Free festive gift tags

Are you wrapping your presents yet? I hope not, it's the first of flipping November.

I found this post last year on Aussie Graphic-Designer-turned-Blogger Amy Moss's site Eat Drink Chic. It gives you a free cross-stitch gift tag download, so hopefully, you can use it to decorate all your prettily wrapped presents this year. Luck-y!

If you're over cross stitch, then maybe you'd like these pretty illustrated typographic tags, which Amy uploaded for Christmas 2010.

In 2009, Amy also very generously provided free downloads for a series of reindeer themed gift tags, which are just beautiful. Look at this gorgeous Reindeer gift tag. The print is so kitsch, it reminds me a little of Babycham.

Then there's this holiday jumbo gift tag using a more intricate print.

And finally there are the tags that look like beautiful Christmas envelopes. I think these are my favourites.

Aren't they lovely?

Love is in the air...

Well, it's not really in the air for me, but seeing as it's February and Valentine's Day is coming up, I will be indulging in adorning myself with heart-themed accessories, like this gorgeous two swallows with a blue heart necklace, which costs just under £18.

As my heart doesn't belong to anyone, I don't think blue is an inappropriate colour for hearts on Valentine's Day. This delicate light blue open heart necklace is the same price and also gets a vote from me:

If you're a die-hard fan of red and pink for the dreaded V-Day, then you might like these silver plated hoop earrings, which come in pink as pictured below and red. They cost just over £15, plus £2.30 postage.

These pretty handmade finds come all the way across the seas, from US Etsy seller Small Blue Things. You can connect on Facebook  or Twitter with this clever little crafter.

Free Valentine's Day Downloads

I recently found this blog, Eat, Drink, Chic which is owned by Australian Graphic Designer/Stylist/Blogger, Amy Moss. It's a beautiful site filled with inspiring ideas and examples of Amy's work. She's also, very generously, provided free downloads for some of her designs.

As Valentine's Day is coming up, I've linked you to a few of the beautiful romantic freebies, which she has posted in previous years on her blog. They're absolutely lovely, and if you have the time, you should make them for your loved ones this year. Even if you don't have a boyfriend, you should download them and make them and tell all of your friends about them. Friends will probably appreciate them more than boys anyway. Boys in general are severely lacking in romantic sensibility.

These amazing Origami heart invitations would make a charming love letter.

There are two Je t'aime mini card sets and envelopes which are cute and kitsch. I've shown the Valentine's Girl card below, but there's a boy cars for free download too.

These Valentine's Day Post-Its would enable you to scatter heart-felt messages for your loved one across several locations, which is utterly endearing.

And finally, there is this amazing Valentine popcorn invitation kit to download and make. I think this is brilliant! Such a clever idea.

Amy has lots of other amazing freebies, so you should visit her blog Eat, Drink, Chic and perhaps tell her how awesome you think she is on Twitter @eatdrinkchic. I think I have a tiny little girl crush on her...

Butterfly Blossom

I recently spotted a lovely hand made card crafter called Butterfly Blossom, thanks to a retweet on Twitter. I haven't much time today to take you through all the pretty creations available on the site, but I do particularly enjoy this awesome mmm, cupcake card, which costs £3.50.

Butterfly Blossom is based in Whitstable, Kent and gorgeous custom cards can be made from as little as £3.50. You can follow creator, Natalie Love, on twitter too @ButterflyBlossm.

teasemade

I've mentioned before how I love finding handmade treasures; well today I have spotted the prettiest trinkets for you to peruse. 


Sami Teasdale, aka Etsy seller @teasemade, lovingly embroiders these quaint little accessories, which I am quite besotted with.


This snip scissors ring costs £10. The cool colours make for an elegant adornment to your index finger.

These polka love earrings are equally sweet, and a steal at £14:

Anyone who enjoys embroidery will find this pincushion brooch wonderful. The colours on the print and the delicacy of the design is truly delightful! The brooch costs £15.

I find this scissors love token brooch (£14) equally enticing. The stitching is so fine and the little balls of wool make me smile.

It appears that each item is a one off, as Sami uses limited edition prints in her work. Rather excitingly, there's also a sale on at present. 25% off order at checkout with the code 'TREAT25'. Well now that you know there's even a discount, how could you not?

Blackwork

Have you heard of Folksy? It's a bit like US online craft market, Etsy, but about ten times cooler because it's UK based and we love supporting our fellow countrymen (and women). You can buy supplies, scrumptious handmade things from UK sellers, which are sometimes recycled, and also learn how to make something new in the 'Making' section, if you want to have a dabble. Or if you're terribly gifted and clever you can sell things yourself.

 

I often have a nosey round the website, searching for things-of-note and this morning, whilst doing just such an activity, I found this little delight from a fantastically talented Seller called Becky Hogg.

Becky is selling this spiffing Blackwork kit for £30, which isn't a huge amount to justify, when you consider that a generic, mass produced, hideous cross stitch kit like this one here can set you back £37.49.

Obviously I love the pretty design, but what I love even more is all the thought Becky's put into branding and packaging. It comes in a clean, minimalist cardboard box, with a colour printed pamphlet detailing how to learn Blackwork (in a lovely, non-offensive font too).

Becky says: "Blackwork is a counted embroidery technique in which decorative patterns are made up by a series of joined Back stitches on an even weave linen." 

This would be a beautiful, thoughtful present for somebody (like, for instance, me) who enjoys adding crafty feathers to their caps. You can find it here, but hurry, because she's only got four left. Happy shopping!

Things I dreadfully want...

Okay, there’s no easy way to confess this… I love cross stitch. Yes, yes, I know, this makes me sound like a 50 year old lady, and this is probably-one-of-those-reasons-I’m-single, but the fact is, I love nothing more than making pretty pictures out of threads. And what I really like best is when I look at the back of my stitching, and it’s as neat and tidy as the front. This is somewhat miraculous and paradoxical, because I am not a neat and tidy person. But meh, I’m something of a contradiction in terms, and in the words of Britney, ‘That’s my prerogative.’

So, for ages it was super tricky to get cross stitch kits that weren’t uber-lame patterns of trains, landscapes or flowers. In fact pretty much the coolest thing you could get were patterns for forever friends bears or Winnie the Pooh *gag* and who-the-hell needs or wants a Winnie the Pooh bookmark anyway? So imagine my (carefully kept secret) delight when cross stitching became retro and fun and not-something-to-be-ashamed-of anymore.

PopSoupSupplies on Etsy.com has some really fun patterns available, which you purchase for around a fiver – but you have to source the aida and threads yourself. I particularly like this Pee Wee Herman Cushion and the Warhol inspired 3 Monroes:

Another awesome supplier on Etsy is Bella Stitchery, retailer of super-cool retro Pin Up patterns like these, which I'd painstakingly turn into cushions to adorn my home with:

If you want all materials included, you can get some awesome kits, like these beautiful Emily Peacock HUG and KISS cushion kits I spied on hunkydoryhome.com, also recently featured on my beloved Kirstie’s Homemade Homes:

For £54.99 you can have the small size, which is just right for a bed or sofa and the large costs £74.99, which is apparently big enough for two. Now, this might seem pricey, but I have considered it and there are many reasons to justify this purchase. You’d probably pay £60 for a nice looking cushion from a shop anyway, plus you’ll have the satisfaction of having made it yourself, plus £80 equates to one, maybe two nights in the pub, whereas the kit will keep you busy for many a night, so you’ll be richer AND thinner, as you won’t be drinking loads of lovely booze. Plus, it’s awesome. Okay? Great I’m glad we’re agreed on that.