Christmas Gift Guide - Meet the Makers - Nikki McWilliams

And a very good morning to you, my dear blog readers! How are you this fine Friday? I am in the throes of list writing and may need another sheet of paper - my wordy! Nevertheless, there are things which I have already done this morning which I shall add to my list simply to cross them straight off and feel a sense of accomplishment. Success! 

But enough about my incredible exciting list writing! Please make very welcome the super talented Nikki McWilliams who is joining us on our little blog this morning to share her most excellent products and some of her favourite things at Christmas time! Based in Dundee, Scotland, Nikki graduated from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design in 2009 and launched her own label shortly thereafter. Filled with biscuit-y goodness and much loveliness, you will LOVE Nikki McWilliams!

Do you plan to be at any Christmas markets this festive season?

Our things are popping up at Festive markets with THEO at Somerset House London, and THE POUNDSHOP at Loft, Tokyo - which is really exciting!

What is your favourite part of your Christmas day?

Christmas dinner and present opening!

What is the best thing about running your own business?

The freedom to make your own schedule! Before I quit the day job, I worked every Christmas Eve and Boxing Day. Being free to spend time with loved ones on special occasions is what I value most about running my own business.

Rocky road or fruitcake?

Fruitcake all the way! It's probably not the best going, but I really love Mr Kipling Manor House cake! Reminds me of being little and at home :)

Take a hop, skip and jump over the Nikki McWilliams online here, and have a look at her gorgeous designs. I've got a Custard Cream cushion on my Christmas wishlist, and a few other bits and pieces too! Say hi while you're there, and stock up on extra special Christmas gifts! x

ps - Don't forget to order by 13th December if you want your goodies by Christmas! And be sure to order earlier than that if you live far, far away x

Christmas Gift Guide - Paper Snapdragon

Good afternoon to you my dear blog readers! I hope you're having a lovely day? It's a beautiful Autumn-y day here, clear blue skies, golden leaves falling off trees and crunching beneath your boots, an absolutely arctic wind which will knock your socks off if they're not thermal, or at the very least thick and woolly. But I am inside, and I have leftover birthday cake - win!

Today we have the gorgeous Paper Snapdragon on the blog! Check out Cath and her beautiful artworks here. As we continue down our merry path of handmade gifts for Christmas, why not consider giving someone a gorgeous piece of art? Splendid idea, I say, jolly good chap! And the best part is, not only is Cath rather talented, but she's lovely as well! Double win! 

The Road North, Glencoe

Winter, Port of Menteith

Fife over the Forth

'Cath is a Scottish landscape and botanical artist living in central Scotland.  She combines photography with painting, watercolour washes, crackle glazes and textures of peeling varnish, old parchment, fabric, crumbling plaster, scratched metal.....all sorts of unusual things to create gentle, painterly digital mixed media images.  

Much of the inspiration for her landscape work comes from "wide open spaces, vast grey skies and low light of the Scottish West Coast, the Firth of Forth and East Lothian". '

 East Lothian field #2

Have a look through the beautiful gallery of Cath's works here, and be sure to say hello! 

xx

happy birthday!

Hello there you lovely lot! It is a brilliant day today! Why, I hear you ask? Because it is my birthday today - OH YES! Now, some of you may be thinking that I, as a grown woman, should be slightly over the excitement of birthdays and all the love and fun they bring. But alas, I am not, and LOVE to celebrate my birth with mucho enthusiasm!

Husbando has spoilt me rotten, as have all the other folks near and dear to me. So in return, I am have a flash sale in our Etsy store - YAY! But it's only until midnight tonight - so be quick! Enter the coupon code HAPPYBIRTHDAY at the checkout to receive a full 20% off your entire order (excluding postage)! Happy birthday indeed!

Make sure wherever you are you eat some cake and blow up a balloon (there'll be one in the third drawer), and let us never loose the joy that a chocolate cake and good company can bring - three cheers!

Check out the ginourmously awesome birthday sale here!

xx

Christmas Gift Guide - Meet the Makers - Mustard & Peaches

Hello there my lovely blog readers, how are you this lovely weekend? It's my birthday week, I won't lie, I am excited. But I'm also very excited to share with you a bit about the lovely Mairi from Mustard&Peaches. Based in London, Mairi launched her jewellery business in 2012 after graduating from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design in Dundee.

We had a lovely chat with her about Christmas, and some of her favourite things...

If you were giving one of your products as a gift for Christmas, what would it be (and to whom) and why?

The gold plated dreamer pendant is one of my favourite pieces and is perfect for festive parties. If I was to give it as a gift it would have to go to my sister. She’s been dropping hints for a while that she would like the gold plated dreamer pendant to match her gold plated cherish ring that she already has, so perhaps that.

