Wednesday

reetsweet returns to leeds for the final time this year - this weekend!








Hello reetsweeters, it's been a busy year of craft with us - and this weekend is your final chance to grab a unique piece of handmade for your christmas list! Returning reetsweeter Debbie Greenaway - 'The imagination of lady snail' is back to tempt you into her world of fun characters, and lots of print based awesomeness with a modern twist:






'I am an illustrator and printmaker. Currently living in my hometown of Huddersfield. I have recently returned to full-time self-employment (illustration) but I am still holding on to the strings of my part-time job. My work starts out in my sketchbook and through constant doodling and story sentence writing, I try to develop characters from various things I may have seen or heard. I often take my camera and sketchbook out and about with me and draw from outside observation, overheard conversations or from my imagination.





Screen-printing is my favourite way of working and put my designs on to paper or fabric or anything else I can find, to create an assortment of items including limited edition prints, purses, stitched illustrations, badges, cards and bags. At the moment I am working on drawing people, characters with musical instruments, in the hope of creating a fictional band, some colourful images of a narrative nature and a illustrated book of sorts.'


Debbie's work has recently been showcased by Folksy! But we've known about her amazing talents for ages ;-)

reetsweet returns to leeds tji

Monday

reetsweet leeds: this weekend

We have a host of new and established makers for you this weekend in Leeds - we are open Saturday from 10am, and Sunday from 11am.

One of my favourite designers to emerge (she hasn't even finished her course yet actually!) from Leeds in the past year is Sophie Wilson aka Sophie in disguise. Her work is full of wit, hum
our, moustaches, and she loves jumpers and harry potter...






We also have Jenna back again from Pilfered
- a very original designer working in the world of upcycling - taking something old - and making it useful and beautiful again! I love the ethos behind her work - but get there fast on saturday because she sells out and all her items are one of a kind!




why buy handmade? a call to arms (and local shops and events) from reetsweet...



I still meet a lot of people (young and old) who don't really 'get' what handmade is all about, and why businesses like reetsweet and other great fairs and events do what we do, or why handmade shops sell what they do.


We generally find once you've seen one of our events - you get it, but in case you haven't - here's a guide to why you should buy handmade this christmas:

You buy something unique - handmade with care - not made in a huge foreign factory


You support local businesses - keeping retail going in this difficult time - not the big retail outlets


You support local artists and makers to continue refining their work, keeping talent going


Art markets provide a great stepping stone for new business - vital in these times when rents are going up and shops are closing


Your support keeps creative people in your area - rather than going down to Old Landan


We have our next event in Leeds this weekend, and I will be posting lots of previews this week to tempt you in. Come and see what the handmade revolution is all about - buy handmade, and buy local this christmas!



x



reetsweet



Sunday

what have you bought today so far sheffield?

Lots of prints flying our of the fair, plus these from trufflepiglet - boxes of beautiful handmade chocolates for just £5!


(awesome prints & mugs by katrine brosnan)

Super sweet picks from reetsweet sheffield today!

Some more treats for you!...

(joey ramone)

(elodie g)

(carla murdoch)

(hayley wright)



Top picks from today's sheffield fair - come see us for your christmas shopping!

Hello!

As promised, we are live blogging a bit today - and posting some of the top picks from the makers of sheffield here today at the millennium gallery - we are up the escalators in the arundel room - it's free - and we are just opening up shop for the day!


(tape measure print accessories by alison moore)

(magpie printed leather by kathyrn sillance)

(jointed teddy by sian wheatcroft)

It's today in Sheffield with reetsweet!


Morning all! Please bob down on this perfect winter's day today and see us at The Millennium Gallery Sheffield, from 12p to 4pm. We have some perfect gifts 100% handmade, to give to your loved ones, and are situated in The Arundel Room, just turn left and follow the signs from the top of the escalator! Free entry - as always with us! Keep an eye on the blog, facebook and twitter for live feeds from the event!

Saturday

...it's beginning to look a lot like sheffield!



I cannot tell you how excited and honoured we are to be hosting reetsweet tomorrow at the millennium gallery in sheffield (12pm to 4pm).

Never been before? Take a look
here for guidance!... Not only are we situated at the heart of city, nestled between the stunning winter gardens and that fancy train station (LOVE the fountain), we will be by the best cake shop ever (fancie at the winter gardens), surrounded by amazing art at the gallery (come and see the exhibition next door by ian breakwell - it's beautiful)...


(debbie greenaway)


We will have an amazing selection of makers for you...
Including we live here, james green, kay guccione, heather dewick will be there with her bookbinding... We will keep a few secrets for you, but we also have finest imaginary also with her awesome jewellery and stationery and lianne mellor's chinaware (stocked in liberty of london!)... We choose a range of makers from high fashion jewellery, and amazing modern leather, to artisan makers working in traditional mediums. You won't be disappointed Sheffield!

Thursday

Leeds Christmas reetsweet: coming soon!



As you well know we have our very first Sheffield based fair this sunday 27th Nov, but we never forget our
roots, and we are taking over our usual venue in Leeds next weekend as well on Dec 3rd and 4th for a huge and very special christmas fair @ Leeds Corn Exchange...


