Vivid

New Products: You Are Spectacular!

2012-02-25T17:49:00.006Z

I think you are spectacular!

So much so we designed these two new cards just for you!

Yup, our newest illustrated cards have been inspired by our favorite people. We even designed them as mini works of art, meaning you can give someone spectacular a card to celebrate their greatness and they can stick it on their wall forever so everyone will know it.

Clever, huh? Just like you :)

That's The Spirit!

Also new to the shop is our That's The Spirit card. We love a good double entendre and a little fifties twist on things so we couldn't resist creating this cheeky number!

Let's raise a glass to celebrate...

Thank You. Thankyouverymuch.

Finally, we wanted to create a thank you card which showed appreciation in a stylish way. Who better to take inspiration from than the King Of Rock N Roll?

Remember, tasteful manners rock!

Spectacular Geek Stationery Set

We also created these two spectacular gift sets for the store...

The first is perfect for any geek who loves to take notes, make lists and doodle all day long. At under £10 it makes a great little treat for your favorite person without breaking the bank...

It contains our geek glasses card, lined sticky notes and our set of engraved pencils stating 'Feeling Notey', 'Yeah, Write' and 'Words Are For Nerds'

If you cant beat 'em, join 'em!

Vintage Tea Party Lover gift set

Our second gift set is for the ultimate vintage tea party lovers.

Our set contains our wing tipped glasses card, our 'Hello Cupcake!' lunch bag and our 'Whisk Me Away' cotton canvas tote bag. Our simply adorkable set is ready to take your favorite sweet treats out on the town. Tasty and stylish, just add the frosting!

We hope you love our new products, because we think you are spectacular!

Visit our shop for more treasures

Alexandra Burke!

2012-02-24T20:17:00.004Z

Singer Alexandra Burke is now the new owner of Vivid stationery!

*Snap up here*

We were given the opportunity to give out sets of our stationery to a couple of stars who are going on the ITV programme That Sunday Night Show and we are delighted to share that Alexandra is the first of our recipiants!

We love Alexandra's Bad Boys pop track and are super excited by the concept of her sending our retro cards to one of her hot boys! Pretty awesome, right?

Be sure to tune in to the show this Sunday at 10pm where she will be on with comedians Kevin Bridges and Frank Skinner...what a great line up :)

We will update you with who the second lucky celeb is next week...

In the meantime, you can grab your very own set here. Get 'em before they're gone!

Andy Warhol's Polaroids

2012-02-23T09:45:00.001Z

Wow.

These portraits of Debbie Harry and Liza Minelli were taken in the 70s by pop art father Andy Warhol. Ever wondered what he used to capture such stunning images? A Polaroid camera of course!

Yup, using a Polaroid Big Shot, Warhol snapped these iconic women and used the images to create his stunning silkscreen prints. It just goes to show that it's all in the eye and not in the equipment...

This year celebrates the 25th anniversary of his death, and it's not hard to see why his work is so iconic. Where would the art world be without his Marilyn paintings? Or his Campbell Soup Cans? Having studied Warhol since I was a young teen, I have to admit that his work has inspired me through many creative droughts. If you are ever stuck on what to make, just sit back and think: What Would Warhol Do?

Experiment, make a mess, eat your lunch and turn it into art.

Do something 'Warhol' today to celebrate his influence on the world as we know it.

Warhol's Polaroid images will be exhibited in the Danziger Gallery in New York.

If you can't make it there, learn more about the man himself here.

Wordless Wednesday

2012-02-22T08:46:00.002Z

DIY: How To Make Crayon Monsters

2012-02-21T10:00:00.000Z

Whoa! Check out our new pencil case friends!

Today we are showing you how to turn your crayons into these little monsters...

All you will need is some crayons, some cans of pop cut in half and a chocolate or silicone mold.

Crayola crayons are the best for this project as there is less plastic in them, making them easier to melt. Other kinds will be fine, just bake a little longer.

You will need the tin cans to melt the crayons in as you don't want the wax to go everywhere! You can cut these open using a sharp kitchen knife, but be careful and take your time. It is metal and it is sharp!!

Finally, you can use any type of silicone mould for this project. We used this chocolate monster mould by Silikomart as it is super cool. You can also customize this project and make creatures out of anything you want by moulding clay or fun objects with Siligum. Awesome!

First up, pick out the colours you are going to make your crayons out of. You can batch them to get solid colours or you can go wild and bunch crazy colours together. Then take off their wrappers. Believe it or not, this is the most time consuming part so do it before putting your oven on! Then snap them into 4-5 pieces and pop them into your cans. I've put my yellows, greens and reds together and I'm mixing my purples with white so they are a little brighter. You will need about 2-3 crayons for each mold depending on how deep they are.

When you are ready, place your cans onto a baking sheet and pop them in the oven at 160 degrees celsius. They will only need about 2-3 minutes to melt completely.

Once done, stir the wax in each pot using a wooden drink stick to make each a solid colour or if you are making them crazy, leave them be. Next you want to pick them up and pour them into your molds. If the cans are too hot for you, be sure to use pliers to do this. You need to move quickly here because if the wax cools too much it will not pour out. Stick them back into the oven for a few seconds if this happens. Make sure you fill the molds so they are brimming as they will shrink down a little when cooling. Better too much than too little :)

*Ta*Da*

Leave them to cool for 15 minutes and pop them out!

Look at this guy... isn't he just perfect?!

And check out his friends!

Our pencil case is going to be the best in town now.

They also make cracking gifts and decorations on cards. Practical and versatile; our mother will be proud! We hope you enjoyed making your own little monsters. We'd love to hear how they turned out and how you're going to use them :)

Happy colouring!

Pancake Day Inspiration!

2012-02-20T09:00:00.001Z

It's Pancake Day tomorrow and we can't wait!

Who doesn't love an excuse to gorge on pancakes and maple syrup all day long without anyone raising an eyebrow? On top of that, look at how much fun you can have with them!

We are big fan's of Jim's Pancakes blog.

Aren't they the most incredible pancakes you have ever seen?

He is some kind of batter king!

I would almost say they look too good to eat, but I as I am salivating just looking at the pictures I doubt I would even have the chance to take a picture before stuffing these in my face!

Well done to genius Jim for spoiling us and your super cute daughter

Your pancake creations are flippin fantastic ;)

Be sure to drop by Jim's site and spread the love...

Happy Baking everyone!

New Products: Yeah, Write!

2012-02-17T15:56:00.004Z

Mixed Set

Feeling notey? Yeah, write. Words are for nerds!

Check out our new set of engraved pencils! They are clever AND pretty.

How many pencils can make that claim?!

Yellow Words Are For Nerds

Our new pencils are all about kicking it old school and stepping away from the keyboard. We decided it was about time we went back to the drawing board and come up with something to help us work on more fun ideas whilst making a statement...

We love to be a little different from the crowd after all!

Feeling Notey

We came up with these 3 designs based on our different pencil moods. That sounds mad, but we are a little bit off our rockers... in a good way of course!

Our Feeling Notey pencil is for when we are in a list making mood. Vivid HQ is a lot like the film High Fidelity in that we love to come up with a good Top 5 list. We have so many lists we have a list organizing them... If that's not slightly naughty, I don't know what is ;)

Red Words Are For Nerds

Our Words Are For Nerds pencils are for when we like to geek out and go drawing. There is nothing more satisfying by sitting by yourself and drawing in a coffee shop. A picture is worth a thousand words, so if you cant say it, doodle it!

Yeah, Write

Our new Yeah, Write pencils are for writing letters to our favorite people. We love to write letters rather than emails as snail mail is the best thing in the world. Forever gossiping and writing total nonsense, we couldn't resist making a pencil that makes fun of our tall tales!

Writer Set

See, there really is a pencil for every mood, right?!

We hope our witty pencils have inspired you to spend your weekend going back to basics and spreading the graphite love. Check out our stationery section here and get your write on ;)

Happy doodling!

Trailer Sound City Documentary By Dave Grohl

2012-02-16T11:00:00.000Z

Check out this teaser for Dave Grohl's documentary on Sound City Studios. Ouch it's cool! As you can see by the absurd amount of rock n roll stars in the clip, Sound City is one hell of a place. More timeless and inspirational albums were created there than we've had hot dinners!

Talking to Rolling Stone about the project, Grohl said:

"I decided to make a film about that feeling when you put five guys in a room, hit 'record' and the hair on the back of your neck stands up.. Expect some epic jam sessions."

Who doesn't want to see that?!

We can't wait to see what went on behind this studio's doors. With so many icons talking about their inspiration we are certain this is going to be gold!

Keep your eye out on this film's release - it is going to blow your socks off.

Cuteable Feature!

2012-02-15T10:44:00.003Z

Hooray!

Our Lets Grow Old Together tote bag got featured on Cuteable today and we are delighted!

Cuteable is a great blog if you are looking for some cute gift inspiration or a cheeky treat for yourself... watch out though, you will want to spend every penny you have once you've seen this blog!

