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30/04/2015

Feel Supreme

If I had to sum up my inspiration with one single quote, it would have to be Bob Dylan’s;

“A man who does what he loves never has to work a day in his life”

After years of working a job in which I was unhappy in, it was the mentality inspired by this quote which led to the birth of Feel Supreme. I realised the important lesson that happiness cannot be bought, only experienced.

I decided to focus on something which I am actually passionate about; something that would allow me to be happy and experience real quality family time. This led to the transition from full time worker to part time student. My chosen subject was Naturopathic Nutrition- the science of using food as a medicine. I would be lying if I said that I was not feeling a mixture of emotions, mostly fear and nervousness, but that fear bred ideas and opportunities.



Feel Supreme started as a social media page, mainly as a way for me to store important information, but also to pass on my newly acquired knowledge to like-minded individuals. I now offer private consultations, regular or one-off group sessions, Feel Supreme Coconut Oil and an organic food delivery service. Although there are many long days and late nights, I still haven’t worked a day.

Matt Murphy
Feel Supreme
        Facebook – Feel Supreme      Twitter- @feelsupremeco      Instagram- FEEL_SUPREME




28/04/2015

Why you should learn to knit NOW!

On Saturday I taught a wonderful workshop at The Rare Bear Boutique just off Allerton Road in Liverpool. On my social media pages I had been joking, using the popular Game of Thrones phrase, "Winter is coming.." so learn to knit but actually I'm not wrong!

I've already discussed the mental health aspects of knitting but time is a big factor too!

At yesterdays craft meet, a lady who had been on one of my workshops came for help on a project she was finishing off. She is still learning & commented that a) we make it look easy & b) that she will never be making jumpers for her little one this winter without a lot of practise...
Knitting - huge scope for imagination
Vintage inspired
Lace headbands of mine in progress!


Its true, knitting does take practise, an so many people asked me about classes last winter since the weather had gone cold & they wanted to make items for themselves. The truth is though, if you want to be making yourself beautiful autumn cardigans or big winter jumpers then the time to start practising is now!

Jumpers take a lot longer to make than people realise (if I had a £ for every time I heard "oh, make me a jumper!' as if its gonna take me a few day....), they can take a good few weeks & thats if you are working on it most days.

Vintage Christmas Jumper by Susan Crawford
Knitters tend to work a season in advance, as sad as it is to say, I will be starting to think about Christmas in the next few months! I'm already wearing my lovely lace spring knits now but if I wanted a jumper for Christmas, I'd start it no later than September/October.




So if you would love to be all wrapped up in handmade wonders this winter the time to learn is now, plus you have the summer to enjoy knitting outdoors making gorgeous little things for yourself as "practise".

This is just the best picture!

Just gorgeous! 
I only have 2 more dates left for workshops before my break for summer, this Saturday at Knit Wise in Ormskirk & 17th May at The Rare Bear Boutique!

I will have new workshop dates from September!





26/04/2015

Sew Fresh Sew Green Up-cycling Project!

Hello!

My name is Michelle and I am currently studying Fashion Design at LJMU.  I would love to run my own business in the future creating new fashion forward clothes to fit women of all shapes and sizes, from old unloved clothes that we have knocking around in cupboards and drawers, with the concept of having affordable couture that reflects your personality and is friendly on your pocket and the environment.  I could spend hours jabbering about it but i will save that for another day! ! 

I love looking at current trends in arts, crafts and design and have a quick tutorial for you to try your hand at which will recycle an old pair of knee high socks into a fun set of accessories, inspired by loom bands which i am sure everyone has seen or heard of. ! You will need two pairs of knee high socks (for grown ups unless you want tiny rings instead of bracelets) preferably in two contrasting colours but it is down to personal preference, i had white and maroon in a drawer so i used those… I would recommend that you use a cotton/polyester machine knit sock bought from a store rather than a lovely hand knit pair as the stitches wouldn't stay together after cutting and it would be a shame to ruin all the hard work your nan/aunt/sister put into making them for you in the first place!  Oh and a pair of scissors!


