29/04/2015

Gift Ideas | Mothers' Day

There will be no featured shop of the week today. Instead I have compiled a round up of Mothers' Day gift ideas from our previous featured shops.



1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 


1 // Two Cheeky Monkeys has a lovely range of one of a kind jewellery in their Etsy store.

2 // Susan from Pea Green Sea has introduced a gorgeous range of jewellery into her Etsy store. I particually love these gorgeous earrings.

3 // Jentik Manis has a beautiful range of jewellery available for your Mum this Mothers' Day.

4 // Made by Joni have these lovely, simple watercolour cards available in their Etsy store Paperie Love.

5 // This gorgeous combination from The Swatchmaker is a perfect pamper gift for your mum. Tara has a range of other balms and washcloths in her Etsy store.

6 // Instead of real flowers for your mum why not gift her with a beautiful bouquet that will last her for years to come. Rachael has some gorgeous designs in her Etsy store Pulp Petals.

7 // Don't forget to check out my Etsy store Little Miss Lorraine for great gift ideas for Mum! We have you covered from a gift, to gift wrapping and also gift cards!

What are you doing for your mum this Mothers' Day?

xx

 

28/04/2015

Cheap & Easy Wall Calendar | DIY




This DIY whiteboard calendar was so easy to make! I loved the idea of using one of these in our office so that it was easy for everyone to see when things were happening, when bills were due etc.

Materials


White Board - The Reject Shop, $8
Permanent Texta
Whiteboard Markers

Step 1 | Draw your Calendar






Decide on your spacing and then use your permanent texta to draw in the grid. I worked on 7 boxes across (for the 7 days) and 7 boxes down (1 line of boxes for the days and 6 for the weeks as there are a couple of months that take up 6 weeks)





Oops! I didn't actually want the lines all the way to the top! But I used permanent texta! Not to worry - did you know that if you draw over permanent texta on a white board with whiteboard marker it will simply rub out? No joke! Try it out for yourself.


Step 2 | Mark in the Days



I found these gorgeous letter banners from Kensie Kate - how cute are the colours!




I applied Mod Podge to the back of the banners with a small paint brush - any craft glue should do the trick!


Step 3 | Add in the month & the dates




All you will need to do now is fill in the Month and the dates in whiteboard maker. This way you can change the whiteboard each month. I have also started using the last row to mark in important dates for the next month.

Only 3 steps! Super easy and super cute.

xx

 

17/04/2015

Office / Craft Room Inspiration | Home

I am writing this post sitting at my new desk and I could not be happier. We finally installed it today which means I can start organising our office / craft room. I have pulled together some inspiration pictures and a wish list of items I would like to include. I will do a full blog post once I have finished it all!

INSPIRATION


I love everything about Leanne Barlow's new office / craft space. You can read the full blog post with more pictures here. 

Swooning over the gorgeous neutral simplicity of this bookshelf - image from Pinterest.

Love the idea of the whiteboard for important reminders and the extra shelf storage - image from Pinterest.

We really loved the idea of an inbuilt desk. Such a big space! - image from Pinterest.

One day! Love this sewing space from Tilly Walnes - especially the cutting table. You can read the full blog post here.


WISHLIST



1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8


You can find more office / craft room inspiration on my Pinterest boards. Make sure you are following me on Instagram @littlemisslorraine for behind the scene previews x

xx

 

16/04/2015

Sheer Curtains | Home


When we moved in to our new home, I was certain I was not going to have sheer curtains underneath my outer curtains. We had them in the unit we rented and whilst they were not the worst sheer curtains I had ever seen, I thought the windows looked much more modern without them.


After a few days of being in our house however, I knew we needed to add sheer curtains to the bedroom windows. We live on a main road and as our bedroom is at the front of the house, it faces the road. Therefore my main reason for getting sheer curtains was the privacy! We were having to close the outer curtains every time we got changed or didn't want passerby's to see us.


As soon as we put the sheer curtains up last weekend I knew we had made the right decision! Not only did the sheer curtains provide us with some much needed privacy, but they also made the room look softer. It made the bedrooms feel more homely and warm.


These sheer curtains were definitely worth the money. They were not the most expensive at $15ish a meter, however they are certainly much nicer than the cheaper lace ones (in my opinion!)

A few tips on adding sheer curtains to a room

1. You may need to spend that little bit more than you want to get a nicer finish. Sometimes sheer curtains may not seem like the most important curtain, but in reality we spend more time looking at them than we do our outer curtains (which we tend to spend more money on!)

