Tilly Mint Creates

03/12/2024

Rumour has it that there may be more gale force winds again this weekend and I’m hoping and praying that this weekends markets will still be able to take place. I’ve already had 3 cancelled markets over the last two weeks I really don’t want to have any more. I’ll keep an eye on the changing weather over the next few days and post here if there are any changes. As it’s stands at the moment I’ll be at Trentham on both Saturday and Sunday. 10am-5pm on Saturday, while the market will be 11am-5pm on Sunday.

02/12/2024

‼️Christmas Market Changes‼️ I’m gutted to be saying that unfortunately the Artisan Christmas Event at Cheshire Show Ground has been cancelled meaning that I have had to quickly jump onto some additional markets for Christmas. My understanding is that there was an issue with the quality of the light trail and Cheshire Show Ground have made the tough decision to cancel the event which in turn has resulted in the organisers of the market also having to cancel. I know this won’t have been an easy decision and have every respect for the organisers of both the Show Ground and the Artisan Market for making this decision and feel that they have acted on this decision very swiftly to allow us creatives to find alternative venues which I am really grateful for. Moving forward I can now confirm that I will be attending the following events:

📍 Saturday 14th December
Sandbach Makers Market, The Cobbles, Sandbach. 10am-3pm

📍 Saturday 21st December
Trentham Makers Market, Stone Road, Trentham. 10am-4pm

Unfortunately my order book for crocheted items has now closed on Etsy, so if there is something you would like at the market and wish to pre-order it for collection, please feel free to drop me a message and I can sort out a payment link.

02/12/2024

Today will be all about taking a personal day off my business, I’ve been at market all weekend and it’s been a manic few weeks building up to my markets but today is about staying at home and nursing my back for a bit as it can really feel the impact of standing on my feet for so long and dragging around trollers of stock. Today’s plan will be to clean my house and get my own Christmas decorations and tree up as this will probably be the last chance I get. I have a large number of orders to pack at some point but that will wait until tomorrow. I know I’ve got messages in my inbox but I’ll respond to those tomorrow while I have a well deserved break. Thank you all so much for making this season amazing for my business.

30/11/2024

I’m back at Trentham again today for the first of my Christmas Markets after last weeks was cancelled. We’re her into 5pm and it’s busy, busy busy. If you’re in the area pop by and say hello.

30/11/2024

There’s still time to purchase my Learn to Crochet Course in time for Christmas This course was designed initially for the ladies that bought onto my face to face lesson, it has evolved over time and is now perfect for those that can’t make in person events. The kit itself comes in two forms, either as the stand alone course which is contained in the book or as a full kit. The kit includes everything you would get on the course with the addition of 4 balls of yarn, a full set of crochet hooks, scissors, darning needles, a digital row counter, a set of stitch markers and an exclusive Happiness is Handmade Project Bag or as the stand alone book. Whether you buy the course book or the full kit you will get access to a full suite of video tutorials which will teach you everything from how to hold a hook to making your first pair of fingerless gloves. You will gain access to the Facebook community where you will also have a number of pattern where you can test your learnt skills. What more could you ask for? Also it’s the perfect thing to learn for that Crimbo limbo period between Christmas and New Year

26/11/2024

It’s that time of year when people are beginning to buy gifts for Christmas. I always think this image makes you think about the care and thought that has gone into a gift this Christmas time. The thing about crochet is that it can’t be made by machine, every stitch has been created by hand, so whether it’s a handmade item purchase from an artisan market or a gift that someone has handmade themselves, don’t think that the person is being cheap by giving you something handmade, handmade is rarely cheap, It’s a gift that’s wrapped with love, the maker has put in hours of work to create that item, with every stitch their heart has been woven into it so that they can create a gift that is special and unique to you - nobody else will ever have an exact replica of that item. Enjoy your handmade gift and the love that it contains. 🎁

26/11/2024

I don’t mention this very often but did you know that I have a book? Well actually it’s a full crochet course. I’m always sharing my full kits but I rarely share that the actual course is available to purchase on its own which is perfect for those of you who have a kit already and have tried but failed to learn. This book is the perfect option for you. The book follows the full Learn to Crochet scheme of work starting from the very basics of how to hold your hook, right up to making a pair of gloves and all the stitches in between. You’ll learn to work in panels and in the round, how to increase and decrease, changing colour or attaching new balls of yarn, weaving in ends and all of the basis stitches to help you on your crochet journey. Not only do you receive the book with all of its glorious colour pictures but you also get a link to video tutorials and access to my private Facebook group. What more could you ask for? It could be the perfect gift or even something to keep yourself to learn during that Crimbo Limbo period of Christmas and New Year.

25/11/2024

At this time of year it’s always a challenge to get the increase of orders out in a timely manner. No matter how many times I prep for Quarter 4 there always seems to be the emails that come in about dispatch times. In my previous post I advised about my last delivery dates, however I think it’s important that I highlight that dispatch time can change dependant on how many orders I receive. By moving dispatch times it allows me to fulfil orders without becoming overwhelmed or god forbid making mistakes at this time of year. Please could I ask that when you order your items you ensure that you have noted the dispatch date and you are happy with this. Its is super helpful for us as businesses to not have to respond to messages asking if items can be dispatched quicker or having to refund because we can’t fulfil them as quick as you would get with other companies. As always thanks for your support at this time of year xx

25/11/2024

✨Restock✨

I’m so pleased to say that I have now fully stocked my ever popular Granny Square Wristlet Kit. These make fantastic gifts, whether it be made by yourself and gifted or whether you gift the kit, it’s very quickly becoming a best seller on my Etsy. You get to choose your colour combinations and not only do you get the pattern but there are video tutorials too. What would you do with yours?

