We are starting a Crafters Exchange here - it's a bit like a crafters swap shop!

Unicorn Tree Crafters Exchange

We are starting a Crafters Exchange here – basically that means that you can bring along an item such as a rubber stamp or punch you no longer use and get a credit for it to use on craft items from us!

So do you have craft items that you loved but now never use?
Or maybe something that came in a set that just isn’t your thing?
Rubber stamps, punches, scissors, embellishments – maybe even packs of cards and books of papers you’ve never touched?
Then how about exchanging them for a discount on something you might use??

Go on think about it, after all in the words of the giants ‘every little bit helps!’ oh and don’t forget to tell others, after all who knows what gems are out there sitting dusty in craft cupboards everywhere!

Now for the not as fun but just as important bit:
Even the art of creative self-expression has to work with some sort of guidelines!
So there are some rules and guidelines to the Crafters Exchange Scheme –

Some of which are pretty obvious like Only items in good condition can be exchanged.

Now we appreciate rubber stamps get inky and that’s fine so long as they are cleaned before you bring them in – also they must make perfect impressions.
Scissors & Punches too must be in perfect condition and cut or punch smoothly and cleanly.
Cards & Papers must be full sets & unused.

Any and all credits given are entirely at our discretion and terms and conditions apply - you can get the full set of these at the shop :)
Please note this is a Credit Scheme only and we do not ever give cash, all credit/exchange vouchers have a nil cash value.

So there we go, another way you can share and save - we think it's a great idea and we hope you do too! So go on tell others and let's see what we can find after all one crafters decoupage is another crafters topper!

Unicorn Tree Books & Crafts. Central Market, Sincil Street, Lincoln. LN5 7ET
T: 01522 525557 E: unicorntreebooks@aol.com Facebook: Unicorn Tree Books
www.cardmakersupplies.co.uk & www.lincolnartistsupplies.co.uk

Steampunk, Fiction and Modding Space Guns!

I'm having great fun this week here in the Unicorn Tree!

Not only have we/I been making lovely cards, doing altered art jewellery and modding goggles since our 'In The Style of... Steampunk, Victoriana & Grunge Collage' days, but yesterday I decided in honour of 'The Asylum Steampunk Weekend Convivial' that's on up at The Lawns this weekend (of which we from here will be attending in Costume as we stand a bookstall for Quirk Publishing!) that goggles weren't enough and I needed to make a space gun or two using some of the altered art principles I've been playing with!

Cue looking at anything with goggles of wonder instead of eyes! Everything is potentially something else with altered art, yes even old coke bottles and plastic book & plate stands!
Of course this was also a fantastic idea for a short story or writing cue exercise too!

So that's what we've done, come in and see the amazing stylistic future guns of 2130 & 2149, used respectively by the Airship Corps and Pirate/Bucaneer Fraternities.
Read the short overview wackipedia style histories of 'Munitions & The Cola Corps' - and overall just let your imagination go and dare to be a little bit silly, it's an amazingly freeing experience, thats why as we all know I do it all the while whilst the minions look on in amazement (horror?Pity?fear?).

So see you in the shop soon, and remember mines the caramel latte and you can bring whatever you like to drink too!

Think Local, Buy Local, Be Local - Don't let our local business become a thing of the past!

Now as you know we really are committed to you all and want to support you in the best way we can!

We set up the Church and Community Partnership Scheme to really work with and support the local communities, because we want to give to the local community, we want to be part of that community actively and integrally.

We host events, buy tables, run classes, start groups and make blogs because we want to be involved with our community.

We know how hard it is to always get into the shop so we have set up ways for you to shop online with us, so you can still go local to go global.

In fact we want to be part of the community - an integral, fulfilling and active part of the community.

We hope you want us to be part of the community as well!

To this end then we need your help - we need you to support us too because being a small local indie business is getting harder and harder, So please use us whenever you can - you know we will go that extra mile for you!

And Yes, as you know and we have always admitted - all the things we do such as above are not completely self sacrificing, they are as much for our benefit as yours - but then thats what community is all about, working together for the betterment of both, of all!

So please, here are some posters - 
can you perhaps print one out and stick it up somewhere visable:

church, school, Dr's Surgery, community hall, house window, car window
(all right the last two are unlikely but really how cool would that be - how cool would you be to do that, to really show full out grass roots support!).

