I Want Wednesday

It is Wednesday isn't it? This week is speeding by and my 'to do' list is getting longer by the hour but I'm taking some time out for my blog as posts have been a bit few and far between lately. And because it's Wednesday. My 'I Want' for this week are all the lovely goodies by Shedraws. Kitsch, original and stylish illustrations printed on a range of different items from jewellery to notebooks. I do love a nice tea towel so I think they might be my favourites!















The link above is Shedraws on Folksy but you can also find the pretties on Etsy too. Gorgeous aren't they?

Better get back to trying to design wedding invitations. It's really hard. I have a few different ideas and I can't decide which to go with. Time is ticking too as I'm freelancing all next week and heading down south for the festivities the weeks after. Ahhhh. Wanted to get them posted out before Christmas. Oh well, we'll see...

Seb's Satsuma

Sharing the office with Dave and Seb today and the sun is shining. Dave just gave Seb a segment of his satsuma and I had to take a photo of Seb nibbling away and leaving a little pile of juice. We'll have to make sure he uses a plate when we finally get some carpet!

Personalised Storeyshop Sock Monkeys

Sorry for the severe lack of blog posts lately but I have been ridiculously busy. Last week I freelanced 9-5 all week and then made Storeyshop orders every evening. The weekend was another mixture of monkey making and DIYing but at least our hard work is paying off and the kitchen is looking lots better. The Storeyshop order waiting list is getting lots of nice ticks against it too!

I am loving personalising monkeys. It adds a special touch to each one and also another colour which I really like. Here are the two monkeys I posted off to the U.S today. The special offer is still on too, so get choosing the free felt inital you would like sewn onto any Storeyshop sock monkey purchased now!



I'm also very excited today as one of my best friends had a baby girl yesterday evening! Can't wait to meet her.

1000 Etsy Sales!

I'm very excited to have reached my 'by Christmas' goal of 1000 sales in my Etsy shop at the weekend! I can't quite believe it. I remember waiting months for those first few sales when I first opened my shop, so to have reached four figures would have seemed impossible back then. Thanks to every Storeyshop customer for supporting Storeyshop and handmade. I am enjoying it more than ever. Now for the next 1000!

For those of you who didn't know, I now have a shop on UK-based Folksy too. That one's a little way off the 1000 sales mark though (!) but it's nice to offer UK customers the choice to pay in GBP and I like the small scale feel of Folksy.

Well, I have been meaning to do a little cut-out or illustration to celebrate the big 1000 sales but I have been really busy with DIY all weekend (the bathroom is done and the kitchen is started -photos soon!) and custom orders all day today so that will have to wait for now. I am booked to freelance on a magazine over in Newcastle for the rest of this week too so may be a bit quiet in blogland and on Twitter but I'll be back soon!

My 1000th Storeyshop card order was for a new baby (yay)...


To celebrate this milestone and inspired by my recent personalised monkey order, I am pleased to offer one free felt initial or number sewn on to any Storeyshop monkey purchased between now and Christmas (normally $10 extra). Just order the monkey of your choice from the selection available in my Etsy shop and add which initial or letter you would like added in the 'note to seller' box.

I Want Wednesday

I have a dilemma. To iPhone or not to iPhone? Everyone I ask (including all my new Twitter friends) say to iPhone. Everyone. Oh, except one person who thinks they are too much money and they are really, especially with Christmas and a wedding coming up but they are just so nice. I have been resisting quite well up until now but I am getting more and more tempted...

Anyway, I have been looking at gadget-related handmade goodies for my 'Wednesday Want' this week and have stumbled upon the lovely Vintage Coquette on Etsy where you can buy the cutest ever iPhone cases. I think this find may have solved it: To iPhone!







Better get some dinner on so we can nip off to Newcastle in time to see 'Fantastic Mr Fox' at the cinema! Might even be able to squeeze in a mini Christmas shopping session if we get there early enough and Dave is in a good mood...

