Oct fair preview: Yee Illustration

As ever, we have a heap of new makers attending each fair, and at the October there seems to be a bit of a bumper crop!

We are proud to bring you Yee Ting Yuit, aka Yee Illustration...purveyor of lovely cards and small printed items...

'I graduated with First Class honours on the BA (Hons) Illustration course from Falmouth College of Arts in 2006.

I have been working freelance ever since on a broad range of projects. 

My work is influenced by pattern, texture, bright, bold colours, typography and different printmaking techniques.

Outside of illustration I like to bake, watch football, drink tea, knit and crochet.'

 

Yee's blog: http://yeellustration.blogspot.co.uk/

Yee's website: http://www.yeellustration.co.uk/

Yee's shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/yeellustration

reetsweet today: my tops picks from the fair

(jodie caulfield - these robins have been a bestseller!)

(rowan from kitschensink is offering a surprise dip!)

Hello again reetsweeters, it's a little bit nippy, it's a little bit wet out, but, in the warm and shelter of Leeds Corn Exchange today you can bob down to reetsweet and happily spend the afternoon with us and get your christmas shopping done and dusted!

We have the marvellous tea dance co here with some ridiculously nice cakes, over 25 stalls of handmade design led accessories, art and homewares - plus, we are offering reetsweet nail art from just £1!

It's free all day - and you can even finish it all off with a gourmet hotdog at Primo's...the perfect sunday!...www.reetsweet.com

(upcycling from pipo)

(vintage fabric cushions by the hidden rose)

(button boudoir are here - oh how I love anything with an eiffel tower!)

it's like xfactor, kind of...

So, this makes me cringe to ask, but please reetsweet fans will you vote for us in a competition? If you have recently enjoyed one of our fairs and are happy to endorse us, we are up for an award on the 'best of leeds' site here - sneak in a vote before it closes! Ta!

leeds uni fair preview: memo helen

I tend to get a bit geeky around people I admire, and I have a total craft crush on this lady - helen memo - appearing at our next fair nov 8th leeds uni:


'hi there, my name is helen, my surname is entwisle and my alias is memo. i am a freelance illustrator and screen printer currently based in leeds. i graduated from norwich school of art and design in 2007 with a first class degree in visual studies. my work includes hand drawn and screen printed illustration, self-published zines, greetings cards, hand printed stationery, limited edition prints, tote bags and accessories. i put together a collaborative zine called ten fingers'

Her simple visual style, coupled with a sense of fun are quite uplifting I think, and I find her to be very original - I hope you love her too!

sugar and spice and all things nice @ reetsweet tomorrow!

I think one of the best handmade purchases you can ever make is something to keep like a handmade toy or ornament - there's something very comforting and lovely about that handmade toy you got as a child, or the piece of one-off pottery you bought as a treat to yourself one memorable day...



Sian Wheatcroft will be at reetsweet tomorrow exhibiting her fabulous bears - she has a new collection! Her works always sell well so get down early to see her collection of modern, loveable, collectable bears! For more pictures go to www.strawberrrykitten.com



11am onwards tomorrow at the corn exchange x

memo helen joins reetsweet!

"Hello, I am Helen a.k.a Memo, I work as an illustrator and screen printer and am currently based in Leeds. I graduated in 2007 with a first class degree in Visual Studies at Norwich School of Art & Design. I'd say my main interests are screen printing and collecting. I draw the things I collect and turn them into screen printed zines and limited edition prints. I also print greetings cards, tote bags and brooches amongst other things. My favourite things include coffee, dogs and my big collection of old things- kitsch ornaments and homewares from the 1940s-60s. I like objects that have a history, new things are boring to me, uninteresting.




I regularly exhibit in shows across the UK, currently I have a number of prints on display at the Bowery in Leeds, alongside a mural I just painted there. At the moment I'm working on as number of exciting projects including a book cover design, a new card range and new prints for shows later this summer."

Helen will be appearing at the June show @ the corn exchange on sunday June 5th! Very excited!

introducing bear follows cat

Phillipa from Bear Follows Cat creates intricate and original papercuts and screenprints, they have a a naive and dreamlike quality, full of animals, woods and wonder! This will be her first reetsweet on june 5th at the corn exchange but here are a few pictures to preview of her works. I will be adding more of here for you to see over the next few days...

things to do in leeds...when you craft!

Leeds is positively bustling with artistic endeavours at the moment, let me recommend a few things to keep you occupied until the next reetsweet!

