Hot Drink?

I am always asking people if they want a hot drink. It is undoubtedly because I appreciate them myself. It is not even for the caffeine! I just like taking five every now and then to pop the kettle on. Sometimes I’ll have one as I work, others I’ll clutch a mug as I read, browse or write. I appreciate the very act of curling my fingers around a steaming mug of something - even better when it warms your winter/ early spring/ late autumn cold fingers!

Have you ever heard of the Swedish word Fika? It describes the concept in their culture of ‘having coffee’ and taking a break with one’s friends, family or colleagues. I am sure that they have realised long before I did that there is magic in a hot drink!

I made this greetings card for a friend - just one of my favourite people to ‘grab a coffee’ with! To us, it is not just about the hot drink, but we really appreciate the aesthetic and ‘look’ of different cafes too! I’ll get a cappuccino, she’ll get a hot chocolate and its full steam ahead if there is a tempting piece of cake too!

Have a very merry Wednesday!

Katie 

Weekend Snapshots: The Peak District

The Peak District is almost like a home from home. Every now and then we return and each time it welcomes us with open arms. Each peak and each village becomes more familiar, and yet every walk and every climb feels different whether I’ve done it before or not.

On Friday we walked up Mam Tor and along The Great Ridge in glorious sunshine. We ate lunch across from Kinder Scout, overlooking the Edale Valley. The next morning we ate breakfast as a couple of sheep and their lambs explored the garden. They’d escaped from their field!

Storm Katie brought wind and rain, and although we did get wet we were still able to walk some more, wander through fields of lambs and have some cider at the local pub!

I hope you had a happy Easter,

Katie 

This Little Pig

Personalised cards mean just that. They’re personal and they might not mean much to the outsider. This was the case for this card that a friend commissioned recently. I could understand the reason why but the joke didn’t mean the same thing to me as it did to the recipient! That’s just one of the reasons I think handmade greetings cards are so special!

Have a lovely weekend!

Katie 

Mother's Day

Another year and it is almost time to celebrate the mothers of the world again. Mother’s Day is this weekend on the 6^th March.

On Sunday I’ll actually be spending the day with my mum, my grandmother and my auntie will be there too. A whole host of ladies to be thankful for!

They did a lot for us and they still do, so whether it is through a present, a card or a hug, it is about time we show our appreciation!

I hope you’re having a good week.

Katie 

A Little Colour to My Life: Birthday Time

The beginning of March always marks the start of Birthday season. There seems to be a birthday every week for almost a couple of months and mine is towards the end of March too. I’ve also already been put in charge of making colourful paper pompoms for a birthday/Mother’s Day celebration at the weekend!

Birthdays always make me think of colour and even when there is no celebration on the books I occasionally browse party decorations! At this time of year, when spring is right there on the horizon, they get me thinking of sunshine and even, perhaps a little ahead of time, outdoor summer picnic parties!

Clockwise from Top Left

These are a novelty treat. For birthdays I am more inclined to one main birthday cake or a plate of cupcakes; however there is just so much colour and fun involved in these sprinkled chocolate party spoons that I love them! I saw the sprinkles and the metallic balls, and I flashed back to my childhood. We always had silver balls for decorating cupcakes and I can practically hear the crunch as you almost break your teeth on them!

I think I’ve had more than one birthday cake that was adorned with smarties. I like that it is an easy way of bringing colour to what might be an otherwise boring sponge cake. For that reason I am also a fan of this DIY pompom cake.

To my eternal dismay, I don’t have a lot of experience with confetti. I remember it at weddings as a handful of pastel colours. These bright and shiny confetti sticks are more my cup of tea!

I’ll admit I went off balloons for a while. One exploded within millimetres of my face and it took a bit of time to get over the shock. I don’t know whether it is embarrassing or not to admit it, but I am still a little wary of them! However I think confetti filled balloons would be enough to distract me. They’re just so cool! If they did happen to pop, it’ll be a mighty colourful explosion!

Fruit Loops will forever be a part of me. They are reminiscent of a childhood trip to Canada. I remember munching them in a hotel and I think I can still remember the layout of the room… but then again I was under five at the time! As more and more ‘American candy’ becomes accessible here in The UK these marshmallow bars are actually a possibility. But is it a memory I wouldn’t want to taint? Will they taste different now that I am an… what do they call me?... an adult?

Happy Monday!!

