It's official - it's the start of the busiest shopping weekend of the year!
I have to say that I didn't really believe all the hype - until my fiance came home the other night and said "I think I'll start the Christmas shopping this weekend". Today, someone in the office told me she will be starting to get her Christmas presents organised tomorrow. Aaa! It seems like everyone is getting ready this weekend, after all!
Except me, who will be waiting till my next "day job" pay day on Wednesday!!!
I love my day job, but I'm proud to be part of a proper little cottage industry. Please come along and support me and my mum this weekend by popping by our Etsy shop!
As a special incentive, get 10% off when you use coupon code TWEETTWEET11 this weekend!
Expires on Wednesday 30th November 2011.
Have a great shopping weekend!!!
Friday 25 November 2011
Friday 11 November 2011
Ready for the frost
Okay, I know I'll be regretting this in a month's time when it's properly cold, but right now I would really like some frosty weather!
Here in south-west Scotland it has definitely been unseasonably warm. We've had a few chillier nights recently, but nothing of note. And while I DO NOT want a repeat of last winter (minus 15 degrees temperatures and what seemed like several months of relentless ice and snow), it would be nice to wake up to a few more frost mornings!
Knitting just isn't the same in the summer - it's still fun, but there's something about being snuggled up on the sofa in front of the log fire with your latest knitting project. I am so excited that two of my closest friends should be giving birth to baby boys in the next couple of months, but I'm also finding it very hard to get into the mood for knitting when it hasn't been cold enough yet to light the log fire!
Warmer weather - wonderful. I'm not complaining! But it just isn't Christmas (or the wonderful wintery lead up to Christmas time) without a bit of frost!
Here in south-west Scotland it has definitely been unseasonably warm. We've had a few chillier nights recently, but nothing of note. And while I DO NOT want a repeat of last winter (minus 15 degrees temperatures and what seemed like several months of relentless ice and snow), it would be nice to wake up to a few more frost mornings!
Knitting just isn't the same in the summer - it's still fun, but there's something about being snuggled up on the sofa in front of the log fire with your latest knitting project. I am so excited that two of my closest friends should be giving birth to baby boys in the next couple of months, but I'm also finding it very hard to get into the mood for knitting when it hasn't been cold enough yet to light the log fire!
Warmer weather - wonderful. I'm not complaining! But it just isn't Christmas (or the wonderful wintery lead up to Christmas time) without a bit of frost!
Getting ready for the colder weather by adding some hand-knitted gloves to my Etsy shop!
Friday 4 November 2011
Christmas is coming!
Christmas is coming, and I've had great fun creating some new accessories!
There are plenty more to come so keep an eye on this blog or follow me on Twitter (@JammyDesigns) for updates, but here's a little taster of what I've got on Etsy already!
I'd love to hear what you think of them so far - we have not listed any items in "traditional" Christmas colours yet (reds, greens, etc), so our Christmas offering probably looks a little bit different from most but hopefully that is a good thing that makes us a little bit more unique!
My mum's creations - a blue bobble hat keyring, and an adorable scarf keyring!
And my creation - a Christmas Stocking tree decoration!
We're still working on lots of new designs, so I'd love to hear what you think of the ones we've posted so far!
There are plenty more to come so keep an eye on this blog or follow me on Twitter (@JammyDesigns) for updates, but here's a little taster of what I've got on Etsy already!
I'd love to hear what you think of them so far - we have not listed any items in "traditional" Christmas colours yet (reds, greens, etc), so our Christmas offering probably looks a little bit different from most but hopefully that is a good thing that makes us a little bit more unique!
My mum's creations - a blue bobble hat keyring, and an adorable scarf keyring!
And my creation - a Christmas Stocking tree decoration!
We're still working on lots of new designs, so I'd love to hear what you think of the ones we've posted so far!
Tuesday 1 November 2011
Experimenting!
I love creating new items and trying out new yarns, and Christmas is the perfect time of year to do that!
Out along the high street today, my eye was drawn to the Christmas themed colours, especially those with a little bit of sparkle! There are so many fun knits to try at Christmas time too. This is the first year I have tried making knitted Christmas decorations (the first of which is on Etsy now!) and I've really enjoyed it. What a fun way to jazz up your Christmas tree, and with all those fabulous yarns available, the only limit is your imagination!
Two of my closest friends are expecting babies around Christmas time this year, so my eye is also being drawn to the baby knits. I love putting new items onto Etsy, but it's even nicer to be making items specially for a baby boy or girl that you know, and getting to see photos of them wearing the socks, hat or whatever it may be!
Of course, with all these new yarns and trying out lots of new patterns, I have so much that I want to add to my Etsy shop - and this means making room for new items by having a sale! I now have a good selection of baby knits in my sale section so I hope you'll come along and check them out!
Out along the high street today, my eye was drawn to the Christmas themed colours, especially those with a little bit of sparkle! There are so many fun knits to try at Christmas time too. This is the first year I have tried making knitted Christmas decorations (the first of which is on Etsy now!) and I've really enjoyed it. What a fun way to jazz up your Christmas tree, and with all those fabulous yarns available, the only limit is your imagination!
