12 Days Of Etsy: Water In My Paint

1. Tell us a bit about yourself.

I originally went to fashion school and started out life as a costume designer and pattern drafter. Some how through the years I ended up painting full time, not really sure how that happened but I couldn't be happier!


2. How did you choose your shop name? 

The truth is that I picked my shop name simply because it wasn't already taken! But I liked it and have used it ever since.

3. What is your favourite animal to paint?

I love love love to paint cats! It's their bright, big eyes that will pop out of a watercolour painting. I also love to paint squirrels because they live such mysterious lives. They always seem to be rushing off somewhere exciting. But really I just love to paint any animal with lovely eyes and an expressive face.

4. What is the best seller in your shop?

My dancing, tutu clad ballet birdies have always sold well. Squirrels are also big sellers, especially when they're holding coffee cups, wearing Viking helmets or French berets and moustaches.

5. Your work sells all over the world, in which parts of the world is your work most 

Through my Etsy shop the vast majority of my work goes to the United States, followed by Canada and Australia. I've been working hard to promote myself locally here in Toronto as well.

6. What inspires you?

Animals!!! Surprising right? I've always had pets and used to support myself as a pet sitter and dog walker. I currently have 4 pets (though it used to be more!) so I'm always surrounded by animals and wouldn't have it any other way. Just like humans every animal I've ever meet has had it's own distinct personality. I find it amusing to imagine what an animal would be like as a human and that's what I paint.


7. How long have you been painting?

I didn't start to paint until I went to fashion school here in Toronto and had to take all kinds of illustration and art classes. Until then I really never drew at all which I find strange now considering that I make my living off of it. But once I started I never stopped. I've only been selling my work for 2 years now. 


8. What are your other hobbies?

I've studied ballet since I was 3 and still manage to drag my body to class twice a week (it's an addiction!) I love to make toys and t-shirts for my baby nephews and I also inhale books! Luckily there is a library just a block from home. Plus I love to walk the streets of my neighbourhood with my 2 dogs by my side.

9. Do you collect anything?

I collect cats I'm afraid! Some how i always seem to be adding more to the house. At the moment I have only 2 but I know it's just a matter of time before I find another one (or 2 or 3) in need.


10. What is your favourite Christmas tradition?

Oh there are sooo many. I love hunting for the perfect Christmas tree, whether I'm searching at a tree farm or at the local tree lot. I actually love to wrap presents. The rest of my family hates it so they often have me wrap theirs as well. I also love, love Christmas music and try to catch at least one concert each year.

11. Do you have a favourite Christmas song or carol?

That's a tough one! I love the Canadian carol The Huron Carol, and the old Engilsh carols All Hail to the Days and the Coventry Carol.



12. What is the funniest Christmas present you have ever been given?

I'm not sure about what I've received myself but I'm giving my one year old nephew his very own toilet brush this year. He LOVES toilet brushes!!


Many thanks to Deidre from Water In My Paint for taking part in this feature. Click here to visit her Etsy shop.

12 Days Of Etsy: Miss Bumbles

1. Tell us a bit about yourself.


For many years I worked as an illustrator ..I discovered needle felting just over three years ago, desperate to have a go I bought some basic materials from the net and taught myself by watching tutorials on YouTube .

2. How did you choose your shop name?


Oh Miss Bumbles was born after spending a grey January afternoon brain storming over milky coffee with my sister in a cafe.



3. What is your favourite animal to make?


I think Guinea Pigs, they are such gentle animals and I love dressing them up, the more ridiculous the better , they do make good gardeners..oh, and cowboys, panto dames ... 

4. What is the best seller in your shop?

Hedgehogs anything in hedgehog form and foxes. 

5. Your work sells all over the world, in which parts of the world is your work most popular


When I first started selling it was just to the USA , but I couldn't really say it's pretty even... this year it's been Dundee! 



6. What inspires you?

Lots of things, Victorian automata,vintage toys, Peter Blake and Walter Potter, who was a Victorian taxidermist who specialized in stuffed kitten tableaux's.

7. How long have you been crafting?

All of my life. 


8. What are your other hobbies?

Oh I don't have hobbies I just work ..well it's such fun. 

9. Do you collect anything?


What don't I collect? My excuse now for buying all sorts is they may come in handy for Bumbles ..
I also have some how acquired 30 vintage Santa cake decorations; they are amazing, Santa on a motorbike, Santa riding a whale and Santa in a green open topped car! 


10. What is your favourite Christmas tradition?


I would have to say winter solstice, it's not really Christmas but an excuse for more fairy lights, plus it means it won't be long until spring! 


11. Do you have a favourite Christmas song?


No. I hate them all! 

12. What is the funniest Christmas present you have ever been given?


A box of tissues from my brother, we all got tissues that year, he raised his game the next year.... we all got slippers!

Many thanks to Ruth from Miss Bumbles for taking part in this feature. Click here to visit her Etsy shop. (That's if I haven't emptied it first!)

Etsy Art I Love

         As I've mentioned before I've always wanted to be able to draw but just can't. I had a lovely art teacher at school. We had a lot in common. He loved cats and we both wanted to be a vet (although neither of us became one!)
       I remember an art test in which we had to draw a pot of pencils, sounds simple enough. Not for me. The pot turned out just about okay but every single pencil I drew turned out bent! And that was with quite a lot of effort on my part.
         My art teacher knew I couldn't draw and he was nice enough not to laugh. Needless to say I dropped art as soon as I was allowed to!
       I still love looking at art. And I love browsing and buying from Etsy. Here are some of my current favourites that I would love to have around the house.

