Probably the BEST Christmas Card in the world. Ever.

This Christmas,  we've joined forces disability charity Kith & Kids to offer you the ultimate ethical Christmas card. 

Packs of 6 cards and co-ordinating envelopes cost £10. Kith & Kids will receive £3.50 from each pack of cards.  100% of the money will provide opportunities for people with learning disabilities.

Handstamped silver angel with glittery wand

Handstamped red deer

Handstamped and beglittered gold bauble

Handstamped red candy cane with sparkly ribbon

Handstamped Santa with a diamante nose for Rudolph...

Handstamped green holly with sparkly red diamante berry

Handstamped silver or gold star

Handstamped christmas tree with coloured love heart on top xo

Handstamped silver snowflake with diamante crystal centre

A variety of 6 cards per pack, with red and green envelopes

So what's so great about these cards? At the moment, employment is a concern for everyone.  Unfortunately for people with learning disabilities this means that even fewer people than ever are able to find meaningful employment with companies who can offer the support they may need. In fact, just 10% of people with learning disabilities known to government services are in any kind of paid work, of which very few work full time (16 hours)*. This collaboration between Share the Feeling and Kith & Kids is a shining example of how communities can work together to give people with learning disabilities a chance to use their skills in a meaningful way.

Give more than a card this Christmas. Get yours in our Christmas Shop NOW!

THANK YOU xoxo

*Valuing People Now – Government Strategy for People With Learning Disabilities 2008

Sneak Preview of our Charity Christmas Cards

Hola folks! 
We're still busy making Charity Christmas Cards for Kith & Kids and thought we'd let you take a peek... 
Lovely Louise O'Gorman, our photographer friend, took these pics for us so we can share them with you. You like?

9 unique handprinted designs, all made by The Chain Gang!

Santa Claus is coming to town... Brought to you by Sylvia and Doris xo 

A candy cane. Printed and beglittered with love by Shirley x

They'll be on sale in packs of 6 (£10.00 per pack, all profits going to Kith & Kids) in Kith & Kids outlets, online at Share the Feeling and Kith & Kids and we'll be selling them at the Bust Christmas Craftacular and We Make London. Coming sooooooooooonnnnnn!
Laters x

Our Christmas Store is now open!

We've added a fab new range of cinnamon and clove scented gift items to our online store, just in time for the festive season. We've got badges, pin cushions, winter warmers, wheaties and lavender hearts - there's something for everyone, from £3.00 to £15.00…
      
Visit us now for perfect stocking fillers, decorations, little gifts for special mums, dads, little'uns, grans and grandads. What are you waiting for? Get shopping!

Check out our Charity Christmas Cards!

We're delighted to be making Christmas cards for Kith & Kids - a totally brilliant charity supporting people with learning disabilities and their families to lead full lives and access the services they need. All profits from the sale of the cards will go to the charity and the best thing for buyers is that every single penny they spend on the cards will have gone towards supporting people with learning disabilities. It's a double whammy!
We've created ten festive designs, which are individually handstamped on to white laid cards by the girls. Here's some pics of them in action...

Shirley (our newest team member) at work

She's stamping holly cards

Sylvia (the old pro...) stamping candy cane cards

Doris shows off her snowflakes!

The holly cards are embellished with red diamantes and left to dry

Cards will be on sale (in packs of 6 for £10) in Kith & Kids outlets and online at www.kithandkids.org.uk and www.sharethefeeling.co.uk. We'll also be selling them at Christmas Craft fairs. More details coming soon!

We Made it to We Make!

The sun shone for us in more ways than one on Saturday. Our stall at We Make London looked fab and our new badges, hearts and wheaties went down a treat. As did our special edition vintage pin cushions, which came with a free chick!

Just pics or now, but we'll have more news soon and features on some of the other designers we met at the fair. 

xox Angie & The Chain Gang

Movie-ing and shaking at the Rio cinema...

On Wednesday, June 23rd, we had a stall at the launch of a new short film at the gorgeous Rio Cinema in Dalston.

Hackney Recruitment Partnership produced the film about employing people with learning disabilities, for use in the run up to the 2012 Olympic Games. Starring fabulous Frank (below right, drinking a coke) from Spitalfields Farm and our very own Rozie, the film aims to encourage London employers to give jobs to people with learning disabilities. Needless to say, they have our FULL support - it's a great idea and has positive benefits for everyone.

In a surprise ceremony, Lindy was awarded her Health & Safety certificate and Sylvia picked one up for hubby James. What a talented bunch the Chain Gang are.

