Made In The Shade

The Supermercado Christmas Specials - Parts I & II

2010-12-03T07:27:00.000-08:00

Now, we love to crack on with our very best Bing Crosby impersonations as much as the next person around this time, and, in theory, I guess I am dreaming of a White Christmas - but if it could just be white on Christmas Day then nice and dry and clear on Boxing Day - that'd be great. As things stand though, we have a white-run-up-to-Christmas and the darned weather is causing havoc up and down the country. Spare a thought for your friendly crafty types during this bitter cold, won't you? There are troupes of hardy indie business owners setting up shop in the courtyard of The Barras Centre every Saturday until Christmas and they are downright chilly willy! We can feed them cup-a-soup, we can ply them with tea, but really, what will surely warm their hearts is having some customers to talk to. Give them a reason to get up from their icy cold stools and show you round their fabulous array of handmade wares! Don your long johns, your wellies and your fur lined coat and shop local, shop indie this Christmas!

Last week marked the first in a series of Supermercado Christmas Specials. It was flippin' freezing in the courtyard even with the indoor heating (goes without saying) and while the snow lay thick on the pavements, customers were thin on the ground. Despite the crazy conditions though, our ever-cheery vendors kept themselves perky, enjoying home roasted coffee from Alastair Moodie, delectable sweet treats from Flamingo Bakery and live music from Julias' Daughters (we particularly LOVED the gals' cover of Made in the Shade shopping soundtrack favourite 'A Teenager In Love'!). Sadly, many a rock'n'roll cowgirl was left disappointed as The Meat Men had to call off at the last minute. The ol' red Meat Machine (aka Richard's van) did not cope well with the cold and left the fellas stranded on the other side of town :(

This week, despite the snow, we're gonna give it our best shot and go for round two of the Christmas Specials. Weather/engine permitting, we WILL be joined by The Meat Men and we'll be breaking open our stock of mince pies and offering y'all a little treat or two as you browse a selection of work by fabulous designer makers! Setting up shop in the courtyard this week we have... mavens of vintage style, Hot Tam-Ali plus jewellery and accessories makers t-boo, We Are The Robots, Suzy Loves, Dazed Dorothy, Canary Yellow, Sydney's Studio Works and Fantoosherie. 'Lil Bubba Things show off their latest collection of handmade gorgeousness for little 'uns, Purple Herb returns with a glorious selection of handmade bath and body products and Ula & Lucy join us for the first time to debut their beautiful printed products. Fresh from the Country Living Fair at Glasgow's SECC, the fabulous Leah Halliday will be in residence at Supermercado too - selling a whole host of wonderful vintage homewares, accessories and hand stitched gifts. Our favourite man maker Kevin Morris - will wow y'all with his super-stunning handmade bird houses, home accessories and gifts. To top it all off? We do, of course, have the BEST group of foodie DIYers you ever did see. Zoe Makes Cakes is back with us and she'll be bringing a stonking spread of pie, loaves, preserves (and cake). Cupcake-tastic residents Flamingo Bakery will have their barrow choc-full of takeaway and eat-now treats, Venues to Menus will provide the French macaroons (I cannot WAIT) and Sprinkle Happiness will tempt you with tasty homemade tablet and other irresistible sweeties!

The Supermercado sellers need you. Keep your crafters cosy this Christmas and come visit us at The Barras!

Rock Around OUR Christmas Tree at Supermercado!

2010-11-24T12:26:00.000-08:00

Yes! Ditch boring ol' Buchanan Street for the bustle of The Barras this Christmas. Swap bad-mannered elbow jabbers for loud-hailer-voiced traders, hot donuts and a whole heap of bargain hunting and off-the-beaten-track gift options!

Christmas starts here. We're not ashamed. We're not hiding the tinsel any more. It's coming out. We're hanging it up - and by Saturday? We'll be rockin' round the ENORMOUS Christmas tree at The Barras Centre like a pair o' crazy ass elves. To save us looking like eejits, we need you to join us.

Over the next four Saturdays, Supermercado comes over all 'festive'! And why not, huh? It IS blinkin' Christmas! If ever there was a year to make Christmas last a little bit longer than usual, it's this year. Dance your cares away - save your worries for another day. Eat, drink and be merry (etc., etc.). Complete with free edibles and drinkables, live music, Christmas craft-offs, swap shop stalls and the customary pick of handmade wonders, vintage treats and super-special gifts - now is the time to get in touch with your East Side - and venture 5 measly minutes beyond town and join in with the spirit of Supermercado!

EVENT CANCELLATION: The Festive Shindig at The Roxy

2010-11-02T01:59:00.000-07:00

On Friday night, some kind soul posted a link on our Facebook page. The link, a news item about our fabulous Edinburgh venue - The Roxy Art House, came bearing bad tidings. Due to financial problems of The Roxy's parent charity, the building has been forced to close its doors leaving staff and management without work and leaving Edinburgh without this great multi-purpose arts and creative space.

To read more about the closure, click here or here.

Made in the Shade has been resident at The Roxy since the start of the 2010. In The Roxy we found our ideal base. We are absolutely crushed to hear of its closure. These unexpected developments leave us in a real tricky spot. At this time of year, alternative events spaces are booked up for other festive soirees (and the ones that aren't are well outwith our budget). We have already spent our marketing money on printed promo for The Roxy event and we've already completed our press work. At this late stage it is simply not practically or financially viable for us to arrange a second event from scratch and hope that within just 20-odd days we can promote it well enough to make it a success for us, our customers and our vendors. As such we have made the horrible, horrible decision to cancel The Festive Shindig. If you are a vendor and have booked selling space at The Roxy on Saturday 27th November, you will receive a full refund shortly. We are so sorry. We know you will be disappointed and if we could find a way to prevent the inconvenience, we would. To our customers in Edinburgh, thanks so much for supporting our move to the city. We'll hopefully be back some time soon.

If it's any consolation, the cancellation of the Festive Shindig and of all other Made in the Shade events in Edinburgh for the time being has serious implications for our little business and Clare and I will need to figure out the best way forward over the coming weeks and months.

Sorry everyone.

Learn to Screen Print at MITS HQ!

2010-10-25T12:25:00.000-07:00

Book your place on our all-new screenprinting course! Over four 3 hour sessions, you will learn all you need to be able to make simple screen-prints from home with minimal investment. Pretty neat, huh?

Screen Print at Home Course

The MITS HQ, The Barras Centre, 54 Calton Entry, Glasgow

Wednesday 10th November
Wednesday 17th November
Wednesday 24th November
Wednesday 1st December

6.30pm - 9.30pm

£60 deposit, then £20 per session thereafter
(all materials + takeaway kit worth £40 included)

Book at: madeintheshadebookings@gmail.com

Week 1:
Software setup ( image manipulation, preparation and setup for screen printing) Bring an image you want to print and learn how to prepare it quickly for efficient screenprinting!

Week 2:
Screen-making (simple mesh stretching/adhesion) You will learn about image burning and you will learn how to fix your image onto the screen. Tutor Peter Vallely will share some tricks of the trade to allow you to set up your own screens at home without the need for fancy, expensive equipment!

Week 3:
Printing using water-based ink onto fabric and paper.

Week 4:
More printing! Time allowing, Peter will share tips for multi-colour printing, printing on dark fabrics, plastisol inks, halftone printing etc.

This course will provide you with all the basic skills you need to get going. Once you've perfected them, the opportunities are endless. Endless I tell you! :)

Each course guests leaves the class with a 'lil kit containing a screen with their image on it, a squeegee to print with, a cotton tote bag they've printed on and around 1/4 litre of ink to play around with later. It'll be air drying ink so you won't need curing equipment either. Get printing at home!

The course costs £140. Pay just £60 to secure your space then £20 per session there after.

To book your place, email us at madeintheshadebookings@gmail.com and we'll send all the details you need to make your deposit.

Supermercado: The Early Days

2010-10-21T08:51:00.000-07:00

Well, this Saturday we'll be hosting the fourth of our introductory market events at The Barras Centre. Over the last month we've been joined by 20-odd fabulous indie businesses in our new courtyard home. We've enjoyed the company of secondhand booksellers, wonderful bakers, designer makers, illustrators and photographers, fashion designers and vintage collectors. We've munched handcrafted sushi bites and we've giggled at pictures of naked Japanese men in the bottom of saki glasses. The courtyard may be chilly during these autumnal afternoons, but the atmosphere is warm and the support we've had from y'all so far has cosied up our wee hearts and overworked brains! Our Supermercado venture is in its infancy and as such needs some serious nurturing, love and care. We want our weekly indie market to grow into a real worthy shopping destination on the already mighty Glasgow style map. With continued help from you and additional help from others like you, over time, we'll get The Barras buzzing again :)

Over the next few weeks we have a TONNE of treats in store. Some of the upcoming Supermercado vendor highlights include...

Rebecca Johnstone

Rebecca (formerly Cotton Candy Corsage) returns to the market scene following a break last year. She'll be showcasing a new collection of handmade corsages, necklaces, belts and other textile accessories. Rebecca is also offering a range of wonderful craft supplies to Supermercado customers - get in quick to snaffle 'em up.

Hot Tam-Ali

If you're on the look out for the perfect vintage frock (and let's face it, we are always on the look out for the perfect vintage frock), then make sure you stop by and pay the Hot Tam-Ali ladies a visit. Hot Tam-Ali offer a fine range of high quality, genuine vintage items - and they also have a keen eye for a hot retro buy here and there too! Don't miss it.

Margolily

Designer maker Sara Greig joins us in the courtyard for the first time :) You may recognise Sara's beautiful fascinators? We stocked them in The Maisonette last year and many a gal came over all a-flutter at their feathery prettiness. Stop by and see Sara for gorgeous handmade headpieces and other textile accessories.

Morag Macpherson

A long-time Made in the Shader, we welcome textile designer, Morag Macpherson (formerly Global Guru) to Supermercado! She'll be showcasing her latest collection of luxurious pure wool scarves, silk accessories and glorious interior pieces.

Florence Box

one of the first vendors to jump aboard the Supermercado train, smiley-faced Sally Reid offers y'all a peep inside her jewellery box! You will find kitsch brooches, retro necklaces and upcycled charms galore. Our current favourite? Her twin swallow pin :)

Leah Halliday

Leah Halliday is BACK. With a range of vintage homewares and crafty collectables fit for a retro queen, Leah will be wooing you with beautiful ceramics, kitchenware and textiles - plus a smattering of handcrafted gifts to boot!

Zoe Makes Cakes

'Tis true. Zoe does make cakes. However, at Supermercado she'll be coming over all savoury and providing customers with tasty pies and scumptious jams! Cannot WAIT for this. If there's one thing a gal needs in Autumn - it's a pie.

Lynsey Robertson Textiles

Recent textile graduate, Lynsey Robertson, makes her first foray into Supermercado-land and showcases her latest collection of beautiful silk scarves and accessories.

Love Me Again

Last time Laura (the gal behind the treasure trove that is Love Me Again) set up shop with at Supermercado, we had our beady eyes firmly set on a beautiful, pearly French teaset. Amongst other things. Visit her in the courtyard and peruse her vintage craft supplies, patterns, books, textiles, glassware and ephemera.

t-boo & Stella My Star

Jewellery making crafty chums Tracey and Jo show off their respective collections. With an ever-growing and truly lovely selection of brooches, rings and necklaces on offer you will be sure to find the perfect vintage-style accessory. By using found objects, vintage charms and upcycled materials, each piece is uuuuuuuuunique :)

The Supermercado & MITS HQ Grand Opening Party!

2010-10-13T16:57:00.000-07:00

The Made in the Shade Supermercado Grand Opening & The Barras Revival

On Saturday 6th November, Made in the Shade hosts the official launch of Glasgow's only weekly indie market, Supermercado. We invite y'all to the undercover courtyard of the newly refurbished Barras Centre to experience for yourselves, The New Barras.

Grand Opening Party - Bring your friends!

Indie businesses - including specialist bakers, artisan coffee roasters, vintage clothing sellers, designer makers, indie thrifters, florists, fashion designers and secondhand music and books traders - set up shop in the courtyard between 10.30am and 4pm.

As you shop, expect to be served a heap of old-style treats from The Barras Buffet, choosing from broken biscuits, hot donuts, peas & vinegar and cockle-warming beverages.

The Barras Buskers provide live entertainment during gaps in the Supermercado shopping soundtrack. The live music line-up features a special live acoustic set by rock'n'roll honky tonkers, The Meatmen.

The Made in the Shade HQ will have a 'doors open day' for visitors to sneak a peek at our new creative base and workshop space - with the opportunity to take part in drop-in sewing workshops with seamstress extraordinaire, Leah Halliday.

The Barras Centre Cafe will also be open for business providing a comfortable hide-out for public crafters and people watchers.

The Barras: Glasgow with Personality

The launch also marks the beginning of a DIY campaign by Made in the Shade to encourage shoppers back to the market district.

With a mighty budget of zero pounds, we've devised the first steps in their campaign to ignite a Barras revival. We're gathering quotes and stories from people about The Barras for use in our crusade. Local film makers, photographers and musicians are already onboard to help us raise the profile of the Eastend shopping hub through a series of guerilla events, online promotions and impromptu stunts. :) If you would like to lend a hand, let us know!

We will be offering guided tours of The Barras Centre and the surrounding area on launch day and we'll be presenting information on our plans and efforts to rebuild The Barras.

Like a wise man once said, "Let's get back on it!"

Whoopah!

Vote The Maisonette your Best Small Shop!

2010-10-13T05:15:00.000-07:00

The Maisonette celebrates it's 1st birthday on 30th October. A whole YEAR has gone by since we opened our clattery black shutter and welcomed the first waves of jolly customers to our little home. Mad, huh? It seems just a moment ago that we were bopping around in our paper suits covered in green paint. It definitely doesn't feel like a year has passed since we bought up pretty much the entire stock of the Salvation Army to use as shop fittings! Remember when Angharad and Laura bounded up to the new shop with armfuls of homebaked cupcakes? Yes! Me too! And you remember when Elvis showed up? Yes! Like it was yesterday! Bonkers.

12 months on and we've settled into our hidden secret spot in De Courcy's Arcade. We have lots of new neighbours and - our shop's considerably larger than it used to be! :) We now stock designer makers from all over the UK and beyond and we have introduced goodness only knows how many new designers to our roster in the last year. We've hosted tiny workshops, curated tiny exhibitions, hosted pop-up shops, put on the Piney Gir matinee gig and we've played hostess to the Lady Luck Rules Ok tour! We've catered to rock star requests, styled a tv pilot and featured in the blinkin' Easyjet mag! Waowsers.

We need your help. We would love, love, love it if you would vote The Maisonette one of your Best Small Shops as part of The Telegraph/Mary Portas campaign. Please submit a vote for The Maisonette in the homes/interiors category. Ah, go'awn, Y'will.
We need to gather enough online votes to be shortlisted. After that, the winners will be selected by a panel of judges. We're not usually ones for competitions and accolades, but on this occasion - yes siree, we want to be included, if only to receive a letter from the Queen (of Shops). The categories don't really work for us since we're as much a gift and lifestyle shop as we are an interiors store, but the silly categories are pretty rigid.

Vote for The Maisonette HERE!

:)

Dressmaking Course: Rescheduled & Ready To Go!

2010-10-12T02:51:00.000-07:00

We are thrilled to announce that bookings for our Dressmaking Course with seamstress, Laeah Halliday have reopened and we've managed to reschedule the workshop dates for you! Hoorah! And the best bit? Even with the slight delay in getting started, you will still have your frock made in time for the Christmas party! :)

Here's all the info you need.

Make your very own 50s-style frock in time for glamourous festive fun. You'll be the envy of the Christmas soiree in your handmade, made-to-measure gown!

Make a Frock

During this six week course, you will build on your existing basic sewing skills. You will learn how to read a commercial pattern, you'll learn oodles of dressmaking techniques AND Leah will treat y'all to some indispensable hints and tips of the trade!

Sounds pretty swell, huh?

Make:

A fabulous 1950s-inspired frock. You will make your dress from vintage Vogue pattern V8615. The pattern fits UK sizes 8 - 24. It includes two style variations. You will take your pattern home at the end of the course so why not make one dress style in class and tackle the other on your own at home using your new found skills?

Skills:

You will learn how to do all these things...

1. Take your measurements

2. Understand & use a commercial pattern

3. Put a dress together

4. Sew darts

5. Sew eased seams

6. Sew a basic hem

7. Sew pockets

8. Insert zip

9. Line a garment

10. Get to grips with topstitching

11. Pinning, cutting & ironing techniques

12. Insider hints & tips of the trade!

Level: Intermediate

Course Length: Six 3-hour workshops

Cost: £30 per 3 hour session = £180 (£60 deposit required at booking then £30 instalments weekly thereafter)

Date: Monday 1st November, Monday 8th November, Monday 15th November, Monday 29th November, Monday 6th December, Monday 13th December

Time: 6.30pm till 9.30pm

Bookings: madeintheshadebookings@gmail.com

Materials provided:

Vogue Pattern V8615

Basic tools of the trade*

Materials required:

Fabric: No more than 4 metres of Fabric

Lining: No more than 4 metres of polyester lining

Zip: 40cm

Thread: 2 x 100m polyester thread spool

More information on sizes, buying fabric and a list of suppliers will be emailed to you on booking.

Please Note:

This is NOT a beginners class. This is a great introduction to dressmaking but basic sewing experience is required. If you’re new to sewing or just a little rusty you can sign up to our Oh-Sew-Basic class in preparation for fancy dressmaking. Simple!

*If you have your own sewing machine, please do bring it with you - but don’t forget the instruction manual.

To book your place, email madeintheshadebookings@gmail.com

Starting from Stitch with I Heart...

2010-10-12T01:27:00.000-07:00

Starting from Stitch: A Beginners Taster Course

with Iona Bruce (I Heart...)

HAND-SEWING, EMBROIDERY, KNITTING

Friday 5th, Friday 12th, Friday 19th & Friday 26th November 2010

The Made in the Shade HQ at The Barras Centre, 54 Calton Entry, Glasgow

6.30pm - 9.30pm

Course fee: £60 (£20 deposit then 4 x payments of £10 per week)

Taking place at the Made in the Shade HQ over four weekly sessions, Starting from Stitch is the perfect taster course for would-be crafters and curious stitchers. Starting from Stitch is a fun, relaxed platform to try out something new, learn a new skill and to share some crafty ideas with likeminded souls.

Tutor, Iona Bruce (I Heart...), will offer beginners instruction on hand-sewing, embroidery and knitting - sharing tips and handy hints throughout. Iona will demo all the techniques you need to get started, providing one-to-one tuition where needed. You'll even get to take home your very own workshop booklet detailing all the skills you've acquired and featuring a variety of alternative crafty projects to try at home!

Not only will you learn the basics of a crafty discipline every week, but you will start and complete an entire project! You'll be showing off your handmade creations right from the start of the course. Pretty neat, huh?

You'll learn to do/make all these things...

WEEK 1: Hand-sewing

Learn basic sewing techniques and basic stitches as you start (and complete) a fun textile figure project.

WEEK 2: Embroidery

Pick up a variety of basic embroidery stitches as you learn to design and make your own craft book cover.

WEEK 3: Knitting

Learn to cast on, cast off, knit and purl as you learn to make your own knitted purse!

WEEK 4: Recap/Group Project

Iona will spend time in week 4 making sure you leave with all your new skills intact and all your projects complete. You will contribute to a final fun group project - designed to show off all the new crafty techniques you've learned!

Each Starting from Stitch session costs £15. All materials are included in the course fee - as are all Friday night treats and refreshments. You'll be provided with all the tea, coffee, soda pop and cake you can fit in your tummy. There will also be more than enough opportunity to enjoy a 'lil mug o' wine here and there too!

To book your place, email: madeintheshadebookings@gmail.com

Workshop News: Gem Sweater is GO!

2010-10-12T01:11:00.000-07:00

At last! At last! It's time for Gem Sweater!

Everyone's favourite textile artist, Kirsty Anderson (Wooden Tree), leads this super-fun customisation workshop - just in the nick of time to get your woollens spruced up for winter! We'll be livening up dowdy ol' sweaters with a touch of colour, blingy-bling and zsa zsa zsa whilst enjoying trashy snacks, soda pops, special gem sweater punch and Leslie Hall videos!

Bring garments of your own, or pick some from our Gem Sweater closet.

Kirsty will offer instruction on gemology, affixing your embellishments and other crafty ways to bring your sweaters up to scratch for a night on the tiles.

All materials and treats supplied.

So! Embrace the gold lame jumpsuit and join us at MITS HQ for a night of Leslie Hall, music, wine and crafting as we gem up our wardrobes and add a bit of sparkle to an otherwise dreary Autumn... Fellas? Ladies? Everybody needs a gem sweater :)

Oh-Sew-Basic Workshop!

2010-10-06T09:30:00.000-07:00

We welcomed our very first group of workshop guests to our new HQ space on Monday for Leah Halliday's Oh-Sew-Basic beginners sewing class. Clare and I primped and preened the room in preparation for the arrival of our happy stitchers. By the time Leah arrived to prepare her work spaces for the class, Clare and I had gone a bit wild with with the furniture polish and the Dettol spray (our new favourite cleaning product)! The room smelled like a mixture between sun-cream and apples. Or - according to everyone's favourite Meat Man - like one of those retro traffic light in-car air fresheners. In short? Quite nice really.

I think we must have been more of an irritating hinderance than a help to Leah as she set up her materials. Excited by the all the beautiful things she was pulling out of her (Cath Kidston) luggage, we ooo-ed and aah-ed and squeaked and squealed everytime she brought out some other sewing tool or crafty aid. We were very nearly sent out of the room when we caught sight of the spotty handmade sewing tool belts! Wheeep!

The workshop guests arrived right on time and were each welcomed with their very own handstamped name sticker and piece of shortbread. (We had invested in some Pink Lemonade for our guests - but failed to remember to purchase some suitable drinking vessels - so the bottle remained unopened. Sorry!) Following some pretty hardcore sewing phobia chat, we left the stitchers to overcome their fears and enjoy their Oh-Sew-Basic sewing session.

And overcome their fears they did! When we returned from our meeting in the courtyard, our stitchers were all beaming with pride as their clutched their handmade cushions! We were oh-sew-proud...

Leah will be running regular sewing classes at the Made in the Shade HQ - including reruns of the beginners sewing session and a fabulous 6-week dress making course. Keep your eyes on the blog for details or get in touch with us at: madeintheshadebookings@gmail.com

Supermercado is HERE!