Two of my closest friends are expecting babies around Christmas time this year, so my eye is also being drawn to the baby knits. I love putting new items onto Etsy, but it's even nicer to be making items specially for a baby boy or girl that you know, and getting to see photos of them wearing the socks, hat or whatever it may be!
Of course, with all these new yarns and trying out lots of new patterns, I have so much that I want to add to my Etsy shop - and this means making room for new items by having a sale! I now have a good selection of baby knits in my sale section so I hope you'll come along and check them out!
Wednesday 26 October 2011
Halloween Items 4
This is my 4th and final post dedicated to bringing you a selection of Halloween items from Etsy - so let's take a look at the 3 spooky items I've picked this week!
My 1st item this week is this Igor Mini stuffed Frankenstein Monster from Kathryn Muse of Musers.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/83885416/igor-mini-stuffed-frankenstein-monster
Kathryn's shop attracted me because it has so many fun and unusual items! She describes her shop as a "growing family of original handmade little stuffed plush creatures", and that's definitely what it is! Every item has it's own character and is so individual, you can't help but take a closer look! In particular I found the Igor monster very fun, colourful, and a great Halloween item!
Kathryn's other links -
mymusers.blogspot.com
www.facebook.com/themusers
I asked Kathryn a few questions about her item and her shop ...
All photographs of the Igor mini stuffed Frankenstein monster are copyright Kathryn Muse of Musers.
My 2nd item this week is this Brain Necklace from Tyne Watson of Blue Cherry Jewellery.
Tyne is clearly a lover of Halloween! Blue Cherry Jewellery includes a large range of Halloween-inspired jewellery, everything from pumpkins and ghosts to Halloween cupcakes! As well as this, there is a large selection of jewellery which is based on chocolates or sweeties. The items are really unusual, very colourful, and would definitely make a statement piece for any outfit!
I asked Tyne a few questions about the shop ...
I would absolutely love to quit my day job and live off of my craft,
that's got to be the ultimate Etsy dream. Be your own boss doing
something you utterly love doing. Maybe one day ;)
Photographs of Tyne's jewellery are all copyright Tyne Watson of Blue Cherry Jewellery.
My 3rd and final item of this Halloween series is this beautiful watercolour by Sarah of The Golden Trees.
To celebrate being featured in my blog, Sarah is offering you 15% off in her Etsy shop when you use coupon code JAMMYDESIGNILOVEYOU - valid until 15th December 2011.
There is a beautiful selection of artwork in The Golden Trees. The range of colours used are striking and every item has an inidividuality. The watercolour which I chose to feature stood out to me because of the mixture of colours. The moonlight really stands out against the blue background, and although it is not strictly speaking a Halloween item, it has a spooky feel about it! It is very creative and I think it is a great item to finish my Halloween series with.
I asked Sarah a few questions about her item and her shop ...
My 1st item this week is this Igor Mini stuffed Frankenstein Monster from Kathryn Muse of Musers.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/83885416/igor-mini-stuffed-frankenstein-monster
Kathryn's shop attracted me because it has so many fun and unusual items! She describes her shop as a "growing family of original handmade little stuffed plush creatures", and that's definitely what it is! Every item has it's own character and is so individual, you can't help but take a closer look! In particular I found the Igor monster very fun, colourful, and a great Halloween item!
Kathryn's other links -
mymusers.blogspot.com
www.facebook.com/themusers
I asked Kathryn a few questions about her item and her shop ...
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO CREATE YOUR HALLOWEEN ITEM?
This particular item is actually part of an "Inspired Artist" series, where different Etsy artists/creators sign up (via the Etsy Ugly Cute team) for me to pick an item in their shop that inspires me to make a plush interpretation of it. It's been a ton of fun, and this item stood out to me as one I could make a cute and challenging stuffie from.
TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR SHOP.
The Musers shop all started from my daughters originally being very interested in the Uglydolls. I liked them too, but the one thing I thought they were always missing was use of patterns. I also realized how many original characters I could think up to make myself, so I started making them as presents and everyone seemed to love them. I had shopped on Etsy for years, so decided to give it a real try. My goal is to fill my shop with ever-changing unique and original creatures that are cute, well-made, and that people love and can relate to on some level.
WHAT IS YOUR BUSINESS AMBITION?
My current business goal is to make enough money to have a good supplemental income to help our family. My husband works for himself, so there is always that "feast or famine" see-saw happening, and I would like to make enough to help us through the lean times and with life's unexpected happenings.
This particular item is actually part of an "Inspired Artist" series, where different Etsy artists/creators sign up (via the Etsy Ugly Cute team) for me to pick an item in their shop that inspires me to make a plush interpretation of it. It's been a ton of fun, and this item stood out to me as one I could make a cute and challenging stuffie from.
TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR SHOP.
The Musers shop all started from my daughters originally being very interested in the Uglydolls. I liked them too, but the one thing I thought they were always missing was use of patterns. I also realized how many original characters I could think up to make myself, so I started making them as presents and everyone seemed to love them. I had shopped on Etsy for years, so decided to give it a real try. My goal is to fill my shop with ever-changing unique and original creatures that are cute, well-made, and that people love and can relate to on some level.
