blah, blah, blah
as if we didn't already have plenty to do, we've started our very own blog!

but we need followers to make our blahing worthwhile! so click the link below & start following...

armcandii blog

bright lights, big city
armcandii will be on display in the lighting workshop in catherine street, salisbury from 11-18 september as part of promenade.

promenade is an exciting new visual arts event which sees local businesses teaming up with plain arts members to create a walk-through gallery in the centre of salisbury.

a trail guide will be widely available.

plain arts salisbury

there's something about mary
social networks are buzzing with excitement as designer/makers get behind uk handmade's campaign to enlist the help of mary portas (mary queen of shops) in our quest to bring our handmade goods to the masses.

she is the 'chosen one'...a modern day 'jim'll fix it' if you like, but with considerably better hair & far more style! will she help us? we're counting on it. 

for more information on the campaign & how you can help spread the word on facebook, twitter & the mary portas forum, see the uk handmade blog.

mary portas replies...

uk handmade blog

mary portas forum

glamping at goodwood
cocktail waitresses shaz & amy of the silver rocketeer trailer bar commission armcandii to make two vintage headbands to wear at vintage at goodwood 13-15 august.



vintage candii models vintage headbands!



celebration haircandii checkout

new season's couture candii range
signature knitted cuffcandii join the new & extravagant range of couture candii. 



sparkling vintage pieces wrapped around beautiful freshwater pearls embellish the cuffs.



couture knitted cuffcandii checkout

armcandii launch new season's couture candii range
ethical jewellers armcandii have launched a new & extravagant range of couture candii. the range features their signature hand knitted wirework which is hand-beaded with a mixture of freshwater pearls & recycled glass beads & embellished with sparkling vintage pieces.



"we believe these pieces will be at the top of every girl's wish list this summer & autumn," commented coll smith, armcandii's main designer-maker. "they are little miniature works of art to wear". 



come & see the new range at handmade winchester on sun 4th july during the hat fair. entry is free.

couture neckcandii checkout

banking on success
armcandii joined young entrepreneur arthur (aged 7) at his 'pop-up' café on saturday may 8^th for the southbank bristol arts trail.

arthur was selling cakes & drinks to art lovers & snoopers of other people's houses to raise money for easton school's 'easton under canvas' project which takes pupils camping every summer.

armcandii set up in arthur's lounge having the privilege of using his mum's beautiful inherited retro 'bar' as their 'table'. visitors supporting the school & the arts trail tumbled through the doors between 12 and 5, browsing & buying armcandii treasures & heading for the café in arthur's kitchen & garden.

visitors were taken with armcandii corsages & some inventive shoppers were keen to wear them in their hair, on their bags, on belts as well as on their clothes. armcandii's reworked vintage & retro costume jewellery was also on show & fitted perfectly with the surroundings.

arthur made over £170 for his school…lord sugar would be proud!

   
celebration knitted cuffcandii                classic neckcandii                                        candiidrops

my etsy shop
fans of armcandii can now purchase candii via the new 'my etsy' shop facility on our facebook fan page.

we recently re-opened our etsy shop & are steadily filling it with candii goodies. 

etsy is a global marketplace for handcrafted items from makers from all over the world. in january etsy reported sales by their community had grown by 101% from the previous year. that equals a lot of makers & a lot of consumers. 

click on the 'my etsy' tab to see what's for sale 

salisbury arts café's april e-bulletin features armcandii candiicorsages!
the arts café e-bulletin covers news & exhibitions relating to the visual arts in salisbury & south wiltshire & the salisbury art trail.

visual arts in the area are now being promoted all year round as well as in october when the city art trail happens. to reflect this, salisbury's visual artists network will be renamed in may to 'plain arts salisbury' & a new website will replace the current salisbury art trail & arts café site.

salisbury art trail 

if you would like to receive the monthly
e-bulletin or join the network: info@salisburyarttrail.co.uk

spring into sunshine!
we just can't stop hand felting! first came the candiicollar, now the candiicorsage! hours of armcandii love & elbow grease (not literally) go into these little spring beauties.

they will add a 'pop' of colour to any outfit...pin to your coat, jacket, dress, shrug, wrap, scarf...the options are endless. versatility: equally great with jeans or a statement dress making them the perfect afordable gift (even if it's to yourself!).

candiicorsage checkout

hand felting

carlotta reviews armcandii this month!
take a look at american blogging site: http://carlotta-wwwsplendor.blogspot.com

carlotta's blog


also featured on:
mainlyloving.blogspot.com

glassbeadkits.com

100 journals project
back in the snowy days of january, armcandii submitted drawings and photos of the snowbird neckcandii (see bottom of page) to the 100 journals project organised by alturnertive and supported by the university of the creative arts.

it was a round robin exercise. once we'd completed our entry in the journal, we posted it to the next person on the list and the process started all over again until the last person posted the journal back to alturnertive. the idea is to encourage everybody to join in and to widen participation in the arts.

after bad weather and postal delays, director of alturnertive caron otterwell commented, "we have had an amazing response and have over 1000 people involved including, amongst others, over 300 individuals, schools colleges, universities, offices, libraries, a health centre, a local neighbourhood project for vulnerable families and an raf squadron in afghanistan."

the numerous journals were exhibited at the herbert read gallery in canterbury from 16th-21st february.

alturnertive images on facebook

unravelled in farnham
our good friend sally told us about unravel at farnham maltings - beautiful building by the way.

so this weekend (27^th & 28^th february) that's where we've been, unravelling in farnham. because we were late entrants, we were in the undercroft - a recently altered part of the building & a lovely bright passage way between two stairways & leading into the main hall. the organisers, pam & amy made sure we were as visible as possible by signing visitors' paths to us. 

because unravel was essentially a knitting and yarn based craft show, we took our felted collars, wire knitted cuffs & launched our candii corsages made from felt - all caused a lot of interest & some all important sales.

and we met some interesting people from crafters, many of whom were modest about their achievements to tutors of the various crafts on show. we were even interviewed for a research project on creativity & the everyday by dr roni brown.

we talked to other event organisers, a gallery owner & an author. it was a great place to show off our skills & swap ideas with other crafters.

oh and I'm getting a subscription to the inspirational selvedge magazine for mother's day - yippee!

thank you to pam & amy for well organised & friendly show.

knitted cuffcandii checkout

candiicollar checkout

this project is based on (and part of) the world-wide "1000 Journals Project". it is a very simple idea... you get the book for 2 days to fill  in a few pages & then post it onto the next person on the list... 



just an idea
the white beauty of snow appeared everywhere developing tinges of grey
our snowbird grew wings and tail feathers
and sparkled like ice crystals

ingredients
vintage snowbird brooch
recycled frosted glass beads
fronds of wired beads as tail and head feathers
a vintage diamante chain to add the vibrancy of snow crystals 

it arrived at the beginning of winter
our armcandii snowbird comes alive as neckcandii...


see armcandii's snowbird entry in the 100 journals project when it appears at the exhibition & online at alturnertive. see catch candii for exhibition details