New Toys

So today I went out for some more ink and ended up buying a brand new printer, it made me so happy, check out the pretty printer:

But since unpacking it, it looks like I have just moved in:

It doesn't look that bad in these photos but if you were here you would see how messy it is.

Short Post

Apologies my attention has to lye elsewhere today as I have had an awful day but I was greeted by this lovely parcel when I got back:

I also got this lovely parcel yesterday :)

Christmas Cards and Christmas Zines

Today I managed to upload the photos of the christmas cards I made and sent as free gifts on Monday :)

Also I found this great Holiday Zine:

http://www.hearthandmadeblog.com/2008/11/heart-handmade-holiday-zine.html

That's my reading sorted for the next few days :)

Subzero Inflicted Creations

Well today I spent most of the morning in a kitchen office which was colded than the elements outside and size wise I have cupboards bigger.

But whilst in the freezing little box I created some christmas cards to go in my parcels to be shipped that afternoon, unfortunately the phone I took photos of them on won't upload the photos :(

Not much else to say today too cold brrrrr.

Wellington Walks and Printer Disasters...

... Is mainly what today consisted of.

Today was another snowy one, it had snowed all night, so I took some (bad) photos of the world from my window when I woke up:

I wrapped up completely at 11:30am and got into wellingtons and walked to work, I was squinting it was so blindingly white and most of the way it was completely untouched snow :)

Once home from work I spent the past 6 hours trying to solve ink and printer travisty and yielding no success, not fun at all, but have calmed down, let the green smoke from my ears disapate and crafted a plan of action so I can sort out my orders!

That's all, printers have sucked the life out of my brain :(

Snow

Well today was the first and possibly only snow of the year!

I was a bit frantic with the camera, shame no body took a picture of me trussed up like a chicken to go out this morning, I looked funny!

There is heaps more snow now but its too dark to take pictures.

In the snowiest part of the afternoon there was sudden freak flash of blue lightening and a big boom of thunder but just one mind, I'v never experienced thunder/lightening with snow, was very odd.

Also this afternoon I finished a custom colour for a print:

Finished

I finished the custom painting this evening and I'm very happy with it:

It's being packed as we speak to get shipped out to its new home. I have grown a lot more found of this piece than I ever thought I would, I am a bit sad to see it go but it's going to a lovely home so I am happy!

I found it fascinating to see all the strange corners I find inspiration from, on this occasion I am referring to the Emerson quote!

That's all for tonight, very tired and lots of packaging to do :)

Featured Designer: PerfectLittlePurses

I have decided to post about an artist or designer I would like to feature every Thursday, to make a change.

This week I shall be starting with a bespoke handbag designer under the shop name PerfectLittlePurses. She also happen's to be my Mum :)

What first made you want to start making handbags?

I had a dream about loads of differnt handbags. All of them black but every single design possible and I just thought I should be making bags!

Describe your creative process.
Usually all starts with the fabric. I will see some I "have to have" and then set about finding a co-ordinate for the lining. This normally leads to several more. Once it all arrives I will decide which fabrics lend themselves to which designs I do. Sometimes they lead to new ones. Sometimes I design around new handles. Its mostly all about the fabric. My not so secret obsession.

What handmade possession do you most cherish?
Of my own hand, it has to be my kitty bag which was my first bag I ever made myself and the beginning of the whole Perfect Purse Company.
Of some one elses hand, it would be my pendant made by Elysian Fields and purchased by yourself. This is because it was bought by you and bought from a person that although I have never met, helped me through a truly difficult time. It is also so me its untrue.

Name your top five books, movies, songs/musical groups, and web sites besides Etsy.
Alan Titchmarsh - Only Dad , its not gardening, it truly made me cry, laugh and never want to put it down. I have read all his novels and they really are good.
Winifred Scott - Girl Castaways- this is a kids book but has stuck with me all my life. So good.
Delia Smiths Book of Cakes - I am not a geat reader but this comes off the shelf so often it had to go in.
On holiday this year I read The Rise and Fall of a Yummy Mummy and Hollys Inbox. Good holiday reads. As I said I am not a great book reader but read so many non-fiction magazines its untrue.
Music wise I love rock music.
I like OLD Bon Jovi - the new stuff sucks ( sorry Jon, but it does), Europe, Whitenake and all the old stuff. Newer stuff I love anything Danny Vaughn does and have a new repect for Disturbed, to the point it cannot leave my car's Cd player. All rock and metal really.

What advice would you give to artists who are new to Etsy?
Keep at it, never give up and promote, promote promote. Believe in yourself and your product and that confidence will come through in your work.