2010-10-05T11:08:00.000-07:00

So. We opened the big silver shutters of The Barras Centre to Supermercado vendors and visitors for the first time on Saturday (2nd October). My, it was nerve wracking... There were a few hairy moments where we feared we may have lost a couple of our star-turn vendors to stupid taxi drivers and unfortunate incidents, but in the end, everyone arrived in (just about) one piece and we were able to get fully set up, ready for kick off.

Made up of some friendly new faces and a whole load of smiley loyal residents, our vendor line-up for mercado numero uno was quite, quite splendid. Jo Sushi provided guests with tasty sushi boxes for lunchtime nibbling and Flamingo Bakery made darn sure that sugar cravings were satisfied. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm as big a fan of Pia's Fish & Chicken Bar on The Gallowgate as much as the next person(they do a real mean steak pie supper), but I'm guessing that Jo Sushi - without too much of a doubt - offers the healthiest snack in The Barras aside maybe from the fruit & veg guy.

As far as cakes and buns go, Flamingo Bakery surely has to be up there with some of the best quality Barras treats! :) I enjoyed a veggie sushi box for lunch and chipped in with Beardy to take a box of 6 cupcakes home for private living room enjoyment!

Made in the Shade newcomer Sparklecandy and crafty old-timers (?!) t-boo and Stella My Star showed off their respective jewellery collections in style. Jewellery consigner, Lauren Anderson, stocks all the best indie accessories brands including a few of our very favourites Love From Hetty & Dave, Cherryloco and Tatty Devine. Stella My Star & t-boo make their handcrafted collections from found objects, vintage charms and other upcycled treasures to style a range choc-full of one-offs. Perfect additions to the Supermercado.

Love Me Again and Leah Halliday set up shop with their respective spreads of fabulous vintage finds and crafty ephemera (oh how we drooled over Love Me Again's French teaset!) and the lovely Kirsty Anderson of Wooden Tree showed off her beautiful display of textiles, homewares and gifts. She even hosted a mini badge making workshop at her stall! ;)

The lovely Mairead Macaulay (aka Breagha) wowed our visitors with her latest collection of beautiful handmade tweed bags and accessories and Jane (Funky Frilly) stocked up her market barrow with her upcycled ceramics. We'll be looking forward to seeing Funky Frilly and Breagha back at Supermercado again soon! :)

We welcomed a lovely bunch of customers to The Barras Centre during the day. We noticed a great mixture between familiar Made in the Shade faces and new visitors and everyone we spoke to reported that they enjoyed hanging out with us in the courtyard. The overwhelming piece of feedback we've received was that The Barras needs Supermercado - and that Glasgow needs The Barras.

So - 'tis a good job that we'll be setting up shop every Saturday from here on in then, huh?
This week, come along to sample handmade sushi, tasty cake and coffee by our all-new artisan roaster. You'll also find handmade jewellery by Florence Box, fashion and accessories by We Are The Robots, art & photography by YHF photo and a wonderful collection of secondhand film, culture & lifestyle books by Ottoline Books. We'll also be joined by the fabulous Bedcrumb and new comer Eilidh Muldoodles! Look out too for our very own Clare Nicolson and our favourite new jewellery designer, Canary Yellow :)

Oh! And if you missed out last time, we'll be setting up the Made in the Shade Trunk Sale again this week. With a bargain suitcase of past designs by Primarko, secondhand retro clothing and accessories from the likes of Top Shop and H&M AND a brilliant selection of vintage dresses, jackets, shoes, bags, blouses, knits and accessories - you can't possibly not find the perfect thrifty fashion steal!

We love The Barras - warts and all. We don't wanna change the overall feel of the market district - we just want to add something new. Come join us! We need vendors, we need visitors, we need folks to get chittering about Supermercado and we need y'all to explore The Barras and embrace it as an integral element of shopping culture in Glasgow. You don't get much more indie than The Barras now do you? More chatter about the Supermercado and the wider landscape later. Viva Las Barras!

Supermercado Numero Uno

2010-09-27T06:00:00.001-07:00

Hola!

It is official. The Made in the Shade gals are feeling the pressure. So far though, we have resisted the temptation to pull on our woolly onesies and crawl under our beds for respite from the madness. Armed with plenty of hot donuts, cigarettes and Lucozade orange (why, of course!), we're powering through. We are truly juggling our 'lil arms off. We're hoping, if we juggle hard enough, all will be well and someone might come and give us a huggle at the end. The end?! This is only the beginning!

SUPERMERCADO: NUMERO UNO

On Saturday 2nd October (that's THIS Saturday), we'll be opening the doors of The Barras Centre and welcoming Supermercado shoppers to the courtyard for the very first time.
We are excited. We are nervous. We are giddy. And we're a little bit queasy. However, aside from all that, we are utterly thrilled to be involved in the NEW Barras and we're set to work our bobby socks off to make Supermercado a super success. We are in for the longhaul, baby!

To kick things off in week one, we have a splendid group of first time vendors for y'all. You want a wee peek? Here are some of the stalls you'll find in the courtyard on Saturday:

1. Flamingo Bakery

Delectable cakes and yummy (and oh-so-sweet) treats homemade by the lovely Mark and his 5ft flamingo. Seriously. We recommend the strawberry cheesecake cupcake. Flippin' marvellous.

2. Konnie Kapow

The couple Kapow offer up their selection of off-beat greetings cards, stationery items and art pieces especially for you! A schmaltz free-zone :) Screw you Hallmark!

3. Love Me Again

On the look out for the perfect cocktail forks? The most delicate china teaset? Or some pretty table linen? Pay Laura a visit and peruse her wonderful range of vintage and retro homewares and collectables. Droooool.

4. YHF photo

Currently preparing for his next robot-themed exhibit in London Town this Autumn, YHF joins in the Supermercado fun and offers visit a little peep at some of his latest photographic work. Look out for some comedy favourites too :)

5. Sushi:::Baby

The fabulousy talented Joanna Susskind (who you may know as artist and animator extraordinaire), joins us at Supermercdo armed with a stallful of tasty sushi bites ready for you to munch or to take away in beautiful vintage-style packaging! Don't miss it.

6. t-boo

Jewellery maker and crafty queen, Tracey Burns showcases her collection of pretty wearables at Supermercado for the first time. Found objects, vintage treasures, charms, handmade adornments - love it.

7. Breagha

Designer maker, Mairead Macaulay, makes the most beautiful Harris Tweed bags and accessories. I own a dusky pink shoulder bag with a great big retro bow on the front. I adore it. I think everyone ought to own a a little bit of handmade special! Find yours here at Supermercado.

8. Wooden Tree

Our gal Kirsty Anderson swoops in from the 'Burgh to join us at the Supermercado launch event. A wonderful textile artist and flippin' great maker, Wooden Tree will be showing off her latest upcycled, eco-friendly creations. Homewares, gifts, wearables, vintage finds - they're all in there! (Pssst... Kirsty will also be running workshops at Made in the Shade HQ. Keep your peepers peeled for more info. Or - better still - chat to her about our plans on Saturday!)

9. Funky Frilly

We're all about reusing and reinventing at Supermercado - and nobody does it with more style than Jane at Funky Frilly. Come peruse her super-swish collection of upcycled ceramics. Nab yourself a beautiful handmade cake stand, sweet smelling candle, decadent teacup wine glasses or even a ceramic clock! We can't get enough of Funky Frilly.

10. Canary Yellow

Honourary Made in the Shade gal, Jennifer Nicolson, launched her jewellery business last year and my, oh my, is her label in demand?! Jennifer designs and makes a small but perfectly formed range of silver wearables including necklaces, rings and earrings. Canary Yellow has proven to be a sell-out hit at The Maisonette and we've got high hopes for Canary Yellow at Supermercado too!

11. Sparklecandy

Sparklecandy is a jewellery consignment store run by the lovely Lauren Anderson. Stocking some of our favourite labels like Tatty Devine, Love From Hetty & Dave, Biscuit Boutique and Cherryloco - you're sure to find the best of indie jewellery design right here.

12. Leah Halliday

Leah Halliday has the eye of a magpie, the style of a retro goddess and the taste of... well us! This woman is damned nuisance! She knows EXACTLY what will make our 'lil hearts a pitter-patter and she tempts us with beautiful rose-adorned decanters and pretty trays, multi-coloured 60s eggcups, squirrel money boxes, gorgeous textiles and wonderful ephemera... Jeez Louise.... And! Budding stitchers! Don't forget to ask Leah about her upcoming workshop dates at Made in the Shade HQ. It's not too late to join in!

13. Clare Nicolson

Yup - our very own Clare Nicolson will be snaffling up a 'lil stall space at Supermercado! Check out her fresh new textiles designs, greetings cards, homewares and stationery items.

14. Lady Wurlitzer

Now - I bet you haven't heard THAT name in a while, huh? Take this rare opportunity to nab yourself some handmade, sudsy treats from the Lady, Wurlitzer (aka Carrie) herself!

15. Made in the Shade Trunk Sale

Hunting for a bargain? Then the Trunk Sale is for you! Bag yourself a raggle haggle bargain from our suitcases brimful of thrifty textile treasure. We got vintage clothing (everything from western shirts to retro denim, pretty frocks, accessories and shoes), linen, craft remnants and tonnes of soft homewares!

Sounds pretty swell, huh? I know! We are excited.

Not only do we welcome you to the courtyard to enjoy some shopping and chatting with great indie business owners, but we want you to come hang out. Enjoy a wee seat on our benches. Have a cup of tea in the all-new Che Marche Cafe and explore the shops and creative workspaces round about. Viva Las Barras!

Dressmaking Workshop: Get Frocked Up!

2010-09-15T08:07:00.000-07:00

Yes! Get frocked up with seamstress extraordinaire, Leah Halliday, at our new dressmaking course!

Make your very own 50s-style frock in time for glamourous festive fun. You'll be the envy of the Christmas soiree in your handmade, made-to-measure gown!

Make a Frock

Sounds pretty swell, huh? Read on for further details...

Make:

Skills:

You will learn how to do all these things...

1. Take your measurements

2. Understand & use a commercial pattern

3. Put a dress together

4. Sew darts

5. Sew eased seams

6. Sew a basic hem

7. Sew pockets

8. Insert zip

9. Line a garment

10. Get to grips with topstitching

11. Pinning, cutting & ironing techniques

12. Insider hints & tips of the trade!

Level: Intermediate

Course Length: Six 3-hour workshops

Cost: £30 per 3 hour session = £180

Date: Starts on 11^th October and runs every Monday evening until 15^th November.

Time: 6.30pm till 9.30pm

Bookings: madeintheshadebookings@gmail.com

Materials provided:

Vogue Pattern V8615

Basic tools of the trade*

Materials required:

Fabric: No more than 4 metres of Fabric

Lining: No more than 4 metres of polyester lining

Zip: 40cm

Thread: 2 x 100m polyester thread spool

More information on sizes, buying fabric and a list of suppliers will be emailed to you on booking.

Please Note:

*If you have your own sewing machine, please do bring it with you - but don’t forget the instruction manual.

Workshop: 'Oh-Sew-Basic'

2010-09-14T12:52:00.000-07:00

We're thrilled to announce details of the very first workshop session booked to take place at our new Made in the Shade HQ at The Barras Centre :)

'Oh-Sew-Basic'

A beginners sewing class...

...with seamstress extraordinaire, Leah Halliday!

Monday 4th October

6.30pm - 9.30pm

Course fee: £30

Never used a sewing machine before? Or just a bit rusty and keen to get back on that pedal? This class is for you!

During this 3-hour workshop you will learn to use a sewing machine and you'll complete a simple textile project - a pretty cushion cover - as you pick up oodles of new skills! You'll leave with your cushion cover at the end of the class AND you''ll take away the pattern too so you can make even more cushions on your own at home!

Seamstress and dress-maker extraordinaire Leah Halliday will lead this class. She'll teach you how to do all these things...

1. How to thread a machine

2. How to change a needle

3. How to use the presser foot

4. How to fill and load the bobbin

5. How to stitch in lovely straight lines and how to get to grips with back stitching

6. How to adjust stitch length

7. Basic pinning + cutting and ironing techniques

Material included. Basic tools of the trade are provided*. So all you have to do is show up!

*If you have your own sewing machine bring it with you but don’t forget the instruction manual :)

To reserve a place at Leah's 'Oh-Sew-Basic' workshop session, email: madeintheshadebookings@gmail.com

Let's get stitchin'!

Supermercado: Call for Vendors!

2010-09-14T10:54:00.000-07:00

Glasgow's new (and only) weekly indie marketplace sets up shop in the courtyard of The Barras Centre for the first time on Saturday 2nd October. Eeeeep! Excited.

Are you a prospective vendor? Wanna join in? Stall bookings are OPEN NOW!

Whether you want to showcase your original handmade designs, sell your fabulous vintage stash or peddle your thrifty wares and secondhand collectibles - we want you to get involved in Supermercado.

We're open to all stall ideas but we're particularly keen to welcome traders that might fall into these broad categories: Fashion, homewares, edibles, music, books/magazines.

Supermercado offers customers a brilliantly balanced, but varied and fun, indie shopping experience.

Supermercado offers crafters, designers, artists, vintage collectors, thrifters and other small indie businesses an affordable retail platform.

Get on it!

For all the event info you need and details on how to make a booking, email us at madeintheshadebookings@gmail.com

The Barras Peepshow

2010-09-14T10:49:00.000-07:00

Oh, we are mean aren't we? We start off what we intend to be a daily peepshow of all the developments at our new unit in The Barras Centre and then we leave you hanging after just a couple of days. Booo! Booo!

Well, you see, our moving in plans hit a few unexpected glitches last week. None of these glitches would have made particularly fun or attractive photographs (leaky pipes, rickety stairs, creeping holes...). All in all - there wasn't much to peep at. However, we are pleased to say that problems have been resolved and the big move will gain momentum over the next few days. There will be peeping-galore by the end of the week!

Stay tuned :)

Introducing... Supermercado!

2010-09-06T02:52:00.001-07:00

Judging by Scotland's now choca-bloc craft/music/vintage events calendar, the lowly craft fair has been well and truly revived - and our work here is well and truly done. Hoorah! So. We've bid our boutique shopping event adios. It's time to move on to pastures and projects new. Our new pasture? Glasgow's most famous marketplace. Our new project? Read on!

Made in the Shade is flippin' thrilled to (finally) announce details of our new indie shopping venture: The Made in the Shade Supermercado. (We just call it 'Supermercado' - less of a mouthful!)

Based indoors in the cobbled courtyard of The New Barras Centre, Supermercado offers a fresh, new dimension to city centre market culture. Taking place every Saturday, Glasgow finally has its own permanent weekly indie shopping hub. Pheweee. Thank goodness for that. These are exciting times. They really are.

Supermercado kicks off it's Saturday residency at The Barras Centre on 2nd October.

The Barras Peepshow - Part 2

2010-09-02T08:42:00.000-07:00

Eeeep. I do love the Peepshow blog, you know. I kind of wish we had reason to run it all the time. Today, we're offering up a double whammy peep.

Yes, yes. It's a 'coming soon' sign stuck on our window. Pretty ain't it? Even prettier are the pieces of freshly painted furniture you can just about spot through the window - if you have a keen eye and sneaky streak!

And this! This is just one of the beautifully restored barrows that live in The Barras Centre courtyard. We ADORE these. You can expect to be seeing a lot more of these fellas in the coming weeks and months. Rumour has it, that we might - just MIGHT be getting our hands on a Made in the Shade branded barrow all of our very own! Imagine that! (Carrie gazes off into the distance and imagines that...)

The Barras Peepshow - Part 1

2010-09-01T12:21:00.000-07:00

As we gear up to unveil our new space at The Barras Centre, we thought we might rekindle the good ole Peepshow blog series to give you a little taster of what we're up to.

Today, the lovely Salvation Army delivery men popped round with our new (old) filing cabinets. We have four altogether but not all are ready for their close-up just yet. However, we're particularly pleased with this fella. Look at him! Isn't he handsome? Inside his bottom drawer I found a remnant of old newspaper dated 1994. Russ Abbot was on the front page.

Part 2 coming your way tomorrow :)

Another One Opens!

2010-08-24T08:34:00.000-07:00

Made in the Shade is changing and expanding.

We are in the process of establishing our new premises at the newly refurbished Barras Centre and setting up our Made in the Shade HQ in the way we'd always dreamed we would. Our new space allows us to set up a fully functional office on our mezzanine floor PLUS we have ample space to host our programme of creative workshops, talks and social events. Better still, we now have the perfect, permanent home for our all-new shopping experience. These are exciting times.

As One Door Closes...

2010-08-24T01:34:00.000-07:00

It seems such a long time ago since the first Made in the Shade event took place at The Lighthouse. It's not that long ago really, but so much has changed in the city and the craft scene has grown and developed at a crazy rate in these past three years that it's hard to remember a time when craft markets were few and far between and 'handmade' was a dirty word. Glasgow now boasts a healthy calendar of fun, quality events for crafty types and vintage lovers and the interest in making, mending, making do and living it up vintage style has increased dramatically. Hooray!

While this is very good news for the good people of Glasgow and for designer makers and vintage sellers all over, for Made in the Shade it means it's time to get to work on some new projects and time to overhaul existing ones. Exciting!

Saturday marked the end of a chapter for us. Our Summertime Hop at The Lighthouse was the last in the series of the Made in the Shade Boutique Shopping Event in Glasgow. And what a lovely farewell shindig it turned out to be!

Thanks so much to the 40+ vendors who set up shop with us. Thank you to the 1789 (very specific!) customers who took the time to come visit. Thank you to Hana at Benefit for adding an extra special touch of retro glamour to the whole affair and to Auntie M for packing up the Cake Lounge and making sure everyone's sugar cravings were satisfied. Kirsty Anderson (aka Wooden Tree) did a sterling job as our workshop hostess! It was a joy to see visitors (small and big) wandering around The Lighthouse sporting their handmade fox and owl masks. Fabulous. Thank you to Much Too Fun and Emily Moir and thanks too to 61 Steps South for choosing Made in the Shade as the launch platform for their new projects and collaborations. We hope you had a lovely time and that the experience was a productive one.

There are a load more people we'd like to mention. Special thanks to Nikki Kane - our wonderful event volunteer. Nikki did an excellent job and we couldn't have managed to get everything organised without the addition of her capable hands! Thanks to Jennifer, Laura and the team at The Lighthouse for their continued support. Thanks to Ken, John, Jennifer and Garry for helping out at this event (and all the others!) Thanks to Claire at The List, Alex at The Skinny, Rachel at The Evening Times and to all the other bloggers and social networkers who helped promote the event and who continue to take an interest in what we're up to!

I am absolutely sure that I've missed some folk out (too many to list by name!) - but rest assured we're super, SUPER grateful for your help and support.

So. Glasgow. We hope you've enjoyed our Made in the Shade events. We hope that we've been able to offer a little something special from season to season and we hope that you will be just as excited by our new event ventures as we are. It's Made in the Shade - but not as we know it. We'll be back with a new shopping experience for y'all in December 2010. Keep your peepers peeled!

Edinburgh - we'll see you at The Roxy in November! :)

Introducing... The Summertime Hop Vendors - Glasgow!

2010-08-08T12:26:00.000-07:00

With just under 2 weeks until The Summertime Hop and Made in the Shade's final Glasgow fling under its current guise, we thought it about time we unveiled this season's wonderful vendor line-up! Get a loada this!

1. Much Too Fun

Creators of everyone's favourite Scottish Slang jewellery collection, Bonnie Bling, set up shop at The Summertime Hop. These ladies all but sold out of their fabulous 'Och' brooches and 'Peely Wally' necklaces last time round, so y'all best visit their stall fast! The ladies are also launching their all-new collaborative project with creative chum Emily Moir on 21st August :) We're proud to help 'em celebrate their union!

2. Morag Macpherson Textiles

Previously known as 'Global Guru', textile designer Morag Macpherson offers a selection of luxurious handmade wearables and homewares inspired by the palettes and textures of far flung places!

3. Gillian Kyle

Gillian Kyle designs and makes fabulous, accessible products with lasting appeal. By incorporating edible icons of the Scottish larder (Irn Bru, Tunnock's Tea Cakes, Mother's Pride, Creamola Foam) Gillian's textile gifts spark a wonderful nostalgia - and look just swell!

4. Canary Yellow

New jewellery label Canary Yellow is already making a mark on the indie craft & design scene. Jeweller and silversmith Jennifer Nicolson creates delicate, whimsical wearables inspired by nature and FUN!

5. Clare Nicolson

Made in the Shade gal Clare sets up shop at The Summertime Hop. You know those beautiful little lavender birds y'all love so much? Clare made those! She's also the creator of a whole collection of soft furnishings, homewares and stationery items. Be sure to drop by and see her brand new collection as it makes its Made in the Shade debut!

6. The Night Owl

Fast becoming a Made in the Shade favourite, designer maker Ellen Munro creates a range of handmade accessories and homewares all with a super-pretty, folksy flavour.

7. Magic Alice

Magic Alice aka jewellery and accessories maker Jennifer Field quite simply, makes pretty things! From button badges to fun rings and brooches - all of 'em pretty as a picture!

8. Emily Moir

Emily sets up shop with us to showcase her fabulous range of handmade wearables and homewares AND to launch a brand spanking new collection of work in collaboration with Much Too Fun. We cannot WAIT to see it!

9. Fantoosherie Fancies

According to jewellery and accessories maker Jennifer, fantoosherie is the new black. We'd be inclined to agree with her! Look out for upcycled fabrics and found objects in Jennifer's range of handmade wearables. We particularly love her textile necklaces!

10. Frajul

Knitwear designer Julie McConnachie joins us at Made in the Shade for a Summertime Hop double-take following her Made in the Shade debut in Edinburgh last month. Be sure to get acquainted with her growing range of colourful, quirky knitted accessories.

12. Hingmy by Flore

Hingmy by Flore offers Made in the Shade visitors a range of calico bags and badges, all made in textiles and inspired by the great Russian avant-garde artists.

13. Paleface

Paleface (Catherine Barthram) makes clothes and accessories using a combination of re-purposed, vintage and new materials. She designs and makes beautiful dresses, tops, jackets, corsages and purses amongst other things ;)

14. Wondrous Makes

Rosie reminds us of the loveliness of handstitching and the odd little thoughts that cross our minds! She presents her collection of cushions, bags, purses and odd little soft things inspired by real-life stories at Made in the Shade! Peas please! (You'll see).

15. Lindsay Grime

Did you see Lindsay's Home Sweet Home exhibit in our Tiny Gallery? Did you? This season at Made in the Shade Lindsay showcases a selection of illustrated ceramic earrings, brooches, fancy tiles, plates AND prints and illustrations. Giddy just thinking about it...

