my christmas favorites

Took some pictures of my personal christmas favorites today. I share the images tonight, will post the rest/info tomorrow...too busy, too tired! (Thursday night)


....It is amazing: suddenly there is this quiet Saturday morning, my sons having their weekly computersessions, my husband reading the newspaper, a snowwhite world outside, silent. I love these kinds of mornings, the best time to post on my blog!

Top left: a present my friend Anneli Levin from Stockholm sent me last week. Anneli has a brilliant taste in mixing design and crafts. You can buy this handmade porcelain pendant by Fideli Sundqvist (they all have a different shape...handmade!) at her webshop called Cosas. Cosas is worth a visit anyway!

Top right: Advent Calendar by Natalie Lété. Searched the internet for webshops where you could buy it for next year and found this one in the UK: Lapin & Me

The tree-pendant-tree is a gift, or rather a christmas greeting card, sent by my friend Linda. She is a felting artist and she sends me a mini piece of art (ATC) every now and then. I'll show the whole collection once. This tree however is made of strips of a vintage blanket. It 's so subtle and simple. Thanks Linda!

december G I V E A W A Y - follow up!

On post of the december give away I received many sweet, sometimes heartbreaking, reactions. All the names submitted by you deserve boxes full of angels!! But I had to protect myself for a lot of work (in my busiest month of the year) so I limited the 'choice' to three persons.

This morning, a perfect sunny and cold winter morning, my sons draw three names from the wooden bowl. The 'givers' already received an email. And tomorrow the surprise angels will go on their journey to three lovely people who can use some extra attention and love in the coming weeks.

the making of....

Maybe some of my Dutch blog readers already know that I designed the December give away for the interior magazine 101-Woonideeën. It is a paper lantern you can cut yourself (the ones I sell myself are already cut out), since 101 Woonideeën is a crafty magazine and very much into DIY!

Got a lovely stylish, sweet and romantic moodboard/briefing from their great art-director (it was a feast working with you, Monique!). Soft pastels and ottoman embroidery, and I was even asked to use a shiny silver! To be honest: this style was a real challenge for me!
I designed a whole bunch of lanterns, and then suddenly I found my (nordic, straight, graphic) 'touch' to go with this project. Found colours and patterns that mixed the required style together with my own handwriting. I kept a couple of them, took some pictures, to share with you. On the right side you can see the 'winner'.

Poor editors of 101: they were looking forward so much to the silver on the lanterns... the printers told them some weeks before publishing it wouldn't be possible. They chose another colour instead, a kind of deep lavender that shocked my eye in the first place, but which I like more and more every time I look at it.
So: very well done, 101! Hoorah!

chalk

Do your kids a big favour and have Sinterklaas (our dutch Father Christmas on the 5th of December) or Santa put these in shoes and stockings!
In the Waldorf tradition I was raised we only used this kind of chalk because of the beautiful natural pastel pigments and the soft structure. My children use them as well (see one of my sons pieces of blackboard art above!). They cost hardly anything and they make little artists so happy. In Holland available at Engel webshop, owner and friend Sabien gave me this set!

Etsy treasures: crochet

Who: Emma Lamb
What: Crocheted pillow covers and pot holders
Why: Pot holders by Emma (and displayed like this) are almost fine art! Emma mixes and matches colours in a very subtle way. Besides her work makes me think of my beloved granny who was also a crochet phenomenom. If I ever come across one of granny's pillow covers in my stuffed up textile drawers I'll certainly take a picture and post it.

december G I V E - A W A Y

Looking at the sad news I posted yesterday I just thought: there must be so many people that could use some extra attention, love and joy in December.
I would like to donate three sets of my paper angels accompanied by a (limited edition and not for sale) XL-angel I just created for special occasions. I'll send these to three persons of your choice.

So: do you know anyone for whom this December give away would make a difference, for whom it would bring a little joy in dark times?

Please send me an email with your friends name and adress and write a little text that I can put on a small card in the parcel. I don't mind to send all over the world, it is my treat! On Sunday December 13th I'll have my sons draw three names and I'll send it the next day.
Please send an email to:
info@juriannematter.nl

Cecilia

Tomorrow it is the name day of Saint Cecilia. Today we celebrated the life of our dear friend Cecilia: a beautiful, very honest woman, a super mother of two strong daughters who just - like that - snap - lost her young life last Monday. Dearest Cecilia, we will miss you sooo much....
As you will understand, I didn't feel like posting anything this week.