Thanks to our teamie Sea, from Corrine Creations, we now have a searchable list of markets featuring our fellow EtsyMCR members
As we are unable to run our successful annual festive event at People’s HIstory Museum this year, we are promoting individual markets that our teamies are involved in. Check out our list here: EtsyMCR Members Markets 2022
Congratulations Aaron Cranfield for being our Member of the Month! You’ve been selected because you’re always an enthusiastic, active member on our Etsy Manchester Members Facebook group, and we also love seeing your smiley face at our monthly socials. Thank you for your continued engagement and involvement with our team!
Firstly, please introduce yourself! Where are you from, what are your hobbies? Who is Aaron Cranfield, of Cranfields Creations?!
My name is Aaron. I am 29 and run my little environmentally friendly and retro inspired business, Cranfields Creations, out of my flat in sunny Salford. I am the creator, maker, mover and shaker of my pop-culture cards and prints.
Alongside Etsy, I also work full-time in communications, so I guess you could say I am a part-time illustrator with a full-time passion. Running a small business and working full-time can be a struggle, so I must stay organised and on-top of my game. As an Aries, I have a strong personality and I am always determined to make things succeed.
What is your story so far, as an artist? And where would you like to see your artistic career going in the future?
I’ve always been creative and a maker of things, so when I had the opportunity to go to University and study Fine Art, I jumped at the chance. It was a life changer and the experience really opened my skillset to new and exciting things. Once I graduated, I worked in a few jobs, but never really had an outlet for my creative side, so I started Cranfields Creations to help express myself and get to know other creative people like me. I discovered Etsy Manchester a few months later: everyone has been incredibly supportive. It’s been great to see and help others going through their own Etsy journeys.
Since Cranfields Creations opened in January 2018, my “day job” has taken a significant and positive change… along with my drawing style. I’m lucky that my passion and daily routine are now so intrinsically linked. Over the next few years I would love to see my little business expand so I can move to reduce my work hours or even go self-employed full-time – what a dream!
We see loads of familiar faces (in the form of prints and greetings cards) available to purchase on your Etsy shop. Which famous people or characters have been your favourites to paint, and why?
I am a huge pop-culture fan, even ‘nostalgic’ pop-culture, and love to illustrate my favourite cult icons from it. I find it all so relatable for certain types of moods, relationships or occasions – it’s a reflection of us as humans so fits us all in some way! One fine example is my Ainsley Harriott illustration: his personality is just so resonant and iconic of the 90s that anyone can see its appeal. When I draw and think of my quotes, I try to capture that character in. I am currently working on a Britney Spears ‘circa 2007 meltdown’ design, which I think everyone can relate to!
One of my favourite illustrations is of Marsha P Johnson. She is one of the biggest icons of the gay rights movement and a prominent figure of the 1969 Stonewall riots. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I like to do my bit by paying homage to those who have led the way for the community by illustrating to educate and inspire others.
We get the feeling that you may enjoy watching a movie every now and then (all your incredibly accurate character artworks give that away a little bit!). Is it fair to say you’re a bit of a film buff? And if you had to play a role in a movie, which role would you play and why?
Now this is a cracking question! Unfortunately, I am one of those people who has a top 50 movie list, so yes, I would classify myself as a film buff! I don’t think I could whittle a role to play to just one, however, a few that come to mind are Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton – Terminator), Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver – Alien) and any of the cast of First Wives Club (Bette Midler, Goldie Hawn and Diane Keaton). I just admire the strong female spirit these characters possess and their bravery to rise to challenges, plus “You Don’t Own Me” is an absolute banger…
If your artworks could speak…what would they say about you?
They would say I am too much of a perfectionist, and I need to stop worrying about the detail. I used to spend a lot longer on a piece than I currently do, so I am getting better!
And finally, is there anything happening soon (such as markets, events, giveaways, celebrations, new product launches) that you’d love our readers to know about, and to add to their diaries?
I wouldn’t want to give too much away, but I have a new Christmas line coming out soon – full of more of my favourite cult Christmas villains and heroes. Plus, the new Cranfields Creations website will be launching shortly so you’ll be able to experience the full Aaron personality! You can keep up-to-date with me on my social media channels and as a bonus, get a behind the scenes glimpse of my way of working.
Check out Cranfields Creations on Facebook, follow Aaron’s work on Instagram and shop his personalised portraits and pop culture artworks over on Etsy.
