New year – While Darcey Sleeps

The One In Which It All Changed – And Got So Much Better

Hello again my lovelies! And here I am as advertised! It’s time to get a cuppa and find out all the excitement that’s coming your way in 2022!

But first the serious bit! Over the last few years I have got busier and busier, you have commissioned me to make – well everything! Here’s some of my faves….

Chair bunnies of a rabbit charity( wearing his top hat to look more in charge)

This has been fantastic but my poor arthritic hands and elbows have taken a hit, and I’ve been having steroid injections into joints to keep going .

Which is fine ( I have a lovely dr who does them) but not a situation that can continue forever.

So, from January I shall be limiting my commission orders to two per month and I’ll let you know when those spaces have been filled .

What happens if they don’t get filled?

For a start I shall be making stock for the shop and I shall be bringing you some of the designs that I keep promising, like this one….

Yes it’s a Christmas doll but I’ll be starting this in January 😉

And maybe more things you or your little ones can wear, like this ….

A little bunny hat – the new ones will be crocheted

Plus of course making things for Epic Bizzi Box like these …….

Let’s talk about paintings now, I have loved the commissions I’ve done this year, like these…….

I want to extend this part of my business this year, because it’s not quite as stressful on my joints, I shall taking more commissions and testing out whether I can paint some landscapes and flowers😊

While we are on the subject of testing, I have started doing some digital illustration …….

I’d like to try some portraits digitally and I will be looking for testers for these 😊

Finally, I am going to write a book! Welcome to Darcey’s Wood will come out next year, to be followed by Milo’s magical forest, both centring around the wood near our house!

I’ve actually got a free ebook coming out at the end of this month, here’s a sneak peek …….

Follow me on Instagram to sign up for a free copy!

Thanks for reading and I hope you are as excited as me for the New Year!

Kisses

Karen xx

Oh wait! There’s one more thing, there might just be a couple of ideas for subscription boxes on the boil, here’s the vision board so far….

Happy New year!!

Good morning! I thought I would pop in and wish you Happy New year! has 2017 been a happy year for you? the truth is that years contain everything, the highs and the lows, the ecstatic moments and the absolutely awful ones.

My year has been pretty much brilliant, my little business has gone from strength to strength. I have made friends and gathered more customers and we have had a blast.

I am sure you know that I am a huge fan of the mother of all drag artists RuPaul not only for his artistry but for his common sense advice – my favourite of which is that we should all find our tribe- the people with which we share values and goals and opinions. I am so lucky as I have most definitely found mine and they rock!!

It has not been a year without sadness, family members still facing health problems and my own health being a challenge have presented their all too familiar problems.

The loss of a little boy in our community and the continuing illness of a friends child make me angry and frustrated at the wickedness that is cancer.

I have just filed my tax return and I have increased my turnover by 56%. I couldn’t be prouder or more grateful for the support you all give me. I have huge plans for next year and hope that I can get out to fairs more often to see more of you in person.

This coming year will be a challenge for the Uk as a whole, I don’t think Brexit has worked out whichever way you voted. That is going to present its own set of a problems and it is in this atmosphere that we see the rise of extremism of every shape and colour. I hope that we can respect each other and resist the more hateful ideologies that are springing up.

So, in closing, my wish for us all is this – I think its a Buddhist prayer and I apologise if I have it wrong-

May you be safe

May you be happy

May you be free from harm

oh and may you find your tribe and love them as much as I love mine.

Kisses

Karen

and a big lick from these nutters xxx

Happy New Year!

Hello my loves! hows everybody head? I’ll try and keep it quiet 🙂 Here we are with a whole New Year, a slate wiped clean, 365 days of potential, 52 weeks to get all manner of things done……

or not.

We all know how easy it is to let life interfere with…well life, the one we want, the thinner, fitter, trendier, more successful life that we all dream of.

So Mrs know it all ( I hear you say) what can we do? I can only share one pearl of wisdom with you- plan, plan and plan again! get yourself a really lovely planner or notebook, there’s this one………

This pink Kikki K one is my hub for all things business related, I put my work schedule – what I am making on a week to week basis in there, I also jot down patterns and ideas and list materials, knowledge and tools that I need to get to make those ideas happen.

And this one………

This Daily Greatness journal is arguably the most powerful, its the one that makes you list things you are grateful for or the mindset that I want to channel for the day, it effortlessly lets you focus on being open to new things. It also allows you to set goals weekly, quarterly and for the year. Its expensive so I bought mine on Ebay!, here is

If you need any help with a positive mindset, why not channel this oldie but goldie from Nadiya Hussain from the Great British Bake Off…….

Does all this positive thinking and endless planning work? yes it does, but it’s not all pretty planners and positive thoughts. It’s sometimes about just keeping going, keep picking yourself up, keep trying to eat better, exercise more and make that business idea a reality. It’s perseverance and slog that gets the job done.

I shall be slogging away with you, even though last year was the most successful I have had, I shall be striving for more.

The materials I use will be upgraded……

There will definitely be more sparkle!

Every single item will be of my own design……

and each design will be refined, this bunny will be getting a backpack, big enough to hold some Easter chocolate!

I will start the process to ensure that all my makes can carry the child safety mark…..

This unicorn will be one of those both redesigned and tested for safety.

On a less serious note I will keep dreaming………

Because mostly every plan starts with a dream!

