Friday 30 November 2012

Tea & a Chat with Kerry from TrufflePiglet


Kerry emailed recently about being interviewed here and I promptly bought something for a Christmas gift.  I can't say what it is because I know the person it's intended for sometimes reads this blog, but here's Kerry now - why don't you join us for tea and a chat and we'll find out more about her handmade chocolates...

Look away now if you're on a diet!



Hello!  Good to see you, the kettle’s just boiled – what would you like to drink?
Ooh something cold if you don’t mind. Thanks.

So, tell us a bit about yourself and your business.
I’m Kerry and I make chocolates from my home in Leicestershire as TrufflePiglet! I’m in my second year of trading and I sell almost exclusively online. Fairs are a lot of work when you make perishables! I like this though as it makes them more exclusive, you won’t get authentic TrufflePiglet chocolates anywhere else!



What inspired you to start your creative business? How did it all begin? 
I already ran one- I used to make resin jewellery as PennyDog but it was making me quite tired. I made chocolates for Christmas gifts in 2010 and it all went from there. I really enjoyed making my own flavours up and learning the science behind balancing sugars, etc for maximum shelf life and the percentage of cream to add to make the difference between a ganache you can cut and dip, and one that has to be piped into a shell.

How has your business changed and developed since it started?
I had to rethink my pricing quite dramatically as personalised chocolate boxes are expensive and don’t hold enough chocolates!



What are the main ways you promote your business?  Which methods have been the most successful for you?
Facebook ads work pretty well, as does forum presence. And e-mailing you to ask if I could be on your blog even generated a sale! Honestly, I don’t have a very big budget for this kind of thing. I’ve tried Project Wonderful adverts and some standalone blog banners too but I don’t think any of them were successful. I did a blog giveaway too but that didn’t work out for me but it has previously with my jewellery so I think it’s often luck with those sorts of things.

What’s your workspace like?  Can we have a sneak peek? 
My workspace is just my normal household kitchen! There’s no real organisation other than I keep my moulds and ingredients separate from the rest of the household food stuff. I also have to have a washing up bowl to keep handwashing separate. The machine on the countertop is a tempering machine which melts the chocolate, then cools it, then raises the temperature just slightly again and creates that perfect tiny crunch you get biting into chocolate.



What are the best and worst bits of running your business?
It was a bit of a pain setting up - I had to do a food safety course and have an assessment of my kitchen by the local council, followed by a bit of to-ing and fro-ing on my labelling with Trading Standards but I think I’m all there now! The best bit is when I get people telling me that my chocolates are the best in the world! Yes I have actually been told that before!



What other small (or not-so-small) creative businesses do you admire? 
I admire those who blog as their business. I also like to quilt in my spare time so I read a lot of quilting blogs and I am a bit envious of their sponsorship deals and free fabric, etc! People like Lynne at Lily’sQuilts and Katy at I’m a Ginger Monkey. Product wise though I must give a nod to two real life friends- Laura at Laura’s Jewellery on Etsy and Zara at ZaraEmily on Folksy.

What tips can you give to others who run (or hope to run) a small creative business?
Look into all your legal obligations first. Are you allowed to run a business from home in accordance with your current mortgage/tenancy agreement? Do you need to go on any special courses? Are you registered for tax even if you’re not yet making a profit? It’s best to register- I even got some money back one year which was excellent! Get the boring stuff out of the way first!

What are your hopes, plans or ambitions for the future? 
I’m actually in the secret initial stages of starting up a magazine and publishing house, which should release the first issue in May time next year. If the bank manager grants my wish I will actually be closing TrufflePiglet as I won’t have time to continue with it. Shh!



Finally, where are the places we can find you online if we want to partake in a little friendly cyber stalking?

I'm on Facebook  and Twitter

I also have a Sewing blog

Thanks so much for stopping by – it was so nice to be able to take the time to chat with you! 
Thank you - I am taking preorders for Christmas until 5th December and your readers might like a free snowman marshmallow lolly? If you spend £5 or more, put one in your shopping basket and put “thesnowman” in the discount code box and it will take off the cost J

If you run a small craft business and would like to be interviewed on this blog, please email me: wendy@1stuniquegifts.co.uk

Monday 26 November 2012

Craft Classes for Christmas, anyone?

