Flippin' Sweet

Remember Twinkie Chan, the food-themed-scarf-crocheter extroadinaire Raven interviewed a while ago? After a several month haitus, she's back with new listings on ebay.

Check out the super cool fuzzy poptart scarf, with half-eaten poptart!

If sweet treats aren't your thing, there's also a toast scarf with heart shaped pats of butter-

Auctions end in a day!

Also flippin' sweet is this dress by Keiko Lynn of Postlapsaria. Though this dress isn't on sale, she's got some other items marked down by almost 50%.

Next on the super-awesome list are these Crafty Curio Kits by Jennifer Perkins of Naughty Secretary Club- also the host of the DIY Network's Craft Lab. Each kit contains several bits of vintage and other collectibles and crafty items you can use to create your own repurposed jewelry. Items are arranged in packs according to colour.

Avaliable on etsy.

Last on the flippin' sweet list is Sipderman 3, 'cause by going to see it, I think I was enlightened. I got some really important questions answered, for example: How good does the pie you've been eating at a quaint little cafe taste after you've told your best friend that you've been intimate with his lady friend?

The Answer:

-Amanda

Minimalism and Mud

"...for dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return..."

Can you believe it? These globes that look as though they are made of porcelain or marble actually consist of mud. Molded mud. They're called hikaru dorodango, or shiny mud balls, and the art of making them has been practised in Japan for centuries. They're featured in the new issue of Craftzine which focuses on Japanese crafts.

Each ball is made through a process of shaping the mud into a spherical shape with the use of water, allowing it to dry, and then rubbing the surface to make it shine (they're actually measured according to a shiny scale). I love the simplistic beauty of each ball, which retains the characteristics of the dirt from which it was made. Earth and Water. Art and Spirituality. Minimalism and Mud.

^Pics taken from dorodango.com.
Also see:
Article.
Instructions.

And before you begin to see an activity like this as pointless, a Japanese professor by the name of Fumio Kayo has used dorodango to launch investigations into the psychology of children's play. Some things only appear to be pointless.

-Amanda

Oh, Joy!

Bettyjoy is a one-woman business started by Lucia that gives a whole new spin on the term cottage industry- it's run from her 'little cottage' in the North of England. I stumbled across her site and was impressed by the sheer variety and quirkiness of the items offered- a plethora of cool crafts made by consigners I'd never heard of or seen before. The thing that should really strike you about Lucia is that she seems like you, me, and everyone- a woman who, quite simply, enjoys seeing other people's creations and wishes to share this passion with the world.

Lucia picks her favourite 5 items from the shop (at present!) and tells us why she likes 'em so much.




Lego Earrings

These are fabulously retro and remind me of my childhood making lego houses and gardens. There are matching necklaces too – how fab!! Also by Swank – check out the lizards and lightbulbs earrings and the feathery earrings made from the lesser spotted tigeroo bird!!



Cassette Purse

This is a fantastic design – It reminds me of the good old days before CDs, when your tapes always got chewed up my the cheapo walkman your mum got off the market!! This purse is also really trendy now with the 80’s revival, there are tapes and synths everywhere- speaking of which, check out the patches by Ohgoshmassacre instore too- fab for jazzing up your bag/coat/whatever.



Custom-Made Shopper

I love all the items by Custom-Made but I think this is my fave. Its a really great fashionable shopper, great for carrying your college work in or to wow your work colleagues with. If you are feeling bit down or you think your outfit looks tired just make sure you have this bag with you to jolly it all up and you will be smiling in no time! The little cherry pin detail is really sweet too. I also love the ice-cream pins and hairgrips too – I love anything kitsch and bright. If blue or orange aren’t your thing check out the selection of bags by Sugarcane – I have my beady eye on the leaf and berry bag!!


