One thing that I really want to do with Make Time is to share other people’s stories and creative journeys.  Today I am sharing Make Time to Craft with Woodcroft Crafts with you.  It’s always pretty daunting tackling new ventures like this but I’ve done it anyway and I really pleased with the outcome, I’d like to share it with you.

In a “should I do it, going to do it anyway moment”  I did a shout to local creatives to see if they wouldn’t mind being interviewed as part of a creatives interview series.  A chance to chat about their craft and how they fit it in to their busy lives.

My plan was to do these as live interviews straight into Make Time but I was asked if we could do it pre-recorded by most of those who contacted me.  I thought why not, it could be an interesting process.  Let’s give it a go!!

Karen and Nikki smiling in front of the Shop in a Shed

Make Time to Craft with Woodcroft Crafts

My first one with Nikki from Woodcroft Crafts based in Scorton, Lancashire. I had a remarkable morning with Nikki and was totally inspired by her surroundings and ethos on things and how she has adapted to work on her crafting corner of the world!
Watch now:

Here is Nikki from Woodcroft Crafts

As a child I was always ‘arty’ and was lucky enough to be allowed to paint murals on my bedroom walls. I continued doing this as an adult by painting classroom walls. I was a primary school teacher for 25 years and always enjoyed doing arts and crafts with the children.

When I found out the school was going to close and I was being made redundant, I made gifts for all the staff and children to help them stay positive. As a Christian, I believe everything happens for a reason and I try to keep smiling even when things are tough. At the time my dad was needing a triple heart bypass and my mum had just been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Instead of getting another teaching job, I set up a little shop-in-a-shed in my parents’ garden to enable me to be there for them every day.

I make gifts from natural or recycled materials. Being brought up on a scrap yard taught me to ‘use and reuse’ from an early age so nothing is ever wasted. The time I spend crafting is what helps me cope with the rest of the week. It is my quiet time and I usually find it is my prayer time too. At the moment I am learning to make hand-carved puppets. It is time-consuming and complicated but I keep chipping away at it (literally).

Five years later, I’m still here. I can’t claim that my craft business is a very lucrative enterprise, but it is successful in so many other ways. My crafts make people smile and keep me coping.

If you would like to visit Nikki this is her website.   During the Interview she talks about some other great people, here are links to The World of Puppets and The Growing Club.

A little fairy house
a wooden toadstool table and chairs
a large stick man
Up top stop sign post
A tiny fairy garden

My Take Aways from Visiting Woodcroft Crafts

When I set out for the day I didn’t know the reaction of how I’d feel after. It really was an inspiring visit and I feel really privileged to have been let into Nikki’s world for the morning. It’s made me realise that this will be an important series as part of the Make Time journey that Two Tiny Makes is venturing on.

I thought it would be nice for me to pick out a few things that really resonated with me from the morning.

  • Follow your craft even if it’s just a few minutes a day.
  • Hold on to the sacred moments – they are precious.
  • Just start – Just show up and do it and if it doesn’t work first time just try again – we learn so much from making mistakes. Accept the mistakes and embrace it.

If you would like to be a part of the Make Time Community over on Facebook we would love to invite you along….

Make Time VIP is a level up from Make Time – a chance to connect virtually with other Make Time VIP Members on a more personal level.  It’s got some really great benefits!