Shop of the Week and a Giveaway: Kitty and Polly

Our Shop of the Week is Kitty and Polly, an online store that offers handmade gift items.  This week's feature is exciting because Polly has offered to give one giveaway winner a $10 voucher to spend from her shop along with this cute birdy shopper bag. 

 win a $10 voucher and this birdy bag:)

Please read the simple rules on how you can enter the giveaway below the Q&A.  Meanwhile let's get to know more about Kitty and Polly.



What's the inspiration behind your shop's name?

Kitty is my mum's nickname, Polly is mine, so it made sense to bring the two together as mum has been a great source of support & encouragement in getting the shop up and running.  Sounds kinda sweet too...!

How old is your shop?

Kitty and Polly is approx two years old.

What inspired you to start your own home business?

I always relished the idea of running my own business, and having input into all aspects of it. As well at that, I've worked in industry for a long time and really wanted to do something more creative.

Polly, at a craft fair

How do you find products to sell on your store?

I do a lot of research online,  visit craft fairs and find new sources through the likes of Twitter and Facebook. There are lots of makers/craftspeople who get directly in touch with me as well.

What was the toughest challenge you faced so far?

I work full time as well so the toughest challenge is finding enough time to dedicate to Kitty & Polly and make sure I focus on the priorities - it's very easy to get distracted by Twitter and all the lovely blogs out there (such as yours !)

How did you get over it?

Not sure I have completely mastered this challenge, but I have developed a good routine which ensures I work on the business but also take time out to relax and enjoy life too !

Please Name:

the things you do when you're not busy in your shop -

walk my Basset hound Oscar, read (currently reading My French Life by Vicki Archer), a bit of cooking and gardening

Oscar

aww, how handsome this guy! :)

stuff inside your bag you can't leave home without -

my mobile, my hairbrush, any sort of pretty notebook (to jot any ideas that might come into my head!)

your favorite shops -

tough one this but Plumo, Marks and Spencer, Avoca, vintage and charity shops

your top 3 favorite picks from your shop

Black polka dot clutch,

 

Make Tea Not War sampler,

Star Earrings

What tips would you want to share for aspiring home based entrepreneurs like you?

Go for it , believe in yourself, stick with it !

Any message to your customers and the people who support you?

To customers, family & friends - a BIG thank you. It's always a thrill to get orders and happy customer feedback.

~*~*~*~

There are three ways to enter the giveaway or you can do all three and get 3 entries.  Let me know in your comment if you did all three:)

1.  Just hop over Kitty and Polly and tell us which is your favorite item from the store by leaving a comment on this post.

2.  Be a follower of The Shopbug.  Just click the Follow button on the sidebar. 

3. Help us spread the word about the giveaway by making a blog post.  Don't forget  to leave a comment with the URL of your post.

As for me, these are my faves.  Thank you so much Polly for taking part of the interview and for hosting the  very first giveaway:)  The winner will be drawn on Monday next week through Random.org. Don't forget to include an email add where I can contact you.  Thank you in advance to everyone who will join.

Scrumptiously Delightful Cotton Candy and Marshmallows

These cotton candies are so cute, I want to take home one!

My favorite one is the cotton candy with an open-mouthed!
aww, sooo cute!

Love the marshmallows too!

weee! I want all!


These guys have chocolate and sprinkles on them!

Let's not forget the pickles!

Drop by Scrumptious Delight's Etsy to find other treats and creatures.

via: Lova Revolutionary blog

Sherry on the Cake : La Cerise Sur Le Gateau

I fell in-love with this online shop, the moment I took a peek. Thank you Holly of Decor8 for sharing this amazing shop. The name is La Cerise Sur Le Gateau (Sherry on the Cake). This French shop is owned by Designer Anne Hubert and offers a mix of screenprinted household linen - tea towels, laundry bags, pillows & cushions, duvets, tee-shirts (for kids), aprons, and other lovelies.

I can't get enough of their online store's wonderful presentation. The product shots have been done artistically that product browsing becomes an enjoyable experience. Looking at the photos give you that lighter feeling. It makes you smile. It inspires.

all photos via: lacerisesurlegateau.fr

Anne Hubert also published The Left Bank Look: Easy Parisian-Chic Projects for Your Home and Clothes.

Georgie Love - Australian Handmade

Today, I stumbled upon Georgie Love - another place online for handmade things by artists/sellers from Australia, and found some good finds which I like to share.

This little shop called Pearl and Elspeth is owned by Annie Werner and she makes these adorable skirts embellished with vintage fabric, stitches and handcrafted buttons.