If you are interested in learning something new, you may be interested in Craftsy's current special offer on classes.  Click here for more info - the classes make a great Christmas gift and can be watched again and again so it might be worth a look, even if you don't want one yourself (or you want one for after Christmas, maybe, when you have more time).

The offer ends midnight US time and as we are a few hours ahead of them (is that right? Time differences never fail to confuse me!) you may just have time to grab a bargain!

Online Quilting Class

Sunday 25 November 2012

Handmade Monday 94

Welcome to Handmade Monday.  Click the link for more info about how to join in.

Despite it being one of the busiest times of the year on my website, I've also had some magazine commissions to do.  And, how typical is it that if you're already busy, things do not go to plan!  This week's note to self: When you rush, it's easy to get things wrong.

I have a failed photo frame.  OK, make that two.  Why why why did I not make a practice run of this, in old sheets or curtains (I have plenty!) instead of using this gorgeous spotty denim...

the spotty denim is available here

I'm relieved to report I do - finally! -have a completed frame now.

the lace roses are from Wholeport

The finished frame, along with templates and instructions will be in Craftseller in time for Mother's Day 2013...

this is the back view and I'm showing you this because I'm so pleased with how it's turned out!  
I've since fixed tabs on with Velcro so the picture stays secure

I also had problems with these  paper-covered placemats for Craftseller magazine...

tatty old placemats and coasters smartened up with Craftseller's free papers

I managed to damage one of them (slow-drying varnish and impatience somehow had a head-on collision) but I hope the magazine still has enough to work with. Maybe my concentration was not what it should have been at the time: I was being distracted by a young man (daughter's boyfriend) on a garage roof (neighbour's) with a chainsaw (mine) and a broken branch seemingly bigger than the tree it had fallen down from (also mine).  Still, I now have some free firewood for my wood burner and at least the neighbour's roof appears undamaged!  A damaged placemat seems small fry after that mini drama turned out ok!

Hope your week's been plain sailing... feel free to share your handmade news and makes with us here on Handmade Monday!

Thursday 22 November 2012

Father Christmas is Fast!

I was sent the infographic below by Parcel 2 Go who I guess are pretty envious of the incredible speed Father Christmas seems to manage with his deliveries at this time of year.

I think they are forgetting some very important points though:

1 Father Christmas has magic powers the rest of us cannot quite get our heads around.  Of course.

2 The guy only works one day a year.  Seriously, couldn't we all work a bit faster if we had 364 days off a year (365 in a leap year...)?

3 Instead of creating infographics, the guys at Parcel 2 Go should be tracking Father Christmas down and offering him a job.  He even has his own (magic) transport system and we know he's free most of the year...


Parcel2Go Father Christmas Courier Infographic Infographic authored by Parcel2Go. To view the original post, see the Father Christmas infographic.

Tuesday 20 November 2012

Interviews!

If you want to spread the word about your handmade business, you have quite a few options.  Some take a lot of time, some take a lot of money...


and some are pretty simple and straightforward.

Being interviewed on blogs is a pretty good way to increase your visibility... it doesn't take up much time, you can do it from your own living room with your feet up, it's free and you don't really need any special knowledge.  An interview will send people your way from the host blog, and in return you may be able to send some of your blog readers/Twitter followers/Facebook likers (strike through as appropriate) back to the host blog - a classic win-win situation if ever I saw one.

You don't need to wait to be asked.  Look out for blogs which feature interviews and you'll almost certainly find a contact point on there as well as a bit of info about what they are looking for.  So, email them!

Right now, there's an interview of mine over on the Crafty Pod blog - go on, pop over and have a look (see what I did there?  It's only fair I send you over there for a look!).  It's an interview with a difference - an image-only interview (although when you scroll over each image you will find a few words too).  It's quite a clever format - we all love images, and they often tell a story, don't they?  And the questions really made me think!

