merry christmas

Have some wonderful days with your loved ones! My special thoughts are with the people that were entered for the Giveaway-give away, but were not drawn by my sons. I wish you all the light and warmth you need this winter!

my Rijksmuseum angels

 

 Oh, I am so sorry...my wholesale business took so much of my energy these last weeks I completely forgot to tell you about a new series of angels I designed for the museumshop of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.
The angels are inspired by the lovely dutcher-than-dutch painting by Hendrick Avercamp called Winter Landscape with Skaters. He painted it in 1608. I didn't want to just copy and paste the painting into my angels, so I translated Hendrick's 'language' into my own Jurianne-style.

It is so good for me - it inspires me big time - to work on projects like this. It shows me new colours, new feels, new styles...

If you want to buy some before Christmas - you still have a couple of days - they are for sale at the Museumshop and at the & Klevering stores in Amsterdam for € 6,95 per set.

make & shop - holiday home

'Simple, back to basic' is my Christmas slogan for this year.
I found some lovely, simple DIY-ornaments on the internet and - for those who even do not have time for sixty-seconds-crafts - I found a couple of  Etsy shops selling warm wintery stuff...

From above left: Long sausage dog, made of knitted lambswool, from Etsy shop Messyfish. Above right a nice Martha Stewart done-in-a-second-project: pipecleaner snowflakes!

Second row: Talking about simple: these pods with white felt peas I found in Etsy shop Fairyfolk. Funny and cute 'no peeking' gift tags from Etsy shop Pixel Impress.

Below: DIY mitten-gift tags (tutorial!) designed by Neal from Present & Correct, (my fav stationery store) on Design Sponge.
And Skandinavian Deko shares this great (yes: simple!) tutorial for paper ornaments.

drawing names for the give away

You are all so sweet! Many readers (about 43 up untill today) entered names of dear ones for the GIVEAWAY-GIVE AWAY. And tonight my men draw the first three names. The people concerned (that is: the senders) have received my e-mail by now. If you didn't get one, don't worry: we will pick three names every week on Thursday!
And if you want: you can still enter your friends for it untill Thursday the 22nd of December!

the 'giveaway-give away'

Today it is the first of advent. We lit one candle at our cosy breakfast this morning and it made me think of people who could use a little light in their lives...

That's why I want to offer you a 'GIVEAWAY-GIVE AWAY'. Every week from now on untill Christmas, I will send a package of my latest designs, Shine lanterns, to 3 people of your choice.
Do you know anyone who could use some extra warmth, attention and light at the moment? Your aunt in hospital, your lovely neighbour who's always there for you, your best friend, or maybe you could need some light yourself...

How can you win the giveaway-give away? 
Just send me an email with the adress of your friend and a small text, wish or greeting (not more than 20 words), which I can print on a nice tag. Please don't forget to write your name (the sender). I do not need to know your reason to send the give-away, it will not be a contest for the most pityfull story, hi, hi.
It doesn't matter if the person lives somewhere else in the world. It's my Christmas treat!
Every Thursday-afternoon one of my sons will pick three names. The rest will go back in the basket to have another chance in the next round on the next Thursday.

Let 's Shine some light!

beautiful embroidery

Hmmm...I'm getting in the mood for gifts - giving ánd receiving. First I found the DIY iPhone cross stitch case from the Purl Bee. And then I couldn't stop searching the net for more breathtaking embroidery. The iPhone case is high on my wishlist. I know my husband Peter reads my blog every now and then, so this one's for you, darling: I would loooove a black one!

Left: embroidered driftwood by Ella Robinson, right: DIY iPhone cross stitch case. You can buy the case here at the Purl Bee and find the adorable tree pattern (and tutorial) here

 

These two lovely pieces I found on Etsy, in two different shops. Left: Sometimes I swirl and on the right: About SHE.

These little people have personality, their embroidered faces are so sweet! And it is reassuring to see that folkloristic patterns - used in a genuine way - are always 'in fashion'. I love the designs, the shop and the blog of Specks & Keepings!

one of olivier's artisans

I think it must have been the surgery (the anesthesia) that I'm kind of less focused than I was before: I completely forgot to tell you about a book that was recently published by Thames & Hudson.
It's called: 'The New Artisans' and yes...I am one of them! 

This book captures the new mood – a return to a preference for the unique and the handmade.Design expert and acclaimed blogger Olivier Dupon has sourced the cream ofthe contemporary design world from all over Europe, Australia and the United States, profiling 75 artisans who use craft techniques, rather than massproduction methods, to create stylish, whimsical, covetable objects. Hundreds of colour photographs feature a huge variety of crafts, including art,ceramics, furniture, glasswork, jewelry, lighting, metalwork, papercraft,textiles and woodwork.

When I got the first copy - still smelling of fresh ink and new paper - I was beaming with pride. The book is só beautifully published (hard back, thick, great layout etc) and the content is so balanced and interesting, it feels like a big applause for what I have done up untill now...
Thanks Olivier, it was great working with you!

I invite you all to blog about this inspiring book and to buy it for Christmas, it is worth every penny!

Below you see some work of artisans I share this 'crafts bible' with:

 Xenia Taler - ceramic tiles

Nic Webb - woodwork

Vera Joao Espinha - knitted jewelry

 Kristina Klarin - my colour guru - wooden jewelry

Elisa Strozyk - wooden textiles

They all have their own chapter in the book. Below you see 'my pages'.