2016 Update! Books and more!

Hello Monday!

Long time no see. (I hate when people say that.) Where have I been? What have I been up to? Tons and tons of drawing is what I've been doing! It's been a really exciting process, and I'm so happy that I can finally share what I've been working on.

Since Formex in August I have been in contact with Swedish book publisher Pagina Förlag (who actually discovered my work there, yay!) They have commissioned me to illustrate 3 books, which is very exciting! One love themed postcard book, one fashion themed poster book, and an adult coloring book. I was over the moon about this project and worked from September to February on these illustrations, especially for the coloring book as I had to create 96 originals. I don't think I've drawn this much in my life. I think I might have even gotten better at it too.

My postcard book Love Notes and my poster book Fashionista are both already available for sale (links below) and my coloring book will be released at the end of the month.

Since I've been working so many months on these coloring book illustrations, drawing nearly everyday all day, I almost feel at a lost as what to do now that I'm finished. I've been drawing a few new patterns for my Spoonflower fabric shop and created new phone case designs for my Casetify shop. I also need to start work on more fashion illustrations for my Etsy shop. But what I'm really itching to do is start working on a second coloring book (just in case the first one goes well, I'd love to have one at the ready.)

So now you know what I've been up to all these months. I hope you're as excited for my books as I am!

If you are interested and located in Sweden my books are available for purchase on Bokus.
And if you are international you can find them in my Etsy shop.

Formex August 2015

 Hello Friday!

Long time no see. I was just about to make the excuse of being too busy... but it's just untrue, plus I'm not a big fan of the "too busy" excuse. (You always have time, it's just a matter of what you decide to spend your time doing.) I've had plenty of time to pop in here to update you on what's happening behind the scenes... I just haven't.

Anywho, 3 weeks ago I presented my work at Formex for the second time. Since I had shown my work at Formex in January I had learnt a thing or two which I tried to implement this time around. In January I tried to show as much of my work as possible, and didn't really think about the overall look of my booth. This time I showcased just my scarves and my illustrations and designed my booth to look a little bit like a candy shop or bakery. I am really pleased with how it all turned out, plus the gorgeous bouquet of flowers really brought everything together. I'm also totally in love with the perfect periwinkle color I picked for the counter and frilly banner!

Another thing I also learnt from last time is that many people (or maybe just Swedes) are pretty timid when it comes to getting close to you to take a closer look so I built a little counter to bring my work a little closer to the walk ways. This way people felt a little more comfortable stopping to pick up a business card or stop for a chat and take a quick look at my work.

How did I find this Formex compared to the first experience?

The first time around was really exciting because I really didn't know what to expect. I felt really new and people seemed excited to see something new at the fair too. I met tons of people who really took the time to complement my work and chat with me about my process etc. I made a handful of sales and connections that definitely made the fair worth it for me.

The second time around was just as exciting but this time I felt I really knew what was going to happen, and I was really pleased with how my booth looked overall. Unfortunately the weather was not on our side. It was incredibly sunny and people didn't seem to want to be stuck indoors. So the overall feel of the fair from speaking to others too was that there wasn't as many people there and people were really really stressed, not taking the time to stop for a chat. I still feel that it was worth standing at the fair because I made a handful of sales and connections this time around too that will potentially lead to lots of exciting work. So no complaints from me. But I had hoped that more people would have recognised my work from the last time around, and a little press would have been nice. I gave out over 100 business cards, so who knows what that will lead to in the future.

By the way, did you know that I'm the top selling Etsy shop in Sweden in the category of Art. Pretty neat huh?!

EmmaKisstina + Spoonflower

Hello Monday!

I've got something rather exciting to share with your today! A month or so ago I got an Etsy message asking if I sold my designs on Spoonflower. At the time I didn't and wasn't sure if I ever would. But I just couldn't shake the idea. I've been loving creating patterns lately but haven't really figured out a way to utilise them besides just building my portfolio. The idea of having my own range of fabrics by the meter was of course very appealing, but to produce a collection myself is just not possible for me to do at the moment.

Previously I haven't thought that Spoonflower's quality was very good and I thought the payout for designers was a little lower than I'd like, but I placed an order for some swatches at the beginning of the year and was happily surprised to see that the quality was much better than I remembered. I also realised even though the commission I make on my designs is much lower than if I produced them myself, I don't have to go through the manufacturing process, and I don't have to worry about stock or even customer service. A pretty good deal I think! I just have to take the time to create patterns that I hope lots of people will enjoy... and that I enjoy myself as well.

So I started designing like a crazy person! In about one month's time I created 60 designs (some of course were just color variations) and had swatches of them sent to me to double check. I love them all, and I have now made them all available in my very own EmmaKisstina Spoonflower fabric shop. I welcome you to take a peek, and let me know if there is anything you'd like to see from me in the future. 

I'm really looking forward to creating even more collections of my signature girly designs. Hope you love them!

