Thank you to Amy and Adrian of Craft Crunch for today’s guest blog post.

Driven by the fact that we are currently in recession, we decided, like many others, that it’s time to get back to basics and make do and mend! To research ideas for a stall of our own we went to Brick Lane, East London to speak to other stall holders and get an idea of how they got started and any advice they could offer etc.

Before we knew it we’d profiled four stall holders on our website and realised we were on to something – we could start a sort of ‘database’ of local creatives making beautiful and, importantly, affordable things in our neighbourhood.

Our aim was to encourage consumers to stay away from the big chain stores and overpriced boutiques and support local artists and craftspeople by buying directly from them.

Among our favourite and most popular stalls are:

- Almendra (above) run by Anna who is a bookbinder. She sells gorgeous and very affordable notebooks in differing sizes.

- Pyramid Club run by Jo who sources unique vintage pieces and transforms them into one-off necklaces that would really turn heads.

- Andrea Garland (above top) who cooks up divine lotions and potions in her kitchen - meltingly gorgeous body and lip balms packaged in vintage tins which can be re-filled when the product is all used up.

- Bobby Dazzler aka Rosie and Fumie who hand stitch adorable soft toys which are impossible to resist - each has its own story and every one is utterly unique.

To see these girls and much more come and visit us at www.craftcrunch.com.

While our current focus is on East London, we’re gradually venturing further afield and want to get more talented artists on board. If you’d like to get involved and write a feature on craftspeople in your local area please get in touch.

Something lighthearted and frivolous for a dull ‘Moanday’ afternoon. These beautiful felt cakes are made by Daisy Daydreams. They are sold in gift shops and boutiques all over the world and right here in the Daisy Daydreams Etsy Store.

I was thinking that with all the craft fairs and markets taking place at the moment, they’d make a great display. Or an unusual Easter gift perhaps. Or pin cushions . . . .

Visit www.daisydaydreams.etsy.com.

I’ve just got back from a really enjoyable afternoon at Urbis. I went along to their Skills Swap event to take a few pics and ended up staying until the end. Skills Swap takes place every other Sunday and today’s event focused on monprinting. The techniques involved are fairly simple but the results, as you can see below, are quite dramatic.

Amy Owen, Urbis’ Learning Project Manager, demonstrated the process. Everyone, including me, pitched in and had a go at producing their own prints.

After the demonstration you could either continue with printing or work on your own project. There were people knitting, crocheting and felting. Everyone was happy to offer advice and suggestions and it was all very informal and relaxed.

And here is some of the work that was produced. Pretty impressive, don’t you think.

I really enjoyed this event. It was good fun and allowed me to try something new without having to buy lots of tools and equipment. It was also strangely peaceful and relaxing and when I left I felt I’d learned something.

The next event takes place two weeks today on 12th April. For more information visit www.urbis.org.uk/events.asp.

We’ve heard of music tours, book tours, show tours and comedy tours. Well what about a craft tour? The Lady Luck ladies are leading the way. This year they’ll be stepping out from behind their laptops to embark on a nationwide tour of indie events. They’ll be pitching up their stripy stand at craft markets, vintage fairs, jumble sales, summer fetes and DIY workshops.

It all kicks off tomorrow with a Spring Fling at Sheffield’s Workstation - a stunning 1930s Art Deco building housing over 60 creative businesses. And keeping it in Yorkshire, they’ll be hopping over to Leeds on Sunday for the The Affordable Vintage Fashion Fair. Pop in and browse through their reworked and recycled thrifty finds, Jazzy Brooches, gold filled Love Tokens and all the snazzy jewellery they source from Paris.

Also worth a mention is Lady Luck’s Pop-Up Tea Shoppe, an exhibition style tea party featuring tables dressed up from different eras. Customers can play Tidley Winks and cards at the 30s table, make do and mend at the 40s table, become the perfect homemaker at the 50s table, go POP at the 60s picnic table or get crafty at the 70s table! Waitresses styled in the fashions from each decade will be serving up a delicious menu of traditional home baked fancies including macaroon tarts, lemon drizzle cake and carrot and cinnamon cupcakes. You’ll find the Pop-Up Tea Shoppe inside the Affordable Vintage Fashion Fair (4th April, London).

