Sunday, January 30, 2011

...and the winner is.....

























So I put all the names for the giveaway on little pieces of white paper, I then folded them all up and put them into a bag. I shook well, and pulled out a winner...and the winner is......drum roll please....HANDMADE IN ISRAEL! CONGRATULATIONS! I will be intouch shortly to get your address! :) Thanks to all who entered!!! x x

Saturday, January 29, 2011

It´s Giveaway Day!


It´s giveaway day today! Don´t forget to spread the love and tell your friends...the draw is taking place later on this afternoon...so watch this space! :)

Thursday, January 27, 2011

House Hunting!


We are currently house hunting. Isn´t it just so stressful! :) lol
We are viewing two properties tomorrow...urgh..
Now, Don´t get me wrong...I am uber excitied about house hunting and the thought of the future...it´s just such a nightmare finding what your after and then fitting it into your schedule etc...etc...
The shop has been quiet this month... :( Sad face.
I´ve managed three sales...but it isn´t enough really... :(
But, on a positive note..I have booked my flights to England for Easter! Yay! :) I have my bestest friends hen weekend and then lots of time with my family and friends...lush! :)
Well...Happy Thursday folks..nearly there!! x

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Gorgeous new items!



















Having two nephews now....I´ve obviously been inspired..there seems to be an awful lot of blue appearing in my shop! :)

I´ve had a productive weekend and got lots of new items up and made :) feeling pretty smug with myself here :)

Sunny but freezing cold here in Barcelona, so not a weekend to venture out anyway! ...what better weekend than to stay in and sew then! ;) Happy Sunday everyone! x

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Welcome to world baby Jude!


Yes :) I am an auntie AGAIN! In the space of a mere month or something? Aren´t I a lucky girl?
Auntie to the totally gorgeous three year old Lola and baby Charlie and now look at this little man.... :)
Well done Cori & James....he´s adorable!
I can´t wait to have my cuddles at Easter!!
Hey Jude! We´re all happy to meet you :)

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Handmade signs...



I was thinking back yesterday to how my little shop began and thought I would share it with you...

I met my boyfriend (he´s almost to old to call him that now really! lol) almost eight years ago on holiday in Menorca. Just like the great film Dirty Dancing, he worked on the Entertainment staff and I was a guest. I only had three days of my holiday left when I met him, but when I left we promised to see each other after his contract finished and 3 months later we did. He is obviously Spanish and over the course of the lasst eight years we have been living a long distant relationship, then together for 6 months in Spain, then a long distance relationship, then together again in England for 6 months and so on...

So during this time we were apart I was pretty heart broken and felt I had too much time on my hands to think about him and miss him. I have always been creative, but never to this level I currently am. My dad often does carboot sales and sells his homegrown plants and produce and I thought this would be a good way to occupy my time, so I started looking for things I could sell or make. I came accross a funny sign one day in a shop and after looking at it more closely discovered how easy it would be to make one myself. So I started researching on the internet for suppliers of wood and the other materials I needed and the rest as they say is history! :) I went to more and more craft fairs in the Uk and everytime I would sell out.

As our relationship became even more serious and the distance ever more present we decided one of us had to move to make it work. So I packed my things and said goodbye to the UK nearly two years ago and started to make Spain my home. I figured I would have to leave the craftiness behind, having very basic Spanish knowledge I would never be able to do craft fairs in Spain. Then I came accross Etsy :) I annot tell you how happy I was to find such a thing. But more importantly, a thing that worked well...that had a good reputation and was easy to use.

I have now been offically selling on Etsy for nearly 6 months and I have never looked back. As well as my signs I dusted off my sewing skills and now I am quite a dab hand sewing ;) I wish I had more time to develop things and design more but it fits quite nicely around teaching English and my ad-hoc hours of work.

So there you are...another piece of the pie that is me. Happy Thursday everyone! x

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Happy Birthday Mummy! :)


So tomorrow is my Mummies day of birth :) lol
(or to normal people - her birthday - hee hee)

I love living in Spain, until something like this...then I wish I was back in freezing cold Britian so I can spend time with her tomorrow :(
My brother and older sister are going round for a birthday tea and I´m stuck here :( booooo...
But I do wish her the most magical of birthday´s and hope that she has a wonderful day!
Miss you Mummy! x x x

Monday, January 17, 2011

Another day..another dollar....(just not quite yet)


So Monday is upon us. I actually enjoy my job 90% of the time, I just hate the feeling of having to get ready and going into work.....Working on Sam´s Shenanigans full time would be my dream :)
Hey ho .......reality strikes and the bills need to get paid and regular money needs to be coming in...so off to work I go! :)
I have been sooooooooooooooooooooo creative this weekend and I feel really good about it...I just hope I an keep my creative streak going until tomorrow, when I have the morning off ;)
It´s a bit of a cloudy day here in Barcelona today, nothing else to report.
Happy Monday guys! x

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Spreading the love...


