plushies and stuff ★

so over the past few days i've been jumping back and forth between commissions and college work, so far it's not been going too much to plan since i keep going back to my commissions! (well... college doesn't pay me to draw does it!!!)

anyway, i've also been extra EXTRA distracted by some stuff that arrived in the post.

i've decided that when i make and sell my little handmade plushie necklace charms, i want to send them off to their new owners in as sweet a way as possible so i've invested in some little sparkly gift pouches + funky tags featuring my illustrations

and voila! these are the ones i had a go at today at college, (we had a great lecture from Juan Moore this afternoon but i did these in the break)

i chose purple for the bags since it's girly and bright + most of what i make is pink so pink bags might have been overkill! and as for the tags... well they're just a candy coloured rainbow of fun!

+ i think they work quite well with the little bags, the organza pouches are sheer enough for you to see the colours of the cupcake charms so the tags help spread the colourfulness!

* * *

lately i've been having a go at a little bit of sewing. however it seems that i really need to practice getting back into it because i can't seem to make anything properly anymore!

here are my 3 latest creations...

and for some inexplicable reason, in the small hours of Tuesday morning i made these 3 little palm sized creatures....

 there's a bunny, a cat and a dog... although whether they actually look like the animals they're supposed to be is debatable...

they kind of suck... i'm still not very good on the sewing machine! for some reason i can only make stuff neatly when i stitch it all by hand!

* * *

i promised i'd share a picture of my college work space so here you go

this is how my desk board is looking so far this year...

a bit different from last years pinup fest but colourful nonetheless! 


there's some local inspiration up there as well though, with postcards and business cards featuring the work of Manx artists Adam Berry, Karen Tomlinson and Juan Moore + stuff from some of my fave British illustrators, Lauren Child, John Tenniel and Sarah McIntyre.

* * *

not much else to report on for now my lovelies, but i have a funky new creative café feature to run at some point over the weekend so look out for that!

and until then, i guess that's all folks... ◕‿◕ ★ xX

PS - have you spotted the new 'grab code' banners yet??? there's 2 to pick from at the moment and they're in the sidebar up near the top underneath my 'about me' section, so feel free to pick one and add it to your blog reel or sidebar :D

Polka Dot Love ♥

so yesterday afternoon for no particular reason other than the fact i was a little bit bored, i sat down at my desk and started sewing!

not entirely sure why but who cares! i ended up making 3 pretty little lavender hearts using polka dot felt, lots of embroidery floss, some ribbon and looooooads of dried lavender!

they're all hand stitched with the word 'love' (in my own handwriting) and blanket stitched but i whizzed them through the sewing machine as well to make sure none of the lavender will spill out! 

i messed up the lettering on the first one though so it's whip stitched while the other two are just stitched normally.

the only problem now is that my room absolutely stinks of lavender!!!

they're kind of cute though right! well i enjoyed making them so that's what counts i guess, they're all hanging from my wardrobe doors at the moment

not really sure what to do with them! should i gift them or make some more and sell them?!

who knows!

* * *

in other news, i got kind of bored again today so in between working on commission files i ended up having a go at some weird little text manips using photos and magazine scans and craft knife cut out letters smoothed out on my macbook

 i made about 10 altogether but these were my favourites, using some quotes from song lyrics, Shakespeare's Macbeth and a quote from Mary Poppins. 

not sure why i made them! boredom clearly does crazy things to my mind!

* * *

that's it for today i think, i'm heading out this weekend to pick up a few more goodies for the giveaway bundle but apart from that, no exciting plans going on in my world!!!

that's all folks... ★ ◕‿◕ xX

Bunnies and Bunting ♥

so i stayed in AAALLLL day yesterday to crack on with mastering the sewing machine, it was a miserable day outside so i didn't miss much! 

anyway i got bored of practicing stitches all afternoon so i decided to have a go at making 'Sophie Lapin'

remember Pepe Lapin??? (from THIS post - ribbon rosettes and Pepe Lapin) 

well that's Pepe with the button on his tummy and Sophie with the strawberry on her tummy is his little bunny gilrfriend (i'm guessing. . .) but i didn't have enough time to make her and Pepe at the same time from the kit Julie and Ciara gave me to test, so she's been a bit late turning up for their date!

well she's here now, but while Pepe is entirely hand stitched with a needle and thread (and a LOT of hours spent listening to 'the Freelance Whales' while sewing) 

Sophie is almost entirely machine sewn!!! it's probably a good thing though because i imagine that not everyone that buys the kit would own a sewing machine so they'd have to sew them by hand, or alternately they'd prefer NOT to sew them by hand and use a machine instead! well now there's one of each! i just need to drop her off at the shop so that she can be reunited with Pepe

she was machine sewn though which would explain the slight messiness to her, what can i say, only i would be mad enough to sew neater by hand than on a machine!!!

saying that though, have a look at what i made this morning before lunch

my very own candy coloured bunting! 

i've wanted some 'proper' fabric bunting for ages but every time i see some in a shop (usually 'the Tide' or the Cath Kidston section at 'Selfridges') i get this insane makers guilt, i.e. i love the ready made strings of bunting but when i see them i can't help but think 'i could make that' and so i end up not buying any pretty bunting at all!!!

