Many thanks to all the makers who joined us and for the Whitworth for being such wonderful hosts year after year!

In November, attendees at each group’s monthly event brought and made Christmas gifts for us to exchange so that in December all the Manchester folks received presents from Bristol and vice versa!

Have a look at some of the gorgeous things that were swapped and entered into MCM’s Christmas Competition

… and check out our Christmas Competition Prize Winners

3rd Prize went to Cherry for her Jam Jar Ornament

2nd Prize went to Bec and Sam who made these lovely Milk Carton Elephants

…. and… drum roll please…. 1st Prize went to Andrew for is unique Coke Can Wreath!

Its time to meet another maker that will be showing off their wares….  drum roll please……… introducing Llama Luau!

Llama Luau is a Fallowfield-based business owned by Coraline Aldred.  It will be her first time taking part in a Craft Mafia Event and she is very excited about it being based at Whitworth Art Gallery. (And it goes without saying we are excited to have her!).

Coraline tells us what inspires her:

“I like to experiment with lots of different crafts, crochet, cross stitch, (bad) dressmaking, origami but I do enjoy felt badge making the most. I have a Masters degree in Conservation biology and I think that is reflected in some of my pieces, such as the British birds and wildlife. I also love a good cup of tea (who doesn’t) so I make a lot of tea inspired felties too.”

She also says she is always sewing! Almost every night in fact, regardless of whether or not she is preparing for a fair. She loves how easy and versatile it is as a craft and says “all you need is a needle, thread and a scrap of felt and you can whip up anything from a pocket sized elephant to a cup of tea to pop on your coat, and people will always be impressed when you say that you made it yourself.”

… and we are very impressed with the things she has been busy making!

Llama Luau will be featuring a range of handmade items, but Coraline is especially loving her new hedgehog, fox and badger badges as they reflect her love and interest in British wildlife.

When you come down to the fair this weekend make sure to stop by and check out Llama Luau and if you just can’t wait you can find her on facebook or visit her Etsy shop for a virtual market experience!

Just in case you haven’t decided if you will be joining us at the Whitworth this Saturday we are telling you all about those special people are on our maker-guest list, who will be showing off their wares and waiting to show you a different Christmas shopping experience.

In our countdown to Christmas we are pleased to introduce Andrea Hartley Banks as our next maker of the day, who also happens to be the newest member of the Manchester Craft Mafia committee!

New Creations is Andrea Hartley Banks, who doesn’t just run one quirky craft business – but two! Andrea runs both Beads from the Art and The LIttle Craft Box Company from Rochdale, The Birthplace of Co-op. Andrea has been doing our sales for a few years now as both a shopper and a seller and says she “has always been very impressed with the quality of goods on offer…”. Andrea says that one of her Christmas traditions is to attend the MCM Christmas market with her daughter and enjoy a baileys hot chocolate… so you might find her in the cafe towards the end of the day, rewarding herself with a cheeky cuppa!

When asked to tell us about her crafty inspiration, Andrea shared:

It’s just a total obsession…I wake up in the night sometimes and I’m just bursting with ideas. My top tip for “crafters block” is always leave something on your work desk unfinished, so that by the time you’ve finished it, you’re in that crafting zone.

In addition to her many works of jewellery and her craft boxes, Andrea is most excited about bringing her new, customisable heart decorations to the market this year. Andrea will add a name of your choice so that it is extra special for that person on your Christmas list.

What a lovely little gift. They would be great to add your to tree to remind us of those who couldn’t make it home for Christmas or help us remember those who are no longer with us. Andrea says that when all the hustle and bustle of Christmas markets has passed, she’ll be sitting down to make something special to remember her mum who passed away last Christmas. Sounds like a perfectly touching way to spend the holidays.

Don’t forget to join us this weekend at the Whitworth Gallery!

We have lots of ‘meet the makers’ coming your way with both some new and familiar faces, but we thought we’d start with something quite fresh and feature AcornKiss a seasoned MCM shopper, but first time seller at our Christmas Market.

AcornKiss is Mark Mcleish, who will be bringing his unique collection of jewellery to the market.

Mark talks about his work:

“My work is rooted autobiographically in approach; this could be responding to a texture of saved childhood items, working with a theme such as ‘time’ or conceptually to feeling, opinions and noted happening in my life.”

and is enthused about displaying and selling some of his recent work, which is a limited collection of pins based on blood cells. Mark says that these pins feature a small human face in red or red and gold, and that he finds it interesting to see who chooses to own (or adopt) each one.

You can see Mark’s work below, including his renowned pins and brooches

This year Mark will be preparing for Christmas by making napkins and Christmas crackers as he’ll be playing chef on the big day. He also calls himself a ‘self-diagnosed’ collector and is the owner of an amassment of rocking horses, old illustrated children’s books, knitted items, ring-pulls and all things tree associated. Ongoing collections include spoons, the circus, shoe bottoms, thimbles, lanterns, small taxidermy, books, knowledge and dolls heads… Sounds like Christmas at his would be like a step back in time!

Find out more about Mark by visiting his blog and don’t forget to join us on December 1st at the Whitworth Gallery!

But in case you missed it, check out how much fun we had at the Cheshire Food Festival…

Now that we’ve had it out with our autumnal Ya-Yas out… we are getting ready for Christmas. So if you like what you see above, why not join us in December for our Christmas fair at the Whitworth Art Gallery?

See you there!

Check out the fantastic willow weaving we did, with thanks to the highly talented Cherry Chung!