Real tree of fake tree?

Real Tree – It's not Christmas without the smell of pine and needles all over the presents below the tree!

What are some of your favourite small stores that stock handmade items?

Black BoxBoutique in Edinburgh – lots of lovely things in there!

I FeelSmug in London – An area of colourful and lovely designer products.

Mustard & Peaches will be offering a gift wrapping service in the lead up to Christmas, and are also offering all off you lovely readers an exclusive lovelyprettycheerythings discount on her jewellery - three cheers all round! 

Simply enter the code LPCTxmasdeal at the checkout when purchasing any of her handmade jewellery (excluding wedding rings) at Mustard & Peaches for a 10% discount - easy peasy! This discount is valid from 10th Nov - 15th Dec, so make sure you get in quick! 

Keep in mind, because all of this beautiful jewellery is handmade, there are cutoff dates for orders. If you're having to take into condiseration international postage, these are the dates you'll need to go by:

Last day of Purchase

Monday 2nd of December - Asia, Far East, Japan, New Zealand.

Tuesday 3rd December - Australia, Africa, Caribbean, Central and South America, Middle East. 

Friday 6th December - Cyprus, Eastern Europe, Canada, France, Greece, Poland

Tuesday 10th December - USA, Western Europe.

And if you're in the UK, you'll need to have your orders in by Friday 20th December.

Pop over and have a look at Mustard & Peaches and Mairi's gorgeous work here, and why not say hello!? 

Have a WONDERFUL day wherever you are, and I shall see you soon!

xx

Christmas Gift Guide - Oil and Wax

FRIDAY!!! It's time for a treat, eh? And I am seriously in love with these gorgeous candles - lovely for Christmas! Who doesn't love to make their house smell all lovely and Christmas-y and cinnamon-y and orange-y and spruce-y?! I most certainly do!

I am having SO much fun finding all these beautiful handmade gifts for Christmas, and I'm book-marking loads of these lovely folks for birthday gifts too - who knew I could be so organised?! I'm going to say - not many people. 

Check out Oil and Wax here and stock up on sweet smelling loveliness!

xx

images via Oil and Wax

Christmas Gift Guide - Little Orange

Good morning my sweets! Last weekend in York we stumbled across loads of lovely little markets, and in doing so, stumbled across loads of gorgeous handmade loveliness! One of my favourite discoveries were these brilliant engraved wooden signs made by Little Orange in beautiful York. 

Check out all the other lovely bits and bobs Little Orange make here - and I'll see you soon with loads more ideas for a handmade Christmas!

xx

images via Little Orange

Christmas Gift Guide - Meet the Makers - Something by Someone

Hello there my lovely blog readers, and a very happy Monday morning to you all! I am currently in York and it is STUNNING! But more exciting than my Autumnal love affair is that today is our first Meet the maker interview - hooray! And we get to start with the lovely Em Renke from Something by Someone. Based in Sydney, Em Renke started up her jewellery business last year after working for a company as a bench jeweller, and is creating beautiful work left, right and centre!

We were able to ask her what she loves about Christmas, and about some of her favourite things...

Do you make specific Christmas items, or just stick with your usual all year products (if so, what are they)?

I don’t make anything specific for Christmas, jewellery is a pretty special gift for Christmas so I keep on selling what I design and work on through the year. I am a ring person, so I have endless designs for rings. My favourite rings are my double band hammered whisper rings and they are currently my best sellers.

What is your favourite part of your Christmas day?

We do presents on Christmas Eve so for Christmas day, we go to church and then have a spectacular lunch. I love all the company of family and friends together and sharing that lunch and then looking forward to a lazy afternoon with some coffee and fruitcake.

Real tree of fake tree?

I like a fake tree that looks just like a real tree. I don’t think I could live with a tree slowly dying in my house.

What do you use for inspiration for your work?

I draw inspiration from my little girl. She has some pretty great ideas and exploring the world with her leads to discovering different shapes and materials. Usually if I find a shape or idea I like, I'll keep on playing around with it until I feel convinced that it will make a beautiful piece of wearable jewellery.

What are the top 5 best things about running your own business?

Your time is your own and you can work around whatever life throws at you without asking anybody’s permission. Although you work harder, there is the freedom and flexibility that I find very valuable.

Tell us one of your favourite traditions of Christmas time?

Dressing up and planning my Christmas outfit! We always had the tradition where we would choose a theme and all the girls would dress up (usually the theme revolves around a certain dress hanging in your closet for the entire year and you still did not get the chance to wear it!).

What are some of your favourite small stores that stock handmade items?

