A gift that gives twice

Over on Folksy Laura Cameron has had the wonderful idea of setting up a shop to raise some funds for Cancer Research UK. As she says, this is a great time for selling handmade as people are starting to think about Christmas presents but a difficult time as people start to think about Christmas without people they love.

This is a really good cause and one which is close to our hearts as several of our close relatives have battled with cancer, so we're really pleased to donate one of our screenprinted panda furoshiki, with free p&p, to join the fantastic selection of gifts, cards and Christmas decorations. Please have a look for a gift that will give twice over.

Fish n Chips

Ok, it's a loose connection - more 'fish n choc chips', than the genuine deep fried variety. Had been thinking about Christmas gifts this year and wanted to do some home baked goodies wrapped in a furoshiki, but was wondering how to avoid getting sticky goo on the fabric. Thought of a bento box, then thought maybe an origami version in recycled paper, thought of traditional newspaper wrapped fish and chips - bingo - a newspaper origami bento box, wrapped in our fish print, containing choc chip cookies.

There's a really easy to follow origami box tutorial here (just make a slightly smaller one for the lid) and here's a super simple choc chip cookie recipe:

125g butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1 egg, beaten

1/2 tsp vanilla essence

1 3/4 cup SR flour

125g choc chips

Melt butter in saucepan, add sugar, egg & essence - stir.

Allow to cool slightly.

Add flour & choc chips - stir.

Make tsp sized balls & put on baking paper on baking trays.

Press with fork.

Bake at 180oc for 10-12mins.

I used the baking paper from the cookies to line the newspaper box.

Happy baking & wrapping!

Olivia :)

Sew, Mama, Sew!

Have you a hoard of fabric scraps that you can't bear to throw away?
Looking for some inspiration for creative Christmas presents?

Take a look at Sew, Mama, Sew's October "Scrap Busters" blog for dozens of fantastic ideas and tutorials. Necklaces, flowers, christmas decorations, eye masks, belts, bags, skirts, crayon rolls, cd holders, cushions, pictures, finger puppets, jam jar covers, pin cushions, books, table runners
.... and our very own patchwork pocket furoshiki ...
and lots, lots more!

Christmas is coming (2)

Only 8 weeks till Christmas - put like that it doesn't seem very far away at all! So, in an effort to be prepared, I've been busy listing some of our own design, handprinted, Christmas themed furoshiki.

fabulous furoshiki

So pleased with this beautiful Dawn Stretton fabric I discovered in one of my lunchtime wanderings. With its detailed design and rich, lustrous colours, it's fabulous for furoshiki.

Three of these would make a gorgeous gift: a larger cotton mix one (for a striking evening bag perhaps) and a chiffon one (fabulous as a scarf or furoshiki corsage) wrapped in smaller one ... just listed on Coriandr, DaWanda and Folksy!

Happy birthday, Coriandr!

Coriandr is one year old! It's a great young site run by the incredibly helpful and committed, Mat, and I'd just like to wish it Happy Birthday and even more success in years to come. Take a look here for a fantastic collage that Mat has created of some of the fabulous Coriandr creations.

Also, if you're very quick, you can catch some of our gingham furoshiki featured on the front page today, alongside a selection of beautiful earrings from fellow ex-Expressites, the lovely Ruby Spirit Designs
and Sweet Treat,
and from Sarabuk, another talented Yorkshire jewellery maker, who was kind enough to mention us in her recent featured seller interview (thank you!).

Pumpkin time

I've been playing around with some Halloween themed furoshiki wraps. What do you think of this pumpkin one (a variant on the traditional water melon wrap)? I love the adaptability of furoshiki in wrapping any shaped items ... and also that there are customised wraps for different items which both play on their characteristics and practical at the same time.

See the animals!

Just noticed our set of four animal themed screenprinted furoshiki are featured on the front page of Coriandr today :) alongside fellow Coriandr ex-Expressites - Julie Mills Design and Blue Fish Handmade. I also particularly like this blue cow giclee print from Alexandra Ashby.

