Storm Trading Stores

This week we looked into great Christmas gifts for everyone. Here are some of our favourites!

Image from MickMick Designs.

New baby around for Christmas? Get them one of these adorable cuddly personalised teddies from MickMick Designs. You can choose a message for the cuddly toy such as "Baby's First Christmas" and create a unique gift you can't find on the high-street.

Image from Mad About Cats

Got a relative who's crazy for kitties? Most of us do with the rise of cat popularity on the internet. These lovely cat Christmas cards are available from Mad About Cats !

Image from Kitsch a Go Go

Do you love the cute, kitsch and retro? You can find a range of bright, colourful and exciting gifts from Kitsch a Go Go, who stock a wide range of character homewares, accessories and clothing.

 

Image from Badge Beast

Badges are a great stocking filler for kids and adults alike! You can get a range suitable for gamer geeks, party animals, and sports supporters at Badge Beast.

Image from Bond and Knight

For a beautiful and luxurious gift for those with great taste how about a leather wallet from Bond and Knight, perfect for the man in your life. They come in a range of beautiful designs with pretty pops of colour.

Storm Stores of the Week - Cute Indie Shops

We know November is when  you have to start thinking about Christmas gifts, so this week Storm Trading and Sharing Pug looked to cute little indie boutiques for Christmas present inspiration!

We love fun and colourful products that will brighten anyone's day; here's a few we handpicked!

Source: amantidirect.co.uk via Storm on Pinterest

Words to live by! Give this wonderful, playful poster to the party animal in your life, or to anyone who just believes in having fun. This is perfect for the kitchen and it's classy vintage typography means it will fit in with almost any style. You can get this gorgeous gift for just £20 from Amanti.

Source: jijikiki.com via Storm on Pinterest

I can't find a more adorable gift for a budding design enthusiast - firstly, who doesn't like dinosaurs? Nobody! And secondly, a dinosaur wielding a mightily pencil is really something to behold, the perfect emblem for artists and designers alike. The Designosaurus is available from Ji Ji Kiki.

Source: http://www.gypsygold.co.uk/

For the perfect mix of practical and chic, you can never go too wrong with a printed tote bag! Gypsy Gold makes this foil printed eco-tote, it's a bit more special than your average with the shiny foil print; shop in style with this bag, because by buying this gift for someone at Christmas you can spread the word that being green doesn't mean being dowdy, this bag will even be the envy of your friends.


Looking for the perfect Christmas packaging? If you're giving jewellery as gifts why not wrap it up in these adorable candy bags available from Storm Trading?

Source: blog.bakeitpretty.com via Ann on Pinterest

Featured Stores Sponsored by Storm Trading!

Every week we will be working with the packaging specialists Storm Trading to bring you our featured favourite stores from around the web; we've handpicked really special and unique products too -  treasures that you might not have otherwise found! 

This week we are looking at Curious Home Decor, things which are a little weird and wonderful but will really make a design statement in your home! 

Mr J Design Studio

image from Mr J Design Studio  

Have you ever seen more weird and wonderful lighting than this? Leave your guests pondering while you bask in the golden glow of the Charles Bowler Hat Light. Whether your home style is going to be Victoriana chic or surrealist in style, this lighting will look perfect; or why not buy a couple and suspend them along a dining table for a different take on the mad hatter's tea party? Curious and Curiouser...

Kate Parker's Cabinet of Curiosities

Image from The Cabinet Of Curiosities

If you're a fan of the macbre with a glitzy glamourous twist there is no better way to strike fear and awe into your guest's hearts! Place these on your bedside tables, or have it observe you from a perch in the kitchen. It's a design statement and a beautiful contrast to shabby chic interiors. If you are seduced and tempted to buy this Glitter Skull Ornament, do so from the Cabinet or Curiosities.

