The Make Lounge

Clever cuppas

[image Micah7 via Creativadoration]

While we've been hoarding tea cups for use in our soya tea cup candle workshops, the clever folks over at Micah7 have been collecting them to turn into night lights! How clever is that? (Kinda gives new meaning to the phrase 'tea light'.)

The business of craft

If you run your own craft-related business or are thinking about starting one, head on over to Modish. (Modish is a great blog that celebrates handmade craft.) They're running a series of fab articles for the indie biz owner called How to Be A Crafty Marketer. Definitely worth a read.

The new domesticity

The media has been all a-buzz lately about the rise in 'make do and mend' activities in the face of the credit crunch, and today the Daily Mail added its voice to the mix with a trends piece about the wave of self-improvement classes hitting the UK shores. In addition to mentioning The Make Lounge, plus a few other venues from London to Leicestershire, the article also gave a nice shout-out to the N1WI, our local Women's Institute, which has done much to shake off the organisation's musty image. (If you're in South London, check out the Fulham branch!)

Books' new lives + the winners

[Laura Cahill via Lifehacker]

Designer Laura Cahill turns second-hand books into gorgeous vases and furniture. To make the vases, she cuts profiles from the books using a band saw, then wraps the spines around test tubes to form waterproof vessels. As Cahill explains in an interview in Dezeen:

"I took a hands-on approach and started experimenting with the possibilities in which books can be used in other ways; I developed a number of delicate yet practical designs.

Using traditional methods of book binding I transformed them into valued objects. My designs transform local waste, not only adding value but also creating art forms which are aesthetically pleasing."

On other matters, thank you (!) to everyone who posted ideas last week about The Make Lounge in 2009 - we're taking it all on board! (Funny, we used to offer screen printing and there wasn't much interest - unfortunately it's a bit messy and slightly difficult to do at home without fairly specialised equipment and supplies. But who knows, perhaps we'll give it another go in the future!)

The winners of the Folksy rulers, as chosen randomly using Random.org are:

• Pouch

• Alissa

• Melissa

• Susie

• Caroline - Jayne Panico

Please get in touch and let us know your postal addresses so we can send them out to you early next week. We're away to the Venice Biennale this weekend!

Sew pretty!

Delicious new fabrics - these are home decor-weight cotton sateen Amy Butler prints, to be used in our upcoming Cushion Cover workshops. If you've never used a sewing machine before, but would like to learn (and take home a completed cover, plus cushion pad and fabric corsage!) stop by The Make Lounge.

Folksy ruler giveaway!

We love Folksy, the new online marketplace for UK designer-makers. So when James popped in the other day to drop off a slew of their classic-with-a-twist rulers, we were more than pleased. Although we're definitely putting them to good use at The Make Lounge, he brought so many that we thought we'd share a few with you!

So, we've got five rulers up for grabs. For a chance to win yours, leave a comment, including your email address, and answer the following question: What would you like to see The Make Lounge do or offer in the coming year? (UK residents only, please!). We'll choose winners randomly next week. Good luck!

Find us in Time Out's 'Little Black Book'!

We're excited to be named a 'City Secret' in Time Out's 2008 'Little Black Book'!

We're listed under 'venues' and 'craft parties.' If you'd like to know more about organising a hen event, Christmas craft lunch, birthday party or other group gathering at The Make Lounge, please visit our parties page.

Make mine milk

[Pedlars via Whorange]

We love these vintage milk bottles, from Pedlars.

Wanted: Children's knitting instructor

We recently launched children's craft workshops and birthday parties and now we'd like to branch out into knitting. Kids are so fearless and funny - it's a pleasure to have them at The Make Lounge!

Anyhow, we're looking for an enthusiastic knitting instructor to teach children aged 8-12 how to knit during the upcoming school half term. Sessions would be roughly an hour each morning from Monday 27th October through Friday 31st October with a maximum of eight kids per class. The aim is for each child to complete and take home a small knitted project by the end of the week.

If you're interested, please email teach AT themakelounge DOT com with information about your experience, rates, and why you'd be the best person for this very rewarding job!

Isn't he lovely

A new exhibit of Rob Ryan's paper-ific work opens next week at Castor & Pollux in Brighton. From 13 September to 20th October, daily from 10 am to 5 pm. His large, gorgeous paper cuts will be on exhibit, as well as a selection of his screen prints and printed tiles. And if you haven't been to Ryantown, his newish shop on Columbia Road, well, then go!

Jingle jangle of jewellery

A few of the wonderful bracelets (and earrings!) made this weekend at The Make Lounge. This was a bracelets and earrings special session for a hen party, but we'll be adding new dates soon for public workshops. (Sign up for our e-newsletter over at our main site to get the latest info and dates!) Our teacher was the sweet and talented Merle O'Grady (she's just getting her web site up and running so if that link doesn't work immediately, be patient) and everyone came away with something lovely!

Would you use open studio time at The Make Lounge?

We're looking into several new offerings at The Make Lounge, among them the possibility of offering open studio time. We've had several requests from people who'd like to come and make use of our machines and tools to work on their own projects.

We'd love to hear your thoughts! Would you use such a service? Especially if we offered tea, coffee and wine? What night of the week would be best? Or would you prefer a Sunday afternoon? What kinds of projects would you bring/what machines or tools would you need most? Would you purchase supplies if they were available?

Please post in the comments or get in touch here.