10 Minutes on the Couch with Stars N Scars

Stars n Scars is a quirky jewellery designer, living just outside Tooting and this summer she is  appearing at our summer craft pop-up in Clapham, before our event we got 10 minutes on the couch with her, so we knew what we were letting ourselves in for!

Obvious question, why the Stars N Scars?

stars&scars is named because it describes my main creative source - my hands. Just below my right hand i have a white tattoo of a star. On the palm of my left hand I have an inch long scar from a carpal tunnel operation. So, stars&scars!

We love your products, what took you down the fashion route rather than the silversmith jewellery which you had trained in?

Thank you! I found the traditional silver jewellery market to be very crowded, and I found that it took a long time to make each piece. I love the fashion pieces I make because they are quick, affordable and it’s easy to adapt to new trends. 

Where do you get your inspiration from?

Everywhere! Nature, technology, music... I find inspiration from everything around me. Currently I am working on a new range of colourful resin jewellery with found objects, lots of glitter and colours, things I really love.

Do you have any favourite pieces?

My favourite piece is my pink star cluster necklace, it was one of the first I made for stars&scars and incorporates two of my favourite things – the colour pink,  and stars!

What do you enjoy about jewellery making?

I love how you can be creative in so many different ways. Even if another designer is using the same kind of materials and inspiration as you, there are so many ways to be original and stand out from the crowd.

Do you have a jewellery making disaster story?

Every time I make one of my moustache necklaces is a disaster! They’re so prone to curling up during the heating process, for every one that goes right, maybe five go wrong! So a lot of work goes into those little tashes!

What make and take craft will you be doing at our summer pop-up event?

I will be showing you how to make origami bangles! They can be a bit fiddly, so if your fingers aren’t so nimble, I’ll be showing you simpler paper beads too. Either way you’ll have lovely paper bracelets, and the knowledge to take home!

Describe Stars N Scars in 3 words?

Fun, unique, customisable!

Can you tell us a joke? 

How does Bob Marley like his doughnuts?
Wi' Jammin

(that’s great but it’s not my favourite... if you visit me on the day I’ll tell you my favourite... it doesn’t work in print!)

Stars n Scars Twitter 

Stars n Scars Facebook

Stars n Scars Folksy

Stars n Scars Etsy

Blog Giveaway Number 4!

This is the last blog give away before our pop-up event in Clapham on the 7^th August.

This week’s prize is a £50 gift voucher, for you to take part in a craft workshop of your choice at MakeMe Workshops . 

MakeMe Workshops offer loads of different fun crafty workshops, from felting to cupcake decorating and sewing to jewellery crafts. For more information and pictures of their pretty studio check out their facebook page: MakeMe Workshop Facebook Page

To be in with a chance to win this great prize, finish of the following sentence… 

‘I love Craft because…….’ 

The answer can’t be any more than 30 words long and it can be a quirky as you like!

The deadline is Tuesday 2^nd August

Good Luck!

First of Many Amazing Pop-Up Craft Events - Tooting

I was a little choked up this morning, when I saw the pictures from our first craft pop-up event, which took place yesterday in Tooting and so I’m not going to say much in this week’s blog post, the images speak for themselves and I dedicate it to the amazing local companies who took part, the volunteers and of course the people who came along on the day. 

Thanks all for making it a great day.

Our next event is in Clapham on 7^th August 12-4pm, Click to find out more information: Clapham summer Pop-Up

Upcycling demonstration from Join-Up Streatham

Interior Design classes from London Property Makeover

Knitting & Crochet demonstrations from Affinity Yarns

 

Mosaic workshops from Glittering Shards

 

Ms Cupcake offered cupcake icing & decoration demonstrations

Clothes Swapping by Swish & Pout

Pretty broach making workshops by Crafty Pint

Got Craft? offered tasters into badge making

 

Blue Velvet Cake

One for the Oven

adapted from One Particular Kitchen

Ingredients

cake:
2 cups sugar
2 sticks of unsalted room temperature butter [i've learned that keeping it out the night before really REALLY helps]
2 eggs
1 1/2 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 Tablespoon royal blue food coloring
1 small dab of violet food coloring [use a toothpick to get the dab]
2 1/2 cups cake flower
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 Tablespoon white vinegar

frosting:
1 pound of cream cheese [at room temperature]
2 sticks of room temperature unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups sifted confectioners sugar

1 package of blueberries [about half a cup]

