bottle keepsake

to porcellain jewellery ...

to art work onto porcellain dinner sets ...

to handmade dyed anodised aluminium ...

Even alone with these pieces, I don't think that I have covered the whole spectrum of art from Jill ...

Which is why it has been a apleasure to feature her products today on my blog!

Jill can be found at lots of places on the web ...
KILN FIRED ART - Her official website
FLAT BOTTLES  - Keepsakes and recycling
ETSY SHOP - for a great show of all of her work currently for sale

Housey Housey HOUSE!

Just a quick post to let you know that Joe and I have another blog that is about the building of our house (currently it is still just a piece of land) but the exciting part should start in the next few weeks :)

Joe has been doing most of the writing up until now - tbh i think i'll get more involved when it comes to the interior and the garden, and the moment it is jsut all about politics of building a house and engineering stuff ... but we do have a start date (week 28 which is next week *squeal*) so if you are interested - you can find our blog at http://joedawber.wordpress.com/

Love
Nic

Creative Spotlight - Nan of Polynana Beads

Nan, of Polynana Beads is an amazing Polymer clay artist.
I have never kept it a secret that I find people who create such wonderful things with Polymer clay absolutely amazing. It has been one creative medium that I have not got any patience with.

Amazing Pendants ...

Glorious Buttons ...

Stunning beads ...

There are many places you can find Nan and her beads on the internet ...

Her BLOG
Her ETSY SHOP (great beadies at great prices!)
Her FLICKR PHOTOSTREAM
and of course her OFFICIAL WEBSITE

Enjoy perousing through! x

Crafter...oo! Button Swap - What I sent! :)

You may have read a few posts ago about what I received in the Crafter..oo! button swap!
Well, i am happy to blog that my recipient Talia of Liquorice Love, Folded Frippery, and The Tea Mistress, received her buttony package earlier this week! *yay!*

So, first off - once I knew my swap partner, I started stalking her! *lol* (not the crazy way ... honest!) just her blogs, her twitter and her website to see what she liked to see if i could get some little hints of what she may like to receive.

I sent her a few questions through twitter ... "Owls or Kitties" to which she answered "Kitties" so I made a little felt covered pad with a handmade cat on the front.

Since we had to include buttons in our creations ... I used some really teeny-weeny buttons for the eyes, plus also the cat is paying with a button, as well as daydreaming about them! *lol* so stupid really ... haha!

and for good measure, I put in a little handmade glass bead from Mad Cat Glass,

and to accompany the pad, i made a button pen! (which is basically buttons, sewed onto ribbon, and then the ribbon is wrapped and glued round a pen). Cute, simple, quick and easy project ideal to jazz up any boring biro.

and so to the buttons ... hiding in this little box ...

Open to see ...

Lotsa little bags of buttons, some new and some vintage ...

After also figuring out that Talia had a great etsy shop where she makes origami flowers out of paper and material - i decided also to send her some little origami squares that I had had in my stash for a while, but never got round to using. For sure they have gone to a better home!

and finally - Talia could not have a blog called Liquorice Love without having a love for liquorice! So through twitter I asked if she preferred "Sweet or Salty" liquorice ... and she prefers the salty kind! Luckily, the garage around the corner from my house sells them! *woop!*

A final pic of the package ...

Thanks again to KITTY BALLISTIC and to CRAFTER..OO! for arranging a great swap! x

Win Win Win!

I have put my "Wildflower Butterfly" necklace up as a prize in a CraftPimp competition.

To enter, you will need to write up a tutorial on making something "crafty!"
Polymer Clay ... sewing ... felting ... jewellery ... papercraft ...

Do you have a tutorial that you have written yourself and that you are happy to share?

See THIS LINK! for all details on how to enter! x

Crafter...oo! Button Swap - What I have received! :)

• I love swaps.
• I love the challenge to create something in a theme for the swap.
• I love that little project with an end goal and a recipient in mind.
• I love the swap jitters that you get when I post my swap package off to my swap partner "is it good enough? Will she like it?"
• I love the excitement when you realise there is a little surprise package waiting for you at the post office.
• I love ripping the package open and "oohing and ahhhing" at all the cute little contents!

I have LOVED this swap!

Parcel should include some buttons, a little treat (could be edible - check the details from your partner to see what they like), and something lovely made with buttons or on a buttony theme.

We were partnered up with someone, which i really liked. I could research her likes, dislikes, stalk her on her blog and twitter feed :) and of course she could do the same for me.

