Showing posts with label leslieannemadeit. Show all posts
Showing posts with label leslieannemadeit. Show all posts

Twenty Four Days of Treats & Tiny Reminders!


Warning: Spoilers Ahead!

I mean, if you've clicked on the link to come to this post, then that's likely what you're looking for, but still, I'm warning you again, just in case you've changed your mind & want to back out and keep the treats in your advent calendar a secret surprise to enjoy each day!

(Or in case you've stumbled across this post some other way - if you don't want to see the contents of this year's Leslieanne Made It advent calendar - click away NOW!)

...nope? You really wanna know what's inside each little package? Alright then, here we go! >>>

EXCITING NEWS!

...Leslieanne Made It is re-opening!

I know the world is far from "normal" yet, but after much (much) deliberation, I have decided to re-open the shop - albeit on a slightly scaled back for ease of social distancing basis.

I'm going to be posting orders out ONCE a week until further notice (on Tuesdays) - the cut off for getting your treats in the weekly post bag will be 8pm on Monday.
(Also, please be aware that there might be slight delays in Royal Mail getting your packages to your door - those guys are HEROES, but obviously they're having to abide by their own safety measures too, so patience is much appreciated!)

Leslieanne's Lockdown Smile Stash Giveaway!

Hello lovely humans!
How are you all doing?

It's day 16 of quarantine/lockdown/stay at home club for my little gang and me, and we're doing okay 😊
As you might already know, I've temporarily closed the shop until things settle down, but I wanted to do *something* fun to keep things ticking over (and, real talk: help me pay keep making *some* income while the world is topsy turvy!)

So, allow me to present: Leslieanne's Lockdown Smile Stash Giveaway! 😀💛 or, #LMISmileStash for less of a mouthful on Instagram 😉

Closing down... for now!

As a small business owner, the idea of "shutting up shop" at all is basically terrifying, let alone doing so indefinitely; BUT, in light of all the Covid-Chaos; that's what I'm doing.

For as long as the UK remains in "lockdown", to minimise the risk to my customers, my family & myself, I have decided to close my virtual doors 😕

But it's not all bad!

I will be continuing to send Smiley Snail Mail as usual (it's much easier than orders to just drop in a postbox once a month), and I'm working on something else that should be fun too...

Also, I'll still be around on Instagram, I'll still be sending my Friday emails, and It's very likely that there will be more content than ever over on Patreon!

So it's not really even goodbye, it's just changing things up a bit, for a little while.

As soon as I can safely re-open, I absolutely will, and of course I'll keep you all updated along the way.

Take care gang, and if you can, STAY HOME!
💛 Leslieanne

This is a story all about how...

...Leslieanne Made It became what it is now!

March Meet The Maker, brainchild of the ever lovely Joanne Hawker starts again today - yay!

I love this challenge, because I always "meet" some new faces & get to know a bit more about some old favourites 😃

Day one's prompt is "story" & since I couldn't edit mine down enough for an Instagram caption, I decided to share it here on the blog instead ☺

Are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin!

Happiness is... Sweater Weather!

I switched my wardrobe around this weekend* - which sounds a lot grander than it actually is & ultimately means that I'm delighted to be reunited with all my cosy jumpers for autumn 😃

When it comes to the seasons, I'm very much a "love the one your with" kinda gal; they all have wonderful things to offer.

But, as much as I always mourn the end of summer & much as I miss those long light evenings and pretty floaty frocks, I have to admit that deep down, Autumn is my true love & does have a little edge on the rest of the competition.

Say Hello to Tenner Tuesday!

So, Tenner Tuesday - what's that all about Leslieanne?!

Well, it's a fun new thing I'm introducing to the Leslieanne Made It shop that I hope you're going to love!

Essentially, every Tuesday, there will be 10 boxes available, for £10 each.
What's in the boxes? That's the fun part!

The contents will change every week, but they'll always be bargains.
The full details of what's inside won't be announced until the boxes go live each Tuesday, but my mailing list subscribers will get a sneak peek on the Friday before, so make sure you're on there!

