Rebranding, hard launching and all that malarkey

For the past couple of years or so, Karyn's Kreations has been a sort of semi-hobby, but plans are now afoot to make it 'proper'.

So I've been in discussions with various advisers (an ongoing process) and Mr Namasi and I are looking at our options.

I don't want to lose the personal touch - the investment of myself into each and every piece. I don't want the pieces themselves to become disconnected from their own stories. Their own histories. So I am exploring a way to incorporate my gift for narrative into the business, to make sure those stories are told. More of that anon.

I'm planning a rebrand. There are quite a few businesses called Karyn's Kreations out there. So that clearly needs to be revisited. And so I thought: mostly I remake stuff out of reclaimed material, revisiting it and giving it a renewed lease on life. That's a lot 're', right there. On top of that, the business was born out of my hobbies, my recreation. So I thought, how about Karyn's reKreations?

What do you think?

I'm also busy building a proper website, so that potential customers are able to find and buy my pieces online.

You'll probably notice those changes over the next while. The look and feel of the spaces I occupy online may be a bit fluid for a period. But fret not. I'm still the same friendly Upsycho I always was, making the pieces you've come to expect. I'm still accepting commissions. I'm still offering crafting lessons.

Hopefully it will become easier for you to access them. Once all my ducks are in a row and all my pigs in one pen, there'll be a 'hard launch' with a prize and everything. So watch this space.

Link love digest: week 7

Here is the summary of the makers and crafters I promoted this week. Several of them have display space in Grace and Favours in Northampton. So you have two ways to support them: visit their online spaces or pop in to the shop. 


Remember: when you buy from an independent maker, a real live person does a little happy dance.

Laura and Carly
Butter Bee Creative
Handmade cards and other small craft items in aid of the refurbishment of the chemotherapy suite at Northampton General Hospital.

Butter Bee Creative

Laura and Carly began raising money for the Chemotherapy Suite after Carly lost her Nan to cancer in August 2014. Andrea was very keen to raise money herself for the new unit and began stitching items when she was in hospital. 

Leading on from this, we'd really like to raise as much money as possible for such a great cause.

Deema
Deema Delights

Real petal confetti, accessories, decor, scented petals, wedding favours, bath bombs, cards.

Deema Delights

Deema started collecting petals for confetti in 2016 when she fell in love with the fluttery nature of Cherry Blossom in the Spring! Her business has now grown to include a co-operative of pickers and stylists who help to create vibrant petal mixes, favours, cards, gifts and accessories, all hand-made, seasonal and to order, perfect for any celebration!

Take some of the stress and decision making out of planning a wedding by letting me help with those finishing touches. Together, we can create beautiful memories that will last you a life time! What better way to start your married life together?

Beautifully Bespoke Confetti, gifts, cards and accessories taken care of just for you. Memorable, unique, colourful and fun!

Pebble Crafts

Becky
Pebblecrafts

Beautiful hand-crafted decorations and gifts. Any quotes on slate hearts for very reasonable prices gifts and favours. Bespoke orders accepted.

Emma Wootton
The Velvet Company
A collection of beautiful Room Scents in a simple yet elegant English style.

The Velvet Company

Hand poured, using the finest scents and soya wax at our location in Northamptonshire, England, we offer a indulgent and sophisticated choice of candles and room scents .  We pride ourselves in every detail with each candle and room scent, we believe that every product should arrived beautifully wrapped in its own gift box, so treat yourself or someone special to a gorgeous scent which will give your room the most beautiful scent, with the added effect of our crackle wick candles giving the soothingly crackle when lit  of a relaxing ambiance of an open fire.

In addition to our our gorgeous candles,we also offer gift boxes for those who are looking for something extra to go with their candle.

TLC

Theresa Meen
TLC (Theresa's Lovely Crafts)
Mixed media artist.
A small selection of my art is based in Grace & Favour shop.
Also able to do commissions too.












Janette
Iddy Biddy Boutique

Iddy Biddy Boutique

I used to have a sensible job . . . then a house bunny, oh and two children came along! I needed a job I could do at home. As I had been bending wire, making and selling earrings since I was 18 (oh so many moons ago!) and I adore Jewellery, it seemed a natural progression to further develop my silversmithing skills and start my own jewellery making business.
Iddy Biddy Boutique was born!

