Jolly Good

Happy February!

2012-02-01T22:17:00.000Z

Last February I took part in the 28 Drawings Later challenge. The challenge was set up by artist Victoria Evans and invites all participants to share their work over on the facebook page. I was a bit unsure whether to take part in this years challenge, February is set to be a pretty busy month, but looking back at last years attempt I thought I'd better try and improve on it! This is my Day 1 creation, 'Home Sweet Home'.

It's not the best image as it's been photographed rather than scanned. My plan is to copy my drawings properly when I get near a scanner.

This week also saw the result of some January drawings as I received some new cards from the printers. I added them to the shop this evening. A great way to tell someone special just how sensational, fantastic, wonderful, super, terrific, marvellous and tremendous they are.

P.S. My giveaway ends on Friday so don't forget to enter by leaving a comment on this post.

Lovely Things Week 4

2012-01-29T19:02:00.002Z

This week I've been off from the day job for a second week. I've really enjoyed my holiday as I've had plenty of time to work on Jolly Good stuff. It's back to work tomorrow but hopefully I can keep this creative streak running. Some other good things about this week have been:

1. Making movies. I had great fun making this little teaser trailer for my short horror movie idea. I got to have a play with my new fog machine, which was a Christmas present from Ross for this very purpose, and it puts me one step closer to my make a film resolution. It was very cold but it was great to see what can be achieved in a day. Now all I have to do is find some actors and locations then shoot and edit the thing. That will be easy, right?

2. Giggling. I love looking on Etsy (my favourites list just keeps on growing) but the things in Laura George's shop actually made me laugh out loud. I could spend a small fortune buying cute cards to send to friends. Another thing that made me giggle this week was seeing an ice cream van called King Kone. Simple things and all that.
Image by Laura George, you can purchase this card here.

3. Being a winner. The other week I entered a super giveaway, over on Ladybird Likes, to win a mixtape and this week I found out I'd won. I thought it was such a great idea for a giveaway and hopefully it will help me discover some new music . I also bought some tickets for Iona's Tombolalala. The money raised goes to Action for Children and there are some great prizes up for grabs. I won some nautical hair clips by Fantoosherie. And, talking of giveaways, have you had a chance to enter the Jolly Good one yet?
Images from Ladybird Likes(Left) and Can's Cans Dreams Plans (Right).

4. Tea and cake. This afternoon it's been pretty horrible and wet outside so nothing beats curling up on the sofa with a cup of tea and a bit of home baking. This cute cupcake was made by Ross' Mum and it was very, very tasty.

Hope you've all had a good week?

Grand Opening

2012-01-27T18:16:00.000Z

It has arrived! The new look Jolly Good shop is now open for business. It would be super if you could take a look and let me know what you think. All the new product photos are up and there's also a few new items to get a look at, including this pretty little house illustration.

To celebrate there's 15% off all the items when you use the code GRANDOPENING2012. And, here on the blog, I'm giving away one of my new Lucky Penny Necklaces .

To be in with the chance of winning all you have to do is leave a comment below letting me know your favourite item from the shop. You can also get an extra entry if you tweet about the new shop. Remember to mention @JollyGoodStudio so I know you've tweeted. Entries from around the world are welcome and I'll pick a winner next week.

Jolly Good Creations

2012-01-26T18:33:00.000Z

Over the past couple of weeks I've been getting back into the swing of drawing. The latter half of 2011 saw me in a bit of a creative slump illustration wise, but the new year seems to have brought along some new inspiration. I've been having a lot of fun putting pencil to paper and have even created some new products that will be winging there way to the shop very soon. These include a set of 6 postcards, each featuring a different compliment. Here's a sneak peek at one.

I've also been working hard to improve the Jolly Good shop. I've decided to move all my products over onto Etsy, allowing me to have bigger and better photos as well as more room for descriptions. It also means that I can give out coupon codes! I'll be launching the new shop tomorrow and will have one ready for you then.

Lovely Things

2012-01-22T22:32:00.000Z

1. Holidays. Being on holiday from work and knowing I still have another week off ahead of me. Pure bliss. I haven't been lazing around though. No sir, I've been busy creating new Jolly Good things, drawing and....

2. Taking Pictures. This weekend I've had the living room set up as a photographic studio and have taken new images for all the Jolly Good products. I spent most of Friday reading blog posts about photography (there are some great ones over on Etsy) and have tried my best to put what I've learnt into practise. I think they're definitely an improvement on my old photos and I will be using them as I jazz up my shop this week.

3. Reading. It's not been all work and no play. Being off has given me time to sit down and relax with one of my favourite magazines, Oh Comely. I especially enjoyed the balloon pictures, shown above, and the article all about biscuits.

4. Dog walking. Of course some kind of animal has to be involved in my list of Lovely Things. As well as getting to hold the baby guinea pigs from last weeks post, I've also been getting some exercise with the help of my canine friends. Almost every week Ross and I do some dog walking for Help For Abandoned Animals. This week we did two shifts including one this afternoon. The dogs are always so jolly but after walking 3 today I am definitely looking forward to bedtime.

Lovely Things

2012-01-15T22:25:00.000Z

This is another idea for a regular little post, looking at a selection of nice things about each week. It's always a good idea to focus on the small pleasures in life and I'm hoping it will encourage me to do even more fun stuff.

1. New boots. Found these in the Zara sale, again another purchase made while hanging around shops before work. These were a bargain at only £20 and so far they've proven rather comfortable, even with the heel.

2. Pile of drawing supplies. After a good start to drawing in 2011 things kinda trailed off towards the end of the year. I'm making a renewed attempt to get back on the drawing bandwagon with a nice little selection of new material.

3. Baby guinea pigs! We found out this week that one of the guinea pigs in our local pet shop was pregnant and on Saturday she gave birth. Of course Ross and I rushed down to have a look and the little ones. They came out just like mini adult pigs, no pink squishyness to be seen.

4. First cinema trip of 2012. This afternoon we went along to the DCA to watch a screening of Vampyr with a live score by Steven Severin. It was a great film with some creepy scenes and definitely made for a different kind of cinema trip.

Jolly Jewellery: TRIANGLES

2012-01-12T23:03:00.001Z

In my last post I said that I wanted to give this blog a bit of love and attention with some regular features and by posting more often. This is one of my ideas for a monthly post. I love jewellery and think there are some amazing makers out there, so every month I plan to pick a jewellery theme and find some of my favourite examples. This month is Triangles, possibly my top shape.

1. Hand painted Geometric necklace by Victoria. Gorgeous colours and beautifully painted with a nice rough quality.

2. Double Triangle Brooch by Rebecca Boatfield. Simple wooden brooch which is also available in gold. Love the natural wood though.

3. Triangle Gold Rings by Ring Me. A triangle shaped ring with a triangle pattern. Didn't think it would sit right on a finger but the photo on Etsy looks really good. It also has another pattern on the bottom. Two rings in one!

4. Thorns by Mirta. Oxidized silver rings that can be stacked to create different effects.

5. Nina Bracelet by Shlomit Ofir. Loads of tiny triangles for your wrist.

6. Tiny Arrow Stud Earrings by Laonato. I don't have my ears pierced but these are so cute and what lovely colours.

7. Black Geometric Cuff by Archetype Z. A very modern looking piece with an equally as amazing ring version.

8. Harlequin Brooch by Togetherness. Such a sweet name for a company and such a sweet brooch, again with some with a lovely use of colour.

All images taken from the makers websites. Click on the links to find out more about each piece.

A New Year

2012-01-09T23:05:00.000Z

A belated happy new year everyone! We're already a week through 2012 and mine hasn't been terribly exciting so far, just a lot of work and movie watching mainly. But today I decided it was time to get organised and while I was on the train to work I made a list of things I would like to do in 2012. Turns out there's rather a lot and the likely hood of getting through them all is quite slim but here's some of the bigger ones:

Buy a house.

For the past few years I've been living with Ross in a little flat. We would love to buy a house together and have more space for all our bits, pieces and creatures. Doing so should help with the following....

Spend more time with friends.

With friends dotted all over the place it can sometimes be hard to meet up. Having a bigger place would mean space for said friends to stay allowing for more catch up time.

Make more.

After starting work Jolly Good has been a bit neglected, especially when it comes to creating new things. I would like to see this change in 2012 and turn some of the ideas in my head into reality. I've already started on a new collection of rings and necklaces which I hope will turn out as I've imagined.

Blog regularly.

Another thing that has suffered due to me having a job is this here blog. Back at the start of the year I was writing about 6 new posts a month but towards the end of 2011 that fell to around 1 or 2. My aim is to try and be a bit more consistent, perhaps including some more regular features.

Travel.

Yes I'm nearly 25 and the furthest I've travelled is Dublin. This year I hope to change that and venture a little further from home. I'm thinking maybe Amsterdam to start.

Make a film.

In 2011 I came up with an idea for a short horror film and I'd like to make 2012 the year I make my directorial debut. It probably won't turn out quite like it is in my head but I'll give it a go.

Be more organised.

To make the above things happen I feel I need to be far more organised and make better use of my free time. At least I've got some tools to help me do that in the form of my new diary and a notebook especially for lists and plans.