We have a simply unmissable selection of makers for you, I am bowled over by the talent we will be having
all in one room next weekend, and over the next few days I am going to be whetting your appetite, showing you some fabulous work. This will be a fair to remember!





So Leeds, we will see you
sat 3rd Dec from 10am, and sun 4th Dec from 11am at Leeds Corn Exchange, as always - free entry - and over 25 hand picked stalls of amazing-ness...to keep up to date next year go visit www.reetsweet.com and sign up for our newsletter!



reetsweet's christmas at sheffield: final countdown previews



I think it would be fair to say that I am a big kid, and here at reetsweet I get to let my inner child take over - the ethos behind reetsweet is about bringing a piece of handmade joy into people's lives, getting them away from the high street, buying local, handmade beautiful things!



One of my first reetsweet moments of amazement was seeing this lady's work the first time...Sian Wheatcroft of strawberry kitten; she makes utterly original toys (for big kids) that are so well made...a total joy! Sian began with the larger bears you see here, but has now moved on to making stunning jointed bears, and she also offers a range of prints, small accessories and the bear cushions. She will be at reetsweet's fair in sheffield's millenium gallery this sunday 27th with us from 12pm to 4pm...
see you there!

Tuesday

reetsweet's christmas at sheffield: previews


Another new reetsweeter, and former craft candy regular, on sunday we will be introducing you to Joey Ramone.

Joey lives in Sheffield, and has been making cute fabric brooches, bags and other accessories since 2008 which she sells from her Etsy shop.
She has been a contributor of sewing projects to the magazines Sew Hip, Making Gifts and Quilt Scene 2010 and was delighted to win the Feeling Stitchy Rainbow of Stitches online contest in May 2010 with her embroidery, “Little Tiger's Orangey Celebration”.

Joeysdreamgarden.blogspot.com


Our fair this sunday runs from 12pm to 4pm at Sheffield's Millenium Gallery click here for more info...

Sunday

reetsweet's christmas at sheffield: previews



Here at reetsweet we try to always find new and exciting makers for our events, we are particularly excited to have this young lady next fair - Katrine Brosnan - an illustrator and printmaker based in Nottingham, Katrine studied fine art and since then has explored her love of simple line drawings and illustrations, she turns these into screen prints and lino cuts.


'I love printmaking, the smell, the presses, the plates, the thickness of the ink and all the beautiful ephemera that goes with it. I find it really satisfies my urge to make! The inspiration for my illustrations come from everyday life, visiting new towns and cities or letting my mind wander when doing the washing up. I like to draw people I see who look full of character, whether these are familiar icons or perfect strangers. I sometimes collect surreptitiously drawn or snapped images of strangers to edit into print designs later on. I have started to categorise these, for instance I have a collection of strangers I’ve seen sleeping, men on public transport with their dogs and a series of images of people at airports (airport-raits.)

I have recently finished a commission for a menswear store called LiFE in Manchester. I’ve also just completed making my own range of shiny new wooden brooches and ceramic mugs. I’m a member of Leicester Print Workshop and am often spotted showing my crafty wares at fairs and markets across the East Midlands and beyond....'

Catch her at the reetsweet in sheffield on sunday 27th nov (that's next sunday folks!). For more info see www.reetsweet.com/events.


Friday

reetsweet's christmas at sheffield: previews



Did we mention we have our first event in Sheffield very soon? If you're new to reetsweet, we have a treat for you - reetsweet is no ordinary craft fair, we only select the very best original art, homewares, prints and accessories for you - all at free events. Join us at the Millenium Gallery from 12pm to 4pm next sunday - Nov 27th....Sheffield!

You will be able to meet Jonathan Wilkinson of We Live Here. We Live Here’s prints and products celebrate the buildings and scenes that define where we live. All illustration and design is created by We Live Here founder, Jonathan Wilkinson.



'Inspired by constructivist graphic design and the Bauhaus movement, We Live Here’s pared-down diagrammatical style aims to represent as much detail as is possible in just two or three colours. More recent works take the style in a new direction by attempting to create a more hyperreal image that sits somewhere between illustration and photography. "Above all I get a kick out of reimagining these unconventionally beautiful buildings in my own style. For me it gives the buildings a greater sense of importance and hopefully makes us think a little differently about them too."'

Wednesday

reetsweet's christmas at sheffield: previews


Two more brilliant women appearing at the sheffield fair - we have a boutique accessory maker - Alison Moore - whose bright and playful designs are the perfect gift for any vintage loving woman, and then the very 'hardcore' Jessica Flinn who has a stunning range of silver jewellery including her unique concrete collection...

'Alison Moore began designing and making for the public in 2009, after a lifetime of creating. She enjoys working with tactile media; her current project being 'Kitsch and Stitch', a range of accessories made with beautiful cotton fabrics.




The designer's
inspiration comes from a variety of places, from her surroundings on the edge of the Peak District National Park and memories of the six years she lived in South Texas, to old prints and ceramics.

Alison's aim, is to provide people with new pro
ducts that will become treasured vintage items of the future.'