Love Kitty Pink

Image from Love Kitty Pink

 

 This is the sort of phone which ladies gossiped on in the fifties, and in my opinion it must be accompanied by feather heeled slippers, a silk dressing gown and rollers in your hair. Love Kitty Pink makes these cute, kitsch and entirely original upcycled vintage phones, and you can get this Doll Face Design on Etsy, which is perfect for any boudoir! 

And from Storm Trading... Here's how to mimic the odd, dark and decadent look in your business packaging.

Why not wrap up your Christmas sales in these glamourous gold mailing bags?

Then complete the festive magic by wrapping your item in dark delicate noir tissue paper?

And complete the look with lashings of black ribbon!

Packaging for your Etsy Business

 

 When it comes to packaging for your Etsy business, you really need to make a little investment to create that added value for your customers. Your products are one thing, but you'd be surprised how many customers appreciate really good packaging! It's important that your packaging is beautiful so it gives an air of luxury to your item, but it also needs to be practical so it protects your item in transit.

The "keep calm and have a bath" boxes above are from Bomb Cosmetics, they look beautiful and they also make a great way of storing the item in your home! Making your packaging useful to your customers even after it has served its primary purpose is a great idea!

 

Even if you need to have functional plan packaging on the outside like a gold padded envelope, you can still wrap your packaging up beautifully on the inside. This packaging is from Luna On The Moon. Wrapped up in black tissue paper and a black grosgrain ribbon, then adorned with her business cards and a free gift of a skull shaped lipgloss, Luna on the Moon is making sure people have that extra reason to shop with her again!

 

Do as Jainie Basil does as well! Make sure you add lots of beautiful business cards to your packaging so your customers always have a keepsake to remember to come back to your shop!

 

Remember to research how bigger companies use packaging to take inspiration for your own. The shoe boxes above are from Irregular Choice and Bordello shoes, they reflect their branding well and are instantly recognizable, so always keep that in mind!

 

Why We Love: Lime Crime

Welcome to the rainbow unicorn world of Lime Crime.

Lime Crime is a make-up brand that isn't afraid of breaking convention. They produce a range of candy coloured lipsticks, luxe eyeshadow pallets and Marie-antoinette inspired nail polishes.

 

 

Just in time for Halloween they've recently launched their Alchemy collection which has a witch-y zodiac vibe and features two unusual coloured lipsticks. 

 

 

Their founder is the beautiful and unique self proclaimed unicorn queen Doe Deere, who often posts some great make up looks and tutorials.

Lipstick Inspiration

 Image from Audrey Kitching's Buzznet

We don't like to keep all our good ideas to ourselves, so here's some of the most amazing lipstick ideas from around the web. How about heart lips? All you need to do to create this effect is paint a heart onto your lips using lip liner and a lipstick brush, then simply fill in the rest of your lips in another shade. This is a cute look for a day out if you do it in rosy pinks, but it can be incredibly striking in black and gold lipsticks!

Source: tumblr.com via Kirstie-Ann on Pinterest

For something even more striking you could try these neon pink lips lined with gold and blended.

 

You can create this gasoline look in two ways! Either use fine shimmering powders over a black lipstick and finish with gloss, or use a mixture of blended Lime Crime Carousel Glosses.

Keep Puggin' On. QooQoo Fashion

We love quirky and odd designs; we like fashion we've never seen before and ideally not priced well out of our reach! Our pug has hunted down some sweet threads this time. Enter QooQoo (No, the pug can't pronounce that.), mix graphic surreal prints with pastel tones and add to tights, swimwear and accessories. Chic but still crazy enough to make you stand out in a good way! 

 

Pink Puss Swimsuit $75

The dreamy, out of this world line makes some perfect pieces featuring pink Persians, space bears and truly epic Aztec prints. 

 

Dog Eye Stockings $45 

 Hairy Snake Scarf $55

Our pug normally snubs the high street, he's a spoilt little thing, but he loves the designer feel on a budget. if you're looking to inject some colour into your AW wardrobe, this is the brand to do it with. 

 

Supernature Shirt $60