Bringing the Outside In

It is always nice, but especially, at this time of year, to bring the outside, indoors. I can appreciate that it is not always easy for some of us. I live in a very tiny cottage and there is not always space to have what you want.

This idea, however, would work for anyone. I saw it on the lovely One Pearl Button Blog. Everyone has bits and bobs laying around the house they can use. It doesn't have to be an apothecary jar, it could be a giant old jam jar, or your Nana's favourite mixing bowl. It could be old plastic farmyard animals that are laying around, your children don't play with any more, instead of the cupcake toppers.

It is simply, just a little way to bring the outdoors in, to create a whimsical world and bring a smile to your face every time you see it!

Go to Alli's site for further information.

A Little Pixie Dust

This little pixie elf is making me smile today. Hillary's blog always makes me smile. When I can get to my felt again, I want to try my hand at making a little version of her for myself.

I know she would cheer up any little place she rested and I bet she has plenty of pixie dust hidden up her sleeve for a little Christmas magic!

Be sure to check out Hillary's gorgeous website Wee Wonderfuls and book!

A Gift from St. Nicholas

Yesterday, was St. Nicholas Day. Some of my most cherished childhood memories come from this day. We headed out into a very frosty wintery wonderlandy Monday morning to catch our bus to school. It was just too cold to be out, it was a morning to be snuggled in bed with hot chocolate and Christmas music, but off to work we went.

I headed up to my cupboard and once I dumped my stuff on my desk, I began to start taking down signs that were posted on Friday about classroom changes. As I walked out onto the landing of the back stairwell to remove my last sign, something flew up out of nowhere and perched on the ledge that leads out to the conservatory.

It was a fat little robin red breast. We chatted to each other for a few moments and with a little turn of his head he hopped along the ledge and disappeared through the elfin sized gap, where the new building meets the old and flew away.

Thank you, St. Nicholas, for you know how much I love British robins and how much more I wanted to be cozy in bed yesterday morning, that little present made me smile all day!

The Electra Gypsy

I have wanted a bike for ages, but, unfortunately there is no space inside the cottage or a safe place outside to keep one. But, if I could have a bike, I think it would be this:

Look at the gorgeous basket, those giant wheels and those lovely painted flowers. This is an Anne of Green Gables bike (just minus the red streamers)! Isn't it just dreamy!

Lost Things

Angela Kohler directed this video and it is so wonderfully dreamlike, especially with a song by A Fine Frenzy. I love Angela's photographs there is such a magic to them, like this one:

and this one:

the colors just seem to dance and the 1950's-esque quality is dreamy. I found this video on the Bloom & Blossom blog and it made me smile! I love the whimsy of it all, especially the whale and the teacup roses in her sunset red hair!

I think there just might be a black hole hiding all of those lost things! One, surely must be in my purse because things go in there and sometimes they never come out, just like the socks the washing machine seems to eat....

Blanket Statement

This morning the sun is shining yet again, the little pot of bulbs by my front door are ready to pop open and a rap at my racing green door was opened to find my jolly postman waiting for me with a parcel in his hands.

What was in my delicious parcel? This:

It was written by the lovely Vicki Haninger, who runs the Turkey Feathers Blog and the Pattern Bee web shop where she sells wonderful vintage and retro embroidery designs.

I have been desiring this little book ever since I saw her cute elephant doll, sweetly dressed for a party with a heart bejeweled crown on her head. But you could not get it in England and I could never find it when I went home to visit. So, thank goodness you can now get it through Amazon UK, that makes me 1 very happy camper!

So, sitting down with a steaming cup of tea, I tore into this package like a child on Christmas morning and I flipped through, oohed and aaghed and then I flipped through again and oohed and aaghed some more.

What a sweet treasure this book is and the other ideas it has already started spawning in my head... it is really adorable!

If you can't wait to get your hands on your own copy, you can already begin making a project from her book. She offers this darling little lambkin pattern on her website. It looks like something straight out of a vintage shop. I can just see the 1950's little girl it belonged to in her pink coat and matching bonnet with this little lamb tucked under her arm.

I can't wait to get started making some of the projects out of here. But, first there are bears and bunnies to be made for RosaBlue, so I am busy happily stitching away!

Click on the Lambkin for a pattern and directions:

I'm "Cut-Out" for It!