'I am Jessica Flinn, I design and make handmade contemporary Jewellery from my workshop in Sheffield, I use a variety of traditional metalwork tools; some of which are 100s of years old! I use "hardcore" metalwork techniques - think blowtorches not beads! My current collections are made from Stainless steel and sterling silver. I have four ranges in my current collections: Mosaics, Lace, Spices and finally the concrete range.




I have just over 40 pieces in my collections and these range in price from £20 - £100. I also offer a bespoke design service for one off orders. Your wish is my command!
'

See these makers and more on sunday 27th nov at the millenium gallery in sheffield....free entry! For more information on our fairs and future events please go to www.reetsweet.com

reetsweet's christmas at sheffield: previews


At the Sheffield fair we have two new artists to reetsweet's events - Carla and Ella. Both of these women are leaders in their field, producing modern and fashionable work using age old materirals and techniques...to produce fresh and exciting ideas. A delight!


'My name is Carla Murdoch, I am 23 years old, my craft is ceramics but I also use textiles and wood. I have been a graduate for a year from the University of Sunderland.
I recently bought a kiln and some clay to get myself back into the crafty world.


I mainly make small trinkets like buttons and pieces for jewellery.
My work is fun and sometimes humorous, I make work for people to enjoy and admire. I have been a member of a photography group for almost a year and have been using photos of animals and p
lants to draw into the clay, adding these images to tiles and pots.'





'Pewter is an age-old metal which is seeped in history and tradition within the metalwork industry, which as a designer and maker fascinates Ella. Working from a small workshop in Clitheroe, Lancashire, this influence and inspiration can be seen in her work and has lead to an exploration of old methods of production.



Simplicity of form is used to challenge traditional pewter ware which tends to be heavy and over embellished. Ella's interest in the history of pewter used in our homes, as well as her modern, slightly graphic edge to her designs blend to create pieces that are striking and effective. Pewter is a metal which mellows over time and develops its own patina which gives each design a new character as it is aging. This is something that doesn't just make pewter a one-off purchase but a life long investment that develops as time goes on.

Ella graduated in 2007 with First grade Honours in Designed Metalwork and Jewellery from Buckinghamshire Chilterns University. Since being introduced to pewter in 2006 and winning the Pewter Live student competition run by the Worshipful Company of Pewterers, Ella continued to work with pewter whilst at university and took this time to learn more about the metal. This love of the metal has continued and now all of her work is based on pewter and its unique characteristics...'

Tuesday

reetsweet's christmas at sheffield: previews

(new ipad case - an amazing gift for christmas!)




Once in a while you meet someone nice, so nice, it hurts a little bit, and to top it off they are amazingly talented and so enthusiastic about craft! Meet Kay Guccione, (yes
we have a bit of a crush on her) she is the owner and maker behind lilidrawspictures - she has impeccable modish style and so does her range of bags...

'At lilidrawspictures we design and produce original mod-ish accessories, ox-strong book bags, and upcycled clutch purses. Work stuff: school stuff. We do so without sweatshop labour and with environmental kindness, using old favourite materials. Become a lilidrawspictures Facebook fan - http://www.facebook.com/lilidrawspictures or @lilidraws for your Tweets!'



Meet Kay at our next fair in Sheffield on sunday 27th Nov from 12pm to 4pm...

Sunday

reetsweet's christmas at sheffield: previews



James Green is one of our favourite artists and has supported reetsweet from our very first fair, come and see his achingly beautiful work at the sheffield fair sunday 27th Nov...

'I'm a printmaker based in Sheffield and I specialise in linocut prints. I've been working in the medium for around eight years, and I'm a little obsessed with it. I produce prints of people, animals, landscapes and the occasional absurd dream. I've produced commissioned work for Domino Records, Paul Smith Menswear, Tramlines Festival and I also run linocut workshops, teaching people how to make prints. Oh, I've also recently produced some mugs with my prints on (with the help of Lianne Mellor), so might bring them along to Reetsweet!'


reetsweet's christmas at sheffield: previews

Sheffield is diverse in it's range of makers, which has made selecting the christmas fair nov 27th so much fun for us at reetsweet....some more makers to show you at the nov fair very soon...



'Butterscotch & Beesting is a little business sell
ing confectionery, toys and handmade bits and pieces, powered by a sprinkling of magic and an ounce or two of imagination. It’s all made, designed and illustrated by me, Camilla, but in my head it’s run by two fictitious characters called Betty Butterscotch and Bumblewick Beesting, who together own Butterstings Circus – a magical place populated by troupes of dazzlingly talented performing animals. Betty’s story is that she used to be a quite remarkable trapeze artist, until her ‘accident’ (of which she still can’t bear to hear mention), and she now sells her delicious sweets and treats in the circus sweet shop. Bumblewick, meanwhile, is a conjurer of worldwide renown and is also the proprietor of the circus’ rather special shop...'



What is very special about Camilla's work is how the
original illustrations and narratives to draw you into the world of Betty and Bumblewick and their circus. Camilla's range includes magical potion kits, wands, potion bottles, confectionery, handmade ceramics, screen-printed t-shirts and jewellery, she plans to introduce more confectionery in the future, a book and....a boardgame!