Little Miss Delicious

8 Goals for 2012

2012-01-03T14:00:00.005Z

I've never really been one to make new years resolutions as I've always understood that they're made to be broken within the first week. So instead, I set myself achievable goals for the year ahead. These are my goals for 2012 -

1: Start taking outfit pictures: A lot of my purchases recently have been new clothes as I was starting to realise I was living in pjs a little bit too much! Although some days I don't leave the house, I feel blogging about the outfits I wear will help keep me motivated to make effort with my appearance every day. Plus, it's a great excuse to buy myself pretty buy clothes! ;)

2. Take more risks: I've spent the past few years being very closed off, but I don't really want to live like that any more. This is the year I'm going to make myself realise it's ok to make mistakes and/or get hurt, you just have to learn from it, then get back up and keep going.

3. Offer work experience placements: While working 18 hours a day doesn't seem that long since I love what I do, the workload is now becoming too much for one person. It was only when I took a break over Christmas that I realised how over-worked I have actually become, and it would be great to have someone to help maybe once a week. I'll be putting up a post soon with more information about this, so keep your eyes peeled!

2. Read more: I used to read a lot of books when I commuted to university, but since doing Little Miss Delicious full time for some reason I've stopped. I got lots of new books for Christmas, so hopefully this is one I can definitely stick to!

4. Be more social: I've been really shy ever since I can remember but this is something I really hope to overcome. I've started saying yes to things more, and I'm starting to feel the difference already. Running my own networking group is also going to be the perfect opportunity to ensure I don't slack with this.

6: Exercise: It may seem simple, but working from home means the only exercise I get these days is walking downstairs to get pie from the fridge (no, really - I love pie). While I'm happy with my shape, I'm not so happy about getting out of breath doing the smallest things. I'm not really one for gyms, so until I can afford a cross trainer I'm hoping to start off by doing exercise videos at least twice a week. Hopefully doing light exercise on a regular basis will also sort out my sleep pattern, and provide a bit more structure to my daily routine.

7. Travel more: I always say I'd like to travel places, but I never do. This year I'm actively going to change that and try to go to at least 2 new places. I've already booked a trip around America in April, and I would love to go to mainland Europe sometime too. I'm also going to try and go back to London at least once every 2 months. While I don't really want to move back, I still love London and everyone I met there - it would be great to be able to see them more.

7. Be happy: Finally, and perhaps most importantly, my goal for this year is to be happy. I've spent too long focusing on little things and dwelling on bad times, it's time to be more positive and live life to the fullest!

What are your goals for this year?

Artwork by Stuff No-one Told Me

Farewell 2011

2011-12-31T11:38:00.009Z

Looking back on this year, it definitely hasn't been a boring one! Sadly, this wasn't always for the right reasons. I graduated my law degree after months of arguing with the head of UCL that I was well enough to sit my exams, even though I couldn't actually attend classes without going straight to A & E afterwards. I'm so grateful to my lovely friend Jasmine for helping me get through it all - without her help I don't think I would have ever graduated. However, it did teach me that stress sets off my illness worse than anything else, so at least now I know to try and keep myself calm even when it might be very difficult to do so - especially considering I've always been a big stresshead anyway!

At the time I was living with the boy I thought I was going to spend my life with, but unfortunately we broke up around the same time as my exams. I knew it was the right thing to do but he didn't agree, so we didn't leave things on good terms which was hard considering how long we had been friends. One of our main problems was that I could never forgive him for turning to an old best friend when we briefly broke up last year. I hadn't spoken to her for around a year at that point, but she was the only person who has ever broken my heart and I still hadn't recovered. Up until last week I still wore the bracelet she gave me every day, and always kept the letter she wrote at hand for times when I needed to be reminded someone believed I was strong enough to do anything, but I've realised I don't need that anymore. I've finally learnt to be strong for myself, not other people. I've finally learnt to let go.

I moved back to Newcastle in July as I was sick of going to A & E alone, so figured I'd come home for a few months, let my specialist figure out what was wrong with my kidneys then I could go back to London again. Unfortunately in my first appointment with him this summer, he told me that I have a chronic illness with no cure, and there isn't really anything they can do for me. It's taken me a long time to process this, but I'm finally learning to accept it now. I still miss London a lot sometimes, but for now I'm very happy living in Newcastle. Plus, I think I'd miss savaloy dips and geordie accents too much if I moved back to London just yet.

While still in London, I finally started overcoming my shyness and anxiety issues, and made some absolutely amazing friends and had times I will never forget. However, moving back to Newcastle I realised I don't really know anybody here any more, so I've spent a lot of the past few months feeling very lonely. I got sad over this a lot to start with, but I've come to realise you only live once, so it's not worth spending all your time sad when you could be making it right. So I've now set up a networking group for businesses in Newcastle, and we had a fab first meeting, with a second one coming soon. I've also decided to actively fix my shyness again by learning not to say no when opportunities arise (although not to the extent of Jim Carrey in Yes Man - as much as I would love to befriend Zooey Deschanel!).

I've also realised a lot of the people I've been close to the past year have been very negative, and it's time to stop associating with that. I think everyone deserves someone around them that would be more likely to compliment them than insult them, and it's time I start realising that's true for myself too.

Business wise, this has been an absolutely amazing year. I'm so grateful for all your support when I made the switch to running Little Miss Delicious full time, and I haven't regretted a single moment of it! I'm very lucky to have supportive parents that have provided me with ample studio space, and it's so nice to know I have the most amazing customers that appreciate all the hard work and love that goes into creating every piece. I am so incredibly grateful to everyone that has purchased Little Miss Delicious pieces from the website and all the fans on Facebook and Twitter. I couldn't do any of this without you!

It's been a rocky road this year, but from all the bad came something good because I've learnt from everything that's happened. I feel like I'm starting 2012 stronger than ever, and with a mammoth trip to America planned and lots of other exciting opportunities in the works, hopefully it will be the best year yet!

Retail Therapy

2011-12-19T14:00:00.003Z

Whoever says retail therapy doesn't work is clearly shopping at the wrong places.

I've been stuck in bed unable to move from kidney pain for 2 days now, and while my Dexter DVDs have been keeping me company (never seen it before yesterday - totally addicted now!), it's still not the most fun situation. So I thought I'd treat myself to some pretty new things to cheer me up! I haven't really bought anything for myself since THAT lingerie set, so thought I was due a good shop, and getting Christmas money early was the perfect excuse.

My fashion lately has been a bit all over the place; most days I live in shorts and a vest top, but I still love an excuse to wear a pretty dress, and I think my recent purchases reflect this a little bit too much!

I got 3 new awesome vests from Disturbia, thanks to their 'grab bag' offer. They're pretty much my favourite clothing company at the moment! And I also couldn't resist an amazing print by Godmachine too - which now lives proudly on my wall. My love of Godmachine's work then led me to The Cult of Original Sin, where I bought this amazing top.

I then realised I'd bought many a vest, but no dresses so decided to balance that out with a little trip to ASOS. I think I might wear the red dress for Christmas Day, what do you think?

Photoshoots: Ruby True by Justine Louise Photography

2011-12-18T11:31:00.004Z

I was so excited when Ruby True asked if I'd like to be involved with a shoot for Sugarpill Cosmestics, as Shrinkle has been a big inspiration for me for a long time now. Then when she mentioned Justine Louise and Tabitha Adams were going to be involved too, I was so happy I would be working with my ultimate dream team!

You can view more photoshoot pictures in these blog posts and on the Little Miss Delicious Facebook page.

Model: Ruby True

Photographer: Justine Louise Photography

MUA: Tabitha Adams using Sugarpill Cosmestics

Jewellery and Accessories: Little Miss Delicious

Feature Friday: Rockalily

2011-12-09T16:00:00.007Z

Ever since I heard ReeRee Rockette was going to create the ultimate red lipstick, I knew I had to buy it. I didn't think it could top those I already had, even if MAC's Ruby Woo did leave my lips a little dry, but from the moment I first put on Rockette Red it was true love and I haven't looked back since.

I'm now the proud owner of various Rockalily shades, each one more beautiful than the last and I hear she's releasing a new shade very soon too, so I think it may be time to expand my evergrowing collection!

Even at the end of a long day, my lipstick still looks perfect. What more could a girl ask for?

You can find Rockalily here:

Website: http://www.rockalily.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/RockalilyLondon
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/rockalilylondon

North East Networking Group

2011-12-09T14:21:00.003Z

I'm finding that it can get lonely working for yourself from home, so I'm currently in the process of setting up a networking group in the North East for self employed ladies where we can get together once a month. It will all be people that run their own businesses, (which can include models, performers and photographers, as well as the more obvious businesses) and are inspired and creative.

Each meeting will focus on a different theme, such as copyright issues, how to stay motivated, dealing with press, methods of promotion etc. We'll be discussing our strategies, goals, problems and ideas. It will also be a great way to socialise and network, as well as providing a platform for advice and encouragement, which we all need sometimes!

The first meeting will be on the 14th of December, and will have more of an informal 'office party' feel to give us a chance to get to know each other and what we do before the meetings start properly in January. It'll also allow me to find out what everyone would like to learn about the most, so I can ensure everyone gets the best experience out of the meetings.

If you feel this is something you would be interested in, please send me an email at littlemissdelicious@gmail.com and I will send you an invite to our private group on Faebook so you can keep in contact with all the other ladies, as well as giving access to meeting information, help online and providing you with a place to share your successes!

FREE Shipping + 20% Off All Christmas Items

2011-12-08T19:50:00.003Z

To help you get into the festive spirit, shipping will be free for all orders this month, regardless of order size or destination! This offer will run until 12am 02/01/12 (GMT time).

And if that isn't enough, there is also currently 20% off the Christmas Collection. Happy shopping!

Clothes Show Live Review

2011-12-08T13:00:00.013Z

Last week I attended Clothes Show with my beautiful helper KayKay Sakura, and shared a small little area with the lovely Eustratia.

It was so lovely to meet so many people, and a little overwhelming to hear lots of you already knew of my brand and follow us on Twitter/Facebook!

However, those of you that know me personally probably knew this part of the post was coming after reading numerous complaints or receiving sobbing phonecalls asking whether I should leave early. In the end I did because my kidneys were playing up, and it just wasn't worth risking my health for. But even before that, it was one of the worst events I've ever done. I wouldn't recommend going as a trader, and here are a few reasons why:

It is a very intense length of time

It's so stressful leading up to the event, and I hadn't really realised how long it would be to stand all day from 7am until 7pm, then going home and finishing website work to try and not fall too behind. After the first 2 days it had felt like I hadn't slept at all, and the fact that it was empty the majority of the day made the days feel even longer.

