Last month, I thought it would be fun to exercise my creative muscles and join other craft enthusiasts in their monthly gathering. I have always loved making unique, handmade birthday cards for friends and family, using mixed media like Starbucks cup sleeves and cookie boxes.
The monthly Crafters Gathering initiative was pioneered by Miyyah back in 2010. As time went by, participants took turns to host, organise and teach. This round, the get together was held at Little Syam Creative Nest, Desa Pandan.
Can you spot me nursing a mini coffee hangover?
We started the day by gathering around the food table. Menu of the day was a delicious potluck brunch spread: home baked cakes, home cooked fried spaghetti, nasi lemak, salad, dessert, tea, etc. There was a great mix of cultures on the table with dishes contributed by Malay, Chinese and Libyan participants.
With a well-fed tummy, we moved on to the working tables. It was almost as if we walked into a craft store as each participant brought along his or her own crafting tools, and personal collection of washi tapes, graphic papers, patterns, stamps, stickers, charms, beads, etc. Any craft material you can think of were spread out on the tables to be shared. If you needed something, just ask for permission and use it. How awesome is that?
Gift pack from Hana to get my creative juices going
The session was led by Bali (Instagram: @hambaliart) who showed us how to make easel cards. Each of us received a starter kit with basic materials for 2 cards. We were then free to design the card using our own creativity. There was no distinction between newbies or experienced crafters as everyone generously swapped tips and shared materials.
Miyyah (Instagram: @miyyahatkertas) and Eva (Instagram: @yanscrafty) volunteered for the impromptu mini demo sessions, using water based pen and versaink to make distress and gold stamping on different materials. Miyyah was even challenged by the group to make a mini card within 5 minutes! Some of us cheekily offered her random materials to distract her but she stayed focused on her idea, completing her card in time while the rest of the group cheered on.
The youngest participant had great fun too
It was interesting to see how everybody’s creations were inspired by different cultural backgrounds and specialisations: quilling, felt art, bookscrapping, crocheting, sewing etc. There was also a diverse range of participants; some are weekend crafters while some sell their work professionally.
Towards the end, we had a card exchange activity based on random draws. It was fun and exhilarating to see little surprises included in the exchanges: – plush toys, badges, gift packs, craft tools and so on. After that, we all sang a birthday song for the November babies before calling it a day.
What do you think of my batik inspired easel card?
I really enjoyed myself at this Crafters Gathering. The spirit of give and take is very strong. There was so much to learn from one another; everyone shared their knowledge and experience freely and generously. The personalised gift packs and souvenirs exchanged were also a nice, warm way to make new friends. Now, I’m eagerly awaiting the next craft and makan session with the creative community!
The amazing results of our creative afternoon
If you would like to participate in the next Crafters Gathering, please follow our Facebook or Instagram page for information on the next great sharing session. Each session costs RM15. You can also follow these creative folks on Instagram for more inspiration and ideas:
- As (Instagam: @asmabahari) – A papercrafter specialising in quilling, box making and book-binding.
- Hana (Instagram: @art_melody) – An avid YouTuber with a fondness for scrapbooking and making mini albums.
- Sab (Instagram: @mikylayna) – A mumpreneur specialising in felt artworks, card making and decorative wall frames.
- Fyd (Instagram: @misfyd) – A biotech scientist by day, an avid crafter by night. Loves crocheting, crafting, DIY, and photography.
- Tania (Instagram: @tjdkav) – An insurance customer service agent by day, an avid paper crafter by night.
- Ayu (Instagram: @mkms_collection) – A crafter specialising in custom wedding gifts and hampers.
- Shasha (Instagram: @windsorartstudio) – A fantastic writer, book binder and a great cook.
- Saza (Instagram: @shareyourlovewithcards) – A papercrafter and lover of all things handmade.
- Deisha (Instagram: @lovelyhandmadecraft) – A passionate crafter of guestbooks, cards, food tags, signages, door gifts and candy buffet decorations.
Everyone’s happy at the end of the session
