Painting and all things wool in 2009

'Huggy Mummies' - brooches by Jenny Stacy

Tidying the kitchen dresser!

A mention in Selvedge magazine!

My buttons - going off to an exhibition in the USA!

Not everything sold! These wooly necklaces were a complete failure. (Probably itchy!)

I love little things. The brooch was a 'Huggy girl' - I enjoyed painting those.

New limbless dolls (much quicker!) by Jenny Stacy

Knitted hairbands for Tricot Too - I also made knitted necklaces and knitted bracelets for them that year.

 I enjoy looking back - it gives me ideas for now! For example I think why did I make all those felt flowers into necklaces and bracelets? They'd be so much better completely covering the front of a cushion. 

It also reminds me to make more buttons - I never seem to get round to making buttons nowadays and they do sell.

 Do we make things because we know they will sell or do we make things because we love to make? Both I guess. Often there isn't the time to experiment enough. And experimenting with a new idea is the most fun I think.

 For example, today I want to try out ideas for Christmas decorations. I have a picture in my head of an unusual handmade decoration but will it work? Can it be achieved in a two hour workshop and will people love making it? And (secondary) is a variation of it saleable?

In 2009 there was a Textiles show at Petworth House (a National Trust property open to the public). It was good to have a stall there. I had run into the editor of Selvedge magazine at the Country Living magazine show and she said she'd like to feature my dolls. I never heard anything more and, being me, didn't push it.

I loved painting the Huggy Mummies. Several women told me they tucked one secretly into their daughter's suitcase when they went off to school or university.'So they could look at it and imagine me giving them a big hug'...

Ideas make way for other ideas. This week it's fairies - want to devise a quick way of making one for the top of the tree before next Thursday's workshop!

Tricot Too and making experiments - early 2009

I remember making this necklace and liking the colours. Felt and velvet necklace by Jenny Stacy

'Not in Sale'- my work in Tricot Too. Painted beads, handmade felt, crochet, dolls and Liberty necklaces and bracelets

Strawberry necklace by Jenny Stacy

I love the look of this Out of Xile poster

An experimental bit of knitting.

This is a brooch! Wooly jumper brooch by Jenny Stacy

Another wooly jumper brooch designed by Jenny Stacy

 I'd like to make these happy jumping brooches again. In fact, with a bit of tweaking they could wear clothes too!

It was a snowy winter and I made a lot of felt, and crocheted and knitted and enjoyed working at Tricot.

Tricot Too used to have a sale in early January and lots of women eyed up the stock beforehand and then came in and bought when most things were half price or less! The sort of clothes that couldn't date because they were unusual.

Meanwhile I was making, making, making for the Spring Country Living show in March...
(See below for a post on Kate Box's beautiful work.)

New from Kate Box

Large wrap or throw made by Kate Box

Love these zipped knitted patchwork bags made by Kate Box

Some of the nicest presents you can imagine are made by Kate Box. She has just made three large size zipped bags which could be used as a pencil case, make up bag, sewing bits bag or just as a clutch bag for everyday essentials.

Kate makes the shop's very popular stripey wrist warmers and baby blankets. And now she's making an adult size blanket which is lovely to wrap round you as the evenings get cooler or just wear as a super-size scarf. Kate has just made two of these wraps - one with navy and one with grey. As many of our customers will agree - a brilliant Christmas present!

Thank you to Carol Smith for taking these pictures for me as my camera charger is still hiding! 

London for inspiration

Love these Japanese papers in Liberty

A curtain of used fruit tea bags in Anthropologie 2008

A chandelier of plastic cups, plates etc also in Anthropologie

I remember being pleased with this felt I made. Love the colours

Strawberry felt brooch by Jenny Stacy.

A page from Jenny Stacy's notebook winter 2008

One of Fortnum and Mason's Christmas windows showing a scene from Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake.

 Looking back, the most popular posts have been the ones about London. I also used to post weekly pictures of the clothes in the window of Tricot Too. They were very popular too.The clothes were unusual for their time and attracted a very individual following.

I love making felt and used to make dozens of these strawberry brooches and felt flowers for jewellery. I remember getting Vogue as soon as it hit the newstands and tearing out any pictures that resonated with me. 

Anthropologie, had just opened in Regent Street and was/is highly innovative. Seeing how they recycle rubbish into art is always exciting.

More pictures tomorrow in this week long walk down memory lane in celebration of 7 years of Handmade Happiness blogging! 

What I was making in 2008

I knitted lots of these beads for jewellery 

These were made along with other pastel jewellery and a Liberty rabbit for a fashion shoot in a magazine

At a fair. A typical Jenny Stacy stall!

Dollies and jewellery in an exhibition cabinet at Havant library.

Selling outside in central Petersfield. With vegetables and flowers from my garden!

Every week I'd picture my jewellery on the Tricot Too mannequins. Felt brooches by Jenny Stacy.

A Jenny Stacy necklace in the window of Tricot Too

I started working at Tricot Too early in 2008. I loved the clothes and the clothes inspired the jewellery. Since many of the clothes were grey I could be as colourful as I liked. The shop and sister shop Tricot Designs in Arundel, also sold my buttons and even, for a short time, my dolls.

