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

Gift Guide - For Him

Cherry Rainbow and Jelly Button are both geared towards the females HOWEVER have you checked out the new card holders yet? They're  perfect for that male loved one this February 14th.

The majority of the new 80's range are uploaded, just a couple more to go but you can find them here, love them all, but I have selected a few of the ones suitable for boys to show you!! 

I am also available to create custom Frames/Keyrings from Jelly Button, so if you want something email ASAP to avoid disappointment.

Remember there is still time to enter the giveaway, just scroll down to find the entry form!

Stay safe in the snow!!

Michelle xx

Hello!

It would seem that the world is slowly turning in to a winter wonderland, which is the perfect excuse for me at least to stay at home, curl up and keep warm.  Perhaps it's also the perfect time for me to introduce myself.  My name is Neil and as you may know already I hold the privileged position of being Michelle's bestie!

We first met many moons ago when both of us where much younger and a little doe-eyed.  We worked together in a large, and rather well-known, department store.  Michelle worked on the shop floor and sadly I was but a lowly stockroom boy.  As fate would have it we also attended the same college; however, as Michelle is three months younger than me – a fact she points out regularly – she was in the year below me.

Unlike most friendships ours really began after a dreaded work's night out; since then we've been bosom buddies, which leads us nicely to our current predicament where I am now her business partner in Cherry Rainbow – that's right we've made it official!

As far as the business goes I know with Michelle on side it will undoubtably be a success, like most things she puts her mind to.  To be honest we all love a bit of kitsch, and I'm the same.  My favourite product picks of the moment have to be the card holders.  If you like me have ever visited London you'll know how essential an Oyster card holder is, and with retro styles and classic 80s/90s themes these card holders are a must!

Well I hope you've enjoyed my first post, which hopefully won't be my last.

Take care,

Neil x

It's a new dawn, it's a new day...

So as you may notice looking to the top of the header.... I am alone. Well in the business sense, my partner Christian decided to leave the business. It is a devastating loss as he not only is a fantastic web designer but a great person to work with. 

This left me with several dilemmas, do I keep the website I'm not very good at using or downgrade to a more simplistic Big Cartel store (like Jelly Button.) Well for now the decision is to keep the existing store open (it is now back working again) and there is a Lite store (on Big Cartel with minimal products to ensure even more people find the site)

 I now need to introduce the new other half to Cherry, my best friend Neil :) Anyone that follows on Instagram would have seen his face a million times before. Even before this happened I had decided on getting him a little present to show how much I love him, he has been a fantastic support with me through all the struggles recently, and here it is. I am intending to have it printed and framed but couldn't wait to show him in the meantime. If like me you prefer illustrations over photos I would completely recommend heading over to the blog of Kathryn Wilkins, she is a fantastic painter and love what she's done (I've already commissioned another pic of myself and my pug) 

Hope he likes :)

I will now let him introduce himself and jump into the crazy word of blogging and working with me

Michelle xx

New competition

Today I have booked a space in a local sweet shop to display products for both Cherry Rainbow & Jelly Button, I'm so excited and can't wait till March when I set it up!  Whilst on my travels to sort this out I decided to purchase some bits to add to the newest competition.  Since the last one was so successful we have wasted no time in arranging the next.  It contains a fantastic selection of goodies with an estimated RRP of over £150!  Not only will it include stock from both shops but a retro sweetie hamper, lipglosses from high end brand Philopsophy, perfume from Claudalie, and tonnes more!! To keep some bits a surprise for that lucky winner I haven't photographed everything, so not only will you get everything in the below photo but EVEN MORE.

Now I've told you the good news time to break the bad... the website is experiencing a few problems meaning we won't be able to upload new products until it's fixed :(  but they are so amazing I'm sure it's worth the wait!

Good luck with the competition!!

Michelle & Christian xx

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Upcoming Events

I'm sure I will be listing plenty of these within the next few weeks but for now this is one I definitely want to do.  I hope everyone in the Manchester area will be popping down! For more information go here, and hope to see you there in March.

P.S The site is experiencing a few technical issues (that are driving Christian mad - grumpy pants) but hopefully the new products will be on tonight!! Argghhhh I'm so excited! If you click on the Instagram link to the right there are some sneak peaks on there!