These cute, quirky brooches are made by Liz Jones of Betty Jo Designs. No two items in her shop are exactly the same. Each creation has its own personality and a unique story behind it.

How about a babushka in a bow, a babushka in a scarf, a wooden heart or a teacup brooch? These are the creations of two sisters, Lyndsay and Kelly White, hence the name of their label, Made By White.

Meet the guys of Missi Moo & Friends - Chicki Rose, Ella, Tilly and Ziggy. Brighten up your work stations with these lovable creatures or take them with your on your travels! Cuties!

"I Heart" Brooches for everyone who loves by Sophie Isobel Designs. Sophie graduated with a Degree in Creative Arts. But it was her love for the literary world, vintage fabrics, buttons, tea cups and postcards that inspire her creations. What do you Heart?

Have you heard of Georgie Love?
Who are your favorite artists/sellers there?

Whimsical Hand Printed Cards from Enjoleuse

These greeting cards are drawn and handpainted by artist and graphic designer Kimberley Pelkey. Whimsical, playful and colorful, they are sure to melt and charm anyone's heart! Visit Enjoleuse at Etsy.com this weekend and enjoy free worldwide shipping.

Shop of the Week: Lovely Sweet William

After a very busy week filled with work, it feels nice to put together a Q&A feature for a lovely shop. As the shop is so aptly named, Sweet William is owned by sisters-Shelley, Paula and Jeanine and I'm so glad that they have accepted to do this interview.


The shop offers a variety of delightful goodies for everyone. From beautiful art prints for the wall, to dolls, bunting, cushion, brooches and assorted paper packs inspired by illustrations that will surely make you smile.

I love the lightness and charm of everything in their shop. Anyone who needs a little cheering up will surely feel a lot better opening a package from the Sweet William shop. And so, without much further ado, let's get to know more about this lovely online store.

What's the inspiration behind your shop's name?

Sweet William is made up of sisters, Shelley(New Zealand), Paula and Jeanine (Melbourne, Australia). We are all passionate about being creative and making things.

Sweet William was a big, orange, Persian cat Shelley and Paula had as a pet while growing up, the flower Sweet William represents friendship too, so we felt the name had both meaning and a sense nostalgia.

How old is your shop?

It started about this time last year.

The lovely Sweet William table filled with lots and lots of goodies

What inspired you to start your own home business?

A series of events set Sweet William in motion. We had all moved out of South Africa and relocated in New Zealand and Melbourne within a few months of each other. Changing countries gives one a new opportunity to start new projects.

Shelley started craft selling and Paula started illustrating, so it was not long before we collaborated on a project together. It was such fun that we decided to turn it into a partnership. Jeanine came on board at this point, bringing her architects eye and thrift shop prowess and Sweet William was born.

We were inspired by each other mainly. We are all three are creative in our own ways, so this is a perfect outlet for that, and its also an opportunity to connect with each other despite the distance.

Paula & Jeanine on market day

What was the toughest challenge you faced so far?

Initially, this was started to save for a plane ticket to see each other, so it was a bit fun and facetious {still is}. However, its grown past that, and even though we are really pleased with the growth, it does bring challenges - the biggest being the Juggling Act. Time, creative energy, customer service, family priorities - all the very grown up stuff of a
business.

The girls busy with their table

How did you get over it?

We think we can overcome these challenges because we are passionate and inspired. We come from an African culture where hand work can literally be somebody's bread and butter, so we truly value Handmade.

It is part culture, part lifestyle, but we are determined to make it work, not just for our own success, but to contribute to the success of the handmade community as a whole.

Please Name. . .

the things you do when you're not busy in your shop

We tease each other because we say if we weren't doing this we would have to do the laundry. There are 9 kids between us!

stuff inside your bag you can't leave home without:

Shelley: I have a little notebook that a fellow crafter made me - in it I write down everything, to do lists, shopping, phone numbers and websites.

Paula: lip balm and wool fingerless gloves

Jeanine: keys.

"her handbag contained her life" print

your favorite shops:

Etsy, Etsy, Etsy - we love it so - please have a look at our favourites to see who we love - there are such great makers out there.

www.felt.co.nz is an online selling place for New Zealand crafters, {but some offer international shipping too}

Otherwise our best shop is a good thrift shop - one you can have a really good rummage through to find fantastic old bits for our mad collecting.

your top 3 favorite picks from your shop:

tiny Camille doll in her house

the mixed paper packs

vintage Alphabet print

What tips would you want to share for aspiring home based entrepreneurs like you?

