Tigerlily Makes: basic needle felting kit

Showing posts with label basic needle felting kit. Show all posts

Wednesday, 16 July 2014

Business. It’s all about keeping it social!

Well hello lovely makers, creators and all round lovely people! I thought I’d take a few minutes of your time (thank you for reading this, btw!) to sing my praises in favour of social media, and how I use it in my business.

There’s no escaping how popular the likes of Facebook and Twitter have become, and as you know, I have fully embraced both platforms with open arms. Social media gives me a chance to get closer to my customers and other like-minded felt fans. We can share ideas, images and new designs as well as using the Facebook page and Twitter feed to tell you all about my courses and any press coverage that I’m fortunate enough to secure.

I also love hearing from you and seeing the results of your felting after you’ve been on one of my courses or made with one of my kits – and social media makes this all so very easy and instant – would you send me a picture of your endeavours if you have to have it developed and copied and then post it the old fashioned way?

I really can’t imagine running a business without social media now, and I’d like to thank you all for taking the time to visit my Facebook page and for following me on Twitter.

Have a great day!

Thank you for taking the time to visit Tigerlily Makes The Felt-making Blog All content and design work, including text, photos, etc are © copyright 2014 Lisa Marie Olson owner of Tigerlily Makes (unless otherwise stated and named whereby copyright resides with said named person)and cannot be copied without prior permission from the copyright owner. Tigerlily Makes is a member of ACID (Anti Copying in Design and all designs are registered and protected. www.acid.uk.com www.tigerlilymakes.co.uk www.facebook.com/tigerlilymakes www.twitter.com/tigerlilymakes

Friday, 28 February 2014

Design @44 – Hand-crafted designs in the heart of Derby

A very exciting week ahead here at Tigerlily Towers, gearing up for the re-opening of Design @ 44 in the heart of the atmospheric Sadler Gate in Derby on Monday 10th March

Tigerlily Makes will be joining with a collection of carefully selected Midlands-based designers to bring a unique shopping experience, which will have home wares, gifts and beautiful hand-made items for sale.

Design @44 will be stocking my new range of character egg cosies, hand-felted slippers and booties, vessels, bags and 3D needle felted sculptures, as well as a range of Tigerlily Makes greetings cards and needle felted accessories. Look out too for some new characters who will be making their debut with my Spring/Summer design collections.

It’s all very exciting, and we can’t wait to be a part of the Design @44 team.

Mr & Mrs Von Tweetling Needle Felted Wedding Cake Toppers

Available online to order or at Design @ 44 Sadler Gate Derby

Friday, 29 November 2013

Never Too Old To Learn!

Morning felties! Now, as you all know, I love to teach others the beautiful craft of felt making. I regularly run courses on various aspects of felt making and have also branched back into paper crafts and card making over the last few months, but very rarely do I make time for my own learning …… until recently.

I’ve always embraced social media. I have 1987 Likes on the Tigerlily Makes Facebook page, and am being followed by 1422 people on Twitter, but when I heard of a half day course on how to use Twitter for business, I thought “why not” and booked myself onto the course without hesitation.

Taking an entire morning out of Tigerlily Towers was weighing heavy on my mind, particularly at this time of year – the run-up to Christmas is always the busiest time and there was also the exhibition to plan for and stock for the pop-up Christmas markets to think about, whilst at the same time planning for 2014.

After a morning of tuition from the lovely Melissa Plimmer of MAP Designs, I have to say that even though I’ve been using Twitter for a fair while now, I learnt so much during that one morning about how I can make more effective use of Twitter to the benefit of my business.

The moral of the story? Don’t leave the learning to the young ones! Invest the time in yourself and if you see something that you like the look of – go for it. You only get one chance! My Christmas Puddings have never been tweeted so much!

Thank you for taking the time to visit Tigerlily Makes The Felt-making Blog Lisa X Thank you for taking the time to visit Tigerlily Makes The Felt-making Blog Lisa X All content and design work, including text, photos, etc are © copyright 2013 Lisa Marie Olson owner of Tigerlily Makes (unless otherwise stated and named whereby copyright resides with said named person)and cannot be copied without prior permission from the copyright owner. Tigerlily Makes is a member of ACID (Anti Copying in Design and all designs are registered and protected. www.acid.uk.com www.tigerlilymakes.co.uk www.facebook.com/tigerlilymakes www.twitter.com/tigerlilymakes

Friday, 27 September 2013

The End Of An Era_VW Camper Van Alert!

