paper – and so she thinks

BUST Craftacular

admin — Tue, 23 Aug 2016 10:21:27 +0000

As should now be apparent, craft is super cool. An expression of personality, and opportunity to indulge the creative side, and a desire to be a bit more authentic in how we consume, there’s a whole host of people not only dabbling in craft but popping up and making a living from them. Super sassy BUST magazine know this.

The BUST Craftacular London summer session brought some of the best in the capital together to share their skills and wares at York Hall in Bethnal Green. Nearly seventy stalls filled the Bethnal Green venue, including wooden jewellery from Lucie Ellen, quirky postcards by Lucy Wilkins, lovely sewn bags by East London’s Olive Road, some organic haircare courtesy of Glasshouse and prints on offer from Su & Miah.

As well as all the opportunities to part with your cash for something beautiful, workshops throughout the day let participants try it out themselves. London Craft Club set up plant pots for individuals to paint, the colourful thumbs being a giveaway as to who had given it a go. The retro art of friendship bracelets was there with Mollie Makes and The New Craft House, and Live It. Love It. Make It. has brightened up homes (including my own!) with some paper cut wall hangings.

Tatty Devine is one of the success stories of the homegrown creative business. Started by best friends Harriet and Rosie in 1999 as a panicked reaction to a Vogue buyer asking Harriet to see her collection after spotting on her wrist the leather cuff she had made, it’s now a global jewellery range, specialising in bright and bold design. Using acrylic I was taken through the steps of making a bunting necklace, that will jazz up even the blandest of black work outfits.

Most of the designers and makers at BUST Craftacular sell and run workshops throughout the year. From the oooohs and smiles around the fair, it seems like new and old crafters alike will be sampling what’s on offer, and joining the cool crowd.

Getting crafty with Homemade London

admin — Tue, 23 Sep 2014 10:47:14 +0000

As adults we often neglect creativity in our lives, instead focusing upon the efficient and effective achievement of a useful goal. To play, to create, to make, to be frivolous just for the sake of it – surely that’s kids’ stuff. Well no. studies have proven that the benefits of creativity include stress reduction, positive emotions, connections with inner ‘flow’ and a general feeling of well being. I know I like making things (including a mess), but the trouble is that I’m not a painter, a sculptor, a sewer, a butcher, a baker (well) or a candlestick maker. Thankfully, at Homemade London, the independent craft workshop in Seymour Place, London, you can be all, as my taster of their offerings proved.
Sustained by Earl Grey gin fizz cocktails, rose and thyme vodka mules, mini English sandwiches and Eton mess in china floral teacups, a group of London bloggers were given the chance to try out some of the classes on offer in the charming and colourful store.

We kicked things off with paper craft, embossing on card and making crepe paper flowers. Later on we tried printing on fabrics, by making our own block stencils and leaving our marks on small napkins. The highlight for me was definitely the perfume making session. Founder and owner of Homemade London, Nicola Barron is a perfumer, and her knowledge and dedication to the coordination and concoction of the perfect scent for each person stirring. Using only natural oils and aromatherapy techniques we all came away with a fragrance suited to our skin type and personality, as well as new knowledge.

Their motto is ‘create the things you love’, and I like to think that this is not just about having things in your home that you love, but creating them. In the days of convenient mail order, flat pack pieces and off the peg homogeneity, there’s something wonderful about putting your effort into making thing, your heart into your home. All around are inspiring examples of craft and art, with quaint pieces poking out of stylish décor, and the staff are helpful and reassuring.

So on offer, as well as the above, is sewing, candle making, knitting, paper cutting, chocolate truffles and lingerie making. If you can’t decide what you want to make from their dizzying array of options, there’s always the £10 mystery workshops. Each is an hour long and have included jewellery making, personalised mugs, drawstring bags and machine-stitched notebook covers. A feeling of contentment and a creative gift to take away with you, for a tenner in London. Bargain.

Cellophane Flowers – Staring At The World

admin — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 22:18:58 +0000

Released 3rd December

Upon discovering that they describe themselves as ‘psychopop’ I was immediately struck with fear and an image of an Aqua covers band, delirious having od’d on Skittles and sniffed to much sherbet, singing in a helium fueled voice. Thankfully The Cellophane Flowers are nothing of the sort, and take their vibe from the far cooler song about Lucy and her Diamonds. Their debut EP revealed a band of an insistent and interesting pop sound, and this, their full length album, Staring At The World, shows that the promise on the first set of songs was no magical accident, but the fruits of a very talented band.
The shimmering first notes of Voices suggest that this may be a soothing slow folky style affair (sorry, but I can’t take any more Mumford soundalikes) but the pace quickly picks up into song that is a prism of primary colours. Grooving with sixties savoir and swinging with fifties flair, the whole album has a hypnotic and punchy feel.

Francesca’s vocals are reminiscent of Kate from The Long Blondes, with a sketchy smokey sound of The Postmarks. As delightful as the seductive and lovely languorous singing style is, The Cellophane Flowers don’t rest upon their frontwoman to deliver like so many bands do, with a tight and compelling rhythm section in Nick, flanked by Luca on bass and Ian on guitar, both of whom traverse the fretwork to deliver a discordent frenzy of psychedelic indie.
Whether verging on the line of sweetly sinister with Belinda, buffering up to the edges of euphoria on Time or traversing happy loops and crunching sounds, such as on the angsty Rock’n’Roll, the band are animated and experimental, but never forget what they are there to do – deliver one heck of a pop gem. An album launch party live show has also been confirmed for 6th December at Paper Dress Vintage in Shoreditch – we recommend you get down there!