Look what’s arrived! Wooden Bread Slice brooches were super-popular last year so I’m glad to have a new batch. These have been redrawn and are cut from a slightly thinner wood but otherwise they’re the same. I also got him a friend – the Sad Cookie brooch! They’re both even cuter than my photographs and you can get them in my shops right now.
Time to pick the winners of my holiday giveaway. As promised, I split them into two lists and then used the random number generator. The winner of the Jammie Dodger pack is HazelEyes and the Happy Orange pack goes to Trekky. Congratulations! I’ll be in touch soon to get your addresses.
Here also is a photo of my first bunch of daffodils of 2012. Daffodils are my favourite flower so I always grab them as soon as I see them pop up in the shops. Seems a bit early this year though, but at least they’re brightening up the dark mornings.
Look, it’s my first new product of 2012 – a happy pancake card all ready for Valentine’s Day. I’ve been working on a new series of characters who are based on circles and I have lots more to show you soon. The Valentine’s Day orders are already starting – if you like to be organised you can check out my Valentines collection and get shopping for sweet gifts.
PS. Last chance to enter my giveaway – I’ll be closing it tomorrow.
It’s Friday the 13th so let’s have some bad news. Paperchase have stopped making the heart clips I use to make Book Heart bookmarks so it looks like the end is nigh! I’m down to my last 50 or so and I don’t expect those to last long as they’re always popular for Valentine’s Day. If you want to get your hands on a few book hearts, then don’t delay!
I’ve already removed the gocco printed book hearts from my stores and I only have a handful of Travel Book Hearts (made from vintage maps) before they run out. Then it will just be Washi Book Hearts left. I also only have a handful of Book Heart Kits – once they’re gone I won’t be making any more.
It’s possible they’ll start making the heart clips again or that I find an alternative but then again I’m not going to be looking too hard. I’m proud to have invented Book Hearts and have sold thousands of them, but maybe it’s time to let them go.
Mention the words ‘Japan’ and ‘travel’ in a zine description and I’ll pretty much immediately press buy. I love reading about other peoples’ trips and especially if they’ve gone to Japan. Whether I discover some new places to add to my list for a return visit (one day!) or just revel in some nostalgia, they’re always awesome. Here’s some recent favourites. Needless to say, I recommend you buy them all – check the links to see more images too.
Tokyo Postcard Zine by burntfeather
Fee was kind enough to send me a copy of this and I’m so glad she did. It’s a zine in the form of a set of 13 postcards and I am so borrowing that genius idea for one of my zines I’ve been struggling with. Each postcard has a full colour photo on one side and some text and illustrations on the other, which all come together to give you an overview of Fee’s trip, including the weird, the good and the bad. I would maybe have liked more text (I always want more text) but it all works really well. Extra bonus – the first 100 copies come with an adorable handmade kitty brooch! Mine immediately went on my bag, where it is dealing well with Glasgow’s awful weather.
Japan In A Collection by MyLifeAsAMagazine
A shopping guide with a difference! And another interesting print choice as it’s made from two folded A3 colour sheets each with one side showing things Jenna bought in Japan and the other side telling you about the places she bought them. It’s really fun getting to nose around someone else’s purchases and there are lots of great shop suggestions covering more than just Tokyo as she also visited Kyoto, Osaka, Nagano, Yudanaka & Hiroshima.
I am a Camera 16 by Vanessa Berry
A more standard zine format (but with a cute paper obi band), this latest issue of I am a Camera is mainly about Vanessa’s visit to Okunoshima – Rabbit Island – a rabbit sanctuary in Japan’s inland sea. Being a fan of bunnies and Japan, I loved reading about the journey and what they found on the island (lots of tiny bunnies!). I definitely want to go there now. As well as Rabbit Island the zine includes some details about the Kyoto part of her trip, plus a Travel Guide segment with tips and info. (also available from Pushpin Zines)
Sho Ga Nai by Heather Bryant
The first in a series of comics about Heather’s trip to Japan. I already bought the second issue about Kyoto a while back so it was good to pick up the first one, which covers Osaka. These zines focus on small moments so don’t expect big adventures or travel guides, but instead enjoy some lovely observations of Japan.
Considering I drew my outfit before Christmas, you’d think I’d have gotten this post up sooner! I’m still deciding how/if to do these updates this year – if you want me to continue, go enter the giveaway and tell me so!
Loads of Christmas and market prep, had an amazing day at the Holiday Hullabaloo, decorated a tiny tree, sold loads of diaries, had a nice quiet Christmas. I also added a new snowy banner to my blog – have you spotted it yet?
A tiny Christmas tree, a bunny lamp, a dress with birds on it, a bone from Tado, some new records, loads of zines. My first piece of Le Creuset cookware (and now I want more – it’s awesome stuff!) Oh, and a trip to Boat of Garten, to tie in with my visit up North in the next couple of months.
If you want to read about my favourite records, books, zines and events of 2001, you can check out my end of year lists at diskant. I also finally started reviewing stuff at I Like Zines.
Nothing To See Here by Anne Ward
I feel like we’ve been waiting years for this but it was worth the wait. The book version of Anne’s ace blog, this pocket-sized guidebook contains some of the oddest and most interesting places to visit in Scotland. Perfect for anyone who likes to get off the tourist trail and a refreshing change from all those ’10 Places everyone MUST visit’ type lists. The descriptions are all great and there’s loads of photos too. Get your copy here.
The Magnetic North: Notes from the Arctic Circle by Sara Wheeler
Really interesting book about the people who live in the Arctic Circle. It’s easy to forget quite how many countries are partly in the Arctic but she visits them all and describes the lives of the inhabitants, visitors and scientific communities. Bit of a coincidence that I ended up reading this around the same time as Frozen Planet was on the BBC - the last couple of episodes cover some of the same ground. The book is way more in depth though and includes lots of personal anecdotes as well as discussion on climate change, and some of the history of Arctic exploration. I feel like I learnt a lot, even if only that ‘lowly member of Polar expedition team’ is bottom of my career plans since it pretty much always involves frostbite, living in a cave for 2 years and having to eat your boots.
Animal Crossing
I always end up picking up Animal Crossing again in the winter – not only is the snow really pretty, but it’s a nice way of wasting whatever time you have. I’ll probably stop again once work gets back up to speed but it’s been fun hanging out with my animal friends again. I would like to pay off the last of my mortgage to Tom Nook though – only 300,000 bells to go, you extortionist! Also really makes me want a new Animal Crossing game. Please tell me there’s one on the cards Nintendo.
The Adventures of Tintin
I picked up this collection of the animated series super-cheap in Fopp and it still holds up pretty well. Shame the DVDs are so cheaply made they didn’t even bother joining up the 2 part episodes so you get titles and a recap after 15 minutes. They’ve done a good job of cutting down the stories to fit in half an hour, though some of the accents are lamentable. Also, I’d forgotten that story where they get abducted by aliens – what the hell was that all about? I’m guessing that’s not on the list for a movie remake.
Etsy (Free!)
I am well impressed with this app. Not only can I relist sold items and answer emails anywhere, but it actually notifies me every time I sell something, unlike the sadly rubbish Shopify app which would tell me 5 days later. Haven’t bought anything with it yet but the buyer part looks really good too.
- Fabric Fat Quarters
- What I Wore – free zine
Items sold on Shopify: 31
Items sold on Etsy: 30
Items sold on Folksy: 23
Items sold on DaWanda: 38
Pretty quiet December, I have to say. Sold a lot more pricier items this year though so maybe it all evens out. I need to update my annual sales spreadsheet and see!
