My mug has been supplied by Original People for the purpose of this review, however all the opinions expressed are 100% mine.
WHO ARE ORIGINAL PEOPLE?
Original People is an online shop where people can design their own unique and personalised gifts. Founded by Fredrick and Mia Svensson , who spotted an array of family stickers adorning trailers, cars , boats etc whilst on a road trip in USA and decided to bring the concept to Europe. Their 3 key goals are personalisation, sustainability, and to make people happy.
THE WEBSITE
The website is comprehensive without being cluttered. I chose to review a mug that I wanted to personalise with a collage of 3 of my photos (my happy places – the village where I live, Calheta in Madeira, and Tuscany, Italy). On the website you can upload a photo or a drawing or you can do your own cartoon design using the online design tool. There is a 3D tool to check the result before you place an order. The design tool is fairly easy to use, especially if you are used to online design tools in general – if you are technically challenged it might take a bit longer to figure out. I used the 3D tool to check my order but having since received the mug, I think I could’ve lined up my photos a lot better so they look totally seamless – rookie error! Although Original People is based in Sitges, Spain, the website is in English with prices corresponding to your relevant country.
When it comes to stickers, the website features step by step instructions on how to apply the stickers and other such guides.
THE PRODUCTS
Every product is custom made and unique. All graphical elements are sublimated to keep the design intact. Original People has an impressive variety of products available and at very attractive affordable prices too: personalised mugs (my option); coffee mug; coffee tumbler with lid; wine tumbler with lid; stainless steel water bottle; kids bottles; straw cups; custom car stickers; and camper vinyl stickers.
SUSTAINABILITY
The brand claims that all their products are sustainable – their products are BPA – free, they use eco friendly packaging, recycle all material and reuse everything they can in the production process. They support projects that fight the climate crisis and those who give children in developing countries an education. They regularly collaborate with NGO collaborators (SeaSaveOrg; Greenpeace; The Orang Utan Project).
DELIVERY
It takes 1 – 2 work days to make your custom product. During this process I received emails tracking the development of my mug and I had up to 12 hours to edit,if necessary,my order. Delivery takes 5 – 9 working days via DHL global mail; Express Delivery is 24-48 hours. Despatch is from the factory/HQ of Original People in Sitges, Spain. My mug took roughly 8/9 days to be delivered to my home in England.
CONCLUSION
I am really impressed – it was fun deciding which product I wanted to review and I liked the idea of having a mug. I was undecided on what photo to use and in the end I decided a collage of my 3 happy places would be lovely. The process of using the online tool was fairly easy although I think I should have paid more attention to lining up the photos properly – however, I am pleased with the outcome! The colours in the photos on the mugs seem to be a little saturated – that might be due to the sublimation process to keep the design intact. Again though, it is a minor issue. I’m chuffed. It’s a great idea for gifts and the prices are really reasonable. I didn’t get to review the stickers but I am sure they are of a high standard too. 9/10
I’m so pleased to be part of the “Whispering Through Water” Book Tour for author Rebecca Wenrich Wheeler. Rebecca is a children and young adult author and “Whispering Through Water” is a lovely coming -of-age , young adult story: although this isn’t a genre I normally read, I really enjoyed the story and I think the novel would appeal to young adults and those who like a uncomplicated romantic novel with family dynamics and 1990s nostalgia involved 😊
BOOK SUMMARY
The coming-of-age story follows Gwyn Madison, the summer after her high school graduation, as she grapples with her fast-approaching future. She’ll have to face more than she bargained for with her Aunt Delia, the family matriarch, who holds the purse strings and the final word. In the meantime, Gwyn stumbles upon a tightly held family secret. Could a mysterious letter provide Gwyn the leverage she desires? Will it only bring more family division? Or, maybe, the past was never meant to stay buried after all. Whispering Through Water navigates family dynamics, young love, and female autonomy with a little 1990s nostalgia.
I caught up with author Rebecca to find out more about her, her book and her wardrobe! Hi Rebecca!
Hello! I am Rebecca. I was raised in West Point, Virginia, a small town in the Tidewater region of Virginia. My town is a peninsula of 6.6 square miles! Currently, I live in Durham, NC. I have worked 20+ years in education in various roles, including teaching high school English and psychology. Along the way I earned a degree in Professional Counseling, and now I work in school-based mental health. My husband is a physics instructor. We have two kids and two very spoiled Siamese cats. I am also a registered yoga teacher, and I have taught yoga for 11 years. In addition to writing, I also love baking and gardening.
“Whispering Through Water” is your young adult/teen coming-of-age story featuring family dynamics, young love, a mystery, and a touch of 1990s nostalgia. Who or what inspired you to start your writing career?
I’ve wanted to be a writer since I was in elementary school. I remember writing my “life plan” as an assignment in 8th grade health class. I wrote that I would get a college degree and write a book before age 30 (only one of those happened according to my 8th grade timeline. haha). Books have always been an important part of my life; they are a source of connection and knowledge. I want to be able to share that connection with my readers.
