Christmas is coming!

We've woken this morning to a very pretty wintry scene with clear blue skies and a dusting of snow on the hills and roofs.  I'm looking forward to making the Christmas pudding, following our traditional family recipe and, looking back to when I blogged about it last year, my tradition of being a week late in making it (apparently Stir Up Sunday was last week!).

Whilst the pudding is steaming I'll write our Christmas cards to family and friends who are overseas so I can get their parcels posted in time to meet the Royal Mail's recommended last posting dates.  I'm always surprised to find how early they are:

International Airmail

Monday 6 December South & Central America, Caribbean, Africa, Middle East, Asia, Far East (including Japan), Australia  and New Zealand

Friday 10 December Eastern Europe, USA and Canada

Monday 13 December Western Europe

UK

Wednesday 15 December Standard Parcels

Saturday 18 December Second Class

Tuesday 21 December First Class

I will, of course, post myfuroshiki orders as soon as I can.

Ta da!

Time for a little bit of furoshiki-ing in a day packed full of sport (cricket, cross country - well done, Thomas! :) - and rugby to come).  Just thought I'd sneak in a couple of pictures of our new style wrapping instructions, which form a wrap in themselves.  Perhaps a little fancifully I was thinking of kimono belts - with the paper folded to show two different layers and everything held in place by a recycled offcut of fabric, left from when I hemmed the furoshiki.  Must dash to watch the rugby and wrap some more...

 

Folksy festive sampler

Just heard that we're likely to have snow this week - definitely time to settle down inside, with a nice cup of something warm, for a browse through the folksy festive sampler.

Open publication - Free publishing - More artists

Reusable by design

 A new addition to the family - a very warm welcome and big cheer for my sister Olivia's gorgeous new venture, cloth&card!

Olivia and I started out together with myfuroshiki in 2009, but this year Oli has branched out to develop the concept of co-ordinating recycled, reusable cards, hence the creation of cloth&card.  She has a beautiful range of gift wraps and matching cards made from fabric and recycled card available through Etsy and the Australian Made-It site including some lovely Christmas fabrics. 

Gift wrapping inspiration

And here are links to a couple more treasuries, one drawn from Folksy and one from Etsy, packed with gift wrapping inspiration ... and featuring myfuroshiki silk furoshiki.  Thank you, Esme

 and WhiteNoiseMaker.

Fabulous furoshiki

I'm so pleased to have come across a small stock of fabulous printed silk dupion which I've made into some luxurious furoshiki.  The colours and designs of these silks are beautiful and the fabric is a joy to wrap with.  They would make the perfect wrapping for a precious Christmas or perhaps wedding gift.  To complete these special wraps, are handsewn tiny pouches each decorated with a beaded ribbon to carry a special message.

Some of the smaller squares would make beautiful pictures, framed in a dark wood frame.  The larger squares can also easily be folded and knotted to create unique evening bags.  

These fabulous furoshiki can be found on Folksy and on Etsy and featured in these lovely treasuries:

If a FELTED ACORN or 500 of them fell in a forest would the DEER FOX or OWL hear it?

  Christmas - Everything Else Style!

fine small gifts

Thank you Luxe Plumes, Crafted Roots and abingh20!