A big thank you to Lynsey and Matt who run the site, your support is greatly appreciated :)

Click the links to check out Cuteable and our bags

Happy Wednesday Everyone...

Wordless Wednesday

2012-02-15T10:19:00.002Z

DIY: Chocolate and Peanut Butter Cookies For Your Valentine...

2012-02-14T09:00:00.002Z

Happy Valentines Day!

Today we thought we would share our favorite cookie recipe with you so you can make them for your favorite people :) Valentines is all about spreading the love and what better way than to do that with chocolate and peanut butter? Based on a Lorraine Pascale recipe, these are easy to make and super addictive. You will be everyones best friend when you bring these out!

You will need:

130g butter (room temp)

200g soft light brown sugar

1 egg (room temp)

a few drops of vanilla essence

200g plain flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp bicarbonate soda

150g peanut butter

100g broken chocolate or kisses...

Preheat the oven to 170 degrees celsius.

Cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy then add egg and vanilla.

Mix well then stir in the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate soda.

Gently stir in peanut butter and chocolate. For best cookie texture, stir peanut butter as little as possible. Get your hands in and get messy if that's easier!

Divide into 14 equal balls and place on baking tray before flattening slightly. These do spread out a lot so make sure you leave plenty of space around them.

Bake for 12-15 minutes until they start going brown.

When you take them out of the oven they will be REALLY squidgy. Leave them on the tray until they are completely cool and firm...

Then get the kettle on and share with your loved ones!

We hope you have a cracking day however you spend it..

*enjoy*

L.A.M.B fashion line goes 60's!

2012-02-13T11:10:00.006Z

We are in love with Gwen Stefani's new L.A.M.B collection.

Taking inspiration from the 60's, we are swooning over the cute collars, big beehives and spectacular specs...

Gwen has been a style icon for me since I was wee, so to see her taste evolve in the same direction as mine brings me a lot of happiness. Seems we can't be getting it that wrong afterall!

Want to know where Gwen gets her inspiration? Here is what she had to say:

Stefani:I began with the original rock girl icon, the sweater girl in a pencil skirt and looked at early `60s fashion imagery. These girls were the first and have always stayed current. After that I added all the things I always loved. Houndstooth, mixed print, black and white, pop colors. This season I tried to make the clothes stand out and yet be very easy to wear.

'I'm constantly on the Internet at the studio late at night when we have breaks recording the ND ("No Doubt") album. I love sites like Trendland, Style.com and am always finding tons of new Japanese sites to go through too. I love sending my team all of the images I find. So much fun. I'm totally obsessed.'

We love how Gwen can make rock-n-roll look elegant and are delighted to see these adorkable looks hit the catwalk. We want more!

Check out more outfits here

New Photos In Etsy: Roadtrip USA

2012-02-09T20:00:00.008Z

We've been working really hard on our shop recently and are delighted to share some of our new photographic prints. Taken during our recent roadtrip through America, here are a few of our favorite images and the stories behind them...

Heartbreak Hotel

You may very well recognize this property from the song:

Well, since my baby left me, I found a new place to dwell,

it's down at the end of Lonely Street at

Heartbreak Hotel...

Elvis of course!

Lonely Street

Many people don't know that there really is a Lonely Street in Memphis. And we are proud to tell you that there is also a real Heartbreak Hotel at the end of it too! In fact, it is just off Elvis Presley Blvd along from Graceland if you were planning to googlemap it. And it is amazing!

Graceland

Elvis's home.

Need we say more?

Lorraine Motel

The Lorraine Motel is not just famous for it's beautiful 50's sign. This happens to be the hotel that Martin Luther King spent his last night in. Based in Memphis, Lorraine's has now been transformed into the Civil Rights Museum and is definitely worth the visit if you ever get the chance. Historical and pretty; what's not to love?

Arcade Restaurant

The Arcade restaurant in Memphis doesn't just have this beautiful vintage neon sign. Opening in 1919, this is Memphis's oldest diner and if that's not cool enough, it has also starred in many famous films! Yup, you may recognize it from Johnny Cash flick Walk The Line, 21 Grams, Elizabethtown, The Client, The Firm or even Great Balls Of Fire to name but a few. We're certain Johnny Cash and Elvis would have snuck in here for a grilled cheese and a milkshake too as they are so darn good!!

Printers Alley

Printers Alley was initially home to Nashville's bustling and thriving publishing industry in the early 20th century. However, when prohibition hit America in the 1940's, this street wildly transformed into one of the most hoppin' speakeasy streets around. This print reminds us that you never know what goes on behind closed doors...

Ryman Auditorium

The Ryman Auditorium in Nashville has had more famous people in it than we've had hot dinners! Originally a church, this is now one of the most famous live music venues in the whole world. It is where country music radio show The Grand Ole Opry started out, is where Johnny Cash first met June Carter and is still bringing in huge acts to this day. With its stunning interior and incredible throw-back theater lobby, it is not hard to see why this is where the magic happens either!

Tennessee is awesome, right?

We can't wait till our next trip :)

You can check out more of our photos here

Or take a peek in our shop here

Happy Friday everyone!

DIY: How To Make Quotation Mark Rings

2012-02-09T14:40:00.007Z

Today we thought we would show you how to make our awesome punktuation rings. Incase you didn't know, 'inverted commas' or "quotation marks" make the world go round. That's a fact!

We love bringing a phrase to life and think these are the best to say what you mean without getting those hardcore knuckle tattoos...

They are super quick and easy to make and you can change your statement as often as you wash your hands. Winner!

Ready? Lets go!

1) You will need some of sculpey / fimo and two blank rings.

2) Split your sculpey in half.

3) Create equal sized balls.

4) Flatten the backs and pinch tails into each of the balls. Then bend them into shape.

5) Oven bake at 130 degrees for 15 mins (check packet to be sure).

6) Once cooled, score the backs to give glue more grip.

7) Use hot glue or super glue to stick the inverted commas onto each ring.

8) Draw on your hands and put them on!

*Ta*Da*

See? Badass.

Enjoy!

Pinterested?

2012-02-09T11:53:00.003Z

Hooray!

We have just signed up to Pinterest and are totally and utterly addicted!

Come see what inspires us and share the love...

Lets be friends

Rock Stars With Their Parents

2012-02-09T09:47:00.006Z

Thats Elton John at home with his folks!

And Eric Clapton with his ma!

... And the Jackson 5 with their parental units!!

We thought we would share these cracking images from Life Magazine as we think they are just incredible. We love to neb at people's living spaces so getting a glimpse at these famous musicians at home with their mums and dads is right up our street. Adding that these are 70's chique and you pretty much have a best seller on your hands!

This picture of Frank Zappa is simply the best picture we have seen this year. We love that his outfit matches the decor!

Taken by John Olsen, these images are now making a comeback appearance in Life, and it is about time too. We think you can learn a lot from looking backwards, especially if you are re-decorating ;) It's also nice to see that these superstars are just like us too though. Nagging mums and all!

So next time you are dreaming of bigger things that you think your incapable of, look back at these pictures. Everyone has to start somewhere. We're starting from here :)

Wordless Wednesday

2012-02-08T13:56:00.002Z

Firefly Photos by Tsuneaki Hiramatsu

2012-02-07T17:16:00.002Z

Aren't these photographs beautiful?

Taken in Japan by Tsuneaki Hiramatsu, these images capture the light created by fireflies...

We are in love!

Hiramatsu got such incredible pictures by using time lapse photography, meaning several pictures would be captured on the same negative over a period of time. That is how there is hundreds of yellow dots instead of lots of yellow blur.

Inspired? Us too!

Get hold of your 35mm and meet us in the garden with your tripods :)

There may not be any beautiful fireflies where we are, but we are going to get some cracking photos of that moon for sure!

Check out more on Hiramatsu's here or read more about the firefly project here

Happy Snapping!

Top 5 Crushes: Super Bowl Ads 2012

2012-02-06T10:55:00.006Z

Yesterday was Super Bowl Sunday and that means one thing. Good adverts!

Here in the UK we don't get to watch any of the American ads, so we thought we would share our top 5...

First up, Ferris Bueller made a comeback.

If you don't know who that is, get yourself down to the video store STAT.

Next, Betty White. Don't you wish she was your grandma?

Plus Christina Aguilera gets to be a ninja...

Nice.

This advert proves you don't need bells and whistles and famous folk to make people take notice. We were particularly won over by the girlfriend!

We always wondered what Mr Sandman looked like. Now we wish we didn't know!

We also learned that it's Motley Crue who make your dreams come true. Wait... is that wrong?

Finally, it has Jerry Seinfeld and Jay Leno in it and it's like a 30 second movie. This advert is super American, but it is also super funny. Well done to famous people making fun of themselves, we likey!

Enjoy!

Dear Valentine...

2012-02-02T10:11:00.004Z

You're So My Type

It's February already and that means one thing; It's Valentines.

