Tomorrow: Live Instagrams from Reetsweet

Tomorrow I will be live Instagramming from Reetsweet Shopping Fair at the Corn Exchange in Leeds.  My Instagram name is KitschenSink and all Instagrams will be #tagged #Reetsweet

Let's share photos with Instagram!

xoxo

♥ Colourful ♥ Kitschy ♥ Funky ♥ Fun...

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Social Media BOOTCAMP!

If you're a small business owner local to Saltaire and want to learn how to put some POWER behind your social media... come along to...

♥ Twitter:
Thursday 2nd Feb, 7-9.30pm

♥ Facebook:
Thursday 16th Feb, 7-9.30pm

♥ Advanced (other platforms, strategic integration, boosting sales)
Thursday 1st Mar, 7-9.30pm

To book just email me! hello@kitschensink.com

xoxo

♥ Colourful ♥ Kitschy ♥ Funky ♥ Fun...

Add me on Twitter
Add me on Facebook

Shout outs to my local crafting crew

Holla!!

I jus' wanted to big-up my local crafting friends who I sell with at craft fairs. I have missed them since I have been running the pop-up shop, but as that draws to a close... I am looking forward to seeing these guys out and about, wheeling and dealing...

Spring Lark
Maus Haus
The Stalls
Our Little Craft Co
Emazingemz Emporium
Stitch Art
Rachel Lucie Jewellery Designs
Wychbury
Ruby Spirit Designs

Facebook em y'all

xoxo
I'm sorry that I inherited the Texan accent whilst I was on my travels...

A video blog: Regional dialect meme

I was name checked in the end of Samantha (aka Marthaamay)'s Regional Dialect Meme video, and so I have made a little video myself, saying some words in my West Yorkshire accent...

Say these words:

Aunt, Route, Wash, Oil, Theater, Iron, Salmon, Caramel, Fire, Water, Sure, Data, Ruin, Crayon, Toilet, New Orleans, Pecan, Both, Again, Probably, Spitting image, Alabama, Lawyer, Coupon, Mayonnaise, Syrup, Pajamas, Caught

Now answer these questions:

What is it called when you throw toilet paper on a house?

What is the bug that when you touch it, it curls into a ball?

What is the bubbly carbonated drink called?

What do you call gym shoes?

What do you say to address a group of people?

What do you call the kind of spider that has an oval-shaped body and extremely long legs?

What do you call your grandparents?

What do you call the wheeled contraption in which you carry groceries at the supermarket?

What do you call it when rain falls while the sun is shining?

What is the thing you change the TV channel with?

 

Have a go yourself  :) be sure to link back to me

 

xoxo

 

P.S I have an exciting new feature and giveaway coming up - keep your eyes peeled! 

Blog play

I have had a little blog facelift - what do you think? I'm not sure about the font but can't find one that's just right.

For those of you reading the imported blog as 'notes' on Facebook - Blog link is here http://kitschensinkuk.blogspot.com/

xoxo

Forecast of Fun launch giveaway!

To celebrate the launch of Forecast of Fun we're giving away one necklace and one brooch, and the winner can choose which design!

To enter you can do any and as many of the following:

• Twitter users: Tweet "@KitschenSink has launched the 'Forecast of Fun Collection' and is hosting a giveaway! http://tinyurl.com/ksgiveaway" go the the Facebook page and add a comment under the entry note 'I tweeted, my username is @username'.
• Facebook fanpage owners: Become a fan of KitschenSink on Facebook. Update your Fanpage status saying "@kitschensink [and tag-in our page to the status] has launched the 'Forecast of Fun Collection' and is hosting a giveaway!" go the the Facebook page and add a comment under the entry note 'I fanpage tagged, my fanpage is fanpage name'.
• Facebook personal users: invite all your friends to the KitschenSink page. Go the Facebook page and add a comment under the entry note 'I invited everyone'. The easy way to do this is:

-Copy the entire characters below:


javascript:elms=document.getElementById('friends').getElementsByTagName('li');for(var fid in elms){if(typeof elms[fid] === 'object'){fs.click(elms[fid]);}}

-Open the KitschenSink Fan Page in a new window and click 'suggest to friends' just under the profile picture
-Wait until the page loads up, showing your friends' photos
-Paste all the characters into your (URL) browser
- Press "Enter" and wait for a minute or so until all your friends' photos are highlighted
-Scroll down, click on the "Send Invitations" button

• Bloggers: simply write a blog about the new collection and or/the giveaway. Make sure you link in our website (http://www.kitschensink.com)!  Go the Facebook page and add a comment under the entry note 'I blogged' and link to your blog post.

