Midweek Musings - Springtime Fun

 

This weekend we took some time off to spend with some of Gareth's family in a holiday park in Torquay. Spending quality time off together is rare, but when the sun is shining and we've got the English Riveria almost on our doorstep, it seems criminal to not make the most of it.

We leisurely walked around Torquay, Paignton and Brixham harbours, finding gluten free cream teas and whale sized fish and chips to scoff out of paper on e pier. In the evenings, we played slightly tipsy games of crazy golf and Gareth taught me a couple of card games. The long and the short of it is, especially as I'm recovering from wisdom teeth removable, we did sweet FA and it felt amazing.

 

Often we take what's on our doorstep for granted, instead preferring to fly out of the country to discover wild adventures and must see sites. Sometimes I get scared that if I don't fill my days with challenging, meaningful tasks I'll wake up and wonder if I've wasted my life. But lying on the grass on Saturday afternoon, with the sun on my face and a cold bottle of Brothers cider in my hand, we really could've been anywhere, but wouldn't choose another place in the world. Taking time to enjoy the mundanities of life is a rare but real treat.

Have you embarked on a recent staycation?

 

It's Business, Baby - Kickstart your Dream Job

 

It's no secret that I am absolutely, categorically, consumingly in love with my job. Sometimes, I still pinch myself that i get to make a living out of playing with glitter, that international fashion magazines are featuring pieces made with my own hands, that a customer would choose to wear one of my creations on their wedding day, the most important day of their lives. The term 'mind=blown' is thrown around a lot, but on the rare occassion i get to stop and think about what I've achieved in the last 2 years, well colour me happy my mind is well and truly blown.

While I can't harp on about Crown and Glory being my 'childhood dream', or that I knew I'd always be an 'entrepreneur' (hate that term), it definitely feels that all my decisions regarding education, hobbies and work have all led me to this point. Something definitely slotted into place around the time I decided to give this here opportunity a go. Did I know the ins and outs of running a business before I started? Hell no! I completed a Photographic Art degree that was very much geared towards becoming an underpaid, struggling artist. I knew nothing about pricing structures, marketing campaigns, or logisitcs processes. PR was a dirty word! I've muddled through, with the help from mentoring and coaching, and learning to 'fail, quickly'.

Being asked to contribute to a book about how to make a living out of a creative hobby was a definite 'mind=blown' moment. Whilst I'm not one to revel in prestige or praise, preferring to quietly conquer behind the scenes than apply for every award going, being asked to contribute to this publication was a huge honour. The brainchild of Two Red Trees' Anna Ward, together with Mike Carthew, 'Commercial Creatives' is a definitive guide to generating income and gaining recognition from your creative skills. Whether you're a painter, potter, photoshop whiz or printmaker, Commerical Creatives is a vital resource for those that are considering taking their hobby or passion to the next level.

With advise and insights from some of the world's "most successful, self employed creatives" (!!!!) the publication covers topics like price models, upscaling, product photography, social media skills and perceived value. There are interviews with some of the world's Top 10 Etsy sellers, advise from an illustrator who sold 5000 prints in 24 hours and insider tips from the director of a large craft community. In short, this book is an invaluable resource for both those starting out, and those muddling along but striving to improve. Hell, I'm allegedly one of these 'successful' types, and I learnt bucket loads!

Commercial Creatives is available to buy from Amazon now, or to be in with the chance to win a copy,simply enter using any of the methods below.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The competition is open to international entrants, and one winner will be chosen at random from all correct entries. The competition runs until midnight 28/05/13. There is no monetary equivalent and the prize is non transferable or returnable.

 

 

Let's Get Crafty - Polka Dot Cat manicure

After a particularly hideous wisdom tooth extraction this week, I needed a bit of cheering up, and nothing makes me mile more than a cute manicure! I trawled through my Pinterest board for suitably cheery inspiration and came across the super cute, polka dot and cat print mani.

Look how smiley the kitty's are! I hid my swollen face in a hat and scarf combo (thankfully its still cold enough to not look like a total freak) and popped down the Superdrug to pick up supplies.

I'd deffo suggest using false nails for this to improve your accuracy. Paint with 3 coats of white nail paint, doing a crescent shape on the ring finger from the nail tip down. I used Matt White by Barry M.

Once that's dry, get creative with a nail art pen! I used a Barry M one that was just like using a felt tip, none of the inconsistent nib stuff from yesteryear. Add the cats ears to the white crescent by dipping a cocktail stick in the white paint and drawing on.

It really is that simple! Don't forget to add a topcoat - my favourite is Renunail Top Coat by Dr Lewinns

 

 

Midweek Musings....Life's Best Lesson

 

Crown and Glory Eats....Green Juice!

 

It seems everyone in the UK right now is currently undertaking either the 5:2 diet or engaging in some serious juicing. As IMHO, starving yourself is just darned crazy, I decided to give this whole green juice thing a whirl! Well if its good enough for Gala Darling, it's good enough for me, right?