We know it is super early, but this year we are going to try and make a bit of an effort. We are all fan's of the holiday here as it is just an excuse to dress up, eat food and show someone some love. We don't think it should be about couples, we just think it should be about besties.

So, this year we are planning a little early in advance as we like them folk quite a lot. And to celebrate we have created this extra special keepsake card!

Yup, our card has been created so it doubles as a keepsake mini print. Super clever, right?

That means your lucky valentine will be able to put it on the wall for everyone to see without looking like some kind of weirdo. Amazeballs! Good things come in small packages, and good friends need spoilt too :)

You can pick one up here or click our etsy button to get in on the action. We only have a limited number in stock to once they're gone, they're gone...

xox

Wordless Wednesday

2012-02-01T16:03:00.001Z

DIY: How To Make A Felt Moustache Plushie!

2012-01-31T18:59:00.005Z

Well hello there!

Today we are making plush moustaches out of felt!

These are simply AWESOME and are really quick and easy to make too.

So next time you are wanting to go all out in that classic 'gentlemen' look, we are prepared!

All you need is some brown felt, brown embroidery thread, scissors, paper, pins, a needle and some of that fluffly toy stuffing. You can always stuff this with old fabric remnants if the stuffing is a pain to get a hold of. Cotton wool would also do if you're not bothered about longevity.

To start, fold your paper in half and draw half a moustache on it and cut it out. That's how you know it will be symmetrical! Then, fold your brown felt in half and pin the 'tache on it. That's how you know both sides will be the same size. Clever!

Next, cut out your 'tache. Leave a little rim all the way round so you can use it as a stitching template. We might be lazy, but we like things to look good!

Now we start sewing. Tie a knot in the end of your thread first. Then at the top point of the 'tache thread your needle through the front of the inside. As you can see here, when I pull the thread through the knot will get hidden between the two pieces of felt. Hidden mess is the way to go!

From there, start stitching until you have gone all the way around one side of the 'tache...

Then start putting the stuffing in!

We recommend taking lots of little pinches of the stuff and packing it in rather than trying to get as much in as possible in one go. You want it to be even and plump!

Once you have filled the stitched side, continue stitching the rest. Once you get to the top of the 'tache stuff the flat side until it is nice and plump too. When you are happy, complete the final couple of stitches until you are back where you started.

Now, to finish it nicely and hide that last little piece of thread holding this cheeky chappy together, simply push the threaded needle through the center of the whole 'tache so it is popping out the bottom. Pull on it as tightly as you can then snip the thread as close to the bottom of the felt as humanly possible. Then when you let go, the last of the thread will get pulled into the 'tache, never to be seen again! That is a great trick, right?!

*Ta*Da*

Look at that! You just made your very own felt 'tache plushie before you could say Poppycock.

Now you can attach it to a stick for funny photos, sew on some elastic to wear to the shops, attach a pin to wear it on your lapel... your options are ENDLESS. Our favorite thing to do with these is put them on gifts. Nice bit of wrapping paper, little bit of tape and ribbon and hey-presto! What a wondrous surprise :D

We would love to hear how you get on with this tutorial and see how you use them...

Enjoy

Jean Paul Gaultier Does Amy Winehouse

2012-01-30T17:17:00.003Z

Check out these beautiful Jean Paul Gaultier creations!

Inspired by the iconic Amy Winehouse, we are itching to get our sticky fingers on some cheaper versions of these cracking clothes (sorry JPG!) With bright colours, sequins and structured designs, we are in love with JPG's take on 50's style and have a serious soft spot for that pink hair!

Although JPG has been criticised for revealing his tribute too soon after Amy's passing, we think it is great to see her iconic style live on and personally find it incredibly inspiring too.

Thanks to JPG Amy's unique style will be rocking the fashion world for the forseeable future and we can back-comb till the cows come home!

Builders brew?

2012-01-28T12:12:00.001Z

It's all quiet at Vivid HQ as we have the builders in. They keep calling us Pal so at least we've made some solid life long friendships during our time off ;) fear not, we hope to be back to normal in the next day or two... Fingers crossed!

We Love New Girl

2012-01-26T11:55:00.000Z

If you've been watching New Girl, we bet you were expecting an appreication post coming. For those of you who aren't, there is something fundimentally wrong with your TV programme choices. You want to get that looked at!

Anyhow, today we thought we would share a couple of reasons (besides hilarity) why we love this show with you. First of all, check out the strap line on that poster.... "Simply Adorkable"

Adorkable bag

Yeah, that's right, we are all over that already! Perhaps it's a head's up to Vivid?

We can dream hee hee! New Girl is the embodiment of Adorkable; cute and funny and a little bit wrong. They have done us proud!

Geek Glasses

We are all about spectacular specs and are embracing the geek glasses look. These make every gal look super cute and should never be frowned upon! Although ours are prescription, you can pick up some cheap pretend ones in loads of high street shops at the moment. They are an investment piece as they can make any outfit look more arty in a flash. Thanks for underlining our point, New Girl!

Cute Bedroom

The loft apartment used in the show is awesome. Check out Jess's bedroom; miss-matched art, furniture and cushions, bold colours and giant prints... it's an inspiration if you ask us. Most of our stuff is miss-matched and a bit wild, but this prooves that we are doing interior right. Score! We love looking for home, gift and diy ideas and found some real treats in this show...

Our favourite being the Douche Bag jar!

Outfit Appreciation.

We love the fashion in this show. Especially when our eyes are treated to gem's like this turkey number! We could go on for days about the cute cardi's, pj's and dresses. Jess is all about bold colours, crazy patterns and cute shoes. We feel like we need a wardrobe revamp day!

So, to sum it up, there is nothing not to like. Awesome look aside, it's charming and funny enough to get your boyfriend tuning in... perhaps it'll even help him understand why we're crazy sometimes? Nah!

So next time you're in on a friday night, don't feel like a looser. Thank tv-land for making a show that, like, totally gets you. And understands why you watch Dirty Dancing.

Wordless Wednesday

2012-01-25T12:16:00.002Z

DIY: How To Make Love Hate Brooches

2012-01-24T16:13:00.006Z

Hello!

Today we thought we would share a little diy on how to make your very own Love Hate brooches. They're just as awesome as tattoo's, but slightly less permanent. Your mother will be proud!

These are really simple to make and you can have a lot of fun with what you write on them. So, without further adieu, lets crack on!

We are going to make these using our little hands and red, white and black Sculpey. That's pretty much the same as Fimo if you can't get hold of it. You could also make these out of clay and paint them if you are really stuck... and we think they would be the best cupcake toppers ever if you had time to make them out of icing!

So, take enough red Sculpey to make a ball in your palm. Surprise! This is going to make the heart. All you need to do is pinch it in the middle to create a wide v shape. Then using your pointing finger, push down all the edges until the top is rounded. Make sure to do this on something flat as you will need to glue the brooch back on. We recommend working on a piece of paper as it is easier to pick up and it wont wreck the furniture too! Once rounded, squidge the top part together until you get a nice fat heart...

Done!

Next, take a wee ball (a little larger than a pea) of the white sculpey. Roll it out and gently press it down so it makes a long flat rectangle. This is going to be your scroll, so make sure there is enough of it to cover the heart with a little left over on each side of it. As you can see from above it doesn't need to be too wide in depth, just enough to put words on it.

Slowly take it off the paper (you don't want it to stretch out) and place on top of your heart. Gently press it down - it doesn't need much to stay in place...

Then roll up the excess to create a lovely scroll effect!

For the words, take a smaller ball from the black sculpey (less than a pea) and roll it out so it is really thin. Then simply cut lengths from it and bend them into whatever letters you need. You may need to attach separate pieces for letters like t and k. This part is the fiddliest so take your time and make a few attempts before you pop them on. You may want to use a pair of tweezers if you are struggling. Remember to make each small enough to fit within the scroll too!

Hooray!

Once you are happy with the letters, take them from the paper and gently press them onto the scroll. Again, you really don't need to put much pressure on to make these stay in place. Done!

Now you are ready to harden them.

Check the packet and pop them in the oven. Sculpey should take about 15-20 mins at 130 degrees celsius to bake.

Once cooled, just glue on the backs!

We have used a glue gun here, but super glue is great too. We used small brooch backs from our local bead store, but are planning to make some rings later on; these hearts are really versatile and even easier to put on everything. Let the glue harden and get ready to put on anything you can get your hands on!

*Ta*Da*

We hope you enjoyed our little Love Hate diy and we'd love to hear how you got on!

We're taking ours out on the town to celebrate. A job well done afterall!

Enjoy...

Happy Chinese New Year!

2012-01-23T12:15:00.003Z

via

Happy Chinese New Year!

2012 brings the year of the Dragon which is good news for all of us.

After doing a little research, this is what we learned that the year of the Dragon is the year for great deeds, innovative ideas and big projects. It will also give happiness and success to all good and honest people, and those who have great talents... How exciting is that?!

