New job, new life, therefore new blog

3 April 2008

Finally, 50 days after my election, I have managed to get my new blog up and running. As anyone who's read any of my blogs will know, I LOVE writing. I've been blogging for 2 years now and it's cathartic, it allows me to speak my mind and it's my creative outlet. So I've no intentions of stopping.

Just as an aside but still on the "what's the point of blogs?" topic, when I was in Sri Lanka working last year, my (now) friend Thea arrived as the new volunteeer after about a month. She was delighted when she discovered I had a blog because she's not one for emails and phone calls home were very expensive BUT her family and friends still wanted to know what she was up to. So she told them that as she lived with me and we worked for the same organisation, if they just read my blog they'd know what kind of things she was up to! And they did! In fact, I'm pretty sure Thea's lot read it more than any of my lot!!

Anyway, back to the matter in hand. I do plan to continue blogging when I can but I want to start afresh with a new blog. For anyone who's reading this and doesn't know, I was sworn in as a Member of the Scottish Parliament on 12 February 2009. I want to achieve something with my new blog and that is I want to use it to keep in touch with people who are not normally interested in politics. I think EVERYONE should care about it because politics affects all of our lives and we all have a right to have our say.

I do, however, understand why some people are put off and I hope, in some small way, that I can dispel some of the myths and demonstrate that elected politicians are really no different to anyone else. I am also passionate about people empowering themselves and sometimes all they need is someone to tell them HOW they do that. So I HOPE the new blog will be useful, I hope it will still be interesting to my fellow politicos and more than anything, I hope I manage to actually make the time to write it :-)

Thanks to everyone who's read this blog and left comments (well, most of the commenters!) and generally encouraged me. I feel a wee bit sad saying goodbye to Indygal in Europe but as of today ...

INDYGAL GOES TO HOLYROOD

Fun quirky political cards and gifts for Christmas and beyond

             

I've been doing a number of different things since leaving parliament and it's been a real rollercoaster. Some of it's been worthwhile but not necessarily fun and I've been feeling the need to get creative again. So I've found something I love doing and I'm designing products to mark the Independence referendum. I've also branched out a wee bit into general political products and there will be a few more products to add shortly.


I'm obviously looking to earn some money from it but it's not going to make me rich so it's just as well that doing it makes me happy. I hope you enjoy the designs too. 

Here's the complete list of what I've got at the moment.

Greetings Cards (not just for Christmas)

Nelson Mandela inspirational Christmas card. 

Aye in 70 plus languages greetings card - can be used for any occasion.

Pandas for Indy - my favourite - Christmas Card!

Quirky couples' Christmas Card based on Fairytale of New York :-)

Calendars for 2014

Nelson Mandela 'anything is possible' calendar.

Now's the Day and Now's the Hour calendar.

Get out and get Independence calendar.

My Magic Mug - can make all these British PMs disappear in seconds!

And finally, my magic mug. I can make the last few British PMs disappear and so can you! Find out how here!

Aye to Independence in 70 languages - card for all occasions

The perfect card for your loved ones who support Scotland's Independence. 

Heralding in 2014, the year of the historic referendum on Independence, this card can be used for New Year OR Christmas.

Featuring the word YES in more than 70 languages shaped as a globe, this card will appeal to all Independence supporters particularly those living far from home. 

In 1967 when Winnie Ewing won the Hamilton by-election for the SNP she was famously quoted as saying "Stop the world, Scotland wants to get on". 2014 is the year that could well happen and this card highlights that.

Nelson Mandela Inspirational Christmas Card

Limited edition Christmas Card with a political inspirational theme.

Inspired by the Late Nelson Mandela's quote "I am the Captain of my Soul" you can keep his memory alive and encourage loved ones to be the captains of their own souls this Christmas.

This is one card they'll keep long after the Christmas decorations have been taken down.

Measures 145cm x 145cm. Produced on 350gsm quality silk  card. Price is 2.20 inc postage and packing. Just click on the  paypal link to the right.

As an extra (free) service, we can write the card and post it to someone for you - if you want us to do that just email once you've checked out, tell us what you want us to say and give us their name and address.

Postage is FIRST class paid by us. We can also deliver to certain Glasgow postcode areas if you need it quickly. Email sales@ayetoindependence.com for more info.

Pandas for Indy have their own Christmas card!

The perfect card for your loved ones who support Scotland's Independence. Just select the Pandas for Indy option in the paypal button to the right.

The No campaign have been peddling myths and sometimes downright laughable assertions about the doom and gloom that will be visited on Scotland if we vote Yes to Independence. They themselves call it Project Fear!

One of the "reasons" for voting no was that we might lose the two pandas currently residing in Edinburgh Zoo!

This card gives the pandas the opportunity to fight back! They have formed Pandas for Indy and they now want YOU to spread the word!

145cm x 145cm on quality 350gsm silk card, your Scottish friends will LOVE this unique card. It's 2.20 including postage. We can deliver personally to some areas of Glasgow if you're in a hurry - just email and ask sales@ayetoindependence.com.

We can also write the card and post it to the person of your choice. Just checkout then email us and tell us what you want to say and to whom. There is no extra cost for this.

Quirky couples' Christmas card

Does your partner drive you up the wall but you love them anyway?

Why not send this fun quirky Christmas card based on the lyrics of the Christmas favourite "Fairytale of New York" and let them know how you really feel?

The inside of the card lists 'attributes' with tick boxes so you can tell him or her which of them apply.

They are:

Good looking?

Intelligent?

Funny?

Sexy?

Loved?

Just like me?

It ends with the following words:

Wishing you a very happy Christmas and a great Hogmanay and New Year.

How to make these British PMs disappear - it's magic!

Drink up and watch them disappear - and remind someone in Scotland what we have to do to make it happen for real!

Coming in a sturdy box and priced at 10.99 inc postage and packing, this is a great gift to anyone living in Scotland who might, as the message on the mug says, like to 'wave goodbye to these guys'! (The image shows Former PMs Gordon Brown, Tony Blair & John Major along with PM David Cameron and Deputy PM Nick Clegg.)

Just watch your friend's face as they pour in the hot liquid and suddenly the ordinary black mug is transformed, the black fades away and the image of the men who control or have controlled Scotland from London, appears.

The question on the mug is 'want to wave goodbye to these guys?'.

And if you do, the answer of course is on the reverse of the mug and it is to

'drink up and vote AYE' 

Explanation for those living outwith Scotland ....

If enough people vote AYE in Scotland's Independence referendum in September 2014, the guys on this mug will no longer be in charge of Scotland.

And if they drink up, the mug cools down, the black appears and the politicians will be covered up! So it really is as simple as 'drinking up and voting aye'.

Simply click on the Paypal 'add to cart' button to the right.