FREE UK SHIPPING!

IT'S MARCH 2013! And because spring is in the air, and I wouldn't want anyone to feel I had forgotten them, I am doing a promotion over in my Etsy store. On any order over £15 you can receive free UK shipping for the whole of the month of March.

What's more, I'm not the only one offering this! There are a lot of UK based sellers who are also offering free UK shipping for March. All you need to do is type in code FREEMARCH13 when you get to the checkout page and the free shipping will be added to your order. That is pretty great if you are looking for a Mother's Day gift, a St Patrick's day something, a birthday present or a lovely treat for yourself. Why not head over to Etsy and see what there is to see?

I'm offering Free UK shipping on orders over £15

Here are some other lovely things that I have seen on Etsy from people who are also offering free UK shipping for March. Click on any of the names below the photos to be sent to the shop.

I love LizzesBeautifulArt's cats! 

DamsonTreePottery makes such gorgeous designs! 

Who wouldn't be in love with a VW campervan or indeed any of Graces Favours designs? 

I've kept this post to a green theme because spring is in the air (I actually sat outside in the garden today!) but there are of course plenty of other goodies available. Here's a link to find some more lovely pieces on Etsy that are offering free UK shipping throughout March:

FREEMARCH13 UK shipping shop participants

I hope you all have a lovely time browsing and ... happy shopping!

Mosaic Mania!

Despite the ankle surgery and spending most of my time presently lying on my bed I have managed to get up for a few things...

I've had a few custom orders in the past few days - one from a lady who ordered a pendant from me and as soon as it arrived ordered another one! That's got to be a compliment and a half, right? I can't show a picture of it yet as she ordered it as a present but her feedback was lovely:

"I am thrilled to bits with the necklace, it is simply beautful. Could you possibly make another one as quickly?"

So I've spent a fair amount of time in the garage over the past week making some mosaics pendants. What do you think of my new designs?

Of course I haven't just restricted myself to pendants... I've made a few new rings and a pair of cufflinks as well:

And the good news is that the physical bricks and mortar shop up in Highgate has sold a few of my pendants too so I'm going to have to restock there as well! Here are two of the pendants I'll be sending up to them later on this week (the others aren't quite finished yet...)

I've also been having requests from all sorts of people in the past few weeks about making mosaic earrings. I have to say I've been a bit dubious about them as part of me thinks they'd just be too heavy. But I've been convinced to give them a go. I haven't actually made them up into earrings as yet (I'm going to need to go into a craft shop to buy the fittings in order to do that first) but there are designs for 2 pairs ready to put together properly and see what they're like...

So it's all go on the mosaic front! So much so in fact that I need to put in some orders for new stock! Hmm... best get on with that. I have ambitions of moving onto bigger and better places this year and I'm going to need a fair amount of stock ready by August at this rate. Off I go to check out my suppliers...!

How To... Curate an Etsy BNR

This weekend I will be spending a fair amount of time on Etsy... who am I kidding? I'll be spending the entire weekend on Etsy! I'm going to be helping to curate on the British Emporia team weekend BNR. A BNR basically means Buy And Replace - you browse in all the shops featured and, if you like something from a particular shop, call out to buy it. If the curator gives you the go ahead, you buy, post the transaction link and your shop replaces the shop you bought from. It's a great way of getting views on Etsy and also for finding presents for people, getting to know other Etsians through the chatting ... and I'm slightly addicted to them!
Anyway, this weekend British Emporia are holding their first BNR as a new team and a number of team members have asked about how to curate. So I thought that a useful tutorial this month would be a HOW TO CURATE blog post. So here goes...


1) If you are a curator the main thing you need to do is keep refreshing the page that the treasury is on - some browsers automatically update but I know that my Google Chrome requires me to do so myself. So every few seconds or so you need to refresh the page so that you can keep up with chatting and check if anyone has called for a shop. People call out for a shop by saying the name of the shop in capital letters.

2) If no one else has already called for the shop, you can then give the go-ahead. You post in the thread the name of the shop calling and the name of the shop called, e.g:

Go Ahead: CREATING TROUBLE for DKDA 

It's a good idea to write down who is going to replace who at this point as if it gets busy with 2 or 3 sales going through, it's sometimes hard to remember who is replacing who.

3) What I always make sure I do is have 2 tabs open - one with the published treasury on it which I keep refreshing every few seconds to look out for new call-outs and one with the treasury but available in edit mode. (I've used an old BNR tab which is why it says CLOSED at the moment)

4) While the person who is buying is going through their transaction process, I usually open a third tab with the buyer's shop in it so that I can browse through their items and find something to replace the present slot (the shop that is being bought from) Look for the listing number and copy it:

5) When the person who is buying from a current shop in the treasury posts their transaction link, you need to check the link to make sure it is over the minimum spend - it won't actually say the cost of the item there but it will give you some similar items to look at with similar pricing and you can judge from there. Most people write the cost of the item before shipping as well so that makes it easier, but it's still a good idea to get in the habit of checking.