Other venues include Norwich, Newcastle and Glasgow, with more events to be added soon. For further information on these events including dates, venues and maps, visit www.ladyluckrulesok.com.

Earth Hour takes place tomorrow (Saturday 28 March) at 8.30pm. Individuals, businesses and iconic buildings all over the world will turn their lights off for one hour to send a message to world leaders to take action on climate change.

The following film outlines the history of WWF Earth Hour.

For further information and to find what you can do, visit www.wwf.org.uk/earthhour.

Fancy your hand at printmaking? This Sunday’s Creative Skill Swap event will include demonstrations of monoprinting and collograph. If you’d like to have a go bring a pinny.

Creative Skill Swap is a series of crafty events aimed at adults. If you have a hobby such as knitting, painting, embroidery or printmaking, you can go along and share your knowledge and pick up new skills at the same time. Workshops are friendly and informal and everyone learns from each other.

Creative Skill Swap takes place every other Sunday from 2 til 4. The venue is the Learning Suite at Urbis. The cost is just £2.50 which includes refreshments.

For further information visit www.urbis.org.uk.

Today’s chipper guest blogger is Carrie Maclennan of Made in the Shade. Carrie is a very busy lady. As well as handling the marketing for the hugely successful Made in the Shade events, she runs her own creative enterprises Lady Wurlitzer (vintage inspired, bath and beauty products) and Nana Moon (a collection of quirky treasures, trinkets and vintage ephemera).

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Ditch the spring clean in favour of the springtime indie shop-a-thon!

Inspired by Saturday’s post about Cathy Nichols’ beautiful springtime art prints, get set for another celebration of the change of season! The sky is blue. The sun is shining and the daffodils are well and truly in bloom! Spring is supposed to be about de-cluttering our homes and about sprucing ourselves up after the cold, dark winter . . . . However, I’m not so sure I want to spend my Springtime scrubbing kitchen cupboards and exfoliating my elbows! I’d much rather enjoy an indie shopping trip or two, picking up fabulous items here and there that add new life and new beauty to my home and my wardrobe!

Top Pic - These dainty handmade ceramic bird pegs by Kitty & Dude add a little touch of winged quirk around the house! Pop them in unexpected places! Chirpy! Chirpy! Designer Cosima Sempill’s cheeky range of ceramic homewares and accessories are utterly beguiling. Check out her grenades, Scottie dogs and Russian dolls in her online shop!

Michelle Aaron, owner of crafty business Covetables, has a certain knack of stitching up plush pals that seem to have little personalities all of their own! This chap (let’s call him Charlie Chicken) will make a fabulous addition to a springtime reading chair or daybed! Oh! How I wish I had a day bed . . . .

Designed and digitally printed by Scottish designer Clare Nicolson, these dolly bird cushions come in Russian doll-style sets! How splendid!

Perfect to hold all your indie finds and thrift-store bargains, this beautiful floral shopper by Emoni (Michael Clarence) adds a touch of glamour to any bargain hunt! Look at the pretty ribbon bows!

Lorraine Linton’s egg cosies have recently featured in textile style bible Selvedge. With these you’ll be enjoying the UK’s most design conscious soldiers!

These designers and makers are setting up shop at the Made In The Shade Springtime Jamboree on Sunday 5th April. If you live near Glasgow - then you’re in for a treat! Pop by Oran Mor, Byres Road between 12 noon and 5pm. For more information, visit www.wearemadeintheshade.com.

Sprout Studio turns five this month and to celebrate they’re offering Indie Quarter readers a generous 25% off their orders. Just type indiequarter in the code box during checkout.

And what can you find at Sprout Studio? A quirky range of necklaces, accessories, paper goods and ceramics. All of these items have been created by multi-talented craft queen, Jenifer Solomon-Lake.

Visit www.sproutstudio.net. And don’t forget the code!