A Kitty Shaped Christmas

2011-12-30T21:44:00.000Z

2012 is fast approaching but first here's a little Xmas catch up. My Christmas was very merry, with lots of presents, food, drinks and a nice cosy fireside to have a little nap in front off. I was lucky to receive some very lovely gifts, with quite a few following a kitty theme:

The jumper is from ASOS and I mentioned the bag in this post, both were gifted to me from Ross and I ,of course, put them straight on. I also got a great cat mug that has a little shelf to keep your biscuit on and a very cute cat calender to replace last years. Cats galore!

This year I didn't aim for a handmade Christmas, but I still found myself buying a lot from sites like Etsy and NOTHS. The service from all the sellers was fantastic and I was really happy with all the gifts I got for people. Plus ordering online can make life so much easier! I think I'll definitely aim to buy more birthday and xmas presents that way in 2012.

Festive Finds

2011-12-13T22:37:00.000Z

Christmas isn't far away now and I've started to think about other festive touches to get me in the festive spirit. It's time to put up the tree and wrap up the gifts. Here's a few things I've spotted on Etsy to help as the day approaches.

1. Vintage Candy Canes - Six tree decorations from Little Dandy

2. Fair Isle Bag - Printed tote bag by Peris & Corr

3. Keep Your Mitts Off - Gift wrap by Sophia Victoria Joy

4. Christmas Tape - Decorative tape by Mr Yen

5. Tipsy Badger - Gift tags by Sophie Parker

6. My Other Half - Note card by Ready the House

Photos from sellers Etsy shops

Little Treats

2011-12-13T14:53:00.001Z

When it's dark and cold outside it's nice to have a few little treats to cheer you up. These are some I've purchased recently mostly while waiting around to start/ go home from work. Having a job can be quite expensive!

Shoes - H! by Henry Holland

Gloves - H&M

Nail Polish - H&M

I've been eyeing these shoes up for quite some time and finally gave in when they went to 20%off. I like their grannyish look and the fact that they're pretty comfy.
The gloves weren't so much a treat as a necessity. When you spend a lot of time waiting in a cold train station gloves are definitely required.

The nail polish caught my attention because it was shiny. A little inexpensive way to add some Christmas sparkle to my outfits this festive season.

I Really Like Cats

2011-12-08T22:45:00.001Z

Ever since getting our little kitten last year my love for cats has grown enormously. So much so that I would like to have many more cat themed things in my life. Here are a few that I would like to add to my Christmas list.

1. Every Life Should Have Nine Cats - Tote Bag by Chatty Nora

2. The Cat - Tea Towel by Nicola Rowlands

3. Vintage Cat Glasses - 80's tumblers from Lady Kitschener's Vintage Emporium

4. Wonder Cat - Vintage style poster by What Katie Does
5. Cat Notebook - by Jen Collins
6. Cat Ears Ring - Lazer cut ring by SV Jewellery

Photos taken from Etsy

Advent

2011-12-01T22:33:00.001Z

Happy 1st of December everyone! I am very excited for Christmas this year and was made even more excited after getting an excellent advent calender from my sister. We usually get each other one every year but this time she has out done herself with this:

Every day I get to open a little door and do some colouring! She even gave me a new set of colouring pens. It's full of cute little christmassy illustrations all ready for me to add colour to.

And this was who was hiding behind window number 1..

Tin Tin

2011-11-12T12:19:00.001Z

I found this great spaghetti tin in a charity shop not so long ago. It's much more practical that the old jam jar I was using as now the kitten can't steal the contents! Also it looks great beside the Popcorn tub I'm using for utensils. Now if only the rest of the kitchen matched...

Winter Warmers

2011-11-10T21:05:00.001Z

It's starting to get pretty nippy out there so I've been thinking about what I need to make my wardrobe ready for the winter months. I'm usually never very prepared when it comes to layers but hopefully this year will be different. On my wish list are:

1. A Cosy Scarf - I'm still in love with Hilary Grant's scarves, the patterns are perfect for winter and there's a great selection of colours.

2. Not So Stompy Boots - I am prepared with a nice thick and cosy pair of boots but, for those days when it's not quite so bad out, I would like a slightly more delicate pair that will still do their bit to fend off the cold. This pair are a bargain from Zara.

3. A Magic Sack - At this time of year I'm always in need of a larger bag to allow for the storage for mittens, scarves, earmuffs etc. I snapped up this very bag earlier in the week as it was on sale in Miss Selfridge for the bargain price of £15.

4. Cute Mittens - I would really like some snazzy new mittens. They aren't the most practical choice but they sure are cute. I also like the Oui and Non mittens on ASOS, though I'm not too sure about the colour.

5. Jumpers Galore - I've seen a fair few nice jumpers in H&M recently and they're all at pretty reasonable prices. I'm slightly worried that this may mean they bobble faster but they look so cosy I may just have to try one out.

6. A Furry Friend - Another thing that has caught my eye in H&M are the snazzy fur collars. I like the idea of adding one to my existing jackets to make them look a bit more winter ready.

Set created on Polyvore.

New Jewels

2011-11-08T22:44:00.001Z

Some jewellery bits and bobs that I've picked up recently. The two rings came as a pack from H&M. Unfortunately I can't wear them both at the same time as they both only fit one of my fingers. The watch necklace was a complete bargain at only £2.50! I spotted it on a stall that was set up in the foyer of a theatre. The stall was covered in lovely 2nd hand jewellery for very low prices but I'd gone and forgotten my purse. Luckily for me Ross stepped in and treated me to this piece. It works and everything! Well it does when I remember to wind it.

A Yurting Adventure

2011-10-19T21:16:00.000+01:00

The view from our yurt

In my time away from the blogging world I've been very busy going on fun adventures. As a surprise for Ross' birthday I organised a little yurting holiday. We headed across the country to stay at the fabulous Great Glen Yurts. Situated just outside Fort William we had a great view of the Nevis range from our cosy accommodation. The yurt was very spacious with a comfy bed, a wood burning stove and lots of oil lamps and candles.

Ross in his specially bought yurting cardigan.

Abandoned church on the Fort William to Mallaig Road

We went on lots of fun adventures including a trip to Oban, a drive round Loch Ness, a shopping trip in Inverness and a drive along side the Jacobite railway track. We also ate lots of yummy food, especially enjoying the meals we had at the Grog & Gruel. And we spent a morning filled with outdoor activities archery and abseiling with the help of Dave from Monster Activities.

Action Girl

It was a pretty rainy weekend but it didn't effect the beautiful views and with a new pair of spotty wellies , as well as 2 waterproof coats, I was uncharacteristically prepared.

Posing beside Loch Ness

Practical Thinking

2011-10-18T13:07:00.001+01:00

The technical difficulties I thought I had solved with a new charger didn't stay away for long. But, after a trip to the laptop hospital, they seem to be solved for the moment so it's back to blogging again. Yay! I'll start with a recent, and extremly practical, purchase.

I found these shoes at a very reasonalbe price during a sale in Debenhams. Ok so they're probably not the best choice what with winter coming up and all, but they are pretty and that is all that matters. And to prove you don't need appropriate footwear to have a good adventure I took them for a walk in the leafy, and rather muddy, woods.

They didn't look quite so clean at the end of it but with the help of a wet wipe they now look as good as new.

Masters

2011-09-13T22:17:00.001+01:00

Due to techiecal difficulties (ie a broken laptop charger) it's been rather quiet round here lately. But I have now returned to the blogging world starting with a little look at the Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design Masters show.

'Big Fat Super Hero' by Andrew MacVicar

Ross and I enjoyed a nice day off with a wander around the show. We made sure we had plenty of time to have a good look at everything and managed to watch all of the Animation & Visulisation films. My favourite had to be Mark Haldane's 'Conflicting Ideas'. Not just because I recognised one of his characters from my visit to the degree show last year but also because the theme of the film is so familiar.

We then moved around to the Fine Art section where I really enjoyed Andre MacVicar's sculptures. A great mixture of comedy and tragedy and I was very impressed with the little zine he'd put together about the work he was exhibiting.

I also liked Michael Mcleod's work. It was suitably dark and strange and worked very well exhibited in it's own little space at the top of the stairs.

Although there wasn't much else that stood out to me in the show, I did enjoy looking at all the different ideas in the Master of Design section. The one that interested me the most was Sharyn Farnan's '+makespace'. I'm always a fan of utilising unused spaces for creative means and would love to see the idea taken forward.

Living in Black & White

2011-08-10T22:11:00.002+01:00

Set created on Polyvore

I have to admit that I am a big fan of black and white when it comes to dressing. Even though I do sometimes despair when I see the amount of black in my wardrobe I still enjoy this easy to wear combination. I was hoping to add a bit more colour into the mix this summer but I haven't been able to resit a few new monochrome pieces.

BOOM!

2011-07-31T17:45:00.000+01:00

This morning we headed through to Dundee to watch the Alexander Street multis get demolished. From our viewpoint we only got a good look at one of the four coming down but it was still rather impressive, as was the dust cloud that followed.

Mail Art

2011-07-19T16:33:00.000+01:00

The other week a lovely envelope arrived from Jeannine aka SaylorMade. The envelope was full of fun little bits and pieces and some nifty art. We decided to trade mail art after being introduced through Jessica Gowling (the mail art queen!). I'm super keen to try and increase the amount of fun mail I receive, a person can only take a certain amount of bills and junk mail, and this package certainly helped address the balance. First of all I really loved the cute polar bear stamps.