WHAT IS YOUR BUSINESS AMBITION?
My current business goal is to make enough money to have a good supplemental income to help our family. My husband works for himself, so there is always that "feast or famine" see-saw happening, and I would like to make enough to help us through the lean times and with life's unexpected happenings.
All photographs of the Igor mini stuffed Frankenstein monster are copyright Kathryn Muse of Musers.
My 2nd item this week is this Brain Necklace from Tyne Watson of Blue Cherry Jewellery.
Tyne is clearly a lover of Halloween! Blue Cherry Jewellery includes a large range of Halloween-inspired jewellery, everything from pumpkins and ghosts to Halloween cupcakes! As well as this, there is a large selection of jewellery which is based on chocolates or sweeties. The items are really unusual, very colourful, and would definitely make a statement piece for any outfit!
I asked Tyne a few questions about the shop ...
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO CREATE YOUR HALLOWEEN ITEM?
The gore of Halloween is always the best, so severed body parts and brains galore!
WILL YOU BE "TRICK OR TREATING" THIS HALLOWEEN?
WILL YOU BE "TRICK OR TREATING" THIS HALLOWEEN?
Treating, I'll be carving a pumpkin to sit outside my door and I'll have a bowl of sweets for anyone who might pop along
TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR SHOP.
TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR SHOP.
All my items are handmade Polymer Clay jewellery pieces that range
from the very simple & classic cupcake ring to the down right fun
& bizzare like severed finger necklaces!
HOW DID YOU GET STARTED ON ETSY?
HOW DID YOU GET STARTED ON ETSY?
I loved Etsy for a good few years prior to setting up shop, but I was
a wee young'un and didn't own a credit card (A must, according to
Etsy's rules, to set up shop) So I just trawled through as a buyer,
until one day my bank switched my useless cash card to a Visa Debit card
as an upgrade package. It then dawned on me, while I was out shopping
some months later, that this was in fact a visa card, a credit card! I
could set up shop! I'd been selling items at a few craft fairs and on
ebay but to have an Etsy shop was just plain awesome!
WHAT IS YOUR BUSINESS AMBITION?
WHAT IS YOUR BUSINESS AMBITION?
Photographs of Tyne's jewellery are all copyright Tyne Watson of Blue Cherry Jewellery.
My 3rd and final item of this Halloween series is this beautiful watercolour by Sarah of The Golden Trees.
To celebrate being featured in my blog, Sarah is offering you 15% off in her Etsy shop when you use coupon code JAMMYDESIGNILOVEYOU - valid until 15th December 2011.
There is a beautiful selection of artwork in The Golden Trees. The range of colours used are striking and every item has an inidividuality. The watercolour which I chose to feature stood out to me because of the mixture of colours. The moonlight really stands out against the blue background, and although it is not strictly speaking a Halloween item, it has a spooky feel about it! It is very creative and I think it is a great item to finish my Halloween series with.
I asked Sarah a few questions about her item and her shop ...
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO CREATE YOUR HALLOWEEN ITEM?
I love the celestial bodies and the astronomical-asrologic traditions. October is my favorite month, because I was born on the 29th.
Halloween is one of the party that best represents the dark side of people and their relationship with the ancestors.
It 'a rite of passage, autumn is the sleep of vegetation and the subsequent rest (for whom death) only to return by next spring, to life.
I think it's a sad and cheerful event at the same time.
For my items I was inspired by the moon. I am of the zodiac sign of Scorpio and I have the ascendant in Cancer, which is ruled by the moon,
it seemed proper to make a representation of the water combined with this beautiful satellite.
The moon is a satellite from the strong symbolism, which is often found in the magical nights.
In this case I wanted to represent it in all its splendor, the full moon, the tides, she's queen and ruler of the land liquids.
TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR SHOP.
My shop has painted quite different. I worked for a long time as an illustrator for gift cards and as a cartoons backgrouns artist.
In the last years I'm investigating a style who was born almost by accident.
I had never painted semi-abstract paintings but I was in a period of strong emotional changes, and this research has come as an instinctive need.
Also I did not want to abandon realism and through my ACEO, I can always go to have fun with traditional artwork.
WHAT IS YOUR BUSINESS AMBITION?
I'd like to think it could become a work to which they can spend half a day, maybe more '. I think it is an excellent showcase to be known and, above all,
to meet new people, meet new friends and share interests and passions. There are many talented artisans. It 'a hotbed of ideas!
I love the celestial bodies and the astronomical-asrologic traditions. October is my favorite month, because I was born on the 29th.
Halloween is one of the party that best represents the dark side of people and their relationship with the ancestors.
It 'a rite of passage, autumn is the sleep of vegetation and the subsequent rest (for whom death) only to return by next spring, to life.
I think it's a sad and cheerful event at the same time.
For my items I was inspired by the moon. I am of the zodiac sign of Scorpio and I have the ascendant in Cancer, which is ruled by the moon,
it seemed proper to make a representation of the water combined with this beautiful satellite.
The moon is a satellite from the strong symbolism, which is often found in the magical nights.
