Just wanted to say quickly

That Amy from Knitter of Hats Speaks is doing a valentine's day card swap on her blog, which is a fab idea - if you want to go and sign up (I have, har har), here is the post, you have until 14th Jan.

Also, Resa from Discovering Asterisms blogged about the card she received from Sarah, go look, and I for one am very happy you have remembered how to internet, Resa, yay indeed.

And Moomin Mamma, just wanted to say to you that my Aunty Kath received your card safely and thought it was lovely, and I would have got a photo only I was a bit distracted during my Festive Visit (you can imagine. Waves to family. Hi!).

And one more thing - as you know, I am decluttering (misery misery oh woe is me). I am decluttering cookbooks and have some vegan cook zines (only about 3) that I would like to go to a good home. One of them is a bit mad and please ignore what it says about vitamin B12, but the other two are really useful (I am just not vegan any more, and I need the space, although I am retaining my trusty copy of Vegan With A Vengeance). If anyone would like them, just leave me a comment below - free to the first person who asks. I am painting the bathroom at the moment so I might not be able to post until next week, but I promise not to forget ;-).

Sleep well!

'Tis the season for questionable hats

There’s a couple more card links I just wanted to show you – Amy got her card from Laura at Suddenexpression, Laura got her card from Eileen, Emma has got her card from Jill, Stephcuddles got her card from me, and Ina got her card from Julie. Sorry to be slow linking, and again apologies if I’ve missed anyone (my computer really is quite slow :-( ). Don’t they all look nice?

Note to family: in case of my ever being kidnapped by Somali pirates, please don't let News At Ten use this photo

And a finished object. This is one of the perils of being a knitter. There comes a point, right in the depth of winter, where you think, I know what I need to cheer myself up. I need a comedy hat. Now, if you actually had to get your coat on and go out and then lay down cold hard cash in Accessorize and see the assistant’s expression, you might think twice. But sitting indoors over Christmas with a bumper box of Thornton’s, surprisingly little on the telly, and a leftover skein of Cascade 220: well, it’s a dangerous situation in which normal aesthetic standards are subject to distortion.

feel the quality

It’s the Official Kittyville Hat from Stitch ‘n Bitch. It was easy to knit, although I’m not so good at making pompoms (Techknitter has a how-to on her blog, and in my experience this is the only way). So, if you’re looking at that and thinking, gosh why are those pompoms so big, it’s because, well, that’s the size they came out. I can’t adjust for size. That’s all I can say to you.

And a January Sales Warning: wool sale in John Lewis: nichts, nada, rien, a couple of half-unwound balls of Kidsilk Aura and a bit of ginger Cocoon. Ginger! I ask you.

Wrapping up the Card Swap

Just a quick one today to say, could anyone who hasn't got a card yet from the card swap let me know by leaving me a comment? We've been having snow here in the UK, so the post has got a bit slow but I'd just like to check that everyone's got a card, or got one coming to them!

(Stephcuddles, I'm sending you a replacement - your swapper hasn't been very well and hasn't been able to post. Sorry for delay! I've found my silver pen now though, so you will be able to read the message).

Thank you everyone for taking part, it's been loads of fun seeing all the cards appearing, and I'm sure we've still got a few more to go.

(Hope everyone's not too cold - we're ok but our hedge has fallen tragically victim to the cold snap. Drive carefully everyone and please take particular care of other people's hedges).

More cards finding homes + a dog who wanted to find his

CJ over at Oh Miss West has received her cards from Marushka (look Marushka, it took much less time than they told you, and look how nice they look) and Mumma Troll has blogged about her card from my mother (and other lovely swap cards). Anyone else got any more? I shall go and have a look on people’s blogs to see if I’ve missed anything.

I am but a very small dog. Please do not abandon me in the terrifying badlands of Ely Waitrose

And a bonus dog picture. Is there anything sadder than dogs waiting for people? You’ll be pleased to know this little chap had been picked up when we came out, and I’m sure he was much loved (judging by that jacket). Remember though. A dog is for life, not just for Christmas.

More cards and a Bonus Life Lesson!