Michelle & Grumpy Pants Christian

xx

Busy times ahead

So this year has seen me making lots of new plans, I will soon be renting shop space for products off both websites, I am in talks with people about arranging a craft fair, I've inquired about holding a stall at Manchester Christmas Markets, I'm in talks about arranging a photo shoot AND I've been booked to do another birthday party class for 12!!

In addition I have a list as long as my arm of new stockists I want for Cherry Rainbow, and a box of new products that need photographing for Jelly Button.  There is not enough time in the day, but now I'm just about saying good bye to the viral infection I'm full of motivation!!

I've not really got any pictures to share today, but found this when browsing other blogs (sorry I can't remember the original link but if you know it please message me and I will add)  Anyone who shares a love for Walter White like me will appreciate it :)

 

Finally what do you think of the new blog...Christian has made the contact me buttons all rainbow coloured AND added a different background.  He's a clever little sausage isn't he.  I will let him do a post about some other computer type stuff he's been doing!!

Michelle xx

And the winner is.......

Drumroll please...........

The winner is Jessica Cherry, she has been emailed and the prize will soon be on its way to her (her name was a happy accident but maybe it's fate)

In business news I have spent hours scouring over potential new stockists,  now we just need you to place some orders so we can pay for the new products.  Exciting times ahead!!

I don't want to give too much away but you can expect baby clothes, prints, notepads and lots more new stuff, this is a sneak peak of my first choice of stock to order (mainly because myself and Christian both want one each for ourselves!!)

Michelle xx

Fox Bag is making friends with celebs

I've raved about the fox bag for ages now, I love mine and get so many compliments but FINALLY the celebs are getting in on the action too.  The lovely Fearne has been spotted wearing our gorgeous bag.

 

Doesn't she look fantastic! 

Get yours for a bargain £14 NOW

or try your luck winning one in the competition

Michelle & Christian xx

New Products on the way....

Happy Thursday!!

Excitement kicked in last night when we got the confirmation the New Products for Cherry Rainbow are on there way.... 

We love receiving new products and we know you love buying them so here at Cherry Rainbow we like to update our product range as often as possible. 

To give you a hint or general idea of the range of new products coming to Cherry Rainbow next week, we will ask one question...... Have you watched any 80's (Old School, Retro) cartoons this month?

Well we did and we loved them!! So much in fact we thought we would theme our next batch of new products on them :) 

New Card Holders, Purses, Wallets all on their way next week, so keep an eye out on the blog, our Facebook page and Twitter for the Launch Date!! 

Here is a teaser for you: 

Love Michelle & Christian xx

Creme Egg & Spiders Bum

I've been relatively poorly recently and thought I would share something that makes me smile, how cute is this picture from Gemma Correll.  I first got into her work from her pug pictures, which i'm sure everyone has seen, and now follow her on Facebook just to see what she creates next.

Now you know what cheers me up here is something that will hopefully cheer you up... an extra item in the giveaway!!  I made this Creme Egg necklace today and posted the pic on Jelly Button Facebook, after the amazing response I've decided to add one to the competition that it currently running (see here).  Sorry for the rubbish picture but the lighting is terrible in the studio in winter.  Make sure you enter the comp and please share with all your friends, supporting our small businesses means the world to both myself and Christian.  The more orders you place means the more new stock we can get!! 

Love and lemsip (I'm poorly remember)

Michelle xx

Whats In My Bag - Fox Special

I've seen similar blog posts doing the rounds, where you get a sneak peak in somomes bag, I've decided to show mine.  A lot of people assume that because the fox bag is only quite small that aside from a phone, purse and keys nothing else will fit...how wrong you are.  

In mine I can cram an A5 moleskin notepad, chunky diary, purse (yes I have pinched bought one from Cherry Rainbow stock) pen, pack of highlighters (even the most boring paperwork looks better when highlighted in pink) antibiotics (cough, cough I'm poorly please feel sorry for me) Kindle, business card holder, mirror, lip balm, keys AND FINALLY my phone (you may notice the case is empty, the phone was in my hand taking the photo!  I have hidden the crumbs, empty chocolate wrappers and receipts, but nobody needs to see those ;)

Now you know just how much can fit in this adorable bag, you can head over to the website here to buy one for yourself, or try your luck at winning one in the competition!!