In this case I wanted to represent it in all its splendor, the full moon, the tides, she's queen and ruler of the land liquids.
TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR SHOP.
My shop has painted quite different. I worked for a long time as an illustrator for gift cards and as a cartoons backgrouns artist.
In the last years I'm investigating a style who was born almost by accident.
I had never painted semi-abstract paintings but I was in a period of strong emotional changes, and this research has come as an instinctive need.
Also I did not want to abandon realism and through my ACEO, I can always go to have fun with traditional artwork.
WHAT IS YOUR BUSINESS AMBITION?
I'd like to think it could become a work to which they can spend half a day, maybe more '. I think it is an excellent showcase to be known and, above all,
to meet new people, meet new friends and share interests and passions. There are many talented artisans. It 'a hotbed of ideas!
All photographs of Sarah's watercolour are copyright Sarah of The Golden Trees.
Thank you to Kathryn, Tyne and Sarah who provided the three spooky items for my final Halloween post!
A HUGE Thank you to everyone who provided an item for this Halloween series! The variety of items have really helped to make it an interesting series, and I hope you have enjoyed reading it!
I am already planning a Christmas series so I hope you can add me on Twitter so you get the chance to take part!
Thank you for reading!
Saturday 15 October 2011
Final Halloween Post!
My FINAL HALLOWEEN POST will go up on Wednesday 26th October, and I am looking for three more fabulously spooky items from Etsy to round off my Halloween series!
If you have any awesome Halloween items on Etsy that you'd like to see featured on my blog, please convo me by Sunday 23rd October with a link to the item(s)!
http://www.etsy.com/shop/JammyDesignsScotland
For more information and to see my previous 3 Halloween inspired posts, see the rest of my blog!
http://jammydesigns.blogspot.com/
Thanks for looking!
Kerrie
Wednesday 12 October 2011
Halloween Items 3
This is my third post dedicated to bringing you a little selection of interesting Halloween items from Etsy - and I've got another 3 fabulously spooky items to share with you this week!
My first item this week comes from a fellow member of the Etsy Knit1Treble2 team, Steph Thornton of Loophole. Her item is this amazing autumnal wool.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/76999196/hand-dyed-light-worsted-wool-yarn
To celebrate being featured in my blog, Steph is offering you 20% off in her Etsy shop when you use coupon code BLOGLOVE - valid until 11.59pm, Monday 31st October!
As a fellow knitter, I am of course attracted to Steph's shop! The colours, the textures, so many yarns! But for those who prefer to buy the finished article, there are a wide array of items - gloves, scarves, and even jewellery. A great shop for anyone who knits or who loves to buy knitted items!
I asked Steph a few questions about her Etsy shop ...
Photographs of Steph's wool are all copyright Steph of Loophole.
My second item this week is this fun Trick or Treat bag from Leah at Organi Luxe.
To celebrate being featured in my blog, Leah is offering you 10% off in her Etsy shop when you use coupon code TRICKORTREAT10 - valid throughout October 2011.
As the name suggests, OrganiLuxe specialises in organic and eco-friendly items. This is great and I think that these days people do appreciate the use of quality and eco-friendly materials. But as well as this, the shop features practical household items in so many colours and designs. And I just love the Halloween bag designs!
I asked Leah a few questions about her Etsy shop ...
We were inspired to start our business because of my daughter, Jillian.
She was diagnosed with multiple severe food allergies shortly before
she turned one. I did a lot of reading to try and figure out why she
had these horrible allergies, and I kept finding research suggesting
that chemicals and toxins in our environment may have something to do
with the rise in childhood allergies (among other childhood diseases).
The first thing we did was clear our home of the worst toxins. We
started cleaning with organic/veggie-based cleaners, and we started
eating organically. Pretty soon we noticed a lack of nice organic
products - everything we could find was beige or green. We instantly
thought we could add color and style to the organic world, and we
started making organic products ourselves. A friend of mine suggested
Etsy back in early 2008, and we've been growing there ever since!
Photographs of Leah's Halloween bag are all copyright Leah of OrganiLuxe.
My third and final item this week is this parasol from Ann of designAnn.
Photographs of Ann's parasol are all copyright Ann of designAnn.
Thank you to Steph, Leah and Ann for providing the three inspirational items for this week's post!
The final post in my Halloween items series will be up on Wednesday 26th October. If you're interested in taking part, please convo me on Etsy and include links to a few of your favourite Halloween items from your own Etsy shop. If I like your item(s) then you might get to see them here! Like I did with Steph, Leah and Ann, I'll send you a couple of questions to answer about your products and your Etsy shop.
I hope you're enjoying my Halloween series! Please let me know what you think!
My first item this week comes from a fellow member of the Etsy Knit1Treble2 team, Steph Thornton of Loophole. Her item is this amazing autumnal wool.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/76999196/hand-dyed-light-worsted-wool-yarn
To celebrate being featured in my blog, Steph is offering you 20% off in her Etsy shop when you use coupon code BLOGLOVE - valid until 11.59pm, Monday 31st October!