Quick update to show you a few more Christmas cards, and to tell you the meaning of life (if you get to the end)! Now, on Saturday I logged on and read this lovely post from Mumma Troll and was quite delighted even though it takes quite a lot to get through my steely emotional defences, so, thank you Mumma Troll, and also what a lovely card you made. I have realised the recipient of Mumma Troll’s card doesn’t have a blog and I know it was posted long enough ago that hopefully we are not spoiling the surprise, so Eileen, I hope you have the card safe, and that you liked it. Leileigh has also updated on the card she received from Emma, in a lovely blog post about Christmas in Germany, go and have a look! And here is my mother’s card from Halfpint.

With heel shaping! This is hardcore

Isn’t that clever? That looks to me like a proper tiny sock with all the proper shaping! And I love how the fireplace is done as a line drawing as a contrast to the stocking, very clever. And this is my mother’s card which she sent out

This may come as a surprise to you, but my mother lives in Derbyshire

To Mumma Troll, who I know has got it now and who is going to blog about it tomorrow (so mother, go and look tomorrow!).

Also wanted to quickly share this link which Susie from First Floor Flat sent me: I love this. I’ve been looking for a pattern for a hat with earflaps on Ravelry, and you’d be surprised how difficult it is to actually find a straightforward one. I almost bought one off the market. Which had eyes on. So I’d like to cast on for this straight away, but I’ll have to see if I’ve got any suitable wool. Talking of which, I’m hoping to have an interview on the blog perhaps this Friday with Sandra, who owns Ely Wool Shop, and I’m thinking I might have to say to her, please don’t let me buy any wool while I am interviewing you. Because otherwise I know I am going to leave not only wiser about the commercial realities of the wool trade but also clutching a skein of malabrigo chunky, and I am supposed to be saving money.

And to end, a heartening story of personal success (this is ‘success’ in a ‘not really success at all’ kind of sense. Just call me Pollyanna. But! Bear with, bear with, as they say on Miranda. Do you watch it? It’s very funny). So. One of the things I am very bad at in life, and which, if I was better at it would make me a better person, is that I am not good at doggedness, routine, and repetitive effort. If you ever have a crisis which can only be solved by a huge one-off coup de foudre, personal dynamism and an innovative solution, I’m your woman. If you need someone to do something boring on a regular basis, I’m going to make you very frustrated (although, when we have a crisis due to it not having been done on a regular basis – I’m your woman!). Anyway, I realise this and I try to address it in myself by finding repetitive things and doing them regularly (I bet I’m selling you on this). So for instance, last year I took up running. When I say running, I mean lurching round the park looking like death and fending off the advances of various surprisingly furry dogs, because dogs love me, even at inappropriate moments. And when I started I literally could not run for a minute at a time. But I stuck with it and by summer I could run for – 3 minutes at a time! (You have to understand quite how unathletic I am to be impressed by this, because I agree it doesn’t sound all that impressive). However in late summer I kind of got out of the rhythm and stopped, and I thought now that all my progress would be for naught and I would have to start again, getting to 30 seconds and falling over on a passing Spaniel and crying. But no, I have been ‘running’ again today, and although I would not say I can just take up where I left off, I can get back on the Couch to 5K programme (well, at the beginning, but, you know), and start again! All is not lost! And the moral I am taking from that, is, that even if you break your routine/ stop practising something, don’t give up, because actually what you have done is you have created a path through the undergrowth of Life, and when you next choose to go down that path, although it may have overgrown a bit, there will never again be a great big hedge in your way like there was to start with.

I hope you found that encouraging. ;-). Me, I shall be ‘running’ again tomorrow. Yay!

Received cards update

Quick card update, now we have hopefully all posted ours off (and if you haven't, go on, you, get it posted, it's not too late! I say this this in an encouraging and loving way ;-) ).  Moomin Mama (OT diversion. I want to read the Moomin books and actually I read the beginning of one standing in these people's shop last weekend but then didn’t buy it to finish it. Because I am 36. But I kind of wish I had. Would this be wrong, or could someone think of a justification whereby it is ok for me to read children’s books? NB I loved Harry Potter but Twilight made me want to gnaw my own leg off) has received her card from Amy and has blogged about it. Amy, that looks like one fantastic card, wow, is all I can say, and a bookmark as well. I love the idea of incorporating knitting!

I can also report that my mother has received her card from Halfpint, she has described it to me and it also sounds absolutely brilliant: it is a knitted stocking on a fireplace and you can use the stocking as a tree ornament. My mother will be taking photographs of her card as soon as Dan shows her how to use the macro button on her camera (Dan – menu, focus, macro), so then I will blog it. I suspect other people might be getting their cards soon as well soon, so we will keep our collective eyes peeled. And to the recipient of mine, I can only apologise that I couldn’t find my silver pen and thus it might be quite hard to read (probably not the biggest challenge of the festive season, but a little bit hard. Sorry!).

