that old chectnut...

It's damned hard coming up with project ideas when you're not in the least inspired. We've all been there: deadlines,brief to meet and....nothing. Nada. Not a spark. Then out of the blue...they come in thick and fast! For November me and the Craft Guerrilla gals decide to have our Craft Events as a "Count Down to Xmas"kinda thing. This is OK but that means I need to come up with at least 4 or 5 new seasonal craft projects. BUT it's all in hand and I've come up with a few little offerings that might be a hit:
An embroidery diy craft pack ( A robin tray cloth), an autumn badge pack (a kawaii chestnut) and a few more I'm keeping under my hat. We wouldn't want to give the game away and ruin the element of surprise either!
So if you'd like to make your own gifts and pick up a craft skill on the way check out our events page:
http://www.craftguerrilla.com/page7.htm

thievery!

You've had a great idea. What do you do about protecting it? Apart from living in a cave with your ideas,slumped over with them,grasping them tight in your arms and crying "my precious" until you're blue in the face there's not much else you can do.
OK send in the big boys and take them to court. Not everyone has the financial baking to do that. From what I've encountered there's a "mean" group of people out there (especially women for some reason)
that will stop at nothing. I try to remain philosophical and constantly tell myself :" It doesn't matter because you had the idea first. Credit where credit's do and it will come out in the end". BUT if no one knows it was you it really doesn't count for much. Seems that in the end...they get the whole world believing it was their idea to begin with!
It's not in my nature to boast and bullshit about achievements! I think I lack the gene.
The term "intellectual property theft" has been flung around quite a lot lately. I guess it's a sign of the times!Some people are so desperate to cash in that they'll literally take your idea...switch around a word or two (some don't even do that)and hey presto...it becomes theirs!
Now I'm a pretty fair gal and the basis of my project is about sharing things...knowledge,contacts,ideas too! I believed and hoped people would like those ides so much that they'd actually like to reproduce them but what I hadn't counted on was the lack of accreditation. Use it please,by all means, but don't make out it was your idea!

Jane's Addiction

The great Perry Farrell


Jess and V

Last Thursday I was invited to a little secret gig by by best mate.
I was so excited because I've seen these guys but always in huge venues. They are great regardless of venue size.Jane's Addiction always amaze! Fire breathers,girls on trapezes and the fab music didn't disappoint! The sound system was pretty crap and waiting on your feet for 3 and a half hours to see them playing for just an hour was...painful!I did feel slightly cheated but on the other hand what a privilege I was one of the 200 or so people that were there! It was awesome and too quick! They played a tiny club in central London,off New Oxford street and...I was there.IT WAS AMAZING!
Thank you Venti!!!!

munano @ Cut-Click Exhibition

They've escaped from Munano forest! Hunny bunny,Xama-Xama and Mori Mori are hanging out on the ceiling waiting to scare unsuspecting passers by...
horrid little tinkers!

Cut-Click, Anniversary Exhibition

Tuesday to Saturday, 9 to 5pm
30 June 2009 to 25 July 2009

Abbey Walk Gallery
http://www.abbeywalkgallery.com

Cut-click is an innovative online magazine for art & design. The exhibition curated by the magazines creators Daniel Baker and Caroline Twidle celebrates their first anniversary of publication. The exhibition will feature a selection of original mixed media work by national and international artists and designers who have contributed to cut-click during their inaugural year.

The exhibition is part of N.E Lincs Arts Forum Festival 2009.

http://www.cut-click.co.uk

A hand made summer!

We'll be at the East London Craft Guerrilla Monthly Market on Saturday 27th of June.
Venue:
Beautiful Interiors shop garden, 34 Orford Rd. Walthamstow Village E17 9NJ.
Time: 10 am to 5.30 pm
Special promo...
If you mention the secret code word " midnight herring" you'll get a special 15% off on all forest creatures!

un-realised projects...