If you make a new item, make sure you really love it, because if it does well, be prepared to make it over and over and over. Etsy Virtual labs ROCKS!

~*~*~*~

All of the items are eye-candies for me. Browsing around their Etsy store and Paula's flickr page is truly a delight. If you haven't been to their blog, drop by for a visit today and give the girls a warm hi:) Sweet William can also be found at Made It.com - another handmade buy & sell site for Australian sellers. Thank you Shelley, Paula and Jeanine for being part of this.

Now for my personal favorites from their shop:)

sweet and lovely prints to inspire you

adorable gift tags

the handbag print in pink

"little girl" purse ; zippies
mother and child cushion ; "Adapt" print

Shop of the Week: Patchwork Harmony

Our Shop of the Week features Caroline Taylor of Patchwork Harmony. Although it's a fairly new shop, it's fast gaining popularity both in the internet and in the real world. Her shop has been featured in Enterprisenation, a website for home business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs; Period Living, a home interior design magazine; and The London Paper, a free paper handed out to busy commuters of London.

Today, Caroline shares with us how she started her online store, her inspirations and some tips for everyone who would like to start a small biz.

What's the inspiration behind your shop's name?

When I was starting up my blog I had brainstormed a few ideas for a name, and I decided on Patchwork Harmony, as it is a representation of my philosophy on interior style. I see a home like a patchwork quilt, a collection of individual items that you truly love or that have special meaning, that gradually come together to make an eclectic, beautiful and harmonious home. This name then transferred easily to the shop.

How old is your shop?

I launched the shop in April 2009. So only 3 months!

just 3 months old yet now famous!!!

Patchwork Harmony items highlighted in magazines

What inspired you to start your own home business?

I’ve always wanted to have my own business but was never quite sure how to go about it, and once I started writing my blog the ideas kind of just evolved from there. I was inspired by all the lovely shops and boutiques out there, so much so that I decided that I could give it a try myself! Plus I love shopping, and running a shop means you get to buy everything you like, but still make money from it!

lovely accessories for your garden and patio

What was the toughest challenge you faced so far?

I think the main challenge of running a shop online is making it visible to people. It is not the same as having a shop in the high street and having people wander in, you really have to put it in front of people so they will come and look and this is very challenging.

How did you get over it?

I just spend as much time as possible trying to promote the website, either through my blog, although I try not to drone on about it too much on there! Or I try contacting magazines and newspapers to get products featured, collaborate with other websites and basically just try to get the name out there.

beautify your kitchen with these lovelies

Please Name: the things you do when you're not busy in your shop . . .

Well I still have a full time job Monday to Friday as a picture editor… But apart from that I try to spend time with my boyfriend and see my friends… also as I said I love to shop! So am usually out at some of the markets around London. But I have to say my shop does take up the majority of my free time!

stuff inside your bag you can't leave home without . . .

my iphone, make up bag and a notebook.

your favorite shops . . .

Liberty, Cox and Cox, Sage inspired by Life, Cath Kidston, Neals Yard Remedies to name a few!

your top 3 favorite picks from your shop. . .

I have to say I do love everything in the shop, but if I have to pick three, I’d say the Kitchen candles, as they smell AMAZING, the wrapped soaps on the vintage plates, and the white and yellow crochet cushion.

What tips would you want to share for aspiring home based entrepreneurs like you?

Make sure it is something you are really passionate about so that you will keep getting inspired and won’t end up getting bored with it. Also, plan, plan, plan! I think it is essential to have everything covered before you launch your business, if you jump in without thinking you will come up against lots of problems but if you think of everything beforehand hopefully most things will go smoothly!

Any message to your customers and the people who support you?

Well obviously a massive thank you to everyone who has helped me, everyone who has made purchases from the shop and to all my blog readers whose comments and well wishes spur me on! And if anyone has any thoughts, ideas or comments about my shop please feel free to drop me an email, I’d LOVE to hear any feedback! info@patchworkharmony.co.uk

~*~*~*~

If I were to open my own online shop, I want to be as charming as this one. I love how her website is presented - simple and smiling, just like all the items in her shop. And here are some that I wish I could take home with me=)

My Favorites from Patchwork Harmony

L-R: crown jug jar ; egg cups ; soap bowls
heart frame ; rose lavender jars ; doorstops
jam pot ; seedtin ; trinkets tins
floral lampshades

sweet floral cushion

Thank you so much Caroline for this wonderful interview. Don't forget to visit Patchwork Harmony and Caroline's blog for more lovely things.

**if you want to be featured
as Shop of the Week,
send me an email at

theshopbug@yahoo.com