Celebrating and Reflecting
Today is a very special day for me at Pepperberry & Co: it's my 50th blog post!

I always like to use special dates and anniversaries as a time to reflect. Each New Year, I sit down and journal the incredible moments, achievements and highlights of the previous year, and make plans and wish lists for the upcoming one. I would like to do the same for this milestone in the Pepperberry & Co. journey.

I have been blogging, sewing, discovering, learning and laughing through the Pepperberry & Co. blog since March of this year. In that time, magical things have happened: I attended the incredible Stitches & Craft show, learnt how to sew, figured out how to blog, bought Charlie the sewing machine, squealed as I was featured on other blogs, had my first market, went crazy with giveaways, started my Etsy shop, shared tutorials, and discovered the worlds of Facebook, Twitter and Flickr. These are some incredible achievements, and I feel so happy and proud to have been able to experience them all.

The absolute highlight, however, has been meeting my crafty friends from across the globe. With every comment I receive, every market I do, and every craft event I attend, I discover a new blogger; someone else out there in the virtual world creating amazing craft, making her readers laugh, and sharing her incredible journey with the world. I have been phenomenally inspired by the endless determination, talent, and creativity out there on the handmade highway, and I hope that I celebrate that enough in my little corner of the blogging planet.

Today, I would like to say thank you to the beautiful group of people who have supported me on my journey: those who have been with me from the very beginning and have shared my joys and helped me through my struggles; each and every person who has commented on my posts and brought a smile to my day; the shoppers at Pepperberry & Co. who help make my small business dream come true; the Melbourne crafters who have made me laugh, cry and learn; and the followers and readers who I am yet to know, and who I look forward to being friends with in the future.

Without you, Pepperberry & Co. would not exist, and my heart would not be full of crafty love. Thank you. May the next 50 posts see as much joy, laughter, silliness, craftiness, friendships, and learning as those that I have already written.xx Sandra

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4:43 PM | Category: , | 28 Pepperberrians Said...

And the Winner Is...
Ladies and Gentlemen...

Boys and Girls...

Crafters, bloggers and hedgehog lovers...

We have a winner in the Tuesday Tales Apple & Eve giveaway!

With my regular selection panel of feline furries not currently living in the same country as me, I had to get creative. Instead of cute cats, I live with a big fan...

And paper...


And what do you get when you combine said fan with said paper? Exciting flying giveaway entrants!

Everyone's name was written on a piece of paper (by hand, people- no printer here!), and then they were released into the wild. The one that flew the furthest was deemed to be the Proud Owner of a Tiny Happy Hedgehog...

...and that is the lovely Justine from Just Nibbles! Justine said that she loved the Tiny Happy Hedgehog with Green Flowers because it reminded her of the little ones in their natural environment. Three cheers for Justine!

Thank you all for entering, and I look forward to seeing you all at next Tuesday's Tale and Giveaway!

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7:38 PM | Category: | 16 Pepperberrians Said...

When Handmade Craft Goes on a Recession Diet
Q: What's better than a one-of-a-kind crafty piece that has lovingly been created by hand?

A: When that crafty piece is nearly half the price it used to be!

That's right, darling Pepperberrians! My Etsy shop has gone on a Recession Diet. You'll now find each and every one of my goodies at nearly half the price they used to be! I've also put over 15 new items in store for your viewing pleasure.

So, if you've ever coveted one of my Notebook Covers...


Or perhaps you would like to travel in style with a Passport Cover...


Or you simply want a cute little Snap Wallet to store things in...

Then now's the time to grab one! Nothing in the store is over $17, and prices start at just $10. A bargain for handmade goodness!

And, if you blog, Facebook or Tweet with a link to my store, you can also have 25% off shipping costs to anywhere in the world. Just put the link in the message to seller and I'll refund the costs to you.

It's Christmas time at Pepperberry & Co.! Come and stock up those merry stockings.

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P.S. Welcome to all my lovely new Followers who I've found thanks to my Apple & Eve giveaway. Remember, it's not too late to enter to win one of Eva's marvellous hedgehog softies!
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8:40 PM | Category: , , , | 4 Pepperberrians Said...

A Happy Hedgehog Giveaway!
THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR ENTRIES!
THIS GIVEAWAY HAS NOW CLOSED.
THE WINNER WILL BE POSTED SHORTLY!

