{ happy friday }

The cosy edit.

1. Snow has fallen. All around us.

2. It's the weather for bundling up in beautiful boots.

3. And staying cosy in the cutest coats.

4. For comfort baking with coffee, chocolate and caramel.

5. Etsy find of the week. host&toast. Simple and beautiful things.

6. Knits + lace + botanical cuppas = keeping cosy in the most stylish of ways.

7. Cosy knits. Part 1.

8. New Year resolutions. To have a kind heart, fierce mind and a brave spirit.

9. Cosy knits. Part 2.

& a cosy coffee cocktail to say goodbye to the old year, and hello to the new.

{ have a cosy day }

{ my december }

The quietest of months.

I wonder what next year will bring?

{ have a happy day }

{ Merry Christmas }

{ happy friday }

1. Just three days left. Are you ready?

2. Folksy find of the week. Handmade Over Yonder. I wonder if Angel Mouse is destined for someone's stocking?

3. The sweetest skater scene which, almost, makes me yearn to go skating.

4. I have to agree that this is the most beautiful dress of the season *sigh*

5. Christmas gift wrapping goals right here.
6. Christmas reading goals right here.
7. Christmas knitting goals right here.
8. Winter is the time for comfort. The wisest of words from Edith Sitwell.
9. Spicy ginger treacle cookies are always a good idea. ( see above No.8. )
& so is Cinnamon Apple Baked French Toast.

{ have a happy day }

{ happy friday }

1. The epitome of a simply beautiful Christmas from Tea with Ruby.

2. The epitome of loveliness by Gemma Booth for Milk Magazine.

3. The epitome of style with that hat & that coat by Nikolia.

4. Christmas cookie goals right here.

5. Tips for a minimal Christmas by Jessica Rose Williams over on 91magazine.

    Including a link to these beautiful botanical cards.

6. Though I'm also a little in love with this snowglobe card by My Lovely Thing.

7. Christmas gift wrapping goals right here.

8. Stardust, wishes and magical things.

9. One cup of sparkling goodness for me please?

& Gingerbread Hot Chocolate sounds the perfect drink to dunk homemade gingerbread in.

    Doesn't it?

{ have a happy day }

{ inspired#21 . Let it Snow . Let it Snow . Let it Snow }

. inspired#21 .

" I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently?

And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt;

and perhaps it says, 'Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again'"

. Lewis Carroll .

clockwise from centre

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5

The first of a few festive mood boards, and with the weather we have at the moment how could I not be inspired by all the snow?

Those cosy looking snowflake mittens were captured by Marion of basic hus, and have me searching furiously for a similar pattern to knit myself a pair.  And that lovely last illustration, by the very talented Meera Lee Patel, is the perfect snowy scene. Though it does also remind me of how my early morning runs in the snow have felt; achingly beautiful, but uphill all the way!

{ have a cosy day }

{ happy friday }

1. Finding so many lovely new Insta feeds through Me and Orla's Gloom and Grow.

2. This weeks new knitting crush. Pampirion. And how incredibly lovely is that leaf stitch?

3. Dressed to impress. And how incredibly cute is that collar?

4. Christmas crochet goals right here.

5. Folksy find of the week. Flower and Fable. Heather; solitude, protection and beauty.

6. This garland would look so pretty paired with the festive foliage I've buying.

7. We are all made of stardust *sigh* *pops this on the Christmas List*

8. There is nothing in nature that blooms all year long. 

9. Dottie Angel has a shop. Who knew? P.s. I heard a shop update is happening today!

& let the Christmas cookie making commence, beginning with these.

{ have a happy day }

{ four I adore . Etsy Made Local & a weekend of loveliness . Part Two }

And so, on Monday I mentioned there were two Etsy Markets happening in Birmingham this weekend. After featuring the market hosted by Ideas Birmingham, it is now the turn of the Winter Makers Market hosted by Birmingham Originals. Held on Saturday and Sunday, in the beautiful Banqueting Suite at the Council House, it was full of even more local makers, artists, and craftspeople. The festive spirit was alive and well, and there was a hum of people buying gifts for others, and quite possibly a few for themselves too. 

For the full line up of all the creatives who were there, pop over to Birmingham Original's Facebook page, but for now, here are four that I particularly adored.

 . Charlotte Clark Designer Maker .

