Good bye, 2010. It's been grand.

I'm posting to pay tribute to 2010, cos it's been freakin awesome. Here's some highlights:

January:

I launched my wonderful large comic love-hearts, including the best selling 'He Called'

February:

My website got copied by some creep in Argentina. No, it wasn't nice at the time. But now I can't help but laugh about it.

I went to my first Roller Derby bout and fell in love with the sport (and donated a necklace as a charity prize!)

March:

I exhibited KitschenSink in my first pop-up shop, via Designers Marketplace. It looked frickin ace!

I chalked up another awesome stockist, Hannah Zakari

Saw Courteeners live, again

I made eye contact with Joseph Gilgun, sigh.

April:

KitschenSink got sold at Selfridges, on Oxford Street in London! I was featured on the front of my local newspaper for it!

I won a lovely flying goose brooch from Magasin

We ran our first give-away!

Kate P and I were photographed for Company magazine - wearing KitschenSink necklaces!

I went to the Superette of my favourite indie designer, Lady Luck Rules OK, to listen to her trade secrets. I learnt lots...

I chalked up another awesome stockist, itsKitsch in Aberdeen.

I won tickets to the Mad Hatter's Tea Party at the Ideal Home Show, but gave my tickets to Samantha because I couldn't make it.

May:

I enrolled on a college course studying basic photoshop (I'm still none the wiser!)

I chalked up a new stockist - The Heart Gallery in Hebden Bridge.

Celebrated the LOST finale with friends

Live @ Leeds!

I was invited to a preview evening at Jamie's Italian restaurant and sat next to Jimmy King from Emmerdale.

June:

I was featured on several pages of local mag 'Yorkshire Living' - I found out on my birthday!

I got accepted to BUST Summer Craftacular. Ace!

I got involved in TestSpace Leeds, selling and exhibiting and making friends and having fun.

I won a pitch at the Knitting and Stitching Show (taking place in Nov)

I got accepted to Saltaire Arts Trail (taking place in Sept)

July:

I was featured in SoFeminine's ''Accessories you won't find on the high street' and also in Live and Love York magazine!

I sold in a very wet Blackpool at the Super Duper Fair, and a very hot London at BUST Craftacular! Both were ace!!

I launched the Forecast of Fun range, which is still going strong!

 

I visited friends in London and went to Hackney Wicked Arts Festival

August:

The super Make Lounge in London became a KitschenSink stockist

I got a new camera

I met a boy <3

I went to my first ever sleep-over festival

September:

I launched a tooth rot orb necklace to add to the collection

I sold at Saltaire Makers' Fair

I went to the local Bingley Music Live festival, fun!!

October:

I mainly prepared to pop-up!

I was taken on a surprise trip to Whitby

November:

I sold at my winning pitch at the Knitting and Stitching Show

I saw Gok Wan filming and went to the fashion face-off!

I took a trip to Hebden Bridge and got treat like a celebrity!

We went to a Hot Chip and LCD Soundsystem gig at Magna, which was AWESOME

December:

Launched Manga necklaces that sold like hot cakes!

I was interviewed on local radio

** Something very exciting that I cannot reveal yet!

Generous gifts

I hope you had a fabulous Christmas! I just wanted to share with you a selection of cute things I received.

A leather moustache necklace from Thomas, made by his sister :')

Cute ladybird earphones from my parents

Lovely Lazy Oaf mittens from Thomas. I think he feels sorry for me when I don't wear any!

A super cool Listography journal book from Thomas. I have started this already and can't wait to show you some of my illustrated lists!

A Japanese notebook and pencils from my pal Jess.

I love the inside too! I'll write my plans for 2011 in here.

A Me And Zena robot necklace. It's actually a locket, his belly opens right up. I can't stop fiddling with the magnetic door.... but what to put inside?

Have you blogged your gifts? I'd love to see, link me up below!

xoxo

Last 'un: Locket Fuel (Kawaii Skull)

The very last kawaii locket with swarovskis and skull has been put on sale on the shop, at the reduced price of £20! Grab a bargain in time for Christmas - this very limited edition piece!

Featuring large 3d kawaii love skull, swarovski crystals, black, white & baby pink colour sheme... all sealed in water-clear, thick, glossy coating.

