Christmas Card Designs For Woodmansterne Cards

I was contacted by Woodmansterne Cards a while back about licensing a couple of my designs for their Christmas card range, which was totally exciting as it's something I've often thought about looking into, but didn't know how to go about it.  I was also delighted to discover that my designs would be helping to raise money for two great charities (British Heart Foundation and Childline).

These cards have been in the pipeline for quite a long time, about 18 months or so I think, so it was pretty thrilling to receive the samples in the post a few weeks back - and it's taken me that long to find a moment to photograph them.  Luckily, Isla and I had just been to the local garden shop and had snaffled a load of helpfully tidied up their assorted crab apple windfalls, so while we were playing with them and arranging them in in size and colour order (we know how to party), I squeezed in a quick photoshoot.

Available online from here.

Golden

It's been a glorious start to the Autumn. A proper Indian Summer  - all misty mornings, hazy sunshine and glowing evenings.  We've crammed a few adventures into these golden weekends; a bit of kayaking, some swimming while the sea is still warm and calm, a little foraging, sleeping out in the camper van, exploring the coastline... I wish it would never end.

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I have just finished working on a few freelance jobs (pictured above) and am now making a start on some of my contemporary pieces for Christmas.  This year I will have some pieces available for sale at Mostyn, as well as at The Stained Glass Museum Shop.  I will also be making a large batch of singing birds for my Etsy shop. To find out when the listings are going live, sign up to my mailing list in the side bar as I will be giving advance notice to subscribers first. These usually sell out pretty quickly at this time of year, so keep an eye on your inbox.

Hedgerow Jelly (Autumn in a Jar)

If you have kids and, like mine, they love to collect everything and anything they spot while out walking (shells, stones, feathers, broken blue and white pottery, coins, bottle tops etc. etc. etc.) then you might enjoy making this with them.

On our last walk we collected all sorts of edible Autumnal treasure - crab apples, sloes, rose hips, rowan berries, black berries, haws... but what to do with it all? Hedgerow Jelly, that's what.

We found this recipe, which worked brilliantly, and really you can be fairly flexible with what you put in, depending on what you find.  Always be careful to check that what you have picked is actually edible though, and not deadly nightshade berries for example. Make sure you wash everything thoroughly before starting.

As long as the sugar to juice ratio is 1 pound : 1 pint, you should be ok. And we totally cheated and squeezed the muslin straining bag (which looked like something out of a terrible slasher movie as the thick, red, viscous liquid oozed over our hands). Yes our jelly is a little cloudy, but we got twice as much, which is more important than perfection in my jam making school.

Then when it was done and poured into jars, we made labels (Isla's was so nice I copied hers).

It tastes very nice on porridge, crumpets and pancakes and would probably be very nice with game too, as it is quite sharp and sweet.

The House In The Woods

machinist's tool ch... ohalbatross $195.00	Man's Trunk Raven T... SheRidesTheLio... $600.00	Burlap and canvas patch... TheNestUK $28.00	Miniature Irish Cottage... HomespunIrelan... $20.00
Flora Necklace on SALE.... Joannarutter $102.40	So Long As Nothing Chan... windylanestudi... $15.00	Antique 1800's Shak... Hindsvik $185.00	Dotty Leaves - hand scr... TheLittleHouse... $5.50
vintage french coffee m... FrenchAtticFin... $24.00	new color - borderlines... ChezSucreChez $14.00	Gravel-Man, Unframed Sc... EstherMcManus $30.00	Record/Book Wall Box houseinhabit $50.00
houseplants (print) ybryksenkova $20.00	Geometric triangle serv... Asleepfromday $19.00	Vintage Snowflake Knit ... IndianvsIndian $12.00	Swid Powell Cup and Sau... blueflowervint... $13.00

Treasury tool supported by the dog house

When it gets to this time of year, I can't help getting a bit excited about woolly jumpers and smoky fires.

And the weather today is truly awful, so we're all feeling a bit "end of summer".

I think we'll make some collages to keep us entertained.

Spring & Autumn - Contemporary Stained Glass Door Panels

Lovely to see the windows in-situe today with the sunlight streaming through them.

The doors lead to two girls' bedrooms - the elder daughter was born in October and the younger daughter has a May birthday - hence the Autumn/Spring theme.

We discussed various options for the subject matter and in the end Lisa chose a couple of my existing designs which would be worked into full size panels.

I wanted the windows to look a bit like picture book illustrations (both girls had already chosen Quentin Blake fabric for their curtains) and the colours tie-in with those in the rooms.

You can just about see how amazing the views from the bedrooms are - across the rolling fields and out to sea.  While I was there today, the colour of the sea flitted from turquoise to green to grey to indigo as the weather changed from sunshine to storms.  Stunning.

Sunday

We went to my sister's cottage to make the Christmas Pudding.

There are always interesting things to see there.

Whizz Bang Pop

A treasury to celebrate some of the UKs brightest sparks on Etsy!

Have a good Bonfire Night.

Sunday

We spent a few hours at West Bexington today,

one of the most underrated stretches of Chesil Beach.

Also home to my favourite cafe/gift shop...

think Royston Vasey-on-Sea.

There is a row of rather bleak and deserted-looking chalets.

We chose the last one as our favourite.

It reminded us of Villa Villekulla, especially with the horse next door.