Thursday Playdates! Susueliza

It's time for our next interview, and this week we'll be joined by Susueliza, who makes an impressive range of items from adorable, chintzy teacup candles to stunning weatherglass items.

Tell me a little about yourself, Susueliza. You make quite a variety of items.
I am a Fine Art graduate from University College Falmouth, and I love making beautiful, useful or just interesting things! I have a rather short attention span and I like to think it means I create “limited edition” pieces, since I sometimes haven’t even finished the first project before I’m on to the next :-S but what I do get finished goes into my new Misi shop.

How long have you been a crafter?
Thanks to my Mother I have always been making crafts. She didn’t like to leave me in front of the TV so instead she would keep me busy with a constant stream of things to make.

How long does it take to make some of your pieces? Is there a lot of work involved?
Some of my items, like my Teacup Candles, are pretty quick to make, taking as little as 30min (not including test times or setting!). Once I have the wax measured and melted it’s just pour, pour, pour! On the other hand I can spend weeks trying to make a good Weather Station. First I have to find the driftwood, then get a good set of instruments, then carefully cut out the right bits so I can put the two together... 

Tell me about the barometers and weather glasses you make. That isn't something you see every day!
The Weather Stations are really my OH’s baby. The idea was originally his, and we have worked together on most of them (the ones he makes by himself we sell elsewhere). Its great fun working with him, especially because the end product is so much more masculine than anything else I make. The really special thing is that every piece of driftwood sparks a lovely memory of the beach... the surf... the BBQ that we had when we picked it up.

What gave you the idea to start selling your items online?
As I said I’m a recent graduate... so I have a lot of debt and a job that simply cannot cover more than the most basic lifestyle, but I can’t stay away from making stuff for long or I go booooring. At the same time my BH (lovely though he is) was starting to grumble that there wasn’t anywhere for him to keep his stuff since every cupboard in our tiny flat was rammed with my projects. So I came to a compromise. I decided to try to sell some of my craftings so that I can afford to buy more materials, and clear some space. I started on Ebay but I got so frustrated with the politics that I have now moved most of my items over to Misi... a wonderful place where no-one is penalised for not having free P&P or the most popular description!!

Do you do custom work, or would you be willing to if asked?
I would love to do custom work. If anyone has an idea they would like realising please drop me a line and I’ll see what I can do!

What other crafts interest you? Do you have any hobbies?
It might be quicker for me to list what I don’t do or haven’t done, but here goes! I crochet, spin, dye, weave, peg-loom weave, sew, embroider (freehand and currently learning crewel), make willow baskets, candles, rag-rug, work with wood & carve, make moulds, jewellery, paint, sculpt, embellish cups and teapots, make felt creatures, calligraphy... there are probably some other things I’ve missed too! I love learning and doing new things, I’m even currently halfway to becoming a qualified hairdresser! After that I’m going to do plumbing or electrics.. I haven’t decided which yet!


Do you have a blog where buyers can keep up to date on your work?
My (new and first!) blog is susueliza.blogspot.com 

Where can buyers find you if they want to purchase your items?
Please come to susueliza.misi.co.uk

Is there anything else you'd like to tell us? 
I’m planning on having an offer on as often as I can... check out my misi shop, facebook page,  twitter and on my blog for details!

Weekend Treats - Shinies!

I've got a lovely selection to share with you today! Now, I'm not all too accustomed to wearing jewellery; I spend so much of my time gardening, cooking and making soap that it just gets dirty or broken, but there really is nothing quite so nice as treating yourself, or a loved one, to something unique and pretty for special occasions.

If there is one thing buyers are spoiled for choice with on Misi, it's jewellery. There is such a range of handmade, unique and beautiful work available for incredible prices, and I'll confess it was very difficult to restrict myself to just a few shops.

Here we go, then!

First up today, with a stunning, cute and very chic floral ribbon bracelet is Maffa.

I simply love the colours in this piece. The muted green and subtle flecks of pink on a silver coloured chain, and the simple elegance of the design. With this style of jewellery it can be so easy to add too much, but this piece is perfectly balanced and could go just as well paired with a coordinating casual tunic and leggins as with a light, Summery dress.