It was with utter disbelief and a tinge of sadness that we heard about VolksWagon ceasing production of their iconic camper van.

31^st December is D-Day for the last ever VW Camper at the only remaining factory in Brazil.

The first type 2 Camper Van was unveiled at the Geneva motor show in November 1949, and was on sale from March 1950 – it’s since sold over 10 million! In the 1960’s a converted Camper Van would have set you back between £850 and £1300 but nowadays their value has risen to anything from £2,000 for one needing total refurbishment to in excess of £37,000!

Often associated with music festivals, lovely hippies and the surf scene, the VW Camper has in itself become an instantly recognisable brand. Some enterprising geniuses use them to hire out as wedding vehicles, and celebrity chef Jamie Oliver made his way around Italy in one!

We have many happy memories of holidaying in camper vans, which never fail to make us smile.

We’re pleased to say that the Iconic Classic Camper will live on for years to come at Tigerlily Towers, and you too can share in a piece of design history with my Campalily range iPad cover/bag http://ow.ly/pfoQZ and greeting cards.

Have a fabulous day!

Monday, 23 September 2013

A NEW Course!

I’m always keen to receive feedback following courses, and at shows, and it’s as a result of customer feedback that I’m launching a new Needle Felting course in November!

Birds & Blooms is a one day felting course where you will learn how to make beautiful decorative felt flowers or a cute little bird. Once you’ve mastered the art, your new-found skills can be used to make corsages, brooches and decorative items for the home.

The first Birds & Blooms day will be held on 23^rd November at Middleton Hall Wedding Venue Nr Tamworth. We’ll get going at 10.30 and needle felt our way through the day, ending at around 4.30 pm.

The day costs £55.00 which includes all your needle felting materials, tea/coffee and cake/biscuits. All we ask is that you bring a packed lunch, or some money to buy lunch when we have a break.

No experience is necessary as full tuition will be given. Make something truly bespoke and handmade by you whilst you experience the magic that "Tigerlily Makes" to book your place just email info@tigerlilymakes.co.uk

If making them yourself doesn't interest you, but you like the idea of owning one then simply visit My Etsy shop.

Thursday, 19 September 2013

Nan, Gran, Grandma, Granny ….. just call me Nain!

Gooooood morning lovely felt fans!

Well, what can I say? After weeks of biting my tongue and almost bursting at the seams it’s now out in the open that I am going to become a grandparent in March 2014. We’re all so excited at the prospect of the new arrival – and we’re all busy swatting up on the latest pregnancy advice as things have moved on apace since my son was born.

And so began the “what do I want to be called” debate! Not feeling quite ready to be granny, nan or grandma, I’ve settled on Nain, which is Welsh for Grandmother.

On the creative side, the news of a new baby has been most inspiring, to say the least! Whilst having to keep mum for the initial three months or so, I’ve come up with a whole new range of cards and am currently working on some new felt kit designs which may – or may not – have a baby-theme running through them! As and when time permits itself, I may even be tempted to pick up those knitting needles again and create something warm and wonderful for our impending bundle!

The only thing I would ask is that for the rest of his/her life, our grandchild remembers …..

Thursday, 22 August 2013

Get Crafty, Get Chatty!

Well, hello again you lovely bunch!

How many of you have got craft projects on the go, but never seem to find the time or wherewithal to knuckle down and get truly stuck in? Yes, life gets in the way – kids, partner, holidays, school commitments, work, cooking, cleaning …… I’ve been there, done that and worn the t-shirt many, many times!

If any of this sounds familiar, then it’s time to dig out those part-finished works and join us for our Chatty Crafters Craft Night at Tamworth Hobbycraft on 3^rd September.

Chatty Crafters events offer an informal relaxed atmosphere for you to bring along your projects and get crafting. With other creatives in the room, it’s a great environment to bounce ideas off each other, share tips and advice and spend a couple of hours on whatever you want to achieve.

