If you’re new to this blog segment then all you need to know is that this is where once a month we shine the Crafters’ Spotlight on you, our amazing family who keep us inspired by your passion and love of the arts every day. Last month we chatted to the lovely Hazel Childs – if you missed it, you can catch up here.
For now, let’s unveil who are stars are in the Crafters’ Spotlight this month…
Marcia & Andrew Moore
Tell us a bit about yourself!
Marcia
I was the original crafter amongst the two of us, having enjoyed creating from a young age. The after-school group I went to when I was 10 did tapestry and we even recovered the parish church kneelers – I had fun there. Crafting with my young children was always magical, we made salt dough decorations at Christmas and lots of plaster of Paris moulds, badges and fridge magnets. Crafting as a hobby really kicked in when I found myself at home as a full time carer for Andrew and my eldest daughter who has epilepsy and learning difficulties, but I just knew it was for me. I only really did basic card kits and some cross stitch at the time. I gradually built up my little stash, adding in a few stamps, embossing powders and a heat gun.
When Hochanda started, I really began to get into the more messy crafting with acrylic paints, stencils, gesso texture paste etc. I have learnt so much from watching people like Leonie and Lou over the years. Visiting Hochanda earlier in the year gave us the opportunity to see how the channel works and we met Lou, who we now consider a friend. She has shown us so much support in our crafting journey and we are now starting to do Facebook lives and we’re growing in confidence. We have made so many really good friends through crafting, and despite our health issues it makes us feel a valued part of the crafting community.
Andrew
Hi everyone, I’m Andrew! Myself and Marcia are delighted to be in the Crafters’ Spotlight! I’m 58 years old and loved art when I was younger, but life got in the way. In the early 90’s I was diagnosed with epilepsy and everything seemed to pause. One of the main things that kept me occupied was painting wargame figures. Marcia always tried to get me to continue with crafting, but I suffered from anxiety and depression, making it difficult to try. I rediscovered art and crafts after my diagnosis changed and the removal of certain medications I was taking. My stay in Bristol Hospital happened to coincide with the Hochanda launch. As time has passed I have become more relaxed, embraced my creative side and followed Marcia’s love of crafting. I can now pick out presenters by their voice and I was lucky to win the dream day at Hochanda. I’ve been able to meet some amazing people over the past few years.
Have you tried any new crafts or hobbies during lockdown?
Lockdown has been challenging for us both, but I’ve started Lino cutting and printing. It was something we both enjoyed at a free local craft session and decided to have a proper attempt at doing it. Marcia has found a greater freedom and confidence in her painting and colouring skills and is more relaxed about what she can achieve.
Has your love of crafting been passed down to other family members?
We both feel it has passed to our youngest daughter, Sarah. She’s the proud mother of a 20-month-old boy. Funnily enough, crafting and messy play have become part of their lives as well. We are now buying paints and sponges for our eldest grandson and we fully intend to create a new generation of crafters! During lockdown while working from home, Sarah has found the joy of creating with her son, so I think we can claim a double conversion.
Do you have a fun bit of competition between each other when crafting?
As we both craft, it can become a little competitive at times! This mostly happens when we have a new product to use as we both want to create something first. We both enjoy taking part in challenges which stretch our ability. Marcia likes to have an idea of what she is planning. She will work out an idea and work towards it, allowing for a few changes along the way. I am more of an inspiration crafter, I tend to have a flash of an idea and work until it is finished. I may return and change it later but not very often.
Which of your crafty creations are you most proud of (you can choose one each!)?
Andrew
I am really proud of the pair of boots I recycled using Peerless Design Rice Paper. Once I got one completed, I posted an image to Sarah Hallam when she appeared on Hochanda. It even got a few comments at the time. Since then, I’ve finished the other boot too!
Marcia
My proudest crafting was in 2016 when three of our four children got married. I made all the invitations, table settings and photographic bunting for each couple. Later, I was asked to make wedding invitations for one of their friends. I’ve been lucky to be on a couple of design teams but enjoy making things for the fun of it really!
Do you have a craft room? Describe it to us!
Our craft area basically consumes our two bedroom flat, which gets a rapid clean when we are expecting visitors! It can get messy, but we are currently changing things around to make the best use of the space available. Let us try to paint a picture for you… We keep everything we are currently using inside a desk. That’s us being tidy! Stencils and brushes are often found drying in the bathroom, boxes of crafts sat on the sofa and floor. When crafting, we tend to craft on either side of the dining table as it’s big! This means we can share items, but still have our own scissors or brushes separate. As our artistic styles have collided, our two separate stashes of crafty bits have become one!
Thank you for being our stars in this month’s Crafters’ Spotlight, Marcia and Andrew! We hope you have all loved this edition, make sure you join the Crafting with Hochanda Facebook group to be part of a community of like-minded crafters – a wonderful place to make friends and share craft inspiration!