Card Swap reminder (post by Friday), ++ stuff I baked

I have received my first card swap card! Not even the one from my swap partner, which is still to come, a lovely bonus card! Here it is,

Isn't that pretty? I love it. I'm worried mine are too phallic

and it’s from Emma of Emma’s Crazy Days who you may remember was the winner of the lavender bag giveaway. Thank you very much, Emma, it’s a lovely card and it’s actually our first Christmas card. Hooray! So, Christmas starts here. Just a quick reminder about the card swap, the deadline for posting is this Friday, and I shall be posting my own effort tomorrow (barring snow, floods or other natural disasters. Actually our post office is 100 yards away so I will probably be ok). Thank you to those of you who’ve let me know they’ve posted theirs already ;-), and for the rest of us, we have two days! It’s all fine. And then we can see the finished cards appearing in the blogosphere and it will be exciting. Also, my mother will stop worrying about the card she is sending and we will be able to worry about something else.

One card has got there already – Erin at Gradschoolknitter made these cards which I thought were lovely and unusual (and Erin, I applaud your going down the minimalist route there, it is very effective and I wish I had thought of it), and one has been received by Marushka at It Might Be A Metaphor. Cards! Swapped! Go us! I am also enjoying the various references to making of cards which I keep seeing on everyone’s blogs – if I’ve missed anyone who’s got a card from their swappee, please let me know, because I do miss things as my computer is very slow and repeatedly gets crashed by Blogger. Then I have to swear, restart it, and go and look out of the window, furiously. And I do not like to miss things, you can imagine. So do let me know so I can link and we can all have a look!

When Baking meets Origami everyone's a winner

Despite Denise’s wildly iconoclastic views on Christmas cake in the comments on my previous post (Denise, you’ll be telling me no-one eats Christmas pudding and mince pies in America next, and then I’ll have to have a lie down in a darkened room because of the shock), I have made my Christmas cake today. It took me longer to line the baking tin with baking parchment and wrap it up in brown paper than it did to make the cake. Never let it be said I am not hardcore. The cake will be taken out shortly after I have finished this blog post, having been baked for 4 and 3/4, yes, that’s 4  3/4, hours, and then I will put it in my special big Tupperware and feed it brandy until Christmas (insert joke about, I wish someone would put me in a Tupperware and feed me brandy, etc etc).

Or I could just have injected sugar straight into a vein

When I had put the cake in I felt the need for something a bit more short term in the baking department. So I made some of the Sparkled Ginger Cookies from Vegan with a Vengeance. And then I ate quite a few, because wrapping the baking tin in brown paper had quite taken it out of me. I know they look a bit unpromising, but they were quite delicious ;-).

Getting into the Christmas Spirit

Have you got nuts? I want nuts. Have you got nuts?

This weekend I survived a squirrel attack in Tavistock Square. I did have a moment while taking this photo where I thought it might go for my throat, and I might end up as one of those embarrassing statistics, like people who die while tripping over a biscuit. And then everybody would have to gloss over it at my funeral and the eulogy would have had to be worded really carefully. But it was ok, he turned tail, waggled his bottom at us and disappeared, having ascertained that we weren’t going to produce a sack of nuts (look, I’m feeding half the squirrels in Cambridge, greedy little devils, I can’t branch out into London ones as well), and I was able to get home in one piece and make a start on my cards.

I like a nice bright Christmas card, do you?

And then today I soaked the dried fruits for my Christmas cake. Do you make your own Christmas cake, blog readers? I don’t always get round to it (and, you know, I’ve only soaked the fruits, I might not get any further. Nigella says in one of her books she once couldn’t face actually making the cake and just left the fruits she was soaking in the cupboard and made it the next year instead and it was ok. Mind you, I always think Nigella has had quite a difficult go of it in some respects, money and large townhouses notwithstanding), but I do like having a homemade one hanging about. Heavy fruit cake is one of my favourite things, so I spend all of January carving bits off and nibbling it with cups of tea. I iced it the first year I made one, but the icing was too much, and now we have it plain, in a thrilling Christmas Cake Minimalism kind of way. I always use the Delia Christmas Cake recipe and I can say with some confidence that this is a recipe with which very little can go wrong, so feel free to use it too, although, unless you are the kind of person who habitually has a cupboard full of currants and nutmeg (luckily I am, as it happens), buying all the ingredients will bankrupt you (although you can use some of them to make mincemeat as well). I don’t quite know how you get round that. I suppose that’s why Christmas is a Feast. You can imagine, actually, in times gone by, when you had been eating turnips for two months in increasing desperation, having foods in the middle of the winter that required things like nutmeg and thrilling dried fruits from europe would have seemed impossibly delicious and glamorous. There is still something appropriately-seasonally-exotic about it, in a way.

