Children's day

It's children's day in China on the 1st of June. So I made a greeting's card for my Chinese children.

Illustration Friday- Snail

These are some sample snails from my children's stationery set. I thought that these would be perfect for this/ last week's Illustration Friday topic. It was a slightly quirky idea that I came up with in order to pitch to a Japanese sticker company that I had come across when we went to Japan last month (but unfortunately they have all their designs designed in house).

Stationery set

Recently I've been thinking of creating some sticker/ washi tape packages to licence out, and this is my latest realisation- Snail Race. I originally thought that I'd like to licence it out to a Japanese company that I came across in Tokyo, but so many many companies have their own in house designers, and it's tricky enough to find one that's the right fit.

Either way, I have a lot of stuff to get out there, so I'll just keep on plodding on!

More new greeting card designs

 I think that it's time for one more blog update before we head off on our honeymoon (we're going to Japan shortly after the wedding). I designed some more greeting cards for my shop/ portfolio- I hope that they do well! When I get back (hopefully with some new material to inspire me!) I need to work on other aspects of my portfolio.

New Greeting cards

As well as all of this (yes, I've had some catching up to do!) I now have some more greeting cards available in my shop. Check them out, and if you feel like doing so- support me! Even the smallest purchase means a lot!

A new greeting card- No Otter One

Another wee greeting card that I designed around sea otters, holding each other's hand. It's been a rough week and a half, but I think that I am almost seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

I have another card design

So I'd been toying with this little idea for a while, and when I finally got around to getting it printed, I reluctantly couldn't have an actual heart in the photoshoot, partly because (somewhat ironically) being a vegetarian and not owning a dog I couldn't think of an appropriate way to dispose of it once I was done, and I think I'd also be a little too scared to have that much blood so close to my greeting cards.

 Still, I quite like the way it turned out. If you like what I do, please consider supporting me by purchasing a greetings card with this design on it here

Ragdoll pattern

This is a pattern that I've been working on and off at for a while. At first I couldn't decide on the effect that I wanted to go with, I played around a little with pencil and ink, but in the end decided to take my sketches and make vector drawings out of them. I am hoping, if all goes well, to make a skirt out of this design.

Moomin Playing the Violin

So I made a painting of my ragdoll cat, Moomin, playing the violin. It's now sold, but I think that I might do myself a little series of (maybe ragdoll) cats playing classical instruments. My friend and I were thinking of putting together a little exhibition of cats, so we'll see!

More Christmas Cards

So I've designed some more Christmas cards- I am HOPING to have these sent off very soon (although my part time job is taking up a lot of my creative time) and get another done. I'm at the Little Bird's Market this Sunday, so fingers CROSSED that I get them finished and received before this weekend!

New badges

I recently ordered some new badges to be printed, and they have arrived! I was selling them on my stall on Sunday (after my lovely boyfriend carried them in for me). I do need to settle on a price, though- I got some good ideas from my fellow stall holders! I really felt like I wanted something on my stall that little kids could take away- relatively cheap, but still cute and colourful! I hope that these buttons do the trick!

So I updated my shop

Just a little. You can see it here. Fortunately the old URL still links back to the same shop, which is very handy (I handed out a fair few coupons in Stirling), although I can't change the name of it again. I also have some digital prints available, such as the one below. I've got another stall this week, on the Sunday at Granny Would Be Proud, Hillhead book club on the West End of Glasgow- here's hoping I do better than Stirling!

So my cards arrived

I got them all cellophane wrapped and ready to go! I'm just waiting on my other stock at the moment, which I am super excited for! In the mean time, you can purchase my greetings card from either my Etsy or my Folksy stores. 

You are my aorta

Another greetings card idea that came from a doodle a few years back- it makes me happy turning these into actual 'things' after so many years (maybe some are more tasteful than others *ahem*) but yes- onwards and upwards! My greetings card collection is growing a little bit, and I'm hoping soon to send it off, and HOPE that stores (and the general public) are happy enough with it to give me a shot at a very competitive market.

When life rains

So it's been raining a lot lately... although I guess that's what you should come to expect when you live in the northern region of a tiny island notorious for it's weather. I'd been wanting to do this for a while, really, but I finally got around to it when I realised that I needed another postcard for my stall in Stirling in August. It's just a little thought that I've been doodling for a while.

 Growing up in various regions of this little island, I came to  find it a sensible idea to always take an umbrella with me, just in case. Because even if it looks sunny, and the skies seem clear, you never can tell what lies ahead. I felt like it was an appropriate metaphor for life too- if you always have it in your mind that (although you hope for the best) things could go horribly wrong, I don't think you'll be as upset when they do, and pleasantly surprised when they don't. I guess that I just have an optimistic pessimistic view on life, but I feel like it serves me well, I'll just have to keep all my fingers and toes crossed that my stall experiences are mostly pleasant ones!

Two for Joy Greetings Card

So this is one of three magpie cards that I'm designing. I want to complete it with "three for a girl",  and "four for a boy" as 'expecting'/ 'new baby' cards, although I guess this one could be for anything. I had myself a little debate with my boyfriend who, APPARENTLY, hadn't heard of the superstition before he met me, and so, said that 'they wouldn't get it up here' because 'it's an English thing' tufffffft.

Well, he's WRONG because just about every Scottish person that I've asked has told me, not only that they'd heard of it, but that it's very common up here too. So I win another one.

 Although this is just about done, I am still considering making the eyes a tad lighter to show up against those black feathers.

Wee Scottish Thistle

Postcard/ greetings card that I have created for my catalogue. At the moment I'm more tempted to use it as a post card. We'll just see
This postcard is now available at here for £1.50

Two Peas in a Pod greetings card

I'm getting closer! Here's a new greetings card that I've designed, I've got a few more to go, and then hopefully I should have my collection in a more acceptable capacity to send on to publishers/ retail to take my images. 

 I received an ink stamp today, so I've made a start on some 500 bags that I've got to get stamped up for the trade fair next month.

More patterns ^_^

I designed this pattern for a friend's birthday, as she wants to make a nightie out of it and said that she couldn't find any fabric with (red) squirrels  on it anywhere. She also wanted foxes, but personally, I like my woodland animals (unless they're the same size in real life) split up, so I made one design with just the squirrels, which I am CONSIDERING turning into cushions, if I can feel convinced that they will sell. I might might might also create a separate design with just the foxes too, but that's when I've got everything else that I need done and dusted.

Eventually they will be available here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/KitchenCrawlies?ref=hdr_shop_menu

Squirrel fabric

So I'm designing some fabric as a gift to a friend. She wants red squirrels and foxes, the only problem is that I'm having to learn to draw foxes- look at their anatomy etc. I've got all the squirrels and little bits and bobs done... just the foxes...