2011

The new year is well under way. That doesn't mean 2011 is forgotten. It was a big year. A lot of things happened.

December

By the time December hit I'd already been making Christmas for two months, this was a bit of a new experience. I must say it was well worth it thought. I thoroughly enjoyed making Christmas cards, especially the large order I got for my snowflake design. 

December also saw the first Canny Comic Con, in Newcastle City Library. And the wonderful reunion that was the Made in Newcastle Christmas Market.

November

I had a table at Thought Bubble during this month. I shared it with Paul Thompson and Cuttlefish. It was super awesome. Thought Bubble never disappoints. I intend to be there next year. 

October

I went to Prague with the absolutely wonderful Paul. This was the second time in my adult life that I had left the county and only the fourth time total. I love visiting new places and am not going to stop any time soon. I always have a soft spot for October. It's got Halloween in it for a start. During this October I visited the Alexandra Business Park with the #npwalk group. I also did my first Designers Marketplace. And a lot of preparing for Thought Bubble.

September

In a sort of back to school tradition September was all about change, doing new things and exploring. I drew robots. I started work on my current comic project, which is almost ready to show some development work from. Maybe. Until then I shall say no more on the matter. 

August

The month of the bicycle. The month of walking through fields of flowers as high as my knees and eating sandwiches outside.

July

All about drawing, making cards and more drawing. I went to my first Dr Sketchy's. It was lovely.

June

The first month without the Made in Newcastle shop. The month I really started to use my etsy shop.The month I learned a lot of things. 

May

Paul and I went to Bristol Expo and bought comics. We explored Bristol and then went South to stay a few days in the New Forest. It was lovely. We were nearly attacked by wild horses. We then went further South  to Bournemouth and explored the coast a bit. Holidays. Yay. 

At the very end of the month Made in Newcastle left Grainger Street. 

April

I visited Beamish with the #npwalk lot. We had fun, playing with the shops, the trains and the trams. 

March

During March The Paper Jam Comics Collective launched the long awaited History And That with an exhibition of History inspired comics at Made in Newcastle. March was pretty cool as the Maker Faire also happened, which was part of Newcastle Science Festival, a week of clever stuff. 

February

Barcelona. My first holiday with Paul. 

January

It was cold. It was very cold. At least Made in Newcastle was full of warmth and smiles.

And that was the year. Woohoo. 

High Bridge Christmas Arts Bazaar

For a bit of a warm up before Made in Newcastle's very own Christmas Market a few of us (including myself) will be appearing at the Highbridge Art Bazaar this Saturday. It should be a great day, there are many talented folk involved. 

The Facebook Event for your RSVPing and calendar needs: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=176306775790337

Where to find me in December:

Made in Newcastle Christmas Market on Sunday the 4th December.

The Canny Comic Con on Saturday the 10th December.

After that who knows.

Hope to catch you all at one event or another, or all. All would be awesome. 

I will be at Made in Newcastle @ Grainger Market Enterprise Event

Missing MiN? Then fear not.

Goodbye 79 Grainger Street

Way back in December of 2010 we looked around an empty shell of a shop on Grainger Street, trying to find a new home for Made in Newcastle. We had peered into its windows many times, having fallen in love with the staircase and the large space at the back, not to mention great location.

Potential sparked and crackled off the walls. The weather was cold but a warm glow came from within 79 Grainger Street as we got to work transforming it into our new home.

It was a miraculous transformation, in as little as 10 days we brought the shop into being. We tamed the horror of the fridge on the first floor, found new ways to make floors and ended up with a cosy spot to hide and make during the long Winter months.

It's been a whirlwind ride. There's always been something going on at 79 Grainger Street, a regular hive of activity for all involved. Spring brought a nice fresh look to the shop, it was so nice to see that we picked a spot that the sun would sit on for most of the day.

During Spring we got many visitors to the shop, some new friends, some old. Some fury, some frilly.

It's hard to believe we were in there a whole six months. It went by so quickly. It felt even faster than when we were in 22 Nun Street for those short three months. Time is a funny thing. We've come a long way, we've all grown a bit in our own way.

Goodbye 79 Grainger Street. I will miss you, you crazy, messed up, brilliant shop. We will all miss you. Thanks.

Dress Up Doll

For Newcastle Fashion Week the gang at Made in Newcastle put together a goody bag to give to those on the independent shop crawl.

I put in this dress up doll.

My inner child was delighted by the chance to do this. I hope it delights many other inner children all over the city.

Paper Jam Exhibition at MiN

What have I been up to? Lots.
Recently with the Paper Jam Comics Collective I've been busy exhibiting my illustration work at Made in Newcastle. I did one brand new piece for the exhibition as well as showing my page from Art and That, the rather blurry photo courtesy of my phone.

The theme for the exhibition was loosely based around History and That anthology which we first unveiled at Thought Bubble. There was a rather delayed launch party of said anthology on the Friday which doubled as the closing party for the exhibition. Many were in attendance and there was much fun had.

We also left some blank comic panels and a box of words on the table in the gallery for the week so that people could take part in our "famous" 24 minute comic challenge. Two words, one comic, 24 minutes. I have managed to rescue all the ones that we left for us to see and will be scanning them and uploading them to the Paper Jam Comic Jams blog very soon.

What else have we got. Ah yes... view the exhibition closing/History launch party in photographic glory. It's like being there... only without sound, movement or the majority of the senses.

 

Made in Newcastle Returns!

Wonderful Goodies
Originally uploaded by Britt7094

Made in Newcastle is back, we have taken up residence in 79 Grainger Street (that's next to Greggs and opposite the Bigg Market).
Once again MiN is a wonderful shop full of hand made goods from artists, crafters and makers of Newcastle. My creative little bits and pieces will be on sale there along with many others.

Please come along and have a look!

Made in Newcastle

The opening...

Made in Newcastle, an Empty Shop Project baby that we found out about from the lovely Craft Mafia people at the Sunderland Friendship Festival (see last post). The aim is to bring together a community of local crafters, makers and artists into a space where they can display, sell and help others. It's an excellent opportunity that I have been very lucky to be a part of. The Paper Jam Comics Collective have our comics and stock and ready for the lovely customers to buy.

Many of the gang were present for the opening and much glorious fun was had by all, as can be seen in the photos below.

Oh yes, as you can see here, we had a doodle wall, it was amazing!

The things we've done...

Made in Newcastle has provided a home for over 30 creatives in the North East, helping them in all kinds of ways, this is a photo of the shop a few days after opening, it has changed a lot since then, it's hard to believe it was only a few months ago.

The end...

In some ways this blog post is bad timing. We have just recently received news that we will need to leave 22 Nun Street (our current home), as is the nature of Empty Shops, they get filled. We have until the 10th of October to make the most out of what we have in our current home! If you haven't been along to say hi yet, please do, and purchase some of our wonderful crafty items.

The beginning...

As is the nature of enthusiastic creatives, you can't keep them down for long. Like a phoenix from the flames we shall rise from the ashes (metaphorically, we don't want to be done for arson) of 22 Nun Street with a new name, a new home and a wonderful new outlook on life! The group of strong minded individuals who have met through this project refuse to see it stop so easily, we will continue until the mythic day when there are no longer any empty shops left in the whole of Newcastle city centre!

To that effect, this is where you can help! If you, my lovely blog readers have any contacts at the council, any help you can offer with funding sources and applications or any well wishes, please pass them on. Made in Newcastle started as a community project and whatever it may be in the future it will continue to be for the community, for people to contribute to and benefit from. We welcome any help, whether it be that you have a premises you want us to fill or a spare sack of money lying around that you wish to donate.

Wish us luck!