I Buy Handmade: Pamper And Preen

Look, at this point I'm not even going to bother apologizing for how long it's been since I've updated this blog. I'm doing a full-time MA, I have a part time job, and I also have *Bill Cosby voice* FIVE other blogs. Count them, one, two, three, four, five! And while that's really no excuse for being a lazy and unreliable craft blogger...that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

So what's brought me out of Dreadful Blog Silence? Another excellent handmade vendor, that's what.

So, as you can imagine, I spend a lot of time on etsy.com, perusing other people's wonderful wares. As you can guess from the SweetShop mission statement, I am vey passionate about handmade items and supporting sustainable development, wherever that may be. The third leg in the tripod of my personal stance on buying and selling is supporting local makers and sellers as well. So, usually, my trip to etsy starts with me clicking the "Shop Local" button on the left hand side of the page.

And that is how I came across Pamper & Preen soaps. Usually I buy handmade items because of a personal connection to the maker or particular aesthetics or ideals. This time, it simply was a matter of hey, I'm out of soap, they live in Manchester too, and I have 5 extra pounds in my account this week.

I bought Pamper & Preen's Honey Caramel Cold Process soap for £2.85 plus an additional £2.46 shipping. YIKES at the shipping, right? Especially since they're right around the corner, practically. But because I've recently been all but forced to charge exorbitant shipping rates for my own products, I feel a bit more charitable about such things and went ahead and paid it. For the most part I'm glad I did.

The Honey Caramel soap looks pretty much it does on Pamper & Preen's site...so no surprises there. It has a deep, sweet fragrance with hints of vanilla and coconut as well as honey and caramel. The bottom edge is scattered with a sprinkling of black seens. I'm not exactly sure WHAT they are, but they're great for exfoliating and they haven't turned my skin green yet, so they don't bother me. This is what it looks like unpackaged;

I bought this soap because I have dry, sensitive skin and I need something that cleans my grimy self without turning me into Mel, Master of Ash and Flakes. This soap pretty much fits the bill...it gets me clean. It smells lovely, although the scent doesn't stick around for very long. And while I haven't been using it for very long, it hasn't dried out my skin, which I definitely appreciate it. I do slather on a thick moisturizer afterwards though, so if you aren't an after-bath lotioner, you might not have the same results.

I hope it doesn't sound like I'm damning Pamper & Preen with faint praise...I'm not intending to. It's a beautifully made bar of soap, and while it doesn't exceed my expectations it meets them very well. If you like handmade soaps and want to pamper yourself with a lovely scented bar of soap, I'd recommend giving Pamper & Preen a visit HERE.

Peace beautiful people!

Computer Love...(and occupational hazards...)

Hello SweetShoppers!

So lately I've been getting a lot of blog love, and I just wanted to share some of those links with you...

First up, Artistic Expressions By Elizabeth profiled me here, as part of an ongoing series. Every Monday Elizabeth profiles someone of color in the craftosphere, and this week it was lil' ol' me! Many thanks to Elizabeth, and to those of you who click over, check out her blog! Elizabeth is quite the elite crafter herself and one of the more positive people I've come across on the web.

Speaking of positive people, I've also been profiled by Knitella, who did a mini-interview on me here. Knitella's doing a similar series, profiling bloggers and crafters in the Greater Manchester area and I was fortunate enough to be asked some questions for a post. Make that TWO posts, actually...Knitella's got a jump start on the Christmas gift rush and also featured me in her Christmas gift guide here. Once again, check out the whole blog...some truly inspiring crafters have been featured on her site recently, as well as the work of Knitella herself!

Last thing...I'm keeping a close eye on the worldwide Occupy protests. They're of particular interest to me because I am, of course, part of the 99% (albeit a very fortunate segment of such) and also because at heart, they seem to be about one of my pet issues--the issue of paying people what they're worth for their work. This is part of why I started doing SweetShop Creations--it's one part supplementary income, one part charity donations, and one part sociopolitical statement. 

That said, I've long wanted to write eloquently on the subject but recently I stumbled across WhatTheCraft.com and discovered that resident seamstress/designer/DIY faerie Lex has already said what I wanted to say, far better than I ever could.

So, to end this post, I'd like to encourage you all to go over to THIS LINK and read about the creative process and cost balancing that goes into making a handmade item of clothing. Then come back here, comment, and let me know what you think.

Peace!

I Buy Handmade: ForgetRegretArt

There are a few things that I love; pretty things, getting parcels in the post, and supporting other wonderful artists. I'm happy to say that today, I got to do all three of those things thanks to Demi at ForgetRegret Art.

The contents of my parcel! A card and some cards..

So I first met the lovely Demi, at the Cherry Events Craft fair, which I blogged about HERE. I had a great time meeting lots of local artists and artisans at that fair but what really caught my eye was the ForgetRegretArt stall, with its selection of handmade paper journals, notepads, and blank business cards.