Hello gorgeous Pepperberrians!

To celebrate the launch of Pepperberry & Co.'s new artist interview series, Tuesday Tales, the wonderful Apple & Eve and I are hosting a giveaway! You could have the chance to take home your very own Tiny Happy Hedgehog from Eva's amazing range:
All followers of Pepperberry & Co. are eligible to enter (not a Follower yet? Become one here!). For your chance to win, simply visit the beautiful Apple & Eve store, find your favourite Tiny Happy Hedgehog, and leave a comment here telling Eva & I which Hedgehog makes you happy and why.

Are you so in love with the thought of owning your own Tiny Happy Hedgehog that you want extra chances to win? Ok! Do any (or all!) of the following and then leave a comment with the corresponding link:

* Post about the Tiny Happy Hedgehog Giveaway on Facebook
* Tweet about the Tiny Happy Hedgehog Giveaway on Twitter
* Blog about the Tiny Happy Hedgehog Giveaway on your blog

The winner will be chosen in a Top Secret (read: I'll make it up when I get there!), creatively inspired manner on the evening of this Friday, the 28th of August (Bangkok time).

Have fun, and good luck!

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5:56 PM | Category: , , , , | 95 Pepperberrians Said...

Tuesday Tales: An Interview With Apple & Eve
Welcome to Pepperberry & Co.’s Tuesday Tales!

As a crafter and small business owner, I am constantly inspired by my fellow crafters. Their stories, creations, challenges and successes all work to keep me motivated and to inspire me to dream a big crafty dream.

I have chosen to share this inspiration with you, my fabulous readers, through a new blog segment called ‘Tuesday Tales’. Every Tuesday, an inspiring crafter who runs her own business will be featured on the Pepperberry & Co. blog. This means that each week, you’ll get to discover new and exciting artists from across the globe, and will hopefully pick up some hints and tips on how to start or run your own crafty venture!


Today, we meet with Eva, the vibrant creator of the Apple & Eve brand, who is an Estonian girl currently living in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. In 2005, Eva was pregnant with her second son, and was looking to make him a special toy. She sketched a bunny, and her crafting business adventure began.

“After I sketched the bunny for my son, I went fabric shopping,” she explains, “but unfortunately, I came back with empty hands, because I didn’t like any of the fabric. So I decided to make a little white cotton bunny and embroider something simple and cute onto it.”

After the first bunny, Eva felt like she should make more of them. “It was just so calming and at the same time exciting to make little sweet toys,” she explains. Little by little, she made more and more bunnies, and after discovering Etsy and blogging, requests for other animals started flowing in. “After the bunny, there was a request for birds, then kitties, then hedgehogs...” she laughs.

Having a hobby and running a business are completely different realms, however. So what inspired Eva to take things to the next level? “Receiving positive feedback from customers, enjoying every second of crafting, and being in the awesome community of creative people,” she answers simply. The transition suits her perfectly. “My favourite element of being an independent crafter and business owner is the ability to make my own decisions about every little detail.” She ponders whether that means she is a control freak. “Maybe, but I just love to see things my way. The Apple & Eve way!” she giggles.
 Eva’s journey with craft began long before the concept of Apple & Eve was born. “I learned all my skills at school, where handiwork was taught as an obligatory course,” she explains. “From 4th till 11th grade we learned to sew, to knit, to crochet and to embroider.” Of these mediums, sewing and embroidery stimulated her the most. “Sewing is a very constructive medium,” she says. “You can create a whole three dimensional item from a piece of fabric. Embroidery is more like drawing or painting for me. Drawing with a needle, yes that’s it!” she laughs. “It’s also an unbelievably precise art. Every little stitch has to be perfect, so the result will look clean and perfect.”

To create her gorgeous critters, Eva goes through an intense process of research, sketching, and sewing. “First there is an idea of an animal,” she says, “then I go through many, many pictures of it- if I don’t have a certain image of it in my mind already.” Eva tries to capture each creature’s strongest characteristics, and then she sketches it “like a kid would do it- simple outlines, round forms, a few exaggerated details.” She also has to make sure her idea will be physically possible to sew.

The unique and beautiful embroidery that is a feature of Eva’s work is also inspired by hours of research. “I look at endless pictures and photos of flowers I want to make- Flickr is the best place!” she exclaims. After sketching her pattern ideas, she comes to her favourite part- embroidery. “Embroidering summarises the pleasure of the whole process,” she smiles.

