weather

sorry guys...a touch under the weather at the momento....so i'm hoping to get lots of R + R today...so i'll be full of beans tomorrow for posting lots of goodies in the Sparky BigCartel shoppe!!

bye bye for now :: lil jj

guilty

Okay so i have been posting Sparky goodies everyday in the Sparky BigCartel shop...of which there is only.....6 days left!! Yikes!

anyways, i've been totally obsessed with watching 'Dexter' right now...like i just keep going..oh just one more episode, one more episode, just one more....and then lil jj is too sleepy to write a coherant blogpost: giggle!! Its weird coz the show kinda irritates me - like seriously its about a serial killer that knocks off the bad guys and gets away with it, and its graphic blood and guts and everything i can't stand.....and thats why i keep having to watch it!!! ahhhhhhhh

So have a look to the righthand side of this page, where is says....Sparky Jones @ BigCartel, click on that link...and then TA DA you can see all the new delicious characters i have added!!

Yes thats called cheating...but i call it inventive!!!
goodnight ya'll...just have to watch one more episode before bed.....
You guys like that with any shows??

What could it be??

DAY 19 uses these........

Interested ??....look here::

bye bye for now :: lil jj
ps....me + my new cameruka love taking snaps of close ups..can you tell??
(oh one last thing...the Sparky 'PoP Up' shop is only open for 10 more days!!!)

Gettin' a lil Busy

Sorry peeps - i managed to have a snooze on the couch before i could post DAY 18!! Opps...anyways, 'Levi + Coal' is a randomly retro and absolutely gorgeous!! This lil number is in shades of coal and apricot...with a brown polkadot appliqued cross, handstitching and a snippet of the label that once belonged to Levi's jeans(his long legs really helped in making the strap + body of this Busy!)

what i love about making Busy Jones ...is putting in welt pocket on the strap. I love love love making it a complete feature...a splash of random colour...the totally unexpected pocket!!! This pocket is lined in a kitschy koo koo giggling cabbages upcycled cotton
Appliqued or handstitched X's are definitely the Sparky signature(Ya'll don't be fooled by immitations!!)...they kinda remind me of a handmade stitch + OXO's...so ultimately you know that this lil character has been handmade + with a lotta love!!!
And i had to share a morsel of the coolest apricot curtain i have ever laid my hands on!!!...

Righto hope you all had a fantabulous weekend, mine was filled with lots of napping, so i would have more than enough energy for the next few weeks...its gonna be BUSY!!
So don't forget....the Sparky etsy store will be shut for a month..but the 'pop up' Sparky BigCartel shop is still open...until the 29th feb!!!
bye bye for now :: lil jj

Sparky goodness

All in the name::
So Sparky Jones is like my sparky alter ego (which i'm pretty sure lies within most of us, especially the creative peeps!) So when i get fired up about something...watch out - i turn into this little firecracker, i gear it up to mission mode + i don't stop 'Sparkying' until i'm done......and in the end getting into this sparky-crazed zone/coma...usually helps me to achieve much goodness!!!!
So what got me all fired up this time??
Well i went to post a package of 3 earrings (currently available here) and with the cost of the shipping....well i'd be making a $2 profit...which infact wouldn't even able me to put that money back into making some more earrings. So what was my response??? 'You've got to be kidding!'....so i snatched my package up and started busying on making a bomb proof box of perfect dimensions ! So when i was finished, i marched back down to the P.O and when i got to the counter.....'all i want to know..is this going to fit through the magic slot'(the magic slot are these dimensions that are the bain of most online sellers exsistance!) She slid it through no problems....and i think we both cheered and i walked out as one happy camper - maybe even skipping!!
But the funny thing was...to make this most perfect box..i actually pulled out my Art school supplies and had a blast. So i think this perfect package of goodies will be going into my new Spring Collection!! But i think i might post some here as a special treat for DAY 16 +DAY 17.....yeppers they might be a few extra bucks than the other ones....but you get a classy lil handmade by moi box....and free shipping. This package would be the perfect lil gift or back-up pressie for the friend/sista that has everything!!

bye bye for now ::lil jj

Banshee Thursday

So what is 'Banshee Thursday'?? well that would be me today !!!
Yeppers right about now- i'm exhausted!!! and why...coz i feel like i have been yelling + screaming all day at ONE WHITE fuzzy mutt, actually today i thought...well i bet i know what its like to have naughty little triplet boys...'no don't do that, stop pulling at me, get that outta your mouth,put that down, stop attacking that dog, NO NO NO....WHY ISN'T ANYONE F&%# ing LISTENING TO ME!!!!
Infact this is the precise meaning of the word ::
ban·shee =
(in Irish folklore) a spirit in the form of a wailing woman who appears to or is heard by members of a family as a sign that one of them is about to die.
Which actually made me giggle A LOT!!! So when my beau called, i was frazzled to say the least....until he told me to look in secret spot coz Indie (fuzzy satan) had written me a card to say he was sorry + he really did love me!!!
And speaking of cute...here's a sneaky look at DAY 15:: You know what, i've got to say, she is oddly gorgeous...peeps in the real that have seen her...are like ' Oh thats not the hat for me!' until they try her on....'oh well actually i look pretty good in this hat' a little gem in disguise!!!anyways i'm thinking its going to be a good day tomorrow...so happy blissful friday everybodies!!! bye bye for now :: lil jj