6) If the transaction meets the minimum requirements, you can switch the buyer's shop in by removing the shop bought from.
 In your editing tab click on 'edit

6) Now if you hover over one of the items you can see an edit or remove tab. Click edit on the shop that is being bought out and replace the current listing number with the listing number of the shop to be bought in.

7) Now go up to the top of your editing screen where the title and tags are and amend the number of sales in the title (to 1 more!) 

8) Now all you have to do is press SAVE at the bottom of the treasury and... voila! You have successfully done a shop switch!


There are some things you need to remember though....

• Keep one tab with the published treasury open and make sure you refresh it constantly - while you are dealing with one sale, another buyer might call for a shop and you need to spot it! 
• If someone calls for a shop that has already been called for - or if two people call quite close to each other it is a first-come-first-served principle - give the go ahead to the person who called first and politely tell any other callers that it's already been taken. 
• Don't switch shops until the transaction link has been posted - you need to check each shop has at least spent the minimum spend. This means AFTER discounts and BEFORE shipping.
• Lots of shops will offer discount codes so one other thing you need to do as curator is make sure that you keep the discount code list updated. 

Etsy Treasury

I've been over on Etsy almost all day today. I finally got around to taking some photos of jewellery this morning and spent quite a long time editing and trying to get some listings up. As a bit of a break from photo editing, I had a bit of a browse in some of the shops belonging to members of the new team, British Emporia, that I was invited to join yesterday. British Emporia is still in its very early days (as in it only came into being yesterday) and at the moment all the members are crafty folk I already know from the Etsy community which is great - lots of friendly faces. Anyway, I decided that I would make a treasury today as I haven't made one for ages.

I do have a bit of an issue with finding the time to make treasuries and I'm not sure if I am the most talented when it comes to colours and finding things that work together. But here's today's attempt. If you click on the picture, you'll get sent to the treasury on Etsy from where you can browse the individual items and see some other things that these lovely shops have to offer.

I managed to post up a few listings today as well... 

What do you think? (Click on the pictures to go to the Etsy listings) 

I've got a few more photos up my sleeve to list over the next few days, so please go over and have a look over the next few days! http://www.etsy.com/shop/creatingtrouble 

Exciting News

You will have to forgive me for not publishing this earlier. Something went wrong with the photo uploading at the start of December and I haven't been able to publish any blog posts at all for weeks. For once it isn't actually that I am too busy, too forgetful, too...

Anyway, this is quite exciting news for Creating Trouble!

A few months ago I was at a craft fair with a lovely lady called Jules who sells the most beautiful vintage furniture and re-loved pieces as well as some smaller pretties such as lavender sachets, chocolate lollipops and vintage china. And then in November she came to visit some of us at A Vintage Tea Party, a craft fair I was at in Highgate. I was really excited when I got an e-mail from her in late November... I knew she loved my mosaic pendants but I hadn't anticipated that she would ask me if I'd like a shelf in her new shop! 

Early in December I went over to Forget Me Nots Vintage in Highgate to see the new shop and find out more from Jules in person. I took some of my pendants with me and we had a cup of tea and a lovely chat. Which ended up with Jules choosing 15 of my pendants to showcase in one of the window shelves! How exciting is that?

I went over to the shop launch on the 11th December as well for mulled wine and canapes so it was nice to be able to talk to potential customers and see them talking about the shop as well. As it is still quite new, there are new things being added every day still and I'm really happy to know that some of my other crafty friends have shelf spaces as well. 

So, I'm looking forward to an exciting 2013 with new outlets, new fairs, new products... I'm definitely quite excited by everything! 

That Friday Feeling...Giraffes!

I've just been talking to one of my close friends via that fabulous invention of Skype and asked her what I should pick as my theme this week. She didn't really know what I was talking about when I said 'theme' but asked if it could be anything, like... for example...giraffes? Well yes, yes it can be a shout out for giraffes! This week's Etsy shout out is dedicated to you Shannon of MosaicGeek fame - I hope that next time we speak on Skype you sing me the song I've added at the end...!

Anyway, for those of you who don't know, I do a weekly shout out of some lovely things I've found on Etsy based around a theme. This week's theme is giraffes, of which there are many cute examples on Etsy. Do go and have a search yourself but also visit the shops I've featured - they are great!

What a cute giraffe crochet pattern from djonesgirlz

Sweet little giraffe earrings by fingerprince

I love this giraffe diaper bag by pollywogsandtadpoles

What little snippets of giraffe information shall I add?

