Product Highlight: Leather Across Body Clutch Bag by Rogue Saddler

Rogue Saddler will be bringing their stunning range of handmade leather bags and accessories to the Brighton Craftaganza Christmas market on Saturday 29th November. 

This is my ‘Across body clutch’. It’s for all the ladies out there, who love simplicity and have conscientious style. Handcrafted to hold your everyday ‘bits n bobs’, using a beautiful veg tan (this means its dyed over a long and sensitive process using vegetable matter) leather.

Comes in dark tan (as pictured), dark brown and black.

Price £95

‘Meet the Seller’: Viktorija from Andsmile

I dare you to not find Viktorija from Andsmile‘s work adorable! With super affordable prices, these pieces of wearable art could tick many of your Christmas present boxes. On sale on Saturday 29th November. 

Please introduce yourself….

Hello, My name is Viktorija and I’m an illustrator and designer maker.

Describe the products you currently make to sell
I make quirky badges, earrings and necklaces, all based on my drawings and inspired by imaginary pet friends and popular culture.

Where and when do you design and make your products?

All products are designed and made in my London studio. And I think I design them all the time! 🙂

How long have you been selling your wares and how did it begin?

I’m selling my goods for over two years (soon will be three). It all started from an etsy shop and couple of postcards and an idea that I wanted to make wearable and usable art. So I tried making brooches and earrings and kept doing so since.

What drew you to Brighton, if you are not a ‘native’?

I’ve heard so many good things about Brighton Craftaganza and I met some of the Brighton makers at some other fairs and they all are such lovely people so I decided to try my luck at Brighton. Also any excuse to go to Brighton, such a beautiful place. 🙂

Any other crafty disciplines you like to practice?

I love crochet, I am not really good at it but I love it! 🙂

What inspires the things you make?

Usually it’s my favourite characters from tv shows and films and sometimes it’s stories from my life or my imaginary friends lives (like pandas and smoking squirrels).

Personal motto?

It will sound like a certain brand slogan but hey, DO IT 🙂 Whatever it is, whether there are doubts or confidence issues, or it’s “not good enough”, it’s an answer for a lot of questions. 🙂

‘Meet the Seller’: Anna Watson

If you can’t think of someone you know who like a piece of Anna Watson jewellery this Christmas, then I’m not sure you know enough people!!! On sale on Saturday 29th November, I’m having trouble deciding which is my favourite piece…

Please introduce yourself….

My name is Anna and I’m a jewellery Designer

Describe the products you currently make to sell

I make pendants, rings and small sculptures out of wood, plastic, brass, silver, copper and gold. I use clean forms and polished surfaces to reveal the qualities of the material, to catch the light and attract the eye. The pieces are highly tactile inviting the wearer to play and fiddle with them. They have also been designed to be displayed simply as objects on the mantle piece or on a shelf.

Where and when do you design and make your products?

I have a workshop in Brighton where I develop designs which generally emerge through the making process. At home, when I’m on the bus, walking and cycling I’m also designing and developing my ideas.

How long have you been selling your wares and how did it begin?

I studied 3d Design Materials Practice at the University of Brighton, since graduating in 2011 I’ve worked for other jewellers. I have had my workshop since graduation and am there most of the time, in this last year I’ve developed the business and am beginning to do more jewellery and craft shows, and provide work for various stockists.

What drew you to the Brighton area, if you are not a ‘native’?

I’m a native!

Any other crafty disciplines you like to practice?

I love all art and craft practices and try everything I can get my paws on! I spend time painting and drawing.

What inspires the things you make?

Films, books landscapes, people, holidays, places and spaces and the feelings and wonder they evoke.

Personal motto?

Don’t overthink things.

Product Highlight: Giraffe by Retro Pigeon

Available on Saturday 29th November at the Brighton Craftaganza Christmas craft market. Don’t tell me you don’t need this guy. Look, he’s winking at you!