It was only busy between 12-2pm, they could easily condense it into less days. Being away from the studio that long in the run up to Christmas was a nightmare - I was freaking out every time I got an order on the site as I felt terrible I couldn't post it until I got back!

It is very badly organised

Every trader I spoke to had some form of problem with organising their space. Up until the day before I was getting phonecalls asking for money I had already paid, they just couldn't be bothered to look for it! Not ideal when you're supposed to be leaving but don't actually know if you'll be let inside the venue.

When I started feeling ill I hoped I could pull through it, but after having to sit on the floor for a few hours because I couldn't see properly, I headed to the organisers office. When I said I was going to have to leave early, I was greeted with a very rude 'I think you'll find you're contracted to stay until Wednesday'. At this point I couldn't stand upright because of the pain, and when I explained this I was told I could go to the medical area but I couldn't leave. It wasn't until I was on the verge of tears outlining that I have a chronic illness and nothing will help but rest and really strong painkillers that I was finally treated with a little bit of respect and allowed to leave.

The organisers don't seem to care about your needs, it's just money in their pocket. And with big clients coming back year after year, they don't seem to care whether the small brands do.

It's more like a clearance sale

I feel completely missold the event. I turned up expecting to be surrounded by lots of cute independent labels, but most of it was cheap imported mass produced goods. While there were some really cute shops (another less ranty post coming soon about them!), they just got lost among all the 'SALE' signs, and with big brands offering deals like buy 3 get 12(!) free, nobody wants to part with their money. The majority of the people there just wanted bargains and cheap throwaway items at ridiculous prices which is fine but not something I can really offer with the time that goes into each piece.

I did actually buy one of the Barry M goody bags, which was £10.

I was so shocked when I opened it to find 3 pots of glitter that are totally different in quality compared to everything I've ever seen them sell in shops, and absolutely nothing like their dazzle dust that I love so much. I also got a brush and a lipgloss, but the lipgloss was unbranded and very similar to what I used to get for free in magazines when I was younger.

Safe to say I wouldn't go back. But I am very glad I did it because it did teach me a lot about doing bigger events and it was amazing to meet so many of you lovely people! Thank you to everyone that visited the stand while I was there, and hopefully next year I'll be doing lots of other events throughout the country, so be sure to keep checking back here and on Facebook to see if I'm travelling to one near you.

Obviously this is just my opinion - maybe I've just had a bad experience, but I'd rather share how I honestly felt about the event. My intent isn't to put people off Clothes Show, but simply share my thoughts on my experience of it. I should point out plenty of people go and have a brilliant time both as a trader and a consumer, but I think it's definitely important to research it a lot more beforehand to make sure it's right for you. Unfortunately I didn't have the time to do that, but as I said I'm still glad I went as I learnt a lot about doing bigger events and I always love being able to meet customers in person!

Photoshoots: Christmas Time by NA Photography

2011-12-08T11:00:00.006Z

After meeting the lovely Maja Stina during a photoshoot with Pirate Photography, I just knew we had to collaborate sometime, so when she answered my casting call for shooting the Christmas Collection I was beyond happy! Then these beautiful images arrived in my inbox and I just want to share them everywhere! Such a talented team.

View more photoshoot pictures on our Facebook page.

Model: Maja Stina

Photographer: NA Photography

Wigs: Our Little Secret

Jewellery, Accessories and Dresses: Little Miss Delicious

Away at Clothes Show Live!

2011-12-01T08:00:00.003Z

Today's Workspace: Preparation for Clothes Show Live

2011-11-26T14:00:00.003Z

Getting very excited for Clothes Show Live next week! I've been super busy making lots of stock for it, so be sure to come say hi if you're there. We're at stand PU284 in the Purple Zone :)

Christmas Collection

2011-11-25T11:55:00.001Z

Sorry it's been so quiet around here - I've been so busy with orders and preparing for Clothes Show Live. Thankfully not too busy that I couldn't work on a Christmas Collection!

Pretty Penguin Necklace, available in blue, pink and black

Christmas Charm Bracelet

Christmas Pudding Felt Accessory

Gingerbread Man Necklace

Christmas Mix and Match Earrings

These cute festive designs and many more are available here, but be quick, many pieces have nearly sold out already!

Today's Workspace: Rearranging The Studio

2011-10-22T11:05:00.003+01:00

Since moving back home, I never really organised the room I'd been given to work in by my parents - after making lots of stock for London Edge at short notice, I never even had the chance to unpack properly. I wish I had taken a before picture, but instead you can have this one from halfway through:

To start with, I didn't have the black table at all, and the glass one was just hanging about uselessly in the corner. I was having to do all my jewellery and fabric work on the same table, and it was just a total nightmare when I was doing more than one thing in the same day.

But now I have a separate table for fabric, and one for clay - and it's SO much better. Just realised I have a coaster for tea on each table too - now that's just thinking ahead!

I even have a little section where I can sculpt the clay, which before I was having to do downstairs as I just had no room. And since everything is on trays, I can just swap them around on the table whenever I want! Yay.

I also came up with a purpose for the glass table - it's now where I can package parcels! This has proven really useful as before this part of the process is where I made the most mess, but having a clear space to work with means it's now so much easier to do without ending up with scraps of paper everywhere.

There's still a lot I need to do, but it's a good start!

In This Town Of Halloween

2011-10-17T14:00:00.003+01:00

Everyone knows that I love an opportunity to celebrate a holiday, so the next few months are definitely my favourite time of year!

The Halloween Collection launched a few weeks ago, and you guys have overwhelmed me with your response. Described by Bake and Destroy as 'spooky sweetness you can wear all year', be sure to check out the Collection here and let me know what you think!

To help get into the spooky spirit for our Facebook Halloween costume competition (and celebrate all the amazing entries so far!), all orders made for the next week will come in super limited edition ghoulish packaging (ending midnight 23/10/11, GMT time).

And if that's not enough, every order above £20.00 will also contain a free bone hair bow! You won't find this cute hair accessory available for sale anywhere, so don't miss out.

Events: London Edge, September 2011

2011-09-27T14:00:00.005+01:00

After the last London Edge, I jumped at the chance to do it again. However, due to problems in my personal life everything seemed to get in the way and in the end I had to pull out for the September show. A week before it was due to take place, I got a lovely phone call from the organisers saying bad they felt for all the recent events that had taken place, and we arranged a way for me to be able to exhibit.

I was so overwhelmed by their generosity and excited to go, that it never really occurred to me that due to graduation I only had 5 days to prepare, and as my landlord messed me around with my deposit I only had a £40 budget. Safe to say, I had the most stressful few days of my life preparing for it, but it was all worth it in the end.

With my amazing models Ruby True, Amie Conradine-Gisbon and Cervena Fox

The lovely Rachels Wonders Jewellery

The very talented Sacred Stitches

My amazing neighbour, Prong Jewellery, with Sophia Landi, Morrigan Hel and Miss Katie

I look so short compared to the glamorous ladies Lucy Fur and Frankii Wilde!

The lovely Felicity from Now, Voyager and her beautiful model Betty D'Light

With the very lovely Aisling Grace

Rayna Terror, Lucy Fur and Betty D'Light

It was so lovely to see lots of people that I usually don't get to spend time with because of distance, as well as meeting so many companies I personally admire. It's also led to lots of exciting new stockists, which will be announced as soon as the products are finished!

Events: Newcastle's Affordable Vintage Fair

2011-09-25T14:00:00.005+01:00

I will be at Newcastle's Affordable Vintage Fair next Tuesday (27th September) at Northumbria Student Union. It's on from 9am until 6pm and entry is only £1, so if you're around be sure to pop in and come say hi!

There will be something for everyone, including vintage clothing from the 1920s - 1980s, handmade goodies, crafts, homewares and haberdashery.

Look forward to seeing some of you there!

Today's Workspace: Bed Rest Doesn't Have To Be Boring

2011-09-24T16:08:00.005+01:00

Sadly my kidneys have been playing up again this week, so I've spent most of it having to rest in bed with Disney films. However, I've never been the kind of person that can just lie doing nothing, so while watching Beauty and the Beast a little bit too often, I also got lots of felt accessories made!

I didn't really think it through, as it meant most nights I had no space to sleep since my bed was so full of felt, but I'm really happy with the amount I got done, especially new designs like the felt battenberg. I also re-designed the felt ice creams, so be sure to check out their cute new toppings.

I get a lot of messages on Twitter when I post about my health asking exactly what is wrong when it comes to my kidneys, but the truth is they just don't know. Last time my specialist told me I'd just have to accept that I have a long term chronic illness that they may never actually be able to fix - just what every girl wants to hear! Sometimes it can be really hard living with something like that when on the outside you look fine, but my energy levels are seriously affected, which for someone that loves being busy is a very big problem.

The Spoon Theory explains it better than I ever could, and I would definitely recommend reading that if you want more understanding of people with similar problems. A lot of people close to me had no idea what I meant when I tried explaining it, but once they read The Spoon Theory, they understood the everyday limitations that most people wouldn't even think about.

Thankfully I don't get this bad too often, but when I do it's definitely not fun. Unfortunately it does also mean I'm running a little behind on the Hallowe'en Collection, but I'm hoping to have it up by Wednesday at the latest!

Photoshoots: Ulorin Vex by Allan Amato

2011-09-24T14:00:00.009+01:00

I've been a big fan of Ulorin Vex for a long time, so when I met her at London Edge I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to see her in some of my designs. Being the lovely lady that she is, she agreed and I recently received these beautiful pictures!

Model: Ulorin Vex
Photographer: Allan Amato

It's Been A While!

2011-09-23T09:56:00.001+01:00

Sorry it's been so long since my last update, everything went very crazy for a while! I broke up with the boy I was living with, and things went very sour very quickly. A lot of things were said that will never be forgotten and a lot of money on my part was lost - some I'm probably never going to see again.

Because of this, and my increasingly often kidney doom, I've moved back up to Newcastle to live with my parents for a while. I need to have some down time where I can just concentrate on my business and not have to deal with other people's drama! I'm loving being back home. I've missed how much nicer it is to live in the north, but it's sad to leave so many lovely people behind.

On a more positive note, despite all the illness the past year, I passed my Law degree! I even got a message on Twitter from one of the ceremonies camera men complimenting my hair, haha.

Then a few days after, the lovely people at London Edge let me go along despite all the recent problems, and I had an absolutely amazing time, but that's an update for another day!

Just thought I'd let you guys know I'm actually still alive, and I'll updating this a lot more in the future :)

FAQs Series: What does your usual day consist of?

2011-06-18T11:00:00.003+01:00

I get various emails every day asking similar questions, so I thought I'd do a blog series in order to share what I know with you! I hope you find it helpful, and if you have a question of your own to ask, feel free to email me or ask via Twitter.

What does your usual day consist of?