You may even want to join in yourself!


is there any tea in the pot?

Or, if you feel like it, you could email me and we could have a virtual tea and a chat - or I could do a shop focus interview with you.  You'll reach me at wendy@1stuniquegifts.co.uk.  I am really busy right now with Christmas orders, so do forgive me if my replies aren't instant, won't you?

Sunday 18 November 2012

Handmade Monday 93

Welcome to another Handmade Monday (click the link for more info about how to join in).

It's been a busy week here but of course it's set to get busier.  'Tis the season, and all that - there's definitely no shortage of orders coming in over here to keep me busy!

It's been busy on the designing side of the fence, too.  The teapot I mentioned last week is now gracing a chalkboard - the pocket in the teapot is for chalk and a little felt duster.  I think it might be cute in a kitchen or even a cafe.



My floppy linen rabbit was published in Sewing World (which should be on newsagents' shelves by now)



and the new Craftseller features my storage boxes and handbag money box.



I really enjoyed making the moneybox - a mix of card sculpture, papier mache, painting and sewing, it was a lot of fun to make.  I must admit I love using a variety of techniques. It turned out quite funky, I think.



As for the storage boxes



they were a really simple project which shows how versatile you can get with those cute freebie papers which are in every issue of Craftseller.  Perfect for brightening up anything, really...

Or even for making lampshades - yep, that lampshade finally got finished and the actual lampshade part turned out to be really simple.



Next, I'm decorating some old tatty place mats and coasters with Craftseller's free papers ... and then comes a plaque using their papers.  OK, brace yourself: this is how far ahead we're working - the plaque is for ... Mother's Day!!  Crazy thought.

Now, while we're all counting down to Christmas (or Mother's Day!) it's time for Handmade Monday.

Friday 16 November 2012

Tea and a Chat with Sarah Ashford of Quilt Candy


Look who's popped in for a tea and a chat... come and join us and find out more about Quilt Candy!



Hello!  Good to see you, the kettle’s just boiled – what would you like to drink?

I would love a cup of tea.  White no sugar, thank you very much! 

So, tell us a bit about yourself and your business.

My name’s Sarah and I live in Jersey, Channel Islands, having moved here last summer from the UK.  I have been quilting for several years, and sewing for as long as I can remember.  I am a Primary School teacher but I took a career break when I had my 2 children and now I have changed paths to pursue my real passion, which is quilting. 

Quilt Candy makes vintage and modern style quilts for babies and children using the latest designer fabrics.  We offer a commission service, where we will consult with the customer to produce a quilt to their specification.  We will discuss who it’s for, colours, design, personalisation, style and make a quilt accordingly.  For example, it might be for a new-born boy who has a jungle themed bedroom.   It’s a very personal service and we aim to give customers exactly what they want.  We sell a small selection of quilts, which are available on our our website.  We also make custom made bunting, which can be for any room or occasion, with the option to personalise it.  Finally, we have just introduced blankets for toys; these are miniature patchwork blankets perfect to make your child’s favourite doll or toy even more special. 



What inspired you to start your creative business? How did it all begin? 

I decided to set up Quilt Candy because I saw a gap in the market here in Jersey; while there are many other high end locally made products for babies and children, as far as I am aware there is no one making quilts.  I thought it the perfect opportunity to work doing something I love and am passionate about.

People are really starting to move away from mass produced items made in a factory.  They don’t want items that everyone else has got.  The trend now is towards handmade, which is brilliant for the craft industry!  Customers want something unique, local and beautiful.  Quilt Candy hopes to be all of these things.  I really want people to own a quilt that is bespoke, special and that can’t be found anywhere else. 




What was the inspiration for your brand?

I love fabrics with a vintage, whimsical feel, and I think this style really lends itself to hand made products, particularly quilts.  In this modern age that we live in, so much of life is digitalised and looking to the future.  Quilt Candy has a distinct vintage style, harking back to times gone by, but with a little bit of modern thrown in for good measure.   


What are the main ways you promote your business? 