Maffa offers a range of similar pieces in equally beautiful colour combinations and I highly recommend you take a look! I was particularly tempted by a similar bracelet in a ligth brown with purple flowers on the beads. Two colours I love to wear together, but which can sometimes be heavy for the Summer, combined beautifully in a light, airy piece.



One of my favourite pieces overall this week comes from AnnaMcCade, with her stunning etched metal jewellery.

I'm something of a lover of the Norse Gods and feel a special affinity with Odin, so this twin raven cuff in a bold, solid design really appeals to me. The wide, chunky cuff is bold without being bulky, and the quality of the etching is second to none.

I chose a fairly muted piece from AnnaMcCade's collection, but I was sorely tempted by some of her more dramatic offerings; copper etched bracelets with a rainbow sheen to them. Simply stunning!

Given AnnaMcCade's stated enthusiasm for custom work, I am particularly excited! Just imagine an etched copper bracelet with a custom design incorporating runic charms and elegant, elegant raven imagery. Or an offcentre closeup on some winding boughs of Yggdrasil!

What is more, the price of the pieces currently available is incredibly good value.



Next is RosieJo's rough-edged and dramatic fools gold cube necklace.

I love the raw, earthy feel to the piece, and the simple elegance of the overall design. Fools gold is sorely underused in the jewellery trade as it has a really lovely appearance and a cute, chunky cubic crystalline structure, which has been used at its best here.

RosieJo also has some gentler pieces, including felted necklaces and gemstone jewellery, so there is a real range of choices available at her shop.



The geologist in me (yes, I studied geology, I really am that geeky) is absolutely in love with the ammonite cufflinks available at Off The Cuff.

Lovely, simple pieces which have enough sparkle for formalwear while being different from the usual cufflinks available. Off The Cuff also offers watch-parts based cufflinks as well, and I would be very interested to see what other items they may start to offer in the future. Ooh, trilobite cufflinks maybe?  But not lingula. No one loves lingula.



Carrieholder's steampunk charm bracelet is very pleasing on the eyes.

There is so much going on in this bracelet without it being crowded, that it is a real feast for the eyes. This would work well with a whole range of steampunk outfits and you certainly wont' find anything like it anywhere else.



I hope you enjoyed drooling over the shineys as much as I did. Remember; this is just a small selection of what was available!

Father's Day Gifts are Here!

That's right! The supplies are in and the items are ready. The Seaweed and Juniper soap is already wrapped and ready to go, and the sandalwood and sea breeze soaps are just setting in the molds as we speak.

Want to treat your dad, your grandad or any other man in your life this father's day? What could be better than a rustic brown paper gift box stuffed to the brim with two - yes two - bentonite clay olive oil shaving soaps, one shea butter and almond oil moituriser, a lovely brown wood shaving soap dish and two soft, handcut towelling facetowels.

Want a scent you don't see here? I love custom orders and would be happy to make a customised gift set for you! Message me on Misi and I'll see what I can do.

Thursday Playdates! Loobycrafts

Starting this week, a new regular feature called Thursday Playdates. Each Thursday, volunteers willing, I'll interview a Misi crafter and seller and let you know a little bit about them.

First up this week, is Loobycraft, who makes handmade cards and stationary, and offers some really cute pieces.

So Looby, tell me a little about yourself. You make handcrafted cards
and stationary, is that your main focus?
Cards were where it all began for me, and it has evolved from there really. Basically I love playing with paper and paints and stamps, it's often joked that if anything sits still too long in my house, it will be covered in paper - I just love to "prettify" things!

How long have you been a crafter?
I've always enjoyed making things, since I was a child. I have vivid memories of painting in the garden when I was little. As a teenager I started doing some cross stitch kits, and then I started cardmaking in 2004 - it snowballed from there really.

How long does it take to make some of your pieces? Is there a lot of
work involved?
It depends on the piece - some cards some be very quick to make, others can take ages, depending on the detail involved. Probably the most time consuming aspect of the cards, is hand colouring the stamp images I use. With the home decor projects, it's waiting for the paint to dry.

None of my pieces take that long though - mainly because I'm impatient by nature and like quick results!