The trick is not to drink the brandy and forget about the cake. Cake first, brandy after

So now all the kitchen smells of citrus, raisins and brandy and I am tortured by having the Glade air freshener advert running through my head, where a woman who sounds as if someone has performed an amateur lobotomy on her, possibly with a Glade Touch'n Fresh, tells us that ‘It’s time to go all Christmassy’. I think Glade actually make their adverts terrible on purpose, because I didn’t realise until I was trying to find a link for that one, but they also did the Shake n’Vac advert of blessed memory, and, more recently, the one featuring the little boy who wanted to go and do a poo at Paul’s. I just hope that little boy doesn’t grow up to be anything where that advert might resurface and embarrass him. I know a child star who grew up to become a very serious Oxford academic, I’m just putting that out there, because it would be awful if that little boy ends up lecturing on nuclear fission or something and all his students chorus ‘I want to do a poo at Paul’s!’ every time he walks up to the lectern. (I wonder if Glade are like the Daily Mail, who do things just to annoy us. Someone posted this link at a very nice forum I visit. Read, despair of womankind, feel astonishment that access to Boden for the middle classes isn't included in the human rights act. Lawyer up, Charlotte! Fight for your right to leopardskin ballet flats and quirky appliqué skirts!).

Anyway the point of this diversion is that I think my fruits soaking in brandy smell more Christmassy than a Glade Touch'n Fresh and I would recommend my room fragrancing method to you, because with a cake, not only do you get the scents of brandy and raisins while you are making it, but you also get, well, you also get a cake. And with a Glade air freshener there are no hidden bonuses. Even if it is a spiced apple one (in fact - you could make a baked apple! And then you also get - a baked apple! You get the picture ;-) ).

The sad tale of a Droopy Dirndl

Well, I was a bit under the weather last week, so I slipped behind with my blogging activity and reading blogs, but it's nice to be back and I shall be catching up this week (oh, yes. Grit your teeth). I did notice, though, that Resa at Discovering Asterisms had made some amazing lino cut cards, one of which may be for the swap – Resa, goodness me woman, you have raised the bar. How is everyone else getting on? We've got (almost) a fortnight to go so no need to panic yet (don't worry, I'll let you know when it's time to panic, because I'll be panicking right along with you).

Snow. Post - nice & fresh, pre - slush

Anyway, it's snowed here now. Partner has cracked and we've got the central heating on all day, also he has trotted out to work today in his yellow scarf and gloves (Partner is very, very colour blind, but he just loves yellow. We think perhaps it's one of the only colours he can see) looking like a bad-tempered Rupert Bear. I have been hunkered down sewing, drinking tea and listening to the Dresden Dolls. I've taken some photos of the silky scarves and put them on etsy.

I have produced a non-mad product photo that has the side benefit of making our house look normal. Which it isn't. Go me

I'm linking them here because I actually think the photos don't look bad, and I'm quite pleased with them. (Those of you who've tried to take photos of things for etsy/ folksy/ blogs/ anything – which is probably pretty much all of you – will know how difficult it is. It is difficult, isn't it? It isn't just me?). Can you see my rug? I got that from ebay. I'm never too ill for ebay*. It's made from recycled fleece bits. I don't know how I'm going to hoover it. Perhaps I'll just buy a new one when it gets dirty. (That was a joke).

Back to the mad photos. Sorry

And I've been having a go at a pouffy kind of a skirt from recycled men's shirts. I've had the idea to do this for a while, because the one thing I always seem to be able to find in charity shops is nice, good quality, cotton men's shirts. Those of you who are squeamish are now thinking, yes, that's because they come from dead people, but I'm not squeamish. Or not about that, at any rate. So I'm not bothered. Bring on the dead people shirts, that's what I say. Let's get some use out of them!

