Shopping blog featuring products made by people not factories.
This is a brilliant way to be able to write quick letters when you’re on the run, and they look sharp too. Makes a great gift for travelers and newlyweds.
The In Touch Clutch ™ is the perfect way to stay close to what you hold near and dear. On the train, in a waiting room, between meetings or classes, spare moments can add up to so much. Stay in touch by having cards and stamps at the ready, have your inspiration-filled journals at your side, your products ready to show at a moments notice.
So, you’ve taken a pledge to give only handmade gifts this Christmas. Your ornaments and decorations are all one-of-a-kind creations gathered from the local craft fair and visitors to your home are going to be treated to local artisan cheeses and breads before being sent home with homemade fudge and gingerbread from your own kitchen. It sounds like you’ve got the bases covered…but you’re not planning to use boring old store-bought wrapping paper, are you? Of course you’re not!
I have always been a proponent of the fabric gift bag. Not only do they look so cute under the Christmas tree, they are almost infinitely reusable. Considering the cost (and waste!) of paper wrapping and plastic ribbon, fabric bags will pay for themselves within just a couple uses. These colourful, reversible gift bags by Pidoodle are doubly-good for the environment because the fabric used to create them was repurposed from thrifted garments. A dedicated thriftier and “fickle crafter”, Carissa seeks out used (and sometimes damaged) pieces at charity shops and gives them a second life by dying, silk-screening and sewing them into gift bags. She even includes a piece of tulle to replace expensive and fragile tissue paper. How clever!
During the time that The Mascot and I were living in Vancouver, BC, we always got caught up in the excitement of Chinese New Year. To be honest, it was hard not to; with over 30% of Canada‘s Chinese population living in Vancouver and its surrounding cities, the cultural influence was everywhere. The time of year that this was most apparent was at Chinese, or Lunar, New Year. Every year around this time, the stores in our predominantly Asian neighborhood would be full of the traditional foods, decorations and gifts that make this annual celebration so vibrant and special.
One such offering that has always intrigued me are the “lucky” money packets, which are traditionally bestowed upon unmarried recipients to ensure wealth for the coming year. The envelopes, called “Ang Pow”, are always red in colour to symbolize prosperity and ward-off evil. A lovely and very unique example of Ang Pow are these by Qipao (above). Unlike most rectangular packets, these are in the shape of Cheongsam, the traditional fitted Chinese garments. And, it’s not just their eye-catching shape that makes these Ang Pow different; each one-of-a-kind envelope is upcycled from greeting cards that would otherwise be tossed away!
A slightly more traditional (but no less clever) version of Ang Pow are these DIY ones from Katwrite’s shop (above), featuring the image of this year’s Chinese Zodiac Symbol – the Tiger. Kat of Vancouver was inspired by traditional Chinese paper-cut art when she created these intricate cards to enclose your monetary gifts. A gift for the environment, too, they are available as a printable PDF to eliminate extra packaging. (Tip: go green and remember to print your cards on recycled or eco-friendly paper!)
Another DIY project perfect for Chinese New Year decorations is this stunning set of luminaries by Prudence Octavia. Each luminary is created by layering two unique, hand-cut designs over a heavy vellum sleeve. Don’t be scared-off by the apparent complexity of the project, though; all of the intricate work is done for you. The completed luminary sleeves are flat-packed and carefully wrapped for easy shipping from Hong Kong. Once you receive them, all that is left is to wrap them around a votive candle and fasten with the enclosed adhesive. It’s easier than learning to use chopsticks!
Like I was, Heidi of Burnaby is another British Columbian caught up in the excitement of Chinese New Year. After a recent wander through Vancouver’s colourful Chinatown, she returned home inspired by all of the unusual and exotic items that she saw. What came from that inspiration was this skein of hand-spun and hand-dyed yarn (above), created in honour of the upcoming celebrations. The beautifully varigated vegan yarn, which is available in the Quo Vadis Handspun shop, comes complete with a little Chinese coin for luck.
Finally, I would be remiss if I let you go without a little something sweet at the end of this week’s article. Fortunately, for all of us who ate more than our fair share of dim sum this morning (ahem), this treat won’t go straight to your waistline. Cleverly upcycled from lambswool sweaters and packaged in a hand-stamped “take-out” box, Anne Potter’s felted fortune cookies make a cute gift or decoration all year round. The “cookies” are available for purchase in Anne’s shop and can contain either an assortment of fortunes, or your own custom messages. Stuck for something to say? “Gung hay fat choi!” is the traditional Chinese New Year’s greeting, meaning “may you become prosperous”.
As I’ve mentioned before, I’m a huge fan of Gemma Correll’s work. Gemma is a well-known freelance illustrator who also makes greetings cards, screenprinted tote bags and T shirts, pocket mirrors and art prints. Her Etsy shop is my go-to place for funny cards and gifts for my husband, who also loves Gemma’s work!
Gemma has been crafting her whole life, beginning with sewing, knitting and crochet, which she was taught by her grandmother. While at college, she started to make plush characters to accompany her illustration work, and she considers this to be her first ‘serious’ foray into crafting. At the same time, Gemma began to sell her plush characters and felt brooches at bi-monthly craft fairs, organised by Gemma and her friends.
When a friend told her about Etsy, which was not well-known in the UK at the time, Gemma decided to start selling online too. She’s since expanded her reach, selling in shops worldwide and online via her own fantastically illustrated website and Etsy shop, as well as the odd craft fair.
As well as selling handmade items, Gemma is a big fan of buying as many handmade products as possible and would much rather find something unique than buy items from large companies, as she feels there’s more of a personal touch. Unfortunately, Gemma has in the past had ideas stolen by large companies, which is a concern for many independent designer-makers and can put many people off sharing ideas with the wider handmade community.
“In five years’ time, I hope that I am still crafting for fun. As I spend more time working and outsourcing products, rather than making them myself – I simply do not have the time or the facilities to print 500 tote bags by hand, sadly – I hope that I can still enjoy making things just for myself. I hope that I’m still going to craft nights with my friends.”
If you’re interested in finding out more about Gemma’s work, take a look at this Design Week blog post about a mural she has recently completed for Chapter Arts Centre in Wales.
The Zipper end – Steampunk Choker
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Welcoming Spring Crochet Hat
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Swarovski pearl and crystal spray Bridal Hair Pins
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