Where do you draw inspiration for some of your pieces? I notice most of
your work has a very colourful, cartoony style.
I love bright colours - particularly pink! Which is probably why most of my stuff is quite girly. I don't really know where my inspiration comes from to be honest, I just sit and play until I come up with something I like!

What gave you the idea to start selling your items online?
After several years of crafting, I had amassed a huge stock of cards etc. and someone suggested I had a stall at a craft fair. To my surprise, it was very successful and as soon as I got home I googled where I could sell my stuff, found the MISI site, and the rest is history!

Do you do custom work, or would you be willing to if asked?
Yes, I love to do custom orders! Particularly special cards as they are a real challenge - I've been asked to make a Moomin new home card, an Incredible Hulk birthday card, and a Penguin themed notebook amongst others!

There are lots of examples on my facebook page

What other crafts interest you? Do you have any hobbies?
I enjoy scrapbooking and altered as well as cardmaking. My main hobby is my Horse, although I'm told that's more of an obsession than a hobby!

Do you have a blog where buyers can keep up to date on your
work?

Yes!

Where can buyers find you if they want to purchase your items?
They can find me on MISI and they can email me  if they'd like to discuss a custom order.

Great, thank you!  Is there anything else you'd like to tell us?
Thanks for reading!

Thursday Playdates!

I'm starting a whole new feature on the blog, now. From now on every Thursday, I'll take some time out to interview a Misi crafter individually.

Keep your eyes peeled for Thursday, when the first interview wil be posted!

Weekend Treats - Wedding Season!

With June on the verge of arrival, we're getting into wedding season here in the UK, and to celebrate I've decided to make this weeks Weekend Treats post all about Misi wedding accessories.

I know a lot of people use Etsy when looking for unique additions to their weddings, but Misi has a whole lot to offer, too!  Just take a look at my pick of the cutest, prettiest and quirkiest wedding accessories Misi has to offer.

First up this week is BlueButtonBride, with her unique and adorable take on bouquets. This gorgeous cluster of vintage buttons, lace and ribbon is beautiful, different and thriftily eco-friendly compared to the usual fresh floral arrangements.

Thyme2Dream's stunning elven forest ivy headband is not only incredibly beautiful, but also provides a resource for those hard-to-find accessories that combine elegance with a love of the natural world and fantasy settings. These lovely pieces would work well at a wedding for anyone from a Pagan to a LOTR geek!

Bev_Bremner's adorable custom cake toppers are well made and add a touch of fun to weddings. The cute style is very appealing, and I especially like that the toppers can be customised to show off both the happy couple and those close to them, like children and pets. A great way to include the family in the celebration.

I just had to include two of MaggieCook's bridal capelets. Elegant and different, these capelets add a touch of the vintage to bridal outfits. Since all of MaggieCook's works are one off and short-run creations, you're guaranteed to have a wedding outfit unlike anyone elses.

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With such a wide range of cute ideas to choose from, it was very difficult picking just four sellers to feature this week.  These are just my favourites out of a whole range of cute and quirky options for brides-to-be.

And why not finish off your wedding table display with some handmade wedding favours by me?  Custom-made bath bombs wrapped elegantly in double layered wedding favour tulle, lace and ribbon, designed according to your wedding colours and your preferred aroma.  Bombs can be made with a subtle touch of glitter for an indulgent sparkle, or kept matt and at £50 per 25 favours, you're paying just £2 an item for something completely unique and tailored to you!  Check out my Misi shop for details!

Weekend Treats, Books Edition

It's time for another edition of Weekend Treats.  This week, I'll be showing my appreciation for the crafters that make books and reading accessories on Misi.


I'm a keen reader myself, and I have a particular fondness for beautiful, handbound diaries, so I was delighted to discover just how much beautiful stuff there is available right now.

First up for us to drool over is ElenaChiesa with her beautiful, quirky handbound journals.

I love the fun prints and bright colours, and the books look really well made, too.  The cover prints are taken from vintage children's books, and I really love the images chosen.  This would make a great journal for a younger person, or for someone with eclectic tastes.



Next up, we have nofuzzyedges, whose handfelted goods include covered diaries and bookmarks.

I really love the colours in this bookmark set.  The simple patterns and shapes come together to make a lovely landscape.  The set makes these a great purchase for someone like me, who might have several books on the go at once, or for a student who may need to mark a number of pages in a textbook during research or study.