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease 2 8-inch cake pans. Line bottom of cake pans with fitted parchment paper rounds and grease everything again with butter or Pam.
Cream sugar and butter in a mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time mixing well after each one.
In a smaller bowl mix cocoa powder and food coloring together. *I didn’t get it all mixed thoroughly, because the food coloring i used was a gel, so i kind of mashed it together and then dumped everything into the sugar mixture.
Sift flour and salt together in a separate bowl. Add to the sugar mixture alternating with the buttermilk. Start and end with flour. Mix in vanilla extract.
Combine baking soda and vinegar in a smaller bowl, then add to the cake mixture. Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix one last time.
Fill cake pans half way full with batter and bake for 20 minutes or until the cake starts to seperate from the sides of the cake pan and a toothpick comes out cleanish.
Keep on wire rack until completely cooled.
*I took my cakes out, let it cool for about 45 minutes, when they felt not so scalding hot, i flipped them over onto a wire cooling rack lined with parchment paper and then stuck the whole rack with the cakes on it into the freezer for about 30 minutes. It kind of speeds up the cooling process.

Frosting time:

Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until smooth and combined.
Add powdered sugar gradually and taste along the way, stop adding sugar when it gets to your desired sweetness.

Frost bottom layer first, then add blueberries in an even tight packed layer. Frost one side of your top cake layer and place the frosted side down on top of the blueberries. Frost the top of your now 2-layered cake and then around the sides. Top with a blueberry or whatever else you want!

Craft Competition Number 3!

This is our last competition before we pop-up in Tooting on the 24th July and it’s a cracker! For a chance to win afternoon tea for two at Earl Gray & Rose in Streatham, all you need to do is tell us how many beads and buttons are in Morph’s jar?

You can put your answer on the blog, facebook or tweet it to us and the winner will be announced next Thursday.

Good Luck!

Book Review: Paper + Craft

Based in New York, day to day Minhee and Truman Cho are owners of an upmarket stationary and paper company, Paper + Cup  and this chic book is obviously an extension of their passion. The book has 25 design projects with step by step tutorials, easy for all to do from the novice to the more experienced crafter. If you’ve never thought about paper crafts, think again, all you need to get started are paper, scissors and glue.

Paper +Craft is a credit to the crafting world, this book is an excellent example of being able to bring vintage inspired crafts into the twenty first century.

Memorable Nuggets  - We Loved the animal drink tags, the picture is really exciting, this project can be used for kids parties and adult drinks.

This book has thought of everything, from the materials you’ll need, to a resource page of where you can buy what, the ‘Additional Ideal’ section at the end of each project, ensures the project don’t get boring, with different examples of how to experiment with the materials and finally this is my favourite part of the book, a link taking you to the website to download the templates for each of the projects.

Here’s one we made earlier.

Marks out of 5

We highly recommend this book as a gift or just as a treat to yourself. The charming projects can be easily achieved with the minimal fuss and you’ll look like a crafting god or goddess when you show your friends. 

We give this book a 4.5/ 5

Have you got your, Got Craft?

Zoe from the SW Craft Club asked me to write a guest post about Got Craft?, so to start off, I figured I better tell you a little about ourselves! Got Craft? is made up of Andrea and Robert. Originally from Vancouver, BC, we are a husband and wife team that has moved to London, UK in search of new experiences and adventures. Our background is in event management and wedding coordination, but we are also makers and love all things handmade. This love led to us starting Got Craft? in 2007, a modern twist on the conventional craft fair.

Focusing on the indie craft culture, Got Craft? aims to bring together a community that fosters handmade and a D.I.Y. ethos. Held twice a year in Vancouver, BC and soon, London, UK, we feature a curated array of handmade goods in a wide range of wares including jewelry, clothing and accessories, bath and body, paper goods, ceramics, house wares, wall art, plush objects, fresh and baked goods and more!

We are super excited to partner up with the SW Craft Club and present a button workshop at their two Summer Pop-Up events in July and August! We’ll have blank templates for you to draw your own designs and a selection of pretty papers and Got Craft? images for you to choose from. Both events are free to attend and fantastic for a family day out. Hope to see you there!

Follow our blog to read about what inspires us, the D.I.Y. community, handmade artists, crafty things to do, tutorials and life from both sides of the pond. Watch this space for news about Got Craft? UK and our upcoming Christmas market!

Check out our past events: http://player.vimeo.com/video/17102123?title=0&byline=0&portrai

blog | website | twitter | facebook | flickr

all images by STUDIO jeanie