Blogger What's in my Bag: Ashley of Sugar and Cloth

Hello Saturday!

Where have I been? I have no idea and I'm not going to even attempt to make excuses because there are none. Let's talk about this pretty illustration instead.

This year I wanted to bring back my Blogger What's in my Bag series but instead of forcing myself to feature someone every month I've been really selective. This month I was so tickled that Ashley of Sugar and Cloth not only replied to my email but actually wanted to be a part of my series. Woo hoo! So here are her picks for her What's in my Bag illustration. Pretty nice right?!

If you'd like to take a peek at all of the lovely ladies I've featured in my series head on over to my Blogger What's in my Bag Pinterest board.

Also if you'd like one for yourself you can pop over to my Etsy shop and find my Custom What's in my Bag illustration.

Let Me Introduce You to New EmmaKisstina Stockists

Hello Wednesday!

Long time no see. Where have I been? First I had a very irritating cold (may have blown my nose 5 million times in 3 days, which also left me with no energy to do anything else, grrr) and then my parents came to Stockholm for a visit, so not much work got done then either. But it was amazing having them here to show them what my life is like in Sweden. Nothing like spending time with your family when you only get to see them in person every other year or so.

Anywho, back to business. This Spring I've had the pleasure of adding 3 stockists, woo hoo! Let me introduce you to 3 stores now carrying my prints and products.

In Sweden: Wågat och Schöönt
Here in Malmö you can find a selection of my prints, scarves, makeup bags, and soon my acrylic trays.

In Switzerland: Stina's Café
Here in Luzern you can find a large selection of my silk scarves.

In USA: Colori
Here in San Marino, California you can find a selection of my silk scarves, prints and makeup bags.

I hope to add even more new stockists real soon.

New Illustrations

 Hello Wednesday!

Since getting my new big fat square sketchbook I've been prompted to draw all the time, which is great because for awhile I didn't draw very much. (What ever works!) So in my free time I've been drawing tons of new illustrations both for fun and for my shop illustrations and other products.

First up an illustration inspired by popular French pharmacy products. I think this print would be perfect for any bathroom. The French seem to really know what they are doing in the beauty department. Anyone else a fan of French pharmacy products?

I was looking through my shop and noticed that I don't have any prints with sunglasses but one. This had to be rectified right away, and here is my new sunglasses print! I think I'd also like to do another version in the future with different colors and patterns on the glasses. Wouldn't that be fun?!

Blogger What's in my Bag: Geraldine of Little Big Bell

 Hello Monday!

How exciting, I finally have my first Blogger What's in my Bag collaboration of the year to show off with you today! 

This one is extra special because I not only got to feature the amazing London lifestyle blogger Geraldine of Little Big Bell but I also got the chance to illustrate her teenage daughter's favorite items as well... even bigger plus it was UK's Mother's Day yesterday. How sweet! Please head over to Little Big Bell to get a closer look at all of the items featured in the illustrations. I especially loved drawing all of the super cute, colorful and fun Kate Spade and Ban.do goodies.

To view all of the amazing bloggers I've featured in my series you can head over to my Blogger What's in my Bag Pinterest board here...

And if you'd like to get an illustration commissioned for yourself or a friend head over to my Etsy shop and purchase my Custom What's in my Bag illustration here...

Black and White

Hello Monday!

Have you noticed something lately with my work? No? Well I've been using more black in my designs. You might not have noticed yet because I haven't posted all my newest illustrations... they should be up by the end of the week. But I'm kind of liking the new look. (Also on a side note I'm stepping away from drawing designer brand items but we can talk more about that later.) 

Since I'm such a pastel lover I have a hard time using darker colors because I think they just look horrible to me sometimes and black and white designs are very over done and they can be found all over the place. But I just can't deny how chic, cool and sophisticated black and white designs are. Maybe it's my old age and I'm looking for a more sophisticated look or I'm finally turning into a real Stockholmer. (Absolutely everything is black and white in Stockholm, it's almost ridiculous!) So I've been working on adding simpler black and white illustrations to my shop. I of course won't completely walk away from pastels but I just want to have a mix of lots of illustrations in my shop. Hopefully this is a welcomed change. What do you think?

I also want to introduce you to my new iPhone case designs. They aren't incredible new as I just added black backgrounds to my previous designs but they look so cool in Casetify's new Metaluxe design. I love the rose gold detail (also available in silver.)

These three designs are available for iPhone only with the Metaluxe case. Learn more and shop the collection here...

Also I have a nice code: XVDYNR for $10 off your first case purchase! (you can use this on any of my cases for any phone model.)

How I started EmmaKisstina Video & New Illustrations in Shop

Hello Friday!

Been awhile since I popped in to say hello, but here I am and I have another video and new illustrations to show off.

Let's start off with the video. The other day I spent far too much time talking to myself a.k.a. the camera trying to figure out how to tell the story of how EmmaKisstina was started. There was so much stuff that I could talk about, but this time around I decided to talk about going to art school and then transitioning into what I do today. Hopefully you find it interesting even though it's a little bit long.