As a fellow knitter, I am of course attracted to Steph's shop! The colours, the textures, so many yarns! But for those who prefer to buy the finished article, there are a wide array of items - gloves, scarves, and even jewellery. A great shop for anyone who knits or who loves to buy knitted items!
I asked Steph a few questions about her Etsy shop ...
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO CREATE YOUR HALLOWEEN ITEM?
I love bright colours, and the colourway that suits me best is
orange/red/brown. Orange shades are obviously indicative of autumn as
the leaves give us their fabulous annual display, but the colours work
so well as a lift any time of the year. The initial inspiration for this
yarn was actually some lovely nasturtiums in my garden!
TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR SHOP.
My shop is full of everything I love to create in my relaxing time. I
learnt to knit and crochet many years ago, and find it very relaxing -
and it stops me biting my nails! I adore colours and textures, and enjoy
embellishing solid-colour items with beads, ribbons, and flowers.
Everyone loves an extra little flourish!
HOW DID YOU GET STARTED ON ETSY?
I really can't remember how I first found out about Etsy. I browsed it
for weeks before registering to buy a few items, then it took me several
months to pluck up the courage to set up my own shop! I am very lucky
that I am building up an increasingly steady flow of sales. It always
makes my day to find somebody loves one of my items enough to buy it, no
matter how big or small!
Photographs of Steph's wool are all copyright Steph of Loophole.
My second item this week is this fun Trick or Treat bag from Leah at Organi Luxe.
To celebrate being featured in my blog, Leah is offering you 10% off in her Etsy shop when you use coupon code TRICKORTREAT10 - valid throughout October 2011.
As the name suggests, OrganiLuxe specialises in organic and eco-friendly items. This is great and I think that these days people do appreciate the use of quality and eco-friendly materials. But as well as this, the shop features practical household items in so many colours and designs. And I just love the Halloween bag designs!
I asked Leah a few questions about her Etsy shop ...
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO CREATE YOUR HALLOWEEN ITEM?
My mother and I wanted to give people the option to carry a reusable
Halloween bag, as opposed to those plastic bags you see everywhere. It
was actually my mom's idea. She came up with the general look for the
bag, and I sketched out the little Halloween characters for each bag.
She's the seamstress, so she sewed the bags and appliqued the designs on
the front.
WILL YOU BE "TRICK OR TREATING" THIS HALLOWEEN?
Yes, we will definitely be Trick-or-Treating this year! My kids are 6
and 2, and they'll both be pirates for Halloween. My daughter (the
6-year-old) has been planning her costume for months already! My son
doesn't really know what's going on yet, but he'll be excited when it's
time to get all dressed up! And they'll definitely be using our
Halloween bags for their candy collecting!
TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR SHOP.
Our shop is made up of entirely organic items. Every single product we
offer is handmade from only 100% certified organic cotton fabrics. We
have bags and totes, purses, lunch bags, sandwich and snack bags,
accessories like glasses cases and coffee cozies... And we're
constantly expanding our product line. Right now we're focusing on
holiday gift ideas, so you'll see baby blankets, gadget cases (like iPad
and Kindle holders, etc) and teacher gifts as well.
HOW DID YOU GET STARTED ON ETSY?
Photographs of Leah's Halloween bag are all copyright Leah of OrganiLuxe.
My third and final item this week is this parasol from Ann of designAnn.
To celebrate being featured in my blog, Ann is offering you 10% off in her Etsy shop when you use coupon code JAMMYDESIGNSTHANKYOU - valid until Tuesday 18th October 2011.
Although this item is not strictly speaking a Halloween item, I was attracted by the uniqueness. In fact, the whole Etsy shop is full of different and unusual items, and in a variety of colours. I think these would look amazing as part of a Halloween outfit!
I asked Ann a few questions about her Etsy shop ...
TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR SHOP.
I started my shop several years ago but didn't get serious until now. I
am a fashion designer by trade but find I am attracted to all things
creative and artistic. I am still working on getting all my items listed
in my shop. When my shop is complete, you will find many exquisite
garments and accessories. Specializing in high-end women’s coats, wraps
and accessories using tailored silhouettes with feminine detail. I
create one-of–a-kind garments of distinction.
HOW DID YOU GET STARTED ON ETSY?
I got started on Etsy because I shopped on Etsy. I knew the diversity
and quality of Etsy offering were excellent. I felt it would be a good
place for my things - a haven for all things creative.
WHAT IS YOUR BUSINESS AMBITION? (E.G. TO QUIT THE DAY JOB)
Oh, yeah! Quit the day job would be great! Not work at all would be even better!!!
Photographs of Ann's parasol are all copyright Ann of designAnn.
Thank you to Steph, Leah and Ann for providing the three inspirational items for this week's post!
The final post in my Halloween items series will be up on Wednesday 26th October. If you're interested in taking part, please convo me on Etsy and include links to a few of your favourite Halloween items from your own Etsy shop. If I like your item(s) then you might get to see them here! Like I did with Steph, Leah and Ann, I'll send you a couple of questions to answer about your products and your Etsy shop.
I hope you're enjoying my Halloween series! Please let me know what you think!
Sunday 9 October 2011
A damp day for a market!
 |
| A whole selection of scarves, trying to keep them out of the rain! |
Today I was at a local Producers' Market, and I have to say that it was a bit of a damp day for it!
