Sarah Manton

Although the sun is shining outside, I’m looking forward to spending the day at Hobbycraft in Nottingham stitching up a storm with some of their fabulous Christmas fabrics (yes, I said the ‘C’ word!)… Today I’m making and quilting a Christmas stocking and putting together a fabric Advent Calendar.

Each year, I set off with the good intention of making all my Christmas cards and presents, the house smelling of gingerbread and mulled wine and the sound of children’s laughter wafting down the stairs. However, it usually ends up in a whirlwind of festive stress and panic in the last couple of weeks before the big day and all my good intentions go out the window (together with the gingerbread!) … So I’m starting early – what could possibly go wrong?!… Feel free to pop down to Hobbycraft today between 11.00am and 3.00pm to see me, have a chat about quilting, Christmas, the card-making sessions I’ll be offering in the run up to Christmas.

~ Manton x

Good news! Nottingham lace is making a glorious resurgence and right at the forefront is one of Nottingham’s leading lights, creator of sumptuous knits, lace inspired jewellery and accessories, purveyor of gorgeous gifts and one of my personal heroes, Debbie Bryan.

Debbie’s shop in Nottingham’s Lace Market is a total treat for the soul, featuring alongside Debbie’s creations, the beautiful work of numerous local designer / makers, many of whom have been invited by Debbie to create Nottingham lace inspired pieces of artwork in their chosen medium.

As part of the Lace:here:now Craft Trail and Heritage Open Days, Debbie will be holding a ‘Pop Up Tea Room’ at her shop (18 St Mary’s Gate, Lace Market, Nottingham) on Saturday, 8 September 2012, from 10.00am until 5.00pm, with special guest, Kit Anderson from Foto Ceramica. Details of other events and workshops taking place at Debbie’s shop can be found on her website www.debbiebryan.co.uk and the full schedule for the Lace:here:now season of events is detailed on the Nottingham Trent University website – here. I’m certainly going to jump onto the whole Nottingham Lace wave – it’s a delight to see this beautiful craft being celebrated once again!

~ Manton x

I love hydrangeas, they’re one of my favourite flowers … and papercrafting is definitely one of my favourite things, so what could be better but to combine the two? I’m teaching a workshop on Sunday, 29 July at The Craft Studio and I’d love you to join me! 🙂

During this workshop, you will create your very own paper hydrangea flower, cutting the petals from your choice of a number of romantic novels (don’t worry, no beautiful pristine books were harmed in the making of this project!) and inking the flowers in your choice of colour.

These beautiful hydrangeas can be used on stems to display in a vase or a ribbon loop can be added to create a pomander or ‘kissing ball’ for a wedding or simply for decoration.

They look fab and can be coloured to match your chosen scheme. Booking details for the workshop can be found at The Craft Studio – see you there!

~ Manton x

I spent Saturday afternoon in my wellies in a marquee, fully prepared for a storm of ‘biblical proportions’ (according to the BBC weather forecast) … It got a bit breezy, but apart from the rattling of the tent poles, the sound of which was muffled by the enthusiastic playing of the bands on the main stage, the afternoon proceeded with not a locust or frog in sight!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was there to demonstrate the art of scherenschnitte (paper cutting) and met lots of lovely people, young and not so young, who showed genuine interest in the process and it was a joy to share one of my favourite crafts with a new audience 🙂

The Sherwood Art Week is an annual event and seems to have grown year on year to become the absolute celebration of all things craft and creative in our local area.  I would thorough recommend taking advantage of some of the many free and low cost workshops over the next week and particularly, the Secret Garden Craft Fair (at the United Reformed Church, behind The Sherwood Manor on Edwards Lane)  from 11.00am on Saturday, 23 June 2012, where there will be lots of lovely crafty folks selling their fabulous wares!

~ Manton x

Well, the ‘Pick N Mix’ creative workshops are now in full flow and I’m absolutely loving teaching!  It’s been a whirlwind of glittery papers, frenzied stitching and glorious fabrics and I’m delighted every time that someone I have taught leaves with a beaming smile on their face and their latest creation tucked under their arm!

It’s a real voyage of discovery each time, as every student at The Craft Studio comes up with their own individual twist on the original idea, using their choice of papers, fabrics and embellishments.  I’ve taken loads of pictures to give a flavour of the workshops and have uploaded them onto my gallery here for your viewing pleasure…

 

I will post up the dates for my forthcoming classes soon, but you can also book through The Craft Studio website here … ~ Manton x

Ah Woolworths… how well I remember happy Saturday mornings from my childhood, pink and white striped paper bag in hand, selecting from the smorgasbord of flying saucers, white mice, pink shrimps, cola cubes and associated sugary goodness, and now you can relive that unbridled joy with the latest offer from The Craft Studio!