This is the side. This is an informative rather than a funny caption

It's made from two shirts (although these ones are from my dad, who, I should point out, is very much alive), and I've sewn it so that the button bands run down each side, and one of the button bands forms the closure (I'd quite like to play up the button bands, but I'm not sure how to pick them out. Perhaps with contrast buttons?).

This is just much my very initial prototype (almost a pre-prototype. A pretotype?), but I think when I've made a few improvements it actually won't be a bad design. I can see it working quite well. I made this sample from short-sleeved shirts, so it's got a contrast waistband from some fabric I'd got hanging about, but if I made it from long-sleeved shirts I'd use the sleeves to make the waistband. The waistband needs narrowing, tapering and interfacing. Actually, that's my one sewing tip, listen carefully: Interface Everything. There, you'll thank me for that one day. No probs, you're welcome.

It's a bit of a droopy dirndl. I'm working on it

I'd like a bit more fullness. I considered lining it and I might try that, but I don't want to get too far away from the simplicity of making it just from two shirts. I think if I use slightly stiffer shirts it might help. I could make a petticoat, as well, I suppose. Of course, the fuller you get with a skirt like this, the more you risk it making you look like Anne Widdecombe, so I might see if I can shape the waistband a bit and bring it further down the stomach. Anyway, I'll do another version, and see how I feel.

* On the subject of ebay, there may have been an incident involving boots. It was late. I was weak. I may need to blog for absolution when they arrive. I do hope you won't begrudge me.

Oh. My. Goodness

OK, now don't be too alarmed. But there's been a kidnapping. And I've been emailed a ransom note.

‘Hello
These toys are being held hostage in the loft at No £$.*
Ransom required, one christmas card idea.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx’

*[I have blanked out my mother’s house number here so she doesn’t worry about burglars].

How many cuddly tortoises have you seen before? Me = none

Well, this is just terrible, because obviously these toys have quite a lot of sentimental value. Because I made them myself, when I was very young. And I think it took quite a lot of skill to make the panda look quite that camp. And the hedgehog you can see on the left of the picture is actually a mascot my Aunty Kath bought me for when I was doing my finals, and I used to take him along to all my exams hidden in my mortar board (I had to wear full sub fusc for my exams. Don’t get me started). I think I had the biggest mascot in the Exam Schools. Everyone else had small sophisticated objects from countries they’d visited in their gap year. Well, I have, actually, worried about Mr Hedgehog’s whereabouts over the years, so I am delighted to see he has popped up again – but in captivity! Oh no!

Anyway, I have been looking for card ideas, and I'm not quite there yet. I found this idea for a Christmas zine on the Post Punk Kitchen, which I thought was a nice idea – incorporating a recipe into a card. And I love the look of paper cutting, although I’m not sure I could pull (a simple version of) it off (ditto lino printing). So I’m not sure I'm quite in a position to get Hedgehog, Panda, Seal et al (Seal is stuffed with foam chips – he’s hard as a rock! He can look after himself) out of their hostage situation yet - make sure you treat them well, cruel kidnapper! I do keep seeing on blogs and things that other people are doing well with the whole card swap situation, though – well done everyone, keep at it, and I shall continue looking for inspiration and report back (and I can’t wait to see everyone else’s – I’m quite fascinated!).

(You know what would be lovely, actually? Making biscuits and icing them as Christmas cards. Not for a card swap or posting, obviously, but for people you give them to in person. Because there is no situation that isn't improved by a biscuit!).

Card swap update, and Giveaway result

OK! Progress! I should have now emailed everyone with the name and address of the person to send your card to (if anyone hasn’t got an email, let me know, and I’ll send again). You’d be surprised how long it took me to work out how to do this, and it involved a cup of coffee and a break to look at these goats on the Post Punk Kitchen message boards, but I got there in the end, and I think it all fits together! Hooray! So, just to reiterate The Roolz:

• Post your card to the person at the address I’ve sent you by December 10th. We’re sending a handmade card with a Christmas/ Yule other winter holiday greeting in it, addressed to the person you’re sending to (and put your name and your email/ blog if you have one, so the person who gets your card can say thanks if they want to!). Handmade can be as complicated or as simple as you like. So long as you think it’s cool, we will, too ;-).

• When you’ve sent your card, could you let me know either by emailing me on uselessbeautydesigns [at] gmail.com, or leaving me a comment. Then I can cross you off my spreadsheet and I won’t have to bother you ;-).

