Taking Inspiration from What is Around You...

Sometimes you see something of beauty, and you just want to take a photograph to capture it for ever. This was the case with me when I was exploring a historic building in Scotland not so long ago. Sunlight was streaming through a stained glass window, giving the glass panes an extra depth of colour. The photograph just had to be taken.

And then, days later, whilst trying to be creative in my Zazzle store, and looking through my photos for inspiration, the stained glass window came to my attention again. That would look good on some gift items I thought to myself, fully aware that the idea was maybe a little incongruous.

Adding My Stained Glass Image to a Zazzle Product

So I took a selected area of the image and positioned it on a mug, as well as a few other items. For some I added a name, giving the ability for personalisation. Here’s one example. A mug.

A Mug with Stained Glass Design plus Recipient's Name

Take a look at the mug in my Zazzle store...

It just shows that you can take inspiration from anything when it comes to being creative!

My Stained Glass Gift Collection

Here is a link to the full Stained Glass collection that is in my Zazzle Store.

Stained Glass Designs

You can sign up with Zazzle and start making money from your own designs and creations by clicking the banner below...

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The Just A Card Campaign...

The JUST A CARD campaign aims to encourage people to support, value and buy from artists, designers, independent shops and small businesses by reinforcing the message that all purchases, however small, even 'just a card' are so vital to their prosperity and survival.

The campaign came about when Artist & Designer Sarah Hamilton saw the quote "If everyone who'd complimented our beautiful gallery had bought 'just a card' we'd still be open" by store keepers who'd recently closed their gallery.

So there's the concept. We all buy greetings cards for friends and family during the year. Maybe consider making a card purchase online from an artist such as myself? Many of my cards can be personalised to make them extra special!

Forget running down to the shops at the last moment to grab from a limited range of mass-produced greetings cards. Now is a good time to plan ahead and select cards that you will receive in good time, ready to send out to friends and family when the time is right!

Below I have links to three greetings card collections that I have in my Zazzle store. I hope you will take a look, and maybe buy a card or two that you can use in the future.

I will be very grateful. Thank you.

Birthday & Greeting Cards

Cartoons on Greetings Cards

Cartoons on Blank Cards

You can create your own designs and products on Zazzle by clicking the banner below...

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Designs on a Cruise Theme

At a time when travel is off limits for most people, due to the coronavirus crisis, cruise ships are one of the holiday industry's casualties.

Cruises are normally big business, and thousands of people all around the world choose cruise holidays as their preferred style of holiday.

Let's hope that it isn't too long before the cruise ships are in business again. In the meantime, we can dream of future cruise holidays and maybe start planning destinations, and saving up too!

I designed a few different cruise related products in my Zazzle store aimed at the cruise lover, and am pleased to have already sold a few. Pictured here is a baseball cap example.

You can see all the items I have available in this collection here...

Cruising and Sailing Gear
by Fun Graphics

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Country Pub Waiter and Menu Confusion Gag...

Here's a country pub food menu gag I drew where I wanted to play around with farming-related menu items. It seems perfect to have the setting as a country pub, which would be set in a farming area of course. 

Adding the Cartoon to a Product on Zazzle

Here it is on the side of a mug. (The image, showing a pub waiter taking a food order from pub customers, repeats on both sides.)

View on Zazzle

There's an added advantage with this item as I have set it up so that you can personalise the name on the side of the mug. This means you can turn it into an extra special and personal gift for someone!

Personalise the Product with Recipient's Name

Here is a view of the country pub menu cartoon mug showing the position of the name.

Farmer's Had Shepherd's Pie Coffee Mug

You can sign up with Zazzle and maybe start making money from your own designs and creations by clicking the banner below...

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A Chicken Takes a Job as a Lollipop Lady

Here's my cartoon of a chicken working as a Lollipop Lady on a School Crossing Patrol.

Strangely, I signed this Lollipop Man themed cartoon with my surname, rather than just my first name, as I usually do.

I created quite a lot of cartoons on the Crossing Patrol theme - usually with Lollipop Men as characters in bizarre situations where they were using their lollipops in unusual ways! One cartoon had a lollipop LADY as a character too. it was a cartoon with the Lollipop Lady singing at a pub karaoke. (You have to be very old to remember the song that she's singing karaoke to!)

I shall find them all out and post onto this blog one day. Now Posted! For the moment you can see them all on some webpages I made a while back to show the cartoons in this theme:

Ten Lollipop Man Cartoons...

Ten MORE Lollipop Man Cartoons...

I have created quite a few print-on-demand items which feature the cartoons. The links in the graphic below will take you there...

Why the Chicken Crosses the Road
by Cartoons by Nigel

You can sign up with Zazzle and start making money from your own designs and creations by clicking the banner below...

