Folksy Handmade - Crafty Christmas Cards

Suncatcher Christmas Tree Card

I've made my first Christmas Cards this year after I had been experimenting with hand painted suncatcher designs on other cards. I like the idea of something a bit different for Christmas cards. And I like the idea of a craft being used to create the design. So for this week's Folksy Friday collection I've put together a selection of handmade cards with different crafts being used to make the designs. Something special to send this Christmas.

As always, click on the pic to go to the seller's shop.

*** Folksy Handmade - Crafty Christmas Cards ***

Quilled Christmas Tree Card
Paper Daisy Card Design

Greetings Card with Copper Heart
The Owl and the Pussycat

Christmas Mistletoe and Robins Card
Under the Stair Studios

Origami Wreath
Water Lily Wishes

Brown Tweed Christmas Robin
nicepontoffles

Handmade Fabric Applique Card
E and Z Make

Papercut Christmas Card
The Bird & the Button

Christmas Card Red Jingle Bells
Ritzy Swish

Handmade Card Mum and Dad
O'Reilly & Beau

Suncatcher Christmas Tree Cards

Suncatcher Christmas Tree Cards

Suncatcher Christmas Tree Card

This is my latest listing, a set of four Christmas Tree Suncatcher Cards. The design is handpainted onto clear acetate with translucent paint so when the light shines through the card the baubles light up and become jewel  -like. I am really enjoying experimenting with these suncatcher cards. They are something a bit different from the norm, and should light up the recipient's day.

Folksy Handmade - Scarves

Chunky Red Unisex Scarf
Uniquely Yours

The second of my Christmas gift inspiration Folksy Fridays has a rainbow of scarves. Who doesn't like a scarf? And you've got to have a few to mix and match with your outfits and coats. Some of these are unisex so there's something for the fellas too. I love the footie scarf, it's very retro. They do most other team colours too. In fact, a lot of these shops do their scarves in different colours. So if the one you want isn't here, I'm sure you'll be able to find it if you go for a browse. Just click on the scarf picture to go the seller's shop for more details, or more choice.

*** Folksy Handmade - Scarves ***

Cotton Stripe Scarf
Rebecca Surgey Knit and Crochet

Red and White Football Scarf
The Knitted Duck

Hand Knit Recycled Linen Scarf
CreativeTherapy

Yellow & Orange Hand Woven Scarf
Sarah and the Moon

Crochet Infinity Mobius Scarf
Simply Charming

Hand Made Chunky Ribbed Scarf
Victoria Rose Crafts

Moss Green Cowl
Ginger Nut Knits

Blue Handknit Scarf
Kath Heywood Art & Design

Extra Long Blue Scarf
Summerfield

Hand Knitted Scarf
Knittingtopia

Thick Truffle Hand Knitted Scarf
Feel, Felt, Found

Knitted Pompom Scarf
Rainbows'n'More

Folksy Handmade - Garden Gifts

Moonlight Ripple Bird Bath

Had to start with this, didn't I. The first of my gift idea lists is things for gardeners. I think people who like their gardens are very easy to buy for, but that may be because I like gardening and grow your own. People who aren't so keen on it all might find it more difficult to know what to buy a gardener. So this list is a little inspiration that might help. (I think all gardeners like wildlife in their garden, that's why I've got a few wildlife items included.) If you know the style a gardener likes in their house, it's more than likely they'll like the same in their garden.

As I did last year with my gift idea lists, I'll try and include things with a range of prices to suit all.

Click on the pics to go to the seller's shops for more details on the items.