• A giraffe can clean its own ears with it's tongue. Personally I wouldn't want to but always a good party trick I suspect... Their tongues are about 2 feet long. 
• Because they are always on the lookout for predators, giraffes sleep very little. They average about 30 minutes a day. And other animals use giraffes as lookout posts for predators. 
• Giraffes can eat about 35 kilos of food a day. They are herbivores and have a strong liking for accacia trees which have all the nutrients they need bar calcium and salt. Because accacia stores water in its leaves, it also helps in keeping giraffes hydrated. 
• However, when giraffes do go and find some water, they can drink up to 12 gallons of water in one go.
• A baby giraffe is about 6 foot tall at birth.
• If they are attacked and cannot run away, giraffes will kick at their predators - and their hooves have been known to sever a lion's head!
• Giraffes can run at 35 mph although only for a short period of time. 
• It is illegal to tie a giraffe to a lampost in Atlanta. Which makes me wonder when giraffes were so prevalent there that they had to introduce that law...?!
• Giraffes cannot cough. Must be a real pain if they get accacia leaves stuck in their throats...!
• Giraffe markings are all individual  - no two giraffes have exactly the same markings. 
• Today's YouTube clip is verging on the ridiculous but for some reason I don't know many songs about giraffes... can't think why! Anyway, it MUST be fun to be a giraffe! 

Exciting News!

I am super excited at the moment because... I've had my first ever quilt commission! I was showing some of my quilts at Tootopia back in September and a lovely customer asked about some of my designs. Last week I got an e-mail asking if I could make a commission quilt featuring some owls and foxes for her expected niece/nephew. I found a few options and we put this combination of fabrics together:

When I actually got the fabrics I realised that they needed something a little extra to stop them from being too busy and mind-boggling so I tempered them with some plain lime green fabric as well. My lovely customer was quite specific about the quilt being non-gender specific so I used green instead of blue which would have been the more natural match in my head. As a finishing touch, she wanted the quilt to feature some stars as well so we used some red fabric with white stars as the binding. What do you think of the finished product? It has a stripy backing as I couldn't find another suitable backing material (which is insane considering how many colours are featured!) so I've used the same fabric as the stripes in the main quilt. It still needs me to sew on a label and finish off some of the threads, but other than that, it's done and ready to go. 

Inspired: London

I'm really excited today as tonight I am going to the pre-launch party of Inspired: London - a book that is all about fabulous designers and artists from London. I can't remember if I ever actually wrote about it here, but I am lucky enough to be one of the featured artists in the book, so it has a special meaning for me.  I've never been featured in a book before (although I was quite excited to be quoted in the Guardian a few weeks back - about a book I'd read) so this is an exciting time for Creating Trouble. What's even more exciting is that I am finally going to meet some of the fabulous artists and crafters that I have been in contact with over the past year or so. Here's what the front cover is going to look like:

The actual book isn't properly launched until 10th/ 11th November during the Spitalfields 'We Make London' fair but if anyone is going to the We Make London fair in Chelsea on the 4th November I know it is available there. The book costs £12.99 although it is available at the Chelsea and Spitalfield's markets at £10.99. It's going online for sale officially on 11th November so if you're wondering what to get a friend for Christmas, this might be a good call... in the hope that they will buy you a lovely present from one of the designers featured! I can't wait to see what it looks like - I've seen a few sample pages as I was making up my own page but other than that, it's all been top secret for the past few months.

I can't wait for tonight's pre-launch party as it will be a fantastic opportunity to meet some fellow creatives who share similar interests. YAY!

Some new pieces

It's been quite busy here at Trouble HQ recently, which may go some way to explain why I've been so quiet blogging recently. My super-amazing mum offered to help me with some sewing, so last week I took advantage of it and went home on Saturday evening. Arriving fairly late (as I'd had a craft fair) I immediately set to work printing some new designs that I had cut from lino so that we'd be ready to start on Sunday morning. Well, we actually started on Sunday afternoon as I did some more printing on Sunday morning and then some ironing, pinning etc. In the end, my mum and I managed to make quite a few new tote bags with French seams. What do you think of the designs? They will all be in my online store and Etsy shop over the next few days.

I think I might make some ice-blue snowflakes to go with the red snowflakes and I'm wondering about making hearts and lovehearts in other colours too. What colours do you think? And you haven't seen the last of the 'Oranges and Lemons' yet... the design is about to feature in some other items soon, so look out for them!

On another note - I've just noticed that my 'shop' section hasn't been working. I had a huge issue with the design of my blog a week or so ago and I'm assuming that the link must have broken then. I think I've fixed it now so hopefully it's working - but if you notice it isn't, please let me know!