Would you like to be our next Member of the Month, and be featured on our website and in our exclusive Team Newsletter? To be in with a chance, all you have to do is become an active EtsyMCR team member, in three easy steps:
2. Head over to Facebook and join our EtsyMCR Members Group.
3. Be ACTIVE! Ask questions, support other team members by answering their questions and joining in with conversations, share news & opportunities, tag @etsymcr on your Facebook, Instagram and Twitter posts, and come along to our monthly Socials!
EtsyMCR teamie Mary Sonja Tudor chooses her fave Back to School, College or Uni goodies to make the new term a bit more fun!
Heya! I’m Mary, the owner, designer, maker and everything else over at Mary’s Jewellery Bakery! I’ve always had a love for cake and cats, but I’ve only started displaying it through my crafts earlier this year. I like to work with resin, polymer clay and dollhouse furniture to create unusual and kawaii jewellery, inspired by the Harajuku fashion.
Among many other things, I also love stationery! When this month’s gift guide’s theme came up, I just had to get involved! Here are my top picks for amazing Back to School gifts for kids, teens, university students and anyone who is stationery crazy!
This month, EtsyMCR teamie Sophiemay shares her top Easter picks
Hi everyone! I’m Sophiemay of Sophiemayde (get it?), I do a bunch of things from embroideries, to portrait stitches, to illustrations, to lettering. I love being able to be creative in pretty much any medium I can! I’ve been given the opportunity to put together a list of all the excellent Easter Treats my fellow Etsy Manchester teamies have to offer.
Easter for me is all about chocolate, bunnies and lovely colourful flowers, so I’ve put together all things Easter but it’s also heavy on these particular aspects of what I associate Easter with!
What better way to kick this off than an edible Bunny cake topper by MariesBakehouse? How perfect would this look on a delicious carrot cake?
If you happen to love brooches and pins as much as me, then you’ll love this Wooden Hare Brooch by stephaniecoleDESIGN. The perfect combination of bunnies and flowers in one adorable package.
How can you go wrong with combining fudge and mini eggs? You can’t. You can get your very own Easter Fudge by SugarChicFudgeToffee and have an amazing post-Easter dinner sweet snack.
Tulips are one of my favourite flowers, and this print by HelenaLeeStudios is just stunning!
Wreaths are the perfect all year round decoration, and this Knitted Easter one from ClairTdesigns is the perfect Easter decoration.
Having people over for Easter dinner? Want to get adorable and personalised treats? TailoredChocolates has got you covered with these Easter Peekaboo tins.
Looking for a cute, but still Easter-related tag to add to your Easter gifts? JanewayLasers has the perfect Wooden Carrot Labels, and you can choose to have them blank, personalised with names or with “Happy Easter” for that extra finishing touch.
Enjoy a good pun? Who doesn’t! Doodlesworth has you covered for Easter cards with this Good Egg Card.
Looking for a cute, yet functional gift to give this Easter? TasherellaKitty has the cutest Handmade Zip Pouch, complete with adorable duckling and floral pattern.
For the those that like hot cross buns, and adorable food based jewellery, MarysJewelleryBakery has you covered with these Kawaii Polymer Clay Hot Cross Bun earrings (and for those without pierced ears, there’s hot cross bun necklaces too!). The perfect addition to an Easter dinner outfit.
Our thanks to Sophiemay for her fab picks!
If you’re looking for more gift ideas, why not take a peek at some of our other EtsyMCR Gift Guides?
Check out these romantic cards and gifts for your Valentine (or Galentine!) from the EtsyMCR Team
Top Ten Picks by Team Leader Sally, aka The Lobe Wardrobe
1. Perfectly capture a moment or memory with a customisable card this Valentine’s Day! Simply send your chosen photo to the maker, ALittleMoonBeam, via Etsy conversations and they’ll illustrate it to create a wonderfully personalised card. And don’t be shy about getting creative with it – you could choose photos of your pets, places or objects – whatever means something special to you or the recipient!
2. Go down the traditional route with a classy box of chocolates this Valentine’s… but make sure you choose something extra special, such as the luxury Valentine Chocolate Box by EponineChocolate! These beautiful works of chocolatey art are skilfully handmade with dark chocolate and filled with salted caramel and hazelnut gianduja. You can choose a box size of 4 to 36 chocolates… depending on how much you love the recipient, of course! 😉
3. Sometimes we love each other so darn much that it’s just impossible to express ourselves verbally… so let’s share our innermost feelings via the unusual medium of embroidery! You can choose your own personalised message, so long as it’s short and sweet, and Sophiemayde will stitch your words by hand onto these little hoops for you to pass on to your partner, your Mum, or maybe your Dentist, if you think they’re really great.