PiccoloPear in East Gosford

Two Birds Gallery in Long Jetty and

Madeby Others in Moss Vale NSW

Rocky road or fruit cake?

Fruit cake! It is the only time I will ever have it.

Do you bake at Christmas? What is your speciality?

Big time baking happening at Christmas. I love hand made and home made so baking cookies for friend as gifts are our thing. The whole house smells of fruitcake!

If you were going to a Christmas dinner party, what would you take as a hostess gift?

Always flowers. I will buy the prettiest and most unusual flowers and arrange them myself in a beautiful little posy complete with an old jar or tin of some sort tied with twine and a tag.

...

Check out the lovely Something by Someone and all of Em Renke's gorgeous work! If you're hoping to make an order, make sure you do so by the start of December, as each piece is made especially for each customer.

Have a wonderful week wherever you are! And I'll see you soon! x

Christmas gift guide - SoffittaBluebird

A massive welcome to you, my dear gift list reader! Do come in, sit down and have a cup of tea (well...perhaps make yourself one, wherever you may be...) as we embark upon this most exciting of journeys together! Am I excited? Oui! Are you? I hope so! There is so much loveliness lined up for you I can't wait to share! 

Please don't forget though, if you have a friend, sister, Mum, nephew, cousin or know of someone who is an exception crafter/maker/designer and you'd like to see them featured, just let us know! We're always on the lookout for loveliness, and would love your input!

So today to kick of our 6 week long list (crikey!), here are some gorgeous handmade purses from the lovely Soffitta Bluebird in Italy! She also makes the sweetest bunnies and puppets - check out her lovely store here!

Have a magnificent weekend lovelies! x

images via SoffittaBluebird

autumn...

Hello there my lovelies! 

Well! A LOT has happened since my last post, namely that my parents came from Australia for a visit, and Autumn moved in and made herself at home. 

We had a magnificent time with my Mum and Dad, driving about the countryside and eating scones every day (no lie). It was even sunny for part of their stay - a Scottish miracle! We showed off our local area and the excitement that is tattie harvest (which I never thought was exciting, until I was walking in a field NEXT to some harvesting, and it become mega cool), we went into Edinburgh for a few nights and I fell in love with the glass houses in the Botanic Gardens. My Mum also recommended I get a job there which was a genius idea - it's warm all year round AND I would get to work with plants and flowers! I'll keep that idea up my sleeve! And I would highly recommend a visit to Scone Palace. I drive past it a lot and have never considered going in - but I say if you haven't been, get thee to the Palace! The guides are exceptional and you will want to hug them.

And Autumn...magnificent Autumn...on a sunny day. Still, I shall make the most of it with pies, 'refreshing' walks (code for absolutely-freaking-freezing-walks) and pies. I am also declaring mitten season open, some of you will be relieved to know. Apart from the smart phone dilemma (that of not being able to use one), they are exceptionally awesome. I now charge thee to take a look at Hilary Grant's website and her gorgeous knitwear, and see if it doesn't cheer you up a smidgen and make you forget you'll soon have icicles hanging from your nose. 


xx

image via Hilary Grant

ps - Our Christmas gift list starts in a few days, so keep checking back for more brilliant ideas for gifts - made with loads of love!

starting early...

Hello lovelies! I do hope you're well! I have been to Paris this past weekend and it was absolutely wonderful...very romantic heading back there with husbando. FINALLY we have begun to take advantage of the fact that Europe is a mere hour long flight away - three cheers for us! Where to next though? Any suggestions?

We'll be kicking of our lovelyprettycheerythings Christmas gift guide soon, and are very excited to be sharing with you so many lovely makers! I know it's early, but I'm going to ask you with my sweetest smile and perhaps with a chocolate cupcake thrown in too, that you don't disregard it. You see, makers have fairly busy schedules, and I know of some who are already planning Valentines products (I KNOW - it's not me). This way, there'll be less FREAKING OUT and stressing for everyone, and instead, mucho calmness and serenity. 

There is also much to be said about present buying at Christmas time, and I do understand many people's dislike at the 'commercial' side of Christmas. I say make of it what you will, and for me, it's a special time of year. However I do hate the feeling of buying presents needlessly and without thought, so I hope this list can perhaps allow you time to consider what your near and dear ones will love. And I can guarantee (I can NEVER spell that word - google?) it will have been made with LOADS more love.

So keep your ear to the ground (not literally, you would look very strange), your ideas notebook close by and a pie in the oven (why not eh?)...I'm EXCITED!

xx

image via rubyandjoy 

autumn is here...

...and while I would like to automatically look like one of these lovely ladies in their skinny's and sweaters, it ain't happening. The reasons, I feel, are twofold. 