16. Libby Walker

Libby Walker is ALL about pattern, pattern pattern! This is her first foray into Made in the Shade land so be sure to offer a warm welcome. Peruse Libby's beautiful collection of bright fabric designs and prints. She makes 'em into fabulous notebooks, stationery, art and upholstery for upcycled furniture and much, much more :)

17. Miso Funky

Handmade gifts and homewares to funkify your life! Our very own subversive stitcher shows off her latest collection of upcycled treats and emo-broidery slogans - bold enough to make you blush!

18. Magic Alice

Crafty maker Jennifer Field offers up her latest range of handmade jewellery and accessory pieces to customers at The Springtime Jamboree :)

19. t-boo

Home of the ever-popular Scrabble piece charm bracelet, Tracey Burns offers a splendid array of vintage inspired, quirky and fun jewellery.

20. Lemonart

Jennifer Lemon is a textile artist who produces a variety of work. Whether you are in the market for a large-scale art piece for your home or work place or a unique necklace, Lemonart can meet your requirements. Love maps? Love Lemonart.

21. We Are The Robots

Visit the home of the pixelated pendant! We Are The Robots produce a fabulous collection of fun, quirky jewellery handmade from treasure and found objects.

22. La La Loop

Making a Made in the Shade debut this season is textile outift La La Loop. If you're looking to brighten your life with some fabulous knits - then, you're in for a treat!

23. Love Me Again

Attention vintage lovers! Love Me Again answers all your internal pleas of gorgeous vintage homewares, craft items, ephemera and accessories. 'Tis always worth spending time at Love Me Again. You never know what treasure you might find.

24. Bindyboo

Designer maker, Eva Gustavsson returns to Made In The Shade with her adorable range of handmade, handbound books and journals. A favourite.

25. Kabloom

Kabloom is a small product design firm based in Glasgow. These dudes specialise in eco-friendly, ethical, innovative products. Seedbom is a flippin' wonderful guerilla gardening product that we - quite simply - can't get enough of!

26. 61 Steps South

Darren Kabloom moonlights as one half of this new design project alongside photographer Susan Castillo. Together the pair make up 61 Steps South. The creative super-team launch the design label's first product, 'Treet' exclusively at Made in the Shade this season. Setting out to blur those lines between design & craft (hoorah!) 61 Steps South create decorative and functional products that are playful, classic and innovative!

27. Breagha

Designer maker Mairead Macaulay returns to Made in the Shade to showcase her latest collection of beautiful, contemporary bags and accessories made from luxurious tweed fabrics. A MITS favourite.

28. Florence Box Jewellery

Inspired by the treasure found in her relative's button box, jewellery crafter Sally Reid upcycles pretty objects and vintage fixins to create a delightful collection of wearables

29. Miss Lottie Lou

Totally immersed in vintage lifestyle in all aspects of her life, Charlotte Newell presents her collection of 1940s/1950s reproduction and vintage inspired clothing designs to the retro hungry Made in the Shade clientele!

30. Almost Vintage Clothing

Based upon an eco-friendly ethos, Almost Vintage Clothing specialise in pretty vintage, new and nearly new retro garments. Almost Vintage gals Mari & Ivanna will be showcasing a range of their current vintage line at Made in the Shade this season! More interested in style over label clout, look out for purty frocks and gorgeous prints and patterns!

31. Summer of Love

Samantha Kennedy is the textile designer behind craft outfit Summer of Love. With a penchant for vintage style, Samantha incorporates found objects and reclaimed fabrics and finishings into her designs. Summer of Love presents her range of accessories at Made in the Shade for the very first time :)

32. Elaine Eckford

Illustrator Elaine Eckford also makes her Made in the Shade debut at The Lighthouse this month. Mixing childlike aesthetic with darker undertones, Elaine's work is truly beguiling! She prints and cuts her own pieces and when she makes pretty little art books, she binds those herself too! Not to be bypassed.

33. Tarnish

We are pleased to welcome jewellery designer Erica Stahl to Made in the Shade! Based around floral and insect themes, Erica produces a beautiful range of earrings, cufflinks, necklaces and bracelets. When she's not metalsmithing, Erica also tinkers with textiles, producing a lovely assortment of wearables and items for the home.

34. Madness of Many

Whoopeee! One of our original Made in the Shaders, Kim Diamond, returns to the event for one last jaunt at The Lighthouse before we do the off! You remember Kim - she's the gal who makes the wonderful guilt-free taxidermy pieces, 'lil owls, textile robots and other fabulous creatures and creations!

35. Hot Tam-Ali Vintage

Stylish mamas Ali Moore and Tami Rex join us at The Lighthouse. We've been trying to get these ladies onto our vendor line-up for AGES! Specialising in 1940s and 1950s frocks, Hot Tam-Ali Vintage is definitely one 'lil booth to be visiting on your Made in the Shade shopping journey!

36. Flossy & Dossy

Made in the Shade favourite Wendy Harman (aka Flossy & Dossy) joins us for a final frock-off at The Lighthouse. Whoop! Wendy designs and makes a beautiful range of clothing all based around the styles and shapes of bygone eras. We're excited to see Wendy's latest offering too - mother and baby ranges! :) Can you believe it? How cute?!

37. YHF Photo

Everybody's favourite photoman, Garry Maclennan, sets up shop at Made in the Shade. Garry will be showcasing a new collection of work and quirky items for the home including fridge art, wood mounted retro interiors images and prints.

38. Lady Wurlitzer

Purveyor of fine lather (and Made in the Shade gal) Carrie Maclennan brings the soap show BACK to Made in the Shade for a final sudsy send off!

39. Inner Wild

We met Flora at one of our early Made in the Shade events at The Lighthouse in 2008. She presented me with the loveliest 'thank you' gift - a handknitted slug! He lives in my bookcase. We are thrilled to have Flora return to The Lighthouse with us.

40. Auntie M

Last, but certainly NOT least... We are thrilled to welcome Auntie M (of De Courcy's Arcade Cake Lounge fame) to The Summertime Hop! Super-baker Michelle Aaron will be offering up a tasty selection of sweet treats for y'all to nibble as you shop or to take home and enjoy later!

Bye Bye Baby! The Summertime Hop - Glasgow

2010-08-04T14:19:00.000-07:00

We may be up to our shoulders in paint and plaster while we renovate The Maisonette, but we're still working our socks off behind the scenes to make sure our Summertime Hop event at The Lighthouse in Glasgow on Saturday 21st August goes off with a bang! :)

This year's Summertime Hop event is extra special in that it'll be the last MITS event in our home town for a while - and the last ever we'll be holding at The Lighthouse. We'll be taking a break until Christmas when we'll be introducing you to a whole new world of Made in the Shade! We're arranging an entirely new calendar of events - new venue, new approach. It's time to shake things up! It's Made in the Shade, Jim. But not as we know it.

On 21st August, we'll be setting up shop in the beautiful level 1 exhibition space at The Lighthouse. We can't WAIT! The room is amazing. With huge windows, high ceilings, bare brick walls and lots of cute nooks and crannies for special features, we're sure you'll love the set up!

Over 40 of Scotland's most talented design makers will join us for a whole day of indie shopping and crafty fun. We'll be publishing a full list of vendors shortly. You can plan your attack in advance! :) Aswell as perusing and purchasing a whole bunch of fabulous handmade wares and vintage treats, we invite you to take part in our drop-in Wooden Tree paper mask workshops and to get in touch with your creative side with some public crafting! We are THRILLED to be joined by some very special guests this season. Benefit Cosmetics - that's, BENEFIT Cosmetics, will be offering y'all free make up lessons and helping you out with our make-up woes in the exclusive Made in the Shade Benefit Beauty Parlour AND... Should you feel a little peckish, pick up some cake (I'd go as far as to say this is quite possibly the best cake in town!) from Auntie M - or nibble some super-cutsie handmade sushi from Joanna Susskind's vintage styled sushi stand!

Do come join us, won't you? We'd like to see your wee faces at The Lighthouse just one last time :) Help us make this event one of our best ever. We'd love to pop out on a high! :)

More info and vendor details coming soon!

SAVE THE DATE! Saturday 21st August. 10.30 til 5. The Lighthouse.

Big News

2010-08-02T05:29:00.000-07:00

We can't hold it in any longer. We have news. Big news. And it's not anything to do with any of the big news we've already been banging on about. It's nothing to do with our brand spanking new website. It's nothing to do with our extra 70cms of space at The Maisonette. It's nothing to do with book deals either.

Guess what?

We're opening a second Made in the Shade premises HERE!

This, my friends, is the newly refurbished Barras Centre. And that shiny new unit you can see peeking out there inbetween the two pretty wooden barrows? That's our NEW MADE IN THE SHADE HQ!! Infact, if you squint, you can just about see Clare and I standing outside it :) Billed as Glasgow's new cutting-edge creative quarter, we'll be working alongside Camille Lorigo and some of Scotland's most exciting fashion & design talent to make darned sure the fabulous vision for this East End creative hub comes to fruition!

Made in the Shade premises number 2 will serve as our new office, as an interactive workshop & events space and as a shop. We cannot WAIT to move into our new home and we can't wait for you to come visit us - and our wonderful new neighbours - very, very soon.

Oh phewee. Feels good to have that out there...

Watch this space for further updates and regular wheeping and whooping about it all.

Whole Lotta Shoppin' Goin' On in Edinburgh!

2010-07-26T05:52:00.000-07:00

We've just about recovered from our big Summertime Hop day in Edinburgh. Just about.

We had a lovely, lovely time once again at The Roxy. The Summertime Hop is one of our favourite events of the year and this, our first in Edinburgh, was a swingin', rockin' affair - just as we'd hoped.

Nearly 500 visitors took the time to shop handmade with 41 wonderful indie designer makers during the course of the day. We met some friendly new chums and we got a chance to spend some time perusing handmade and vintage wares and chatting with our talented vendors ourselves this time round! Favourites for us this season include TRASH, Wondrous Makes, Paleface, Leah Halliday, Moody Monday and Plastic Bat.

Auntie M's Cake Lounge did a roaring trade as ever, satisfying the cravings of hungry shoppers with scrumptious cake and sweet treats!

Our Music Matinee was one of the highlights of the day I think, with The Meat Men performing a mixture of original tracks alongside Hop thumpers like 'Hey Good Lookin'', 'That's Alright', 'Shake Rattle & Roll'.

Toes were tappin', hips were swayin' and hands were a-clappin'! The live music element of the afternoon sparked a surge of new visitors and a flurry of sales for our vendors too! Who'd have thought that a dose of rockabilly magic was all that's needed to perk up a weary shopper! ;) Oh how we'd love it if The Meat Men were to be our house band! Some day...

Clare and I are super-poor at the minute but we did manage to sneak ourselves a few fabulous finds...

Clare bought herself a denim jacket from Tabitha Vintage and she also hunted out a pretty print of a yellow rose (of Texas?) from Leah Halliday's treasure trove! I was gifted a set of fabulous egg-cups by my husband and also decided to treat myself to a 'lil linen bag with bright red leather trim from Tabitha Vintage. The lovely Rosie of Wonderous Makes very kindly gave me some of her cute felt peas to take home too! Peas please!

Of course, we've got some folks to thank.

Thanks to Morvern, Rupert & Gavin at The Roxy. Thanks to all the smiley faced helpers who spent time trudging the streets of Edinburgh with posters and flyers in the lead-up to the event. Thanks to Katherine, Sarah and Philip for all their help on the day. Thanks to everyone who contributed wonderful gifts and samples to our goody bags: Mr Yen, Asking for Trouble, Emily Moir, Antzin, Atherton Lin, Auntie M, Edwina Simone, Cherrybomb Charm - and everyone else who sent treats and treasure for our earlybirds! Thanks to all the vendors who contributed gifts to Flora the Tombola - and thanks of course to Flora herself for being such a swell dame.

Enormous thanks to The Meat Men for travelling from Glasgow to be with us for the Music Matinee and for putting on such a brilliant show. Thanks to all the folks who Tweeted and blogged and Facebooked in the run up to the event. Special smiles and 'lil waves need to go especially to Gill at Creative Boom, Marti at Qype, Claire at The List, Lynne at The Scotsman and Alex at The Skinny. Oh - and thanks to Cat McLaughlin for putting the little Summertime Hop pinterest board together. That was real sweet! Thanks to John, Garry, Jennifer, Gillian, Clare's mum and Angharad for helping lug and transport things. Thanks to Auntie M for going on the Lucozade Orange run and for presenting us with frosted treats just at the right time. Thanks to the 500 visitors that came to shop with us and who showed their support with lovely comments and pats on the back during the day. And - last, but not least, muchos gracias to the 41 vendors who set up shop with us and showcased their wonderful handmade/vintage work with us! You're all fabulous.

Edinburgh - we'll see you in November!
Glasgow - sit tight. There's BIG event news coming your way!

Attention! Call for Vendors & Contributors

2010-07-13T13:01:00.000-07:00

Listen up y'all!

Vendor applications for The Made in the Shade Summertime Hop (GLASGOW) are NOW OPEN!
The event takes place at The Lighthouse (off Buchanan Street) on Saturday 21st August and will be open to customers between 10.30am and 5pm.

We'll be hosting our event in a different event space at The Lighthouse this season and we are SUPER excited about it. Rather conveniently for all concerned, we'll be setting up shop (and the rest!) on Level 1 of The Lighthouse. The room we've hired is very spacious, has fabulous high ceilings, enormous windows, concrete floors and lots of little nooks and crannies for us to jam some super-special event features into!

We are determined to make the Summertime Hop 2010 one of our best shopping shindigs yet and we need your help to ensure things swing along smoothly and that the fun goes off with a bang! Get involved, people! Get involved! :)

Wanna be a vendor?

If you're a designer maker, artist or other creative entrepreneur-type, then we want to hear from you! To register interest in taking part and to request an application form, drop us a line at: madeintheshadebookings@gmail.com. Applications close on Monday 26th July so get in quick!

Wanna host a drop-in workshop?

Maybe you'd like to take up a space at Made in the Shade and pass on some of your creative know-how? We're open to all ideas - zine making, knitting, stitching, printing - whatever you're passion - we'd like you to share it at Made in the Shade! Get in touch with us at: madeintheshadebookings@gmail.com

Wanna perform?

If you made it along to our Edinburgh launch event at The Roxy you'll have enjoyed a little musical performance from the lovely Piney Gir. The MITS Music Matinee is something we'd love to introduce to our Glasgow event too. If you'd like to fit into our retro shopping soundtrack with a mini live show, then we'd love to hear from you: madeintheshadebookings@gmail.com

Wanna create a special event feature?

Whether it's an interactive art station, a special vintage-inspired service or some other genius fun-filled frolic, we want you to get involved with our showcase! If you think you can bring something special to the Made in the Shade mix, then drop a line to: madeintheshadebookings@gmail.com

Wanna volunteer your services?

We've had some fabulous event volunteers help us out in the past. We always appreciate your help and support. This season we're looking to recruit event volunteers to take up the following tasks: Pre-event promo, event meet & greet, event runners, on-the-day promo and a few other things besides. If you have some time to donate, we'd love for you to join in with us! Email us at: madeintheshadebookings@gmail.com

So. There you have it. Lots and lots of opportunities to engage with Made in the Shade. Let's make the Summertime Hop ROCK and ROLL. Get your thinking caps on! :)

Hey MITS! London Calling!

2010-07-12T13:58:00.000-07:00

So. We live to tell the tale of yet another Megabus jaunt to London Town. We may have spent a total of 18 hours on a damn coach, but we still managed to cram in a whole load of fun into our whirlwind 3 day trip.

We arrived at Bethnal Green's newest (and undoubtedly swankiest) hotel, Town Hall, on Thursday evening to be wowed by our super-comfy, super-fancy four person apartment. With two enormous ensuite bathrooms, beautiful lounge-sized bedrooms and a shared kitchen and living space complete with designer sofa, we couldn't believe our luck! Landing home to this design hotel made the Megabus journey seem worthwhile!

After playing in the fancy rocking chair and oo-ing and ah-ing at our memory foam matresses for a bit, we set about planning our activities for the next day.

It was Clare's job to dictate the Friday night plans since we'd be celebrating her birthday! We suspected there may be copious amounts of guacamole involved.

After a quick and excitable run round the Museum of Childhood, day two was all about vintage shopping and exploring the indie boutiques of Brick Lane. Oh, how we love Brick Lane. We trawled through rails and rails of the best vintage and reconstructed fashion in the land at Beyond Retro on Friday morning then continued to saunter our way, in and out of tiny gloryholes of indie design, cutsie gallery spaces and high fashion stores.

We enjoyed a lengthy visit and a fun chat with John - owner of the robot shop (Thus) and bumped into Victoria - organiser of the BUST Craftacular. We felt right at home! Imagine meeting someone we knew on the streets of London Town?! After a tasty burger at Swedish cafe, Fika, and an equally tasty Super Bock in the funny little bohemian bat across the road, we shopped a little in Shelf (what a beautiful store) and explored a pop-up vintage sale at the Truman Brewery.

We enjoyed birthday tea with Clare at the legendary Cafe Pacifico in Covent Garden, then with our bellies (far too) full, we headed back east to All Star Lanes for cocktails and chatter with chums - fellow BUST visitors Josie & Freda (Ding Dong Designs) and beauty editor and features writer of Chinese magazine, Little Thing, the lovely Jas Tang.

Some of the sweet treats we enjoyed at All Star Lanes:

1 x watermelon juice
1 x orange ice cream soda
2 x Tiki shake
6 x Pin-Up Girl cocktails
1 x Elderflower Julep

Clare and her beau (John) enjoyed a stroll home in the night time heat, but Beardy and I headed taxi-rank bound since the dreaded London Feet syndrome caused havoc with my mobility yet again! Bedward bound - I love memory foam. And I love sheepskin rugs.

Of course, Saturday was all about one thing and one thing only - the BUST Craftacular at York Hall.

Clare and I were excited and nervous about our "dj" debut as The A-Maisonettes but we needn't have worried. Once we were plugged in and ready to go, we had a rerr ol' time entertaining the visitors and vendors at the Craftacular.

Some of our little mini soundtrack themes included 'Summer' (obviously), 'Naughty' (oo-er!) and 'Money'! I wonder if any of our song choices managed to reach the customers subliminally?!? :)

Extracts from our Naughty/Nice selections:

Strip Polka
Chilli-Dippin' Baby
We Wear Short Shorts
Skinnie Minnie
Mama Goes Where Papa Goes
Fist City

Extracts from our Money/Shopping selections:

I Love You Honey
Cash on the Barrelhead
Money Honey
Pay Me My Money Down

We ended our 2 hour set with the glorious Piney Gir and Big Apple Stomp :)

We may not be technical genuises and we're all too aware that laptop 'djing' is often scoffed at (actually, it was quite openly scoffed at...) - but you know what? We don't care! ;) Clare and I had a whale of a time and there were enough hips swaying and toes tapping in the hall for us to be happy with our choices! Next time - expect co-ordinated outfits, synchronised dance moves and a whole bloomin' stage set! Hahaha! Thanks to Victoria for allowing us to play and thanks too to the nice people who took the time to say nice things to us about The A-Maisonettes afterwards!

Once the musical fun was over, we jumped off the stage and into the indie shopping craziness! Over 60 vendors had gathered at York Hall for this year's Summer Craftacular and the variety and quality of work on offer was fabulous. Just fabulous :) We caught up with some friendly faces too - The Cat in the Shoe, Lost At Sea, Gemma Correll, Louise Graham, The Make Lounge, Leona Baker, Sannapanda, Lush & Lovely, Elaine Eckford - to name just a few. We were also thrilled to bump into the Atherton Lin fellas! Jeremy, Jamie - 'twas great to see you both! We were bouncing off the walls at the thought of Swing Patrol and the Jitterbug/Lindyhop dance class but when it came to the crunch, we just couldn't stir up the energy to join in with the stepping and kicking! Instead we sat on the sidelines and appreciated the efforts of the other novices (and the experts). With limited pennies at our disposal, shopping was limited, but I did invest in a pretty bag of fabric remnants (for book project purposes!) and a fabulous necklace with fancy sewing charms on :) One of the best purchases of the day though - was the super-tasty ham & cheese croissant sarnies on sale in the indie food court! Sadly, we were much too late to sample Leona's iced-tea! 20 litres sold out in the opening hours of the event!!! Yes. It was that hot. Pheweee!

The ultimate highlight of the day? Seeing lots of satisfied early birds enter the Craftacular wearing their Made in the Shade tote bags with pride :) Let's play, 'spot the tote'...

Summertime News: A Monster Update

2010-07-05T07:00:00.000-07:00

Summer always seems to wind up a crazily busy time for the Made in the Shade gals. At this point last year, we were up to our hairdos in business plans, cashflow charts, property schedules, NESTA awards and event planning. This year - things are no calmer. Infact - I think these next few months are set to be two or three of the busiest we've had to date! Just looking at the big black diary in our bureau is giving us butterflies in our tummies and shivers of dread in equal measure. Will we manage to get everything done? Will all be well? Will our grand plans come to fruition the way we want? Will y'all like the outcomes? Will you approve? Yikes! The PRESSURE!!!

Here I sit with my nutrious lunch of cigarettes and a (wine) glass of milk. With the all-saved BBC 6music as good company and writing soundtrack, I think it's time we filled you in on all that's shakin' down at Made in the Shade HQ...

1. Made in the Shade at the BUST Craftacular (London)

This weekend, Clare and I take the first of our bi-annual trips to London for the BUST Craftacular event at York Hall, Bethnal Green. We've attended the event as customers and we've taken The Maisonette and set up shop as vendors. This time round we'll be popping along to the Craftacular to rock our little socks off as Made in the Shade dj duo - The A-Maisonettes! (Amazin'-ettes/A-Maisonettes! Get it? Mistress of the pun Clare Nicolson came up with that gem!) We'll be wiring up our laptops like the "dj" cheats we are and treating vendors and visitors to a little 2 hour set crammed full of rock'n'roll raucousness, vintage obscurities and countrified toe-tappers! The A-Maisonettes take to the stage at noon. If you're coming by for some crafty fun, do give us a wave! :) Our very own Beardy (aka YHF Photo) will be official event photographer on the day. If you see him - make sure he takes your snap! Oh - and if you're amongst the first 100 early bird guests at The Craftacular and are lucky enough to bag yourself a bag of swag, then look out! You may well be walking off with one of our brand new Made in the Shade totes! We love them. We hope you will too.

2. www.wearemadeintheshade.com REVAMP!!

