What's this? What's this? There's colour everywhere...

What's this? a BLOG post?! surely not.

but yes, it is. it's been a year + one week since i last did a proper post on here and i thought, hhm... why not start again now! surely it's as good a time as any.

so why the sudden desire to inflict my opinions upon the world once more?

well for one, i was a smidge bored.

and for another reason, it's nearly Xmas time so i figured it might be nice to do a post about some of the lovely stuff i sell in my online shop, you know, as Xmas gift ideas for y'all

so here goes!

over the past year i've tried to expand my range of merchandise a little, so now i can offer even more funky stuff featuring my designs. here are a few of the things i think would make rather nice gifts for people you don't despise.

to start with, if you're in need a nifty stocking filler?! why not get them some groovy vinyl stickers to stick on their stuff - £2.50 for 3 

looking for something for the booklover in your life that isn't books?  then why not get them a bag that they can just carry their books in! + each bag comes with a free 38mm badge - tote bag £10

 

know someone with an iPhone 4/4s, then maybe you could get them a quirky cover for their phone + each one comes with a free matching postcard - iPhone case £10

 

if they have a sweet tooth maybe they'd like one of these pastel pretty cupcake necklaces - necklace on chain £8.50

or if cupcakes aren't their thing, maybe try a Macaron pocket mirror instead. each mirror comes in a little organza bag to keep it scratch free - pocket mirror £3.50

if they're particularly health conscious or the environmentally friendly sort then this set of bicycle postcards might be right up their street - His n' Hers Bicycle cards £1.75

if you're really struggling to pick something then a surprise goodie bag is always a fun gift. Each one contains 8 lovely surprises all bundled up in a sealed dotty treat bag! the contents of each bag are worth anywhere between £12 to £20 but i'll be selling these special treat bags at a verrrrry tasty price - Marvellous Mystery goodie bags £10 each

postcards can be nice framed so why not treat someone to a pair of funky folk art inspired designs - postcard pack £1.75

really not sure what to get the person that has everything?! then a piece of original artwork could be the perfect gift! 100% hand painted and hand drawn by me - original painting on heart board £40

 

 + obviously there is heaps more lovely stuff in my Shop, lots of other tote bag designs + pocket mirrors, postcards, badges, necklaces, greetings cards and stickers galore.
go check it out.
but only if you want to!

anyway i think that's it for now, who knows, perhaps i will resume regular blog posts now. better later than never right?! 

we shall see.

until next time, cheerio folks xX

Elephants and Everything Else ★

greetings dear readers from a rather chilly and wintery Isle of Man.

yesterday i spent the afternoon with my friend Jenny and i remembered that i completely forgot to show you all what i made her for her 20th Birthday last week!

i couldn't think of anything to get Jenny but i know she really likes elephants so i had a go at stitching up a little plushie elephant for her

so i'd like you all to meet Ethel the Elephant! isn't she a cutie! it was so much fun to make her, it's been ages since i've made any plushies and i think this is one of the biggest things i've ever made (she's about 30x18cm)

Jenny seemed to like her anyway, which is what counts i guess!

* * *

so yesterday was my last day at college before half-term and in the afternoon Jenny came to collect me and we whizzed off to Tynwald for a little mooch around the shops and the gallery

as a sort of end of term treat i got this little cutie to add to my mini Momiji collection

she's from the 2010 'book lovers' collection by illustrator Luli Bunny, and i just couldn't resist!

she fits in perfectly with the momiji girls i have already

* * *

it seems that yesterday was a day of treats because when i got home i found a lovely little parcel waiting for me from the Isle of Man Soap Company

firstly... i couldn't get over how adorable the packaging was! so sooo cute! i'd ordered a cherry lipbalm and an apple martini soap and they arrived all wrapped up in pretty tissue paper inside a funky metallic green jiffy mailer

i haven't opened the soap yet but i can't stop using the cherry lipbalm! it's so moisturizing i just love it

the Isle of Man Soap Company is a fabulous local business run by the equally as fabulous Irene, she hand-makes the most glorious goodies using the finest ingredients and her own individual fragrance collections unique to the IOM Soap Co

some of the goodies available include: soaps, candles, soft soap body polish, bubble dust, bath salts, cold process soap, lipbalms, bath bon-bons 

and my personal favourites... the cupcake bathbombs!

