Little cutie: Meet Yee Ting Yuit

At reetsweet we continue to be surprised and delighted by the work that is submitted to us and the joy it often brings: life can be tough but it's these little things that add a smile to people's days and that's important.

The work of Yee Ting Yuit sums up this joy; it's full of humour, colour and love and we're proud to have her at the December event.

Yee graduated from Falmouth College of Arts and works full time freelance creating logos, design and website visuals and also has her own online shop. She loves tea, sushi and crochet. Our ideal kind of lady!

Can I knit it? Yes you can! : Meet Studio Aitch

I don't know about you but at reetsweet HQ (also known as a chilly flat in Leeds) we are itching to put the heating on, but trying oh-so-hard to wait until the last moment. So knits is what we need, and Harriet from Studio Aitch will be back on Dec 7th at reetsweet with her utterly gorgeous pieces including her handhuggers which will keep us toasty, and her prints and brooches - which will warm your hearts instead. Hurrah! 

She's a local gal, hailing from Sheffield and works from her home studio there. Here's just a taste of what you can expect from this awesome maker:

 

Here's what you missed at Reetsweet Spring 2013

We just wanted to bob on here and say a huge thank you to everyone involved in making our fair possible on saturday, we had a brilliant and talented selection of makers, and a good crowd in to support us! Thanks also, to the folk at The Corn Exchange for hosting, and everyone who helped to publicise the event.

If you missed us, here's a rundown of what you could have perused...(with links where available to buy online)

Big thanks to...
/That old chesnut
/Ed Boxall /Sallyann Jewellery
/Natasha Green
/Nellie&Moo
/Lou Bijoux
/Chrissie Freeth
/Amy Panda
/Charli's Cupcakes
/The mouse ran up the clock

Smallest Design

  Love me sew

Pinegrove Leather

  Rita Broka

Becci Maryanne Illustration

Sarah Morris Jones

Gallons of ink

Dual Nation

New maker for April: Suzy Jones of 'Smallest Design Studio'

At reetsweet we love to celebrate the quirky, the bright and the beautiful! Suzy, with her business 'Smallest' pretty much sums up everything we love about handmade...

'Smallest is a design company that specialises in handmade products for children and the young at heart. The company was founded in 2012 by Suzy Jones. Inspired by her daughter, Suzy refound her love of drawing and making. Smallest is growing from the dining table to a studio based business with a passion for beautiful, quirky and simple design.

All fabrics are designed by Suzy Jones and printed using a combination of digital and screen printing processes. Unique products are then created with love and care in the Smallest design studio in Lancashire.  

Smallest’s dolls are all handmade by Suzy in her studio. She uses recycled, antique and upcycled material to produce these delicate, one of a kind characters.  Suzy takes her inspiration from the world around her, recurrent themes are science, nature and winter.'

April Fair Preview: Chrissie Freeth

Hailing from the fabulously crafty Saltaire, the mecca for northern artists, Chrissie Freeth will be joining us at the next Reetsweet on April 6th at Leeds Corn Exchange...

'I first learned to weave twenty years ago on a replica Viking warp-weighted loom built by a friend. Although my career as an archaeologist tended to focus on other areas I continued to create and study textiles and yarn and enjoyed the informal mentoring of two friends and renowned textile conservators, Sonia O’Connor and Rob Janaway.  

Living in Saltaire it was impossible not to be inspired by its history, vibrancy and creativity and last year I began making and exhibiting hooked and prodded rag rugs, traditional mats that would have once adorned every house in the village in one room or another. I was used to exploring what interested me through the written word but began to see other possibilities and was eventually able to realise a dream when an old four shaft counterbalance floorloom came my way.  

I live in a small cottage and it took some doing to find somewhere for him to live, but from the get-go we were a team, his dents, nicks and scratches guiding me through what needed to go where and how. He provides the means for me to explore my creative side and his technical and practical tantrums I have grown to love. He has also given me that link to the past which as an archaeologist I have always craved and when I sit before him I know I am making the same moves and decisions others have made for centuries before me, and on equipment that would have been little different to that they used.  

In recent years there has been a growing interest in protecting heritage skills, skills which once have been commonplace but are now on the verge of being forgotten. Whilst modern day practitioners help to prevent their loss, unless they are shared there is little point in their preservation and for that reason I am always happy to teach, demonstrate and talk about spinning, weaving and my work.I am a friend of the Heritage Crafts Association, a member of the Guild of Long Draw Spinners and part of a Yorkshire based group of energetic designer/makers called Craft Soup.'

April Fair Preview: Charli's Cupcakes

We all need a sugary treat don't we? We have a new cakey mistress coming to the april fair for you on the 6th, in the form of Charli... 

 
'I began baking many years ago and I am now fortunate to spread the love of cake amongst the people of Yorskhire.  I do many fairs and large events and also help a lot of charities in their fundraising.'

Take a look at her website www.cupcakesleeds.net'

Twitter @charliscupcakes

Easter Fair Preview: Spoonfuls of love - Ceramics by Sarah Morris-Jones

 

 

I'd say we are all romantics at reetsweet, not necessarily soppy, hearts & kisses romantics, but we all enjoy a bit romance and wonder, and another thing we all love is ceramics...we are so glad to introduce to you Sarah Morris-Jones with her stunning feel-good ceramic collection...