• If anyone’s card doesn’t arrive in a reasonable time after the 10th, let me know, and I’ll send you another card (it might end up being a New Year greeting, but I promise you’ll get something!).

• When you get your card, it would be lovely if you’d blog it so everyone can see – you don’t have to, but I’m really excited to see all the cards, so I’d love it if you could! (If you don’t have a blog, send me a photo –I’m happy to mention it for you).

I’m looking around for cardmaking inspiration, and I’ll do a post with links sometime this week (and I should warn you at this juncture that every handmade Christmas card I have ever made involves something cut out of something else in the shape of a tree. I don’t know why I am so into trees, and frankly I try not to analyse. I will try to mix it up, but, just so you know, the Lure Of The Tree may be too strong).

Right, now on to the giveaway results, because if you remember I was also going to send a couple of lavender bags to a swap participant! Well, random.org tells me that the winning comment is comment number 12, which is Emma, from emmascrazydays. Congratulations, Emma, and I have got your address because of the swap, so I will be sending you a selection of lavender bags shortly. I do hope you like them. Also I have just looked at your blog, and your latest post features possibly the most marvellous calendar I have ever seen. Go and look at Emma’s blog and see if you don’t think the same. It’s quite fantastic ;-).

Calling Kibbygirl, Calling Kibbygirl

Quick announcement! I'm just finalising addresses for the card swap, and Kibbygirl, I don't think I've got yours - could you email me on uselessbeautydesigns [at] gmail.com? (Sorry to call you out in a blog post, I can't access your blogger profile!).

Thank you. Normal service resumed shortly ;-).

Card swap - signups closed

Just a quick post to say, sign ups are now closed on the card swap - thanks to everyone who's signed up, I'm thrilled to have so many people! I'll be collating this weekend and getting back to everyone with the address of the person to send to (and I'll be drawing a winner for the lavender bags, yay).

And as a completely random side issue. I have been looking on ebay today for some brogues which are leather, preferably handmade in Italy, start at 99p and have no bids and am not finding any, strangely enough. However I do have this piece of advice for ebay sellers: just because you bought it in Top Shop as long ago as January, that doesn't make it vintage. Sorry. The world's a hard place, I know.

Things through the post (not bills).

My copy of Bespoke, a new zine about all things handmade, came in the post.

I'm on page 15. You rush on over and buy it. Family who can't do paypal, ask me nicely

I have a small piece in it, so that was exciting to see, and it’s a good read as well, and very prettily put together (I love zines – I used to collect them, but then I got a bit tired of doing battle with etsy’s search engine. People, if it isn’t a zine, please don’t tag it as a flaming zine. Anyway, If anyone makes zines or knows of any, do leave me a comment and let me know, and I’ll have a look. I also used to collect feminist comics until the main shop I bought them from in London went all corporate and stopped stocking them. Until then, I disturbed many a commuter on the train back to Cambridge by whipping out my copy of Dyke’s Delight and competing for room with all the Telegraphs. It has actually just occurred to me that I subconsciously bought my biker jacket solely because of the one worn by Auntie Studs, who is by Kate Charlesworth and featured rather heavily. What does that say about my fashion references, huh? It’s a good job I was never a Superwoman fan).

I also received something else. A letter from Julie at The Letter Writing Revolution! I am thrilled, and I am going to write back. The paper she used was beautiful,

Do you see how I captured a shadow with my small battered camera? Mad propz to me, I believe

And naturally, this got me to thinking about nice writing paper. So I had a look round on etsy and I found some nice paper which I thought I would show you. Because who knows, blog readers, some of you may have some disposable income, not that I am jealous, especially because I am once more selling my life on ebay and may soon have disposable income again myself. You’d actually be surprised how vintage clothing holds its value. I’m starting to think my addiction to it is actually quite practical. Perhaps I should buy more, as it’s clearly just the same as investing in an ISA. Hmm. Anyway! On with the paper.

It's little houses. Isn't that clever?

This is a stationery set (http://www.etsy.com/listing/55215247/overgrowth-stationary-set) by mandygerth. It’s a set of paper and envelopes and it’s all recycled, hooray! The illustration is of two houses, one putting down roots and one giving out a green shoot. I thought this was lovely.
This is a notecard (http://www.etsy.com/listing/46776416/run-off-with-the-circus-notecard) by happyharpy. It’s a print of an original illustration (by happyharpy) – the eyes are unicyclists. Isn’t that cool? (I thought it was referencing the scene from A Clockwork Orange, which is why I looked closer!).  I also like the Beset By Demons (http://www.etsy.com/listing/45050704/beset-by-demons-notecard) notecard. I’m pleased to see that finally notecards are being made which are appropriate to the actual situations I find myself in.

