After the recent days of intermittent rain, incredible thunder storms, and dull skies, the sun is back in business!! (I'm sure I'll be moaning about the heat again before too long, but for now there's a beautiful cool breeze, so I can't complain - its perfect!!) So what's been happening in the 'Shack'.... Well, just recently I started another one of those projects that evolves over weeks, rather than a few hours/ days. (There aren't enough crafting hours in a day as I have a 'proper job' too, and life in general tends to get busy all too often!) I love these kind of projects though as they have many stages, and many points of transformation. They usually involve a variety of crafting techniques, and a lot of patience. (It's so hard not to rush sometimes - I have a vision of the finished item and I just want to get to that point when I can share it/ display it!!) Anyway, having lots of time in between stages of said project I thought I might try my hand at something different! There's a huge resin crafting community out there which has recently piqued my curiosity - I've found myself mesmerized by all the videos and reels demonstrating the techniques, colour pours, demolding, tips & tricks, etc.... So I thought to myself this would be a perfect time to 'dip my toes' into a new crafting adventure!! I'd hardly call it a 'cautious, tentative step' though - in typical 'me' style I've gone all in, making sure I have all the kit to get me started (resin, molds, pigments, tools, glitters, more molds, mica powders, ... even some Jesmonite!). So now I'm committed!! Lol!! I had some old resin, so I poured a couple of 'test' pieces just to get me off the starters block - a pretty little peacock blue trinket pot, and a bubblegum pink rose-topped heart-shaped box. They're by no means perfect, but considering I'm just starting out they didn't come out too bad! New crafts require a lot of patience (bit of a tricky for me!), and a lot of practice (bring it on!), so watch this space - at this rate there may well be some pretty little resin pieces heading onto the website very soon!! Enjoy that sunshine!! xxx

I think I mentioned in a previous post that Ray bought me a heat press for Christmas ... Well, up until about a week ago it was still sitting quietly in the shack, patiently awaiting it's 'debut'! Ray of course is way ahead of me on this new 'toy'- already thinking up all manner of wild & wonderful things we could print on with it... but me? Well I thought I'd start small -something nice & simple - like coasters! As I already have several Doodles & Cute Fun Faces designs layouts prepared for our mugs , it's been relatively easy to come up with some coaster designs just by adapting those! Don't get me wrong though, there has still been a lot of 'trial & error' with placement, spacing, etc... so a fair bit of back & forth before I was finally happy with what I was seeing! The plan is to develop a range of printed coasters that match/ co-ordinate with our printed mug ranges . But hey! Maybe you don't want a mug!? Maybe you just want a coaster (or two)!? No problem - we'll be offering printed coasters as singles, and in sets! There are loads of designs already planned, with many more in the pipeline, so keep checking back as we gradually upload them to the website over the next few weeks! This printing lark is seriously addictive, but I am planning to get back into full on creative mode very soon, as I continue to have lots of ideas swirling around in my head for new bags , boxes , caddies , trays , etc... it's been far too long since I did any of those (I'm getting withdrawal symptoms! Lol!) Before I sign off, it seems an opportune moment to remind you that we do offer custom makes, so if you see any item in our store that you like but would prefer with a different pattern/ theme/ wording, then get in touch with us via our Contact Page. Also, a reminder that as well as delivery we do offer collection in person, so if you are local to Kenilworth and would prefer to arrange to collect your items, just select that option at checkout. Here's to a fabulous June!! Mickie x

With Mothers' Day on the horizon, I think we have to say that Spring is finally here, - it's just that the weather doesn't seem to have cottoned on yet!!!! We were all excitedly out in our short sleeves a couple of weekends ago, but clearly that was just a sneak preview of better and brighter days to come, as the woollens are definitely back on again for now!! We'll continue to wait .... I still haven't managed to do a lot of creating so far this year - unusual for me! Life has just been a little on the hectic side, and all I've really been managing to achieve is a very 'here & there' (as Ray would describe it) kind of sort out in the 'Shack'! There is still lots to do .... I did set myself a personal creative goal this year though - to make sure I remembered everyone's birthdays, and made and sent cards (on time!) to all of them! The last couple of years have been a bit 'hit & miss' on the 'friends & family' card front (more missed than hit!) so I was determined to get back on track! And so far I've stuck to it! All the cards are made up until the end of June so far, and I already have ideas for the remainder of the year! So what little creating I have managed so far has been handmade cards! I had forgotten how much I enjoyed the process - and I'm hoping that this renewed energy into cardmaking will spill into our Handmade Cards offering on the website as I look to refresh the ranges! The joy in making cards for friends & family is that you have a specific person in mind as you create - which I love! So it seems appropriate to remind you that we offer Custom Makes if you need a card that's a little different/ more suitable to a particular person or theme - something 'not off the shelf'! Just get in touch via our Contact Form ! Don't forget to check out our current ranges before you leave - Mothers' Day & Easter are fast approaching!! Hoping that the Spring sunshine will have arrived by then too .... Mickie x