4. Do you hate dating? But do you like your friends? If you answer yes to both these questions, then stop wasting time and immediately purchase these cards for each of your besties. Screw Valentine’s, it’s all about Palentine’s – which I personally think we should celebrate all year round! The vibrant design has been hand-painted by LauraCharleyDesign, before being printed to create A6 cards, which are left blank inside – ideal for you to fill with more rambling complaints about all the bad dates you endured in 2018.
5. OK… now back to items for people who DO like dating… we have these delicate little heart dishes made by BlueButterflyCrafts! Available in your choice of purple or red, these dainty ceramic hearts are perfect for holding tealight candles, as a place to store rings or other small trinkets, or simply to add a pop of colour to your mantelpiece or bookcase. Did you know that pottery is the traditional gift for the 9th wedding anniversary?
6. Inspired by The Great Gatsby, OMGoshShop offers these smart and sophisticated wooden monogram cufflinks, which are personalised with your chosen initials. You can even opt for 2 different initial pairs, one for each cufflink, AND you can choose Solid Oak, Walnut or Cherry as your choice of wood!
7. Clearly we think that personalisation is the way to go for Valentine’s Day 2019… because here we have another fabulously customisable option for you! sevenPMstitches will add your chosen names to this adorable cross-stitch pattern (PDF download format), which is ideal for beginners or intermediate level cross-stitchers. Go on – give it go – handmade gifts are always a fabulous way of saying “I love you”!
8. Say “je t’aime” with this beautiful print by emmycphotography! This 8” x 6” print features a view of the Eiffel Tower from Pont Alexandre, Paris, which is probably the most amorous location on Earth. The gorgeous, vintage-esque colours and dreamy architecture will effortlessly add a touch of romance to any home!
9. We’re a loving bunch here at EtsyMCR and would never condone you exterminating your significant other (or anyone, for that matter). However, we are very supportive of you affectionate-ing them, and recommend you do so by purchasing this adorable card by Doodlesworth! This card is A6 size, left blank in the middle for you to write your own message, and printed on environmentally friendly FSC approved card.
10. And now for those of you planning to make this Valentine’s Day extra special… we have this stunning proposal bear by AndSoItBiggins. Decorated with approximately 250 handcrafted roses and made to order in the colour of your choice, these bears are the perfect way to pop that all important question, and will be a lovely keepsake for you and your partner to remember the moment forever.
Etsy Made Local is BACK in Manchester for the third year running!
Treat someone on your Nice List… Discover handmade gifts from over 40 EtsyMCR sellers at People’s History Museum from Friday 30th November to Sunday 2nd December.
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FREE ENTRY all weekend, including to the Museum itself (although donations are always welcomed).
On Friday 30th November, join us for the Museum’s annual Winter Warmer Late Night Shopping event from 5pm – 8pm with Mulled Wine, Mince Pies and Live music from the lovely, amazingly talented She Choir!
You can also check out the Museum’s Christmas Tree which is being decorated by members of the EtsyMCR team – it’ll be on display until Christmas! Find out who made each decoration by getting up close and personal, plus there’ll be a chance to name one of the decorations!
We’re very excited to share so many awesome items from a whole host of Etsy Manchester members; keep an eye on our Twitter feed and follow us for information about each of our sellers. And find out more over on our Facebook event page, and let us know you’re coming!
We can’t wait to see you all!
Hannah Cox of Stag and Raven and betternotstop shares some of her favourite local communities – including EtsyMCR!
Photo Credit: Leona, Lucky Dip Club.
I’ve been a self employed business owner and blogger for years now and I still get overwhelmed when trying to prioritise my workload and decide what’s best for my business. I have been running my shop, Stag and Raven for three years. Since my business partner left in the Summer I have decided to really refocus my plans, and part of that has been seeking out support from other business people.
Running a creative business on your own is hard, which is why deliberately searching out a community that understands us is so important.
The benefit of finding our community is huge. We can feel supported, share ideas, work together and help us find whatever success means to us. We need a nonjudgmental, friendly environment to help us grow and succeed.
I wanted to share with you the best off and online communities that you can join now to find a group of people that understand you! This is a good start for you whether you run Etsy as a hobby, side hustle or are looking to grow it as a full time business.
Photo Credit: Etsy Manchester Facebook Group
I have only just started using Etsy as a platform to sell as I have been with Shopify for the last few years and found it to be a wonderful online platform for Stag and Raven.
However joining Etsy has already had a big positive influence through the community of people I have met at the Manchester Meetups. Our team meet once a month and have events structured around a central topic (last month was how to work with influencers) and then an opportunity to network.
