The Elves are back...

Winter woolies and bobble hats at the ready!

It's cold outside and I can't denied it any longer...

I have little tree standing in the corner,

green and red,

inspired by elf hats,

a jingle bell on a curly top

and a present underneath...

It isn't just a tree, it's a Christmas tree...

but I don't feel the eek that it's come too soon,

it just makes me smile...

As much as I tried to think of something new, my sketchbook filled with curly topped Elf trees.

I loved last year's so much I couldn't help it. They stayed long after Christmas, but there is something cuter about these that makes me think a new desktop forest will appear.

Plumper and brighter and somehow cheerier...

what do you think?

xo

Home for life

I believe gingerbread is not just for Christmas and so this is still not one of those posts. In a couple of days my posts will be seasonal though... you have been warned so bring along a mug of mulled wine and a bobble hat to help with all that!

This Gingerbread Home was stitched up as a custom order. I made my first gingerbread house last year and I always meant to make more of them, so this was fun! My favourite part is the candy roof, so many pretty stitches and felt candies up there...

I'd love to make more of these...

But while I wait for requests, I have some ready made Gingerbread Homes waiting in the little shops.

Flatie Baubles with red and green candies for hanging around your home

*whispers* or on the tree

And super cute mini Gingerbread Homes to pin to yourself!

I can't wait to wear mine!

xo

It's beginning to look a lot like...

...nope! I'm not going to say it just yet,

but I have been busy in that way...

I've had the print gocco out and made a new set of Gingerbread Sweethearts.

This year's are a shimmering golden gingerbread and I hand tied and stitched real bows on each mistletoe sprig... I am quite smitten with my Sweethearts!

I also had a prolonged label making marathon, in which I learnt a valuable lesson. If you work on nine photoshop files at the same time, you should probably save them at least once because the computer will crash and you will lose four hours work... silly Jenny! But straight back to it I went and it was worth it. Cute labels and tags for all!

Hoorah!

The Snowbunnies also had a second print and new labels but this time as cute wintery note sets.

All the cards are in the little shops, as well as some other seasonal pieces.

Its definitely beginning to look a lot like a certain holiday over there...

xo

A Written Education

Hurrah! More lovely stamps!

This wonderful snail mail came from lovely Hannah of Span's Stitches. As well as a lovely note and some cute stickers, she popped in a handful of great British stamps. Quite literally British greats...

From top to bottom:

Samuel Johnson - writer of The Dictionary of the English Language

Sir Martin Ryle - Radio Astronomer who help with the Big Bang Theory

and

My favourite - Mary Quant's Mini Skirt from the British Design Classics

I forgot that about the fancy edition stamps so I got a couple myself to send out to other Journal Wreckers...

My postie also had the Eminent Britons and picked out Mary Wollstonecraft, an early feminist and the mother of Mary Shelley, author of Frankenstein.

While completely geeking out researching my stamps I found this page where you can see all the fancy editions from the past few years and something that made me so giddy...

How to make your own stamps with your own photos!!

How fantastic is that!!

Thank you Hannah!

xo

Halloween Jumble...

'Tis the night before Halloween and I have a couple of things to share...

I finally remembered to get a picture of the Pumpkin Mini Garland in my window, much better to see them hanging I think. And it was lovely to see them and the treat bag on the wonderful DIY blog,

One Pretty Thing...

This is a link I definitely should have shared sooner as you will want to get making the things you find there straight away! If you don't know of One Pretty Thing already, it is a wonderful collection of craft, food and decor tutorials all put in one place. Rachel arranges the daily posts by theme and the Halloween ones have been amazing!! Its always my first stop when someone asks if I know a pattern or a tutorial... I have pointed so many friends this way I'm surprised I have sent you over there sooner too!

A tutorial I found through One Pretty Things was this one for Monty Pythons' Chocolate Crunchy Frogs. I made these a while ago for my Dad's birthday... but I was remind when he mentioned they would make good Halloween treats.  I think someone wants me to make more which isn't too surprising as they tasted really good! The tutorial is chocolate covered gummy haribo frogs with popping candy. I struggled to find many frogs in my packets so I used the sugary foamy apples as well and you couldn't tell the difference in shape and they had a bit more crunch! I've since found you can buy a bag of frogs and all the other ingredients at this wonderful old fashioned online sweet shop...

And it wouldn't be Halloween without something a little spooky...

 Le Petite Oiseau shared a link to this set of old black and white Halloween photos. All the old costumes are amazing to look through and the skulls at the beginning of the set are so cleverly done. I do love old photos especially ones that look a little ghostly. These are a couple I found recently...

An old theatre postcard... I love the moustached man in the middle the most but there is some strangely eerie about the group...

A Xmas ghost... if you look closely (click to make it larger) there are three people in the bottom right corner and you can see straight through the couple under the umbrella.

Thats about as spooky as I can bear hee hee

Have a Happy Halloween!

I'll have to go make my pumpkin to share with you tomorrow...

xo

Mail by Snail

Ooh I popped off there for a little unexpected trip North but I am back now and I came home to some lovely snail mail...

My first international snail mail from Leanna in Canada!

Canada has the 2010 Olympic games and the stamp has the cutest little hockey player. I am not a sporty person so for me to say this is cute makes it super cute indeed! She also added a sweet little bird and mushroom which will be going on my inspiration board as soon as it has the tidy up it really does need. You can visit Leanna at Bird on a Pencil, a cosy crochet blanket of a blog filled with yarn and pretty finds. Thank you so much Leanna!

My second snail mail is from Bunzi and is from far away too...

Now I know I am supposed to be collecting stamps but I am quite smitten with your letter paper too and this one really made me smile. Along the top of the page, a line of sweet little bunnies with carrots and stars and post boxes... they are just too cute! Bunzi blogs at Bunny creates and she is taking a bit of a crafty break to be Mummy to her adorable little girl, but I really hope she will be thinking of making stationary one day... Who doesn't need little bunnies in their post box?

I have more snail mail to share but I'd like to spread it out a little so I can say a proper bloggy thank you to everyone. The stamp badges are being posted one by one on daily walks to the little red post box so most are on their way and if I have received your snail mail then your Stamp is definitely on its way to you. Unfortunately the good old British Postie is having a couple of slower days this month so please be patience... it really may be snail mail

Thanks again everyone!

xo

A Good Reason to Treat Yourself...

There is a brilliant craft forum Crafter...oo! They are a friendly bunch and there is just about every crafty thing you can think of going on, you should pop over and take a look for yourself!

They are also a very generous bunch and have opened a Folksy shop to raise money for Children in Need filled with crafty pieces made by members.

Crafter...oo! Children in Need Shop

Its a very good cause, helping make a positive change to the lives of disadvantaged children and young people across the UK. All the money raised will go to the cause as the lovely Folksy folk have waived the fees. If you are new to Folksy, it is a place for UK crafters to sell to all over the world. It is very easy to register and simple to use, so go treat yourself for a good cause!

Find out more about Children in Need here

xo