The idea of making simple things for babies (and grown-ups!) is still the main inspiration behind Apple & Eve. It applies to the design of the toy itself and to the embroidery. Most of the flowers and plants you can see in the Apple & Eve store are from Eva’s own childhood memories, and reflect the things that she is most passionate about in life: “my family, good health, nature, good relationships, and sunshine,” she grins.

To further immerse yourself in Eva's lovely creations, track her down on her Blog, at her Etsy shop, on Flickr, on Twitter, or on Facebook.

I hope you've enjoyed your first Tuesday Tale! Stay tuned for more incredible artists over the coming weeks.

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9:33 AM | Category: , , , , , | 19 Pepperberrians Said...

Conquering the Craftosphere: 10 Must-Know Craft Sites for Every Crafter
I have no doubt at all that when I first entered the online crafting world, I resembled a very confused infant who'd just been told to fend for themselves.

There were millions of colourful websites, thousands of online sellers, hundreds of genres of craft... and then there was little ol' me.

Terms like blogging, tweeting, facebooking, swaps, Etsy and tutes may as well have been in French, for I had no idea what they meant or how they even vaguely related to my crafty dreams.

I stumbled around in the dark, and slowly built up a base of websites, blogs and articles that helped me find my feet and build an understanding of the Craftosphere. What I yearned for from the start, however, was a map: a guide to the absolutely key crafty websites that would tell me everything I needed to know. And so it is with pleasure that I present to you just that: the Pepperberry & Co. guide to the Top 10 Must-Know Craft Sites for Every Crafter.


CRAFSTER
Craftster is an online community where people share hip, off-beat, crafty D.I.Y projects. It's the largest online community for indie crafts. Craftster has 700,000 active monthly members, making it the prime location to find enough crafty projects to keep you busy for the next ten years!


CUT OUT + KEEP
Cut Out + Keep is an online community for crafty and creative people to make and share step-by-step tutorials. You can browse through thousands of craft projects and tutorials, keep track of your favorites and add your own versions, post your own tutorials, read their monthly magazine, and chat on their boards to make crafty new friends. A great resource for all crafty types!


INDIE FIXX
Indie Fixx is a celebration of the creativity, tenacity, and general spunky goodness that is the indie design movement. The site lets you explore a delectable smorgasbord of indie products, and also has great Tutorials on Tuesdays from crafters across the globe!


CRAFTPLACE
Craftplace is an online space for crafters to connect with other crafters, share projects and ideas, make suggestions, and find inspiration. Craftplace also brings you the best crafting content, resources, ideas and inspiration from around the web, and lets you know about shows, markets and other exciting events that are coming up.


CRAFT GOSSIP
Confused about everything crafty out there? Not sure where to go and what to buy for your latest craft idea? Can’t find that kitsch pattern that everyone else is talking about? Well worry no more! Craft Gossip covers news written by craft people telling you about all the good stuff. They scour the net looking for the best craft ideas and projects and review them for you. With dozens of categories to search through, every crafter will find something fun to play with here!


HELLO CRAFT
Hello Craft is dedicated to the advancement of independent crafters and the handmade movement, as well as empowering small business owners and educating the public to the benefits of buying handmade and teaching the joys of making. With useful articles, tutorials, links and stories, you'll soon find yourself saying Hello to Craft more often!


CRAFT
Celebrating the D.I.Y spirit, CRAFT's goal is to unite, inspire, inform and entertain a growing community of highly imaginative and resourceful people who are transforming traditional art and crafts with unconventional, unexpected and even renegade techniques, materials and tools; people who undertake amazing crafting projects in their homes and communities. You'll find a whole range of quirky, fun tutorials here!


LIVING CREATIVELY
LC is your place to discover what’s happening in the world of creativity, and to unleash some of your own. The monthly LC magazine uncovers the best on offer in the worlds of art, craft, design, urban living and fashion from around the world. With articles on creative people and brands, business tips and views, step-by-step project sheets and ideas, a handmade marketplace, special offers and competitions, online forums and an extensive calendar of events in Australia, LC will definitely keep you busy!


CRAFT BITS
Craft Bits provides resources for teachers, therapists, and craft enthusiasts, with tutorials, articles, great pictures and inspiring projects galore. As an independent craft website, their aim is to satisfy the needs and promote the awareness of the benefits of creativity in everyone, young or old. Go explore and get crafty!