So I'm obviously not going to be replacing every meal with a juice one. No, again, crazy people do this. But I did like the idea of replacing breakfast with it - I tend to eat, what i thought was, a relatively healthy breakfast of Fruit n Fibre or Muesli but holy calories batman, using MyFitnessPal for iPad has taught me it's a pretty sugar filled way to start my day. I also like to have this as a snack before a long gym session, have it about half an hour before and you'll feel like a Duracell bunny!

So, my Green Juice for Beautiful Babes (that's you!)

• 2 x green apples
• 1/4 of a cucumber
• 2 handfuls of spinach
• 1/2 a lemon (peeled)

First up, you can pick up a juicer pretty reasonably; I paid £30 from my local Argos because I was impatient but online will be even cheaper. I'd suggest keeping all your fruit and veg in the fridge as this is way nicer cold! Core your apples, chop your cucumber into chunks and peel your lemon. Mix everything up and put in the juicer. Done! Simples! Drink ASAP rocky and swirl around in your glass as you go so it doesn't settle. This is a fruiter juice than a lot of green juices, but still packed full of nutrients and goodness. We've been using the 'mulch' that's left to add fibre to soups and stews (because its still FUCKING FREEZING in the UK)

 

I've just ordered some wheatgrass powder from Real Foods (as well as a bunch of gluten free stuff yay!) to further pack a punch with my green juice, and will introduce more vegetables like kale (but never celery, vom!) later on. Here are some other green juice recipes you might like to try;

 

• The aforementioned queen of green juice, Gala Darling's Green Juice for Beginners (I'd say intermediates!)
• XOJane.com writer Julieanne is a) hilarious and b) I'm really interested in trying the one that tastes like 'distilled jacuzzi water that someone has expired in'. I'm a sick puppy like that.
• Ooh, tropical green juice. I guess adding vodka on a summers eve would defeat the object somewhat? Rats, I thought you'd say that.

PS) Image edited with the glorious A Beautiful Mess Photoapp for iPhone, it's so fun!

 

It's Business, Baby - how to Get Green

 

As our business grows, making eco-friendly and ethical choices plays an evermore important part in our business decisions. While it may be a secondary consideration for creative businesses' like ours, this can be an oversight as often, making 'green' decisions and tweaking logistics can not only help the planet, but be cost effective too. Here are my top 5 easy tips for being green in a small creative business;

• Recycle your business waste accordingly. For us, this means recycling a lot of cardboard packaging and brochures, and separating out plastics and metals just like at home.
• Can you create new products from your cast offs? What about a purse from fabric off cuts? A bracelet from unwanted buttons from your up-cycled vintage dresses? Have a crafty afternoon and see if you can save both money and waste by reconsidering the parts of supplies you'd usually throw away.
• Choose ethically when outsourcing tasks. For example, plenty of UK based photographic agencies offer fantastic prices for image editing and cutout work. I use Martin Nolan at just £3 per image (he's super quick and efficient, too!)
• Recycle printer cartridges! My ink supplier sends out prepaid envelopes when I order more ink so it's a super easy way for me to dispose of them ethically.
• You'll be surprised at just how affordable recycled packaging materials are these days. Our cotton dust bags, gift boxes, tissue paper and polystyrene packaging peanuts are all made from recycled materials. We now buy in bulk and save up to 10% on last years' packaging spend!

What steps do you make to be green in your business?

Image by Ashleigh Dougherty

If you've got a burning question about Crown and Glory or business as a whole, either email sales@crownandgloryaccessories.co.uk or if you'd prefer to stay anonymous, you can ask us anything via Formspring

 

Sunday Dreaming - Net a Porter Shoes

Currently coveting some eye poppingly bright kicks to add to my 50 strong shoe collection - and Net a Porter is always a good place to start, right? A girl can dream...

Brian Atwood, £379 - Giuseppe Zanotti, £655 - Charlotte Olympia, £595

Crown and Glory Reads - Danny Wallace

I admit, reading for pleasure is a scarce activity these days. In fact, the last time I just sat down and read a book was last August. As a teenage bookworm, that's pretty terrifying. I think the problem started shortly after I got a kindle - whilst I love the idea of having hundreds of books in one portable device, it also makes picking (and finishing one) almost impossible. That and the working 16 hour day thing...

 

But one of the books I read last summer, that stuck in my mind, was Awkward Situations for Men, by Danny Wallace. You may know Wallace from 'Yes Man' fame (infinitely better than the film, btw, and that's coming from a huge Jim Carrey fan) and Awkward Situations for Men is just as hilarious, irreverent and charming all in one. We follow a year in Wallace's life, in which he finds himself in the most toe curlingly awkward of situations - insulting a friends baby, accidentally following a woman down a dark alley, being caught in pyjamas by his wife. Prepare to be snorting in laughter in front of complete strangers on a train (or maybe that's just the awkward situations of my life)

Also worth checking out, is his acclaimed hit 'Join Me' - in which Wallace inadvertently starts a cult by asking people to send a passport photo to a PO Box address.

