25/03/2015

Jentik Manis | Featured Shop of the Week

This week I would like to introduce you to Ika from Jentik Manis!


Tell us a little bit about yourself
My name is Ika. I'm originally from Indonesia. But, my shop and I live in Melbourne, Australia. I'm a software engineer by day and beader by night (also on weekends and public holidays... har..har..har...)



Meet the beautiful Ika - owver of Jentik Manis


What made you want to start Jentik Manis
I was feeling depressed in 2013 but I had no idea why. As time goes on, I realised that I had no life outside of work. So, I gave knitting and crocheting a try. Then, quickly I decided that they're definitely not for me. After that, I got a few strands of glass pearls to make a bracelet ...and oh boy, I became addicted to it and just couldn't stop making more. I got more beads, books and did online research for resources. Before I know it, beads were taking over my room and I made more jewellery than what I could keep. So, I started my Etsy shop in November 2014.




Where did the idea for the name Jentik Manis come from
Jentik Manis is an Indonesian sweet mostly popular in Java Island usually found in traditional market and road side food. It is pudding with sago scattered through it, like beads scattered in a little box. Jentik manis is my favourite sweet. Most importantly, the name reminds me of home.




Tell us about the products you sell and your processes
I love flowers and carnival. Most of my jewellery is floral inspired or has bright colours. I recently got engaged to the love of my life (yay!) so, I started to make wedding jewellery too.




I design my jewellery by deciding the focal part first. After, I know which focal beads/ parts I want, then I design around it by drawing a simple sketch. I suck at drawing so I opt for a simple sketch and work with lining up beads on my bead board. This allows me to get a feelings of what the finished piece will look like.




I got the woman sketch figure from "The Beader's Guide to Jewelry Design" by Margie Deeb. I highly recommend this book to all beaders and non beaders who love to mix and match their clothing and jewellery. This book discusses colour harmony, shapes, relationship between jewellery and the body, etc.


What is the most useful piece of advice you have been given in regards to Jentik Manis
I've received alot of useful advice. But, if I have to choose one, I'd have to choose "Don't wait until the perfect idea fall from the sky. If you have an idea, just do it!" This was the force that made me opened up my Etsy shop. My shop is nowhere near perfect. Frankly speaking, I'm embarrassed with some of the pictures and item descriptions. Though, it is not perfect, I got my first customer last December, which was amazing! I was greatly encouraged by it and boosted my self confidence. Someone somewhere liked my work enough to give money for it. If I hadn't opened up the shop, I would have never experienced this. So, don't wait up, you won't know until you try! :)  




What do you love most about Jentik Manis
I must say that I love the creative part of it. I love to design jewellery, how different colours combines into different feelings. For example, brown, honey, dark orange, green and red feels like autumn; whereas bright colours feels like summer/ cheerfulness. I also love designing custom made jewellery. I enjoy exploring people's personalities and translating them into a piece of jewellery.




Tell us where we can find out more about you and Jentik Manis
You can find me here:

Instagram: @jentikmanis

Sign up to the Jentik Manis newsletter for a chance to win a surprise mother's day bracelet! http://eepurl.com/-uLpj

xx

Previous Featured Shops

If you would like your shop to be featured on A Little Bit of Jess, flick me an email me at alittlebitofjess04@gmail.com and I will be in contact with you!

 

18/03/2015

Made by Joni | Featured Shop of the Week

This week I would like to introduce you to Joni from Made by Joni!





Tell us a little bit about yourself
I'm a mum who is passionate about creativity. My loves are words and art so I created Made by Joni and write magazine articles. Plus I'm (slowly) making my way through my very first degree - a BA in English Lit.


Meet the talented Joni from Made by Joni!

What made you want to start Made by Joni
I've always loved painting but despite my husband's encouragement, never thought anyone else wanted to see it: typical creative-head lie haha! Once I'd decided to take the plunge and put myself out there I was super surprised and encouraged that I started to get orders! I'm so glad I forced my creative side out of the shadows!

Where did the idea for the name Made by Joni come from
I wanted to have a name which was relatable and simple...my designs are quite simple and are full of personality - and they're made by me - so I figured, just call it as it is :)



Tell us about the products you sell and your processes
The Made by Joni cards and invitations are, as the name suggests, made by me :) In a world of process-made, run of the mill products, these cards are personal and unique. They're made to order so design and style is completely adaptable. I've had a few orders from women who love sending little notes of encouragement so they requested specific designs which could then become their 'thing'. I love making cards because they're basically little canvases on which can be written words of love and kindness. Often when I'm working on a project, my mind will wander to thinking about what sentiments will be crafted on and crafted within the folds. I see it a privilege to be a part of something so important and special.



