Finnieston is fast becoming Glasgow’s new hotbed of independent shopping with two new shops just opened, both catering for lovers of handmade and quirky gifts.

The Shop of Interest opened doors a couple of weeks ago and is already doing great – why not pop in for a browse of their wares including products by GCM members Much Too Fun and Asking For Trouble? You’ll find them at 1058 Argyle Street, opposite the Hidden Lane.

Just around the corner at 231 Berkeley Street, you’ll find Made With Love, a cute new deli complete with teeny gift shop. You can get a cupcake, a great cup of coffee and some handmade gifts all the same place. Look out for items by GCM members Lucy Jackson Designs and Asking For Trouble.

And don’t forget, if you’re in the area, the Hidden Pop-Up Shop is open til Christmas in the Hidden Lane and features a whole host of Glasgow talent.

Happy shopping!

Mafia member Lucy from LucyJacksonDesigns will be on hand on the 7th, 14th and 28th of  November to show you how to design and make you own badges or bracelets. Pop along at 2pm on any of those dates and for £3 (materials supplied) you can either make something for yourself or as a Christmas present.

Or what about

If your children are interested in learning new crafty skills or improving them then Iona from Iheart… has an exciting 6 week course for them at The Life Craft. Starting this Friday at 4pm and running for 6 weeks she will guide them through the disciplines of sewing, knitting and cross stitch with a lot of fun thrown in.

Sadly this series of classes is strictly for children but I’m sure you’ll benefit from their makes too when they bring them home.

For more information please look at http://www.thelifecraft.co.uk/blog/ or why not pop in and have a chat with Vonnie and the team.

Not one, but two great new shops open their doors in Edinburgh this Saturday. Both shops will be selling work by GCM members and we hope you’ll pay them a visit.

Long time friend of the Mafia and one time member Hannah Zakari is expanding her successful online boutique into a real life shop. Situated in Candlemaker Row, the new shop will stock all your favourite indie designers from the UK and beyond. Pop in on opening day for tea and biscuits, and the chance to collaborate with Dazed Dorothy and Eclectic Shock on some unique jewellery and accessories.

Hannah Zakari, 43 Candlemaker Row, Edinburgh, EH1 2QB

Over on Bread Street, The Spider and The Fly is a pop-up gallery space, filled with original art work and prints and a quirky boutique stuffed to the brim with handmade treasures from the best indie designers around. Join them from 12pm for live music by Julia’s Daughters, wine, cake and the chance to make a fox face mask with Kirsty Anderson of Wooden Tree.

The Spider and The Fly, 65 Bread Street, Edinburgh, EH3 9HA

The curtain lifts on a dimly lit stage. Motionless figures are silhouetted against an illuminated backdrop, showing a street scene in Rome, overlaid with flickering images of Rome’s post-war landscape and people.  Welcome to Scottish Ballet’s production of Romeo and Juliet, a production as far away from tutus and romantic frippery as it’s possible to get.  Choreographed especially for Scottish Ballet, the only thing recognisable from traditional productions is the fantastic Prokofiev score played with joyous precision by the Scottish Ballet Orchestra.

In this modern retelling of the Romeo and Juliet story, the Capulets are a strutting, fascistic black-shirted force, the Montagues, left-wing agitators. The action spans three different time periods – the 1930s, 50s and 90s – underpinning the universality of the message, that in every time people find themselves torn between love and loyalty, old feuds and the unrealised possibility of reconciliation.

Throughout the taut first act, the story unfolds with scenes of high drama punctuated by points of exquisite stillness.  In one spine-tingling moment, the entire cast drops to the floor as one to reveal the lone figure of Juliet at the back – it’s our first glimpse of her, and utterly mesmerising.  Dressed in a short, gossamer-light dress emphasising the youth and innocence of her character, Sophie Martin brings out the vulnerability of Juliet, and transposes it into strength by the end of the ballet.