The weather didn't dampen my enthusiasm though, and as the day went on the sky started to clear. The sun had the cheek to come out 2 minutes before the market ended!
 |
| Hats, phone socks and novelty keyrings - something for almost everyone! |
Producers' Markets are so much fun. I love selling online through my Jammy Designs Etsy store but there is something so nice about selling face-to-face. Customers get to meet me and my mum and find out more about our methods. The other big benefit is that you get to see the product in personal - you can feel the soft scarves, and try out the hats and flower brooches for size and colour before you buy.
 |
| Flower brooches |
But having said all that, there is also something very fun about Etsy! It's so rewarding to come onto my shop in the morning and remember all of the hard work that has gone into creating every single listing so that you, the buyer, can get a real sense for the size, colour and feel of the product - wherever in the world you are. How exciting it is to be getting orders from abroad - across Europe and even America!
My next challenge is to help my Etsy store catch up to my market stall - by continuing to list new items! There are so many fun and colourful scarves, keyrings and hats that need to make the transition from my market stall to my Etsy shop. Watch this space!
This week is National Knitting Week! To celebrate, I am offering a massive 20% off in my Etsy shop when you use coupon code KNITTINGWEEK2011
Valid until midnight tonight, and excludes P&P.
Wednesday 28 September 2011
Halloween Items 2
Today I have 3 fabulously spooky Etsy items to share with you! All should be available to buy on Etsy!
In no particular order, I'll start with this Child's hand knitted Halloween sweater, from Bebby at BebbyJumpers!
To celebrate being featured in my blog, Bebby is offering you 10% OFF in her Etsy shop when you use coupon code BEBBYBLOG10 - valid until 11.59pm, Tuesday 11th October 2011.
I featured another of Bebby's Halloween sweaters in my 1st Halloween post - take a look at that post for more information on Bebby and her shop.
I asked Bebby what inspired her to create this sweater ...
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO CREATE THIS ITEM?
It is difficult to know what inspired me to design this little sweater
but I had a small amount of yarn over from the sweater hoodie and
decided to keep everything in a similar style using the black cat motif.
I liked the idea of 2 cats sitting beside each other in a friendly
fashion, and spitting at one another on the back of the sweater. I used
popcorn stitch (or bramble stitch as we know it) because it is a
Halloween/Bonfire Night/Autumn treat and gave a good overall effect to
the sweater. I think it is a great design for a smaller child who may be
celebrating Halloween not too far from home.
I hope my sweater finds itself a good home with a little child who is really keen on cats so that it will be worn for as long as possible throughout the Autumn and Winter. If it is looked after with the same care that I used when knitting it, this little sweater could be put away or passed onto another little child to bring delight when wearing it!!
I hope my sweater finds itself a good home with a little child who is really keen on cats so that it will be worn for as long as possible throughout the Autumn and Winter. If it is looked after with the same care that I used when knitting it, this little sweater could be put away or passed onto another little child to bring delight when wearing it!!
Photographs of Bebby's Child's sweater are all copyright of Bebby at BebbyJumpers.
My second item this week comes from Esra of Knitella! It is this beautiful Orange and shiny black headband/ear warmer.
Esra offers a free mini Nutella with every item! Esra says there's nothing more fun than chocolate and yarn!
Knitella is exactly the sort of shop which catches my eye. There is a good range of colours and styles of knitted items. Knitella's Halloween items are themed with black and vibrant orange yarns. What great strong colours - they really stand out on the page.
I asked Esra a few questions about her shop and herself, and here's what she said ...
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO CREATE YOUR HALLOWEEN KNIT?
I love to be current in my shop, and I try to knit something for every occasion (the ones I know about) :)
WILL YOU BE "TRICK OR TREATING" THIS HALLOWEEN?
def treating! :D
TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR SHOP.
My shop is all about yarnie wonders,, at fist it was all about knitting with needles and looms, but now I am adding crocheted goods to the mix :D
The shop's got a wide range of knitted goods all to complement your outfit and overall look :D
My shop is all about yarnie wonders,, at fist it was all about knitting with needles and looms, but now I am adding crocheted goods to the mix :D
The shop's got a wide range of knitted goods all to complement your outfit and overall look :D
HOW DID YOU GET STARTED ON ETSY?
I was in a craft fair with my friend Mel (the owner of SweetShop Creations www.etsy.com/shop/sweetshopcreations) and she encouraged me to try Etsy :) and now I am totally in love with this site! :D
WHAT'S YOUR BUSINESS AMBITION?
well for now, I am knitting for pleasure, and it gives me a LOT of joy when I see people wearing my items. I would just love for my shop to be known and to be successful :)
well for now, I am knitting for pleasure, and it gives me a LOT of joy when I see people wearing my items. I would just love for my shop to be known and to be successful :)
The third and final item which I am featuring today is this spooky acrylic painting from Sarah Kirk of sarahemilykirk.
To celebrate being featured in my blog, Sarah is offering you 20% OFF in her Etsy shop when you use coupon code HALLOWEEN2011, valid until 1st November 2011!