And then I've recently been on a drawing kick. I've sketched and inked about 6 new illustrations. Plus I've been planning even more. I have so many ideas I need to get out on paper. I haven't made new work in a long time as I've been focusing on other projects, so it will be nice to get lots of new illustrations into the shop.

What do you think of my two latest illustrations?

Watch me draw: a new silk scarf design

Hello Friday!

To end the week with something fun, I'd like to share my first ever drawing video. I'm working on creating new silk scarf designs, and this is one of them! A scarf full of gorgeous jewelry, ribbons, and lots of tiny details. With the help of time lapse I was able to cram 1 hour of drawing into 5 minutes.

Hope you enjoy the video!

Pillow and Acrylic Tray Sneak Peek Video

Hello Monday!

I bet you're all very interested in learning more and seeing a closer look at my upcoming pillow and acrylic trays collections (right?!). You're in luck! Today I have another silly YouTube video for you take a look at. Hooray!

Hope you love the collections! Let me know what you think and if you have any questions, and of course feel free to visit my website to view my catalog and learn more about my current products.

Have a great week!

A Quick Q&A

Hello Monday!

I got nominated to answer a few questions by the lovely Uli of blog Found Some Paper. Pretty neato huh? I never get nominated for anything and I'm always so shocked and tickled that people enjoy my blog especially since I neglect it so very often. I strangely really really enjoy answering questions so I was flattered to have been picked to answer these. I love interviews and question answer posts because I really have to think about myself and I usually learn something new about myself which is neat too!)

What is your favourite blog and why?

I follow about one million blogs so it's really difficult to pick out a favorite but I really really enjoy A Beautiful Mess because their posts are so perfectly executed, The B Bar blog for all of the amazing free advice and health food blog My New Roots for gorgeous and informative recipes.

Which famous person would you choose to be friends with?
Emma Stone seems like such a goof and would make such a fun friend.

How much do you sleep?
I adore sleeping, and I'm really good at it too, especially in freshly cleaned sheets. I like to get a solid 8 or 9 hours a night. I usually got to bed around 11:30 and get up at 8:30.

What is your best blog post of all time?
I have no idea! I think the majority of my blog posts are very quick and simple so nothing really stands out. But I am very proud of my Blogger What's in my Bag series though, and really miss creating these illustrations every month. I hope to start the series again soon!

If you describe yourself in one word what would it be?
Silly.

Describe your greatest creative day. Where would you go / what would you do?
It doesn't take much to make me feel really inspired but I especially love to go for a long walk. I adore just walking around Stockholm with my boyfriend talking about ideas and plans and passing lots of stores and restaurants. There is always something new to take a look at and be inspired by.

Is there an artist you can’t forget?
I love the work of Betsy Walton. Her works are very dark and strange but use very bright and happy colors. I own two of her prints and love looking at all of the small details.

Link to the best recipe you have found on the Internet. Why is it so good?
Crack Slurp may be the funniest name for a recipe ever. I must confess that I haven't made this yet but I really want to because it looks amazing.

If your personality is a logo what would it look like?
The logo would be simple and colorful with some sort of pretty calligraphic font.

What was the best present you ever made someone?

I didn't actually make this present with my two hands but its definitely the best present I've (and my sister) have ever given. For my mother's 65th birthday my sister and I had our old family videos from the 90's turned into digital DVDs. Since the videos were taped on special mini tapes you had to use the old camera to play them through the TV, and it's was getting really tired. It would have been a shame to just let the tapes get destroyed by time so I'm so glad we finally converted them. 

Thanks so much Uli for asking me to answer these questions, hope you find reading my answers fun!

Rearranging my Office/Studio Space

Hello Friday!

I've been itching for a change in my home office/studio for awhile now. We've lived in our apartment for nearly 2 years and my room has stayed pretty much the same since we moved in. Change is so much fun plus a quick easy way to increase my motivation and inspiration, even if it's just subtle. So after Formex was finished I had the good problem of having more products to store. I decided to bring in the white metal shelving unit that I had at the fair and moved my desks and other cabinets around to make room. Strangely even though I have more furniture in my small space it feels more spacious, put together and even more functional. Go figure! 

 It's been a while since I switched out the images and clippings from my inspiration board. I really should do that since it's nice to get new ideas in my head... but this is what it looks like for now. p.s. I adore fairy lights!

In my new white shelf I have now organised all of my new products, shipping supplies, and of course my tutu. A gorgeous reminder of my ballet days. Since the shelf is so big I have plenty of room for everything and more. For the moment I'm really loving looking at my new pillow collection. Am I allowed to say that I think they are so very pretty?

My EmmaKisstina social media sign moved into my room too. Are you following me on Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter and Facebook, hehe ;)

 Oh and what do you think of my current view, a white Winter wonderland. Stunning right?!