'I love to make things with clay and I love to collect spoons!! I have been making ceramic spoons for quite some time now...some are earthy, dark and chunky, like some ancient artefact dug up from the ground...others are made from delicate porcelain clay, with a vintage teatime appeal to them.

Sarah Jones-Morris Ceramics began when I completed my ceramics degree in 2001. Since then I have continued to work creatively as well as working as an art technician in a school.  I have designed and created a collection of ceramic spoons, inspiration has been drawn from my welsh heritage and the tradition of giving hand carved love spoons as a token of love and affection. Each spoon is modelled by hand and then embellished with surface pattern before being fired, then glazed and fired again. The spoons are sold individually or displayed in decorated box frames.

There is also the option to have the spoons personalised, creating an individual and unique gift ideal for weddings, anniversaries, christenings, birthdays and many other occasions.

My collection also includes a range of porcelain tea lights, each one handmade and unique. Choose from antique lace or dotty design. Both produce a lovely effect when lit from within and look beautiful displayed in the home.  I also have a selection of smaller items available which include decorative ceramic love hearts and birds, which can also be personalised. An ideal smaller gift or decoration for the home.'

You can view her online store at 'not on the high street' or come see her at our next event april 6th, Leeds Corn Exchange.

April Event: New Maker 'Dual Nation' Jewellery

Way back in 2002 Tatty Devine in London kickstarted a revolution in modern jewellery, using plastics, and bold bright colours, they have inspired a generation of makers to think outside of the box and make fun, quirky, individual pieces that are affordable to all. As a big fan of this kind of thing at reetsweet, we were super excited to welcome on board Zoe, the designer/maker behind 'Dual Nation' jewellery...

'Dual Nation is an up-and-coming jewellery label spearheaded by designer and maker, Zoë Alexandria Richardson.  Draped in silver and adorned with bells, her love of jewellery stemmed from a young age and having already completed degrees in fashion design and marketing, Zoë then enrolled in a diploma of creative jewellery making at the London Jewellery School.
Focusing on handmade, statement pieces, Dual Nation draws inspiration from both British and Australian heritage.


Each piece of Dual Nation jewellery is lovingly handcrafted and we don’t mass produce. Our collections are created in small production runs as we believe in individuality and strive to create bold and curious jewellery that won’t be seen anywhere else. Our products also come beautifully packaged, making Dual Nation jewellery perfect for gifts or as a special treat to yourself.'

Easter Fair Preview: 'Gallons of ink'...

A big hit at her last reetsweet appearance, Chloe from 'Gallons of Ink' will be back at the East Fair on April 6th at Leeds Corn Exchange...get your purses out, this looks like an especially good line up people!...

'Hello, I'm Chloe; the tiny illustrator behind Gallons Of Ink.  I draw on anything I can: paper, envelopes, desks, other people. Most of the books that I own have been ruined by drawings in the margins, or on those random blank pages at the end of the story.  

I moved onto crafts a couple of years ago & started to sell pendants & rings that I embellished with tiny versions of my drawings. I'm always looking for new ways to display my work which has resulted in a line of kitchenwares decorated with dinosaurs, and many cushions featuring various creatures. I will draw anything on any object if I think that it will make people smile.'

Maker Preview: Loubijoux at the easter fair...

Do you love shiny, pretty things like we do at reetsweet? We always try to book a few nice jewellery makers, because you can never have too many trinkets we think, so we welcome aboard for the April fair, 'Loubijoux'...

'Loubijoux (pronounced loo-bee-‘zhu) is the jewellery collection by designer-maker Sarah Pearson which first debuted online in 2009.  Her collection combines carefully sourced true vintage components with new elements to create a truly unique range of limited edition pieces. 

Each hand produced in her small studio in Skipton, North Yorkshire.  Here you'll find unusual charms, lacy filigrees, secret lockets, vintage cameos, rich brass chain and pretty floral decals with the closest attention to detail.  Well made, individual and entirely wearable. Modern with a vintage aesthetic.'

Join us on facebook, just click here to view our event details.

Feb fair preview: Print making heaven...

We seem to be building up teams of makers here at reetsweet who are also best friends, or shall we simply say, two for the price of one? Two other awesome ladies will be hitting us up with some handmade goodness on saturday...

Kirstie Williams 
Kirstie is a practising designer and printmaker. Her current practice focuses on screen and relief printing and she makes cards, gift wrap, gift boxes and limited edition prints. She has an MA in Textile Design from Chelsea College of Art, where she specialised in resist dyeing techniques. She currently works part time as a print technician at Leeds College of Art and is studying for a PGCE in Further and Higher Education. www.kirstiewilliams.com.

Mintprint by Miriam Trent
Miriam’s surface patterns and print designs concentrate on good colour, shape and form. References to the decorative arts from the 1920’s until the 1970’s can be seen in her work. Her stylish, contemporary art prints (monotype, linocut prints and screenprints) function to decorate walls, in home interiors and commercial premises. She has a new range of hand screen printed lampshades and kitchen textiles under her brand Mintprint. www.mintprint.org.