I'll draw the winners on the evening of the 8th July by numbering the entries and using Random.org to draw two numbers from all the entries.

Happy competing!

xoxo

Just checking out some keywords from Google Analytics

Google Analytics tracks the visitors to my blog and wesbite. I don't know who you are by name of course, or what street you live on. But I know what cities you came from and how you found your way here. It helps so I know if any advertising campaign works, and is also how I found out about my copycat! 

Look at what someone Googled to find their way to my blog!

Haha! Aww ♥ ♥ ♥

...Busy busy...

Back soon xoxo

Give a-way-hey!

Another of my goals this year was to participate in a give-away. I'll have no goals left by then end of the month! I am too giddy.

Anyway. It's all going off on Facebook. I basically said when I get to 503 fans I'll do a give-away. It was like the Ferrari 0-60 in six seconds* of Facebook fan adding. Thanks to all my fans!

What's up for grabs? Two kawaii Japanese pendant necklaces, like this:

How do I enter? 

• Go the the Facebook fan page
• Become a fan (if you're not already!)
• Find the special give-away update
• Tell me what your favourite KitschenSink item EVER is. Get inspiration from the Flickr pages
• Leave your choice as a comment on the special give-away update
• Earn an extra entry by Tweeting about my giveaway! Add @kitschensink to the tweet and leave an extra comment to tell me you tweeted
• Earn an extra entry by blogging about the KitschenSink giveaway! Remember to link through to the KitschenSink fan page! Leave a comment with a link to your blog post!

All comments will be numbered 1-whatever, and an internet-based number randomiser will be used to pick a winner.

The prize is one-of-a-kind because it's made from a genuine graphic novel!

Good luck!

xoxo

*this is not a real fact and may not even be exciting. But it sounds fast to me.

Resin Swap!

It was one of my goals this year to get involved in a swap and I saw the Resin Swap organised by PennyDog and thought that would be my best bet!

I'm sure my partner has her gift by now, so here's what I sent. She mentioned she liked kawaii and punky stuff...

One-of-a-kind Japanese comic decoupage necklace. I thought this would appeal to the kawaii lover in her

Starlight... Starbright! Studs - hoping these appeal to her punky side!

I also sent a refresher sweet and a postcard from Leeds! Quite a package I hope you agree?

I haven't got mine yet. My partner is running a little late. Will no doubt blog when received :)

xoxo

To Etsy or not to Etsy? That is the question...

There are pros and cons.

My cons being:

• There's a lot of people on there
• It's all in dollars
• I just don't know if it's worth me listing anything (and paying to do so) if it's just going to get buried amongst a load of sh*t.

My pros being:

• There's some really great stuff there
• There's teams to help promote each other
• They have a mahoosive client base (good sales-wise and networking-wise)
• My more recent work (comic bubble hearts) have not debuted there... I am interested to get a reaction.
• I feel as though I 'should' be there. Cos anyone who is anyone in the independent design game is there.

Hmm. Any thoughts, anyone?

xoxo

Perfect Package Project

I forgot to mention that one of my goals for this year is to get involved in a couple of swaps.  I noticed Pennydog's Resin Swap a month or so ago and have got involved (hmmm best get on with that really)...

And I just spotted this lovely idea.

"The Package Project is an exchange aimed to connect bloggers around the world and to grow the blogging community even further. It is all about swopping pretty packages and handmade delights. The packaging only makes the exchange more fun so get creative...strings, manila tags and ribbons galore. Each package must be a joy to receive and each time you do receive one...pop out your camera and snap away. This way we all get to share in a bit of your excitement".

I get a lot of great feedback about the packages I send out.... so I signed up :)

I think you should sign up too

xoxo

Great post :-)

My post is deposited in a box outside my block, and I do enjoy collecting it after a day at work. I feel like I live in Ramsey Street. As it happens I do have good neighbours. One of the boys in my block held the door for me today even though he was tackling a large ASDA delivery. Sweet.

Anyway today's post had aceness all over it. I forgot I won this via The Leeds Guide on Twitter! Fab. It means I can treat a pal who needs to be perked :-)

I kinda won something else via Twitter too... but I'm not ready to give that away yet. I promise I will mid-April! I can't believe I have kept it a secret this long...