And the contents of the envelope was a rather jolly mixture of pictures, postcards, paper and a rather lovely mixed media piece by the lady herself.

I also very much enjoyed the empty polaroid picture frame and spent some time filling it with pictures from around the flat, including this rather fuzzy one of Panda.

H! by Henry Holland

2011-07-04T18:28:00.000+01:00

This weekend I started my new part time job working in Debenhams. Of course I'll still be running Jolly Good but a bit of reliable income, to go towards shoes, holidays and food, never goes amiss. Even before I stared working there H! by Henry Holland had to be one of my favourite designers at Debenhams collections. The clothes are fun and bright and there are lot of lovely shoes and bags in the range. This seasons collection is very festival chic, here are a few of my favourites.

1. Natural Duffle Cape - Very versatile coat perfect for the unpredictable Scottish summer weather. There's a hood for rain showers and the sleeves can be worn up or down.

2. Blue Daisy Print Summer Dress - I'm still loving daisy prints in summer clothing and this dress is daisy overload.

3. Mustard Zebra Print Blouse - Tie front shirts is another summer style I'm coveting. And this one has zebras!

4. Black Horse Loafers - Urban Outfitters had a similar shoe but in patent leather but I think I prefer these matt ones.

5. Binocular Across the Body Bag - You could probably just buy binoculars in a bag from a carboot sale super cheap, but this one is still pretty cute.

Set created on Polyvore.

Shark Attack

2011-06-29T15:50:00.000+01:00

After visiting Edinburgh the other week Ross and I continued south eventually ending up in Oxford. It was a short visit, as Ross had an interview in the area, but we managed a quick drive into the city while we were there. The weather wasn't great so when we spotted a row of shops (including a number of charity shops) we decided we'd have a look round. It was as we were looking out for a suitable parking space that I glanced down a side street and spotted this!

Of course I shouted at Ross to stop the car immediately! After parking (in a sensible spot) I dragged him to the street where I'd seen it so a) we could take a closer look and b) I could prove I hadn't been seeing things. There was no explanation as to what it was doing there but after a bit of internet research I found out that it was commissioned by the owner of the house, Bill Heine, back in 1986. It was made by sculptor John Buckley and was lowered into the roof in the early hours of a Saturday morning. I love finding art in unexpected places and being situated on an ordinary street gave this piece an impact and power far greater than if I'd seen it in a gallery. I'm so glad we came across it the way we did and it now has to be one of my favourite art viewing experiences of all time. You can find out more about the history of the shark here.

A Whizz Round the ECA Degree Show: ILLUSTRATION

2011-06-27T15:18:00.000+01:00

The last section of the ECA Degree Show that I was really looking forward to seeing was the Illustration. Unfortunately this was the part at which I was most rushed. What I did see in my quick scoot round looked fantastic and I have to say I'm glad I'm not an illustration graduate because the competition in the field is intense. I was also quite glad I hadn't brought along my purse because it would more than likely have been emptied at the Illustration shop.

First of all I was welcomed into the space by the lovely Laura Armstrong. I enjoyed her fun sci-fi work, some of which you can purchase from her Etsy shop.

One of the other displays that caught my eye was Kirsty Baynham I loved her choice of mixed frames and the way they were all fitted together. Oh and the illustrations were pretty lovely too, beautiful colours and use of geometric shapes. She also had a very big box filled with tempting prints.

Matt McCann also had an inventive way of displaying his work. Manipulated and collaged photographs had been screen printed onto glass giving a spooky effect which reflected his theme of invented memory.

I also love seeing illustration work used in jewellery so was very attracted to Claribel McVennon's fox necklaces which mirrored her sweet images.

There were loads of other great illustrations that, in my rush, I didn't get a chance to photograph but you should check out the ECA page which has a list of all the illustrators who were displaying work.

A Whizz Round the ECA Degree Show: JEWELLERY

2011-06-22T18:34:00.000+01:00

R hona McCallum. Lovely to see red dots beside pieces, indicating sales.

Another section of the ECA Degree Show that I was really excited about seeing was the jewellery. And though this section was short and sweet, it did not disappoint. Visiting the jewellery sections of degree shows always makes me wish I had studied it at uni. The detail, thought and workmanship that goes into these pieces makes me embarrassed to put the words jewellery designer anywhere near my own name.

There were aspects of all the designs that attracted me but the one designer I feel in love with was Kirsty Fraser.

Heavily influenced by architecture, I loved the geometric shapes and the mix of materials such as wood, silver and opal acrylic. I also think her promotional tools were spot on, as she offered a cohesive collection of business cards, postcards and a collection leaflet for people to take away.

Another collection that I wanted to mention, but didn't get any photos of, was Alice Bo-Wen Chang's. You can have a look at her work here.

A Whizz Round the ECA Degree Show: FASHION

2011-06-20T14:43:00.000+01:00

Kara Sormark

Last week, while in Edinburgh for my sisters graduation, I took the opportunity to have a look around the Edinburgh College of Art Degree Show. Unfortunately it was just a super quick look, having only an hour before and an hour after the ceremony to spare. I managed to see most of the sections I was especially excited about and have decided to do a small write up of each of my favourites.

One of the areas I was most interested to see was the Fashion section. After opting to see the Costume Design Show I was looking forward to seeing what I'd missed by not choosing to see the Fashion show too. I'd already had a sneak peak of a few ECA gratudates via others blogger's coverage of Graduate Fashion week but it was good to get a closer look at the garments on the hangers. The first collection that stood out to me was Hannah Cummings bright and floaty offerings. I loved her colour combination and the orange of the dress on the mannequin was such a perfect fruity shade.

I also loved the wooden clutch bags, contrasting with the floaty fabric.

Bright colour seemed to be a strong theme with many of the fashion students this year, with bright blues, oranges and yellows featuring across many of the collections. It was interesting to see how each designer approached their use of colour, from clashing brights to combining strong colours with softer tones.

Klara Somark

Sarah Ho

Though all the colour was very attractive and put me in the perfect summery mood I was also attracted to Laura De Barra's collection. I just could not resist the combination of navy and white stripes paired with brown leather.

But if I had to choose a favourite I think I'd go for Anna Stephenson's collection. They way she'd used print really stood out and I loved how she'd created pretty floral garments and then shredded and manipulated the fabric to add a whole other dimension to the designs.

2011-06-13T14:42:00.000+01:00

Recently I've been spending way too much time "window" shopping online. Since I'm not in the market to actually buy anything any time soon I thought I'd indulge myself and make a little wish list. Hopefully I'll be able to refer back to it when I do have pennies to spend and actually buy things I want/need rather than just buying on impulse.

1. A basic stripey top. A piece of clothing that is so easy to wear but seems to be missing from my wardrobe. I always enjoy stealing my sisters when I visit her so really should get one of my own.

2. Shorts, preferably featuring daisys. I always love wearing shorts in summertime as they allow me to keep cool while adventuring with no fear that I'm flashing my knickers.

3. A tie front shirt. Another item that shouts summer at me. Spotted a super guide to making one in Trashion mag so might try one DIY style.

4. A watch. I'm so sick of having to look at my phone to find out the time!

5. Some nice casual flats. All mine seem to be falling apart at the moment, not so good when there's a burst of summer showers.

6. A backpack. I haven't owned one since I was at school but there's loads of nice ones available at the moment. Great for going on bicycle adventures and picnics.

7. Trousers. I would really like to add a nice colourful and lightweight pair to my measly collection, which includes one pair of jeans...that's it.

Set created on polyvore. Click here for the full set with links to each item.

Pretty as a Picture

2011-06-06T16:39:00.000+01:00

Over the weekend I added some of my original illustrations to my shop. It took a bit of time due to a frustratingly slow internet connection but I got there in the end! Because of this I didn't add as many but will put some more up soon (including the roller skating fox you can see above). I've also submitted some of my other illustrations to Art Pistol so they might be popping up on there soon.

A while back I added an illustration section on my website which will take you to my wee online portfolio so feel free to check that out too.

Summertime?

2011-06-04T12:35:00.000+01:00

There have been some lovely sunny days this week and yesterday afternoon I had the chance to enjoy it with lunch outside and a nice stroll along the cliffs. I also got to make use of my new sunglasses I got back in April. I don't think I've bought any new accessories or clothes since so it's been good to actually get to wear them.

They reminded me of the Cacharel ones I illustrated a while back. My ones were from H&M though, and so were decidedly more friendly to my bank balance. I'm not usually one to go in for designer copies but I just loved the bright colour. I've been liking orange much more lately, after a spell of hating it due to the bright orange polo shirt I had to wear to work. Anyway lets hope there's more sunshine soon so I can keep getting my moneys worth and can enjoy more afternoons sitting outside in this flowery deck chair.

Angus Open Studios

2011-05-30T14:26:00.000+01:00

This weekend my little studio, No.70, has been open as part of the Angus Open Studios. Ross and I changed the layout, making the front part into a little exhibition space featuring my jewellery and illustration and his photography and films. We've had quite a few visitors through the door, probably tempted by the free tea and coffee, and have had some lovely feedback about our work. I had a few original illustrations for sale for the first time so it was good to hear some nice comments about them.

