Happy Halloween!

It might be over now for another year, but I hope every witch and warlock out there had a Happy Halloween! I spent the past Halloween week at Blackpool Zoo, where there were lots of ghoulish goings on, notably pumpkin carvings that were then fed to the animals! Until next year, I shall leave you with a few images of the critters enjoying their spooky snacks...

 

 

Get BUYING Not Just Crafting!

Further to a post I made earlier, I thought I'd just like to point out the unique potential for buying handmade crafts on websites such as Folksy, Etsy and eBay.

I have been buying handmade, upcycled or customised items from these online platforms for a few years now, simply because they offer me a better chance of finding a fabulous present that represents the people I'm buying for. All to often around gift-giving festivals, we find ourselves trapped in the unhelpful mindset that we have to buy something - ANYTHING - for our loved ones! In fact, because we're too busy stressing, our brains don't seem to work logically and thoughtfully. Simply put, we don't end up getting the things we'd really feel happy giving.

Why not try a purple Halloween cobweb dress on for size?
Designed by Jennifer Lilly Designs

Well, the great news is (it's not news - it's merely a wake up call) that you can get all these things online! No pointless gifts, no dragging your tired self from store to store and lugging all your ill-advised spending after you - instead, you can be guaranteed that the quality of your present bought from Folksy, for example, is exceptional because someone has slaved over it, as opposed to it being casually ignored in the quality control of a huge factory somewhere on the other side of the world.

But chances are if you're reading this it's because you're into hand crafted items, you may even dabble yourself. However, as I pointed out two posts back, so many designers who upload their own work to these sites don't actually buy from fellow designers and crafters. You don't need me to tell you they're a great source of rich and innovative present ideas. You must know that yourself! So what's stopping you from buying?

Purple Halloween Cat Cushion.

Designed by Emily MacLeay, Miscellany Designs

Over the past two-three years I've bought: 2 hand-printed T-shirts (football and cricket), one hand-printed constellation tie, one upcycled malt sack beer bottle carrier, one clutch bag, one upcycled button earring and bracelet set, one beautiful burgundy handbag - that's just off the top of my head and all that must have cost about £50! I know there's even more I could list, I just can't recall it! I already have some presents lined up for this year's shopping list (which, let me tell you, is a weight off the ol' shoulders), and I recently bought myself a Halloween cushion - which, I supposed, is more to the point of this blog!

My Halloween cat cushion was a great find and is happily sitting on my bed as my favourite addition to my Halloween decoration this year. But there are so many more! In fact, if you're looking to add some handmade Halloween items to your repertoire this season, then do so NOW before you run out of time! The Folksy gift guide is a great starting point. Handmade Halloween (or Christmas for that matter) decorations are a worthwhile investment. You won't get in a tangle putting them up, they're environmentally friendly, they're designed with love so they're definitely unique and homely, and you don't have to throw them away  because they won't rip or be broken!

Mr Spooky Handmade 'Boo' Card

I don't often get to see my friend Laura these days as she has fled to London. However, we do like to send small spooks in the post, and Halloween is perfect for exchanging tiny trinkets and cards.


This year I have sent one of my Hello Kitty Halloween hair bows, and I have also prepared a handmade ghost card, featuring my beloved Mr Spooky (one day soon he will feature a top hat and monocle, I assure you!). It's a really simple concept as you can see, but I love it when different crafts come together. So, for example, people don't traditionally consider card making with felt and stitched crafts. Here you will see that I've used a basic black background to help Mr Spooky's translucent attire stand out. Felt is so effective when you're dabbling with simple designs and contrasting colours. The addition of thick black stitches around his outline brings a touch of country-chic that adds definition and that uniquely simple handmade touch.

I have some fantastic black and orange mini check ribbon that I got from this excellent craft store, Crafty Ribbons, and it's one of the best Halloween investments I could have made. It's great for making garland, bows, hair grips and just as a special touch to any project you're working on. So, I made a little black and orange checked bow to add to the top right corner of my card and to use as a border across the bottom.

