The Pinterest Party...

I'm more of a stay-at-home-and-read-books kinda gal than a party-goer, but an invitation to a Pinterest party in London definitely had me interested!

The fact that it was in London swayed me.  I figured I could combine it with spending some time with my daughter and granddaughter - which was lovely as I don't see them often enough.  It did involve sleeping on an airbed in their kitchen/dining room, which was the only real drawback (the noise of the fridge, the thoroughfare to the loo, the lack of sleep...).

Oh, and the cat.  It's possible I may have a cat allergy.  Gorgeous cat though...

I am now seeing digital stamp designs in pretty much everything I look at.  

This particular cat will feature quite often in my designs, I think!

OK, I know you are probably more interested in the party than my temporary domestic arrangements...

I arrived in plenty of time, and got chatting immediately to the lovely Nicola from Belle Noir Bride and Clare White from Whiter than White Weddings (I seemed to meet a lot of wedding bloggers...)

And it wouldn't be a Pinterest party without some crafting, would it?  Drawing with Sharpies onto glass/ceramic was something I saw first on Pinterest.  Nicola and I both enjoyed making over some shot glasses...

Nicola honing her crafting skills...

and although mixing creativity with wine was fun, it wasn't the best of mixes if you were after a genius design and finish.  Good job I wasn't...but I could've happily stayed doodling on glass all night.

it came with instructions for baking to make the design permanent

The setting was amazing.  We were at Kings Place, overlooking the water. This isn't the best of shots but

this one (below) probably gives you a better idea of the stunning waterside setting. The evening was warm, just perfect to take advantage of the verandah right on the water's edge.

Busy waiters and waitresses attended to our every need, inside and out.  They brought wine, beer, cocktails, soft drinks and tray after tray of food.

Unfortunately, the only gluten free option seemed to be a teeny tiny vegetable and halloumi kebab.  Yep, just the one - I didn't see that tray again.  Absolutely delicious but not nearly big enough to line my stomach and ...well, that's my excuse.  I had two wines and was definitely a little bit tiddly!  But I don't get out much...OK, I'll stop with the excuses now.  There really is no excuse!

And - squeal! - there was an ultra-gorgeous mini sweet shop!

with free sweeties, of course

This was so cute, I took photos from several angles and I will definitely be creating a digital stamp inspired by this actual teeny tiny shop! I told you, I'm seeing possibilities everywhere for my new digi stamps range!

see the fairy lights too? They looked gorgeous

I met up with Sabrina who runs the Wolves in London blog. Sabrina was the only craft blogger I met there - why, oh why did I not find more craft bloggers? - but do check out her blog!  I love her blog but I loved chatting to her more.   We should have more of these parties and meetups!

I also met another wedding blogger - Kat from RocknRollBride - I was completely in awe of Kat, simply because she manages to not only earn her living from blogging, she employs her husband too.   Now that is what I call a successful blogger!  She also teaches workshops on blogging, which look pretty amazing and inspiring. Kat's blog is well worth a read even if weddings are not on your radar - she blogs business tips too.

Evan Sharp, co-founder of Pinterest, gave a talk.  It was fascinating to hear how it was set up not with any sort of global aim in mind, but just as something he wanted to do and share.  They never had an official launch, just played around with it, gradually improving it, and - well, you know the rest: it ended up becoming much more successful than he'd ever imagined!

The one criticism I have of these sort of events is this: it's quite easy to miss people you would love to meet. I think it would be great to group together bloggers of  the same genre for a group session at the beginning (maybe with a little ice-breaking activity) and perhaps then it would be easier to mix.  It's quite hard to walk up to a complete stranger and introduce yourself, especially if you have no idea who they may be.  Name badges aren't really enough.  The Pinterest staff were really helpful though, and tried to ensure people weren't standing there feeling lost and alone!

The main point of the party from Pinterest's point of view was marketing.  There's a Pinterest blog campaign launching soon, which is one of the things this party was all about   Watch out for it on several different blogs (most people have their instructions already on this one, but I don't.  I don't know whether I've been missed off or whether my instructions will come later on).

The other reason for the party was feedback - we were plied with alcohol and then invited into video booths to chat about our views on Pinterest.  No, I didn't.  Video filming scares me a little bit.  If I make a fool of myself the video makes it permanent!

And what was in that goodie bag?  A rather cute little Pinterest board with press-out pins

no, none of my images have ever been repinned 52,333 times, either

and a Pinterest T-shirt.

I've not tried it on yet, but I suspect I either need a really good diet or that Pinterest tutorial where you cut a T-shirt up both sides and insert some pretty fabric into each side seam to make it bigger ...

yeah, it's an extra small...

PS: Yes, I found my way there and back on the underground, even while slightly tipsy.  I was rather pleased with myself and only had to ask directions once. 

Handmade Monday 114

Hello! Welcome to Handmade Monday!

Well, it's not hard to figure out the highlights of my week include my visit to London and the UK Pinterest party on Thursday evening.

Pinterest goody bag

Do you use Pinterest?  I can't imagine life without Pinterest, which probably makes me sound like a bit of a geek without a real life. Interestingly, it was probably my slightly obsessive pinning habit that got me onto the guest list - funny how staying at home and drooling over cool images can lead to a posh party invite!  It's a crazy world!

I think I need to do a separate post on the party and introduce you to some of the amazing bloggers I met there.  Watch out for it this coming week.  Oh, and my Pinterest boards are here, just in case you haven't discovered the joy that is Pinterest.  Is there anyone out there who hasn't yet?  I'm currently finding it invaluable for collecting inspiration for my new digital stamp images.  It's like a giant digital scrapbook - with links!