Unfortunately I've been manning the studio all weekend so haven't had a chance to go and see any of the 40+ other artists who were showing work. Ross was out filming some of it though so I've been able to take a peek at some of the footage he got. He was also very nice and brought me back a little ceramic cupcake from Margaret's Handpainted Pottery (who's website features a pretty excellent song about a snail).

CCA

2011-05-20T23:49:00.000+01:00

Last week I was at the CCA through in Glasgow for the book very interesting book launch of More Bad News From Israel by Greg Philo. This also gave me the chance to have a look round the Welcome Home shop, have a peek through at the set up of the British Art Show 7 exhibition (it looks good!) and eat some very yummy chips. I loved their display of posters from previous exhibitions. This one was my favourite.

If You Don't Like Cats This Probably Isn't For You

2011-05-20T22:40:00.000+01:00

Last Saturday I went on a trip to a Cat Show. I'd never been to one before but, since I am a bit of a kitty fan, thought it would make for a fun afternoon. There was plenty of cuteness to look at though unfortunately only through bars and strictly no petting. As disappointing as this was it was also completely understandable. As the signs said " hugs and squeezes spread diseases". Anyway that aside there were some super lovely cats on show and this post is basically an excuse to show pictures of them.

Of course none of them could compare to our very own bundle of fun. Here she is keeping the guinea pigs company.

Can't say I would ever enter our Panda into a cat show though. It didn't look very pleasant being stuck in a small cage all afternoon, some of them were even hidden away under blankets! Also I felt super sorry for the ones that didn't win any prizes.

Magpie Stall

2011-05-15T16:03:00.000+01:00

I've been a bit slow in posting about Magpie Market, where I set up a stall last Sunday. This was the first of their summer markets in the new venue of The Hub. I was sad to see the closure of The Lot, where the market had previously been held, but was very impressed with the new spot. The hall was very grand and brightly decorated with much more room meaning that there was plenty of stalls featuring both familiar and new faces. I was especially taken with the fun prints and cards by Allistair Burt, who had the stall next to mine, and I got the chance to catch up with many of my West End Fair neighbours including Suzy Loves, Ali Bali jewellery, Nameless Wonders and Rachel Elliott Glass.

I also got the chance to show off my new postcards and business cards. The seemed to go down quite well with lots of passers by admiring my adventurous cat illustration.

Thanks to Magpie for having me again, my sis for keeping me company for the afternoon and all the lovely customers for buying and looking at my wares.

Get Your Costume On

2011-05-10T15:57:00.000+01:00

Year Two Project The Blue Bird

For the second year in a row myself and Kimberley managed to make it along to the Edinburgh College of Art show. Like I said in my previous post this year it had been split into two shows, one for fashion and one for costume, with only one sold out combined show. We decided to head along to see the work of the Costume students but, even though I felt this was the better section of last years show, I still preferred seeing the Fashion and Costume together. For one thing I felt it was much more value for money. This year I felt I'd just got myself settled and it was all over. Another issue of this year was the change in format from a raised catwalk to a salon style show. This looked fine if you were in the front row but not as great if, like me, you were situated behind someone with rather big hair. Having the models raised up would have made this less of a problem and would have meant I didn't have to invade Kimberley's personal space to to get a decent view. The walkway also horseshoed around the audience meaning that at some points I couldn't see anything as the action was taking place well out of view. This, coupled with the direction some of the models walked, meant that I only got to see the back of some outfits. As beautiful as they were I would have much preferred to see the whole costume.

Both: Year Two Project The Blue Bird

More from Year Two Project The Blue Bird

Anyway enough of the niggling negatives, all of which were format issues and though they were irritating they did not overshadow the work that was on display. Again I was wowed by the choice of music accompanying each collection, the selection of costumes on offer, the workmanship that had gone into them and the way they were displayed. I loved the energy of the models and the way they made the costumes and characters come alive. One of my favourite examples of this was Sophie Donaldson's The Birds collection where the models took on he fidgety movements of their characters.

Both: Sophie Donaldson The Birds

Other highlights of choreography included the pied piper-esque Designing the Music Festival collection by Elle Wilson which saw the musicians being followed by a group of dancing festival goers, the nifty tennis and dance moves of Lucy Minta Reeves' section based on Richard Bach's fable Jonathan Livingston Seagull and the dramatic chase scene of Ilona Russel's Struuwelpeter adaptation.

Elle Wilson Designing the Music Festival

Lucy Minta Reeves Johnathan Livingston Seagull

Ilona Russell Struuwelpeter

The collection that caught my eye from a costume point of view was Claire Blakes Wild Women project. These ladies had little lights within their headpieces and dresses which created a very atmospheric effect.

Clare Blake Wild Women

And Kimberley especially loved the rather amazing wig sported by the Snow Queen like character of Jasmine based on Struuwelpeter, a set of Victorian poems.

Ilona Russell's Jasmine character

And, for good measure, here some more pics of collections and details that caught my eye.

Anna Crimin Designs for The Magic Flute

Year Three Project The Master and Margarita

Jennifer Sneddon Thorn in my side...you know that's all you ever were

The ECA Degree Show runs from 11th-9th June where you can get a closer look at all these costumes as well as work from other courses including Fashion, Animation, Fine Art and Jewellery. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I can make it along.

Magpie

2011-05-03T22:53:00.000+01:00

This weekend is going to be another busy one as I head back through to Edinburgh for Magpie Market. I can't believe this will be the first Jolly Good craft fair outing of 2011! This year is going by so super fast it's been hard to keep up but I'm looking forward to getting back into the craft fair swing and catching up with folk. I'm also excited to experience the new Magpie venue along with added music from The Horndogs and a raffle! So if you're in Edinburgh on Sunday why not pop down, say hello and have some fun.

While I'm in the capital I'll also be heading along to the ECA fashion show with the lovely Kim. Unfortunately this year they've split fashion and costume into two separate shows (apart from one combined show which was sold out) meaning we could only chose one to go and see. We opted for costume as this was our favourite part of last years show. Hopefully I'll get lots of good pictures to share. And finally, in news from last weekends shenanigans, I sold a couple of things at the Polka Dot Punks 'Our Place' exhibition. One of them was this drawing:

This Weekend

2011-04-27T23:24:00.000+01:00

This weekend is looking like a busy one, filled with lots of creative things to keep you occupied if you're not interested in the big wedding. I'm happy to say that my work will be featured in two such super events.

The first is 'Beards & Tiaras', an exhibition organised as part of The Right Royal Pop-Up. This pop-up shop has been put together by Lovely Pigeon and features work by over 50 designers and makers. My drawing will sit alongside 24 other pieces all inspired by the theme of beards and tiaras but if you can't make it along to the exhibition you don't have to miss out as all the work can be seen online.

The second exhibition has been organised by the Polka Dot Punks as part of the Streetland Festival. They will be opening their house for an art party featuring live performances along with artwork inspired by people and communities. Named 'Our Place', this event is running from 12pm-6pm on Saturday 30th and can be found at Flat 0/1, 59 Dixon Avenue, Govanhill, Glasgow. Check out the facebook page for more info.

Anyone else up to anything exciting over this long weekend?

Easter Sunday

2011-04-24T18:11:00.000+01:00

What a lovely Sunday it's been! After a rainy and dull day yesterday it was great to wake up with sun streaming through the window. This sunshine meant a trip down to the car boot sale and, though there weren't as many cars as usual, I managed to find a little something.

I've been on the look out for a jug for a little while with the idea of making some lemonade. Though this one probably isn't the most suitable,it's pretty small, I couldn't resist the fun stopper in the top.

This afternoon also included a family picnic filled with egg rolling and rounders. After finishing at the car boot sale Ross and I put together a picnic and hoped on our bicycles to join everyone else in a local park. Our hastily decorated eggs weren't as colourful as other years but at least we gave it a go. Ross' featured some lovely sail boats while mine pictured our furry creatures.

Lucky Me!

2011-04-19T21:03:00.000+01:00

I seem to have had a little lucky streak recently, winning two fantastic prints in online giveaways. The first was this dinner set screen print by Debbie Hill. It's got me wanting to completely re-decorate the kitchen!

I won the second print through twitter. I feel a bit of a cheat as all I had to do was follow the super illustrator that is @mariuspalerud. But I'm glad I did as ,after my name was picked, I got to choose a print from his lovely website. I went for 'Flokken' as I love the crazy monochrome creatures mixed with the colourful rainbow. Can't wait to find a frame and hang it in the hall!

Nice Mail

2011-04-15T18:01:00.000+01:00

After receiving a copy of Jessica's lovely zine last week, I put together a little thank you package to show my appreciation. This is what I put inside:

Two postcards nature themed postcards, circus badges, a J fabric brooch and a little print of one of my illustrations.

I really enjoyed picking what to put inside and decorating the envelope and I'm very glad it arrived safely. This mail art thing is a lot of fun and definitely something I'd like to do more of. It's lovely getting nice mail instead of boring bills and junk so if you're interested in doing a little exchange do let me know.

Boot Sale Finds

2011-04-12T12:01:00.001+01:00

Found these two sweet little houses at a car boot sale on Sunday. They're meant for showing off your thimbles but, since I haven't got any of those, I'm going to use them to display my jewellery and threads.