Keep Being Kind

...because kindness is cool & you are the coolest :)

Seriously though, do.
Keep being kind.
Even when other people aren't.
Even to grumpy people, because they probably need it more than most ;)

Be Kind was the first tiny reminder enamel pin I made & it's still one of my favourites, simply because I believe that kindness is a super power, that lets any ordinary person change the world, one tiny action at a time, and I think that's pretty magical, don't you? :)

Remember, there's lots more tiny reminders over on my Patreon page if you fancy a peek!

Stay on YOUR path to SUCCESS!

How many times have you looked at someone else & thought "I wish I was doing as well as them"? ...don't worry, you're not alone!

It's a natural human reaction to measure ourselves up against our peers, BUT! It's also a totally pointless exercise.

Someone else's success is NOT your failure.
THEY are working on their dream, YOU should be working on yours.

Okay maybe your goal is to achieve something similar to what they already have, that's fine - but don't get caught up in comparing where you are to where they are.You have no idea how long they've been at it, how hard they've worked... and most importantly - just because they've already got whatever it is you want, doesn't mean YOU can't have it too! Use their success as motivation & inspiration to show up, do the work & crack on with making YOUR dreams come true.

Keep Going!


If you'd like a postcard or sticker of this tiny reminder to keep, have a look at my Crush Comparison Collection - - - If you'd like to see more tiny reminders, check out my Instagram and/or add yourself to my email list :) - - - If you'd like to support my work, I'd be delighted to have you over on Patreon!


Think Happy Thoughts!

...never underestimate the power of a good brain dump!
Get aaalllll your thoughts out & down on paper, then filter through & ditch the ones that are doing you no good!
I chatted about my way of doing it in this letter but whatever works for you, DO IT!

Negative thoughts take up WAY too much room.
(You can grab a handy negative thoughts eraser here too!)

Let Yourself Be Happy In Advance!

...because you never know what good stuff is waiting around the corner!

This little guy is available as a postcard & a sticker as part of my Happiness Collection here, and you can also download him an instant here :)

Smiley Snail Mail is Changing!

Don't panic, it's still going to be a monthly dose of colourful happy thoughts, it's just getting a bit of a makeover...

Hang on though Leslieanne, isn't it only two months old? Well, yes. But as with most of the random ideas from my brain that I turn into *actual things*, I basically jumped in & went for it, planning, as ever, to learn & adapt as I went. That learning curve, plus some super helpful feedback from you lovely lot, has helped me decide to make changes sooner rather than later, as I believe they're going to mean more fun for you (& a slightly easier life for me!)

SO! From September, Smiley Snail Mail envelopes will absolutely still be colourful, decorated treats that come flying through letterboxes once a month, but they'll now contain:

- A double sided A4 letter from me, full of chatter, doodles, tiny reminders and other happy things.
- ONE A6 Postcard &
- ONE Jumbo (60mm round) sticker. ...all of the content will still be brand new, unseen & kept secret until it's sent.
*PLUS!*
On post day, everyone who has bought an envelope will receive an email from me with an exclusive discount code for 20% off EVERYTHING at leslieannemadeit.com, which will be valid until the end of the month you receive it.

(And yes, you can also use that code to grab the next month's envelope for £4!)
(And also yes, as long as you're on the Smiley Snail Mail List, you need never pay full price for LMI Brand treats again! Exciting!)

Sound Good? You can snap up your spot on the September mailing list here :)

So why the changes Leslieanne?
Well, the reasons are two fold...
Reason One: I had lots of messages from people who just wanted the letter, ie. the fun of treating themselves & receiving the snail mail, but who had no real use for so many postcards & stickers each month, so were reluctant to sign up.
The original focus of this project was about sending out smiles & positivity, so really, concentrating more on the letter than the extras makes a whole lot of sense!

With that in mind, the new-look Smiley Snail Mail is more about the simple joy of receiving the fun envelope & letter, it's more focused on the chatter, the happy thoughts & the doodles - (the way I actually wanted it to be before I got distracted with extras!)