Not only have I been walking away from these meetups with tangible ideas on how to grow my business, but also its been a great place to find people to collaborate with and help me with problems and issues I am facing.
If you haven’t made it to a meet up yet, please try and make it to the next one – I would love to meet you there! If evenings are just too hard, why don’t you make a effort to get involved in discussions online and asking questions to other business owners that way?
You can join the Manchester team here.
Photo Credit: In Colourful Company Facebook Group
As well as an active Facebook community, the main purpose of this group is to create real life connections.
They believe in living a creative live and highlight this through organising ‘colour walks’ all over the UK with upcoming walks in Manchester, Leeds, Margate, London, Liverpool, Brighton and Glasgow. These involve spending two – three hours exploring the city, taking photos and getting to know each other. All are finished with a shared meal together and an opportunity to make new friendships.
You can join the group here.
Photo Credit: Leona, Lucky Dip Club.
The Rollercoaster of Running an Indie Business
Joining this group was a game changer for me. Run by Leona from Lucky Dip Club, this acts like a virtual co-working space for indie biz owners to chat, collaborate and cheerlead. With over 2,000 members, this closed group is a safe space to discuss any business issues you may have, share information and help find a real sense of community.
Not only that, Leona has tons of live video resources on topics as varied as blogging, subscriptions, licensing and wholesale to help you with your own research and business development.
As well as running this group, Leonie also has a subscription based ‘Make It Happen’ group which goes really in depth with support and course work to help you grow your indie biz. Subscriptions for this are now closed, but signing up to the main free group will give you a ton of free resources and support to get you started.
You can join the group here.
Photo Credit: Kenny Clayton Photography
I started writing over at betternotstop.com five years ago when I was working in the Music and Events Industry and was trying to seek out other people with my values. I believe we should all enjoy everyday life through our work, friendships, travel, and adventure. We can make our lives better, we can help and support each other, and make the world a nicer place to be.
I also started meetups in Manchester and Liverpool to meet other like minded people through putting on talks, workshops and film nights. I am happy to say I met a lovely group of people I can now call my friends.
After returning to Manchester this year after a year of travel I decided to start my events up again. As well as running a monthly evening meetup, I also run what I call my ‘GSD Coffee Mornings’ every Wednesday. (Yes, it stands for ‘Get S**t Done’!). These are a way for us all to meet other indie business owners in Manchester and help us all towards holding ourselves accountable for our business goals.
Join my Facebook group here.
Photo Credit: Darren Bullock on the OverDrawn Facebook Group Page.
Head down for a night of live art, pound portraits, illustration showdowns and doodling on the tables! OverDrawn is an interactive art brand. They showcase local artists, drawing live under the lights & allowing the audience to get involved.
It’s always free entry and the art materials are supplied by CASS ART Manchester
Join the Overdrawn Page to see what’s on here
Photo Credit: Jack Kirwin on the Art Battle Manchester Facebook Group Page.
Taking place at venues around the City, Art Battle Manchester is Manchester’s most energetic art event. Each event has ten Artists who take centre stage and produce a piece of Art within 30 minutes. The audience then decides who is crowned Champion. Not only that, the art is auctioned off at the end of the night and all money raised goes to charity.
A brilliantly inspiring event to go to as a maker or painter. Perhaps you could apply to take part yourself?
Follow Art Battle Manchester here.
Meetup believes that getting together with people in real life is what makes powerful things happen!
I promote betternotstop through meetup and as an organiser it costs me £20 a month to put on events on this platform. However it is free to join and explore what is on in your city. Many groups run a mixture of paid for and free events, so it depends on the community you join on whether it costs anything to attend an event.
As a guide, most major cities in the UK have meetups for art classes, dancing, hiking, filmmakers, photographers freelancers and business owners. It’s also a great place to seek out building a community yourself. People who join meetup are actively looking to get together with people with similar interests. So if there is nothing on you fancy in your city, maybe you are the person to start it!
Perhaps you want to start workshops or meet other knitters, sewers, bakers or photographers?
Find out what Meetups are on in your city here.
Eventbrite is a similar platform to meetup as it allows event organisers and potential customers the perfect place to meet online. Membership for organisers is much cheaper, as it only charges you per event and takes a percentage of the ticket price.
