#jacindieweek

[dashvegan]

We are BACK!!! The website is live! Just in time for Indie Friday, a fantastic showcase by @justacard. With huge thanks to my amazing webguy @reforestmatt and the awesome @veganmillsy - you will notice some changes, quite a lot of the storecupboard stuff is no longrr there but there's much more focus on products from independent ethical businesses AND a big old rambling blog post with the Not So Brief History of Dash Vegan!!! Please let me know what you think? And postage is still low, you can get up to 2kg of goodies for just £3.95! Yay! Happy Indie Friday! . . . #justacard #JACIndieWeek #veganbusiness #veganshop #veganwebshop #veganwebsite #ethicalvegan #veganshopping #zerowastevegan #plasticfree #zerowaste #plasticfreevegan #coeliacvegan #glutenfreevegan #vegancoeliac #ethicsoverprofits #ethicalbusiness https://www.instagram.com/p/ClZUauoK2Xd/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[kentcoastghosts]

It's #ColourFriday 😃🖤👻 Colour Friday is the independent alternative to Black Friday! You hear me banging on a lot about supporting small businesses and why it's so important, but I also think it's important to be honest and say there is nothing wrong with shopping Black Friday deals, and you shouldn't feel 'shamed' shopping with big retailers today 🖤 I'm never going to reinvent the Samspook Flip Z, or start selling Claystation 5s, (do you see what I did there?!), and the reality for many people is that it's just not affordable or practical, (in the case of tech/food/essentials etc.), to shop small 100% of the time. So what can you do? Well, firstly, enjoy your big brand bargains today! If you're shopping at Amazon, they now have a handy tag underneath some listings which state "small business" - use these if you can! LOTS of small businesses and independent authors sell via Amazon, and many of these wouldn't have another outlet for their products or books otherwise. Whilst you're getting a new Kindle, why not pop that 99p Kindle book in your basket you saw on your Twitter feed the other day? Do you need a special card to go with that tablet? Use the #MHHSBD, #ColourFriday or #JustACard tags on social media to find someone who makes them! It is possible for small, medium and large businesses to co-exist by making small changes to our shopping habits. Our website update will be SATURDAY 3rd DECEMBER, and it will be quite a large one, so I hope we'll see you there! Even if it's just for a browse and a share 🤗 Thank you SO much for your continued love and support, have a spooktacular day! 🖤👻🖤 - Victoria 🖤👻🎄 👻🖤👻🖤👻🖤👻🖤👻 #KentCoastGhosts #kentmakers #JACIndieWeek #handmade_hour #MHHSBD #SBS #blackfriday #artistsupportpledge #smallmakertalk #smallbusinesssupport #communityovercompetition (at Kent, United Kingdom) https://www.instagram.com/p/ClYQCAPM5QP/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[dashvegan]

I wasn't going to post about this event just yet, but as part of @justacard theme of Events for today, here I am! On Saturday we will be in Shrewsbury for this Cruelty Free Christmas event, looking forward to seeing our friends @lunatreeuk and @taylorsfreefrom and meeting new folks too! We are at Nottingham University next Monday then it's @wbveganmarket and @chesterfieldveganmarket the following weekend! Another 7 events before Christmas for us - despite saying that I'd not do Too Many events in December I'm having to do lots to help with Caira's vet bills (see Story Highlights for more info). I thankfully love events, despite the work and stress of them! See you soon Shrewsbury! . . . #justacard #JACIndieWeek #crueltyfreechristmas #shrewsburyvegans #veganshrewsbury #veganevent #veganevents #supportlocal #zerowasteshrewsbury #shrewsburyzerowaste https://www.instagram.com/p/ClWamTqqxvy/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[kentcoastghosts]

Day 2 of the #JustACard Instagram Challenge (I'm a bit behind! 😮) Day 2's prompt was, "What does 'Just a Card' mean to you?" If you scroll on the photos, you'll see the story that inspired the wonderful @sarahhamiltonprints to set up the @justacard campaign, and we are so grateful she did! ❤️ "Anybody who chooses to run a small business right now must be absolutely mad!" Or maybe.... just maybe they are incredibly passionate about what they do, and they want to share something new and wonderful with the world, AND make people happy whilst they do it! Small businesses that are running today have weathered the post-lockdown slump in sales, a cost of living crisis, and probably a lot more mentally and physically that you just don't see. It's not just about 'making a quick buck'. We want to bring some joy into our small corner of the world, and we want to enjoy it too! It's not JUST about selling things. It's about creating unique products or services that big companies just can't do on a mass-produced level. It's about incredible customer service, where you can actually speak to the owner of the company. It's about WANTING to make people happy, instead of wanting to get rich. It's about a circular economy and supporting our local communities. So it's more important that ever to do what we can to support these diverse and frankly, incredible businesses. But what can we do? It could be Just a Card, but it can also be; JUST a share JUST a like JUST a comment JUST a recommendation Because to a small business, it's not JUST something small. It really does mean the world. 👻🖤👻🖤👻🖤👻🖤👻 #KentCoastGhosts #JACIndieWeek #handmade_hour #ArtisanMade #MadeInKent #MadeinGB #artistssupportingartists #UKMakers #sbswinner #MHHSBD #communityovercompetition #smallbusinesscommunity (at Kent, United Kingdom) https://www.instagram.com/p/ClVpbkPM-n9/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[kentcoastghosts]