By now, you'll know us well enough I'm sure to have figured out that we're a pair of crazy control-freak perfectionists. Yeah? So - it'll come as no surprise to you then that we've never been quite satisfied with the design and functionality of our website! We're resourceful gals and we make do with the materials we have - but the time has come for us to sort out www.wearemadeintheshade.com once and for all. Thanks to a recommendation from our boy Ian of El Rancho Records and Schnapps fame, we've landed ourselves a flippin' fabulous web design team in the shape of Mr Paul Kelly and his fine associate Katri of Kactus Pie. Paul and Katri have been working hard behind the scenes for us - helping improve the function and scope of our site and making it look just the way we'd like. Pretty? You betcha! Not only will we have neatly seperated, usable sections for y'all to explore and enjoy, but we'll have dedicated areas designed with our different site visitors in mind. You'll no longer need to sift through screeds of event info to find our shopping guides or event calendars etc. Pretty neat, huh? :) There'll be an online shopping facility too and lots of sweet little additions to the site to keep you entertained. We hope to launch the website and virtual version of The Maisonette late July/early August. No doubt, we'll throw a party to celebrate and you're all invited!!

3. The Maisonette - REVAMP!!

Yup. We're ALL about the revamp this summer! We don't do spring cleaning - we do summer transformations! :) Those of you who've managed to visit us at The Maisonette since we opened at De Courcy's Arcade in October, will know that we inhabit a tiny little shop space. We always make sure our dinky retail room is jam packed with wonderful work from our favourite indie makers and vintage collectors, but we've been getting itchy feet lately. Our lovely landlord has kindly agreed to allocate The Maisonette a little bit of extra space :) Now, don't get too excited, we won't be gaining an enormous amount of extra square footage, but we'll be gaining enough to turn The Maisonette into a much more functional space and a much more comfortable and enjoyable place to shop and hang out! Along with the aesthetic revamp, we'll also be introducing a whole load of new lines to our stock offering! New designers, new products, new indie companies, new product categories - NEW NEW NEW!! Of course, this means we'll be closing our shutter for a little while during works, but we won't be gone for long and you can bet your boots you'll hear all about it when we open again! We'll be keeping you updated via the blog and via our social networking sites :) We hope you like your new Maisonette when it's unveiled.

4. The Summertime Hop: Glasgow & Edinburgh!

I'm painfully aware that this newsletter really IS a monster so I'll not bang on too much about the Summertime Hops since we'll be writing and updating about those LOTS in the run up to both dates. However - dates for your diaries are as follows:

The Made in the Shade Summertime Hop (Edinburgh) - Saturday 24th July, The Roxy Art House.

The Made in the Shade Summertime Hop (Glasgow) - Saturday 21st August, The Lighthouse.

5. Book Deal!

Made in the Shade gal, Carrie Maclennan, has been commissioned by special interest publishers David & Charles to write a crafty book about sewing. Yes! 'Tis true!! We need to keep the ins and outs of the big plan under our hats for a while yet, but we can reveal that the book will feature how-to projects from some of your very favourite Made in the Shade designer makers and it will track Carrie's journey as she learns to sew! We are SO excited about this. So excited. The book will have a life of it's own eventually with it's own interactive website and what not :) There will be lots and lots of fun ways for you to get involved with this project over the next few months and in the run up to launch (Summer 2011) so keep visiting our site for updates.

Pheweeee! So - between knocking walls down and relaunching websites, writing books and coping with the torture of Megabus, we sure do have our work cut out for us! If you don't hear from us in a few days - best call 'n' check we haven't had some sort of breakdown.

See you on the other side!

:)

If you want to know more about anything we're up to, drop us a line!

You can contact us at: mail@wearemadeintheshade.com

Or - you can write to us at The Maisonette! We love to receive friendly mail!
Post your snail mail to: The Maisonette, Upper Floor De Courcy's Arcade, 21 Cresswell Lane, Glasgow, G12 8AA

Introducing... The Summertime Hop (Edinburgh) Vendors!

2010-07-05T06:39:00.000-07:00

It's just a couple more weeks to wait now before we throw open those big ol' doors of The Roxy Art House on our Made in the Shade Summertime Hop event! 42 designer makers will be joining us this season :) Representing the pick of indie craft, design and vintage lifestyle from across Scotland, these guys and dolls are a DIY force to be reckoned with! To get further acquainted with 'em ahead of your visit, scroll down this veritable roll call of emerging talent and plan that shopping route in advance! You don't want to miss a thing! :)

The Made in the Shade Summertime Hop 2010 The Vendors (Edinburgh)

1. Much Too Fun

Creators of everyone's favourite Scottish Slang jewellery collection, Bonnie Bling, set up shop at The Summertime Hop for the second time. These ladies all but sold out of their fabulous 'Och' brooches and 'Peely Wally' necklaces last time round, so y'all best visit their stall fast!

2. Morag Macpherson Textiles

Previously known as 'Global Guru', textile designer Morag Macpherson offers a selection of luxurious handmade wearables and homewares inspired by the palettes and textures of far flung places!

3. Gillian Kyle

Gillian Kyle designs and makes fabulous, accessible products with lasting appeal. By incorporating edible icons of the Scottish larder (Irn Bru, Tunnock's Tea Cakes, Mother's Pride, Creamola Foam) Gillian's textile gifts spark a wonderful nostalgia - and look just swell!

4. Asking For Trouble

Designer and print maker Marceline Smith presents her collection of handmade gifts, stationery and accessories inspired by Japanese design and culture.

5. Rag & Bone Boutique

Rock'n'roll, upcycled homewares and accessories by Claire Macleod for the music lover in you!

6. Jolly Good

Quirky jewellery and accessories by Helen Macdonald all designed and handmade using found objects and upcycled bits and bobs.

7. Pegeggleg

Magpie shopping bags with surprise treats inside! Sugar skull applique AND a whole host of bright screen printed textiles for you and your home by Penny Forbes.

8. Julie Fletcher

Illustrator Julie Fletcher returns to Made in the Shade with a collection of her prints, artwork, cards and pretty books. Beautiful!

9. Dapple Photography

Photographer Gillian Hayes shows a selection of work this season - all of which will look fabulous in your home or workplace! Talk to Gillian about her latest exhibition, 'The Colour Red'. Stunning.

10. Canary Yellow

New jewellery label Canary Yellow is already making a mark on the indie craft & design scene. Jeweller and silversmith Jennifer Nicolson creates delicate, whimsical wearables inspired by nature and FUN!

11. Clare Nicolson

Made in the Shade gal Clare sets up shop at The Summertime Hop. You know those beautiful little lavender birds y'all love so much? Clare made those! She's also the creator of a whole collection of soft furnishings, homewares and stationery items. Be sure to drop by!

12. Neil OSM

Everyone's favourite robot lover, artist Neil Slorance sets up shop at Made in the Shade Eastside for the first time. Visit Neil for a glimpse into a much nicer world full of robots, spacemen and cute shy boys :) Neil accepts commissions too - talk to him about that!

13. Tramp Millinery

Inspired by architecture, nature, old movies and fine art, artist turned milliner Maggie Mowbray handmakes wonderful headpieces to suit all occassions. Glam it up, baby! Glam it up!

14. The Night Owl

Fast becoming a Made in the Shade favourite, designer maker Ellen Munro creates a range of handmade accessories and homewares all with a super-pretty, folksy flavour.

15. Suzy Loves

Jewellery designer Suzy Watson's collections have developed into a sugary little wonderland of joy over the past few years! We're huge fans of her rosette pins and wordy necklaces. I like, 'bulletproof' best :)

16. Magic Alice

Magic Alice aka jewellery and accessories maker Jennifer Field quite simply, makes pretty things! From button badges to fun rings and brooches - all of 'em pretty as a picture!

17. Wooden Tree

Wooden Tree (our gal Kirsty Anderson) brings your granny's linen closet to life by recycling found fabrics into plushies, accessories and art. Love it.

18. Susie Maroon

Susie Maroon is an indie eco label specialising in luxurious leather wearables, gifts and homewares. Hoorah!

19. Tabitha Vintage

Vintage collector Claire Ferguson sets up shop at Made in the Shade for the first time bringing you a collection of her finest finds! Oooo... We do love a fine find! :)

20. Emily Moir

Last season's smiley faced event volunteer returns to The Roxy - this time to showcase her fabulous range of handmade wearables and homewares. We can't wait!

21. Angharad Jefferson

Textile artist and embroiderer Angharad will wow you with her ever-growing collection of gifts, homewares and accessories all made with love and a tremendous amount of skill and care! Look out for lots of lovely new products this season!

22. Haberdash House

Jewellery designer Marie Liddell returns to Made in the Shade! We're thrilled to have her back - and on her home turf too! Marie's unsual perspex accessories are fun and easy to wear. We adore her circus range!

23. Plastic Bat

We've been huge fans of Plastic Bat for years and years and we're so excited to be playing host to designer maker Tracy for the first time this season in Edinburgh! Check out her latest collections: Village Fair & mini range, Bon Voyage.

24. Fantoosherie Fancies

According to jewellery and accessories maker Jennifer, fantoosherie is the new black. We'd be inclined to agree with her! Look out for upcycled fabrics and found objects in Jennifer's range of handmade wearables. We particularly love her textile necklaces!

25. Frajul

Knitwear designer Julie McConnachie joins us at Made in the Shade for the first time this season and we cannot WAIT to cast our peepers (and our mitts) over her range of colourful, quirky knitted accessories.

26. Hingmy by Flore

Hingmy by Flore offers Made in the Shade visitors a range of calico bags and badges, all made in textiles and inspired by the great Russian avant-garde artists.

27. Leah Halliday

A gal after our own hearts, vintage magpie Leah brings her flair for craft & collectables to Made in the Shade this season. Alongside her fabulous offering of vintage homewares, accessories and ephemera, she'll also be offering a range of vintage clothing. Eeep! :)

28. The Lindstrom Effect

Oh, how we love The Lindstrom Effect. Visit Vala and Iain and peruse their beautiful collection of handknitted accessories, gifts and art.

29. Analogue Books

Now, we all know what suckers the Made in the Shade gals are for a good book or interesting zine... Analogue Books is one of our favourite places to shop in Edinburgh and we are super-excited to have 'em along to Made in the Shade for the first time! Come flip through some papery treasure, won't you?

30. Paleface

Paleface (Catherine Barthram) makes clothes and accessories using a combination of re-purposed, vintage and new materials. She designs and makes beautiful dresses, tops, jackets, corsages and purses amongst other things ;)

31. Wondrous Makes

Rosie reminds us of the loveliness of handstitching and the odd little thoughts that cross our minds! She presents her collection of cushions, bags, purses and odd little soft things inspired by real-life stories at Made in the Shade!

32. Laura Donald

Since deciding to leave her Eastenders themed creations behind (sniff!), designer maker Laura Donald has become the Bear Grylls of the craft world - using every waking hour to create new designs and fabulous pieces to share with y'all! We are approving of Laura's latest fascination of miniaturisation and cannot WAIT see what other treats the gal has up her sleeve!

33. Lizzy Stewart

Like us, Lizzy Stewart is a fan of pencils, cardigans and bears. [She's also a fan of Russian history but I cannot proclaim the slightest oodle about Russian history. I'm sure it's fascinating]. Lizzy creates beautiful, entrancing artwork. You must look at it and let you heart a-pitter patter after foxes, bears and beautiful illustrated people.

34. Verity Keniger

Not only does Verity bake an outstanding chocolate beetroot cake (I know!) but she's a fabulous illustrator, printer AND novice knitter. We adore Verity's lion face! Visit her at Made in the Shade and peruse her range of prints, stationery items and greetings cards and gifts.

35. Wildcat Designs

In the market for a space invader scarf? Of course you are! Who isn't? Visit Catriona and sample her collection of kitsch handknitted accessories and wearables - inspired by vintage fabrics, pop culture and graphic prints.

36. Vertiline in Love [Vintage]

We are excited to catch a glimpse of the vintage treasure collected by Vertiline in Love. Clothing, homewares, jewellery and ephemera - lots to explore!

37. Funky Frilly

With a fabulous eye for detail and wonderful taste in crockery (we do love crockery), Funky Frilly aka Jane, offers Made in the Shade visitors the chance to own a piece of handmade, historical homeware of their own. From cake stands, candle cups and clocks to pretty gifts and ornamental pieces, Funky Frilly will leave your head all in a whirl just trying to choose which upcycled pieces to invest in!

38. Kitty & Dude

A longstanding Made in the Shade favourite and now a Maisonette fixture, ceramicist Cosima Sempill never fails to make our jaws drop with her off-beat creations. This season we're all about the pin-up style collection!

39. TRASH furnishing

Brought to Made in the Shade by interior designer and stylist Caroline Key, Trash is a collection of hand finished upcycled furniture. Caroline trawls her favourite hidey holes for hidden treasure and brings interesting items back to life!

40. Moody Monday

Eliza of label Moody Monday has created limited edition collections of fashion accessories and interiors products. Explore Eliza's handmade bags, accessories, purses and cushions... Mmmmm! Lovely!

41. Andy Murray

Fancy furniture designer Andy Murray doesn't just design and create stylish, practical items for your home or workplace - he's also the crafty mind behind the 'Made By...' book - a little catalogue of ideas of things to make from a lowly teatowel! Andy will be setting up shop at Made in the Shade - helping to inspire you to pick up your craft box and get torn into a satisfying project!

The Summertime Hop: 24th July 2010

2010-07-05T05:36:00.000-07:00

Come on over, baby! There's a whole lotta makin' goin' on! :)

Yes! Made in the Shade is heading eastbound once more! We had such a fun time back in May that we've been itching to get back to the capital ever since. As it happens, we'll be hosting The Summertime Hop in the main hall of The Roxy Art House between 10.30am and 5pm on Saturday 24th July.

With 42 designer makers, vintage sellers and creative businesses setting up shop with us this season, we are proud as punch to present y'all with the pick of indie craft and design + vintage lifestyle from across Scotland. Set to the all important, "hand-picked-by-The-A-Maisonettes" Made in the Shade shopping soundtrack, we invite you to spend the day with us. We'll be rockin', we'll be shoppin' at The Hop!

The MITS Music Matinee this season comes from our very favourite country rock'n'rollers The Meat Men. Expect a whole load of foot stomping as you fight to swallow back the urge to sing (yell?) along to Meat Men originals from their debut album, Redneck Dinner Party and rockabilly classics and rock'n'roll stormers from the likes of Johnny Cash, Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis. We defy you not to let out a little yelp of glee here and there during this set! The Meat Men have been off plying their musical trade in Dublin for the past few months so we are delighted to welcome them back and we're thrilled to have them perform at our 'lil event.

While you ponder your purchases, relax in Auntie M's (mini) Cake Lounge and enjoy a slice of The Best Cake You Will Ever Taste. I have no qualms in making such massive claims. Bring me the cake that tastes better than Auntie M's coconut cake or indeed Auntie M's sweet potato and pecan cake and I will.... Um... Eat it? :) For those of you who like to keep up to date with the cutting edge of sweet treats, then you will absolutely want to test out Auntie M's whoopie pie! Cupcakes?! Cupcakes?! Those are soooo last season (dahling). It's all about Elvis Pie now dear... Munch 'em up!

Everyone's favourite photographer, YHF Photo returns to The Summertime Hop too. He will be setting up The MITS Photobooth once again and he'll be encouraging y'all to get your grins on and get involved in some high jinx with your friends and family in our makeshift photo studio! Document your visit to Made in the Shade with a professional snap. Funtimes! :)

Of course - as always, we'll be offering early bird visitors a highly covetable Made in the Shade Goody Bag packed full of handmade treats from indie designers, special offers, pretty things and promo items from our favourite creative businesses. Also available from our Welcome Table - the all-new Made in the Shade tote bag! But your's on the day! Use it to carry all your shopping home in!

If you would like to help us promote the event (we do love it when y'all do that!) then, you can make use of our e-promo materials here or you can email us at: mail@wearemadeintheshade.com and request some hard copy flyers and posters and we'll send 'em to you asap.

Pheweee! So. That's the Summertime Hop. Sounds pretty swell, huh? Will you be joining us? We do hope so. If you want to see what we got up to last year, you can have a peep at our photo album here if you like. Or if you'd like to look back at the fun we had at The Roxy last time round, you can click here for some pretty pictures.

See you on the 24th everyone!

(Look out for the full vendor line-up - we'll be publishing it shortly!)

The Made in the Shade Gals
x

Lady Luck Rules OK Jewellery Workshop & Trade Secrets Talk

2010-07-02T09:46:00.000-07:00

Look out Glasgow! Look out Scotland! Everyone's favourite oracle of indie business is a-headin' your way! Leona Baker, creator of cult indie jewellery brand Lady Luck Rules OK, will be bringing her Jewellery Workshop & Trade Secrets talk to our very own De Courcy's Arcade on Sunday 29th August. Made in the Shade is thrilled to play hostess to Leona on the only Scottish date of her final UK tour!

Click image to enlarge :)

Let's hear all about it from the gal herself shall we? Over to you, Leona!

"After 3 sold out Trade Secrets Talks and 5 sold out Jewellery Workshops in my London studio I’ve combined the two events to take on a mini tour around the UK!

The trade secrets talk will cover topics such as how to start, run & grow an independent creative business; how to successfully sell online; PR, marketing and social media; wholesale & trade shows; and how to deal with the tough stuff like competitors and copycats!

The jewellery workshop will reveal all our unique production methods & materials including how we made our personalised jewellery, enamel & gold charms, glittery broken hearts, printed acrylic pendants, fuzzy wooden animals & mixed media Midnight Forest designs. I’ll also detail the importance of sampling, working with manufacturers, where to source and practical tips on how to achieve the best results. The techniques involved can also be applied to many other products including accessories, clothing, home wares, greetings cards and stationery.

My London talks and workshops have been attended a wide variety of people from artists, graphic designers & illustrators, boutique owners, jewellery designer/makers, fans of LLROK wondering just how we made everything and folk researching how to turn that first seed of an idea into a product to make and sell. My students have also included a Central St Martins Design Tutor and girls who’ve traveled from Paris and Italy!

The jam packed 3 hour event will fill your head with oodles of inspiration and a wealth of knowledge enabling you to transform your ideas and designs into awesome products to make, promote and sell."

Now that's what we call a SESSION. So! We anticipate by previous patterns that tickets for this event will sell like hot whoopie pie (?!) so y'all best save that date and book those (limited) spaces quick smart! Leona has had some excellent feedback on her past talks and workshops. If you'd like to sample some testemonial chat and get a feel for what to expect, then snoop on over here.

The Lady Luck Rules Jewellery Workshop & Trade Secrets Talk
GLASGOW

Sunday 29th August (2pm - 5pm)

Auntie M's Cake Lounge

The Upper Floor De Courcy's Arcade (opposite The Made in the Shade Maisonette)

21 Cresswell Lane, G12 8AA

Tickets cost £25 (+ a small booking fee to cover Paypal charges).

Book your space here.

For all enquiries, please contact Leona Baker here

To see the full LLROK UK Tour newsletter, please click here

Made in the Shade ♥ One Creative Scotland

2010-06-29T04:28:00.000-07:00

Well - it surely seems to be a year for collaborations! Made in the Shade has been invited to take on a rather exciting styling project with the guys and dolls at One Creative Scotland :) If you haven't heard already, following 4 successful and very distinct arts/music/creative mash-up events hosted at The Tollhouse Studio, the tiny team have decided to branch out a little bit! The next step? One Creative Scotland TV!

Presented by radio gent and Glasgow rock music figure, Jim Gellatly and arts correspondent Katie Russell, the planned 56 minute pilot show will be based on the existing format of the bi-annual One Creative Scotland event combining live music, visual art and indie film features.

Our gal Clare (with a helping hand from Carrie here and there) will be taking on the task of styling and dressing the music rooms for the programme! Clare cannot WAIT to get going and is already scheduling trips to all her favourite treasure troves. We visited The Tollhouse Studio for the first time last night. Owner and creative entpreneur Chris Deeprose showed us around the sprawling space and described the proposed layout of the spaces. Not only is the converted factory space AMAZING, but we have every faith that the TV pilot edition of the artsy bash will go off without a hitch and prove to be an inspirational (and fun) event for everyone!

We are EXCITED.

If you would like to attend the pilot-show recording event, then you can! You can buy 'em NOW from here To find out more about One Creative Scotland and/or the pilot show, email organiser and project manager Clare Kelly at: clarekelly137@hotmail.com

:)

Made in the Shade @ Pin Up Nights Festival 2010

2010-06-29T03:23:00.000-07:00

The Made in the Shade gals are teaming up with the Pin Up fellas once more! Following the success of the MITS Mini Mart at the Pin Up Nights Ladies Night, John D & co. have invited us to curate a 'lil selection of indie shopping stalls as part of the much anticipated Pin Up Nights Festival :)

Taking place on Friday 30th July at The Flying Duck, this special edition of Glasgow's favourite indie rock'n'roll shebang crams in all the fun of the fest into a six hour music marathon! Some line-up snippets include DJs sets from the Sons & Daughters and Rock Action camps plus live music from Sonny Marvello and Mitchell Museum. It's set to be a good 'un!

Want to set up shop with Made in the Shade at the Pin Up Nights Festival?

If you're a rock'n'roll designer maker, happy crafter, vintage seller or other creative business owner and you'd like to use this swell 'lil opportunity to promote your business to a likeminded audience (and make a few bucks in the process!) then drop us a line at madeintheshadebookings@gmail.com We'll be taking bookings until Friday 16th July.
Selling spaces will cost just £10 each in line with the nature of the event.

Get to it! :)

Planning Ahead: Father's Day at The Maisonette

2010-06-11T04:59:00.000-07:00

Is it just me - or does this summertime seem to be one of the busiest summertimes EVER? I'm losing my marbles a 'lil bit just trying to keep up with everything. I was just getting tuned into the local artsy buzz of The Westend Festival, The Hidden Lane Festival, The Degree Show(s) and The Edinburgh International Film Fest and then the blinkin' World Cup kicked off in spectacular style, adding to the hullabaloo. I won't include the launch of the last ever series of Big Brother to the whirl of activity for fear of upsetting y'all (*but inside, my heart is a-pitter pattering with glee at the return/demise of this god forsaken circus - in equal measure and IS, at least in my head, another exciting 'thing' happening right this minute*). On top of all these distractions, we're trying to organise a shop refit and a website launch! It's a busy, busy time!

But! Woah, there! Let's not forget your ol' Da. You may well be out and about playing the culture vulture or be glued, square-eyed to your tv screen watching blinky images of footballers/reality tv crazies dart around - but mind n set aside some time for your Daddy. It's Father's Day next weekend. Our Dad's are pretty great. We'll definitely be spending some quality time with 'em next weekend. Though, whether they'll even know/care we're there as they 'f' and 'blind' at the football commentators in TV land, who can say? But on the offchance that they do, we thought it might be nice to gift them a little something to let them know we love 'em.