Past events have seen a mix of paper crafters, embroiders, crocheters, various textile artists and of course, felting! The more the merrier in terms of skills in the room.

And the best thing about Chatty Crafters Craft Night is that it’s FREE! We start at 5.30 pm and finish by 8pm. For more information, and to book your place visit http://ow.ly/o5jkt.

Wednesday, 10 July 2013

Princess Lily Puts Her Best Foot Forward At Attingham

On a warm, but overcast day in June, Princess Lily ventured over the border into Shropshire to enjoy a day at Attingham Park, a National Trust property not far from Shrewsbury.

Famed for its free-roaming deer herds, Lily enjoyed the grounds of Attingham whilst it was still dry. There are different way marked walks to choose from varying in levels of intensity. Lily enjoyed the 2 mile Deer Park Walk, pausing to spot many deer in the woods – although the wild deer must not be approached as they are easily spooked!

After building up something of an appetite, our Princess stopped for refreshments in the Mansion Tearoom before heading into the beautiful Georgian mansion itself, home to the Berwick family for five generations.

From the moment you step inside the main entrance, it is evident how much work the National Trust is investing into Attingham to fully restore it to its former splendour. For younger visitors there’s the Mouse Trail too – which proved something of a challenge for the whole family, with the pesky (but cute!) mice hiding in the most unexpected of places!

The stand-out room for Lily was the amazing Dining Room. With its table set for a banquet of royal proportions and the candlelight reflecting in the ginormous mirrors, Lily couldn’t help but dream of hosting the most splendid of dinner parties for her felt-tastic chums, and dancing the night away after a hearty feast.

On the upper floor of the Mansion, the views across the Severn Valley are absolutely breath-taking, so much so that Princess Lily had to stop for a rest on a rather grand sofa.

The main restoration project at Attingham is the construction of a new roof over the Picture Gallery to protect the original roof, which was designed by John Nash. It is estimated that the project will cost £1.4 million and will take 2 years to complete.

In contrast to the opulent upper levels of the Mansion, Princess Lily ended her visit “below stairs” in the Housekeeper and Butlers’ Quarters – which would, in its day, have been a hive of activity with staff bustling around looking after the Berwick family. Lily was impressed with the large kitchen and all of its copper pans – she was even tempted to try her hand at some baking!

After a pot of tea and a slice of delicious home-made carrot cake, Princess Lily decided it was time to head home to sleep and dream of all those deer she had seen at Attingham Park.

What a fabulous day out she'd enjoyed!

Friday, 3 May 2013

Felt Pictures Course second stage changes…

Hello world!

As promised I bring to you the second in our changing stages features from our felt pictures course.

Pictured below is a selection of pictures in the wet stage of the felting process, if you take a look at the dry stage In a later post you will be able to compare the differences that felting brings to each stage.

To see the courses on offer just visit our courses page.

But for now keeeeeeep felting!!

Thursday, 2 May 2013

Wet Felted Needle Embellished Pictures Courses

Well hello and wonderful woolly welcomes to our latest blog post.

Today I wanted to share some fun pictures from a recent felt pictures course, that highlight the very exciting and changing nature of felt.

Pictured above are the dry stages of creating pictures with some of the lovely ladies on one of my courses - you may have seen the group and finished pictures posts on other blog entries.

We will be charting their progress and outcomes over the next couple of weeks and some of the stages involved in the process.

If you fancy trying your hand at felting, why not browse the courses on offer on our website.

Our pictures course has now been upgraded to include option machine embroidery if desired. Our next felt pictures course is on Saturday 7th September.

But for now keeeeeeeeeeeeep felting!

Friday, 5 April 2013

Where's Lily Been Recently?

Good day to all you lovely makers, creators and generally lovely woolly people out there. Today I thought I would share one of my recent visits to Attingham Park in Shropshire.