Big day for the Okanagan

Holy diner was there ever a buzz around the Okanagan today!! well probably all over BC, infact probably all over Canada!! Everybody's excited and tuned in the the 'Ellen Show' @ 11 am. I had to scoot over my my besties to watch (we don't have a TV which is great is so many ways, and makes it a supa big thing to watch the vision box on special occasions)
You see this crazy loveable kid we know, 8 years back had the most terrible accident doing what he loved, and as a result, is now a paraplegic. But he is one of those rare few people who chose to shine and achieve much goodness + greatness after such adversity. So watch the link below, and you'll understand what i mean!!

Vernon Morning Star - Vernon Paralympian Josh Dueck to appear on Ellen show

and meet the juicy lil character DAY14:: Bubblegum + Mint
A quick snap shot of my morning!! Goodmorning sunshine i love what you do to me::giggle!!
bye bye for now ::lil jj

a day for the loved!!

Ahhhh Valentines day - not just a day for couples i say!! A day for the LOVED!! and lucky for each + everyone of us...thats applicable (i mean it could be your dog, your neighbour, your kid, even your bank/creditors - something out there loves you and thats GREAT so lets eat chocolate!!!)
So before my beau went away - he stocked me up with some V day goodies.....i think there are some crumbs left at the bottom of the box as of today....i couldn't help myself, they were calling my name - it was torture...and hells chocolate taste great with your morning coffee what can i say!!

So what did i do on this international day of being loved..well i bought some totally vintage fabric which i think i should totally make old fashion hankies out of ! Ate some chocolate, read a Martha magazine ( note:: this addition has great recipes and good crafty stuff), got myself a burger, and me and the dogs watched a chick flick!!!! A totally romantic night although it was sans beau!
And hey have a look at Day 13!!! Ain't they both loveable!!

Righto thanks everybodies for sending some comments and thoughts...its been a great help + thought provoking!!! thumbs up to you guys!!!

happy v day!!

bye bye for now :: lil jj

Sparky update + forecast 2012

Righto - well i have had a million things going on in my head for the last few months, so i thought it was about time leak some informations out!!
First of all - gots to say not much has been going on in my Etsy shop of late due to my trying to work on designing new some new goodies + working on the Sparky business plan , so sorry about that...but i thought that january/february would be a great time for doing that stuff, as its usually pretty quiet
Second on the list of news, is i decided to open up a 'Pop Up' shop with BigCartel for a whole month...just as i like to live on the edge:::giggle....have a bit of fun, have a crazy assignment for a month (giving yourself assignments is a great way of getting out of the february blues - which i always seem to suffer from...ahhhh gloomy winter!) I'd also wanted to take BigCartel for a test drive too...its pretty cool actually, shows a lot of information about #visits to your shop and products - and its supa easy to use...so if ya not a techno geek like me, thumbs up!!

Anyways to concentrate on what i need to for the year ahead - i'll be closing my ETSY SHOP this SUNDAY 19th FEB....so in like 6 days - for a whole month!! The 'POP UP' shop will still be open, as ....well i need to make some room in the Sparky HQ's for some new goodies, and what better way to do that than have a sale!!

And lastly i want to tell you about the Sparky forecast...i'm giving myself a goal of one year and at the end of the year i will either keep the Spark alive, or have complete satisfaction that i gave my dream a shot + tick it off my bucket list (life is really too short ain't it!). Being in business i'm going to be honest, is bloody hard!! To be creative when you are stressed out is not so easy, to beat yourself up comes quite naturally(mentally that is!), to do things the hardway many times before you learn the better way is frequent and to compare yourself/products to others is a daily thought!! (i love etsy, but etsy is really bad for that!) So why am i telling you all of this...well i think its really important to show people that you are actually human !!

So as i am giving myself one year to have 'here's a great product' and turn it into a better fantabulous flourishing business (think i want to be better than great, like kinda famous, but not pompus and arrogant like)...
but i might need to some help - so tell me what ::
-you think could be done to achieve that
-what works for your business
-what you see could be fine tuned a bit
-is there anything missing
-what products you love most

and most of all....be honest!!...if you don't want t0 leave a comment on my blog..you can always send me some mail me over at :: jemima@sparkyjones.ca

righto sorry about the long long post...i told ya i had a lot on my mind!!!
bye bye for now:: lil jj
ps:: its really late now...might have to post a goody in the 'POP UP' shop tomorrow - opps!!!