Here are some of our Father's Day present ideas from The Maisonette :)

'The Vested Fox' print by Julia Pott (£7), Bird Badge Sets by Kate Broughton (£4 each), Scented Toadstool by Angharad Jefferson (£14)

Upcycled Annual Notebook by Little Silver Leaf (£10), Wooden Medal Pins by Lost At Sea (£12 each), Croos-stitch Anchor Pin by Memo (£9)

Greetings Cards by Konnie Kapow (£3 each), Pistol Mug by Kitty & Dude (£24)

The Blue Bits Zine by Antzin (£5), Moustache-To-Go by Ding Dong Designs (£6), Moustachio Pin by Memo (£8)

Wall-Mountable Stagface by Wooden Tree (£50)

Emergency Tea Badge by Nikki McWilliams (£2.50), Grow-Your-Own-Veg Greetings Cards by Kate Broughton (£4 each), Weak Tea Weak Mind mug by Miso Funky (£10)

Inspiration! :) For more ideas, have a nosey around our Flickr profile.

Made in the Shade & The BUST Craftacular = Big Whoops

2010-06-05T08:21:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year... Clare and I tend to get itchy feet round about now. Our overwhelming desire for hardhitting, bottom slapping, eye-popping vintage clothes shopping overload is coupled with a desperate longing for Mexican food, rock'n'roll bowling, fancy hairdos from Nina's Vintage Hair Parlour and a generous dose of creative inspiration and indie craft action. We just gotta get to London Town! I think it's something to do with sunshine - and it's definitely got a lot to do with this year's BUST Craftacular event! Busty, busty :)

So. We've booked our (unusually) swanky pad. We've booked our Megabus tickets and we're adding the finer details to our itinerary. This summer, since we'll be up to our eyes in Made in the Shade work, we've decided to get involved in the BUST Craftacular in a slightly different - but equallys fun - ways. Not only will Made in the Shade be sponsoring the AMAZING freebie BUST swag bags (presented to the first 100 visitors!) but we'll be donning our finest frocks and packing up our finest MITS soundtrack snippets and getting down to a 'lil dj stint at York Hall! We'll be packing hits into an hour long slot from 12 noon. Tip top!

Oh - and if you're planning on attending the event (which, frankly, you oughta), then look out for Beardy! He's one of the official BUST Craftacular photographers again this year. His snaps made it into BUST Magazine last time, so if you want to be in with a chance of having your face printed in a flippin' fabulous international publicaton, you might want to touch up your lippy and say cheese!

Designer Makers - If you'd like to set up shop at the BUST Craftacular at York Hall on July 10th, then you have just two more days to submit your info to the team! Get to it! Click here to apply now! :)

Call for Vendors, Volunteers & Contributors: The Summertime Hop 2010

2010-05-28T07:16:00.000-07:00

Yes, yes. The sun has got his hat on (inbetween showers when he has his umbrella up instead) and we're gearing up for this year's Made in the Shade Summertime Hop events :)

We are pleased to announce that vendor applications for The Summertime Hop (Edinburgh) are NOW OPEN! The event takes place on Saturday 24th July 2010 at The Roxy Art House, Roxburgh Place, Edinburgh. We'll open our doors to the public between 10.30am and 5pm.

With special event features, live performances, a whole heap of indie shopping, public crafting and DIY fun, our third Summertime Hop event is set to bring a little bit of sunshine to the capital - whatever the weather!

PROSPECTIVE VENDORS

If you would like to apply to take up selling space at The Summertime Hop in Edinburgh, please email us at: madeintheshadebookings@gmail.com

PROSPECTIVE VOLUNTEERS

If you would like to offer your services as a promo volunteer or event helper, drop us a line!
We'd love to hear from you! You can reach us at: wearemadeintheshade@gmail.com

PROSPECTIVE CONTRIBUTORS

You might like to get involved in some other way? Maybe you want to perform? Maybe you want to host a mini workshop? Or add a special event feature? Maybe you want to sponsor our event or offer some treats for our event goody bags? Get in touch!
Email us: wearemadeintheshade@gmail.com

Vendor applications close on Monday 14th June 2010 :)

Look! We've Been Lesley Toast-ed!

2010-05-24T12:45:00.000-07:00

The very fabulous and very talented Lesley Barnes is one of our favourite designer makers whose work we're proud to house at The Maisonette. Lesley doesn't just make our wonderful range of leather bookmarks but she also busies herself with lots of exciting design and animation work. Imagine our delight when we found this little gem in our inbox!

We are truly honoured. Can't wait to pin this baby up on our wall :)

You can find out more about Lesley here.

Say YES To Plastic...

2010-05-24T12:40:00.000-07:00

The ridiculously LONG wait is over... The Maisonette is finally fully equipped to accept payment via credit & debit card! How exciting?! How convenient!

Our fancy machine arrives just in time for y'all to feast your eyes on all the new work we're welcoming to the shop in the next few weeks! We've already got lots of new stock from Memo, Julia Pott, Angharad Jefferson, Wooden Tree and the mighty Clare Nicolson! Save up your pocket money! The pretty things are a-callin'!

Come up and see us. Make us smile :)

We ♥ Piney Gir!

2010-05-18T04:56:00.000-07:00

So! What a busy weekend it was! So busy infact, that we're still banging on about it - even though it's Tuesday already. While Saturday was all about exploring new territories and making new friends, Sunday was much more about winding down, enjoying our own 'lil homely space at The Maisonette and welcoming some guests to The Arcade for a sunshiney afternoon of relaxed musical magic.

Fresh from her performance at The Roxy AND The Voodoo Rooms in Edinburgh on Saturday, we were thrilled to play host to Piney Gir & Friends in Glasgow on Sunday. We fixed up a truly DIY, thrifted, raggle taggle 'stage' area using some reclaimed carpet, a borrowed photographer's backdrop stand, some handmade decorations and a whole load of vintage curtains and bedding. Resourceful!

Piney Gir and her band of fabulous musicians entertained us in the hallways of The Upper Floor at De Courcy's Arcade for a little while (it would never be quite long enough for me...) and as hips swayed and toes tapped, it was impossible not to notice that just about everyone who'd taken time out to listen was smiling :) I was grinning. Piney Gir and her pals sure do know how to make a fun, positive and uplifting 'lil noise!

Although we really ought to have been tucked up in bed to stand half a chance of recovering from the 5am start we endured the day before, Clare and I just couldn't miss Piney's full line-up evening show at Brel. I filled my tummy with tasty tapas and enjoyed a (very expensive) beer or two while we grinned our way through the set. The urge to just sing along at full volume and clap along in time here and there was pretty troublesome.

Thanks so much to Piney, Emma, Alex, Henry, Barney and Garo for being such great sports and for thinking our little events were worth the trip in the first place :) Thanks to Holly at Regular Music for putting the night time shows together and for letting us help promote Piney Gir's trip to Scotland!

Y'all might be interested to learn that Piney Gir's latest album, The Yearling, is now available to buy from The Maisonette. Keep your peepers peeled for more releases from Hotel Records coming your/our way soon!

Let's hear it for the EASTSIDE!

2010-05-17T07:56:00.002-07:00

Boy, oh boy! What a weekend! :)

After months of deliberation and preparation, The Made in the Shade Boutique Shopping Event finally made it's journey east to the capital for the first time. We set up shop in the Main Hall of The Roxy Art House. Joined by 38 wonderful indie designer makers, the best baker in the land, a marvellous troupe of musicians, a couple of our favourite old time fun attractions AND 800 visitors, we had a flippin' splendid time!

Thanks to Rupert, Morvern & John at The Roxy for ensuring all went smoothly for us at the venue. Thanks to John, Jennifer, Garry, Allan and Clare's Mum for help with heavy lifting and transportation :) Thanks to Piney Gir and her merry band for taking the trip all the way from London Town! Y'all surely did add an extra special touch of musical magic to our launch day! Thanks to Auntie M for uprooting her fabulous Cake Lounge for the day and supplying the vendors and visitors with sugary sustenance during the day. Thanks to Garry (YHFphoto) for working so hard on the MITS Photobooth - and for still managing to capture a few event snaps for us! We would have been in a right pickle with out our trusty team of volunteers! A very special FANK YAOW to Kirsty, Susie, Emily C, Ellen, Rachel, Gillian, Emily M, Katherine and Philip for all your help in the run up to the event and for lending a hand on the day too.

Thanks to Jan & Co. at The Skinny. Shame you guys didn't make it in the end - you missed a fun time. Muchos gracias to Claire Sawers at The List, Lynne McCrossan at The Scotsman, Alex at The Skinny and Sarah at The Coveted Mag for their support and enthusiasm. Thanks too to all the friendly bloggers and makers who made mention of the event on their sites - particularly to Creative Boom (Edinburgh), All Things Original and Craftsville.

Of course, we must offer giant thank yous to the 38 designer makers who took part in the event and embraced the ethos and 'feel' of our 'lil shindig wholeheartedly! And to the 800+ visitors who took the time to come support our first event in Edinburgh, THANKS! We'll be back soon. Pop Saturday 24th July in your diaries, won't you? :)

Piney Gir's A-Comin' To Visit!

2010-05-12T11:07:00.000-07:00

So. You've heard us banging on about Piney Gir for quite some time now. Just incase you haven't managed to treat your ears to some melodic Piney Gir musical magic yet, we thought we'd give you a little taster of what you might expect from the pretty, ruby-shoed Kansas gal. Piney Gir heads North this weekend y'see - as she takes to the stage in two Scottish cities four times in two days! She sure is a trouper! :) Piney is here with her band to promote her brand new single, "Abelha: Bumblebee" - the latest release from her album, 'The Yearling' - and we're lucky enough to be hekping promote a coupla fun mini-shows for her!

Saturday 15th May:

Piney Gir plays a very special Made in the Shade Matinee Show at The Springtime Jamboree (The Roxy Art House, Edinburgh). Piney will take to the stage around 2pm. Don't miss it! entry to this event costs just £1. To experience the full Piney Gir show in Edinburgh (on a proper stage, with a full band and a lot more time to meander through her fantastic and varied back catalogue), catch her at The Voodoo Rooms in the evening!

Sunday 16th May:

And... guess what? Piney & Friends will be joining us at The Maisonette on the afternoon of Sunday 16th May for a Pop-Up Matinee Show in De Courcy's Arcade ahead of her night time gig at Brel on neighbouring Ashton Lane! Wheeep! We are SO excited. The fun will begin around 2pm :) Come enjoy some (poorly) homemade coconut ice while Piney takes y'all on a whirlwind musical journey in a super-intimate setting! Of course, if you fancy a double whammy - then we'll see you in Brel on Sunday evening! Special Colouring-In Kits will be available to guests just for good measure :)

About the new single:

Let's qutoe directly from Piney's press release shall we? It's worded so beautifully ;)

"Spring has most definitely sprung, so it's only natural that there are a few more bugs in the air , and betwitching songs upon the breeze. Piney Gir siezes the moment to release "Abelha: Bumblebee", her bossanova tinged tale about what happens when a love affair turns round and really stings you.

Of her latest album offering, The Yearling, Fake DIY says, "[Piney Gir's] latest offering knocks the pants off most records you'll hear around at the moment in terms of originality, style and way out there catchy kookiness".

A little bit more about Piney Gir...

... with some help from the wise words of some discerning music journos. They always know best ;)

According to Q Magazine, Piney Gir "emanates music hall charm". She surely does. The gal has style, she has pinache, she PERFORMS her material and she really tells a story.

According to BBC Music, Piney Gir's songs deliver "an unfeasibly beautiful whirl of skittering beats". And - that's right. They do. The whirl will pull you along and before you know it (whether you've heard the song before or not), you will be swaying your hips and tapping your toes and maybe even doing a lil 'shoop shoop' dance!

ArtRocker puts it best I think: Piney Gir is "an artist who conjures songs that take you to a lovely , fuzzy place full of lush, warm vocals and violins that swirl around you and make you smile". Yup. That just about sums her up!

To see/hear for yourself, why not follow some of the links we've added to our Facebook Event Group? :)

Find out more at www.pineygir.com

The Lotte & Bloom Pop-Up Flower Shop

2010-05-09T13:19:00.000-07:00

This weekend, we were thrilled to present the very first pop-up shop at The Upper Floor (De Courcy's Arcade). Fabulous florist Charlotte Lawson of Lotte & Bloom set up shop, adding a wonderful splash of colour and a sweet scent of springtime to our otherwise monochrome hallways. Charlotte's natural 'take-away' arrangements spilled out of pretty reclaimed teapots and pretty patterned ceramics and beautiful stems filled giant vases, peeping their 'lil heads over the rim to reveal rich violet and yellow blooms. Wheeeeee! I was excited to find Forget-Me-Nots featured in Charlotte's lovely posies. Alongside snowdrops, daffodils, primroses and bluebells, they're one of my favourite little flowers. I got to take some home :)

Enormous thanks to Charlotte and her merry team of helpers who made such beautiful displays and did such a splendid job of promoting the event :) We hope to welcome the Lotte & Bloom Pop-Up Flower Shop back to The Upper Floor again soon.

If you missed the shop this time around, here are a few snaps (taken by the handsome YHFphoto). Shame we don't have smell-a-vision...

"Esendes' Life" by Hannah Aaron

2010-05-09T06:19:00.000-07:00

The Tiny Gallery at The Maisonette is proud to present Hannah Aaron's debut art exhibition, 'Esendes' Life'.

From the imagination of 6 year old artist, Hannah, comes 50s styled cat (as in, feline) Esendes. Meet her, her friends, family and workmates as Hannah introduces us to Esendes' Life through a series of artworks.

Who is Esendes?

"Well, she is a cat of many talents. Edendes is in fact only 17 though many people believe that she is in her 30s due to the many things that she does. Only her close friends and her two sisters (Fesa and Acradiyae) know her true age. We do know that her birthday is on Easter though.

Esendes has a flat in the city centre where she not only lives but also runs a cafe and a music shop called Land Of Music. Her cafe serves Esendes' favourite food and that is wraps. She makes all sorts of strange wraps.

It's no surprise that she also has creative friends, inluding her best friend Yisa of the well known swing band, The Tramp Cats. Esendes herself is a musician as well. Her band is often supported by the great San Maya. On the topic of music, one of her favourite bands is The Ramones whom she has seen live many times.

Esendes went to design school and now is in high demand by circuses the world over looking for her imaginative designs of circus tents. She herself once considered joining the circus and tried her hand at clowning but it wasn't for her.

She drives a large pick up truck but also owns a scooter which uses to get around town. Esendes is married to Paul and they both enjoy going to the cinema in their spare time. However, since Esendes does most jobs in the world, her freetime is somewhat limited.

She also enjoys dancing and occassionally takes part in dance productions."

Introducing... The Edinburgh Jamboree Vendors!

2010-05-06T10:03:00.000-07:00

1. Miso Funky

Handmade gifts and homewares to funkify your life! Our very own subversive stitcher shows off her latest collection of upcycled treats and emo-broidery slogans - bold enough to make you blush!

2. Ding Dong Designs

Mother & daughter duo Josie & Freda offer an ever growing collection of bright and beautiful wearables, accessories and gifts - and, of course the now famous gang of celebrity-style finger puppets!

3. Gillian Kyle

Homegrown superstar Gillian Kyle brings her range of nostalgic Scottish-themed textiles to The Roxy. Check out the all-new Creamola Foam line! It's amazing!

4. Rosita

Indie designer maker Anna Judd makes oh-so-pretty textile items - from cupcake lavender bags to aprons, totes and wide-eyed dollies! This gal is all about beautiful pattern and fabulous prints.

5. Rag & Bone Boutique

Rock'n'roll maker Claire Macleod offers up her fun line of vinyl record clocks and music inspired jewellery, accessories and gifts for the home.

6. The Night Owl

We're becoming increasingly obsessed with Ellen Munro's work! Expect a handmade range of wooden jewels, gingham table cloths, handpainted egg cups, stripey shoppers, frilly showercaps and a whole load more! Swoon!

7. Angharad Jefferson

Angharad's embroidered art, gifts and homeware pieces have been going down a STORM at The Maisonette lately! If you're lucky, she might bring her all-new embroidered ceramics for you. Yes. Embroidered ceramics. Don't miss 'em!

8. Wooden Tree

Designer and collector Kirsty Anderson creates work with a fantastical, yet old-time feel. Reclaimed fabrics and vintage objects are upcycled and given new life. Find the perfect gift here! We love the supersized Wooden Tree pieces. I'd love a cloud cushion. Or a Miss Foxette. Or a Little Mountain. Or an owlface pin. Or...

9. Susie Maroon

A fellow Starter for 6 award winner, design label Susie Maroon make and sell real cosy and nostalgic collections of homewares and fashion pieces incorporating luxurious fabrics, leather and wonderful embroidery. My favourite? The disco lamp.

10. The Dropped Stitches

All the way from London Town, we're pleased to welcome a superstar knitting troupe of indie designer makers. In their collective guise as knitting group, The Dropped Stitches, these gals offer a varied selection of handknitted wearables, homewares and gifts. The Dropped Stitches are: Leona Baker (Superette proprietor and formerly of Lady Luck Rules OK), Tanya Robinson (Strikk), Sanna King (Sannapanda), Mary McDermott (We Make/Dainty Pretty Things), Claire Squared (button obsessive and happy crafter) & Kali Anderson (Lush & Lovely).

11. Astrid Weigel

Astrid Weigel designs and makes beautiful handprinted and appliqued gifts for the home. Expect gorgeous table runners, cushions and host of other textile pieces. Astrid's Matryoshka dolls are on the Made in the Shade wishlist!

12. Lost in the Forest

Handmade jewellery, accessories and giftware by Emily Chandler. Love Magnetic Fields? Emily has the perfect handmade treat for you. Be sure to check out Emily's new range of beautiful velvet and lace adorned purses and pouches won't you?

13. Suzy Loves

Bright and quirky jewellery pieces by Suzy Watson - these cheery little wonders will brighten your day, not just your wardrobe!

14. Magic Alice

Crafty maker Jennifer Field offers up her latest range of handmade jewellery and accessory pieces to customers at The Springtime Jamboree :)

15. Stella My Star

With a keen eye for hidden gems and found obejcts, super duper maker Jo Gurney produces an eclectic range of pretty accessories and charm jewellery.

16. t-boo

Home of the ever-popular Scrabble piece charm bracelet, Tracey Burns offers a splendid array of vintage inspired, quirky and fun jewellery.

17. Much Too Fun

Superkitsch jewellery and accessories to have Much Too Fun with! Vintage style charm necklaces, kitschy bracelets AND all new Perspex Scottish slang range, Bonne Bling. Look out too for Much Too Fun's very special, limited edition summertime collection! We LOVE it.

18. Fantoosherie Fancies

A Made in the Shade favourite, Fantoosherie Fancies showcase the latest collection of textile accessories and jewellery incorporating upcycled vintage pieces - all from the fair hand of the lovely Jennifer.

19. Jennifer Nicolson

Jewellery designer and silversmith, Jennifer Nicolson showcases her first complete collection of jewellery and accessories in Edinburgh for the first time. Be sure to say hello to her!

20. Hannah Zakari

Owner of one of the best online indie boutiques IN THE WORLD, Rachael Lamb, sets up real-life shop as a special treat for Edinburgh Made in the Shaders. Expect an array of wonderful work from the most talented indie designers from across the globe! Be sure to ask Rachael about her exciting new venture!

21. Dapple Photography

Gillian Hayes is a wonderful photographer. You may have seen some of her Made in the Shade event photography featured in our press campaign this season? Gillian's collections take nature, vintage lifestyle and found objects as inspiration. Clever gal :)

22. Small Stories

Small Stories is the latest project of hotly tipped Scottish artist Gabrielle Reith. Gabrielle designs and makes a delightful collection of giftware and printed items, including art & illustration pieces, greetings cards, tea towels, jewellery and accessories.

23. Leah Halliday

Leah offers a wonderful mixture of handmade gifts and keepsakes with handpicked vintage pieces. From ceramics to art, jewellery to stationery, Leah has an eye for those stand-out objects that demand your love and attention!

24. We Are The Robots

Visit the home of the pixelated pendant! We Are The Robots' fabulous collection of fun, quirky jewellery and accessories has gone down a treat at Made in the Shade over the last two years. We are thrilled that Kerri is now designing and stitching her very own fashion range now too! Get your peepers around that!

25. Little Sister Lucy

The talented Lucy Balloch designs and produces unique handmade jewellery, accessories and clothing. With a passion for fabric and texture, Lucy works with both print and stitch and has a penchant for embellishment. We particularly love Lucy's collection of beautiful silk nightwear!

26. bYMi

Designer maker Hannah Snell brings her beautiful silk origami jewellery and accessories to Made in the Shade Eastside!

27. Rachael Albert Boutique

Influenced by the eccentricity of Tokyo street style and vintage culture, fashion design Rachael Albert brings her latest line to Made in the Shade. Rachael designs clothing for a body - not a clothes hanger. Hooray! We particularly love her bloomer-style playsuits and bright, bold, swing dresses!

28. Pinski's... Lil Bubba Things

This talented duo are specialists in in bespoke children's wear and accessories. Handmade with love using contemporary and recycled vintage fabrics, each garment is unique - just like the 'lil guys and dolls that'll be wearing 'em!

29. Paleface

Rejecting mass-produced 'off the peg' fast-fashion, Catherine Barthram (Paleface) offers limited edition, handmade wearables for the discerning fashionista. Paleface makes dresses and tops and jackets and necklaces and all sorts of lovely goodies. We think Paleface is very clever.

30. Funky Frilly

Wheeep! As gals with a penchant for vintage pattern and vintage ceramics, Funky Frilly sets our hearts all a-flutter! Jane, the brains and the hands behind this little upcycling, indie empire makes fabulous fancy cake stands, candle-cups, plate clocks and... and... (Faints).

31. Kitty & Dude

A Made in the Shade favourite, designer ceramicist Cosima Sempill returns to our event with her devilishly covetable selection of quirky, cheeky ceramic pieces. Look out for the all new Hanky Panky/High Jinks range!

32. Lindsay Grime

Did you see Lindsay's Home Sweet Home exhibit in out Tiny Gallery? Did you? This season at Made in the Shade Lindsay showcases a selection of illustrated ceramic earrings, brooches, fancy tiles, plates AND prints and illustrations. Giddy just thinking about it...