2. If you are making the sheer curtains like we did, measure the width of your window and times this by 3. This allows you to get the beautiful gathered / draping effect. We chose to have one large curtain, however you may like to split the curtain in to two so you get the split down the middle. These curtains came with the top placard (the place where you put the rod / hooks) so all we (or should I say Mum!) had to do was hem the sides and the bottom.

3. Before you hem the bottom of your curtains, I would suggest you put them up in place first so you can ensure they are the right length. We did measure the drop of ours, however when we did a trial hang, we found we needed to let them down slightly. Sheer curtains look much better when they are just off the ground. Mum hemmed a double hem (folding the bottom up twice) which finishes them off nicely.

Yes - I know I can sew! But with the craziness of moving and having to set up my sewing machine, my Mum was happy to help out and sew them for me! 

You can buy pre-made curtains if you do not wish to sew them. 

What are your thoughts on sheer curtains? Would you have them in your home?

xx

 

15/04/2015

Pulp Petals | Featured Shop of the Week

This weeks featured shop of the week is Pulp Petals. We chat to Rachael about her product, processes & what she loves about her shop.


Tell us a little bit about yourself
Hello, I’m Rachael. I live in Adelaide with my Husband (and soul mate) Michael, our two little ones Edith and Angus, and our very crazy cat, a Devon Rex named Basil.


Meet Rachael - the talent behind Pulp Petals

What made you want to start Pulp Petals
I originally set out to make petals for myself and as a thank you gift for a dear friend of mine. My family and friends loved them so much that I found myself making 'petals' for them all, and thus Pulp Petals blossomed! My shop has been a way for me create, learn and grow whilst spending time at home with my young children.


Where did the idea for the name Pulp Petals come from
I wanted the name of my shop to be simple and reflect what I do.  I played around with a few ideas until I chose pulp (which you can make paper from) and then pieced it together with petals to create the name Pulp Petals.


Tell us about the products you sell and your processes
My aim is to create beautiful flowers to enhance life, home, and celebrations. The best bit? Their versatility. They can add a bit of fun to a little girl’s bedroom/party, or can create a unique style for an event.



The flowers make a fantastic gift for a birthday, thank you, thinking of you, or maybe just because. They can also be used for all manner of occasions! Weddings, parties, bridal showers, baby showers, events or functions. 

They also look amazing around home, on a mantle, hall table, in a bedroom or nursery.



Real flowers only last for a small amount of time. These flowers, with the right care, will last for years to come.

I take great care with each and every flower. They are all hand-cut, rolled and glued by me. I like that each one is different in its own way, and putting different colours together gives them a personality of their own.



What is the most useful piece of advice you have been given in regards to Pulp Petals
The most useful advice would been that you need to have great photos & to always respond to customers enquires as soon as possible.  A potential customer needs to be able to see your products in their best possible light, given they cannot see the item in person. Your photos are the first glance someone sees and you want that look to be professional.  Also, none of this comes without a lot of hard work, trial & error.



What do you love most about Pulp Petals
I love my shop. I think it is mostly because I know every photo and word has been created by me. It represents everything I have learnt in the past two years (and, possibly still have to learn). Every sale is so wonderful and there is a wonderful story behind every purchase. 



Tell us where we can find out more about you and Pulp Petals
You can find me here:
Instagram: @pulppetals



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!

 

14/04/2015

A Very Special Engagement Party | Lifestyle

Shoes - Zara $120 // Dress - Bardot $80 (sale) // Earrings - Old // Flower Ring - Old // Rings - Pandora (gift)




hair & makeup by me

the lucky couple

family x

Last weekend we celebrated the engagement of my beautiful little sister and her fiancé. We had such a fantastic night and wish them all the best for the future x


 

09/04/2015

The Swatchmaker | Featured Shop of the Week

After a week off due to the craziness of life - Featured Shop of the Week is back on the blog! Today we chat to Tara from The Swatchmaker.
Tell us a little bit about yourself
I live in the suburbs of Sydney, with my husband, who I have known and loved since childhood and our sweet RSPCA rescue cat, Yoshi. I work full time (split between two part time jobs) as an Allied Health professional, in both private practice and in public health.