I like to think my designs are fresh & funky, with an organic yet modern twist! I create jewellery in mostly silver and copper. I like to oxidise the metals, adding spirals and swirls where I get the chance . . . love them! More recently, I am working with gemstones in my designs . . . ooh so many lush ones to choose from!

All of my designs are original. I get my inspiration and ideas from absolutely everywhere! My head is constantly bombarded with ideas for my next creation.

After all these years, my favourite place to be is still in my workshop (kitchen!) with my tools and bunny by my feet! I absolutely love what I do and I think that is evident in every piece I make.

I sell online, at local Craft Fairs around the North Devon area and my work can also be found at the following venues:
Willows in Braunton & Barnstaple
ID Fashion in The Royal William Yard, Plymouth
Traditsia in Totnes
Dream Jewellery in Tavistock Market.

Link Love Digest: Week 1

You may remember that it is my goal this year to share the link love: to link to other crafters and makers and spread the word about the work they/we do.

My summary for this week follows. Some of these folks may not even know that they've had a shout out, so please let them know if you move in their circles. I don't necessarily know them personally - I just admire their work.

Jane Weaver
Beadseedz
From her Folksy shop page:

I have been making and selling jewellery for the last ten years. It started as a hobby to help me cope with a busy and sometimes stressful job, but has become something of a passion.

Over the years I have explored many different jewellery making techniques and, although my current interest is particularly in beadweaving, I have never managed to settle entirely into one particular genre and probably never shall. Thus my work is eclectic and I am always open to new ideas and to learning new skills.

I realised early on that my beading could help me raise money for SIFT (Seed International Fund Trust). SIFT is a small Christian charity that works to relieve poverty in one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere, Nicaragua. Having visited this beautiful country several times and seen with my own eyes the level of need I want to do what I can to help.

However now I am retired and have more time to spend on my interests, I also want to expand my fund raising activities to support other charities from time to time.
I have recently moved to beautiful West Yorkshire with my husband and three cats. All items in my shop are handmade by me in our smoke-free home. I also keep the cats well away from the jewellery making - not only for the comfort of my customers with cat allergies but because past experience has taught me that my little tubes of seed beads are an irresistible attraction and will need to be retrieved from under the sofa and behind the washing machine if they are not kept out of the way of furry paws.

If you see something you like but would prefer it in a different colour or a different length, please contact me. I cannot guarantee to be able to help, but it is often possible.

Keeley Pearl
Fabric & Thread Designs
From her Facebook page:

Individual handmade personalised family trees and appliqués for any occasion

Peter Harries (aka Mr Mechnic)
Scrap Art Lighting
From his Etsy shop page:

After many years of being a garage owner and car mechanic throwing away used and worn out car parts whilst always looking at them with a small glow of an idea of what they may look like turned into something else I have decided to pack in the garge business and car repairs and concentrate more on using some of these old, worn out or damaged parts and blow some oxygen onto my small glowing ideas and get bigger glows and flames of better ideas and see what I come up with.

Most will be rather rustic, some will be rather strange but all will be unique and wonderful, Please feel free to look through my shop, more will be added from time to time.

Meloney Celliers
Melly the Elephant (quilled paper art)
From her Facebook page:

I design and make paper art pictures as a hobby. Happy to take commissions/requests.

Nicola Wiktorski
Wiktorski Ceramics
From her Folksy page:

I make bespoke, quirky, handmade pottery for the home and garden from a little village in Yorkshire. My passion is to create unique pieces of contemporary pottery for the home and garden. MADE WITH LOVE.

Andrew Smith
UNIQ Furniture.

From his FB page:

Huge amounts of usable, quality furniture is thrown away by schools, businesses and industry everyday. 

It is the intention at UNIQ Furniture to rescue this furniture from landfill, refurbish, repair, recycle and restyle it to give it a new, second life! 

We offer schools, business and industry a free collection service for surplus items, saving money spent on skips and waste disposal and freeing u...p valuable storage space.
Our refurbished furniture is aimed at lovers of quality materials, quality construction and unique items, whether you enjoy vintage/retro styling or you are just an individual with an individual style!

UNIQ aims to be an environmentally sound, sustainable business, which will benefit ‘suppliers’ (schools, businesses and industry) and customers who can buy pre-loved furniture, knowing that they are giving it a second life!

UNIQ’s motto is MORE TASTE, LESS WASTE!