I also loved meeting and serving the customers. Handmade Happiness is across the street from where Tricot used to be and it's nice when those same customers come into my own shop.

In 2008 I also did craft fairs as pictured.The best venues for selling are charity coffee mornings but there are much fewer of those than there used to be.

2008 was also a good year for the garden and many of the blog posts show pictures of garden flowers or vegetables from the garden. Not handmade but definitely happy!

Remembering - 2007-2008

I made lots of these blanket stockings for the Country Living magazine Christmas fair

One of  Fortnum and Mason's Christmas windows - a really popular blog post

Looking ahead - pages from my notebook at the time

I had a regular table at Farnham Maltings then -2007

I still like this Jenny Stacy bracelet!!

Back to  Country Living magazine's London fair for Spring 2008 

Looking back to the early days of this blog I remember how much making I did. Every day I made stuff especially in the three month run up to the big London shows. 

I also went to London regularly and took photos for the blog. I still go to London regularly but it's to spend time with baby grandaughter now. Family is pivotal but I have a rule not to put photos of them on the blog. The blog is about Handmade and Happiness as my kids remind me if I ever express a political opinion in a post.

It's changed over the years. Now the shop is all important and recently, the shop's workshops. Readership peaked in 2012 and 2013 when I wrote a post every day. So I'll write more often. Commenting is problematic and it's a blogger problem, not mine. But lack of comments won't deter me from blogging regularly. Tomorrow I'll pick out photos from 2008.
Cue Dr Who theme tune...!

Celebrating 7 years of Blogging!

Happy mannequins seen on a market stall in Amsterdam

 Yes, my first blog post was written on September 22nd 2008. 

I like to look back and this week will share some of those first pictures and words with you. A recurrent theme is my desire for a shop of my own and this finally happened in 2011.

I often showed pictures of clothes and accessories at Tricot Too, a shop I made for and worked at. It's closing gave me the necessary push to start my own shop.

I enjoy writing my blog, especially the more thoughtful posts. I'll write more than usual this week. Thank you to everyone that's stuck with me and read from the very beginning and welcome to new readers to the blog that became a shop!

Sunny side up!

A way to be really happy in life is to train yourself to always be optimistic!
Whatever happens today, tomorrow will be better, much better. 

As this blog nears its 7th anniversary I am happy that Handmade Happiness the blog is still going.

 Handmade Happiness, the shop, is just about to be 4 years old and I honestly think that the bricks and mortar version gets better and better as it attracts more and more talented people to be a part of its success.

Today, just as I was being woken by the alarm - dentist appointment early(!) I had another idea which I'll share with you soon. Meanwhile both blog and shop are not going anywhere. And this week I plan to post much more regularly in honour of this blog's 7th birthday tomorrow!

Monoprinting evening

Monoprinting with Carol Smith on Thursday was one of the most successful Handmade Happiness workshops. Thank you Carol.
 I love the fact that this simple printing technique can be combined with collage, drawing and a bit of glitter to produce charming results.

I'd like Carol to repeat this workshop for all the people that wanted to come but couldn't. If you feel you'd like to learn monoprinting get in touch and I'll let you know when the next session is.

Rebecca made these lovely Christmas card designs. Photo by Carol Smith

Ann experimented with various techniques. Photo by Carol Smith

The next Handmade Happiness workshop is on Thursday October 1st on making Christmas fairies. 
I'm making fairies in the shop right now. 22 so far! Just waiting now for 100 heads to dry! I also want to experiment with making some much bigger fairies and I have an idea for some very special Christmas items on this theme for the shop. Watch this space...!

Monoprinting this Thursday with Carol Smith

Examples of card designs with monoprinting by Carol Smith

Simple monorprinted card design examples by Carol Smith

This week's workshop is one I'm looking forward to. I've never done monoprinting before but Carol Smith uses it for her landscape pictures (see previous post) and has kindly agreed to teach the technique on Thursday night at Winton House. Ring the shop on 01730 267711 during opening hours if you want to join in.

The following workshop on Thursday October 1st is on making Christmas fairies. I'll publish the full workshop list from now til Christmas just as soon as I can find my camera charger...
Meanwhile I'm grateful to Carol for emailling me these photos.

  

Get a shop - meet interesting people..

My hydrangea bush is becoming more multi-coloured with the onset of autumn.

The sun shines through a tall hollyhock

This week I've particularly enjoyed listening to a man who makes dresses for 'Strictly'. When he described the way he adds crystals and sequins to finish off dresses worth thousands I felt I could listen to him forever. He also makes costumes for films and other television programmes as well as his own couture collection each year. Stupidly I didn't ask his name...hope he visits the shop again.

Then there was the art dealer. He looked at the items in the shop purely in terms of re-sale value. The big quilt by Pam Dew momentarily excited him. He also liked the embroidered nude brooches by Carol Smith. But as he said ideally you need to have won the Turner Prize and/or be supported by Saatchi to acquire the right provenance for re-sale in the current art world. I've noticed that generally speaking older artists are not good at promoting themselves. Is being considered an established, valuable artist as much to do with self promotion as it is with real talent?

