All that Sparkles!

I first came across Beauxoxo when I went to the clothes show in Birmingham last December. I was instantly drawn to her paper rose hair garlands and glittery hair bows. I think this is where my affair with hair accessories really began. 

I started my collection with a green glitter hair bow (ready for the festive season!) and a black and orange hair garland. 

And now I am most definitely hooked! Every payday or just whenever I know I have a few pennies to spare, I head over to the website and usually treat myself to a sparkly glitter bow! 

My aim...to own them all! Haha...no really it is!

My collection so far is 7 glittery bows...

from top to bottom; Gunmetal Grey, Allsorts Rainbow, Peacock, Ruby Red Slippers, Hot Pink Fuchsia, Emerald Green and Aqua Blue. 

Hot Pink Fuchsia in my updo. 

Ruby Red Slippers rocking my messy bun.

I just love love LOVE them. 

The talented lady behind Beauxoxo goes by the name Georgie. She's ever so sweet, with my last order I got a free fabric bow...

& chocolates...I can't photo those cause I consumed them shortly after opening my parcel :) 

Georgie doesn't just do hair bows and garlands, she has a whole range of other hair accessories, which I recommend you go and check out on her website here, from hair bands, butterflies, bows, floral crowns, knitted headbands, head scarves & hair jewellery...and more, theres bound to be something waiting for you! 

I also have a butterfly hair clip... and once again there was a freebie thrown in, a mini butterfly clip! 

Even the box is pretty and pink! 

Other ways to find Beauxoxo...

Become a fan on Facebook

Follow on Twitter

Shop on Etsy

Follow her Blog

And visit the website!

I'm probably going to go buy myself a birthday bow treat now. 

Loves, sparkles and glitter! 

xxxx

Matthew Plowright

Matt found his way into his first exhibition earlier this year when he took over a corridor at Duncan Macmillan House, Nottingham. 

I managed to get myself there for the day to see his amazing illustrations for his collection of Rodger the Prawn books and his acrylic paintings inspired by artists such as Dali, Picasso and Van Gogh. 

If you haven't seen his work, then its definitely one to check out, all images are done by hand and Matt's imagination is out of this world! 

You can find him here on Facebook. 

Here's a selection of photos I took (with his permission!) at his exhibition...

'My Other Minotaur'

'Skelly Fishmas Party'

'The Beaks on the Bus' & 'After Friedensreich Hundertwasser' 

'Elizabeth McGobble Gobble the 1st'

'The Golden Wonder of the One Eyed Queen'

'The Moosehallucination'

and here's some of my faves from the past...

'Mane Man'

'Billy Brittle'

Agreed?! Awesome illustrations? YES!

Hoppity Roo

firstly...happy easter! 

I would like to share with you a new and exciting brand called Hoppity Roo based in West Yorkshire. Ranges include stationary & giftware at present. But I'm sure this will be an expanding brand to keep an eye out for! 

Check out Hoppity Roo; become a fan on Facebook, follow on Twitter and shop on Etsy. 

Here's a little sneak of some of their work...

I love this 'Funky Florals' print with its simple colour palette, and repetitive pattern. 

Lovely. 

Song of the week...

My friend Marley has just released his latest single, 'Lockley's Flag' featuring his friend Ellie. 

I recommend you all hit YouTube and have a listen here. 

Or be a real lady or gent and download it on iTunes like I just have. 

Oh and I've just realised I can stick it on my blog here. Bingo!

xoxo.

Spring Fair 2013

The Spring Fair in Birmingham at the NEC was an insight for me as a designer to see whats out there this year and what traders are into. I wasn't too sure where to head first as it was a huge event, 100s of stands crammed into each hall, but I had to start somewhere and headed to find my friend Helen over at Mode Information. (They do trend books/magazines/Pantone etc..)

Helen told me about how there was going to be an interview with Kirstie Allsopp starting within the hour, so I thought I would stay to have a listen at what she has to say (love homemade home & her xmas programme). 