I´m spreading the love...
I´ve had a busy day with the shop and creating and I feel totally fufilled :) I just wish the day wasn´t coming to an end as my mind is still going mad with creations!!! I think I´m going to have to sketch a few designs before bed or I´ll be unable to sleep! lol (see pic for one of my new creations in the shop www.samsshenanigans.etsy.com)
Great to see so many of you commenting on the Free Giveaway! Spread the love and tell your friends!! The more the merrier! :)
Well, Monday is nearly upon us and another week has whizzed by before our eyes...it´ll be summer before we know it! :)
Happy Sunday guys! x

Saturday, January 15, 2011

My little ray of inspiration....
















So I thought you might like to know where some of my inspiration comes from...so....Meet my niece Lola. She is 3 years old, very chatty, hilariously funny and my muse for most of my pinkness in my shop! :) With her living in Britian I don´t get to see her very often, but she is a such a bundle of sunshine and a total girlie girl :)

She is going to become a big sister soon and I have no doubt that she will be fantastic at it. Wishing Cori & James all the best x x x x

So, today I have a custom order to crack on with as well as the usual weekend joys of cleaning and washing! lol
I am rather hoping for some time this weekend to get some crafting done and stock up the shop, but we´ll see...

The sunshine is out and wonderfully bright here in Barcelona this morning, but to be honest this is kind of usual here. I still love the feeling though and everyday I see it I acknowledge it - too long living in Britian with the cloudy greyness you guys normally see on a day-to-day basis has made me respect Mr. Sunshine :) It makes me feel like summer is only just round the corner!
Nothing else to report...other than Don´t forget to comment on the giveaway post guys!!! All names will be put in a hat and the lucky winner will be drawn on the 29th! :) Good Luck!!!

FREE GIVEAWAY!!!


To celebrate the New Year and my 100th post I am having a FREE giveaway!
Up for grabs is my gorgeous union jack pin cushion (with pins), as this is my favourite item at the moment in my shop :)
All you have to do to enter is leave a comment on this post! Make sure I have an email address or way of contacting you (in case you win) and voila! You will be officially entered!
Giveaway runs until the 29th January - so tell your friends!!! :)
Oh! and keep an eye on the blog - I´ll be having more of these in the future......
Happy Saturday everyone! x

Monday, January 10, 2011

New Year, New me :)


.....she says enthusiastically ;) lol

I had a good sort out of the studio over the weekend (tidyness does not come naturally to me at all!!!) and I sorted out a big pile of fabric I had...I hasen to add I have at least anopther pile like this to sort, but I was quite pleased with my neatness - if it only lasts a few days :) lol
I am dieting as well. Offically dieting. Urgh.....
But I am determinded to loose some weight and get back to the fit and healthy Sam I was....once.... :)
I am enrolling at our gym and going with a friend of mine to a three classes a week. Aerobics, a dance class and then a nice Thai-chi :) So what with regular exercise and dieting...I am hoping to see results in a month or so. I may need yor encouragement further down the line!!!
Happy Monday folks! x

Friday, January 7, 2011

Back to work and braving the sales!


So back to work I go today :( Booooooo. Only 3 hours so I really can´t complain, but none the less I have to plan a lesson and then actually teach when I am still in eat chocolate and watch rubbish films mode.
I got up early this morning to brave the first day of the sales. BIG MISTAKE! It was so not worth my now lacking beauty sleep and the hords of people was ridiculous! I came back after an hour and a half and am now regretting getting up so early! urgh....
The Etsy shop has been pretty quiet since Christmas (www.samsshenanigans.etsy.com) and I am not overly concerned, but I like it to tick over and not stop...so I must get creative this weekend and get it fully stocked! I think I might do a free giveaway on here as well...so keep your eyes peeled!!! :)
Well....must get on...Happy Friday everyone! x

Monday, January 3, 2011

Findings and love...




I had a little trip into Barcelona on Sunday. I haven´t been into town for a while, but I always love going. There are so many interesting shops and unique items. This city really does inspire a creative mind! I also found lots of little jewellery "make-it´s" shops and look at the goodies i found!!! Fancy antique looking pins and new keyrings :) I have already got started and made a "love" brooch. I thought it would be cute :)
Happy Monday everyone! x

Sunday, January 2, 2011

Union Jack-ness and feeling patriotic




I must be missing home after being there over Christmas. I´ve gone all patriotic! :) Check out my Union Jack pin cushion! I love it!


Today, although a Sunday, finds the shops open - due to Reyes (the kings) on the 5th/6th of January, so I am going into Barcelona for a spot of retail therapy with my dad (who´s over until tomorrow) and the better half. It´s a lovely bright sunny day here, although a tad chilly. Perfect for sightseeing and shopping! Happy Sunday everyone! x

Saturday, January 1, 2011

New Year, New look :)


I thought it was about time I updated the look of the blog. So I went onto my favourite blog design website, where not only can you get things for free including headers, backgrounds etc, they are all so cute and funky! :)
So I hope you like the new design.
I hope everyone had a wonderful evening last night with loved ones and has started the New Year as they intend to carry on....I have spent the day in my PJ´s, made a yummy, yummy roast chicken and the trimmings for the family and I am now watching movies and chilling out (still in the PJ´s! lol) It is so nice to relax completely! So here´s to my lovely family and friends (some of who are photographed), wishing you all a wonderfully magical 2011 and hoping to see a lot more of you in the very near future! x