Can you tell people about us please, real people you see and know, share the knowledge of us and that we are here, perhaps on your own blog or facebook pages you could include links to our website(s) or even to this post, or use the poster on your blog!

Perhaps in your emails in the signature section you could include one of our links? Recommend us on your twitter stream?

Please support us - shop with us and share with us and share us with others.

let's be community minded and share news with our community - wherever and whoever they may be.

And you know if there is something you want sharing, something you want spreading to the community then let us know, bring us a poster to put up in the shop, send us a note to blog or twitter about, let us know about your links too!

You see if we think local, buy local and be local the whole community and economy naturally and vigorously grows strong and healthy and vibrant! All we have to do is start sharing and spreading the message, start thinking of each other as part of the whole - the community.

So go on, stick up a poster, add a link and use the shop and the sites!

It makes sense!

Now remember, when you come in to have a chat, share the news, or as you bring a poster to put up or leaflets to hand out, mine's a caramel latte and you can have whatever you want too! oh and if I recall right I think the minions mostly drink hot chocolate - see how community minded I am, I even remember the minions!

The websites are:

www.lincolnbookshop.co.uk

www.lincolnchristianbookshop.co.uk

www.jigsawsandmore.co.uk

www.cardmakersupplies.co.uk

www.centralmarketlincoln.co.uk

www.christianbookshopuk.co.uk

You can join us on twitter: @unicorntreebks

Friend us on Facebook, or join our facebook group

Please think local, buy local, be local and support us where you can, just use the websites and pass on the info wherever you can - and in return we'll try to be the best we can for you, just let us know what you want and need and how we in turn can help you, our community and our friends.

Can't resist this - it's fantastic really, at the end just change the one word 'America' to 'Britain'! and remember  I'd love to see you in the shop soon :0)

Craft Sessions Have Started! The White Table is in Action!

Now as some of you may remember back in september I posted about our new big white table (here's a reminder for you!):
'Thursday, September 24, 2009
A Round Up, Some Questions and a new white table!
So whats new in your friendly bookshop?
Well the newest edition, as of today, is a white table in the middle of the shop!
Now as you may know we don't have a seperate room where we can hold regular events like reading groups, book discussions or craft classes, though we really want to hold them!'

Well that Big White table has already seen one fantastic author event - that worked really well and had the shop buzzing and heaving at the seems at one point, I'm looking forward to doing more author events, so if you have any idea's then shout out!

But now that Big White Table in the middle of the shop has seen 2 craft sessions take place, with more booked and arranged.

The first one was a Thursday Morning lesson on embellishment idea's for cards and lasted for 2 hours, and yes it was great - the people attending the class loved the class (and have rebooked for this weeks thursday session too, so it must have been good!!) and the browsers seemed to have no problems looking at their books and occasionally glancing over at the table too with considering glances, so who knows maybe some new crafters are in the making!

The Second session was on Friday and that was a 1hour 15 minute beginners taster on quick christmas cards. Again it went well, we can tell by how much the participants purchased to take home and practice with :0)

So anyway if anyone else is interested you can come in or contact us to see what's on or arrange a one to one session!

We think that a one to one session might make a good christmas gift idea for the crafter who has everything else, so yes you can come in and buy a gift voucher for a session to give to someone else!

So there we go, that big white table is not just a blank space, but is now an active community space and I am loving that!
(though I do believe that despite the cards advertising my favourite coffee house - Angel Coffee - it has not yet seen enough cups of take out caramel latte grace its top, I am sure though in time that will be rectified as loyal minions gift me with coffee, time and their presence in the shop ;0)

So we still need to get a monthly reading group going round the table, but perhaps we should leave that for after Christmas!

Oh and hey what about a Lent Study Group round the table?
Anyone interested in that come Lent, We can do it at a Lunchtime slot and either share food at the table or offer up a Lent Fast and donate our lunch moneys to a charity of the groups choice! Think about it and tell others and get back to me with your thoughts!

Ok that's it from me for now, see you in the shop tomorrow (even though it is my day off!) and remember should you want coffee and a chat, well mines a caramel latte :0)