This lovely little giraffe is handmade, he stands 19.5 by 12.5 inches. He’s made from a seventies M & S duvet, some may remember this fabric well! He has sleepy felt eyes, ears and mane. He will be available for sale at Craftaganza, Saturday 29th November for £28. A perfect gift for Xmas!

‘Meet the Seller’: Shelley and John from Snapdragon Designs

This crafty couple with be selling their awesome product ranges on Saturday 29th November at the Christmas Brighton Craftaganza. I can’t wait t check out their clever laser cut jewellery and beautiful notebooks.

Please introduce yourself….

Hello, we are Snapdragon Designs. A husband and wife team Shelley and John, from Kent. We met and Art college and gained degrees in Graphic Design from De Montfort University. Shelley has been a professional Book Binder for 10 years and John a Design and Technology teacher for 8.

Describe the products you currently make to sell

We make a range of unique and quirky acrylic jewellery influenced by fairy tales, stories and books alongside a range of handmade books and lasercut cards.

Where and when do you design and make your products?

Most of our designing and making is done in our tiny one bedroom flat, but thanks to John being the head of Design and Technology we also use his workshop space as a place to spread out. We are hoping to finally get a workshop of our own sometime in the near future.

How long have you been selling your wares and how did it begin?

We started selling my wares at small craft fairs and gradually making our way up to bigger and better things! It all began with me wanting to make pretty things so I started to make hand bound books from vintage fabrics and beautiful handmade papers. Then John made me a laser cut cat ring and it all grew from there.

What drew you to the Brighton area, if you are not a ‘native’?

Brighton has always been to us a haven for the creative and quirky, somewhere we have loved to visit, especially to amble around the Lanes shopping for the weird and wonderful. This made it an ideal destination for us to take our individual designs.

Any other crafty disciplines you like to practice?

Hmm lets see, I’m always trying out new things, depending on what mood I’m in! I’ve dabbled in marquetry, knitting, silversmithing and hat making to name but a few. Being a Design and Technology teacher, John, gets to play at new things everyday with a variety of materials! Often is the phrase “look what I made” uttered as he walks through the door.

What inspires the things you make?

All sorts really, I used to read a lot when commuting to London everyday and the type of books I read always had an element of fairytale to them.

Personal motto?

Shelley: Right, we need to make . . .
John: Yes Dear.

‘Meet the Seller’: Vicky from Woah there Pickle

Vicky will be returning to sell at Brighton Craftaganza on both days (29th & 30th November) this year. I have no idea why we haven’t interviewed her previously, but today I’m making amends. Let’s hear about the lovely lady behind the awesome lino-cut designs…. 

Please introduce yourself….

Ello! I’m Vicky and I make all sorts of linocut bits and bobs as Woah there Pickle.

Describe the products you currently make to sell:

I hand carve and print linocuts which form the basis for all of my products but these range from original prints and cards to badges, tea towels and now Christmas decorations as well. There’s normally lots of colour or bold typography and hopefully subjects that bring a smile to people faces.

Where and when do you design and make your products?

I do all my printing at home on my kitchen table, that’s one of the things I love about linocutting, you can do it anywhere. You can find me printing at pretty much any time of day as well. There’s something very relaxing about sitting down at the end of the day and carving out a new block. I just know that if I start stabbing myself it’s probably time for bed!

How long have you been selling your wares and how did it begin?

I studied Graphic Design at Uni but never did a whole lot with it, I was much more interested in commercial print and printmaking. Then, just before moving to Brighton I went to America for a few months and on a bit of road trip went to visit one of the oldest letterpress print shops in the country, Hatch Show Print. It was seeing how they incorporated hand carved blocks into their archive of moveable type that made me think that actually that bit doesn’t really need much set up or equipment at all. So as soon as I got back I started linocut printmaking. That was in 2009 and I’ve been obsessively printing ever since.