Attingham Park was built for the 1st Lord Berwick in 1785. It was owned by the same family for more than 160 years. Sadly thier ownership of the estate was to prove a problematic one due to some of its occupants lavish ways and lifestyle, resulting in one occupant having to sell off all his furniture to pay his debts. The atmospheric dining room, set for an evening banquet, and the contrasting decoration of the delicate feminine Boudoir are just some of the highlights of the estate. The walled garden and many park walks offer great ways to explore the landscape. The mansion, set in beautiful parkland designed to impress, is at the heart of this great estate between Shrewsbury and the River Severn.

Why do I love this property? Well, because its a hidden gem in an unexpected location and is run and preserved by the National Trust. We are National Trust members and we are passionate about preserving our national heritage and historic landmarks. Why is this so important? Well because we are one of the few countries that have such a long and impressive history and forms part of the culture, fabric and makeup of a united nation today.

The very grand front entrance - Only the best will do for Princess Lily

Princess Lily the Lamb enjoy the view from the grand Staircase

Princess Lily taking a rest from all those steps and the heat!

In order to understand who we are today we must understand where we have come from.

My thanks to the National Trust for providing opprotunities to connect with our heritage and past.

Wednesday, 3 April 2013

Lily's First Camper Van Adventures .....

Gloriously glorious camping adventures for our right royal princess, but not just any camping, you understand!! Oh no, only the best camper van hire will do for our princess!

So July (2011) myself (Lisa) hubby (Phil) and Princess Lily all headed off to Pembrokeshire to collect our stunning camper van from Pembrokeshire Classic Campers.

Guess what!! Our camper van was also called Lily so I knew that we would be off to a great start!

When we arrived we were shown to our camper by Sandra Douglas, the owner. Sandra produced the most luxurious camper - it was cleaned and polished to within an inch of its life. Following the inspection we were given a full and thorough brief on how to work everything including the internal heaters for our great British cool nights.

We had one of the best weeks that we have ever had and will be going back to try out Daisy, the other camper van, very soon.

You can keep up to date with the premier camper van hire on the official Facebook page and in the meantime we will be back very soon with one of our sisters classically camper inspired designs.

But for now "Carry on Glamping!

Thank you for taking the time to visit Tigerlily Makes The Felt-making Blog Lisa X Thank you for taking the time to visit Tigerlily Makes The Felt-making Blog Lisa X All content and design work, including text, photos, etc are © copyright 2013 Lisa Marie Olson owner of Tigerlily Makes (unless otherwise stated and named whereby copyright resides with said named person)and cannot be copied without prior permission from the copyright owner. Tigerlily Makes is a member of ACID (Anti Copying in Design and all designs are registered and protected. www.acid.uk.com www.tigerlilymakes.co.uk www.facebook.com/tigerlilymakes www.twitter.com/tigerlilymakes

Monday, 4 March 2013

Tigerlily Makes Complete Starter Needle Felting Kit has arrived...

Happy Monday peeps, just thought I would start Monday off by sharing one of my brand new starter kits!... I am very excited about this kits as it's been over 12 months in the designing and producing, due to the very specially and exclusively designed foam punching pad.

The kit includes a high density flame resistant foam punching pad, with its specially designed and exclusive to Tigerlily Makes flower shaped integral needle holder. This flower shaped needle holder has been specially designed by Tigerlily Makes owner Lisa Marie Olson, the holder is made from a sponge that is slightly softer that the high density foam punching pad and makes ideal storage for your needles between needle changes and when not in use. The kit also comes complete with 4 needles 2 medium, 2 fine, single needle wooden handle lots of ethically sourced wool, full project instructions and very useful ehtically sourced drawstring backpack to carry it all in.

So its all there to get you started on you on your needle felted journey and you can buy yours now at Tigerlily Makes

Keeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep felting!

Thank you for taking the time to visit Tigerlily Makes The Felt-making Blog Lisa X Thank you for taking the time to visit Tigerlily Makes The Felt-making Blog Lisa X All content and design work, including text, photos, etc are © copyright 2013 Lisa Marie Olson owner of Tigerlily Makes (unless otherwise stated and named whereby copyright resides with said named person)and cannot be copied without prior permission from the copyright owner. www.tigerlilymakes.co.uk www.facebook.com/tigerlilymakes www.twitter.com/tigerlilymakes