Ravenhill

New fabric!

The old year is ending in a fine way. Today I got the most delightful pile of fabrics in the mail from Fabric Shack. Every single fabric on this order is from the new line, Nicey Jane, by the gifted Heather Bailey.

The colors are reminscent of spring and full of fun.

There wasn't space in the package for the entire line, and I regret that.

I have orded a good number of flat rate envelopes of fabric from Fabric Shack. They have excellent prices and an enormous selection of fabrics.

These fabrics really are fresh and full of joy aren't they?

This is just the nudge I needed this time of year, a healthy dose of good cheer all stacked up nicely.

Just to show you that I haven't been just lazing about on Christmas vacation... I have added a few drawstring bags to my shop and have some dolls ready to stuff. This one I made with Heather's debut fabric line, Freshcut.

I am always making bags for myself and my family, so I thought I should share some with my shop too.

I shared a couple more dolls (the first two in line) with the very sweet and talented fabric designer BariJ so she could do a give away, so if you would like to enter just visit her and leave a comment. The last doll in line stayed with me for the moment, her name is Fru Gundersen and she is waiting eagerly in my shop for some near or far destination. She will spread good cheer and joy.

Giving of gifts

I wish I had done better at taking photos of all the gifts I made this year. I just spoke with my brother who thanked me for the fingerless gloves I gave him, my great aunt loved the mittens, another aunt has surely now opened up the socks I made...etc.

I did take a few photos of my latest project though, completed just in the nick of time, Christmas eve...

It is a pot-holder made in Yoko Saito style, using the house book as my guide. I did a post about this wonderful book last year. I just signed up for a course with the very same author when she comes to Norway in 2010. I keep thinking about the upcoming course with great excitement and anticipation. I am still not even positive I have a spot but my fingers are crossed...

I found making the potholder for a dear friend to be so such pleasure. Doing it though made me realize I would like to have stacks and stacks of taupe fabrics and that I have so very much to learn when it comes to selecting colors.

I really would like to chat more but it is so late now that I should be asleep. One last thing. I am having a HUGE sale in my shop until January 1st. I realized today how much I love to shop at after Christmas sales and thought it would be great to treat everyone with a wonderful sale. I have also begun to list a few new dolls.

Nighty night!

Wishing you a very Happy Holiday!

The gifts are ready...

Our stockings are hung...

I made these little stockings this season just for fun.

The fabric with the elves is from a very close friend who also appreciates fabric and was kind enough to share with me. The fabric had rows and rows of elves, I just cut a strip of them to make the stocking.

Adorable?

The same very generous friend also gave me this cute Christmas fabric with geese and more elves. In Norway the elves are often eating or holding Christmas porridge as this is a traditional part of Christmas feasting.

Hoping your stocking will be filled up with someting nice if you celebrate Christmas. I think I have been very good this year so I am expecting a lovely celebration with friends and family.

Peace and happiness to all!

Return to the Christmas Market

 

These youth look so cute dressed in their costumes at the Norske Folkemuseum's annual Christmas market. (Yes, we are back again!)

 

These elves were also adorable, check out the ringlets!

 

I wanted these...

This is just a lovely idea, with these traditional Swedish baskets made with felt hanging from the pretty branch.

 

And then less tradionally, in black and white.

 

You must be hungry now, time for a little snack?

 

Perhaps a tasty Lussekatte? These are traditional Swedish rolls with the characteristic saffron making them the golden color.

Little hands making

I have been busy these past few days getting orders together and sent off to all over the world. With my 25% off sale things are hopping in my shop! Things are clearing out fast! I am so pleased to see that the majority of my orders are repeat buyers. I guess that means they like what they are getting and that is so gratifying to me. Knowing that people are happy with my creations makes it worthwhile and satisfying.

Customers in my shop are the nicest people! Sometimes they let me know that the reason they are buying up oodles of dolls is to give to everyone for Christmas. Other times they tell me how much they have wanted to have one of my dolls and that the particular one they bought just called out to them.

We are also busy these days indoors (outdoors is unbearably cold) making Christmas decorations. Here are my husband's big hands helping my 4 year old's little hands to make a chain for our tree.

The joy in making something with your own two hands is so intoxicating. I can't think of a better addiction to have than making things.

Happy weekend and happy crafting!

P.S. My 25% off sale is still on until Wednesday, December 23rd should you be wanting to treat yourself to a little something!

A Grand End-of-Year Sale

I am now having a Grand End of Year Sale!

For one week I am offering 25% off all items in my shop. (Wednesday, December 16 through Wednesday, December 23.) After you have made your purchase and payment I will reimburse you the 25% off all items purchased. The 25% sale does not include shipping costs.  

 

That means these mama and babies are now only 30$ instead of 40$. It is my way of saying Thank you for a wonderful year of blogging and another great year as a shop-keeper.

More winter gear

 

somehow I forgot to do a post on these mittens and headband that I made for my son. We did this photoshoot in late September. He really got into pretending to be cold, but the green grass and still bright sunshine are a great clue to the season.