Sarah's paintings caught my eye. The colours in her shop seem to revolve around the natural world, with a lot of blues and greens. Nature and animals also feature in a lot of her Etsy items. In particular, the painting of the dead tree really caught my eye. There is something very spooky and eerie about this painting!
I asked Sarah a few questions about her shop and herself and this is what she said ...
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO CREATE YOUR HALLOWEEN ITEM?
It was originally from a project based on the post-apocalptic novel
'The Road' by Cormac McCarthy which is really eerie and spooky.
WILL YOU BE "TRICK OR TREATING" THIS HALLOWEEN?
I probably won't be trick or treating this year as it would make me feel a bit old!
TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR SHOP.
My shop consists of prints and objects based on the artwork and
illustrations that I do and are mostly surreal and dream-like
observations about the world.
HOW DID YOU GET STARTED ON ETSY?
I have only been on etsy for a few months so my shop is still very much a work in progress!
WHAT IS YOUR BUSINESS AMBITION?
I would love to become a full-time illustrator, selling my wares on
Etsy as well as getting other publishing and editorial commissions.
Photographs of Sarahemilykirk's painting of a dead tree are all copyright of Sarah Kirk of sarahemilykirk.
Thank you to Bebby, Esra and Sarah for providing the three inspirational items for this week's post!
The next Halloween inspired posting will be up on Wednesday 12th October. If you're interested in taking part, please convo me on Etsy
and include
links to a few of your favourite Halloween items from your own Etsy
shop. If I like your item(s) then you might get to see them here! Like I
did with Bebby, Esra and Sarah, I'll send you a couple of questions to answer about
your products and
your Etsy shop.
Wednesday 14 September 2011
Halloween Items 1
To get into the mood for Halloween, every 2nd Wednesday between now and Halloween I'll be featuring a
selection of handmade Halloween items, all available to purchase on
Etsy!
Today's featured item is this beautiful sweater from Bebby at Bebbyjumpers!
To celebrate being featured in my blog, Bebby is offering you 10% OFF in her Etsy shop when you use coupon code BEBBYBLOG10 - valid until 11.59pm, Tuesday 27th September.
The first thing I see when I visit Bebby's shop is the range of colours - "traditional" blues, pinks and whites, but also purple, red, green ... it's a rainbow of knitting! The sweater that I am featuring is a perfect example of Bebby's work, as it is a colourful orange sweater with an intricate Halloween motif featuring black cats. I love Halloween knits - they are the sort of thing that you could easily wear on Halloween as part of a costume or to keep you warm when you're "trick or treating", but also they're often so different and fun that you're going to want to wear them all winter long!
I asked Bebby a few questions about her shop and herself, and here's what she said ...
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO CREATE YOUR HALLOWEEN KNIT?
I like the idea of sweater hoodies on young children at this time of
year, as they offer the convenience of warmth and a hood which remains
attached (hopefully!) and can be pulled onto the head by the youngster
when needs be. There is also a feature pocket on the front which is
convenient to warm little hands in, or to store treasures in. Little
ones like to run around and move about so much that it is important they
can keep warm and mum may not always be available. I chose this design
during the summer when I wanted to create a cotton mix sweater hoodie
with a boat motif for the cold weather as I felt kiddies should still be
out and about playing during these cold summer days. It has received a
lot of interest in my shop, and when it was featured on EtsyLush,and
received a 2nd prize at my local horticultural show in August. I decided
to keep to this design and created my orange sweater hoodie for
Halloween, but is also suited to anytime really. The colour reminds me
of Autumn and harvest time, as well as pumpkins, and I chose the black
cats motifs (which I found on Ravelry) because they are not too scary
for little kids who want to celebrate Halloween. The cats are sitting in a friendly way and are also in spitting mode, on the front and back of the sweater!!
WILL YOU BE "TRICK OR TREATING" THIS HALLOWEEN?
I shall be spending Halloween tucked up warm indoors knitting a sweater for some lucky little child somewhere!!
TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR SHOP.
TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR SHOP.
I have been told my shop looks very professional and is attractive
and pretty to look at. I have so many ideas in my head but very little
time to knit them all.
HOW DID YOU GET STARTED ON ETSY?
HOW DID YOU GET STARTED ON ETSY?
I have always enjoyed knitting as a hobby and get great pleasure
knowing someone likes what I produce enough to want to buy and own it,
to wear for themselves, or to give away as a gift. I was selling my
handknits at local craft fairs (with my jams and chutneys that I also
enjoy making) before I opened my shop on Etsy, and it was an organiser
who suggested I looked at Etsy as there were more opportunities
available for me. I knew little about computer skills but persevered and
found my way around!!
Thanks again to Bebby at Bebbyjumpers for providing today's Halloween item!
The next Halloween inspired posting will be up on Wednesday 28th September. If you're interested in taking part, please convo me on Etsy and include
links to a few of your favourite Halloween items from your own Etsy
shop. If I like your item(s) then you might get to see them here! Like I did with Bebby, I'll send you a couple of questions to answer about your products and
your Etsy shop.
Photographs in this post are all copyright of Bebby at Bebbyjumpers.
