12 Days Of Etsy: Giraffes Kiss

1. Tell us a bit about yourself. 

I am a Mum and a step mum. I work full time and the miniature food jewellery is more of a hobby, but I put a lot of time and effort into my shop, whenever I have a spare moment really, mainly because I absolutely love doing it.


2. How did you choose your shop name? 

I wanted a name that included a giraffe reference, and giraffes kisses sound lovely.


3. What is your favourite item to make? 

I like making the pie jewellery, because I make it up like a real pie, but in miniature. It's like baking for really tiny people, and when I get compliments on how realistic it is, that makes it all worthwhile.

4. What is the best seller in your shop? 

Recently, my cookie drawing pins have sold very well, and lemon meringue pie earrings seem popular too. I don't always remake a sold item straight away because my brain is so full of new ideas that I get frustrated if I can't get to work on them. 

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

I sell mainly to the UK and the USA but I have had orders go all over the place...I think it is really exciting to know that something you created is being worn hundreds of miles away.


6. What inspires you? 

Food of course! I try to keep my shop fresh by looking for new ideas all the time, and I love creating something no one else makes. I often have a good look online before I make something new to see if it is already being done...and if it isn't ...I'm off and running.

7. How long have you been crafting? 

I've always been arty and I did a BTech in art and design when I was 17.
So I've always made things and I played around with polymer clay several times over the years then put it down again for various reasons. I've only been making miniature food for a couple of years after I saw some earrings on line and figured that I could make them rather than buy them.

8. What are your other hobbies? 

I don't have time for any other hobbies. If I could have a couple of extra hours a week, I have played with needle felting and a friend of mine who started with me at the same time now has a successful shop on Etsy too, selling gorgeous needle felted miniature animals.


9. Do you collect anything? 

Giraffes! All variants from cuddly toys to toothbrushes. Our house looks a bit like a wildlife reserve.


10. What is your favourite Christmas tradition? 

Definitely the family Christmas dinner!

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

No, I love all the Christmas songs, old and new...it wouldn't be Christmas without them. There are memories in every song, of my Dad, my childhood, Christmas parties.....and as soon as the music starts, you really feel Christmassy.


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

A giraffe shaped toilet brush. I've never used it..its too cute, so it is an ornament to be admired... lol. Oh and I have a quacking duck hand puppet that I saw in a shop a couple of years ago and was playing around with, so my lovely other half went back and bought it for me.

Many thanks to Giraffes Kiss for taking part in this feature. Click here to visit her Etsy shop.

Merry Christmas

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas.

Hope Santa was good to you!

Christmas Preparations

           I hope all of your Christmas preparations are going well. I am usually super organised. My Christmas shopping was done by the end of October/beginning of November. But I still have some wrapping to do.

     The festive season hasn't got off to the best of starts for me. This week I've had two trips to the doctor. I absolutely hate going to the doctor and it's never a good sign when they take one look at you and say "Oh gosh". I've spent the week with a fever and am taking antibiotics which make me feel sick all the time. 
        Fingers crossed I can still enjoy Christmas dinner! I'm off to finish my wrapping, I've never been known to leave it this late. Stay tuned for my 12 days of Etsy feature which is still going ahead as planned and starts on Christmas Day.

School Days

          There is not much at all that I'm going to miss about Scotland when we leave. But one thing that does make me nostalgic is my old school. I live very near it and pass it on a regular basis. My Mum and her brothers went there, I went there and I always thought that when I had kids they would go there too.
         I have a lot of funny memories from school. Like the time I was walking out of my BT classroom, tripped on the blackboard and fell flat on my face in front of the whole class. And when we were in Home Economics the boy I really fancied gave me some of the sausage rolls he'd made then I gave him some of mine. I thought that was great at the time!
      But this is without doubt the funniest thing that ever happened to me. The fire alarm went off unexpectedly while my class was in Science which was at the top of the building. Everyone got out of the class before me. One of the Science teachers came in and before I knew what was happening, he'd lifted me off of my stool and put me over his shoulder!
      He was very tall and as he was running along the corridor I kept thinking I was going to hit the roof. I was gripping on so tightly and eventually we made it through the corridors and down two flights of stairs.
       We got to the exit and he refused to put me down. He burst through the door with me still dangling over his shoulder. The whole playground erupted into laughter as they saw us coming out. My friends said that the reason it was so funny was because all they saw was a pair of legs coming out and then they realised it was me!
        I remember feeling quite embarrassed that so many people saw but at least everyone got a good laugh that day. And I don't suppose many people can say they've had a fireman's lift from one of the best looking teachers in the school!
     Hopefully I can pop into the school for one last visit before I leave. 

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.

Emma Cook For Topshop

      If you are looking for the perfect party dress, the new Emma Cook range from Topshop has some Christmas crackers.

Emma Cook Fairy Lights Print Dress £120

Emma Cook Party Print Dress £140 (I love this one!)

      There are lots of other items in this range that would make great Christmas gifts or even better treat yourself!

Emma Cook Reindeer Names Scarf £40

Emma Cook Reindeer Names Stocking £32

Emma Cook Jingle Bells Mittens £25.00