Due to the varied nature of running a business and being the only person behind each aspect of it, my days tend to be different depending on what deadlines I have that week. However, my colour co-ordinated spreadsheet tends to have planned spontaneous time most days to accomodate for this (I wish I was joking), so my days tend to have a similar structure. Hope you don't find it too dull!

8.00am: I'm a terrible morning person, so spend the first few hours replying to emails, checking social network sites and general admin work until I've had my coco pops and tea and feel human again.

10.00am: I tend to feel a little ill after the tea (on really bad kidney days obviously I have decaf!), so this is the perfect time to write any blog posts I want to line up for the week, as it means I get to stay in bed with my blanket that little bit longer. You'd think I'd learn to just stop drinking it, but it feels wrong to start my day without at least 5 tea soaked biscuits.

11.00am: This is when the fun things start! Depending on what orders I have/stock is low, I either start painting items I baked the night before or cutting out fabric ready to be sewn together later on. I hate working in silence, but if I have music on I tend to get distracted so I just put on a film that I've seen millions of times for background noise.

2.00pm: If I've finished any new jewellery items, I tend to photograph them around this time as it's when the light is best in my room (although now that my ex has moved out, I no longer have an amp to rest on - time to invest in a table!). It's also around now that I realise I haven't ate lunch yet, so grab a quick bite to eat and catch up on the terrible tv shows I'm addicted to like 90210 and Gossip Girl.

3.00pm: After the brief break, I go back to painting, occassionally updating social networking sites because I've developed quite the love for Twitter and checking emails every so often to ensure I can reply as fast as possible to customers.

4.00pm: Time to package everything ready to head off to the Post Office to receive my daily glare and sigh from the lovely gentlemen that work there and resent me posting parcels. If I'm going out that day, it tends to be around this time as I can head straight to the tube from the Post Office. This tends to happen more frequently than it should, as I seem to be out at least 3 nights a week at the moment - but I'm just using the fact it's my 21st birthday soon as an excuse!

5.00pm: If I stay in and work, by this point my eyes are no longer happy looking at tiny little faces so I tend to have a little break, make dinner and update the website and my Facebook fan page with pictures of new products, or anything else that needs updating. I'm currently in the process of slowly redoing the page layout for each product listing on my site so it includes a 'share' bar and links to similar items, so this tends to take up quite a bit of time!

8.00pm: After spending three hours cursing my lack of HTML knowledge, it's back to painting or sewing with a Disney film in the background to calm my hatred of technology. Beauty and the Beast usually does the trick! I tend to do this until around 3am, realise the time then go to bed ready to start it all over again the next day!

Feature Friday: ShotByLucy

2011-06-17T14:00:00.009+01:00

As primarily an online seller, I know first hand how important it is to have high quality product shots. When customers can't see your items in person, you need to ensure your images are as clear and representative of the product as possible!

ShotByLucy specialise in product photography, providing online retailers worldwide with lovely photographs that perfectly capture the products!

I'm extra excited about this talented lady as I recently won a competition on Twitter to get some of my designs captured by Lucy, I can't wait to share them with you.

I caught up with Lucy to ask her a few questions about her beautiful work.

Have you always been interested in photography?
Ever since I was a little girl! On holidays I always had the camera. I played up hell about taking it and then never wanted to carry it as it was too heavy. But I took the odd few snaps! I still have that exact camera now... A Minolta 5000 AF. It was very trendy at the time!

Wow, that does look heavy! What equipment do you use now?
I use Canon. I’ve used all types of cameras really... ranging from the old 35mm film cameras such as Pentax and Practika to Hasselblad, Nikon Digital SLR and now Canon. I like to experiment! Ha ha

What made you get into product photography specifically?
I was kind of thrown into product photography as I worked for a lot of online retailers who were using supplier images alone to try and sell their products and wanted to improve them.

What do you feel sets you apart from other product photographers?
I tend to be ‘one on one’ with the clients. I make sure that there is a good understanding of their requirements and advise what’s the best way to display their products. It’s good too. Customer service is very important to me.

Mary Portas would be proud! What are your plans for the future?

I have many plans for ShotByLucy, but I can’t tell you just yet!

And finally, what's been your favourite thing to photograph so far?

For those of you who know me or follow ShotByLucy, then I am sure that you will know the answer to this. I really wouldn’t be able to choose as I see so many beautiful things. How about I narrow it down to a ‘category’? ... Sparkly things. Come on... I’m a girl!

You can find ShotByLucy here:

Website: http://www.shotbylucy.co.uk

Twitter: http://twitter.com/ShotByLucy

Events: Bizarre Summer Ball

2011-06-16T19:00:00.002+01:00

Last month I went to my first Bizarre Ball, and had an absolutely amazing time with the lovely Cervena Fox, Vix and the Bizarre Ultra Vixens - although I think it's safe to say I definitely had one glass of wine too many by the end of the night!

London, Baby!

2011-06-15T19:00:00.000+01:00

My best friend came to visit me in London for the first time since I moved here 3 years ago, so I was very excited and planned the most amazing itenary based around being silly tourists. However, we were both exhausted and couldn't find a pop up map to stand on, so the itenary went out the window.

We still managed to do a few touristy things in between all the napping and cocktails, including trips to Camden (where I finally got my tongue pierced, after 2 years of umming and ahhing), Covent Garden and Trafalgar Square.

After years of mocking my obsession with dinosaurs, I took her to the Natural History Museum so she can see how amazing they are and be converted into a dino lover too, but the dinosaur exhibit was closed so we made friends with a seal instead.

We also went to see Ghost Stories at the theatre, which I'd highly recommend, despite spending the entire day before moaning about how I'm scared of my own shadow and so would never sleep again. I only screamed once during the show, which I feel is an achievement for me!

Sadly her trip was cut short when work called her in earlier than expected, so I've spent the past few days mourning the lack of Toni in my life. Thankfully, when she was here we bought lots of comfort food without actually meaning to, so at least I'm well stocked to drown my sorrows with sugar!

Shop Update: Price Increase

2011-06-15T11:00:00.000+01:00

The main reason I focused on the work that goes into my designs in the last blog post was to give you an idea of how valuable the jewellery you are purchasing actually is. It's not something that is imported or made through a quick and easy process, but instead it's created from scratch with a lot of time and care.

Because of this, prices will be increasing on June 20th 2011 to better reflect the hard work that goes into creating each piece, and to allow me to use better materials in terms of the jewellery findings and fabric.

I hope you can all understand why it needs to be done, and hopefully value your Little Miss Delicious goodies that little bit more knowing just how much of myself goes into every single item I make!

FAQs Series: How Long Does it Take?

2011-06-14T10:15:00.002+01:00

How long does it take to make one piece of jewellery?

Although not a question I get asked a lot, I feel it is one that many people tend to overlook when purchasing my designs. The production process is very long and complex, but that's the beauty of buying handmade - so much care and dedication goes into every piece I make!

I very rarely work with moulds so every item is hand sculpted, which itself can take hours for just one piece depending on how warm the room is and whether I've made the item before. This means I tend to make big batches of one item at a time. Once I'm happy with how they look, E6000 is used to glue the wire into the clay charms, and left for at least 6 hours to harden before being put in the oven to bake. Each batch takes approximately half an hour to bake, but I also have to leave them for an hour or so afterwards to cool down and harden properly.

Next everything needs to be painted. This is my favourite part, although it's also probably the hardest! Each item requires so many coats that it can take days to finish just one little charm (including drying time), especially as I'm a huge perfectionist so will settle for nothing less than wonderful.Once I'm finally happy with how the charm looks, and all the lines and circles are perfect, the jewellery is left to glaze overnight.

But the job is still not finished! Once the glaze has dried, each necklace needs to have a chain attached etc. If it's something like an earring stud or ring back, I always glue these down prior to glazing to ensure there's no chance of the glaze weakening the glue. When the items are complete, they are placed in zip lock bags for hygiene reasons and put into the giant shelving unit on my desk, aka the tower of doom (seriously, it's huge!), and sit ready for their new owners. If it's a new design, it also needs to be photographed - but that's another post entirely!

Finally, when the item is ready to post, each piece is lovingly giftwrapped in an official Little Miss Delicious box, finished off with ribbon and placed in a branded jiffy bag ready to take to the post office and send to you!

This means one piece of jewellery can realistically take weeks to complete, and so much care goes into making the item at every stage that by the time it's ready to post, my customers receive something so special and valuable that has been made to the highest quality possible.

Please keep this in mind when wearing your Little Miss Delicious designs, and be sure to appreciate them for what they are rather than just regarding them as another piece of costume jewellery - they are high quality pieces which have been handmade with so much love and dedication, and deserve the same amount of care back in terms of wear and storage!

Shop Update: Fast Food Lover

2011-06-13T17:17:00.002+01:00

After living off takeaways during my exam period, I thought it was only fitting to make more fast food products for the store!

Pizza Lover Necklace

French Fries Necklace

What is your favourite comfort food? I think mine has to be yummy donuts covered in sugar!

Events: Swing for Skin

2011-06-12T22:39:00.006+01:00

Last weekend I had planned to for cocktails with the lovely Jasmine, but as soon as we heard about Swing for Skin, a 40s themed event in aid of the national charity DebRA, we knew we just had to go. And it was the perfect excuse to wear my new dress by Bettie Page Clothing:

As soon as we boarded the fabulous HMS Belfast (which was very exciting in itself!) we instantly felt like we had stepped into a time machine. Everyone looked so glamorous! The boat was covered in bunting, lights and balloons and filled with the most beautiful ladies and suave gentlemen, with Lipstick and Curls on board providing free vintage makeovers. And the dancing was just something else - I've never seen anything that looked so amazing yet effortless at the same time!

Being unable to walk without tripping over my feet most days, we instead opted to stand observing with our free Pimms, and vowed one day we would take classes and learn to swing dance properly. It was also lovely to chat to a few ladies from Twitter, including the beautiful Natasha De Vil and very talented Little Miss B Hats.

I really hope they arrange another event, it was such a brilliant night. I forgot to take my camera so I apologise for the lack of pictures - hopefully at least some of the post-Pimms snaps from Jasmine's disposable camera will be shareable!

Shop Update: Super Cute Dresses!

2011-06-02T23:47:00.003+01:00

Exams are over, so I'm back and ready to run Little Miss Delicious full time! It's all very exciting. Now that I have more time I'm hoping to be a very active blogger again, but for now have some pretty pictures of the amazing new handmade dresses currently for sale on the website!

Fast Food Dress

Blue Cupcake Dress

Pink Cupcake Dress

Taking a Break

2011-04-30T11:31:00.000+01:00

Apologies for the lack of updates, the above picture pretty much sums up my life at the moment! With dissertation deadlines next week and exams the week after, I have lots and lots of revising to do to ensure I pass this degree.