I've been a busy ghostmaker today! 🖤👻 There will be a new update on the website very soon, so keep an eye on here and your inbox if you're signed up to our newsletter 🤗 I'm doing my best to work through back in stock requests, and there are going to be a couple of festive surprises which will be released throughout the #JustACard Christmas Fair! 🎄 You can find a link to the Christmas Fair in our bio, so please pop along and have a browse at all the wonderful independent businesses taking part! www.kentcoastghost.com 👻🖤👻🖤👻🖤👻🖤👻 #KentCoastGhosts #JACIndieWeek #madeinkent #ghostlygifts #ghoulsnghosts #gothicstyle #figurine #CollectableArt #collectablefigures #ghoststyle #clayartist #handmade_hour (at Kent, United Kingdom) https://www.instagram.com/p/ClPIj7EMnYo/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[dashvegan]

Proudly supporting @justacard campaign for independent artists and small businesses, wearing the pin on my favourite @seashepherduk hoodie. My background is as a textile artist - I graduated from Nottingham Trent Uni in 2013 but I have had my own businesses since 2000 - from art supplies on Ebay to hand screenprinted bags at arts markets to running @dashvegan since 2017. Supporting other independent artists and businesses is super important to me and I think that #justacard is such a fantastic thing! Do search the hashtag to discover some wonderful talent and perhaps get some Xmas shopping too! . . . #JACIndieWeek #veganartist #meetme #whatveganswear #independentveganbusiness #independentbusiness #ootd #independent https://www.instagram.com/p/ClPHoy9MAze/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[kentcoastghosts]

It's #JACIndieWeek! 🖤👻 And #JustACard have set 5 challenges every day; today is the perfect opportunity to tell you a bit about me, and show my face (drawn by the super talented @swoopsy_ !) Hello! I'm Victoria and I catch @kentcoastghosts 👻😉 I've been a mixed media artist all of my life, and every single ghost is handmade and handpainted by me. I also pack your ghosts, deal with queries, update the website... you get the idea 😅 In June we were chosen by Theo Paphitis to receive his #SBS Small Business Sunday Award and it's been a whirlwind ever since! This is such an incredible achievement for me, and has definitely been one of the highlights of 2022 😌 I love anything to do with the paranormal, horror movies, and folklore. I've had a fair few weird experiences in my life, but I'll always class myself as a skeptical believer because I demand proof of anything with my own eyes, and even then I question EVERYTHING 😄 I also have a fascination with true crime documentaries, and have solved numerous Unsolved Mysteries just from my armchair 🤔 Aside from the macabre, I have a secret love of cheesey Christmas movies, and cooking shows. 🍝 I'm currently working really hard to make sure that there are plenty of ghosts available throughout #IndieWeek and beyond - with a few surprises thrown in along the way 😉 In the meantime you can sign up to our newsletter on our website so you'll get a heads up when new ghosts are available to adopt, and you'll also get a code for 10% off your first order ☺️ I'll be popping in and out as much as I possibly can, but the festive spirits are keeping me pretty busy at the moment. And I wouldn't have it any other way 😌 Thank you SO much to all of our wonderful supporters, collectors and friends who have joined this spooky journey. I wouldn't be on it without you, and I can honestly say that I appreciate every single one of you, and I hope that 2023 brings wonderful things 🤗🎄 Until next time..! Have a spooktacular #IndieWeek! - Victoria 👻🖤👻🖤👻🖤👻🖤👻 #KentCoastGhosts #JustACard #handmade_hour #IndieWeek #MHHSBD #sbswinner #sbs #MeetTheMaker #ghostmaker #ghostclub #Madeinkent #handmadeuk (at Kent, United Kingdom) https://www.instagram.com/p/ClOK7fjMNqz/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=