Katie 

Dirt Bike

It is always nice to send and receive a personalised greetings card. More often than not the cards I am asked to make as custom orders are something to do with the recipient’s hobbies. This card was no different. I made it at the end of last year for someone who rides dirt bikes in her spare time.

It is made using textured blue paper and silver card, with sparkly thread on the bike’s wheels and chain. 

Happy Friday! 

Katie 

Lots of Love

Happy Valentine's Day, Everybody!

Currently Loving

With Valentine’s Day at the end of the week I thought I would be extremely cheesy and share some of the things that I currently love!

Clockwise from Top Left

1. I’ve got décor on the brain and although I am not sure how much log cabin I could bring to a room with no wooden walls in sight, I could spend a while browsing cabins on apartment therapy.        

2. Every now and then I read about art installations that have already been and gone. Yet I still like the idea of them.  After I read this article about Rebecca Louise Law, I found my way onto her website and spent a little while looking around. Some of my favourites include this lovely totem. I like the idea of stumbling across something like this in the street as you go about your day to day.

For a girl who is more at home in the countryside than cities. I liked what Rebecca had to say about bringing a touch of her childhood into the urban environment in this video. Around the 1 minute mark she mentions “a moment of ahh” - Art doesn’t always have to do any more than that! 

3. Make more detours. I like the message whether it is applied to exploring new cities and road trips on your travels or making last minute plans in the everyday.  

4. I love the big, bold and colourful patterns of these duvets and pillowcases.

5. VHS is a thing of the past and we’ll look back on them with nothing but nostalgia and, just as the description of this print says, their ‘bold colours and retro shapes’ are ‘beautiful’ and 'appealing.'

I hope you have a good weekend!

Katie 

Shoes and Make Up

Last year, particularly at Christmas, I really enjoyed attending new and different craft fairs. I had tables at events I’d never been to before and I was also invited to a few private occasions. It was nice to experience each one and they all had their own charm.

It is always nice to meet the people who buy your creations and everyone is always so positive. You sometimes get a little tale from their day or an explanation for their purchase - one of my favourites is still the lady who had become a grandmother for the first time just that day!

For a similar reason I like taking custom orders in person and this make up greetings card was one of them. It was for a shoe and make up loving niece!

I probably say this about everything but I really enjoyed making this because I personally don’t tend to opt for pink and sparkly, and I don’t wear high heels either!

I hope that you’ve had a good start to the week!

Katie 

Christmas Greetings Cards

I know I am not the only one to feel like advent and Christmas have come around far too quickly. My perception of time has been completely skewed this year and I can’t quite believe we’re only a month away from 2016.

In my last post, I was raving about all things Christmas and my attempts to immerse myself in the festivities! I don’t intend to stop and soon I’ll be writing and sending my Christmas cards. I therefore thought it was time to share a few more of this year’s Christmas greetings cards.

Less than three weeks to go until Christmas day!

Katie 

A Christmas Visit to Waddesdon Manor

 

On Sunday evening I went to Waddesdon Manor; a National Trust property between Aylesbury and Bicester. For the past couple of years I have gone with my family to soak up the atmosphere and this time was no different!

Wrapped up against the cold, we braved the wind and made our way to the little Christmas Fair behind the manor. We tucked into roasted chestnuts and clutched cups of mulled cider while we took in all there was to see - the manor was bathed in blue light at the back and the trees were adorned with warm yellow lights. With Christmas music in the background, there was nothing the rain could do to dampen my spirit!

One of the draws of Waddesdon is the light installations of Bruce Munro who has had a three year residency there. In each of his pieces he incorporates light, sound and colour to various effects.  For his final year, Bruce used pulsing illuminated tents, radio snippets, sections of songs and morse code to create a fun yet intriguing installation. An immersive experience my sister and I danced our way around parts of the path and I definitely sang along to some of the songs!

Later on I was very happy to sit, sipping hot coffee and eating mince pies in the gorgeous outside seating area which was all dressed up for Christmas with rugs and fairy lights.

I’ll take any excuse to immerse myself in Christmas. I’ve managed to do this a lot at the Christmas fairs where I have had a table but it’s also been nice to enjoy the festivities as a spectator too. On Wednesday I went to a late night shopping event in a local village. Windows were adorned with snowy scenes for a competition, and shops were brimming with people seeking the perfect decorations. There were even donkeys wearing Santa hats! So much Christmas and advent has only just begun!

I hope you’re enjoying the lead up to Christmas!

Katie