 You’ll need to cut the heel off from the top of all four socks and put these to the side.  With the top halves of your four socks you will want to cut them into 1cm wide strips, you don’t need to measure it out or check that you have an even number i just did mine by eye (if you find you are running short of ‘bands’ when your making your bracelets you can always use the bit between the heel and toe as well)  I also put the four bands from the top of my socks to one side as they were slightly thicker and used these at the end to tie off as they seemed more stable.



Now for the fun part I used the fishtail braid technique as I liked the effect it gave the stripes.  If you have never made any loom bands before there are loads of tutorials on youtube but i have photographed the basics here with my fingers.



Firstly you’ll want to double loop the fabric strips if the socks you have used are quite loose.  As shown above in the photo the first band is twisted in the middle between my fingers (to stop it from unravelling as I learnt) and then two more bands in alternating colours are placed above the first. To start off your braid your pull the ends of the first band up and over the two bands left on your fingers.  Thats the hard bit done!  From here you place another band above the two on your hand, and then pull the bottom one over the top two, continue doing this until you have the desired length (I made a choker necklace and a bracelet but you could easily make three bracelets instead.



I measured around my neck and my wrist as i went to make sure i was happy with the length, once you have decided it is long enough, stop just after you have pulled a band over but before you put a third back on.  To end the braid pull out the top working band on you fingers and hold onto the loops on either side of the bottom band you had left on your hand (in the picture above it if the maroon one)  


To secure the end simply pull one side through the loop on the other side, and pull tightly.  Lastly pull you end loop through the first band you made (the twisted one from the beginning and wrap it around a few times knotting it to make it secure.  Any tail your left with can easily be hidden inside the braid.

So now you should have a chunky soft bracelet or necklace from an old pair of socks!  Wear it with pride, or tried and tested as a nice pillow for my forehead to rest on when i go to lectures ill or hungover!








24/04/2015

Elabora

Elabora homeware and gifts was started at the end of 2013 by me, Peter. I had always dreamed of running my own business making high quality furniture and homeware products, and was trying to set it up while working full time to support my family. At that time I was working in a car parts shop and didn’t feel like I was getting anywhere near achieving my dream. I came across an advert for Government backed start up loans and so applied. With the cash injection and support from my business advisor, I was able to leave my job and concentrate on running my business full time 


Everything from Elabora is handmade in my workshop/shed at the bottom of my garden. As you can see it’s a bit of a squeeze... and a mess! Although I prefer to call it organised chaos!






By designing and making everything myself, I am able to ensure that all Elabora products are of the highest quality, environmentally friendly and ethically produced and sourced.
Al the wood used in Elabora products is either upcycled or FSC approved (http://www.fsc-uk.org/), which means that it comes from a sustainable managed forest. All the paints are chosen for their low environmental impact, for example, water based rather than solvent based. Even the sawdust is re-used to heat the shed in winter!

Everything is designed to firstly, look gorgeous, then to be functional. Like our phone holders. 





They look great on your desk, but they also have a handy feature so that you can charge your phone while it’s in the stand.

We also make things for kids - which I love because it is so much fun! Everything has the pass the 'Joseph Test' - that is my 2 year old Joseph has to love it, and not be able to destroy it! Our treasure chest toy box is particularly popular
 


Kids love it because it looks like a pirates treasure chest, and parents love it because it keeps things tidy!

So what’s next for Elabora? We have loads of exciting new products planned, including these LOVE blocks, which where designed especially for Valentine’s Day and loads of exciting new stockists. Keep checking our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/elaborahome and of course, keep popping into Rex which is always the first place to get new stock!




21/04/2015

Pop Pole Fitness

My name is Allyson and I am owner & instructor of Pole Pop Pole Fitness in York. I have been poling for over 5 years and have been teaching for over 3. I started teaching in Leeds and then when the opportunity to teach in York came about, I jumped at it to start my own school. Pole fitness & pole dancing is hard work & not for the faint of heart. It is a fantastic way to keep fit as well as an awesome way to make friends and learn a new skill in the process.
Inspiration wall!