Unfortunately, this means my website is currently in vacation mode and no new orders will be processed until 20/05/11. My Etsy and Folksy shops will also be closed until 20/05/11. However, a list of stockists will be up on the website soon, so you can still get your Little Miss Delicious fix!

All current orders are suffering a slight delay, but I'm working very hard to get everything out as soon as possible. If your order is overdue, expect to receive it within the next week :)

I'll be back stronger than ever as soon as the exams are over, and expect lots of special offers and giveaways to celebrate the end of my degree! I already have big plans and lots of new designs in the works, so make sure you sign up to the mailing list to hear all about it in June.

I apologise for this and any inconvenience caused, but unfortunately running a business and trying to pass a degree while still suffering from kidney problems is just not possible anymore. I hope you can understand!

Events: Twinkie Chan Book Signing

2011-03-26T21:40:00.003Z

I've been a big fan of Twinkie Chan's work for a long time now, so jumped at the chance to attend her book signing at All the Fun of the Fair!

After a haircut that took longer than expected, we arrived a little late and everyone was sitting quietly crocheting, and as I can't crochet I felt very awkward! I'm so bad socially anyway, so I ate cupcakes, shyly said hello then left to go get lunch. I definitely regret not staying longer now though - I may have to learn to crochet just in case!

FAQs Series: Advice For Starting Your Own Business?

2011-03-25T17:14:00.004Z

What advice would you give to someone starting their own business?

I've only been running Little Miss Delicious for just over a year now, but I've learnt lots of things along the way. A lot of hard work goes into running your own business - I hope the following 8 tips helps to make it a little less stressful for you!

Make sure self employment is for you -

Working self employed is not easy work. You need to make sure it is something you really want to do and something you are very passionate about as it's very difficult to establish a stable income, so be prepared for some hard times unless you have lots of funding right from the start.

Research your market and be aware of copyright laws -

Before I started selling jewellery, I researched existing polymer clay companies to ensure I wouldn't be stepping on any toes. The great think about handmade items is that you can create something completely unique - nobody wants yet another octopus necklace!

It's also important to have a little bit of knowledge about copyright laws. This will allow you to ensure you aren't breaching other people's copyright, and ensures you know what to do if it ever happens to you!

Start by selling online -

Websites like Etsy and Folksy are perfect for starting out, as they provide you with a store front, generate a lot of traffic themselves and charge very small fees per sale. Whilst it also makes it easy for people to get distracted by other sellers on the site, it is very useful at early stages when you can't afford your own website. However, these websites are only available for those selling handmade, vintage or supplies, so make sure your products are suitable.

Market stalls are also a great way to gain exposure

Picture perfect -

It's also super important to have good pictures of your products, so check out how other people that sell similar items photograph them to best show them off! If you aren't very skilled in the photography area, I would also highly recommend using a product photographer such as the amazing Shot By Lucy. It's very affordable and ensures potential customers see your designs at their best!

Promote promote promote -

When you're running your own business the most important thing is just to promote as much as possible. Places like Facebook and Twitter are great for that, especially if you get your friends to invite everyone they know to join too. Once the ball starts rolling, you'd be amazed at how much interest you can generate!

It is also important to have awesome looking business cards that successfully show the purpose of your business, your target market and provides contact information. I've found that moo.com is the perfect place for high quality (yet affordable!) business cards. What's more, if you're a new customer, use the unique code SHBGY5 and you'll get 20% off your entire order until March 30th!

Networking is key -

The maindownside to working from home is the lack of social interaction with otherpeople. It’s very easy to forget when to stop working and neglect everythingelse, so I’ve found it’s very important to keep in touch with the world outsideof my studio, even if it just means going for the occasional coffee with afriend. There are various networking groups across the country for both crafters and self employed ladies, with my favourite in London being the Wonderful Women meetings arranged by the fabulous ReeRee Rockette.

Etsy also regularly hold events in the UK and abroad

Be prepared to work hard -

Running your own business is not easy, there is a lot of hard work and long hours involved. However, the more work you put it, the stronger your business will be, so it all pays off!

Workingsingle-handedly means I do everything myself, including designing/updating mywebsite, making and shipping the parcels, replying to emails, and evendesigning promotional materials such as flyers and stickers. This means my daytends to start at 7am, and end at 2am – but thankfully I’ve never really been onefor sleep!

And finally, stay creative!

Sometimes it's hard to keep going when you're having a difficult time or if you've lost all motiviation and creative spark - with all my hospital visits and constant kidney pain I know this feeling all too well!

However, you have to always make sure you remember that you're doing something you love, and keep being creative! I always find it helps to carry about a sketchbook, so you can keep track of new ideas, as well as challenging yourself with something new. That's what I did when I started sewing items, and now I don't know where I'd be without my plushies!

Events: Lingerie Sample Sale

2011-03-25T11:04:00.005Z

Yesterday me and the boy had a lovely trip to Shoreditch, and when I walked past Playful Promises I knew with such an amazing window display I just had to go in!

The store is beautiful, and their lovely lingerie selection is so well laid out, with a little table full of goodies that caught my eye straight away - I'm a sucker for anything with candy stripes.

And the best news? Starting today at 11am the Playful Promises Boutique is housing an amazing lingerie sample sale featuring not just their products, but also the beautiful brands Kiss Me Deadly, Ell and Cee and Ayten Gasson. They're selling a huge range of sizes, so definitely worth getting yourself down to grab some amazing lingerie for a fraction of the price!

When? Friday 25th March - Monday 28th March at 11:00-19.00

Where? Playful Promises Boutique, 136 Bethnal Green Road, London, E2 6DG

FAQs Series: How Did You Get Into Making Jewellery?

2011-03-24T16:06:00.005Z

How did you get into making jewellery?

I started makingjewellery when I was 13 after being unable to find quirky handmade jewellerywithout the huge price tag, and so purchased the materials myself. At first Imade designs using beads, but then I discovered polymer clay and fell in love. I just love having the complete freedom of being able to chooseexactly how I want things to look and watching a small lump of beige colouredclay turn into a pretty little cake slice or ice cream.

These cake earrings are one of the first things I made!

At first I onlymade things for myself and friends as a creative outlet while doing my lawdegree. However, people soon began asking where they could buy the jewelleryand as interest grew I quickly ran out of space to store all the jewellery, soI decided to set up an Etsy shop and see if anyone else liked what I make. The response was amazing straight away! Imade my first sale within hours and haven’t looked back since!

Less than a yearlater I had my own website with an online store, and Little Miss Delicious hasgrown so much that I’m now very privileged to be doing something I love thismuch full time from summer onwards.

I don't have any formal training in design - everything I do is completely self taught. However, I’ve always been interested in the creative side of life, andgradually taught myself everything there is to know about making clay jewelleryand fabric cuties.

I used tutorialsonline to learn how to do simple techniques, such as how to securely connecttwo pieces of clay and how best to sew little felt accessories, but mostly itwas a lot of trial and error - it took 5 different styles before I even chose which smile I liked the most!

Today's Workspace: Wholesale Orders

2011-03-23T19:56:00.008Z

I've been super busy this week getting wholesale orders finished, as well as trying to get 2 dissertations done and prepare for my final exams in May, I've barely had time to sleep!

I'm also working hard to try and get 10 of each item in stock so the website will no longer be made to order. This means that I have little food armies taking over my workspace. Time to buy more storage units I think.

Shop Update: Cupcake Crazy

2011-03-20T11:00:00.005Z

After developing a slight obsession with Waitrose's chocolate cupcakes (how do they get them to melt in the middle?!) I decided it was time my website had more cupcake designs! The first to be added are the following yummy little bracelets.

Red Velvet Cupcake Bracelet

Bubblegum Cupcake Bracelet

Mint Chocolate Cupcake Bracelet

I think the red velvet bracelet is my favourite, it makes me hungry just looking at it!

Expect lots more cupcake themed jewellery soon, as well as a special charm bracelet to celebrate my 21st birthday later this year. Guess how many charms it has? ;)

Photoshoots: Sushi Lover by Emily Jane Photographer

2011-03-19T19:00:00.006Z

When Kathryn Jones replied to my casting call on Model Mayhem to shoot my new sushi collection, I jumped at the chance to work with her! I'm absolutely in love with the results.

Photography: Emily-Jane Photographer
MUA: Vivid Makeup
Model: Kathryn Jones

Shop Update: Pocket Mirrors Now Available!

2011-03-18T19:00:00.005Z

After getting so many compliments about the ice cream design that I made for packaging orders, I thought I'd have a go at designing more characters based on my jewellery. I liked them so much I used them in the new background for my website, and even got some super cute pocket mirrors made! What do you think?

Cookie Pocket Mirror

Double Scoop Pocket Mirror

Onigiri Sushi Pocket Mirror

These pocket mirrors (and soon lots more!) are available here. Which is your favourite so far?

Feature Friday: Stuff No One Told Me

2011-03-18T13:14:00.003Z

I've recently discovered StumbleUpon, which has proven to be a great source of procrastination. But between all the craft tutorials and cute animal pictures, I ended up discovering one of my new favourite artists.

Stuff No One Told Me is a blog created by artist Alex Noriega, who draws cute artwork based on life lessons.

And finally, a personal favourite:

You can find Stuff No One Told Me here:

Blog: http://stuffnoonetoldme.blogspot.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/snotm
Twitter: http://twitter.com/snotm

Events: Cakes for Japan

2011-03-17T11:27:00.002Z

Cakes for Japan is a pop-up Japan inspired cake shop raising funds for the Red Cross following the devastating events in Japan.

Thanks to Miss Cakehead, cake makers from all over London are donating amazing edible goodies for this innovative pop-up cake shop in Maiden. All cakes are inspired by Japan, and 100% of the money taken is being donated to charity.

Charmaine Mok is contributing homemade macarons along with earl grey and raspberry friands (small almond cakes).

Molly Bakes will be providing these amazing sushi pops as well as cupcakes made using Teapigs organic matcha powder

And Leshie Loves Cake is making green tea cupcakes!

You can see a full list of those involved, as well as more information at http://cakesforjapan.wordpress.com. Hope to see some of you there!

When? Friday 18th March 2011, 11.00-19.00

Where? Maiden, 188 Shoreditch High Street, London, EC2.

Spring Cleaning

2011-03-14T11:29:00.003Z

I've spent the past few days giving our room a complete overhaul, and it's come to my attention that, despite being a jewellery designer, I seem to have very little jewellery!

I'm obsessed with boxes, so my necklaces live in a pretty box that used to be the home for my Viktor and Rolf perfume set, and everything else is kept in various boxes and bags. How do you store your jewellery?