So, I will post another time what I made for the swap (as soon as I know that she has received it!)

But ... look what I got!

Lots and lots of buttons :)
Great bright coloured buttons and one mahoooooosive one! *lolz*
edible buttons! (oh yes, these ROCK!)
Some "Thai sweet chilli" crisps - because she saw on my twitter feed how rare they are in Germany
and my most favourite things of all ... these cute hairgrips ... in polkadots! (i love polkadots!)

Mega cute hairgrips, made with material flowers (sme form of very clever origami technique!)

Love them!

Oh ... and if you love them too ... check out Talia's ETSY SHOP!

Thanks to Kitty Ballistic and all the fabulous members at Crafter...oo! Craft forum for such good times! xx

Creative Spotlight - Vickie @ Beads4Breakfast

Who can eat beads for breakfast? Hehe ... well we certainly can eat Vickies! *lolz*

I have been watching Vickie and her beads progress ever since she first starting making them back in 2009. She and I actually starting experimenting with glass at the same time, but she took off, where as I never had the room to actually continue it (all will change that’s for sure)

So, really watching her beadies grow, watching her techniques get better and better – she has made some very beautiful beads and is now a popular name in the UK lampworking world. She is a great inspiration to me.

Here are a few of my favourites that she has for sale at the moment ... Mmmmh! Beadies!

Such great colours and style

Could quite easily stare into these for hours!

Also great at structural beads too!

So - Maybe you could eat "beads4breakfast" too?

If so - you can find Vickie's website here ... Click here to go to beads4breakfast!

She has a great blog and also an Etsy shop :) everything you need is on her webby!

Enjoy!

I need another holiday (!!!)

Well what a time in the UK I have had! :)

Joe and I have had a holiday (dont know whether I should actually call it a holiday, because we have been so busy, it's been really exhausting!) 

We drove back to the UK, and used the ferry …

Getting on the DFDS ferry

It’s always such a long day … about 15 hours door-to-door ...

My picture of the "White Cliffs of Dover"

We always end up so tired by the time we are home – here is a picture of my first night, snuggled up on a recliner with a piece of vienetta! Nom!

We had so much to do … we had so many people to see

Here are some of the highlights … (in no particular order!)

Joe and I going to Warrington Registry office to apply for our notice of marriage.

(I also showed Joe the Golden Gates and the town hall - below)

I had ordered a bag from "Charmed by Marie" it had arrived at my parents! Oooh! I love it! x



Breakfast with Joe, my mum and sisters at Slatterys looked at the amazing wedding cakes with Joe … then had “Eggs Benedict” in the restaurant above the shop … (absolutely amazing! I highly recommend you go if you are in the area – but don’t forget that reservation)

My Mum, sisters and I continued on to a wedding dress shop in Macclesfield www.MariaModes.com

I found THE dress! (won’t put a picture up yet for a fear that a certain someone will see it! *lol*)

I also found the bridesmaids dresses there too, so I have content bridesmaids as well … good good!

Joe and I went to the cinema to see “Hangover 2”

So funny!

Joe and I also finally went to see our wedding venue – Mottram Hall.

We had a walk round the grounds, a chat with our wonderful wedding coordinator and our food tasting session! Mmmh!

(we took pictures of the food, but wont share here, I’d like to leave that as a surprise for our guests)

We’re really happy with the choice of venue. This was the first time ever that we had seen it, so it is nice that it is as nice as we had hoped it would be!

We shopped for wedding rings … but there was too much choice to make a decision straight away …

We prepared and posted our wedding invitations … (sorry they are all out in the post on the way to the attendees and i left my spares in the UK! boo! will catch up with photos on this one another time)

Had a night out on the town with one of my sisters … (shame that I have no pictures from this one!)

I spent time with my Niece and nephews …

I had a full day at the Trafford Centre shopping with my best friend ...

I went to Ladies Day at Chester Races with all of my girlfriends …

(I'm on the right)

Ate lots of great food … Pies, M&S, Chinese, Fish & Chips, and Indian …

(I feel fat but I am utterly happy!)

Knackered, got home in the early hours Tuesday morning … I need another holiday!

As featured on ...

Lori at Pretty Things Blog has opened up a DIY section on her wonderful blog!
And I'm lucky to have my ribbon rosette brooch up on there to share with her wonderful blog followers.

Yay! I highly recommend following all her blogs, they are a pleasure to follow! x

Thanks Lori! x