As with many companies these days, a lot of my business promotion is online.  It’s largely free, quick and instant.  It makes it easy for people to quickly get a sense of who you are and what you are all about.  I have a website, facebook page, twitter account and blog, in order to reach as wide an audience as possible.  I also have promotional postcards; I want people to see examples of my work so I have pictures on the front and the text on the back – they are literally like holiday postcards but with my quilts on them.   I have them on display in a couple of baby boutiques and an art gallery.  They are also on noticeboards around the Island where they run mother and toddler groups.  Anywhere that mums go, I put my postcards!  I have spent quite a lot of money on them as quality is important to me; it supports my brand and conveys a message that I pay attention to the smallest detail.




What are the best and worst bits of running your business?

Running my own business is perfect for me as I can fit it in around my children and family life.  I love that I can run with my own creative ideas whether it be how I want my website to look or how I  design a quilt.  It is really empowering having a small seed of an idea and a few days or weeks later seeing it come to life.  That’s how all of this feels to me at the moment.  But the down side is everything takes a lot of time.  For example, while having an online presence is great and I love it, it does require constant attention.  It would be easy to spend all the time on the computer and not do any sewing!  I have to be strict with myself and say ‘tonight I am going to update my facebook page/blog/twitter etc, and tomorrow I am going to make a quilt.’  I have so many ideas for quilts, I can hardly keep up with them.  My work so far is just the tip of the iceberg.  So ultimately I think careful planning of limited time is the best way to work effectively. 

 What tips can you give to others who run (or hope to run) a small creative business?

I think you need to be business savvy.  You have to be clear who your target audience is and how you are going to market to them.  You have to make them want your products.  For me, I have tried to create a ‘brand’ rather than just a product.  You also have to exploit all the free advertising opportunities that you can, and that means being up to speed with social networking sites and putting yourself out there as much as possible, whether it be online or in the places that your target audience go.  You need to be visible and desirable.

 What are your hopes, plans or ambitions for the future? 

I have so many ambitions for the future.  I have just started contributing to Patchwork and Quilting Magazine, writing articles and a quilt-along feature, both due to be published next year.  I would very much like to continue writing for quilting magazines, it’s such a thrill to see my name in print.  I would also like to run workshops teaching quilting.  But my ultimate aim is to write a book, bursting with designs and inspiration for quilts for children. 




Finally, where are the places we can find you online if we want to partake in a little friendly cyber stalking? (shop, blog, Twitter, Facebook, etc)

Luckily I have followed my own advice and made myself contactable in several ways! 

Website – QuiltCandy.co.uk                             Email – info@quiltcandy.co.uk





Thanks so much for stopping by – it was so nice to be able to take the time to chat with you!

Thank you so much for having me.  It’s been lovely sharing Quilt Candy’s story so far and I do hope we meet again to catch up soon.

If you also have a story to share and would like to pop in for a virtual tea and a chat, email me: wendy@1stuniquegifts.co.uk 

Sunday 11 November 2012

Handmade Monday 92

Welcome to Handmade Monday!

It's been one helluva week here...

*heavy sigh*

and it's a shame that not everything is put right as easily as a badly-stitched seam!  Still, this isn't the place for a moan-fest... and the week has had its redeeming qualities.

anyone for tea?

I finished this cute little teapot - part of a bigger project for Craftseller - any ideas what it is yet?  The clue is in that little pocket on the front, I think.  The rest of the project is painted in black and white, if that helps at all!

if you love the ceramic buttons as much as I do 
you can buy them here

The owl got finished and posted off - he's not looking thrilled about the prospect of a couple of days in a cardboard box, is he?  He arrived safely, though, and is in good hands at Sewing World magazine!

But the lampshade wasn't all plain sailing.  I made a mistake in the cutting, and it's had to be restarted - I always knew this one was going to be a challenge!   But it's getting there!

Because of all the stuff going on this week, I'm starting the week with a huge backlog of work waiting for my attention.  I will pop round as many of your Handmade Monday links as I can this evening, but after that it may take a while, so I'll apologise in advance.

Enjoy your Handmade Monday!

Thursday 8 November 2012

The Giveaway Winner!

