Yes! We're open!

This is it! This is where it starts... My Etsy shop named Heedopter has finally opened its digital doors TODAY! Yay!

All designs, illustrations, cards and prints are personally designed by me. Come and have look and make sure to check back often because I will be listing more over the upcoming period. You can find Heedopter on: www.etsy.com/shop/heedopter


For all of you reading my blog and following me on Twitter, I've got a special openings discount for you: 15% off your first purchase! Just make sure you use the code DINGDONG2012. It's valid till the end of 2012 so don't wait too long...

And... I love to hear what you think so let me know!

Tricky winterlight

Wow, it's trickier than I thought: trying to make gorgeous pictures. I'm a big lover of natural light, even in winter. It's lovely and filtered but... not so great for taking pictures. I've got lots of light in my studio coming from several directions. Would be enough, you think. But no, even though I'm setting my own white balance and fiddling around with ISO and shutterspeed, they still come up dull.

So long life photoshop! Here's the result... good enough?

Picture day

The days are just not long enough... I'm busy with all sorts and mainly with getting my Etsy shop opened! Today is photographing day! I'll be locking myself in my workroom taking photos of all my items. Still working towards opening my shop this week and it's still possible.

In the meanwhile, here's another sneakpeek....

Sneakpeek!

In preparation... creative packaging

Ok, so while I'm waiting for my artwork to arrive back from the printshop, there's lots more to do...

One of them things is packaging material. When sending cards and prints through the post I do need to make sure they arrive in tip top order. And above all, it needs to look nice! When researching which materials to use I'm paying extra attention to sustainability. I like it to be as green as possible and recycle where I can. I just like to do my own little bit to make the world just a tiny bit better.

Lots to consider though... since I'm just starting my Etsy shop I haven't got loads of money to spend (and the green stuff is somehow more expensive!). Better resort to creative thinking. I've had a big stack of old books in my bookcase for a while, ready to be taken to the charity shop. Never got round to actually take them so why not use them!?!

So here it is. Lovely, recycled bookpage sleeves for sending my greetingcards in!

Sneakpeek!

Here's just another teaser for you...

In working on my illustrations I get inspired by so many things but in general I tend to find my inspiration close to home. In this case just how cosy, love-filled and fun my own home is! I'd wish the actual house I live in looks just as cute as this one... it doesn't... but I can always dream, can't I?

This is it!

This is where it starts... this is where I share my designs with you all! I learned a big lesson at Hello Etsy a few weeks ago. As Janine VanGool from Uppercase magazine shared with all of us: your work is not done until you've shared it with the world. So this is where Heedopter officially starts.

I've worked hard in the past few weeks to finish all my designs for my greeting cards and art prints. They've been sent off to the printshop and now I'm eagerly waiting for them to be finished and delivered to my door... and then... My Etsy shop will open its digital doors! I am so excited!!!

So here's a little sneakpeek... I will be posting more of them over the upcoming days/weeks, just to keep you all just as excited as I am!