'Little Euca'

ahhh 'Little Euca', a little wallet named after the splendiferous Eucalyptus...or more commonly known as the australian gum tree!!! Funny how every time i go home to Australia, thats the thing i notice most is the trees, where as peeps there probably don't even look twice at em'!
Guess you appreciate things a lot more when you don't have em right!!!
anyways do be sure to check out the Sparky BigCartel shop, as it will only be open for the month of february!!! (i just wanted to open like a POP UP Store that had awesome little goodies for a pretty nice price! - might do it again, its kinda fun!)

Anyways make sure you visit my blog tomorrow...there is going to be some NEWS and updates and gossip and i want you to leave some comments!!! okay!!
bye bye for now :: lil jj

take a Tour... on DAY 10

How fabulous is the colour CITRON !! Mmmm i love that its so so vibrant and so fresh you can almost taste it (and very spring like....come on spring come to mama - imma ready for you !!!). And another thing i am totally ready for is a good bike ride - to get the heart rate up, the legs a pumpin and the fresh air into my stale wintery brain cells. I've been trying to ride Nelly (my old fashioned cruiser, in none other than my favourite colour of course - to the HQ's but skinny tires and icey roads have proven not to be a good combination). So instead i simply must drive my beau's nice clean + um fancy to me vehicle whilst he's away....YiPpy !!! My car is currently called the death trap or scrap metal - but thats another story!! So back to the hat.....'Tour de Paris'...inspired by...i'll give you a clue...tour de .....rhymes with pants....yeppers you got it FRANCE!! I had been wanting to make a biking looking hat for a while, so all i needed was the perfect colour that evoked energy + adrenalin, a racing stripe of course and a touch of kitsch to give it the Sparky flare....and voila!!
righto better go..its saturday night and i have a hot date with my PJ's!! enjoy your relaxing sunday everybodies!!
bye bye for now ::: lil jj

Sweet thing

Well my supa sweet Mr has left for work again....can't believe he was home for 2 weeks, just seemed to fly! But the pressure is really on for when he comes home next...coz its going to be his birthday month + i have to top what he did for mine - as he only gets a real birthday every 4 years ... which means planning, a lot of thought and making coffee every single morning! errrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
Anyways also on the topic of sweet things is DAY 9:: Turf + Teals.....yeah she was in the etsy shop a while back...but she's got a face lift (ie.random and gorgeous total kitsch purple button!) and she's on for a real steal!!
She is lined in an upcycled floral cotton in a beautiful ' retro royale' colour...whats that colour you ask?? Well it seems to be becoming one of my newest favourite colours and i needed a catchy classy name for it + what else is great about it :: IT's an all season colour - (enter cost effectiveness and thoughtfulness for consumers ..i've been learning a lot about fast fashion lately and Sparky, thanks goodness does not fall into this catergory and inspires me to make more and more conscious decisions about my production + products
EXIT rant = anyways this colour is totally unexpected for moi as blue is not one that attracts me easily, but perhaps i'm entering a new phase of life or something

So happy weekending everybodies!!
bye bye for now :: lil jj

7 + 8 = awesome!!!

Here we go....DAY 7 is a supa cutie hat that everyone loved.. 'Hunter Greys'. A very yummy grey tweedie number in a size medium - adorned with an appliqued corduroy cross, lil button and loads of character!!! He is just a perfect accessory coz you can totally dress him up or down...come to think of it...what a great travelling companion!!( for moi, travelling hair - ain't pretty!!)
and what about DAY 8 ::: Betsy Jones earrings are back finally!!! They are in the Sparky etsy shop for good YipPy!!! - and for a supa deal in the Sparky Bigcartel shop!!

Now that whole experience was an awesome Businessing learning lesson!! I had ordered buttons from my usual company and waited waited waited...nothing - they never arrived!! Apparently they wouldn't be getting them in for another 3 MONTHS!! Hello might want to tell your customers that a bit sooner!!! So the hunt was on for another supplier. And thanks goodness for friends in the crafty community.

The moral of the story is:: in business always have a back up plan/supplier and order well ahead of time !! (my new system is to divide goodies in half, so when you have gone thru the first half..TIME TO ORDER MORE!!) - i mean i probably could do that sorta stuff on the computer but that really ain't my style :: giggle!!

bye bye for now :: lil jj

sunshine + lemon

Today just happens to be DAY 6 !!! And its a touch gloomy here, so i thought i'd add a lil sunshine in the form of ' Lemon Delight'.......full of zesty goodness, with upcycled snippets of yellows, labels, vintage lace + denim. And lets not forget that random BIG kitschy purple button!!!
and that inside ::: kinda reminds me of lemon meringue!! Now let this be a lesson...never leave home without a mini mirror - they can really be quite handy!!!

