An Advent Challege..

Hello,

Happy Friday, the weekend is nearly upon us, and so is December. I'm so excited I LOVE Christmas and everything about it. I would be lying if I said I hadn't had any mince pies yet or listened to Michael Bublé's Christmas album on repeat in my car for the last week! I'm certainly ready for 1st December to roll round.

Faye Brown Designs has launched a fabulous advent challenge which encourages people to do something creative everyday on the run up to Christmas using her festive prompts..

What a fab idea, I'm really going to give this a good go and post a new print, photograph of festive phrase over here on my blog on each day. I can't wait. 

Is anyone else joining in too?

See you soon

xx

WOO HOO I'm a winner...

Hello,

Last week I entered Lily & Mae's competition to win a selection of their wonderful goodies. To my surprise I got a notification pop up on twitter from Lily & Mae to say I had won. Cue excited squeak.

The goodies, which are part of the Vintage set, came beautifully packaged in a cute gift box sealed with a wax stamp (how fab!). Each item was individually wrapped in tissue paper. The package felt so special, with a hand written note from Lily & Mae's founder Nina Austin.

The products are gorgeous, such good quality I can't wait to use them. They will definitely make having my morning cup of coffee and drying up a lot more special! And I can't wait to send my first note card out! 

I urge you to take a look at their web page here and pick up some lovely Christmas pressies, I reckon you should treat yourself too.

Thank you Lily & Mae you have made me one very happy girl.

Have a good week, 

See you soon

xx

Birthday fun...

Happy Monday :)

This weekend was my other half's birthday, we had such a fab time, he was a Zoo Keeper for a day at Dudley Zoo. It was such a fun day. I will post more about that (with loads of pics) later in the week!

I decided this year, I was going to hand make a card and some wrapping paper for him. We have been together 8 years and there are only so my soppy cards you can buy for one another so I decided this year to make my own (soppy) card!

I  chose a quote that I'd said to him a few days ago, which had made him laugh. I really like the bold print against the kraft card. I think I have accidentally stumbled across a new range! 

I also hand-printed this wrapping paper with a stamp that I made. I really quite like it too. It's so much fun printing your own card/wrap, it just makes the gifts a bit more personal. 

Watch out Christmas I'm printing mad at the moment!

Have a good week,

See you soon,

xx

Success comes in all shapes and sizes...

...Mine came in the shape of an egg cosy! YEAY! I've been having a look through my new books and bookmarking products I think my designs might look snazzy on. And the humble little egg cosy was one I thought would be super cute to make (I wasn't wrong). 

Now as you know from previous posts like this one I am not natural at sewing and I'm fairly new at it but I'm (slowly) getting there. So I thought a cheeky little egg cosy would be a nice project to start with.

My first attempt didn't go quite to plan, I ended up sewing all the edges together with it inside out (thank god for that stitch unpicking-thingy-ma-bob)and I didn't believe the template was the right size so made it smaller. What I ended up with was, not so much of a cosy, but an egg hat, that had to sit on top of the egg and not snuggle around it.

Not one to be 'beaten' (sorry) by an egg cosy I had another go last night with another of my designs. And excited squeak it worked....eeeeee how eggcellent (sorry again). I love my little cosy, look how cute it is! YEAY! 

See you soon

xx

Gotta love a to do list..

Hello, 

 Well I've been slowly cracking on with things I need to do for 'May I Design'. To be honest, I've just been writing a million 'To do' lists and slowly, one buy one,ticking them off. I love a list, I love even more ticking things off. 

For this reason the first point on my lists are usually 'write a to do list' just so I can immediately tick something off! With my love of lists in mind I have created a free printable download for you, so you can write yours on a jazzy print out to make it seem less hard work. 

You can find yours here! Hope you like it :) 

 Have a good weekend, hope you get things ticked off your list! 

 See you soon xx

May I do business?

Hello there and a very happy (rather chilly) Monday to you.

This weekend I went back home to Lichfield and had a lovely time with my parents. On Saturday I went through the plans I have for 'May I Design' and bless my folks they listened while I babbled on and then chatted through different ideas with me. (Thanks Mum and Dad you're both ace).

What I have decided to do is blog my way through the processes of setting up a small craft business. I am by no means an expert, and I know I'm going to make mistakes and experience challenges along the way. But I have dreamt of making and selling my designs since I was VERY young and have decided now is the time to really focus on doing just that. 

Ever since I can remember I have been doodling and decorating whatever surface I could lay my tiny mitts on, paper plates, school exercise books, drinking glasses and even kitchen roll. This has never left me and now I would LOVE to turn this into a small business. I don't plan to make millions (although that would be nice!) but if i can do it part-time I would be super proud!

I found this on pinterest, so true!

The problem, I'm finding out, is, to run your own business it's not as simple as creating beautifully decorated things, you have to be in charge of the finance, the marketing, the making, and every other bit in between.

 I am planning to launch 'May I Design' properly in the early parts of next year. And instead of being a secret squirrel and  doing everything behind the scenes it might be nice for both me (and hopefully) you to track the progress of a small craft business starting out. And if I can help and inspire any other designer/ makers along the way, then all the better.

So I'm going to do a series of blog posts called 'May I do business?' and bring my findings to you. 

If anyone out there is reading this and is just starting out too or has a more accomplished business and would like to give any advice of their own, please drop me an email here. I'd love to hear from you and possibly feature your advice in my blog too.

The crafting community is such a friendly one, I look forward to being a part of it.

Have a happy week,

see you soon xx