What drew you to the Brighton area (either to live or to sell, interpret as you like), if you are not a ‘native’?

I was living in Kingston after going to Uni there and came on a few weekend visits to Brighton, just to the beach and a wander around the shops. I knew it would be an awesome place to live so eventually moved and I love it here. The sea is right there, there’s so much going on and it’s full of all sorts of weird and wonderful people. Not to mention it’s just a great place to be if you do anything artistic or creative.

Any other crafty disciplines you like to practice?

I’m also a bit of a crochet fiend. My mum taught me a few years ago when I wanted to make a baby blanket for a friend and I was hooked (as they say – boom boom!). I’ve recently been trying amigurumi which is so much fun because once you have the basic stitches down you can make anything you can imagine!

What inspires the things you make?

Anything and everything that will make me smile. Nostalgia, quirky objects, funny sayings and things from places I’ve been all feature in my prints. Humor is very important in the work that I do and I know that if I pull back the paper on the final colour I’m printing and it makes me laugh, I’ve done a good job.

Personal motto?

That’s a tricky one but there’s one thing that I’m sure will end up on a print one day and is a popular sign in the bars in New Orleans – Be Nice or Leave!

‘Meet the Seller’: Amalia from Linescapes

If you are looking for a gift for an architecture loving person, then stop your search right this second and make sure you are at the Christmas Brighton Craftaganza craft market on Sunday 30th November.  The detailed, high quality illustrative work by Linescapes will fill that Christmas stocking perfectly! 

Please introduce yourself….

Hi, I’m Amalia, a free-lance designer with over 20 year experience in Spain, the UK and USA and the creative brain behind Linescapes. After training in Architecture and obtaining a Masters Degree at the Royal College of Art, I recently gave up my free-lance job in architecture in order to dedicate my full attention to developing Linescapes into a successful brand.

Describe the products you currently make to sell

With the CAD software I used in my professional life, I create colourful illustrations of objects I find interesting like vintage cameras. I also enjoy creating abstract patterns inspired by architecture and detailed drawings of well-known buildings. The latter is my current focus and I intend to continue developing collections of buildings around the UK and further afield as well as taking commissions like a recent house portrait and a drawing of Sydney Opera House.

Where and when do you design and make your products?

After moving to Brighton ten months ago, I refurbished my flat extensively in order to create a larger spare room that I could use as my studio. Originally my husband and I used to work together but as I started expanding the brand, he’s been forced to work in the main bedroom so I can make room for my paper trimmer, computer, materials, etc. (bless his heart…)

How long have you been selling your wares and how did it begin?

I started painting furniture and boxes 25 years ago in Spain but got side tracked by my studies and my job. It was only three years ago that my husband encouraged me to start painting again which I did with a vengeance! In the meantime, I started creating the vintage camera collection which sold very well and since then the illustrations and stationery work has taken over the paintings as my main activity.

What drew you to the Brighton area, if you are not a ‘native’?

I have wanted to move to Brighton for years now but it was only when I was made redundant last year and went free-lance that we decided to take the plunge and move. I love the architecture, the friendly people, creative atmosphere and general laid back attitude. I can’t imagine living anywhere else anymore!

Any other crafty disciplines you like to practice?

My hand painted products are still in the background but lately I have been too busy with my illustrations to dedicate to it the time I’d like to. I also make notebooks with beautiful materials for covers. All my work can bee seen on my website, www.linescapes.co.uk.

I’m planning to showcase all of my work when I open my flat during the Open House in December with 4 four other artists which is very exciting! Keep an eye on the Artists Open House website for details (www.aoh.org.uk)

What inspires the things you make?

My eclectic style is inspired mainly by the aesthetics of the Mid Century and Bauhaus movements, beautiful product design, and an obsession with stationery (and Pinterest!). This, and my experience as an architect, has resulted in the strong sense of colour, shapes and graphics evident in my products.

Personal motto?

Follow your dream. Simple…. :o)