While attending the NEC a few weeks ago, we found the wonderful stand that sold Rob Ryan's gorgeous cards! I have liked him for awhile now and love that he is doing cards, which are an affordable luxury to the masses.

I have always loved the art of paper cutting and have always liked that Rob Ryan takes this to a whole new level. His cards have such an air of whimsy to them. I used to sit at my kitchen table when I was little, cutting out heart garlands and angel garlands, making snowflakes to dot around my room. I loved the crunch of the scissors through my paper and the never quite knowing what the final product would look like, or if the garland would even stay together, or had it been cut to close to the edge?

Although, I know he uses a knife, I started out with scissors before I upgraded... I would trace a pattern onto my paper and slowly begin to cut away sections of it with my craft knife. Maybe this was why I loved printmaking so much? One flick of the wrist and your image was created by what you left untouched around it, or by you carving that away and leaving your image raised and ready to be inked.

I can't wait till some of these arrive in my friend's shop, I want to stick them up in frames. I have a card obsession you see! I collect cards I love. Some have been with me since my days in College and carried on to me obtaining my Master's pinned into my little board of inspiration, of reflectiveness, of happiness.

I have a box of cards that slowly as I find the right frames or homes for them they go out, one by one, some being changed around with the seasons.  These cards in his new collection are just beautiful! So, I can't wait to get my hands on them, especially "City Story", we are eternal newlyweds and this card really appeals to me!

 "We had nothing, we had not much, we had enough, we had everything. This was our city story."

Visit his Blog to learn more about him:

I Wanna Hold Your Hand!

Aren't these Valentine's from Martha Stewart adorable? They made me think of being little when my art teacher would have us make all kinds of things out of our hands; turkeys for Thanksgiving and Rudolphs for Christmas.  This is a cute carry on from that. You would even make them more grown-up looking by adding on jewels for rings and bracelets if you were giving them to grown-up girlfriends.

Another sweet idea I saw were these Valentine's matchboxes on Inchmark.  They are too cute and if you combined them with the new lace paper cutters from Martha you could really dress these up, by cutting out trim in a Valentine's themed craft paper and wrapping them around your matchbox "gift" boxes.

Speaking of Valentine's gifts, one of the little projects I mentioned I was working on, I finished yesterday morning. It has taken me a bit of time to complete, I have had to steal away time when my Valentine hasn't been around. I am going to tie it to his Valentine's surprises! Shhh! Its a secret!




To make your own Valentine Hand Cards click here:

To make your own Valentine's matchboxes click here:

I Missed It!

Oh, yet again the gorgeous and creative Jennifer Murphy did a Holiday update and I missed my chance to get a little Valentine person.

Her work is sweet and whimsical, and would easily pass as a vintage piece. The animals have such kind faces, each with their own personality, they are a treasure to behold. I just wanted to share a few pics from her upload to bring a little sunshine into your day; if it is like mine, it is a extremely cold day, although the sun is sprinkling through the patches of clouds and giving the morning a warm glow.

We are getting ready for SNOW, it is supposed to come this weekend, so we might be frosted in for Valentine's Day.... The Eastern Seaboard blizzard is heading our way, Brrrrr! If, looking at these little figures doesn't make you feel warm and cozy inside, I don't know what will?

To visit her adorable Blog and links to her website please click here:

Pear Shaped Zen

While doing a little research for some vintage chocolate moulds, I came across a site that lead me to a Reuters article from September 2009.  The article was about a Chinese farmer who has spent the last 6 years perfecting his idea.

What is his idea? Baby shaped pear Buddhas.  Little bites of green, yellow freckled Zen. The pears take 6 months cocooned in their moulds to take on the baby shape that they become.  These were just too cute not to share and frankly, I think they might be too cute to eat as well!

You can find the article by clicking on the picture here:

Bears, Bears, Everywhere!

I have been busy sewing away the past few days, amongst other things and still have a bit more work ahead to finish up these little bears for RosaBlue.

So our house is filled with colorful bears (and bunnies too--but they haven't been put together yet), they seem to be everywhere. They even ended up in the bed last night! It is tiring work being sewn and stuffed together and so some of them needed to take a nap.

Well, I am off to do more work, those little pockets won't stitch themselves and I have some bears who have been patiently waiting to be put together.  It is so cold here at the moment, I might need to make them scarfs for their journey to the shop...

10 Little Bears

10 Little Bears all in a row

when they are made
it is of to RosaBlue they go!