Japan Tsunami Appeal

2011-03-13T20:41:00.001Z

50% of money from all orders will go to the Japan Tsunami Appeal

Image via National Geographic

As I'm sure you're aware a huge earthquake struck Japan on Friday 11 March, triggering a tsunami which left a trail of destruction. More than 1,000 people have lost their lives, with many more missing and injured. The earthquake has triggered fires and caused severe damage to buildings, leaving over 1 million homes without water, and even more without electricity.

I've been sitting watching these terrible events unfold wishing there was something I could do. So from now until 27th March 50% of money from every purchase made from www.littlemissdelicious.com will go to the British Red Cross Japanese Tsunami Appeal.

Please do all you can to help the people affected by this terrible tragedy, my thoughts go out to everyone there!

You can read how the money will be used by the British Red Cross and donate directly on their website.

Events: London Edge, February 2011

2011-02-10T00:14:00.002Z

This weekend I did my first trade show. London Edge is an 'alternative' trade show, which caters for some of the most creative, exciting niches in fashion and thankfully my jewellery went down a treat! It's lead to lots of exciting opportunities that I don't want to jinx just yet but hopefully I'll be able to share everything with you guys soon :)

It was amazing to meet some of my favourite designers and companies that I've looked up to since before I even owned a paint brush. I also got to see lots of great new brands and some of my all time favourite models, as well as scoring myself a free pair of Iron Fist shoes!

Despite initial problems with setting up, thankfully everything turned out ok. I'm already starting to plan how I want it to look next time!

The very talented Prong were next to my stand, and had the most amazing models all weekend! I'm still a little starstruck after getting the chance to meet Morrigan Hel, a model I've admired for a very long time.

I was also very starstruck when I saw Ulorin Vex was at the event, but after following her work for about 7 years I knew I had to build up the courage to speak to her. I also gave her a few pieces of jewellery, how exciting! I made a list last week of the dream models I would like to wear my jewellery, and she was one of the top ones so that alone made the whole weekend worth it!

I also got the chance to meet the lovely lady behind Glamour Bunny and treated myself to one of their amazing dresses! I've never worn something that fits so perfectly, I'm definitely going to have to buy more of their designs.

Preparing for London Edge was the most stressful experience of my life, but it was definitely worth it! Now that I know what to expect hopefully September will be even better :)

Events: Love Easy Valentine's Fair

2011-02-02T23:47:00.000Z

I'm very happy to announce that I will have a stall at the Craft Guerilla's LOVE EASY Valentine's Fair!

It's sponsored by Etsy and will be full of pretty handmade goods, beautiful vintage clothing and lots of yummy cocktails! You can even make your own Valentine's card at the Make Easy table, it's definitely going to be an event to remember :)

The best part is that it's only £2 entry, and this includes a complimentary drink. Plus, entrance proceeds, tombola and stall fees are going diretly to the gallery and refurbishment fund, so make sure you come along!

When: Friday 11 February 2011 at 6pm until 9pm

Where: William Morris Gallery, Forest Road, Walthamstow, London, E17 4PP

Events: Amelia's Compendium of Fashion Illustration

2011-01-29T19:39:00.001Z

I had the pleasure of attending the launch of Amelia Gregory's new book, Amelia's Compendium of Fashion Illustration, last night. It was a wonderful night consisting of live music, yummy cake by Lily Vanilli, carbon neutral beer by Adnams, and lots of amazing designers and bloggers!

After getting very lost on the way from Old Street Station (I'm so useless when it comes to getting around in East London!), we ended up arriving just as the band, 6 Day Riot, were about to start.

They were absolutely amazing! I love music that makes you smile, and they definitely achieve that. Hopefully I'll get the chance to see them live again sometime soon :) After that it was time for lots of dancing as the lovely The Pipettes were DJing, followed by a DJ set by Will of the Mystery Jets!

Turns out I'd met one half of The Pipettes on a night out at Punk! Small world.

It was lovely to get the chance to talk to so many talented people. I also met my lipstick twin! I absolutely loved the colour of her lipstick and find it very difficult to find the perfect red (a problem I'm sure a lot of you girls also suffer!), but when I asked it turned out we actually had the same one haha. Seems I have good taste without realising!

The book itself features lots of amazing up and coming fashion illustrators, including Erica Sharp, June Chanpoomidole, Amy Martino and lots more!

It also has interviews with lots of ethical fashion designers, such as Fifi Bijoux, Hetty Rose and Tara Starlet, who is personally one of my favourite designers! It also has an interview with eco fashion store 123 Benthal Green Road, which is where the launch was held.

I've never actually been in the store, but I may have to go back when it's open to have a look around - it looked so pretty!

The book can be found at Tate Modern, Magma,Tatty Devine and many other good independent book stores across the UK! You can also get a sneak peak of the books content over at Amelia's Magazine. Enjoy!

Promo Materials: A Taste Of Things To Come!

2011-01-15T15:10:00.000Z

You'll notice a few changes to Little Miss Delicious over the next few weeks as we undergo an image revamp! I didn't feel the previous logo encapsulated the company in the exact way I wanted, so the new design is brighter and more fun to reflect the cute nature of the products!

Because of this exciting new change, I've also designed pretty stickers and flyers too, which will soon be sent with all orders from littlemissdelicious.com! Here's a sneak preview of what they will look like, including a picture of the lovely Toria Morgan by PICFX:

What do you think?

Events: Operation Stop Being Shy

2011-01-14T19:16:00.000Z

In order to stop my life solely being work related (and to try and get rid of my newfound shy-ness), I've decided this year to attend a lot more gigs and fun events!

On Wednesday I dragged the boy with me to an Etsy Meet Up in East London. Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures at the actual event, but stumbled across this one on the EtsyUK Facebook page.

The good thing about having bright blue hair is that it makes me instantly recognisable, haha. Unfortunately free bar + awkwardness = a rather tipsy Maxine! Oh dear. But I did get to meet lots of lovely people and got some great advice! I took a quick picture of what I wore before we left:

On Thursday, we ventured to the Lulu and Lush New Collection Launch, which showcased their beautiful new monochrome Selene Collection.

The designs above are modelled by the beautiful Lucy Fur and Loula Cherry.

Both their store, located on Lamb Street at Old Spitalfields, and their new collection are absolutely stunning, so make sure you check them out! You can view more images at the stores Facebook page.

The lovely little cupcakes at the launch made us realise how hungry we both were, and we still hadn't managed to do anything for our third anniversary! So after lots of wandering around looking at yummy food places, we settled for The Real Greek. Their portions were huge and the food was so delicious, especially the stuffed vine leaves, nom nom nom.

Later this month I'll be attending the ACOFI launch party, as well as seeing one of my favourite bands, Wakey! Wakey! and building the Little Miss Delicious brand ready for going full time in the summer. Very exciting times ahead :)

eBay: Shop My Wardrobe!

2011-01-09T22:04:00.000Z

I've had a pre-spring spring clean, and managed to fill about 3 bags of things I've never really worn! This meant a trip to the local charity shop, and a day listing lots of prettiness on eBay!

There's 20 items in total, including Miss Fortune, Collectif, Irregular Choice, Lulu and Lush and ballet heels. You can view the items here.

Preview of what's on sale:

Everything is listed mega cheap so grab a bargain while you can!

While looking for pictures of the products in past photoshoots, I stumbled across pictures taken by Wicked Heart Photography in 2008:

It made me realise that I'm not too happy with how I look at the moment, I miss having brighter makeup and wearing something other than jeans! At the minute my hair is pretty much the colour of the wig in the picture (which is also for sale on eBay!), so hopefully I'll start feeling more like me again soon :) Nobody likes having an identity crisis!

Feature Friday: Katie Cakes

2011-01-07T18:24:00.000Z

As you can probably guess, I'm all about the sweet tooth so I'm amazed this is the first food based Feature Friday but I just had to share the amazing creations of Katie Cakes!

Katie, one half of Pet Lamb Patisserie, blogs all about her food adventures, with each one looking more delicious than the last. She regularly posts her recipes too so you can try them yourselves!

Ice Cream Cupcakes

Cinnamon Buns

Toasted Almond Lemon Bars

Strawberry Cupcakes

I think this is my favourite creation by Katie so far, I'm a sucker for anything with strawberries! What's yours?

You can find Katie and Pet Lamb Patisserie here:

Website: http://www.petlambpatisserie.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Petlambpatisserie

Twitter: http://twitter.com/katie_cakes

Blogspot: http://iheartkatiecakes.blogspot.com

Blog Update: Exciting Times Ahead!

2011-01-05T18:28:00.000Z

As well as setting myself the challenge of taking a picture for every day of 2011 (you can see them on my Tumblr), I've also decided to make a completely new item every week to make sure I'm constantly challenging myself craft wise! You'll be able to see the new items on this blog every week :)

Rather than simply putting everything I make in the store, I thought it'd be more fun to let you choose. At the end of each month, I'll create a post showing the items from the past 4 weeks, and it'll be up to you to choose which one will be available for sale by commenting and saying which of the 4 is your favourite!

And to make it that little bit more exciting, everyone that votes will be entered into a giveaway for the item that gets the most votes :) What do you think?

Talking of offers, make sure you check out the sale section of my Etsy store, it's full of pretty goodies to make way for new designs, and enter 'NEWYEAR' at the check out to get an additional 15% off!

Happy New Year!

2011-01-01T17:51:00.000Z

Thank you all so much for your support this past year and helping Little Miss Delicious become what it is! It means so much to me that people like what I make, and hopefully I can continue to grow the company this year and take the plunge and do it full time this summer onwards! I have a feeling 2011 is going to be the best year yet :)

I'm not one for new year resolutions, because I always think if you want to do something that badly you should just do it. Plus, new years resolutions are generally made to be broken! Instead I set myself little goals for the year ahead. For example, one of the goals last year was to read 50 new books, which I successfully achieved and loved doing. I don't know how I survived so long without reading the beautiful words of Jane Eyre!

This year my goal is to build the company enough by May so I can do it full time when I leave University. It's always been a dream of mine, but this is the first time it may actually be possible and I've never been happier.

We spent New Years Eve at the steps of Alexandra Palace, watching all the fireworks across London. It was one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. We could see the fireworks at the London Eye and they were just amazing; they lit up the whole sky. There were also a few fireworks at Alexandra Palace itself, and lots of people were setting off Chinese lanterns, which was so pretty to see.

How did you welcome in the new year?

Shop Update: For The Indecisive

2010-12-31T14:46:00.001Z

Do you have trouble deciding whether you want eggs or bacon, or a hair clip or brooch? Well the newest additions to the shop have you lovely ladies in mind:

These cute mix and match earrings are available with a breakfast theme or a sushi theme. You can pick whether you want two matching earrings, or you can mix and match as you please! There's even a helpful little guide for the sushi earrings to make sure you get exactly what you want.