A big thank you to everyone who entered my giveaway - and a big thank you to Wholeport for generously sponsoring the giveaway and supplying the prize.

And apologies, too.  I meant to draw this earlier today but a migraine combined with a magazine deadline has made today an especially difficult day.  Maybe it'll teach me not to leave magazine projects to the last minute?  We'll see.  I doubt it somehow, but I guess we can live in hope...

Anyway, we have a winner!

Pulled from the hat (well, plastic IKEA mixing bowl, actually, if we're being pedantic) without much ceremony at all (sorry, not feeling like ceremony right now)...

...our winner is:

Jenna Odie

Jenna: I'll try and get in touch with you to arrange your prize - if I fail, please feel free to email me (my contact details are here).

Everyone else: I am sorry there's only one winner but if you head over to Wholeport's free sample page you may still feel like a winner because you can get free stuff!!

Sunday 4 November 2012

Handmade Monday 91

Welcome to another Handmade Monday.  Click the link to find out more.

Lots of things are still on my to-do list...but nothing seems to be getting completed!

I made a start on the lampshade for Craftseller magazine

making a pattern or making a mess?

but probably was more successful in making a mess than making a lampshade!  Still, I think I've got the basics of the pattern sorted.

On this one, I'm restricted by quite a specific brief, which in some ways is really good because it makes you think along lines you might never have considered.  I quite like that, once you've solved all the problems surrounding it!

it's a woodland theme

One of the problems is that I'm using paper for the lampshade (the papers they'll be giving away free in the magazine) so fire safety was a real issue that needed discussing and researching pretty thoroughly.  The fire safety issue will be addressed in the feature.

Another problem is that the papers are all just A4 size, so need some fairly creative joining!  I'm going for tree shapes stitched over the joins.

Also - and I've not fully worked this one out yet - I need to make some cut-out shapes in the shade.  I'm thinking falling leaves (the obvious choice for this time of year and no need to look far for inspiration!) but we'll see.  The cuts need to go through the adhesive safety backing too (my fingers are scared for their safety already!).

autumn leaves

I still haven't worked out a trim for the top and bottom of the shade.  That's rapidly becoming urgent and I doubt if I have anything in my stash.

Meanwhile, the owl is patiently awaiting being brought to life for Sewing World magazine ...

the fabrics and fastenings are from Guthrie and Ghani

Then there's a couple more commissions: an old picture frame to transform into a chalkboard to begin with, then some tatty old placemats need a creative transformation!

It all needs doing in the next week or two (with patterns and instructions written up too!).  This would all be ok - leisurely, even - if I didn't have anything else to do, but ... (you know what's coming, don't you?)  it's obvious over here that Christmas is on its way and people are making preparations!  It's making it difficult to fit in all the things I need to do - because all the gifts on my website are painted to order - and I know it will only get busier.

Anyway, it's time right now to enjoy a little break in the form of Handmade Monday - leave your link and enjoy seeing what everyone else is sharing too.  Don't forget to leave a few comments behind, especially where you've enjoyed someone's blog post - blog comments are always appreciated and often reciprocated.  Now where did I put my cup of tea?

Oh! I nearly forgot!  You still have time to enter my giveaway - click here to check it out - you could win pretty much whatever craft supplies you like!

Friday 2 November 2012

Tea and a Chat: Claire from Lady Luck Jewellery

This week I'm talking to Claire - a busy lady who organises craft fairs as well as making jewellery.  She managed to squeeze some time into her busy schedule to sit down and have a tea and a chat with me - come on in, help yourself to a warm drink and join us!


Hello!  Good to see you, the kettle’s just boiled – what would you like to drink?

I’ll go for tea please, 1 sugar, and I won’t say no to biscuits if there are any on offer!!!

So, tell us a bit about yourself and your business.

I’m Claire, and I’ve been running Lady Luck Jewellery since September 2007 (wow, is it really 5 years – time flies when you’re having fun!!) and I moved into craft event organising in 2009, which is what I spend most of my focus on these days, although I still make some jewellery, mainly bridal & present commissions. I occasionally teach jewellery making, and polymer clay workshops.