New Storeyshop Personalised Cards

Been nice and busy with card orders over the last few days. Lots of lovely return customers which is always good and some nice messages and sales from Company readers too after seeing the feature. Thank you! I'm also up to 400 Twitter followers.. woo! After posting a few months ago about not really 'getting' Twitter I have definitely been converted. I love it now and tweet a lot. I love how quick it all moves and how you find you have things in common with people just from random tweets about favourite crisps and what you do day to day.











Pop over and follow Storeyshop on Twitter! I look forward to (sort of) meeting you and following back!

Storeyshop in Company!

My little secret from a few weeks ago and the reason for my trip to London recently... I'm in print! Not just a Storeyshop product either but little old me in swish clothes and a top hat. It is in the December 2009 issue of Company magazine and is a great feature also including a cake maker, a handmade wedding business and a knitter. There's even a mention on the cover, 'How your hobby could make you a million' (yes please). Very inspiring and I'm excited to be part of it!







The shoot was lots of fun but actually quite hard to pose without smiling or looking absolutely terrified. I'm more used to being the other side of the camera at Company shoots as I used to art direct them when I was senior designer on the magazine. I knew the kind of look (I think) that they wanted but it was easier said than done. Especially in the highest boots in the world!

I have already had some lovely messages from Company readers and some sales so all good! I better get back to my card orders. I'm on my last one for today and then better nip to the post office with the latest batch. I also have a personalised sock monkey to make, too, who needs to jet off to the U.S for a little girl's birthday!

'I Want Wednesday'

English tarts today. And other crocheted delectables including custard creams, pink wafer biscuits and Jammie Dodgers. How amazing are these handcrafted wonders by Treaclezoo? You can buy them on Etsy or Folksy and I am so going to. I have some Christmas present recipients in mind but I think they'll be one of those gifts that you buy and then can't give away!

I'm Back!

Ooh, it's been a while. My holiday was lovely and the busy week catching up with orders after being away was quite fun too.. the Christmas orders have started! Have now sorted out bridesmaid dresses (took my neices shopping while we were away) and photographer too so wedding planning is coming along.

I'm trying my hardest to be positive as I have had a rubbish day today! One of those Mondays I think. I have managed to completely muck my website up and I'm not even quite sure how! Going to be featured in a magazine in the next week or so too so bad timing as that's the web address that's going to be in the article! Grrrr. Designing husband-to-be's website now and it's going a little bit better but still not great. Think I might give up for today. Let's hope tomorrow is better!

Here are some of my latest cards...

Just to say that I have...

Off for a relaxing week away in Derbyshire. My family are coming up from the south and we're heading down. Woo! Storeyshop is still open so order away as normal and I will make and/or post new orders when I get back next weekend. Have a lovely weekend and week everyone!

We Have A Winner!

I have just put the names of all my giveaway comment writers, followers and tweeters in to a hat (my tweed trilby was such a useful purchase) and the winner is, dum dum daaaaaaa, Janet! Thank you very much for all your entries. Another giveaway soon...



Also, see below for my first personalised Christmas card order for 2009. And it didn't get caught up in the dreaded postal strikes, woohoo! Order your custom Christmas number nice and early for the festive season in my shop now. I am going away on a little holiday next week (hurrah!) but will be back designing, cutting and posting at Storeyshop HQ on Monday 2nd November.

I Want Wednesday!

A recent Etsy discovery and my 'I Want' for this week are these gorgeous illustrations by Janice Jong at JaniceJ. London-based Janice is inspired by places she has been and books she has read among other things. I love the style of her illustrations and also the combination of black and white elements with bright colour. I have just realised I have picked a bit of a yellow theme with my favourites!







Love them and eyeing up the chair print especially. Christmas list maybe. I really want to get the house all sorted and decorated so I can get some great artwork on the walls very soon. Enjoy!

Car Booty!

Half my weekend was very boring and involved my tax return and accounts sorting (eurgh) and half was brilliant and involved dinner at our favourite restaurant and an entire day off (yay)! Still haven't quite finished the boring Excel spreadsheets and tax form but have made a good start. Saturday night dinner was to celebrate mine and Dave's meeting (a very random, Sliding Doors-like, evening in Sussex 5 years ago) and took place in The Crown in Catton. The food was amazing as ever and we sat by a lovely open fire. Perfect.