The familiar strains of the Montagues and Capulets theme (you know, this one!  ) is matched with strong, angular movements, macho leaps and posturing, expressing the power and intent of these warring families.  This contrasts with the delicacy of the pas de deux between Romeo and Juliet, the most astonishingly intimate of which is the bedroom scene at the start of act III.

The ballet doesn’t sugar the pill of the tragedy of death, from harrowing real-life scenes on the screen to the stage deaths of Mercurio, Tybalt and, eventually, Romeo and Juliet themselves. Romeo’s pain is palpable as he returns to Juliet’s lifeless body again and again, lifts and carries her before placing her back on the bed and killing himself. When she stirs, half-pinned by Romeo’s prone form, it’s heartbreaking as she discovers her lover dead and takes her own life.  There’s no light relief from the emotional intensity; the grieving families leave the stage, unreconciled, and the curtain drops.

There’s still time to catch this terrific show! It plays in Glasgow until April 24^th, then goes to Aberdeen, Inverness and Belfast.

www.scottishballet.co.uk

The first of the seasonal boutique shopping events, The Made In The Shade Springtime Jamboree, takes place on Saturday 17th April between 10.30am and 5pm and will showcase the work of over 30 local designer makers and creative businesses in a bid to draw attention to creative enterprise in Scotland and celebrate the DIY approach taken by small businesses and tiny traders in Glasgow.

Mafia members Art by Neil Slorance, Dazed Dorothy, Ding Dong Designs, Florence Box Jewellery, Love Me Again, Stella My Star, t-boo and We Are The Robots join the huge range of talented folks. See the full line up here

Customers can take part in public crafting project, The Bunting Bonanza or spend some time with the Made In The Shade stylist in the Not Now Cato! Vintage Dressing Room. There will even be a DIY vintage-style photo booth set up for visitors to capture a snap of their day out! Very special goody bags containing handmade treats from designer makers, miniature art and other special gifts will be presented to early birds. Entry is free!

The latest class schedule is also now available online and in the shop.

Scottishcraft.com has just relaunched as new site aiming to offer a shop window to a wider range of Scotland’s art, craft and design community. It’s already showcasing a great selection of the finest handmade products and gifts from Scotland, including many GCM members.

If you’re an artist or designer, or run a gallery or creative business and are based in Scotland then you can add your own page, listings and events for free. Come and join us!

Lovely online design boutique and Friend of the Mafia Hannah Zakari is celebrating its fifth birthday this week. The shop features a fantastic line-up of independent designers from the UK and abroad, including GCM members Dazed Dorothy, Showpony and t-boo.

To celebrate, they’re giving away some great prizes every day this week – just check their blog to see how you could win.

It’s nearly time for Autum’s sewing evening classes to start at the LUV Project Workshop in Govan.

Starting from Scratch
An eight week beginner’s course for adults with little or no sewing skills (28th Oct to 16th Dec, 6.30pm – 8.30pm)

This short course offers an introduction to any adult wanting to learn that basic machine and hand sewing skills to allow them to create simple projects for themselves and their home.

We will start at the very beginning to give you all the basic tools and skills you need to get you started on a sewing adventure! You will work your way through a series of small projects designed specifically for people with no prior sewing knowledge. These will range from making cushion covers and peg bags to lovely and useful pinnys and oven gloves to wear round your home!

Zips, Bits & Buttonholes

An eight week course for adults with some prior sewing experience (29th Oct to 17th Dec, 6.30pm – 8.30pm)

This short course is a step up from the ‘starting from scratch course and is open to all adults with a basic knowledge of machine and hand sewing.

We will begin with a series of small crafty projects to introduce you to essential sewing techniques like inserting a zip and making buttonholes. From there you will move on to making your very own basic item of clothing as chosen by the tutor. All students will work from the same pattern, but will all leave with their own unique item to wear!

Please contact spring_laura AT hotmail.com for an info sheet and booking form. Classes are £80 for an eight week block, (most) materials included.