Best get going...i just so happened to do some coffee shooters today on my lunch break as a part of a coffee promotion at local supermarket....seemed like a good idea at the time, until NOW and the heart palpitations!!

bye bye for now :: lil jj

FIVE minutes till bedtime

Okay so i'm a nod away from bedtime...so i'm just squeezing in my homework totally last minute!!

Hello DAY FIVE !! I only had a morsel of this Victorian styled floral - so i had to use it very effectively!!! And the rest of the colours ...vintage mustard + teal...just seemed to want to be part of this hat too!!!
A classy number for any broad that is a love-r of the vintage look ::: just like MOI (don't ya just love pearls for that fact)
you can have a look over HERE too!!
one last thing...this hat is a size large....so please measure your noggin carefully as it is a final sale item!!
bye bye for now ::lil jj

Strong like Sequoia

Hello Sunday and Hello Sequoia!!
This lil guy gets me excited for the spring!! Made all in colours of those luscious things we call leaves + moss that we haven't seen for a lil while in these parts...Thanks goodness the snow has disappeared for a while and the sun has appeared here + there .......giving all a good dose of that happy vitamin D
This supa sturdy lil wallet was inspired by the Sequoia tree - so ain't it just perfect that he's been lined in a bark brown upcycled cotton and has a BIG sprucey coloured button !!
Have a look in my new SHOP at some more pics!!
hope everyone had a fantabulous weekend...mine was pretty chilled out which is perfect coz i have a jam packed week ahead....more designing, creatin' + making a bloody big mess!!! YiPpy !!

Lettuce

Lettuce ... have some fun this month!!! (that is a joke my beau would have made up....so lamo its funny!!) I'm having a complete blast with my new BigCartel shop, for some reason it just feels like a whole lotta fun and its given me an exciting mission for the whole MONTH!
So today i posted ' Iceberg + Lettuce' in the SHOP......she is supa healthy and quite delicious as she is made up of leafy greens, an Iceberg lettuce button + 'pure as the driven snow' iceberg white zip to keep it in the theme!!
I have a few more photos of her HERE if you'd like to have look.
And might i just tell you guys...the birthday week is still going strong!! My beau through me a bit of a suprise party!! yeppers we were going out for a 'romantic eating dinner whilst watching a musician' night.....and we get there and all of my favourite peeps are sitting at my table!!! So a great night filled with friends music, giggles + daffodils. The musician was a complete stoner, but that kinda made the night even funnier + better in a way!!
bye bye for now ::: lil jj

DAY TWO:: valentine me red

Yeppers you've probably seen this lil number before in the shop!! Well i guess i stashed 2 away for a rainy day...so i thought - okay well this hat is totally me...red (i always try and wear red when in business mode...so that peeps identify Sparky Jones easily..like at craft shows n' the like), its out there different(like you won't find a hat like this at walmart!)....and its heavy on the cheeky!! So i shall post one in my new shop....and keep one for MOI!!
unfortunately my beau is going to be away for Valentines day, but at least i'll have a cute outfit to keep me in the spirit!! Might even have to wear my red heels to complete the look!!! SHaaaaaaaaawing!
Anyways don't forget to look in my new SHOP !!

its.....BIRTHDAY WEEK~MONTH!!!

Yeppers its that time of year again - MY BIRTHDAY!!!! for most peeps its a day, but for me...i like to turn it into a birthday week...and when that week passes...i like to turn it into a birthday month!!! Thats right a whole month of treating myself, getting spoilt and therefore 'high vibin' - sounds pretty good hey!!
Anyways, as i might have mentioned before, lots of things are happening over here at the Sparky HQ's....i'm working on some new products, looking at new avenues for Sparky and revampin the ol' boring Business plan - so that Sparky can go from plain great ...to absolutely Fantabulous.
And to make a start on that...and considering its my BIRTHDAY month....i thought i might check out this BigCartel that everyone is talking about - open a shop - and then post one product a day, in that shop for a supa dupa spectacular price...for THE whole month!!
so say hello to DAY ONE::

an OOAK upcycled 'Citrus + Stone' Waste Wonderful wallet

she is made of 3 gorgeous textures.....wool, silk + canvas, and one totally kitschy-delicious dried apricot coloured button
Mmmm a chocolatey tweedy back
the inside has a pocket made from a Sparky Jones label, to hold your numerous library cards(giggle) + the rest of the wallet can hold ya girlie neccessities.

So remember to look in my new 'BigCartel' SHOP everyday for some nice treats + yummy eye candy!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY EVERYBODIES!!!

Bye bye for now :: lil jj