I loved the love story between Gwyn and Isaac.…. in fact I found all the characters believable, including Sal from the pizza joint; Trisha and her sister, Aunt Delia were like chalk and cheese (although I did get frustrated with the way Aunt Delia acted towards her niece and frustrated with Trisha and Uncle Beckett for not being a bit more supportive); the exuberant but likeable Brenda Quigley ; and Gwyn’s best friends Denise & Danny. Did you base a lot of your characters on you and people you’ve met in life? Which character did you enjoy writing about the most? Which character was the hardest?
I love that you felt all of those feelings toward the characters! Yes, we have people in our lives that we wish were more supportive, but just aren’t. In families we do fall into roles, like we are on automatic pilot, and it helps to have some new additions in our lives to shake up the dynamic. Because of Isaac and his family, Gwyn sees a new way to relate and is able to take initiative to relate differently in her own family. You cannot control someone else’s behavior, but you can control how you react toward the behavior. If you take the initiative to change yourself, you change the world.
Gwyn was the easiest to write, probably because she is most like me. Gwyn was probably a bit bolder than I was in high school. I do love Sal Jr. He was a character of my own invention, and just makes me smile!
Aunt Delia was probably the most challenging to write. I completed the second draft in 2013, and shelved it for a while. When I re-read my draft in 2021, Delia did not read as the sympathetic character I intended her to be. I wanted readers to feel sympathy for Delia at the end. I rewrote the relationships in her backstory, so she could become who I envisioned in my mind. I have encountered people similar to Delia. I am curious as to what lies beneath the tough exterior. Bitterness grows over time.
There is no singular person that influenced a character. They are more a hodgepodge of people I’ve met over the years. Mrs. Jenkins and Brenda are an amalgamation of some of my favorite teachers. There’s a little of my college roommate in Denise, and a little of my cousin in Danny (though neither have actually met each other in real life!)
What attracted you to writing a young adult/teenage novel? What is it about this genre that appeals to you?
Adolescence is a pivotal time in a person’s life. Our experiences in adolescence certainly impacts our relationships and behavior patterns as adults. My husband likes to say, “The irony of life is that the 40-year-old must live with the decisions the 18-year-old made.” (Of course the 18 and 40 year-olds refer to the same person!) I know so many adults who love to read YA, and I believe one reason is that it helps them process what they might have experienced as a young person.
I do love the flexibility of the genre. In YA, characters can experience the coming-of-age anywhere, from realistic fiction, to a dystopian universe, to lands with fairies. And the characters can have fun!
As a teenager, books were very important to me. I grew up in a small town, and I never felt like I quite fit in. As C.S. Lewis’ character in the Shadowlands said, “We read to know we’re not alone”. Through my writing, I hope readers can find connection.
Illustration by Terri Moore @mooreillustrating
If you could visit any country/place in the world, to base a future novel in, where would you go and why?
Such a good question. Partially because I’m curious about my Scandinavian ancestry, I would love to learn more about Sweden and Norway. If someone wants to fund a trip, give me a call! 🙂
Growing up, did you always want to be a writer or did you have other career aspirations?
Since childhood, the one true thing I always knew about myself was that I wanted to be a writer. As a kid my other career aspirations weren’t as realistic (one of the humans on Sesame Street, a spy, etc). I think many creatives find themselves doing lots of other careers in hopes one day they will be able to support their creative pursuits.
Are you a bookworm? What is your favourite genre and/or authors? Kindle or actual book?
I am a pro-actual book. I will read a Kindle on a plane, and when carrying a bulk of books isn’t practical. Being on a screen too long gives me a feeling of being trapped. I like the freedom of being able to carry an actual book. Let’s face it, kindles are no fun reading in the sun.
Is Whispering Through Water available to purchase worldwide?
Yes, Whispering Through Water may be purchased from a variety of booksellers like Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and I like to plug independent bookstores. Find your local indie bookstore on indibound.com.
Personal now – what outfits and shoes would you normally be found wearing?
I love jeans, and I’m so glad that high-waisted jeans have come back in style. (I will still wear them when inevitably the low-waisted returns). I am a tall girl, and low-waisted just doesn’t work on me! I also love a fun boho shirt and jewelry.
I live in North Carolina, and unfortunately, at least five months out of the year it’s too hot to wear jeans. I’ve never liked shorts, so in the summer, I’m usually in a cotton dress.
My favorite shoes I own are a pair of beige and red Dr. Martens I bought in a consignment store, probably 15 years ago.
Do you have any favourite shops or online sites?
I love ThreadUp (I blame my former co-worker, Jessica, for this addiction!). I have always loved consignment stores. They encourage me to try brands I wouldn’t always try, and make pricier brands more accessible. Being more eco-friendly is a big perk too!