Kirstie Allsopp was lovely. Although she did say she dislikes interviews cause she's never sure if she's talking about the right thing! Also what I didn't know is Cath Kidston is her cousin. 

She spoke about how she got into crafting, work experience, some of her favourite designers and her new stationary collection for Blueprint Collections (not 100% sure on the launch). She was also asked a question down the line of "Is the stereotypical crafter a female?" Straight off her answer was "No. There are so many crafters out there, men, women, older, any age, there are so many different kinds of people crafting that there can't be a stereotype." 

A few of Kirstie's favourite designers...

Kaffe Fassett (I hope I've got that right!) who specialises in knitwear, patchwork, needlework. 

Emma Bridgewater pottery, stationary, textiles.

Matthew Rice painter, author.

All in all, an interesting interview. 

I have a huge interest in cute stationary, so I headed to the greetings & stationary hall where I was in my element! I spoke to a couple of people in there which led me on to feeling inspired. 

Obiko - Lovely lady called Linda who hand draws and uses illustrator/photoshop to colour her designs. I love her style. It was simple but still detailed. She was very nice and told me to keep at what I want to do :) 

arthousemeath - very inspiring group of people and i absolutely love the drawings and designs that happen here. They are a social enterprise that works with adults with epilepsy and learning difficulties which through art they can express themselves, create and raise money for charity. 

Gillian Kyle - Lovely scottish lady. Gave me a chocolate tea cake (YUM! - I did enjoy it.) Gillian has a wonderful drawing style, I recognised her work from seeing her tea towels on the To Dry For website. She was also very inspiring and advisable. 

Inspiring afternoon but my toesies needed to be rested from all the walking!

xoxo

Chinese New Year.....Fortune Cookies.

With Chinese New Year approaching & having just read Mollie Makes Magazine issue 22, I was feeling inspired to create the fortune cookies to send to one of my friends. (Sorry if your reading this in advance!..surprise!)
Having tried and failed to follow the step by step guide in the magazine I looked for a simpler way online and found a very quick and easy way of making little felt fortune cookies to send little messages!

Wonder Forest is an amazing blog which features style, design, crafts and life.
I happened to come across these cute and simple fortune cookies and just changed the colours and a few techniques along the way.

Click here to view the step by step tutorial on how to make the cookies.
Here's how I changed them..firstly I wanted fortune cookie colours, so I changed to brown/cashmere coloured felt, secondly instead of using the wire, I found it easier to use the same/similar coloured pipe cleaners cut to size and stuck down with a glue gun. Finally I hand wrote my messages...as I didn't have access to a printer. All in all they looked rather sweet.

Happy Chinese New Year folks, (for Sunday!) 

xoxo

Photos Ahoy!

 Hooray! I finally have access to load photos again! 

What a treat for you & me! 

So here's a peak at some of the jewellery I've been selling in Vintage Cottage. Scrabble tiles, dominoes and wooden owls...

Will be making more things over the next few weeks...look out for more treats soon!

<3 p="">

Saturday Nights & Rodger the Prawn.

Good evening lovelies,

I am still struggling to get photos uploaded! The samsung tablet doesn't seem to support uploads on this website and my laptop has seen better days, I think its time I got a new one really, it'll be almost 7 years old this year. Time I got a mac I think! 

On a brighter note, I am off to the spring fair on monday/tuesday for a nose and meet my friend helen for food. Also a fellow graduate, matt plowright has his first solo exhibition in nottingham starting next week, so would be great if any of you guys/gals could go show your support, check it out or tell friends in the area. I believe it starts tuesday/wednesday and goes on til about march/april time. 

Location: Duncan Macmillan House, Porchester Road, Nottingham, NG3 6AA. 

Come and see Rodger the Prawn!!!

