I Want Wednesday!

It's December! I hope you are all having fun Christmas shopping. I have to admit, I haven't really started mine yet but I have a list of ideas of things to make or buy for people now. That's a start! I'm going to try and go handmade all the way. On that note, I bring you my 'I Want' for this week: Gorgeous and ridiculously intricately stitched handmade creations by Teasemade on Folksy and Etsy. Love them!

Snowy Storeyshop HQ

OK, so if you are standing on the hill in the photo from my last post and turn around, this is what you'd see. Storeyshop HQ is the little window in the shadow of the tree. It is all warm and cosy and I'm cutting away enjoying the fact that I don't have to travel to work (for now). I'm still managing to get to the post office every day but please bear the snowy weather in mind if you are waiting for an order from me. Things may be a bit trickier for the poor post men and women. Brrrr



My next challenge will be getting down to London on Saturday to freelance on Company magazine next week. Let's hope the trains are running to get me down there and to whisk me from my parents' in Sussex to London Victoria each day!

So a little shop update: Today is the last day for personalised orders from any buyers outside of the UK (last posting date is Friday). I'm freelancing from Monday until the 23rd December now. I can still make and post all UK orders but there may be a slight delay on some of them. I'll still get items to you in time for Christmas and will update my shop and blog if anything changes.

Woo hoo. I'm feeling quite festive today. Happy first day of advent!

Dreaming of a White Christmas

The view from my bedroom window this morning. Sunny and snowing and we don't have to be anywhere today so it's gorgeous! Catching up on some Storeyshop orders this morning and then off out for a walk to Hadrian's (white) Wall I think. Have a lovely weekend everyone!



ps. Sorry for the lack of 'I Want Wednesday' post this week. I was actually whisked off to a little cottage in the Lake District on Wednesday evening. 'Twas lovely. I have a brilliant 'I Want' up my sleeve for next Wednesday though...

I Want Wednesday!

It's been ages, I know, but 'I Want Wednesday' is back. It's just an excuse for me to browse lovely handmade products really but, as you don't just want to hear about Storeyshop all the time, I'll be bringing you my favourite shops and makers every Wednesday (just like the old days)! Today I bring you the woolly delights of UK-based Sara Carr on Etsy and Folksy. I love the shapes, colours and textures of her creations and I really need a pencil scarf (even though my initials aren't HB anymore). What a brilliant idea. Christmas shopping ahoy!

New Custom Papercut Posters

Bit slow on the blogging front lately but I have a very good excuse: Lots of lovely Storeyshop orders including personalised cards, notebooks and posters. My scalpel and I are very busy! Here are a couple of recent hand cut poster orders. I definitely need to work on my photography skills but I loved cutting these and I like the subtle white on white when they are shown against a white wall...










Think I might make hand cut some more posters as Christmas presents for a few friends and family members. The plan is to go completely handmade for pressies this year; either by making things myself or treating folks to gorgeous handmade items by other makers. I shall keep you posted with some fab festive finds over the next few weeks!

ps. GIVEAWAY TIME! I have finally got round to creating a Facebook page for Storeyshop. When I reach 200 fans/likes, I will be selecting one fan at random to receive a special Storeyshop treat. Tell your friends and good luck!

Special Delivery

The exciting news from Storeyshop HQ is that my range of machine cut card designs is growing. Some of the most popular Storeyshop designs are now in stock and at a more purse-friendly price. The great thing about these cards is that it makes them better for my small collection of lovely stockists around the country. Here is a selection of the new additions, all of which are available now.

















psst... There's also some Christmas designs!

Wedding! April 17th 2010

This year seems to be flying by and I have just realised that Sunday marked six months since I got married to the lovely Mr Storeyshop! Here's a peek at some of my favourite wedding photographs. They make me so happy. Thank you so much to the brilliant Gingerpixel for capturing such special moments from our big day!

Life Before Storeyshop

Every time I travel down by train to Sussex to visit my parents, I promise them that next time I have a car with me, I'll take some more of my stuff. I still seem to have quite a lot of stuff in their spare room and loft cupboards (I have a lot of stuff generally as I'm not very good at parting with old things). Anyway, when we were there a few weeks ago, we finally filled the car with lots of old art books and folders and brought them up north. Lucky Dave!

So, for a couple of weeks, I have been dusting off massive 'A' Level and Art Foundation portfolios and flicking through university sketchbooks. The portfolio work is a bit cringe-worthy, to be honest (very smudgey charcoal life drawings, anyone?), but the sketchbooks are quite fun. I didn't really realise how much papercutting I had done while at uni. I used to love using neon colours and I think half the reason for this was that, as I couldn't print the flouros, I just HAD to get my scalpel out and cut the typography or design by hand. An intricate time-consuming task was always much more inspiring to me (and still is) than staring at Photoshop or Illustrator with an idea in my head that I was pretty much guaranteed to end up having to change because I didn't have the tech skills to actually create it.

So, some of the history behind Storeyshop is revealed: A lack of computer skills, a passion for old-fashioned, hands-on processes and a dread of having to grow up and get a job where I wouldn't need a pencil case, with a ruler and a rubber in, at all times.




















The last quote is a famous one that my Granddad used to say. I always hate it when people randomly say things like, 'Smile, love' just because you're not grinning away, but Grandad was always allowed.

My 'ideas list' is even longer now after going through my old designs. Apart from papercutting, I also liked felt tips. Maybe I'll bring them back out?

First Personalised Wedding Guest Book!

Books are an exciting new venture for me and here are some photos of my first personalised one. It's a questbook for the happy couple's up-coming wedding so soon it will be full of lovely wedding messages for them to treasure forever from their special day. Woo hoo!