33. Lizzy Stewart

Artist & illustrator Lizzy Stewart will be selling a range of screen prints, gocco prints and giclee digital prints as well as greetings cards, notebooks, badges and bags. Wheep!

34. Dazed Dorothy

Designer, maker and leathersmith, Corinne Robinson sure has an eye for detail. Her growing collection of clutch bags and accessories are so beautiful and so detailed, they'll make you drool!
We've seen it happen.

35. Catherine Aitken

Scottish limited edition handbags created from Harris Tweed, Mohair and Tartan - with a twist! Catherine produces creative and innovative accessories that are both elegant and luxurious.

36. Pegeggleg

Magpie shopper bags with surprise treats inside! Sugar skull applique AND a whole host of bright and bold screenprinted textiles are coming your way from designer maker Penny Forbes!

37. Julie Fletcher

Artist illustrator Julie Fletcher brings her upbeat range of cards and board books to Made in the Shade for the first time :)

38. Jolly Good

Helen Macdonald, a veritable star in our midst, was the brain and the hands behind the product voted most innovative by none other than Wayne Hemmingway in the Folksy/Sue Ryder Christmas Upcycle Competition in 2009! Imagine that! We can't wait to peruse Jolly Good's collection of jewellery and accessories. Think upcycling. Think vintage charms and secondhand finds - jolly good, indeed!

39. Clare Nicolson

Made in the Shade gal, Clare sets up shop at the Springtime Jamboree and showcases her range of beautiful digitally printed textiles, vintage fabric gifts and homewares. Look out for Clare's all-new range of gorgeous lavender bags and supersized lavender filled birdies! You might even get a sneaky peek of some of her brand new designs! Wheeep! How exciting?!?! :)

We ♥ Antzin

2010-05-01T12:33:00.000-07:00

If you were lucky enough to be one of our early bird visitors to the Glasgow Jamboree at The Lighthouse last month, you just might have received a very special gift from one of our very favourite indie artist makers, Anthony Zinonos, aka Antzin. You may have bagged a notebook? Or a zine? A mini DIY kit?

Since his first parcel of stock arrived in January, we have become thoroughly obsessed with Anthony's work - and judging by how well our last 'lil Antzin delivery was received at The Maisonette, we're guessing you have a soft spot for 'im too!

Well. Guess what? He's BACK! We're pleased to let ya'll know that Antzin has made his return to our shop and we have a fabulous collection of zines, stationery and DIY kits here waiting for you.

I already own two of these amazing collage kits. I've not opened them yet cos I think they look beautiful as they are. If I had enough pocket money, I would buy up all the DIY kits we have in the shop! You best get in quick before I beat you to 'em! Bumper kits cost £6 each and little 'uns cost just £2.50.

If you loved Le Dot zine as much as we did, then you will LOVE The Blue Bits :)
Both zines are now available at The Maisonette and they've also been joined by a third volume! Whoop!

Another personal favourite and Maisonette hit, The Hounds makes its return to our little shop! These fellas didn't hang around for long last time, so come quickly, won't you? Grab yours for £8.

To find out more about Anthony, visit his website here.

Flora the Tombola at The Maisonette!

2010-05-01T12:02:00.000-07:00

You may already have met our good friend Flora the Tombola at our shopping events. She's the pretty white wooden barrel with the bow in her hair that dishes our fun prizes and donates money to charity each season. We love her.

Flora has been a little bit restless these days. She's made it known to us that she'd like to play a more central role in Maisonette life. We've decided that it's time for Flora to be fully playable in our little shop - every day! The Flora the Tombola game works like this: you pay your money down and we spin the barrel. You select a ticket. If your chosen number ends in either a '0' or a '5', then you will win a very special prize!

Flora prizes at The Maisonette are super-special. We'll be offering y'all the chance to pick up prizes worth between £3 and £60! All gifts are either handmade, vintage or crafty at heart. From zines to jumbo craft grab-bags, from cushions and fancy textiles to cute ceramics and kitschy trinkets, Flora will offer you a fun opportunity to leave The Maisonette with a piece of treasure - even if you're shopping budget is tight! Great, huh? Of course, we'll have a load of swell 'lil booby prizes for you to take home even if you don't pick a winning ticket! No one will leave empty handed.

For a little peek at some of the tombola treats we have in store for you, scroll down. Flora will be kitted out and ready to be played from Thursday 6th May. Come up and see us, win a prize! :)

Illustrated jotter by I Like Pens

Illustrated colouring book by Kate Broughton

Zine by Memo!

Speed Crafting Tote Bag Kit by Lady Luck Rules OK

Stitch-Your-Own Animal Kit by Loglike

We've got plenty more treats up our sleeves too including postcard sets by Eleanor Grosch, fancy screen prints, bath & beauty treats by Lady Wurlitzer, vintage finds by Nana Moon, sticker sets and notebooks by Audrey Jeane, embroidery supplies, knitting kits and much MUCH more! :)

The MITS Photobooth

2010-04-30T15:04:00.000-07:00

One of our many event attractions at The Made in the Shade Jamboree (Edinburgh) on May 15th is the all-new MITS Photobooth. Brought to you by our very own professional camera-bot YHFphoto, the MITS photobooth is our makeshift version of a retro photo studio. Complete with fancy lighting and pretty backdrops, the booth has proved itself a success with our visitors and our vendors :) To get you in the mood for having your mugshot taken at The Roxy later this month, here are a few pics captured at our Glasgow event! For just £4 you will receive your hardcopy print in a cute 'lil pouch PLUS we'll email you e-copies for your own use on your websites, blogs and social networking sites!

May-de in the Shade: A month long birthday celebration

2010-04-30T13:55:00.000-07:00

Can you flippin' well believe it? Made in the Shade celebrates its 2nd birthday on the 24th day of this marvellous month of May. Two years! We've been working hard to nurture, sustain and develop our 'lil DIY enterprise for TWO whole years! To pull out a favoured cliche, time really does fly when you're having fun/having some sort of stress related breakdown. Now, fret not - I'm not about to embark upon some 'tear tae a glass eye' schpiel about how far we've come etc., etc.. I'll save that particular reflection for near the date. For now, we just want to let y'all in on some of our birthday celebration plans and we'd like you to save a few dates in your diaries :)

If there's one thing we love at The Maisonette, it's a good party. Heavens, we'd throw a party every day given half the chance. Thankfully, as it happens, this month we don't need to conjure up flimsy excuses to invite y'all to partake in a little bit of fun and a little bit of japery. Japery. Is that a word? I like it. This time last year we were too busy laying plans and getting everything ready for the grand opening of The Maisonette to even remember our Made in the Shade birthday - let alone celebrate it. So. This year we've decided to pull out all the stops and have a right ol' knees up - for a whole blinkin' month! :)

Of course, we'll be posting full info about our plans over the next few days, but for now... Get set to join in with these splendid 'lil shindigs!

Thursday 6th May - Friday 14th May 2010
"Esendes' Life" by Hannah Aaron
The Tiny Gallery at The Maisonette, Glasgow

(Tuesday - Saturday: 10.30am - 6pm & Sunday: 12 noon - 5pm)

We are beamingly proud to welcome talented, teeny artist and creative gal Hannah Aaron to The Tiny Gallery as part of our month of May-de in the Shade birthday celebrations. Aged 6, Hannah is the youngest of our ever-growing regular Made in the Shade troupe. Daughter of mistress baker and clever crafter Auntie M (Michelle Aaron), Hannah makes her artistic debut when she shows her first collection of illustrations, 'Esendes' Life' at The Maisonette. Based around the life, home and exploits of 50s cat (literally) Esendes and her family and friends, this 'lil set of work oozes charm, humour and is an utter delight to behold! Don't miss this super-special short-run exhibit!

Thursday 7th May - forever!

If you've been along to one of our shopping events, you will no doubt have come across our good friend Flora the Tombola. Our oh-so-pretty wooden barrel buddy has made it known to us that she's no longer content to just be rolled out for special occasions but that she would like to play a more central role in Maisonette life. From Thursday 6th May, Flora will be a fully-playable feature of our 'lil shop! For just £2 a play you stand to bag yourself some fabulous handmade gifts and thrifty finds worth between £3 - £60!!! Imagine that! Get your pocket money at the ready!

Saturday 9th & Sunday 10th May 2010
The Lotte & Bloom Pop-Up Flower Shop
De Courcy's Arcade, Glasgow

(Saturday: 10.30am - 6pm & Sunday 12 noon - 5pm)

Fabulously stylish florist, Charlotte Lawson brings the very first pop-up flower shop to De Courcy's Arcade as part of our calendar of celebrations. Swing by and pick up a beautiful floral/vintage crockery arrangement or a pretty handmade posie! Spring really HAS sprung on Cresswell Lane!

Saturday 15th May 2010
The Made in the Shade Springtime Jamboree
The Roxy Art House, Edinburgh

(10.30am - 5pm)

In this, our 2nd anniversay year, we're thrilled to be upping sticks for the weekend and taking our Made in the Shade shopping event to the capital for the first time! Over 30 indie designer makers will set up their displays of handmade wonders in the Main Hall at The Roxy amidst a flurry of fun event features and live music. Auntie M will be the hostess with the mostess at her very own mini Cake Lounge, Kansas country poppette Piney Gir will join us for a live music matinee, Flora the Tombola will grace us with her gaming presence and YHFphoto will be (re)constructing the fun of the MITS Photobooth! We are also thrilled to be joined by our chums at The Skinny AND The Dropped Stitches - London based knitting group made up of an excitable gaggle of indie design superstars! Entry to this event is just 1 measly pound. Of course, we'll be offering all early bird visitors a highly coveted MITS goody bag! :)

Sunday 16th May 2010
The Piney Gir Matinee Show
De Courcy's Arcade, Glasgow

(2pm - 3pm)

We are beyond excited to announce that one of our very favourite musical acts, Piney Gir will not only be joining us at the Made in the Shade Springtime Jamboree but that she'll be performing a very special warm-up matinee show at De Courcy's Arcade ahead of her evening stint with her full band line-up at Brel (Ashton Lane) too! Wheep!

Pheweee! We have even MORE treats to unveil over the next few days including details of a very special vintage fashion & lifestyle party in collaboration with seamstress and designer extraordinaire Miss Lottie Lou, some special maker appearances at The Maisonette and of course - information about our 2nd BIRTHDAY PARTY!!! :) Keep your peepers peeled!

So many outfits to plan! We need a style sponsor!

:)

We Came, We Saw, We Jamboree-ed

2010-04-22T04:15:00.000-07:00

I know, I know - we are later than usual in posting our 'lil event retrospective and list of thank yous... It's been one of those crazy whirlwind weeks where other things have just plonked themselves in the way of some important computer time. We are here though! And we have been sending 'thank you' vibes all week if that helps.

So. We threw our first MITS shopping bash of the year on Saturday at The Lighthouse. Of course, we were thrilled to return to The Lighthouse given that that's where we began our little MITS journey two years ago (yes! It's been TWO YEARS!) and since the building and its staff had endured such a tough time last year, we were real pleased to see the galleries open and to see 'em filled with smiley faced visitors :)

We were honoured to be joined by a few special guests this season. Journalist Jas Tang and her lovely beau were in attendance - mingling with the vendors and documenting the day for the feature Jas is writing for the gorgeous Little Thing magazine. It was fabulous to introduce Jas to our little pocket of the craft scene. I'm pretty certain that Jas was super-duper impressed by the wonderful array of handmade products on offer from some of Scotland's most talented designer makers!

Stephanie Spindler - the brains and get-go behind the alt.GI Festival event map, Radius, also paid us a visit and took the time to hang out with us and get down to some serious indie shopping! Having caught me unawares, Stephanie sneaked a little bit of event footage and a little soundbite. We're hoping this never sees the light of day. I'm guessing the clip may end up on the cutting room floor if only on account of the size of the dark circles under my eyes! We thank Stephanie for coming along and for including the Springtime Jamboree on the GI trail :) Phil Kay didn't make it though...

Yet more thank yous are due, of course. Thank you to Sallyann and Melissa at The Lighthouse, to Ken Roberston for providing fancy music-playing devices and to Cheryl at Cairns & Scott for not charging us twice for our table hire :) Thanks to YHFphoto for constructing and managing the MITS photobooth (and to Fred at Granny Would Be Proud for suggesting the idea in the first place!) Thanks to Not Now Cato! for taking part in our Vintage Dressing Room feature to Sarah Graham of The Coveted Magazine for styling and selling her heart out! Thank you to Flora the Tombola for being her usual fabulous self. Thank you to all the vendors who donated prizes to Flora this season and thanks too to all the wonderful designer makers who made contributions to our MITS goody bags; Gemma Correll, Antzin, Memo, Auntie M's Cake Lounge, Not Now Cato!, Rachael Albert Boutique, Fantoosherie Fancies, Laura Donald, Andy Murray, Atherton Lin - we love y'all. An enormous thank you must be shouted in the ear of our brilliant volunteers: Sabine, Chris, Jude, Helene, Angela and Laura. We'd've been in a proper pickle without you! Thanks too to Garry, John, Jennifer, Gillian, Kirsty and Susie who also offered a hand when we needed it! Thanks so much for giving up your time and energy for noubt - that's real generous :) And thanks to Jas for the sugar-tastic care package that saw us through the latter half of the day! Muchos gracias to all the folks who helped promote the event - Sarah at The Coveted Magazine, Claire & Kirstin at The List, Alex at The Skinny, Maureen & Rachel at The Evening Times, Gaby at The Scotsman and Ali at The Herald, Jennifer at Indie Quarter - and all the other bloggers and social-networky friends who chipped in their tuppence worth ahead of event day :) Thanks! We think you're all just swell. And last but not least - thanks to the 30 + super talented designer makers who toiled to create and showcase exciting ranges of handmade products at the Made in the Shade event. Our event would be rubbish if you weren't there! Ha! :) Whoop! I'm pretty sure I'm missing some really important people... Um... My brain has blanked. You get the jist! We really, really, really appreciate all the help and support that's offered to us each season. If you've helped, then we thank you :)

Tomorrow! You're Only A Day Away!

2010-04-16T02:15:00.000-07:00

It's tomorrow! It's tomorrow! The Made in the Shade Springtime Jamboree is taking place in Galleries 4 & 5 at The Lighthouse in Glasgow TOMORROW! We are beside ourselves with excitement (and a 'lil dose of anxiety) to be hosting our first event of 2010 and we're thrilled to be taking Made in the Shade back home to The Lighthouse!

Over 30 indie makers will gather in the spacious gallery areas to showcase and sell fabulously off-beat handmade products - directly to you, their loyal (and oh so lovely) customer! :) A coupla highlights? Oooo... We're looking forward to seeing Miss Lottie Lou (1940s/50s inspired handmade fashion), Much Too Fun (zingy citrus coloured wordy accessories with a sense of humour!), Rosita (I would like a cupcake lavender bag please), Jolly Joyness (be SURE to peruse the AMAZING Jessica Fletcher print!) and Kabloom (all-new Seedboms coming your way for Springtime!) For a full list of vendors, please click here

Aswell as all the indie shopping action, there's plenty more kicks and giggles to be had at Made in the Shade this year! The Not Now Cato! Vintage Dressing Room will be open for business, offering y'all a fun pick of vintage ladieswear AND menswear! Visit the Dressing Room for style advice from Scotland's very own style spotter, Sarah Graham - Editor in Chief of Scotland's finest indie fashion mag, The Coveted Magazine... and some vintage treasure, of course!

While you're at it, visit everyone's favourite photographer, YHF in the MITS Makeshift Photobooth! Complete with retro passport-style backdrop, the MITS Photobooth is an exciting new addition to the event. For just £4, professional snapper-bot (his name is Garry) will capture the magic of your day out. He'll also let you wear silly hats and stuff if you like! You will receive a hard copy version of your photograph on the spot and YHF will even email you e-copies of your image for use on websites, social networking profiles etc.! Whoop! Imagine that!

And... as if that wasn't enough, we're also inviting y'all to take part in our 2010 public crafting project - The Bunting Bonanza. Bring along your own fabric remnant and add it to our string of all-new handmade bunting! You'll be adding a little piece of yourself to Made in the Shade events of the future! :) You can find out more about the Bunting Bonanza here. You can also read more about other event features here.

Oh - and if you're a real eager beaver and you make it to the Jamboree super-early, you just might get your hands on one of our coveted MITS goody bags! Yes - they're back! And with contributions from Gemma Correll, Antzin, Memo, Laura Donald, Fantoosherie Fancies, The Maisonette, Auntie M's Cake Lounge, Lesley Barnes, Atherton Lin and Jennifer Nicolson (amogst others) these 'lil packs are pretty swell - if we may say so ourselves :)

The Maisonette will be CLOSED tomorrow (we couldn't recruit a shop sitter) so if you have a hankering to shop handmade, you know where we are! Come join us!

Keep peepers on the blog later for some more sneaky peeks!

A Big Fat Boo-Boo

2010-04-03T07:01:00.001-07:00

Y'all might have spotted a picture of the Made in the Shade twosome in the home supplement of The Herald last week? You may even have spotted us - not once, but twice? We just wanted to pop a little line or two here to clarify that the journalist who wrote the article got utterly confuddled and managed to confuse two crafty and creative Clare/Claires. Contrary to what the article says, Clare Nicolson does not run Miso Funky and she doesn't make quirky samplers. Claire Brown does. Clare Nicolson didn't found the Glasgow Craft Mafia either. That was Claire Brown aswell. Clare Nicolson has run her own textile business for over three years and has been a Made in the Shade gal for two years. Aside from the bizarre melding together of two creative girlies who happen to have similar first names and the ensuing factual inaccuracies, the piece was really rather lovely and we do agree that it IS cool to craft! :)

Click the image below to read the article (just remember to substitute the correct names!)

Lotte & Bloom: The Pop-Up Flower Shop!

2010-04-03T06:24:00.000-07:00

We are excited to announce that one of Glasgow’s most stylish florists, Lotte & Bloom will be adding a much needed touch of Springtime to De Courcy's Arcade on Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th May 2010.

Lotte & Bloom’s house style is fresh and unfussy, drawing inspiration from gardens, fashion and horticulture. Usually found adding beautiful floral details to weddings, events and well-styled private spaces, we are honoured to present the very first Lotte & Bloom Pop-Up Flower Shop. Y'all will be able to take home a little bunch of Springtime of your own!

The Lotte & Bloom Pop-Up Flower Shop will bring the hallways of The Upper Floor at De Courcy's Arcade to life - selling one-off mini arrangements in vintage jars, containers and tea-cups as well as 'lil posies made on the day.

Owner Charlotte (Lotte) Lawson said, “I love flowers to look as if they have just grown that way – as true to nature as possible. My earthy, organic style is inspired by texture and colour just as they would be found in a garden.” Just as we like 'em.

Put the dates in your diary!

'I'm Not Weird' by Neil Slorance at The Tiny Gallery

2010-03-28T12:50:00.000-07:00

It's just 6 more sleeps until OSM Neil Slorance reveals his latest body of work, 'I'm Not Weird' at The Maisonette's Tiny Gallery. We just wanted to remind y'all that you will be able to visit Neil's show between Saturday 2nd and Friday 30th April - and, let's face it - you really should.

Exposing all our little foibles, the crazy ambitions we might bury, our secret wonderings about the guy sitting opposite us on the tube - not to mention the judgements we make about our neighbours' curtains, etc., etc., 'I'm Not Weird' explores the spectrum of emotions we slide up and down on daily basis and takes a closer look at our most fleeting thoughts and ideas and encourages 'em to hang around for a little bit longer than usual.

Neil explains the back story...

"For the past few months I’ve been keeping numerous sketchbooks to hand. I've been jotting down all the little thoughts that would otherwise be forgotten. At the same time, I've been talking to other folk, urging them to make note of any funny little thoughts and ideas they have too. The idea being that later, I'll gather all the notes together and illustrate them.
The end result will be a collection of pieces ranging from the funny, personal and sad; to the downright weird and disturbing. Since the work will be presented tightly in The Tiny Gallery at The Maisonette, coming to the show will be like walking into a collective brain. A weird collective brain."

Made in the Shade in China!

2010-03-28T12:27:00.000-07:00

We do love to hear from friendly folks who take a shine to Made in the Shade and the work we do from The Maisonette. It makes us beam inside (and outside too usually). However, we were particularly excited to hear that journalist Jas Tang is a fan of Made in the Shade! Jas lives and works in London Town but writes for BEAUTIFUL Chinese style mag, Little Thing.

We are thrilled to be playing hostess to Jas during her week long stay in Scotland and we're real pleased that she wants to write a feature about the Made in the Shade gals and The Maisonette. We'll be showing her the sights, teaching her to sew and showing her round the Springtime Jamboree event at The Lighthouse ;) We're putting plans in place too to introduce Jas to some of the fabulous designer makers we represent at The Maisonette. Made in the Shade goes to China! Imagine that! :)

Springtime at The Maisonette!

2010-03-27T10:33:00.000-07:00

Whether the rainy clouds or the puddles on the pavement like it or not, it is official. Our clocks take a leap forward tonight and, tomorrow, we'll awake to Springtime! We can hardly wait. Of course, we're most excited about longer days and brighter evenings, bluer skies and slightly warmer breezes but we're also kinda giddy about the beautiful Spring-y products we have at The Maisonette right now. I do believe it may be time to spruce up your life with some handmade gorgeousness ladies and gents :) Here are just some of the lovely things we have in store for you...

Bright and breezy printed Tea Towels by Cherith Harrison (£10) and Showpony (£11)

Illustrated U.S gig posters: Jeff Tweedy, Okkervil River, Broken Social Scene, Fleet Foxes, The Shins and Cat Power all available now! (£25 each)

Handmade ceramic gun mug by Kitty & Dude (£24 each)

Alice Rabbit by The Cat in the Shoe (£25)

These are just some of the pretty things we have ready for you to take home. We've a lot more besides including fabulous stationery, accessories, textiles, vintage finds, homewares, art and DIY crafty kits! :) Shop handmade. At The Maisonette. Every day.

Selvedge Magazine at The Maisonette NOW!

2010-03-27T10:21:00.001-07:00

We are absolutely delighted to announce that The Maisonette has been confirmed as the latest Glasgow stockist of Selvedge!

One of our very favourite publications, Selvedge is a beautifully designed, beautifully put together magazine jam packed full of textiles, art, interiors and shopping features. If you haven't engaged before, we thoroughly recommend that you do. Take a peek here.

More Maisonette/Selvedge news yet to be announced. Keep your peepers peeled!

What's Shakin' Part 2: The MITS Bunting Bonanza!

2010-03-27T09:58:00.001-07:00

Welcome to Part 2 of 'What's Shakin' at the Glasgow Jamboree'. This little post serves, not just as an event newsflash, but also as a call to action. So. Be sure to pay attention guys and gals!