Weekend sales

This weekend was a great weekend for sales. The Craft Britannia team on Etsy hosted a BNR and I got involved in it. I wasn't curating on this one, more just hanging around, chatting, browsing through all the shops and seeing what there was to see. It's ended up in me buying some lovely things, selling a few pieces and generally enjoying getting to know some other crafty peeps. I always really enjoy BNRs, although I find them incredibly addictive and have to force myself to go and do other things! As a result, I haven't done anywhere near as much this weekend as I was planning. So it's going to have to be some extra hours for me over the next few evenings. The penguin stock is looking low at the moment...

First up, I sold this lovely black and white millefiori and vitreous glass mosaic pendant. It went to the lovely Sarah of therainbowgirl who sells gorgeous dyed fabrics, cottons and wools. Sarah has some really lovely green lace that I've had my eye on for a while now... I just need to come up with a good project as an excuse to get hold of it!

Black and White Mosaic Pendant £16.00 & p+p

After that I obviously bought back in to the BNR as I'd been eyeing up some of the lovely goodies available in the other stores. And got bought out again within half an hour! This time it was a pair of coasters which are now on winging their way over to the U.S. - I think that's only my second international order so that was quite exciting. 

Mosaic coasters based on Rubics Cubes £14.00 & p+p

And then finally, I sold my first Christmas decoration! I was kind of hoping I'd have a bit more time to get my Christmas stock sorted out and organised, but I had literally only just listed this tree decoration when it was sold as well!

Felt Tree Decoration £6.00 & p+p

Of course I made some fabulous purchases as well....

I'm looking forward to getting these fingerless gloves from the lovely Shalotte. I've known Naomi through Etsy for a while and am always intrigued by her designs. She makes bohemian-couture yarnwork, clothing and wirework jewellery. I'm definitely looking forward to getting these as the mornings are getting cold on my bicycle! 

Click on the picture to go to Shalotte's Etsy store

I think the rose bath salts from WitchWayBeauty may have already arrived - I wasn't home when the post arrived this morning and I have a 'package was too large' note to go and pick up. Wondering whether I should be good and give these as a present or just say, nah, all for me?!!

Click on the picture to go to WitchWayBeauty's Etsy store 

And lastly I bought some beautiful yarn from SpinningStreak which I am really looking forward to receiving. I'm thinking of making a cowl with this...with some pretty wooden buttons as embellishments. What do you think? I absolutely love the colours. 

Click on the picture to go to SpinningStreak's Etsy store

So there you go, a fairly productive weekend in the end! Certainly put a positive spin on what had been quite a hard week really. Of course I am now really sick so I'm all tucked up in bed feeling sorry for myself, but hey, we can't have everything! 

A Lovely Glamourous Affair

I'm so glad that the first of a whole 'season' of craft fairs went well. On Saturday I was at 'A Glamourous Affair' in Islington where I was lucky enough to have a really good pitch near the door downstairs and surrounded by lovely people.

First of all I had Kate of Kate's Fascinators on my left. Kate makes absolutely stunning fascinators and top hats with really intricate beading and feathers. I fell in love with a gorgeous green one that I really loved. Sadly I don't have any events planned and, while I am obviously trying to convince all my friends to get married, take me to the races, have babies etc etc so that I have an excuse for a fascinator, no one is being very obliging so I shall have to wait a little while I guess. Anyway, you can see her facebook page by clicking on the picture and go over and like it. I'm hoping to see Kate again at A Glamourous Affair next month but also at a few other fairs over the next few weeks...

On my other side I had the lovely Alice of Stitch Your Soul. Alice makes quilts, comforters and other textiles but what she was mostly selling on Saturday were lovely homemade soy candles. She finds vintage tea cups, glasses and bowls to pour her candles into and, because they are made of soy they don't ruin the ceramics or glass. Which means that once your candle has burnt down, you can use your tea set or glass again and you have a lovely piece of china or glassware! What a fabulous idea! Alice sells on Etsy as well as having a facebook page so both links are here: Etsy and Facebook

There were of course lots of other lovely crafty folk around - it was really nice to see Emma of Knickerbocker Glories again and meet all the other amazing stall holders.

In true Bank Holiday style it poured with rain which obviously affected the number of people coming through the door - although there were definitely some visitors who were just trying to avoid the downpour! But the atmosphere inside The Library Bar was great, some of my friends came to visit and say hello and Creating Trouble did quite well. There are some coasters, penguins and pendants all off to find new homes - mostly to be given as gifts I think. One of the pendants I sold was the blue cityscape pendant. It's always been one of my favourite designs and I hope it's new owner loves it.

I also sold a round blue pebble mosaic pendant but... I only made it this week and didn't have a chance to take a photo of it before I sold it! It was a really striking design though so I will definitely be trying to make another one of them this week. Hopefully this time I will remember to take some photos!

All in all, I had a lovely day and it has set me off for the next few weeks in a good way. I'm really looking forward to the next few craft fairs, meeting some of the lovely folk and hopefully selling some more pieces.