Time for steak and chips! 

xoxo

Little Ginger*

Little Ginger* is my Facebook page full of handmade jewellery just waiting for you lovely people to gander at and possibly make a purchase! Hehe, cheeky! At 100 limes I will stick all your names in a hat (or similar) and pick a winner ♡ 
http://www.facebook.com/LittleGingerChar <--- again="again" aiming="aiming" all="all" am="am" and="and" click="click" creativity="creativity" every="every" few="few" font="font" for="for" friends.="friends." giveaways="giveaways" go="go" i="i" in="in" it="it" just="just" like="like" lots="lots" more="more" nbsp="nbsp" next="next" now="now" on="on" share="share" the="the" weeks="weeks" with="with" your="your">
On an up for the new year, my jewellery is being sold at Vintage Cottage in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire along with lots of other handmade and vintage beauties you should definitely check out! [I got a lovely scarf in there today♥] 

I was going to pop up some photos on my blog of my jewellery after I had figured it out, but it turns out this device doesn't support flash so I cant upload...so frustrating. 

I am going for a little sketching session now. Bringing out the pro markers and fineliners :)

Cheerio. ♡

happy new year !!

Happy New Year! 
Hope all you lovely people had a good one!
Mine was spent with my boyfriend, Jon cooking me a lovely meal & playing pokemon monopoly, cause we are too cool. *geeks!* I of course went bankrupt and that was the end of the game. We also watched Bridget Jones Diary and then by midnight I was knackered, saw the new year in and then home to bed I went ready for work at 9am this morning....booo!
This afternoon has been spent in my onesie, watching Downton Abbey and sorting out somehandmade treats to take to Vintage Cottage next week. I'll upload some photos.
As the darkness draws in I think I will go find myself a cuppa tea & get comfy on the sofa, might even get a plate of chocolate cake, mom told me some very wise words this lunchtime....if your gonna go on a diet or start to eat healthier as a new years resolution, start it around the 15th January...gives you time to eat up all the chocolates in the house and all that sugary food you have lurking in a cupboard! So I think I will go by that advice and go get me some cake! nomnom nom!!!

2012 drawing to an end...

Good morning my lovelies, 

After Mother got a Samsung Galaxy Tablet for Christmas this year I will actually be able to blog more often...I know I have completely neglected you for almost a year. Blogging often will have to be a New Years Resolution! 

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas, I was spoilt this year, I received a Vivienne Westwood orb necklace and a Cambridge Satchel Company satchel from my boyfriend. *lucky me!* Amongst other things....Downton Abbey boxset, which I'm very much into at the moment, so much drama! I love it! I also got 2 onesies, a hello kitty one and a creamy coloured bunny, I feel like Max from Where The Wild Things Are when I wear it. I just need a crown. I will have to get some photos when I'm running round screaming 'LET THE WILD RUMPUS START!!!' 

So what kind of year has 2012 been for you?

I started the year with a holiday and then a few weeks later had a left leg the size of an elephant and was in hospital with a blood clot. Although I met so many wonderful old ladies whilst I was there, I could not wait to be home in my own bed and eat nice food! Being off work for a month was nice, yet so very boring at times. 

I also started doing craft fairs with my jewellery, its been quite successful but there have been a few losses along the way, but you never know unless you try. In December Vintage Cottage in Bromsgrove has started stocking my jewellery, I've not heard of any sales yet, but I've got an open mind and fingers crossed things might take off in 2013. 

I have so many ideas bubbling away in my brain that I need to start taking time out to makethem happen, otherwise I'll probably lie in a pool of regret and wish I did make time for things.

Happy New Year and lets hope 2013 is a healthy & creative one! 

Charlotte xox

OH! I'm still here!

 Hello,


I am still live & kicking. Sorry I haven't updated in like a year! I have had computer issues, then I took time out from laptop technology for a good while as I was sick of it being so slow, then I thought it didn't work but little did I know, it did! And I had just neglected it! Silly me. I have a page on Facebook called Little Ginger* that I would love you followers to like & show some love on if you haven't already & there will be a jewellery giveaway at 100 likes! Not far off :)

CLICK HERE to be directed to my Facebook page.



I have jewellery treats on there, so go on, take a peek, maybe you might find something you like :)

As for the design front, I haven't really put pen to paper and drawn in a while, this is where I feel mad at myself for not doodling! I miss uni and having motivation everyday, I feel like I need a kick up the backside!!