Here are some examples of her work:

check out her shop at http://www.perfectlittlepurses.etsy.com/

Manic!

Is the only word that can describe today, was a mixture of some boring things that just needed doing and family visiting!





One thing that made me happy this morning though was the postman bringing me my business cards and the cello sleeves I was waiting for so I can send some orders, finally :)

all ready to be shipped out to US :)

Had more family vists today, the grandparents came over which was really nice, haven't seen them for a couple of weeks. Cakes ensued as always and Grandad managed to help me solve my almost full hardrive dilema.

Painting must commence and got an early start tomorrow :(

Night!

My First Day...

... to go out up the city, without crutches, alone. Something that has seemed so far away for a while now but I am finally getting back to normal :D

And a good day it was, I found out about some money I can get to support me while I get back into work gradually which is nice to know! I also was bad and did some shopping, whoops.

As always I got some CDs:

I also got some fab trousers:

good eh?


and I booked another tattoo, finally got the sketch done in about 15 minuets last night, after weeks of struggling and yielding awful results!

I thought I'd show you some more progress of the custom piece too:

More custom pieces coming out, so look out for them!

This afternoon Jenny and Matty came round which was lovely, Matty has got to such a cute age now he is talking:

the boys having fun :)

That's all for tonight, I am super tired!

Customs Customs Customs and Trades Trades Trades

Well as I'm sure you can guess from the title trades are really popular on Etsy at the moment and I am currently involved in 4 or 5 trades which is great, quite a few of them are custom pieces too, which makes me smile very much!

The one I am going to talk about tonight is the custom piece I am doing for Hardyharhar on Etsy is a custom painting for her daughter's birthday and she gave me free reign all bar it incorporating a crow and a mushroom. At first it seemed challenging (but that's good) and its been so much fun, I've gotten so into this piece.

Here is the progress so far...

You can't see the pencil detail in this photograph but I'm going to leave you wondering until the next progress photos :)

Two Roasts and a Little Bit of Philanthropy: Just How Sunday's Should Be!

Today was another lovely day!
I woke up and came down to the kitchen to make coffee and discovered this on the table, which made me giggle:

I then went back to my job at the pub after 10 weeks off and almost loosing the job. It was so nice to be back and it almost felt like I had never been away! This is where I had my first roast of the day :)

Once home I checked over a few things then set to work on some rough sketches for a custom pillow:

I then had my 2nd roast of the day, hehe, such a fatty but I do love them!

After dinner I carried on knitting the little purse to go in my Operation Christmas Child box:

For the rest of the evening up until now I have been wrapping and preparing my Operation Christmas Child box:

All ready to be shipped off tomorrow :)

Sales, Shipping, Slurping and Printing, Posting, Village Pondering

I have just got back from a fairly lengthly walk in the village and am now blogging about my lovely day with a big mug of hot chocolate.

First thing this morning, as always (when i'm not working) on a Saturday, Josh, Mum and I bundlled into the car and went to watch Josh's swimming lesson.

After the lesson we all went into the town so I could get the last things so I could ship my very first order :)

We also perused round the lovely little shop called the Marmalade Tree and finished off with a steak slice from the bakery (I've been eating lots of these late, I do love them!) as a proper breakfast, a yoghurt just doesn't cut it.

Once home I began working on designing some labels, which didn't actually take that long after hours (yesterday) of agony trying to come up with ideas. I came to realise that in this situation less was definately more!

I then started with my printing, which I must admit, I do love printing for some reason:

my stickers and the print which is my very first sale!

I then set to work on all the little extras to go in with the print and I thoroughly enjoyed doing all these, I was truely in my element, If only I could make that my full time source of income!

the thankyou cards I made :)

all together!

finished and ready to be posted!

Creating packing up my first sale made me very happy and I hope there to be many more to come! I am donating 50% of all sales until midnight tonight (GMT) to Children In Need!

one final note my little helper today

New Home

I have decided to move to a new blog home. I was previously on LiveJournal and its not offering me all the brilliant things I need that Blogspot does so I made a move, plus lots of lovely blogs I read I can finally comment on.

For all previous posts go to http://dingsinsainity.livejournal.com/


I'l do a small intro of the gang (small in numbers and size they may be but small in might they are not):

Pip, the king of the house who likes to sleep in boxes, although more recently in his litter tray :S

Turbo, the more aloof yet ever fattening tiny tiger

and the fellow companion to this blog, the Etsy shop: http://www.dingsinsainity.etsy.com/

I shall leave you with that and return later!