they truly do look good enough to eat, but are a treat for your skin, not for your tastebuds!

for more info + to check out the full ranges on offer, you can check out the website and online shop right here - Isle of Man Soap Company

* * *

yesterday i also had to mail out a postcard ordered from my Etsy shop. i realised that i don't really explain my packaging very well and that unless you've ordered something from me in the past you don't really know what to expect

very simply, i post all postcards out in special 'do not bend' print mailers + every postcard comes in a protective cello sleeve along with a complimentary 'JADE' postcard and a Sugar Skull sticker, all bundled in a sweetie bag before being popped in the envelope and posted off to wherever

anyway, just thought i'd share that little snippet of info with you all. you can see all of my postcard designs available in my shop here - Jade's Etsy Shop

* * *

nothing more to report on for now, i've a week off from college full of research and drawing ahead of me 

you still have just over 4 days left to enter the 'Blog Birthday Giveaway'

in case you missed the last post, i'm giving away a stack of super duper cute goodies to celebrate my blogs 3rd Birthday/Anniversay...... Blogiversary this month!

to find out how YOU can enter to win some prizes head on over to the Giveaway post here - Blog Birthday Giveaway 2012

i'm picking 3 winners this year as well so you never know... you might just be one of them!!!

so get entering! and until next time, that's all folks...  

◕‿◕ ★ xX

Cards and Stickers ★

well it's been an eventful few days! if you follow me on facebook/twitter then you will already know that i've been stuck in Lancaster, UK for the past 2 days due to ferry cancellations!!! :(

basically, i was supposed to catch the boat home on Tuesday afternoon but due to motorway closures, i missed it by 10 minutes...

and unfortunately, all of the boats were cancelled the next day due to bad weather conditions!

but i'm FINALLY home now, and that's what matters :)

this morning i popped to the IOM post depot in Ramsey to collect lots of lovely parcels

containing... funky new Greetings Cards AND Sugar Skull stickers!!!!!

yaaaay get excited!

the cards are lovely quality, i'm really pleased with the silky finish + i think they look rather cute packaged up with envelopes in their little cello bags 

there are currently 5 designs to choose from... 

the Sugar Skull

Matryoshka

Candy Girl

Macarons

and a new scrabble design for Birthdays

+ they ALL have my logo on the back as well

and as for the stickers...

well i just want to stick them everywhere! but they're not really for me, they're for all of you...

anyway, ALL cards and stickers are now available to buy via my esty shop

and for a limited time only, ALL greetings cards ordered will come with a free Sugar Skull circle sticker as well!!!

i'm still attempting to procure some cards for Xmas, i'm trying to find somewhere to get them printed, so i'll keep you all posted on those!

but in the meantime, head on over to my etsy shop and have a skeet at what IS available - Jade's Etsy Shop

* * *

in other news, another lovely envelope also arrived for me today containing a very pretty print featuring the work of the lovely Madi Barrett aka Madiillustrates

you may remember that i ran a Creative Café feature on her gorgeous work a few months ago, and if you don't remember, well then you can check it out here - Creative Café #7

anyway, i've had my eye on the print for a while so i decided to treat myself! 

and since i was Madi's 20th customer she also sent me this beautiful little pocket mirror!

love, love, love it!

now i just need to find a space on my 'wall of stuff' to put up the lovely print!

* * *

i've a few more posts to run over the weekend to try and make up for the days lost in Lancaster! so be sure to look out for those

i have to go into college tomorrow, on a Saturday!!! shock horror, but i really need to get stuff printed ahead of my assessment, which had to be rescheduled because i missed it... thanks to the boat being cancelled!

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

Meet the Bears ★

so yesterday i spent the day sewing and watching movies (the dark knight + anchorman + the blues brothers) 

would you like to see what i made?!

why do i even ask, i know you all want to see!!!

i'd like you all to meet 'Beatrice the Bear' and 'Bernadette the Bear'

these little darlings are only a couple of inches tall so i thought they'd look nice on necklaces or keyrings, but seeing as i always lose my keyrings i thought necklaces were a safer bet

do you like them? they sure were fun to make + they're made of the same thick felt i used for 'Fifi the Fawn' (go and meet her here - Fawns and Fabric) so they're quite sturdy really, i also used some tiny gingham bows + cute buttons from 'Just Enough' to brighten them up a bit

i've ordered some pretty chains to put them on so fingers crossed these little bears + the plushie cupcake charms will soon be available from my etsy shop