Business cards? I've needed some business cards for some time, but hadn't seen any that I really liked until then. I asked about the blank cards, and was pleasantly surprised when Demi told me that for a small extra fee, she'd hand write the cards for me in calligraphy.

Handmade, distinctive, classy cards written in calligraphy? Consider me sold. I e-trotted over to the ForgetRegretArt etsy shop HERE and placed an order. After about a week, I checked the post this morning and found these waiting for me!

That's my name. Please wear it out.

Aren't they gorgeous! They're exactly what I wanted--simple, clear, and handmade! I absolutely LOVE them and couldn't resist doing a post to show them off. I highly recommend checking out Demi's shop--in addition to business cards, she also does sketchbooks, jewelry, and a wide variety of original art prints as well. 

The best thing about buying handmade goods from the artist directly, though, isn't the quality of the product. (Although it's always excellent!) The best thing is the personal touch that artists often add to their orders when sending them out. Considering how many companies see fit to use large and impersonal communcation methods(call centres, anyone?), there's something really special about doing business with a personal flair.

The most charming part of buying from ForgetRegretArt, then, was finding this in the package with the cards;

Handmade thank you card by ForgetRegretArt!

Nothing to say to that except thank you too, Demi!

To check out ForgetRegretArt(and I really think you should), click HERE. Peace!

New Items! Blue Ruffled Scarf and Yellow Flowered Earwarmer!

*whew* It's the first week back at college and I am TI. RED. Too tired, in fact, to realize that "tired" doesn't look like much of anything when you try and separate out the syllables for emphasis.

Suffice it to say that it's been a long week. This patternista needs 5 more hours in the day so she can sleep. But despite that, I've managed to put some lovely(IMO) new items up in the shop today!

The first is this yellow earwarmer with a flowered accent, this time in a lacy ribbed pattern rather than a basketweave one. I'm thinking of making LOTS more of these because I really like them--hope this one sells online quickly and inspires me further. 

The other item is another curly, ruffled scarf. I don't care if these sell or not, I think they're amazingly cool and will probably make a million more. In this shot the scarf is tucked and wrapped to form a warm ruffly collar, but it's quite long and can also be worn draped like a regular scarf.

To find out more about each item, either click on the pictures or HERE to get to the shop. 

Now I'm off to finish a nifty custom ordered hat...

Peace!

New Items: Fall Scarves...

So today is the first day that has REALLY felt like autumn to me...I woke up with the urge to crunch through leaves and make gingerbread. Wow.

I guess it's appropriate, then, that today I posted these two scarves in the etsy shop...

 The multi-colored ruffles scarf, which can be found HERE...

And the orange cowl(Can I just say, I LOVE this color?) which can be found HERE...

...my goodness I am making a serious face in that last picture...sorry. 

Anyway, click and buy or appreciate or copy or whatever it is you need to do to keep warm this autumn weekend while you crunch through leaves and eat gingerbread...

Peace!

New Item: Papergirl Hat! (and yes, more earrings...)

Hello SweetShoppers!

I realized the other day that although one of my original ideas for the SweetShop was to make hats...I hadn't made one in a while. So I got out the trusty K hook and some gray acrylic yarn that was just begging to be used...and came up with this...

The PaperGirl Hat! See, it's not really a newsboy cap, so why not call it a papergirl. It was either that or call it  the Baggy Gray Pseudo-Rasta Tam with Curvy Brim and Elastic. Brevity always wins. 

Also, because I just cannot stop myself, it seems, I've made even more Curly-Wurly earrings...yay! (Or should that be, ~sigh~?) 

To check out the new hat and the earrings, and order them for yourself, click HERE. 

Peace, y'all!

New Item: MORE Curly-Wurly earrings!

I just can't seem to stop making these. Put a new pair up in the shop today, in a funky burnt orange color....click the pic to check them out!!

Peace, y'all!

New Item: Flamingo Rings!

So this morning I got mentally hamstrung trying to finish a new pattern...started playing around with some new yarn I have...wound up with this...

...which then turned into this!

You can get more information and order your very own Flamingo Rings HERE.

Peace!

Video: Why I Buy And Sell Handmade...

Just a little ramble around the topic of buying and selling handmade items. I don't really make any points here, just talking up the basics.

Peace!

Yarn of the Moment: Berroco Cotton Twist

It's too hot for most wools and acrylics, and I'm trying to use up my stash yarn. About 2 years ago I bought 3 skeins of Berroco Cotton Twist and I'm *finally* using it to make a cute shell pattern summer tunic. I just hope I have enough...Berroco discontinued this yarn a while ago, and an ebay search doesn't show anybody clearing it out of their stash just yet.

As cotton yarns go, it's not amazing. It's not very tightly spun so it's easy to split stitches and the skeins--even though they're from the same dye lot--have some color irregularity. Still, I originally bought it because it's a beautiful milky summer white, it has a little rayon blended in for durability, and at $5.00 a skein, the price was ok.

What's your favorite summer yarn? What's your favorite cotton?