Quirky, macabre, and curious, are the words that pop up on Charlotte's about page, and I'm not sure I could sum her work up any better. Using beautiful bone china, Charlotte makes pieces for the home, both useful and decorative, all having a wonderfully dark edge. Skulls and skeletons adorn the most seemingly innocent of homewear, giving an unexpected twist to the simplest of things.

Oh, and I can think of more than a few people who would appreciate her range of greetings cards, in particular her 'I love your ( resting bitch ) face'! 

 . Salt and Sail .

I have a sneaky suspicion that this is not the first time that I've shown a little love for Salt and Sail. A mother and daughters knitting team who hand knit some of the most beautifully simple babywear, that make this fellow knitter sigh a little with envy. Their stall on Saturday didn't disappoint, and the box full of these bootees adorned with pom pom's couldn't fail to make the hardest of hearts coo just a little. 

 . Doricica Dolls .

I've admired Doricica Dolls from afar for a while now, so to be able to see them on Saturday, and have a brief chat with Doriana herself, was a real delight. I desperately wish I had a little girl to buy one of these darling dolls for. The detail, and the workmanship is just lovely, and the dolls have such wonderful personalities.

Doriana's stall looked equally lovely, and I doubt I would have been the only one to stand chatting whilst wishing desperately that I was either five years old again, or had a vaguely justifiable reason why I needed one myself.

. Little Penn .

Finally I'm sharing the very lovely Little Penn and her beautiful illustrations and prints. Her work has a simplicity about it, and is wonderfully delicate and illustrative. Birds and botanicals are a recurrent theme, stamped in monochrome onto paper and cloth. One particular little print caught my eye, and is that one thing that I now can't stop thinking about, and wish I'd now bought.

At the moment her Etsy shop is on a short break, but as soon as it's open again I think I'll be popping that particular little print in my basket to buy.

{ have a happy day }

{ Etsy Made Local . & . a weekend of local loveliness . Part One }

Birmingham was awash with makers and markets this weekend, with not one, but three Christmas Markets taking place.  The Bond, the Council Chambers and the Custard Factory were humming with Christmas carols and the scent of mulled wine. Although the German Market was it's usual busy self, it was heartening to see so many people taking time out to visit these smaller markets.

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 

We're lucky enough to have two local Etsy groups in Birmingham, each hosting their own market at the weekend. When you pop along to these markets you start to realise how many wonderful creatives there are in and around the city, many managing to squeeze in all that making around their other jobs.

Ideas Birmingham were the hosts of the event at the Custard Factory. This was the third event held by the group, and this year's event looked set to top the 2,000 that flocked to Digbeth last year. Held on Friday and Saturday, with a line up of sellers that included artists, potters, makers of jewellery, macrame and much more.  When I popped along on Saturday the market was nicely busy, and it was lovely to find new makers that I'd not spotted before.

BPiancaCeramics and HannahKyriakouDesign were both new to me. Barbara's ceramics and Hannah's jewellery are both inspired by nature, and have a beautiful simplicity about them. I particularly loved Hannah's silver poppy rings, which she makes in three complimentary sizes that are just perfect for stacking and wearing all together. Just lovely.

Also inspired by nature is painter and paper artist Lottie, of PaperInkAlchemy. Her amazingly intricate and detailed moth is sadly sold out on Etsy, but fortunately there are still lots of lovely things to find, such as this Silver Lining's Papercut.

One lovely maker I didn't see, but wish I had, is Alli of LCTLY. Selling at Friday's market, her wonderful woven wall hangings are all individual, one off, creations. They are also lovely enough to make me start thinking about adding a handloom to my Christmas wish list!

I always feel that I shouldn't have favourites at these fairs, though invariably I do. Ideas Birmingham very kindly gave me some vouchers to spend at the market, and as soon as I stopped at Rosario's stall I had an inkling they'd be spent there. Originally from Chile, now living in Birmingham, Rosario is a printmaker, producing the loveliest prints and cards from woodcuts. Many are inspired by the landscape of her home country, others by nature and botanicals. And one is now happily sitting on my desk at home.

{ photo credit . paper ink alchemy }

And so another marvellous market is over. I'll be posting a few of my favourites from the other Etsy Made Local market later in the week, and I hope that if you've still got Christmas gifts still to buy these posts might inspire a few ideas.

{ have a happy day }

Disclaimer: Ideas Birmingham very kindly invited me along to the market, and generously gave me some vouchers to spend whilst there. However, all ramblings, musings and thoughts are my own.

{ hello December }

. hello December .

{ have a happy day }