Sunshine

2011-04-10T19:26:00.000+01:00

It has been a lovely sunny weekend here and I've been making the most of it by going for long cliff side walks, riding my red bicycle and hunting for bargains at the local car boot sale. Sunglasses are, of course, the must have accessories for this kind of weather. While I'd be much happier with a super pair of vintage ones I do still like to have a look at what the designers have to offer.

You can see another spring inspired drawing by me over on Creature Mag. It accompanies their April Mix Tape, a very chilled mix of tracks, my favourite being 'The Greatest Love' by Lo &the Beholds.

Mountains

2011-04-06T19:53:00.000+01:00

Earlier in the week I went into the studio and found a lovely little package from Jessica Gowling. I've been following her on twitter for a while and have enjoyed reading her mega blog posts (she sure does put a lot of work into them!) It was in one of her posts that she announced she'd made her first zine and was willing to swap a few copies with other creative folk. Ofcourse I jumped straight in there. After suffering from tendinitis she hasn't been able to draw for quite a while and so put together 'Mountains Made of Fur' digitally. It's a lovely little zine looking at mountains and the creatures that live on their surfaces. It even came with a little pack of mountain stickers! This afternoon I put together a little package of treats to send her way so hopefully she likes my selection.

Little Girl in a Big City

2011-04-04T22:57:00.000+01:00

I had an absolutely super weekend down in London. Ross and I went down on Thursday for the TUC 60 second ad awards being held at the Renoir cinema. We got to see our own little ad, We're All In It Together, up on the big screen along with a private screening of 'Waste Land', a documentary film following artist Vik Muniz and his project in Brazil. It was a brilliant film, extremely moving and showcased so many amazing people, I would definitely recommend seeing it.

During the rest of the weekend we tried to cram in as much as possible and did a whole lot of walking. This was great way of seeing the city but boy did my feet hurt! We made two trips to the British Museum to try and take in as much as possible. I really loved the Japan section, especially the exhibition of prints by Kitagawa Utamaro. Such lovely details and beautiful colours. We also visited the Natural History Museum where I enjoyed the Dinosaur section and seeing the colourful birds.

We also spent a lot of time enjoying the greener areas of the big city especially Green Park where we made some small furry friends.

I also enjoyed our trip down to Spitalfields Market and Brick Lane, though it wasn't as peaceful as the parks. It would have been even nicer if it wasn't so busy but I still saw lots of lovely stuff and am kicking myself for not buying the vintage sunglasses and frog ring I spotted. The random sculpture, graffiti art and other unexpected sites we saw along the way were also highlights of the trip.

I saw so much inspirational stuff in the short time we were there but there was still so much more I wanted to see! I think another trip is need asap, anyone want to take me?

My Week

2011-03-25T18:24:00.000Z

This last week has been a pretty good one so far. The sun has been peeking out and I feel like I've been quite productive. A lot of my time has been spent drawing and submitting stuff to various competitions and exhibitions. Some of the stuff I've been doodling has popped up online. Firstly my submission for Lovely Pigeon's Beards and Tiaras exhibition. You can see it over on this blog post (mine is the second one down). And secondly my drawing of Mac & Me appeared over on Illustration Rally as one of their SciFi Film Portraits.

I've also submitted a tshirt design to All Tropical. Every week the design with the most votes/comments/shares wins a prize and gets their design printed. So (hint hint) it would be nice if you checked out my design (hint hint).

Another good thing about this week was finding out that the film I helped on was given a Highly Commended award! Very pleased about this and the fact that they described it as 'beautifully illustrated'. Also we get to go down to London next week for the award ceremony! Hurrah!

Bargain Necklaces

2011-03-19T16:45:00.000Z

Got these two lovely necklaces while I was in Edinburgh on Wednesday. Found them in the Shelter charity shop and they we're only £1 each! I don't often buy myself jewellery but these were such a bargain I couldn't resist. I especially love the one on the left.

Making Movies

2011-03-14T21:46:00.000Z

Over the last week I've been super busy working away with Ross on a little film for the TUC 60 Second Ad Contest. It was a great opportunity for us to collaborate, using Ross' film making skills along with my interest in illustration, to create an animation.

This is not something either of us had done before so there was a fair bit of making it up as we went along but it was all good clean fun. Though it would have been nice to have a little more time on it I'm really pleased with how it turned out. You can watch it below but after you've done so it would lovely of you to go over to the TUC site and give it some stars. Votes from nice people (like you nice person) will help it to be shortlisted for some prizes which would make me smile like a crazy person.

PS They've changed the rules (but not the name) for the contest this year so you can now have up to 90 seconds.

Saturday Adventures

2011-03-06T23:23:00.000Z

I have very much been enjoying the brighter weather we've been having recently. Makes me so much more chipper and has meant I've been able to get out and about on some mini adventures. Last weekend me and Ross headed to Tayport so he could take some pictures. We investigated an abandoned weather station just outside the town and while Ross was snapping away I took a few shots of my own. It was a great place to look around, very atmospheric and covered in interesting graffiti.

This weekend we headed a bit further away to Tentsmuir forest. We set out on a walk through the trees to find the Icehouse, where fishermen used to store their salmon. Now it's just filled with bats and doesn't actually look that exciting. The walk back along the beach was much more interesting though.

I'm hoping next weekends weather will be just as nice so the adventures can continue.

Jewels

2011-03-03T19:31:00.000Z

I feel like I've been neglecting my jewellery around here lately! The January lull, all those drawings through February and getting into screen printing has meant jewellery has taken a bit of a back seat. It's not been completely ignored though as I've added a few pieces to the scrabble collection. These travel scrabble earrings and bracelets are now available in Beco Boutique, Dundee and should appear on the website soon.

Papergirl

2011-03-02T16:49:00.000Z

The other week I sent of a little package to be included in Papergirl Glasgow. This inclusive art project has made it's way around the world after being started in Berlin by Aisha Ronniger. Trying to remove the distribution of art away from galleries the project sees people taking to the streets on bicycles and handing out rolls of art to passers by. After missing out on the Manchester event I was glad to see a Scottish version pop up and put together a selection of screen prints, original drawings and even a tshirt. Though the deadline for the Glasgow version has now passed there's still time to contribute to Papergirl Istanbul!

Catch Up - Part 2

2011-02-28T17:09:00.001Z

Catching up on the rest of my drawings for the 28 Drawings Later challenge. These are from Thursday leading up to the last day.

DAY 24

Did a few drawings of this guy for a little comic strip I'm doing to submit for Little Big Stories.

DAY 25

Went through to St Andrews and saw William and Kate, not my own choice but I got to argue with an old lady and then wander round the charity shops so it wasn't pretty fun. There were students on the street selling hot cross buns (very enterprising) and then some jet things flew over.

DAY 26

On Saturday I had a lovely day going around Dundee charity shops in the morning and then over to Tayport in the afternoon. There we adventured around an abandoned weather station and took lots of pictures. While we were walking about I saw a girl with a slightly deflated heart balloon, very Banksy.

DAY 27

This was an about the house kind of day. Though this is not my house, it is a house.

And DAY 28 (the final day)

The sun has been out the last few days making it feel like spring isn't too far away. Even though I do enjoy keeping cosy in winter I am very much looking forward to brighter evenings.

And that's it! 28 Drawings Later...I've enjoyed trying some new methods, working on my style and the challenge of thinking up something new each day. It's been good to set a goal and complete it and also to share my outcomes with others, even if they aren't masterpieces.

P.S. Go and have a look at everyone elses drawings over on the facebook page. There's some super, and extremely varied, stuff.

Catch Up - Part 1

2011-02-28T16:35:00.000Z

Since today is the last of the 28 Drawings Later challenge I thought I'd better get caught up on all the others I've done. What with laptop failure and then a whole lot of trips and days out of the studio I've just not had the chance to get them all posted. So here are all of the drawings leading up to Day 23, which was featured in the last post.

DAY 15

DAY 16

Looking at my drawings from earlier in the month I realised I'm not so good at drawing backgrounds or whole scenes. With these two I decided to have a go at including everything I could see while sitting in my living room, including a large pile of ironing.

DAY 17

I was feeling very tired and unimaginative for this one but I have to say drawing it was quite therapeutic.

DAY 18

DAY 19

DAY 20

Was away in Glasgow over the weekend having lots of fun with friends so these are all quite doodly and quick.

DAY 21

Got a table top oragami kit from one of my friends so decided to draw the swan I made. I had trouble finding paper so used an old bit of card with a circle cut out and was quite pleased with the outcome.

DAY 22

So all that led up to Colonel Gaddafi. Part 2 is coming shortly and will have all the drawings leading up to today.

The Colonel

2011-02-23T22:05:00.000Z

I've been having some laptop trouble lately so haven't been able to update with all my drawings for 28 Drawings Later! The black tape and cocktail sticks holding my charger together gave up on me but I now have a shiny new charger (exciting!) so the trouble is over. Yesterday I scanned in all the drawings I did last week and over the weekend so will be posting them all up soon. Today I've been watching a lot of news so decided to draw Colonel Gaddafi since he has such an interesting face.

Super Duper!