Read...Noonton & Cocobean, a fantastic blog by a local leeds lassie and her friend, we follow her through art exhibitions, inspiration and poetry. It sounds pretentious, but it's not, it's beautiful, heartfelt and will make you think!

Visit...Michelle Duxbury, a hugely influential Leeds based writer and crafter, as she hosts a new crafters meet up 'Craftsville club' at Heart - Headingley's new centre for enterprise and community. Bring your craft project with you and meet other enthusiasts into your thing - next meet up is Mon 9th May 2011 from 7-10pm

Buy...At 'Handmade 6' - Brudenell Social Club's brilliant resident craft event featuring the cream of the art school crop....prints, knitting, jewellery - quirky and amazing and hosted by the super cute Amy Mcdonald, one of our much loved crafters from reetsweet! .....That should keep you busy my little friends!

Shopping at shopkeepers...

Just announced this week: our special one-off event at the lovely Nation of Shopkeepers on Sat 28th of May (that's the May Bank hol weekend!). It's a day of craft stalls, tea, cakes, nation's tasty food and folksy tunes on the decks...It's a crafty shindig!

Find out more here it's free entry, and will be from 12pm to 5pm and we will be having it come rain or shine! We already have some great crafts lined up for exhibition! See you there!

little starr

'After struggling with the boredom of seeing the same styles, colours and shapes adorning the arm of every woman around Leone embarked on a new venture. She combined strong, bold fabrics with contrasting textures, finishes and patterns to create bags with a difference. These bags don’t just serve a purpose; they are a statement of design. More than anything, they are fun!

The range is ever evolving as bags are made in really small quantities (quite often only 1!) She has recently added matching accessories to the story in the shape of funky hair clips and key rings so there’s something for everyone'

Leone Starr is a reetsweet virgin so is really looking forward to this sunday! We are on from 11am at the corn exchange, Leeds for come craft shopping!

whiter than white!

Not only are zinc white two super super nice people, but they do amazing things with all the stuff we throw away! Specialising in eco friendly upcycling, they came to our Nov/Dec events and rocked, and their pencil pieces do amazingly well...now they return on sunday, and so here's a taster of what zinc white have to offer!

paper girl leeds!!

Originally created by Aisha Ronniger in 2006 in Berlin, Leeds will be the fourth UK city for Papergirl. 2011 is Papergirl Leeds' UK debut and hopefully the first of many. Laura, the Leeds organiser has been in touch with all the details on how YOU can get involved in this fantastic event!....

'We need artists of all shapes and sizes. Printers and illustrators. Mixed media artists and photographers. Whatever it is that you love to do!

We need your submissions of artwork :)

The art of giving art!

Every single piece of work submitted will be shown in the Papergirl Leeds Exhibition from the 8th to the 17th of April 2011. The venue is a new art space - Unit 2, Melbourne Street, Leeds (behind the Reliance Bar - North Street).

After the Papergirl Leeds Exhibition, all submitted work will be rolled up and distributed to the unsuspecting public by Papergirls (and boys!) on bicycles at the Papergirl Leeds Ride Event in May.

All submitted work needs to be between A4 and A1 in size and must be able to be rolled up. Please write Papergirl Leeds and any contact details you would like for the lucky person to receive your work (perhaps a lovely message too?)

There is no limit to how how many pieces of art you want to submit. The more the merrier!

By submitting your work you are consenting for it to be shown in the Papergirl Leeds Exhibition and to be given away to the general public for free in the Papergirl Leeds Ride Event. Submissions may be shown on the Papergirl Leeds and Papergirl World Blog (credited where URL details are included of course)

The address for submission can be found on the facebook page and the blog.

We also need cyclists to join in with the art of giving art and helpers throughout.

YOU need to get involved!

Help create a creative community!'

Closing date is 31st March, so please get in touch with Laura and support this great event asap!x

panda-monium!

Amy Mcdonald is a craft wizardess and the genuis behind 'handmade' the brudenell's craft events (which I highly recommend you see as well as reetsweet!)...april 3rd will be Amy's first reetsweet and we are proud to have her on board...





'I have been hand-sewing little felt friends under the name "amypanda" for around 4 years now. Sewing is only a hobby at the moment, but I think like most crafters I cling onto the dream that one day I could make a living from my creations. I'm heavily influenced by my ever growing list of obsessions; buttons, cats, pandas, hand stitching, tea; and a love of children's books has led me to move more into items for children...I'd love to produce a children's book one day to accompany my finger puppets. The sense of pride I get from someone picking up one of my brooches and coo-ing over it makes all the hard work more than worth it, I love it!'