One - I am not skinny, ergo, skinny's do not have quite the same erm...silhouette. 
Two - I am still unaccustomed to dressing for the cold. 
Not the nice 'ooh there's a chill in the air, let's bake pies!' cold of Sydney, but the arctic breeze and frosted-solid-car-windscreens of Scotland.

I will either look nice and freeze, or look like the Michelin man and be cosy. 

On Friday husbando is whisking me off to Paris for a long weekend (oui!), and I feel the Autumnal fashion stakes will rise. But if there's anything my pinterest board has taught me over the past 30 minutes, it's this. Braid your hair in a messy fashion, and you will look fabulous!

Voila!

pics via (from top) acupofjo, richesforrags, refinedstyle, prettypeachpeonies

it's not that far away...

But do not despair! I am not here to bring you tidings of great joy 3 months too early! Simply to tell you of an exciting project that is coming together and will be featured in the lead up to Christmas.

I have been challenged recently to begin buying more handmade items, and began to think why I tend not to. I think at this point, it's mainly that I'm not sure where to get handmade from! And so, to quote a good friend of mine (Oprah), I had an Aha! moment (although not an epiphany of any great meaning, still exciting all the same)! I know quite a few lovely folk who make things, and they know quite a few lovely folk who make things too. So in the month before Christmas, I'll be featuring all and sundry that I can find that make gorgeous things for your loves at Christmas time. And I'm extending the challenge to you too.

So if you know anyone that makes gorgeous goodies please do let me know, and let's spread the word!

And a very happy weekend to you!
xx

wandering...

                                   One day off + one very tired Scot + one very tired Australian + sunshine (actual warmth!) 
                                              - the grey skies and to do lists 
                                   + a quiet golf driving range (after a very slow morning)
                                           + a wander through the farming country that is our backyard...

                                                                                                             = quite a lovely day...

the west end fair...

Hello there my dear blog readers! I hope you're doing magnificently this fine Tuesday afternoon! If you follow rubyandjoy on facebook or twitter you will have been bombarded with images and updates from our time in Edinburgh at The West End Fair, and I PROMISE, this is the last of it! But I did just want to share a few bits and pieces with you from our time there - it was grand!

It was and will be a very special moment having a stand at such a well known and loved market during the Edinburgh Festival, and I can't believe how fast it has flown by! Very special shout out to husbando, who was an incredible support and kept me plied with food and hot chocolates (VERY important). I met so many lovely crafters (we bonded over our desperation for hot beverages in the afternoon) and made loads of new rubyandjoy friends. And the best part was, lots of our lovely products found lovely new homes! The (new) square cushions, cloud mobiles and elephant cushions were the most loved, and you might even see some more of our bits and bobs in some lovely wee stores soon!

We also launched our first campaign, which you can read more about here. We're donating 20% of every bird sold (that's £2.50) to The A21 Campaign, who are working towards abolishing slavery, and focus particularly on human trafficking. This is very exciting, as it's an organisation close to my heart. Although only a small offering, every bit makes a difference.

And now it's back to the sewing machine to restock! Have a peek here at our sale happening right now (hooray!), perfect for those super organised Christmas present folk. And if you're keen to see when we'll next be at the markets, have a look at our events page on facebook. 

And pop on over to these wonderful folk (my market neighbours)...they really are just LOVELY!
Skoczena, Beastie Brooches (Gallery in the Alley), Fiona Luing Jewellery, Babs Pease, Vicki Semple Designs and Helen Michie Ceramics

A big huge massive thank you to all of you lovelies who came and said hello! We had such a wonderful time and are already looking forward to the next one!

xx
images via rubyandjoy

market time...

Hello there! I hope you're well and have had a marvellous start to your week! I for one am massively excited, and as husbando will tell you, somewhat highly strung. Because, my dear friends of the bloggy world, in 3 days time I will be exhibiting at the West End Fair in Edinburgh! This means many things, including but not limited to the fact that all diets are cancelled, 99% of my conversations with husbando are about the stall design/fabric choices/price points/logistics (which is MEGA fun for him...) and our wee flat is in what one might politely call 'a state'.

Nevertheless! Things are coming together, and even though the next few days will be filled with sewing and packing and sewing and packing and sewing and packing and then checking all the packing with copious lists...I am very mucho looking forward to being there. And hopefully, to meeting some of you lovely folk!

We'll be there from Thursday 8th until Sunday 11th (that's this week! *calming down*), and officially the markets are open from 11am - 6pm every day. Entry is free (hooray!), and the Festival is on, so there's LOADS to do in town. I will be accepting snacks and hot beverages (if you insist). 

xx

Have a wee sneaky peek online!
all images from rubyandjoy