Stuff and more Stuff ★

before i kick off the post properly i should let you all know... the Mini Merch Giveaway ended last night/this morning at midnight

big BIG thanks to all of you that entered via comments here + on facebook, twitter and google plus

there were only 35 entries (a record low for one of my giveaways actually...) and using 'random.org' i got number 4 which was Rachel Clarke aka 'Sweetpea London' from the UK

she seemed pretty excited to have won (which is always nice) and she picked out a macaroons postcard, a sugar skull pocket mirror and a flower cupcake badge

so i'll be posting all of that off to her first thing tomorrow morning!

oh and if you get a spare minute, be sure to check out Rachels' blog, she posts some really cute stuff, i especially love her Chanel wellington boots! - Sweetpea London

thanks again to everyone that entered, i wish i could give you all a prize... but then i'd have no merch left!

don't feel too bad if you didn't win this time though... there are still plenty of badges/mirrors/postcards available to buy via my Etsy Shop

and of course, i'll be launching a fabby dabby mahoosive xmas giveaway around the end of November so be sure to keep an eye out for that!

* * *

oh AND yesterday morning when i checked the post i was super excited to see that some stuff had arrived for me!

first up, there was a cute little print + some sets of stickers from Acrylicana aka Mary (i did a BIG post about her amazing work here - Creative Cafe #14)

and there was also the very VERY awesome copy of Flamingo Magazine that i won from WLD/WLVS last week

i'd been looking forward to this arriving and it definitely hasn't disappointed me! it's an Illustration and Design mag chock full of amazing artwork and interviews from some really talented creatives!

here's some of my favourite pages from it...

 illustration by - Mary Ferfyri

 illustration - Alex Culang and Ray Castro

 illustration - Donya Todd

 illustration - Jo Cheung

 illustration - Emma Carpendale

illustration - Louise Zergaeng Pomeroy

to get your own copy of 'Flamingo Magazine', head on over here - Flamingo Magazine Shop

oh and massive thanks to WLD/WLVS for giving me a copy! :D

* * *

right, so i broke up for half-term on Friday, it was a verrrry busy day! i had to spend all morning finalising a 'professional practice' report to cover one of my units then in the afternoon i had a meeting with a client (which went really well!)

anyway, on Saturday i popped out for a bit and had a nice little mooch around town

i got some groovy stuff, including...

some pretty new fingerless gloves for A/W 2011

i am a fingerless gloves fiend! and i couldn't resist these...

i also treated myself to a lovely big book on Renaissance Art and Architecture!

well... you know what an art/architecture nerd i am! 

and i always find the art and architecture of the Renaissance particularly fascinating (i really am so very, very cool!)

anyway i also got... a very cute little picture book called 'Emily Button goes to a party' written by Elaine Field

it's all about a little rag doll called 'Emily Button' + her little friends 'mousey' the mouse and 'bobble' the cat

the illustrations are absolutely adorable! it was illustrated by Kathy Gemmell (with additional illustrations by Sami Sweeten and Katherine Hartley) and i will definitely be looking up more of her/their stuff after seeing this!

aren't they cute! there are even 'emily button' dolls + 'mousey' and 'bobble' plushies you can get to go with the story!

all just far too adorable!

oh and you just HAVE to visit the 'Emily Button' website! it is soooo lovely - Emily Button

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and that's that i think! nothing else to report on today, i'm heading off to Coventry in a few days to see my family but i've got plenty of commission stuff to be getting on with before then!

so until next time, that's all folks... ◕‿◕ ★ xX

Shopping Binge... again ★

so today i got up nice and early (aka 6am) and headed into Douglas town to run some errands (namely, returning the last of the red lego from the lego xmas tree project - Little Lego Tree) 

i parted ways with my dear mama at about 10am as she had to go off to work

literally one hour later i trailed into her workplace laden with shopping bags...

you see my problem isn't binge drinking or partying or smoking... i binge shop and it is AWFUL!!!

to be fair i haven't left the house since last Thursday (shocking... i know) so the sheer sight of so many things to see and places to go clearly sent me a bit loopy!

you may recall my last major shopping binge when i bought a pile of stuff i really didn't need... much - Shopping Binge

so let's get down to the important part... what did i buy today?!

well...

to begin with i bought a gorrrrrrgeous red polka dot ruffle trimmed dome umbrella...

(ignoring the terrible photo) and yes, i am modeling it indoors mainly because it's so ruddy windy and blustery outside at the minute the poor umbrella would surely have been blown inside out or just lost to the weather completely!!!

but that aside... isn't it adorable! i have a red polka dot Betty Boop handbag umbrella (a gift off an Aunt) but that's for plain old rainy days

this one is for super bad rainy days!

moving on...

i also visited one of my favourite shops on the Island, 'Abode' in Douglas which sells the most wonderful things and has the most gorgeous carrier bags

today i came away with this funky eye mask (i genuinely did need one of these in all fairness!)

and these adorable, gorgeous and luuuuurvely cushions for my room!

they match the quilt i got in Lismore, Ireland a few years ago PERFECTLY!!! i love their vintage style and the cute gingham ruffles, just lovely!

i also bought another cute rococo style picture frame for my college project only this time it's a pretty shade of blue instead of pink like the last two - candy frames

what else?! well i also bought an awesome pair of fingerless gloves/mittens

i love fingerless gloves but my wrists are always cold because i lose my wrist warmers so... these really are genius gloves! and they're 'tardis' blue (it's a Doctor Who reference, if you don't get it... don't worry)

now i don't care if you're supposed to wear them ruched down or rolled over or whatever... under my winter coat i like them like this, they keep my arms + hands nice and toasty!

i also pointed out to Mike that i thought they looked a bit like Quidditch gloves... but he wasn't very nice about that! 

oh no, Doctor Who references are FINE but as soon as i mention Harry Potter stuff he starts to tease!!! he's only jealous because he doesn't have a pair of gloves as awesome as these!!!

anyway, i also bought loooooots of yummy candy (PURELY for research purposes... honestly!!!)

we have lovely lovely lovely lollipops

a big marshmallow lollipop (i don't even like marshmallows but i thought this was adorable)

and some yummy little sugar mice

i also bought some more felt and floss for embroidery and sewing times at college

because... i've been making things again and i THINK it's about time i show you what i've made!!!

are you ready??? 

voila! 

that's right... these little beauties are stuffed 'felt' plushie lollipops! 

made from scratch using only felt, embroidery floss, fibre fill and a lollipop stick!

i made them yesterday just out of the blue

do you like them?!

sadly they're not edible but they're still kind of cute right?

i plan to make a few more of them although i'm not entirely sure what to do with them yet!

* * *

in other news, it's been quite a miserable day here weather wise, cloudy, windy, rainy, gloomy!

here's hoping this traditional Manx weather clears up soon...

not likely though!!!

that's all folks...

◕‿◕ ★ xX

muchas gracias y adios

(that's thank you and goodbye in Spanish on behalf of Peru, i've always wanted to visit Peru ever since i was little and my Auntie Maureen brought me back a beautiful Peruvian doll after a trip to Lima, hopefully one day i'll get to see the country for myself, gracias amigos xX)