well, now i have a sewing machine i figured it was time to have a go at some DIY bunting and voila! + it was a great chance to use some of the awesome cupcake printed fabric i got from 'Just Enough' weeks ago

there are 4 flags for each fabric, the pale pink heart spotted fabric, the cupcake printed fabric + the cute pink gingham i bought when we picked up my sewing machine

my seams are a little off on the ribbon but weirdly the seams for the flags are perfect, each flag is also double sided so it doesn't matter which way you put up the bunting, it will always look the same

it was great fun to make and providing i can get hold of some pink bias binding i could easily neaten this design up and make a couple more to sell via etsy or in the Sweet Ginger Emporium

* * *

speaking of etsy. . .

i totally forgot to tell you all that my shop is open again!

if you follow me on facebook or twitter you'll probably have seen me posting links to the shop but if not, it's officially open again now

i've taken a few things out (for now) + added in a whole bundle of plushie necklaces + the new greetings cards

head on over and have a skeet at what's on offer - the Candy Cove on etsy

* * *

not much else to report today, tomorrow i'm off to college to work on my essay + raid the graphics room printer again 

i also have some groovy new illustration stuff to edit and it's NOT anything to do with the cupcake princess, it's something new. . . sort of!

until then, that's all folks . . . ◕‿◕ ★ 

p.s. - have you entered the May Giveaway yet??? in honour of my Birthday at the end of this month i've decided to hold a little giveaway again, there's a bundle of cute prizes up for grabs and you have until my Birthday, the 31st of May, to get your entries in -

 ENTER THE GIVEAWAY NOW

Buttons n' things ★

oh hey folks

how's everybody's Monday been so far?!

surprisingly mine's not been to abysmal, i've had a nice productive day + i've gotten a few things sorted and i even managed to have a nice chat with some old friends

anyway . . .

guess who went button shopping this morning!

that's right! ME! just for a change!

i popped to Just Enough for a button dash then on to college to get cracking on some sewing times

i also bought a rather adorable tomato and chilli pin cushion since i'm SICK of losing all my pins

anyway on with the sewing times, i finished the last little detail on the Fawn first

(and yes you can see my stack of Doctor Who DVD's in the background, kindly supplied by Mike)

her name is Amelia just so we're clear here . . . + in case you couldn't guess! and that's all i'm telling you for now!

anyway she's all done now although unfortunately one of my friends wants me to make her one before she goes off to Uni . . . we shall see Quinn, we shall see!

nah i'm kidding, i'm happy to make one for her just not right now! tooooo busy getting other stuff made + messing up my desk

in other news though, when i arrived at my desk this morning i found this little fella waiting for me 

turns out that this guy was a present from my lovely fashion tutor/last years tutor/friend Billee, she randomly brings me back these lovely little doll charms/brooches from her trips to Spain

here we have Juanita, Roberto and Alfredo (yes i named them. . . what of it!)

i'd also like to thank Billee for lending me a big stack of 'Selvedge' magazines

i've only flicked through about three copies so far and i've already spotted a bajillion amazingly gorgeous things!

not to mention dozens of amazing artists/makers to research and blog about in posts to come!

the tag on their site says it all really . . .

"Selvedge Magazine... offers the world’s finest textile photography, unparalleled design and peerless writing. Open a copy of Selvedge and you sense there is a philosophy that Selvedge readers subscribe to. A belief system based on a cerebral and sensual addiction to textiles in all forms. Readers share a belief in the importance of their material surroundings and a passion for the beautiful and beautifully made. Our aim is simple: to provide a textile publication which fits seamlessly into their creative lifestyle. Directed towards an international, discerning audience, Selvedge covers fine textiles in every context: fine art, interiors, fashion, travel and shopping."

if you haven't heard of the magazine, check out it's website here - Selvedge

thanks Billee xX

* * *

not much else to report on today, tomorrow i have to go to college (on my day off no less!!!) to print out lots of candy stuff then in the evening it's my friends (Liz, Ben and Sharon) exhibition preview in Port Erin

exciting times!

now if you'll excuse me i must dash off to watch Family Guy, adieu!

that's all folks . . .  ◕‿◕ ★

Silly Little Strawberries ★

so today i have been very VERY busy

i woke up early (early for me!) and finished off a logo commission for a local company, then i edited a packaging design for another local business, then i locked myself away in my sewing cave (aka my bedroom) which is where i've been cooped up for the rest of the day

but look at what i made!!!

i finally used some of the flower patterned felt i bought aaaaages ago + some lovely little scrap fabric bits and pieces to make this little kimono

it took forever to make though since i sew everything by hand, my mum attempted to set up the old sewing machine for me but it just won't work, i wasted a good hour this morning on it but it just keeps jamming and making scary buzzing noises so i gave up!

anyway this little lovely is called 'Kimiko' and i hope you like her

i made another new little doll as well, little being the operative word since i messed up the templates a bit and ended up with much smaller body parts, the plus side was that she's so small the little blue dress i made yesterday actually fits her

but that's not all folks because as you may have gathered from today's blog title, i've not JUST been sewing dolls . . .

thaaaaat's right! i've been making some strawberry charms

quite a few in fact since i actually ended up making seven!!!

i made them all this afternoon after drawing some strawberries for a clients logo design, i guess it inspired me!

these are very similar to the first strawberry charm i made

you know . . . this one

only this time i used tiny glass seed beads for the pips instead of french knots, mainly to save my sanity but also because a little bit of sparkle is nice

what do you think?

tomorrow i'm heading into college to try and catch up on everything that i've missed + get some more sewing done, i'm thinking maybe cupcakes or toadstools for tomorrow!

tata for now 

that's all folks ◕‿◕ ★ xX