If that's not enough, all the felt accessories now come with the option to have them as a brooch, a hairclip or both!

Happy shopping!

Happy Christmas!

2010-12-24T12:02:00.000Z

Millie Dollar by Miss Rain Photography

Happy Christmas from Little Miss Delicious! I hope your holidays are filled with fun and tasty treats :)

If you manage to leave the food induced coma on Boxing Day, make sure you check out my Etsy store for amazing deals as lots and lots of items will be reduced to make way for new designs next year!

Giveaway: Happy Holidays!

2010-12-20T17:58:00.000Z

EDIT: This giveaway is now CLOSED. The winner and runners up have all been contacted!

To say thank you for such an amazing year, I'm holding a giveaway for Little Miss Delicious products worth over £40!

You will receive the best selling happy toast necklace, fast food charm bracelet and cookie ring, as well as the brand new thunder cloud brooch! They will all come in fabulous gift wrapping and with a few little extra surprises too.

Entering couldn't be easier! There are 2 ways you can win these goodies:

(+1 entry) Become a fan on Facebook and post the following status on your page: 'I want to win cute goodies from Little Miss Delicious! http://www.facebook.com/littlemissdelicious'. Comment on this note to let me know you've done this!

(+1 entry) Follow @delicious_shop on Twitter and retweet the following: I want to win cute goodies from @delicious_shop, RT to win! http://bit.ly/fABowq

Unfortunately I had to delete the Facebook aspect, but all entries so far will still be included in the draw.

The competition will end noon Sunday 26th December 2010. I will pick one winner using a random generator, then 3 runner ups with one from each Blogspot, Facebook and Twitter. Good luck!

Looking for Models for London Edge

2010-12-18T10:09:00.000Z

Over the next few weeks we'll be looking for models for London Edge, one of the world's largest alternative trade shows!

Your job will be walking around wearing our pretty designs, handing out promo materials and guiding people to our stand. Although you won't be paid for this role, you will receive free goodies from our store and an opportunity to promote yourself as well as Little Miss Delicious. You will also gain free entry to the event and the show party.

London Edge is the 6th-8th February 2011 at National Hall, Olympia, London so it'd be ideal if you were free all three days (or Sunday/Monday) and live in London, or are willing to travel for the show. Please note as much as we'd love to, we will not be able to pay for travel and accomodation (although we do have extra room in our flat, if necessary!).

If you are interested please contact me at littlemissdelicious@gmail.com with some information about yourself, and don't forget to attach a few pictures or provide a link to an online portfolio too!

Feature Friday: Gemma Correll

2010-12-17T19:49:00.000Z

I can't explain my obsession with pugs, but when my best friend got me this bag for my birthday, I instantly fell in love!

Gemma Correll, a freelance illustrator creates the cutest designs, many of which are based on her sidekick, Mr Norman Pickles the Pug.

I have the below image as my desktop background and no matter how dull my lecture or revision may be, it always manages to cheer me up!

She also has the most adorable diary filled with her unique illustrations narrating her life, as well as a blog for more general news.

Other places you can find Gemma:

Website: www.gemmacorrell.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Gemma-Correll/24698995190

Twitter: www.twitter.com/gemmacorrell

Looking Forward - 2011

2010-12-15T17:23:00.000Z

This year has been amazing, thank you to everyone that has supported me since I set up last December! It's been inspiring to meet everyone at events and I really appreciate all of your feedback and lovely comments.

I'm so excited that next summer onwards I will be doing this full time, something tells me 2011 is going to be the best year yet! This means I have a lot of big plans in mind for Little Miss Delicious, and hopefully it will make your experiencce as a customer even better :)

- Stock availability: I will be aiming to make enough stock so orders can be posted immediately, meaning no more waiting times!

- Packaging: All items will now come readily gift wrapped, in a little box with the Little Miss Delicious logo on top of it, a cute little organza bag or wrapped in delicate tissue paper depending on the item.

- Fabric: I will also be selling a lot more fabric items, including the felt accessories which have proved a hit at fairs!

- Events: Next year I won't be doing as many events, but when I do there will be a lot more on offer, and prettier displays!

- Wholesale: I will also be more available to take on wholesale offers, so if you know of a store that you think would benefit from having my designs, let me know! I'll also be at London Edge, so make sure you come say hi if you're there :)

Little Miss Delicious' First Birthday

2010-12-07T12:29:00.000Z

Little Miss Delicious is one year old next Monday!

To celebrate, I will be offering a 25% discount code for everything in my Etsy store! This offer is exclusive to those on the mailing list so sign up to make sure you don't miss out. You can sign up here.

Giveaway: Free charm bracelet!

2010-12-01T15:24:00.000Z

As those that know me are already aware, I LOVE Christmas. So to celebrate the holidays I've decided to hold a giveaway!

All orders made from www.littlemissdelicious.com in December will be entered into a prize draw to win a charm bracelet of your choice, it's as simple as that. The winner will be picked January 1st, so happy shopping!

To make your shopping experience that little bit better, I've also got brand new packaging for all jewellery purchases.

It still needs a few tweaks, but I'm so happy with the boxes! I think I might use white ribbon with a pink button, and maybe attach a mini moo card to it too. What do you think?

Events: Now, Voyager Vintage Fair

2010-11-30T12:33:00.000Z

Earlier this month I had a stall at the Now, Voyager Vintage and Craft fair in Southend on Sea. Being a huge fan of their products, I was very excited! Sadly, public transport didn't share my enthusiasm and I ended up being very late due to pretty much all the tube lines being closed (why do you keep doing this to me TFL?!). Turns out getting from Crouch End to Liverpool St Station without a tube isn't too easy!

Anyway, we eventually got there and the lovely Felicity, one half of Now Voyager, was so understanding and had set aside a table for me beside her stall, which I knew straight away would be very dangerous to my bank account.

Despite the typical British weather, it went really well and I ended up buying far too many pretty things!

The boyfriend moved in with me a day before the stall. What better way to welcome him into my world than a craft event? ;)

These are a few of the new plushies that will be up on the site soon!

Now, Voyager - adorable hair accessories, I especially love their knitted collection!

Sew Swell - ridiculously cute handmade goodies. I got myself a pair of grey knee high socks with bows on them!

Rosie Lee Clothing - amazing hats and hair accessories

Chocolate Lilly - sadly I didn't get to try any of the food, but how delicious does it look?!

Seaside Siren Roller Girls - they were super sweet, and have definitely convinced me to go check out a bout in London sometime.

Sparrow and Nightingale - super cute handmade cushions, cards and jewellery. One of the deer cards now lives in my living room because I just can't bring myself to part with it!

Doris Daydream - amazing vinyl record bags

Don't forget you can also find me at the Christmas Market at the Tyne Bar in Newcastle this Saturday, and at the Kustom Kristmas event at The Horatia this Sunday!

Shop Update: Plushies

2010-11-22T10:57:00.001Z

I've reorganised the way plushies can be purchased on the site. Now each one is made from super soft fleece and can be bought in size small or large, with the large plushies being cushion sized! Click here to go see.

I've also added a brand new sauce bottle plushie. What do you think?

Events: Judy's Affordable Vintage Fair

2010-11-01T15:58:00.000Z

Just a quick update to remind you I will be at Judy's Affordable Vintage Fair in Brighton this Sunday! Hopefully by then my hair will actually be blue, rather than this horrid green it's decided to go. If not, I'll be the one in the giant hat ;)

Sorry it's been so quiet, we currently don't have internet in our flat (long story!), but it does mean I've had lots of time to make pretty new things. Watch this space!

Today's Workspace

2010-10-22T22:09:00.001+01:00

Today has been a very very busy day! The huge pile of parcels you see are orders that are ready to be posted, and all the pieces in front of them are finished and either waiting to be photographed or packaged up ready to be sent away to a customer or model. Phew!

People always ask if I get hungry making food based jewellery, and I think the packet of Jammie Dodgers answers that question for me ;)

Oh, and I would definitely NOT recommend putting your cup of tea right in front of your water to clean paint brushes! The amount of times I nearly put a paint brush in my tea is just embarassing.

What you can't see is my laptop beside me that has been constantly playing Disney films for the past few days. My head is now full of love stories and happy ever afters!

Quick Update

2010-10-20T11:19:00.001+01:00

As some as you may already know, I've had serious problems with the local post office since moving into my new flat. About 80% of the things I've posted from there have gone missing, including 2 really big parcels :(

Because of this, some of you may be suffering delays in postage, and I'm so sorry about that! I've bought a set of scales, and from next week onwards I'll be weighing them and printing off postage labels myself. Hopefully this will resolve the problem!

In other news, as of October 24th both my Etsy and Folksy stores will be closed until November 15th! I'm really happy sales are going so well, and it means the world to me that people like what I make, but sadly I just don't have enough time at the moment for the amount of orders I'm getting :(

Little Miss Delicious is only run by me, and as well as doing all of the designing, painting, promoting, sewing, accounts and every other aspect of the business, I'm also in the final year of my law degree, so as you can imagine I'm beginning to forget what sleep feels like!

However, my website will still be open for sales, and I'll do my best to ensure every item is sent out (and received!!) within the time frame given :)

I am also currently designing templates so there is more interaction after you have made your purchase, including an email to let you know your order was received, and another once it's posted! Please let me know if you have any feedback on this, I really appreciate all your comments and opinions!

Today's Workspace

2010-10-12T20:17:00.002+01:00

In the run up to Christmas I really want to do some awesome stockings for our flat, so figured I'd make a few extra to sell at markets, as well as some cute Christmas-themed plushies!

Feature Friday: Lucy's Happy Place

2010-10-08T20:14:00.000+01:00

I first saw Lucy Farfort's work in the Made in Newcastle store, and instantly fell in love.

'Robot Love' print, available on Folksy

Her designs are so cute and bold, and definitely very unique!

Although she is primarily a designer, she also has a brand new range of purses available now too:

'Too Cute' purse, available on Folksy

So adorable! Something tells me I might have to get something commissioned as soon as I have the pennies.

Where you can find Lucy:
- her website
- Facebook
- Folksy
- her Blog

Outfit Post: Winter Wardrobe

2010-10-06T12:41:00.001+01:00

It's approaching that nasty time of year where its dark before 7pm and the weather is constantly miserable. But it is also the perfect excuse for a new wardrobe! And thanks to a rather successful Facebook ad campaign, I could actually afford to have a little shopping spree of my own ;)

Tara Starlet, £75.00

After seeing a beautiful red checkered cape in Look magazine, I became a little obsessed. But after hunting for it for nearly 2 weeks I had to accept that it just didn't exist. I'm so glad I never found it, because when I stumbled across this cape from Tara Starlet I knew I needed it in my life! I think it's definitely my new favourite thing, even if everytime I wear it I think of Noel Fielding and his rape cape.