If you missed the chance to join in you can find Cherry at a range of places sharing her creative skills. For more information (or just to have a look at her amazing work) visit her website at www.cherrychung.com

If you want to get up to crafty shenanigans like the folks in these pictures, you too can join us at Lo-Fi DIY! It is a monthly event organised by the Manchester Craft Mafia. We meet on the first Tuesday night of every month at A Place Called Common to swap skills, make friends and get crafty. For more information email mail Nico at nico@opheliabutton.co.uk with the words “Lo-Fi List” and you’ll soon find a monthly invite landing in your inbox!

Tell us about what you do …

How did you get into craft and design ?

Sharon and I work together, we have done for the last 7 years or so. We have developed a nice interdependent balance between us, having very different ways of approaching things, and we also just get on really well. The ways we got into art and craft were actually quite similar: both drawn to being artists from an early age; having abandoned the more traditional route to an arts career as it felt constricting rather than enlightening, we both chose to find our own way, always looking for training opportunities and experiences. We both found that we had a natural ability and enthusiasm for facilitation. We could assist groups to meet their creative potential. The combination of glass work, craft and group facilitation has been an important and common thread in both our careers. The Chandelier of Lost Earrings is turning out to be a good example of this. People are immediately captured by and engaged in the idea. As one arring contributor recently said; the loss I experienced by one of a pair of my most favourite earrings breaking, can now be resolved by adding it to all of the others in a beautiful artwork.

Do you create your pieces by hand or do you use any modern technology? If only by hand is that something that’s really important to you ?

We do both. Our art works are always a combination. We like to have a tangible element of ‘handcraftedness’ so that the it has a familiar human feel. Chandelier; the structure will be designed and created using modern technology; the earrings will be added by hand.

Where do you get inspiration for your craft and design work?

Who knows!! From the process of making I guess, and from the audience – who will see the work, how will they benefit from it etc. The Chandelier was inspired by the work we were doing at St Mary’s maternity hospital in Manchester. Having completed our commission there – the glass Summer House – we decided to install mini ‘pop-up’ exhibitions inside the structure. We were looked upon by staff and patients; a bit like being in a fish bowl! We chatted to people and found out that they were interested in what we were doing. We wanted to create something FOR them, with them in mind; something they could participate in.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

We’d really like to make bigger and bigger art works that involve many many people – mass participation. Maybe something on the Yorkshire Sculpture Park! And at the same time to be able to learn more about our craft; to find better, more successful ways to engage with our audience; to create beautiful pieces that have a positive effect and that people like to see in their every day lives.

What’s the dream ambition?

To be paid well for what we do best.

How do you promote your projects ?

Talking to people, tweeting,Facebook,local press and media, our web site, other web sites like Axis. Now that we have Arts Council funding through the Grant for the arts scheme to make the Chandelier, we hope that we can achieve some coverage on local and national media to appeal for the the many, many earrings that will make up the Chandelier.

What do you think it takes to become successful in the craft industry?

Focus, tenacity, and pretty thick skin sometimes, also, keep creative, under all the admin, bids, bookkeeping, don’t forget you are an artist, so do some art sometimes!

Favorite crafts person or designer?

Grayson Perry/my niece, Ruth Chambers, who does the most beautiful drawings

Do you have any favorite blogs or publications where you get inspiration ?

I used to love browsing Artist newsletter, it’s not so easy now that it’s not in print anymore. Plus Sharon’s blog about our work.

Tools of the trade?

Pencils, glass cutters

Best and most satisfying piece of work you’ve done ?

The Summer House and all that goes with it. We are loving the Chandelier of Lost Earrings project.

Any Tips or advice to share with aspiring crafts people?

Find your own way. Be polite to everyone; you never know who is going to come back to commission you many years later

Links of websites:

www.sagarandcampbell.co.uk

www.manchesterstainedglass.co.uk

Email:

info@sagarandcampbell.co.uk

Twitter: @summerhouseart

Introducing: Pat Bown aka. Tricoteuse.

Pat is a Stockport based maker who has sold at our markets before… She keeps coming back because we are so well organised (why thank you!) and because she always find the markets productive and a great place to meet other interesting people – both shoppers and makers alike!

Pat says; “I love experimenting with yarns and fibres, taking inspiration from nature, just having fun and “me time”.” but as she is planing to knit, crochet and felt all her Christmas gifts this year, it sounds to us like most of her “me” time will be spent making for others.

Well it ’tis the season to get crafty!

In addition to looking forward to the market, Pat loves this time of year because she gets to get outside and enjoy the countryside, landscape and watching leaves change colour in the autumn. Now that it’s rounded Dec. 1st, it’s a little colder, and most of the leaves have fallen, we hope you’re tucked away somewhere nice and cozy and making for the market!

Have a look at some of Pat’s lovely knitted and felted goods, and while we’ve got your attention visit her blog to see more!

When asked about her craft inspiration Judith shared;

“I love beads, wool, fabric and sparkly things!  I’m never still. I always have to be doing something with my hands, I must drive my family mad . I love trying something new. But my biggest thrill still comes from someone wanting to pay money for something that I’ve made!!”

Judith’s favourite item on her stall are her little hand-felted bags (see below).

"It still amazes me how different they look when they come out the washing machine. They are so yummy to touch."

Another favourite and long standing success of Judith’s are her ‘Molly’ bracelets.

"They're my best sellers still and were there at the start!"

Judith enjoys the pre-festive season by taking Autumn walks with her family in all the lovely green areas around us… as well as making handmade gifts for many of her friends and family! She shared some of the things that she’s making with fabric bought from ‘Stitch Me Lane‘… but just in case the people on her ‘nice’ list are reading, we don’t want to give any details away!

No Spoilers Here!

If you want to know more, you’ll have to ask Judith on December 10th at the Whitworth Gallery, or visit her on

www.athingofbeautygifts.com