So Happy New Year everyone and we wish you lots of luck for all your new big projects!

Happy Birthday Vivid!

2012-01-22T12:00:00.006Z

Hooray!

Its our second birthday here on the Vivid blog and we are super pleased with ourselves. We have been working hard to post more and share our DIYs and we have spent the past few months working on our Etsy shop bringing it from 1 item to nearly 60 in a matter of months. Not too shabby, right? We have so many ideas for the coming year that we cannot wait to share with you too. The more the merrier we'd say!

Thanks to everyone for all their support and encouragement, it has been massively appreciated during this time.

As for the viewers, thanks for coming back! We would love to hear what you think of the blog and what you would like to see more of :D

To say thanks we are offering a 20% discount on everything in our shop today so everyone can celebrate with us. Simply enter WEARE2 at the checkout. Enjoy!

The Boat Project

2012-01-20T11:42:00.004Z

Whoa! Check out this boat!

Hanger, check. Wooden spanner, check. Toothpick, check. Hockey stick, check...

Built using over 1200 wooden objects donated by the public, this boat will be sailing around the south of England to celebrate the Olympics. Isn't it cool?

That there is a guitar played by Jimi Hendrix! Yup, this boat isn't just made up of any old wooden thing, it has been built using some really amazing things. It also has a piece of the Mary Rose! Having people donate the wood used for this beautiful boat's construction means that every inch of it has a lovely story. I think that makes the boat have magic powers too.

Conceived by artists Gregg Whelan and Gary Winters, The Boat will be named through a public competition which will be launched in May. We would love to read those entries!

To read more about this whimsical vessel, click here

We are delighted to see that when asked, the public love to get involved with projects like this. Let's hope for more collaborative wonders in 2012!

Well done to everyone involved, you will be going down in history...

Wordless Wednesday

2012-01-18T13:36:00.002Z

DIY: How To Make Tiny Pom Poms With A Fork!

2012-01-17T12:08:00.004Z

Tiny pom pom's. What more could you ask for in life?

This week we thought we would show you how to make these adorable little balls of happiness with just a fork and some wool. Cute, basic and ready to be glued onto everything; now that is my kind of tutorial!

Itching to get started? Ok, lets go:

1) you will need some wool and a prong-y fork.

2) wrap the wool around the outer two prongs until it gets really fat.

3) once you are ready, cut the end of the wool and using a new small piece or a little thread, bunch the wool together and tie really tightly so it is secure. Do this in the middle of the pom pom in between the prongs to make sure it's central and not squinty...

4) take your wool off the fork and cut all the loops. Be sure to get them all; they can be cheeky!

5) trim all the extra long straggly bits so it is big, round and beautiful..

*Ta*Da*

Cute and simple and ready for anything!

We like to use these little bad boys to flourish gifts for our nearest and dearist. All you need to do is wrap some wool round your gift and use a glue dot to hold it into place. Beautiful!

Enjoy...

Top 5 Crushes: Amazing Cakes!

2012-01-16T10:26:00.008Z

Classic Cakes And Confections

Mmmmmm...

Hungry? Well you will be after this Top 5 Crushes!

We have a very special birthday coming up and have been looking at all kinds of cakes for inspiration. We thought we would share the ones that looked so good it would be a real shame to eat them (I know, imagine!)

First up is the most amazing UP! cake. See, you couldn't eat that, now could you?

via Cake Central

This ice-cream inspired cake is just incredible. Where would you begin to start cutting a masterpiece like that? Can you imagine all the amazing photos you could take of your mates holding it? A cake everyone can get involved in... that is a revolutionary idea!

Celebra

This Nightmare Before Christmas cake is another whopper. I mean you could put that on your mantlepiece and no one would question you. Maybe its not a real cake? No, no it is. Ouch!

Kakes NYC

I bet you Starbucks is working on a rival to this cake.

We want one too!

Cake Shop Of San Jose

Finally! A cake that we may even be able to pull off at home?

It's pretty inspiring, isn't it? And you would be able to make your first ever decent Etch-A-Sketch picture whilst you were at it too... nothing is impossible, right?

Well, it's back to the drawing board for us...

Happy baking everyone!

New Products: Lovely Biscuits!

2012-01-13T18:06:00.010Z

You're So My Type

Check out our new line of illustrated prints!

We have been working super hard this month and have just added our first 5 prints into our little Etsy boutique. We've been wanting to add more prints in for some time so seeing our dreams come true and getting our drawings out there is super exciting!

Mr Owl

Lovely Biscuits

Home Is Where The Mac 'N Cheese Is

WHER Radio Microphone

Each print is A3 in size, printed on 230gsm matt paper and comes signed, numbered and ready to grace your cute little home!

We have lots of other exciting illustrations and new products in the works too so keep your eyes peeled for updates and sneak peeks...

We hope you likey!

Detroit Soup: Creative Funding By Dinner Lovers!

2012-01-12T10:33:00.001Z

Love soup?

And salad and bread and pie and helping out creative projects?

Well, Detroit Soup is the place to go!

This idea is so simple we can't believe it's not happening globally already. For only $5 you can get yourself one healthy dinner and the money raised from the evening will go to a creative project. Amazing, right? Not only do you get to eat with some awesome people, you'll get to hear a few people talk about a project they would love to do. Then you get to choose which project you think is the best and deserves to be funded. The creative with the most vote wins.... all the money raised from the dinner!

We think this is a fantastic way to fund creative projects and fully support the idea. We all gotta eat, honey! Well done to team Soup for their brilliant idea of bringing people together to share their ideas and get help from the people who matter.

For all the lucky beans who live in Detroit, you can get yourself a slice of the pie by submitting your proposal here. Hungry people can get involved at the next Soup dinner and get try some of Soup's pie here. Just want to know more? Then click here. Hooray for supporting the arts!

Wordless Wednesday

2012-01-11T10:24:00.002Z

DIY: How To Make A Super Quick Lavender Sachet

2012-01-10T19:51:00.004Z

Hello!

Today I thought I would share this UBER quick tutorial on making a lavender sachet...

My mum gave me a whole bunch of lavender and I've been meaning to do something with it for a while; these things happen! So if you are looking to make a cute gift or want to make your pants smell nice, this will take you two ticks to do and save you about a tenner from Cath Kidson! You know what that means ... a frappachino to help you along :)

So, all you need is some cotton fabric, some dried lavender and some cute ribbon...

If you are blessed with a sewing machine you will have it in two shakes of a lambs tail, but hand stitching will make it extra adorable! Simply fold your material in half so the pattern is on the inside. Then sew down the side and along the bottom. Thats it!

Remember to backstitch at the start and finish of each lengh you do as you don't want it to come undone. Next up, flip your little bag inside out (making it pattern side out)

And fill it with your lovely lavender!

Finally you want to tie it closed with a beautiful piece of ribbon. For extra protection you can gather it with string and stitch closed before adding the ribbon, hiding the seal. If you are concerned the top of the bag may fray, you can use pinking shearers (zig-zag scissors) to trim the edges or even use some fray stopper glue... we think it is just fine though.

*Ta*Da*

See that? Two minutes and you got yourself a cute lavender sachet. Take that High Street!

Let us know what you think and click here to see our previous DIY.

Enjoy your frappa :)

New Year Clear Out!

2012-01-09T15:02:00.000Z

It's official! We are now part of the ikea family... What's not to love? Have you seen the pen?!We have big plans for this year so have decided to make a clean break and have a big clear out to make some much needed work space at Vivid HQ. The whole spring thing never really cut it for us; if the weather is nice we want to go and play! So, we are currently up to our eyeballs in things to go, things to save, things to be donated and things to build. It's madness... But we know it will be worth it!

I've got an Inkling...

2012-01-07T16:34:00.002Z

Hooray!

Our Wacom Inkling has finally arrived after what seemed like a decade of waiting! And it's come just in time for the final touches to our upcoming graphic print collection. Perfect :) This bit of kit needs a little one on one attention to get it to read your drawings how you want, so Vivid are still in Inkling Training. A drawing a day keeps the doctor away after all! We can't wait to unleash our new illustrations too. Keep your eyes peeled over the next week for our latest additions. In the mean time, we are getting a scribble on... Happy doodling!

We Love Tim Shumate.

2012-01-05T14:28:00.006Z

O.M.G

We have just discovered illustrator Tim Shumate and we are super envious!

With pin-up versions of our favorite Disney characters, killer portraits and awesome animal illustrations taking over his portfolio, it is really easy to be inspired (and jealous) of this wonder-boy's talent. We like them so much we would even have them as tattoo's! We love his use of vivid colours, but more importantly, the way this guy controls a pencil is enough to bring a tear to our eye. Based in America, Tim will soon be taking over the world with his beautiful images. We bet his mum's fridge is the coolest you'll ever see! Hat's off to you Tim, you have outdone yourself and put the rest of us to shame. Check out Tim's website here

Note to self: Must try harder!