* * *

in other news, a parcel arrived for me yesterday from London and i was super duper excited to open it since it contained the new Postcards and Mini Cards i ordered

check out these sugary sweet postcards with my 'Sugar Skull' and 'Let Them Eat Cake' designs

and i also got three 'Where's Charlie?' themed designs printed up as well

they're pretty cute right?! the postcards are printed with a glossy finish but the backs have a lovely silk finish making it easier to write on

i'm quite pleased with how they printed out, the print quality is amazing, the lines are flawless

anyway they're all up for sale on the shop at the reasonable price of £1 each (this is reasonable to me seeing as in the Sayle Gallery here on the Island they charge £1.50 per postcard!!! + i know dozens of other artists that charge £1.50 - .£2 for their postcards!)

or you can buy them in little sets of 3 in which case they work out slightly cheaper . . .

go forth and have a skeet for yourself at the shop - The Candy Cove

but that's not all that arrived because i also ordered these . . .

now i love the business cards i got printed up a few weeks ago but there's only 50 of them! well, there was 50 of them before i started giving them out to people . . .

they're diddy compared to my business cards but i think that just adds to their girly charm

so i wanted something simpler to just hand out to people + pop in with all the etsy shop orders, i mean i enclose a little business card with every order anyway but now i'll be able to pop in one or two of these

i got 10 of my 'Girl' designs printed up and i'm liking how they turned out, they kind of remind me of old fashioned cigarette cards + i like the idea that people can pick out their favourite girl from the set 

and of course they still have my website + email on the back

total genius! i love them, i should make them little collectibles, so that people can collect the set of 10 girly mini cards

but of course, the ONLY way to get YOUR hands on one (or two) of them is to buy something from my etsy shop

* * *

that's all for today i guess

i got another order for a custom plushie Fawn this afternoon so i guess i could make a start on that but to be honest it's been so long since i did any quantifiable college work i might just spend the evening drawing out new character ideas for the Cupcake Princess story

until next time, that's all folks . . .

◕‿◕ ★ xX 

College, Cupcakes and La Catrina ★

so today i went back to college seeing as i only managed to make it in for one day last week! 

i spent the day working on some new stuff including a sort of 'la Catrina' + dia de los muertos inspired pin-up girl 

initially inspired by the Calavera de la Catrina 

she's also based on one of the 666 photography shoots i wrote a little about in this post - Curvy Corsets & Pretty Pinup Photography

i've used an old lingerie pin-up girl from a commission as the base

 and started adding Catrina/sugar skull style make-up and tattoos using the sugar skull design i drew out the other day

still can't make up my mind about the colours though...

and i keep mixing it all up

i'm sure i'll work out how to fix her eventually!

* * *

i also painted my nails today (who knew this post would be SO interesting...) 

i used the new Barry M 'nail effects' varnish i bought during my trip to Coventry a few weeks ago

i hadn't used it until today but it works really well! makes the most awesome crackled patterns on your nails! can highly recommend it to you all...

* * *

oh as well as the Catrina style girly i also started a new embroidery piece today,

they're legs by the way... bizarre i know but i never said i was a good sewer or embroiderer!!!

seeing as this is my first EVER attempt at hand sewn applique it's bound to be rubbish though... right?!

ah it's a work in progress anyway and still has a LOOOONG way to go!

 it's supposed to be an embroidered + appliqued version of this

only time will tell as to whether or not i succeed...

* * *

in other news, my mum came home today with a goodie bag of... goodies for me from town

i absolutely loathe Monday's (who doesn't...) so it was extra awesome of her to gather this stuff for me today

we have...

a cute mini kokeshi doll...

...that opens up into a lipgloss!!!

+ a pack of yummy strawberry cupcake scented mini-wipes (genius!!!)

awesome sets of earrings

totally awesome in fact...

and last but not least, a REAL cupcake...

so cute (not to mention downright delicious) 

isn't she a total star! thanks mum x

* * *

s'all for today, i need some food now seeing as i haven't had any breakfast or lunch to speak of...

until next time

that's all folks...

★ ◕‿◕ ♥ xX