This week's interview is with Mary from Quite Contrary Crafts. This is a really lovely shop full of beautiful cards, pictures and mugs at great prices. A fantastic place to go to get a card for that special person... (don't forget it's Mother's day on the 14th!)Let's meet Mary...
If you were an animal, what would you be?
I’d like to say something cool and sleek like a fox, but in reality I’d probably be a slightly clumsy tootling-along-happily Wombat!
What is your favourite meal?
I seem to have an addiction to Thai Green Curry at the minute. Though I think my favourite all-time meal is my Mum/Dad’s Sunday Roast, it just can’t be beaten!
Hot weather or cold weather?
Cold weather – I love the layers and knitted accessories that come with it
What’s your favourite colour?
Turquoise
And now about your work.
How did you get started?
I’ve always loved Art, completely absorbed into whatever I’m making at whatever time of night! It all started from creating things for friends’ and family’s Birthdays – after trying all sorts of things, when me, the craft knife and the card finally met it all seemed to fall together; my Parents loved their Christmas cards, then my friends did…and then I found Etsy and Folksy and Quite Contrary Crafts was born!
What’s your favourite material to work with and why?
It’s obviously got to be card with me – I love how it can be transformed with just one tool and a few cutting strokes into something that’s more than just a ‘card’, the way the light reflects through my designs on those rare sunny days. There’s so much versatility with it too – my new Rose paper-cut designs are the start of a whole new exciting avenue to explore! However, it is also the vain in my life when one small wrong cut can bring everything tumblin
g down and I have to start again!
Is there anyone in your life who has particularly inspired you?
My Grandad, in the way that whatever happened in life he constantly had a grin on his face and a cheesy Cockney joke to share, even at 93, and always saw the best in life – it reminds me to keep my head up, even through the tough patches, as something good is worth waiting for!
What’s your best crafty tip?
As ‘classy’ as it sounds, wrapping a bit of sticky plaster around your scalpel handle can make it a lot more comfortable – my poor right hand kept getting various aching red bits in odd places until I discovered this!
What’s your favourite item in your shop?
It’s got to be one of my newest ideas, my ‘I love cake!’ card. It just makes me smile (possibly as I’m a bit of a cake-o-holic!) – I’m thinking of framing a couple of the ‘I love’ cards and putting them in my kitchen to make it all nice and cheery!