Of course if you are a fan of sending snail mail as well as receiving it, and you do want to add to your sticker & postcard stash, you can use your monthly discount to do just that (and to snap up the next month's envelope for £4!), plus you will still receive one new postcard & a newly enlarged (?!) sticker in your envelope, so hopefully, everyone's a winner!

Reason Two: In the interests of transparency & keeping it real (as is my general way!), the old style contents took a l o n g time to design and pack up. I've had so much fun putting the envelopes together these last two months, and I have made a tiny profit in terms of costs vs revenue, but throw in the many hours of design time and packing envelopes? Not so much! (Honestly? My over enthusiasm to jump in & get started blind sided the biz-savvy part of my brain a tiny bit!)

The new style envelopes will give the time to make sure the quality of the content you receive stays high, and that my sanity stays in tact!

Phew! If you're still with me after that essay, THANK YOU! I hope you'll understand why I'm shaking things up a bit, and that you'll still be excited to receive colourful bursts of Smiley Snail Mail in the future!
As ever, your support means the absolute world to me - I literally can't do this fun stuff without it!

You're the best, and I'm so very grateful!



Smiley Snail Mail - A Handwritten Letter & Colourful Treats from Me to You!

Hands up if you love the (slightly retro) thrill of receiving good old fashioned post?
(The good stuff i mean, not bills or bank statements)

Me Too! Which is why I have started a new project over at Leslieanne Made It: Say hello to Smiley Snail Mail! 😀💌

Once a month, I'm going to fill up colourful envelopes with treats & cheer, & send them out into the world to make people smile! Want one? Keep Reading!

Make Time For Me Time (Or Y'know - YOU Time!)

'Me Time'. Sounds lovely doesn't it? Maybe a spa style bubble bath with candles and your favourite chillout mix playing... or binge watching a boxset with all the snacks... hiking up a hill and embracing the beauty of nature... indulging your creative urges... yoga... sweating it out in the gym? (I dunno, apparently that's how some people relax, I'm not here to judge.) ANYWAY! However you choose to fill it up, I think we can all agree that 'Me Time' is pretty important, right? So then why do so many of us make so little time for it?!

I know, I know. We're busy, we have commitments, there's work to do and people to see and only so many hours in the day. Long story short, we can't find time. Which is exactly where we're going wrong. We shouldn't be finding time, we should be making it.

Would you like a FREE hard enamel pin?

...of course you would right?

Well, there are a whole bunch of new pretties available in my shop this week, all packed full of pastel goodness ready to lift your spirits and (hopefully) welcome in some springtime joy too!

There are six brand new designs - three tiny reminders featuring my hand lettering (smile lots in yellow, be kind in pink and do your best in blue), a pretty in pastels daisy to remind you to 'Just Bloom', Larry the happy little smiley and a reworking of an old favourite - perfection is a myth.

My rose gold Happy Thoughts design is also back in stock by popular demand! (Thank you for that!!)

Aaand, to celebrate the new collection, there's also one other design which I haven't revealed yet - *but*, if you buy any three pins (your choice of old or new designs) before midnight on Sunday 21st January, I'll pop the mystery pin in your box too, absolutely free!

Soo, there's never been a better time to treat yourself really!
Hope you like the newbies - let me know your favourites!

2017 Year in Review & What's New for Leslieanne Made It in 2018?

Oooh there's nothing like a shiny new year to put this gal in the mood for getting organised & making plans! (Disclaimer: Any day, any time of year is of course good for all that stuff, but January just feels extra appropriate, right?)

2017 was a really exciting year for my tiny business; in that it got a bit less tiny, (it's still very small, but y'know, baby steps!) and started feeling like an actual *thing* rather than just a hobby that makes me a little bit of cake money. (There's still cake, don't panic).

It's all been a bit magical, but also sort of an unplanned rollercoaster; so this post, is basically me taking stock and planning ahead, in an effort to do a bit less winging it and a bit more intentional magic making...