CRAFT STYLISH
Craft Stylish is the ultimate crafting resource- a place to connect, discover and share with other crafters. It’s the destination for fabulous inspiration and expert instruction on the latest trends, projects, ideas, and materials. Whatever craft you love—knitting, crocheting, sewing, quilting, embroidery, jewelry making, and more- you’ll find great information and community on this site!


I hope that helps at least a few of the newbies (and maybe even some oldies!) find their feet in the Craftosphere!

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3:57 PM | Category: , , | 9 Pepperberrians Said...

Magical Fabric and the Art of Addiction
Dear Craftspersons, Craft Bloggers and Sewing Types,

I write to inform you that Fabric Addiction is a state of being that is now officially recognised as a health issue by the World Health Organisation.

SYMPTOMS
Fabric Addicts, sometimes colloquially called 'Hoarding Nutcases', can be diagnosed according to the following symptoms:
  • The owning of a stash of fabric so ridiculously large that it no longer fits in a contained, reasonably sized space;
  • The appearance of drool at the corners of their mouths when presented with an entire store of delicious, textured textiles; and
  • The unsubstantiated belief that owning more fabric, even when the current fabric stash is not yet finished, leads to eternal joy and happiness.

CASE STUDY
The WHO has been fortunate in discovering a specimen upon which to conduct a thorough case study of Fabric Addiction. The patient, known as case number Pepperberry04589, was found wandering the streets of Vientiane, Laos. She exhibited a a large smile upon her face and a tight clutch on her bag. She was captured and placed under analysis. Her case study has shown us that the following hand woven, vegetable dyed, fair trade organic cotton from Laha was to blame for her extreme condition:

She was also found to have the following product in her possession, which is believed to be made from the aforementioned fabric and was found to contain the necessary financial aid to support her addiction:


WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP
Should you come into contact with a Fabric Addict, please take extreme caution and observe the following procedures:
  • Do not make eye contact. Fabric Addicts may mistake eye contact as a sign that you are eyeing off their Fabric Stash with intent to steal.
  • Keep your elbows pinned to your sides when inside fabric stores. Raising them even slightly may be misinterpreted as the precursor to a move called 'The Elbow', where Fabric Addicts place their elbows into a sudden death battle and the winner receives the rights to a highly-sought after piece of fabric.
  • Back away slowly if a low growl emits from the Fabric Addict. This is a sign of Fabric Withdrawal and can lead to extreme temperamental shifts.
Please contact the WHO immediately should you suspect that you or someone you know is suffering from this debilitating condition.

Yours Sincerely,
Manager
Executive Office of Fabric Addiction Management
World Health Organisation

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9:30 AM | Category: | 23 Pepperberrians Said...

I'm Back!
My darling bloggy friends! How I have missed thee!

I've taken nearly a month off from blogging in order to travel the wild roads of South East Asia, but the little niggling twitch in my left eyeball has been a constant reminder of what I miss about the blogosphere: the friendship, the crafting, the inspiration and the sharing. Enough is enough, my eyeball has said! So I have picked up the tools of the trade and am back in bloggy business.

What have we been up to for the past month? Well...

This might surprise all my regular readers, but the month has definitely been filled with eating, and a lot of eating at that. But how can I resist when it looks like this?

There has also been the checking out of shiny, pretty, golden things... and the development of a mild case of kleptomania. If only that giant Buddha would fit in my handbag...

There has been laughter, silliness, dancing, the patting of many stray cuties and endless good times with the gorgeous Sharon and the wonderful Teegs, who joined us for 3 amazing weeks.

And, you will be proud to know, I have actually left my computer (a challenge like no other, now that I own Adobe CS4 and Sims 3!) and actually seen some sights- in both Thailand and Laos!
Whew! No wonder I haven't been blogging! Sharon and I have chosen to settle in Bangkok for the next two months, though, so I'm back in action and can't wait to play in the blog-and-craftosphere.

I have many things to share with you, including new fabric, tales of a stamp carving adventure, fabulous finds from around the web, a Top Secret Project that involves fibres and an addiction, a whole new range of Etsy goodies, and an inspiring craft project that I'm going to need your help with.

Excitement, here we come! Stay tuned this week for all the news...

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7:39 PM | Category: , | 23 Pepperberrians Said...