 Well Hello all!! & 'Hello 2025!!' Apologies for my lateness in welcoming the New Year in - I've spent much of the first few weeks of the year feeling very sorry for myself, having succumbed to a nasty flu thing that long outstayed it's welcome!! But thankfully, I'm feeling a lot better now! So I've managed to skip all the Resolution-making - no biggie really, as I never seem to stick to any of them long - but I have started thinking about what new things the New Year will see at Mixarray!! Following on from our 'toe-dip' into sublimation late last year with our printed mugs , Ray bought me a heat press for Christmas so that we can look to expand on our offering of printed goods & gifts! It's very early days (the machine isn't even out of the box yet!), but I can't wait to start experimenting with some 'trial' projects (and yes, I have already got some blanks ready for doing just that!) My head is bursting with new ideas for Bags & Cases which I can't wait to start working on, along with more designs for Coasters , Caddys , Trays, etc..., and I am keen to refresh our Handmade Cards ranges this year - so watch this space!! First things first though - the Shack! I think the last few weeks has been the longest period where I haven't even stepped foot in the Shack! So, I know that I'm going to have a fair amount of sorting/ organising to do before I can make a start on anything new (even if its just to find a space for the new heat press!!) Seems I may have 'dodged' the New Year's Resolution-making, but there's no escaping the annual 'Spring' Clean! It's a chance to clear down, refresh, restart,... So - albeit nearly a month in already! - here's looking forward to a fabulous 2025!! I hope the New Year has started off well for everyone!! Mickie x

As I sit here, it's reading zero degrees on my Alexa screen, and there's snow on the ground still from yesterday's (rather premature to my mind) 'flurry'!! It's only November!!!! All that said though, the sun is shining - it's a beautiful (if not chilly) day!! :) I thought I'd give you a little background to my doodles, following the launch of our 'Doodle' Mugs earlier this month! It all started back when I was journalling regularly. Each month various Instagram accounts would post themed doodle challenges - one little doodle a day, approx 3cm square - and so I started doing some just to 'pretty up' my journals! I even got mom involved for a little while - it was great sharing our daily doodles with each other, and seeing the different takes on the various prompts... One month - the first one I did if I remember correctly - was The Sea, another was Ancient Egypt, and there were lots more: Nature, Christmas, School, Movies, Holidays, Kids' Characters, Halloween, .... some months I finished, many I didn't, but it was great when you could see a whole grid of your own doodles filling a page or two in your journal!! I had liked Art at school, but never pursued it, so when I started doing these I rekindled a long forgotten love of drawing!! As you can no doubt imagine then, I accumulated quite a number of these little doodles over a number of months - but what to do with them?? I'd already used some of the images on a range of notecards , but Ray is always trying to encourage me to use them in my crafty creations, and so we recently came up with an idea to print them onto mugs ! The range at launch comprises several ' Doodle ' designs, along with some ' Cute Fun Faces ', & some ' Christmas Doodles ' designs, but there are lots more to come - so watch this space!!

Hey! How're you all liking the chilly wet days we've been 'blessed' with lately? If you're anything like me, you're cold all of the time, and constantly grumbling - LOL! I don't know why, as complaining about it changes nothing (just makes us feel 'better' I guess!), and there are so many worse things .... Anyway, this time of year the temperature down in the shack is a little 'unwelcoming', so I find myself doing more of the creating that can be done in the house (in the warm!). So I've been playing around with my 'cute fun faces' - I've been doodling/ drawing these for a few years now! It was something I started doing quite absent-mindedly - I've always loved drawing eyes (you may have seen some of those on my IG account mixarraymetime !?), and I guess it was kinda natural to progress to full faces! As with everything, its a constant learning-curve, but I love drawing these little faces, and I have quite a few of them now! Recently I have been taking a look at them in mono - they are all nice & bright & cheery in full colour, but the different colourisation really changes the look! We've already used some of my 'cute fun faces' on some of our handmade greeting cards, and you can find these in our online store ! There are some more things in the works though, so - as they say - 'watch this space'!!

