Handmade and small gifts for pen pals

"Spring is approaching," is my new mantra. I repeat this in my head all day long. In fact I've been thinking about it since the beginning of January which makes me a bit, how do I say this? Annoyed? I'm supposed to be in the present, the now, enjoying what I got right at this second and I'm dreaming of a beach, a hammock and lots of sun. Oh! I've just realized that it is summer what I'm dreaming about.

Anyway, here are some ideas to cheer someone up via snail mail. The most important thing is that it's flat! I haven't had the chance to complain here about the raise of postal prices (boy are they ridiculous!).  The fact that a simple package is starting at 9 euros makes me think twice before I send anything out.

So in January (I know...) I came up with some little boxes to send. This one is filled with airmail labels that I printed here. But some stores like this one, sell vintage ones.

You can also make little pouches to fill with your favorite seeds, carve a stamp, make a label and close with your favorite washi-tape. Spring is approaching, spring is approaching...

Send them in a small tin box. Don't forget to include the instructions for planting.

Why not carve a few tiny rubber stamps to fill a pill box? As you can see I was still in heart and Valentine's mode.

Send to friends, pen pals, any one really. Snail mail has the ability of cheering everyone up, and with this winter going on, wouldn't it be nice to open a package that has been sent with lots of love? I think it would!

The things you could fit in a small box are a lot. Just give it a try. Did I mention cheer someone up?

Happy monday. I hope it is a good one!
Giova

To Craft or not to Craft?

This past sunday I had to ask myself this question. Then I proceeded to ask the same question on Instagram. Many answered with craft. Others said go out now and craft later. Which is what I did because here where I live, the beautiful days are few and far in between.

I was doing some rubber stamps when my husband said; "Do you want to stay in?" And this is a question that is also asked very few times and quite far in between. Oh, to be able to stay in with the blissful silence of an empty place for a few hours.

But the sound and sights of the beautiful forest was what I really needed.

And boy was it magical and inspiring. The only thing missing were the gnomes. But I'm pretty certain they were somewhere around.

 Dark mushrooms in a dark place, with the rays of the sun just coming in.

 We walked, and walked, and looked and looked.

 We also sat on a bench, and stared at the big KLM plane flying to who knows where.

And then discovered more varieties of mushrooms.

This one is a coral mushroom, I think.

Beautiful, tiny things were every where. Every stone, leaf, or an abandoned shell is another chance to stop and take a look. I didn't miss my crafting time. I think I spend too much of my time crafting and I need to go out, just to breathe a different type of air.

I guess it is pretty obvious what I did when I got back.

So tell me, if you are not too busy crafting, how do you manage your time? Do you have a set time for crafting, or do you simply go with the flow, taking advantage when inspiration strikes?

Have a lovely day.
Giova

Handmade Blog Cards

I'm running out of the cards I made for the blog back in May. If you haven't seen them, they're here. So for the new ones I have been dabbling in the art of stamping with the cutest stamps my sister got for me in Berlin in the nicest store. She wrote about Yonkel Ork here. The ones I made before were done with washi tapes and I thought they were pretty, but way too time consuming. I much rather be embroidering for that matter.

So, since I'm leaving for London tomorrow for the Renegade Craft Fair, I thought I take with me some of the new cards. Another fair, another weekend, hooray!! So what do you think? Do you like them?

Wishing you an early relaxing and happy weekend!
See you on Monday with news about the fair!

Giova