Also, the gold bails I have been waiting for arrived in the post today... that means I can get on with making a piece for an up-and-coming starlet! She's going to be big this year... and she wants to wear KitschenSink! Awesome. More on that to come.

xoxo

10th Photo Story

I've been linked into a chain of photo story telling by Littleclouds. I am a bit of a geek for these things, where you answer a series of questions with one answer or whatever. Anyway I had to cheat a little bit because the 10th photo in my first album on Facebook (I presume that's what this means) has friends in and they aren't internet SLAGS like I am, and I don't think they'd be happy about me using a photo of them in this way...

So the rules are as follows....

1. open your first photo folder
2. scroll to the tenth photo
3. post the photo and the story behind it
4. tag five or more people

I uploaded this photo in September 2007, so back then I was living at my parents' and saving for my own home.  My parents had gone away on holiday and I came home from work to find this trivial note from my Mum stuck to the front of a Unison (public services trade union) mailshot. It reads 'Is this your double? Do not forget to put your license in your car! - Or you will be fined. PS eat the carrot cake'. 


Comments that followed are:

• she really does look like you....uncanny.
• wow- scary stuff, your absolute double!!!  
• omg that's freaky!! they say everyone has a double...

I just want to note that my hair has never looked that shit.

My tagged buddies then, are:

• HawaiiKawaii 
• Kitschy Coo  
• Mamutopia 
• Lovely Little Deer 
• Komis Couture 

Enjoy the last few hours of weekend fun :)

xoxo

Sunshine blog award :)

I've been given another blog award :)  This time from Rachel Lucie, who makes wonderful gem stone and sterling silver jewels. We've sold at a few fairs together, one of which, if she hadn't have been there Check her out!

The Sunshine Award is awarded to bloggers whose positivity & creativity inspires others in the blog world.
The rules for accepting this award are:-

Put the logo on your blog or within your post.
Pass the award onto 12 bloggers.
Link the nominees within your post.
Let the nominees know they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
Share the love and link to the person from whom you received this award. 

I hadn't had chance to blog it yet, but I have recently booked into a little craft fair just outside Leeds. So a good few of the 12 are some of the other stall holders I am yet to meet :)

Pandapop - The place where Amy, the fair's organiser, writes about what inspires her

Memo - Illustration, screen printing, collecting awesomeness

Twoducksdisco - love the name! illustrator / graphic designer / lover / screen-print artist / man

Fox Bunting -  Seperately they are Paper Fox and Cotton Fox, together they are Fox Bunting.

Filo e colori di Ila - Yeah I'm not sure what it means, but Ila creates wonderful colourful things and you can translate the page using a button on the right.

Chris Parry - Enjoying his 'ring a day' feature, which is quite imaginative!

Ismoyo Playground - Particularly enjoy her vintage book finds, cos I love them myself!

Bonbi Fruits of the Forest - Blog by Lee May. She's a perfect all rounder. Designs tees, jewellery, lots of beautiful things. And takes photos of local scenes!
Pinkrain -  one word: amazing. Doodles and handmade goodies
Fantastic Toys - They really are.  If only they were edible, they are too too good!
Pop Culture Junkie - If you want to be cool, subscribe.
The Indie Handmade Show - Another beautiful Italian blog, each post is translated into English.

I think that list is pretty awesome and you should definitely check every single one out.  In fact... make yourself a brew. Get a rich tea or garibaldi. Have a read. Be inspired.

Got good news to blog tomorrow!!

xoxo

Call for fashionistas around the world!

Gosh, I am so tired I fell asleep on the train on the way home! I’d like to go and lay on the sofa… but I just had to tell you about this place I found online!

Store Society is a social networking space for both individuals who love fashion and independent fashion retailers.

It’s perfect for you if :
- As a fashionista, you love to ‘dress to express’ (I stole that term from the site’s creator, Kristina) and take photos of yourself. You know what I’m talking about. It’s fairly loser-ish to do it on Facebook, but on here it serves a purpose! Show the world your fantastic finds, bargains, etc, and link to their ‘store’ page if they have one

- As a retailer/designer, you want to showcase your products to the coolest audiences

- As a lover of independent shopping, you want to keep up-to-date with independent outlets you might not usually come across.

Find me on there. Obviously as a store I am KitschenSink. As a member I am GingerSnap.

Here’s the best bit… I am currently featured on the front page!!

In other news, another whinge about feedback, of an eBay nature. I have been blocked by a seller, because, just over a year ago, the products he sent me went AWAL. After a few days, I received a letter, sent to half my home address. It was from a person who lived across town who lived at the same house number as me, with the same street name suffix as me. The seller had written my address in some shit pen that got wet and, well, came off. So I left neutral feedback saying that they should use waterproof pen in future. That’s why he blocked me, stating he felt it was ‘unjustified’. I thought it was unjustified that after spending good money on postage, I had to drive across town to collect it! Dick!