I have been creative in other ways, jewellery making, I have recently discovered shrink plastic jewellery making, so I have been doing a few hand drawn aztec print charms, which I liked so much I made myself some earrings and a matching necklace *smiles.*

I've done a few craft fairs this year too, hopefully will have a lot more on the run up to Christmas. My most recent one was Saturday at Morton Stanley Festival, (my local park) there was music, ice cream, various acts such as an african circus or something or other, demonstrations, a craft tent (which I was in) and lots of charity tents. Unfortunatly I didn't do to well, but hey ho, if you don't put yourself out there, you will never know what could happen or who you may meet. Luckily I had support from some of my friends who came down, made a few purchases and Naomi brought a little picnic down for us, chocolate eclairs, yum! Anyhow even though I did pretty pants at that craft stall, I had a much better day at The Old Needle Works in Redditch in July 2012, I made a pretty nifty profit and treated myself to a vintage shirt to celebrate! :-)



I know I should probably stop babbling on and post some photographs for you little munchkins now!

Sew Sew Sew.

An early Christmas treat so I could finally sort out my sewing things and make it all look pretty <3

Wedding Anniversary.

Happy 24th Wedding Anniversary to the folks.
5.12.11 

Handmade Christmas.

This year I went a bit mad on a spending spree in work and for this reason most of my treats will be handmade this year. I always think handmade gifts are much more personal and a little something you can keep and remember forever. (Unless its edible of course!) With a circle of crafty friends, handmade treats are often given & received on birthdays & christmasses.
This year I've taken inspiration from a couple of books - 'Chic on a Shoestring' and 'Everything Alice.' I've made necklaces, earrings, brooches, floral corsages & ribbon corsages.

A few sneaky photographs;

Christmas Cards.

So its the season to be jolly & all that jazz...due to being very busy work related and travelling up and down and across the country I haven't drawn my own xmas cards this year, but I have made some the crafty way, with rubber stamps & festive papers. I hadn't really done much rubber stamping before, but I thought I'd give it a bash with some pretty xmas stamps in metallic colours.

And the result...well I really like them, so to a selected few of you lucky ones, you will receive a handmade card this year.

JESSICA CHAN.

September time 2011...off I went down to London to visit my good friend Jess & check out her MA show at Chelsea College.

Lovely lovely work, as always Jess never fails to impress me with her beautiful mix of colours with natural dyes, delicate fabrics and detailed mark making. It was wonderful seeing an MA show, as we graduated the year before together and I was looking forward to seeing more of Jess's work. Definitely a name to look out for in the future! Visit her blog for yourself...JESSICA CHAN'S BLOG.

Check out a selection of photographs from her show below;

Wow! I'm sorry it's been so long since I have posted anything!
My poor poor laptop has become infected with a various number of viruses and I haven't got round to having it fixed or getting a new one!
Luckily I am borrowing my brothers iPhone for a little update to remind you I haven't forgotten about my lovely followers!
I haven't been too productive as of late due to family circumstances and I've been struck down with some feverish infection or something, although I fail to believe it's a fever due to feeling like this on more than one occassion! :( but with some blood tests coming up, I hope they can get to the bottom of it!

I have done a few card designs, aiming for a more commercial approach. I will have to upload these in a new post as imagery is on my phone.
Other than that I have been travelling around and againing inspiration from antiques fairs, vintage shops and charity shops as per usual. Hoping to do some drawing this afternoon from the comfort of my bed.
Hope all is well with everyone and I hope to be back soon with a computer!x

joseph joseph

just a little sample of some of the designs i sent to the josephjoseph chopping board competition. mushrooms, lemons and tomatoes...mmm some of my faves :)

edmund

this is edmund my pug which one day i will own.
his favourite colour is baby pink and he likes attention.
he is a bit ditzy, but this just makes him stand out a bit. not a bad thing either.
he doesnt have many dislikes, but a big phobia is cheese scones with butter. *shudders*

i heart edmund.