I don't know about you, but it's getting around that time of year when I start turning my thoughts towards Christmas and all the planning that it can entail ... There's always lots to think about - arranging all the get-togethers with family & friends, planning when to fit in the big food & drink shops, deciding when is the earliest (or indeed latest) we can put the tree up and get all the decs out of the loft, shopping for presents ....... In my experience finding the perfect gift for someone can sometimes prove to be incredibly tricky! You have it in your mind exactly what you think they would like or might need, something you know they'd just love - if only you could find it .... There is something very special about giving or receiving a present that has been created with a specific person in mind, and at Mixarray we relish the challenge of a 'Custom Make'*, carefully interpreting and transforming your ideas & themes into a unique item - the perfect 'one of a kind' gift! And we don't just stop at Gifts - we also love being given the opportunity to create custom Cards too! It's something we offer all year round - not just at Christmas time though! So if you're looking for a special Birthday Gift, or something to commemorate an Event, a Trip, a Celebration, an Anniversary, an Achievement, ... or 'Just Because', simply get in touch with us via our Contact Form so that we can start exploring your ideas/ themes! *Please bear in mind that timescales & prices will vary depending on what the custom request entails. Minimum lead times are 14 days (assuming all required elements to create an item are already in stock).

Well I think we're finally looking a bit more streamlined here on the website - in our gift sections at least! I asked the question a few months back - what looks best for our product images - and eventually went with a solid black background for all, giving the site an element of uniformity! Its taken a while to get all the photos uploaded, but I think we're about there now! I just wish that the website side of things - albeit essential - was as exciting as the actual creating!! Lol! Of course, I've still managed to find time to keep up with the 'makes' - in fact a selection of pretty little decoupaged Scallop Shell Trinket Trays has been uploaded onto the website this week, and I'm now gradually working my way through a number of Decorative Caddies which currently sit around the Shack in various stages of completion! (The biggest challenge is to stop myself from starting another one before I've completed a few of them!!) Another change to the website is the introduction of a 'Gifts for under £10' section! Websites can be a nightmare to navigate - too many pages/ sections to browse through - and very often we can miss these little 'gems', so we've grouped them all together as a 'one stop shop'! Coaster Sets, Trinket Trays, Money Boxes, Tealights, and much more!! We also have a promotional offer running on all of our coasters - 20% OFF WHEN YOU SPEND £10 OR MORE*!! There are loads of designs to choose from - animals, birds, florals, retro, seasonal, .... - and the offer currently applies to the sets as well as the singles!! So why not drop by and browse a little - there's something for everyone!! * Does not include postage.

Well I can't believe it's been that long since I last posted, but the year seems to be speeding by at a startling pace .... Already we're in June - Valentines, Easter, Mothers' Day, and two Bank Holidays well and truly behind us as we now rapidly approach Fathers' Day!! I don't think I'm alone in finding gift ideas for Dad's a bit 'tricky' sometimes - all too easily we slip into the socks, gloves, wallets, sweets 'standard'! And it's not just the Dad's, as we have just the same struggle when it comes to any of the men in our lives! This year I've spent ages trawling through different designs for our decoupaged items, intent on trying to get more of a selection of gift ideas for the boys, and I was surprised how many I found - gardening, fishing, retro, seaside, drinks, football, wild animals, pets, barbecues, camping, .... I think we (well myself anyway) spend so much time creating the 'pretty' things that we often miss a whole range of fabulous themes! It's been fun creating gifts for Fathers' Day - but this is just the start! There are plenty more designs still to incorporate into our makes, so be sure that the 'gifts for the boys' will continue to feature within our ever-changing ranges! As ever, if you can't find the theme you're looking for on the website, then please drop us a line via the contact form - we may just be able to make you something that is just perfect for the person you're gift-hunting for!