I love to always keep training & learning new things. It is a great way to keep motivated as well as a great way to show my students what I am up to when I’m not teaching in class. I give myself a training schedule each week and a maximum amount of training I should aim for. Just in case my motivation lacks, as we all know sometimes “real life” gets in the way, I have an “motivation wall.” My “motivation wall” includes pictures of my favorite polers/pole moves and lists of moves I should work on lest I forget. My students are also very inspirational. They all work hard and are not only very good at learning new moves but motivating each other. It’s lovely to see! If for any reason, I am having a bad day, coming to class and getting to work with my students always makes my day better.
Photo by York Photography Studio

I enjoy being a part of the pole community. If you’re not into pole- it is bigger then you think & I swear pole is trying to take over the world! I take part in as many events that I can afford to go to. I’ve competed in competitions before in the past but recently I was a pole cleaner at a national competition and it was a new experience. I got to see some of the UK’s top pole athletes competing up close. My school has taken field trips to competitions, out for a few drinks on a lazy afternoon as well as having a pole barbecue during the summer. Everything we do, I try to write about on our blog. If we haven’t done anything outside of class, I aim to write a blog to help motivate & inspire my students by sharing my thoughts and my experiences.


Pole cleaning!

Everyone has something different in their life that keeps them going. Mine is pole. If I didn’t have pole in my life, I have no idea what I would be doing. When I was younger, I couldn’t do a pull up let alone a push up and I was always picked last in gym class. I’ve changed a lot not only physically but mentally since giving pole a try all those years ago. Pole has made a massive difference to me and I’m glad I get to have it in my life every day.

Enjoying private tuition!

16/04/2015

Going sideways....

Normally I have a game plan. I have a big "to-do/to-make" list & I plough through it knowing how much I have to do each day to get to the next event or fair.

At the minute I'm floundering & I have no idea why!

No my Tulip but how I'm feeling at the minute!

I have had a lot on lately so have been feeling tired but I've also got two shops to stock & an Etsy shop to sort so why do I feel like I'm lost?! 

At times like this it is most important to take a step back, gather yourself & look again at what needs to be prioritised & at the minute I think that is me.

So...the plan! I am giving myself this weekend off(ish)! It really started yesterday (although I did make a cushion...) with a trip to the theatre for a belated Mother's Day. I'm off for a pamper at a friends this afternoon as its my cousins wedding tomorrow so got to look my best! I have provided the groomsmen's boutonnières so watch my social media pages for loads of pictures!  

Bright colours for summer!

I totally love my bird print dress which I am wearing with flat shoes as lets face it, its a long day & my feet hate me! I'll also be wearing one of my own crocheted fascinators too! 

Dress for the wedding :)

Saturday will be spent recovering (he he) & on Sunday I will be wrecked with guilt that I have not done any work so will be back in super me mode!

Tonight I am tackling a new house for Ganthet! It's got THREE floors! He's getting so fat so the extra walking between bed & food will help I'm hoping... 
Tulip for scale!

Getting such a big boy!

What I am not feeling lost about is the last of my Spring/Summer workshops coming up! I have TWO weekends of teaching & I absolutely love it! 



What do you do when you are feeling lost to regroup mentally? 

Speak soon!

Gem x

11/04/2015

Zebra Creations

Why I do what I do
Where your talents and the needs of the world cross; there lies your vocation. Hark at me, starting off a blog post with a quote from Aristotle. Don't worry, it's not going to be all philosophical. I just think it sums up what Zebra Creations is all about.

I have a conditional called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome Type 3, which means my ligaments are too stretchy. this causes me constant pain, sometimes my joints pop out a bit and I am perpetually clumsy. It's a right pain in the neck. And the hip, the wrist, the back...(see, told you it wasn't all philosophy. I also do dad jokes)

The products I make are all the result of either me, or my friends who are also in the bendy brigade, needing something. I have had microwaveable pillows in the past but they never stay put and the rice always pooled at the end of the pillow, so my sofa got all the benefit. I have had wrist supports, but hated wearing them as they are so flipping ugly, but also they get really hot and sticky as they are all made of nylon. 

I knew my way around a sewing machine, although hadn't really used it or years. When I had to stop teaching because my EDS got worse, I needed to draw on all of the skills I could use while sitting down in order to make a living. And so Zebra Creations was born. I create items that I know do the job they are supposed to but without looking hideous, sewing takes my mind off the various bits of me that ache and - hopefully - I can sell them and pay the bills.

