My Magical Christmas Present!

This Christmas just past was one of the best ever!  Some might say I was spoilt; I would prefer to say I was rather fortunate.  One of the best gifts that I got this year was from Michelle.

At first I thought it was rather odd she gave me a present in a bottle bag – which I'd given her previously – that surprisingly contained no bottle.  However, on Christmas Day I was pleasantly surprised with a scroll – you're probably as confused as I was.  Once unrolled a message was revealed, and it read,

'This entitles Neil to visit the the Harry Potter tour. Merry Christmas, Love Michelle'

As you can imagine I was amazed!  As an avid fan of Harry Potter i have to say Michelle surpassed herself with this gift! Oh and just in case you were wondering, she'd also gotten a ticket for herself as well.

Thankfully we have some time in which to book and plan our visit, but frankly I can't wait.  Hopefully it will be just as fantastic as the films; although, I still think the books are better! I'm guessing we will be visiting sooner rather than later, but I'd rather not tempt fate.  Anyway it seem that both of us have some exciting things planned for the coming weeks and months, but you'll have to keep an eye on the blog to hear about those.

If you have any top tips or things to look out for ahead of our visit that would be very much appreciated, but please don't give away too much and spoil the magic!

Thanks,

Neil x

Little John

I've decided to bring this post over from the old Jelly Button blog as it means so much to me...

Little John...

I've decided to use this post to explain the reason why my new Moustache necklace is named what it is, and the reason for making and donating £1 from everyone sold to charity. 

 My Dad has always been the most important person to me, after divorcing my mum when I was a baby and bringing me up as a single father he did his best to give me the best possible life.   He worked hard running his own business to ensure I always had everything I needed. 

When I was just starting secondary school however everything changed, he was diagnosed with Parkinsons Disease which is quite rare with people in their late 40s.  In the past 10 years I have seen my Dad change from being independant and able to live life to the fullest to a fragile and extremely unwell old man. He went from running a successful garage to being  unable to care for himself, and has suffered a variety of illnesses connected to Parkinsons which has led him to being practically house bound.

As of yet there is no cure for Parkinsons and little is known to the cause of this disease which is why funding for research is necessary, this is the reason behind why I am donating £1 from every necklace sold to this worthy charity.

Now why is it called Little John..... basically my family are known for being ridiculously short, my Dad is no exception. At his tallest he was 5"5 which bred the nicknames 'Little John, Titch, ShortArse etc' 

And finally the design chosen... I am aware that moustache necklaces are everywhere at the moment but this is the one thing that everyone associates with my Dad except for his height (or lack of it.) Since I can remember he has always has an impressive moustache, now even in his 60s when most men can't grow anything other than a Santa inspired grey beard the black tash is going strong.

If you would like to buy a fun necklace whilst doing your bit for a worthy cause then go here for 'Little John Moustache Necklace' and here for 'Little John Mini Moustache Necklace'

I've had a rummage round the old photos and picked my favourite ones of my Dad and his tash....I apologise in advance for his shocking dress sense (the platforms are quite possibly the most hilarious piece of footwear I have ever seen)

 

As this post was 2011 I thought I would do a quick update on my dads condition..

He is still suffering the effects of Parkinsons but appears to be in a lot better general health the past year.  I know this as he is still able to moan at me :) 

Michelle xx

My illustrations

As anyone who has ordered from me in the past will know, I love a good illustration. I use them to personalise my packaging, this blog and for promotional items.  The main ones I use most often are from the very talented Carly Watts, she has done the above blog images, as well as several others.  Love them so much.

After seeing the work of Kathryn Wilkins on another blog I knew I needed one done from her too, so I had myself and Neil in one (can be seen in previous post here) and I have just had one back of me and my beloved Dodge.  They are so cute and I can't wait to get them printed and hung up in my studio.  

I normally avoid posting photos of myself on here, mainly because I'm relatively shy and when a camera is aimed at me I hide and pull a weird face.  However I have just arranged a photoshoot for March where I will be showing of some JBJ products in a gorgeous pin up style scene!! So keep your eyes peeled for a real life image of me... but for now imagine me as a drawing.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend!!

Michelle x

A-X of Marvel

Saw this online and thought I had to share... can anyone name the characters in the Marvel alphabet :)

Michelle x

Still time

So there is still plenty of time to enter the competition, if we reach 150 followers on the blog (via GFC) I will add even more prizes to it! So get sharing with all your friends now :)

Happy Saturday 

Michelle xx

This photo has no relevance to the post, but I just think my dog is adorable so thought I would share.

Gift Guide - For Her

For those seeking the perfect gift for that very special lady this Valentine's help is here!  So take a seat, relax and have a look at my top picks for the fairer sex.

Picking the right card: HARD

A Valentine's card is a must have!  Don't fall foul of the dreaded last minute dash to get one, which can leave you looking like you don't care.  Cherry Rainbow offers a small selection of cute comical cards (see here) that will definitely send the right message to your loved one. (£2.50 each)

     

Show you Care-A-Lot

If your special friend was a child of the 80s what better way is there to show you care than with a Care Bears purse (£12.00).  This inspired choice will truly show how much she means to you; remember these adorable creatures live in the land of Care-A-Lot - is there a clearer sign that this is the perfect choice?

I 'oap you'll be my Valentine

A gift that she will surely adore is the Je T'aime bath and body gift set (£13.00).  It contains a gorgeous selection of love themed products that, just like the Love Cloud Creamer, are sure to make her melt.

For that foxy lady

If the lady in your life is a fashionista I'm willing to bet that she'd love the pink Fox Bag (£14.00).  It's super chic and a definite must have item, and like most things looks pretty in pink.

I hope this blog post has been a help in guiding you towards the perfect gift for your loved one this Valentine's.

Take care,

Neil x

P.S. Who needs cupid!

Bye...for now.

So tonight was the end of what has been a fantastic partnership, Christian has left Cherry which has left me feeling extremely sad.  He is a fantastic web designer and has helped evolve both businesses, and I will be lost without him.  The door has been left open, so anytime he wants back in he is welcome.  

So I would like to present the new header, almost the same as the last one except Neil is my right hand man.  I've now got the fun task of teaching him the ropes, hope he's a good student!!

He will be doing the next post, watch out for spelling and punctuation errors, he is a stickler when it comes to that so I always find it amusing when he messes up ;)

Night all, Michelle xx

Another Gemma Correll illustration to cheer me up