Tea Cups by Ann Wood

Recently while browsing the internet I came across really great little thing.

This Tea cups are made by Ann Wood.

She also have made a tutorial on how to make this cute little Tea cup!
Here it is:
Ann Wood Blog
She also makes other great things ! really inspiring!

I had a go at making those cuties! I make them tiny, big and medium, but didn't use paper mache technique, was too messy for me;P
I have transformed the pattern a little adding tabs so I could glue them together in one piece. I have printed The Tea Cup Template from Ann Wood on the back of decorative card.
Then I have put it together in a 3d form and voila!
Here are my little tea cups.

Creative business Keeping track of things!

Thinking of setting up your own creative business?? Here are few tips and advices you might need.
For the starters I thought of shearing some info with you that comes with experience and saves you a lot of time and effort. Because most important thing is to be crafty not a bureaucrat who is stuck under no needed paperwork!
First tip: Keeping track of what you are doing.
Keep your stock under control!

You can do this in your notebook or Word or as I did use an Excel. Write what have you got from your suppliers, how many, what you can do with it, price and most important where you got it from!!! If you would like to do it in an Excell here I have prepared for you one ready to download: Stock control

Keep track of your suppliers

Keeping track of your suppliers will do you good in the future; saving you time and possibly money to when you run out of particular thing you had in the stock.
Also when browsing internet, bookmark, Bookmark, BOOKMARK. All the websites, that you find interesting make a little folders, and add them! Most important make a folder of supplier’s websites, where you can buy thing from, Bookmark is the greatest tool!!

And make sure you google stuff you looking for truly, compare prices, qualities and availability!
The best supply web I can recommend are:

www.ebay.co.uk – the best market place there is for everything, and I mean everything you can think of! It is amazing and fairly cheap to start up with and no need for wholesalers quantities if you just trying the ground with a new product!

Recently I stumbled across this web: www.seamstar.co.uk – looking for some quirky and unusual fabrics! Ohh so amazing! And if you need your fabric extremely fast if you order in the morning you will receive your package the next day, and inside simply stunning, first time came across such an effort in wrapping and extras! Thought fabrics were a bit pricy but when you receive them they wont disappoint! Love the pandas!!!

I bought my first domestic sewing machine on: www.jaycotts.co.uk they do an amazing deals and packages, also I got some additional foots etc, really good service and affordable, machine still works perfectly as new after about 4 yr.
My industrial sewing machine I bought directly from the supplier who deals with recondition machines and he also puts together brand new ones! Very affordable! Nigel Mann- 41 Tennyson Road Kettering tel. (01536) 514880/ 518859.

Can also add
www.u-handbag.com
www.macculloch-wallis.co.uk
www.theidentitystore.co.uk
www.fabric.com –good if you need a name of fabric, they got special glossary

There are so many you might want to check out but it will take too long;) ok good source of suppliers can find in Sew magazine, it is loaded with so many!!!

Just remember that some items bought on the internet got extra price for postage. Devil is in details, remember to check the postage price and add it on to the total for your item/items, sometimes there is option of combined postage (eg on ebay) but you might need to contact the seller to update that before you pay for combined goods.

Don’t forget the real world there are many amazing deals you can find down your local market in the haberdashery stall or fabric stall, some town have got little local shops which stock some cheap fabrics imported from India. If you are in different town or country is worth checking out this places for some unusual, different and inexpensive stuff!!

Space saving home improvement DIY project for crafty people.

For all those crafters, designers etc.

Did you ever find yourselves short of floor space, moving your furniture around just to have enough space, to cut some fabric or draft a pattern? Pinning your pattern to a fabric and discovering that is also pinned to a carpet! I'm telling you it's a nightmare. I live in one bedroom flat and with all my crafting supplies and furniture; there isn't a lot of floor space left.

I have been struggling with it for ages until, came across plywood/MDF and a great idea sprang to my mind. I could use a big piece of that wood to make a provisional table for all my pattern cutting needs! So I went to DIY shop nearby and as it happened they had plenty of what I was looking for and the price per square mtr. was reasonable.
I bought 1.20mtr by 1.80mtr piece they also cut to any size you want without extra charge so I was very pleased and paid £12, only what a bargain!
Carrying this piece of wood to my flat was quiet tricky because it won't fit in my car! Have that in mind when deciding to do this DIY project.
I had to walk with 120x180 piece of thin wood under my arm, only my head was visible and all people were looking at me and my wood, crossing over to the other side of the street.

I got home in the end, cleaned my wood a little and duck taped the raw edges. I also bought wallpaper, only for decorative purpose. I wanted to use my wood as a 'decorative background headboard' for my bed. Only mistake I have done was to attach the wallpaper with glue of some sort, the background turned out a bit bumpy. You could use double sticky tape which will give much smoother outcome.

And here we have a mock-up pattern cutting table on your bed and a pretty background on a plain wall.

I've attached some nails to the wall on each side of the wood board coz was sticking out a bit, but with those bent nails is great!

Now I can cut and make patterns easier and quicker!

Do try this at home!:)