Photographs in this post are all copyright of Bebby at Bebbyjumpers.
Tuesday 13 September 2011
Halloween Featured Items
Every 2nd Wednesday between now and Halloween, I'll be featuring a selection of handmade Halloween items, all available to purchase on Etsy!
Please check back every fortnight to see each selection of items!
If you're interested in taking part, please convo me on Etsy and include links to a few of your favourite Halloween items from your own Etsy shop. If I like your item(s) then you might get to see them here! I'll also send you a couple of questions to answer about your products and your Etsy shop.
I will be posting Halloween items on the following Wednesdays - 14th and 28th September, and 12th and 26th October.
Monday 12 September 2011
Distractions
This morning, with 70mph winds battering the trees and the teapot calling, I got to thinking about the distractions that come when you work from home.
I have an office job too. On these mornings, I settle in by catching up on my emails, and usually spend my day quite constructively. Distractions come in the form of phone calls and visitors to the office, most of which is work-related anyway.
At home, things change, and my biggest distraction to date is our 10 month old puppy. While our older dog naps happily, the energetic puppy sees the phrase "go and have a nap" as a personal challenge to herself - she feels that she must now stay awake for the next 4 hours while tearing around the house with her toys, eating anything she can find, and jumping up on everyone (usually straight after she's been out in the rain).
And that's not to mention the interruptions from other family members popping their head around the door, the telephone ringing (never work-related), and (on wet and windy days like today) the call of the kettle and the sofa. Even on peaceful days, there is always the increasing list of housework and other household chores that creeps into my mind every so often.
It's not always easy focusing when you're working from home, but I wouldn't change a thing. I am dreaming of the day when I can do it full time.
At least it means I don't need to leave the house early on a wet and windy day to get into the office!
But it still surprises me that I ever get anything done, working from home!
I have an office job too. On these mornings, I settle in by catching up on my emails, and usually spend my day quite constructively. Distractions come in the form of phone calls and visitors to the office, most of which is work-related anyway.
At home, things change, and my biggest distraction to date is our 10 month old puppy. While our older dog naps happily, the energetic puppy sees the phrase "go and have a nap" as a personal challenge to herself - she feels that she must now stay awake for the next 4 hours while tearing around the house with her toys, eating anything she can find, and jumping up on everyone (usually straight after she's been out in the rain).
And that's not to mention the interruptions from other family members popping their head around the door, the telephone ringing (never work-related), and (on wet and windy days like today) the call of the kettle and the sofa. Even on peaceful days, there is always the increasing list of housework and other household chores that creeps into my mind every so often.
It's not always easy focusing when you're working from home, but I wouldn't change a thing. I am dreaming of the day when I can do it full time.
At least it means I don't need to leave the house early on a wet and windy day to get into the office!
But it still surprises me that I ever get anything done, working from home!
Sunday 11 September 2011
Welcome to the Jammy Designs Blog!
Hi!
Welcome to the Jammy Designs Blog!
I'd like to start this blog with a little introduction and a history of who we are and how we got here.
We are Sandra and Kerrie, a mother and daughter team with over 30 years experience between us of creating colourful and beautiful handmade items!
In the 1970s my mum Sandra went to college to study home economics. In particular she loved dress making and sewing, and these led her into experimenting with knitting and crochet. Soon she started to fill our family home with things she made, from curtains and cushions to Christmas stockings!
In the 1970s my mum Sandra went to college to study home economics. In particular she loved dress making and sewing, and these led her into experimenting with knitting and crochet. Soon she started to fill our family home with things she made, from curtains and cushions to Christmas stockings!
In 2008 my mum started knitting and
crocheting scarves and hats, which she sold in the shop that she ran at the time. Passers by were drawn in by the colourful and glittery yarns that she used, and often they'd end up buying the item as soon as they felt how warm and cosy they were!
I had always been a creative individual too, and when a couple of my friends announced that they were pregnant, I decided to learn to knit too. I spent the next nine months knitting little jumpers and hats, trying out different stitches and patterns and experimenting with colours and as many yarns as I could find!
In 2011, what started out as a shared hobby began to turn into a business. We started by building up a little bit of stock and trying it out at a local producers market, where our colourful knits got a lot of attention. These weren't dull beige scarves or itchy jumpers - these were bright and fun clothing for all ages. Now we regularly attend a local producers market, and we have our stock in local shops. I think people recognise that our knits are not just different, but they are also made with love and care.
Today we also sell on Etsy. This is more my area than my mum's (I'm still impressed that she's worked out how to check her email by herself!), but I'm happy to take on the online stuff since she does 100% of the crochet and a fair chunk of the knitting!
On this blog I hope to talk about knitting, crochet, and the challenges that we're facing every day as we try and turn this hobby into more of a business. I hope that you'll subscribe to this blog, and keep checking in at our Etsy shop too to see all of our new products and new ideas!
You can find us on Etsy here: Jammy Designs Scotland
And follow us on Twitter: @JammyDesigns
You can find us on Etsy here: Jammy Designs Scotland
And follow us on Twitter: @JammyDesigns
Thanks for reading!
Kerrie
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