A special Anniversary Notebook

I've been busily working on a very special custom order for the last month, and it finally came together this week and is now with its very happy owner! (sorry for the bad light in the photos - that's what not being in my office during the daylight hours does to photos!)

I'm really happy with how this turned out - a custom Notebook cover which was spray-glued onto the front of a lovely red moleskin notebook, and a matching card.

Think I'd definitely love to do another order like this if anyone out there likes the idea!

Busy, busy, busy

Quite Contrary HQ is a mine of cutting action at the minute, with lots of lovely orders coming in and getting ready for a flurry of Christmas Fairs in December! (which is why things have been a wee bit quiet on the blogging front - sorry!)

Thought I'd share some of my recent creations with you - remember there's still plenty of time to order a special Christmas card, or a custom designed coaster/mug if you'd like :)

Amid the Christmas orders, there's still been lots of 'regular' orders which is nice - including this special little new home card

And, for a Bride-to-be to give to her Parents...

Fab Giveaway with From Britain With Love & From The Wilde!

Have you seen this amazing giveaway? In From Britain With Love's November competition, you could win over £500 worth of goodies stocked by the fabulous online store From The Wilde - including some of my I♥tea goodies!

This is a fantastic competition, and I'm chuffed to be involved in it. So, get in there and grab yourself a chance to bag the goodies!

Happy Halloween

BOO!

Hehe, sorry - this was us all dressed up as Zombies last night. Which included driving home via a petrol station to top-up, still in our dead faces which evoked quite a lot of funny stares! I hope everyone's been busily creating Pumpkin carvings and getting dressed up in the most absurd costumes!

We've carved the pumpkin and I'm using half of it as a very *experimental* (ie. never before done and no idea what on earth it's going to taste like) creating of Pumpkin soup. I'll let you know how it turns out - all I did was route around on the t'internet for a simple recipe. Here's the one I'm using if you're looking for one - BBC Good Food.

In true halloween fashion (and yes, we're well over 12 but who cares!) we've made our own Spiders for pud later, yum yum! Concocted from a mini roll, chocolate teacake, butter icing and Matchsticks, I'm quite proud of our freakish creations!

Enjoy your spooky evening everyone!

Quite Contrary meets Widget!

Yes, that's right - at the Ilkley Arts Market last Saturday, we were lucky enough to have a celebrity amongst us! Widget had popped over to Yorkshire to stay with Quernus Crafts for a bit, so of course wanted to come and have a nose and meet some new people at the fair!

We all wanted a picture with him of course - and donated money to the Rabbit Welfare Associtation, making £20 alltogether!

So, here are Quite Contrary's first 'famous' pictures, and some of Widget's other antics on the day - he sure can move fast for a little 'un!

Meet the lovely Kirsten from Quernus Crafts - I was very excited to finally see her wee-uns in the flesh, and am currently babysitting a wee horse until I have to give it away as a pressie.

Widget and I got on quite well I think, aw...

He even had a quick nap in one of my I♥Tea mugs!

Tracey from RubySpiritDesigns got quite close and personal to him

Widget (along with the rest of us) found it very hard to stop himself gobbling all the yummy cakes available from the cafe!

He finally fell asleep in the pocket of Dan, web designer and developer extraordinaire of Sawley Studios

So there you go - a very famous day! The next Ilkley market is a special Christmas one on Saturday 11th December, so please pop along and say hello - and sample some of the yummy food too!

Quite Contrary stocked in the Pop-Up Design Shop

Quite Contrary has been lucky enough to be selected to feature our goodies in the Pop-Up Design Shop, in Newcastle upon Tyne. Hurray!

It's being hosted by the lovely people of MushroomWorks and supported by Hunkydory Home - they've chosen a selection of some of the best niche design-led, handmade home accessories and gifts, and it's on from now until 13th November, so please go and have a nosey if you're in the area!

More info can be found on their website here - let me know if you're popping along, I wish I could go for a peek but it's just a bit too far for a day out from Lancashire, boo. So if anyone has any piccies, please share them! :)

Some recent custom card creations

Sorry for being so quiet on the blog front recently - we've had a mad busy few weeks at Quite Contrary HQ! We're going to be in a local Gallery for Christmas, along with displaying our stock at a lovely Paper themed exhibition for 2 months, and taking part in the Pop Up Design Shop up in Northumberland - phew! So lots and lots of cutting and many late nights have been had and still to be had...it's all very exciting though!

I thought I'd share a few of the custom orders I've had recently - even though some of the backgrounds are a little odd I'm afraid (that's what having so much cutting and so little time for anything else does to you!) I'll start with my favourite one - it's just so romantic!

Romance has been in the air this month, with one of my best friends celebrating her 2nd Anniversary, and our lovely Neighbours celebrating their Golden Wedding Anniversary, aw! I created this special little card for them, with their initials in either heart.

New babies have been popping up everywhere apparently, as orders have been coming in for lots of special Baby cards. Here's a few of my favourite, including an adaptation for a Christening.

Hope you liked that little selection :) Time to get back to Gallery stock now, yey!