What Lyd Did

A new year calls for a new shoutout series! We've had Friday Five, Sunday Shoutout, Shop Small, and 2019 is the year of Girl Power, where I'll choose a particular field and celebrate a few females who are smashing it. First up I'd like to put the spotlight on the gals who have turned doodled designs into perfect products, with their crafts being enjoyed by customers all over the world.

It's not easy setting up your own arty business, you have to be made of tough stuff to keep your head high when sales are low, to keep motivating yourself even when the voice of doubt tells you to throw the towel in. It occurred to me that the smallest, most random ideas can become huge successes if we believe and these women are the living proof. Self doubt is rife in creative fields, and it stops many of us really going for our goals, so it's empowering to look at other people who prove that we can do it. I love that these ladies not only have creative vision, flair, and skill, but have learned how to turn their passion into profit and handle the the boring business side, too.

BearFace Prints

Maybe I'm a bit biased because I've actually worked for Natalie, but getting to know her means I can vouch for how passionate she is about her products- I heard lots of swearing when things were not perfectly straight, neat, or, well, perfect! The BearFace brand and her signature 'Me, Myself, and IVF' journals came to life when she was going through IVF, a very trying and overwhelming process, and designed her first diary to make it more enjoyable and positive. BearFace has grown from there, with her range now including a rainbow of diaries, greetings cards, positivity pencils, and badges, all with the aim to bring a smile to the recipient.

Holly's Lollies

A real life Willy Wonka, Holly saw a space on the market for sweet treats with a cocktail kick and went for it. Now her business is booming, and she has a full blown factory with her own Oompa Loompas producing an entire range, from prosecco-laced pops to humbugs with a hit of sloe gin. 2019 will make it 6 years since Holly first began tinkering in her kitchen, and it really is excellent to see her self taught recipes have developed into the success they are today. If you needed the push to try something new, let Holly's story be it.

Honeywell Biscuit Co

Biscuit decorating is an art form in my eyes. I love watching videos of icing being flooded and teased into intricate designs, and few are more beautiful and unique than Honeywell's. Alongside the vision and skill to be able to bake these tasty works of art, I imagine you have to really nail your promotion and marketing to get them seen and bought, and Honeywell have absolutely mastered it. They have a gorgeous Instagram feed (@honeywellbiscuitco), their biscuits have featured on GBBO: An Extra Slice and at events for big brands like Viktor and Rolf, and the business has grown enough for the owner to part-homeschool her children.

Emily Coxhead
If anyone is a ray of sunshine and a champion of the phrase 'be the change you want to see', it's Emily. Fed up with so much misery in mainstream media, Emily decided to create The Happy Newspaper, which balances the bad and highlights the good. Alongside injecting a bit of joy through the newspaper subscription and social media accounts (@thehappynewspaper), this clever queen also designed a range of separate positive products which are stocked in John Lewis, Paperchase, and Boots!

These are just a few of the amazing females believing and achieving their dreams! I'd love to know who you look up to, too.

Sustainability is, quite rightly, a hot topic, with documentaries like Drowning In Plastic clearly illustrating the need to drastically reduce our single use plastic habit. Luckily, you can kill (or in this case, save) two birds with one stone, as lots of small shops are offering alternatives to products we use every day, so by investing in them you will help an independent business and the planet. Win win.

Something I would like to add is that although these products are initially more expensive than their disposable counterparts, they are built to be more durable and save you money in the long run. Swap gradually as and when you can, every change makes a difference.

"If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping in a room with a mosquito."
- Tabitha Eve Co

The Get Started Box- £25, The Ethical Box
Whether you're taking your own first steps or encouraging someone else's, this box is the perfect pick, as all of the items are so easy to integrate into everyday life. It includes metal straws, a bamboo toothbrush, a cotton tote bag, and a reusable coffee cup, so just one box can eliminate loads of plastic or non-recyclable items.

Crochet String Market Bag- £12, The Hippy Rose

These retro string bags made a comeback over Summer, and as well as making a great fashion find, they are of course a great swap for plastic grocery bags at the supermarket. As well as this cream colourway, they are available in rust or navy, or you can preorder a custom colour.

Gift idea: order one in your recipient's favourite colour and fill it with a few natural beauty treats or eco homeware bits for a 'sustainable starter pack'.

CloudCloth- £10 for set of 3

Face wipes are Satan's creation, agreed? They don't help your skin, they don't degrade, they block drains, and they're packaged in single use plastic. The one benefit of them is that they are convenient, but there are tonnes of replacements out there, with CloudCloths being one I've tried and love.

One side is soft while the other has a slightly rougher texture, so they're perfect for cleansing the face, but they could just as easily be used for children or household cleaning. My top tip is to soak one in warm water then pop it in a freezer bag in your handbag or car so it's ready to use, clean, repeat.

Bamboo Cutlery Set- £15, Leave No Trace Lds

This set is such good value! Inside the pouch sit a bamboo knife, fork, spoon, and chopsticks, a metal straw, and a cotton napkin, so you're fully prepared to eat on the go and no longer have to rely on plastic cutlery wrapped in yet more plastic. Just pull out your set, eat, then either pop into a public bathroom to rinse your utensils or wipe them on the napkin and wash it at home. They also have different prints and children's sets.