I just have to share Sockhorror's unexpected offerings with you.

As a comics and novels fan, and particularly a lover of small, independent comic artists and writers, I was absolutely delighted when I discovered Sockhorror's shop.  Here we have an independent writer producing their own novels.  It's a risky game, and getting people to hear about your work without the aid of an agent can be difficult, but Sockhorror has found a fantastic way of making it work.  The covers are eye catching and well made, and the story intriques me.

Well I'm not quite sure how to top a find like that, so I'll leave you for now.  But stay tuned for more updates.  Some lovely new soaps will be available very soon!

PRIZE DRAW IMMINENT!

Prize Draw To be Held in ONE HOUR


Get over to the Facebook Page for a chance to win!


Don't miss out on the chance to win a handmade yummy bath set!


UPDATE!

The winner has been chosen!

Congratulations, Rachel, your gift will be with you soon!

Weekend Treats - Kids Edition

Another week has rolled around and it's time for another Weekend Treat. This week, I focussed my attention on the clothing items offered to children on Misi. There aren't as many clothing sellers as I expected, but all of them offer simply stunning quality items. Here, once again, are a few of my favourites.

First up, blowing me away right at the start, is Wee Miss Granny Mush.


Wee Miss Granny Mush offers a range of lovely, simple dresses for girls, all finished with sweet edges in lace, ribbon or ric-rac, and made to a stunning standard. I've never personally been mad about pink, but the cow-print dress shown above was just too cute not to include this week!

Another contender this week for the spotlight was Downwiththekids for their... well, just take one look at this t-shirt and tell me how I could have not included it!



Isn't that the coolest thing you've seen? All handpainted, and you can guarantee you won't see many kids wearing it on the high street.

Finally this week, and one of my personal favourites, is Raggtagg, whose items were so cute I couldn't choose just one to feature!


I love the handmade hoodies and hooded dresses Raggtagg offers. Bright, fun and cute while also being quirky and practical. I must to admit to something of a personal obsession with mushroom prints, which certainly influenced my love of the hooded dress features, and the purple hoodie is just gorgeous.

So, there you have it! Three fantastic Misi crafters offering a range of gorgeous, unique and high quality kids clothes.

Weekend Treats

The seller's website I belong to, Misi, is a really great little place. It is basically a UK-based, smaller version of Etsy. Because Misi is smaller, it doesn't have the same issues with resellers or people claiming handmade while selling factory-made, which is fantastic for buyers. Unfortunately, it isn't as well known as Etsy so doesn't get the same traffic.

With that in mind, to support Misi and the other crafters working there, I've decided that each weekend I will dedicate a post to highlighting the items on sale by other Misi crafters. Picking just 2-3 each week is really difficult, so each week will focus on a specific category.

This week, we'll be taking a look at Home Items. To view the shops for each seller, just click on the photos below.

First up today we have VelvetPaws, whose shop stock currently includes a range of lovely appliqued pillows and bags.



Velvetpaws' shop really stood out to me for the quality of the work. I sew, quilt and applique myself so I know how hard it is to get a crisp, clean finish on sewn work. These cushion designs are so simple, but so very charming!


Next is Freda and Sam, a shop specialising in handknit household soft furnishings.



This knitted throw just blew me away when I saw it. Each of those tiny squares have been knitted and then stitched together so precisely, it must have taken days of dedicated work to produce.

Our third featured Misi crafter this week is Design2Creation, whose gorgeous wooden household items are simple and very beautiful.


I just love this yew cheeseboard! The rustic shape, the pattern of woodgrain, it is simply lovely and very stylish. I dream of building my own eco-home one day, and I can see this sitting on my reclaimed kitchen sideboard.

Last but certainly not least this weak is Caractuspots, offering beautiful, quirky and unique stoneware.


Look at that pitcher! Just look at the little buttons running up the side, and that gorgbeous blue colour. What I really love about Caractuspots' shop is that the item photos include images of the artist at work. Seeing the artist lovingly making the item you buy by hand really fascinates me.

So there you have it! Four truly talented British crafters offering their unique and attractive goods for sale online. Go and take a look! You know you want to.