Back to London.  London is a place full of surprises.  Traffic and tall buildings, of course -  and...er, herons...

out for lunch in south west London

and farm animals...

with lambs and goats happily feeding from their mums

aah!

I very much like the way perfectly gorgeous snippets of nature are dovetailed into sometimes quite a small space creating what seems like a mini-getaway that can be enjoyed by many.  I have never really understood London living (to me it seems busy, cramped and overpriced with a liveliness and culture that might of course appeal but at what cost?) but I am beginning to see why my daughter loves it.  She's a city girl at heart, though, and I'm just not.

This was another surprise...

the world's first unattended city shop.  

Hope they've taken the keys out of the ignition...

I didn't visit the honesty shop, but maybe next time.   It's housed in an old double-decker bus parked in a place that hosts a weekend market with craft stalls and things that are just a bit different - so I'm told.  I wasn't there over the weekend this time, so maybe I'll visit it next time I'm in London - it's just a short walk from where my daughter lives and most of the walk is along that heron-populated river.

In other news, if you'd be up for some digital stamp testing for me, please have a look here for free digi stamps in exchange for feedback.

Oh, and yes, the vanbag got finished - more on that soon!

And that's it from me for now - over to you for Handmade Monday's lovely blog hopping...

How Exciting!!

Forgive me if I'm a little over-excited, won't you?  I'm off to London next week for a party - courtesy of the Pinterest team, no less!

I don't have much of an idea of what it's about, but I do know this: they've invited 150 UK bloggers and they're providing treats, goodies and activities (no idea what, your guess is as good as mine!).

Blogging might connect people...

but it's good to meet up in real life too!

Did I mention I was excited?  I don't have any photos of me jumping up and down (be thankful!) so a laptop shot will have to suffice.

Pinterest is launching a blog campaign in the UK in May (which I guess is why they are throwing a party for bloggers!).  I couldn't pass it up though, could I?  Not when Pinterest is one of my very favourite online places!  (You can see my boards here)

Oh, and the excitement doesn't end there - London is where my middle daughter lives, so guess where I'll be staying!  It will be so very lovely to spend a couple of days with her and my youngest granddaughter (who is apparently learning to speak Slovakian at a faster rate than she's learning English - her dad is Slovakian!).

this is me with my two gorgeous baby granddaughters!

If you've followed this blog for a while, you may possibly recall that I'm not quite sure of my ability to navigate ahem, ok then -  terrified of the London underground system, which might be the only (rather large) drawback to the whole trip.  How do people ever make out those underground maps?  It's entirely possible I will miss the Pinterest party altogether and spend the whole time whizzing around on the tube.

PS: I don't know why they invited me.  Perhaps it's an indication that I spend far too long pinning stuff...

PPS: Let me know if you are going too.  It would be really good to meet up!

Designer Interview: Lucy of Moseley's Giftware

This week's interview is with Lucy fom Moseley's Giftware.

***

Welcome Lucy! Where can we find your designs online?  My business is called Moseley’s Giftware, and my website is www.moseleysgiftware.co.uk

What do you make?  I’m a bit of a serial cross-crafter, so I make jewellery, cards, candles, tea cosies and bunting. I like my stall to look like a treasure trove, where people can root around to find their own treasure!

Where does your inspiration come from? My inspiration comes from quietness. I like to sit peacefully, and from there I tend to get my best ideas! I also like spending time in nature for the same reason.

What tips do you have for generating ideas for designs?  I think it is good to be playful and creative. Get out your craft materials, and let loose! If you find that something isn’t working, just go back to it another day. And if you don’t like how something has turned out, jot down how you would prefer to do it next time.

Sometimes our mistakes lead us to make good products in the end.

How do you record your ideas?  I have a notepad, which I take round everywhere with me. When I get an idea, I write it down or sketch it out. I don’t always have the time to make my ideas up straight away, so with them jotted down, I know I can look at them again and make them at a later date.

What tips do you have for motivating yourself?  Enjoy what you do! I find it quite easy to motivate myself when I know I will enjoy it. When I am feeling a bit stuck, I will normally do something nice for myself like have a bath or read a magazine… that usually leaves me feeling relaxed and refreshed, ready to get back to what I need to do!

Do you have any time management tips?  Lists, lists, lists! I am all for writing down all the tasks that need to be done, breaking them down into smaller tasks if needs be. If I have lots to do, I’ll order them in terms of their priority.

What's your workspace like?  My workspace is wherever I feel like it! I do my knitting in bed, on the sofa, on the bus – wherever takes my fancy, or wherever I feel is most comfortable at the time. I do my card making and my sewing at my desk though, as you need a hard surface for those tasks.

Where can we find your designs for sale?  I’m a regular at South Lambeth Market in South London, and I do other ad hoc fairs around the area. I’m also a part of a local collective of designer-makers, called Makerhood. But unless you live near, I suspect the internet is the best place to find my work!

Do you have any top tips for other designer makers?  Do what you love! You will enjoy working, and find what you do very rewarding.

Anything else you want to add?  Starting up a craft business is tough work, but if you’re committed to it, you will make it through the hard times.  When you are at fairs, remember that other people in the craft business are like your colleagues, and it is much more fun if you have them as friends than as business rivals.

You can follow Lucy in all these places:

Blog: www.moseleysgiftware.co.uk/blog

Facebook: www.facebook.com/moseleysgiftware

Twitter: www.twitter.com/#!/lucy_moseley

Thank you Lucy for agreeing to be interviewed and sharing your crafting insights with us.

If you're interested in small craft businesses, tutorials, and just handmade in general, pop over to Handmade Monday where you'll find a whole load of fascinating blog links to peruse!