Chain is decked with SwArOvSKi beads in AB clear & rose pink, perfect for some gothic girly glamour!

Inside the locket there's a shallow chasm on the left for photos and a deaper chasm on the right for small keepsakes and tiny treasures.

Comes gift boxed!

Was £25, now £20!

♥Materials:
Pendant - Silver plated,resin, swarovski crystal detail
Chain – Silver plated
♥Measurements:
Pendant - 5cm x 4cm
Chain – ~43cm 

xoxo

Did I mention... Eliza Doolittle?

Rising starlet Eliza Doolittle has been photographed wearing a Wild Jezebel necklace made by little old me!

There's no excuse for not knowing who this girl is. Even if you don't follow the charts, surely you've heard her music on the Very.co.uk ad...

If you want one for yourself... you know where to find it...

Wild Jezebel Necklace - £22

My personal favourite is 'Pack up'

xoxo

Last date for orders for Christmas delivery: 20th December

On the radio, today, 5.30 GMT

Just a quicky!

I'll be on the radio, 106.6 fm (the station is BCB) or you can listen online at http://www.bcbradio.co.uk/

Today (Tuesday 7th December) at 5.30pm GMT.

xoxo

Pop-up round up: KitschenSink Cupcakes!

I had the help of several wonderful people at the Knitting and Stitching Show. Julia, Tom and Jemma. Lots of love to them all.

On the last day, Jemma surprised me with this awesome surprise! My boy Tom and graphic designer Paul were both in on the secret, n'aw!

And here's a quicky of Gok!

That's it for popping-up shop, for now. I have lots of over exciting things in store...

xoxo

Manga jewellery now available online!

I already told you I made fifty one-of-a-kind Manga pendants.  They are so popular at shows, I wanted to give my online fans a chance to buy one, so I have photographed and uploaded a few. 

MaNgA NeCkLaCe feat. BuBbLe HeArT PeNdAnT: "La-De-Da!

MaNgA NeCkLaCe feat. BuBbLe HeArT PeNdAnT: "Oh... Um... Okay"

   

MaNgA NeCkLaCe feat. BuBbLe HeArT PeNdAnT: "Very cute"

  

MaNgA NeCkLaCe feat. BuBbLe HeArT PeNdAnT "HuH?!"

Manga illustration collages are embedded into these handmade bubble heart pendants. The images are from the book 'Kashimashi ~Girl Meets Girl~' Perfect for Manga molls and madams!

The images are taken straight out of the book (no photocopying), decoupaged, and layered with resin blended with jet black dye, making them a one-off!

I wear mine with graphic summer dresses or on a tee and hoody day!

Strung on a 17" chunky silver plated snake chain.

So cute! xoxo

Pop-up... Round up! - Booth shots -

If you didn't already know, I set up shop at the Knitting and Stitching Show, Harrogate. Build-up day was Wednesday.

Here's a 'before' shot of the booth... sort of...

By this point I had already pinned up the wall paper (left-overs from a friends living room) and hung a couple of pictures.

Here's the booth finished, but minus the jewellery! I hung my best press photos at the edge to catch people's eyes as the walked past, inluding the shot of Eliza Doolittle wearing her Wild Jezebel necklace. I also created a gallery of my customers wearing their buys.

Several things I have here that I wouldn't generally take to a fair: a taylor's dummy, a bust mannequin, cake stands, and a large mirror mounted to the wall.

And here's a couple of photos of the finished booth... I must say - I was very happy with the finished look!

Caught off guard, texting!  That day I was sporting a pink Forecast of Fun Thunderbolt Necklace

The table layout

Notice the taylor's dummy. I dressed this in a leopard print prom dress to show my work goes well with dressy togs as well as casuals!

Here's the bust I dressed in a bright Lazy Oaf tee. I got it in a lucky dip bag and it's just not my colour. Perfect Kitschen Sink colours though! Also notice the random hand holding business cards and the super cool comic table cloth!

And a cake stand made of vinyl records!

I also made lots of price signs in the shapes of comic bubbles. Attention to detail is tres important, don't you know ;-)

xoxo

Preparing to Pop-up #14: Love-Lego and Cute Cameos

A few last minute treasures for you to see before the big set-up day!