As you'll already know if you've visited a Made in the Shade shopping event before, we like to encourage guests to get down to a 'lil bit of public crafting during their visit. This year is no different. The Springtime Jamboree in Glasgow is our very first event of 2010 and we'd like to kick off the crafty fun with an all-new, all-important project. Cue - The Bunting Bonanza!

Now, you all know how much Clare adores bunting, right? The girl is bonkers-obsessed with the stuff and I have to admit that I am a tad partial to a bit of bunting action now and again too. We unpacked our event kit last week to get reacquainted with all our lovely props and decorations ahead of April's event and, I'm ashamed to say, our multi-coloured plastic bunting is slightly worse for wear. Granted - it's been all over the place in the past 2 years! It's been to Oran Mor, it's been to the GU, it's been to a tent in Falkirk, numerous club nights and parties, The Lighthouse (of course) and it's even been to London Town. It has served us well. We've decided though, that it's time to send the old bunting into retirement and get ourselves a whole bundle more! And this is where you come in.

We'll be setting up a very special Bunting Bonanza area at The Lighthouse on 17th April and we'd love for you to get invovled and contribute to the creation and contruction of our new handmade, fabric bunting.

1. Get digging around in your wardrobe, your craft cupboard, your granny's craft cupboard or charity shop linen bin and select a pretty fabric remnant. Make sure it's a fairly good size (about the size of the average teatowel would be perfect I reckon!) .

2. Pop it in your shopping bag and get yourself along to The Lighthouse on 17th April. We'll be rockin' and rollin' and The Bunting Bonanaza between 10.30am - 5pm.

3. When you arrive at The Lighthouse, keep your peepers peeled for the big circular Bunting Bonanza table. Come join in!

4. The Bunting Bonanza will be manned (or ladied) by a couple of talented volunteers who will give you instructions and patterns/templates to transform your remnant into the perfect triangle (well, diamond shape - actually) for adding to the giant string of bunting! Get ready for some simple stitchin'!

5. Add a touch of your own personality to our event decorations! Every time you return to Made in the Shade, you'll be able to point up at the beautiful bunting and say, 'Hey! That's my granny's curtains!' :) Special, huh?

So! What are you WAITING for! Go! Go now! Get rummaging!

See you on the 17th!

x

What's Shakin' at the Glasgow Jamboree? Part 1

2010-03-25T11:43:00.000-07:00

The short answer? Quite a lot.

For a slightly longer and more useful response, do read on...

Ok. So. Obviously, taking centre stage at the Made in the Shade Springtime Jamboree are the 30+ indie designer makers who'll be setting up shop and offering y'all the perfect chance to nab yourselves a fine piece of handmade treasure. We'll be publishing the full vendor line-up in just a sec so get ready to plan that shopping trip and allot that pocket money budget accordingly!

Aswell as bringing the best selection of off-beat craft & design for you to feast your eyes on, we have a whole host of extra fun times in store for you this season :)

First up, we have The MITS Photo Booth.

Brought to Made in the Shade by everyone's favourite professional camera-bot YHF Photo, we'll be giving you a chance to take away a little momento of your day out at Made in the Shade! Step into the photobooth and let Mr YHF work his snappy magic. Your picture will be printed out for you straight away and we'll even arrange for you to receive e-copies of your images later! How swell is that? Grab a prop, grab your friends and pile in for some old-time retro photo booth fun! Photo packages will cost a measly £4 a go!

And that's not all Shaders... Oh no... We're also setting up the Not Now Cato! Vintage Dressing Room especially for you!

Not Now Cato! is the latest addition to Glasgow's cluster of vintage clothing gloryholes. Located on The Upper Floor of De Courcy's Arcade (opposite The Maisonette), this dinky 'lil shop is packed full of 1960s - 1980s gems for gents and ladies - and also carries a whole collection of reproduction/reconstructed retro wear by Pop. Not Now Cato! has recently been featured in the press and media as one of only two stockists of The Retro Guy range - a brand conceived by the timely discovery of a stash of never-worn vintage clothing in a warehouse in the Southside of Glasgow! Owner Alan Brooks brings a selection of Not Now Cato! stock to Made in the Shade in April and will set up the very first Made in the Shade vintage dressing room at The Springtime Jamboree! Manned by our very own stylist and fashionista, customers will be in expert hands as they choose a full outfit from the Not Now Cato! rails. Y'all can handpick individual garments or - you can take advantage of a very special offer of an ENTIRE outfit for just one, easy to understand set price :) Revamp those gladrags why dontcha!

We have more event news for you too. Tomorrow we'll be posting about our all-new, super special public crafting project. We'll need you all to get involved - so please do check back on the site and get ready for crafty action!

The Trade Secrets of Lady Luck Rules OK

2010-03-24T07:02:00.000-07:00

Now, if there's one 'Trade Secrets' session I'd give up cake to attend, it's this one. For the very first time, Leona Baker (formerly LLROK and currently Lady of the Superette) opens up her little black journal of top secret business hints and tips and shares her know-how and vast experience as designer, maker, studio manager and retailer (yes, she's THAT clever) with budding creatives embarking upon a similar journey.

Click here to read the flyer in a decent size! (The proper size won't fit onto my blog page without shaving off the side. I cannot tell you how much this annoys me).

You know, I can still remember exactly when I learned about Leona and her LLROK accessories label. I was getting ready to go to work (I think I was working with Levi at the time...) and as usual, I was soaking up a 'lil bit of Richard & Judy magic on This Morning before heading off on my bus journey to retail mediocrity. There was a cool cat gal on the television making wonderful rock'n'roll bracelets and necklaces using plectrums as charms and pendants. I remember she had a fabulous hairdo. From the snippets of the story I could make out above the wheeeeeeeeerr of my hairdryer, I knew that this was a DIY enterprise and I knew that I was inspired by this girl's bravery and ambition. I scribbled 'Lady Luck Rules OK' down on a notepad.

Later that week I took a trip to McCormack's (I do love McCormack's) and bought myself a selection of colourful plectrums. I already had some chain and leather thong at home to use in my own personal LLROK inspired jewellery making project. Returning home with my plectrum supply, I got myself set for some serious plectrum craft. Of course, in typical Carrie the Craft Calamity style, my punch wouldn't cut through the plectrums to make a hole and in the end - all I ended up with was a whole bunch of ruined plectrums. I promised myself that when I finally managed to see these LLROK jewellery delights in real life, I would treat myself to an original piece. I found my plectrum bracelet in a 'lil gift shop in Edinburgh. "That's the girl off the telly!" Painless purchase. Who''d've thought that just 5/6 years later, we'd be working in the same circles and collaborating together! BONKERS!

So - getting back to the original point... For those of us who have wondered more than just once or twice what went on behind the scenes at LLROK and just how Leona managed to turn her mini DIY hobby business into a busy studio and retail enterprise, here's the perfect chance to find out! At the LLROK Trade Secrets event Leona will talk through the ins and outs of running a successful independent creative company from design, sourcing suppliers, creating production techniques, setting up a website, the day to day tasks of selling online, PR and marketing, wholesale, the scary stuff like book keeping, employing staff, organising events and much more. How swell is that?! You can learn directly from the mistress of indie business!

It makes sense sometimes for the guys and gals at the helm of creative businesses to keep their cards close to their chests and keep their recipes for success, fun and growth under lock and key (any further use of cliche - anyone?) How refreshing and how exciting is it to hear that one of the UKs most successful and I think most inspirational DIY-ers is revealing all and passing her lessons on to the next gaggle of eager beavers? :) Leona will share her mistakes and 'ouchy' moments as well as her moments of glory - y'all oughta take heed. This gal knows her stuff! And you know what else? She's a right good egg into the bargain.

The LLROK Trade Secrets events take place at Superette, 66a Sclater Street, London, E1 6HR

Tickets to these intimate little business shindigs cost £25 and are available to purchase here.

Your ticket includes a tea and cake reception, private view of Lady Luck Rules OK exhibition, 90 minute talk and Q+A session. You'll also get to hear all about Leona's plans for the future and for Superette! EXCITING!

P.S If anyone would like to organise me a trip to this event, that'd be just great ;)

Call for Vendors & Contributors: Made in the Shade EDINBURGH!

2010-03-23T05:26:00.000-07:00

Phew.... FINALLY we are ready to open applications for our Springtime Jamboree event in Edinburgh! The 'enhanced shopping experience' (thanks to The List for that little gem!) takes place on Saturday 15th May 2010 between 10.30am and 5pm at The Roxy Art House (Roxburgh Place).

We have never held an event in Edinburgh before, but we've finally decided to listen to our vendors and our customers and give it a go! We are real excited to be setting up shop in the capital and we're working our socks off to make sure we make a real splash with our debut! Event attractions confirmed so far include a live music performance from the fabulous Piney Gir, Auntie M's Mini Cake Lounge and cool-cat knitting club The Drop Stitches (featuring Leona Baker of Superette, We Make London and a whole gaggle of achingly talented creative gals and guys!)

We are looking to offer selling/showcase space to fabulous designer makers, vintage sellers, public crafters and creative businesses that engage with the Made in the Shade ethos. Representative of the best in off-beat design, vintage lifestyle and DIY culture in the UK, you will be ready to greet your public in a fun, friendly and supportive environment! :) We try real hard to make sure that Made in the Shade is never 'just a market' and we'll be pulling out all the stops this year to ensure that we continue to offer a truly engaging and fun experience.

If you would like to take part in the event, please email us at madeintheshadebookings@gmail.com and we'll send you all the event details + an e-application form!

Springtime Jamboree: The Glasgow Line-Up!

2010-03-23T05:04:00.000-07:00

Pheweee!

My fingers are sparking! The keyboard is going WILD these days! Between tying up loose ends for the Springtime Jamboree (Glasgow) and getting things rolling for the Edinburgh edition, my hands may well just fall off! Rest assured that I AM typing as fast as I can guys and gals and all the info y'all need will be posted here in the next two seconds! (Maybe not in the next two seconds to be fair, but I will try my darndest). While you wait, why not grab a root beer float from Auntie M's Cake Lounge and listen to the Shangrilas or something?

Introducing... The Glasgow Vendors!

Ding Dong Designs

Local purveyors of the legendary handknitted celebrity finger puppet, this mother-daughter outfit offers whimsical, textile based gifts and accessories for children and adults

t-boo

By reclaiming and reusing vintage charms and pretty objects, t-boo creates a range of fabulous jewellery and accessories

The Maisonette

The permanent home of Made in the Shade, The Maisonette will transport a range of work from designer makers and artists from all over the UK and showcase them in Glasgow!

YHF Photo

Photographer Garry Maclennan produces photographic work based around street art, sneakers, robots and tiny little people. He'll be bringing prints, stationery and quirky gifts to Made In The Shade this month.

Dapple Photography

Gillian Hayes is a wonderful photographer. Her collections take nature, vintage lifestyle and found objects as inspiration.

Gillian Kyle

Designer Gillian Kyle returns to Made in the Shade with a whole new collection of printed gifts, wearables and homeware - all lovingly adorned with our favourite motifs of Scottish culture! Look out for the all new Creamola Foam range!

Electra French

Design star/rock star Dougie Kennedy brings his collection of music inspired, acid coloured wearables to Made in the Shade. Think French electro art! Oh - and check out Dougie's band, Mitchell Museum. Hotly tipped by 6Music as one to watch, they're just swell!

Lemonart

Jennifer Lemon is a textile artist who produces a variety of work. Whether you are in the market for a large-scale art piece for your home or work place or a unique necklace, Lemonart can meet your requirements. Love maps? Love Lemonart.

We Are The Robots

Visit the home of the pixelated pendant! We Are The Robots produce a fabulous collection of fun, quirky jewellery handmade from treasure and found objects.

La La Loop

Making a Made in the Shade debut this season is textile outift La La Loop. If you're looking to brighten your life with some fabulous knits - then, you're in for a treat!

Dazed Dorothy

Designer, maker and leathersmith, Corinne Robinson sure has an eye for detail. Her growing collection of clutch bags and accessories are so beautiful and so detailed, they'll make you drool!

Lost In The Forest

Handmade jewellery, accessories and giftware by Emily Chandler. Love Magnetic Fields? Emily has the perfect handmade treat for you.

Angharad Jefferson

Another first-time Made in the Shader, Angharad's embroidered art, gifts and homeware pieces have been going down a STORM at The Maisonette lately! If you're lucky, she might bring her all-new embroidered ceramics for you. Yes. Embroidered ceramics. Don't miss 'em!

Love Me Again

Attention vintage lovers! Love Me Again answers all your internal pleas of gorgeous vintage homewares, craft items, ephemera and accessories. 'Tis always worth spending time at Love Me Again. You never know what treasure you might find.

Silly Lily

Browse a collection of gorgeous giftware by Sharon Goodwin. Cute yet understated textile pieces make the perfect pressie or the perfect addition to your home!

Bindyboo

Designer maker, Eva Gustavsson returns to Made In The Shade with her adorable range of handmade, handbound books and journals. A favourite.

Global Guru

Global Guru, aka textile designer Morag Macpherson takes inspiration from all over the world. her work is eclectic, colourful and highly covetable!

Kabloom (Darren)

Kabloom is a small product design firm based in Glasgow. These dudes specialise in eco-friendly, ethical, innovative products. Seedbom is a flippin' wonderful guerilla gardening product that we - quite simply - can't get enough of!

Neil OSM

Neil loves robots. He paints wonderfully engaging pictures of robots going about their daily business. He lives with his friend, Herman. He's a tortoise.

Breagha

Designer maker Mairead Macaulay returns to Made in the Shade to showcase her latest collection of beautiful, contemporary bags and accessories made from luxurious tweed fabrics

Wooden Tree

Designer and collector Kirsty Anderson creates work with a fantastical, yet old-time feel. Reclaimed fabrics and vintage objects are upcycled and given new life. Find the perfect gift here!

Susie Maroon

A fellow Starter for 6 award winner, design label Susie Maroon make and sell real cosy and nostalgic collections of homewares and fashion pieces. My favourite? The disco lamp.

Laura Donald

As you will see from the Craft Juice blog link we've posted above, our gal Laura Donald is well known for her stitchin' interpretation of our very favourite Eastenders character, Dot Cotton! What more do you need to know?

The Cake Goddess

Made In The Shade favourite, Laura Macdonald returns to fill our tummy with chocolate goodies, sugary sweet treats and a range of cute cakes. Yum yum.

Konnie Kapow!

Ms Kapow makes her Made in the Shade debut this season - showcasing her range of off-beat greetings cards. The gal got a 'lil something for every darn ocassion! None of your namby-pamby Hallmark tosh here!

Leah Halliday

Leah offers a perfect mix of handmade gifts and keepsakes with handpicked vintage pieces. From ceramics to art, jewellery to stationery, Leah has an eye for those stand-out objects that demand your love and attention!

Suzy Loves

Bright and quirky jewellery pieces by Suzy Watson - these cheery little wonders will brighten your day, not just your wardrobe!

Magic Alice

Crafty maker Jennifer Field offers up her latest range of handmade jewellery and accessory pieces to customers at The Springtime Jamboree :)

Florence Box Jewellery

Inspired by the treasure found in her relative's button box, jewellery crafter Sally Reid upcycles pretty objects and vintage fixins to create a delightful collection of wearables

Jolly Joyness

Clever gal Kyla McCallum offers up her range of art, hand-crafted gifts and fabulous lighting range at Made in the Shade for the very first time

Miss Lottie Lou

Totally immersed in vintage lifestyle in all aspects of her life, Charlotte Newell presents her collection of 1940s/1950s reproduction and vintage inspired clothing designs to the retro hungry Made in the Shade clientele!

Jennifer Nicolson

Jewellery designer and silversmith, Jennifer Nicolson makes her Made In The Shade debut this season. Jennifer will be showcasing her first full collection of jewellery and accessories. Be sure to say hello to her!

Fantoosherie Fancies

Crafty duo Fantoosherie Fancies showcase their latest collection of textile accessories and upcycled vintage pieces

Cheekyfly

A newcomer to Made in the Shade, artist, designer and tattooist Kelly Espindola brings her new line of off-beat rockabilly style clothing for tots and little people to Made in the Shade! Oh so cute.

A New Neighbour!

2010-03-20T04:52:00.000-07:00

Y'all know that we run the Made in the Shade business from our dinky little shop on the Upper Floor of De Courcy's Arcade, right? Well. We have a new neighbour. And my goodness, what a fabulous new neighbour she is!

We are so excited that craftster, mistress of the cupcake and all round good egg, Michelle Aaron is now just two sleeps away from unleashing her brand new venture, Auntie M's Cake Lounge! Situated opposite The Maisonette, Auntie M's Cake Lounge transports visitors to a wonderfully styled version of the 1950s lounge/kitchette.

Auntie M serves up a selection of her fine (home)baked goods from the central cake buffet area and tempts sweet toothed shoppers with handfuls of sweeties - some handmade, some rare, some imported - all divine.

Guests get comfy round cafe-style tables (dressed beautifully in vintage table cloths of course) or relax on the 1950s setee while enjoying a flick through Auntie M's vintage lifestyle magazines. Auntie M offers bottomless cups of coffee while y'all listen to her old-time track selections on the wireless!

Do we really have to state the obvious here and say that Auntie M's Cake Lounge is a Made in the Shade gal's DREAM COME TRUE. I'm guessing by the dedication, attention to detail and resolve Michelle has shown in the past 6 months to bring her new business together that it's HER dream come true too! :)

Look at these sneaky peek images of Auntie M's, drool a while then make a date to visit on or after opening day - Monday 22nd March :) We'll see you there! (We'll be the greedy cretins in the corner covered in frosting and cake glitter!)

We ♥ Lamont & The Cat in the Shoe

2010-03-13T10:14:00.000-08:00

Collaboration is becoming a major theme at Made in the Shade HQ this year. Not only are we nurturing exciting new relationships, but our designers are too!

The Cat in the Shoe has teamed up with her honey, Lamont to imagine and create a gang of truly wondrous little beings. Alice Rabbit & 'Four' (Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum) have been inspired by Alice in Wonderland (of course).

Other characters personify calm, beauty and contentment. Sleepy heads and stylish, muted outfits are coupled with a sprinkle of magic and mythical charm to conceive the likes of Deer Girl. Oh, how I love Deer Girl. Her spindley legs, her boney hips and her antlers... Swoon.

Three members of the gang have moved out of The Maisonette already to set up home with new owners but there's still time to adopt a creature! Come meet The Cat in the Shoe/Lamont hybrids. You will not be able to resist them.

Pie in the Press! Pie in The Maisonette!

2010-03-12T06:34:00.000-08:00

If you have picked up your copy of Homes & Interiors Scotland this month, you will have spotted a familiar face gracing p103. Yes! Our very own Pie Girl has made the glossies!

Designed and handmade by Lucy Brasher of The Cat in the Shoe, the Pie People originally stole our hearts at the BUST Craftacular event in London in Summer 2009. Of course, when we came to make our stock picks for the launch of The Maisonette, we were in no doubt that the Pie People ought to come move in with us and meet our Glasgow customer chums. An enormous hit over the festive season, the pie people have made their return to The Maisonette - this time set for Springtime! Dressed in their 'lil sugar coloured outfits, they're rockin' the candystripe look for 2010 :) Look at 'em go!

You can take home your very own Pie Gent or Pie Girl for just £28.oo :)

Neil Slorance Is Not Weird

2010-03-11T09:17:00.000-08:00

We've been both friends and fans of Neil Slorance and his illustrations and paintings for several years. A fella after our own hearts, Neil leads a super-busy quadruple life as worker bee, studious college boy, rock'n'roll musician and artist. How he finds the time to balance all aspects, I'm not sure - but we sure are glad that he does!

We are thrilled to announce that Neil has chosen to show his very first solo exhibition in The Tiny Gallery at The Maisonette next month. Entitled 'I'm Not Weird', the show offers visitors a peep into the mind of Neil and into the minds of others.

Exposing all our little foibles, the crazy ambitions we might bury, our secret wonderings about the guy sitting opposite us on the tube and the judgements we make about our neighbours' curtains, etc., etc., 'I'm Not Weird' explores the spectrum of emotions we slide up and down on daily basis and takes a closer look at our most fleeting thoughts and ideas and encourages 'em to hang around for a little bit longer than usual. We managed to chat to Neil about his latest collection of work and the underlying concept behind, 'I'm Not Weird' inbetween classes and gigs!

"For the past few months I’ve been keeping numerous sketchbooks to hand. I've been jotting down all the little thoughts that would otherwise be forgotten. At the same time, I've been talking to other folk, urging them to make note of any funny little thoughts and ideas they have too. The idea being that later, I'll gather all the notes together and illustrate them.
The end result will be a collection of pieces ranging from the funny, personal and sad; to the downright weird and disturbing. Since the work will be presented tightly in The Tiny Gallery at The Maisonette, coming to the show will be like walking into a collective brain. A weird collective brain."

'I'm Not Weird' by Neil Slorance will be showing in The Tiny Gallery at The Maisonette between Saturday 3rd April and Friday 30th April 2010.

Well, That's Alright, Mama! We Got Gifts Galore!

2010-03-10T14:34:00.000-08:00

I love my mum. She is a very funny, curious little creature. And my oh my, she is WISE. Mums are always wise. They must get a wee tap on the head with The Wise Stick at some point during pregnancy. Mums know all sorts of things. My mum knows a heap of stuff about music and gardening and housekeeping. She knows about the weirdness of boys and children and English grammar. She makes the best mince and potatoes in the land and her homemade soup ain't half bad either. Oh - and she treats me to a mean beef olive on my birthday. Thanks mum!

Sunday (THIS Sunday - 14th March) is Mother's Day. Let's treat our mums. If you'd rather not take the road truly trodden and would instead like to avoid the bleugh and agrhrhr of the high street this weekend, why not shop handmade for your mum at The Maisonette? We have a wonderful collection of fabulous gifts ready and waiting and we're pretty certain that you'll find something your mama will adore and appreciate :)

Here's a little taster of some of the treats we have on offer this weekend...