Handbags and gladrags

The second in a series of furoshiki snippets from around the world ...

an article from the Dublin University Observer which highlights the fantastic flexibility of furoshiki in enabling everyone to create their own (my furoshiki) affordable, unique, customised bags.

"The demands on the perfect bag are many – size, functionality, durability, colour and style. Here Furoshiki bags pull out all the stops. Using Furoshiki, you can cheaply produce as many personalised bags as you wish. It gives you the power to design, manufacture and accessorise your own bags, in the cheapest and most eco-friendly way possible."

This is exactly what we're trying to achieve in offering myfuroshiki bags, so it's really encouraging to see this concept catching on. As Amy says,

"Furoshiki bags are an opportunity to explore, evoke, and exhibit your own personal style – so take the leap and get creative!"

Ilkley Arts Market

Lynsey from Swirlyarts, home of the original cheeky chicken and a wealth of recycled goodies, has done a great blog featuring all the stall holders at Saturday's Ilkley Arts Market. Take a look to see the wonderful range of arts and crafts. Thanks, Lynsey - and to Jo and Rifat from Keighley Arts Factory for all their hard work organising it ... oh and, of course, to Megan and Trufood Catering for that delicious spicy squash soup!

... and finally ...

Well, it's taken a while but I've finally listed two of our knitted flower corsages in our Folksy shop together with some more flexible furoshiki bags. More to follow ...

Furoshiki around the world (1)

I have a Google Alert set for "furoshiki" which flags a varied range of articles. Here's one I came across today - a link to a story in a Vietnamese newspaper about a group of Japanese who have set up a project employing women from HIV infected families to make furoshiki, enabling them to earn money whilst working from home.

Ilkley Arts Market

Busy, busy getting ready for the Ilkley Arts Market this Saturday. It's organised by Jo from Keighley Arts Factory and having been to a couple of markets she's arranged in Keighley I'm really looking forward to this one. There'll be original art, photography, jewellery, textiles, paper crafts, ceramics and silk painting ... and a tea room with soup, sandwiches, home made cakes and scones if refreshment is needed before the next retail onslaught!

As well as our usual range of original screen printed furoshiki, I'll have some cute reindeer and Father Christmas ones and some ghost and pumpkin wraps, plus furoshiki bags, shoppers, patchwork pocket furoshiki, reusable gift tags, dangles and flower corsages.

So, if you're in the area please come along. It's on Saturday 10 October at Riddings Hall, Riddings Road, The Grove, Ilkley, from10am to 4pm and entrance is free.

Hope to see you there! Mich

Cakewalk

One of the many great things about the Saltaire Makers' Fair was meeting Emma Straw, whose stall was crammed with unique accessories and artworks which Emma creates from her textile finds.

Emma also sells her work at her shop, Cakewalk, in Ilkley. Tucked away above Emporio Italia, it's a tiny treasure trove of vintage finds, art and local artists' and makers' handcrafted work, including the beautiful silk scarves of Julie Mills. Cakewalk is the perfect place to find unusual gifts and quirky treats, with a wonderful selection of clothes, jewellery, textiles, accessories, original prints, cards, ceramics and ... myfuroshiki original design screenprinted furoshiki!

Cakewalk is open Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm at

Arcade at 7a
7a Railway Road
Ilkley
West Yorkshire
LS29 8HQ

Tel: 01943 604222

Mich - in wet & windy Yorkshire :)

Christmas is coming.....

Well, can't believe Christmas is just round the corner! With the festive season in mind, I've been putting together some gorgeous gift sets. Here are a couple available on Etsy - more to come soon.

Olivia :)

pretty patchwork

It's a lovely sunny day and I'm feeling full of the joys of Spring, here in Oz. This is my latest creation - a reversible bag sized furoshiki with pretty patchwork floral & gingham on one side and our butterfly design in red on the other - available on Etsy.

Olivia :)

black is back

Am on a roll. Here's the latest addition to the myfuroshiki range on Etsy - a striking black & white circle print, designed & hand screenprinted by me, teamed with a vibrant circleline print on the other side, to make a fabulous reversible bag.

Olivia :)