Nearly 'that' time of year ...

.. The supermarkets are starting to fill their shelves with Christmas items and the TV festive ad campaigns are well underway so it must be getting to the time of year when decorations get sorted, lists get made and cakes get baked in preparation for the holidays. We took delivery this week of packing materials and picture mounts so we are primed for the festive flurry. But before we get 'snowed under' we better get on with the very last Alphabet themed Friday picks, it's time for ..

 .. Fabulous Folksy Friday Finds!

 'Z' was as difficult as we knew it would be, but we did manage to find a handful of items, all we can say is thank goodness for zombies and zebras!. If you would like to see more from these talented crafters, their shop url's are under their photo's.

  'Z' is for...

Hand carved heart

Z is for - Zebra wood. This pretty pendant is hand carved from Zebra wood. Mark's Folksy shop is filled with 'beach' inspired items including surfboard clocks! https://folksy.com/shops/OceanArtsNorthDevon

  

Stripy buttony fun

Z is for - Zebra buttons. Lorraine's Folksy shop is an online haberdashery store, just the place if you are on the look out for buttons and bows! https://folksy.com/shops/SewWhoAreYou

Woolidermy!

Z is for - Zombies! Laura is the designer and maker behind this zombie squirrel head trophy. Her quirky, fun soft sculptures range from festive mince pies to human hearts, so if you are looking for something unusual then drop by her Folksy shop:

https://folksy.com/shops/lostinthewooddesigns



Here in the Studio we have been stock checking, re-printing and making space for packing up prints. We have a World map on the studio wall and place stars onto all the places where our prints find new homes, it's great fun seeing stars glittering from around the globe. New stars this week have been added including twinkles on New Zealand and California, just wish we could deliver them by hand!

'Charlie' - off to a new home in New Zealand

We also had friends around for supper midweek, they are jetting off soon to their winter home in sunnier climes so it was our chance to say bon voyage to them. They supply us with wood for our log stove, fruits from their garden and plants too. The latest plant gifts included some soft leaved lamb's ears, these plants have always found their way into our garden designs and I have been known to use them as cat substitutes, imagining their soft leaves as cat's ears on the rare occasions we have had no feline friends to share our home with. 

pink flowered lamb's ears

The evening went well and the pudding especially was a great success. I decided to attempt chocolate fondants, even though all the talk surrounding them makes them seem an impossible culinary feat. Happy to report they were simple to make, turned out as they should with a silky soft, gooey chocolate centre and we even have two spares sitting in the fridge for a treat over the weekend! Just wish I had thought to take a photo before eating them...


Enjoy your weekend.



'Those who do not think outside the box are easily contained'.
Anon