Yours truly will be joining with the fabulously talented Clare Alderson and April Towriess to spoil you with your very own ‘Pick n Mix of Craft’. Click on the Living Social link below to pick your own choice of taster courses in bookmaking, patchwork, sewing, crochet, felting or card making for next to nothing!

 

Looking forward to all the crafting fun we’re going to have!

Click HERE for Living Social deal!

… is a curious thing – as Huey Lewis, Jennifer Rush and Frankie Goes to Hollywood will all testify and love is very much in the air as February fast approaches!

As anyone who knows me will be well aware, I was born on Valentine’s Day and as well as being led by my heart on a daily basis, I also refer back to the heart shape in many of my creations. This February will be particularly exciting for me, as on Saturday, 4th February, I have been invited to lead a workshop at the seat of learning for all things handmade, The Craft Studio.

With the title ‘Sew Lovely Heart Cushions’ (clever, huh?), we’ll be using pretty fabrics and templates, appliqué and free machining to add a little love to scatter cushions and creating heart-shaped cushions with ribbons and buttons. Your creations could be for a Valentine gift, of course, but they would make a lovely addition to a little one’s bedroom or a unique anniversary or wedding gift.

You can book your place here or alternatively, you can contact The Craft Studio on 07931 432 301.

Until I see you at the ‘Sew Lovely Heart Cushions’ workshop, I’ll let Huey have the final word “You won’t feel nuthin’ til you feel, feel the power of love …”

~ Manton x

Be jolly kind and give me a follow on twitter! You won’t regret it!

Well, here I go again on my own (as a wise long-haired man once said), taking my first steps into the whacky world of creative business, fulfilling a life-long dream to create beautiful things and inspire others along the way.

You join me at the very beginning… My name is Sarah Manton and I’m doing everything the other way round! I’ve worked in industry, textiles, design, marketing and administration for the last 20 years and now I’ve just started to make a business out of what has been my life-long love, being creative and encouraging others to do the same!

Born and bred in Melton Mowbray, I moved to Nottingham when I took a job as a ‘jack of all trades’ (office manager / production / designer) at a promotional clothing company and then on to Nottingham Trent University to work in the commercial area of the School of Art & Design (Fashion & Textiles). Most recently I have been working as a Public Relations Manager in a secondary school. There is no doubt in my mind that being a university city gives Nottingham an exciting, ever-changing artistic edge and being immersed in that environment cannot help but spark the creative mind.

I’m in the fortunate position of having worked in a wide variety of media from paper and textiles to photography and digital design over the years and I am currently deciding what my specialism will be, so you find me at a very exciting stage in the business! The passions of the moment are scherenschnitte (paper cutting – I regularly wield a scalpel), book binding, rock (music) household goods (intriguing!) and quilting – I’m a bit of butterfly and thrive on stimulating my mind with a variety of projects.

I’ve also spent the last 8 years working with the most wonderful people in the world – teenagers. I know they’re not everyone’s cup of tea, but working at Wheldon School & Sports College in Carlton was inspiring, frustrating, joyous and tear-jerking on a daily basis. I’ll never forget my time there or the fantastic folks I met over the years and I hope to get involved in creative workshops in schools in the future.

Business-wise, I’d like to collaborate with as many of the wonderful creative people I have met along the way as possible. I’ve gathered artists, designer/makers, jewellery makers, illustrators, felters, seamstresses and even Nottingham’s premier crochetier into my friendship circle along the way and it would be wonderful to get some crossover projects going on. As anyone who has met me will know, I could talk for England, but I also love to listen. Nothing excites me more than hearing about someone’s dreams and ideas and helping them to make them come true – my ideal would be to become the Secret Millionaire of Nottingham’s creative community – the fundamental flaws in my plan being that a) I am not a millionaire and b) I wouldn’t be able to keep it a secret!

If my recent investigations have taught me one thing, it’s that there are dozens of ‘pockets’ of creativity going on in and around Nottingham. What worries me is that it wasn’t until I started burrowing into the creative underbelly of Nottingham that I discovered the wealth of wondrous stuff that is going on literally under the noses of wider population, unseen. There must be more ways to share the glorious things that are going on and help the punters to see that there is an alternative to the watered down Primarni, TackyMaxx dross, perhaps using empty shops as showcases, sharing stalls in the seasonal markets, sporting sandwich boards? … /off my soap box. I’d dearly love for Nottingham’s creative community to truly come together in one place to communicate about events and opportunities, share details of recommended suppliers and generally pat each other on the back. I know that the Nottingham Craft Mafia have recently undergone a massive overhaul and are endeavouring to facilitate just such a forum.

As I said, you’re in at the beginning, I’m starting my own creative business, building my website, getting my business cards sorted, opening a bank account and settling into a studio! Wish me luck!