I love ThreadUp in particular because of the ease of searchability. You can add so many filters to find just what you want.
I also am a gardener, and I buy the majority of my seeds and bulbs from Eden Brothers. They are a North Carolina company and will ship anywhere! www.edenbrothers.com
What’s next on your clothes/shoe wish list?
I have Rothy’s flats, and I would love The Chelsea high top boot.
Boots or Shoes?
Both! Depends on the hemline.
Links you would like to share e.g. website/facebook etc
Instagram: @rebeccawwheeler_author
Twitter: @RWW_author
Website: www.rebeccawwheeler.com
BOOK TOUR DATES
All photographs have been published with kind permission of Rebecca Wenrich Wheeler; illustration by Terri Moore @mooreillustrating . Thanks also to Rebecca for a review copy of “Whispering Through Water”
Creating magic since 1996, my guest this week is Andy from Paper Starlights – think cool camping lanterns, wedding lights, lampshades, parties, Christmas and Diwali decorations- these starlights are hand screen printed using artisan techniques. I caught up with Andy to find out more about his magical brand… Hi Andy and welcome!
Hello 😊 My name is Andy Jupp. I spend my time mainly in the UK and India, have a small brown dog called Darcy, like to drink rum and coke, and am rarely able to watch a movie all the way through.
What inspired the creation of “Paper Starlights”?
Finding a means through which I could do something in life that might make people feel good. I think inspiration is inherent, you just need the spark sometimes. For me it was seeing for the first time the impact traditional bamboo star lanterns had on a social environment.
I understand that “Paper Starlights” is a collaboration of 2 family businesses from India & UK with a story that spans 2 generations & 3 decades of friendship. How did that collaboration come about?
The friendship came about through sheer determination – identifying that we had a mutual interest, then working hard over many years to develop it. For all of us, the maintenance of our relationships, and a focus on quality of relations comes first. The first time we met we ate together, and this is something we make sure we do as often as possible.
You have a lovely wide range of starlights – I particularly like your Bohemian range, especially the Fantasia Tropic. What starlights and designs are proving popular amongst your customers so far?
One of our USPs as a company is to produce across styles and applications – for domestic use, for location décor, for events and hospitality. So it could be a scandi style shop window display, a colourful kids bedroom, or a venue like Kings Cross Station with large 2 metre stars – the popularity seems to derive from the vibe and atmosphere the stars create – We’ve been producing stars since 1996, and have a portfolio of over 180 styles. So there’s a high possibility we have something for most people.
Do you have a particular favourite design?
The next one . Always.
As you are based in Derbyshire, are your products available to purchase overseas?
We have stockists around the world, and retail and wholesale through digital channels too.
How are the starlights made? What makes Paper Starlights special?
They are made with love, care, experience, and attention to detail. The focus is on effect : how to best achieve a certain effect upon a person / location. Because our stars are lanterns, luminosity is key. So materials, design, and process are massively important. Every part of the process is performed by hand, including, crucially, the printing and punching.
Paper Starlights are not just for parties/Christmas/Diwali – they make good lampshades too. What’s the best way to take care of them?
One of the unique things about our stars is that they fold flat, and can be used, re-used, and used again. Sustainability is built into the fabric of the design, aswell as the materials. Many of our customers have been using their stars for 10 years or more, either continuously or as seasonal decorations. The best way to care for them – just leave them be.
How big are the starlights? Do you cater for large scale decorations for events etc?
Our stars range from 42 cm diameter up to 2 metres, although for domestic use the norm is 60cm – 87 cm. We provide packages for events, weddings, hospitality etc. We also design and build installations for large public buildings.
Have you always wanted to be an artistic career or did your career aspirations lay elsewhere?
I can’t really distinguish between the artistic and non-artistic, career, or otherwise. I think I understand it all just as life. I have another company called Charity Shop DJ which could be said to be 100% artistic – and its focus is on highlighting how we are all creative people, no matter what we “do”. Most important thing for me is that whatever we do, whoever we are, we can effect things, and have effects on others. We have the authority, all of us, to choose whether to be a good person or not.
Personal now – what outfits and shoes would you normally be found wearing?
I have a tailor in India who every year makes me a new safari suit. My favourite is a black pin striped safari suit with a pair of white trainers. Although I may look like I’ve just stumbled out of the bookies in 1970.
What’s next on your clothes/shoe wish list?
I’d like to wear a love-child of Skechers and Dr Martens, with a touch of Crocs thrown in. A kind of urban slipper for men of a certain age with gout.
Boots or Shoes?
Boots. Every time. I love the feel of lacing them right up, knowing that they are gonna be staying on for at least the next 48 hours whilst we go out partying.
For Pinning Later
Links you would like to share e.g. website/facebook/twitter etc so that readers can find out more about Paper Starlights
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