Squirrel Leap Lavender Bag by Angharad Jefferson £24.oo

Ceramic Rose Brooch by Kitty & Dude £16.oo

Pie Girl by the Cat In The Shoe £28.oo

Seasons Cushion by Showpony £28.oo

We have a range of special and unsual gifts to suit all budgets at The Maisonette; craft kits, writing sets, notebooks, 'lil accessories, gorgeous ceramics and heaps of the prettiest textiles you ever did see. We even have a lovely selection of Mother's Day cards by Konnie Kapow! Everything you need... :)

Springtime Jamboree (Glasgow): Vendor Applications CLOSED

2010-03-02T13:22:00.001-08:00

Yep - I'm afraid it's one of those 'if yer no' fast, yer last' scenarios folkeroos... If you haven't submitted an application to take part in the Springtime Jamboree at The Lighthouse in Glasgow on Saturday 17th April, then it's too late :( Applications closed on Monday 1st at 5pm. We have a bank of over 50 prospective designer makers and vintage sellers in line to take up space at our first boutique shopping event of 2010. We're looking forward to announcing our full vendor line-up on Monday 8th March.

If you've submitted your application, then keep your peepers on your iboxes next week for updates and if you're keen to get planning your shopping trip, we'll be posting the line-up on the website at the end of the week. Whoop!

You may be too late to apply for selling space, but we are looking for guys and gals to take part in the Springtime Jamboree in different ways. More calls for contributors coming shortly!

These Are Pin-Up, Pin-Up, Pin-Up, Pin-Up Niiiights!

2010-03-02T12:51:00.000-08:00

Ok - so we're a little bit slow on the ol' bloggin' updates these days - but we're doing all we can to catch up on all that's going on in Made In The Shade land! There's just so much darned news that it can be hard to keep up! My fingers can only type so quickly! ;)

As you know, the Made In The Shade gals were invited by the Pin Up Nights boys (what a combo, huh?) to oversee the running of the Ladies' Night Vintage Village at The Flying Duck. On Friday 26th February Clare packed up her little blue suitcase, crammed it with Maisonette treats and headed downtown to join the rest of the fabulous Vintage Village vendors for a rock'n'roll evening of shopping and shimmying.

I was tucked up in bed by 10pm so can't really give you much of an insight to all the nocturnal goings on, but I'm sure you'll agree, the little photostream below gives a fair idea of the fun and games enjoyed by all! Ha! :) I'm only sad that Clare didn't get a photo with secret hunky treat... Justin Currie (?!?!)

The Maisonette sets up shop at Pin Up Nights

Much Too Fun & Konnie Kapow settle in to a short stay in Vintage Village

Jennifer's lookin' pretty for the boys! :)

Thanks so much to John D for inviting us to take part and to the fine fellas at The Flying Duck for recommending us in the first place! We think you're all just swell. x

Adios 'Home Sweet Home' :(

2010-03-02T09:03:00.000-08:00

Now, we have had some stonking exhibits in our oh-so-tiny gallery space at The Maisonette. That much is true. Y'all will remember 'Suredy Bop Bop'? Jennifer Nicolson's hilarious/scary collection of illustrated post-it notes? And of course, YHF Photo's peep into the world of the miniature people, 'Extraordinary Ordinary'? If you have been lucky (or organised) enough to get along to the Tiny Gallery between the 16th - 28th February, you will have had the joy - and I mean sheer JOY - of experiencing Lindsay Grime's first solo art & ceramics exhibit, 'Home Sweet Home'.

A collection of handpainted ceramic plates, platters, tiles, tablets and cameos, 'Home Sweet Home' offered visitors a nostalgic insight into the notion of home and of domesticity. With a pinch of sentimentality for a bygone era and an imagined aristocracy, a smattering of melancholy and a big hearty dose of humour, Lindsay's installation engaged, challenged and entertained our Maisonette dwellers.

From our little bureau in The Maisonette, we're in the perfect position to direct customers to the Tiny Gallery hidden at the back of the store behind our wardrobe door. It's kind of like Narnia I guess? :) There's nothing more satisfying for us (or for the artist, I'm reckoning) than to hear a little gasp of surprise or a gleeful giggle coming from the gallery! Better still, we love to hear outloud, real-life exclamations of wonderment! "Oh my goodness! Look at THIS!" That happens quite a lot. We heard a lot of this during the two week run of Home Sweet Home.

We've grown rather accustomed to having every last inch of our own private little cubby hole adorned in Lindsay's fabulous handpainted characters. We really will miss fictional, upper class family Hamper and we'll really miss the 1950s inspired wall of interior and lifestyle snap shots taken through Lindsay's lens.

A few pieces of the collection won't be venturing too far away though. Michelle Aaron, owner of Auntie M's Cake Lounge (coming soon to The Upper Floor of De Courcy's Arcade) purchased two wonderful pieces that are soon to hang proudly in the Cake Lounge and I've also managed to save enough pocket money to bag myself a circular plate. It was incredibly difficult to whittle my list of favourites down to just one item but in the end, after a whole load of to-ing and fro-ing, I landed on a circular plate called 'Silver Cross'.

We had such a fun time looking after Lindsay's little show of work and we had a lovely time meeting her friends and welcoming fans to The Maisonette every day. We have every intention of keeping in touch with Lindsay from here on in and if y'all keep your fingers crossed real tight, we just might be seeing some more handmade ceramic pieces by Lindsay Grime at The Maisonette :)

We were introduced to Lindsay and her work via a call for proposals we ran on online creative community, Central Station. Lindsay submitted an idea and her plans and vision for The Tiny Gallery seemed to be tailored especially for us, and indeed, made for the space. We'd like to thank Central Station! Thanks @CenSta! You are wonderful.

Call For Vendors: The Springtime Jamboree (Glasgow)

2010-02-17T02:15:00.000-08:00

Good morning everyone!

We are absolutely delighted to declare vendor applications for The Made In The Shade Springtime Jamboree 2010 (Glasgow) NOW OPEN! Whoop! Whoop!

If you would like to set up shop with us at The Lighthouse, Glasgow on Saturday 17th April please email us at: bookings@wearemadeintheshade.com On registering your interest with us, we'll issue you an e-application form and send you more information about the event, details of what we look for in our vendors and advice on what to do next.

Applications will close at 5pm on Monday 1st March.

We will confirm the vendor line-up for the Springtime Jamboree on Monday 8th March.

We'll post info about how to apply for our other events in the next day or two.

Boutique Shopping Event: Homeward Bound

2010-02-16T04:34:00.000-08:00

Ok. So. You're not gonna believe this. Guess what? (We're all about the 'guess what?' these days. You say, 'What?' remember?)

As if we weren't excited enough to announce that we're hosting a calendar of seasonal events at The Roxy in Edinburgh - we are seriously about to pop - because... We're heading on home to The Lighthouse in Glasgow for a smasher of a seasonal 2010 set-up!

We are squeaking with delight!

We have literally just confirmed these dates so event info is limited at the moment. However, we guessed you might like to know that not only is the Made In The Shade Boutique Shopping Event well and truly back in business, but The Lighthouse IS open and IS functioning - how great is that?

Put these dates in your diaries, people:

The Made In The Shade Springtime Jamboree (Glasgow)
Galleries 4 & 5 @ The Lighthouse
Saturday 17th April 2010

The Made In The Shade Summertime Hop (Glasgow)
Galleries 4 & 5 @ The Lighthouse
Saturday 21st August 2010

The Made In The Shade Halloween Special - proper name tbc! (Glasgow)
Galleries 4 & 5 @ The Lighthouse
Saturday 30th October 2010

The Made In The Shade Festive Shopping Shindig
Galleries 4 & 5 @ The Lighthouse
Saturday 11th December 2010

LOADS of opportunities to get involved: sponsor the event, advertise with us, set up shop, volunteer, get public crafting! We'll post more info shortly but if you'd like to get in touch then you can email us at: mail@wearemadeintheshade.com

More soon!

;)

Rewind to the Mad Hatters' Craft Party!

2010-02-13T06:47:00.000-08:00

I'm working from our new Made In The Shade satellite office today. My living room. While spending some quiet time with the trusty computer, I came across a whole series of hidden photos of The Mad Hatters' Craft Party on our Flickr profile. "How can this be?" I thought. "We hosted the hat party nearly three weeks ago..." Turns out, we hosted, we made, we had a whole heap of fun - and then I forgot to tell y'all about it! Not like me, I know...

So. Let's rewind.

<<<<<<<<

One of our favourite aspects of having a permanent space to work from is the proper real-life contact we have with real-life people. We have great fun chatting to visitors and we love to get to know 'our regulars'. The Maisonette's like that. It's not so much a shop as a little tiny hub of activity. Even when the space is empty, we're still busy - making links, laying plans and coming up with ideas.

Anyway - one afternoon, we were visited by the charming Sabine Mitsch. As the conversation unfolded we learnd that Sabine made hats in her spare time. We arranged that she'd swing by some time to show us some examples of her work - and swing by she did. Having ooh-ed and aah-ed over her delicate and pretty designs, we began to hatch a plan. A Mad Hatters' Craft Party. We'd host a Mad Hatters' Craft Party.

Last month we gathered together a little group of enthusiastic crafty guests who huddled around our gateleg table to learn some basic hat making skills - taught by Sabine. Cocktail hats, fascinators, embelished headbands - Sabine encouraged the worshop attendees to experiment with luxurious silks, voilles, glamorous netting and a whole box full of pretty adornments to create their own item of handmade headwear :)

New Season! New Look Maisonette :)

2010-02-13T05:45:00.000-08:00

It doesn't take much time of us sitting still before we get ants in our pants, does it? We've decided that this winter has lasted far too long. We're sick of the cold and the dark and so we've decided that, at The Maisonette at least, it's Spring :)

As y'all know if you visit us regularly, The Maisonette isn't really your average sort of shop. We do sell things of course, but we also use the dinky space to do all sorts of work and we invite people to join us there in the evenings sometimes for workshops and meetings and nice 'lil get togethers. Oh. And we also have an old changing room that we use as a Tiny Gallery.

When we opened The Maisonette back in October '09, we styled the room as a cosy lounge or living area. We wanted to feel at home and we wanted you to feel at home too. Now that Spring is round the corner, we thought we ought to zing things up a little bit and give The Maisonette a mini makeover. In the end, we didn't manage to do the repaint we'd planned, but we have revamped and rejiggled our existing fittings, we've wallpapered and reupholstered and we've rearranged just about every last thing. Did I mention that we also bagged ourselves some AMAZING 1950s kitchen cabinets? We adore them.

Here's a little photo tour for those of you who can't make it up to De Courcy's to see us and our new look Maisonette in person :)

Look out Edinburgh! We're a-comin'!

2010-02-10T04:28:00.000-08:00

Maaaaaah! We are uncontrollably excited this afternoon. Infact - we've been pretty wild all morning. Guess what? (you say, "What?") We are beside ourselves with glee to announce that we have secured the first round of dates for our 2010 Events Calender! The Made In The Shade Boutique Shopping Event is back - and... it's expanding!

For some time now we've heard customers and potential vendors in Edinburgh complain that the capital is lacking a little Made In The Shade-style shopping shebang. So. We've decided to test out an eastside version of our seasonal Boutique Shopping Event. Wheep!

Taking place in the stunning Main Hall of The Roxy Art House, Made In The Shade will play hostess to over thirty designers, makers and creatives in what we hope will be a veritable DIY-shopping fest! As always, we'll be offering a barrel load of extra special event features, freebies and surprises. Keep those peepers firmly on the blog for details as they are confirmed!

Ok - so when are we making our roadtrip east?

THE MADE IN THE SHADE BOUTIQUE SHOPPING EVENT
EDINBURGH 2010

The Made In The Shade Springtime Jamboree
The Roxy Art House (Main Hall)
Saturday 15th May 2010
10.30am - 5pm

The Made In The Shade Summertime Hop
The Roxy Art House (Main Hall)
Saturday 24th July 2010
10.30am - 5pm

The Made In The Shade Festive Shopping Shindig
The Roxy Art House (Main Hall)
Saturday 27th November 2010
10.30am - 5pm

If you are interested in taking part in the event as a Made In The Shade vendor, volunteer or sponsor, please send a quick message to: bookings@wearemadeintheshade.com and we'll add you to our Edinburgh-specific mailing list :) Vendor applications for The Springtime Jamboree will open on Monday 15th March 2010 and will close again on Friday 9th April. All selling spaces will be confirmed on or before Friday 9th April 2010 with payment due by Friday 30th April 2010. You can find out more about our events and how we go about our business by browsing the 'Boutique Shopping Event' pages on the site. You can also catch a glimpse of previous events by visiting our Flickr profile or scrolling through here.

More news to follow - we're in the process of securing even more dates in other swell locations!

Home Sweet Home by Lindsay Grime at The Tiny Gallery

2010-02-06T07:25:00.001-08:00

Y'all might remember several months ago we collaborated on a 'lil project with online creative community Central Station? We offered one lucky Central Station member a two week artsy stint in our Tiny Gallery at The Maisonette with the view to making new links and welcoming even more new talent into our little space. We received lots and lots of lovely proposals but one - oh yes - one special idea stood out.

We are thrilled to annouce that illustrator and ceramicist Lindsay Grime will be shacking up with us at The Maisonette between 17th - 28th February as she installs her latest collection of handpainted ceramics in The Tiny Gallery.

'Home Sweet Home' explores imagery relating to the notion of home. Embracing nostalgic aesthetic and celebrating souvenirs of an antiquated domesticity, Lindsay has been greatly inspired by the fabulous array of ornamental plates and decorative ceramics on display in her Granny's dining room. Lindsay has successfully created a series of work rich in domestic narrative and neo olde-world charm and she'd like to share it with you!

Hand-painted plates, tablets, tiles and cameos will be exhibited in The Tiny Gallery between 17th - 28th February.

Hey Good Lookin'! Whatcha Got Cookin'?

2010-02-03T05:43:00.000-08:00

Well doesn't this feel weird? The Maisonette is closed today. Not quite sure what to do with ourselves... If you happen upon our door and you find our 'lil black shutter pulled way down tight - fret not! We will be whinging it open again at 10am on Saturday 6th February to reveal our new layout and a whole heap of new products! Between October and January our Maisonette was decked out like a cosy living room. During February and until May, The Maisonette will take on the guise of a zingy, springy kitchen :) Clare is busy upholstering our furniture, sewing new curtains and planning The Big Wallpaper Project. Carrie is umming and aaahing over where to put the bureau (in her living room?) and pondering other logistic puzzles.

We're welcoming lots and lots of new designers to The Maisonette this season too and we can confirm that our new product range will blow your mind! :)

Come visit us this weekend to help us celebrate the sprucing up of our little home!

'Unoccupied' by YHF & Dapple Photography

2010-02-03T05:07:00.000-08:00

We are lending full Made In The Shade style support to our friends, photographers Garry Maclennan & Gillian Hayes, as they unveil their very first joint exhibition of photographic work at the 13th Note Cafe this month.

'Unoccupied' shows at 13th Note, King Street between 3rd - 28th February. Entry is free.

MITS @ Pin-Up Nights: Ladies' Night III

2010-01-27T05:58:00.001-08:00

Well it's ladies' night and the feeling's right... dum-a-dum-a...

Y'all are well aware of popular indie club night, Pin-Up Nights, right? Well. Next month, the Pin-Ups boys are set to host their third annual Ladies' Night event at our very favourite late night haunt, The Flying Duck. They have a rerr line-up waiting in the wings. NYC electro-pop duo French Horn Rebellion will play live and a team of fancy guest DJs have dibs on the decks. Guests include; Traceyanne & Carey (Camera Obscura), Adele & Allidgh (Sons & Daughters), Emma Pollock (The Delgados), Emmy-Kate & Maria du Santiago (Kenickie) and Manda Rin (bis). We hear there will also be a very secret 'Hunky Secret Treat' guest to wow y'all too. We know who he is. But we're not telling. Ok - so it's Julian Casablancas. No. It's not. No. No. It's Basshunter. No. No. It's not.

Anyway...

As well as live music and fabulous choice record picks from loads of lovely famous faces, Pin Up Nights will be giving the first 100 ladies through the door a special party goody bag - swell, huh? :) Oh, what a night! (What is wrong with me? I appear to have caught some sort of disco bug!)

And...

No! That's not all, people! On top of ALL THAT we're thrilled to announce that Made In The Shade will be putting a little shopping shebang together in 'The Pin Ups Vintage Village' :) Whoop!

Watch this space for more info ;)

ATTENTION VENDORS:

Wanna set up shop at Ladies' Night? Wanna showcase your work in a club full o' Glasgow Indieratti? (Indieratti?!?!?) We're looking to recruit a group of sellers for the event. This is a night club event so will best suit night owl rock'n'roll types who're ready to get into the spirit of the evening! If you are a vintage seller (clothing, accessories, ephemera...) or if your handmade creations have a bit of a vintage vibe about 'em, then please get in touch! We'd love to have you join us at Ladies' Night!

The event takes place on Friday 26th February 2010 at the Flying Duck, Renfield Street, Glasgow.

If you would like more info, drop us a line: bookings@wearemadeintheshade.com

Deadline for us to confirm line-up is Friday 19th February so don't dilly dally! ;)

Hey Dude! That's My Design!

2010-01-24T07:25:00.000-08:00

Last week we received an email from our chum Leona of Lady Luck Rules OK. We do love to receive 'lil notes from Leona. However, last week poor Lady Luck wasn't reaching out across cyberspace for any ole chinwag. No, no. Following Made By White's public Tweet not two weeks ago about Freedom/Topshop stealing one of her brooch designs, Leona was writing with the appalling news that she too had fallen prey to sneaky design thieves - this time the sticky fingered culprit being ASOS, no less. Lovely.

Not one to sit by and allow bigwigs (or half-assed indies for that matter) to threaten or undermine the endeavours of genuinely hard-working indie business owners and creative practioners, Leona published a fantastic blog on her LLROK Journal site lifting the lid on just how careful designer-makers need to be when trying to protect their designs. Leona gives a troubling insight into just how common design theft is but balances the doom and gloom with a set of very helpful tips on how to help yourself and take appropriate and effective action should you find yourself in a legal pickle over intellectual property and copyright.

Leona has granted us permission to reproduce her top tips on our blog. Specially aimed at indie designer-makers, these pointers could go some way to making sure your work is not ripped off by lazybums with loose ethics.

What are you to do when, as an independent designer-maker, some ass-munch steals your work?

Over to you, Leona!

"As a true independent we deal with the situation ourselves by doing the following…

1. The minute we find out about a copy we start gathering evidence. If it's being sold online take a screengrab of the whole page. If it's being sold in a bricks and mortar store (in the UK!) go and buy one, keep receipt & packaging.

2. Before going public or contacting the company show/e-mail a link to friends and family to gather some honest feedback. It's easy to feel you have been copied when in reality, sometimes it's just that people have similar ideas at similar times. Other times it's obvious to everyone who looks at it that your original work was more than just 'inspiration' to someone else, and that they've copied you.

3. Contact the buyer/designer of the company with a friendly first e-mail/letter (remember they *might* be unaware this is a copy). I prefer to keep everything in writing, in case I need to prove what has been communicated later on. It's easy to forget what you've said over the phone. Cease & Desist letters can come later if they don't co-operate. Provide them with evidence that this is our design, we also include blog entries and press articles which are good quick visual way to date when we launched the design. Request they remove the article from sale immediately and either send the remaining stock to us to destroy or allow them to do it.

4. Compensation? In my experience this is just not a reality, although maybe I should pursue this part more... after all they have saved themselves the time we spent designing and prototyping it, profited from our design, possibly lost us sales, and cheated our valued customers who come to us for unique, well-made jewellery. If you're a designer/illustrator who's successfully managed this part please tell us your story.

5. From now on I will blog 'n' tweet 'n' tell all. Everyone has a right to know that these things happen and customers might feel they no longer want to buy from or support those companies who repeatedly rip off the creative inspiration of others.

6. Have a cup of tea and get over it! It is genuinely hurtful when you first see something you remember doodling on a scrap of paper, drawing and re-drawing until it's just right, excitedly sampling and testing and finally launching to your customers being copied, made badly and sold at half the price you could afford to make it for. Apart from anything else, it's heartbreaking that some people might actually think these shoddy copies were created by me! The people who do this are selfish, lazy and greedy - phew - it makes me so angry, but I have to calm down... As a small business we don't have the resources or money to get involved in time-consuming legal actions and are too busy to feel sorry for ourselves. Instead, we HAD to put our energy into fresh ideas and invent jewellery that was harder to copy. Sadly, one of the reasons we stopped making enamels was that they kept being copied - but it did result in us developing several new handmade techniques, such as printing onto wood and applying glitter to acrylic."

(from Lady Luck Rules OK Journal)

So ther you have it. What a sad and sorry tale. We trust that y'all will support Lady Luck Rules OK and other independent designers who have had similar experiences by refusing to spend your hard-earned cash on shoddy copies of uncredited design work. Support your indie makers, people!

You can read Leona's article in its entirety here.

Craftin' Round Our Place

2010-01-24T06:09:00.000-08:00

Clare and I have been busy bees at The Maisonette this month. Who said January is the quiet month of the year? Simply not the case in our little abode. We've had guests over at The Maisonette nearly every night of the week! :)

The Sewing Session - January 2010

Y'all already know that Clare is the stitchin' queen, don't you? Well - she is. We thought we'd give you sewing virgins a chance to learn a crafty tip or two by hosting our first edition of The Sewing Session.

We welcomed a group of lovely guests to The Maisonette (to the hallway of The Maisonette actually - we needed the extra elbow room!) to learn all the basic skills they'd need to pick up their needles and get to grips with some simple textile craft. Clare pre-prepared some fun tasks for the group including some real cute cross-stitch patterns.

A tray of cupcakes and a packet of Blue Ribands later, Clare had set the group off on a two hour stitchin' marathon! For over two hours, they cross stitched their 'lil hearts out :) A fun time was had by all! This workshop will definitely be running again so if you fancy trying your hand, keep your peepers peeled on the website for more dates to be confirmed.

Textile Workshop with Wooden Tree - January 2010

Oh how we love the work of Kirsty Anderson of Wooden Tree! Kirsty is a long time Made In The Shade vendor and is now one of our resident designers at The Maisonette. You may have fallen love with Kirsty's 'lil fabric bird, cloud and anchor brooches last season? They're swell. Well - not only are we stocking a whole new range of Wooden Tree work at The Maisonette for Spring, but we invited Kirsty to impart some creative wisdom on an enthusiastic group of learners at a very special textile workshop. We'd be making textile brooches - Wooden Tree style! Kirsty offered up her magic suitcase of gorgeous fabric remnants and fancy threads to the group and once everyone handpicked their favourite materials, Kirsty helped 'em create their patterns.

Oh-so organised, Kirsty even brought along her own stash of Bucks Fizz!! Can you believe it? Just as well really, since our usual trusty stockist was clean out :( The sew-ers created some fabulous brooches - cupcakes, lightning bolts, creatures and hearts and all sorts! We can't wait to invite Kirsty back to do some more fun workshops with us! Check the website regularly for announcements of future dates.