On Sunday, we went to the 'Food and Craft Fair' at Wallington National Trust House and tasted (and bought) lots of nice locally-produced Northumberland food goodies. Always a nice change to wander round a craft fair as a buyer too, and not have to sit behind a stall getting cold and a numb bum! I then dragged my lovely fiance round a car boot sale. He hates them but we did find some fab vintage mugs.

Today has been a busy one with lots of card orders made and posted. I have also just listed this new card which I made on Friday...



Rememer, there's still lots of time to enter my new giveaway to win a card. See the post below and good luck. Thank you to all of you who have commented, followed and tweeted so far!

Storeyshop Giveaway II

It's Friday and it has been a while since the first ever Storeyshop giveaway so I am at it again. I'm giving away one of my new, limited edition, laser cut cards!

You can choose an: 'I love you more than tea', 'I love you more than cake' or 'I love you more than cheese' card. Give it to that special someone for Christmas, their birthday, save it for Valentine's Day or just show your random appreciation after they take the bin out. Or, maybe you could send it to your Mum, Dad or friend? Share the love (the tea/cake/cheese part doesn't have to be true all of the time!)...

To enter is simples, and the different ways each count for one entry, so you can do more than one to increase your chances of winning. 1) Comment on this post; 2) Click to follow my blog; 3) Follow me on Twitter 4) Tweet or RT about the giveaway (add @Storeyshop and a link to this post -I'll keep a note of all the twitterers). You have until 10am next Thursday to enter and I will announce the winner on here and on Twitter at 6pm(ish) the same day. You can then choose which card you would like. Woo!







Happy Friday, happy commenting, happy tweeting and good luck. Oh, and have a fab weekend everyone...

Beautiful Wedding Accessories

I'm in wedding mode again. I'm getting excited now that we have a venue and a date. I was slightly worried I was doing things in the wrong order choosing my dress (and shoes!) first and that my outfit wouldn't suit the venue we (eventually) chose but I'm happy that it will now and really looking forward to trying my dress on again!

I have been looking at accessories on Etsy and there are some lovely bits. I even managed to get a treasury to put my finds in. Woo!



Have had one of those days today where I have done quite a lot (honest I have) but it doesn't feel like I have achieved very much. Oh well, two more custom card orders posted and another one half finished. New ideas for Valentine's Day cards too. I know Christmas comes first but I love the lovey dovey cards!

'I Want' Wednesday...

...Again! Not quite sure how it got round to Wednesday again with no blog posts in between. Actually, I do. I had my day in London on Friday. I won't reveal too much until it comes out, but I did a photoshoot for a magazine (also, I want to see the finished feature before I tell everyone. Eeek I hope it's ok)! Well, the shoot was great but then I just about managed to get back up to Northumberland before being ill for the entire weekend. Yuk. Anyway, I am feeling loads better now so back to Storeyshop and blogging.

My 'I Want Wednesday' for today is inspired by the end of my mobile contract and the possibility of finally getting my hands on an iPhone! How nice are these these gorgeous phone and MP3 cases by On A Roll on Etsy? I love how tactile and handmade they are compared to the super high tech gadgets they are made for. They are all lovingly hand-knitted in the United States but the postage costs are very affordable worldwide. I think I'm going to go for the olive green one!







You can also find hand-knitted cup cosies (which double up as wrist warmers!) and cute little apple cosies so have a little look in On A Roll for yourself and for unique Christmas gifts. You can get gift vouchers too, so perfect if you can't decide which colour cosy to buy for that special someone.

Happy Wednesday!

I Want Wednesday

I am waiting for my jacket potatoes to cook in the oven so perfect time for shopping! Dinner could be some time as our microwave blew up the other day so no giving the spuds a cheeky start in there. Going to have to splash out on a new one. Anyway, on to much more exciting things to spend the pennies on...

I have been browsing beautiful shops on Etsy to bring you another favourite and have come up trumps with these screenprinted beauties by UK-based, summersville. I love the patterns, the colours and the random but brilliant additions to lots of the photographs. Why not add some plastic cows or a toy car here and there? (I love that I have those Fisher Price figures from the last photo too!)