Anchors away!

Fresh new reetsweeter Bee Anchor will appear at the april fair...

'I create hair accessories and jewellery out of wool and textiles. I am interested in taking traditional and everyday techniques and applying them in a non-traditional way, such as making necklaces out of wool and manipulating material to make origami cranes. I love colour, patterns and textures and I think this shows in my work. All my accessories are made using locally sourced materials. I have been making accessories for the last six years, but only started to sell them last summer at the Granary Wharf Pannier Market, and now at the corn exchange with reetsweet!'



There's a real buzz surrounding these and all the girls I have spoken too can't wait - get down to the next reetsweet april 3rd!

Next reetsweet!

Our next event will be on sunday April 3rd at the Leeds Corn Exchange, thanks to all our crafters who made yesterday such a pleasure, full of original ideas and beautiful things, and thanks to all the shoppers who came out to see what we had to offer!

Our next event is open for submissions from Mon 14th Feb at 9am - closing date is 25th Feb at midnight, just email me between these dates with a biography and photos of your work to be considered.

Due to the limited tables and our commitment to quality and giving a varied show, please do not be offended if we cannot showcase your work right away, if you are successful in your application we will contact you.

all the best for a year of craft!

xxx
reetsweet

pencil me in....introducing kayleigh o'mara!

I have long admired Kayleigh O'Mara's work, she is a recent illustration graduate, currently working in a shop to fund her love for making and crafting. Kayleigh has a strong, and simple illustration style which is mostly hand drawn outlines and digital colouring. Kayleigh enjoys making greetings cards, button badges, magnets, children's books, and zines. Here we show off some gorgeous samples of her work which you will be able to buy this sunday at reetsweet fair craft fair, the corn exchange leeds!

bottling it...

I don't know about you, but part of what I love about handmade is knowing that what you've found is a one off. It's treasure you unearthed, it's something only you will have and love! Lauren my friend who makes some very unusual jewellery has done some stunning new pieces for this sunday's fair using tiny corked bottles and bones, stones and other finds....bring out your purses ladies...come see & buy lauren's work at the corn exchange on sunday 11am to 4.30pm x

leeds made this:

A little chat with Jil from Jilmadethis, a regular at reetsweet:

tell us a bit about yourself, did you grow up in leeds?

I grew up and was artsied up in leeds

what led you to making your own craft business?

It's something I've always wanted to do since I was about 5. I wanted to work in a shop, which I am doing and i wanted to make my own crafts which I've finally begun doing this year. After my degree in Printed Textiles & Surface pattern design, I wasn't sure exactly what to do. I began running a t shirt printing shop 4 years ago and developed my own unique and quirky range of printed items which now say 'Jil Made this' - I hope people can look at my items and think, wow, that is so Jil! I like to to take elements from my past, be it toys or conversations, and mix with my illustrations to create people, animals, robots and more!

what's the most fun part of what you do?

Coming up with new ideas, and seeing them through from drawing and printing to sewing and selling. The fun part is thinking what people think of their purchases or gifts! I love the colours and the characters I've created and am so pleased that I've finally come up with something to be proud of.

what's the least fun part?

I guess hours of sewing can be less fun, my fingers go numb but it's worth it! I struggle to decide things, which can be pain staking - things like deciding which fabric would be best, what colour hair and what sizes!

what's your favourite piece?

My favourite piece is one of my first proper plush items - my rainbow horse - i think I may keep him! Though I do love the others too!

Jil will be at the next reetsweet at leeds corn exchange on sunday 6th feb x

take me away...

A new addition to reetsweet for spring, we introduce...

'King Top Takeaway is the brain child of designer Hanan Qattan. The whole project started as a simple idea of wanting to create a brand that sold bold t-shirts with modern graphics that didn't cost the earth. I wanted something that was eye catching both from up close and from afar and that catered to women primarily. With help from friends and family, KingTopTakeaway.com is born!'

Remember the next event is sunday feb 6th! Leeds Corn Exchange, free entry...

How do you like your craft fairs in the morning?...reetsweet!

It's that time again everyone! It came so quick! Reetsweet will be hosting it's 2nd art design & neo craft event at Leeds Corn Exchange from 11 am to 4.30pm tomorrow.


Come and have a look around, it's free! Featuring the best of leeds' local design and craft talent....just peruse the latest blog entries and preview tomorrow's fair...Don't miss it!


reetsweet x

ps. no cats were harmed by reetsweet in the stealing of this photo!