I have been invited to take part in the "Un realised projects volume 4" exhibition curated by Sam Ely and Lynn Harris.

Basically it's aimed at artists, writers, musicians and all sorts of creatives to showcase their projects...the ones that have never come to light.
This was a difficult one for me because I have a serious problem when it comes to pigeon holing myself and settling...I have so many interests and disciplines that sometimes it becomes overwhelming.I guess that's why it's so relevant because it leaves me with a large amount of unfinished projects. One of which is music.
As part of the exhibition I have started a My Space page "Frida Black Heart"- my alter ego (one of them anyway!) in an attempt to illustrate the sound scape of my project. My "un realised project". As you will hear there is no attempt to finish the songs because otherwise it would cease to be unfinished/unrealised therefore robbing the spectator of his/her power to use their imagination so to complete the end product and it's numerous outcomes.
I will be uploading samples and ideas I have recorded 10 years ago over a one year period as part of "the lost tapes" series. The page will remain active for the duration of the exhibition.

To find out more about Un realised project visit : www.unrealisedprojects.org

visit my myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/fridablackheart

Sunday morning...

With the advent of the opening of the Taoist centre in Walthamstow Village lots of people have been milling around today.
Usually it gets pretty busy. People walk their pets, their children and visit the numerous eateries on Orford Road. Shop and rumage through the bric a brack in Finamore and delight with wonder at the eclectic mix of goodies at Beautiful Interiors.
With a bang of a drum and a steady gallop a hindu wedding crossed our paths and with the bright sun you'd be forgiven for thinking you were in India. A gorgeous day,bright, fun and full of colour! Who said Sundays were evil?

part of something good!

Hooray the Craft Guerrilla is growing into something quite spectacular. We've been inundated with requests from other creative people that love the idea and want to set up their own army. I can tell you that come JUNE...we'll be in another UK city! Watch this space.
It's all about sharing and linking up to a wider community and making it something that evolves and grows which promotes each and every individual in our community. I'm so excited by the prospect and I honestly admire all the great people that have made this possible. With out them it would be no more then a great idea that lived in a note book in a forgotten drawer.
After a brief sabbatical Munano will be back in May at the Craft Guerrilla Summer Markets at Beautiful Interiors. Lots of new characters to come!

craft guerrilla's first birthday!

It's official CRAFT GUERRILLA is one year old! This time last year it seemed to be an almost forgotten dream and it almost didn't come to life! Three years in the planning ,last March 2008 our little craft group started off as an answer to getting to grips with the world and it's unhealthy appetite with mass produced items and the waste it generates. Wow how things are a changing! We're happy that every one's woken up and joined us on this exciting and creative endeavour! We started off by holding craft markets but things have a funny way of coming together and evolving into even bigger and better projects. Because of the markets we've met many talented people and because of them things like the D.I.Y. craft nights have come to light and become the success they are today.
Join us for a celebration of what we hope will be the first of many more!
The first 50 people through the door will get a goody bag...all you early birds get a special crafty treat!
As usual we'll have some fun and easy craft projects,guest DJ's, vintage board games and impromptu workshops. This edition Lisa Margreet will be holding a "make do and mend" session. Bring along those slightly tatty knitted items and she'll show you how to darn them back into life! Now is no time for chucking things out and because we're all feeling the pinch we're still not charging an entry fee! However there is a small charge per craft pack but you get a project and hopefully some new skill you can use in future. So weather you want to learn something new or brush up on a forgotten skill we hope you can join us!
Also don't forget to bring your GUILTY PLEASURES.Your love to hate/hate to love records! The fab DJ duo Handsome Twins will spin them for you and you wont have to own up to it!
All crafters welcome. Bring your own projects and if we can help you let us know.
See you all soon.
X
Craft Guerrilla

venue map http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=537916&Y=188749&A=Y&Z=110

Anton's a star!

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=44943

Our boy is a little star as he's been featured on Etsy! Good boy!

the big freeze...

there's no place like home...