Sugar Plum Charm Bracelet

This is a much more ‘grown-up’ item than the previous ones, but I absolutely adore the colors of the pearls and wearing this I actually look and feel sophisticated- a mean feat!! This bracelet is really versatile too and could be worn with a jeans and top outfit or to accessorise a much more glamorous outfit for a posh ‘do’. These items make really great presents and I know if I got one of these as a present I’d have a big smile on my face! By Stardust Jewellery.





Cutesypoo Skunks

These little guys are really kicking up a stink at Bettyjoy!! I absolutely adore everything Cutesypoo makes and these are no exception. The detail of the plush toys is fantastic, I love their eyes and eyelashes too! We had really gorgeous some bunnies and bears in before Christmas which sold out almost immediately. We also have other plush toys by different designers –the plush owls are a hoot and the dog with treats on a stick is totally adorable!


For more Bettyjoy, check out her Myspace and Etsy account.

-Amanda

I spend enough time on ebay to know a good thing when I see it.

T-shirt surgery is all the rage on the indie fashion circuit, but if you're familiar with the whole-and I hate to use this word- scene, you know that there are lots who do it but few who do it right; to a high degree of professionalism. Ok, so diy is not supposed to be about attaining mass-produced perfection.. but you have to give props to people who put so much effort into the creation process that the end result is like, wow.

Valerie reconstructs threadless and band tees and sells them mainly through her ebay store. She also sells her handmade originals through her etsy store. Her style is vintage-inspired/ j-pop/punk like many indie designers nowadays, but there's a distinct uniqueness that marks her items as stand-outs from your average diy creation.

It's a highly competitive race trying to buy one of her items on ebay. Those ebay snipers who wait until the last minute to purchase something are vicious! I have never won a single auction of hers, but hope to soon!

She tells me that she may be updating next week, so add her store to your favourites now!

Do yourself a much-needed favour and check out her portfolio here for inspiration.

-Amanda.

Cute Food

A couple of months ago I stumbled upon a site that was filled with delicious treats made out of yarn. Being a yarn lover/crocheter, the scarves on this site really appealed to me. Twinkie Chan makes such adorable scarves, all based on foods!

I recently had the privilege of doing an interview with her, about her crafty business and such.

So tell us, who is Twinkie Chan? On a very literal level, Twinkie Chan is me! :) I wanted a different name for my crafty persona, to make a clean separation from my day-job/serious persona. Twinkie Chan is a gal who finds the world delightful and delicious and wants to share that joy with you!

How did you come up with the name? Chan is my mother's maiden name, and twinkies are just a funny food item to me. I don't like to eat them, as they seem to be made out of spaceage radioactive materials that will last the centuries.

What inspired you to start crocheting such cute things? I've crocheted weird little things since I was really little. I've always been obsessed with fake plastic food. It's just hilarious to me for some reason. So when I wanted to make some scarves for myself a few years ago, I found myself wanting to make them look like foods.

What is your favorite part about having your own business?
I work in publishing by day, and it's my job to support, and guide creative people. I really love helping other people's dreams come to life, but with my own business, it is extra fun to see my own ideas come to fruition.

What else do you do in your spare time? My daytime career is quite demanding, so with my crafty side business, there's not much time to spare! Mostly I just try to spend time with my friends and eat tasty meals together! I've been extremely obsessed with being productive lately, so I tend to use my free moments crocheting or sketching silly ideas on my computer.

What is your advice for people who want to start their own crafty business? There are a kabillion crafty people out there, so if at all possible, try to set yourself a niche, a specialty, a particular manifesto, style, and/or type of crafty item. I think that's helpful in marketing your unique skill and product. I know there is probably a devil's advocate opinion on that one, but it's the philosophy I've chosen for myself!

you can check out more of Twinkie Chan's cute crocheted items at http://www.twinkiechan.com/

Ever thought of starting your own record label?

Well, start thinking.
Dave Conway shows you how, as he chronicles his (mis)adventures in doing just that.

Record Label 101.

-Amanda C.Q.