Dorothy Perkins, £30

I'm completely obsessed with anything deer related, so when I walked past Dorothy Perkins and saw this cardigan, I just knew I had to buy it!

Asos, £45

I've been hunting for boots since last winter, but just wouldn't find any I liked. Then I saw these pretties. Obviously, that meant I also needed some over the knee socks, and lots of new pretty tights, including these :D Love.

Now I need to spend money on food and other living costs for a few weeks rather than outfits (although as my friend puts it if I do have to live in poverty, at least I'll be warm and stylish), but as soon as I can afford it, I think I need to get these boots from H&M too. My life is definitely lacking in boots!

And of course, no list of winter shopping would be complete without vintage shopping! I got the cutest, warmest jumpers ever at the London Vintage Fair, but sadly I have no pictures. You'll just have to go there yourself next month, and hopefully I'll have a stall for my jewellery then too!

What have you been buying?

National Cupcake Week

2010-09-18T15:44:00.000+01:00

Sadly my dreams of trying a new recipe from the Primrose Bakery Cookbook every day this week in celebration of National Cupcake Week were ruined when I was put back on antibiotics and painkillers and told not to cook :(

However, all is not lost! The lovely Messy Carla and Katie Cakes have both been very busy celebrating National Cupcake Week and both their blogs are full of delicious recipes and pictures from all their baking fun!

Picture from Katie's blog

As soon as I'm feeling better I'm definitely going to be trying a few of their recipes. Be sure to go check them out! Did you do anything special for National Cupcake Week?

Back from a brief break!

2010-09-09T15:44:00.001+01:00

Well, break might be the wrong word! I had to close my Etsy store and postpone orders due to the impending doom of university exams. Sleeping 4 hours a day and revising the other 20 does not result in the steadiest hand to paint with! However, after spending 3 days mostly just sleeping to allow myself to recover from the very hectic past few months, I'm back and better than ever!

I have lots and lots of pretty new things to show you guys, but while I'm still busy sculpting and painting, please enjoy the new feature of my website! On the home page there are now various boxes linking to new and exciting things, such as a page for new items,one for best sellers and a link to the sales section of my Etsy store.

Click the image below to go see it:

In order to celebrate the fact my exams are now over, I'm also giving away a free necklace with every order!

Let me know what you think about this new little menu and if there is anything else you'd like added to the site!

Giveaway: Free Shipping on Etsy!

2010-08-12T09:21:00.001+01:00

Because I'm feeling generous, my Etsy store will have free worldwide shipping until Sunday! Make sure you take advantage while you can :)

Etsy
LittleMissDelicious

Outfit Post: Tattoo Jam Haul

2010-08-11T21:46:00.000+01:00

As promised, here's all the things I bought at Tattoo Jam! All the stalls were amazing, and I wish I had the money to be able to buy everything, but sadly I'm not a millionare yet ;)

I spotted this super cute top across from me at Kitties Kloset stall, and my love of gingham meant I had to own it! I'm not too sure if I can pull it off as it's quite short, but hopefully I can use it for a shoot or something as it was just too pretty not to buy.

I've been a big fan of Lickorish Latex for a while now so when I spotted they had a store close to mine I spent most of the weekend trying to resist spending all my money! I left without a suitcase full of latex, as much as I'm sure my student loan would love that, but thankfully I did manage to pick up a few hair bows :D They're too cute. I've already started saving to get more from them soon!

I had my eye on this top by Old Skull all weekend, and set myself a profit goal to justify buying it. So thanks to everyone that bought something from my stall and helped fund Maxine-desperately-needs-a-new-wardrobe! I've been having a style crisis lately as I just don't know what I like anymore. Thankfully I think my mini-identity crisis is over. Now all that's left is just to shop shop shop until I'm happy with the clothes I own. Definitely not going to complain about that!

Anyone that knows me will know that I have a serious addiction to hair flowers. I will not rest until I have a room full of them! So when I spotted Now, Voyager I knew I just had to buy something. It did take a lot to resist getting a crotcheted hair pin too, but I figure that just leaves me with a great excuse to go visit their shop sometime.

Sitting at the stall beside me was the very talented Charlotte Thomson. When it was quiet, I noticed the sketches she was sitting doing and was just completely blown away. As I'm moving to a new flat in a couple of weeks, I thought it was only fitting that I should get something pretty to put on my walls!

And as I'm a serious bag lady, I obviously had to get a new bag too!

How beautiful is this dress from Vampire Bunnies? I saw it and just had to buy it. Although it's not really my style, it goes PERFECTLY with my jewellery and really complimented it when I wore it at my stall on the last day. All of their stuff is soo cute, so I plan to get something from there everytime I have a big event from now on!

Finally, I got the Flaming-OH! air freshener from Diablo Jo's for my friend that has been helping me after my operation. After going with me paint shopping and trying to make me buy the BRIGHTEST paints he possibly can every single time, I figured it was only fitting I returned the favour!

Although I didn't manage to get something from every stall, the others were all amazing too. I especially loved:

Cupcake Cuties: adorable and bright t-shirts! They may also be stocking Little Miss Delicious soon, so watch this space.

Kerry Evan s: AMAZING artwork. I fell in love with one of her pieces, but I couldn't justify £400 just because I love deers.

Skeleton Heart: very unusual art. I especially liked their painted skulls and vials

Limb Clothing: beautiful dresses

And of course I recommend you also check out Call Me Betty, the lovely lady that I shared the stall with and managed to keep me entertained (and alive!) all weekend!

Events: Tattoo Jam 2010

2010-08-10T18:56:00.001+01:00

Despite frantically painting, glazing and sewing for 3 days solid before Tattoo Jam (and continuing to do so every night at the hotel), it went really well! I wish I'd had a chance to make more things, but I'm still learning as I go along. It was the first big event I've done so at least now I know for next time the amount of stock etc I need to take.

I had a great weekend and met lots of lovely people! I've also came back with A LOT of pretty things, which I'll do a seperate blog about later. For now, here's a few pictures of the (very small) space I shared with Call Me Betty:

The pretty cupcake candles you can see on the stall are by the lovely Miss Boo's Bootique and will also be available on my website soon!

While I was there, I also saw many pretty models and artists, including Miss Ruby Fortune and Anna Fur Laxis which will hopefully be modelling my jewellery sometime soon! I also met the beautiful Megan Massacre, and just wanted to steal her. I've been a big fan of her modelling work and tattooing for years now and she was even more stunning in person. She was just so tiny and cute!

Seeing Jodie Marsh, on the other hand, was rather weird! Although her big body guards that accompanied her everywhere did keep me entertained.

I was really worried that it'd be a huge disaster because of all the tattoo politics that went down a few weeks before the event, but thankfully there was still a good turnout. It's really silly, because it would end up hurting us stallholders more than the publishing company :(

I really wish I could afford to do London Tattoo Convention this September now. I think I might still go just to have a look around, then maybe have a stall next year too! Plus, it'd be nice to be able to actually go wander around the tattooists area (and the bar! haha). I forgot how much I enjoy doing stalls, hopefully I'll have the chance to do more once I go back to London later this month :).

Events: Away For The Weekend!

2010-08-05T19:32:00.001+01:00

After weeks and weeks of preparation, Tattoo Jam is finally upon us so my Etsy store is now closed until Monday morning. All orders from my website will also be processed then.

There may also be a slight delay in orders as I had an operation yesterday and I'm still not fully recovered from it :( My friend is staying over to help me until I feel myself again, and although he's refusing to let me walk around alone, he is supplying me with lots of cookie dough ice cream so I'm not complaining.

I hope to see some of you over the weekend :) I'll be the one sitting by lots of pretty jewellery and dresses surrounded by paracetemol!

Today's Workspace

2010-08-02T21:33:00.001+01:00

My family have gone to Spain for 2 weeks and as Tattoo Jam was smack bang in the middle of it, I decided to stay home (Tattoo Jam better be good!). Now if there's one person you should never leave in a house alone, it's a girl that is scared of everything. Seriously, even my own shadow scares me sometimes! And don't get my started on the dark. Or little noises. Or any noises. You get the idea.

To combat this, my music has been blaring since the moment they left. It's a good thing we have no neighbours ;) Many a night so far has been spent dancing around the kitchen to Florence and the Machine while cooking pasta in underwear. I think Bridget Jones would be proud.

The downside is that I'm terrible at remembering when to eat, especially since I've been so busy. So when it hit 7pm last night every baking tray in my house looked like this.

Oops. As some smart person on Facebook pointed out, it does provide the perfect excuse for a takeaway though!

Feature Friday: Dolls and Molls

2010-07-23T19:25:00.000+01:00

I think it's really important that us independent crafty types support each other, and so out of this came the idea of Feature Friday!

What better way to begin this regular addition to the blog than by doing a feature on the lovely Dolls & Molls?

I met them at a fair I took part in a while ago and since then they have provided me with so much help and advice! I even had the pleasure of modelling their gorgeous jewellery for them earlier this week. I can't wait to show you guys the results.

Emily finds the cutest charms and trinkets and then turns them into beautiful jewellery, such as this:

I've become obsessed with cameo necklaces and pastel colours recently, so I definitely had to make the above green necklace the newest addition to my jewellery box!

The whole shop has a fairytale feel to it, and with products such as Serendipity and So Charming, you can't help but fall in love with their dreamy designs.

Be sure to check out their website and Etsy store! You can also find them on Facebook and Twitter.

Press: Little Miss Delicious on the BBC

2010-07-18T14:36:00.000+01:00

How many of you watched the first episode of How To Beat Tough Times: Money Watch a few weeks ago? See anything familiar?

My jewellery quickly flashed up during the feature about the Underground Farmers and Craft Market organised by Ms Marmite :D There's a chance this made me a bit too happy, but damnit I've now been on the Beeb!

I've also had a few online blog features that I'm not sure if I've mentioned before. They're all by very sweet and interesting people so make sure you go check them all out:

Sailorettes, Love and Rock 'n' Roll: Feature and interview
Messy Carla: Feature
Sally Cyanide: Feature

Speaking of blogs, the lovely Messy Carla is holding a giveaway to celebrate reaching 450 followers! She has some super cute prizes up for grabs so go enter to be in with you chance of winning!

Shop Update: Plushies

2010-07-02T14:33:00.002+01:00

My kidneys are being evil again and I'm finding it very difficult to walk to even get water, nevermind get to the post office. So apologies for anyone waiting on parcels! However, I'm giving all parcels for the next few days to family to post so hopefully you should receive your orders soon :) I'm really hoping this is just a temporary outbreak of pain; I have far too much to do in preparation for The Cluny Craft Market and the Made In Newcastle pop up shop! eep.