*** Folksy Handmade - Garden Gifts ***

Peas in a Pod Key Ring
Resin Pendants and Accessories

Antique Tile Garden Planters
Magnus Larkin

Recycled Vintage Gardener's Apron
Maker's Meadow

Licence Plate Bird Feeder
licenceplatestuff 

Wrought Iron Fencing
Du-Crow Designs

A Chick Called Penny
Down to Earth

Ladybird House
Skiprat Creations

Mr Plumpy Bird Box
HomeGrownYou

Small Oak Welsh Garden  Trug
Caia Crafts

Garden Gnomes Tote Bag
Mystic Moose

 Decorative Hanging
La Maitresse

A5 Handmade Garden Notebook
Handmade by Edwina

Feathered Friends

Peacock Eye Mosaic Garden Bird Bath

Peacock Eye Detail

There's a thread on the Folksy Forum that is aimed at kickstarting inspiration. It's a monthly theme that gets the creative juices flowing. This month's theme is right up my street. Feathered Friends. So I decided to remake one of my old designs, Peacock Eye. I've slightly tweeked the colour palette to make it more green and peacock coloured.

To see the other fab items being listed in the Feathered Friends theme thread - Click Here

There's an ongoing Pinterest board for all the themes this year - Here

NEW Free Bird and Bee Seeds

Free Birds and Bees Seeds

I am amending my bird baths, and bee log homes to show that they now come with a free packet of seeds. All with complete sowing and growing instructions.(U.K. purchases from my website and Folksy shop only, I'm afraid. The international laws on posting seeds are a bit too complicated.)

With any Bird Bath purchase there will be a free pack of 3 Dwarf Sunflower seeds (chosen to suit any size garden, and they're good for bees too, the actual variety may change with availability). The flowers are chosen produce lots of seeds that you can leave on the plants for the birds to pick off, or you can harvest the seeds and put them in a feeder, or on a bird table.

And with every Bee Log House there will be a free pack of 10 Thyme seeds. The flowers are fantastic magnets for bees, and of course the leaves are very useful for us. It's the plant that gives and gives.

If you take advantage of my Birds and Bees offer you'll get a free pack of both types of seeds. If you're buying a bird bath, or bee home as a gift you could keep the seeds as a treat for yourself, or pass them on as an extra bit of the gift.

Folksy Handmade - Contemporary Christmas

Suncatcher Christmas Trees

I just worked out how many Folksy Fridays there are left until Christmas. Taking out the last Friday before Christmas, because it's past the last posting date, there are only 8. So I think it's about time I started my Gift Ideas and Christmas Decoration Collections. I'll be doing gift lists aimed at certain people, and collections of similar style decorations to help give a bit of Christmas inspiration. I love a good root around for the Christmas Folksy Fridays. There's always some gems that I find in all the new shops I come across.

Anyway, this week I'm doing Contemporary Christmas. So here is a selection of decorations, cards, and  tags with a modern look and feel.

For more details on any of the items click on the pic to be taken to the shop.

*** Folksy Handmade - Contemporary Christmas ***

Christmas Berries Glass Fairy Lights
Red Brick Glass

Set of 3 Porcelain Reindeer
Ragged Rascal Design

Quilted Stripey Stocking
Two Owls Design

Christmas Reindeer Paper Ornaments
Happythought Paper Crafts

Pack of 4 Folky Bauble Christmas Cards
Stampa Cantina

Robins Egg Blue Handmade Bauble
SkyDancer Jewellery and Glass

Quirky & Unusual Christmas Wreath
Krysia Crafts

Set of 5 Christmas Tree Gift Tags
Chicken and Custard

Blue Ammonite Mini Mosaic Bird Bath

Blue Ammonite Mini Mosaic Bird Bath

This is another smaller sized bird bath. I had already designed a 25cm version of a stylised ammonite fossil bed. This is a 19cm bird bath with a single blue ammonite design in the centre. The tile colours used in the ammonite are shades of blue and turquoise, including translucent dark turquoise, and a sapphire blue iridescent tiles. The surrounding tiles are a light stone grey which gives the impression of the rock of a fossil bed.

Ammonite Fossil Bed Mosaic Garden Bird Bath

25cm Ammonite Bird Bath

The larger 25cm bird bath has more ammonites showing and partially showing through the grey rock bed, made with mid grey tiles. These ammonites are in shades of green, and grey blue, and also include translucent and iridescent tiles to add interest and depth the the design.

Both bird baths qualify for the Birds and Bees Deal discount.