All that is left is to wish each and every one of you a 2018 full of love, health and happiness.

Kisses

Karen

Ps if you want to keep up to date on the daily goings on at While Darcey Sleeps HQ pop over to http://www.Facebook.com/whiledarceysleeps, there is also a handy shop now button that takes you through to my shop ( you can also commission a portrait through it!)

I’m Excited!!

Happy New Year, Bonne Annee, Buon Ano Nuevo, Frohes Neues Jahr, and last but not least Anni Beatum! can you tell which way I voted in June? anyway I’m a bit early, the New Year will start tomorrow and this girl is excited.

Why? because 2016 was kind of pants for the most part, various family members have been ill as I have I, more times than I care to mention! Also for me personally the big decisions that were made went the wrong way, what had seemed inconcievable – a UK no longer in Europe and that man as President became a reality, lets hope that the people at the sharp end can make all that work. Lets not even list the massively talented, clever and influential people that passed this year…

In the midst of all this craziness, good things happened, all the family members are better or well on their way and lots of good things happened to While Darcey Sleeps, and I made some changes……….

I have also taken time out over the holidays to do some personal projects, for the first time I have successfully knitted some lace…….

And a very easy hat…….

And now I’m knitting a flamingo…….

Professionally there will be some changes in the New Year, I will still be making cute but in an effort to differentiate from all the other talented people there will be more of a luxe edge, more sparkle, more glitter and maybe less traditional subject matter!

There will be lots of painting, and lots of practicing, my business took off very quickly and didn’t leave a lot of time to try new things, so that will be a priority.

There will be a few more giveaways so keep your eyes peeled, the first one is SOON!!

All that is left is to wish you the very happiest of New years and thanks for being a visitor to While Darcey Sleeps!

Made with Repix (http://repix.it) — Our CEO Darcey and Head Of Public Relations Milo

Kisses

Karen xxx

Save Or Splurge?

Ding dong merrily on high! who’s excited for Christmas? For me it literally is “the most wonderful time of the year”but it is also the most expensive time of the year!

In my family I’m known as a bit of a personal shopper, able to hunt out the best gifts and the unexpected at the drop of the hat, so let’s have a look at a few items that could be on your Christmas lists with a handy splurge/save option according to your available finances!

Perfume features high on a lot of peoples wish lists, the new perfume from Alexander McQueen really is something special……….

With notes of three night flowering blooms; Sambac jasmine, tuberose and ylang ylang, it is exotic and mysterious, and that my darlings is why this bottle will set you back £285! to be fair there are smaller bottles starting at £50.

So how about a save option? I am a super fan of the clever folks at Shay and Blue, this offering hits similar mysterious notes….

Atropa belladonna is inspired by deadly nightshade, with a heart of cassis berries, and notes of narcissus, jasmine and bourbon vanilla, it is a more pocket friendly £30 for 30ml.

How about a glamorous nail polish to see you into New Years Eve? let me present the most glamorous varnish on the market……..

Take a minute to breath in the exquisite design of the shoe designer Christian Louboutin, this is a bottle that deserves a place on your dressing table, but glamour comes with a price tag…£36 to be precise.

I’ll be honest kids, there isn’t a save option for this one,

however if cool polish is what you are looking for, look no further……

Soigne (translates as take care of) polish has up to 85% botanical ingredients, is free from the 5 carcinogens that can be in polish, is not tested on animals and is vegan friendly! hit their sale and you can grab a bottle for £4.80, it normally retails at £11.

While we are on the subject of New Years Eve, it is a great time to try the new trend of flat party shoes. If money is no object there is no better designer that Valentino for this new alternative to heels…

Yum! but at £615 it would give me heart failure to wear them!

Mercifully this is where ASOS rides in with these cuties……

Sorry for the screen shot but at least you have all the info!

Finally, and this might be a niche market, I have an obsession with decorations from bauble makers to the stars Bombki, their macaron set is a dream purchase……..

At £59… to be honest I don’t know if I would risk it, but thats ok because look what Anthropologie have……

These are currently in the sale at £18.20! and I like these a bit more!

Heres your links if you fancy purchasing any of the above or just want to admire from afar!

McQueen perfume from http://www.Houseoffraser.co.uk

Atropa Belladonna from http://www.shayandblue.com

Louboutin polish from http://www.selfridges.com

Soigne polish from http://www.soignnails.com

Valentino flats from http://www.selfridges.com

Asos flats from http://www.asos.com

macaron set from http://www.bombki.co.uk

macaron set from http://www.anthropologie.com

Thats all my goodies today and the next time I see you it will be one sleep until Santa!!

Kisses

Karen xxx

Clean Sheets For All Of Us

It has been freeezzinnggg at WDS HQ the last few days! Our lovely woods have been rendered Narnia like by the hardest of frosts, magically clean, white and sparkling.

Everything looked brand new,

And that’s what we get tomorrow a clean, sparkling new year, a year in which we can do everything or nothing, a year to go to the gym 6 times a week or once a month or never.

So when you write those New Years resolutions, remember if you don’t achieve them this year, you will get a whole new one on 1.1.16 and can try again. It’s not how many times we fail, it’s how many times we try.

Happy New Year

kisses

Karen

PS have you got any resolutions this year? Please share so far i have just made one to paint my nails more often!