The Kind Store

An all around good-eggy company that ships in plastic free packaging and donates 10% of profits to Tower Hill Stables Animal Sanctuary, so in this case you're supporting a small biz, Mother Earth, AND cute animals- that's got to earn you some good karma, right?

Although they sell a variety of items, it's their health and beauty range that caught my eye. These shampoo cubes contain essential oils and coconut milk, the aloe vera mascara is refillable and kind to sensitive eyes, and the deodorant balms use sodium bicarbonate and clay for a fresh, dry feeling. They're all vegan and cruelty free too!

Tabitha Eve Co

As well as providing the fab quote above, this company stocks all sorts of homeware that I didn't even know existed. Whether you're shopping for yourself or hunting down a gift for a new homeowner, you'll find something that's both practical and pretty. You really don't have to sacrifice good design here.

My top picks are the vegan wax wraps which mould to the shape of your food like foil, but can be washed and reused, and the cotton bowl covers which sport a cute polka dot design and stretch over any bowl to protect the food inside.

What swaps would you suggest?

Prices correct at time of writing. Photographs belong to respective businesses.

When I worked with elderly people, one of my favourite activities to do with them was card making. No matter the level of imagination or ability, everyone can make something beautiful when the intention is to send it to someone and make them smile.

Part of the reason I enjoyed it so much is because I worked in a facility which had an entire wardrobe dedicated to art supplies, so I didn't have to choose what to buy, and there was a huge selection to suit everyone. It made it so easy and enjoyable to just lift the boxes out and let everyone dig in.

My Greeting Box* is like a refined version of that. If you want to try your hand at cardmaking it can be overwhelming to see all the techniques and products available, not to mention costly, so the lovely owner spotted a gap in the market and started putting together boxes with everything you need to get going, including stamps, embellishments, cards, and so much more. With your first box you even get the essentials such as a ruler, rubber, pencil, tape, glue, and an acrylic block for your stamps. They really do think of everything!

Each month there is a theme, and the June box was based around fairies and magic. You can see from my unboxing video just how much this excited me! I love the stamps with the sweet sentiments, toadstool, and watering can, and I'm also a huge fan of the colours that were chosen. Fairies are usually aimed at children, but thanks to the chic navy, pink, and white theme these cards are suitable for any recipient and look really elegant.

As I made the cards, it was easy to see how much passion has gone into them. It's not a random selection of products, but carefully planned and developed components. I was thrilled to see that Holly had packed in some really clever items, like a glue bottle with a precision nozzle, and the most amazing shimmer spray that's filled with microfine glitter to give your card that finishing touch. It truly is like fairy dust!

The instructions were also planned perfectly, easy to follow and with no problems or errors. Crafty as I am, I wouldn't have thought to use the cut out technique, or layer the fairy's wings to give a 3D effect. It's so simple yet really effective, and makes your cards look so high quality.

My Greeting Box are currently** running a deal where you can use the code FIRST25 to receive 25% off your first order and buy your first box for £16.50. For all the essentials included plus the themed cardstock, stamp sheets, and embellishments, that is incredible value. In my eyes, you're not only buying the art supplies, but 3 art lessons in the form of the instruction cards, and a few hours of art therapy. Once the cards are made, you can use the remaining supplies for future projects, and you have beautiful handmade, sentimental cards to give.

Have you tried cardmaking?

*gifted for review
**applicable at the time of writing

Father's Day is one of the most stress-inducing dates in my diary, along with Christmas and my dad's birthday. He doesn't follow football, he doesn't play golf, he's not mad about cars or beer, and his main hobby is dreaming up new designs for property developments. Seeing as my budget doesn't quite stretch to a French farmhouse for him to do up, I've turned to Etsy to find unusual gifts to please even the most difficult dads.

Personalised Oak Keyring

£5.50

BespOakGifts

This is one of the nicest little gifts I've seen, and the great thing about shopping small is that you can have it personalised to make it even sweeter. The oak finish is really classic, and so much nicer than those supermarket Simpsons keyrings.

Stepping In Step Dad card

£2.50

Badger & Squidge

I love that this shop offers something for the step dads out there and the 'thanks for stepping in' slogan is really sweet and touching without getting too mushy. This shop also offers a service where they'll write and post the card for you to save time!

Classic Car Print
£8.37
Classic Motors

Cars are often a good choice for dads, but many items can be... well, I'll just say it: tacky. This print is much sleeker and I can imagine it looking really cool in a contemporary home. The seller has a range of designs, so you could get him a print of his first car or his dream car!

Sharks and Waves Bow Tie
£10.85
MvZDesign

Admittedly, bow ties are a pretty niche item, but when I spotted this one I couldn't resist including it! From a distant it looks like a smart blue and white design, but closer up you can see what's really lurking. If your dad is getting married or just have a quirky sense of style, you have to snap up a tie from this shop.

Cheese Making Kit
£21.99
CheeseMonkeyKits

I know, I know, I hit the ball out of the park with this one! A new hobby AND snacks? You will win the gift game with this, my friends. Unless your dad is vegan, lactose intolerant, or on a diet.

What's the best gift you've ever bought your dad?
Images belong to sellers. Prices are correct at the time of writing.

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