I also decided I needed to fill in the space besides Mr Spooky. I thought about using 3D glitter pens to create the 'boo', but mine had basically run out and I was looking for something a little different. Thus, I opted for my orange star sequins - perfect! I actually thought it would a lot messier than it does, but super glue is great as it dries clear.

I've been so impressed with my Mr Spooky card that next year (unless life intercedes) I plan to create a range of Halloween cards, so you have that to look forward to!

 If you like anything you've seen, just contact me, or leave a comment. I'd love to know what you think, or if you have any tips you want to share with me!

Boo-ming Halloween Business & Tips From The Ground Looking Up

Business has been coming in thick and fast since I packed away academia to salvage what was left of the Halloween preparation time!

A couple of months ago, I decided to foray into the hitherto uncharted territory of eBay, and it's looking like it's paid off. Both my Halloween Hello Kitty hair grips and my Blackpool pride grips have done well in the last two months I've been testing the market on eBay. Considering I've only listed three designs and two of those have sold has more than exceeded my expectations.

These Hello Kitty hair bows in her Halloween garb are so cute no one can resist!

In fact, one slice of advice from someone who is doing nothing more than that with her designs - merely testing the market to see what sells before trying to dare to imagine herself as a full time crafter - is that eBay is perhaps a more reliable marketplace than sites which allow independent crafters their own place in the spotlight. I've been haphazardly listing on Folksy and Etsy for a couple of years now, and have yet to sell more than a couple of items. Two months on eBay and I've already more than doubled my sales.

It seems to me that eBay is a more even playing field, with those looking to sell and buy in equal proportion. While it is good to have a base on the other sites, it strikes me that most designer use these as a means to compare their own products and so very rarely buy from other designers. In short, we're all looking to nurse our own nest egg. My experience at least has been that no matter how many page views I get, few actually buy, whereas the same items sell quickly on eBay.

I can't say, however, that it really surprises me, but I can say that I buck that trend. The past three Christmases I have bought a substantial amount of my presents from Folksy, and even treat myself to items throughout the year, as well as eyeing up unconventional gifts for those friends and relatives that I wouldn't come by on the market. If in fact designers aren't buying from fellow designers, then I think that is a shame. We should all be encouraging each other by purchasing each other's great designs! Not just expecting that we can list and not pass any trade in another's direction.

New Halloween Creations!

It's that time of year again and since I've packed up my studies for the foreseeable future, it's time to focus on the things that really matter!

My creative tentacles have been busy stitching lots of ghoulish items over the past few weeks, so I thought I'd share some of them with you here. As always, if you like what you see, visit my shops on folksy or etsy.

 

Killer Bananas! Woo's Project For Halloween

Two Christmases ago I crafted this little vampire/evil banana skin for my boyfriend. We had had a conversation about creating a game around killer banana skins that latch onto people's faces and, well, kill them! So I decided to make him this friend to remember that idea by.
He is made of three parts of yellow felt, lined cream in the inside and stitched with bold brown cotton thread. I have also inserted wire in between the layers of felt so that the skin can splay out or be arranged into a position! I must admit, a killer banana would be a great addition to any Halloween party! They can be positioned anywhere in the house, on a banister to greet guests or on top of a cupboard to surprise your housemates!
Inside the banana skin in green and purple felt 'slime', as this is the banana's secret weapon! And I must admit, I think the googly eyes really set off his koo-koo look! And yet serve to make him slightly loveable...
Once my MA is completed, I'm hoping to make a few of these terror banana skins specifically for Halloween! Including some new pals for a whole army of them...

To Absent Friends...

Happy New Year fellow Witches!

Things have been rather hectic at Witchy Woo Crafts of late, which somewhat accounts for my absence from the blog-writing world!

In September I began my MA (which I've been putting off for three years and could put off no more!) and needless to say it involves a lot of hard work, reading and not much stitching. In other news, however, I also sold one of my smiley candy corn brooches on Etsy, which was a nice piece of Hallowe'en treatage!

However, until next Hallowe'en, the world of Witchy Woo is going to be relatively quiet, though I am still forraying into craft fairs and doing the odd crafty job here and there. My New Year's resolution is to make more of an effort so check back for updates!