This is my WIP (work-in-progress) on this blustery day. It is so windy I had to take my lantern in from its little hanging perch by my front door for fear of it blowing away. It is silvery gray outside and has been pitter-pattering with rain every now and then.

So, I am staying cozy indoors and working away on my little tooth bears. I am also creating another tooth animal to tuck away treasures in for the tooth fairies...

They are patiently waiting for me to sew on their faces and tooth pockets so I won't keep them any longer!

Breakfast of Champions

This was my breakfast this morning! I can think of nothing better. Well... maybe if I had some chocolate cake to go with it! I have finished all the little tooth bears and Christmas bears (I know they are happy some have been very patiently waiting to be stitched together), gingerbread wreaths and ribbon garlands. I am now working on a blanket and I plan to make some bags this afternoon.

I am definitely on countdown! The fair is just 2 days away and there still seems like there is so much more to do! But, Shhh! don't tell anyone, I am ahead of schedule, so everything I am doing now are bonus items. I need to begin labeling things and start gathering together my tablecloths and display pieces I plan to use. This is really the exciting part!

Well, I'm off to stitch a little sleigh riding snow bunny onto a heart and maybe make another cup of hot chocolate. What could be better than hot chocolate, Christmas music and sewing cozy things on a sunny but frosty November morning? Right now I can't think of anything else.

Everything is coming up Rosy with an Ice-Skating Afternoon

I have just received my Ice-Skating Afternoon kit from "Rosy Little Things", better known as: Posie Gets Cozy. If you have not come across Alicia Paulson, you are truly missing out on a very warm, witty, creative and cozy woman. I saw this kit last year when I first found her blog and I was saddened that she had completely sold out. Lucky for me, she sold the kits again this year with a new set of 3 ornaments, Walk in the Woods to coordinate with her previous designs.

I had the kit sent to my parent's house and as my Mom and I skyped, she
waved this adorable package in front of the screen, taunting me with cuteness. But, it will have to wait, I refuse to let her send it to me, because I have so much I am trying to complete for the Christmas Fair at the moment. Today, I am sealing my gingerbread wreaths. So, the kit will be my reward for finishing all my little tooth bears and Christmas bears and apple garlands and mitten garlands....

The kit was beautifully packaged and holds almost everything needed to make each ornament. Once it is is in my hands, I know I will just gaze at it for ages before I bring myself to start cutting up the gorgeous colored felt and snipping into pretty threads. Not only was everything so nicely packaged, it held within it a handwritten thank you, and it is those personal touches that make it truly special. Even though it is more work, when I create my pieces for the fair I like to make sure that all the items have personal touches from me; so, it is lovely when you meet other kindred spirits who do the same.
Unfortunately, Alicia has sold out of the kits for this season but she has informed me that in the next few days, PDF versions of the kit patterns will be available through her website. So keep checking there and on her blog for information, these are too cute to miss!

Now, my hardest decision will be which one to start with first? A pom-pom adorned ice skate, a warming cup of cocoa, or a Heidi-ish looking gingerbread girl? Please check out Alicia's site if you have not before, it always brings a smile to my face when I do!



(All images used are copyright to Alicia Paulson, Posie Gets Cozy)

Hats & Mittens Weather

It is definitely hats & mittens weather. Yesterday, as I went traipsing through the woods on a morning walk, I could see my breath in front of me. The sky is silvery again, gone is the very blue sky of Autumn and it is bone chillingly cold here. I am going to have to get out my bag of hats and scarves and mittens.

It is one of my favorite rituals, going through all the wonderful colored scarves and mittens I have, some bought, some handmade, all bright and happy to mix and match with any outfit.

This little image from Belle & Boo reminded me of the crispy days of Autumn. When you don't quite need your winter coat but definitely a hat and possibly a scarf, to keep you warm on a long walk through the woods with your sweetie pie.

If you have not come across Belle & Boo, it is a real gem. The drawings, for me, harken back to a 60's-ish style of children's art work. The simplicity, sweetness and whimsical nature of Mandy Sutcliffe's creations are pieces that work for any age group. Not only are there prints of her artwork, but among other things she also has a stationery line. One of these adorable gift tags tied to your little parcel and it would take on a whole new life. They are just too cute!




Click on the Image below to visit the website:



















(Images used copyright Belle & Boo)