However, being stuck with bedrest is doing good things for the site. I've sorted out the plushies section, and added a few new items, including this cute little guy:

Pop Tart Cushion

Available with blueberry, strawberry and chocolate sprinkles.

On a side note, while being unable to move the past few nights, I've become completely addicted to One Tree Hill all over again! I don't know how I never realised that the adorable bearded man is the singer from Wakey!Wakey! but now that I know this, I can't turn it off. Watching him play Brooklyn on the show actually completed my life! They're such an amazing band.

Anyway, back to trying to paint while lying down! It can only end well...

Events: Fins 'n' Chrome

2010-07-01T09:52:00.000+01:00

A little late, but I had a stall at Fins 'n' Chrome at the end of May and it was definitely... entertaining! Haha. I shared a stall with the lovely Leigh from 'Call Me Betty' Vintage and together we braved the joy that is British weather.

The first day it rained. A lot. And was just very very miserable. That together with very few cars meant it was quite dead. People kept telling us how the past few years had been amazing, and it's usually always really sunny that weekend. Definitely a little bit of sods law going on there!

It all looked so promising when we began setting up on the Saturday. Sadly, gale force winds apparently don't like it when my cork boards are standing up, and by the end of the weekend they were just lying flat across the table! Oh dear.

The weather the second day started a lot better. However, our Tesco value gazebo definitely didn't. Although we cried sabotage, we had nobody to blame but the weather so we gathered up all the broken, bent poles and tried to reform it. With the helping hand of wine. But once the insane wind began, we ended up packing up a little early. You can only hold on to a gazebo for it's poor little life for so long without losing feeling in your hands (I'm not joking, the minute we let go it nearly flew away!), so we went and looked at all the pretty cars instead, and lucky for us there were lots more cars on the Sunday!

I think I managed to fall in love with far too many. Now all I need is to become rich and actually learn to drive! Here's a litte taster of what we drooled over:

I'll also be at The Cluny Craft Market this Sunday, so if you're around the Newcastle area pop in and say hi :) Thankfully this event will be indoors so there will be no gazebo related dramas!

Giveaway: Competition time!

2010-05-17T22:41:00.003+01:00

COMPETITION HAS NOW CLOSED! Thank you to everyone that took part.

In order celebrate reaching 1,500 fans on Facebook and the grand opening of littlemissdelicious.com, I'm holding a competition to win this adorable fast food charm bracelet:

Each charm is lovingly handmade with polymer clay, then painted and glazed. It's worth £20 exclusively from littlemissdelicious.com and I'll throw in a few little surprise extras too!

Entering couldn't be easier. There are 4 ways you can enter to win this super cute bracelet:

(+1 entry) Follow this blog, and comment here that you have done this.

(+1 entry) Follow Little Miss Delicious on Twitter and RT the following: I want to win a fast food charm bracelet from @delicious_shop, RT to win http://bit.ly/dc7u8f

(+1 entry) Join the Little Miss Delicious Facebook page and invite your friends. Post the following comment here: I want to win a charm bracelet!

(+3 entries) Purchase something from littlemissdelicious.com or my Etsy store and add the comment 'I want to win a fast food charm bracelet' to your order (or send it in a message afterwards if you're unsure how to add the comment in paypal).

Please note that the online store is not yet fully finished, but I'm just too excited to hold the competition! It should be fully stocked and finished by the end of the week. Because of this, the deadline for entries is two weeks from today.

This competition will run until noon May 31st 2010 (UK time).

Good luck everyone!

Poorly times

2010-05-07T16:17:00.000+01:00

As some of you may already be aware, these haven't been the best few weeks for me!

Unfortunately my kidneys seem to be angry at me for some reason, which resulted in being kept in hospital for a week. It wasn't really the best timing, as the day I was taken to A & E was also the day I had a train ticket back to London for my university exams :(

After many antibiotics and lots and lots of blood tests, they've sent me home with MORE antibiotics and so I'm still a bit unwell and restricted to bedrest for the moment. I'll be seeing a specialist over the summer and hopefully he can figure out what exactly is going on with my body.

However, this does mean I may be in Newcastle for longer than I anticipated. I'm currently waiting to actually be well enough to travel again, as I left all my things in my flat in London to come up to Newcastle for what I thought was going to be a week or two. This means I don't have any glaze to finish new jewellery, or even a camera to take new pictures of them :(

Hopefully I'll be able to go in a week or so, and I'm really hoping I'll still be able to do Camden Market for at least a few weeks this summer! I'll be so gutted if I miss that opportunity. Talking of events, I have had to cancel my stall at the Alt Collective as I won't have accommodation in London, and travel from Newcastle is too much to pay to get to Reading. This is all such a nightmare!

Apologies to anyone that is still waiting for their order to arrive, but I wasn't able to post anything during my hospital stay, and I'm still restricted to bedrest so I'm relying on friends and family to help me post orders. Argh! I will be giving away free key chains with all orders made in the next month to make up for any delays people may have suffered :)

I hope my next update will be a more pleasant one!

Photoshoots: Tea and Cake by Miss Rain Photography

2010-04-21T09:43:00.001+01:00

I sent my jewellery off to the lovely Sali MsMoo for her photoshoot with Miss Rain Photography, and the pictures I've had back are so amazing!

Photographer: Miss Rain Photography

Models: Emerald Ace and Scarlett Daggers
Make up: Ms Moo
Clothing: Miss Fortune

Make sure you go check out all those talented people!

Events: Bloomsbury Bowls

2010-04-20T09:05:00.000+01:00

On Sunday I had a stall at the Bloomsbury Bowling Lanes Spring Fair. Although it was a bit quiet, I still met lots of nice people and had a great day out. I also tested using striped fabric ontop of the white one I usually use for my table, and I think I'm going to use it from now on :D

And the fact that I didn't sell much just means my Etsy store is now overflowing with new stock, including cute new rings. I've never tried making rings before, but I'm soo happy with the result. I've even had to make a few for myself!

Click here to go have a look :)

Oh, and I've also confirmed for a few more events for the summer! I will now be doing The Alt Collective in Reading and Tattoo Jam at Doncaster Racecourse.

Photoshoots: A Most Curious Party by Ihsan Kemal

2010-04-15T19:45:00.001+01:00

I just seem to be getting busier and busier lately! I'm back up Newcastle now for a few weeks, which has been lovely, but at the moment I seem to be getting up at 8am, doing revision until about 6pm, then jewellery until midnight, so I don't have too much spare time! It's a good job I like keeping busy and work better with less sleep.

Anyway! I've got lovely new pictures from my first jewellery shoot to share with you:

Photographer: Ihsan Kemal
Models: Natalie Ayriss, Rayna Terror
Make up artist: Bella Simonsen
Hair stylist: Anita Rice
Props: A Most Curious Party

More are available on my Facebook fan page.

Events: Underground Farmers Market and Ladies Night

2010-04-04T15:17:00.000+01:00

Sorry for the lack of updates, the past week has been the most hectic week of my life! It's been amazing; I've met so many lovely people and just had a great time. It was also nice just to get feedback from people about my jewellery. I never really hear from people once they've purchased them, so it's good to hear customers thoughts :)

On Sunday I had a stall at the First Underground Farmers and Craft Market, hosted by Ms Marmite Lover in her beautiful house. Although nobody really sold much, it was still a great day, and it was lovely to meet other independent sellers. Drinking wine around a bonfire is always a nice way to end an afternoon!

Picture by Crumbelina

My stall was in the bedroom with lots of gorgeous cupcakes by Crumbelina and brownies by Afternoon Tea 410. You can see me lurking in the background setting up my stall!

Picture by MsMarmiteLover

This is me looking very awkward while setting the stall up. According to my boyfriend I 'just naturally look awkward'.

Picture by MsMarmiteLover

A little girl bought one of my hairclips, and put it in straight away! That was a good feeling :) More pictures of the event are available at Ms Marmite Lovers blog.

Then it was a mad rush as on Tuesday I had a 9.30am bus to Newcastle, but I ended up just missing it :( So I didn't get to Newcastle until about 8pm that night, which left me with barely enough time to unpack and sort everything out for my stall the next day.

Wednesday was the Ladies Night at St Aidens, which was also a lot of fun!

I dragged by best friend and boyfriend along to help out as I was so rushed for time and needed all the help I could get, especially as everything seemed to be going wrong at the last minute. Apparently cake stands made from paper and card can't withstand a bus journey without falling to pieces.

Bad times.

Then it was another night of packing as I had a bus back to London Thursday afternoon. I eventually got back to London at 11.30pm absolutely exhausted, but I ended up staying up all night preparing jewellery etc for my photoshoot the next day.

So after 2 hours sleep, it was off to Mind Studios for my jewellery shoot. I'd bought cupcakes from Pet Lamb Patisserie at the Newcastle event, and they survived all the way to London from Newcastle without even the slightest problem. But as soon as I got on the bus to the studio, someone pushed past me and I heard them all move. It was a heartbreaking moment. So as soon as I arrived to the studio I had to rush out to try and buy more cupcakes on a bank holiday, which was never going to be an easy task! Thankfully, we improvised and I think it still turned out amazing, despite the smooshed cupcakes. I'm so excited to see the pictures :D. The makeup artist has uploaded a few behind the scene shots onto her Tumblr.

At this point, I was so exhausted all I wanted to do was crawl into bed for a week. But no, I still had no time for sleep as my brother and his friends were coming to visit, and I had to meet them at Kings Cross at 5pm. I got back to my flat at about 4.30 after the shoot, so I only had time to drop off my case before I had to leave.

Thankfully, they've been ok getting around and things alone, so it's given me a chance to FINALLY catch up on sleep and get started with revision. Sadly I have a ridiculous amount of revision to do, so that's going to be the focus until my exams are over, which saddens me. However, I've set up a timetable to try and organise revision so I have enough time to make a few new pieces and do the stall at Bloomsbury Bowling Lanes Summer Fair, so hopefully it should all work out and I never have to go without sleep again!

Today's Workspace: Supplies

2010-02-24T11:51:00.001Z

I thought it'd be a cute idea to show you where I store all of my craft supplies and works in progress, so this post is very picture heavy! I warn you now, I have a BIG obsession with boxes and bags...

This is my favourite thing I own, so what better place to start than by showing you it? My boyfriend made me this box for Christmas to store all my crafts stuff in, and I absolutely love it!

Yes, I'm a serious hoarder! When it comes to jewellery, I'm ridiculously organised. Everything is in a bag, in a bag, in a bag.

I'm also a huge fan of birdcages. I think they're so pretty! So naturally it makes it ok to buy one to stick knitting needles in... doesn't it?