Wordless Wednesday

2012-01-04T14:22:00.002Z

Bad Reputation.

2012-01-02T12:15:00.004Z

Lets start the year with a bang!

What better way than cranking up the radio and rocking out?

For your enjoyment, here are the Foo Fighters with our secret crush Joan Jett preforming Bad Reputation on Letterman. Get your hairbrushes and your mirror at the ready for this track :)

2012 is going to be awesome.

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T00:01:00.000Z

Wishing you all the best for 2012!

Love

Vivid xox

A Year In Vivid DIYs

2011-12-31T13:00:00.000Z

Oreo truffle cakepops and balls

Candied rose petals

Shoe dying

Matchbook notebooks

Flapjacks forever recipe

Babycham jelly recipe

No sew felt bow accessory

Scrapbook cover

Lipstick into lipgloss

Earphones envelope purse

Dice Cufflinks

Snow Globe

Thanks for a great year everyone!

We hope you come and play in 2012...

DIY: How To Make Party Popper Earrings!

2011-12-30T20:31:00.005Z

Phew!

We are just about coping with our Christmas come-down and trying to mentally prepare ourselves for the upcoming New Year's celebrations. With plenty of festive cheer, we felt that a new accessory needed to be created for the big event.

Introducing our very own Party Popper earrings!

Awesome, right?

These are easy to make and are a great way to make use of all those empty party poppers kicking about. So, all you need for this how to is:

An empty party popper

Mixed beads (the more the merrier!)

Chain

Ear wires (dangly earring bits)

Jewelry pin heads (wires with pin stoppers on the end, not actual pins!!)

3 jump rings

You will also need a couple of pairs of pliers to pull bits apart, pop them together and to cut the chain to length. You will be able to find everything you need (and a whole lot more) at your local bead shop.

First up, arrange your beads. These are the streamers and confetti from inside your popper! Lots of bright beads mixed and matched and a few long bits to act as streamers is perfect. Mess about with them on the pin wires to make sure you have the ultimate party combination before moving on. You can have as few or many beads on each wire as you want, just make sure you have enough space left on the wire to create a loop. As you will be hanging these from a jump ring, you can have as many streams as you like :)

Once you are ready, loop the excess wire round to create a ring and chop off the excess. Repeat this with all your wires then simply attach to your large jump ring. You can do this by twisting the jump ring open and threading them on.

Remember to add on one of you ear wires before you twist the jump ring closed. Well done, you are almost done!

Next up, party popper!

All we need to do is switch the string with chain. Simply take the string out and widen the hole slightly with scissors. Cut the chain to whatever length you feel is best for you (make sure it hangs longer than your confetti and streamer earring), then slowly thread through the hole. Once the chain is through it, attach a jump ring on the end of the chain which wont be seen. This will make sure it doesn't fall off. Then, attach the top end of the chain and the other ear wire with the last jump ring...

Hooray!

Finally, click on our lovely Happy New Year label, save it on your desk top and print it out at 9.2cm by 2.5cm and stick it on. It's that simple :)

*Ta*Da*

Don't they look great? Completely over the top is the perfect way to start 2012 if you ask us. We hope you have an amazing time when it comes... whatever happens, you will be looking fabulous!

We hope you enjoyed this tutorial - let us know how you get on :)

Wordless Wednesday

2011-12-28T12:59:00.001Z

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-24T14:56:00.003Z

We hope Santa brings you loads of totally awesome stuff!

Happy holidays

Love Vivid

xox

Penny Farthing Bags On Woouie.com

2011-12-22T09:54:00.004Z

Hooray

Our Penny Farthing canvas tote bags made it onto the front page at woouie.com today!

They've done a feature on eco friendly bags available on Etsy and we are super chuffed that we've been included in their run down :D It's pretty mind-blowing to see your product being popping up on different websites... especially ones we need to google-translate!

Thank you woouie.com!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-12-21T10:57:00.002Z

Kidrobot For Swatch

2011-12-20T10:16:00.000Z

Here at Vivid HQ we are big fan's of Kidrobot and were super excited to see that the love had spread all the way to Swatch Watches. With some of our favorite artists creating watches based on their vinyl beauties, our hearts skipped a beat and our Christmas wish list got longer!

Naturally, we didn't think this collaboration could get any better... until they created these Stopmotion videos! Ouch, right? Check out our faves below...

Kidrobot for Swatch — "The So Far Away" by Jeremyville from Happycentro on Vimeo.

Kidrobot for Swatch — "Love Song" by Tilt from Happycentro on Vimeo.

Kidrobot for Swatch — "Midnight Magi" by Gary Baseman from Happycentro on Vimeo.

Are you eating your heart out yet?

To watch the rest of these lovelies and to learn more about the making click here

I think our New Year Resolution will be to start making films like these... and to spend more money at Kidrobot!

DIY: How To Make Snow Globes!

2011-12-19T21:35:00.005Z

Holy Moley!

Ever wanted to know how to make your own snow globe? Well we have just the tutorial for you! We have quite the crush on the magical little jars with goop inside ... who isn't?

We thought this would be the perfect tutorial to share being so close to Christmas, but being a curiously creative bunch, we decided to mix it up and show you how to make a hawaiian glitter globe instead. Awesome!

You will need:

A fun object to live inside your snow globe (ours is a flamingo!)

A smooth jar with screw top lid (beets anyone?)

The magic ingredient, Glycerine (shhh)

Enamel paint

*GLITTER*

You will also need cold water, a paint brush and a glue gun (or superglue and a lot of patience!)

First up, empty out your beets and clean out that jar!

Then you need to get painting. With the lid on the jar, apply x2 coats of enamel paint. Make sure you let it dry before you start getting water on it as you don't need paint smeared all over your kitchen!

Then you need to glue your object of desire on the inside. Don't worry too much if you get globs round the edges as you're not really going to notice it once your masterpiece is completed...

Ever wondered how a snow globe works?

Cold water and glycerine, thats how!

Fill up your jar with cold water so it is almost brimming, then add 2-3 teaspoons of glycerine and stir it in. It will go a little cloudy at first, but that's just the magic happening. Persevere!

Once its all clear again, add a sprinkle of glitter. We mean a sprinkle too - if you go overboard it will go all clumpy and gross. Stir it all up and screw your lid shut..

*Ta*Da*

Isn't he just darling?

And now you can make them all day, every day with anything you can get your hands on!

If you notice you have lots of glitter clumping, carefully unscrew the lid and scoop out the excess with a spoon. Then, once you are happy with the consistency we recommend you glue your lid shut to make sure a nosey person doesn't spill it everywhere :)

Most of all, enjoy!

Sugar Highs...

2011-12-18T21:42:00.001Z

Today we have been eating giant dino jellies by the dozen :D We've needed lots of sugar to help us finish our latest project! Were going to photograph them tomorrow to share with you...Fingers crossed for the sunshine and no sugar coma in the morning.

Daytime Fireworks By Cai Guo-Qiang

2011-12-15T13:43:00.002Z

We love fireworks. And we love sunshine. Ever wish they could be combined?

Well fear not, as clever clogs Cai Guo-Qiang has got just the thing!

Using microchip controlled explosives, Cai has managed to bring the magic to the daytime...

From black bat like shapes to beautiful rainbows, we are in awe of Cai's work and hope a home edition comes out soon... imagine all the wonderful photographs we could make together!

From Edinburgh Castle to the Arab Museum of Modern Art in Doha, Qatar, this artist is making quite the impact...

Inspiring, isn't it?

We love you Cai Guo-Qiang!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-12-14T16:45:00.001Z

A Letter To Fans From Dave Grohl

2011-12-14T10:46:00.004Z

See, being nice is rock n roll!

Check out the full size version here

Christmas Gift Guide

2011-12-13T10:00:00.000Z

All I want for Christmas is you ... and a really cool gift (obviously!)

Check out 10 of our favorites...

1) Kitchen Aid Table Mixer. Doesn't it make baking look bad-ass?

2) The Muppets OPI Nail Polish. You heard right, muppet fingers.

3)Star Trek Pizza Cutter. Geeks love pizza... and Star Trek. Winner!

4) Cuponk. The game that involves a ping pong ball and a cup. Every boy's dream!

5) Mad Men Box Set. To be watched straight after Christmas Dinner.

6) Bake-A-Like Alarm Clock. A New Year motivator!

7) Poison Arrow Ring. For the girl of your dreams.

8) A Real Hoot Owl Jar. He will keep an eye on your sweet treats!

9) Fingerless Gloves. Ideal accessory for excessive hand-holding.

10) Knitted Snowman. We never said that this was for kids!

And you can get them all online too. See? No excuses this year!

Happy holiday spending everyone :)

New Products!

2011-12-12T14:41:00.006Z

Check out our new friends!

Yup, we have been busy creating a couple of new goodies for our Etsy boutique and we are ecstatic that they are now all available online!