The moral of the story is to always use a waterproof pen when you write on an envelope. If you use anything else, don’t come whinging to me when it gets lost!

xoxo

Facing facts, Feedback and Fan photos

I was supposed to be buying a sewing machine with my Christmas money.  Unfortunately, the lovelies at Yorkshire Water sent me a bill, reckoning that I use £250 of water a quarter. That’s right, I live on my own.  I barely have any baths. I’m quite frugal with my washing.  What’s that about?! So, I daren’t spend my Christmas pennies, or have any fun for that matter, until it’s sorted. Idiots!!

Deep breaths. OK, let's move on.

Dear buyers of products from independent designers/makers,

Your feedback is important to us.  We spend lots of time and effort designing and making things that are special, photographing them, carefully choosing words to describe them to you. Then when you buy, many of us carefully box-up, perhaps add a little gift, perhaps make an envelope.  It would be great if you could give us a bit more feedback that just how quickly we send it out to you. It ain’t eBay. 

Thank you.

When I sell at markets, you get the feedback straight away in the excitement of the buyer.  It’s a magical moment!

Some buyers, especially when buying handmade, may be worried that the good will be shite.  So… come on people. Leave us some descriptive feedback on how much you enjoyed the experience of shopping with us so others can buy in confidence!!

First place for great feedback goes to Samantha.  I can’t tell you what Samantha bought, it’s a secret as it’s a gift. But she bought one for herself and one for a friend, and they are form my more ‘premium’ range.  As the sale was made outside of Folksy, she’s left some feedback on the Facebook wall, including photos!! Way to go, you are my current favourite customer!

What a wonderful start to my day today! My lovely Kitschensink parcel arrived!! I have never received anything in the post as amazingly cool ever before! Thankyou Rowan!!!!!

I’d love you to add your fan photos to the Facebook page too. To do this, just go to the wall, under the box to write on the wall there’s a photo icon. Upload your photo and add a comment. Easy!

xoxo

Call for "link" exchanges

Forever linked... by LShadrack

My website and graphic designer Paul thought it would be a great idea to get some hyperlink exchanges going on from the KitschenSink website.

I'm looking for people/organisations offering a funky product or service that I will link to from KistchenSink.com and in return, their website will link to me.

All I really ask is that the websites have good quality design and that the product doesn't overlap KitschenSink's.  I'm going to limit how many link to jewellery sellers, so please don't be disappointed if I can't accept all enquiries.  It's a mutual benefit after all, so I'll be missing out too.

If you are interested, please email Rowan

xoxo

A tweet of inspiration

I noticed a tweet from necessarym: 'What's next for Lego?', which fed through to this lovely little article, which excites me somewhat. Pictures below for your convenience :)




Cool, eh? And just when I was thinking about how to resurrect my Lego line...
xoxo

I have been given a Lemonade Award!

Many thanks to Rachel Lucie Jewellery Designs who nominated me for a Lemonade Blog Award this week. Check the post here!

Here are the rules:

1. Put the logo on your blog or post.
2. Nominate at least 5 - 10 blogs that show great Gratitude and/or Attitude.
3. Be sure to list and link your nominees within your post.
4. Let them know they have received this award by leaving a comment on their blog.
5. Nominate your favorites and link to your post.

Here are my nominees:
Tizzalicious Crafts & Cuteness
Ismoyo Playground
Berrysprite
Wychbury
Pippa's Arty Life
PennyDog Jewellery Blog
Mamutopia

There's so many others.... but I don't have all day...

Happy Monday xoxo

Twit-twoo - I ♥ my Twitter followers!

Over on Ismoyo's Playground blog I noticed this cool way of showing of your Twitter followers!

If you want to follow me a bit more closely than on the blog then Twitter is the place to be. Some call it 'micro-blogging'. I'm in such a mood today. I think it would be wrong to air my dirty laundry on here. This big text box begs for me to pour my heart out in intricate detail, which is wrong. I only have a few characters' allowence in Twitter, so I tend to put a little this and that in there... and vent to my content.

So here's to you, Twitter followers. Today I say thank you for listening to my whinges, and in many cases, replying with kind words.

I had a nice weekend but it's all tainted with ill feeling, and IMO, it's unecessary.

I hope your weekend was abso-fabulosi

xoxo