Leslieanne's Ten Top Tips For Making Hard Enamel Pins

Are you an illustrator, designer, or other creative type, wishing you could turn your art into a lovely little hard enamel pin? Then read on!

At the beginning of the year, I hadn't made a single enamel pin.
I'd ummed and aahed and thought about it. I knew I wanted to do it, I'd sold lots of buttons, so I had the ideas and I was reasonably sure I'd sell at least a few, but I still over thought it all. A lot. (It's what I do!)

But, with the advice and encouragement of some wonderful creative pals, in January, I finally sent my first tiny design into production, crossed everything & thought good thoughts!

Since then, all of ^^^ these little pretties have happened, and I've had SO much fun finding my way around the pin making world!
To be honest, I still feel like a bit of a newbie, and I'm absolutely still learning, but it's going pretty well & I'm loving the learning curve. But it is a learning curve, which is why I decided to write this post - I am in NO way an expert, but if my experiences (and mistakes!) can help another artist make their enamel dreams come true, that'll make me a happy gal indeed!
So here we go, Leslieanne's 10 top tips for making enamel pins:

Twelve Days of Christmas Treats

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas... actually, it's not in our house just yet - the tree is still hibernating due to life getting in the way of my twinkly fun, BUT we have made it to a couple of Christmas Fairs & broken the seal on this year's mulled wine intake, so it's fair to say there's still festive cheer in the air!

Which is why I've decided to spread some of my own with Leslieanne's Twelve Days of Christmas Treats! From now until midnight on Friday 15th December, in celebration of all things advent & festive, there's 24% off all orders over £12 with the code TWELVEDAYS
And, everyone using that code will also receive a not so secret Santa gift from yours truly :)
Plus, each day, one item in the shop will be reduced to half price! (Keep an eye on my Instagram for clues and/or reveals ;) (or click here for the first bargain!)

Hope you're all easing yourselves into feeling festive too!




Black Friday: Yay or Nay?

Black Friday. Indie Friday. Cyber Monday. Shop Small. Shop Local...
There's been a LOT of chat on social media & in real life about these things lately, and as with anything people feel passionately about, there's been a bit of controversy here and there too.

I've seen small businesses fretting about not being able to compete with the big boys' offers, I've seen people being almost shamed by other makers for running their own Black Friday deals, as though they're 'selling out', then others having to justify themselves for not offering up discounts, as though they're letting their customers down by not 'joining in'. 
Ugh. It all makes me a bit sad to be honest!

For what it's worth, here's my take on the whole thing...

Forget Black Friday - It's Colour Me Happy Weekend!

* FOUR DAYS OF DISCOUNTS AND FREEBIES! 😀 * (from the comfort of your own home, jammies & a cuppa optional, but encouraged!)
...Unless you've been living under a secluded rock with no TV or wifi connection, you probably know what today is, right?
Uh huh, ...Black Friday is upon us once again.

Don't get me wrong, I am a gal who loves a bargain, but those inevitable photos that'll be in the 'news' later, of people scrumming and pushing and shoving for the sake of a cheap telly, sort of make me cringe.
Personally, I much prefer to get my shop on online at the best of times, and where sales are involved, it's definitely way more chill!

Anyway, what I wanted to tell you about, is * Colour Me Happy Weekend! * - my own little alternative to Black Friday Fever. As a tiny little one woman empire in the making, I can't throw around the giant retailer sized discounts, but there's something for everyone all the same!
Soo, from now until midnight on Monday 27th November, here's what's up for grabs...

Get 10% off EVERYTHING with the code CMHW10 ...or...
Get 15% off when you spend £10+ with the code CMHW15 ...or...
Get 20% off when you spend £20+ with the code CMHW20
PLUS! Everybody who places an order will find a surprise button tucked inside, AND everyone will also receive a FREE PDF file of my Stay Cosy Critters art print to print at home. (It'll be sent as an attachment to your dispatch email :)

Enjoy!

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