First up is our latest addition to our grand bag collection...

Our Whisk Me Away shopper sums up our two favorite things - sweet treats and travels!

To get your sticky fingers on your own little adventurous tote click here ... but hurry, we only have a few and they are itching to get out into the world!

Hooray!

Our red pencils have been really popular, so we have decided to expand our range and introduce his yellow cousin! Just as cheeky and eager to please, this graphite dream is ready for anyone brave enough to make a statement! Remember, Words Are For Nerds.

Last, but not least, please welcome our new Boyfriend Lunch Bag to the team!

With our other more feminine lunch bags flying off the shelves, we've created one thats less girly so your boys can have their lunches and save the planet too. Practical, stylish and eco freindly... swoon!

We hope you love our new products!

Click here to find out more and let us know what you think!

Lego Houses By Mike Doyle

2011-12-12T12:08:00.000Z

At the risk of sounding like Joey from Blossom, we have one word for this collection:

Wow!

These incredible abandoned houses were made by Lego legend Mike Doyle and we are simply blown away! Using over 200,000 individual Lego pieces for the 3 haunted houses shown, each building took around 400-600 hours to make. Thats a lot of love for Lego!

We think Mr Doyle should try and get his hands on one of the giant Lego men to make the ultimate Lego Art Collection. Who doesn't love these plastic building bricks? We loved them so much we tried to put them up our nose. And we want to see more!

Check out Mike's blog here ... and try not to get too jealous!

Little Printer!

2011-12-08T10:58:00.004Z

Oh My Goodness.

I'm not sure if you've come across this Little Printer yet, but we are in love!

Created by BERG Cloud and being released in 2012, this little device uses ink-less paper to print out your favorite news, puzzles, gossip and much much more at the click of a button.

We have a lot of subscriptions set up via our smartphones but get frustrated that we can only view them online and not print them out. Now we can send them to this little guy who will gather them together and create a beautiful tiny newspaper! Cute, eco friendly and super fun... what's not to love? If only we could get our hands on one today!

Take a closer look and get progress updates here

Top 5 Crushes: Perfect Perfumes

2011-12-05T12:54:00.001Z

We believe that picking a perfume is just as important as picking an outfit here at Vivid HQ. With one for every mood and every look, it's so easy to choose 100's you'd like but more than difficult to pick out the one you love. If you are anything like us, you no doubt have more scents than sense! So, this week we thought we would share our top 5 favorite perfumes...

First up is Juliette Has A Gun: Miss Charming

Beautiful packaging, right? But that aside, this scent smells of Moroccan rose and is a real charmer...

Our ideal Outing: Working The Craft Fair

India Hicks: Spider Lilly

This perfume is available as body cream, a room scent, shower gel, bath salts... the list is long! Its easy to see why you'd want to incorporate this delicate flower scent into every part of your life too...

Ideal Outing: A Day At The Beach

Nina Ricci: Ricci Ricci

Cute cat-girl advert aside, this seductive sandalwood and floral scent is rich like chocolate and is addictive like catnip...

Ideal Outing: Cinema Date Night (back row seats of course)

Yup, we are Guilty for loving this Gucci scent!

More oriental than Ricci Ricci this perfume is borderline bewitching...

Ideal Outing: Late Night Dancing

Jean Paul Gaultier: Classique

This sweet floral scent really is a classic! We would recommend this beauty for every day wear as it is so elegant and the bottle is divine. Find us a gal who would turn this down!

Ideal Outing: Meet The Parents

Phew!

So many pretty bottles!

Now we have to decide which one is the right one for today. . .

it's easy to see why girls take so long to get ready, isn't it?!

New Products!

2011-12-05T10:46:00.009Z

They're here!!

Our new line of canvas tote bags have just made their debut in our Etsy boutique and we are ecstatic! With lots of hard work and cups of coffee we are super chuffed with how our latest little project has turned out. Want to know all about our new friends? Well today is your lucky day!

More Mr Kipling Than Mr Darcy

Boys will come and boys will go... But cupcakes will never leave me!
We don't know about you, but Mr Darcy from Pride And Prejudice was never our idea of "hot totty". Far too posh and pompus for a start. Who would we like to marry? Well, there has been one man that has stolen our hearts from the beginning... The delicious cake maker Mr Kipling of course!

We have been itching to get our More Mr Kipling Than Mr Darcy print on a canvas tote bag and we are super delighted with how it has turned out... one may even say it is "exceedingly good" :)

View the print

You are Adorkable... And so is this tote bag!

Perfect for georgious geeks and darling dorks, this bags' super powers are to save the planet and break hearts wherever it goes. We got requests for our adorkable artwork to be developed into a canvas tote and we listened :) we hope you likey!

Lets Grow Old Together

New to the family, our Lets Grow Old Together illustration is based on two old chairs living in Nashville, TN. I don't know if you've heard, but Nashville doesn't run trains for people anymore. The beautiful old station is still standing and is now a hotel, and this lovely couple are still together and bringing smiles to everyone who comes. The cutest couple in town stole our hearts and now they can steal yours!

View the print

Each of our bags are eco friendly and super cute. For less than a tenner each, what more could you ask for? Perhaps a cheeky bit of battenburg, but we can't make any promises on that front ;)

We have a few more projects in the pipe line so be sure to keep an eye out for updates. In the meantime, visit our boutique and let us know what you think!

Product Peek!

2011-12-04T16:27:00.002Z

Want to join our tea party? We're uploading our new line of canvas bags this evening and need a sugar hit to keep us going... Bet you Can't wait to get your sticky fingers on one of these :) hold tight and be sure to share the French Fancies!

DIY: Dice Cufflinks

2011-12-02T13:58:00.005Z

Like our new dice cufflinks?

We made them ourselves!

Perfect for boyfriends, parties and stocking fillers, this week's tutorial is quicker to make than a roll of the dice. And cute too!

So, you will need the following:

*Wooden dice* 2 if you are nervous about sawing them - backups are always good

*Saw* we used this jewelry saw from our silver smithing days; you need a medium-fine tooth blade to cut through the dice... the one in dad's garage may be a little too tough!

*Glue gun* hot glue is the best, but super glue will do the job if your stuck... haha!

*Cufflinks* we got these from our local bead store, but you can get them online or on eBay too.

First up, you want to saw your dice on the diagonal.

Start really slowly to make a cut a few millimeters deep before your speed up. This part will take you the longest, but we promise it is worth it. The longer you take the better the cut you will get - try to ensure you don't go off course as you want to have the two cufflinks the same size after all. Remember you can use the second dice for the other half if needed!

All done!

Mine is a little rough, so I'm going to sand it down a little... I'm pretty anal like that. Don't worry if you are too lazy to do this - no one will get splinters unless you've done a terrible job! hee hee

Satisfying, isn't it?

Next up, put hot glue on the metal cufflink and press it onto the back of the dice. Hold for a few seconds to set and repeat with the other cufflink. Then all you need to do is let them dry for as long as you can. . . as we have zero patients, this was only about 40 minutes!

*Ta*Da*

Great, right? And you saved so much money making them yourself. Do you know what that means? You earned yourself a frappuccino. High Five!

We hope you enjoyed this tutorial - let us know how you get on :)

Enjoy

New Products!

2011-12-01T20:09:00.004Z

Obsessed with list making? Obsessed with sticky note pads? Well look no further! We are super excited about the arrival of our brand new 'post it' note set into our little Etsy boutique!

Each are illustrated to give that classic note pad feel and are ready for every thought and doodle you have to get out of your head before it pop's!

Yellow Legal Pad Sticky Notes

White Lined Note Pad Sticky Notes

Measuring 74 x 74mm, each one of our sticky note pads have 50 sheets of goodness and is ready to bring a little organisation into your home asap!

Click here to visit our Etsy Boutique for more info...

Ps...

To celebrate the first day of advent (and the chocolate we had for breakfast!) we are doing a special discount on our cheeky "Get Your Stockings Out For Christmas" cards! To get a set of 5 for only £3.00 pop to our Etsy boutique now - our offer is limited to the first 3 sets only!

Plenty more to come to the shop too - those sugar breakfasts are going to pay off!

Happy Holidays...

Do You Squink?

2011-11-29T18:26:00.006Z

Do you know what Squinkies are?

Us neither!

Did you know that THESE are their HOMES?

Us neither!!

And all our friends are playing?

Count us in!!!

Get your fix here

We have no shame.

Our Day In Pictures

2011-11-26T19:01:00.003Z

Ever wonder what we do on our days off? Well today is your lucky day!

Our morning started with packages of our new products arriving and we have to admit that they look incredible!! With plenty of boxes still to come, were going to have to decide where to store them, then when and how to photograph them for our Etsy boutique!

With the rest of our kitten material from our mini envelope tutorial, we made a sweetheart kitten top. So bad it's good, right?! We couldn't think of a better way to break it in too...