2011-02-14T20:58:00.000Z

This afternoon I was busy working with the screen printing kit I got for my birthday. I've now got a little space set up in my studio for it which all works quite well. The only thing that seems to be lacking is drying space so will need to come up with a plan for that. Anyway here's the result of my hard work:

A nice batch of bright red tote bags featuring a small conversation of exclamations! I will be popping them in the shop tomorrow so if you like it you can have one of your very own!

In other news today you can find me featured on a couple of lovely sites. The first is Creature Mag where you can see a lovely valentine illustration I did to show my love for them. The second is as part of Jessica Gowling's blog about books where you can get a peek at my bookshelf.

And of course here is my day 14 drawing for the 28 Drawings Later Challenge. After the ending of my bunny tale I decided to have a go at a different way of drawing. The outline of this was done as a continuous line, not letting my pen leave the paper, then it was filled in with watercolours.

The End

2011-02-13T22:05:00.000Z

Day 13 of the 28 Drawings Later Challenge is the end of the fluffy bunny tale. Little blue birds plan backfires when the bunnies get laid to rest in an ancient Indian burial ground. The old voodoo magic hanging around causes Mr and Mrs Bunny to come back from the dead, zombie style. And they all live happily ever after, apart from little blue bird whose intense rage leads her to spontaneously combust, oops!

A Super Saturday

2011-02-12T16:43:00.000Z

So far today has been lovely. Had a lie in, my boyfriend bought me a cactus with a hat and we finally made chocolate cornflake cakes and top hats. And I managed to do my 28 Drawing Later picture nice and early. In Day 12s drawing the bunny story turns a little sinister -

Little blue birds secret love for Bunny leads her to poison the wedding cake (carrot of course), ending in the tragic death of both the bride and groom!

Day 11

2011-02-11T20:56:00.000Z

A quick post to show my day 11 of the 28 Drawings Later. Carrying on the bunny story... the carrots worked and Bunny and lady bunny get hitched.

Weird Fish and Lovesick Bunnies

2011-02-10T22:21:00.000Z

Today my copy of Martyn Warren's The Weird Fish Factopedia arrived! I ordered it just the other day after coming across one of his fish based illustrations over on Illustration Rally. This little a5 book is full of hilarious "facts" about Weird Fish and had me giggling all morning. I love his diagram style mixed with ridiculous subject matter, right up my street. And because I enjoy how he takes an idea and runs with it I thought I'd use this weeks drawings for the 28 Drawings Later challenge to create my own little story. So carrying on form yesterdays bunny and carrot tree -

Bunny woos a lady bunny with his basket full of juicy carrots.

Carrots Are Good For You

2011-02-09T23:34:00.000Z

Still no scanner but here is my quick day 9 drawing for the 28 Drawings Later challenge. Today has been a busy one filled with screen printing, tidying and drinks with friends. So after all that what else could I draw apart from a carrot tree?!

A Strange Mix

2011-02-08T22:41:00.000Z

Today my greeting cards were featured over on the lovely Illustration Rally site as part of their Valentines series. You can have a look at them here along with all the other lovely folk they've featured.

And this is todays (number 8) drawing for the 28 Drawings Later challenge.

It doesn't look like much so here's some other doodles I did at the weekend to bulk up the post.

I really need to try and scan some of these in properly. Taking photos and then trying to edit them with very limited functions doesn't give the best results.

Before/After

2011-02-07T23:03:00.000Z

This weekend I watched a whole lot of documentaries on different subjects including Pepsi v Coke, arms manufacturing and who gets the best jobs. I really like finding out more about these subjects but always end up getting annoyed about how corrupt powerful people are! So for day 7 of the 28 Drawings Later challenge I did two drawings looking at the effect of big supermarkets on smaller retailers. It's a bit obvious but I enjoyed doing them anyway.

In other news, my order of tshirts and tote bags arrived today so I'll hopefully get some of them screen printed this week.

B-B-BOA!

2011-02-06T20:52:00.000Z

The other weekend, when I was in Edinburgh, me and my sister went for a look about some of the charity shops. While in one we discovered the most amazingly/random jumper I've ever seen. It was so ridiculous and huge that we both decided against buying it. Well it turns out that my sister went back and bought it as my birthday present!

It is extremely warm but still huge! I'll have to get my sewing box out and see what I can do about that. In the meantime I used it as my inspiration for my 28 Drawings Later day 6 drawing.

I Take My Hat Off To You

2011-02-05T15:26:00.000Z

For my birthday yesterday I got a big box full of ingredients for making marshmallow top hats and chocolate cornflake cakes. Both a must have for any birthday in my opinion. Didn't get round to making any yesterday but will hopefully get a chance today or tomorrow. In the meantime I drew this, as my day 5 of 28 Drawings Later, to keep me going.

Birthday

2011-02-05T01:10:00.000Z

28 Drawings Later - Day 4

Today (or technically yesterday) was my birthday! Unfortunately there weren't as many balloons as this but there was an amazing chocolate brownie malteser cake and a trip to the DCA to see Black Swan, so all in all a very good day.

My Favourite Place

2011-02-03T16:01:00.000Z

Today my copy of the My Favourite Place zine arrived, along with some tasty love hearts! The sweets are now long gone but the zine is still her for me to enjoy. This was the second collaborative project organised by iheart... and this time it incorporates sounds! There is a lovely selection of work from different artists (including me) and a website to visit with a sound to go with everyone's favourite place. There are a limited number available so head here to get your hands on a copy.

And here's my day 3 drawing for 28 Drawings Later. Today started off nice and sunny but now the wind is howling and the rain is pouring :( Hope it clears up for tomorrow!

Greetings

2011-02-02T21:17:00.000Z

Today some new Jolly Good card designs arrived from the printers and this afternoon I popped them up on the website. They're perfect for telling your loved one how you feel while complementing yourself at the same time! And they have a pretty new design on the back. I'm very pleased with how they've turned out.

Oh and here is todays drawing for the 28 Drawings Later Challenge:

1 Day Later

2011-02-01T23:42:00.000Z

This morning I spotted the 28 Days Later Drawing Challenge on Central Station. It was set up by Victoria Evans and was inspired by the Nanowrimo writing challenge that takes place every November. I've seen others doing similar things and have always fancied having ago myself so this seemed the perfect time to start. Also one of 2011 goals is to draw more so this will help me with that. Bonus!

This is my day 1 drawing:

Looking New

2011-01-31T12:42:00.000Z

As you may have noticed I've given the blog a bit of a new look. As 2011 began I felt the need for a change to something cleaner, brighter and more illustrative. I've also been busy redecorating the website too. It's not quite perfect yet but I'm a lot happier with it now. Any comments or suggestions are greatly welcome.

With this new look will come some brand new products, including prints and clothing, so watch this space!

Exhibition

2011-01-26T00:02:00.000Z

The newest exhibition of Cutclick mail art opens next week! I sent a few pieces off, which you can see here, but sadly don't think I'll make it down to Cleethorpes. It runs all through February so if you can make it do head along and take lots of pictures for me.

Bazaar Rouge

2011-01-24T17:16:00.000Z

Some long overdue news I meant to post last year! I have a new online stockist! Some Jolly Good bits and pieces can now be found on Bazaar Rouge. This new website aims to promote and sell work by British makers. The also sell work by Eclectic Shock and my good friend Suzy Loves. To celebrate I made a couple of special dictionary necklaces which can only be found on Bazaar Rouge.

Is that supposed to be me?

2011-01-24T16:48:00.000Z

Over last week I've been having a go at drawing people. This isn't something I've really done since my fashion illustrations at uni so it was good to get back into it. I worked from photographs and felt slightly stalkerish as I used a couple of pics from my friend's blog as a starting point. Hope she's not too offended!
I've also been working on a couple of new greeting card designs which I finished at the weekend. They've now been sent off to be printed and I'm looking forward to them arriving sometime next week. Here's a little peek at one of the drawings I used for them.

CutClick

2011-01-18T20:15:00.000Z

Today I posted some drawings off to the Cutclick Mail Art exhibition. I had great fun doing them and hope they make it to their destination in one piece. The exhibition has toured to many spots around Britain, including Grimsby and Edinburgh, each time collection new artworks from across the globe. I got the chance to see it in Dundee and you can also have a look at many of the submissions over on the Cutclick Flickr.

January

2011-01-16T23:29:00.000Z

Happy 2011 everyone! I know I'm a bit behind the times but January is just flying by already! So far this year I've been packing up all the pop up stuff as well as giving the flat a bit of a freshen up. I also managed to tidy up the studio and it is one of my resolutions to keep it looking that way.

The walls and shelves need a bit more on them to make it perfect but it's now a much more creative space. I'm looking forward to getting in there and getting on with lots of new plans.

Gifts Galore

2010-12-29T15:57:00.000Z

This year I got lots of lovely Christmas gifts, many being things I had been hoping for. I was very happy unwrapping them all to find out what was hiding underneath. Ross had been aiming for a handmade Christmas too and even wrapped all my gifts in newspaper! Underneath the Arbroath Herald I found these lovely things.

Print by Jen Collins

Mountain cushion and DIY Mitten Kit by Hilary Grant

Yesterday (in between watching 6 films!) I made up my DIY mittens and even had a little left over felt to make some kitten mittens.

Panda wasn't too impressed with them but she did get some lovely presents including this carry basket that we got her so she can travel around in style.