And finally, a set of retro graphic notecards(http://www.etsy.com/listing/38299474/zen-earth-x-3-notecards) from a UK seller, digtheearth – I thought these were really nice (digtheearth has some rather nice prints as well, if you’re interested), and again, using recycled materials.

Thanks again to everyone who’s signed up for my handmade Christmas/ Yule/ whatever swap so far, and remember I’m closing sign ups this Friday, after which I’ll tell everybody their swap partner. Hooray! So if anyone still wants to sign up, here it is, and if anyone has signed up but not sent me their postal address, get it sent to me at uselessbeautydesigns [at] gmail.com (although, don’t think I can’t hunt you down. I can. I’m very cunning ;-) ).

The Homemade Christmas Card Swap sign-up post!

ETA, Sign ups now closed! Thanks to everyone for taking part x.

OK, people. Let’s do it. Let’s have a Homemade Christmas/ Yule Card Swap.

People send me cards. I squirrel away the shiny ones

 (This isn’t only to encourage me to get off my behind and make my own cards this year, I promise, but, you know, that will be a happy side-effect. We can encourage each other! I can post links/ ideas that don’t involve buying something very peculiar I saw late the other night on QVC which melts powder to emboss cards, and which burnt the woman who was demonstrating it quite seriously!).

You’ll be sending one homemade card out to one other person, and receiving a card from someone else. (ETA, I meant a card with a greeting in it, not a blank one for someone to reuse). My definition of homemade is quite loose: whatever floats your boat, from a hand-embroidered Yule-themed art postcard to a bit of glitter stuck on a card from Primark. Basically if you’ve had a hand in making/ altering it and you like it, then we’d love to have it in the swap. (It strikes me that we all celebrate different things these holidays – Christmas, Yule etc – I think rather than tailoring cards so that they cover everything let’s just send a December Greeting in the way we would normally do it, and take the ones we receive as a greeting as they were intended, i.e. I’ll happily receive Winterval, Yule, Kwanzaa cards or whatever anyone wants to send me. But let me know if you feel strongly another way).

Anyway, here’s the serious bit. These are the Roolz:

• To sign up, leave me a comment below, saying that you’re in. Then email me your postal address (to uselessbeautydesigns [at] gmail.com), and also tell me your commenting name (so I can cross-reference), where you’re willing to send a card to (because it’s just a card, it should be cheap to send it anywhere in the world, but if for some reason you’re restricted by location, no problem, just let me know, and I’ll match you up accordingly).

• I’ll leave this post up until 5th November to try and guilt as many people as possible into signing up so people have enough chance to see it (no pressure ;-) ). Then I’ll email everyone who’s taking part over the weekend following, and let you know who to send your card to (who you send to will be different to who sends to you – that way it will be a surprise!).

• Send your card out by 10th December (that gives us 5 weeks to get something together), and let me know when you’ve sent it by dropping me an email so I can keep tabs on where we are.

• If anyone doesn’t receive a card due to their sender forgetting, having a personal crisis possibly involving the installation of a new bathroom, or the postal service exploding, I will send you a card to replace it. So it’s a risk-free swap!

• It would be lovely if you would blog about what you receive (or send me a pic and tell me to blog about it), because I’d love to see what people get! I’ll link to all posts.

And, as a special bonus, because I have been frantically making lavender bags this weekend for my craft fair, using a sack of lavender I got from Long Barn (highly recommended – it smells amazing):

Lavender! In a sack! Smelling delicious!

I’ll draw a winner (using the random number generator) from one of the comments on this post after I close comments next Friday, and I’ll send them a couple of the lavender bags as a bonus prize. These aren’t wimpy little lavender bags that hardly smell of lavender, I want you to know:

Obviously I will trim the threads before I send them to you. Obviously

They are hardcore. The entire house is lavender-scented. They are knocking me sideways. You will like them, I promise.

OK, I think that’s everything. I hope it makes sense – if not let me know and I’ll make something up clarify ;-). Happy swapping, people. (Excited. Hope someone signs up. Eeek!).