Create & Craft Crisis: Update from Create & Craft worker Leonie Pujol

Information from Leonie Pujol on Facebook:

Oh friends.

What a sad day. Where do you start.

Craft tv has been my life for what, 25 years!! Starting with Dawn Bibby Designs over on QVC then being given a presenting job at create and craft. I couldn’t believe it. It was a dream job. I worked with fantastic people day in day out. And of course - I worked with craft stuff!! It was heaven.

Sadly, the rug did get pulled out from under me when a woman with too much power stopped me continuing with a great part of my crafty life. I don’t think she realised/cared what an impact that had on me. So when Hochanda was born, I was more than happy to jump ship. Thankfully Sara Davis had put in a good word, and the next adventure begun.

Hochanda was brilliant. We had such fun. Initially I watched from the sidelines as I was on gardening leave, but finally joining the gang felt like going home.

And our audience loved it. They were brave. They wanted to try mixed media, and get stuck in. It was fantastic. I presented, but also started my weekly show. Let Leonie Loose. I had an amazing craft room.

And the team. So many good people.

We moved from Peterborough to the gorgeous Oundle, and a lovely building. And the fun continued. We had brilliant outside broadcasts. Dream days. We even turned the Christmas lights on in oundle (they didn’t work - standard).

The first real shake up in our wonderful industry was when create and craft went under. That was such a loss, and incredibly sad so everyone. Hochanda’s bought out c&c - so once again I found myself working for them. And it was amazing.

And now, here we are. When I found out we weren’t going to be on air I went back into the building and cleared all my stuff. The lovely team who should have been on the late shift all helped. Paula came and we filled her car too and loaded up her garage. And then I felt lost. The day after was surreal. Being off air was a new concept - and it felt bad.

It’s been an awful time. People not being paid (I’m one of them, of course, I’m freelance so won’t get a wage. I have a business which is owed money so won’t get that either). Customers who have placed orders not getting their stuff or refunds. And no way of knowing what’s going on. In my gut I knew. But I hoped. I couldn’t quite believe all those years of hard work. All those amazing people. We’d loose all of that!! It just seemed insane. But we have. It’s all gone.

The people. God I’m going to miss the people. We had an amazing team you know. I loved walking into the back office with all the buyers. All the amazing goodies they were sorting. It was exciting (especially for a crafter). Then we had the marketing guys. The fantastic Production team. Our lovely management team at the end. We’d be able to have a chat, and a giggle. There wasn’t anyone cracking the whip. We were allowed to laugh!! Granted we all moaned! Haha, course we did. Bloody hell, to think that last Thursday i was on shift. I was on an early. I hated earlies. What I’d do now to be coming back to an early shift.

The other side of the building was tv. It was fun! The amazing studios. In oundle. Purpose built studios (granted the soundproofing was never great - everyone at home knew when I was raining. Or if the cleaners were hoovering. Or the ice cream van was there!).

I’m so incredibly sad. I want to say a massive thank you to each and every person I’ve worked with. It’s been such an amazing career. The talent, on the screens and behind the screens. The lifelong friends I’ve made, and all those memories!! Oh my gosh. I’m going to miss everyone so much.

And our viewers. I’m so sorry it’s come to this. I know we did your head in at times, but gosh, it was good fun wasn’t it!!! So thank you. For your company when we are standing talking rubbish and you join in. For all your support and kind words. For keeping us going.

But ultimately, there are people with too much power and no empathy or understanding. And they’ll just move on to their next little project.

Our craft industry will be very shaken because of this. It will change. But there’s hope. There’s always hope. Please follow the brands. We’re all out there, trying to keep on keeping on. We are hoping our create and craft page will remain, but just in case - please pop over and follow my other page, plus my company Art Inspirations. I’d hate to “loose” you.

Things will be okay. But for now we just need to take a little time to let this all sink in.