What is the most useful piece of advice you have been given in regards to Made by Joni
This advice wasn't given in direct relation to the shop, but to life in general. Someone posted on Instagram this week that regardless of how much we want to achieve today, we need to take into account how much is already on our plate and cut ourselves some slack! Good advice for us small business owners who usually plan on conquering the world by 10am!



What do you love most about Made by Joni
It is amazing to be able to create small pieces for people and then see the smile on their face when they receive their handcrafted order. My art is special to me and it's something which I hope brings happiness to others... so this is heaps of fun!

Tell us where we can find out more about you and Made by Joni
You can find me here:

Instagram: @madebyjoni
Pinterest: pinterest.com/j0nileimgruber

Previous Featured Shops
Little Miss Lorraine
Pea Green Sea
Two Cheeky Monkeys

If you would like your shop to be featured on A Little Bit of Jess, flick me an email me at alittlebitofjess04@gmail.com and I will be in contact with you!


 

13/03/2015

Wardrobe Revamp | Create a Style Concept


Now that I have cleansed my wardrobe and started collecting inspiration for my personal style, the next step in Into Mind's 10 Step Wardrobe Revamp is to establish what your personal style is.

I feel like I have my work style down pact (I will be posting outfits on the blog) however my non work style needs some tweaking. I still find I look in my wardrobe and struggle to put outfit pieces together that I love wearing.

Based on my inspiration pictures, I am pretty certain  what my personal style is (and therefore how I would like to build my wardrobe) I love the idea of a neutral, simplistic but feminine wardrobe where I can co-ordinate many different outfits from a few pieces. Comfortable but stylish is what I would really love to achieve.

1 // 2 // 3

I love the mix of neutrals in these pictures (the first one is my ultimate wardrobe!) Neutrals make it so easy to mix and match clothing into so many different combinations. I will be on the lookout for a good quality leather jacket this year. Good investments now means that your clothing will last for years. Comfortable but stylish!


1 // 2 // 3

I always find myself gravitating towards skirts and dresses! I usually wear either a skirt or dress to work, but seem to struggle in incorporate them into my everyday wardrobe. This is something I definitely wish to change! I love the comfortable, yet stylish look of the pictures above.

This year my focus will be on finding / making pieces that fit into my chosen personal style. Look out for blog posts on these new additions as I acquire them.

What would you describe your personal style as? Are you due for a personal style check?

xx

 

11/03/2015

Two Cheeky Monkeys | Featured Shop of the Week

After some great feedback from our last weeks Featured Shop of the Week, today I would like to introduce you to Deb from Two Cheeky Monkeys! 
Tell us a little bit about yourself
I am a self-taught jewellery maker who grew up in suburban Melbourne.  Although many people are surprised to discover that I have a background in Genetics and Molecular Biology (I worked as a research scientist pre-kids), I grew up with creative parents who encouraged both my academic and creative sides.  My mum especially shaped my creative side, teaching me to embroider, sew, knit and crochet when I was young.

Meet Deb from Two Cheeky Monkeys!
What made you want to start Two Cheeky Monkeys
After starting a family, I found that the rigours of the scientific world made it almost impossible for family-oriented people to find flexible and family-friendly jobs. So, to keep myself entertained while I continued my rather miserable job hunting, I returned to my "creative" side and started making jewellery and other handmade gifts for my friends and loved ones. Many of my friends and family members started encouraging me to sell my creations, and with the added encouragement of my husband, Two Cheeky Monkeys was born.



Where did the idea for the name Two Cheeky Monkeys come from
My husband and I thought it would be sweet to name my shop after our two children, since they were one of the main reasons I opened up shop!  And since our kids are super cute but super cheeky too, I settled on the name Two Cheeky Monkeys.



Tell us about the products you sell and your processes
I predominantly sell vintage-inspired jewellery and accessories for women, with a small range of items each for children and men.  I have three main jewellery ranges: the Literature range which features snippets of old books set into jewellery or accessories, the Glam It Up range which is all about jewellery made with gorgeous vintage glass jewels and stones, and also the Cabochon range which encompasses my pieces made with vintage and contemporary floral cabochons, a favourite of those who want a more feminine look.

The Literature range is probably the most time-consuming to create due to the fact that I search for battered old copies of famous novels and flick through the pages to find suitable character names for my creations.  Sometimes I also get caught up in re-reading whichever novel I'm working with, an occupational hazard, ha ha ha!


What is the most useful piece of advice you have been given in regards to Two Cheeky Monkeys
I am quite eclectic in my tastes so I would say that the best advice I've been given is to try and unify my store's look by using a similar style of photography for every item.  It is very tempting for me to use a wide range of backgrounds and styling looks, so "unifying" the look of my store is a constant work in progress, but definitely a much needed reminder not to confuse my customers!




