New tree decs...

We've had a wee smattering of snow over here! Brrrr it's getting cold...thermals at the ready! It has felt like the shortest Autumn I've ever witnessed, a week or two of beautiful bright yellow trees and blue skies, and now thrown into winter already...in October!

There is now just 10 weeks until Christmas, just to remind you! I've been spending my time wisely, cosied up inside drinking tea and getting ready for the Christmas events I have lined up this year. You can always check my events page if there's any which take your fancy, I love to meet you all! There's more dates to be added too so check back! My knitting I started to learn since being here is getting a bit better too now, Christmas pressies a-go! (lucky you)

I'm taking orders on my new tree decorations now for the next couple of weeks, so if you'd like one personalized  make sure you email me with your orders and requests! My email is stephaniecole[at]live.co.uk 

I've done lots already for first Christmases and personalized monograms, a special year and the perfect sweet gift...

Each one I've hand painted with acrylic paint onto natural wood slices, varnished and strung with festive string. They are £6 each including free postage to mainland UK and orders will be posted out in November. I will have some for the Christmas events I'll be at too, hope you like them! 

In other news, Society6 who you can buy products with my illustrations on from including cushions, note cards, tech cases for laptops, ipads and phones, tote bags and the likes has FREE WORLDWIDE SHIPPING through until this Sunday! I really like the new style tote bags, and my owl design is perfect for all your A/W carrying needs! Shop here...

Tonight I finally begin my Finnish speaking lessons. In December we will have been here a year. Still can't quite believe it. I'm hoping to add to my basic 'hellos', 'goodbyes', 'thank yous' and odd useless words and manic pointing...It's so easy to be lazy and British about language here because everyone's English is great, but I have to have a go, it feels a bit rude. Plus, I need to go home and impress everyone who asks! From now on, everyone is only allowed to speak Finnish to me so it's more of a necessity and I'm forced to learn, OK? ..wish me luck. X 

A personal project.

Today I decided to start up a small personal challenge: I give to you 'The 20 day Postcard Project!'

Each day I will draw onto a postcard, simple as that. The idea is to get me drawing again regularly- what with the move and a hellofalot of new information to take on board, my creativity has been a little stumped of recent. Even with the numerous amount of new galleries and exhibitions I've visited in Helsinki and hours I've spend trawling the web for divine inspiration, I haven't felt happy with anything I've done myself...is there such thing as creative overload? I think a total  blank canvas here has got me thinking too hard about what I want to do now...

A postcard is rather less intimidating & throw-away than a hefty sketchbook full of blank pages, where each to me feels as important as the last visually- massive pressure! It's also a lot smaller format than I'd normally work on, which will be interesting...and less chance I'll get bored half way through the work! 

Today was Day 1, here's a guy we saw on the way back from the supermarket the other night.

I used ink & pen. Would love to hear what you think of bits, I'll be posting new work everyday on my facebook page & will round it up every so often on here. Excited about the project already! 

S X

Competition winners and new products!

Firstly, congrats HELEN! You're the winner of the eco-cotton 'Singer' tote bag- email me your address and I'll post it out in the week for you to enjoy!

Speaking of competitions, I said I'd report back about my amazing Cotswold House and Cotswold Life Magazine competition win last Friday (here), and fully realise that a whole week's gone by since! The experience was absolutely fantastic- Cotswold House Hotel in Chipping Campden is beautiful and made the perfect setting for the Laurent Perrier evening, in which we sat around a table with around 20 others, (who must've been wondering what the heck we were doing there!) eating equisite food and a Laurent Perrier champagne to match each of the five courses. The only downside was my fella had to drive, so I had to polish off his champers too! Amazing times to remember for a long time to come, and very recommended! Will have to pop back in for a cream tea stop-by soon...

New products in my Etsy store in the form of sweet little illustrated pocket mirrors for handbags, gifts and such. You may remember my post here, when I had a nice day of loose inky stick drawings I did for a friend's birthday? They now happily take the form of little hand mirrors- an elusive fox, whimsy owl and inquisitive cat!

The mirror comes with a hand-made protective case, made with re-purposed leather and stitched with a nice gold thread. Get them here! I'll be taking them to The Cotswold Show in a couple of weekends...

Enjoy the weekend! x