Love Michelle xx

Monday Blues

After all the fun of Christmas I'm guessing everyone is back to normality now, however fortunately for me my day job is AMAZING (sorry to rub it in).

 Today whilst nursing a viral infection I have stuck to the computer based side of the sites and sorted out the hairbands on JBJ. Since there is a maximum of 300 products on the site I have condensed all the headbands to one product, with the other of tonnes more fabrics. What do you think of my computer skills, in future I will leave that to Christian, but hes been busy sorting out the adverts to hopefully draw lots more readers and customers to both sites.

 Another quick reminder if you haven't already entered the competition is now OPEN, click here to enter. 

 Take Care Michelle xx

Competition Time

You all seem to be reading the blog but none of you are following us yet :( since the only way a small business like Cherry & JBJ can succeed is through you spreading the word we thought an incentive may help.

We are giving away one of the super popular fox bags AND the adorable floral purse, all you have to do is use the form below to enter :)  If you are too eager to wait for the competition to end you can buy them from the site NOW.

Good Luck!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

So far so well...

Turns out that having two of us posting has meant we're doing pretty well at this blogging lark!!  I thought I would take this opportunity to do a quick hello and intro into myself.  I am Michelle, the left hand illustration and the one that has the slight obsession with sweet themed products.  I have run Jelly Button for the past two years, and after wanting to expand my product range I decided to come on board with the fantastic (he didn't pay me to say that honest) web designer Christian.  He is the one who takes control of all the computer side of the business, building websites, creating leaflets, posters etc and I do all the making, picking out stock and teaching him how to wrap parcels just right!

This year I'm hoping both businesses do great, with the help of all the fantastic customers that buy from us, so will take this opportunity to say THANK YOU for your orders in advance! We have some exciting new products coming soon, the bracelets have just gone on sale on JBJ and here is a sneak peak of an exciting 80's cartoon range coming to Cherry! 

Enjoy! 

Michelle xx

Got an Oyster Card? Need a Card Holder?

So with the increased amount of Oyster Cards now used across the UK and expanding all the time, we thought New Fun and Quirky Card Holders would be ideal !!

We have four fun themed Card Holders on the site currently but will be getting some new ones in during the next few weeks, 

a lot more in fact :)

 If you have a particular favourite theme you would like to see for the Purses/Wallets/Card Holders/Passport Covers e.g. Favourite TV Programme, Food, Character etc. let us know and we will try our best to produce this for you !!  

Please email hello@cherryrainbow.co.uk if you have any questions.

Have a great day!!

Love Michelle & Christian xx

Want to learn how to make your own jewellery?

After receiving daily emails from people enquiring as to where I buy the components to make jewellery, what brands I use, or even as cheeky as to ask exactly how I make it I have decided to share my secret...

Ok maybe not, but if you are interested I teach a course at Ministry of Craft in Manchester City Centre.  In this 3 hour class you learn the basics of how to create your own Jelly Button masterpieces.

This class is perfect for all ages, I have taught men, teenagers, the more mature and even had a class of ten boisterous 12 year old girls that had a specially arranged course for a birthday party.  If you are interested in booking a place be quick because they sell out, if jewellery isn't your thing they have a fantastic selection of other crafts.

The next class arranged is for Feb so take a look now :) or if you are interested in a birthday party with a difference feel feel to contact them at info@ministryofcraft.co.uk

Michelle xx

Happy New Year!

Well it's that time of year again when everyone makes promises to eat healthier, do more exercise, take better care of themselves etc, I hope whatever goals you have set yourself you stick to and make 2013 a great year!!

Here at Jelly Button HQ my goal for today is to sort out lots of stock to create a sale section, I find using diaries, to do lists and calenders are fantastic for sorting out what needs to be done on a daily basis.  To help you on your way I have found an adorable set of FREE printable mini calenders, they are super cute and I can't wait to print a set to decorate the walls with.  To find the templates and an array of other printable goodies head over Eat Drink Chic, this fantastic site is top on my bookmarked pages now.

Have a great start to the year!!

Love Michelle & Christian xx