Paris Print from Daniela Volpari.

Hare Preparing to Box, Original Black and White Charcoal Drawing from Rachaelizaart.

Mr. Pickles, The Guinea Pig At Black Walnut Manor Disappeared For Eleven Days, Surviving On French Nougat from janethillstudio.

Mary Poppins Guinea Pig - "Mary Popcorns" from whenguineapigsfly.

I'm Sorry Kitty Cat Girl Art from Pinkytoast.

Orange Cat Kitty Biscuits Vintage Style Label from toadbriar.

Black Cat Ice Cream Company original graphic art giclee archival signed artist's print from geministudio.

Photographic Print - Cat in Glasses 2 from instantt.

Black Cat Art print WINDOW WATCHER from lewfoster.

Frances The Agoraphobic Hare

        I have been thinking a lot about a new pet lately. But there isn't much point of adding another member to the family until we are settled in England (I'll have to wait until 2014!)  At first I thought it would be a bunny but now I'm pretty sure it will be a Guinea Pig (or two!). 
        If I could have any animal as a pet it would be a hare, I love them. You would think no-one would have a hare as a pet but there was a wonderful story on the news a few years back.
          A farmer found a little leveret hiding in one of his buildings. She was terrified of being outside. A wildlife artist and his family adopted her and named her Frances. 
      The family bottle fed her and she learned to use a cat's litter tray. She even slept in the kids' beds. She may have been released back into the wild by now but it must have been wonderful to live with such a beautiful animal.

Pets Rock Animal Cushions

          These Pets Rock Cushions would make great gifts for Christmas. I would love to have a few around the house myself. There are lots of designs to choose from and lots of other goodies to buy available from Takkoda.com

Guinea Pigs On The Brain

            I would love to own a guinea pig and seem to have them on the brain lately! And while I was out doing some Christmas shopping I bought myself a few guinea pig bits.
       First I bought some guinea pig Christmas cards from Paperchase which I intend to frame. There were 5 designs to choose from and I couldn't so I bought all 5. Three of which are pictured below:

       While in TK Maxx I picked up this Famous Faces hard backed notebook in the "Magic" design for a bargain £1.99.

An Early Birthday Gift For Me

     I have still been adding to my collection of needle felted items from Miss Bumbles. I now have a second cabinet to put them in (which is much bigger, so I have plenty room for more!)
        My Mum very kindly bought me my most recent custom order for my birthday and luckily I was allowed to have them now. The custom order consisted of:

     This beautiful Queen Of Hearts kitty comes complete with flamingo mallet and a hedgehog croquet ball. The detail in her dress is amazing.

     This Mad Hatter kitty is just gorgeous. I love the colour combination. And he even has a little hand painted cup.

This little cat burglar is just so sweet. He looks full of mischief. He is based on both of my cats as they can break into any room or cupboard.

And last but not least is this Big Hairy Scary Spider. I love the expression on his face. He also has a skull on his back which you can't really see in this photo.

      I have already asked for another custom order which will hopefully be ready before Christmas. I am really excited about it. I also have a gardening guinea pig on the way which I can't wait to see. Miss Bumbles' guinea pigs are so cute, they make me want a real one.


    Here are some photos of the rest of my collection including an early piece from 2009 which I picked up from ebay. He is a rather sweet tortoise holding a lovely juicy peach.

Ruby Bunny Ears Portrait

       I have cut out all other forms of shopping completely but Etsy continues to be my downfall. I have realised that it is impossible to ban myself from Etsy, so I've stopped trying!

      One of my latest purchases was from Water In My Paint. I have a French squirrel painting from this shop which I love. For my next purchase I wanted a custom portrait of one of my cats.

      I decided to get Ruby done wearing a pair of red bunny ears. And I couldn't be happier with the finished painting. It's amazing, it looks just like Ruby!

      I can't recommend this shop highly enough. The painting was ready so quickly and arrived in the UK very fast. I will be going back very soon to get Violet done too.

   The shop has lots of other lovely paintings too. Click here to visit the shop.

Halloween Excitement

     It's that time of year again when I start to get really excited about Halloween. It will be slightly different for me this year because as much as I love it when the shops get their stuff in, I won't be able to buy much. There is no point being on a shopping ban and then buying mountains of Halloween stuff.
       That said I have bought more Halloween goodies from Etsy. I was lucky enough to purchase more of Miss Bumbles' delightful Halloween pieces.

I think this little black cat with a Halloween treat in the form of a mouse head is my favourite.

Another lovely black kitty sporting a pumpkin skirt and showing off her skull garland.

I love the little details on this Guinea Pig devil, the red whiskers and beard and the forked tail.

This little pumpkin Guinea Pig was just too hard to resist.

And lastly is this very witty headless Guinea Pig. His little smile is so sweet.

All pictures belong to Miss Bumbles you can find her Etsy shop here.

       This lovely lot will be arriving with several more pieces which include a very exciting custom order. 

    I have collected quite a few different things over the years. But I have never enjoyed collecting anything as much as these woolly wonders! Here's hoping there are more Halloween delights to come...