I grew up in a small country town in central NSW. My childhood home was a crafty, talented household where "making" was not a hobby or an art form, it was simply practical. Many things were not available in the country, or were not affordable so making your own just made sense.
When I was studying Podiatry, then working, I did virtually no craft at all: time, motivation and focus were all lacking. It's only in the past few years I have picked it up again and reconnected with everything my mother and my aunties taught me.
What made you want to start The Swatchmaker
There was a convergence of factors that made me want to open a shop, an Etsy shop specifically.
  • I had become a regular window shopper on Etsy, attracted by its format, unique items and easy interface for buyers
  • I had recently picked up knitting, and that opened the flood gates for all my forgotten crafty tendencies. I found I was frustrated at being unable to get exactly the right colourways I wanted for particular projects, so began to investigate fibre dying at home
  • My aunty passed away, and while sorting out her things, my uncle asked if I would like to have her stash as I was the only one in the family who was actively crafting at the time. I accepted without seeing it and oh my! There were mountains of cotton, piles and piles of old knitting patterns. 
  • So, the initial idea of opening my Etsy shop came from my desire to make and create, combined with the need to reduce my inherited stash! It seemed like a good way for my new hobbies to pay for themselves, at least in part.


Where did the idea for the name The Swatchmaker come from
Haha - I swatch for (virtually) every project I begin. It's a bit crazy but I really like to 'know' the yarn I am working with. I am developing a collection of swatches from past projects, and it has become an in-joke between myself and my husband.

I liked the idea of using 'swatch' in my shop name because it's my own little quirk, and also the matchmaker implications as my yarn dying came from me wanting to get the perfect colour match for my knitting.

Tell us about the products you sell and your processes
My main items, now that The Swatchmaker shop has been open for a few years, are my hand dyed yarns and my hand poured solid balms. I also stock cotton crocheted wash cloths, and I list vintage knitting patterns as they come to me (the universe seems to enjoy sending pre-loved knitting pattern my way via friends and colleagues).

My yarns are dyed in small batches in my kitchen, although I have plans to set up hotplates in my garage when my life allows me to dye more frequently. I source my yarns from a New Zealand mill, who are able to tell me where their fleeces are sourced, and who do their own scouring.
I developed the recipe for my hand balms originally just for my own use when I began spinning lessons last year. My hands can be rough from exposure to chemicals/medicaments in my day-to-day work and when you are spinning, you notice every little snag. I liked using the hand balms so much I decided to link it with the crafting aspect of my Shop and list them as well.

My crochet wash cloths came about again, for my own use. My husband and I wanted to reduce how much disposable paper products we used around the house. I made half a dozen small cotton cloths to use for washing dishes, wiping benches, make up removal etc. Disposable products are good as you aren't wiping germs around your kitchen but with these cloths, we have enough of them that they can be washed every day. They do a day's work and get thrown in the washing machine. No germs, fewer paper products into landfill!

A friend asked if I could make some cotton wash cloths as stocking filler gifts one Christmas, combined with a tin of my hand balm. They made great little gift packs, and I'll always have a few listings of each in my Shop.

What is the most useful piece of advice you have been given in regards to The Swatchmaker
Via Etsy, anyone can open a shop regardless of business acumen or experience. I signed up for Etsy Resolution because I would love to, one day, be able to work part time and have a larger focus on my crafting life.

I found all the lessons were valuable but the one that intrigued me most was Pricing. That lesson, and the subsequent discussions on Facebook, I found both confronting and ultimately liberating.
As Makers, what we do is of value. Our items have heart, quality control and personal involvement way above anything that a mass-produced product can give. And of course, our pricing must reflect our level of personal investment of time, energy, skill and focus.

The most valuable piece of advice is that we, as Makers, DESERVE to ask a fair price and to make profit on the things we offer in our Shops.

What do you love most about The Swatchmaker
The flexibility. I could not do this if it required a regular time commitment, or a regular work schedule from me. Etsy lets me fits my making career around my established professional career.

I do not currently offer custom orders (again, one day...) which means that what I am able to list, is what buyers are able to purchase.

My Shop can be as active, or as inactive as my life allows me to make it. And when I have time/energies to put into it, it is immediately able to reflect that. I find it is a wonderfully creative outlet for me, every sale is a total buzz for me and yet, I can sneak it all in around the corners of my "other" life.

Tell us where we can find out more about you and The Swatchmaker
You can find me here:
Instagram: @theswatchmaker (Most of my product updates, fibre love and Etsy browsing happens here.)
Twitter: @theswatchmaker
Ravelry: ravelry.com/people/theswatchmaker (I firmly believe you cannot have too many friends on Rav)

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!