Christmas appears to have arrived - and it seems to have brought this littlr tram substitute to Edinburgh... We're not won over this easily people!

Ahoy Edinburgh Castle!

We love the One O Clock gun and managed to bag ourselves the best seat in the house for todays airing. We love to pretend we're tourists when we can...

Sweet view right? We take it for granted usually so thought we would indulge today :)

ice sculptures rock.

Afternoon tea should become a mandatory event over the weekend. Vivid for president?

We had a wee wander round the shops for our Christmas presents today too. We like to donate gifts to less fortunate children and teens at this time of year. This sneaky pair of shorts somehow got purchased too... I'll give them a good home!

Ahhhh

A lovely stroll looking at the Christmas lights is enough to get anyone in the spirit, right? We had a lovely festive and fun day off, we hope you did too. Now? A cuppa and a film to cozy upto. The up side to the cold and windy weather!

Etsy Black Friday Discount!

2011-11-25T00:01:00.001Z

That's right!

It's Black Friday and we're offering a 10% on everything in our Etsy boutique for the day only!

Be sure to take advantage and snap up an extra special handmade treat before it's too late...

What's the password?

BLACKFRIDAYTREAT1

Enjoy!

DIY: Mini Envelope Purse For Earphones

2011-11-24T11:56:00.004Z

Hello Earphones!

If you are anything like us, your canvas tote is full of everything you can think of. Camera, notebook, pens, lipgloss, keys, Kinder chocolate, wooly hat, hand cream, purse ... yup, we have it all! But we are getting super tired of our lovely new earphones getting tangled up in everything. Nobody wants to be the crazy looking bird raking through her handbag, right?!

So we decided to make a special little envelope bag just for them.

This is a quicker and simpler tutorial to our original Envelope Clutch diy, and would be a great little stocking filler too!

First up you will need some fun material (hello kittens!), some lining, needle and thread (a sewing machine will help a lot too if you are lucky enough to have one) and a little velcro.

We have used quilting material for our lining as we wanted something a little more substantial and protective to help our envelope keep shape (this stiffens when ironed). If you wish to get the same effect without that particular material, you can alternatively iron in some webbing/interfacing before you sew the materials together. This project still works great if you cant be bothered doing that though :)

First up we need to cut out matching squares of our fabric. Make sure they are large enough to fit your headphones in when you fold in all the corners -- otherwise you will be making yourself a very small coin purse. . . or eyelash pouch if its teeny tiny! Hee hee!

Next, you want to sew the two together. Make sure you are stitching on the wrong side of both materials as we are going to hide all the edges on the inside of the bag like geniuses. Remember to leave a gap so you can pull the material through, then hand stitch this little nip closed. Lovely!

Now we are going to lightly iron each side down to form an envelope...

And hand stitch the two bottom sides to keep them shut.

Next up you can add on your velcro fasteners and even a little label of love!

*Ta*Da*

Hooray! That was easy, wasn't it? And now your lovely earphones will never have to get tangled around everything you own ever again. How clever! These are a great way to make use of your fabric scraps and would be ideal little gifts for your bezzies too.

Fashionable and practical? Yes please!

Be sure to let us know what you think of our little project :)

Enjoy!

New Product!

2011-11-21T15:47:00.005Z

Oh My!

We're getting pretty tired of the same old Christmas cards clogging the shelves year in and year out. Having tried and failed at finding a pack of cards which are fun and festive without being too fussy, we decided something needed to be done!

Our "Get Your Stockings Out" cards have been designed to bring a cheeky grin and giggle to the season without compromising your taste - who doesn't want that?! With a pair of legs illustrated on the front, our cards poke fun at putting your stocking out for Santa and use a pair of fishnets to remind everyone that this is the party season. That's right, they're smart and sexy. Perfect!

Be sure to set the trend and snap up yours here

Hooray for the holidays!

Welcome On Board Pan Am!

2011-11-21T09:49:00.006Z

Be still our hearts!

Pan Am has hit the airwaves in the UK and it is taking us by storm!

If you are a fan of Mad Men and The Kennedys, this 60's show is not only right up your street, but may even become the top show on your hit list...

Following the stewardesses working onboard this iconic airline, Pan Am gives a lot more than just directions to your nearest exit and a light refreshment. With a spy, a runaway bride, a disappearing co worker and a new adventure each week, we are delighted to say you are not going to get fed up with this show too easily.

But what's our favorite part of this little series?

The fashion of course!!

Although each of the leading ladies on this show get fab threads, there is one trolly dolly who has made a big impression on us. That's right, our latest Style Crush Award goes to the lovely Miss Christina Ricci. Although we want to sit her down and give her a decent dinner, the costumes Miss Ricci get's to wear throughout the show are simply beautiful...

Even when she's a waitress she gets to rock it.

Oh my do we pine for the days where working 9 to 5 looked this cute. If we rocked up to work our shift at the local 5 and dime wearing this, we are sure we would be handed our raspberry beret and sent home. So sad! So Unfair!

So if you are looking for your next look or some Christmas Party inspiration, be sure to keep your eye on this show. It's not hard to see why your are going to be the bell of the ball wearing one of these little numbers! Ready to hit your local thrift and fabric stores to try and re-create some of these outfits? See you there!

How To Turn Your Broken Lipstick Into Lipgloss...

2011-11-18T15:26:00.008Z

Argh!

That was the noise I made when I broke my favorite shade of lipstick. There is nothing worse than having a broken lippy in your handbag as you know it is going to go absolutely everywhere when you're trying to put it on. But fear not! I have an uber quick tutorial to show you how to save your expencive make up from the bin. . . and your purse from the makeup counter too!

Simply scoop your broken lipstick out the tube and pop it into a microwavable pot.

Add in a dollop of Vaseline or if you have some of the good stuff kicking about, 8 Hour Cream.

Pop them in the microwave for a few seconds until they are both melted.

Mix together then let it rest for a little while...

*TaDa*

All potted up and good to go ... our mothers and bank managers will be so proud!

So remember, next time you batter your lippy don't chuck it, just melt it...

Aaaand if you mix a couple of different colours together you can create a brand new shade that's just for you! Or if you add in lots more Vaseline you can make it a light lip tint instead of a solid colour gloss... Versatile AND stylish, right?!

And we still plenty of time left over to paint our nails...

Enjoy ladies!

New Products!

2011-11-16T14:08:00.000Z

Hooray!

Our latest product has just made its debut into our beautiful Etsy boutique!

My my don't they look great?!

Hello Cupcake!

Throughout our travels we learned the importance of lunch... and the importance of being nice to the planet. It is pretty great after all! So, we decided to develop our new product line in the interest of making packed lunches cool again. We have to admit, we are super proud of our epiphany! Who wouldn't want to bring these to work?

Dandelion Dreamer

Each bag is handmade using oilcloth making them reusable and easy to clean. They also have two velcro fasteners to ensure your lunch will be kept all tucked in until you are ready to unleash it. With 3 different patterns to choose from, we think you will be the bell of the canteen with one of these cheeky little numbers...

Kitchenette Queen

Be sure to pop into the shop to nab your favorite before your bezzie cuts you to the chase!

Happy hunting everyone...

Queen Of Bath And Body...

2011-11-15T17:25:00.007Z

Good enough to eat? We'd say so!

We are delighted to have our Penny Farthing canvas bags featured on the lovely Lilly Queen Bath & Body blog this week, and have eye's like saucers over their yummy make up and body products...

If you are like us and have a fetish for eco friendly and uber pretty lotions and potions, be sure to drop by Lilly Queen's etsy shop for a spy. Hooray for being a girl!

With our boutique back in action and our travels completed (for now!) we are super excited to get our new products online too... Hold onto your hats and be sure to keep an eye out for our new products post!

Top 5 Crushes: Books From Our Bedside Tables...

2011-11-14T11:53:00.006Z

This week we thought we would share our top 5 books before bedtime...

Although we love to curl up with a good book, we often find it difficult to find ones we fall in love with. Having the combined patience of a spanner, reading a book from start to finish is as rare as completing a game of Monopoly without anyone cheating (that's rare!)

So in no particular order, here are the books that have managed to keep our attention:

*This Is A Call*

It's no secret that we are big fans of the Foo Fighters and Mr Dave Grohl - therefore you're probably not surprised that this book has made it onto our list. However, this book is much more than just an indulgence of the man himself. If you have an interest in punk and rock n roll music you will learn a lot from this book. Namely: how to become a rockstar without losing your soul. Simply put? This book is a must.

*How To Be A Woman*

Caitlin is a rockstar in her own rites and we have to admit we have developed quite a crush on her. This books takes us through her journey from tween into dream with all the funny, gory and slightly disturbing bits we would never have admitted to in between. It is witty and laugh out loud funny, and reminds us that feminist is not a dirty word.