25/11/2024

‼️Further Clarity on GPSR‼️
The new General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR), effective from December 13, 2024, applies to all EU member states. It establishes a uniform legal framework for non-food consumer products sold within the European Union. The regulation requires manufacturers, including those outside the EU who sell products in the region, to meet specific safety standards, provide clear product information, and ensure compliance through an EU-based “responsible person” if the manufacturer is not established in the EU.

Although it primarily targets the EU, businesses from other countries that sell products in the EU market—such as those in the UK, US, or Switzerland—must comply if their products target EU consumers (e.g., through localized websites, currencies, or shipping to the EU). The regulation also imposes obligations on online marketplaces operating within or targeting the EU.

EU Member States include: As of now, the European Union (EU) has 27 member states. Here is the list: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden. Please note that despite Northern Ireland being part of the UK for the purpose of GPSR this is also considered to be an EU country.

25/11/2024

After another busy week of kit making I’m pleased to say that all granny pouches have now been restocked. These make fantastic gifts, whether it be made by yourself and gifted or whether you gift the kit, it’s one of my most popular kits. You get to choose your colour combinations and not only do you get the pattern but there are video tutorials too. What would you do with yours?

24/11/2024

I’m really looking forward to my two evenings in the Barn with my crochet stall on Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th December. The market is free to attend and you can get your free tickets on the link above or just turn up on the night. Also at the show ground there will be a drive in movie and a light trail so it promises to be a great night for the whole family. All details are included in the web link. Don’t forget you can pre order your items for collection on the day. Just Bob me a message to arrange your collection.

Spread the joy! Share this post with your friends and invite them to experience the magic of Christmas at the Cheshire County Showground!

https://www.cccsg.co.uk/

24/11/2024

I genuinely can’t believe how quickly I am posting the reminder of when my order books close, the year is passing by so quickly. Thank you to everyone who have placed orders on Etsy over the last few weeks, please note that every one of them has been greatly appreciated. Obviously over the next few weeks It will be a busy time to dispatch orders but I do not want to disappoint anyone which is why my last order date for Etsy will be Monday 2nd December, after this date my shop will remain open but orders after this cut off can not be guaranteed and will be for January dispatch. Please note though that this is for crocheted item. Kits and patterns will remain open until 15th and PDF patterns will remain open throughout the festive period. If you would like gifts this year I’m only too pleased to get them sorted for you, either order from Etsy before the deadline or if you want something preordering then let me know and I can bring it to the next market in your area. As previously advised I will no longer be posting to the EU after 12th December.

24/11/2024

It is with regret that I am now joining my fellow creatives in advising that from the 13th December regulation changes will now mean that Tilly Mint Creates will no longer be able to ship handmade items to any EU countries. This regulation change states that each handmade item will now need to be externally tested for safety before it can be sent and evidence must be seen at the point of export. As a creative who has made toys, I am well versed in the UKCA and CE regulations, however this new regulation goes one step further with all items requiring testing by an external source, this means that shipping to these countries is no longer viable for an independent company and as a result I will cease posting from the day before the reg change. Please note that while I can no longer produce items for these countries, PDFs and PDF patterns will remain unaffected and can be purchased on my Etsy.

23/11/2024

It’s been a day without markets for me today so it’s a bit of a strange weekend, this is my season when my business has its most sales so to have a day off feels so odd. With that in mind I thought I’d share the rest of my markets until I finish for Christmas. Don’t forget that if you can’t get to market you can grab all of your crochet squidge online. Also it’s worth mentioning that I tend to take one of each size and colour to market so if there is something that you really want but your worried it will be sold by the time you get to market, fear not you can place your order with me now and get me to bring yours to the market - think click and collect.

22/11/2024

It’s that time of year where we don’t know what the weather will be doing from one minute to the next and I guess that’s why my kits have been so popular lately. This is one of my original kits, the fingerless gloves one, it comes in a selection of amazing colours but also the pattern has the instructions to make both adult and children’s sizes. It’s a real beginner friendly pattern which has been tried and tested multiple times as it’s also the end product of my learning to crochet course. I’ve had such amazing feed back about this one so thought it was appropriate to share it again.

21/11/2024

Unfortunately due to the expected extremely high winds forecast on Saturday I’m sad to say that my market at Trentham has been cancelled. Obviously this isn’t what any of us wanted but the Health and Safety of stall holders and visitors is the priority. I will be back at Trentham next weekend on both Saturday and Sunday. If however you wanted something this week then please don’t hesitate to contact me by DM or place an order online and I can get it out for you this week. Use the code WINDYDAYS at the checkout for your market exclusive price. This online discount will be live until next Friday. Also don’t forget that click and collect is also available any items purchased online or by DM can be collected from any of my markets. Again just drop me a DM to arrange

20/11/2024

I’ve been a little AWOL the last week or so because crazy season is finally upon us. I’m stacked out with making stock at the moment and have been super busy shipping out my Etsy orders. You have completely fallen in love with my bag kit and they have been shipping out on record levels the last few weeks. If you’ve ordered one, keep an eye out for your dispatch notification as all that were ordered prior to Monday have now been shipped. There are some lovely colour choices and I can’t wait to see them all coming together. Don’t forget to share your makes in the private Facebook group - details of how to join are in your patterns.