How I create the items sounds pretty straightforward - I look at something I have,decide what is wrong with it and then fix it. Or, I will find a particular task tricky or uncomfortable and so I try to figure out what would make it easier. Take, for example, the wrist splints. I need to use a splint whenever my wrist hurts, which is pretty often. A friend suggested decorating it with sequins and glitter, and at first I thought it was a great idea, but then I realised it was totally impractical. You see, as well as looking grim, the nylon base of the splint means that after three days straight wearing it smells manky. They don't wash well as it is, so adding glitter certainly wouldn't help. So, I decided to make my own. I replaced the man-made fibres with cotton to make it breathable and used pretty patterned jersey on the surface to make it pretty. This was certainly more involved than the earlier stuff I made like the rice pillows, but I am growing in confidence and feel like I can start to tackle the sort of projects that can really make a difference to people with joint pain in any form.

But more importantly than that, it makes me feel happy. I used to distract myself from pain by playing stupid games on my phone. Now I get to make things and have something to show for my time. It turns a negative into a positive, so if I get to help other people in the process, even better.

Twitter: @zebracreations
Instagram: VixThe Zebra 
Facebook: Zebra Creations
Etsy: zebracreationsuk


09/04/2015

My 1st Business Birthday!

Girl On Purl Action workshops & creations is officially (in the eyes of HMRC!) a whole year old! 



Where has the time gone?!


I'm still not close to having done everything that I want but I have survived my first year in business, although tired. I still have The Duke Street Bazaar to move into, an Etsy shop to launch & my design book is now 3 books with only about 10% made! EEEKK!

I would just like to thank everyone really...

Everyone:


* who has read this blog
* who attends the craft meetings
* who has attended a workshop
* who has helped on one of the many charity drives!
* the venue's that allow me to teach in - Knit Wise in Ormskirk, The Crosby Tea Rooms, Quill's Coffee & The Rare Bear Boutique
* every craft fair that has given me a stall
* everyone who has bought something off me
* everyone who has ordered something custom
* everyone who has just admired/complimented what I do
* special shout out to Hobo Bazaar for giving me my first stall & super crazy amounts of love & support!
* Open Culture for taking a chance on me at last years Winter Arts Market - this was a big highlight for me!
* the brides (now plural!) who have had my work at their super special day!
* Rex for giving me my first shop space
* Duke Street Bazaar for loving my stuff so much they squeezed me into a full shop!


Big amazing thanks have to go to my family & friends for all their support but mainly patience at cancelled plans etc & to The Women's Organisation who enabled me to do this in the first place!


Oscar speech over & there are still so many of you to thank! It is important to realise that the support of others is vital & its always nice to be appreciated! 

Here's to another year of just moving on up!

(Tonight I'm at The Spare Rib Burlesque show & on Saturday I'm at The Woolton Village Craft fair 10-2.30 so come & say hi! Back to the Guest Bloggers on Saturday!)




06/04/2015

Baba Unique

So now Arthur-John is Eleven weeks old, I start with that due to him being the reason for the start of Baba Unique Boutique. After years of working for other people I started working for a Make Up Agency, Long story short...they found out I was pregnant I didn't get any work. So days of no work and a smart phone I started looking for clothes for my unborn baba. I also started knitting something my mum had tried to teach me since I was 15. Now 32.
Well I couldn't find anything as quirky as I wanted so...I started tie dying white baby grows getting some great patterns and colours, as soon as I showed them to friends and family they wanted to buy them. I was amazed at the response.





I was five months pregnant at the time of putting Baba Unique Boutique in motion and to be honest I did underestimate pregnancy and child birth so not much has happened since June but the amount of interest has been amazing. The knitting has also been a strange addition as I've sold a few blankets to friends.

I have a Facebook and a twitter and the response is great considering I haven't plugged myself they way I could due to Arthur-John being my priority at the minute. He's been wearing my clothes and also got a few blankets so watch this space and have a look at my Twitter and Facebook :)