As far as our stall went, Doris completely took charge of the till and we made a pretty penny. Lindy, Sylvia and Doris formed a fantastic sales team and everyone enjoyed the day out. Here's Angie, under the watchful eye of Doris, counting our takings.

Poor Magda had a bit of a headache when she got home... Must be something to do with the way she carried our basket of wheaties on her noggin...

Next up is We Make London on Saturday and we are oh so ready. Later folks xo

We Make and Do...

Greetings! Doris was too busy to blog this week, so I'm standing in for her. When she decides she wants to get something done, there's no stopping her... This week, she put together all the ©Little Gifts of Inspiration for Renaissance Arts Retreats in France. They look truly spiffing. Here she is in the background - we had to give her a desk of her own so she wouldn't be disturbed...

For Maureen, Lindy and Sylvia it's GO GO GO for the We Make London fair on June 26th. We're nearly finished the wheatie bags and we're putting the finishing touches to our lavender hearts. Still to come are vintage pin cushions, which we're making specially for all the other make and do-ers at the the fair.

Rosie joined us as a support worker this week. We were sad to see Sharon go, but everyone seems to want to have a turn working with us, so we have to spread the good times around! Here's a picture of Lindy showing Rosie how we do things. She is nearly as bossy as Doris now...

Before We Make on June 26th we have a small stall at the Rio Cinema in Dalston on Wednesday afternoon (1.00 - 4.00pm). It's the launch of Hackney Recruitment Partnership's new video / DVD and we're going to work from there to give employers an idea of what a wonderful asset people with learning disabilities are to a company. If you're in the neighbourhood, do pop in to say hello and see us at work.

If you're a blog reader and are planning to come along to We Make London on Saturday June 26th, please contact us and we'll send you a voucher that will get you a refund of your £2.00 entry fee with any purchase at our stall.

More next week. Enjoy the sun and all the best, 

Angie x

Getting ready for the fair...

Hello again!

Today, Sylvia and Lindy came back to work. They are so noisy! Lindy was on a work trial at Millbank, learning new skills in a catering role. Sylvia was attending a craft course at Arts for All in Shoreditch, learning how to make handbags and other stuff. Between them, they'll be able to make my lunch and teach me how to sew. Nice!

We are working hard to prepare for the WE MAKE LONDON craft fair on Saturday, June 26th. We are going to launch some new products there: lavender hearts, pin cushions and my favourites - weatie bags. You put them in the microwave for 2 minutes, then put them round your shoulders to make you feel relaxed. They are brilliant. Look!

Maureen sewed the wheatie bags. She is excellent at sewing and making things neat.

Sylvia made ©Little Gifts for a company in France. They are called "Renaissance" and they organise arts retreats. Oh la la! We are making ©Little Gifts of Inspiration for their students. Full of lovely things to help them feel arty and inspired.

Lindy made tags for the gifts. And talked. A lot. And listened to the radio on her earphones. And told us all the news every hour on the hour. She was dancing too... Pity we have no photo of that. Here she is making wheaties with Sylvia in the afternoon:

And I made charms to put on the gifts. So many charms...

We are looking forward to the WE MAKE LONDON craft fair on Saturday, June 26th. Please come and saee us if ou have nothing else to do that day. It's from 11.00am - 5.00pm. Entry is £2.00 per person, but children go free. London is lovely you know. And the King's Road is very snazzy...

That's all for now. See you soon.

Doris x (with a little help from Angie)

Doris's First Diary...

Hello my name is Doris.  Nice to meet you!

Today we made lavender wheat bags. They smell really good. And they are colourful.

We are going to a craft fair. It's called WE MAKE LONDON and it's on Saturday, June 26th, in the Town Hall, King's Road, Chelsea. Very posh! 

This is me, filling the bags with lavender and wheat.

Here's Maureen, she's a whizz on the sewing machine. She joined Share the Feeling 3 weeks ago and you'll hear more from her soon...

 

The covers are going to be really colourful...

 

 This is me again. Modelling the bags. Everyone says I'm a natural!

We'd love to see you at the fair! Come and say hello. Until next time, take care,

Doris x

Today was fun...

Today the Chain Gang tried their hands at sewing and proved to be naturals! We made gorgeous little lavender hearts for Mother's Day on March 14. Then we hung them up for photos and wrote a little poem...

5 little love hearts, hanging in a row...

Here is the Chain Gang, learning to sew.

Lindy's heart is nearly done...

Just add gold ribbon for a first class Mum!

Sylvia's heart is a two-tone wonder, 

Doris's is retro, with polka dots under.

Whatever the pattern, whatever the scent

They're made with love, which is just what's meant.

We're thinking that, with a bit of practice, these handmade hearts will be in store soon. Keep you posted xo