By the way, I also have a full time job, so this all fits in to my so called ‘spare’ time!! I like to keep busy though, and can rarely find anything worth watching on the TV, so this helps to fill my evenings nicely J




What inspired you to start your creative business? How did it all begin? 

I’ve always enjoyed making things, and studied art for a few years, so it seemed the perfect next step to begin making creations to give as gifts, which quickly grew into a business after people kept asking where they could buy my jewellery.

I moved into organising craft events after being disappointed with so many smaller local events, and finding that the very large, high footfall events were mostly out of my price range. There are a couple of really good organisers whose events I had attended, so I took inspiration from how they ran their events and began to plan my own.

How has your business changed and developed since it started?

The jewellery side of the business has changed dramatically, from making one-off pieces (which I still do), to finding a good range of repeatable designs and styles to make seasonal collections. Each piece is still totally handmade, so therefore a one-off in terms of exact bead layout etc, but I’ve found collections are far more popular with customers, and easier to plan out.



What are the main ways you promote your business?  Which methods have been the most successful for you?

I have a Facebook page for each part of the business which I use to promote new products and keep people up to date with the events, plus my own website, which is a bit neglected at the moment, but I’m planning to get some new products added on there soon!

The events obviously have to be advertised in the media, which is something I don’t tend to do with my jewellery, I treat craft fairs & events as advertising opportunities for this and encourage people to sign up for my newsletter, and also tend to take quite a few custom orders at fairs too. I’m fortunate that my work has been featured in the national media (one of my bracelets was selected for inclusion in Woman’s Own magazine Christmas Gift Guide last year, and the local papers and magazines usually include me in any local shopping features they do, so this helps to bring customers to my website.

What’s your workspace like?  Can we have a sneak peek?  And do you have any workspace organisation tips for the rest of us?

I’m the messiest person I know when it comes to workspace, and at the moment my space (a spare bedroom) is full of all sorts of stuff, as we’re redecorating, so no photos I’m afraid. If you imagine the messiest room in the world, x2, you’re somewhere close. I know where everything is though, sometimes it just takes a while to get to it!!

Hmmm…perhaps we should get together and compare our creative messes!  What are the best and worst bits of running your business?

The best part is definitely the feeling of satisfaction & pride in running a good craft fair, seeing lots of visitors coming in & buying from the exhibitors, and seeing happy, smiling exhibitors. The worst is probably the hours I put in, it’s a good job I enjoy what I do, at this time of the year it’s not unusual to find me working well past midnight, for several nights in a row.



What other small (or not-so-small) creative businesses do you admire? 

I really admire Charlotte Hupfield Ceramics, she not only makes beautiful products, but her blog is something I always love to read, she has a great way with words (and some fab recipes to share too!!).



There are many other craft businesses that I love, for their products, promotion and humour, but there are too many to possibly mention!!

What tips can you give to others who run (or hope to run) a small creative business?

Do the maths first, I made the mistake of undercharging when I started to sell my products, and found it very hard to re-think my prices to realistically account for my time. Don’t underestimate the amount of ‘business’ you’ll need to do, it’s lovely to sit down and make things, but only 5% of my time goes into this now, the other 95% is promotion.

What are your hopes, plans or ambitions for the future? 

I plan to make the Weedon Craft Market a regular event next year if it’s well supported, and hope to take the Christmas Craft Shopping Experience in Warwickshire to a more well known level across the region, it already attracts exhibitors from far & wide (Devon, Wales, Lancashire & Liverpool this year so far!), but my research so far has shown that most visitors are from a 20 mile radius, so I plan to widen the promotion for this event.

Eventually, of course, I’d love to ‘give up the day job’ and do this full time, but that’s a slightly longer term plan…



Finally, where are the places we can find you online if we want to partake in a little friendly cyber stalking?

I’ve got 3 Facebook pages and a website:





I am on Twitter @LLJewellery, although don’t use it as often these days, and I’m afraid my blog fell by the wayside quite some time ago!


Thanks so much for stopping by, Claire – it was so nice to be able to take the time to chat with you!