Wednesday 22 September 2010

Promoting Handmade.



As a designer-maker with my own website business I am very aware how important it is to promote my work in order to draw new people to my site; no browsers equals no orders after all. Fortunately for me the handmade business community is one which, unlike that of the mass produced marketplace, is generous, works together to help promote each other and as a whole is supportive of each other. I cannot count the times some other maker has come to my aid with marketing/website/anything-you-can-think-of advice, all for free, all with no agenda other than to be helpful.



Small businesses specialising in the handmade are also very lucky to have wonderful resources on hand in the shape of UK Handmade and makers-online which is currently running a Spotlight campaign on its blog. This enables people like myself to raise the profile of each other's websites by offering links on our blogs. What a great way to hopefully introduce you to some new designers in the world of handmade! As well as running the Spotlights, makers online has a great range of handmade accessories including some from many of the makers featured in this post (and yes, that does include me too!).



So, to start you off...

Seventyseventyone

Seventyseventyone is a designer/maker working with felt to create the most gorgeous felt brooches. Her designs are highly sculptural and are heavily inspired by the designs and colourways of Scandinavian ceramics and fabrics of the mid 1960’s. I really want the funky lime green Loopy Corsage!


Handmade Crafts Directory

Rachel Lucie

Rachel Lucie designs and makes the most beautiful handmade silver jewellery & works with semi-precious gemstones, pearls and Swarovski crystal to create truly gorgeous pieces. Her website is packed full of delicate images which perfectly capture the ephemeral quality of her work, much of which is inspired by her Grandma's 1920's jewellery and the Art Deco style of the 30's.



Dig The Earth

For truly contemporary designer cards you can do no better than to pop over to the Dig The Earth website. Here you will find bright cards and giclee prints using 100% recycled card, and museum quality inks to ensure the best quality possible. Anyone of these works would brighten the darkest winter day.



Milomade

Evie Milo is based in Scotland and has a serious love of stationery! She takes the unused and the unwanted as a basis for her work, turning it into beautiful upcycled stationery with a range which includes envelopes, notebooks, paper garlands and greeting cards. She also designs and produces upcycled jewellery using the same ethos of turning something no longer used into something to be loved.



The Handmade Crafts Directory

The handmade crafts directory from handmade-crafts.co.uk aims to provide a high quality crafts directory for makers from all craft disciplines. It works to get makers seen and also to help find others in your area working in the creative field. Well worth a look.



So, there you have it. All these sites have blogs which can be found by clicking onto the links above. They really are full of wonderful things and information as well as providing a lovely read. Please do find some time to pop over and support the world of Handmade. Oh and don't forget me either!



Thank you x

17 comments:

  1. Isn't it lovely that there are stil people out there who want to help each other and who don't just grab everything for themselves. I will certainly be popping over to those websites and of course your work is also really great too and I have your little heart hanging on my bedpost to remind me of that - it still smells lovely too!

    By the way you have won a consolation prize in my giveaway - so pop over to my blog for more on this.

    Jane x

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  2. Lovely that there is so much support and encouragement out there Pipany, I do have a particular favourite though...your products are lovely.

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  3. Hi Pipany,

    I will have a look at the website! The notebook with the little house looks very sweet. Love the autumn colours!

    Lieve groet from a sunny Holland,

    Madelief

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  4. Oh, dear, Pipany, I didn't realize that I had missed so many posts!!! I've read them all, now, and I am so excited for you and your family and Mre Dave and The Mermaid. When I was growing up, my family would go sailing. (we did live right next to the Pacific Ocean, after all.) Now, my parents have upgraded and we have the same little sailboat that I grew up on. We've had so much fun as a family (although, the water - Lake Champlain - is a ways away!) It IS fun to find our own little Island inlet and to camp out! And, yes, salt air does make one so hungry, no? =] I love the look on your family's faces - what a special time!

    It's funny that you just got your notecards together. They are lovely!!! I am just working (as fast as I can before the autumn rush of tourists come) on putting together some notecards, too!

    I'm wondering when I am going to ever cross anything off of my list. I'm glad that the return to routine has been so pleasant and fruitful for you and congratulations on finishing the sleeve!!! (You are so funny, btw. - your whole explanation of that had me chuckling.)

    Well, I'm sure there is more but it's flown, at the moment. I've enjoyed reading your lovely, lovely posts - just like I always do.

    Much love to you and your beautiful family,

    Katy xo

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  5. It's such an important community and a great thing to support each other in what ever way.

    I would always buy handmade over mass produced.

    Thank you for the links,

    Nina xxx

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  6. We could never forget you Pipany, and my that little Autumn book looks VERY familiar ....!

    How generous of you to promote others' work - as you say its a lovely community of people. I will be checking out all these intriguing websites, and I haven't forgotten your lovely stationery either ...;)

    Jeanne
    x

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  7. Nice to see you in the 'spotlight' Pipany! It is kind of you to promote the other blogs on here too. x

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  8. Thank you for introducing me to all these lovely things - and to the term 'upcycled', I hadn't heard it before. Now itching to get creating for myself, though know I won't be able to do it as beautifully.

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  9. Thank you so much for sharing these links, Pipany. I love to buy handmade things direct from designer/makers for presents and for myself! It's lovely to support and encourage others by blogging about them too. It's such a great way to inspire and share so many things.
    Helen x

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  10. Thanks so much for the mention. I'm also participating but I'm just going to write about one maker per week. It's great that we can promote each other. :)

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  11. Hello :-)
    Followed a link from a comment on my blog - thank you - and just off to have a look at your things, LOVE the notebooks!
    Love Charlotte
    xx

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