Dec the Halls

2010-12-27T22:33:00.000Z

Christmas is now over for another year. I had a great time with the family on Christmas day and then a very relaxing Boxing day in the flat. Hope everyones else's day was super too?

One of the things I really enjoy about the festive season is decorating. I'm not a big fan of a lot of flashing lights but I do like a bit of Christmas sparkle. This year I enjoyed adding a few new decorations to the Christmas tree in the form of these lovely painted wooden tags I got from Petite Noel. They were meant to be gift tags for my presents but I think they work well with the rest of the baubles.

I also added some festive orange to create a lovely Christmassy smell and Panda the kitten seemed to enjoy helping to decorate.
In other news my handmade/independent Xmas challenge went reasonably well, with only a few exceptions. These included Christmas beverages bought from the Coop and a jar of fluff for my sisters stocking bought from TKMaxx. A definite improvement on previous years though.

Christmas Orders

2010-12-16T17:15:00.000Z

Just a reminder that if you're after some Jolly Good treats for Christmas make sure you order by 12pm tomorrow.

Christmas Plans Continue

2010-12-16T16:31:00.000Z

My handmade/independant Christmas plans moved along nicely last night with a trip to Petite Noel craft fair organised by the Dundee Jamboree ladies. I managed to get a lovely little pile of presents all made by people I know including Hilary Grant and Jen Collins (aka Hello Jenuine). I even managed to get some lovely gift tags from the Gift Wrap deli.

From my side of things I've made up some Christmas postcards to send to friends and family. They're all made from the screenprints I did as part of the course at the DCA. I used the ones that didn't quite work out well enough to sell.

I've also been helping others have a handmade Christmas. This week I was back at my old high school carrying out a jewellery workshop. The kids did a great job and many of their creations are going to be given as gifts on the 25th. I've also been creating some cushions which were commissioned to be Xmas gifts.

Golden Oldies

2010-12-11T17:27:00.000Z

Another gift guide for you, well it's two for one really as we look at gifts for Granny and Grandpa.

Felted Coasters by Danielle Banks
Foxlove Tea Towel by Nicola Rowlands
Kingfisher Giclee Print by Yellowhammer
Map Drawing Pins by Little Silver Leaf

Best things in Small Packages

2010-12-08T19:29:00.000Z

Another gift guide to help your Christmas shopping along. This time we're focusing on the little people in your life.

Fritz the Fox by I heart...
Bus pint by Louise Smurthwaite
Knitted Moustache also by Louise Smurthwaite

For the Ladies

2010-12-08T14:46:00.000Z

In the second Jolly Good Gift Guide we look at presents for the special lady in your life, be that Mum, Sister, Wife or Friend.

Ivy Necklace by Lucklaw Silver

A Cup of Tea Solves Everything (Digital Print) by NikkiMade
Map Heart Earrings from Little Silver Leaf

Gifts for Guys

2010-12-06T22:14:00.000Z

This week I've decided to put together some little gift guides based on the lovely selection available in the Jolly Good Pop Up Shop. Don't worry if you can't make it along to the shop itself as there are links to where they can be bought online. To start things off here's some gifts for the guys.

Liquid Tartan Glass Cufflinks by Rachel Elliott
Recycled Notebook by Little Silver Leaf
Bottle Opener Keyrings by Cut Copy Create

Xmas Shopping in Style

2010-12-05T20:50:00.000Z

This weekend saw the opening of the Jolly Good Xmas Pop Up Shop. Visitors were welcomed with some homemade mince pies and mulled wine which seemed to go down a treat. Everyone enjoyed looking at all the lovely art and craft and many left with bags full of Christmas gifts for others and for themselves. The fun and festivities continue up to Christmas eve, Sun - Fri: 12-5 and Sat: 10-6, Jolly Good Studio, Auchmithie. Hope you can make it!

Getting Ready To Pop Up

2010-12-02T20:42:00.000Z

This week I've mostly been preparing for the Jolly Good Xmas Pop Up which opens this Saturday! Yesterday it was all looking a bit bare which had me worried. The postman hasn't been able to deliver any mail because of the snow but today I managed to make it to the depo to pick up a sack full of parcels. I'm still waiting on some pieces arriving but hopefully I'll be able to get them tomorrow. It's all looking very good so far with work from over 20 artists and makers from across the UK. Here's a sneaky peek:
If you can brave the snow to visit on Saturday you will be rewarded with homemade mince pies and mulled wine. The shop opens at 10am -6pm on Saturdays and will be open everyday up to Xmas eve. Opening hours are Sun-Fri: 12pm-5pm and Sat: 10am-6pm. Hope you can make it along!

Snow Day

2010-11-29T21:59:00.000Z

So my handmade/independent Christmas plans are going pretty well so far. After the weekend I now have 3 presents bought and I also dropped off an advent calender to my wee sister. Every year we buy each other one (I've got a lovely Peppa Pig one this year to go with Peppa the guinea pig) but to fit in with the Christmas Challenge I decided to have a go at making one. I used a mixture of fabrics from other projects, including some Campbell soup fabric left over from a bag I made for her a few Christmas' ago. Here's the result:

Last week I was also busy preparing for the Jolly Good Xmas Pop Up Shop. I bought a lovely cabinet for displaying some of the jewellery. It was an absolute bargain and, after a lick of paint, fits in the studio perfectly.

With a little sneeky peak of some of the jewellery from Finest Imaginary that will be appearing at the Pop Up Shop.

And here's a look at my cute studio, the venue for the Pop Up Shop, looking very wintery today!

Feeling Christmassy

2010-11-27T00:06:00.000Z

This weekend I have returned to Edinburgh for the 2D/3D Christmas Fair in the Assembly Rooms. I arrived this evening and headed straight for the venue to set up my stall. It's just a diddy one this time but it's still packed with Jolly Good treasure.

Doors open at 10.30am tomorrow, and the same time on Sunday. There will be plenty of time to look at the rooms full of varied craft before the venue closes at 5pm. From what I saw being set up tonight there will be plenty to chose from and it's a great opportunity to get some special Christmas presents for your nearest and dearest. The weather's even getting in the festive spirit as it started snowing just after I left the Assembly Rooms!

Magpie Treats

2010-11-20T17:01:00.000Z

Last Sunday (where did the week go?) I was through in Edinburgh for Magpie Market. It was a good day meeting some new people and catching up with familiar faces. It was also lovely selling to some organised people who were making a start on their Christmas shopping. I even got started myself, buying a gift for the boyfriend, hush, hush. This buying handmade challenge is definatley paying off, the present was beautifully wrapped which will save me some time later on.

Magpie Market was the first time I had my new Christmas cards, and other greetings cards, on display. They seemed to go down well. The Xmas cards are available to buy on the website and also in the Folksy shop (with free shipping) and the other cards will be added soon.

The fair also gave me the chance to show my new screenprints which were a result of the beginner and intermediate classes I'd been taking at the DCA. I was very please with the way they turned out and really want to get back in to the print studio, an extra day in the week might be needed to make that happen! I'll be popping the prints up for sale online soon.

Magpie

2010-11-13T10:17:00.000Z

Jolly Good will have a stall here tomorrow where I will be premiering my new greetings cards ! Come have a look around, say hello and maybe even be organised and buy some xmas presents. Hope to see you there! x

Make It Handmade

2010-11-08T23:50:00.000Z

Before the start of October I was busy buying birthday presents for the boyfriend. It wasn't until they were all laid out ready to wrap that I realised everything I'd bought was handmade or created by an independent designer. I'd actually met and spoken to the people behind every gift. Here's a look at a few of them.

'Sky Sunset From Rassay' Print by Andrew Peutherer, who had a stall just down the boardwalk from me at the West End Fair.

Postcard set by Neil Slorance. Chatted to him at Made In The Shade and one of his postcards was my one purchase of the day.

Tunnocks Teacake cushion by Nikkimade modeled by Panda the kitten. Always see Nikki in the print studio and at various Dundee events.

This felt really good and got me thinking about my Christmas shopping list. Usually I buy most items from high street shops. I'll head through to Dundee or Edinburgh or somewhere and buy a big load of presents in one go. Even though I really enjoy buying gifts for people the actual shopping experience is never that fun and usually results in very sore feet.

So this year it's going to be different! I've decided to buy all of my gifts from independent shops, makers, artists or designers. This is going to be incredibly easy to do for some people on my list, I usually make gifts for my sisters anyway, but for others such as my gadget loving dad and 9year old nephew I'm not so sure. I'm also going to challenge myself to make, or buy handmade, all the other Christmas accessories I need. This includes advent calendars, cards, wrapping paper, gift tags, etc. So the challenge is on and with only 40days to go (so Ebay tells me) I'd better get cracking.

In Walks Lady Luck

2010-11-08T22:59:00.000Z

On Sunday I Megabused it through to Edinburgh for the Lady Luck Rules Ok Trade Secrets Talk. I got in early so decided to take a little detour and check out the 3D2D Craft Fair in the Assembly Rooms. Jolly Good will be appearing there on 27th and 28th November so I thought it would be a good chance to have a look at the space. After chatting to some of the stall holders it was time to head over to Hannah Zakari for the talk.

It wasn't sure what to expect but it was definitely worth the trip. Lady Luck owner Leona Baker told us all about her experiences of setting up and running an independent business. I loved that she didn't miss out any of the bad parts and wanted us to learn from her mistakes. She gave out a lot of useful information and really got me thinking about my own plans for the future. And what's more we all got a chance to make our own name necklace to take home.