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Evernote is Perfect for Archiving a Record of your Cartoon Collection

If, like me, you create a huge number of cartoon gags over the years, this article could be of special help to you.

Like you, I ended up with numerous cartoon stored in various folders on my computer disks. Here's how I managed to create a handy searchable database using Evernote.

Creating a Note & Cartoon Database in Evernote...

If you haven't already, sign up to Evernote. You can use the free version, which is pretty powerful in itself. Link to Evernote...

Create a new note. (Click on the + sign in the green circle, as shown in the screenshot below.)

A screenshot of the New Note creation page

Give a title for the cartoon illustration you want to file.

If you have an item, or a collection, on a Print on Demand site, such as Zazzle, you can paste the link, or simply add some notes as text.

Add your image. Evernote lets you browse and select the image from your computer.

Finally, add relevant tags for the image. This will be so useful for when you want to search in the future.

Add tags to your note

That's it - You've successfully added a cartoon your Evernote database!

There is so much more you can do - such as create numerous "notebooks", each with a different subject or theme. Now you can categorise the notes you create appropriately.

Using Your Evernotes to Create a Blog...

Yes - you can create a simple Blog using your Evernote entries! This is made possible by the elegant Postach.io

It is simple to set up. See an example of this in action on my own Pistachio.io Blog. I hope you like it, and have found this useful.

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Gender Reassignment Clinic...

At a gender reassignment clinic the counsellor is offering to pour the tea.

To the amusement of the others attending she uses the expression, "Shall I be Mother?". 

Obviously there is no intent to belittle what is an important subject for many - my gag is simply to capitalise on a long-established phrase that suits the situation so well.

Gender Reassignment Cartoon.
by CartoonsByNigel

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Not too "Lovey-Dovey". It's for the Wife!

And they say "Romance is dead"!

Greetings Card Shop Cartoon.
by CartoonsByNigel

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Getting Matched-Up with a Brewery in Dublin!

I suppose it must say something about my lifestyle that the last time I tried a dating agency it matched me up with a brewery in Dublin!

That's my gag and this is how I turned it into a cartoon.

The Dating Agency has been a common theme for me with cartoons I've drawn over the years. I am of course aware that such "bricks and mortar" type Dating Agencies are something of the past now that online dating platforms have taken over so much. It's probably put paid to any future for these cartoons, but I've always liked the fun scenario possibilities that this setting throws up, and I hope they will make people smile for a good few years yet.

Dating Agency Matches Man with Brewery Cartoon.
by CartoonsByNigel

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Husband in Shock at Wife's Spending Spree...

My wife like to break records. She got in from shopping yesterday and said, "What was my record spending spree before today, darling?"

That's the gag I thought up, and I wanted to translate it into a cartoon. I don't usually analyse my cartoons very deeply, but I think this works, having the man sitting casually in his armchair, relaxing with the newspaper, reacting with shock shock on hearing his wife using a phrase like "record spending spree" as she walks in laden with shopping. Perhaps he's worried about the next credit card statement...

Wife Returns Home from Shopping Cartoon.
by CartoonsByNigel

You can sign up with Zazzle and start making money from your own designs and creations by clicking the banner below...

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Retirement, Long Service and Commemorative Items - Gifts that are Sure to be Treasured...

I thought I'd write a post to show items I've created on Zazzle that are designed to commemorate significant events - such as long service, retirement, significant birthdays, weddings and anniversaries, etc.

Here are a few examples. Clicking on each image will take you to that product in the Zazzle marketplace, where you can go on to create your own masterpieces. Give it a try!

Long Service Award

Long Service Award Commemorative Bone China Mug

The long service award is a simple idea that shows appreciation to a member of staff, and recognition of their service.

Retirement Watch

Example: Dispensing Chemist or Pharmacist Watch

A watch is an item that is sure to be valued. The design above is stylish and has a clean design.

Retirement Wall Clock

Nurse Retirement Award with Years Served Large Clock

Another item that will be displayed in pride of place on the wall!

Long Service Stein

Doctor Long Service Award Beer Stein

The recipient of this item will surely reflect on his time at work whilst enjoying a cool beer at the same time!

Retirement Mug

Retirement Loyal Service Commemorative Bone China Mug

Or maybe a personalised coffee mug would be a nice retirement gift. Suitable for a Long Service Award too.

Valentines Watch

Valentine with Hearts Watch

Two names - one love. His 'n' Hers watch styles are available with the same design carried across. Each watch has the names of the loving couple.

Wedding Day Wall Plate

Commemorative Wedding Day Plate

A personalised wedding plate will be something that a couple will appreciate for years to come.

So, there you have just a few ideas - products that I have created on Zazzle and which are available for everyone to amend for their own specific requirements.

See more on Zazzle...

Retirement & Long Service Cards & Gift Items

You can sign up with Zazzle and start making money from your own designs and creations by clicking the banner below...

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