 

Crown and Glory Travels - Popping to Prague!

In five weeks' time, myself and Gareth are packing up our handluggage for a well deserved mid-week break in the Czechoslovakian city of Prague.
Truth told, we're not very good travelers. While almost each weekend we're off around the country either for work or to see friends and family, when it comes to hopping on a plane/train/boat and actually taking a break for ourselves, well we haven't had one since a trip to Amsterdam last January. We both love the idea of traveling more and have made it one of our 2013 resolutions. Prague is a city I've always wanted to visit, so when one slightly tipsy night I saw that one of the only dates in the European Paramore tour were still for sale in Prague, we thought, why the hell not?!


We're looking forward to soaking up the predominantly Gothic architecture of Prague Castle, and standing in awe in front of St Vitus's Cathedral. I love to photograph buildings, and Gareth always wanted to be an architect. We'll be paying respect at the old Jewish Cemetery, and I'll ensure a trip to Prague House of Photography is on the cards.


As well as the gig (paying 1300 of something over the internet was a strange phenomenon, I have to tell you!) of course for nighttime activities we're looking forward to sampling the local liquor; me, absinthe icecream and Gareth, the local beer. Though not so sold on cold pickled mackerel to soak it all up though, thanks Time Out.


We've booked our apartment with Air BnB - if you haven't heard of this amazing website yet, oh my god go forth and EXPLORE, my friend! Basically, you're renting either a bed, room or whole dwelling by the night. The site is based on user ratings and Air BnB even send in their own photographers so you know that what you're seeing is totes legit. I used the site to find cheap digs in London in January and our host was amazing, the attention to detail with gadgets and extras was exemplary, the apartment was perfect for our short city break and all for under £70 a night. Here's hoping our Czech apartment is the same!

So, have you got any tips for things we should do when we go on pseudo goth adventures in the Bohemian city? Any tips on places to eat would be gratefully accepted - whilst I'm pretty adventurous with food, the thought of cold mackerel and raw beef on toast makes me feel quite ill.

Images by John & Tina Reid via Flickr

Perfectly (p)Interesting

 

Confession....I'm a social media addict. I've more apps on both my iPad and iPhone that I'd care to admit to (my brother calls me an iFag...he's probably right) the last thing I do before going to sleep at night is to check Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Vine and Pinterest (in that order) and there have been too many times that I've dropped my phone on my face while lying in bed first thing of the morning than I'd care to admit to as well. But my favourite of the top 5 has got to be Pinterest.

Unlike the other 5, however, I love Pinterest for me, not my business. I was always the kid making scrapbooks and pinboards full of things I liked. I even illustrated my Christmas lists, so instead of just writing 'glittery rainbow jumper' (Tammy Girl, circa 2000 dontcha know) I'd draw it so that my parents Father Christmas couldn't possibly get the wrong one.

As an angsty teenager,I had diary upon diary of cut outs from magazines, emo song lyrics (My Chemical Romance and Taking Back Sunday dontcha know) and depictions of hopes and dreams. As an aside, what age is it possible to go back through teenage diaries and not cringe? I don't think I'm quite there yet....

Anyway, I digress. Pinterest floats my boat because its a whole world of inspiration at my fingertips. From more pastel hair than you can shake a stick at to heathy dinner inspiration, I've got a board for it. I follow my favourite web types and brands for a personally curated inspiration stream - i mean how many other places in life can you pick and choose who you want to be fed entertaining tidbits from? (I've yet to master hiding people from my facebook feed) and I could while away hours if I hit the 'everything' tab.

The secret boards are a thing of pure GENIUS for shoot planning and stuff that's not quite ready to show the world yet. I'd even go as far to say as I would actually pay to have more than 3 boards (Pinterest people, make that happen) To keep from flooding people's feeds with our entire new stock list (boohoo.com I'm looking at you) there's even apps like Pingraphy to schedule your pins in regular intervals.

So, if you're new to Pinterest or looking for new people to follow, here are my top 5 pinners;

• Gala Darling - international playgirl extraordinare with a flare for cheeky, irreverent fashion and super inspiring quotes.
• Rebecca Minkhoff - the designers inspiration boards are utterly fascinating! (Ooh and look how neat and smart it all looks... definitely need to get on that)
• The house of Kate Spade NY is on a mission to inspire you to live colourfully
• Lime Crime Cosmetics transport you into a magical world of fairytales and mermaid hair.
• Domestic Sluttery's Feed Us This board is the perfect combination of healthy inspiration and downright naughtiness.

Won't you follow my trains of thought and current covets, too?