I choose to advertise on both as it’s a good way to get a mix of people at my events, and it’s also got a better ticket platform (I can offer early bird pricing and donation only tickets on Eventbrite to make my events more accessible)
Like meetup it is free to join and explore what is on in your city. As it is cheaper it tends to be VERY busy and hard to navigate what is going on around you. It has a huge variety of events available. As a guide, when I was researching for this article in Manchester there were thirty different events to attend today, from bicycle repairs, networking, prosecco tasting and free walking tours. Although there is more to explore, I find it a lot harder to navigate when looking for things to do.
Find out what events are on in your city here.
Joining a new community and seeking out new friendships can feel hard, I know. What you need to remind yourself is that you can do anything, just not everything!
Any fears or problems that you have running your own business or creating your own art, is totally normal. This is why sharing with other people is a vital part of finding your community. I strongly encourage you to join any or all of the groups in this article that you feel align with your values. Join in the discussions, ask questions and decide which ones are right for you.
Hannah Cox
I run Stag and Raven, a UK Art & Lifestyle brand and betternotstop, a lifestyle site and events focused on building a life you love through meaningful work and adventure. Join my Facebook group here.
Our top 10 picks for our top 10 Dads!
Our newest Team Leader, Sally – aka The Lobe Wardrobe – has picked some of her favourite Father’s Day cards and gifts made by the EtsyMCR Team.
1) First up, something for Dads who just never seem to grow up… introducing the Big Kid Dad! Treat both your little monkey and your big monkey (!) this Father’s Day to these matching t-shirts by DadsAndKids – they are hand pressed in Cheshire, and are available in several sizes and colours.
2) Next we have a gift for any New or Soon-to-be Dads; these beautifully simple card packs by IsabellaandUs would make a lovely gift to Dad from Mum, baby or the bump! The pack includes 20 “Daddy” cards, each have messages to remind and reassure new Dads that they’re doing a brilliant job.
3) Now we have something for perhaps the most prolific Dad of all…
Pun-loving Dad! Using sustainably sourced materials, KatherineCoryDesign offers a variety of pun-tastic greetings cards such as this eggs on toast design – you might find they’re toastally perfect for your Dad this Father’s Day (hmm… maybe the puns should be left to Katherine!)
4) If you’re looking for something extra special for your Sophisticated Dad, we think these fine wool and silk blend scarves might just do the trick! BronwenSimpson offers a variety of styles in their shop, but this burgundy ponte fabric scarf in particular would make a stunning gift for Father’s Day.
5) If you have a Sweet Tooth Dad (also known as Always Hungry Dad, or Third Helpings Dad), we reckon you can’t go wrong with these personalised sweetie hampers! HarlieLoves offers two hamper sizes to best suit your Dad’s appetite, and you can add a personalised message to the gift box and individual sweetie labels.
6) These illustrated cards by sophieheywood would be adored
by just about any Dad out there, but particularly loved by any Nature Loving Dads! Blank on the inside, with the beautiful image of a baby fox cuddling into their parent on the front, we think these cards would be perfect for any child to give to their Dad this Father’s Day.
7) Spoil your Sports Mad Dad this Father’s Day with a “King of The Road” cycling themed mug! In addition to mugs, TailoredChocolates offer several other cycling themed gifts, and various other sports themes, including rugby and golf. The mugs hold a generous 11oz (ideal to quench the thirst of any particularly dehydrated Sports Mad Dads!) and are dishwasher safe.
8) Though very similar to Pun-loving Dad, may I introduce a new variety of jokester… Crude-loving Dad! This type of Dad will particularly enjoy these humorous (and sometimes a little bit naughty!) cards by HelenDodsworthDesign – with so many cheeky designs to choose from, you’re guaranteed to find one that will make your Dad chuckle on Father’s Day.
9) The penultimate Dad on our list is Outdoorsy Dad! SimplyImperfected has used the tricky decoupage method to expertly decorate this piece of slate, and we think the campervan theme would make an ideal gift for any Outdoorsy Dads for Father’s Day. The slate comes with two stands, so your Dad can display this lovely slate piece pride of place on his window sill, or even in his actual campervan!
10) And last but certainly not least, an adorable gift for any Family Man Dads… a set of three hand painted penguin pebbles by TheRaspberryCat – perfect for indoor or outdoor decoration in a family home. We think these would make a lovely little gift from any child to their Dad this Father’s Day!
Etsy Made Local: Manchester came back home to People’s History Museum from Friday 1st – Sunday 3rd , brought to you by the Etsy Manchester team. Visitors who attended over the weekend found unique, personalised, one-of-a-kind Christmas gifts in a beautiful location from artisans and designer-makers who put their heart and soul into everything they make. There were even more sellers than in 2016 and more visitors attended, too. We had a fabulous weekend!