*Notes From A Small Island*

Why would we read a travel book about the country we already live in? Because Bill Bryson is awesome, that's why. This book is more about the people who live in this rainy island than the towns he visits during his tour and by golly it's good. This book will make you want to embrace your inner Brit ... or seek them out if you live elsewhere!

*Elvis & Me*

Did you know that Pricilla was only 14 when she first met Elvis? Me neither!

Read this book if you would like to know what it would have been like dating the king of rock, and get a glimpse into whole other world. Was it a curse or a blessing? Either way, we would have loved to play dress up in their wardrobe!

*Notes On A Scandal*

Growing up, my mother always taught me never to judge a book by its cover.

With a cover as beautiful as this one, it is easy to see why that gem of advice got tossed out the window! This book was good enough for Judi Dench, therefore it's going to be good enough for me. And it was! Need we say more?

And so we come to the end of our Top 5 Book Crushes. You can click on each highlighted title for a link to an online bookstore, but if you have a soul and some spare cash we recommend you pick them up from your local bookstore. Think of the extra money you are parting with as a donation to the high street cause. Where would we be without our local book shops?

Happy reading...

iPhone Inspiration

2011-11-10T19:08:00.002Z

A wee peek at what's been inspiring us this week at Vivid HQ...

And a reminder that we would be lost without our iPhones!!

Brilliantly Smart-Ass Responses To Completely Well-Meaning Signs...

2011-11-05T13:05:00.000Z

Our new favourite website comes in the form of Brilliantly Smart-Ass Responses To Completely Well-Meaning Signs, and it's content is exactly what it says on the tin. So without further adieu, here are a few that gave us a good giggle...

Hee Hee :)

Happy Saturday!

It's Britney Bitch.

2011-11-03T11:00:00.000Z

Sorry, can't talk now - we're off to see Britney!

Yup, you heard right, Vivid are taking a day trip to Newcastle for a long awaited date with the Princess of Pop herself and we have to admit, we are pretty psyched about it!

A lot of people seem to be surprised by our love of Ms Spears, but we find it hard to believe that they aren't secret fans too. This songstress has had more hits than we've had pizza for breakfast and that is something everyone should be impressed of!

Plus you know her stage show is going to be killer. We aren't sure what she has in store for us, but she doesn't do things by half now, does she hee hee! So next time you here one of Brit's tracks come on the radio, crank it up and sing it loud ... you know you wanna!

Giant Lego Men

2011-11-01T16:50:00.000Z

Ever feel like you have nothing to do?

Well perhaps you should take inspiration from these mysterious giant Lego men which have been washing to shore around the world recently...

No one seems to know who made them or where they came from, but they have somehow landed on the shores of the UK, USA and the Netherlands thus far. Who knows how many more are going to surface in the future! We would like to tilt our hats to the creators of these giant childhood dreams; they are super awesome after all. So the next time you find yourself sitting in front of the tv watching Jeremy Kyle twiddling your thumbs, think of what you could be making on the sly... Bring on the giant game of Guess Who!!

Hooked? Read more here

A Halloween Séance

2011-10-31T15:00:00.000Z

oooOOOoooh!

The big day has come and we are almost ready for tonight's main event...

This year we have decided to have a traditional seance!

Dating back to seventeen-hundred-and-oatcake, seances are preformed by the living in attempt to communicate with the dead. Ever popular throughout the years, few know that seances were even held in the White House, with Abraham Lincoln amongst those in attendance.

And if it's good enough for Abe, it is good enough for us!

Spooked? We hope to be!

To get into the spirit of things (wink!) our dress code for the evening is all things 1920s. We can't do things in half now, can we?! So for the gents it will be tops and tails, and perhaps some elaborate facial hair for good measure. For the ladies there will be strings of pearls, feather boa's, flapper dresses and feathered hair pieces. Hurrah!

After our spooky session we will be honouring our chosen era by partying in our very own Speakeasy. During Prohibition, these secret clubs popped up all over America where the music blared and the booze was brought in by gangsters. What an exciting time to have lived in!

Besides, we certainly think a little dancing will be required to take our mind of things...

Happy Halloween everyone!

Boo!

2011-10-30T19:32:00.003Z

Did we scare you? Not likely!

We love halloween and in preparation of tomorrows day of celebrations, we are getting a head start on things tonight. Here are our key ingredients to a ghoulish night of fiendish fun...

Bloody Mary's

We have a night of real fright in mind and are sure these cheeky cocktails are going to take the edge off what we have planned! We switched the tomato juice for V8 vegetable juice and have added a glugg of Tabasco sauce for extra kick. It tastes like pasta sauce and makes us very happy...

Pumpkin Soup

This year we have secretly added some Creole seasoning, brought all the way from New Orleans itself. Here at Vivid HQ we are big fans of carving pumpkins, and even bigger fans of what we can do with the contents. If only we could be bothered to make a pumpkin pie!!

Salted Caramel Cupcakes

You heard right. SALTED CARAMEL. Jealous? You should be as these are killer good. That base is chocolate with dark chocolate chips in too. Mouth watering enough? Making the icing violet is perfect for this time of year... no one knows what is coming! Yum yum!

Meet our new Voodoo Shakers!

Another New Orleans tresure, these wicked potion pourers are ready for the dinner table. One has salt in to make our waters bubble and the other has black edible glitter in to make everything we bake a little more magic... these may in fact be the purchase of the year!

Mwah Ha Ha!

We will see you tomorrow with an update of what were getting up to.

In the mean time, sleep tight...

QR Cookies

2011-10-25T10:00:00.004+01:00

Looking for the ultimate way to announce your Halloween party this year?

Well you can bet you would be the only kid on the block handing out these QR cookie's!

Created in Germany, Qkies are the latest technological bake wear treat to hit the web and we have to admit we are intrigued. For EUR 6.90 per box, you can home-bake 20 biscuits and add on your very own unique QR Code which is printed on edible paper. Awesome, right?

Then all your guinea pig needs to do is scan the code with their phone to reveal your message, which could be a youtube video / flickr image / or even a web page with a secret message - whatever you want basically! We think these will become the treat of the future as there is so many ways you could use them - birthdays, wedding invite, baby showers, store announcements, exhibition openings... marriage proposals! Our list of uses is endless!

If you want in on the action, be sure to check out the site here...

Happy baking!

Dita Von Teese: Muse

2011-10-24T10:00:00.000+01:00

Burlesque bunny Dita Von Teese has created her very own little fashion collection which is launching this November.

Hooray!

Muse will be appearing exclusively at David Jones in Australia and we are itching to see what this lovely lady has been up to. With a collection of 5 exquisite pieces made of 4 vintage inspired dresses and a trench coat, we bet these will be sold out within the day.

Here's hoping it comes to the UK after!

We forsee a few little tribute numbers making an appearance very soon ;)

Pop! Crush

2011-10-22T10:00:00.000+01:00

Our latest vinyl crush was brought to us by Funko.

Never heard of them? Us neither! But they are the people who make these super-awesome Pop! vinyls and we cannot seem to get enough of them. With a range for Disney and Elvis, it seems that we are not the only ones either! Keep your eyes peeled for these little wonders wherever you go - some are only available where you finds thems, making them even better...

Make Up Bag Wish List

2011-10-19T10:00:00.001+01:00

Geeze Oh.

Have you seen this?

Ouch.

During our travels I picked up a few naughty treats to perk up my little Twinkie make up bag and thought you may like to take a peek. With party season coming up, every gal needs a little extra glamor in her day and I believe in investing in my party purchases - they will be truly used and abused over the next few weeks!

So, first up in my Top 3 To-Die-For's is Debbie Lippman's Happy Birthday nail varnish ... and I'm a little lost for words on describing how great its is! Its like a party on my fingers and everyone is invited.

With its vivid colours, variety of glitter sizes and ultimate shine, this is the perfect polish for our accent nails. I can't wait to use my typewriter with this lovely lacquer on!

Ahhh. Mac.

I am a massive Mac fan. It's hard not to be with such great products and such pretty colours!

My signature would be a cheeky Viva Glam number, but this bad boy has definitely stolen my heart. If you're looking to bring a little vixen to the party, look up this Rebel.

Who doesn't want long, luscious lashes?

Well, Benefit must have sold their soul to the devil for this one!

The magic wand in their They're Real mascara really does add the inches without adding an extra 45 minutes onto your 'getting ready' time. For real. I would happily part with a bit more cash if it means I will never need to get my knickers in a twist with false ones again!

Bravo Benefit, Bravo.

Perfect trio, right? Now, all we need is a party and a curly straw...

Happy holidays!

Last Stop: Spain

2011-10-16T10:00:00.002+01:00

We can't believe it's time already!

Our next stop is over in sunny spain, where we hope our body clocks will catch up with us again! We will be staying in a small town by Fuengirola, but are planning to travel about once we've had enough of the beach! But don't worry, this trip is only a week long so we will be back to normal on the blog soon. In the meantime, we plan to make the most of our time away and eat as much tapas and paella as possible... its a hard life ;)