After the talk was finished I had a good look around the Hannah Zakari shop. Having seen pictures of it online I was very happy to finally look around in person. The shop is set out beautifully and I loved the furniture with mismatched drawer knobs. The work stocked in the shop is also superb and I especially liked the selection of greeting cards.

A Happy Halloween

2010-11-06T17:32:00.000Z

I had a great Halloween weekend at Village of the Damned. Organised by Jolly Good and Agitator Studios it was the first horror festival to hit the sleepy village of Auchmithie. We were open during the day and welcomed visitors for the art exhibition. There was loads of horror themed art and craft on display including zines by David Galletly, painting by Yvonne Stewart of SketchStitch and jewellery from We Are The Robots.

Then in the evening we showed some super short horror films including the fantastic animation Nursery Crimes, comedy horror Mime Massacre and the amazing Meat.. All the films went down really well with audiences having a really hard time picking a favourite for the Audience Award. I had such a good time organising the event that plans are already a foot for next year.

Popping Up This Xmas

2010-11-06T17:11:00.000Z

This xmas I am organising a pop up shop in the Jolly Good studio to showcase all the excellent designers, makers and artists I know are out there.

If you are one of these excellent people I would love to hear from you. It's a chance for you to sell your wares, without even having to be present, and a chance for people to find some excellent xmas gifts without the high street stress. I'm on the look out for all types of art and craft including illustration, paintings, jewellery, clothing, homeware, gifts or cards.

If you would like to submit just email a link showing your work or up to 3 low resolution images to helen@jollygoodstudio.co.uk. Make sure to get your submission in before midnight on Sunday 21st November. I'll then be in touch the week after to let you know if you've been selected.

Heading West

2010-10-24T22:02:00.000+01:00

I have become very behind with blogging about all the Jolly Good happenings and plans that have been going on! I'll try and catch up over the next week starting with my trip to Glasgow to take part in my very first Made in the Shade Supermercado.

Based in the courtyard of the Barras Centre, Supermercado is a new weekly market featuring indie sellers, vintage vendors and tasty cup cakes. I had a lovely day catching up with friends, chatting to other vendors and eating chips and gravy. Along the Che Camille, Made In The Shade are on a mission to update The Barras and make it the new destination for indie shopping in Glasgow. Although the weekend I went trough for was rather quiet, things are set to pick up as more small shops open around the courtyard and word spreads.

While I was over in Glasgow town I also got the chance to visit the Botanic Gardens. We sheltered out of the rain in the beautiful glass houses and marveled at the weird and wonderful plants.

Welcome to the Village of the Damned!

2010-10-14T22:13:00.000+01:00

Ever since October started I've been looking forward to Halloween. I always enjoy this time of year but this time round I am even more excited. This is because I , along with Agitator Studios, have been busy organising a new event. Village of the Damned will be the first short horror film festival to hit the sleepy town of Auchmithie. It is also the first event that we will be holding in our studio that has been organised completely by us.

The event is taking place from 29th - 31st October and includes an art and craft exhibition along with a brilliant programme of short horror films. You can get loads more information here and there's a facebook event page for you to invite all your friends to. So far I've been having a great time organising it so I'm really hoping people come along and like it so I can do it all again next year!

I've also been busy making some horror themed jewellery for the occasion. There are voodoo dolls, ghosts and zombies which have all been hand drawn by me. As well as being for sale at the Village of the Damned you can find them over in my Folksy shop and I'll be taking some along to the Made In The Shade Supermercado this Saturday.

Third Gin

2010-10-08T12:07:00.000+01:00

So last weekend ( can't believe it was a week ago, time is moving super fast) me and my boy shaped helper journeyed through to Leslie for Gin in Teacups the third. It was a horrible day weather wise but a great day in every other sense. I set up the stall and was again astounded at just how much great stuff they managed to fit into such a small space! It was so hard to concentrate on selling and not spending!

Susiezee had outdone herself with a fine selection of cupcakes. We bought a couple to enjoy for lunch and then a box to take home with us. The boy picked this rather fine cookie monster cake while I had a sparkly carrot cake.

As well as buying me tasty cakes, the boy also treated me to a spooky fasinator from Off With Her Head. It will be so perfect for the Village of the Damned film festival I'm helping to organise (more about that later).

It was also really nice to see We Are The Robots and Something Different Headbands. I'd been following them both on facebook for a while and had seen We Are The Robots at other craft fairs so it was lovely to chat to them in person. And I got the chance to hand some new stock over to the lovely ladies at Edward Vintage.

Unfortunately there wasn't a fashion show this time around but hopefully it will return along with the Christmas addition of Gin In Teacups!

Good Things

2010-10-04T16:22:00.000+01:00

Things that have made me smile over the last wee while....

Treating myself to an inspiring print from hello jenuine. It now adorns my studio wall to encouraging me to work hard and be creative! It also prompted me to finally start screen printing classes at the DCA, which are so much fun.

Winning this lovely book from Fl@33. It's full of amazing postcard designs and comes with a selection of postcards to keep or send out depending on your disposition. I'm still deciding which I'd prefer to do.

Finding a whole bag full of old patterns at a car boot sale for only £1.50! There are some great dresses, tops and even pyjamas in there. I'm thinking a set of matching nightwear for the whole family to wear at christmas, not sure they'll agree.

New shoes with laces. Not quite the winter boots I set out to find but they do cover more of my foot than most of my other shoes. On the look out for some pretty socks to have peeking out the top.

Oh Comely magazine. Beautiful pictures and full of creative loveliness, though the article on old best friends was quite sad.

Tasty pacman cakes by Susiezee. She had a whole selection of amazing cupcakes for sale at Gin In Teacups including cookie monster with an added cookie! Yum!

I Heart... Packages Tied With String

2010-09-29T18:48:00.000+01:00

Yesterday a lovely package was waiting for me when I arrived at the studio. I love getting packages especially when they look as pretty as this one.

Inside it was my copy of the I heart...zines! collaborative zine along with a tasty surprise. Organised by Iona over at I heart... it features work answering the question 'what do you heart?'.

I was very excited to see inside the zine as it features an illustration by me! This is my first published work and I wasn't disappointed. I opened up the beautifully hand decorated cover and there it was on page one! It was also great getting to look at all the other submissions. They are all so different, featuring different themes and mediums.

Only 30 have been produced so if you want to get your hands on a copy head over too I heart... And if your interested in contributing to the next zine check out the blog.

Swap!

2010-09-27T23:56:00.000+01:00

On Saturday evening I took a trip through to Glenrothes to take part in a Clothes Swishing party. One of the first public events organised by Eventive, I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I rolled up with my suitcase full of Jolly Good jewellery but it turned out to be a lot of fun. The idea was to bring along some of your unwanted clothes or accessories and swap them for something different. The hall was set up with rails of clothes as well as a few stalls including my own, Off With Her Head, The Body Shop and Elf Witch Designs.

There was a very friendly atmosphere from the beginning helped along nicely by the free glass of wine on offer. I got chatting to lots of nice customers and sold a few bits and bobs before it was time for everyone to have a look round the clothes. There was 30 minutes allowed for people to have a look round and make a note of what they liked. After that time was up there was a mad rush as the crowd of ladies ran for the items they wanted. People didn't just go away with a new outfit, some had a whole new wardrobe!

Keep an eye out for more Eventive happenings including more clothes swishing, Mad Hatters Tea Party and a Facinator Workshop.

Photo Finish

2010-09-24T19:06:00.000+01:00

My scrabble jewellery has been used in Beco Boutique's new photoshoot. I don't know what it is about this stuff that makes people want to make rude words but it's happened again. Looks like the girls had a great time and it's such a brilliant way to show off the mix of vintage and custom clothing Beco has to offer. You can find all the photos from their shoot with Steven Crichton here.

And remember you can find a large selection of Jolly Good jewellery, along with loads of other lovely things, stocked in the new Beco store, 4 Whitehall Crescent, Dundee.

Down Memory Lane

2010-09-22T15:48:00.000+01:00

For quite a while now I've been using second hand books to make tags for my jewellery. Combined with my Jolly Good stamp I think they look rather effective and I've had lots of comments on them. They do take time to make up but because the look fits in with my pieces so well I don't really mind. It can actually be quite therapeutic sometimes. I've mostly used generic fairy tale books, featuring stories like Cinderella and Snow White, but recently I have been making them using pages from Richard Scarry's Storybook Dictionary. I found it at a car boot sale and bought it because I remembered having some of the books as a child.

It seems many others remember it too, as I got loads of comments at the Dundee Jamboree the other week. Jen told me about the cartoon of it called Busy Town. It didn't ring any bells when she was talking about it but ,when I looked at it online, it all came flooding back. It made me smile, so hopefully it does the same for you :)

On Etsy

2010-09-16T22:01:00.000+01:00

Just a quick post to let you all know I've opened a Jolly Good Etsy shop. Here's a peek:

The shop features a small selection of colourful, handmade jewellery and I will be adding to it as the month goes on. And as a little welcome offer I'll be giving away little goody bags with any orders made on Etsy during the month of September. Offer finishes midnight Thursday 30th September. Enjoy!