 Heart-shaped Lego on a chain. Love-Lego!

A choice selection of colourful cameos. Haven't made these in a while. 

Loving the pastel shades!

KitschenSink will be at the Knitting and Stitching Show (stand E18), 25-28 November, Harrogate International Centre

Next updates will document the show itself.... eeeek!
 
xoxo

Preparing to Pop-up #13: More Manga!

My main focus of the preparation for this week's (eek!!) event was to get lots of Manga heart pendants finished.

They're always popular - so much so there's never any left to sell online!

Each one is different and one-of-a-kind. Some images are decoupaged with words from the same scene in the book, to add a little je ne sais quoi!

I made fifty of these little beauties. That's right! Fifty! They'll retail at £21.

KitschenSink will be at the Knitting and Stitching Show (E18), 25-28 November, Harrogate International Centre
xoxo

Preparing to Pop-up #12: Copious cufflinks

Lego cufflinks make the ideal Christmas gift for the suit-wearing man who's young at heart.

Stiff suits can lack personality - these cufflinks presented in a vintage comic giftbox will add a little wicked to a weary work wardrobe.


KitschenSink will be at the Knitting and Stitching Show, 25-28 November, Harrogate International Centre
xoxo

Preparing to Pop-up #11: Buckets of badges

For the first time, I've made some Lego badges for the Knitting and Stitching Show.

Great for funky fellas

KitschenSink will be at the Knitting and Stitching Show, 25-28 November, Harrogate International Centre
xoxo 

Preparing to Pop-up #10: Thundercats HO!

A special collection for the Knitting and Stitching Show... a new type of necklace made from an original Thundercats annual from the 80s.

 

I made the pendants a long while ago, but wasn't sure how to hang them.

Each option I tried seemed to lack a little 'je ne sais quoi'.

I added a couple of coordinating star beads and chunky snake chains. Perfectly 80s.

All are one-of-a-kind!

What do you think?

Thundercats, HO! xoxo

Triple surprise!

Three lovely surprises already this week!

1) Gok Wan is going to be at the Knitting and Stitching Show on Friday 26th November!We (exhibitors) have been invited to the Fashion Face-off filming with him and Brix. Very, very exciting!

Photo taken from Channel 4 site

2) The lovely Maartje of Tizzalicious has featured me in one of her Christmas Gift Guides. I'm really pleased because I'm a big fan of her guides and read them every year.

3) I have been invited to be interviewed for the local radio. More on that soon, so you can tune in on-line.


Happy day xoxo

Preparing to Pop-up #9: Bundles of brooches

Last night, I cracked on with some brooch making. I had already cast a number of shapes in multi-coloured resin and it was high time I glued the pinbacks on. Here's a sneak peek:

Don't they look so pretty?!

In between glue dispensing I enjoyed some Crabbie's alcoholic ginger ale I found at Aldi! What a delicious treat!

KitschenSink will be at the Knitting and Stitching Show, 25-28 November, Harrogate International Centre
xoxo

This is how I know KitschenSink is great value for money

As noticed by a male friend of mine watching Lorraine Kelly's Fashion FTSE

xoxo

Preparing to Pop-up #8: Stacks of Studs!

Last night I cracked on making lots of stud earrings for the pop-up shop. I haven't made any for ages and it was lots of fun!

Here's a new kid on the block: Patisserie Délicieux! earrings:

I saw these flowers in my stash and forgot about these lovelies I used to make:

And finally... a stash of old faithfuls!

KitschenSink will be at the Knitting and Stitching Show, 25-28 November, Harrogate Internation Centre

xoxo

Preparing to Pop-up #7: Vintage comic-covered notebook sneak peek!

Amongst other things, I've been having some real fun covering notebooks with some of my vintage comics.

Although I love all my collection, there are some that seem just too special to cut into small pieces to put into jewellery - some should be able to be seen near-full story glory!

So here we go... a little peek at things to come. What do you reckon?

The notebook and its mum

 

 

 

They'll retail at £9 throughout December, a bargain! Available at the Knitting and Stitching Show, and after, online.

xoxo