 

His love of the brights and multicolored make my task of knitting things for him so joyful! I truly hope that he will never outgrow his outragous non-conformity.

He isn't wearing the socks though, I am. I love them. I am not sure why, but he just never wants to wear them. They are so warm from my toes all the way up to my knees and stay up really well.

Grey Norway

Before I bring you back to the Norske Folkemuseum's annual Christmas market sometime soon I am dying to share a bit of Norway's winter wonderland with you.

 

If you're not from the far North you might find it hard to believe how dark it is here in Oslo on a grey day at 8:45 am. Being able to see the beauty in all this gloom is very important to me. Being able to share it with you is also really nice. Truly, blogging has helped me to appreciate the wonder of daily life, and helped me to find beauty when at first glance I didn't notice anything special.

 

On our walk to nursery school we always see many birds. This one was soaring high up in the trees today on this grey day.

 

Many of the birds settled by the stream to find a crumb or two.

 

I think these two birds were double daring eachother to take a swim. They were both chickens though.

 

I thought this bird might be saying "don't follow the crowds, go your own way."

 

This little lady was saying quite clearly, "put away the camera, I am tired of waiting for you." She can be pretty strict.

Norske Folkemuseum's Julemarked

Would you care to get warmly dressed for a visit to the Norske Folkemuseum's annual Christmas market? It is just above zero celcius so it isn't too cold and all the sights will be well worth the trip.

 

 Even the buildings look Christmasy with the pretty green walls and red tiled roof.

 
I was so enchanted by this trio of handsome elves.

 
This little wooden bird appeared to be hand carved and was beautifully hand painted.

 
I was so impressed by the quality of the work. I certainly would love to find this hand painted wooden serving plate under the tree for me!

 

This winged creature was highly original and wonderful!

 
This same hatmaker has had her wares on display year after year and It is always a treat to see her marvelous new creations.

I will actually be taking you back again soon, as there is still more to see! I hope you enjoyed our outing, that the waffles were tasty and that you didn't spend too much money.

Oleana

Yesterday my little one and I took a little trip to town. Just going by Oleana's amazing shop and gazing into the window was glorious inspiration.

 

You have all said such nice things about my knitting, but just feast your eyes on these!

 

The combination of color and pattern are just outstanding.

 

I would love to own one of these, but how to decide which one?

 

The scenes they set and their photography are also exquisite.

 

I hope this flurry of color and design has given you a bit of inspiration to set off and make something beautiful yourself!

I am spending my morning happily in my sewing room today, dreaming up new mixes of colors and patterns myself.

Christmastime in my shop

Christmas goods are finally in my shop! The seemingly endless overcast days are making photographing anything an immense challenge. I did have such fun making these Christmassy matryoshkas and want to make more for my home too so we can be surrounded by the good cheer of the season.

Now for the give away!

Using the very handy Random Number Generator I have selected two winners of my Christmas craftiness giveaway.

A warm congratulations to Selina and Simone!!!!

When I have your address I will mail the goodies right off to you! May you enjoy them to the fullest!

 

Dolls around the world

A very thoughtful Australian, Kym, wrote me to tell me that my matryoshka was featured in an Australian magazine, Mother and Baby, Dec/Jan 2010 Issue.

Thank you so much Kym for letting me know and for sending me a scan of the magazine page for me!

I also heard from Bari this week. She got her dolls! I mailed her two of them to thank her for her fabulously beautiful fabrics. She did such a nice post about our swap.

My new red gloves

I finished the my very first pair of gloves! They weren't really so hard. Knitting fingers are really just like knitting the thumbs, there are just lots of them.

The photo above shows the color pretty accurately while the other photos didn't really capture it. Lilly's fingers were looking a little chilled here, as I helped her jump down off the rock wall she had been balancing on. She mostly likes going mittenless though.

For these gloves I used Berroco Ulta Alpaca Fine, Redwood Mix color.

The pattern was from Vogue Knitting the fall 2009 issue. Here is the magazine with the pattern. This issue as well as other back order issues are available on the VK site.

Please join in my holiday crafting give away if you haven't yet!

Gifts to inspire YOU!

It is finally the most festive of months! December is a lovely month to enjoy making things. I thought it would be fun to share my enthusiasm for the Christmas season and my love of crafting with you by offering inspirational packs! I have two to give away and two that are in my shop. Because I am lazy I only took photos of the two packs for my shop, but the two I am giving away are nearly alike, they simply have a slightly different selection of buttons and threads. So feast your eyes on the goodies....

My first fun pack features reds, greens, whites, and a bit of aqua and blue thrown in!

I put together a mix of new and vintage prints in the spirit of the season.

Here is the second one, very traditional reds and greens, and like the first pack, it too contains fabrics, ribbons, notions, stickers, flosses:

I love to spread a bit of Christmas cheer!

Yes, a great amount of fun could be had with these and I hope that the two lucky winners will have a ball! If you would like to enter my little give away please simply leave a comment to this post. Comments will close Tuesday, December 8th at 7 am Norwegian time. Soon after I will announce two lucky winners!

I also have two Christsmas inspiration packs in my shop (so sorry, they sold out fast!)