delivered by the postman

these days it's almost a romantic thing to get a real card, delivered by the postman!

i have put together sets of 5 cards (5 different motives) with envelopes, lovely and very appropriate for the season's greetings.

the set of 5 costs chf 15.-; the cards individually cost chf 3.80

friends in the dark

 

loveliness

crikey, it is so dark today (not to mention the rain) that i find it difficult to take good pictures of the carmen cards. i'm not doing them justice. well, why don't you come and see for yourselves?

i've just looked and saw that it's been nearly two years since the last post on the carmen cards (cf 24.10.12). time is running, i tell you...

but insofar nothing has changed: they are still the most wonderful cards, with a silky surface, each and every piece made by carmen and her sister.

so what's new: some added motives and one single 10x15cm format: oblong, folded (each packed with an envelope). 

so for now you can still chose between the 4 old sizes and the new formate. which doesn't make the choice any easier...

i'm a fan!

diy

isabel carefully selected 4 different gift wrapping papers and cleverly used it to decorate the drawers of an ikea chest drawer she was no longer happy with. and used some masking tape for the rectangles. 

wow, precision work, one can tell!  

mobile

also available in red for chf 38.-

ideas for advent calendar (girls, the little ones!)

 

my aim is to be a shop for grown-ups and so i try to only buy few things for kids but here and there i find something i cannot resist (i hold with oscar wild who said he could resist anything but temptation).

it's a piece of paper!

you need scissors, glue, tape (or needle) and thread and you're ready to play :-) 

so kawai! that's a neat little present for chf 8.50 (3 different colours available). 

i assembled a fairy for the display in the shop and feel like a 6 year old. génial, non?

paper

i usually avoid mentioning the x-word before december but for some of you november means it's advent calendar confection time!

of course i will come up with ideas for you because 24 little presents, that's an awful lot...

but first of all, let's speak of paper. because if you take the trouble time to do an advent calendar you may as well go the extra mile to make it look wonderful!

unfortunately i cannot resist a beautiful wrapping paper and so i "did it again" ... i bought new paper although i already have lots!

1) the pretty paper with small prints in many colours (good to have on stock all year round for any occasion)

2) the graphic paper in black & white (manfriendly!)

3) the tie-dye coloured paper (modern)

4) the handmade gold on black paper (very festive)

the last above entry is the newcomer :-) see below.

as my friend adi says: it's gorgeous!

present TLC

 

sometimes finding a good present is a real headscratcher. i'm not saying that presentation is half the rent, but it definitely matters. the tlc you put into the packaging will show.

i much like these new black&white and the grainy dot wrapping papers. since spring i also have gift ribbons in various colours. paper and ribbon, two items to keep in stock at home at all times... comes in handy often enough for last minute presents!

new space invaders

do you feel a bit psychedelic looking at that? 

this is just one of the brand spanking new danish mobiles that have now landed in the store. 

mobiles may be the nemesis of utilitarians, so i definitely think you need one in your office :-)

the one shown is rather funky (i like it!), but there are also more subtle ones available that still add that edge to your home. more pics to follow (unfortunately there is not enough room to hang them all).

getting closer

bf has bought a new camera! 

sure enough i have stolen annexed adopted it subito, so he's not seeing his camera any time soon i'm afraid.

the thing is: with this camera i can finally get as close as i always wanted! with my much loved iphone camera i couldn't.

i can't say i totally control this camera (i'm useless reading instruction leaflets, i won't even touch them, he,he) and it seems to have a major let-down: the colours are not rendered as i see them, even when the pics are taken in broad daylight (a bright neon red for example turns into orange).

steal from bf and infidelities to my iphone camera... i think this is bad for my karma. hell, all in the name of close-up pictures, but you're going to get a ton of them.

the clock is ticking for...

if i'm counting correctly i have 12 deliveries in the works, one of them will only be ready in september (knits), others for summer (scarves), in a few weeks (ceramics, jewellery, bags), and some anyday from now. in this latter category i have: kelims, a jewellery spring collection, muuto and this one with the wrapping paper. now who get's excited about paper?

well, i do! and let me add this: i also took the textile gift ribbons (in all the colours :-) and i also took the... but let's not reveal all here, keep posted!

inspiring

love these handpainted wallpapers! 

by italian artist elena carozzi, i snapped this picture out of house & garden magazine

a ballsy triangle

majken sent me this picture from her home...
sadly, these colours of paperballs have all sold out, we're left with a trio of 3 shades of pink.

we're soon entering the red-hot phase! so keep cool and concentrate :-)

let's not to lose sight of the fun part of offering presents and that includes the wrapping. i have colourful paper and pretty boxes for small things. just add a ribbon and you're done!

delightful

last week, brigitte, who works at the uni, has brought me 3 garlands of which she folds the origami cubes in long cosy hours at home. before parting with them she took these beautiful pictures.

the garlands bring warmth and comfort to any room and can be easily switched on and off.

a 100% lovely christmas gift.  

it's a wrap

nice wrapping paper comes in handy... year in, year out.

the carmen cards

carmen brought me new cards, i mean with patterns we haven't had before. she buys the sheets with handprinted paper directly in japan and then she and her sister busy themselves with cutting, glueing... precision work.

i could look at these prints for a long long time, there are so many beautiful details, shapes and colour juxtapositions... and the velvety texture. japanese refinement at its best.

there are plenty of new patterns but i'll wait to show you some more because they're quite christmassy with delicate gold and silver in it. anti-dote to kitsch, i promise! keep posted.

but if you want to enjoy the full choice, come soon and ask me for the extra box.

sunny days

 

wonderfully exotic wallpaper... who wants to paper a whole wall? not many i suppose, so get it by the meter instead of the whole roll.

one prettier than the next

yes, more of the lovely carmen cards!

as you may remember i have already declared my love for those several times and when i saw the new ones she brought me last week (fear not, old designs are still available) i could only say: bring it on!

once used these cards are just too beautiful to throw away. imagine a collage of several pieces or simply put on a shelf like this:

http://lavieestbelleauboudoir.blogspot.ch/2012_01_01_archive.html

scroll down to entry 10.01.12

all the parties

to say i don't ace organisation is an understatement so i'm always happy to come up with something that is PARTICULARLY PRACTICAL for busy parents. a birthday party coming up? decorating a room for a child, finding a little present? 

it goes like this: open the tinbox, take out the 5m garland with many pretty paperconfettis and swiflty hang it accross the room with a tape or drawing pin. done. (and then back into the little box for the next occasion).

why did i say parents? this works for anyone (except perhaps the rigorous aesthete or minimalistic architect):

housewarming party: check.
garden party: check.
easy going wedding: check.
occasional office party: check.