A woman customer told me she's very good at copying. After looking carefully at several items she plumped for one of my fairies. 'Those are my designs,' I informed her. 'Ah, so tell me how you've made them.' 

At least she bought one. But it poses an interesting question. When you sell what you make are you selling the design as well as the item when you part with it?

Yesterday a lovely lady bought in some cashmere baby bonnets she has knitted. I think they are exquisite. Unfortunately the shop was full when she called and she rushed off not leaving her contact details. I can manage without knowing the names to any of the above mentioned shop visitors but I need to know her name so please contact me if you read this...  

Tomorrow's Bunting workshop

Pretty bunting for workshop and two tiny fairies by Jenny Stacy

Close up of  bunting made for tomorrow's workshop by Jenny Stacy

When you want decorations fast this fits the bill. Whether you're making bunting for a wedding or village fete or just want some prettiness to hang on a bedroom wall my collage bunting is fun to make and easy.

Collage bunting I've made in the past has had a lot more painted paper in it and glitter but I suppose I had my younger daughter's wedding next summer in mind when I made this. 

The workshop tomorrow night is from 7 to 9pm. Only two hours but easily enough time to make something like this and then to add extra flags when you get home to make it as long as you like.

Handmade Happiness needs your old magazines. Please drop them in instead of puting them in the recycling bin. I make carrier bags from the covers and small bags from the inside pages. Particularly pretty photographs in magazines can be used for collage like this!

If you intend coming to tomorrow's workshop at Winton House please let me know. The workshop will not run unless there are enough takers to make it worth doing.

New work by Sheila Barrow

Mixed media picture by Sheila Barrow

Acrylic inks and stitching into brown paper by Sheila Barrow

Mixed media on canvas by Sheila Barrow

A path running through the garden. Love this one. Embroidery and paint by Sheila Barrow.

Embroidery by Sheila Barrow

Poppies embroidery by Sheila Barrow

Sheila Barrow has just brought new work and lots of her handmade cards into Handmade Happiness. Look carefully at her work. Would you like to learn how to do that? I'm pleased to say that Sheila has agreed to run a workshop at Winton House next year so watch this space!!

Autumn cardi for baby

Pattern by Erika Knight. Knitted by Jenny Stacy for her grandaughter

Love this orange with wood buttons and red thread. Knitted by Jenny Stacy from an Erika Knight pattern.

Yesterday I went to Brighton and finished off Juno's cardigan. Now she is one and often wears a dark denim pinafore. I reckon this colour will look really good with it. There are even pockets for her treasures! And it's 100% cotton so should wash well in the machine.

I haven't been to Brighton for ages and it was a treat to wander the lanes again. 

One of my favourite shops is Ditto for fabrics, buttons and ribbons. It's in Kensington Gardens. Fabrics are reasonably priced and unusual. Lots of cottons. I was looking for Christmas fairy fabric for the workshop on Thursday October 1st and found most of what I wanted there. 

Years ago I made childrens' accessories for a neighbouring shop called Nipper. They made childrens' clothes from really nice fabrics many of which they found at Ditto. I expect some of you still have the Nipper catalogue with drawings by one of the women who ran the company.www.dittofabrics.co.uk

In Sydney Street there's a nice shop called Pen to Paper which is all things stationary. They have these inks in all the colours imaginable and I got yellow/green ink cartridges for a fountain pen and a big butterfly stamp for Thursday's workshop on making card bunting. www.pentopaperonline.com

Prettiest shop award will have to go to Bluebelle and Co.
www.bluebelleandco.co.uk

So many cafes. So many people. I guess Brighton is always crowded even on a Monday. I ploughed on to Appendage which, like Handmade Happiness has a really good selection of contemporary craft work. Some beautiful handmade items here.

When living in Chichester I visited Brighton much more often than I do now. Shame it's such a trek because visiting Brighton is always inspirational. If it had a wool shop my happiness would be complete. It probably does but where?...

Future plans

Party banner by Meri Meri. I do like a bit of gold glitter!

I now know what workshops will be happening between now and Christmas. If you've ever been to one before and I've got your email address you will soon know what they are too.

This month there are just two but more in October and November. On Thursday September 10th there's a chance to make your own bunting banner - painting it and collaging it, even glittering it if you want to.

The following week, Thursday September 17th Carol Smith will show us how to master monoprinting which is the ideal springboard for impressive handmade Christmas cards. I'm excited about this one. And the bunting one too, but you'll have to put up with me as the teacher on that one!

If I haven't got your email address and you think you want to attend either of those workshops ring me during shop opening hours - 01730 267711 or email jennystacy@tiscali.co.uk  or, even better, call in to the shop and marvel at the selection of art and craft made by local artists while booking yourself a place.

All workshops are held at Winton House, opposite Marks and Spencer from 7-9pm. £10 to cover all materials, tea, coffee, snacks and a free glass of wine. See you there?