My wedding anniversary is coming up, which happens to be less than two weeks before my husband’s birthday. Which happens to be three weeks before my dad’s birthday. And don’t even get me started on Christmas…
When it comes to gift buying for the men in my life, I often draw a blank, especially when it comes to traditional presents like books, CDs, etc. The fact is, if they want something like this, they’ve often already bought it! This predicament... → Read the rest of this article
It’s October, which means only one thing in Manchester – the Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair is coming! During 22-24 October, a wide range of British designer-makers will descend on Manchester’s Spinningfields to showcase their talents to an incredibly captive audience, me included of course. I’m so pleased that my city is playing host to such a great event, as it really emphasises the growing handmade community outside of London.
The inaugural... → Read the rest of this article
Sandra is the designer-maker behind Tea and Ceremony, selling unique paper goods, pins and tote bags inspired by her love of stationery. “I have always had a penchant for paper and as a child I was very fond of the stationery sets that contained an exercise book, ruler, pencil and rubber,” says Sandra. “I had a Mr T set, Streethawk and my favourite, Knight Rider!”
Sandra continues, “I have been crafting ever since I can remember. I had always enjoyed drawing as a... → Read the rest of this article
It’s winter here in the UK. The car was frozen over last week, temperatures have plummeted to zero (celsius) and I’ve broken out the scarf, hat and gloves more than once this week. Unlike most of my friends and family, I love winter. Even though in Manchester, where I live, the weather is less like on the stereotypical snowy Christmas card and more like constant rain. Even though I may not see a sunny day for weeks at a time, I love winter.
The reasons why... → Read the rest of this article
As I write this post, I am on a coffee date with my husband in our all-time favorite independent coffee shop. It’s a luxury that has become a frequent occurrence for us, leaving our busy work weeks behind and whiling away the day reading (him) and knitting (me). This particular coffee shop has a great, relaxed atmosphere and just happens to serve the best hazelnut lattes I’ve ever tasted!
I am a huge fan of coffee, verging on the obsessive, a la Lorelei... → Read the rest of this article