What do you love most about Two Cheeky Monkeys
I love that my creations are enjoyed by a wide range of people from little girls who want to "dress up like mummy" with my children's range, to bridal parties and to customers buying an item to spoil themselves or a loved one.  I really love that there's something for everyone who loves vintage-styled pieces.




Tell us where we can find out more about you and Two Cheeky Monkeys
Previous Featured Shops
Little Miss Lorraine
Pea Green Sea

If you would like your shop to be featured on A Little Bit of Jess, flick me an email me at alittlebitofjess04@gmail.com and I will be in contact with you!

 
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09/03/2015

3 Tips for Flawless Base Makeup



There is a away to achieve perfect flawless base makeup application no matter which base makeup you are using. I use these same 3 tips when applying both BB cream (which I wear nearly everyday) and foundation (for more special occasions)

1 | Pick the perfect brush
This is the first and most important step towards a flawless base makeup application. Using a good quality brush will ensure the application of your base makeup is even and not patchy. I use these brushes from Bubz Beauty (a Hong Kong based UK YouTuber/Blogger) and absolutely love them. You also want to ensure you are using the right brush for the right product. I tend to stick to my flat brush as I feel I have more control over the  application, however you may achieve similar results with your fluffy brushes!



2 | Don't use too much product at once
The key to flawless makeup application is to not use too much product at once. You will get a more even coverage by layering your product as needed. This also ensures you don't get that "cake face" look.



3 | Take your time blending
I spend more time now on the blending of my base makeup than ever before and the difference is amazing. The more time you spend blending in your base makeup, the better the application and the more flawless the outcome. By using this method, I can even blend in my BB cream to maximize the coverage. This method also ensures my base makeup stays in all day and all night. Always ensure you blend down your neck as well to avoid the dreaded "line!" 

I hope these 3 tips have been helpful! I would love to know your tips for perfect flawless base makeup application.

xx

 

04/03/2015

Pea Green Sea | Featured Shop of the Week

Welcome to the first official Featured shop of the week. This week I would like to introduce you to Susan from Pea Green Sea. Susan has been a great help to me in settling into the Etsy Australia community so I was delighted to receive an email response from her about being featured on A Little Bit of Jess.



Tell us a little bit about yourself
Hi, I am Susan. I was raised in the small country town of Gunnedah, in North Western NSW, where crafting was a big part of our lives. Other than working overtime as a mum and wife, I also work as a part-time Podiatrist as well as the owner of a small handmade business called Pea Green Sea. So I fix up ingrown toenails by day, and turn beautiful vintage silk sarees into scarves by night. Quite the unusual combination.

The gorgeous Susan from Pea Green Sea

What made you want to start Pea Green Sea
I started my shop as a bit of a personal challenge. I have been crafty all my life, and I particularly love to sew. I take after my lovely Mum who is a chronic crafter and taught me to sew. I guess I wanted to see if I could earn some income from home, by doing something that I love to do.

Where did the idea for the name Pea Green Sea come from
The name" Pea Green Sea" was inspired by the poem "The Owl and the Pussy cat". This is one of my favourites and I love the whimsical atmosphere and the imagery it creates. I also wanted a business name to stand out and be recognised which can be a problem on such a large platform such as Etsy. If I ever open a homeware shop, it will be called "The Runcible Spoon".


Tell us about the products you sell and your processes
I primarily make and sell infinity scarves using the fabric from vintage silk recycled sarees which I source from a variety of suppliers in India. I like the design of the infinity scarf...no loose ends!  The silk is very light weight, so the scarves are easy and comfortable to wear in any season, and they look amazing anyone. They can also be worn equally with a casual day outfit, or as a unique addition to elegant after 5 evening wear. They also make great gifts to send to family and friends as they are light and easy to post.


What is the most useful piece of advice you have been given in regards to Pea Green Sea
The most useful tip I have been given about my shop is provide exemplary customer service. I ensure that all inquiries are personally attended to promptly, and I go to lengths to make sure my customers know I greatly appreciated their business. I have found that providing excellent service has resulted in many return customers.

What do you love most about Pea Green Sea
I love my shop because it allows me to have a  creative outlet, and provides some much needed balance in my life. I get enormous joy when someone chooses to purchase one of my scarves. You can be sure I am doing a little happy dance whenever I see an new order pop up.
Tell us where we can find out more about you and Pea Green Sea
You can find me here:

Instagram: @pea_green_sea

Previous Featured Shops
Little Miss Lorraine

If you would like your shop to be featured on A Little Bit of Jess, flick me an email me at alittlebitofjess04@gmail.com and I will be in contact with you!

xx